Eradication

For a time, the group was locked in a bitter battle.

"This can't go on. We have to find an opening!"

The five of them were forced together, back to back, carefully dealing with the ghost servants.

"Buy me some time!"

A ruthless glint flashed through Wang Teng's eyes, as though he had made some decision. After speaking, he sat down cross-legged. The other four immediately gathered around to protect him, continuously releasing spiritual power to buy him time.

Without Wang Teng's support, the pressure on the four of them surged at once. Wu Liujian faced two enemies alone, but one moment of carelessness was enough for the iron broom to slash across his chest. Black blood flowed out, and his face instantly turned pale.

Shen Yi let out a long roar. Spiritual power covered his body as he leaped to the front, taking Wu Liujian's place. Jiang Miaoyi and Yuwen Yue were not faring well either. Both were struck, and their wounds immediately turned pitch-black, even obstructing the circulation of their spiritual power.

"Hurry and purge the poison. I'll hold them off!"

Shen Yi gave them a warning over his shoulder, then stopped paying attention to them and focused body and mind on the ghost servants.

He blocked high and low, darting left and right. Within the dim palace, Shen Yi's spiritual power bloomed with golden light as he fought fiercely against the five ghost servants. Their ghostly aura was sinister, yet they could do nothing to Shen Yi. Whenever they tried to attack the people behind him, Shen Yi stopped them.

The faint spiritual aura around Wang Teng suddenly gave rise to an oppressive force. Wisps of black qi seeped from his body, strikingly similar to the ghost qi of the ghost servants.

As though sensing an enormous threat, the ghost servants' attacks grew even fiercer. Shen Yi was already struggling to hold them back when he suddenly felt an icy aura behind him, colder than anything in this palace.

One of Wang Teng's eyes flashed with an eerie red light. With just one glance, the ghost servant wielding the Judge's Brush dropped to its knees. Wang Teng rose and walked toward the five ghost servants, his footsteps like those of death itself, treading upon their terror.

Shen Yi said nothing and retreated to the side. The situation no longer required him to keep fighting, so he began helping Jiang Miaoyi and the other two purge the ghost poison.

The icy aura Wang Teng gave off had frozen the ghost servants solid. He cast a vicious glance at the skull, gave a chilling smile, and raised his hand to crush all five ghost servants into pieces. Seeing this, the skull let out a shrill scream and fled unwillingly.

"Blegh!"

With the danger gone, Wang Teng could no longer endure. He spat out a mouthful of blood and weakly leaned against the wall.

"Don't forget my Soul Summoning Banner..."

Shen Yi gave a speechless smile as he looked at the unconscious Wang Teng, deep in thought.

After waiting for them for quite some time, Jiang Miaoyi and the other two finally recovered. Though their faces remained pale, they could once more circulate their spiritual power.

"You continue regulating your breaths here. I'll go after that skull!"

After giving his instructions, Shen Yi set off alone in pursuit. They had barely entered the palace before being ambushed; the path ahead was bound to be fraught with danger. That skull was far too strange. He could not let it go.

After chasing deep inside, Shen Yi found the place shrouded in mist, unable to see his surroundings. Yet he could sense that the skull was somewhere nearby.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The sound of something cutting through the air rang out. Shen Yi's expression changed as he swiftly ducked his head, narrowly evading the sneak attack.

"What vicious methods!"

Shen Yi turned back. Three fist-sized pits had appeared in the ground, each with a piece of white bone embedded inside. Looking closer, he realized they were human finger bones. He did not dare move rashly and could only wait for the mist to slowly disperse.

They remained deadlocked for a while before a gust of sinister wind blew through. The dense fog vanished in an instant, and Shen Yi finally saw a long banner placed behind the skull. The character "Soul" was embroidered upon it, flickering with eerie light and looking exceptionally strange.

"Let's see how you escape now!"

Shen Yi leaped up and clenched his fists, smashing them viciously toward the skull. Yet the skull revealed that same hair-raising smile again, making every hair on Shen Yi's body stand on end.

"Rise!"

The skull actually spoke. Before its voice had faded, the Soul Character Banner behind it fluttered lightly. Shen Yi felt dizzy and drowsy, on the verge of falling asleep. Resisting the wave of sleepiness, Shen Yi threw a punch. The skull swiftly dodged aside, but Shen Yi abruptly changed his move and seized the banner in one hand. The sensation of unconsciousness immediately vanished.

At this sight, a trace of panic appeared on the skull. It turned to flee. "Rise!" Shen Yi would not give it the chance. Mimicking the skull's method of control, he activated the Soul Character Banner. In Shen Yi's hands, the banner's power was even greater. A wave of ghost qi swept forth and trapped the skull. Facing this thing that was neither demon nor ghost, Shen Yi threw a punch and shattered the bones to dust.

A black gleam flashed past, and the scenery around him changed again. Shen Yi saw a longsword resting atop a candlestick before him. At a glance, he knew the sword was no ordinary item. Just as he moved to take it, he was interrupted by a fierce aura.

"Stop! This treasure belongs to my Qingxuan Sect! If you know what's good for you, get lost, Shen Yi!"

"Qingxuan Sect?"

Shen Yi sneered when he heard that. Qingxuan Sect again—they truly were enemies on a narrow road.

The moment he turned around, Lin Feng saw Shen Yi's face, and his complexion instantly became ashen, unspeakably ugly.

"Shen Yi, I have my eye on this treasure. Please show mercy."

Lin Feng's mind raced. Shen Yi's strength was comparable to his own, yet Shen Yi had been able to fight Wang Mingxuan, the senior brother, one-on-one without falling behind. To run into this scourge here—what rotten luck. He immediately lowered his stance.

"Fine. If you have the ability, come take it!"

Shen Yi grabbed the longsword in one hand and held the banner in the other, openly provoking Lin Feng. Qingxuan Sect had provoked him time and again. In Shen Yi's eyes, no matter how much Lin Feng lowered himself, he would never let him leave today.

"Since you insist on courting death, I'll grant your wish!"

Seeing that Shen Yi was determined not to spare him, Lin Feng simply decided to fight to the death.

The Soul Character Banner in Shen Yi's hand swept through the air, and violent ghost qi pounced toward Lin Feng. Poor Lin Feng did not even have time to react before the ghost qi clouded his mind and knocked him unconscious. Shen Yi walked up to him, his eyes turning cold, and ended his life.

When Shen Yi returned to Jiang Miaoyi and the others, he was relieved to find them unharmed. Wang Teng had also awakened, but after using a secret technique, his vital energy had been badly depleted. He no longer had the strength to fight.

"This is for you. Consider it compensation for your Flowing Frost Sword."

Wu Liujian did not refuse. He caught it in one smooth motion, his eyes filled with gratitude. Ever since the Flowing Frost Sword had broken, he had been without a magical artifact. Now that he possessed one again, how could he not be delighted?

"This is a spirit artifact?"

Wu Liujian drew the longsword. Its blade was crimson, its cold edge gleaming, and a faint sword cry could be heard from it. The words "Crimson Firmament" were engraved upon the blade. Wu Liujian's hands trembled slightly. This Crimson Firmament Sword was clearly a mid-grade spirit artifact.

Beside them, Wang Teng looked at the still-composed Shen Yi, a hint of curiosity flashing through his eyes. Yet Shen Yi was staring toward another room, seemingly weighing something in his mind, and did not notice Wang Teng's expression.