Chapter 160: Repelling the Demon with the Nether Soul Banner

Back in ancient times when gods and demons roamed heaven and earth, there were many types of demons: Immortal Demons, Heavenly Demons, Death Demons, Shadow Demons, Ghost Demons, Roving Demons…

Among these, the Heavenly Demons ranked just below the Death Demons. They possessed immense magical power, lived in lavish luxury, traveled in grand palanquins, and even had their own sects and received worship among humans. But later, both gods and demons were driven out by Qi Refining Practitioners!

The reason was this: beings like gods and demons possessed inherently long lifespans and tremendous magical powers. Even without cultivation, their divine abilities grew stronger with the passage of time. Endowed by heaven and contemptuous toward other living creatures, they often demanded living sacrifices for their pleasure, arousing the wrath of both heaven and mankind, which ultimately led to their downfall!

After being expelled from the great world, those gods and demons vanished to unknown corners of the universe. Yet, remnants of their sects still lingered in the human realm.

The Heavenly Demon Icon in Xuan Jia’s hand was an object worshiped and prayed to by living creatures in ancient times.

The gods and demons hiding within the cosmos could still send down threads of their divine sense through these objects, though their magical power was severely diminished.

Only by receiving sufficient worship and gathering vast amounts of faith could these divine or demonic thoughts, projected through statues, gradually grow stronger.

“Heavenly Demon Shatters the Void, Blood God Shrouding Aura” was one of the most mysterious and brutal divine abilities known to the Heavenly Demons!

They collected the essence and blood of offerings, fueled it with their own power, and unleashed it to form an unstoppable cloud of crimson god-shrouding energy.

Xuan Jia frantically poured his zhenqi and essence blood into the icon. The demonic shadow swirling above the bone mountain roared violently. Blood seemed to drip from its six eyes. The bone mountain beneath its feet cracked loudly, then suddenly shot skyward. Simultaneously, the five remaining evil weapons held by the shadow shattered, transforming into billowing demonic energy that surged upwards. With another deafening roar, the shadow itself also surged into this vortex!

The dark clouds in the sky instantly turned a deep, bloody red. Countless thick crimson pillars descended like thunderbolts.

Before the blood pillars even touched him, Mu Yuan felt the essence and blood throughout his body boiling uncontrollably, as if about to explode outward. His heart clenched. He recalled all Five Great Curses, gathering them above his head. His Minghe Immortal Sword shone brighter than ever, its starlight like a mighty sea, clashing against the crimson radiance.

The bloodlight writhed like a living thing, enveloping everything like a collapsing sky and disintegrating earth. Mu Yuan didn’t withdraw the Longevity Sword. Instead, using the Minghe Immortal Sword, he executed the Mysterious Heaven Dragon Ascension. Slashes of saber aura crisscrossed the battlefield. Where they passed, demonic flames were extinguished, and the blood clouds dispersed, only to violently surge back together moments later. Only then did he realize how formidable the Blood God Shrouding Aura truly was!

For the first time, Mu Yuan was using everything he had and still couldn’t gain the upper hand.

Splitting his concentration, Mu Yuan also released the Black Water Gourd. Boundless thunder evils were unleashed recklessly, combining with the saber aura, causing the blood clouds to boil violently as explosions rocked them.

The Great Sun Fire Curse roared, spewing flames from the Nine Dragons Blazing Fire Pearl, setting the nearby blood clouds sizzling!

“Doesn’t matter if you have a thousand magical artifacts; your own lowly cultivation is insufficient! This lord needs only a thread of my divine sense to obliterate you!”

The deep, vast voice of the Heavenly Demon, like scorching thunder, blasted directly into Mu Yuan’s consciousness!

“Fine! I’ll kill Xuan Jia first. Let’s see what you do then!”

Trapped and equally frustrated, with the bloodlight sealing off all escape routes, Mu Yuan mentally commanded the Heavenly Fiend Child: Slay Xuan Jia! Seize the Heavenly Demon Icon!

Heavenly Fiend Child hadn’t killed anyone since his birth. Hearing Mu Yuan’s command filled him with exhilaration; the bloodlust hidden within him could no longer be suppressed!

Violet light erupted from the Longevity Sword. A massive water-and-lightning sphere formed – the East Sea Dragon-Fishing Art!

The water sphere rotated, flashing with electricity. Countless water-thunderbolts crackled and detonated at its edges. The sheer pressure penetrated directly into the Sea of Consciousness and Spiritual Platform within Xuan Jia’s mind, making his entire body tremble uncontrollably.

