Take a Good Look at Who I Am

It wasn't as if Zhang Yuanqing had never seen multiform items before—the Red Dancing Shoes and the Military Soul Mask, for instance—but those were single items with multiple applications. The item in his hand, however, changed entirely in appearance and function with each form, behaving more like three distinct items in one. Without a doubt, it was a divine artifact. Each of its three forms was top-tier, and beyond that, it was a rule-based item. It possessed three rules. First: Resonance, which could shatter any defense in the world. Second: Binding. Until its master died, no one else could use it. Third: Energy Storage, capable of withstanding a single physical attack of any caliber. *A hammer that shatters items, a cannon that fires ball lightning... paired with Night Roaming, this is the ultimate sneak-attack artifact. And even if an ambush fails, I can deploy the Purple Thunder Shield to defend myself...* *However, the Purple Thunder Shield can only block attacks from the front. It's not like the defensive items of Earth Monsters, which provide omnidirectional protection. Plus, for now, I don't know where the shield's upper limit lies...* After all, the Purple Thunder Shield's intrinsic defense was not governed by a rule. As long as it wasn't a rule, it had to have a limit. *Let's test their power first.* With a thought, the round shield in Zhang Yuanqing's hand shifted into the Little Pumpkin Hammer. Measuring fifty centimeters in total length, it was compact and exquisite, nimble and comfortable to wield—exceedingly suited for close-quarters ambushes. Next, he retrieved a piece of crimson iron ore from his guild warehouse. The material was called Fire Demon Ore. As the name suggested, it was a Saint-grade material belonging to the Fire Specialist class. Fire Demon Ore possessed two major characteristics: high heat and immense durability. It was well-suited for forging cold weapons, but precisely because of its toughness and extreme heat resistance, it was exceptionally difficult to smelt. Zhang Yuanqing dropped the washbasin-sized chunk of Fire Demon Ore onto the ground, swung the Purple Thunder Hammer, and brought it down hard. *Clang!* A piercing, sharp ring echoed through the room. On the surface of the Fire Demon Ore, an indentation the shape of half a pumpkin was stamped. Heavy Strike was one of the Purple Thunder Hammer's traits; every swing landed as a crushing blow. Yet the resonance trait didn't seem to manifest... Zhang Yuanqing stared at the ore for a moment. Soon, as if noticing something, he let out a soft gasp of surprise and pressed a finger against the stone's surface. The next instant, a numb, prickling pain shot through his fingertip. It felt just like placing a hand on a high-frequency vibrating motor in his childhood. When the ore's vibration was disrupted, faint ripples stirred across its surface before vanishing. Zhang Yuanqing touched it again; the numbness was gone. *So the Fire Demon Ore was vibrating at a high, microscopic frequency just now...* Understanding dawned. Zhang Yuanqing raised the Purple Thunder Hammer and struck the ore's surface strike after strike. *Clang! Clang! Clang...* The vibrations on the ore grew increasingly violent, escalating with every impact. Finally, as he brought down the fifth strike, the Fire Demon Ore suddenly shattered with a sharp *bang*, bursting into a heap of dust and tiny gravel across the floor. "Tsk, tsk. Fire Demon Ore is harder than many items, yet it blew apart in just five strikes..." Zhang Yuanqing caressed the little pumpkin as if holding the rarest treasure. Next, he tested the Purple Thunder Shield's defensive capability. He summoned Blood Rose, who had been standing guard outside the door, and had her transform into a werewolf to unleash an all-out assault on her shield-bearing master. Blood Rose's offensive power was on par with a Level 5 Swordsman, and her claws were supreme at piercing armor. Earlier, the Level 5 Swordsman's defensive item had been shredded by her claws. Now, however, her razor-sharp claws only struck sparks across the round shield's face, emitting an ear-grating screech. No matter how desperately the werewolf attacked, she could only leave behind shallow white scratches. *Crackle, crackle...* Under attack, the round shield's surface discharged twisting arcs of lightning that snapped onto the werewolf's body. Every electric arc stiffened the werewolf's frame, making its needle-like fur stand on end and slowing its movements. In less than half a minute, its attacks lost their swiftness, and the claw swipes grew limp and feeble. *If I switched to the Thunderstorm Cannon right now and blasted her, it'd be an absolute hit...