Chapter 431: Three Spirit Treasures, Sneak Attack

"Naturally."

The Heavenly Talisman's mechanical voice echoed once more.

"I wonder what the reward for this trial might be..."

"Since you previously stated that you would forgo all other rewards in exchange for a top-tier magic treasure, you may name the specific type you desire. If such an item exists here, it shall be yours."

Xu Chuan pondered for a moment before replying, "This junior's first choice would be a life-saving magic treasure. Ordinary defensive treasures won't do. I would prefer something that completely conceals my aura, rendering me undetectable to anyone below the Divine Transformation stage.

"Or perhaps something that drastically boosts my speed.

"My second choice would be an ambush-oriented magic treasure, one with an extremely concealed aura when activated."

"To think you are such a cowardly... cautious person. Any other prodigy would have likely chosen a magic treasure with overwhelming offensive power."

"Then, Lord Heavenly Talisman, do you have what this junior requested?"

As soon as the voice faded, a massive pair of wings, roughly ten meters wide, materialized and hovered in midair.

The wing bones, resembling jade yet not quite jade, displayed a deep, heavy dark gold hue. The feathers covering them were incredibly sharp, akin to refined iron.

They flowed with a magnificent cyan-gold radiance.

Furthermore, pale golden arcs of lightning flickered intermittently among the cyan-gold feathers, dancing and leaping while emitting low crackling sounds.

These lightning arcs were extremely concentrated and pure; with every flash, the surrounding air trembled slightly.

"There is also the aura of wind."

Xu Chuan sensed it carefully. Aside from the flickering lightning, an invisible current of wind surrounded the wings.

'A perfect fusion of wind and thunder. The pressure this magic treasure emits is astonishing, and its materials must be extraordinary. Its value is definitely on par with the Origin Magnetism Shield!'

While Xu Chuan was secretly assessing the item, the Heavenly Talisman spoke, "These are the Wind Thunder Wings. They were forged using the wing bones of a peak fourth-tier Thunder Roc as the foundation, infused with the feathers of a late third-tier Cyan Roc, along with numerous other fourth-tier materials.

"Once refined, they grant a flight speed comparable to lightning evasion techniques.

"In terms of value, they are no less precious than an ordinary Spirit Treasure.

"However, they do have a flaw. The mana consumption is immense. Even if an ordinary Golden Core stage cultivator refines them, activating them for less than half a cup of tea's time would likely drain most of their mana.

"Even an Early-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator would find it somewhat taxing to use them for extended periods.

"Do you choose this?"

Xu Chuan was extremely satisfied with it.

The quality of his mana was already superior to others at the same stage.

Once he broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, even late fourth-tier or peak fourth-tier flying demonic beasts would find it incredibly difficult to catch him.

It was absolutely a supreme life-saving trump card.

"Thank you for your generosity, Lord Heavenly Talisman. This junior chooses this."

"You have a good eye."

Pausing for a moment, it continued, "Will you proceed to challenge the Limit-Breaking trial?"

"As long as Lord Heavenly Talisman allows me to use all of my methods, this junior would like to give it a try."

"Since your mind is made up, I will not stop you. I am also looking forward to seeing a monstrous genius capable of killing enemies across major realms appear in this era."

"The Limit-Breaking trial will commence in half a day."

"Yes."

Xu Chuan cupped his fists and stored the Wind Thunder Wings.

He immediately sat cross-legged and swallowed pills to restore his mana.

During the previous battle, he had spent a considerable amount of time observing the Talisman Puppet, consuming a lot of mana in the process.

Had that not been the case, he likely could have defeated the puppet in just a few dozen breaths.

While Xu Chuan rested, some of the others had also finished their first trial, while others were still fighting.

This was especially true for Zhang Daoran, Old Demon Yin Wind, and Cang He.

Even for them, dealing with a Talisman Puppet of the same realm was highly troublesome.

In the blink of an eye, half a day passed.

"The Limit-Breaking trial begins now!"

A fourth-tier Talisman Puppet, rivaling a first-level Nascent Soul cultivator, materialized.

Its body was even more massive, reaching a height of ten meters, and the runes covering it were far more intricate and profound.

The moment the fourth-tier Talisman Puppet appeared, it instantly cast several high-grade third-tier spell arts, which were equivalent to several minor success divine abilities.

These attacks crashed against the cyan-gold light screen, causing severe tremors.

'As expected, it cannot be underestimated!'

