Zhang Yuanqing had seen many props in various forms—such as red ballet shoes or military spirit masks—each of which served multiple functions. But this prop in his hands is entirely different: each form is distinct, with completely unique functions, as if it were three separate props altogether. There’s no doubt—it is a divine artifact. Each of its three forms is of the highest caliber, and furthermore, it is a rule-based prop. It possesses three rules: First, resonance—capable of destroying all defenses in the world; Second, binding—during the owner’s lifetime, no one else may use it; Third, energy accumulation—able to withstand any physical attack, regardless of its intensity. A hammer capable of destroying items, a thunderstorm cannon that can launch ball lightning—combined with the night patrol, this is truly a masterstroke for surprise attacks. Even if the surprise attack fails, I can deploy the Purple Thunder Shield to absorb the assault. However, the Purple Thunder Shield only defends against attacks from the front, unlike the earth monster's defensive items that offer all-around protection. Moreover, I still haven't determined the exact limits of the Purple Thunder Shield's defense. After all, the shield's defensive capabilities aren't governed by any fixed rule—any defense that isn't rule-based must have its limits. "Let's first test the power of these items..." With a thought, Zhang Yuanqing transformed his round shield into a small pumpkin hammer, measuring 50 cm in total length—compact, agile, and easy to handle, ideal for close-range assaults. Then, he retrieved a red iron ore from the guild warehouse, known as the Fire Demon Ore. As the name suggests, this is a material of the Fire Specialist profession, of Saint-tier quality. The Fire Demon Ore has two key characteristics: high temperature resistance and exceptional durability. It is well-suited for forging cold weapons, yet due to its durability and heat resistance, it is Zhang Yuanqing dropped the fire demon ore—the size of a basin—onto the ground, then raised his Purple Thunder Mallet and struck it hard. "Clang!" The sharp resonance echoed throughout the room. Visible on the surface of the ore, a half-cucumber imprint had been indented. "Heavy impact" was one of the mallet's key characteristics—each blow was a heavy strike—but the resonant property seemed to have failed to manifest... Zhang Yuanqing gazed at the ore for a moment, then quickly seemed to have noticed something, murmuring lightly, and gently tapped it with his fingertip. The next instant, his fingertip tingled, and a mild pain spread—just like when he used to place his hand on a high-frequency vibrating engine as a child. The vibration of the ore was disrupted, and subtle ripples appeared on its surface before fading away. Zhang Yuanqing then extended his fingertip again to touch it—the numbness vanished. It had been vibrating at a high frequency, though subtly, all along. Zhang Yuanqing now understood, and lifted the Purple Thunder Mallet, striking it repeatedly against the surface of the ore. Crack! Crack! The vibrations on the surface of the Fire Demon Ore grew more intense, more intense, until, at the very moment Zhang Yuanqing struck the fifth blow, the ore suddenly burst with a loud "pop," shattering into a fine dust and scattered fragments. "Hmm, the Fire Demon Ore is even harder than many of the tools—cracked after just five strikes," Zhang Yuanqing murmured, fondly caressing the small pumpkin. Next, he tested the defensive strength of the Purple Thunder Shield. He summoned the Blood Rose stationed outside, having her transform into a werewolf, and then unleashed a steady barrage of attacks against the shield's holder. The Blood Rose's attack power matched that of a fifth-level swordsman, and her claws were especially adept at piercing armor—her claws had previously breached the defense tool of the fifth-level swordsman. Yet now, the sharp claws scraped across the surface of the circular shield, sparking continuously and producing a sharp, grating sound. Despite the werewolf's full effort, it could only leave shallow white marks on the shield. "Crack! Crack!" The circular shield, under attack, emitted streaks of twisted electric serpents that surged and struck the werewolf. Each electric serpent caused the werewolf's body to stiffen, its steel-like fur standing rigidly upright, its movements growing sluggish. Within less than a minute, the werewolf's attacks lost their speed and its paw strikes became soft and