* Zhang Yuanqing thought, but didn't act on it. Instead, he commanded her to halt. The werewolf panted heavily, back hunched. The ferocious, pale gold in its eyes flickered with confusion and disorientation, as though dazed by the electricity. Zhang Yuanqing inspected the shield's surface, where a series of claw marks remained. With a thought, he switched it into Thunderstorm Cannon mode, then shifted it back into the round shield. This time, the claw marks on the shield had completely vanished. *It seems the essence of this item is liquid purple gold. Surface damage doesn't affect the item at all—just switching forms restores it to pristine condition.* *In that case, even if the shield cracks one day, I won't have to worry about it being ruined.* Zhang Yuanqing rubbed the shield, growing fonder of it by the second. It truly was the best of the best, near perfection in every respect. As for the costs of using it, they were neither overwhelmingly heavy nor trivial. The Purple Thunder Hammer's drawback: for anyone under two meters tall, it could only be used for five minutes. Exceeding that limit meant one's body would be pulverized by the steadily intensifying resonance. The Thunderstorm Cannon's cost was clearly stated. Though he hadn't tested it, Zhang Yuanqing guessed it involved electric shock—a technique where hurting the enemy also hurt oneself. As for the Purple Thunder Shield, although its listed drawback was merely a loss of aggressive intent while raised, Zhang Yuanqing deduced three practical flaws after using it. First was the listed drawback. Second, it could only guard against attacks from the front; it was useless against backstabs or surprise flanks unless the wielder sensed the danger in advance and shifted the shield's orientation. Third was the recoil. Under the werewolf's frenzied onslaught, the skin between Zhang Yuanqing's thumb and index finger had torn open. Against a mightier force, the impact might well shatter his arm bones. "Compared to what it can do, these costs are entirely manageable." Zhang Yuanqing stowed the Purple Thunder Shield with deep satisfaction, then glanced at Blood Rose. Her clothes were shredded once more. She stood naked and fair-skinned before her master, a defined waistline resting beneath her pert bust, her long legs shapely, straight, and slender. Paired with a flawless face that bore only faint traces of cosmetic surgery, she was an exquisite temptation. *Stay single long enough, and even a yin corpse starts looking enticing...* Zhang Yuanqing sighed and tore his gaze away from her beauty and flesh, focusing instead on Blood Rose's eyes. At some point, tiny specks of gold had surfaced within them, beginning a transformation toward the eyes of a beast. *Only three uses, and her eyes are already shifting? Ah, the combat power of Little Red Riding Hood is undeniable, but the corruption is far too potent. I'll need to refine a few more yin corpses as spares in the future.* Zhang Yuanqing put away Little Red Riding Hood. Right then, a hurried knock sounded at the door. He had Blood Rose hide behind the Hundred-Refinement Furnace before opening the door. A burly man in black stood outside, bowing his head respectfully. "The boss told me to inform you that people from the Zhao family have arrived and want to see you." *Here to demand an explanation?* Zhang Yuanqing considered this for a few seconds and asked, "Is Zhao Feichen dead?" The burly man shook his head. "The boss already stopped his bleeding and treated his wounds. His life isn't in danger. He's been carried out to see the Zhao family." *Lian Sanyue, his own aunt, couldn't even part with a single vial of Life Essence for her nephew? Well, Life Essence really is expensive...* Zhang Yuanqing asked again, "Who came?" "Zhao Feichen's father. His real name isn't known; his Spirit Realm ID is Zhao Hongzheng," the man replied. *Nonsense, who in a Spirit Realm clan uses their real name? Actually, which Spirit Realm walker uses their real name...* Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "Understood." As long as it wasn't the head of the Zhao family, things weren't too bad. Though even if the old family head came in person, he wouldn't back down. "Leave your shirt and pants behind, then you can go," Zhang Yuanqing said. "???" A moment later, the burly man, stripped down to his boxers and cradling several pieces of ore in his arms, left with a beaming smile. A few moments after that, Zhang Yuanqing emerged from the room leading Blood Rose, who was now dressed in the black shirt and pants. The oversized clothes hung loose and baggy on her frame. Inside the cluttered convenience store, Lian Sanyue sat leaning against the cashier counter, one arm folded across her chest while the other held a cigar. In her ear rang the furious roar of her elder brother, Zhao Hongzheng: "Who did this?! Who injured my son like this?!" Zhao Hongzheng stared down at his frail, weakened son on the stretcher, his eyes nearly tearing at the corners when his gaze fell upon the bandaged, blood-seeping thighs. Zhao Hongzheng had graying hair, etched with deep nasolabial folds and crow's-feet. He had only fathered this son at the age of forty, doting on him endlessly with every indulgence. He valued this boy immensely, partly for his natural talent, but most importantly because Zhao Feichen had been raised by the old family head himself. The old patriarch adored his youngest grandson, treating him like the apple of his eye, which in turn brought favor upon Zhao Hongzheng's branch of the family. The bond between grandfather and grandson ran deep. When the old master eventually stepped down, who would inherit the clan leadership? Even if Zhao Hongzheng wasn't the most talented among his brothers, on account of Zhao Feichen, his father would spare him a few extra glances and give him greater consideration. Zhao Hongzheng glared at Lian Sanyue, speaking heavily, "Even if your relationship with Father is strained, Feichen has still called you Aunt for all these years! How could you stand by and watch his legs get severed on your own territory?!" Lian Sanyue sneered. "Plenty of people call me grandaunt, let alone aunt! You bet, you accept the outcome. Zhao Feichen courted his own doom—what does that have to do with me?" "You—" Just as Zhao Hongzheng moved to berate her, Lian Sanyue's face turned icy. "Zhao Hongzheng, you're in no position to lecture me. Come back when you've become a Dominator." Zhao Hongzheng's chest heaved with rage, but he truly didn't dare say another word to her. He turned his head and addressed his subordinates waiting outside the shop: "Head back to the clan. Inform the family head of what happened to Feichen, and bring a vial of Life Essence over. Make it quick." Outside the convenience store stood a line of Spirit Realm walkers in formal suits. The subordinate on the far left, in black suit and sunglasses, bowed in acknowledgment and hurried away. Zhao Hongzheng leaned down and slipped an emerald-green pearl into Zhao Feichen's pale, cracked lips. Moments later, color returned to Zhao Feichen's face, and he drifted awake. Seeing Zhao Hongzheng, joy blossomed on his exhausted, feeble face. He immediately seized his father's hand and ground his teeth. "Dad, avenge me... avenge me! I want that punk to pay!" Zhao Hongzheng patted his son's hand, consoling him. "Dad will. In Du, no one wounds a direct descendant of the Zhao family and walks away whole. I've already sent someone to inform your grandfather. As for your injuries, Dad will restore them with Life Essence. "Feichen, tell me—who hurt you?" Zhao Feichen's eyes burned with venom. Gritting his teeth, he said, "A Star Official. Most likely a Deacon from the Taiyi Sect, but not Zhao Chenghuang." He recounted their clash, embellishing every detail to his advantage. Zhao Hongzheng sighed. "If he's a Deacon from the Taiyi Sect, I probably can't kill him to vent our anger. But however he maimed you, I will do the same to him." Zhao Feichen said displeasedly, "What's the point of that?!" He fell quiet for a moment, then his eyes flashed faintly. "Dad, I have an idea!" Zhao Hongzheng leaned in. "Tell me." "That punk was using Aunt's Hundred-Refinement Furnace to forge a Saint-grade top-tier item. I suspect it might even be a rule-based item! Have your men surround Wanbao House so he doesn't get a chance to call the Taiyi Sect for backup. Then, using his deliberate wounding of me as an excuse, demand compensation and seize that item first! Afterward, even if the Taiyi Sect comes asking for it, we'll have room to dispute the claim. The Taiyi Sect won't go to war with our Zhao family over a single item belonging to one of their Deacons!" He was still obsessed with the item inside the furnace. *A Saint-grade top-tier item? A rule-based item?