Chapter 126: The Soul Pearl and the Appearance of Five Yin

Seeing the Soul Devourer Beast leaping towards him, Mu Yuan’s heart surged with joy. Upon hearing Longevity Patriarch’s words just now, he had learned about the Soul Pearl within this demon beast’s skull, and it stirred his ambition!

For cultivators, the cultivation of Spiritual Sense was the most elusive prize. External Zhenqi involved manipulating the cosmic cycles, balancing energies, and refining substances – arduous, but with tangible paths. Spiritual Sense cultivation, however, was utterly intangible, relying solely on enlightenment. Now, an unprecedented, material Soul Pearl descended, and Mu Yuan certainly wouldn’t let it slip away!

A flash of clear light shone in his hand as he released the Water Restriction Escape Sword. To be safe, the Five Great Curses transformed into five swirling orbs of light encircling the blade, adhering to it.

These Five Great Curses, their Divine Ability now extraordinary, were infinitely more powerful than the Talisman Sword he wielded. Mu Yuan sought a single decisive strike, knowing capture by Monk Kongming would spell trouble if he failed.

The Soul Devourer Beast flew incredibly fast. Besides devouring souls and spirits, its greatest strength lay in shattering the Void, making escape its finest art.

In almost a blink, the beast was before him. Mu Yuan gave a silent shout. The Talisman Sword became a dazzling, splendid arc of light that lashed out like a thunderbolt!

At that precise moment, a streak of violet lightning crackled down from mid-air, crashing heavily into the Soul Devourer Beast’s rotund form!

Caught between these assaults and exhausted from escaping Kongming’s circle, the beast, though intelligent, lacked human caution. With a piercing shriek, its plump body exploded violently! Flesh and blood sprayed everywhere, a storm of gore hurtling towards Mu Yuan!

Mu Yuan hastily swept his sleeve. A blast of forceful wind surged forth, deflecting the flying viscera. Getting splattered would be sickening beyond words!

Amidst the spray of colored lights, a bluish-grey pearl spun wildly, refracting an uncannily splendid light. Then, a loud voice bellowed from Longevity Patriarch’s Dantian: “Quick! That’s the Soul Pearl!”

Mu Yuan smiled thinly. All Five Great Curses on the Talisman Sword unleashed their power simultaneously! The Purple Lightning Dragon Curse unleashed Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunderbolts to clash with the falling lightning from above. The Earth Guardian Kirin Curse spat out thirteen Yellow Sand Crystal Pillars. In an instant, yellow dust blotted the sky! Rocks flew from the ground, earth churned wildly! The Longevity Curse stirred layers of hurricanes, flattening the ground, bending grass and flowers low! The gales whipped up sand and dust, merging with the Yellow Sand Crystal Pillars! The Longevity Curse parted its mouth, spitting forth the Green Wood Thunderblade! Wind and thunder roared as crimson flames flared and black waters surged! Various forces collided and clashed! Though the descending lightning was immensely powerful, it was blocked outside!

Monk Kongming arrived right then. Seeing outsiders interfere, fury rose in his heart. A flash of annoyance crossed his plump face. The bright lamp on his head shone intensely, separating a wisp that formed a multi-hued, giant hand! It pierced through the layers of chaotic Primordial Qi and surged inward, grabbing straight for the Soul Pearl!

Mu Yuan snorted coldly. While he couldn’t call the Soul Pearl a necessity, he wouldn’t give it up easily either. Though he didn’t know its exact wonders, the normally aloof Longevity Patriarch valued it highly – no reason for Mu Yuan to yield! Especially to this monk with a fat head and big ears!

With a mental command, the Northern Dark Water Curse swirled into a rolling mass of black light! Together with the Great Sun Fire Curse, the opposing forces of water and fire surged mightily towards Kongming!

The Five Great Curses had already absorbed vast amounts of Primordial Qi during hunts days prior, then devoured heavenly righteous energy, increasing their power manifold! Though Kongming’s Buddha Hand charged fiercely, the two curses trapped it, preventing escape however it lunged!

