Chapter 432: Betrayal and Success!

"Myriad ghosts devour spirits, the boundless netherworld!"

The protective spiritual light surrounding Lu Jin's body was torn to shreds by the endless spectral claws of the resentful souls.

Countless ghostly figures with green faces and sharp fangs, flickering between corporeal and ethereal forms, pounced on him, biting and scratching with frenzied madness!

"No! Martial Uncle, spare my life! I was forced..."

Lu Jin's agonizing screams for mercy were cut short as his life was completely snuffed out.

"Crack... Rip... Crunch..."

It was the terrifying sound of bones being crushed, tendons being ripped apart, and flesh being devoured.

Within a dozen breaths.

Lu Jin's entire being was devoured clean.

The monstrous black energy rapidly retreated into the Thousand Soul Banner like an ebbing tide.

All that remained in its place were a few lingering wisps of bloody scent, a black Flying Sword with slightly dimmed spiritual light, and a gray Storage Pouch.

The very instant the myriad ghosts flew back into the Thousand Soul Banner.

Xu Chuan flicked his sleeve, and the black Flying Sword and Storage Pouch flew right into his grasp.

His expression remained serene, as if he had merely done something completely trivial and ordinary.

This scene not only dumbfounded Old Demon Yin Wind but also made Cang He and Zhang Daoran freeze in surprise.

'Is this brat missing a brain?'

Demon Lord Qifeng's pupils contracted slightly, seeming to ponder something.

Shortly after.

Enduring agonizing pain, Old Demon Yin Wind snarled furiously, "Brat, do you want to taste the feeling of a myriad ghosts devouring your body as well?"

In response, Xu Chuan merely replied, "It was an ownerless item. I, Li, picked it up first, therefore it belongs to me. Is there a problem?"

"Good, very good! To think there really is someone who saw that display and still does not fear death!"

"Lord Demon Lord, save me! I am your vessel. If I die, what will you do? Could it be you plan on resorting to Possession on someone beside you?

Or perhaps one of the Nascent Soul seniors present here?"

Old Demon Yin Wind stared blankly.

Demon Lord Qifeng frowned. Even Lu Chang and the others experienced a shift in expression, as if a sensitive chord had been struck in their hearts.

"Brat, drop the act. You are still far too green to sow discord among us. Do you really think this lord would believe you would obediently allow me to possess you?"

"In this day and age, does no one even believe sworn oaths anymore?"

Xu Chuan threw his hands up in a display of helplessness. "I offered my sincere loyalty to the bright moon, yet the moon only casts its light into the gutter!"

"Public morals are degenerating day by day. How truly tragic!"

Xu Dewen was frantically complaining in his mind from the sidelines. 'Oh, Grandfather of mine, could your acting be any more fake? Your grandson is cringing so hard my toes could dig a hole in the ground.'

Xu Chuan looked toward Zhang Daoran. "Senior Zhang, with a great enemy before us, are you simply going to watch Old Demon Yin Wind slaughter the innocent?"

Zhang Daoran's brow furrowed tightly. He couldn't shake the faint, lingering sense of familiarity radiating from Xu Chuan.

At this moment, Perfected Person Cang He's lightning crane suddenly erupted.

He reminded them, "Daoist Friend Zhang, Daoist Friend Yin Wind, prioritize the enemy. Do not pay attention to such trivial matters anymore."

The profound black light screen trembled violently under the frenzied assault of the war demon's giant axe.

The black spike in Demon Lord Qifeng's hand shot out once more, piercing right toward the point where the light screen was fluctuating the most.

His timing was impeccably precise, and his judgment was ruthlessly sharp.

Crack!

Several fractures unexpectedly appeared right where the black spike struck.

This sight caused Zhang Daoran to pale in alarm. After all, this ancient bronze shield was a Top-Tier Magic Treasure.

He hurriedly urged, "Stop worrying about the others! We must strike together, or none of us will make it out of here."

Old Demon Yin Wind glared fiercely at Xu Chuan, his gaze as venomous as an ice-forged blade.

"I'll let you hold onto Lu Jin's belongings for now, brat. I will settle this score with you later!"

The black hole in his chest continued to bubble with corrosive dark energy. His face was ghastly pale, yet he forced a savage grin and activated the Thousand Soul Banner once more.

The banner violently billowed, unleashing a surge of Yin energy even more concentrated and pure than before. Instead of dispersing, the energy rapidly gathered, manifesting in midair as an ethereal flood dragon over sixty meters long!