Xu Chuan no longer held back. He slapped his Yin Corpse Pouch, summoning the Profound Yin Corpse King as a furious wave of corpse qi swept across the surroundings.

Next, the Hundred Ghost Banner appeared out of thin air in his grasp.

With a light shake of the soul banner, a cloud of dark red mist rushed out and hovered in midair.

The yin qi rapidly condensed, solidifying into the massive frame of the Blood Fiend Ghost King.

With Xu Chuan's two major fourth-tier trump cards revealed, their fourth-tier pressure filled the entire space.

Even the Heavenly Talisman, observing from the shadows, revealed a look of shock at this sight.

"To be able to nurture both a fourth-tier Corpse King and a fourth-tier Ghost King while only at the Golden Core stage, and to successfully control them... As expected, his divine sense has already reached the Nascent Soul level.

"No wonder he can manipulate that sword formation with such ease."

"Attack!"

As Xu Chuan's voice echoed, he formed the Sword of the Azure Dragon once more.

Three Nascent Soul combat powers charged at the fourth-tier Talisman Puppet from three different directions.

Not only that, but with a flip of his wrist, a large black seal appeared in Xu Chuan's palm.

His eyes rippled slightly as he seemed to be waiting for the perfect opportunity.

The moment he caught an opening in the fourth-tier Talisman Puppet's defenses, he would hurl it out.

The Heavy Profound Seal was also a high-grade magic treasure with extraordinary power, and it specialized in suppression.

If a solid hit landed, it would be enough to significantly impact the puppet's body, which was almost on par with a high-grade magic treasure itself.

The intelligence of the fourth-tier Talisman Puppet seemed much higher than that of the third-tier one. It even understood the strategy of striking the leader to crush the opposition.

But how could it compare to the sheer variety of Xu Chuan's methods?

Every time the puppet closed within a dozen meters of Xu Chuan, his figure would melt into the ground and vanish.

This was the divine ability Ghost Shadow Escape!

Besieged by three Nascent Soul combat powers and constantly ambushed by Xu Chuan, the fourth-tier Talisman Puppet, despite its strength, only managed to hold out for half an incense stick of time before being defeated.

However, the Profound Yin Corpse King and the Blood Fiend Ghost King suffered minor injuries as a result.

Xu Chuan himself had drained more than sixty percent of his mana.

He glanced at the ruined fourth-tier Talisman Puppet nearby. Moving swiftly, he gave his sleeve robe a sharp flick, instantly storing the remains into his storage ring.

Observing from the shadows, the Heavenly Talisman was left utterly speechless.

This guy really didn't waste a single thing. It didn't even have time to reclaim the wreckage.

But asking for it back now would just feel like a loss of face.

'What a profit! Just the remnants of this fourth-tier puppet alone are probably worth one or two high-grade magic treasures. Plus, the runes etched upon it will be highly beneficial for Mingyuan's future comprehension of the Dao of Talismans,'

Right at that moment, the Heavenly Talisman's mechanical voice rang out again.

"You are quite impressive. Reaching the limit-breaking state of divine sense while only in the Mid-Stage Golden Core, and possessing mana that far exceeds an ordinary cultivator at Golden Core Perfection. However, everything you have used thus far relied on external objects.

"I wonder, what is your level of comprehension regarding divine abilities?"

"If this junior chooses not to say, will it affect the subsequent rewards?"

"Would I ever go back on my word? It's just that relying on items is something forces with deep heritage have a slight chance of doing. However, comprehending divine abilities depends entirely on your own comprehension and your understanding of heaven and earth.

"That is the true great dao of cultivation."

"Understood," Xu Chuan replied after some thought, deciding to conceal a portion of the truth. "This junior cultivates several divine abilities. One has already reached perfection, and another has achieved great accomplishment. The rest are not worth mentioning."

"Two of them? One at perfection and one at great accomplishment?!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of turbulence finally rippled through the Heavenly Talisman's voice.

"Your foundation and heritage rival those of peerless geniuses from the ancient era, and your comprehension is completely unyielding. Combining the two, you could easily be classified as a monstrous prodigy.

"Even during the ancient era, such a figure might not appear even once in a thousand years."

As the Heavenly Talisman fell silent, Xu Chuan cupped his fists and asked, "Lord Heavenly Talisman, regarding this junior's reward..."

The Heavenly Talisman sighed secretly. 'Indeed, no one is perfect. His innate talent and comprehension are phenomenal, but this disposition...'

