Chapter 48: Complete Victory

Chen Ye had cultivated for only a short time and possessed exceedingly little actual experience in spell duels.

Previously eliminating two Tongxuan Realm old demons relied entirely on their lifespan being exhausted, leaving only their soul spirits for him to control.

This was the first time Chen Ye truly faced a cultivator with an intact physical body.

Mo Ci had always worried that Chen Ye was too soft-hearted like a woman, but Chen Ye actually distinguished clearly when to harbor benevolence and righteousness and when to show no mercy.

Now engaged in a life-or-death struggle, Chen Ye had no intention of holding back.

The soul spirits released by the Ten Thousand Souls Banner obscured the sword light from the sword box; the sword light split into four directions, avoiding Jiang Shiyue's attention, while the Paralysis Technique, though newly learned, gradually took shape with some understanding.

Chen Ye attacked without defending, completely unafraid of Jiang Shiyue dying together with him.

It seemed rash, but in reality, he was fully confident.

Because Princess Princess Hongyu had mentioned that Jiang Shiyue feared death; although he had reached the stage of Gangsha Realm body tempering, he abandoned it merely due to fear of pain. Such a person was likely not ruthless enough; facing a life-or-death crisis, his first thought would be to hide and save his life, lacking the courage to die together with Chen Ye.

Since that was the case, there was no need to hold anything back.

Chen Ye guessed correctly.

Facing such a fierce offensive, Jiang Shiyue's expression changed drastically. Both cultivated the Demon Path; experts could judge skill levels with a single move. The Ten Thousand Souls Banner in Chen Ye's hand was no ordinary item; it was absolutely not a fine magic treasure that an ordinary rogue cultivator could produce. Although those resentful souls did not carry great malicious energy, this overwhelming swarm rushing forward was something Jiang Shiyue could not withstand.

Not to mention the sword light hidden within; Jiang Shiyue did not know how powerful this sword light was, but he certainly dared not block it directly.

Therefore, Jiang Shiyue employed his most skilled technique.

His body transformed into a cloud of pink mist, scattering into formlessness.

The resentful souls struck empty air; three of the four sword qi missed, but the final one successfully hit, passing through the mist and causing Jiang Shiyue to let out a miserable scream.

Yet his spell was indeed miraculous; despite screaming in pain, he did not revert to his original form, instead maintaining his mist state as he flew toward Chen Ye.

Chen Ye did not know if this substance was poisonous, so naturally, he dared not catch it recklessly.

The Paralysis Technique in his right hand had already taken shape, while his left hand held an additional talisman; circulating his spiritual energy, he ignited the talisman, summoning a gust of strong wind.

The five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth were all the most basic spiritual energies, and Chen Ye mastered these fundamentals best.

Previously, when setting up a formation before the corpse pit, he could easily use wood to ignite fire, creating a wall of flame to isolate the golden light of that evil Buddha.

This talisman in his hand was nothing special, merely the most ordinary "Call Wind," capable of summoning a gust of strong wind that could blow an umbrella from someone's hand if caught off guard, but nothing more.

Besides the wind talisman, Chen Ye had also prepared some similar trivial talismans for summoning fire, raising mist, and the like.

Furthermore, having learned about Jiang Shiyue's techniques from Princess Princess Hongyu and knowing he could transform into mist, Chen Ye had prepared several extra "Call Wind" talismans.

All things in the world generate and overcome one another; do not look down on this talisman just because it cannot harm even a mortal, for it can produce miraculous effects at critical moments.

How could Jiang Shiyue have expected Chen Ye to happen to possess a "Call Wind" talisman? Once blown by the wind, that pink mist could not advance.

Although unharmed, this opportunity to counterattack was lost in vain.

Unable to close the distance, the resentful souls that had just missed their strike entangled him again. They cared not whether the mist was poisonous or whether they could harm their opponent; they simply rushed forward, frantically biting and devouring, smashing that cloud of pink mist so it could not reform.

At this moment, Chen Ye raised his hand to cast the Paralysis Technique, but alas, this spell condensed from spiritual energy dispersed the moment it left his hand; ultimately, his practice time was too short, so while hitting someone directly upon contact might work, launching it to fly onto an enemy was still beyond his ability.