Xuan Jia’s own cultivation was limited. The Heavenly Demon was fully focused on Mu Yuan. And he had just exhausted himself fueling the descent. How could he possibly resist the rampaging Heavenly Fiend Child? Crushed by the water sphere, his skin and flesh exploded, revealing the ghastly skeleton beneath his robes.

The Heavenly Demon seemed extremely concerned about Xuan Jia’s injury. Surging clouds of blood descended rapidly, diverting a massive globule to crash down upon Heavenly Fiend Child!

Heavenly Fiend Child was utterly fearless. Fear meant nothing to a youth whose very nature was born of killing. Violet light flared from the Longevity Sword, creating shimmering, watery ripples. Above him formed a sheet of mirror-like, luminous energy, swirling continuously, emanating a misty, watery aura!

“Heavenly Dragon Water Mirror Cloud!”

This technique Heavenly Fiend Child performed was like the “Mirror Flower Water Moon Technique” of the Moon Palace – a divine ability that reflected attacks and offered powerful protection!

The water mirror appeared crystalline and transparent, clearer than any bronze mirror in the world. It was a foot thick yet spread out to cover an area the size of an acre.

As the blood cloud slammed onto it, a rapid series of explosive crackling erupted. Countless Blood God Shrouding Aura bolts were violently reflected back, colliding with newly descending bolts in a cacophony of deafening bangs and blinding flashes of crimson light!

Seizing the opportunity, Heavenly Fiend Child showed no mercy. He executed the Mysterious Heaven Dragon Ascension, unleashing overwhelming waves of cyan saber aura that completely enveloped Xuan Jia. The aura wrapped him tightly inside and out. With one piercing shriek, Xuan Jia was simply dead!

Such an easy end caught Mu Yuan off guard!

As the saber aura and water sphere dispersed, only a pitch-black, jet-like Heavenly Demon statue remained hovering in mid-air.

“Since we’ve come this far, let’s shatter this damn statue too!” Mu Yuan ordered mentally.

Heavenly Fiend Child’s whole body shimmered, his eyes utterly bloodshot. Instead of using another technique, he merged with the Longevity Sword and slashed through the air!

The Heavenly Demon’s blood cloud instantly radiated an aura of furious rage the moment Xuan Jia died. It accelerated sharply towards Heavenly Fiend Child.

Mu Yuan, however, wouldn’t let it pass. The canopy formed by the Five Great Curses still spun overhead, but the Minghe Immortal Sword transformed into a ribbon of dazzling, multicolored light, slicing outwards in defiance!

Thunder evils within the Black Water Gourd surged as Mu Yuan activated his restrictions. They formed a vast, tight net, woven with countless thumb-thick bolts of lightning, aiming to engulf the sky-filling blood cloud!

“A puny Cultivator dares block my way?!” The voice bursting from the blood cloud was the peak of the Heavenly Demon’s wrath.

“You’re just a thread of divine sense! How dare you act so arrogantly!” Mu Yuan snorted disdainfully.

He had refined two layers of restrictions into the Black Water Gourd, using the Primordial Five-Colored Mirage Light. Its effects were extraordinary. Its internal Yin Cold Ice Evils flowed endlessly, constantly regenerating. Over the recent period, Mu Yuan hadn’t the slightest idea how much thunder evil it had managed to accumulate. Now, he released it all in one go! The sky filled with rampaging thunder dragons and lightning serpents. Wind howled and thunder boomed! Blinding flashes of light surged and roiled!

Then something unexpected happened. Sensing the aura of the Heavenly Demon Manifestation, a banner unfurled within the storm of thunder evils. Its pole was pitch-black, its banner surface a deep, ghostly jade green. Black smoke billowed forth as it grew larger, stretching across the sky, aiming to swallow the blood cloud whole!

“Trouble!” Mu Yuan recognized the banner and finally remembered! He did have this thing inside his gourd! Hu Zongnan, its original owner! Mu Yuan had promised to release him… and had completely forgotten!

This Nether Soul Banner was something Mu Yuan had intended to keep for Chu Yunfei. Now, it had emerged on its own. Its vast expanse of dark, netherworldly radiance, like phosphorescence from the deepest hell, wrapped around a huge portion of the blood cloud. Like a parched ox drinking water, it began to gulp it down, producing loud gulping sounds.