"I naturally won't shortchange you."

A moment later, four items materialized in front of Xu Chuan.

Three porcelain bottles and a single yellow jade slip.

Xu Chuan swept them with his divine sense. Each of the three porcelain bottles contained a pill. With his attainment in alchemy, he could easily discern that they were all high-grade.

As for the yellow jade slip, he probed it with his divine sense to browse its contents.

'The Nine Chapters of Heavenly Talismans is incredibly profound. Even though it only contains the first six chapters, it is more than enough for Mingyuan to study and cultivate.'

However, what surprised Xu Chuan was that aside from the methods for refining Talisman Puppets, the text actually included techniques for tempering the divine sense.

Only with a powerful divine sense could one control large numbers of Talisman Puppets and engrave such complex runes.

Although Xu Chuan met the requirements himself, it was a pity he had no time to study this path.

"As for the Spirit Treasure reward, I can make the decision. Just like before, you may pick the type yourself."

A look of joy washed over Xu Chuan's face, and he immediately stated, "This junior wants a highly sentient defensive Spirit Treasure."

"You're quite clever. If you can communicate with a highly sentient Spirit Treasure, activating it requires far less effort. With your vast reserves of mana and divine sense, it's not entirely impossible for you to unleash a fraction of its true power."

With that said, the Heavenly Talisman pondered for a moment before saying, "I have three defensive Spirit Treasures here. You may choose one for yourself."

'Letting me choose? Could it be testing my foresight and luck?'

When Xu Chuan looked up again, three Spirit Treasures had appeared in the air.

On the left was a folding screen painted with a breathtaking landscape of mountains and rivers. In the center was a small yellow shield with a classic, unadorned design, seemingly engraved with a carving of the Black Tortoise Pacifying the Sea.

On the right was a scroll painting. Unrolled halfway, the visible portion depicted the Black Tortoise Carrying a Mountain.

A classic choice of three.

Every single Spirit Treasure brimmed with spiritual energy and radiated brilliant treasure light, seemingly equal in quality.

If not for the Heavenly Talisman deliberately suppressing them, their treasure light would undoubtedly pierce the heavens, and their immense pressure would flood the entire space.

'It seems one of them must be far superior to the other two. Otherwise, it wouldn't have gone through the trouble of letting me pick; it would have just handed one over as a trial reward.'

Xu Chuan examined them again and again. His first instinct was the scroll of the Black Tortoise Carrying a Mountain.

Even with only half of it revealed, it rivaled the other two defensive Spirit Treasures. The remaining half of the painting definitely concealed further profound mysteries.

Of course, this was merely Xu Chuan's own speculation.

It could also just be a deceptive trick.

After considering it for a moment, Xu Chuan chose to use his cheating ability!

'Heavenly Secret Dao Derivation, deduce it for me!'

'Follow my heart?'

'It seems the thriving providence of my Xu Clan really does have a significant impact on individuals. My first instinct was spot on.

'This Spirit Treasure is destined for my Xu family!'

Xu Chuan chuckled inwardly.

"Lord Heavenly Talisman, this junior chooses the one on the far right."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Instinct."

The Heavenly Talisman said no more. The other two Spirit Treasures in the air abruptly vanished.

The painting of the Black Tortoise Carrying a Mountain automatically rolled itself up, turning into an archaic scroll roughly two feet long.

The body of the scroll was neither wood nor jade. It bore a deep, heavy, mystical black hue and felt slightly cool to the touch.

It landed firmly in Xu Chuan's eagerly open palm.

"Your luck is quite good. This Spirit Treasure indeed far exceeds the other two. It belonged to a disciple of my master. Sadly, he fell during a great battle in the ancient era.

"The Spirit Treasure's full name is the Black Tortoise Demon Refining Diagram.

"It possesses three transformations.

"The first manifests the phantom of the Black Tortoise carrying a mountain, serving as a defensive treasure. In terms of pure defensive capability, while it might be slightly inferior to the other two, it is by no means weak.

"The second is Black Tortoise Sealing Demons.

"It can suppress and seal demonic cultivators and even Ancient True Demons.

"The third is Black Tortoise Refining Demons.

"It can refine sealed cultivators and Ancient True Demons, turning all of their cultivation base into nourishment for the diagram to enhance its heritage.

"It is most effective against True Demons, followed by demonic cultivators, and lastly against righteous path cultivators."