The flood dragon was entirely gray, save for its eyes, which burned with two clusters of eerie green ghost fire. It radiated a soul-freezing chill and an unnatural, life-devouring malice.

Letting out a silent roar, it fearlessly lunged toward the hideous, thirty-meter-tall war demon!

"I will hold off that war demon. I leave Demon Lord Qifeng to you two."

Without waiting for a response, Old Demon Yin Wind charged toward the war demon.

Compared to the compatibility between Old Demon Yin Wind and Demon Lord Qifeng, Zhang Daoran and the old Daoist Cang He possessed much greater counter-measures against the demon lord.

Furthermore, he was heavily injured.

If he faced the unfathomable Demon Lord Qifeng, it was highly likely he would be swiftly obliterated.

For this reason, Zhang Daoran and the old Daoist Cang He did not attempt to stop him.

If Old Demon Yin Wind had been at his peak, he might have been able to suppress the war demon somewhat, but right now, it would probably be a grueling struggle.

Zhang Daoran fixed his gaze on Demon Lord Qifeng.

He withdrew the profound black light screen.

With a flip of his right hand, a meter-long sword adorned entirely with golden patterns appeared in his grasp.

It was precisely his Natal Magic Treasure.

He gave his wrist a seemingly casual flick, making the tip of the blade quiver.

Hundreds upon thousands of incomparably dense, pale gold sword qi condensed out of thin air.

As if guided by an invisible commander, they instantly aligned into formation, transforming into a ceaselessly surging torrent of razor-sharp sword qi.

Carrying a majestic Sword Intent, the torrent roared toward Demon Lord Qifeng, who was standing with his hands clasped behind his back!

On the other side.

Perfected Person Cang He similarly did not dare to be negligent.

He wielded a seemingly ordinary white jade Horsetail Whisk in his left hand. With a sharp flick of his wrist, The three thousand silvery-white strands instantly elongated, weaving into a sky filled with crystalline threads.

Every single thread was unbelievably tough and crackled with faint arcs of lightning. Like an inescapable net, they closed in on Demon Lord Qifeng from all directions, aiming to bind his movements.

At the same time, his right hand rapidly formed a one-handed seal as he chanted an incantation.

Thunderclouds began to ominously gather directly above Demon Lord Qifeng, clearly indicating a devastating thunder-element Divine Ability was charging up and ready to strike!

Facing the combined fierce assault of Zhang Daoran and Cang He.

A trace of disdain flashed through Demon Lord Qifeng's crimson demonic eyes.

He neither dodged nor retreated, merely raising a hand covered in intricate demonic patterns.

"If this were the Divine Thunder of the Five Elements, or Evil-Warding Divine Thunder, this lord might fear it slightly. But you dare show off such ordinary thunder arts before me?"

He spread his five fingers slightly, and the void directly in front of his palm abruptly collapsed, forming a swirling pitch-black vortex.

The surging torrent of sword qi crashed into the vortex, only to vanish like clay oxen entering the sea. It barely stirred a few ripples before being entirely swallowed up, even completely grinding away its fierce Sword Intent!

Seeing this, Zhang Daoran's expression violently drastically.

Meanwhile, Cang He's sky-covering silver threads, upon closing within ten meters of Demon Lord Qifeng, hit what seemed like an invisible barrier.

They emitted a sizzling sound as they burned, entirely unable to advance even an inch further.

The pure demonic qi naturally emanating from Demon Lord Qifeng carried such an intense corrosive and repulsive force that it rapidly eroded the lightning attached to the threads.

"Shatter!"

Demon Lord Qifeng gave a cold snort, the demonic light around his body flaring up.

An unparalleled, overbearing ring-shaped shockwave violently blasted outward!

Those incredibly resilient silver threads snapped back like violently plucked harp strings, recoiling defensively in disarray.

"Thunderstrike, descend!"

With the thunder art finally condensed, Cang He formed a seal and pulled the lightning down.

Boom!

A dazzling silver bolt of lightning suddenly cleaved downward, striking directly at the crown of Demon Lord Qifeng's head!

Although Demon Lord Qifeng's words were dismissive, he did not dare to underestimate the attack.

He let out a low roar, "True Demon Form, manifest!"

His body instantly expanded in size. Intricate dark golden demonic patterns surfaced on his skin, his muscles bulging like coiled dragons, radiating an overwhelming physical strength and demonic might that struck fear into the heart.

