Chapter 463: Hostility

The banner wasn't a weapon like the others, it needed to merge with a person's soul. The strength of a cultivator's soul was one of the most essential aspects when creating the banner.

Only a cultivator with a powerful soul would be able to use a spiritual banner. If a cultivator didn't have a strong soul, the power of the banner would be limited. Besides, if the soul was too weak, it wouldn't have the power to merge with a banner.

Lin Pheng digested the memories and looked at Li Shang: "In order to create a banner, I need an emptiness tree as a base."

"I have some emptiness trees." Said Li Shang calmly which stupefied Lin Pheng.

Lin Pheng had never seen an emptiness tree but according to the memories in the jade, the tree was able to form a separate space inside it. The emptiness trees needed to accumulate multiple age rings in order to form a separate space, only then would it be suitable for crafting. Besides, every part of the emptiness tree could be used to create all sorts of treasures related to space. It was an extremely precious tree, Yet Li Shang was calmly telling Lin Pheng that he had them.

"Lin Pheng, I have all the materials required to create your banner, don't worry. You just need to provide your soul, that's all. It's not difficult to learn. The hardest part is merging your soul into the banner." Said Li Shang. Lin Pheng was surprised. He knew how to use the surplus souls technique so creating a banner would be very appropriate for him. As he continued to inspect the memories, he started to feel very excited.

"I will try my hardest." Said Lin Pheng. Li Shang nodded and said: "Let's not waste time. Let's start creating your banner. What you need to decide on now is, do you want to create a fire banner or a different type of banner? With your powerful soul, you will be able to choose what best suits you, there will be no problem for you to merge with it."

"I want to create a fire banner." Said Lin Pheng without hesitation. Li Shang nodded without commenting.

He slightly moved and a number of items appeared in front of Lin Pheng. Amongst those things, there was a red tree, the tree was surrounded by a space Qi, it was an emptiness tree.

That emptiness tree was very small, about one meter high. However, Li Shang made a small movement and the tree suddenly started to grow several times larger. Very quickly, it had transformed into a huge red tree which reached the ceiling of the fortress.

"How mysterious." Thought Lin Pheng, he was stupefied. That emptiness tree was useful when creating space treasures or dimensions, even after being uprooted, it still contained such powerful space energy.

"Do you want to make it or should I?" Asked Li Shang to Lin Pheng who was staring at the gigantic emptiness tree.

"I will do it."

Lin Pheng moved and in a flash, a gigantic fire started burning all over his body. It was filled with a scorching hot sun Qi.

"Ignite." Shouted Lin Pheng in a deep voice. His sun Qi moved through the air towards the emptiness tree. Immediately, it engulfed its roots, then climbed up the trunk and spread across the branches until it reached the tree's peak. Very quickly, the tree was ablaze with scorching hot sun flames.

However, there were no signs of a raging inferno from the tree, there were no huge flames, the flames were tiny, it seemed more like a small ember. Only the sound of the rampaging flames allowed Lin Pheng know that the tree was burning.

That tree was ablaze and emitting a scorching heat, despite the lack of flames, it was very intriguing to witness.

As the tree was burning, Lin Pheng released his powerful surplus souls which started to penetrate into the emptiness tree.

Li Shang was just observing Lin Pheng as he was working on the banner. He was extremely surprised, Lin Pheng was extremely skilled when controlling the intricate fire and the power of his soul, he was outstanding. He must have studied the art of fabricating weapons in the past, this couldn't possibly be his first time.

It would obviously be beneficial for Lin Pheng to have fabricated weapons in the past when creating his own banner,

Besides, fabricating a banner wasn't a difficult task. The hardest part was the merging of one's soul into the banner.

Time passed slowly, half a day soon passed by, but Lin Pheng and Li Shang were still in the same place and hadn't moved the entire time.

Besides, apart from the wind blowing through the fortress, there was also a scorching hot Qi moving through the halls. The entire fortress was filled with an intense heat.

In the depths of the fortress, Lin Pheng and Li Shang haven't moved an inch. At that moment, Lin Pheng's eyes were closed and he intensely focused on his task. Besides, his face was starting to grow pale.

