Chapter 42: Profound Yin Form-Capturing, Nail-Head Life-Claiming

Rumble!

A violent wailing sound accompanied increasingly intense spiritual energy fluctuations as they rippled from mid-air, and Ouyang Haoze’s eyes were blood-red—he had clearly gone berserk.

Seeing this scene, the other two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators from the Divine Martial Sect, Wu Zhichong and Duanmu Yuan, could no longer sit still.

“Senior Brother Ouyang!”

Wu Zhichong stepped forward first, looking at Ouyang Haoze’s current disheveled appearance with some fear, and whispered, “The Taiwei Mirror is of great importance after all.”

“I understand.”

Ouyang Haoze turned to glance at Wu Zhichong, and the fury in his blood-red eyes quickly calmed as he said coolly, “But that demon in the formation is even more important! So young and already skilled in formations, with decent cultivation as well—if he reaches the peak of Qi Refining, he may very well break through to Foundation Establishment.”

“If we can kill a potential Foundation Establishment seedling of a Demon Sect, sacrificing one Taiwei Mirror is worth it!”

Buzz buzz!

In mid-air, the Taiwei Mirror emitted intense vibrations, as if expressing its disagreement.

However, Ouyang Haoze turned a deaf ear.

It was just a spiritual treasure—when it was useful, they called it “Lord Taixiao”, but when it wasn’t, what did it amount to?

Seeing Ouyang Haoze’s resolute attitude, Wu Zhichong could only sigh and no longer try to dissuade him.

After all, Ouyang Haoze, at the peak of Qi Refining, was the acting leader of this Divine Martial Sect mission.

Since he had made the decision, the consequences would naturally be his to bear; Wu Zhichong had done his part by trying to advise him.

Meanwhile, inside the marketplace.

Lü Yang put away the Blood Sun Sword Pill that had been mostly destroyed in the explosion, and held the Innate True Qi Ten Thousand Spirits Banner in hand, his expression unreadable as he looked toward Ouyang Haoze outside the market.

“Junior Brother Lü, you’re not dead?”

Fairy Feixia and Lu Yuanchun approached.

One had a face full of joy, while the other, having just survived a calamity, looked at Lü Yang with deep wariness.

“Brother Lü is truly a hidden dragon!”

Lu Yuanchun loudly praised, “Driving off Ouyang Haoze like this, the marketplace is safe for now—we can hold out until the Holy Sect receives word and sends reinforcements!”

“Driven off? Far from it.”

Lü Yang shook his head.

“Indeed, judging by Ouyang Haoze’s state, he’s seriously injured with depleted vital energy—not just repelled, but severely wounded. That should teach him a harsh lesson!”

Fairy Feixia clapped her hands and laughed.

Hearing this, Lu Yuanchun quickly joined in with flattery.

Yet Lü Yang merely sneered and said something shocking: “Merely driving him off isn’t enough to be done with it. I’ve never liked leaving threats behind.”

“Better to just kill—clean and simple!”

“Kill who?”

Ouyang Haoze?

For a moment, Fairy Feixia and Lu Yuanchun froze in place.

Because not even in their most optimistic fantasies had they imagined such a possibility.

That was a peak Qi Refining cultivator, a true disciple of the righteous path!

Who could kill him?

How could it be done?

The next moment, Lü Yang took out the “Mysterious Female Taiyin Treasure Jade” that Lu Yuanchun had returned to him earlier, and began forming seals and channeling energy, placing it in his palm.

Soon, the jade began to melt under Lü Yang’s control, eventually transforming into a circular radiance.

It resembled a cold, transparent treasure mirror.

Under its illumination, numerous silhouettes began to appear in Lü Yang’s eyes.

Each silhouette corresponded to a lingering Qi signature.

From the reactions of others, it seemed only Lü Yang could see them.

Fairy Feixia, Lu Yuanchun, Ouyang Haoze, Wu Zhichong, Duanmu Yuan—all those who had fought here left behind traces of their Qi.

“This is the Profound Yin Form-Capturing Grand Art.”

The second divine ability within the 『Taiyin Shedding Form Corpse Dissolution True Method』.

Its only difficulty lay in the external component.

