Swish!!
A layer of strange seven-colored radiance bloomed from within the Woodsman's Spring. From the water emerged a breathtakingly beautiful yet faintly aloof Springwater Goddess, her presence exuding clarity. She looked at Yi Tianxing and asked in a voice as crisp as tinkling spring water:
"Was it you who dropped something into the spring just now?"
"Yes, it was me!!"Yi Tianxing answered without hesitation.
"Then, did you drop this banner?"
With a flash of light in her hand, the Springwater Goddess pulled out a long banner from the spring.
This banner radiated an aura far more powerful than the Myriad Talisman Banner Yi Tianxing had previously used. Countless mysterious talismans appeared on its surface, constantly shifting and exuding a bizarre, unfathomable aura—its quality clearly a step above his original.
"No!!"
After a brief moment of thought, Yi Tianxing denied it aloud. Yet, in his heart, he felt something strange—he could sense the imprint of his own soul on this banner. However, the connection seemed sealed, inaccessible unless willingly released by the Springwater Goddess. Without her consent, it could never truly be reclaimed.
"Then, is this one yours?"
She flashed her hand again, retrieving another Myriad Talisman Banner. This one gave off an even more extraordinary aura, seemingly capable of unleashing a storm of talismans to obliterate all.
"Yes! That one is my Myriad Talisman Banner. Please return it to me."
Yi Tianxing's eyes gleamed as he answered decisively.Unlike the traditional folktale involving the Woodsman's Spring, where one is tricked into lying, this was a unique variant. The Woodsman's Spring here was a naturally-formed world treasure, functioning under unknown rules. There was no telling if honesty or deception would yield the best outcome.
In truth, Yi Tianxing wasn't lying.
All three banners bore the soul imprint of his Primordial Spirit. He had personally forged them—each one was his in its own right.
"You're lying. That one is not yours. This one is."The Springwater Goddess responded calmly.
With a wave of her hand, three Myriad Talisman Banners now floated before them—one that Yi Tianxing had just thrown in, the earlier one presented by the Goddess, and the original he had brought. Though all bore his imprint, their qualities varied.
"All three banners bear my Primordial Spirit imprint. That proves they are all mine."Yi Tianxing remained completely composed, showing no sign of embarrassment at being called out.
"That may be so. But if you can answer a single question, I will let you choose any one of the three. Fail, and you get nothing."
She didn't press the argument. Instead, she posed a challenge.
"A question?" Yi Tianxing said solemnly. "Alright. Ask."
"I want to walk forward. But I'm unsure whether to step with my left foot or my right foot first. Which should it be, and why?"
Left foot first? Right foot first?
It seemed like an unsolvable riddle. If you say left—why not right? If you say right—why not left? A paradox with no logical resolution.
Yi Tianxing glanced at the Springwater Goddess, then suddenly chuckled.
"You don't need to step with your left or right foot… because you don't have legs. You float."
Indeed, beneath the Springwater Goddess, there were no legs like a human's—only a translucent tail of flowing water, like a mermaid, keeping her suspended mid-air. Walking didn't apply to her at all. There was no need to overthink the question.
"You may choose one of the three banners."
The Goddess gave Yi Tianxing a long, deep look before dissolving back into the spring.
Floating above the water remained the three banners—waiting for him to make his choice.
There was no hesitation.
Yi Tianxing reached for the banner with the deepest and most profound aura.
Swish!!
The moment he made his choice, the selected banner turned into a stream of light and fell into his hand. The other two vanished, retreating into the spring, gone without a trace.
"A World Treasure that reverses the postnatal into the prenatal."
Yi Tianxing was shocked, feeling a surge of awe.
Yes—he could sense it. The Myriad Talisman Banner in his hand had transformed.
Originally, it was a postnatal magic treasure, crafted by his own hands. While powerful, it could never compare with a true innate spiritual treasure, which held limitless potential. To evolve it into such would require immense effort and resources—success not even guaranteed.
But now—it had been reversed from postnatal to prenatal, a transformation bordering on divine.
This was the power of shaping the impossible.
According to legend, only Nuwa's Cauldron of Heaven and Earth, used to refine five-colored stones to patch the sky, could reverse such essence—turning postnatal into innate. And now, this Woodsman's Spring had done the same.
This transformation was nothing short of a miracle.
The banner was now a true World Treasure.
"The value of the Woodsman's Spring must be reevaluated. Even if it can only be used once per year, its ability to reverse postnatal into prenatal treasures gives it immeasurable worth. A supreme treasure."
Yi Tianxing smiled.
He hadn't expected that from this seemingly minor episode—snatching treasure during a "black eats black" moment at the Dragon Palace banquet—he would come away with such a divine item. Truly, the cultivators who came here were top-tier elites from every race, their treasures beyond imagination.
Even if used once a year, in the right hands, the spring could be a world-changing asset.
Now, it was time to examine how the Myriad Talisman Banner had transformed.
This was his lifebound artifact, and with its soul imprint, he could instantly sense the changes.
And upon discovering the changes, he was utterly stunned.
"Unbelievable. It's reached this level. This is turning decay into wonder. Reversing the natural order."
The Myriad Talisman Banner was a signature weapon for any master of talismanic arts. Normally, it served as a defensive treasure and a channel to unleash talismans at maximum power. But it had drawbacks:
Talismans had to be personally crafted by the user.
Once used, the talismans were destroyed permanently—each one used was one lost forever.
This made talisman battles expensive—draining one's fortune and stamina. Once depleted, the banner became little more than decoration.
But after the transformation…
Postnatal restrictions were gone. Its core mechanisms had become innate.
New abilities were born:
It can now integrate innate talismans—which become permanent features of the banner.
Once integrated, it can generate endless copies of that talisman using magic power, each as powerful and of the same top-grade level.
Talisman amplification:
Yellow-tier talismans → Power doubled
Profound-tier → 3x
Earth-tier → 4x
Heaven-tier → 5x
The sheer leap in power and versatility was staggering.
Before, the banner could not house innate talismans. Now, it could not only integrate them—it didn't even require them to be self-crafted. These talismans would be absorbed as if they naturally belonged.
"This is perfect. I've already gathered some innate talismans. They couldn't be used with the previous banner—but now…"
With a thought, Yi Tianxing summoned dozens of innate talismans he had collected over the years.
Some were one-time use divine symbols, others usable multiple times. All were law-bound vessels of immense power—symbols of primordial creation.
The banner was ready. The only question: which talisman to fuse first?
He picked up a crimson jade talisman, gleaming with radiant light.
Upon it, a blazing Fireball burned fiercely.