Chapter 458: Unable to Turn Over the Palm

The cultivators inside Biyou Palace gradually felt an indescribable weariness and powerlessness.

Many cultivators even began to doubt the reality of this battle.

Meanwhile, Longling and Heifeng acted even more swiftly.

They moved like ghosts among the cultivators, silently collecting their spoils.

Longling's eyes flashed with the light of wisdom, and when the battlefield descended into utter chaos, he lightly waved his hand.

The mist outside the illusion began to seep into Biyou Palace, and the power contained within the mist began to affect the cultivators' minds.

"Boom—"

At the same time, the Ten Thousand Soul Banner was also stationed within the illusion, and the banner combined with the White Bone Dharma manifestation, releasing terrifying power.

The ghost tide surged, and countless wandering souls and ferocious ghosts appeared, turning Biyou Palace instantly into a ghost domain.

"Woo—"

On the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, countless ghosts wailed.

They either suffered great injustice in life or harbored unfulfilled wishes; now, under the summoning of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, they turned into waves of ferocious power, lunging at the cultivators.

Under the empowerment of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, the White Bone Dharma manifestation grew taller and more ferocious; the azure-blue flames in its eyes burned fiercer, as if able to incinerate all the world's sins.

Faced with this sudden ghost tide, the cultivators' hearts welled with unprecedented fear.

Among them, those facing the ghosts' assault resisted with attacks; some cultivators even unleashed their own Dharma treasures, hoping to block the ferocious ghosts' rending bites.

But these ghosts, driven by the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, were almost fearless, slipping through the cultivators' attacks to seek chances to invade their bodies and devour their vital essence.

"Ah—"

Xianling Nanyue saw this and knew it could not continue like this.

He let out a loud shout, and behind him, Xianling Divine Mountain began to emit myriad rays of rosy light, attempting to purify the ghosts with immortal energy.

But the ghosts, empowered by the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, had become extremely stubborn; although immortal energy could temporarily disperse them, more ghosts soon filled the gaps.

Mingdian Mengzun, meanwhile, transformed into a black shadow, weaving among the ghosts; his nether beast also grew more ferocious, engaging in fierce melees with the ghosts.

But even the nether beast could not fully suppress these ferocious ghosts.

Jiang Qiang and Yao Shuntian, among others, each exerted their utmost, but facing the endless ghost tide, their power seemed increasingly insignificant.

The malevolent force of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner was like invisible tendrils, silently eroding the cultivators' spirits.

Under its influence, the cultivators began to feel their inner darkness gradually surfacing.

Some cultivators' eyes began to gleam with greed and jealousy; the dissatisfaction and anger in their hearts, like sparks ignited, spread gradually.

Comrades who had once united against external foes now began to suspect each other, and some even started covert scheming, trying to reap personal gain amid the chaos.

Xianling Nanyue felt an inexplicable irritation welling in his chest; he strove to calm his emotions, yet discovered his trust in those around him was fading bit by bit.

Mingdian Mengzun's gaze also grew gloomy; he began to doubt everyone around him, even his longtime close friend.

Jiang Qiang and Yao Shuntian, among others, likewise found their hearts surging with unprecedented cruelty and killing intent; their desire for battle grew extraordinarily strong, and they even began to enjoy the sensation of struggling on the brink of life and death.

The cultivators' spirits, under the erosion of this malevolent force, began to twist gradually.

Reason was shrouded by darkness, and their actions became extreme and unpredictable.

Some began to attack indiscriminately those around them, while others chose to flee the battlefield, alone facing their inner fear and struggle.

Longling and Heifeng stood aside, watching coldly.

"The fragility of the human heart is laid bare before this power."

Longling whispered to Heifeng.

Heifeng nodded in agreement after hearing him.

"Once the cultivators' inner darkness is stirred, their power will become uncontrollable, and may even turn back to harm themselves."

Under the influence of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, the battle within Biyou Palace became even more chaotic and brutal.

The cultivators no longer had clear objectives; their attacks became lawless, merely venting their anger and fear.

"Rumble—"

Within the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, the surge of malevolent force never ceased.

The hidden Qingyun, the Black and White Double Fiends, and others, having received Longling's orders, began to emerge one by one.

Their figures appeared silently beneath the cover of the banner, seeming to merge with the surrounding ghost tide, making them hard to distinguish.

Qingyun's form flickered, appearing before a cultivator whose mind had lost its grip.

His eyes held no trace of mercy, only coldness and resolve.

Qingyun struck swiftly and ruthlessly, hitting the opponent's vital point directly, instantly depriving them of the power to resist.

The Black and White Double Fiends coordinated with each other, moving like ghosts across the battlefield, specifically targeting cultivators whose minds had fallen into great disorder and could not focus.