Although the spellcasting failed, Chen Ye did not mind; he lightly tapped his toes to create distance, then injected his internal spiritual energy into the sword box to brew sword light once more.

The magic treasures of the Qinghejian Sect were indeed powerful; even a mistified physical body would suffer injury.

Once the sword box stored another strand of sword light, Chen Ye did not release it immediately but instead advised aloud, "Surrender quickly, enter my Ten Thousand Souls Banner, and sincerely repent for your sins."

How could Jiang Shiyue be willing, but those resentful souls gave him no opportunity whatsoever; the pink mist was constantly scattered and completely unable to reform, making escape impossible.

Do not be fooled by his current ability to hold on; this spell continuously consumed his spiritual energy, and if this stalemate continued, trouble would surely follow.

But he truly had no other means left.

Not every rogue cultivator was like Chen Ye, mastering two magic treasures, both of fine quality, immediately upon entering the Qi Sea Realm. Jiang Shiyue had cultivated for so long yet could not even refine a decent Ten Thousand Souls Banner; his only skilled spells numbered two.

The first was the Enchantment Art; when cast on mortals, it could control their minds, but this spell required calming the mind and focusing the spirit, ensuring the target remained immobile before it could be employed. The second spell was transforming into mist; this was a very powerful technique, as this pink mist was not only poisonous but also impervious to ordinary methods of harm, allowing him to fight when he wished and flee when he wished.

Who could have expected that this infallible spell failed to withstand Chen Ye's sword light?

The instant the mist contacted the sword light, Jiang Shiyue felt a chunk of his flesh and blood vanish; the pain was truly heart-rending.

A person who originally feared pain so much he dared not cultivate now became even more panicked and flustered, desperately trying to escape.

With this thought of fleeing for his life arising, Jiang Shiyue dared even less to counterattack; sacrificing some limbs, he squeezed the bulk of his mist out of the encirclement of resentful souls.

This was like a gecko shedding its tail, leaving behind hands and feet to preserve his main body and flee this place.

However, just as this large cloud of mist was about to drill into a wall crack to escape, Chen Ye released the sword light he had just brewed.

"I guessed long ago that you would run."

Chen Ye's confident strike once again pierced through the pink mist; Jiang Shiyue could no longer maintain his mist state, recondensing into form as he wailed and collapsed to the ground.

At this moment, Jiang Shiyue had lost one hand and one foot, with blood gushing from below his waist; he was already severely injured. Whatever title of the number one handsome man in the martial world he once held, he now looked like a mass of rotting flesh.

"Spare me, I surrender, spare me! I have hidden magic treasures and elixirs, I can..."

Jiang Shiyue wailed, hoping for a sliver of survival, but Chen Ye did not hesitate, ordering the resentful souls to surge forward, tear Jiang Shiyue's shattered body apart, and directly absorb his soul spirit into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

What a fool; once absorbed into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, would not his treasures be vomited out anyway?

When dealing with such a demon, Chen Ye harbored not a shred of mercy or softness.

Chen Ye had originally worried that Su Su Chunyi would be displeased seeing him absorb a soul into the banner, but turning around, he saw her explaining to Lan Shi instead.

"This demon looks young, but his brows are knotted with gloom and his spiritual light is dim; one glance reveals he uses elixirs to maintain his appearance and is actually nearing the end of his lifespan. Those in the Qi Sea Realm can generally live over two hundred years, yet Young Master is not even twenty this year, while this demon could not withstand three moves against Young Master. Do you think you can truly keep pace with Young Master's cultivation journey?"

Lan Shi lowered her head under Su Su Chunyi's words; although she had only watched the spectacle and did not understand the subtleties of spell duels, it was indeed a victory without any suspense. Lan Shi had witnessed Jiang Shiyue's abilities, knowing how easily he controlled mortals, yet she never expected Chen Ye to handle this same Jiang Shiyue with equal ease.

Thinking thus, she indeed had no qualification to stay by Chen Ye's side.

Su Su Chunyi patted Lan Shi's head and said to her, "Come with me to Qinghe; if you find the meaning of cultivation, there will come a day when we meet again."

Lan Shi looked toward Chen Ye, who quickly gave the little girl an encouraging glance.

Lan Shi pondered for a long time before finally nodding.

"Fairy Sister, I will go with you to Qinghe."