I Have 10 Equipment Slots

Chapter 456: Chapter 258: I Surrender

"...Y-Yes."

Baili Zhongzhen exhaled, enduring the terror and searing pain as he relaxed his mind.

The next moment...

"Nghh—!"

Baili Zhongzhen’s eyes shot open, a look of defiance flashing within them.

"Hmph!"

Gu Zheng barked coldly.

Baili Zhongzhen...

’So be it.’

With a sigh, Baili Zhongzhen gave up his resistance. He lay limply on the seabed, allowing Gu Zheng to implant the Nether Heart Slave Seal.

Surrender? Submission? Words alone were not enough.

True surrender meant having the Nether Heart Slave Seal implanted and becoming a Seal Slave.

Since Baili Zhongzhen didn’t resist, the Slave Seal was implanted quickly.

SWISH!

Gu Zheng retracted the Heaven-piercing Halberd and dismissed his Domain. With a flick of his wrist, several Healing Source Fruits appeared in his hand, and he tossed them to Baili Zhongzhen.

"Go back for now. Await my orders."

With those words, Gu Zheng shot into the air, rocketing toward the surface and back to Flame Island.

"Thank you, Master!"

In the ocean trench, Baili Zhongzhen clutched the Source Fruits and bowed respectfully in farewell.

Only after Gu Zheng had vanished did he take a deep breath and pop a Source Fruit into his mouth.

Soon, the medicinal effects of the Healing Source Fruit erupted within him, mending his wounds.

Baili Zhongzhen began circulating his own energy to absorb as much of the power as he could.

If one Source Fruit wasn’t enough, he’d use two.

Baili Zhongzhen figured that while the effects of Source Fruits might vary, the energy they contained was always useful for healing.

However, after consuming several of them, Baili Zhongzhen was astonished to discover that every single Source Fruit Gu Zheng had given him was for healing!

’Master knows the specific function of each Source Fruit?’

Since time immemorial, no one had ever known the effects of a Source Fruit before consuming it.

And yet, Gu Zheng could somehow accurately identify the function of every single one.

HISS...

Baili Zhongzhen took a deep breath, a faint thrill running through him.

The whole world was curious about Gu Zheng’s secrets, and now, he felt he had just grazed the surface of one.

’Perhaps submitting to a master like him isn’t so bad after all?’

With his injuries mostly healed, the corners of Baili Zhongzhen’s mouth curled into a slight smile.

...

...

「Flame Island.」

The Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade was still suppressing the Flame Divine Sword.

Yue’Er chased after the little boy with long, fiery-red hair, who was doing his best to run away.

Over ten kilometers away on the Frozen Island, the Sea-Calming Divine Power Staff was similarly suppressing the Frozen Divine Sword.

A silent, brawny man with prominent muscles leaned against the Divine Weapon, floating in the void and vigilantly scanning his surroundings.

When Gu Zheng looked over from a distance, the man immediately sensed his gaze and glanced up.

The next moment, the man turned toward Gu Zheng and gave a fist-and-palm salute.

...

’The Divine Weapon Spirit of the Sea-Calming Divine Power Staff looks just like a person.’

’It even knows how to perform a salute.’

Gu Zheng raised a hand in acknowledgment but didn’t go over to disturb them.

Just as he was about to look for Hai Wujang, he felt a familiar aura emanate from the seabed dozens of miles away.

BOOM!

SPLASH!

The surface of the sea exploded, and a column of water shot toward the sky.

Hai Wujang’s figure leaped from the depths. His face was pale and his aura was in turmoil, but he had no visible wounds.

SWISH!

Gu Zheng flew over to him.

"Gu King!"

Hai Wujang sensed him, saluted Gu Zheng, and said with an exhale, "I am ashamed. I was no match for Dugu Batian. I had to dive deep into the sea multiple times just to escape."

"It’s nothing to worry about."

Gu Zheng raised a hand. "Patriarch Hai, you were without your Divine Weapon. It’s only natural you couldn’t defeat Dugu Batian. If he returns, I will deal with him."

"Thank you, Gu King!"

Hai Wujang expressed his gratitude. "If it weren’t for you, Gu King, forget the Divine Sword—I’d be lucky to be alive. It was my own carelessness. Dugu Batian and Baili Zhongzhen were targeting me for days, and I never even noticed."

"There’s no need to blame yourself, Patriarch Hai," Gu Zheng said softly. "Dugu Batian and Baili Zhongzhen clearly came prepared. Anyone else in your position would have fallen for their trap."

That may have been true, but Hai Wujang knew that if their roles were reversed, Gu Zheng would never have been caught off guard.

When Baili Zhongzhen ambushed Gu Zheng, he hadn’t gained the slightest advantage.

He, on the other hand, had taken a vicious blow from Dugu Batian.

