Translator: CinderTL
The battlefield was now divided into two fronts. The Zuoqiu Clan, Jiang Family, Jiang Qinqin, and others clashed with Yuan Anping's ghost generals and soldiers, while Xu Sanyan, Fang Qingge, Jingyi, the Luo Family siblings, Qi Liang, Tu Wanshan, Huan Xi'er, Mo Xianxian, and the rest surrounded Yuan Anping.
Jingyi, having sustained serious injuries, remained on the sidelines, silently healing. The others launched simultaneous attacks from all directions.
Qi Liang gazed at his sword, his eyes filled with sorrow and solemnity. Suddenly, he pointed the blade skyward, summoning a desolate, clear wind that swirled around the sword, lingering for a long moment.
The Luo Family siblings exchanged a glance and nodded in unison. With a flick of their wrists, their swords shot into the sky, spinning endlessly in mid-air. The two streams of light began to merge, transforming into a meteor-like projectile that hurtled toward Yuan Anping.
At the same moment, Tu Wanshan and Huan Xi'er unleashed their respective techniques, launching a coordinated assault. Their combined attacks erupted in a dazzling display of light and color, a spectacle of extraordinary brilliance.
Mo Xianxian pressed her lips into a thin line, her eyes burning with hatred as she glared at Yuan Anping. This man had irrevocably altered her life, and she could never forgive him. She pressed two fingers together and thrust them sharply toward him.
"Punishment!"
Mo Xianxian had intended to use the Burial Word Art, but she hadn't fully recovered from the injuries inflicted by Xu Sanyan. Her spirit was willing, but her body was weak, forcing her to settle for the Punishment Word Art as a second choice.
Yuan Anping remained utterly fearless as attacks converged on him from all directions. The ghost energy surrounding him surged violently, and the ghost beast's form seemed to darken further, shielding him with unwavering ferocity.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
A relentless barrage of explosions erupted across the ghost beast's body, shattering its pitch-black ghost energy and carving deep craters into its flesh.
The dissipating ghost energy blotted out the sky, enveloping Yuan Anping and the ghost beast in darkness, obscuring them from view.
Even Mo Xianxian's Punishment Word Art was blocked by the ghost beast.
Fang Qingge and the others wore grave expressions. They knew this level of assault wouldn't kill Yuan Anping, but they hoped it would at least inflict some injuries.
As the ghost energy dissipated, the ghost beast's form emerged first.
The deep craters blasted into its body were rapidly being filled by surging ghost energy. Within moments, most of the wounds had healed, though the surrounding ghost energy seemed slightly thinner than before.
Looking again at Yuan Anping, who was being shielded beneath the ghost beast, Xu Sanyan saw that he was completely unharmed—not even a strand of hair was out of place.
Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes, a deep solemnity settling in their depths. This man is truly not to be underestimated, he thought. Even he, Xu Sanyan, doubted he could emerge unscathed from such a sustained assault.
"Is that all?" Yuan Anping's lips curved into a faint smile, followed by a slight shake of his head, as if disappointed. "Since you're finished, then it's my turn to show you my methods!"
Without any visible movement from Yuan Anping, the Unicorn Ghost Beast behind him suddenly roared skyward. Its grotesque maw gaped wide, yet no sound escaped its throat.
Yuan Anping's gaze remained fixed on the group, his expression utterly indifferent.
Xu Sanyan's face paled instantly. "Careful! Is that a divine soul technique?!" he roared.
After breaking through to the Soul Refining Realm, Xu Sanyan's greatest transformation—aside from his extended lifespan—lay in his enhanced perception. Previously, he could only sense the world through his five senses, perceiving only superficial changes.
Now, however, he could perceive things beyond the five senses through his divine soul—things invisible to the naked eye and intangible to touch, yet undeniably real.
Divine soul power!
In that fleeting moment, he had clearly sensed the sonic waves emanating from the ghost beast's mouth.
The sensation was remarkably similar to the Lu Clan's Spirit Refining Force he had cultivated, allowing him to immediately recognize the threat and warn the others.
Xu Sanyan's warning sent a chill through the group.
Fang Qingge hesitated for a split second, then seemed to make a decision. With a wry smile, he retrieved a jade pendant from his robe and shook his head.
"This is going to be a costly mistake."
The jade pendant was clearly a valuable treasure, yet Fang Qingge was willing to sacrifice it. In his eyes, treasures were ultimately external possessions, far less important than life itself.
Fang Qingge's throat bobbed as he spat a mouthful of vital essence onto the jade pendant. As if alive, the pendant slowly absorbed the blood.
Instantly, a blinding light erupted, sweeping across the battlefield and colliding violently with the ghost beast's sonic waves.
The entire exchange happened in an instant. The pendant's light and the sonic waves neutralized each other, leaving no visible trace. Yet, in the hearts of everyone present, a massive weight seemed to lift, and they exhaled in silent relief.
Crack—
A crisp sound emanated from the jade pendant, barely audible amidst the clamor of the battlefield, yet Xu Sanyan heard it clearly. His gaze swept across the pendant's surface, revealing a web of fine cracks.
Though not yet shattered, its value had been severely diminished.
No wonder Fang Qingge had claimed to have suffered a great loss. Such treasures, capable of protecting one's divine soul, were exceedingly rare. Even Xu Sanyan, as the holy son of the demonic sect, had never encountered one before.
Moreover, this pendant protected not only its wearer but also others nearby, further enhancing its worth.
Fang Qingge's expression was grim. Each use of the pendant consumed a significant amount of his life essence, making it a costly measure he would never employ lightly. This time, he had been forced to act out of sheer desperation.
Yuan Anping narrowed his eyes, visibly surprised. He hadn't anticipated these people possessing such powerful treasures, capable of blocking his secret technique.
This wide-area divine soul art placed an immense strain on his own divine soul. Even he would struggle to cast it a second time.
Undeterred, Yuan Anping dismissed the setback. If divine soul techniques proved ineffective, he would simply crush them all with his bare hands!
In a blur, Yuan Anping vanished from his original position, reappearing instantly before Luo Changtian.
Luo Changtian's expression twisted in horror. He hadn't even seen Yuan Anping move!
"Brother, watch out!" Luo Qingwei shouted urgently, flinging a streak of light toward Yuan Anping as she swiftly retreated.
Thud!
Ah!
First came a sickening, tearing sound, followed by Luo Changtian's agonizing scream.
Nearby, Fang Qingge's pupils dilated in shock. "Brother Luo!" he roared.
"Brother!" Luo Qingwei cried out, her face a mask of disbelief as she stared at the scene before her.
Xu Sanyan was equally stunned, watching the figure wreathed in ghost energy standing before Luo Changtian. The figure's right hand was plunged directly into Luo Changtian's chest, its slender fingers protruding from his chest, clutching a crimson object. It was...
A heart!
One strike!
With a single move, Luo Changtian was dead, his heart ripped from his chest. Scarlet blood dripped from Yuan Anping's fingers.
Thud!
With a casual flex of his hand, the still-steaming heart disintegrated into a shower of bloody mist that drifted through the air.
Gasp... Gasp...
Despair etched across Luo Changtian's face as he stared down at the gaping hole in his chest. His eyes gradually glazed over as his body lost all support and plummeted downward.
Luo Changtian died without uttering a single last word.
"Brother!"
Luo Qingwei's mind went blank. She hadn't even registered what had happened, refusing to believe her own brother was dead.
Xu Sanyan knew he could no longer hold back. This man's power far exceeded his expectations!
(End of the Chapter)
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