Chapter 218

After devouring the Grand Elder of the Bai Clan, Wang Yu felt that aside from the change in his spiritual roots, even his life essence had increased slightly. This meant his lifespan limit had grown.

This change, however, was not mentioned in the Demonic Embryo Mysterious Origin Curse, which made the sensation particularly strange to him.

“Why didn’t I notice this last time? Or could it be that…”

Just as he was pondering, a mass of Yellow Springs ghost mist suddenly appeared beside him. A dagger-wielding hand thrust fiercely toward his chest.

Wang Yu’s expression shifted. His divine sense surged outward, condensing midair into a Soul-Shattering Finger, which stirred into the ghost mist. At the same time, his right hand reached down and instantly seized the attacker’s wrist.

He flipped his palm and pressed down. A third-rank Ice Chi Flame burst forth, surging violently.

“Ahhhh—”

In close combat, killing intent flared. The assailant’s skills were sharp, he was no ordinary fighter—but in the instant clash of life and death, he was quickly overpowered.

Enveloped by the Ice Chi Flame, the ghost mist of the Yellow Springs could no longer hold form and dissipated, revealing the true body of the attacker.

“Late Foundation Establishment… Is that all?”

With a thought, a stream of spiritual light shot from Wang Yu’s waist, transforming into an eight-sided glass lamp that revolved behind his head—the Glazed Soul Lamp.

Soulfire that directly targeted divine sense bloomed, joining with the Ice Chi Flame. Under the double scorching, the man turned into a charred corpse in moments.

At best, this level of strength equaled that of an outer sect deacon—stronger than a wandering cultivator, but still limited.

The gray-white vision of the Searching Mountain and Hunting Demon Technique opened within Wang Yu’s eyes. He said calmly, “Come out. Since you’ve already made your move, don’t bother hiding.”

As his voice fell, clusters of Yellow Springs ghost mist appeared—nineteen in total. Including the one just slain, there were twenty altogether. The leader stepped forward without concealing his cultivation.

“Late Core Formation…”

Wang Yu’s eyes narrowed, finally feeling pressure. Without showing any expression, he pinched a Spatial Escape Talisman between his fingers and said, “Fellow Daoists of the Yellow Springs Monastery, you are crossing borders to seize sacred tributes belonging to the Blood Reversal Sect. What is your intent? Do you wish to start a war?”

“Start a war? Just with you?”

The Core Formation cultivator of the Yellow Springs Monastery stepped out of the mist, contempt flashing across his face.

Wang Yu continued unbothered.

“It seems you misunderstand the nature of this matter. The sacred tribute system within the Exalted Sect’s territory has stood for thousands of years. No outsider has ever dared to seize from it. You’ve broken a great taboo. What are you plotting here?

If I were you, I’d start preparing your last rites. The Yellow Springs Monastery won’t protect you.”

“Heh. Arrogant.”

“If I were to say this matter was ordered directly by the Monastery itself, what then? Now… kneel and become my Spirit Slave, and I might consider sparing your life.”

Wang Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly. As expected.

His probing words had successfully drawn out the hidden hand behind the attack.

But why would the Yellow Springs Monastery do this? Jade Spirit City lay on the border—could this be about fighting for control over the Eastern Extreme Capital ruins?

That made no sense. The ruins had long been fixed in position, and the territory of Cloud Ridge Prefecture had been stable for over a thousand years. They had never fought over it before; why start now?

He suddenly recalled an old piece of information.

“Can you represent the Yellow Springs Monastery? Or should I say… Elder Di Zang?”

“You know?!”

The Core Formation cultivator’s reaction gave away even more. Wang Yu instantly made his judgment: this was likely not an official move by the Monastery, but a private scheme of Elder Dizang.

Whatever that old bastard was plotting, it no longer mattered.

Having reached this conclusion, Wang Yu understood the situation had escalated from a regional dispute to a diplomatic crisis—something he alone shouldn’t bear. Thankfully, he had already sent a messenger to Cloud Ridge Prefecture before coming.

