Hidden Moth

Chapter 620 360: Silk Umbrella in the Palm, Ensnaring Heaven (Part 2)

Li Xiuyuan took the handkerchief, closed his eyes for a moment to concentrate before opening them, looking somewhat moved as he said, "Celestial Net Umbrella!"The name of the magical artifact, Celestial Net Umbrella, was familiar to He Kao, but he didn't expect it to be this item. Surprised and delighted, he wondered, "It's clearly just a handkerchief, so why such a grand name?"

Li Xiuyuan sighed deeply and said, "If not for this, how could it block the surprise attack of the Rainfall Divine Sword? This item is indeed a top-tier magical treasure, and falling into that guy's hands was simply a waste. Fortunately, you retrieved it."

He Kao: "Was it also one of the items from the Magic Sect that dispersed a thousand years ago?"

Li Xiuyuan: "Otherwise, how could I recognize it? There's ancient literature about this artifact in the Hall of Sect Rules. Haven't you heard of it?"

He Kao: "In the teachings from Uncle Jiang that were passed down to me, there was a mention of the Celestial Net Umbrella when discussing artifact refining and wielding, but it was only used as an example, and I never expected it to be this handkerchief."

Li Xiuyuan: "This item has likely been re-consecrated. If not held in hand, I might not have recognized it either."

He Kao: "Do you know which sect this magical artifact belongs to?"

Li Xiuyuan: "It was all gifted by the ancestors back then. After dispersing for a thousand years, it's difficult to say which lineage it belongs to now. In any case, it's a lost item of the Magic Sect."

He Kao: "Then it should be handed over to the Hall of Sect Rules."

Li Xiuyuan looked at him and unexpectedly smiled, shoving the handkerchief back to him, "You're indeed generous, but there's no need. The Hidden Moth Sect is newly established and lacks many things. The Celestial Net Umbrella can bolster it."

Even if He Kao didn't hand over the Celestial Net Umbrella to the Hall of Sect Rules, Elder Li wouldn't say anything, but his willingness to express this opinion honestly made the elder quite pleased.

He Kao wanted to decline further, but he then received a divine thought from Li Xiuyuan.

Li Xiuyuan reminded him that the Hidden Moth Sect now had more than just He Kao, and other disciples also needed magical artifacts for protection. Under the current conditions, the Celestial Net Umbrella was the best magical treasure available.

Moreover, a more important reason was that He Kao had handled the matter very cleanly. If the Celestial Net Umbrella were taken back to the Hall of Sect Rules for registration, it would reveal many clues, rendering his efforts futile.

Magical treasures stored in the pavilion are of no use, and more importantly, there are people who can suitably wield them.

Thus, He Kao put away the Celestial Net Umbrella and took out a short staff, asking, "And what about this item?"

This time, Li Xiuyuan did not take it but just glanced at it before saying, "It's called the Sharp Qi Shuttle, a quasi-standard magical artifact crafted by the Xiao Alliance. Its material is the Inspiratory Wood Core."

The words also carried a divine thought explanation. The Xiao Alliance had taken many treasures from the Magic Sect initially, but the number of disciples that came later wasn't enough to distribute them, and those heritage treasures couldn't be easily granted to ordinary disciples.

History of Xiao Alliance saw experts adept at artifact refining, and they crafted several magical artifacts. The Sharp Qi Shuttle is quite representative; the idea was to make it as simple, low-cost, and easy to use as possible, facilitating mass production and versatility.

However, producing magical treasures as standardized mass products is nearly impossible; the Xiao Alliance tried to follow this approach in refining by choosing Inspiratory Wood Core as their material.

Crafting magical artifacts requires treasures of heaven and earth. The so-called Inspiratory Wood Core's raw materials are spirit woods that can harmonize with divine sense and be tempered into artifacts using mana.

The Celestial Palace Curtain at the entrance of Floating Colors Grotto Heaven Immortal Cauldron Palace, also known as the Inspiratory Ancient Vine, can be used to craft magical artifacts.

