The night had settled deep over the city, but inside Zhang Wei's room, time felt like it had stopped.The air was tinged with the scent of ancient Qi and incense, merging into a mystical stillness that blanketed the space in silent reverence.
Zhang Wei sat cross-legged amidst a scattered array of antiques, his gaze focused and sharp. The earlier merging of the Four Divine Beasts' Bloodlines had finally stabilized. Yet, the tremors of what he had endured still lingered in the faint crackles of energy that pulsed around his body.
The Monkey King's statue and his legendary companions from Journey to the West now rested quietly nearby spirit fragments and bloodline essences slowly condensing into a pill through the new Alchemy Body Function of the System. The pill was still forming… and would take time.
Now, Zhang Wei turned his attention to another item from the black market haul one that looked deceptively unassuming.
Wrapped in crimson silk was an old bronze folding fan, its body etched with faint Taoist inscriptions and elegant motifs of mountains, cranes, and flowing rivers. Its feathers once white were mostly broken, worn by the passage of time. But it radiated a mysterious aura. Thin threads of golden energy shimmered across the fan's surface.
Merit Qi.
Zhang Wei's heart stirred.
This was not the kind of item one stumbled upon by luck. It had the aura of righteousness… of wisdom beyond mortal understanding.
"System," Zhang Wei said quietly, "Appraise this fan."
The familiar chime echoed in his ears.
System Notification:
[Item: White Feather Bronze Fan]Status: BrokenGrade: EARTH-RANK (Low-Tier)Origin: Crafted by the Human Sage, a legendary mortal cultivator of righteousness, before his ascension to the Immortal Human Sage.
This fan contains remnants of the Human Sage's mortal legacy: knowledge of Taoist arts, ancient arrays, talismans, strategic and scholarly techniques, artistic Dao, calligraphy, and non-combative cultivation methods.
Its threads of merit indicate that it has been used to serve and protect righteous causes.
Host may merge this fan with the System to unlock:
[Sage Option – System Subfunction]– Enables strategy, analytical cultivation, and script-deciphering support– +5x cultivation speed boost (stackable)– Grants direct access to the Human Sage's Mortal Legacy via divine consciousness
Host, would you like to proceed with the merge?
Zhang Wei's eyes gleamed with resolve. He understood opportunity when it came knocking.
"Merge it," he commanded.
System Notification:
Merging [White Feather Fan] with System…Estimated Merge Time: 5 hours
Influence of divine merit detected. Accelerating the Bloodline Pill refinement process.
Bloodline Pill Completion Time: 5 hours
Due to the intensity of information transfer from the Human Sage's legacy, host is advised to be unconscious during this process. Attempting to absorb the data awake may cause severe mental backlash or Qi deviation.
All inheritance data will be transmitted directly to host's Divine Sea of Consciousness. Bloodline Pill will be safely administered automatically.
Zhang Wei smiled faintly, a flash of relief and amusement dancing in his eyes.
"So the gamble really paid off…"
He stood and walked to his bed, taking one last glance at the sacred relics and flickering System.
"Two great treasures… one gamble."
He lay down, arms behind his head, exhaling softly.
"All right… wake me up when it's time."
His breathing slowed. Within minutes, he drifted into a meditative slumber.
Five hours later...