"Isn't this just a lethal Spirit Treasure specifically made to counter the Demonic Dao? The defense is just an added bonus, right?"

"There is nothing wrong with putting it that way," the Heavenly Talisman continued. "Its previous master slaughtered countless True Demons during the ancient era, which shaped this diagram into what it is today.

"This caused its sentience to far surpass other Spirit Treasures. Today, its power rivals that of a mid-grade Spirit Treasure."

Pausing briefly, it added, "This Spirit Treasure possesses a heavy murderous nature. It is a double-edged sword that can, to some extent, influence one's disposition.

"You must weigh carefully how you intend to use it."

Xu Chuan nodded slightly.

The defense of a low-grade Spirit Treasure combined with the suppressive and lethal might of a mid-grade Spirit Treasure.

Furthermore, it could continuously grow.

He had to admit, he truly hit the jackpot this time.

This single Spirit Treasure was worth more than his entire harvest from the Ancient Battlefield combined.

Even for Hegemon-Level Nascent Soul Powers like the Profound Moon Sect and the Azure Cloud Sect, it was uncertain whether they possessed a mid-grade Spirit Treasure.

Of course, given the immense power of this Spirit Treasure, Xu Chuan felt it best not to lightly attempt to refine it until he reached the Nascent Soul realm.

Otherwise, he might not even be able to withstand the ferocious aura it unleashed.

Xu Chuan solemnly stored the Black Tortoise Demon Refining Diagram into his storage ring and then asked, "Lord Heavenly Talisman, may I ask how the others are faring with their trials?

Has anyone died?"

"No. That Early-Stage Golden Core demonic cultivator has already passed five trials. The Golden Core Perfection one has only passed the first. As for the three Nascent Soul cultivators, they are all currently attempting their second trial."

"Everyone's rewards for passing trials are different, correct?"

"Naturally. Take the Golden Core Perfection cultivator for example; his first opponent was a Talisman Puppet equivalent to a great accomplishment divine ability, while the second trial features one comparable to a perfection-level divine ability.

"If he continues, he will have to face a being nearly invincible within the Golden Core stage.

"He only has three trials in total. His reward for passing just one trial far exceeds that of the Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator.

"If he manages to pass all three trials, he could receive a Tribulation-Crossing Pill and a top-tier magic treasure.

"The same goes for the Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

"They are all at the peak of the Early-Stage Nascent Soul. Their second trial requires fighting across realms.

"The gap in difficulty between the third and fourth levels of Nascent Soul is nothing like the gap between the first and second levels.

"As long as they break through the second trial, they will earn realm-breaking pills or low-to-mid grade Tribulation-Crossing Pills."

"Thank you for the explanation, Lord Heavenly Talisman."

"Since you have obtained my master's Nine Chapters of Heavenly Talismans, do not forget your previous promise to find a suitable heir."

"Rest assured, Lord Heavenly Talisman. My son Mingyuan has a glimmer of hope of standing shoulder to shoulder with Senior Master Xuanfu."

"It will be difficult! In the current state of this heaven and earth, no matter how much talent one possesses, if the world remains unchanged, the path forward is completely cut off!"

"This junior understands. I once heard a Late-Stage Nascent Soul senior mention this. He said that there is an Ancestral Vein hidden within the Ancient Battlefield. Only by finding the Ancestral Vein and taking it out of the battlefield,

"can the spiritual qi in our domain rise again, thus increasing the chances for a Nascent Soul cultivator to break through to Divine Transformation.

"And if we want to change things fundamentally, we must reunite the two currently divided domains. Only then will the Heavenly Dao awaken and gradually restore the grand era of the ancient times."

"That person has quite an impressive vision. He must have received an ancient inheritance. However, it is easier said than done."

After a sigh of lamentation, the Heavenly Talisman asked, "Do you wish to leave now?"

"I do. However, Lord Heavenly Talisman, since I am to select an heir for Senior Master Xuanfu, I wonder if there might be..."

"You really are quite shameless, taking an inch and immediately asking for a mile," the Heavenly Talisman said helplessly. "My master never actually left any orders to find an heir.

"This set of trials is simply my master's parting gift to the younger generations of cultivators who venture into Demon-Suppressing Mountain."

"Of course, with your innate aptitude and comprehension, if there had been a true inheritance trial, you would have definitely qualified to become my master's named disciple."

"A named disciple?"