Although spirit wood is rare, with sufficient numbers, such as in a large forest, and enough personnel willing to put in the effort, it can always be found, making it a relatively convenient choice for materials.

Different Inspiratory Wood Cores, while similar in properties, also have differences, and combined with subtle differences in the refining process, achieving complete consistency is hard, though their efficacy is roughly equivalent. They're barely considered quasi-standard magical artifacts.

The main utility is using cultivation to trigger sharp qi for attacking enemies, and it can transform into a flying shuttle to shoot out, being relatively easy to use. Once one has high-tier cultivation, it's not difficult to control.

The Xiao Alliance historically crafted nearly a hundred Sharp Qi Shuttles, and the Artifact Pavilion of the Magic Sect's Hall of Sect Rules retains over a dozen confiscated samples. This item doesn't need to be given to the Hall of Sect Rules; it's fine for the Hidden Moth Sect to keep it.

Both Sharp Qi Shuttle and Celestial Net Umbrella have a unique feature: they show no abnormalities in public settings, and there's no issue with security checks, making them convenient for carrying.

He Kao stored the magical artifacts properly, yet suddenly heard Li Xiuyuan ask, "Do you know why the witchcraft methods like 'Love Gu' have not been passed down since a thousand years ago in the Magic Sect?"

The elder didn't ask why He Kao needed to kill Hilary, nor did he inquire if Hilary deserved it or whether He Kao's actions were right. Instead, he abruptly asked.

He Kao didn't try to act clever but simply bowed and said, "I was just going to ask for guidance, Master Li."

Li Xiuyuan: "Techniques for discerning and even manipulating one's mind exist in the Magic Sect too; we've used them to enter others' dreams to uncover secrets.

However, these methods typically do not harm and have prerequisites stipulated by sect rules. For instance, we first noticed something suspicious before investigating further.

When Hilary came to Qi Yuan, investigating the disappearance of Jiaobide, based on clues from Mei Wenhua, he might have also entered Luo Mingzhi's dream to ask questions using a similar method.

Qi Yuan isn't private land; he had the freedom to come and go and merely asked questions without causing harm, so the Magic Sect had no reason to act against him. As for him observing you, how could a living person walk outside without being seen?

But using witchcraft to make a Love Gu, his intentions are malicious and akin to poisoning someone. Such witchcraft is not only continuously distorting one's mind but also difficult to cure.

If unaware of its cause, it might not even be detected, and even if the Gu's effect wanes, it could lead to significant psychological and physical issues in the afflicted person. Especially since he targeted innocents driven by selfish desires, an act already forbidden by the Hall of Sect Rules."

He Kao: "I've been enlightened!"

Dragon Scale Slope is a massive rock in the mountain. Although He Kao is taller than Li Xiuyuan, he intentionally stood lower, appearing a notch shorter than Li Xiuyuan.

Li Xiuyuan looked down at him and asked, "Whom do you believe represents the side of justice, the Magic Sect or the Xiao Alliance?"

He Kao answered crisply, "Of course, it's the Magic Sect!"

Li Xiuyuan: "Precious things are not easily obtained; holding to justice and righteousness comes with a price. You're doing well, but I hope you can do even better."

This remark was somewhat open-ended, yet He Kao understood. It wasn't just praise but also a reminder. The evaluation focused not on his actions against Hilary but on the specific manner of handling it.

In the rain, He Kao intercepted Hilary to prevent the collection of materials for a Love Gu, ensuring no collateral damage to the surrounding people. Along the chase, including at the subway station, he refrained from further action.

After locating Hilary's resting place, He Kao gathered people to carefully set up two arrays, aiming to avoid collateral damage and ensure success.

If merely aiming to kill Hilary, with the Rainfall Divine Sword in hand, He Kao's cultivation rendered such meticulous planning unnecessary. But should the situation spiral out of control, it might lead to unforeseeable damage and collateral harm.

Adhering to principles required consideration of various factors. Otherwise, casually casting a technique could yield fatal consequences for innocent ordinary people.

He Kao promptly responded humbly, "This is all thanks to the teachings of Master Li and the esteemed seniors."