Within this Divine Treasure resides two divine principles: 'Augmentation' and 'Empowerment.' 'Augmentation' signifies increase, while 'Empowerment' means to bestow reinforcement. Thus, it is named the Wing of Profound Augmentation and Empowerment! This object can elevate any cultivator's strength by several tiers, or it can be imbued into an artifact! Legend holds that if a Half-Step Heaven-Opening artifact is empowered by it, it can instantly ascend to the rank of a Heaven-Opening Divine Artifact!”

“A Heaven-Opening Divine Artifact?”

Even with Su Xiaoxiao's composure, she couldn't help but gasp aloud.

Heaven-Opening Divine Artifacts were few in number in this domain, and none had ever fallen into private hands.

However, there were at least five Half-Step Heaven-Opening artifacts in this world.

If, after being empowered by the Wing of Profound Augmentation and Empowerment, one could reach the Heaven-Opening tier, perhaps even allowing one to directly merge with the Dao and attain true immortality—then if this artifact truly fell into Zong Shou’s possession, what would be the consequence?

With the aid of this device, Zong Shou might bypass the Divine Realm entirely and reach the Saint-tier in strength.

Even when he was merely in the Immortal Realm, he could contend against Saint-tier Venerables in the Cloud Realm using his Sovereign Martial Arts. If he obtained this artifact as well, he would be nearly invincible beneath the Transcendent Realm. Even a Transcendent cultivator would find it extremely difficult to eliminate him.

Glancing sideways, he observed Li Biexue’s expression, which was profoundly grim, as if it could weep water. It was no wonder Li Biexue had lost his composure earlier. For the Demonic Sect, this matter was tantamount to devastating news.

The Demonic Lotus Madam then shifted her tone, saying, “However, from this junior’s perspective, Zong Shou did not recognize the origin of this item at that time…”

Li Biexue’s eyes flickered, and he coldly regarded the Demonic Lotus Madam. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Hearing this, the Demonic Lotus Madam grew even more deferential. “Back then, only a handful of cultivators knew that Lü Wushuang possessed the Wing of Profound Augmentation and Empowerment. Most of them left behind no canonical texts, only fragmented allusions. Even the most erudite scholar would likely struggle to know the origin of this object.”

Li Biexue listened thoughtfully. The Demonic Lotus Madam seemed encouraged and continued, “The artifact spirit of that Divine Artifact has already sealed itself. Even those few individuals in the Cang Sheng Dao might not definitively recognize it. Therefore, this junior surmises that Zong Shou will have difficulty discerning the item’s origin and use for some time. At most, he will only realize that the artifact possesses some extraordinary qualities. If he fails to awaken the spirit of the Wing of Profound Augmentation and Empowerment, it amounts to nothing more than a piece of scrap iron.”

“Is that so?”

Li Biexue responded noncommittally, “Then how many people know of this matter?”

“Only this junior!”

The Demonic Lotus Madam’s expression was placid, as if she were stating the most commonplace of facts. “All those who witnessed this artifact near the ruins of the Xu Xuan Sect that day have been eliminated by this junior—no living witnesses remain. Only those under Zong Shou’s command…”

Thirty thousand Iron Cavalry and four hundred Spirit Masters had all seen it. She truly had no recourse regarding this portion. Slaughtering these men would not be easy and would certainly provoke the Great Qian into treating her as a mortal enemy. Fortunately, their strength was low, and most were rogue cultivators; it should not matter too much. However, this was the greatest vulnerability: those who knew of the Wing of Profound Augmentation and Empowerment were certainly not limited to the Demonic Sect. The Daoist Sect of that era might also have known a little.

“In other words, this Venerable can reclaim this artifact before Zong Shou becomes aware of its true nature?”

Li Biexue smiled faintly, looking at the Demonic Lotus Madam with chilling eyes. Only a few people indeed knew of the Wing of Profound Augmentation and Empowerment, simply because Lü Wushuang had a rather peculiar relationship with the Demonic Sect. Back when Li Biexue was still in the Cloud Realm, he had learned the details particularly well. Lü Wushuang perished, and the Divine Artifact disappeared with his descendant. He had searched for it with all his might, but after a hundred years, he could not discover its whereabouts. In time, he had given up. It turned out the artifact spirit had sealed itself into slumber, likely due to severe damage sustained in the battle back then. Now that it had reappeared, had it recovered?

In reality, even if others saw the artifact, it wouldn't matter. Without knowing its origin or purpose, they would only be curious for a while, never connecting it to a Divine Treasure. However, leaving this woman alive posed a considerable risk.

The Demonic Lotus Madam’s face was slick with fine cold sweat as Li Biexue’s fierce killing intent pierced her very soul. Yet, she gritted her teeth, kneeling silently, daring not to move an inch or show any sign of resistance.

“I must say, you are quite intelligent…”

Li Biexue chuckled softly, retracting the oppressive aura he had projected. A hint of admiration flickered in his eyes. She possessed the restraint to overcome greed, understanding that the artifact was far beyond her grasp, and wisely reported the news to him. A woman like this possessed at least sufficient self-awareness. Despite practicing demonic arts, she retained a degree of rationality.

With a flick of his finger, a crimson pill shot toward the Demonic Lotus Madam. She caught it and her face immediately lit up with pleasant surprise. She bowed deeply once more. “Dragon Demon Essence Cultivation Pill? Thank you, Lord Yuan Mo!”