Mu Yuan chuckled darkly. The Yellow Sand Crystal Pillars circled several times amidst the swirling yellow dust, encircling the Soul Pearl before swallowing it whole!

“Shenxiao Heavenly Righteousness! Big Dipper, Exterminate Evil!”

A clear, ringing voice echoed without pause. From Beyond the Nine Heavens, a river of thunder and flame poured down like a waterfall! The Purple Lightning Dragon Curse shattered instantly upon impact! The Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunder was blasted apart, exploding into a churning cloud of purple light!

“Shenxiao Thunder Fire!”

Mu Yuan gasped. The Water Restriction Escape Sword swelled against the wind! The Purple Lightning Dragon Curse, Earth Guardian Kirin Curse, and Longevity Curse attached themselves to the Talisman Sword! Instantly, it flashed back through the Void. Mu Yuan leaned close, activating his escape technique, ready to flee!

The Soul Pearl was already his; further fighting was meaningless. The newcomer was from Shenxiao Dao and clearly formidable – no reason for Mu Yuan to stay!

“Kekeke, what lively fun!”

An eerie voice rang out. Immediately, a massive expanse of pink fog surged from one side! Sticky, sweetly cloying fragrance dispersed through the air! Just a whiff left Mu Yuan dizzy and disoriented!

“What potent poison miasma!”

Inside the miasma, a huge net, viridian in color, stretched out! It spread across the sky, covering the earth! Fine Talismanic symbols flowed upon the colossal net’s surface!

With the net cast wide, Mu Yuan, riding the Water Restriction Escape Sword, was violently shaken out of the Void! He stumbled mid-air, heart leaping with fright! Following this was a thunderous explosion! Kongming’s Buddha Hand, the Northern Dark Water Curse, the Great Sun Fire Curse, and even that blast of Heavenly Righteous Divine Thunder were all caught within the net’s coverage, shredded into nothingness by the deafening blast!

“Incredible technique!” both Kongming and Mu Yuan cried out simultaneously! A woman in bright purple robes also tumbled out of the air, her figure graceful, face lovely. Mu Yuan uttered a startled “Huh?” – someone he recognized! It was Lin Fangjing, the Shenxiao successor he’d met outside Dragon’s End Valley!

Lin Fangjing only now saw Mu Yuan, her face registering surprise. But the situation was too urgent for greetings! The giant net was already descending towards the three! Expanding and contracting, it emitted an eerie sound, like beastly roars and dense, low thunder! The noise shook them all into momentary stupor!

“Heavenly Demon Soul-Snatching Sonic Wave!” Lin Fangjing hissed softly. Her eyes snapped open! A draconic bolt of lightning shot out, transforming mid-air into a blade as sharp as the crescent moon! Cold light shimmered along its edge! The blade emitted a surging thunderous resonance, countering the soul-snatching sonic attack!

“Lamp flames completely form banners, within banners wondrous sounds brightly flare. Golden lights from lotus hang down, wherein Buddha’s sublime clouds manifest…”

Monk Kongming chanted a complex, dense scripture. From the lamp atop his head shot a brilliant flame! Instantly, it congealed into a luminous banner! Within the banner sounded rapid pops, like frying beans! Gold and cloud radiance descended, condensing around him into countless Buddha forms, each pea-sized! These figures erupted with various chanting, recitation, and Buddha sounds, joining Lin Fangjing’s thunderous resonance!

“Wow, everyone’s got tricks!” Mu Yuan wasn’t to be outdone. Though he didn’t know sonic magic, the two curses he’d detonated mid-air reformed! Falling back onto the Talisman Sword, they unleashed a symphony: dragon roars, turtle bellows, a Kirin’s long cry, the piercing cry of a Golden Crow! The mélange of sounds swirled densely and melodiously!

Though they had fought moments earlier, the sudden emergence of a supreme master, clearly vile given his toxic miasma and Heavenly Demon Soul-Snatching Sound, made all three unite without hesitation!

