Chapter 1224: Welcome Ceremony

Han Wuxian took a step forward, the chaotic Returning to Void Qi around him no longer used merely for defense, but surged like boiling. He did not unleash a large‑scale Silence Extinction Domain, but compressed and condensed the power to a high degree.

He let out a low roar, extended a phantom hand, and the grayish currents around him wildly converged, forming in his palm a roughly ten‑foot long, wholly gray, ancient spear that seemed able to devour all light! Upon the spear there were no rune glows, only a terrifying conception of the end of all things and the return to Silence.

Go!

Han Wuxian's arm flicked, the Breaking‑Law Spear vanished instantly, and the next moment, ignoring spatial distance, appeared directly before the desire puppet's chest!

The defense composed of countless lingering souls and desire qi, the moment it touched the Breaking‑Law Spear, was like a bubble under sunlight—no ripple at all, quietly extinguished! The spear surged like a cleaving bamboo, piercing straight into the puppet's core!

"Ugh—ahhh!"

This time, the puppet emitted a horribly mournful scream, mingling countless lingering soul wails! Its body twisted violently, swelled, trying to resist the invading Returning to Void Power at its core, but that power, representing ultimate Silence Extinction, was the absolute nemesis of its negative‑energy conglomerate!

No explosion, no brilliance. Under the stunned gazes of everyone, the haughty desire puppet, from the core pierced by the spear, quickly turned gray and transparent, finally crumbling like weathered sand sculpture, completely vanishing into the air, leaving only a slender pure black stream of qi that seemed still trying to flee, but Han Wuxian sealed it with a casual gesture of Returning to Void Qi. This slender core's "I Desire" will perhaps be useful later.

The strange phenomenon on the Gobi vanished, and the gale howled again, as if everything just now had been an illusion.

But the group's rapid breathing and lingering fear in their eyes proved the danger of that brief clash.

"Is… is it over?" a disciple of the Flowing Cloud Alliance murmured.

Han Wuxian withdrew his gaze, looking toward the distant Wan Soul Mountain Range, his eyes deep. He knew this was only a beginning. Yan Buji had already seen the Returning to Void Power's suppression of the desire creation, the effect of the Ice‑Heart Purified Spirit Formation, and the general strength of the Demon‑Slaying Alliance.

Next time, the opponent will likely not be such a probing puppet.

"Organize the troops, check casualties, keep moving," Han Wuxian's voice remained calm, yet carried undeniable resolve, "The real battle lies ahead."

After this battle, although the cultivators of the Demon‑Slaying Alliance grew more cautious of the road ahead, having witnessed Han Wuxian crush that bizarre puppet with absolute force, their confidence also solidified. The army rested briefly, then again turned into a flash of light, steadfastly sailing toward the ominous demonic‑filled destination.

The Battle of the Burial Wind Gobi, though ending with Han Wuxian's decisive destruction of the desire puppet, left the pure, aberrant "I Desire" will and the puppet's strange traits as shadows in the hearts of the Demon‑Slaying Alliance. As the army marched, the atmosphere grew noticeably heavier than before, scouts doubled their reconnaissance range, and everyone stayed on high alert.

Han Wuxian handed the sealed "I Desire" will to Wang Tie for study, hoping to find more ways to counter Yan Buji's tactics. He himself, while regulating his breath, reflected on the deeper application of the Returning to Void Dao when wielding the Breaking‑Law Spear—extremely condensing the Silence Extinction power to achieve a near-"law-level" erasure.

Days later, the army reached the outskirts of the Wan Soul Mountain Range. Looking out, the continuous mountains lay beneath perpetual gray‑black demonic clouds; the peaks bore an ominous dark‑red hue, as if stained with blood. The air was tinged with faint sulfur and rot, spirit energy thin and turbulent, and a distant, heart‑pounding soul howl could be heard from deep within the mountains.

The halo of the Ice‑Heart Purified Spirit Formation was clearly suppressed here, its area slightly reduced and its operation a bit sluggish. The Wan Soul Mountain Range, truly the long‑run base of the Nether‑Dark Sect, was an environment extremely unfavorable to righteous cultivators.

"Alliance Leader, we've detected an anomaly ahead!" a scout from Xunwind Valley reported swiftly, "It's a massive swamp, demonic qi everywhere; the two disciples we sent to investigate… lost contact, their soul lamps still burn, but the detection is extremely weak."

Han Wuxian's eyes hardened: "Lead the way."

The army proceeded cautiously and soon saw the swamp described by the scout. The swamp stretched endlessly, its surface black as ink, constantly bubbling with viscous gas and emitting a nauseating stench. Pale bones and rotting vegetation floated on the water, and more unsettling was a layer of multicolored thin mist hovering above, looking oddly vivid against the dim sky.

"It's a mixture of 'Lost‑Soul Miasma' and 'Bone‑Eating Poison Swamp'!" Wang Tie's face turned grim, "Moreover, within this Poison Miasma are interwoven highly advanced Illusion Art and… desire‑inducing power! Looks like Yan Buji has prepared a 'Welcome Ceremony' for us."

As if to confirm his words, the multicolored miasma suddenly roiled, manifesting countless visions: some were the heavenly treasures cultivators longed for, some were the breathtaking beauties they coveted, some were invincible, overwhelming power, and even the deepest fears and regrets hidden in their hearts… Each illusion struck at their core, attempting to bypass the Ice‑Heart Purified Spirit Formation's defense and directly stir the desires and weaknesses within everyone.

The formation's icy blue halo fluctuated violently; although it blocked most of the erosion, some disciples whose wills were not firm enough began to look dazed, breathing rapidly, subconsciously drawn toward the lethal swamp.

"Hold steady!" Xiao Ran barked loudly, sword intent flaring, trying to cut through the visions, but the miasma, formless and insubstantial, merely twisted slightly under the sword intent before restoring.

"Useless, Brother Xiao," Wang Tie said gravely, "This illusion‑miasma combined with the swamp's ground qi, demonic qi, and possibly lingering soul grudges beneath the earth has become a domain‑level force, brute force can't break it. Only with pure‑to‑clear power can it be cleansed."

He looked at Han Wuxian: "Alliance Leader, perhaps we could try using the potency of the Pure Soul Cleansing Heart Pill together with the formation to forcibly purify an area and open a passage?"

Han Wuxian stared at the bizarre swamp, the chaotic eyes reflecting the multicolored miasma and the ink‑black mire. He slowly shook his head: "The pill is precious, using it to open a path consumes too much, not a lasting solution. Moreover, I sense something lurking beneath this swamp."

No sooner had he spoken than the center of the swamp erupted into a massive vortex! Within the vortex, countless "arms" formed from the black mire and skeletal remains shot out, flailing wildly; immediately after, a colossal giant composed of sludge, bones, rotting water plants, and countless struggling twisted souls rose slowly from the vortex!