Instead of retreating, he advanced, throwing a punch straight up!

Bang!

The fist aura and the lightning mark crashed solidly together, exploding into a blinding sphere of light.

The berserk power of the thunder and the overbearing power of the true demon viciously tore at and annihilated each other.

Ultimately, the silver lightning scattered and shattered, leaving only a few charred marks on Demon Lord Qifeng's fist.

In the blink of an eye, the demonic qi nourished the wounds, restoring them to perfect condition.

He swayed his body slightly to disperse the residual force, completely uninjured!

"Is that all?"

Demon Lord Qifeng scoffed. With a flex of his demonic physique, he blurred into an indistinct shadow, taking the initiative to charge at Zhang Daoran and Cang He.

He struck with fists and palms, claws and fingers.

Every single blow carried an unstoppable surge of true demon power.

Zhang Daoran's sword light crisscrossed the area, while Cang He continuously unleashed thunder arts and launched sneak attacks with his whisk. The two coordinated seamlessly, balancing offense and defense perfectly, yet they were still utterly suppressed by Demon Lord Qifeng single-handedly.

The battle was fraught with peril. The duo could only barely hold their ground; their defeat seemed to be merely a matter of time.

On the other battlefield.

The clash between the Yin energy flood dragon controlled by Old Demon Yin Wind and the war demon was even more gruesome.

The flood dragon was agile and unpredictable, at times constricting and biting, at other times spewing out freezing Yin aura, specifically targeting the war demon's joints and energy nodes.

The war demon, in contrast, possessed tremendous momentum and weight. Its swinging demonic axe could split mountains and shatter rocks; its demonic qi billowed, fierce and unafraid of death.

However, Old Demon Yin Wind was, after all, severely wounded.

The bizarre black energy in his chest continued to corrode him. Though the bleeding had slowed, it had not stopped. Waves of excruciating pain assaulted him, making it difficult to focus his soul.

When commanding the Thousand Soul Banner and his other magic treasures, minor delays and flaws inevitably appeared in his control.

Under the war demon's frenzied onslaught, the Yin energy flood dragon was cleanly decapitated.

The residual Yin energy swept backward, flying back into the Thousand Soul Banner.

Nevertheless, Old Demon Yin Wind seized the opening to drive a Flying Sword magic treasure right through the war demon's body.

The impact on the war demon itself was negligible.

But for those sustaining the formation, it induced effects like a sharpened drain on their mana.

"Grandfather, are you not going to strike?"

Xu Dewen and Xu Chuan were both standing at the edge of the crimson light screen in front of the grand hall, ready to step to the other side at any moment.

With one at the Early-Stage Golden Core and the other at the Mid-stage Golden Core, the two of them were nothing more than ants in the eyes of everyone present.

Although Demon Lord Qifeng knew a portion of Xu Chuan's combat prowess.

He still merely viewed him as a tool to bring out treasures and resources from the Secret Realm.

After all, the higher the potential, the better the quality of the items one could extract. It was quite possible he had brought out something the demon lord needed.

"Old Demon Yin Wind can still hold out for a while. We need to let him drain another wave of their strength."

"Grandfather wants to kill him?"

"His path aligns with mine. We can directly absorb and annex the heritage of the Thousand Soul Banner."

"Then your grandson offers preemptive congratulations."

"What was your harvest this time?"

Xu Dewen did not hide anything and replied, "I barely managed to clear eight trials. I acquired a Mid-Grade Magic Treasure for escaping called the Five-Cloud Boat, a High-Grade Magic Treasure shield, and a jar of pure true demonic qi."

"Oh? It seems you saved up to exchange for better items."

"Even if I cleared the earlier stages, the reward items weren't that great, so I figured it was better to accumulate. As for pills and such, what you prepared for me was already more than sufficient, Grandfather.

As for more precious items like the Tribulation-Crossing Pill, I would have had to clear at least the ninth stage to have a chance of obtaining them."

Xu Chuan remarked, "Those three items will indeed bolster your strength. Especially the true demonic qi—with it, your True Demon Fiend Body can be awakened.

Your future practice of Demonic Dao cultivation methods will advance at a tremendous pace."

"However, refining it won't be easy. You will need to find a quiet place to process it later."

"Once this matter is concluded, Grandfather will help you disguise your appearance. You will then head to the outskirts of the battlefield and join up with your second uncle and the rest.