"Naturally. When my master took in disciples during the ancient era, the absolute minimum requirement was the Divine Transformation stage. Had the world not changed so drastically, you wouldn't even be qualified to step over the threshold.

"A prodigy who has yet to mature cannot be considered a true prodigy."

Xu Chuan nodded slightly, expressing his agreement.

"Fine, I shall take the liberty of bestowing a small boon upon the one who studies the Nine Chapters of Heavenly Talismans."

As the voice fell, a flash of cyan light burst into the air, as if a segment of the most gentle azure brilliance had been plucked from the sky and condensed into one spot.

Looking closely, a jade brush hovered quietly in the air.

The brush shaft was about a foot long, seemingly carved from the finest cyan jade. Its color was not uniform but transitioned smoothly from a deep, dusky jade green at the end of the handle to a crystal-clear lake green near the tip.

The jade was pure and flawless, exuding a gentle and restrained aura. As the light swirled around it, faint traces of misty clouds and vapor seemed to drift within, bringing immense peace to anyone who laid eyes on it.

The surface of the brush shaft was not entirely smooth.

Instead, it was naturally etched with dense, profound patterns.

The brush bristles were not made of ordinary animal fur, but rather a cluster of grayish-white bristles measuring roughly an inch long.

It was completely unknown what kind of demonic beast's fur had been used to craft them.

The entire cyan jade brush lacked any aggressive edge, yet naturally exuded a serene, inaction-oriented dao rhyme capable of illuminating spiritual energy.

"This is the Heavenly Talisman Brush. It is merely a replica of the true Heavenly Talisman Brush, yet still a high-grade magic treasure. Take it, and bother me no further."

Xu Chuan beamed with joy. He immediately cupped his fists and accepted it.

He was just about to thank the Heavenly Talisman again, but the entity, fearing Xu Chuan would make yet another demand, instantly enveloped him in a pillar of light and teleported him right out of the secret realm.

'Such a shameless brat was a rare sight even in the ancient era. But given his sheer brazenness, coupled with his innate talent and comprehension, he would have undoubtedly thrived even back then.

'He even holds the promise of growing to the same height as my master.'

Xu Chuan felt his vision spin for a moment before he reappeared inside the grand hall.

"I merely wanted to offer my sincere thanks. Was there truly a need to throw me out so hastily?"

Xu Chuan shook his head and sighed softly, then sat cross-legged to resume restoring his mana.

Shortly after he emerged, Demon Lord Qifeng and the others waiting outside the grand hall noticed his presence.

"Lord Demon Lord, that brat came out incredibly fast. He probably didn't obtain anything worthwhile," Lu Chang remarked as he looked toward Demon Lord Qifeng.

Demon Lord Qifeng gazed inside and thought to himself, 'Something is strange. Could he have come out so quickly because his strength is simply too immense? Or did he truly fail to gain anything?

'I'll need to thoroughly interrogate him once I capture him.'

Half a day later.

The youth in black clothes who had followed Old Demon Yin Wind appeared inside the hall.

He looked at Xu Chuan and demanded, "Brat, you came out rather quickly. Hand over whatever you gained in there, right now."

"If I told you I obtained a Spirit Treasure, would you believe me?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot? That secret realm spirit clearly stated that it was practically impossible for anyone below the Nascent Soul realm to obtain a Spirit Treasure. Don't make me beat it out of you. Hand it over before you suffer."

Xu Chuan opened his eyes and looked up. His gaze bore into the youth, as if silently saying: 'You are courting death.'

"Ant, you're asking for death!"

Just as the black-clothed youth was about to make his move, a flash of white light illuminated the room, and Zhang Daoran appeared inside the grand hall.

His aura fluctuated wildly, his cyan robes were charred in multiple places, and his face was somewhat pale. Clearly, he had suffered significant injuries.

The youth in black was instantly startled.

Xu Chuan immediately called out, "Senior Zhang, this demonic cultivator is trying to kill me, Li!"

Zhang Daoran frowned and glanced at Xu Chuan.

'Do I even know you?'

Even so, he turned his head to glare at the youth in black.

The youth immediately cupped his fists and bowed deeply, assuming an extremely humble posture. "Senior, please do not listen to his nonsense. With a Demon Lord eyeing us like a tiger watching its prey outside, how would this junior dare to cause trouble at a time like this?"

Zhang Daoran didn't say a word. He simply turned back toward the entrance, his gaze meeting Demon Lord Qifeng's.

