Mortal: Starting by looting Han Laomo's entire herb garden

Che Laoyao remained silent for a long time, his expression shifting between light and dark.

He lived for tens of thousands of years, drifting from the spirit world to the human world, trapped there barely surviving, all for the hope of one day being able to return.

The Myriad Demon Banner was a replica of a magical treasure that he painstakingly crafted; it was his greatest trump card.

But even the biggest trump card can't compare to returning to the spirit world.

He glanced at Lu Yan, then thought of his relationship with the Demon Consort Linglong, and secretly began to plot.

What's wrong with lending it to him first? The Myriad Demon Banner has its own divine imprint on it, so it can be sensed no matter where it goes.

Once we find this kid in the future, with my cultivation level, wouldn't I be able to take it back whenever I want?

Thinking this through, Old Demon Che made up his mind, but his face still showed some reluctance: "Fine. I can give it to you first. But you must come to Ten Thousand Demon Valley to find me in the future and take me back to the Spirit Realm."

Lu Yan replied decisively, "Okay."

Without wasting any words, Che Laoyao took the initiative to relinquish control of the Myriad Demon Banner, allowing it to fall into Lu Yan's hands.

Lu Yan reached out and took it, probing it with his divine sense. Sure enough, it contained countless spirits, many of which had already taken human form. Each of them possessed a profound aura and was exceptionally fierce.

Lu Yan didn't rush to put it away. Instead, he patted the spirit beast pouch, and the Soul-Crying Beast jumped out.

The little monkey landed, its nose twitched, and its eyes instantly lit up.

With a thought, Lu Yan released a transformed infant soul from the Myriad Demon Banner. The demon soul was pitch black, with a ferocious face, baring its fangs and claws, but it was firmly bound by the restrictions of the Myriad Demon Banner and could not move.

The Soul-Crying Beast's body swelled up, transforming into a giant ape ten feet tall. With a single breath, it sucked the soul in, making a shriek.

The little monkey let out a burp, licked its lips with lingering satisfaction, and then fixed its eyes on the Myriad Demon Banner again.

The old demon's voice rang out again: "Boy, what are you doing! Do you know how precious this Myriad Demon Banner is! Those souls took me tens of thousands of years to collect and nurture!"

Lu Yan snorted. This old demon hadn't completely given up control after all: "Anyway, you've already given it to me, so you don't need to worry about it anymore. Just wait in the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons."

Old Demon Che was so anxious he was jumping up and down. Watching the monkey eat the souls he had painstakingly collected as snacks, his heart was bleeding.

He cursed inwardly: This kid is clearly afraid that I have a backup plan hidden in the banner, so he deliberately released that monkey to force me to submit.

Each nascent soul within the Myriad Demon Banner bears its own divine imprint; if the monkey swallows it, the imprint will also disappear.

Old Demon Che gritted his teeth and finally roared, "Enough! I'll remove all the marks from it, so that thing doesn't eat you!"

Lu Yan glanced at him and raised his hand to signal Ti Hun to stop.

Old Demon Che took a deep breath, made hand seals, and the divine imprints of his on the demon souls attached to the Myriad Demon Banner disappeared one after another.

He did it thoroughly, leaving not a trace behind.

Having done all this, he snorted coldly, thinking to himself: Although the mark is gone, I can still sense the exact location of the Myriad Demon Banner. Once I find this brat, I'll take it back with interest.

He glanced at Lu Yan and coldly said, "Don't forget your promise."

The divine sense was completely withdrawn from the Myriad Demon Banner and vanished without a trace.

Lu Yan smiled slightly: "Understood."

He held the Myriad Demon Banner, not in a hurry to put it away, but instead called out in his mind, "Senior, check if there are any hidden tricks on this banner."

Master Tianfu extended his divine sense from the Soul-Nourishing Wood, carefully scanning the Myriad Demon Banner inside and out three times. After a moment of contemplation, he said:

"Old Demon Che's marks have indeed been removed. However, he's definitely still eyeing this banner and won't let it go easily. I suggest you add a few restrictions to the banner, just in case he left any hidden doors, that way it can be blocked."