Once you leave the Ancient Battlefield, it won't be too late to split up.

Refine your magic treasures as quickly as possible to enhance your strength. The Demonic Dao is far more direct when it comes to plundering."

"Your grandson understands."

Xu Dewen believed that whatever Xu Chuan obtained must be far more precious—perhaps even a Spirit Treasure.

But he wouldn't ask.

The items he had acquired were nothing out of the ordinary for the current Xu Family, but if what Xu Chuan gained was exposed, it would draw a catastrophic disaster down upon them.

Therefore, remaining ignorant and not asking was the best choice.

They engaged in fierce combat for another six hours.

Demon Lord Qifeng still firmly suppressed Zhang Daoran and Cang He, giving off an aura of unfathomable depth.

But on Old Demon Yin Wind's side, he was struggling to hold on. He felt as though his blood had almost run dry, and his mana consumption was several times faster than usual.

Because he hadn't expelled the bizarre fiendish energy in time, he had been constantly tormented by agonizing pain.

The drain on his divine sense was similarly abnormal.

'This won't do. If this continues, I will definitely die at the hands of this group.'

He had considered directly attacking the people maintaining the formation, but the war demon obstructed him every single time.

Both Lu Chang and Xie Xun were vessels possessed by true demons.

From Xu Chuan's perspective, while their performance wasn't as mighty as Demon Lord Tianluo's during the War of the Two Prefectures, they were still somewhat stronger than ordinary cultivators at the Golden Core Perfection stage who had also achieved Divine Ability Perfection.

They were capable of briefly sparring with Nascent Soul cultivators.

Second only to his own level.

Xu Chuan kept a watchful eye on Old Demon Yin Wind.

A moment later.

He glanced at Zhang Daoran and Cang He, who were struggling to hold out under Demon Lord Qifeng's berserk onslaught, already floundering from left to right.

A cold, ruthless gleam suddenly flashed through his eyes.

It was time.

"Detonate!"

Old Demon Yin Wind willed it with a thought.

The Yin energy flood dragon tangled in combat with the war demon suddenly stiffened its massive frame.

Immediately after, the chaotic, berserk Yin aura within its body exploded violently, just like a lit powder keg!

BOOM—

A pitch-black sphere of energy measuring nearly a hundred meters across instantly expanded and burst outward!

The devastating energy shockwave swept out in all directions like a tide of death.

Bearing the absolute brunt of the explosion was the war demon!

Even though it roared furiously and swung its axe to block, the colossal demonic body violently disintegrated under the fierce point-blank explosion!

Pure demonic qi transformed into a sky full of black light resembling drifting fireflies.

Lu Chang, Xie Xun, and the others suffered immediate backlash, blood trailing down the corners of each of their mouths.

This wasn't merely a missing limb or two; it was total collapse. They would need time to condense it anew.

On the other hand.

Old Demon Yin Wind himself had wounded the enemy at a heavy cost to his own wellbeing.

The Yin energy flood dragon originated from the Thousand Soul Banner.

Containing the fundamental origin of the magic treasure, such a self-destruction brought about a severe toll.

Almost at the exact moment the Yin energy flood dragon exploded, the soul banner let out a mournful wail. Its surface trembled violently, and its spiritual light instantly dimmed by more than half.

The faces of the resentful souls floating upon it became noticeably indistinct.

Evidently, it had lost a disastrous amount of its foundational Yin energy, sharply diminishing its power.

Old Demon Yin Wind was deeply connected to the Thousand Soul Banner; with the magic treasure damaged, he naturally suffered repercussions.

A deathly ashen hue washed over his already pale face.

He violently spewed out another mouthful of blackened blood.

Yet, a crazed gleam of having found a sliver of hope amid certain doom erupted in his eyes.

Taking advantage of the grievous injury to the war demon and the perfect opportunity afforded by the turbulent energy obscuring everyone's vision.

He turned without hesitation, transforming into a dim streak of light as he desperately fled down Demon-Suppressing Mountain with all his remaining might!

"Go!"

The very split second the Yin energy flood dragon exploded.

Xu Chuan slapped his Yin Corpse Pouch, and an imperceptible streak of gray light shot out like lightning!

Its speed was phenomenally fast, far surpassing that of the heavily wounded Old Demon Yin Wind.

The gray light pierced through the battlefield of Zhang Daoran's group, streaked past Lu Chang and the others, and gave chase!