The Black Fiend struck with vicious cruelty, while the White Fiend employed strange footwork and techniques, leaving opponents unable to defend.

Under the influence of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner's malevolent force, the cultivators' dispositions had been warped, unable to organize effective resistance, and could only submit one by one to Qingyun, the Black and White Double Fiends, and others.

Those cultivators who were subdued either surrendered in fear or were overpowered in the chaos.

Their spirits had already been eroded by the power of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner, making them easy to control and drive.

Longling, seeing this, appeared and disappeared intermittently on the battlefield, occasionally striking to help Qingyun and the Black and White Double Fiends gain control of the situation more quickly.

His techniques were skillful and covert; even amidst such a chaotic battlefield, few could notice his presence.

As time passed, the battle within Biyou Palace gradually subsided.

The cultivators who were once there have now become Longling's captives, all unconscious on the battlefield.

The Ten Thousand Soul Banner slowly ceased its sway, and its malevolent force dissipated accordingly.

Within Biyou Palace, all was silent.

Longling stood on the high platform, looking down at the cultivators below, a satisfied smile on his face.

"From now on, these cultivators will serve the True Self."

Longling's voice echoed within the Azure Wander Palace, filled with dignity and power.

Heifeng stood to the side, watching all this, his heart filled with immense admiration for Longling's methods.

From this moment on, Longling again schemed the ancient talisman, and no one could contend with them.

Nearly thirty percent of the cultivators who entered this place to train and obtain the ancient talisman now lay here.

These cultivators will all become Longling's powerful support.

"Ong-long-long"

Under Longling's control, the Myriad Soul Banner emitted a more fierce sound, the runes on its surface writhing like living things and obscuring the entire sky.

These runes flickered with a dim light, as if containing endless magical power, weaving in the air into a great net that tightly bound the cultivators' souls.

The cultivators who were not completely unconscious felt an invisible force tugging at their souls.

They tried to resist, but found their power insignificant before this force.

As the runes tightened, the cultivators' souls began to gradually be stripped from their bodies and then sucked into the Myriad Soul Banner.

Inside the Myriad Soul Banner lay a chaotic space filled with endless wails and screams.

The souls trapped within, some struggled in despair, others wept in fear.

But no matter how they resisted, they could not escape the Myriad Soul Banner's bonds.

Longling stood on the high platform, coldly observing all this. The cultivators' souls would become the Myriad Soul Banner's source of power, making the ghosts within it stronger and more ferocious.

As the cultivators' souls were forcibly stripped from their spiritual bodies, every movement of those bodies could be strictly monitored.

Qing Yun, Heibai Shuang Sha, and others also stood aside, silently observing, feeling great awe at Longling's methods.

As the last cultivator's soul was drawn into the Myriad Soul Banner, the Azure Wander Palace returned to a deathly silence.

Longling lightly waved his hand; the Myriad Soul Banner slowly ceased its sway, and the runes' light gradually dimmed.

"It was not in vain that this seat planned such a scheme."

Longling's voice echoed within the Azure Wander Palace, filled with coldness and authority.

The cultivators' bodies collapsed helplessly to the ground, their lives now tightly bound to the Myriad Soul Banner.

Longling could not only correspond to every movement of the cultivators' spiritual bodies, but also directly control their physical forms in the Universe Cultivation World.

Heifeng stepped forward and said to Longling.

"Boss, the situation is set; from now on, no one can stop our steps."

"The inheritance of the Ancient God Sect will first be chosen by you."

Longling gave a slight nod, his eyes flashing with satisfaction.

At that moment, the cultivators controlled by the Myriad Soul Banner gradually awoke.

They staggered to their feet from the ground, their eyes dazed, as if not yet fully awake from the chaos.

They looked around and saw their companions similarly confused, standing in place, while Longling and the others stood on the high platform, looking down on them.

At first, the cultivators did not know they had been controlled, only feeling an indescribable weakness and powerlessness.

But as their consciousness gradually cleared, they began to sense that something was amiss.

They found their storage rings empty, their magic treasures and elixirs gone, while Longling and the others appeared unusually calm—quite unlike the panic they had expected.

Xianling Nanyue was the first to react, his eyes like lightning shooting straight at Longling, his voice tinged with anger and threat.

"What is going on?"

"Who exactly are you?"

"Where are my storage ring and treasures?"

Mingdian Mengzun discovered the same situation, also somewhat panicked, while White Bone stood beside Longling—it was obvious to anyone that the other side was up to mischief.

"If you're wise, return what you took; otherwise, the Underworld Palace will never let this rest!"