Thus, Lü Yang had mastered it moments after obtaining the jade!

“Let’s test its power.”

Lü Yang lowered his eyelids and quickly locked onto one lingering Qi signature—that of Ouyang Haoze.

He captured it using the Profound Yin Form-Capturing Grand Art.

“Profound Yin Form-Capturing…”

Lü Yang activated the divine ability.

The circular radiance formed from the Mysterious Female Taiyin Treasure Jade devoured Ouyang Haoze’s Qi and then projected his image.

“…Nail-Head Life-Claiming!”

Immediately, Lü Yang slashed down with his fingers like a blade.

With a sharp “crack!”, the circular radiance split in two—along with Ouyang Haoze’s image, which was bisected from head to toe.

To be safe, Lü Yang cut vertically.

Almost at the same time.

Outside the marketplace, Ouyang Haoze had just finished speaking with Wu Zhichong and turned to face the market.

He raised his hand and hurled the Taiwei Mirror into the formation.

Although the mirror struggled violently, his mind was made up—it was to be detonated.

But in the next instant, Ouyang Haoze’s movements froze.

Then, a bizarre slash mark appeared out of nowhere on top of his head and rapidly extended downward.

It erupted into a spray of blood.

He split apart.

His corpse fell from mid-air, with half his face still bearing a look of shock.

His eyes twitched slightly, as though he hadn’t yet realized what had happened.

“What’s going on? I… died?”

His consciousness dissipated in confusion.

With Ouyang Haoze no longer in control, the Taiwei Mirror that had fallen into the formation also calmed down.

Lü Yang reached out, and it flew over on its own.

Northern Frontier, main headquarters of the Divine Martial Sect.

Inside a bright great hall.

This place was called the “Soul Lamp Hall”.

As the name suggested, it housed the soul lamps of many high-ranking figures within the Divine Martial Sect, including the Sect Master, elders, and true disciples.

As a time-honored power in the Northern Frontier, the Divine Martial Sect had ruled for over a thousand years, and its reputation was deeply rooted in the region.

It was extremely rare for high-ranking members to die, so the disciples assigned to this post were usually idle, treating it as an easy job with sect stipends.

Today was no different.

The guard disciple performed his routine soul lamp inspection.

Entering the hall, he glanced around.

Lit, lit, lit, lit, extinguished, lit, lit…

Huh?

The disciple blinked, instinctively turned to look again, then rubbed his eyes.

His casual expression shifted into one of terror.

“Extinguished—it’s extinguished! Senior Brother Ouyang’s soul lamp is extinguished!?”

His voice echoed out instantly.

The next moment, a middle-aged Daoist appeared out of thin air in the hall.

His gaze fell on the extinguished soul lamp, his expression one of shock and fury.

How many years—how many years had it been since a true disciple of the Divine Martial Sect had perished?

“Ouyang… Skeleton Mountain!?”

The Daoist’s face turned ashen.

He suddenly stretched out his hand, summoned Ouyang Haoze’s soul lamp, and used his power to forcibly reignite it!

Of course, the dead could not return to life.

Reigniting the lamp could not save Ouyang Haoze, but it could project the final scene he had witnessed in life.

Very soon, the lamp projected an image.

The Daoist immediately recognized it as the market of the First Saint Demon Sect at Skeleton Mountain.

In the scene, a handsome young man stood gazing at the sky.

Him?

He killed Ouyang Haoze?

Hatred as deep as bone welled up in the Daoist’s eyes.

Because Ouyang Haoze was not only a true disciple of the sect, but also the most outstanding member of the younger generation of the Ouyang family—he was the one upon whom the Daoist had pinned his hopes!

This blood feud… would not end until one of them was dead!

“Hm?”

Inside the Skeleton Mountain marketplace, just after collecting the voluntarily surrendering Taiwei Mirror, Lü Yang suddenly frowned and looked up at the sky, a chill rising in his heart.

This feeling was very familiar.

It was the sensation of one’s karmic fate being manipulated by an external force.

In his previous life, when the Mending Heaven Peak Lord calculated his karma, he had experienced a similar feeling.

Could it be that another Foundation Establishment True Person was trying to divine him!?