A moment later, he withdrew his gaze, found a quiet spot, and retrieved two porcelain bottles from his storage ring.

A pill flew out from each bottle and landed straight in his mouth.

Xu Chuan lightly sniffed the air and thought to himself, 'Those are low-to-mid grade healing and mana restoration pills meant for the Nascent Soul stage. As expected, once you reach the fourth tier, high-grade pills become exceedingly rare.'

From this alone, Xu Chuan could deduce that the Profound Moon Sect had no Nascent Soul stage alchemist.

Otherwise, they absolutely would have prepared high-grade pills for an expedition as critical as entering the Ancient Battlefield.

The difference in efficacy between a high-grade pill and anything lower was quite substantial.

Several hours later.

Xu Dewen appeared in the hall. He swept a glance over the crowd before sitting down right beside Xu Chuan.

Then came Cang He.

Finally, Old Demon Yin Wind emerged.

The Talisman Puppet's combat style naturally countered Old Demon Yin Wind.

The countless first- and second-tier yin souls within his Thousand Soul Banner were utterly defenseless against the puppet's instantly cast first- and second-tier spell arts; they could only passively take a beating.

To a certain extent, both of them fought by overwhelming their opponents with sheer numbers.

Of the three—Zhang Daoran, Cang He, and Old Demon Yin Wind—each one's injuries were worse than the last's.

They all knew that this journey into Demon-Suppressing Mountain was approaching its end. The only hurdle remaining was breaking past Demon Lord Qifeng.

If they failed to break through, not only would they die and see their dao paths extinguished, but all the spoils they had painstakingly gathered would fall into Demon Lord Qifeng's lap.

A day or two passed.

Xu Chuan and Xu Dewen had already returned to their peak condition.

The youth in black was still lacking a little, while the remaining three needed quite some time.

In the blink of an eye, half a month flew by.

Even Old Demon Yin Wind, who had suffered the most severe injuries, fully recovered.

"Daoist Friend Zhang, Daoist Friend Yin Wind, success or failure hinges on this single move," Cang He said.

"I know," Old Demon Yin Wind sneered. "However, the two of you better not hold back. Otherwise, don't blame me for dragging you down to hell with me."

Old Demon Yin Wind and the others didn't factor Xu Chuan's group into their combat strength in the slightest.

"Let's go."

Zhang Daoran and the other two strode toward the grand hall's exit.

Xu Chuan's trio followed closely behind.

Among them, the youth in black kept his eyes firmly locked onto Old Demon Yin Wind, a vicious glint nearly bursting forth from the depths of his gaze.

The exact moment the group stepped past the crimson light screen...

"Form the array!"

Xie Xun and Lu Chang shouted in unison.

Black light burst simultaneously from all nine of their bodies, accompanied by waves of pure demonic energy. Profound formation runes rapidly etched themselves into the sky.

Within the formation runes, a colossal figure began to coalesce.

'Not a bad formation. Using the True Demon bloodline as a foundation and demonic energy as form, borrowing the power of the formation to construct a War Demon body,'

Demon Lord Qifeng evaluated inwardly.

A moment later.

At the epicenter of the surging demonic energy, a terrifying thirty-meter-tall War Demon fully materialized!

It was clad in a coarse, heavy, pitch-black bone armor with ghastly white bone spikes protruding from its joints. Its head looked beastly yet not quite like any known beast, and it exhaled a dark red, sulfuric aura from its mouth and nose.

In its hands, it wielded a massive battleaxe forged entirely from condensed, pure demonic energy.

The edge of the axe warped and shifted, yet it radiated an icy, razor-sharp chill capable of ripping apart the void.

The War Demon threw its head back and unleashed a deafening roar. The soundwave carried a vicious, tangible pressure that surged wildly in all directions like a raging tide.

The air froze and trembled in its wake.

Zhang Daoran, Cang He, and Old Demon Yin Wind frowned deeply, their expressions turning gravely serious.

The aura emanating from this War Demon was incredibly powerful, bordering on that of a Mid-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator. It was no weaker than any single one of them.

Furthermore, being a construct born of condensed demonic energy, it was completely fierce and unafraid of death.

"Slash!"

A blood-red gleam flashed within the War Demon's hollow eye sockets.

It raised its demonic energy battleaxe high above its head, bearing a momentum capable of cleaving mountains and sundering the earth, before hacking furiously toward the trio!

