Winter had settled in, and Luojia Mountain began to grow cold.

The dense mist, like milk that wouldn't dissolve, drifted over the bamboo tips, coiling around the bamboo stalks, enveloping the entire bamboo forest in a hazy white.

It was hard to see clearly.

Just like the mind of the elderly man before him.

Shen Xinglan always considered himself a smart person, and the outside world thought so too...

However, growing up, he always felt that behind the amiable smile of his second grandpa was a labyrinth, unfathomable in its depths.

Just like the bamboo forest outside, shrouded in mist.

Shen Boyu sat upright in the bamboo chair, gently swaying the tea cup in his hand, causing tiny ripples in the tea.

Due to the transmission of power, his body and appearance aged at a speed visible to the naked eye.

His spirit hasn't vanished; it has just been transferred.

The Ocean Stabilizing Divine Needle of the Shen Family, a renowned Great Grandmaster beneath the Star River, was now merely an ordinary injured old man.

His gaze was as deep as an ancient well as he looked at Shen Xinglan's slightly flushed face from anger, and slowly spoke: "Xing Lan, look at this bamboo forest."

Before he finished speaking, a breeze swept through, causing the bamboo leaves to rustle, and a few dry leaves drifted to the ground.

The old man caught a falling leaf and continued, "This seemingly fragile bamboo is actually imbued with resilience. The path of cultivation is the same. Even though it lacks Yin Yang Qi, it possesses another kind of transformation."

At the words, Shen Xinglan furrowed his brow, his eyes filled with confusion and puzzlement, yet he also suppressed his agitation, listening intently to what the old man would say next.

He couldn't understand how someone who couldn't even sense Yin Yang Qi could possess such world-destroying divine power?

Warriors may not ascend the grand stages, but cultivators are the masters of this world.

This is a well-known truth, a fact.

Little Fatty's existence defies convention.

Both he and his brother...

The old man lightly stroked the fallen leaf in his hand, as if it came to life, trembling slightly between his rough fingers.

"Xing Lan, you must know that everything in this world has its uniqueness. The path of cultivation is not only a single route driven by Yin Yang Qi. Although he can't perceive Yin Yang, he can touch the power of the heavens and earth in another way. That is his own path."

"Just like you, did you not also advance to Grandmaster through another way? If it was only through personal effort, how much time and energy would it take?"

"..."

In this regard, Shen Xinglan was speechless.

He indeed advanced to Grandmaster with the help of his second grandpa.

Snakes have their paths, and mice have theirs.

Pei pei pei, he was neither a snake nor a mouse...

Knowing that Shen Xinglan was proud and ambitious, Shen Boyu didn't wish to say more on this matter, just hinted to keep him sober minded.

"Moreover, I think the issue might lie in the hammer he used... You said his body couldn't move at that time?"

"Yes, when I arrived, I locked onto his aura. His body was stuck in the mud, and he couldn't lift the hammer in his hand."

Shen Xinglan appeared thoughtful and spoke, "He struggled desperately, but it was futile. I had a feeling that with just a bit of force, I could crush him like an ant. His life was in my hands."

"Just as I was about to do that, he awakened. Not only did he withstand my 'Great Sun Tathagata Sword Seal,' he even picked up the hammer and charged at me, fighting fiercely..."

"At that time, I felt he was no longer himself. He turned into someone else."

"Turned into someone else?" Shen Boyu's eyes widened in shock. Even with his broad knowledge, hearing such words stirred him deeply, "What do you mean? Body snatching?"

"Although ancient records mention that using secret arts, one could lock a person's three souls and seven spirits inside a dying body, thus achieving the goal of cuckoo nesting. But such tales are merely legends, not to be taken as truth."

It's said that Li Ningyang, an immortal, was on a spiritual journey and was delayed to return on time.

His disciple, thinking time had surpassed their agreement, believed he wasn't coming back and burned his meditative body.

When he finally returned, Li Ningyang had no choice but to quickly find a freshly dead crippled beggar's body to inhabit, hence reviving, later known as 'Li Tieguai.'

Hmm, he is the acclaimed 'Iron Crutch Li,' one of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.

"I just have this feeling. I've crossed paths with him before; I am familiar with his aura... His strength should have originally been plain and simple.

"This time, every move was filled with sinister energy, full of killing intent, risking everything... He didn't care at all about damaging or even destroying that body."

"He only cared about one thing, and that was... to kill me."

Shen Boyu's expression turned serious, asking, "You said the hammer was a skull?"

"Yes."

"When used, the skull's eyes glowed red, black mist swirling, and even the sounds of wailing ghosts could be heard?"

"Yes." Shen Xinglan looked at Shen Boyu, puzzled and asked, "Second Grandpa, do you know the origin of this hammer?"

"Although I haven't seen it with my own eyes, according to your description... If I'm not mistaken, it should be the World-destroying Hammer, ranked in the top ten of the Divine Weapon List..."

"World-destroying Hammer?"

"The Divine Weapon List recorded it as belonging to an Evil God. It was a weapon of tremendous malevolence, carried by a person of great evil. It slaughtered countless lives, causing widespread devastation."

"Later, the Evil God disappeared without a trace, and this hammer vanished with it. Unexpectedly, it fell into that brat's hands..."

Shen Boyu glanced at Shen Xinglan, then let out a quiet sigh.

The fortunes of his grandson were truly ill-omened, encountering such anomalies...

"World-destroying Hammer? Why haven't I heard of it before?"

Shen Xinglan's Taia Sword is a weapon on the Divine Weapon List and ranks number one on it.

"This hammer is too dangerous, too insidious, and is said to also confuse people's minds, so later it was removed from the Divine Weapon List. It's considered too evil and inauspicious to be named a 'Divine Weapon.'"

"Besides, it disappeared so long ago, long enough that people today hardly know of its existence."

"If not for the ample collections of the Shen Family, where some ancient books recorded it... I too wouldn't know the origins of the Skull Hammer."

"I see." Shen Xinglan looked at Shen Boyu and respectfully asked, "So, he was possessed by that hammer?"

"It cannot be ruled out. Treasures and peerless divine weapons all have spirits... For him to withstand a Great Grandmaster with mere brute force is just too unbelievable..."

"I suspect there is some kind of array hidden in that hammer, or the remnant spirit of the Evil God... awakening in times of crisis to sacrifice itself to save its master..."

Shen Xinglan was silent for a long time.

He was glad that the mystery was solved, understanding why he lost.

But he was also upset, as this was not the answer he wanted.

After a long time, he looked up again, gazing seriously at Shen Boyu, and asked bitterly: "Second Grandpa, that brat owns the World-destroying Hammer... So, what is his current realm?"

"..."

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