All he needed to do now was survive this encounter.

At that thought, he lowered his head slightly.

“Senior, I am willing to join the Yellow Springs Monastery. Whether Elder Dizang agrees or not can be confirmed afterward. How about it?”

As he spoke, Wang Yu spread his hands wide, showing no sign of hostility, and slowly approached the late Core Formation cultivator. The man frowned, thinking deeply.

He wasn’t sure what Wang Yu was planning, but since this involved Elder Dizang, he dared not make rash decisions. If he disrupted that senior’s schemes, even death would not absolve him.

When they were within three steps of each other, the man said coldly, “You will come with me.”

“No problem.”

In that instant, Wang Yu moved—three steps merged into one. He grabbed the Core Formation cultivator’s wrist.

The man was startled but sensed no danger.

“What are you doing?”

“Just getting a bit closer.”

As Wang Yu’s white teeth flashed in a grin, the man suddenly felt something was wrong. Spatial power began to act upon him.

“What the—”

Before he could finish, the Spatial Escape Talisman activated, instantly teleporting him to a predetermined location—the Jade Spirit City Lord’s Mansion.

Due to the ongoing major search, the mansion was guarded only by a few dozen personnel. Across the distance, Wang Yu activated the Great Spirit-Sealing and Life-Execution Formation.

With the effect of this formation, even if that person were a late-stage Core Formation cultivator from a hegemonic power, it might not kill him, but it could still restrain him for several months, preventing him from leaving.

By the time that much had passed, the people from Cloud Ridge Prefecture City should have arrived.

Since other hegemonic powers were involved, the highest degree of vigilance was necessary. Moreover, Wang Yu had the support of three Nascent Soul clans behind him, and they had certainly been informed in advance. Their response would only be faster.

Sending someone away by surprise, Wang Yu immediately shouted in a deep voice: “Qingyang!”

The battle erupted in an instant. The vast painting scrolls and Snowjade’s coordination completely sealed off the entire frozen battlefield that stretched for dozens of miles.

From the brushstrokes of ink, living beasts were born. Ink beasts burst out of the paintings, pouncing toward the remaining eighteen clusters of ghostly mist.

At this moment, Wang Yu finally discerned the strength of the remaining enemies.

There were two at early Core Formation, four at late Foundation Establishment, eight at mid Foundation Establishment, and two at early Foundation Establishment. Their strength was considerable, yet still within his manageable range.

After hiding for a long time, Qingyang descended from the black clouds.

Amid the roaring wind and snow, he released the third-rank Iron Puppet he had previously obtained. Wang Yu, on his side, released the Lunar Yin Fiend Corpse. The puppet he had harvested before was severely damaged and still under repair.

The temporary puppet could only attack three times, so the timing had to be perfect.

Thus, Qingyang faced one Core Formation opponent, while the Yin Corpse and Iron Puppet took on another. Wang Yu himself charged into the Foundation Establishment cultivators like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, unleashing the Ice Chi Pill Flame over a wide area.

The frozen domain created by Snowjade was instantly shrouded in a layer of blue icy flame. The ghost mist boiled and evaporated, forcing all enemies to emerge and engage the ink beasts Qingyang had released at the start.

The battle erupted with full intensity, immediately escalating into a life-and-death struggle.

The environment was extremely disadvantageous for the group from the Yellow Springs Monastery.

Almost as soon as the battle began, two rapidly spinning ice wheels sliced two early Foundation Establishment cultivators in half. Targeting the weaker ones to thin the enemy ranks was Wang Yu’s first priority.

Within a few breaths, four late Foundation Establishment cultivators slew the ink beasts entangling them, then immediately turned and surrounded Wang Yu.

“Yellow Springs Ghost Claw!”

“Earth Nether Finger!”

“Invisible Sword Art: Formless Sword Qi!”

“Ghost Eyes: Illusion!”