Before the axe even arrived, its fierce and tyrannical demonic might crashed down upon them like a physical weight, instantly stifling their breaths.

At the exact same moment, Demon Lord Qifeng, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, also made his move!

With a sweep of his robes, a colossal, pitch-black demonic hand with vivid patterns materialized out of thin air, blotting out the sky.

Demonic runes swirled at the center of its palm, emitting a terrifying aura of suppression and corrosion. Synchronized perfectly with the War Demon's axe strike, attacking from both above and below, it formed a net above and snares below.

It pressed down relentlessly, aiming squarely at Zhang Daoran's group!

"Defend!"

Zhang Daoran was the fastest to react.

With a low shout, an ancient bronze shield rose above his head.

As it spun rapidly, a thick, incredibly dense, profound black light barrier expanded to protect them all.

"Demon Break!"

The old Daoist Cang He vaulted into the air, his beard and hair bristling with rage.

His hands moved in a blur, rapidly forming seals, as blinding bolts of lightning erupted around his body.

Piercing silver-white thunder converged between his palms, instantly transforming into a majestic lightning crane with a wingspan of roughly ten meters, composed entirely of violent electricity.

The lightning crane stretched its neck and unleashed a piercing cry that echoed like a thunderclap.

Beating its wings, it left behind a brilliant trail of lightning as it fearlessly charged the descending giant demonic hand!

Lightning and demonic energy clashed violently, hissing and crackling as they annihilated each other.

"Thousand Soul Banner!"

Old Demon Yin Wind let out a vicious sneer and summoned his black-gas-shrouded Thousand Soul Banner.

As the banner unfurled, countless twisted, anguished faces of vengeful spirits surfaced, unleashing piercing shrieks before morphing into a foul, corrupted flood of soul malice.

Rather than directly attacking the demonic hand or the battleaxe, it cunningly curved around the side, lunging straight toward Demon Lord Qifeng's true body in an attempt to interrupt his spellcasting.

The trio's responses were undeniably swift, and their coordination was quite tacit.

However, just as Old Demon Yin Wind focused entirely on activating the Thousand Soul Banner...

A streak of dim, obscure black light erupted completely without warning from Old Demon Yin Wind's blind spot!

In the span of a single breath, it pierced right through Old Demon Yin Wind's protective light barrier.

However, Old Demon Yin Wind was a Nascent Soul cultivator, after all. His spiritual perception far exceeded that of an ordinary person.

Hanging by a hair, he suddenly felt a bone-chilling aura of death stabbing at his back, one that made his very soul tremble in terror!

Although he lacked the time to fully dodge, his instincts compelled him to violently twist his body sideways to the absolute limit!

"Squelch!"

A muffled sound of a sharp weapon punching through flesh rang out.

That black light ruthlessly sank into Old Demon Yin Wind's left back and blasted right out through the left side of his chest!

It dragged out a trail of dark red blood droplets and wisps of rapidly spreading black gas.

Had it not been for that desperate, instinctual dodge on the line between life and death, that ray of black light would have completely obliterated his heart!

Even with the tenacious vitality of a Nascent Soul cultivator, having one's heart cleanly punctured was a death sentence.

His only choice would have been to abandon his body and flee with his Nascent Soul.

"Guh-ah!"

Old Demon Yin Wind unleashed an agonized grunt, the mana within his body immediately falling into chaos.

As a result, he lost control of the Thousand Soul Banner, and the earlier attack rapidly dissipated.

He plummeted from midair like a kite with a severed string, crashing heavily to the ground on one knee.

Struggling, he looked down.

He saw a fist-sized hole clean through his chest, continuously bubbling with a dense, dark aura.

This black gas was no ordinary demonic energy; it possessed an extremely potent corrosive nature, frantically ravaging the flesh and meridians around the wound to prevent healing.

Furthermore, it was relentlessly creeping toward his internal organs.

Worse yet, it brought forth an excruciating, bone-gnawing agony and an overwhelming sense of weakness.

Old Demon Yin Wind was forced to divert more than half of his focus just to suppress the pain. Otherwise, such agony would render him completely unable to cast spells properly.

He raised his head.

He watched as the black light that had successfully ambushed him made a nimble turn in midair, zipping right into the palm of Demon Lord Qifeng, who stood not far away, and hovered there quietly.

Only now was its true form revealed.

It was a sharp awl, roughly seven inches long.