It was the most crucial moment in the fabrication of the banner. The emptiness tree in front of Lin Pheng had already transformed into something which almost looked like the spiritual banner, but was still extremely large.

"Flames!" Shouted Lin Pheng in a deep voice. In a flash, a terrifying sea of flames emerged from his body and rushed through the air. It immediately rushed towards the tree, the banner was still in its embryonic form.

"Bzz," A buzzing sound spread in the air. The banner was surrounded by flames, but the flames didn't look like they would burn the banner. Instead it formed a small crack in the middle of the banner.

"Emptiness tree, That small crack is the separate space, it contains the power of fire and space, it's so difficult to pierce into it." Whispered Lin Pheng. Immediately after, he moved and his soul started to move towards the banner.

It seemed like there was an army of small souls twining around the fire and using it to penetrate into the small crack.

A subtle cracking sound filled the air and it seemed like the separate space was going to fracture. The myriad of surplus souls and the sea of flames penetrated into the banner. There were no more flames around the banner at all, but the fire Qi it had started to emit was scorching hot. There were no flames but the fire Qi was monstrous.

"Soul Sacrifice!" Shouted Lin Pheng. His face instantly turned deathly pale. The banner started shaking and immediately after, it started to shrink. It was now the size of a regular banner and it seemed like a gentle breeze might blow it away. However, the banner suddenly unleashed an incredible fire Qi in retaliation.

"Fusion!" Lin Pheng gnashed his teeth as the flames continued to fill the air. The banner was circling through the air as if it was caught in a hurricane.

"Done." Lin Pheng's face was deathly pale but he looked delighted. He had the feeling that he now had another arm. He could feel the banner as if it was part of his own body. It was the first time that Lin Pheng had merged his soul with a weapon, it felt like he could move it as freely as he did his arms or legs.

Li Shang had given him the memory jade, and the instructions to create the banner.

Lin Pheng stretched his arm and the banner shrunk to the size of his palm. It was miraculous.

"Emptiness trees are extremely mysterious." Thought Lin Pheng while putting his banner away. He turned to Li Shang and smiled.

"Lin Pheng, you're good at fabricating weapons. When facing the wolves, you will no longer need to exhaust so much energy. You only need to absorb them into your banner."

Lin Pheng nodded but he felt a bit strange, why did Li Shang help him to such an extent?

"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have managed to create this banner, thank you very much. If you need anything, just ask and I will gladly return your kindness."

Li Shang looked particularly excited and said: "Alright, can you give me the method you used to give your soul such magic powers, then I will also take your ring with the Na stone, I want everything that is inside. I want all those things in exchange for the banner. It's because I helped you create the banner."

"Huh?" Lin Pheng was astonished. Li Shang wanted the surplus souls technique and everything that Lin Pheng possessed in exchange for the banner? Even though the banner weapon was valuable, Lin Pheng's surplus souls technique was much more valuable!

It seemed like Li Shang knew that Lin Pheng was practicing a soul technique.

"Are you not asking for too much?" Asked Lin Pheng without losing his temper, he remained calm.

Li Shang shook his head and said in an indifferent tone: "I'm not a greedy person. I didn't absorb your soul, that's what a greedy person would do. Besides, I gave you all the materials and instructions to create your banner, I've been extremely nice."

Lin Pheng just sat there and said nothing while looking at Li Shang.

Li Shang was also silently looking at Lin Pheng with a cold look.

"boom!" A monstrous deadly energy filled the air and Lin Pheng's silhouette suddenly rose into the air.

Lin Pheng raised his hand and a sword started condensed which illuminated the entire room. It then moved straight towards Li Shang.

"hmph." Li Shang groaned coldly. He raised his hand and an evil wind emerged from the palm of his hand. It contained a powerful evil energy. It seemed like a million ghosts were trapped inside his palm.

A rumbling sound spread through the air as the powers collided. Lin Pheng wasted no time and was already flying through the air towards the exit. In a flash he had disappeared from sight.

Li Shang's cold expression suddenly changed into that of a large grin and he looked like he had gone insane with excitement. He rushed towards the exit while flying on the evil wind.