feeble. At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing mentally resolved to switch to the thunderstorm cannon and deliver a certain hit—sure to land—but instead, he issued a stop command. The werewolf gasped and labored, its back bent and its fierce, pale golden eyes now clouded with confusion, as though stunned by the electric surge. Zhang Yuanqing examined the shield's surface, where traces of claw marks remained. A thought struck him—he switched to thunderstorm cannon mode, then immediately reverted back to the circular shield. This time, the claw marks on the shield's surface had vanished. Thus, the essence of this artifact is "liquid amethyst," and surface damage will not affect it—merely by switching its form, it can be restored to its original state. In that case, even if the circular shield were to crack someday, I wouldn't have to worry about it being damaged... Zhang Yuanqing gently stroked the circular shield, growing more and more fond of it. Indeed, it is a true masterpiece, perfectly balanced in every aspect. As for the cost of using it, it is neither heavy nor light—just moderate. The cost of the Purple Thunder Mallet is that the user must be under two meters tall and can only use it for five minutes; beyond that, the body will gradually disintegrate under the increasing resonance. The cost of the Thunderstorm Cannon is clearly stated, though it has not yet been tested—Zhang Yuanqing speculates it involves lightning strikes, a tactic that costs the user a significant portion of their strength, akin to "killing a thousand and losing eight hundred." As for the Purple Thunder Shield, the only cost he has noted is that the user loses the desire to attack while holding it. Yet after using this prop, Zhang Yuanqing identified three drawbacks. First, the cost mentioned in the notes. Second, it could only defend against attacks from the front—helpless against flank attacks or ambushes, unless the holder actively sensed the threat and adjusted the shield's orientation to meet it. Third, the counterforce: during the wolf’s relentless assault, the palm of Zhang Yuanqing’s holding hand cracked. With even stronger force, his arm bones might have been shattered altogether. "Compared to its capabilities, these costs are entirely manageable," Zhang Yuanqing said, satisfied, as he folded the Purple Thunder Shield and turned to the Blood Rose. Her clothes were now torn, standing before her master bare and delicate, her well-defined chest revealing graceful abdominal muscles, her legs round, long, and straight. Combined with her face—though bearing subtle artificial traces, still flawless—she was nothing short of irresistible. After so many years of being single, even the shade corpses now seem so alluring… Zhang Yuanqing sighed, shifting his focus from her beauty and physical form to gaze into the eyes of the Blood Rhododendron. He hadn't realized it, but the gold flecks in her eyes had begun to fade, gradually transforming into the eyes of beasts. "Only three uses, and her eyes have already changed? Ah, Xiao Hongcap's combat strength is truly impressive—just that the erosion is too intense. I'll need to prepare several more shade corpses as backups." He set down the little red cap just as the urgent knocking at the door sounded. He guided the Blood Rhododendron to hide behind the Hundred-Refined Furnace and then opened the door. Standing outside was a tall, robust man in black robes, bowing respectfully. "Madam has sent me to inform you that the Zhao family has arrived and wishes to see you." Had they come to raise a formal complaint? Zhang Yuanqing pondered for a few seconds before asking, "Has Zhao Feichun passed away?" The man shook his head. "Madam has already stopped the bleeding and treated his injuries—he's stable now. He "Uncle Lian, who wouldn't even spare a vial of life essence for her nephew? Though life essence is indeed expensive... Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Who came?" "The father of Zhao Feichen. His real name is unknown; his spiritual realm ID is Zhao Hongzheng." The cloaked figure replied. Of course, spiritual realm families never use their real names—how could they? Not even spiritual realm wanderers do... Zhang Yuanqing nodded, "I know." If it weren't the head of the Zhao family, it would have been fine. Even if Zhao's head of household had come, he wouldn't have been intimidated. "You keep your clothes and pants. Go now." Zhang Yuanqing said. "????" A moment later, the sturdy man, dressed only in a pair of underpants, carried several mineral blocks in his arms, smiling warmly and departed. A few moments later, Zhang Yuanqing emerged from the room, accompanied by the Blood Rose in black robes and black pants—her attire slightly loose, a bit oversized. … A messy convenience store. March sat at the counter, one hand resting on her chest, the other holding a cigar, while Brother Zhao Hongzheng's furious voice echoed around her: "Who? Who has injured my son like this?" Zhao Hongzheng examined his son, barely breathing on the stretcher. As his gaze fell upon the thigh, wrapped in bandages and subtly bleeding, his eyes widened with anguish. Zhao Hongzheng had gray hair, deep forehead lines, and fish-eye wrinkles. His son, born when he was only forty, had always been cherished and indulged. Zhao Hongzheng held his son in the highest regard—not only for his talent, but because the family patriarch had raised him from a young age. The patriarch deeply loved this grandson, treating him as his own heart's treasure, and as a result, he also cherished the Zhao family line. The bond between grandfather and grandson was profound. Should the patriarch step down, who would succeed him as family head? Even though Zhao Hongzheng's talent wasn't the best among his brothers, given Zhao Feichen's standing, Father would still give him extra attention and consideration. Zhao Hongzheng glared at Lian San Yue, his voice steady. "Even if you're at odds with Father, Feichen has called you his aunt for years—yet you watched helplessly as he was dismembered on your very own territory?" Lian San Yue sneered. "There are countless people who call me 'aunt,' and even 'aunt'! It's up to Feichen himself to take his own life. What does that have to do with me?" "You—" Zhao Hongzheng was about to reprimand him, but Lian San Yue suddenly grew cold. "Zhao Hongzheng, you haven't earned the right to scold me yet. Wait until you're promoted to Master status." Zhao Hongzheng's chest heaved with indignation, and he said nothing further. Turning to his subordinates standing outside the shop, he said, "Go back to the Zhao family, inform the headmaster of Feichen's ordeal, and fetch a vial of life essence—quickly." Outside the small shop, The subordinate in black robes and glasses bowed deeply, then turned and departed. Zhao Hong was kneeling, gently placing a jade bead into the pale, cracked mouth of Zhao Feichun. Soon, Zhao Feichun's complexion grew rosy and he regained consciousness. Upon seeing Zhao Hong, the weary and frail expression on his face brightened, and he immediately grasped his father's hand, gritting his teeth to say: "Father, avenge me! Avenge me! That boy must pay for what he's done." Zhao Hong patted his son's hand, reassuring him: "Father will see that it happens. In Huadu, no one has ever managed to injure a senior branch of the Zhao family and escape unscathed. I've already sent word to your grandfather. Your injuries will be fully restored with my Life Source Liquid. Feichun, tell Father who struck you." Zhao Feichun looked full of resentment, biting his lips: "It was a star official—likely a steward from Taiyuan Gate—but not Zhao Chenghuang." He recounted the incident between the two parties, embellishing the details as he went. Zhao Hongzheng sighed, "If it were one of the Taiguan's attendants, Father would probably have been unable to kill him in his anger. But how he injured you, I will treat him the same way." Zhao Feichen expressed his displeasure, "What good would that do?" After a pause, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he said, "Father, I have an idea!" Zhao Hongzheng leaned forward and said, "Go on." "The boy is using his aunt's Hundred-Refined Furnace to forge a top-tier artifact at the Saint Realm level—I suspect it might even be a rule-based artifact. Have you arrange for the surrounding of the Wanbao House, cutting off his chance to seek help from Taiguan. Charge him with deliberately causing serious injury to me, and demand compensation—this way, we secure the artifact first. Then, even if Taiguan comes after us, we'll have grounds to negotiate. Taiguan won't risk a major conflict with our Zhao family over just one attendant's artifact." He still couldn't let go of the artifact in the furnace. A top-tier Saint Realm artifact, possibly rule-based? Zhao Hongzheng pondered Immediately, he ordered his subordinates to surround Wanbao House, clearing out all ordinary civilians from the entire alley and setting up props specifically designed to counter nocturnal wanderers and star-dwelling practitioners... Once everything was in