They were at the same cultivation realm, but Dugu Batian was enhanced by his Tyrant Armor, while Hai Wujang was without his Sea-Calming Divine Power Staff. He was lucky to have escaped at all.

"Enough about that."

Gu Zheng turned to look at the Frozen Divine Sword. "The Divine Weapon has emerged. I’ll go subdue it."

"...Alright."

Hai Wujang was taken aback for a moment before nodding.

He knew what it took to subdue a Divine Weapon, of course. The question was, ’Just go over and subdue it like that?’

’Aren’t other preparations needed? Like setting up an Array, using Marvels, or something to control the Divine Weapon first?’

Puzzled, Hai Wujang followed him.

SWISH! SWISH!

In a flash, Gu Zheng appeared beside the Frozen Divine Sword.

A terrifying Ice Power immediately washed over Gu Zheng.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The Burning Fire Domain flared to life, engulfing the Frozen Divine Sword. Gu Zheng looked at the Artifact Spirit of the Sea-Calming Divine Power Staff and said to the brawny man, "Do me a favor and draw out the Sword Spirit."

"Alright."

The brawny man replied in a booming voice.

As soon as he spoke, he smashed his fist onto the blade of the Frozen Divine Sword.

VMMMM! VMMMM!

An invisible collision of auras rippled through the air, making it shimmer like boiling water.

The Frozen Divine Sword flashed, and an expressionless, ice-blue woman materialized from it.

"Keep attacking her until she stops resisting."

Gu Zheng ordered.

???

The brawny man looked confused and turned his head toward Hai Wujang.

"Do as the Gu King says," Hai Wujang nodded.

Hearing this, the brawny man flashed with light and lunged at the icy woman.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Two masses of light immediately collided, zipping back and forth above the Frozen Island. The ice-blue light was quickly put on the defensive, its form growing increasingly unstable.

Gu Zheng noticed this instability at once.

An understanding regarding the nature of Divine Weapon Spirits dawned on him.

’Divine Weapon Spirits are a form of life?’

’Yes!’

’If they’re life, then can my Life Domain affect them?’

As he pondered this, Gu Zheng activated his Hurricane Domain to cover the outer perimeter, then his Giant Wood Domain to block all the icy woman’s escape routes.

The three Domains swirled together, obscuring Hai Wujang’s vision and interfering with his senses.

At that moment, a sliver of his Life Domain unfurled and touched the icy woman.

Her body froze, and she stopped moving.

The brawny man was about to charge again.

"That’s enough," Gu Zheng said. "You can stand down."

The brawny man scratched his head but obediently retreated, leaving the range of the three Domains.

VMMM...

Gu Zheng directed his Life Domain to completely envelop the icy woman.

"Hello."

Gu Zheng sent a telepathic message as he looked at the icy woman. "You’ve seen it for yourself. From the moment of your birth, countless people have wanted to possess you. I am no exception. However, I can give you..."

"I will obey you," the icy woman interrupted, "on one condition. I need to be enveloped in this power. At all times."

???

Gu Zheng was taken aback.

He was surprised by the Divine Weapon Spirit’s frankness and puzzled by the unique nature of his Life Domain.

’Does enveloping a Divine Weapon Spirit with the Life Domain greatly enhance its Divine Weapon Power?’

That was something Gu Zheng had never actually tried before.

"Done."

Gu Zheng nodded. "I can give you the Power of the Life Domain, but not constantly. Once a day, for a duration of... let’s say half a day. We’ll see how things go."

"Fine."

The icy woman nodded. "From this moment on, I will obey you. Do as you wish."

...

’That sounded a bit strange.’

Gu Zheng raised an eyebrow and said softly, "Just relax your mind. Don’t resist."

"Do it."

The icy woman responded coolly.

...Gu Zheng wasted no more words. He released a Nether Heart Slave Seal and implanted it in the icy woman.

Throughout the entire process, the icy woman offered no resistance, allowing Gu Zheng to proceed unimpeded.

The moment the Slave Seal was complete, the icy woman seemed to startle awake, a new vivacity appearing in her eyes.

"Master!"

Bowing respectfully to Gu Zheng, the icy woman completely retracted her aura.

"From now on, your name is Bing Ning."

Gu Zheng retracted his Life Domain, followed by the Hurricane, Burning Fire, and Giant Wood Domains.

"Yes, Master!"

Bing Ning nodded and retreated respectfully behind Gu Zheng.

Hai Wujang saw this scene unfold.

???

Hai Wujang was stunned, his eyes widening reflexively.

’It’s... it’s done?’

’Gu Zheng subdued the Divine Weapon that quickly!?’

’Aren’t Divine Weapon Spirits supposed to be arrogant and untamable, attacking at the slightest provocation?’

’How did Gu Zheng manage it so easily?’