Chen Xu heard Zhang Chen’s instructions and looked at the jade box in his hand. He immediately understood what he meant and couldn’t help but secretly mock in his heart: "You little brat, I thought you just wanted to seize a strand of Yin Yang Qi, but who knew you actually set your sights on my two brushes. Truly overestimating yourself. You must know that those old fellows of the Yang God realm used all kinds of means to take these two brushes, but they couldn’t touch them at all. Although you have some skills, and even seem a bit peculiar, to say you can accomplish what the Yang God True Men couldn’t is simply a delusion."
Though he felt contemptuous in his heart, Chen Xu didn’t say a word and obediently cooperated with Zhang Chen to place the two brushes into the box. It didn’t matter where these brushes were, or where they were sealed; as long as he willed it, they would immediately return.
No method could confine or block these two brushes from him.
Zhang Chen watched as the two brushes fell into the box, quickly closed the box, and locked the brushes inside.
"I wonder if this jade box combined with the Six-Word Mantra can suppress these two brushes and solve your worry," Zhang Chen said, carefully observing the two brushes in the box. He saw that the brushes seemed to sense danger, twisting into beams of black and white light, constantly crashing within the box, but the Six-Word True Mantra emitted rays of Buddhist light, actually blocking their repeated clashes.
At this moment, Chen Xu, standing opposite Zhang Chen, also turned pale. For the first time, he sensed something was wrong because his mystical connection with the two brushes was broken.
That’s right, his connection with the two brushes was actually broken!
This was the first time this had happened; in the past, no matter how others suppressed them or what methods they used, his connection with the two brushes always existed in some mysterious sense. Yet now, this complete severance was something he had never encountered.
"How do you feel now?" Zhang Chen looked at the two brushes in the box for a moment before lifting his head to Chen Xu.
Chen Xu stammered in response, "Maybe you shouldn’t help me. Just give the two brushes back to me. I think it’s actually pretty good to have them around..."
Zhang Chen, hearing his words, immediately understood what he was thinking. The boy was simply being contradictory, a bit like a kind of person seen in later generations—saying no with his mouth while being sincere in actions. If he truly lost them, he’d likely cry and wail.
"Don’t worry, I’m just temporarily sealing these two brushes. If you have any accumulated mysteriousness, hurry up and fuse it during this time. After this period is over, I’ll give you the brushes back, and then you’d miss the chance to refine them," Zhang Chen said with a smile.
He could feel that the two brushes were attacking the Six-Word Mantra Seal, so he had to reinforce the seal daily, or the brushes would break it.
"These brushes are really peculiar," Zhang Chen muttered to himself as he felt the eroding power of the Six-Word Mantra.
He feared he couldn’t handle the brushes; they were immune to all laws, specialized in breaking all sorts of prohibitions, and there was no way to refine them.
Zhang Chen put away the jade box, carefully tucking it into his sleeve, then changed the subject: "I have an Invisibility Rune here. Once I attach it to you, as long as you don’t encounter a seventh-rank expert, no one will notice your trace. Later, I’ll create a commotion outside to draw the attention of Prince Pingbian’s Mansion’s experts, and you should seize the opportunity to escape. Whether you can get away depends on your own luck." Zhang Chen instructed Chen Xu, simultaneously taking out the Invisibility Rune and sticking it directly onto Chen Xu: "Once I cause a stir, just run out immediately. Your escape depends on yourself, got it?"
Chen Xu nodded: "I will never forget your great kindness, my lord."
The reason Zhang Chen helped Chen Xu was to prevent any unexpected events. If the brushes returned unexpectedly and Chen Xu was not in Prince Pingbian’s Mansion, they would be helpless against the divine demon body.
After applying the Invisibility Rune on Chen Xu, Zhang Chen transformed into mist and slipped away through the eaves, disappearing into the rain, and then rushed into the clouds, revealing his true body there.
As he willed it, the clouds in the sky surged, transforming into a stream of water that supported him. Zhang Chen then summoned the Fox Spirit: "Bring the explosives?"
"What do you need the explosives for?" Fox Fairy Nannan asked with a surprised expression.
Zhang Chen pointed to the ground below, and Fox Fairy Nannan’s eyes widened with excitement: "Zhang Chen, you little brat, you actually learned how to ride clouds and mist? This skill is impressive; with this method, escaping will be much quicker in the future."
Just as they were talking, a thunderclap exploded among the clouds.
Fox Fairy Nannan stood within the clouds, protected by Dragon Qi, not fearing the endless lightning overhead, and said mischievously: "How many do you need?"
"Bring ten! And remember to bring some fuses!" Zhang Chen instructed.
After listening to Zhang Chen’s instruction, Fox Fairy Nannan went away, entering the cave to fetch the explosives. It wasn’t long before she returned, handing the explosives to Zhang Chen.