Old Demon Yin Wind had just experienced a fleeting sense of relief, thinking he had managed to escape Demon-Suppressing Mountain amidst the chaos.

But an abruptly rising, bone-chilling sense of impending crisis prickled at his back.

Moreover, an intense stench of corpse miasma and death was rapidly closing in.

"What?!"

He snapped his head back in terror, only to see a towering, burly figure less than a hundred and fifty meters behind him!

"A Fourth-Tier Corpse King!"

"How could a Fourth-Tier Corpse King appear here?!"

Old Demon Yin Wind was astounded, and from its posture, it was explicitly coming straight for him.

A moment later.

The Profound Yin Corpse King obstructed Old Demon Yin Wind's path.

Old Demon Yin Wind's fleeing momentum was forcibly halted.

"It's you!"

In the rear.

The moment Lu Chang and Xie Xun spotted the Corpse King, they cried out in shock.

Zhang Daoran's and Cang He's eyes were involuntarily drawn to this sudden turn of events.

They simultaneously turned their gazes toward Xu Chuan within the crimson light screen.

The Corpse King had charged out from his exact direction; the identity of its master was self-evident.

Even Demon Lord Qifeng slightly slowed his offensive, his eyes revealing a hint of pleasant surprise and even anticipation as he looked at Xu Chuan.

"Little Friend Li, to think you still hid such a trump card. I wonder what you obtained within the grand hall. So long as you hand it over, this lord can let you leave."

Knowing he would become a target, Xu Chuan retreated deeper into the crimson light screen.

"I just witnessed the bloody lesson with my own eyes. Please do not try to make a fool out of me, Lord Demon Lord."

"How can such a vile character be mentioned in the same breath as you, Little Friend Li?"

Xu Chuan merely offered a cold smile in response.

'A Golden Core cultivator can actually command a Fourth-Tier Corpse King?!'

A tremor ran through the hearts of everyone present, their gazes laced with suspicion and awe.

It wasn't completely impossible, but achieving such a feat was absurdly difficult.

Even with a Restriction in place, why would a Fourth-Tier Corpse King ever willingly submit to being ordered around by someone weaker than itself?

One single misstep would result in a fatal backlash.

"Get out of my way! Get the hell out of my way!"

Overtaken by the Corpse King, Old Demon Yin Wind roared in absolute terror.

Disregarding everything else, he mobilized his remaining mana and swung the damaged Thousand Soul Banner, desperately trying to force the Corpse King back.

However, at this very moment, his physical body was heavily wounded, his mana was depleted, his divine sense was damaged, and his magic treasure's power was drastically reduced. His combat prowess wasn't even half of what it was at his peak.

"Roar!"

The Corpse King released a muffled, low growl, making no move to dodge or evade.

With a single punch, it shattered the thick, incoming Yin energy.

Its other claw, armored in bone, shot out like lightning. Howling as it tore through the air, it swiped directly at the crown of Old Demon Yin Wind's head!

Old Demon Yin Wind hurriedly activated his High-Grade Defensive Magic Treasure.

A translucent, pitch-black light screen enveloped him, successfully blocking the Profound Yin Corpse King's attack just in the nick of time.

The Thousand Soul Banner was Old Demon Yin Wind's signature magic treasure, but besides that, he also possessed two High-Grade Magic Treasures: one specializing in defense and the other in offense.

Bang, bang, bang!

The Corpse King instantly went all out, simultaneously pushing its corpse miasma to rot away the magic treasure's light screen.

The pitch-black light screen shuddered violently.

Aided by the eroding corpse miasma, hairline cracks began forming on the pitch-black shield in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Witnessing this, Old Demon Yin Wind's heart pounded with terror.

He immediately activated a white bone nail, hoping to launch a sneak attack against the Corpse King.

The corpse miasma surrounding the Corpse King condensed into a layer of armor, successfully blocking the blow, though the armor instantly collapsed afterward.

Capitalizing on the moment, it resumed its savage assault on the light screen.

If Old Demon Yin Wind was still at full strength, he could have naturally handled this with ease.

But now, even activating that white bone nail aggravated his injuries.

A moment later.

With a loud shatter, the magic treasure's light screen was completely smashed to pieces.

The residual impact sent Old Demon Yin Wind flying.

"You forced my hand!"

Seeing this, Old Demon Yin Wind decided to throw caution to the wind and push his magic treasure to the absolute limit.