The ghost claws and Earth Nether Fingers surged forward with immense power, each extending over a hundred meters. The formless sword qi could not be seen by the naked eye, but Wang Yu could clearly feel its sharp sting approaching from behind.

This coordinated assault was seamless, three attacks and one control. Against an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, it would have been instant death.

Unfortunately for them, their target was Wang Yu.

That single controlling illusion technique became the greatest flaw. In an instant, a crescent moon mark lit up in Wang Yu’s eyes.

Just one glance into his gaze made the caster of the illusion collapse like a bird with broken wings, plummeting straight to the ground.

The three-tailed Snow Fox seized the opportunity, slamming its paw down. A massive ice spike over thirty meters long burst from the ground, impaling the controlled cultivator clean through.

“Soul Devouring Demonic Evil Armour!”

With a low shout, the demonic art he had cultivated for many years once again revealed its brilliance. Wang Yu charged straight through the Yellow Springs Ghost Claw, narrowly evading the first wave of the Earth Nether Finger and Formless Sword Qi. His Frost Moon Wings spread wide, his escape speed surged, and he dove directly into the formation of eight mid Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Thus, the three enemies hesitated, unwilling to risk harming their own allies. They had no choice but to restrain their attacks and give chase instead.

Wang Yu grabbed the claw of an ink flood dragon, flipped himself upward, and kicked out violently. The blood and qi of the Yin Nether Demon Flood Dragon manifested, crashing into a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had been struggling against an ink beast, blasting him into a mist of blood.

The ice wheels whistled again, targeting those mid Foundation Establishment cultivators who were already at a disadvantage. Within just a dozen breaths, three more had fallen.

Wang Yu tilted his head back and swallowed a supreme-grade Spirit Recovery Pill.

Above his head, the Glazed Soul Lamp floated, releasing eight streams of soul flame that attacked everyone nearby.

At the same time, a magic treasure he had nurtured for years in Spirit Nourishing Liquid appeared in his hand—the Ghost-Weeping Flute. It had advanced from a supreme-grade second-rank to a lower third-rank treasure.

The foundation of the flute was already solid. Through the gentle enhancement of the Spirit Nourishing Liquid, its form had not changed much, but the black jade-like body was now covered with crow-like markings.

The power of the Weeping Nether Bamboo was fully awakened, granting it the ability to devour souls and fiends, and to release a ghost domain. It had similar properties to soul banner artifacts and treasures.

It was also naturally compatible with the Yin Crow Soul-Devouring Melody.

“Wooo—”

As he raised it to his lips, driven by the power of a third-rank divine sense, the secret art of soul sound was pushed to its absolute limit, especially with Wang Yu’s nearly perfected mastery supporting it.

The treasure’s power could not be fully activated due to his limited spiritual power.

Thus, only a hundred-meter-wide ghost domain unfolded. Within that range, flocks of soul-devouring Yin Crows rapidly formed, launching indiscriminate attacks in all directions.

Cooperating with Qingyang’s countless ink beasts, the effect was devastating. The cultivators of the Yellow Springs Monastery fell like rain.

Their souls were forcibly extracted by Wang Yu and absorbed into the Ghost-Weeping Flute, instantly giving birth to eight new second-rank soul-devouring Yin Crows.

At this time, the three remaining enemies turned and fled toward the Core Formation battlefield, shouting loudly: “Sir, something is wrong with this man! The arts he uses are all at the perfected realm, and he even has a magic treasure assisting him!”

“Hehe…”

“Now you want to run? Too late!”

Wang Yu flicked his fingers. The Ghost-Weeping Flute’s tone suddenly shifted into a beautiful melody. The cultivator on the far left of the fleeing trio abruptly turned his weapon and stabbed at his companion.

“Puchi!”

“Zhou Zhen… you… ahhh!”

The one on the right drew his sword and pierced the heart of the one in the center. Backstabbed from both sides, the middle cultivator died instantly.