“Kekeke,” the strange visitor cackled madly again, “One at Elixir Formation, one refining righteous energy, and one illusory monk… Patriarch Five Yin feasts today!”

Within the overlapping net, a withered old man in star-patterned robes appeared! Deep wrinkles crisscrossed his face like crumpled paper folded countless times! Seeing their resistance, he shrieked like a ghost!

“Patriarch Five Yin!” Mu Yuan cried out involuntarily, shaken to his core as he mobilized Magical Power!

It was Patriarch Five Yin himself! That monstrous Primordial Spirit inhabiting the Demon Refining Gourd! Boundless magical power!

“Hmm?” Patriarch Five Yin’s eyes flashed brightly as they locked onto Mu Yuan. “Knows this old patriarch? Odd!”

Mu Yuan’s mind clenched with panic. He’d blurted it out in shock! Now Patriarch Five Yin had truly fixed his gaze on him!

“Hand over the Soul Pearl first! Patriarch Five Yin might be merciful and grant the lot of you a swift death if he’s pleased!” Patriarch Five Yin’s eyes burned fiercely, his voice hoarse, dark, and terrifying!

Ever since being repelled by Old Daoist Danhuo’s intense fire outside Fenghua City, Patriarch Five Yin had fled in panic. These years he’d wandered far and wide, devouring countless creatures – humans, demon beasts, cultivators alike! He was indiscriminate, all fuel for himself!

But his Primordial Spirit had been wounded beneath the Two Forms Fine Dust formation! Controlling the Demon Refining Gourd became cumbersome; the more Primordial Qi he swallowed, the greater the burden! Finally, he devised a plan: restore the Primordial Spirit first.

However, healing a wounded Primordial Spirit was immensely difficult! Pondering left and right, Patriarch Five Yin set his sights on the Soul Devourer Beast!

Yet Soul Devourer Beasts were exceedingly rare! Even during ancient times of rampant demon beasts and diverse breeds, sightings were scarce. Now? Almost unheard of.

It was pure chance. Passing through Baolian City, he encountered that sallow-faced man injured by such a beast. Swift interrogation revealed its whereabouts. He rushed over urgently, leading to the preceding chaos!

“What luck! Pure misfortune!” Mu Yuan silently cursed, realizing it was exceptionally bad. Recalling what Patriarch Five Yin had just said, he couldn’t help but glance at Lin Fangjing. “Has she reached Elixir Formation?”

But there was clearly no time for such thoughts. After Patriarch Five Yin’s mad cackling, he spread a hand! Five streaks of dancing star-light darted like sprites around his fingertips! They stretched and changed mid-air, instantly transforming into a broad, sweeping river of stars! An overwhelming, layered force surged forth! All three fighters felt their breath constrict!

Though they knew their foe was formidable, none of them intended to lie down and die! Mu Yuan drew all Five Great Curses into his Talisman Sword! His most powerful strike, “Raging Waves Shatter the Sky,” erupted instantly!

Gathering the power of Five Great Curses – Purple Heaven Immortal-Slaying Thunderfire, Water-Origin Divine Thunder, Earth-Guardian Divine Thunder, Yi Wood Divine Thunder, and Great Sun True Fire – he condensed it all into one blade point! The absolute pinnacle of his current strength!

Neither Kongming nor Lin Fangjing was idle! That sharp crescent blade in Lin Fangjing’s grip shone with icy light! Heavenly Righteous Thunder Fire coalesced into a ferocious lightning Dragon! It bellowed thunder, claws flailing, sweeping fiercely through the sky!

Monk Kongming spun the lamp atop his head violently! Masses of golden lotuses shot out like torrential arrows! The speed created piercing shrieks through the air!

KA-BOOM!!! An ear-splitting explosion ensued! Amid the detonations, Patriarch Five Yin’s thunderous laughter boomed! The stellar radiance drowned their combined assaults completely!