The entirety of the awl was pitch-black and lightless, boasting an archaic, bizarre design.

Its slender body was covered in spiral dark patterns. The point at its tip contained a chilling gleam that was concealed to the absolute limit. Its aura was so obscure that unless witnessed with one's own eyes, it would be almost impossible to sense its existence.

Xu Chuan's eyes instantly lit up. This was an exceptionally rare ambush-type top-tier magic treasure.

Moreover, judging by Old Demon Yin Wind's gruesome wound and his pained expression, one could tell this magic treasure was incredibly vicious.

Seeing Old Demon Yin Wind suffer such a heavy blow, Zhang Daoran and Cang He's expressions shifted drastically.

Old Demon Yin Wind turned his head and hacked up a mouthful of foul, black-tainted blood. His gaze locked onto the direction the black light had come from like a venomous snake.

Standing there was none other than the very martial nephew he had always looked down upon.

At this moment, the youth's face was contorted in sheer malice, a cruel smirk lingering on the corner of his lips.

However, upon seeing that Old Demon Yin Wind had managed to survive the fatal strike, a hint of shock leaked into his eyes.

"Lu Jin, you dared to ambush me!"

Old Demon Yin Wind roared, his eyes so wide the corners might tear, utterly infuriated and thoroughly humiliated.

Xu Chuan, standing right to the side, had naturally noticed the black-clothed youth's little trick, yet he had done nothing to stop him.

The reason was simple: he had taken a liking to the Thousand Soul Banner—a high-grade magic treasure—in Old Demon Yin Wind's hands, along with the thousands upon thousands of yin souls and ghostly creatures sealed within it.

If he assimilated it, his army of ghostly creatures would be instantly restored and become even more formidable than before.

If the Blood Fiend Ghost King took charge of the Thousand Soul Banner and became its primary soul, the might of the Thousand Soul Banner would instantly skyrocket to the absolute peak of top-tier magic treasures, rather than barely scratching the surface of that tier like it did now.

It wasn't that Xu Chuan was merely greedy.

If Xu Chuan and his companions managed to survive until the very end, Old Demon Yin Wind would undeniably attempt to kill them.

No matter what Xu Chuan's group had obtained in the secret realm, the old demon would never let them walk away with it.

If Zhang Daoran and Cang He ended up heavily injured in the ensuing clash, they would suffer the same exact fate of being targeted.

Any cultivator who could grow into a Nascent Soul expert was undoubtedly someone who seized every possible opportunity to elevate themselves, without getting bogged down by foolish notions of justice and fairness.

Let alone concepts like 'deserving punishment.'

In short, anyone who blocked their dao path had to be killed.

In this regard, there was absolutely no difference between the righteous path and demonic cultivators.

"It was me. What of it?" Lu Jin spat through gritted teeth. "To think that even an opportunity like this couldn't behead you.

"Old ghost, your luck truly is incredibly good!"

"Good! Good! Good! It seems you've wanted me dead for a very long time."

"Naturally. Didn't you drag me all the way here just to serve as your scapegoat? Martial uncle, martial nephew—as if you ever cared about such things."

While Cang He was still controlling the lightning crane to clash against the demonic hand, he angrily rebuked, "To think that while facing a great enemy like an Ancient True Demon, you would actually collude with it to ambush your own martial uncle! You truly deserve a thousand deaths!"

"So what if I colluded with a True Demon?! In the Black Water region, are there really that few people who do this sort of thing?" Lu Jin clamored. "Old Daoist, you're only barking because your own life is being threatened now.

"Who do you think you're performing this righteous act for?!"

"What a wonderful display of dog eat dog," Demon Lord Qifeng mocked, clapping his hands slowly.

Lu Jin immediately turned to him, hope flashing in his eyes. "Lord Demon Lord, I have accomplished exactly what you asked of me. You will protect me now, right?"

"What exactly did this lord promise you? Brat, do not spout such nonsense. What does this matter have to do with me?"

Demon Lord Qifeng's eyes were filled entirely with cruel amusement.

"Demon Lord Qifeng, you tricked me?!" Lu Jin's heart plummeted straight to the bottom of the abyss.

"Idiot! To actually believe the words of an Ancient True Demon in a situation like this... You are stupid beyond belief. Go to hell!"

Old Demon Yin Wind frantically channeled the Thousand Soul Banner.

Ten thousand ghosts burst forth simultaneously, swallowing Lu Jin whole in the blink of an eye.