* Zhao Hongzheng pondered for a few seconds, his eyes lighting up. He smiled. "Splendid idea!" He immediately ordered his subordinates to surround Wanbao House, cleared all ordinary people from the alley, and deployed items countering Night Roaming and the Star Escape Technique. Once everything was prepared, he looked at his half-sister without expression. "As for Feichen, I won't hold it against you. Bring him out. I know the rules—I won't make a move inside your shop." Lian Sanyue had watched the entire spectacle from start to finish. Smiling faintly, she said, "He's already out." With a gentle flick of her hand, the space inside the shop rippled with folds, and two figures materialized out of thin air within Wanbao House. One was an ordinary-looking young man, and the other was a barefoot beauty wearing loose black clothes. It was none other than Zhang Yuanqing and Blood Rose. "Dad, that's him!" Zhao Feichen's gaze turned sharply vicious, laced with a sneer. Zhao Hongzheng glared coldly at Zhang Yuanqing. "I don't care whether you belong to the Taiyi Sect or are an independent cultivator. You severed my son's legs, and you will pay the price." Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Zhao Hongzheng, then at the bodyguards stationed outside. Pulling his gaze back, he looked once more at the graying middle-aged man. "You're Zhao Hongzheng, Zhao Feichen's father? From the sound of it, you don't know the full story. Your son and I signed a contract—" Before he could finish, Zhao Hongzheng cut him off with a wave of his hand. "All I know is that your bet was limited to the firestones. It was your spite that drove you to forcefully sever my son's legs. The Zhao family demands an accounting for this." Zhang Yuanqing immediately abandoned all intention of reasoning. "And what accounting does the Zhao family want?" Zhao Feichen spoke up at once, "Compensate me with the item you forged in that furnace!" Zhao Hongzheng gave a slight nod, standing with his hands behind his back. "Those are our terms. If you agree to settle, hand that item over to Feichen. "You threw your weight around, cut off my son's legs, and nearly cost him his life. Demanding one item from you is hardly excessive. Bring it out yourself. Don't force my hand." Zhang Yuanqing understood completely now. Strip away all the pretenses, and this father-son pair had simply set their sights on his item, confident they had him cornered. When one scheme failed, they hatched another. Surrendering the item under the guise of compensation meant that even if the authorities intervened later, he wouldn't be able to reclaim it. A private settlement was treated as voluntary on both sides—a robbery dressed in the garb of proper procedure. "And what if I refuse?" Zhang Yuanqing's expression chilled. "What do you think?" Zhao Hongzheng raised a hand, and the men in black outside poured into the shop, staring coldly at him. Zhang Yuanqing couldn't help recalling his school days, when an older student had extorted his pocket money. He had run crying to Brother Bing, who flew into a fury and gave the boy a sound beating. Afterward, that student's parents caused a scene at the school, never mentioning their son's extortion, demanding that the school expel both Zhang Yuanqing and Brother Bing while extracting an apology and compensation. Helpless and terrified of telling his grandparents, Zhang Yuanqing went to his unreliable uncle. The moment his uncle heard the story, he stole his aunt's bank card and exchanged it at the bank for a massive sack of coins. Then he brought his nephew to school. Confronting the troublemaking parents, he first told his nephew to apologize, then plunged his hands into the sack, grabbing handful after handful of coins and hurling them viciously at the father and son. He pelted them until they fled with their heads in their hands. In the end, it was the teachers who stepped in to halt his uncle's violent spree. His uncle declared haughtily: *My chosen successor hit someone, and that was his mistake. But don't you two robbers act like saints. My family has money to burn—consider this a tip for the two of you.* With that, he walked away with his successor, telling the teachers he would report the incident to the education bureau. On the way home, his uncle patted his shoulder: *Well done. When dealing with bratty kids, fight fire with fire. And when dealing with bratty parents, fight fire with even more fire.* Now, his uncle wasn't by his side anymore, nor could his uncle intervene in conflicts of this caliber. *But Uncle, I've grown up...* Zhang Yuanqing slowly slipped off his Disguise Ring, revealing his true face, and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Zhao Hongzheng, take a good look at who I am! Just who do you think you're laying a hand on?!"