“AAAAARGH!!!” The Heavenly Demon Manifestation let out a massive roar of agony.

The blood cloud convulsed, swelling and shrinking rapidly like heavy, frantic breathing. In an instant, from within the churning cloud, a huge crimson hand emerged!

Scales of an unsettling, intensely bright red covered it – each one as large as a sitting mat. Thick bloodlight clung to it. Its terrifying, blood-clawed fingers reached out to snatch the Nether Soul Banner!

“This Nether Soul Banner… it seems to suppress the Heavenly Demon’s blood cloud?!” Mu Yuan exclaimed softly, soaring upwards. His Minghe Immortal Sword erupted with countless starburst-projectiles of sword qi, clattering incessantly against the gigantic blood hand! “Supreme Heavens Great Cycle!”

Using Minghe Immortal Sword as the core, Mu Yuan’s Sword Qi Division technique seemed more powerful than ever. It formed a Grand Supreme Heaven Great Cycle Sword Array! Slashes crisscrossed wildly!

The bloodlight giant hand recoiled violently! Pfft! A whole chunk was sliced off from one clawed finger!

The Nether Soul Banner flashed, greedily swallowing the severed digit!

Instantly, the battle raged anew. Ghostly light and sword qi clashed fiercely against the massive blood hand. The hand was incredibly resilient; despite the twin assaults of divine abilities, it remained unyielding and indestructible!

The Nether Soul Banner was only moving on its own primal instincts. Mu Yuan didn’t know how to control it yet. Seeing the fierce struggle above, and turning his attention to Heavenly Fiend Child, he found the youth repeatedly slamming his sword light against the Heavenly Demon statue, each impact sending sparks flying and thunderous clanging echoing out. “Tough bastard!”

Mu Yuan shook his hand, releasing a huge ball of Great Sun True Fire.

Heavenly Fiend Child was thrilled! He gestured, and the already substantial flames exploded ten times larger!

Mu Yuan followed up, sending forth another large surge of Longevity True Qi. Wood nourishes fire: a perfect combination!

Instantly, the Heavenly Demon statue was engulfed in intense flames. Scattered fragments of colorful light and crimson energy continuously peeled off from its surface. Some were shattered by sword qi, others vaporized instantly by the scorching true fire.

“What kind of broken scrap iron is this?” Mu Yuan was inwardly shocked. “Even the Longevity Sword can’t inflict critical damage in one strike!”

However, in the sky above, the blood cloud began to noticeably diminish along with the light being consumed from the statue.

And the Nether Soul Banner, aided by the Minghe Immortal Sword, was now decisively taking the offensive!

“I’ll BE BACK!”

Filled with resentment, the Heavenly Demon spat out its words, then abruptly withdrew its divine sense!

Seeing victory impossible, it retreated without a moment’s hesitation.

Mu Yuan watched it flee with a cold chuckle and didn’t try to stop it. The immense blood cloud in the sky, now bereft of the Heavenly Demon’s controlling thought, became ownerless energy. The Nether Soul Banner surged, swallowing it all whole!

Having devoured the blood cloud, the Nether Soul Banner’s flag surface became even more deeply ghostly and jade-green. The talismanic scripts etched upon it faded noticeably.

Heavenly Fiend Child was still pouring effort into refining the statue. But the Nether Soul Banner, empowered and radiating a darker aura, suddenly rippled its surface. A serpentine coil of ghostly dark light lashed out, wrapping the Heavenly Demon statue, which was still ablaze with Great Sun True Fire, and swallowed it too!

“So savage!” Mu Yuan gasped. All the talismanic scripts on the banner surface had vanished completely. In their place, they coalesced into a truly demonic figure: three heads, eight arms, holding an array of terrifying demonic weapons. The image was profoundly unsettling.

The dark clouds dispersed. Mu Yuan strode out from the shelter of the Kylin Seal.

The crowd looked at him with a myriad of complex expressions. Envy, awe, resentment – all were present.

Mu Yuan ignored the stares, walking directly back to his seat.

Yun Xi stared at him intensely, his expression complicated. Finally, he spoke, “Brother Mu… you’ve truly made me look at you differently!”

Mu Yuan merely chuckled silently in response. His consciousness plunged deep into his gourd.

He vaguely remembered casually abandoning Hu Zongnan within the Mirage Dragon Thousand Illusions Array. He needed to find him now and ask this question: What the hell was that banner for?!