Chapter 989: In Hand

“Mission accomplished.”

Liu Chaozong patted the long box on the table and smiled, saying, “Inside is the Demon-character spear shaft of King Zhao Changping. I had to put in a lot of effort to get my hands on it!”

“Thank you, sir!”

For Wang Chen, this was a huge surprise!

Although on the way to the Yiluan Directorate, Wang Chen had a feeling that Liu Chaozong had already obtained the Taihao Exterminating Demon Spear’s shaft, when the treasured item was actually in front of him, it felt completely different.

To be honest, Wang Chen hadn’t had high hopes for this Deputy Commander, even considering sneaking into the Yiluan Directorate’s secret vault to steal it.

Liu Chaozong’s influence was clearly greater than he had anticipated!

“Let me be clear…”

Liu Chaozong waved his hand and said, “Once you take this Demon-character spear shaft, all your previous merits will be written off, and you will remain here at the Yiluan Directorate as the Grand General of Demon Suppression, responsible for overseeing demonic matters in the capital.”

Wang Chen nodded, “Understood!”

This meant he exchanged all his merits for the spear shaft, and his position wouldn’t change; he would just be officially reassigned to the imperial capital.

Wang Chen was very satisfied with this outcome!

It was worth the hundred thousand taels of silver he had given Liu Chaozong.

“Then you can take it.”

Liu Chaozong pointed to the box and said, “Come back to the Directorate in half a month for roll call.”

This Deputy Commander had previously granted Wang Chen a half-month leave, and his promise still stood.

“Thank you, sir!”

Wang Chen grabbed the box and left.

This box containing the spear shaft was made of metal and was very heavy, making it difficult for an ordinary person to lift.

After getting home, Wang Chen finally opened it.

Inside lay a spear shaft the thickness of an egg, quietly resting within blood-red silk, shimmering with a deep luster.

The surface of the spear shaft was engraved with intricate and complex legal symbols, giving off an air of mystery.

Furthermore, this spear shaft emanated a sinister aura, as if it harbored a bloody sea of corpses, which ordinary martial artists couldn’t suppress.

Wang Chen reached out to grasp the spear shaft, instantly feeling a chilling and fierce energy surge into his tiger’s mouth, trying to seep into his body!

Arrogant, violent, fierce, bloodthirsty…

This divine weapon had a spirit, and it was not easy to tame!

Wang Chen finally understood why this divine weapon had remained unused after being stored in the Yiluan Directorate’s secret vault, and why he had been able to exchange for it.

For the Yiluan Directorate, it was like a piece of chicken rib—unappetizing to use but too valuable to discard; no one could wield it, so it gathered dust instead, perfectly suited to solve Wang Chen’s problem.

Perhaps those who made the decisions viewed the exchange of this spear shaft to Wang Chen with other intentions!

But regardless, it was now Wang Chen’s.

In the next moment, Wang Chen activated the powers of the Corpse Dog, Hidden Arrow, Sparrow Shade, Thief Swallowing, Non-Poison, and Purification, channeling them into the spear body to suppress the spirit of the divine weapon!

The black-gold spear shaft instantly erupted with a mighty force, and the sinister energy within burst forth.

However, under Wang Chen’s firm suppression, this energy was gradually eliminated, dissolved, and assimilated, like peeling an onion layer by layer to remove the armor of the divine weapon’s spirit.

This “armor” was not something the spear shaft inherently possessed; it was accumulated through countless battles.

Wang Chen did not need it; he only wanted to retain the core part.

At this point, he had truly subdued the divine weapon.

But it was not finished yet.

Wang Chen withdrew the surge of energy and instead infused it with spiritual power, imprinting his own presence onto the core of the divine weapon’s spirit.

He completed the final refining.

Then, Wang Chen took the spearhead out of his storage space and fitted it onto the top of the spear shaft.

With a “click,” the two pieces connected seamlessly, merging as if they had never been apart.

The legal symbols etched on the surface of the spear shaft instantly lit up, and a vigorous, deep, and pure aura surged into Wang Chen’s body, resonating strongly with his divine soul.

The divine weapon recognized its master!

Wang Chen took a deep breath and suddenly raised the Taihao Exterminating Demon Spear high.

His own aura merged completely with that of the divine weapon!

In that moment, a powerful desire for battle surged within Wang Chen; he longed to rush out and fight immediately.

But his unmatched willpower forced him to suppress this desire.

This influence came from the instinct of the divine weapon’s spirit. If he could not control it, he would end up becoming a puppet of the spear.

Now, Wang Chen was the true master of the Taihao Exterminating Demon Spear!

He weighed the weapon in his hand, revealing a faint smile.

Though Wang Chen did not know who had brought this divine weapon into the Cangqing realm, it was clear that the Taihao Exterminating Demon Spear was not a product of this world; its rank was undoubtedly very high.

If it were in the Haotian Realm, even with his Golden Core cultivation, Wang Chen would find it hard to refine it.

Yet, the laws of the Cangqing realm significantly suppressed the spear’s destructive power, allowing Wang Chen to genuinely claim it as his own.

Should other powerful beings from this realm attempt to wield the divine weapon, they would eventually suffer backlash!

The next morning, Wang Chen left home for the Apothecary Palace.

The Apothecary Palace was a legendary establishment in the imperial capital, known by everyone, both the nobility and the common people. Those with difficult ailments often sought spiritual herbs from the Apothecary Palace for treatment.

The Apothecary Palace operated under the banner of helping the world, never turning away requests from the impoverished. Since its establishment, it had saved countless lives, earning immense prestige among the people.

Although it was also a Dao Palace, it vastly differed from others like Cloud Platform Mountain, Qianyuan, or Changhe, which were high and mighty.

It took a more approachable path.

The Apothecary Palace was located on the eastern peak of Daye City, requiring visitors to ascend a long set of stairs to reach the foot of the mountain before entering through the Heavenly Gate.

As Wang Chen climbed, he saw many common people prostrating on the stone steps, some cradling children, others leaving their foreheads bruised and bleeding from their devotion, displaying a very sincere demeanor.

Such a scene was truly shocking!

After finishing the steps and passing through the Heavenly Gate, a magnificent and awe-inspiring palace appeared before him.

Wang Chen purchased a high-quality incense outside the Dao Palace and then entered the grand hall.

The Apothecary Palace enshrined the statue of the Glazed Apothecary, a divine figure surrounded by countless legends, akin to a combination of Shennong, Hua Tuo, and Bian Que from Wang Chen’s previous life, drawing greatly on people’s faith.

According to their prior agreement, Wang Chen presented incense before the Glazed Apothecary statue.

After a moment, an ordinary-looking middle-aged Daoist nun quietly appeared beside Wang Chen and softly said, “Esteemed cultivator, please follow me.”

Wang Chen nodded and followed her out of the grand hall to an elegant small courtyard in the back.

There, he instantly saw Qin Qingxuan sitting under a plum blossom tree.

She smiled lightly, making all the plum blossoms lose their color!