Su Xiaoxiao’s eyes also showed a slight change. Because demonic cultivators often overdraw their vital essence during early Foundation Establishment, their essential energy is usually depleted, hindering further advancement. The Dragon Demon Essence Cultivation Pill was one refined by Li Biexue specifically to solidify the foundation and cultivate the essence for cultivators above the Immortal Realm. An Immortal-grade pill was naturally extraordinary; obtaining one could often mend past deficiencies. However, its production rate was very low—only three pills in a century. All Divine Realm cultivators within the Demonic Path eagerly awaited them.

Li Biexue nodded slightly, acknowledging her service. This woman’s aptitude was not weak, and her temperament was quite good. She had the potential to impact the Saint Realm, so he was willing to nurture her.

“Within forty years, you shall remain in secluded cultivation within the Heavenly Demon Vault Realm. You shall not leave without my order.”

Then, he turned his gaze to Su Xiaoxiao, and a complex, inscrutable expression crossed Li Biexue’s face. Su Xiaoxiao’s heart tensed. To retrieve the Wing of Profound Augmentation and Empowerment from Zong Shou, she, Su Xiaoxiao, was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate. At this moment, however, she firmly shook her head. “Holy Venerable, since this disciple intends to move his heart using the Seven Emotions Law of the Yuan Mo, I must also treat him with sincerity. Asking me to seize this artifact would put me in a difficult position…” Li Biexue shook his head, his voice calm and indifferent: “There is no need for such a thing!”

“What exactly is this thing?”

At almost the same moment, Zong Shou, inside his imperial carriage, stared blankly at the black, wing-shaped piece of metal in his hand.

It was neither metal, jade, nor stone. Zong Shou had tested it recently. Even the Refining Spirit Sword’s strike left it completely unscathed. This indicated that the material was at least Heaven-grade—the topmost tier among the Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow tiers of worldly treasures. Even among Heaven-grade items, this must be an exceedingly precious one.

During this period, the Refining Spirit Sword had been absorbing massive amounts of Faith and Wish Divine Power, gradually enhancing and refining its quality. It might not yet qualify as a true Divine Artifact, but it was at the level of a Half-Step Divine Artifact. Yet, this top-tier sword artifact could not inflict even a single scratch upon it. His soul power and spiritual sense could not penetrate it, being blocked by an inexplicable barrier. He could not discern its structure nor make an accurate judgment.

Moreover, during this time, he had scrutinized all the books recorded in his memory and confirmed that none contained a record of this item. However, he had gained some insight regarding the previous ruins.

“The Ancient Xu Xuan Sect, one of the Three Thousand Daoist Schools of the past, once flourished during the Middle Ages. It was once part of the lineage of the Compassionate Dao Lord, the Tai Qing branch. The cause of its downfall was mostly related to the split with the Daoist Sword Sect.”

This information provided him with little direct assistance.

“However, since this object flew out from the ruins of the Xu Xuan Sect, it means it must have once appeared in the mortal world, and someone must have used it…”

But Zong Shou immediately recalled Wei Xu’s reply. “None of the Seven Sons of the Cang Sheng Dao could recognize it, and Elder Martial Brother Xiuguan has already left the Cloud Realm.”

He had contacted the Cang Sheng Dao just then and learned that Xiuguan had quietly departed only a day prior. Clearly, he understood that the conflict between Great Qian and the three teachings—Daoism, Confucianism, and Demonism—had reached a temporary conclusion. This was not the time for a decisive battle to determine the victor. However, with this man gone, the object in his hand became somewhat troublesome. Instinctively, with Xiuguan’s cultivation nearing the Half-Step Transcendent Realm, even if he couldn't identify the item, he could observe and deduce its general function. Although contact could still be maintained via charms and spiritual messages, not being able to see the object firsthand ultimately prevented a definitive identification.

“These carvings on the surface appear innate, similar to those of the Blood Moon Dao. Could it be a Divine Artifact?”

Zong Shou shook his head slightly. If it were a Divine Artifact, it should not be so utterly lifeless. “Since this object flew out of the Xu Xuan Palace on its own, it should possess some form of sentience; it cannot be treated as ordinary spirit iron.”

Unable to figure it out, Zong Shou let the matter go. He possessed few treasures; a single Illusion Heart Mirror, the Refining Spirit Sword, and a Demon-Warding Divine Shuttle were sufficient. His offensive and defensive tools were top-grade, and the Divine Shuttle increased his escape speed in emergencies. Other treasures, unless particularly miraculous, were useless to keep with him. This piece of black iron was a trivial matter to him, not worth wasting much energy over. Shen Yuexuan, a top-tier artificer from the Mohist school, should return from the Tian Fang World in a few days; perhaps that person might recognize it.

He never considered seeking help from the Sword Sect or the Buddhists. When the Xu Xuan Palace fell, Buddhism had only just entered the Cloud Realm. Furthermore, the Sword Sect’s foundations were inferior to those of the Cang Sheng Dao. Since the people of the Cang Sheng Dao did not recognize it, the Sword Sect members would surely be clueless too.

A thought struck him, and Zong Shou tossed the wing-shaped spirit iron into his sleeve, into the space where Xiao Qian resided. He allowed the little fellow to envelop the dark object with its body. Myriad Manifestations could devour all manner of substances in the world to improve itself. Moreover, having recently absorbed the Divine Wood, its body now accumulated a vast amount of vital energy. Perhaps it could completely ‘swallow’ this object, or at the very least, corrode the outer layer of that barrier. Still, he held little expectation himself.

Setting the matter aside, Zong Shou returned to diligently studying the demonic codices.

The carriage pulled by forty-nine dragons moved quite quickly, but it needed to account for the accompanying cloud ships and the guarding Iron Cavalry. It took three days to reach Great Qian. After waiting another two days there, Kong Yao finally returned.