After killing Zhang Yi with a sword and Lu Yuchi with a palm strike, Ji Xia had eliminated the three who sought to take his life.
Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu approached together, with Zhao Wu being the first to place his hand on his chest and bow, saying, "Brother Qin Ji's cultivation is extraordinary, and his techniques are endless. I truly admire him!"
Fan Zhu also spoke, "I had some past grudges with Lu Yuchi. Today, being able to have her killed by Brother Qin's hand is a stroke of good fortune for me."
Ji Xia's expression remained indifferent as he ignored their words and glanced at Zhao Wu, then at Fan Zhu.
A silence settled among the three.
Although Ji Xia was currently hiding his spiritual energy, Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu had witnessed Ji Xia's full capabilities—from slaying Master Pang's Scorpion with a single strike to using the Dragon Whisker Scissors to kill both Zhang Yi and Ji Xiu—there was no doubt about his strength. However, they were unaware that Ji Xia was now at his limit.
With a cold expression, Ji Xia didn't respond to Zhao Wu's question but instead heard Zhao Wu speaking again. "Brother Qin, do you distrust us? I am willing to form a pact with you, and I will never betray you."
"Furthermore, with the death of the Young Master of the Ape Spirit Sect, if the Ape Spirit Sect learns of it, all of us here will perish, and even the Great Fu Kingdom will be affected. So, you can rest assured."
Fan Zhu, realizing the situation, nodded. "Brother Qin, don't worry. I also struck at Lu Yuchi earlier. If I betrayed you, I would be no better off."
Both men expressed their loyalty, and Ji Xia finally showed a smile. He then bowed to them, saying, "I, Qin Ji, greet the two esteemed brothers of the Great Fu Kingdom. You two are indeed intelligent and resourceful. I deeply respect you."
Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu returned the bow. Zhao Wu thought to himself, "This Qin Ji changes expressions as easily as flipping a page. Just a moment ago, his words and actions were unpredictable and somewhat sinister."
After some pleasantries, Zhao Wu used his spiritual energy to draw a complex array in the air, with all three of them dripping their blood onto it. The image of the ancestor, Lu Fu, appeared in their minds, solidifying the pact.
Ji Xia finally relaxed, feeling favorable towards Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu. Although the reason he had fought to the death with Zhang Yi was due to Zhao Wu's words, Ji Xia greatly admired their actions in burning the spiritual herbs. If he were threatened with his life or his people, he wasn't sure he could handle the situation any better than they did.
The untamed wilderness was still too cruel—if you don't guard against others, they will stab a knife into your heart when you least expect it, leaving you unable to die in peace. The fate of Ji Xiu was a stark example of this. He thought Lu Yuchi admired him, but failed to guard against her, ending in disaster when the body-control talisman bound him and the Dragon Whisker Scissors struck, causing a bloody rain.
With the pact sealed, the tension among the three greatly reduced. Ji Xia, his eyes turning, smiled and said, "Since there are no further misunderstandings between us, I will no longer hide my true face from you two."
As he spoke, his body grew taller, his frame shrinking slightly, and his appearance changed in several places. The person who now stood before Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu was completely different from the earlier Ji Xia. He looked youthful and handsome, with a warm and approachable demeanor, like a friendly neighbor.
Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu were taken aback by Ji Xia's transformation. Fan Zhu remarked, "Brother Qin, your disguise technique is truly remarkable!"
Ji Xia smiled. "When traveling, one must always be cautious. I hope you both understand."
His original appearance, which Zhang Yi had engraved into his spiritual consciousness, was forced to change due to necessity. Of course, this wasn't Ji Xia's true face.
"Items produced by the Divine Tree are truly trustworthy. This shape-changing mask allows for transformation in an instant."
"If there hadn't been so many unexpected events, meeting talents like Zhao Wu and Fan Zhu would have led to a sincere friendship. But having just killed someone as terrifying as Zhang Yi, and then killing two young nobles of the Great Fu Kingdom, I can't put my life and the safety of Taicang in the hands of their morals."
At this moment, Zhao Wu suggested, "Brother Qin, Zhang Yi, Master Pang's Scorpion, and Lu Yuchi all have significant status. They must carry many rare treasures. Why don't you inspect them?"
Ji Xia immediately felt intrigued, saying, "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Zhao."
He walked over and carefully inspected the bodies. Zhang Yi, Master Pang's Scorpion, and Lu Yuchi each had several bags, but Ji Xiu's body had been shattered by the Dragon Whisker Scissors, and his treasures had been pulverized.
Zhao Wu sighed. "It's a pity that Ji Xiu was killed by Brother Qin's treasure, and his Xuanfang Bag was reduced to ashes along with the treasures inside."
"Xuanfang Bag?"
Ji Xia looked at the two black bags in his hands, made of fabric inscribed with a fierce beast's head, feeling puzzled.
He tried to channel his spiritual energy into the Xuanfang Bag belonging to Master Pang's Scorpion, but it was as if his energy had disappeared into the sea—there was no feedback.
Ji Xia's face froze instantly.
Noticing Ji Xia's confusion, Zhao Wu asked, "Brother Qin, are you unsure how to open the Xuanfang Bag?"
Ji Xia murmured, "You may not know, but I have been diligently cultivating with my family elders and have never encountered such items before."
Zhao Wu thought to himself, "Family elders? This Qin Ji looks no older than twenty, with a cultivation level comparable to mine. He also carries the Dragon Whisker Scissors, a treasure of great power. His status must be extraordinary."
He pondered for a moment, then spoke, "It's not surprising that Brother Qin doesn't know how to open the Xuanfang Bag if you've never used one before."
Zhao Wu then pointed to the fierce beast head on Ji Xia's bag. "Brother Qin, look at the beast's head. You only need to channel a small amount of spiritual energy along the lines that form the beast's head until they are fully covered, and then the Xuanfang Bag will open."
Ji Xia separated a strand of spiritual energy, following Zhao Wu's instructions. The moment he covered the beast's head with his energy, the contents of the bag seemed to communicate with his mind, showing a scene in his mind's eye.
In this scene, there was a dense white mist, yet many items lay neatly inside—spiritual crystals, spirit gold, weapons, and scrolls.
Ji Xia focused on one spiritual crystal and, with a flick of his wrist, it appeared in his hand.
He was overjoyed, but when he tried to store it in the Xuanfang Bag, the demon core remained in his hand and didn't go inside.
Zhao Wu, seeing this, spoke up, "Brother Qin, to store items in the Xuanfang Bag, you must channel spiritual energy over the object until it offers no resistance."
Ji Xia thanked him, and sure enough, the spiritual crystal was successfully stored in the bag.
With great excitement, Ji Xia wondered if he could store something larger. He looked around and saw Master Pang's Scorpion's spear lying nearby.
He picked it up, noticing the words "Evil Scorpion" engraved at the end of the spear. He thought, "Is 'Evil Scorpion' the name of this spear? It's incredibly powerful, a divine tool."
With that thought, Ji Xia took the Xuanfang Bag in one hand and grasped the spear with the other. He channeled his spiritual energy through the bag's beast head, and the spear was quickly sucked into the bag.
The young man was thrilled. "Although the Divine Tree can store items, it can only hold products from the Divine Tree. Other things don't fit. With this Xuanfang Bag, I won't need to carry a bundle anymore."
He couldn't help but take the Evil Scorpion spear out and put it back in repeatedly, like a child with a new toy, doing so over a dozen times before finally stopping.