But when it rains, it pours.

Having finished recondensing its body, the war demon came charging at him from behind.

A ten-meter-long black axe beam flew swiftly toward him.

Old Demon Yin Wind immediately sent the pitch-black shield to meet it.

Clang!

The resulting energy shockwave blasted him forward, sending him hurtling right toward the Corpse King.

The Corpse King cared little about why the war demon was inadvertently helping it. Its claw struck out like lightning, screaming through the air as it aimed directly for Old Demon Yin Wind's head.

Old Demon Yin Wind barely managed to dodge, but the force of the claw still clipped his shoulder.

In an instant, his flesh was mangled and bone was crushed. He stumbled, almost collapsing to the ground.

Confronted by the Corpse King's fierce assault from the front and the war demon from the rear.

Old Demon Yin Wind was plunged into a desperate, hopelessly perilous situation!

"Daoist Friend Zhang, Daoist Friend Cang He, lend me a hand! I promise to reward you handsomely!"

Zhang Daoran turned a deaf ear.

Ultimately, he harbored a deep loathing for demonic cultivators to begin with.

Their earlier cooperation had been extremely reluctant, and since Old Demon Yin Wind had cowardly fled right before the battle, being besieged was entirely his own fault.

Cang He's voice echoed over, "Daoist Friend Yin Wind, we can hardly protect ourselves. How could we spare any energy to extricate you?"

"Bastards! Without me, do you really think just the two of you can hold out against Demon Lord Qifeng and the others?!"

If it had been earlier, they might have hesitated.

However, the appearance of the Profound Yin Corpse King had provided them with a new alternative.

The old Daoist Cang He said no more, pouring his full attention into dealing with Demon Lord Qifeng alongside Zhang Daoran.

Facing the combined pincer attack of the war demon and the Profound Yin Corpse King, Old Demon Yin Wind was completely outmatched.

The instant he was knocked into the air by the Corpse King, his body was struck by the axe beam that arrived in a flash from behind, cleanly cleaving him in twain.

A streak of clear light looked as though it was about to flee into the distance.

Suddenly, a wave of divine sense blasted Old Demon Yin Wind's Nascent Soul.

Forcing its escaping light to stutter.

In that brief window, a gray hand suddenly shot out, descending over it like an inescapable net.

It tightly grasped the miniature Nascent Soul right out of midair.

Pure corpse miasma instantly enveloped and imprisoned it.

"Eat him."

Xu Chuan commanded the Corpse King through their mental link.

Without a shred of hesitation, the Corpse King opened its maw and swallowed it whole.

A Nascent Soul was a supreme tonic for the Corpse King.

It could have also been refined into a powerful spectral ghost.

But with the current capabilities of Xu Chuan and the Corpse King, merely catching it was already their absolute limit. Placing heavy layers of seals on it to prevent it from detonating itself would be truly difficult.

If the Nascent Soul were to detonate.

The Corpse King would be crippled, if not killed outright.

In this situation, directly exterminating it before Old Demon Yin Wind had time to react was the only safe bet.

Swallowing and refining it, turning it into fodder for the Corpse King, was truly the best choice.

Dining on a Nascent Soul—this was likely the most extravagant meal the Corpse King had ever eaten.

"NO!"

Old Demon Yin Wind had originally hoped to negotiate with Xu Chuan, baiting him with promises of great reward.

But the other party had no intention of doing any such thing.

The demonic Nascent Soul figure who had run rampant across the Blackwater Region for a thousand years had his body and soul entirely eradicated.

One could foresee that once the Corpse King fully digested the essence of this Nascent Soul, its strength would undoubtedly soar to the next level.

Seeing the Corpse King swallow Old Demon Yin Wind's Nascent Soul, the war demon set its sights on his Storage Ring.

But the Corpse King moved much faster.

It directly snatched up Old Demon Yin Wind's corpse, taking back the few magic treasures that had dropped to the ground along with it.

"You court death!"

The war demon brandished its battle axe and cleaved toward the Corpse King.

By this point, the war demon was far from its peak condition.

The Corpse King eagerly wished to battle it once more.

However, it dared not disobey Xu Chuan's commands.

Thus, it did not linger. Its body flickered like a phantom, dodging the war demon's attacks time and time again.

With a backhand sweep, it scooped up the other half of Old Demon Yin Wind's corpse. Transforming into a grayish-black streak of light, it returned to the safety of the crimson light screen in just a few flashes.

