"The artifact has been repaired, but the spirit is destroyed and cannot be restored."
After confirming the restoration of the Ancient Book of Life and Death, Ming Qi immediately retrieved it from the Supreme Diagram.
The fully restored Book of Life and Death contained a powerful force of life and death. Although it lacked a spirit, its mere presence as a super-artifact could turn the tide in any battle.
Holding the super-artifact, the Ancient Book of Life and Death, Ming Qi immediately extended his spiritual sense into it. Since the spirit was dead and ownerless, it presented no hindrance to Ming Qi's control.
As his spiritual sense entered, Ming Qi suddenly felt as if he had entered an unprecedented world, a world of intricate interplay of life and death. Beneath the interplay of reality and illusion, there was a faint sense of the hidden laws of heaven.
"Let's get familiar with this thing first."
Ming Qi had used the Book of Life and Death once before, but at that time it was severely damaged, and he had only used a simple restraining force. Now that the Book was fully restored, his consciousness immediately sensed its many strange powers.
Although the Book of Life and Death looked thick, it only had four pages.
The first page, titled "Reincarnation," was the most direct illustration of the powerful force derived from the power of life and death.
The second page, titled "Nirvana," was the power that combined the strongest forces in the universe to destroy the Great Dao of Life and Death. In other words, if Ming Qi could fully master the power of Nirvana, it would likely be even more powerful than one of his two paths, the Great Dao of Immortality.
The Great Dao of Immortality originates from the understanding of life and death, but at its peak, the power of Nirvana could completely destroy life and death.
The third page, titled "Return to the Abyss," meant the cessation of all things. Ming Qi understood the meaning of "Reincarnation," but he understood very little about this page of the Book of Life and Death. This showed that the power of "Reincarnation" was even more powerful than the power of Nirvana.
The last page of the Book of Life and Death was a shroud of chaos, a sense of existence emanating from it. However, Ming Qi knew this page might be the Book's most powerful feature. However, his current strength was insufficient, and he was unable to glimpse its secrets.
Although he couldn't fully control the Book of Life and Death's power, the power of the first three pages was enough to sweep across the heavens and earth!
However, Ming Qi soon discovered another fact: as a super-divine artifact, the Ancient Book of Life and Death's spirit was almost a fundamental element. Its many powers required the support of the spirit's soul to unleash them.
Without a spirit, the Book of Life and Death's power was significantly limited.
Recognizing this fact, Ming Qi quickly calculated that the Fire Emperor Sword alone was no match for the formidable being before him, not even with the Great Five Elements Fan. Moreover, this was a star field, where the five elements were not fully present, and the Great Five Elements Fan's power was significantly limited.
So, let's test the power of the Book of Life and Death!
Despite lacking the aid of a spirit, it was still a super-divine artifact, several grades higher than the Fire Emperor Sword and the Great Five Elements Fan. This was a genuine advantage.
With the Book of Life and Death in hand, black and white energy swirled and flowed rapidly. Ming Qi immediately unleashed his confinement power. Instantly, several interwoven black and white light screens descended from the sky, encircling the Starry Sky King's massive form.
Feeling its movement restricted, the Starry Sky King roared in anger, its limbs and tail flailing violently in an attempt to break through the surrounding light screens. However, its attacks were completely ineffective against them!
Ming Qi was stunned at first, but then overjoyed. The Starry Sky King was swift and unrestricted by terrain. Now, restrained by the confinement power, he was like meat on a chopping board, ready to be cut as he pleased.
Seeing no way out of his confinement, the Star King grew increasingly furious, continuously spewing brilliant beams of light from his mouth. However, upon contact with the barrier, these beams vanished silently, leaving no trace of where they went.
Ming Qi, on the other hand, was no longer anxious. The more furious the Star King became, the more reassured he felt. Although this enormous creature possessed formidable strength, its impatience and impatience after being trapped, and its constant assaults on the barrier, would inevitably drain its strength. It wouldn't be long before its beams of light would cease to spit forth.
Sure enough, within a quarter of an hour, the Star King ceased spitting beams of light and instead used his limbs to ram the barrier. However, it was all in vain. Even the terrifyingly destructive beams of light couldn't break the barrier, let alone brute force.
Seeing the time was almost up, Ming Qi raised the Book of Life and Death again, and divine power surged amidst the swirling black and white auras.
"Black and White Swords!"
Ming Qi shouted, and the black and white energies instantly separated, condensing in the air into two one-inch-long swords, one black, one white. With two whooshing sounds, the black and white swords slashed through the air, piercing directly towards the imprisoned Star King.
Although they were only two one-inch-long black and white swords, the Star King seemed to sense a great threat. He raised his head and roared continuously, his scales and spikes glowing silver, as if he was determined to withstand Ming Qi's black and white swords.
"Don't kill it!"
Just then, Ming Qi suddenly heard the voice of the Wuxiang boy. He was startled, but he still extended his hand and pointed, and the black and white swords instantly stopped in mid-air, neither advancing nor retreating.
"What's going on?"
"Subdue it, and it'll become a weapon spirit!"
The Wuxiang boy spoke excitedly, presumably having just thought of this question.
"This beast is too ferocious. I'm afraid it won't surrender easily."
Ming Qi had previously considered this, but since this creature, claiming to be the King of the Starry Sky, had long dominated the star region, it seemed it would be extremely difficult to subdue it, so he dismissed it.
"I've already solved this problem. I'll give you a contract spell, an ancient spell. Once you establish a contract with this creature, it will never betray you."
The Wuxiang boy had clearly come prepared, having already thought of a solution.
"Oh? There's such a spell! Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Ming Qi was also pleasantly surprised. The King of the Starry Sky was undoubtedly powerful. If he could subdue the spirit of the Book of Life and Death, it would completely make up for the lack of a spirit in the super artifact, and the Book of Life and Death's power would surely increase exponentially.
"Here are the spell's contents. Memorize them..."
The Wuxiang boy didn't waste any time, and a passage of text followed, which was quite long and complex, but understandable.
Ming Qi quickly memorized the spell's contents, then once again manipulated the black and white swords toward the Star King, speaking through his mind: "If you surrender now, I will spare you today!"
"Don't even think about it!"
The Star King roared, truly ferocious, pounding the barrier even more fiercely, showing no sign of surrender.
"Just drop blood to activate the spell!"
The Wuxiang boy urged. This ancient spell was incredibly powerful; it didn't require the opponent's unconscious acceptance; simply drop blood to cast the spell.
"Okay!"
Ming Qi didn't waste any time. With a flick of his finger, two drops of blood flew out, landing precisely on the black and white swords. Then, he suddenly activated the black and white swords, their sword light whistling through the screen, piercing directly through the Star King's armor, completely burying itself within.
At the same time, Ming Qi rapidly cast and chanted the spell.