Chapter 1223

Various escape lights lit up, quickly returning to their positions according to the pre‑rehearsed battle formation; a sharp, murderous aura shot up into the sky, scattering the clouds above Soul‑breaking Cliff.

Named entities: Soul-breaking Cliff (place). Also maybe various escape lights not a name. battle formation not a name. So we add Soul-breaking Cliff -> Soul-breaking Cliff (or Broken Soul Cliff). We'll decide translation: "Soul-breaking Cliff". Let's pick "Soul-breaking Cliff". We'll need to be consistent.

"Activate the grand formation!" Han Wuxian ordered.

Named entities: Han Wuxian (person). Also grand formation not a name.

Elder Li and several formation masters simultaneously poured spiritual power into the formation's eye.

Named entities: Elder Li. Also formation masters not a name. formation eye not a name.

Hum!

No named entities.

The myriad-year ice souls placed throughout the Stone Forest simultaneously glowed with a soft icy‑blue light; countless beams crisscrossed, outlining a massive formation pattern that covered the entire cliff. A cool, tranquil, soul‑protecting domain power spread out, enveloping everyone. Within the formation, one felt the mind clear and open, external evils could not intrude, and the faint inner demons that might have arisen from rising battle intent were instantly soothed.

Named entities: Stone Forest (place). Ten‑thousand‑year Ice Soul (treasure/item). Also formation pattern not a name. domain power not a name. Also inner demons not a name.

"What a fine formation!" Everyone's hearts steadied; with this formation protecting them, resisting Yan Buji's strange "Way of Desire" gave them a bit more confidence.

Named entities: Yan Buji. Also Way of Desire (technique).

Han Wuxian felt the power of the grand formation, as well as the mighty aura gathered by nearly a thousand cultivators behind him who had recovered their fighting spirit and shared a common hatred of the enemy; he slowly raised his hand, and Chaos Return to the Void qi condensed in his palm.

Named entities: Han Wuxian. Also Chaos Return to the Void Qi (technique). Also grand formation not a name.

"Demon‑Slaying Alliance"

Named entity: Demon‑Slaying Alliance

His voice rang like heavenly thunder, exploding in everyone's hearts.

No named entities.

"March forth!"

No.

"March forth!!"

No.

"March forth!!"

No.

"Kill!!"

No.

Earth‑shaking roars converged into an unstoppable torrent. Thousand escape lights surged like a reverse‑flowing galaxy, under the protection of the Ice Heart Pure Spirit Formation, they charged out of Soul‑breaking Cliff, carrying a resolute will and newborn hope, actively advancing toward the Netherworld Sect, toward the demonic shadow that shrouds the world, they marched forward fearlessly.

Named entities: Ice Heart Pure Spirit Formation. Soul-breaking Cliff. Netherworld Sect.

This time they were no longer hastily responding to attacks or passively taking blows. They had pills to heal Dao wounds, a formation to protect their minds, clear tactics, and Han Wuxian as their strongest banner!

Named entities: Han Wuxian. Also pills not a name. Dao wounds not a name.

The Demon‑Slaying Alliance's expeditionary force, like a sword drawn from its sheath, cut through the silent sky, advancing toward the Myriad Souls Mountain Range where the Netherworld Sect resides. With the protection of the Ice Heart Pure Spirit Formation, everyone's minds were steadfast, escape lights continuous, and their momentum was like a rainbow.

Named entities: Demon‑Slaying Alliance. Myriad Souls Mountain Range. Ice Heart Pure Spirit Formation.

However, as they passed through a desolate region called the Buried Wind Wasteland, an anomaly arose again!

Named entities: Buried Wind Wasteland. Also anomaly not a name.

On the wasteland, the howling winds suddenly ceased, the sky darkened at a visible pace, and a heavy, oppressive atmosphere enveloped everyone. It was not Yan Buji's overwhelming, all‑consuming terrifying pressure, but a colder, stickier aura brimming with endless resentment and greed, seeping in from all directions.

Named entities: wasteland not a name. Yan Buji.

"Halt!" Han Wuxian gestured with his hand; the army instantly stopped its escape lights and formed a defensive formation. He scanned the dead‑still wasteland with his chaos eyes, his brow slightly furrowed. This aura…… shared the same source as Yan Buji's, yet was more mixed and chaotic, as if forged from countless negative emotions.

Note.

"Hehe… hehehaha…"

No.

A chilling, eerie laugh suddenly rang out in everyone's hearts. Before them, the sand of the wasteland churned violently, and countless black, sludge‑like substances seeped up from the ground, quickly coalescing and shifting in the air.

Named entities: wasteland not a name.

Finally, a twisted figure appeared in mid‑air.

No.