Respectfully, it presented the corpse, the soul banner, and the other items before Xu Chuan.

The pursuing war demon viciously hacked its axe onto the crimson light screen, which ironically provoked a shifting reaction in the barrier.

Countless pale gold runes lit up upon it.

Crimson chains condensed from the light screen, darting out like lightning to bind its head and all four limbs, heavily entangling it.

"Roar, roar, ROAR!"

The war demon thrashed frantically, but no matter how much force it exerted, it could not break free from the chains.

"Fools!"

Demon Lord Qifeng cursed under his breath.

Seeing this, Xu Chuan's eyes brightened.

Beating a drowning dog—this was the kind of activity he enjoyed the most.

"Go, slaughter a few of them and break their formation!"

Hearing this, the Profound Yin Corpse King immediately rushed out.

Seeing this, Xie Xun, Lu Chang, and the others tried to make the war demon tear through the chains, but their efforts remained fruitless.

Left with no alternative, they could only allow the war demon's body to disperse back into demonic qi.

But reforming it would take time.

Meanwhile, the Corpse King was already upon them. Like a streak of gray lightning, it grievously injured several of them in the blink of an eye, shattering their formation.

Exploiting the moment two of them suffered mana stagnation and failed to even summon their defensive magic treasures, the Corpse King directly slaughtered them.

It then stashed their corpses into its own private hoard, saving them as backup snacks.

Truly, one wrong step led to a cascade of fatal blunders.

"A bunch of useless trash!" Demon Lord Qifeng roared in anger.

Meanwhile, after secretly communicating with Zhang Daoran, the old Daoist Cang He suddenly sent a voice transmission to Xu Chuan. "Little Friend Li, Demon Lord Qifeng is a great threat.

Since he led us into Demon-Suppressing Mountain, he never once intended to let us leave alive.

We must join forces."

"Senior Cang He speaks truly. However, I need to digest my spoils of war. Why don't the two of you also retreat into the light screen?

After resting for a while, we can then discuss how to deal with Demon Lord Qifeng and leave Demon-Suppressing Mountain."

Moments later.

Cang He replied, "We will do as you say, little friend."

The Profound Yin Corpse King ceased its pursuit of Lu Chang and the others, instead returning to the light screen.

Zhang Daoran and Cang He did the same.

Demon Lord Qifeng was quite surprised by this turn of events. Caught off guard, he could only watch them safely withdraw.

"Lord Demon Lord, what do we do now?"

"They can't hide in there forever. Demon-Suppressing Mountain is a peculiar place; if they remain here, they will be trapped within the Ancient Battlefield for eternity."

Demon Lord Qifeng stated coolly.

"When we launch our next attack, that brat surnamed Li will definitely show himself. I will leave him to you."

"What about that Corpse King...?"

"This lord will occupy any Nascent Soul stage presence."

"We will definitely accomplish the task Lord Demon Lord has entrusted to us."

"Remember, the items on his person belong to this lord. If you dare to take so much as a single speck, do not blame me for disregarding the bonds of our kin."

The two remained terrified into silence.

Within the light screen.

Xu Chuan began refining the Thousand Soul Banner. With his divine sense and mana, it wouldn't take him long.

Once he controlled the Thousand Soul Banner, he could command the army of ghosts housed within it.

He would then allow the Blood Fiend Ghost King to take control of it.

If Xu Chuan were to push the Thousand Soul Banner with his full strength, its power would actually exceed that of the Azure Dragon Sword Formation by quite a margin.

Of course, the drain on his mana would likely be far more severe as well.

But even if he only unleashed half its potential, it wouldn't be inferior to the Azure Dragon Sword Formation.

It was actually somewhat similar to the Azure Dragon Sword Formation.

The latter was a sword formation composed of twenty-eight flying swords.

The former relied on an array to gather the strength of tens of thousands of ghosts within the banner, consolidating them into a single entity to unleash power far surpassing an ordinary High-Grade Magic Treasure.

The Storage Pouches of those killed by the Profound Yin Corpse King had all been handed over to Xu Chuan.

Adding the two from Old Demon Yin Wind, he had acquired a total of three offensive High-Grade Magic Treasures and one defensive magic treasure.

Xu Chuan picked through the items, then tossed Old Demon Yin Wind's pitch-black shield and a High-Grade Magic Treasure Battle Saber that belonged to another person to the Corpse King, allowing it to refine them.