Jiang Qiang and Yao Shuntian, among others, also shouted angrily in return.

They began to gather together, forming a defensive stance, ready to launch an attack on Longling and company at any moment.

Facing these angry cultivators, Longling remained unusually composed.

"Those who know the times are outstanding; you have no choice left."

He gave a light smile, his voice calm yet strong.

Qing Yun and Heibai Shuang Sha, among others, curled their lips in a cold smile; those cultivators, whose minds had been lost to the Myriad Soul Banner's ferocious influence just moments before, had already had their souls taken by the banner, though they were still unaware of their fate.

Little did they know that for those cultivators whose souls had already been lost, their life and death were entirely at Longling's disposal.

Thus they had no worries, even as the cultivators before them rose in rebellion.

"Boom—"

Just as the two sides were on the verge of clash, an abrupt change occurred.

The controlled cultivators suddenly felt a strange power surging within them, their anger and urge to resist gradually being suppressed.

This was the Myriad Soul Banner's power taking effect; it not only controlled their souls but could also influence their emotions and will.

The cultivators sensed something odd in their spiritual bodies; their bodies trembled, their faces filled with shock, their hearts finding it hard to believe.

Seeing this, Longling knew the Myriad Soul Banner's power had been fully exerted; he spoke again, his voice carrying an irresistible charm.

"Your souls are in my hands; if you are wise, there will be good for you."

"Otherwise, your souls will become fodder for the wandering souls and wild ghosts within the Myriad Soul Banner."

"Boom—"

Under Longling's control, the Myriad Soul Banner appeared once more in space.

Upon its black surface, the runes flickered with blood-red light, the banner cloth rustling loudly like ghosts wailing and wolves howling, echoing throughout the Azure Wander Palace.

The cultivators watched in horror as their souls were actually encircled by the wandering souls and wild ghosts within the Myriad Soul Banner.

These wandering souls and wild ghosts greedily fixated on the soul power of the cultivators' souls, seeming famished, ready to pounce and bite at any moment.

This frightening scene left the cultivators who had just been showing off their might instantly unsettled, fear welling up in their hearts like never before.

The life soul is tied to one's life; if the life soul encounters danger, whether it is the divine soul form now in the Tianji Shengyu or the true body in the Universe Cultivation World, one will lose the ability to move and become a living corpse, or even die.

「Impossible?

「Absolutely impossible—how could this happen! When was my life soul taken? 」

A cultivator trembled as they spoke.

「The life soul is bound among wandering souls and wild ghosts, making rest impossible! 」 another cultivator shouted in despair.

「We must find a way; we cannot let him control us and become his puppets! 」

Someone tried to pull themselves together, looking for a way to escape.

Xianling Nanyue and Mingdian Mengzun, among others, felt the same fear, but their will was more resolute.

If we do not quickly find a solution, we will forever lose our freedom.

「Focus your spirit and look for the weakness of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner. 」

Xianling Nanyue shouted loudly, trying to boost everyone's morale.

However, Longling remained unmoved by these discussions, coldly watching the cultivators' panic and struggle, while already having a plan in mind.

These cultivators' fear and despair were exactly what he needed.

The soul bound by the Ten Thousand Soul Banner will likewise have its will affected; these people cannot escape his grasp.

「Boom—」

Some cultivators, in despair, tried to fight back, unleashing their own spells in hopes of snatching back their life souls.

However, Longling merely gave a light smile, knowing these attempts were futile.

With a flick of Longling's Dharma Decision, the wandering souls and wild ghosts in the Ten Thousand Soul Banner seemed to receive an order, madly lunging at the cultivators who tried to resist.

Under the ghosts' tearing, the cultivators' life souls began to suffer severe damage; those who resisted could not bear this deep‑soul pain and instantly started wailing.

Xianling Nanyue and Mingdian Mengzun, among others, were not spared; their life souls were likewise surrounded by wandering souls and wild ghosts.

At this moment, both background and strength appeared utterly powerless.

The cultivators' hearts were filled with fear and unwillingness.

Jiang Qiang and Yao Shuntian, among others, lost their reason in the wailing, madly attacking everything around them to vent their fury.

But no matter how they struggled, they could not escape the bond of the Ten Thousand Soul Banner.

As time passed, the cultivators' wailing gradually weakened.

Gradually, some cultivators began to despairingly accept their fate.

「And you—do you still want to keep struggling? 」

Longling's gaze was cold, fixed on the cultivators of the ancient powers such as the Immortal Mausoleum and the Nether Palace.

These cultivators possessed immensely powerful backgrounds and outstanding talents, giving them some pride; even now, faced with the loss of their life souls, they remained steadfast and unwilling to yield.