Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

For Qin Chuan, this furnace was a hot potato.

Not only because it was an Imperial Weapon, which would attract endless greed, but also because it was a Tianheng Tribe Imperial Weapon. Possessing such a thing, if discovered, could easily lead to accusations of treason, branding him as a traitor to his entire race or realm. A heavy label like "traitor" or "enemy of the world" was a burden he couldn't afford to bear.

He had a principle: if the consequences were too severe for him to handle, he would never take a gamble. What seemed like good fortune today could turn into despair tomorrow.

However, giving the furnace to Qin Zi was a different story.

Let it be exposed! In fact, Qin Chuan would even help it get exposed! If people started labeling Qin Zi as a spy for the Tianheng Tribe, it would definitely stir up the most powerful figures in the Nine Heavens Realm. The path to becoming a Martial Emperor would open wide!

But simply possessing one treasure wasn't enough to frame Qin Zi. He needed a series of incriminating setups. One piece of evidence could be dismissed, but with multiple clues, it would be undeniable, and eventually, Qin Zi wouldn't be able to talk his way out.

Boom!

Just then, a brilliant pillar of icy blue light rose from the horizon, seemingly responding to the furnace's previous energy. It felt as though two forces were locking horns.

"There's another treasure! Father, let's go check it out!" Qin Zi's eyes lit up as he eagerly pulled Qin Chuan toward the light. However, Qin Chuan didn't move, his gaze fixed in the direction of the light, frowning slightly.

"What's wrong, Brother Qin?" the golden-haired woman, Night Lingshuang, asked with concern.

"My intuition tells me that if the two of you go there, you might encounter danger," Qin Chuan said seriously.

"Why?" Qin Zi exclaimed.

"It's likely because of the Imperial Weapons. The treasure over there clearly repels the one you just received. If they meet, a conflict could break out," Night Lingshuang mused.

"Yes, that's possible," Qin Chuan nodded. "I'll go check it out myself. You two stay here and don't move."

"Okay."

"Be careful."

The two nodded and stayed put while Qin Chuan turned into a streak of light, flying toward the distant light pillar.

Once airborne, Qin Chuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had successfully kept this "treasure magnet" from following him. If Qin Zi had tagged along, there was a real chance the second treasure would also get snatched. And if that happened, and yet another powerful artifact ended up in Qin Zi's body, it would be hard for him to reconcile the fact that his son had two treasures while he had none. The imbalance would be unbearable!

It didn't take long for Qin Chuan to reach the area where the icy blue light was coming from. Hovering in mid-air was an imposing ice-blue spear. The spear was longer and thicker than typical ones, and coiled around its shaft was an intricately carved ice dragon. Each scale of the dragon was vividly detailed.

Hiss... Hiss... Hiss...

The spear radiated an intense chill and sharpness, enough to make one's skin crawl. It seemed capable of slicing the sky and freezing the earth.

Buzz!

As if sensing someone approach, the spear emitted a golden light, which quickly transformed into a towering figure.

"Descendant of the Nine Heavens Realm."

The figure's eyes were hollow, clearly a pre-recorded message with no independent consciousness.

"I am Ice Soul Martial Emperor. Since you've made it here, it seems you're destined for this weapon. I shall gift you this Ice Soul Dragon Spear."

"However, this Imperial Weapon has been sealed. To unseal it, you'll need the blood of a living Tianheng Tribe Emperor, at their peak power."

"Of course, if you yourself become a Martial Emperor, you could break my seal by force. However, I would prefer you pass this on to a future Emperor of the realm, as my legacy to the next generation."

Whoosh!

With those words, the Ice Soul Dragon Spear turned into a streak of blue light and flew straight into Qin Chuan's dantian, settling inside him.

Qin Chuan tried to pull it out but found that it was wrapped in an invisible force. His energy couldn't get near it.

"So this is the seal he mentioned."

"System, can you break this seal?" Qin Chuan asked silently.

Ding! 10 'Father Points!'

The system responded instantly, quoting its price.

Qin Chuan's face twitched. "Never mind."

Ten points! His entire fortune only amounted to 8.6 points. Even with a discount, there was no way he'd spend that much. He couldn't afford to drain his account for this.

