Eternal Life by Daily Divination-Chapter 129: Venerable Soul Banner

’I was already careful enough, yet I still didn’t notice a thing.’

Even though Li Chang’an now knew Lu Yuanji had been wearing a suit of human skin,

when he replayed the memories in his mind, he still couldn’t find anything amiss!

’This skin is just too realistic!’

There wasn’t a single flaw to be seen.

’I should learn this Skin Painting Technique, too. It’s perfect for changing identities.’

Li Chang’an gripped the Jade Scroll and began to examine its contents.

According to the inherited records,

skins made with the Skin Painting Technique were divided into two types.

One was a fake skin painted on Parchment Paper, and the other was real skin peeled directly from a living person.

The second method was very similar to the bizarre rumors Li Chang’an had heard in the Mortal Realm.

This method was extremely simple.

One could create a perfect real skin without expending too much mental energy.

The only problem was finding a target.

The first method, however, was more troublesome. The Parchment Paper used was specially made, and the creator had to possess superb artistic Skills.

However, this method better matched the name "Skin Painting Technique."

To paint a fake skin.

And use that fake skin to achieve a deceptively realistic effect.

Furthermore,

real skins could almost always be reused.

But for a fake skin to be reusable, one needed exceptionally high-level skin-crafting skills. If the craftsmanship was too crude, it would likely only be usable once.

’The Qiaoshan skin must be a real one,’ Li Chang’an mused.

He took out the skin and examined it closely. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

The texture of its surface was indistinguishable from that of a normal person, and it felt no different to the touch.

If Li Chang’an wanted to, he could use the Magic recorded in the inheritance right now to put on this human skin and disguise himself as Qiaoshan!

Additionally,

inside Lu Yuanji’s Storage Pouch

were more than ten other human skins, each corresponding to a different identity.

Next to each skin was a Jade Scroll that recorded the specific details of that identity.

Li Chang’an quickly found the Jade Scroll corresponding to the Qiaoshan skin and read through its contents.

’It really is a real skin!’

In other words,

the cultivator named Qiaoshan had actually existed.

He had simply been targeted by Lu Yuanji, who ultimately flayed him and turned his skin into a disguise.

Li Chang’an picked up the Jade Scrolls and read them one by one.

Among the dozen or so human skins,

only one was a painted fake; the rest were all real!

’The quality of this fake skin is quite good. It meets the standard for reuse.’

Li Chang’an took out the fake skin and observed it carefully.

Just by looking at its appearance,

it was impossible to tell the difference between it and a real skin.

According to the Jade Scroll, this fake skin was named "Li Fan." It was one of the false identities Lu Yuanji had prepared for himself.

He had used this identity before, only displaying a Cultivation at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. He was somewhat well-known among Tribulation Cultivators but hadn’t joined any of their factions.

’This identity is quite suitable for me,’ Li Chang’an mused.

The identity of a Tribulation Cultivator would make many things convenient for him.

Moreover, this Li Fan already had some renown and knew many Tribulation Cultivators, saving Li Chang’an the trouble of building a new network.

’Tribulation Cultivators are the other side of the coin to Righteous Cultivators. There are many of them, and they might have the Treasures I need.’

Li Chang’an didn’t intend to eradicate Tribulation Cultivators; he just wanted to use this identity to reap some benefits for himself.

He immediately took out a Puppet and performed the skin-donning technique recorded in the inheritance.

In the next instant,

the fake skin named Li Fan swayed to its feet, a truly bizarre sight.

It walked step by step toward the Puppet. A bloody slit opened on its front, like a horrifying maw, and swallowed the Puppet whole.

Then,

the skin slowly squirmed, beginning to adhere to the Puppet.

The slit on its surface gradually closed.

Before long,

the fusion of the Puppet and the fake skin was complete!

The Puppet became the blood and bones of the fake skin, completely filling it out.

From the outside, you couldn’t see anything wrong at all.

It looked exactly like a living Cultivator!

Li Chang’an smiled and cupped his hands in a salute.

"Greetings, Daoist Li."

Under his control,

the fake body also smiled, its expression perfectly natural.

"Greetings, Daoist Li!"

Its appearance was plain and unremarkable.

Just a very ordinary Cultivator.

Li Chang’an controlled the Puppet, which in turn controlled Magical Artifacts, just like a normal Cultivator. There were no flaws whatsoever.

"Not bad!"

Li Chang’an nodded in satisfaction.

From now on,

he could use the identity of Li Fan to interact with Tribulation Cultivators and trade for the Treasures in their possession.

"Come back!"

With a thought, Li Chang’an recalled it into his Storage Pouch.

Afterward,

he continued to inspect the Treasures in Lu Yuanji’s Storage Pouch.

Soon, his expression hardened, and he took out a Magical Artifact with a very peculiar appearance.

"This is..."

The Magical Artifact was especially strange, consisting of a long rod and a cloth banner.

A slight breeze brushed past, causing the banner to flutter and emit a faint, cold Qi. Vaguely, it seemed as though countless tormented souls were wailing within it.

After he began to refine it,

Li Chang’an finally learned what this Magical Artifact was.

"The Venerable Soul Banner!"

His expression grew solemn. He hadn’t expected to find such an Evil Artifact.

As everyone knew,

after a Cultivator died, their Soul would enter the Reincarnation Path to be reborn and start a new life.

If they were lucky, they might even awaken memories of their past life.

However,

some Magical Artifacts could capture a Cultivator’s Soul, preventing them from being reincarnated.

Once a Cultivator’s Soul was annihilated within such an artifact, they were truly and completely dead. They couldn’t even enter the Reincarnation Path and would be forever erased from the world!

For this reason, such Magical Artifacts were known as Evil Artifacts.

Those who possessed Evil Artifacts were almost always violent, cruel Cultivators whose infamous reputations were enough to make children stop crying at night!

’I can’t believe Lu Yuanji had a Venerable Soul Banner like this. And it already contains over a hundred Souls, with a Main Soul possessing the combat strength of the Qi Refining Eighth Layer!’

Li Chang’an frowned and investigated it closely.

Faintly,

he sensed a feeling of hunger.

The Qi Refining Eighth Layer Main Soul was hungry and wanted to devour other Souls.

’No, there’s another, even stronger feeling of hunger.’

Li Chang’an realized this hunger was coming from the Soul Banner itself.

He explored it carefully.

In the end,

inside the Soul Rod, he discovered a piece of recorded information.

The record was very blurry, with much of the information missing.

From the remaining information, he could tell that this Venerable Soul Banner was originally a Treasure of a very high Tier. However, it had been damaged in a great battle, causing its Tier to drop.

Now, its Tier had barely reached Tier One Peak.

Not even Tier Two.

At most, it could only house a Main Soul at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.

As long as it was fed enough Treasures to devour, its Tier could be slowly restored.

’I see. This Soul Banner wants to repair itself, which is why it’s broadcasting this feeling of hunger.’

Li Chang’an was inwardly astonished.

’A Treasure with a spirit!’

This was the first time he had ever encountered a Treasure that could actively transmit its consciousness.

All the Treasures he had obtained before, whether they were Tier One or Tier Two, had been like inanimate objects, completely devoid of any consciousness.

’Just how high must the Tier of this Soul Banner have been when it was whole?’