It roughly retained a human shape, but its body seemed forged from countless struggling, wailing fragments of souls, pain‑filled faces constantly surfacing on its surface, limbs twisted irregularly, and its whole form wrapped in thick black desire‑qi. Its visage was blurred, revealing only a pair of pitch‑black eyes devoid of whites, filled with pure greed and destructive desire.

Named entities: desire‑qi maybe? It's a term: "Desire Qi". Actually "desire‑qi" is "Desire Qi". Could be considered a named concept? Might be considered a technique? It's a description. Probably not a named entity. We'll skip.

It is not a physical entity, nor even a complete incarnation; rather, it resembles a puppet fashioned by Yan Buji, who severed a fragment of his "Self‑desire" will, mixed it with the collected souls and resentments of beings, infused it into some vessel, and crafted the "Desire Puppet".

Named entities: Yan Buji. Self‑desire (term). Desire Puppet (named entity).

"My lord… grants… you… Silence Extinction…" the puppet emitted fragmented, noise‑mixed spiritual waves, locking onto Han Wuxian and the Demon‑Slaying Alliance behind him. Its aura fluctuated wildly, at times nearing the Late Unity Dao stage, at times dropping to the Refining Void stage, yet that pure malice and corrosiveness should not be underestimated.

Named entities: Silence Extinction. Han Wuxian. Demon‑Slaying Alliance. Late Unity Dao. Refining Void Stage.

"This is Yan Buji's doing!" Xiao Ran gripped his sword hilt, eyes sharp, "He dare not come in person; he only sent this filthy thing!"

Named entities: Yan Buji. Xiao Ran. Also true form not a name.

"Don't be careless." Han Wuxian said solemnly, "Although this object is not the true self, it contains an extremely pure 'Self‑desire' will, and its form is strange; everyone, be careful!"

Named entities: Han Wuxian. Also Self‑desire (term).

Before his words even faded, the Desire Puppet launched an attack! It used no flashy arts, merely flung open its massive mouth made of soul fragments and let out a silent shriek.

Named entities: Desire Puppet.

A shrill cry!

No.

A visible, distorting black ripple surged toward the Demon‑Slaying Alliance like a tide! This was not a sound‑wave attack, but a highly condensed Desire Shockwave amplifying greed, hatred, fear, lust… and other negative emotions to the extreme, directly acting upon the souls.

Named entities: Demon‑Slaying Alliance. Desire Shockwave (technique). Also souls not a name.

Chinese sentence.

Named entities: Ice Heart Pure Spirit Formation.

"Hold fast to your Dao heart! Activate the formation!" Wang Tie shouted from the central command, and Elder Li and others fully drove the Ice Heart Pure Spirit Formation; the icy‑blue halo blazed, striving to purify and neutralize that all‑penetrating desire impact.

Named entities: Wang Tie. Elder Li. Ice Heart Pure Spirit Formation. Dao Heart. Desire Impact (technique). Also central command not a name.

At the same moment, the Desire Puppet moved! Its twisted figure, like a ghost, instantly spanned hundreds of zhang, aiming straight for the central command to destroy the formation's core.

Named entities: Desire Puppet. Also central command not a name.

"You're my opponent!" Qing Lin shouted, her emerald‑green lance lashing out like a flood‑dragon from the sea, brimming with vigorous life and resolute killing intent, she thrust it at the puppet's chest; wherever the lance's light passed, even the withered thorns on the wasteland seemed to sprout a hint of life, forming a stark contrast to the dead‑still desire‑qi.

Named entities: Qing Lin. Desire Qi (term). Also wasteland not a name.

"Keke!" the puppet did not dodge or evade; its twisted arm shot out, seizing the lance tip! The arm, made of soul fragments, emitted a "hiss‑hiss" corrosive sound upon contact with the lance's light; large amounts of black qi were dispelled by the vital force, but more black qi kept flowing in, tightly wrapping the lance; simultaneously, a powerful devouring force traveled along the lance, attempting to seize Qing Lin's vitality.

Named entities: Desire Puppet. Devour (term). Qing Lin.

Qing Lin's face shifted slightly; just as she was about to change her move, a brilliant sword light descended!

Named entities: Qing Lin.

"Break!" Xiao Ran arrived with his sword, sword intent condensed like silk; not a wide swing, but a precise cut aimed at the joint where the puppet's arm met the lance; he saw the disharmony in the puppet's energy flow.

Named entities: Xiao Ran. Desire Puppet.

Sizzle!

No.

The sword light flashed, the arm snapped off and turned into dissipating black qi. Qing Lin seized the moment to withdraw her lance, standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Xiao Ran.

Named entities: Qing Lin.

Chinese sentence.

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Chinese sentence.

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Form the formation! Flowing Cloud Seal!

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Southeast Wind Execution!

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Chinese sentence.

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Chinese sentence.

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Chinese sentence.

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Chinese sentence.

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Can't hide anymore.