It seemed he'd have to go the traditional route and find a Tianheng Tribe Emperor to unseal it. Who knew when such an opportunity would arise? And even if it did, could he defeat them when the time came?

Buzz!

Qin Chuan scanned the surrounding area with his spiritual sense, even digging a little into the ground, but found no sign of the Ice Soul Martial Emperor's body.

"Not even a corpse? Was he afraid I'd strip his remains or turn him into a battle puppet?"

"Ha, do I look like that kind of person? His heart wasn't broad enough. His perspective was limited…" Qin Chuan shook his head with mock disdain.

Of course, he was only joking. He thought the Martial Emperor had shown considerable generosity, and there must have been a good reason for not leaving a corpse. Perhaps… he feared his secrets might be exposed posthumously.

Soon, Qin Chuan returned to where Qin Zi and Night Lingshuang were waiting. As expected, they had stayed in place, obediently waiting for his return.

From a distance, the golden-haired woman radiated a brilliant golden light, her spiritual power forming a dreamlike dress that gave her an air of elegance. Qin Zi, on the other hand, looked smaller in comparison, like a little chick standing beside a mother hen. The scene, oddly, had a certain cuteness to it.

"Father, how did it go?"

Qin Zi breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing his father return safely. Despite knowing his father's immense strength, he still couldn't help but worry, given the eerie atmosphere of the battlefield.

"It's fine now. Let's head back," Qin Chuan said calmly as he turned to lead the way.

"What about all the weapons and corpses on the ground? Should we take them with us?" Qin Zi asked, glancing back at the battlefield, reluctant to leave empty-handed.

"If you're interested, you can gather them up," Qin Chuan chuckled.

He had already inspected the weapons earlier. Most of them were severely damaged, beyond repair. At best, they could be sold for scrap metal, but given his current status, dealing in scrap was beneath him.

And besides, when you reach his level, you don't need to spend money on what you want—you just take it. For a strong person, it's not theft; it's simply claiming what's rightfully theirs.

"Alright!"

With his father's permission, Qin Zi eagerly set about scouring the battlefield for useful materials.

As he worked, he muttered to himself, "So many valuable materials lying around. We can't just leave them. I remember hearing about General Yuwen, who taught his soldiers to finish every grain of rice in their bowls."

Qin Chuan paused at the name.

General Yuwen? Was that a reference to someone from the Nine Suns Dynasty?

After a while, Qin Zi had thoroughly combed through the battlefield, collecting everything salvageable. Qin Chuan watched his son's industrious behavior with a soft smile. This kid knew how to live smartly.

…

The Southern Territory was a wild and untamed land.

It was filled with dense forests and swamps, inhabited by venomous creatures and fierce beasts. Martial artists here often practiced beast control and voodoo techniques.

Rustle… rustle…

From within the dense forest, a massive black centipede over ten meters long crawled cautiously, its antennae twitching.

Boom!

Suddenly, a gigantic claw covered in scales slammed down on the centipede's head, crushing its skull. The claw's owner picked up the centipede and tossed it into the air, preparing to swallow it whole.

But just as the creature was about to feast, a pair of gleaming metallic talons swooped down from the sky, snatching the centipede's would-be devourer into the air.

The enormous bird with a wingspan of nearly 100 meters had barely taken flight when a massive shadow sprang up from the ground, leaping hundreds of meters into the air and delivering a crushing blow to the bird's head.

Boom!!

The bird's head exploded mid-air, blood spraying like fireworks. The shadow landed back on the ground, revealing itself to be a giant black ape.

The black ape appeared to be the overlord of this area. After smashing the bird's head, it watched the carcass fall to the ground, then leisurely walked over to claim its meal.

Suddenly!

The ape's crimson eyes contracted, and it dropped the half-eaten bird. Beating its chest furiously, it roared toward the sky.

Roar!

The ape's savage cry was both a warning and a declaration of its dominance over the territory.

Whoosh!

In the next moment, a golden streak shot across the sky, parting the clouds like waves. While a terrifying pressure fell down mightily, crushing past indiscriminately.

"Boom!"

The giant ape's unruly figure suddenly knelt down, smashing the ground with his knees, sinking deeply into it, and crawling on the ground.