Lu Yan nodded and, following the instructions of Master Tianfu, infused several restrictions into the core of the Myriad Demon Banner.

Silver Moon said quietly, "I suspect that Old Demon Che can still sense the exact location of the banner. That old thing has lived for tens of thousands of years; it's impossible that he didn't leave any backup plans."

Lu Yan hummed in agreement, his tone casual: "I never intended to keep this forever. I'll use it to deal with the outer sea demons, take down the Golden Flood Dragon King, then have Ti Hun devour the Myriad Demon Banner, and then sell it to someone else."

Yin Yue was stunned for a moment, then clicked her tongue twice: "You're really ruthless. If Old Demon Che knew you were wasting his treasure like this, he would definitely come all the way from the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons."

Lu Yan said calmly, "Anyway, he said it himself that he would give it to me. Whether I sell it or burn it is my business."

Yin Yue chuckled: "Brother Lu, you are truly meticulous in your work."

Lu Yan smiled slightly, put the Myriad Demon Banner into his storage bracelet, and stood up.

Lu Yan planned to travel through time again before leaving the pass.

In the far west, there is the Thousand Bamboo Sect.

Lu Yan descended from the sky, unleashing his Nascent Soul stage spiritual pressure without restraint, which enveloped the entire Thousand Bamboo Sect like a mountain pressing down.

The disciples inside the mountain gate were pale-faced; some collapsed to the ground, while others desperately tried to hide inside the buildings, creating chaos in the air.

A beam of light flew out from the depths of the Thousand Bamboo Sect and landed in front of Lu Yan, revealing a middle-aged man with a refined appearance and three long wisps of beard. He was none other than Jin Nantian, the leader of the Thousand Bamboo Sect.

Sensing the other party's Nascent Soul stage cultivation, he lowered his posture considerably, cupped his hands, and said, "I was unaware of your arrival, senior. I have failed to greet you properly. May I ask your esteemed name?"

Lu Yan stood with his hands behind his back, his tone calm: "I have been entrusted by Senior Brother Lin to retrieve what belongs to him."

Jin Nantian's expression changed drastically, and he blurted out, "Senior Brother Lin? Lin... Senior Brother Lin? Is it Lin Qin?"

He was surprised and suspicious. How could that Lin fellow possibly invite a Nascent Soul cultivator?

Lu Yan did not answer.

Cold sweat beaded on Jin Nantian's forehead, and his lips trembled as he tried to say something, but Lu Yan had already raised his hand and waved the Myriad Demon Banner.

The small, dark gray banner grew longer in the wind, transforming into a large banner several feet high. The banner was filled with a ghostly aura, and countless demonic souls surged and roared within it.

He held back, not killing the target, but instead unleashing layers upon layers of divine consciousness attacks from his demonic soul.

Everyone in the Thousand Bamboo Sect, from Jin Nantian to the menial disciples at the mountain gate, rolled their eyes and collapsed to the ground.

Lu Yan retrieved the Myriad Demon Banner and began his plundering.

It has to be said, Qianzhu teaches these puppeteers a real fortune.

Iron essence, silver essence, copper mother, black iron, ironwood... all kinds of rare ores and spirit wood were piled up like mountains, as well as a large number of Foundation Establishment stage puppets.

Lu Yan accepted them all without hesitation.

He ransacked warehouse after warehouse, leaving no stone unturned—spirit stones, pills, magical artifacts, materials—until he reached the last secret vault, its door forged of refined iron and covered in restrictive runes.

Lu Yan smashed the door open with a punch and strode inside.

The vault wasn't large, but one of the puppets caught his attention.

The puppet was about the height of a person, and its material was neither metal nor wood.

It didn't move, but its head slowly turned, tilted to the side, and looked at Lu Yan with a pair of empty eye sockets.