Bone-Eroding Demon Lord extended a skeletal finger and lightly tapped Old Ancestor Xuanyin's brow. "Now, offer up everything you have and help this lord... achieve complete perfection!"
The fanaticism on Old Ancestor Xuanyin's face froze in an instant, then turned into utter terror.
He felt his remaining life force, the source of his soul, even that trace of an imprint connecting him to the demonic banner, being madly extracted by an irresistible force.
"No... Master... I..." Old Ancestor Xuanyin wanted to struggle, wanted to beg for mercy, yet he could not even force out a complete syllable.
His body rapidly withered like a deflating sack, the ghostfire in his eye sockets dimming at speed before finally going out completely.
A Nine Tribulation Loose Immortal, a towering giant of the Spirit Realm, had thus turned into a genuine dried skeleton in despair, becoming the first snack used by his "master" to restore his strength.
Having devoured Xuanyin, the newly formed Demonic Body of the Bone-Eroding Demon Lord emitted a teeth-grinding series of cracking sounds.
The dark golden luster on his bones deepened further, and his aura rose once more, thoroughly stabilizing at that terrifying level infinitely close to a true immortal.
He flexed his newly formed joints in satisfaction, demonic flames flickering in his hollow eye sockets. "After one hundred thousand years, this lord has finally returned!"
His hollow eye sockets turned toward the scattered Spirit Realm Loose Immortals below, sprawled across the ground and barely clinging to life. The scarlet demonic flames danced even more merrily.
"As a gift to celebrate this lord's return to the world, your souls shall serve to begin this feast!"
The Nine Nether Soul Devouring Banner stirred without wind, snapping loudly as its surface abruptly spread open, transforming into a massive scarlet maw that blotted