He discreetly gave the white bone nail to the Blood Fiend Ghost King.

The Corpse King was a melee fighter, whereas the Ghost King was more like a long-range spellcaster. Handing over such a sneak-attack magic treasure to it was highly appropriate.

Several days later.

Xu Chuan had fully refined the Thousand Soul Banner. He subsequently transferred all the ghostly creatures from the Hundred Ghost Banner, which he had taken from the black-clad youth, into the Thousand Soul Banner.

The Blood Fiend Ghost King remained hidden for now, acting as his concealed trump card.

As for Zhang Daoran and Cang He, they had long since restored themselves to their peak condition.

"Congratulations on successfully refining the Thousand Soul Banner, Little Friend Li."

Cang He glanced over, stroking his beard with a faint smile. "This High-Grade Magic Treasure is quite famous and holds immense potential. However, you will need to exercise caution when using it in the future.

If it is discovered by the Heavenly Ghost Sect, I fear it may invite disaster."

"I understand. Thank you for the warning, Senior Cang He."

"Since you are now thoroughly prepared, why not come over and discuss how we should handle Demon Lord Qifeng?"

Xu Chuan did not decline. He walked over, sat down cross-legged, and prompted, "Please speak plainly, seniors."

Cang He and Zhang Daoran exchanged a look before Zhang Daoran spoke, "Daoist Friend Cang He and I will hold off Demon Lord Qifeng. The rest of his group are all at Golden Core Perfection.

Furthermore, they all possess High-Grade Magic Treasures. Their strength is not to be underestimated.

We will leave them to you and that Fourth-Tier Corpse King.

The spoils of anyone you kill will belong entirely to you."

They both felt that Xu Chuan was exceedingly greedy, which was why they deliberately clarified this point.

"Acceptable."

Xu Chuan gave a slight nod, his expression calm.

He felt that this matter wouldn't proceed quite so smoothly, but he still had secret trump cards of his own.

"In truth, my greatest concern remains Demon Lord Qifeng. Up until now, he hasn't displayed his full strength."

"Why do you think that?" Cang He asked, surprised.

"Because I have seen possessed true demons with Nascent Soul level strength before. Demon Lord Qifeng is highly likely a remnant soul of a true demon at or above the Divine Transformation stage.

Possessed true demons of this caliber are capable of manifesting a Dharma Idol Phantom once they step into the Nascent Soul Stage.

I witnessed it once, and to this day, I haven't been able to forget the sight. The demonic might surged to the heavens, smothering a thirty-mile radius. It absolutely possessed the strength of a Grand Cultivator of the Nascent Soul stage."

Hearing this, the two men's expressions turned gravely serious.

Seeing this, Xu Chuan broke into a sudden smile. "While I don't know if Senior Cang He is hiding a trump card, Senior Zhang undoubtedly holds one in his hands."

"What do you mean by that?" Cang He asked, his curiosity piqued once more.

Zhang Daoran also raised an eyebrow, looking closely at Xu Chuan.

"Senior Zhang is a disciple of Ancestor Zhang Fan of the Profound Moon Sect. Just what kind of figure is Ancestor Zhang Fan? His name shakes both Heavenly South and the Blackwater Region, standing as one of the apex experts of our era.

While he couldn't be certain Demon Lord Qifeng was still here, how could he possibly not prepare a contingency plan?

Senior Zhang is the Sect Master of the Profound Moon Sect.

If he were to perish in the Ancient Battlefield, it would be no trivial matter.

Furthermore, as a newly risen hegemonic power, the Profound Moon Sect lacks the deep heritage of the likes of the Clear Void Sect or the Azure Cloud Sect. The fall of a Nascent Soul expert would inevitably cause violent upheaval within the Profound Moon Sect."

Cang He glanced at Zhang Daoran, his gaze narrowing slightly. "Little Friend Li's deduction is not entirely without reason."

"Are you so certain that I have a contingency to deal with Demon Lord Qifeng?"

"It's not that I trust Senior Zhang; it's that I trust Ancestor Zhang Fan of the Profound Moon Sect."

Xu Chuan had met Zhang Fan. Though he wouldn't claim to know him intimately.

But for him to ascend from an ordinary cultivator to his current heights in a mere thousand years, his innate talent, opportunities, disposition, and comprehension had to be extraordinary.

What often appears as coincidence in this world is, in truth, inevitability.