place, he calmly gazed at his step-sister, saying, "Regarding Fengchen's matter, I won't hold it against you. Release the people—knowing the rules, I won't lay a hand on your store." Lian San Yue watched the entire scene with quiet amusement, smiling gently and saying, "He's already out." With a gentle wave of her hand, the space within the store rippled, and two figures materialized suddenly inside Wanbao House: a young man of ordinary appearance, and a beautiful woman in loose black robes and pants, barefoot. Clearly, Zhang Yuanqing and Blood Peony themselves. "Father, it's him!" Zhao Feichen's gaze turned suddenly venomous, though a cold smile lingered at the corners of his mouth. Zhao Hongzheng stared coldly at Zhang Yuanqing, saying, "Whether you're from Taiyuan Sect or a free-standing practitioner, you must pay a price for severing my son's legs." Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Zhao Hongzheng, then at the bodyguards outside, turned back, and looked at the middle-aged man with white hair, saying, "You are Zhao Hongzheng, father of Zhao Feichun? From what I hear, you're unaware of the full circumstances. We have a contract between us and your son..." Before he could finish, Zhao Hongzheng interrupted with a wave of his hand: "All I know is that your bet was limited to the firestone. You were dissatisfied and deliberately severed my son's legs—this matter must be settled with our family." Zhang Yuanqing immediately abandoned his attempt at reasoning and asked, "Then, what does Zhao Family expect from us?" Zhao Feichun immediately replied, "You must compensate us with the item you produced in your furnace." Zhao Hongzheng nodded slightly, standing with his hands behind his back, saying, "This is our condition: if you agree to settle the matter, you shall deliver the item to Feichun. You have taken advantage of your position, severed my son's legs, and nearly cost him his life—compensating you with just one item is not unreasonable." "Just hand them over yourself. Don't make me resort to force." Zhang Yuanqing finally understood—no matter how many times they explained, this father-son pair had firmly locked onto his props, and now they were fully in control. One plan failing, they'd surely come up with another. By offering compensation, he could hand over the props; if they succeeded in taking them, even official intervention wouldn't be enough to recover them. A private settlement, after all, was just a case of "willing to fight, willing to take"—a legitimate, rule-based takeover. "What if I refuse?" Zhang Yuanqing's tone turned cold. "Then what do you think?" Zhao Hong raised his hand, and the black-clad figures from outside began filing in, their cold eyes fixed on him. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly recalled his school days, when a senior classmate had taken his spare cash. He'd cried out to his comrade, Bingge, who was furious and ended up beating the boy senseless. Later, the classmate's parents came to the school demanding that Bingge and he be expelled, and asking for an apology—completely ignoring the fact that their son had taken the money. Zhang Yuanqing had no choice but to Upon hearing this, the uncle immediately turned to his wife’s bank card, withdrew it, and went to the bank to exchange it for a large bag of coins. Then, he took his nephew to the school to meet the parents who had been causing a fuss. First, he asked the nephew to apologize to the father and son. Then, he produced the coins, one handful after another, and hurled them forcefully at the parents, knocking them to their knees. The parents scrambled, clutching their heads in panic. Eventually, the teachers had to intervene and stop the uncle’s outburst. With an air of pride, the uncle said, “It’s not my nephew’s fault—he’s my heir apparent, and he’s the one who’s been physically aggressive. But you, this pair of so-called ‘pure-hearted’ parents, shouldn’t pretend to be saints either. I have plenty of money—I’m just giving you these coins as a token of appreciation.” After saying this, he took his heir apparent and left, informing the teachers that he would file a formal complaint with the education bureau. On the way home, the uncle patted his heir apparent’s shoulder and said, “Excellent work! When dealing with difficult children, you have to meet force with force But Uncle, I've grown up already... Zhang Yuanqing slowly removed his disguise ring, revealing his true form, and loudly declared, "Zhao Hongzheng, look clearly at me—whom do you intend to attack?"