"We broke the mechanisms here, so we should have passed the trial. Lin Feng of the Qingxuan Sect appeared here just now, which means others may appear as well. But apart from that spirit artifact, only this long banner remains. Why don't we look elsewhere? We should be able to find something."
Shen Yi's suggestion won everyone's approval. Seeing the Mid-grade spirit artifact in Wu Liujian's hand, they too were eager to try their luck and find a spirit artifact of their own.
Sure enough, just as Shen Yi had expected, when they entered another room, they encountered no further trouble. However, there were signs of a battle here, and lingering spiritual power fluctuations still hung in the air. Clearly, the treasure had already been taken by someone else.
After passing through several more rooms, they were always one step too late, and the group could not help feeling somewhat disappointed.
"These cultivators certainly have sharp eyes. Only a few Low-grade Magic Tools are left."
Shen Yi smiled and comforted them, telling them not to take it to heart. When fate arrived, opportunities would naturally come. At the same time, he calculated in secret. The map showed that after several more rooms, there would be a corridor leading to the final chamber. That was likely the Soul Summoning Banner's ultimate location. Yet judging from the current situation, by the time they arrived, someone would surely have beaten them to it. Still, a battle would inevitably break out ahead, so there was still enough time.
Just as expected, after Shen Yi's group of five passed through several more rooms, they heard waves of fighting coming from within one of them.
Two cultivators were fighting over a magic tool. When they saw Shen Yi's large group suddenly appear, they immediately stopped, facing each other in wary confrontation. They clearly intended to join forces if Shen Yi tried to seize it. Shen Yi smiled faintly and gestured that they were merely passing through, telling the two to continue. Once Shen Yi left the room, the pair promptly resumed their fight.
"Finally, I found a spirit artifact!"
Yuwen Yue held a longsword as well. Overjoyed, he drew it and flicked out several sword flowers before finally nodding in satisfaction. "Huaying. A good name!"
After passing through another three to five rooms, although none had been searched by others, they contained only magic tools. The group was far from satisfied.
"What's that?"
Shen Yi spotted a figure holding up half a Stone Key, and his spirits immediately rose as a sharp glint flashed through his eyes. That person also noticed the movement behind him and turned around. It was Wang Mingxuan.
Shen Yi whispered a few words into Jiang Miaoyi's ear. She looked at him worriedly, seeming to want to say something but stopping herself. In the end, she led the other three away and entered the next room.
Only Shen Yi and Wang Mingxuan remained in the room, facing each other.
"Shen Yi, you truly have some nerve. This time, I will definitely make you die by my hand!"
Wang Mingxuan put away the Stone Key. Though he did not know what it was for, his instincts told him that this half-key was anything but ordinary.
"Oh? Is that so? Lin Feng said the same thing to me."
The instant Wang Mingxuan heard Lin Feng's name, his gaze turned cold. Since Shen Yi said he had met Lin Feng, and Shen Yi was now standing here unharmed, it meant Lin Feng had already been killed by Shen Yi.
"Die!"
Wang Mingxuan's fury surged to the heavens. With a shout, he thrust his longsword toward Shen Yi's face.
"Such petty tricks!"
Shen Yi snorted coldly and launched the Dragon Elephant Fist. His fist met the sword's edge, and the tremendous force bent the blade slightly. Wang Mingxuan withdrew his sword, then immediately struck out with his palm. Violent spiritual power carried fierce gale-force winds as it howled toward Shen Yi.
Shen Yi met him blow for blow, throwing another punch. The two powerful bursts of spiritual power collided, stirring up all the spiritual energy in the room. The furnishings around them shattered into powder with a crash.
A trace of gravity flashed through Wang Mingxuan's eyes. Shen Lang had actually grown stronger again. If this boy was not eliminated, he would become a boundless future calamity.
With that thought, he let out a long howl, and his aura immediately rose several levels. Faint firelight even flickered around him. "Shen Yi, I know that my younger brother Wang Minghui's death was your doing as well, wasn't it?"
Shen Yi's expression froze at those words, and shock filled his heart.
"You needn't put on that expression. I suppose I should be thanking you instead."
Shen Yi was completely bewildered. Only when he saw the human face on Wang Mingxuan's chest did he understand what Wang Mingxuan meant.
"Without you, how could I have had the heart to devour my own younger brother?"
Wang Mingxuan wore a crazed expression as he spoke lightly of it. Shen Yi, however, felt sick to his stomach, cold sweat pouring down his back.
"Let me show you my divine ability!"
Wang Mingxuan roared, driving his longsword viciously into the human face on his chest. Blood surged out and stained the blade. Such a bizarre technique made Shen Yi's heart pound. He rapidly waved the Soul Character Banner in his hand, blocking attack after attack.
"Is that all you can do? It's not enough!"
Wang Mingxuan mocked Shen Yi as he attacked. His spiritual power swelled once more, and the overwhelming aura made it difficult for Shen Yi to breathe.
"Peak Qi Refining!"
Shen Yi's gaze grew solemn. He waved the soul banner even faster, ghostly qi spreading through the entire space, yet it still could not block the strange Sword Qi unleashed by the longsword.
Smack!
The soul banner finally could not hold on any longer and was cleaved apart by Wang Mingxuan's sword. The Sword Qi, glowing an eerie blood-red, swiftly sliced across Shen Yi's arm.
"Ha ha ha! No matter how powerful your body is, you still cannot withstand my blood curse!"
Seeing Shen Yi struck, Wang Mingxuan laughed wildly. He could already see Shen Yi bleeding from all seven orifices, dying in endless agony. Then he thought of the wonderful future where he would possess two beauties.
Shen Yi had no strength to spare for Wang Mingxuan's madness. He only felt the blood in his body boiling, spiritual power running wildly through his meridians. The pain was unbearable, as though he might explode and die the very next moment.
"Even the Indestructible Scripture can only suppress it for a moment. That Sword Qi is far too strange, clinging within my body like a ghost."
By now, Shen Yi was bleeding from all seven orifices, transformed into a man of blood. He could clearly feel his meridians being churned apart, on the verge of breaking.
"Since I'm going to die, I can't leave you alive in this world either!"
He clenched his teeth until they shattered and took out that jade slip. The meridians in both his legs had already been severed, and he fell to his knees. With trembling hands, he arduously activated it. A flash of light shot straight toward Wang Mingxuan.
Wang Mingxuan sneered. He believed Shen Yi was already a spent arrow, merely struggling on the verge of death. A trace of contempt showed in his eyes as he raised a hand to repel the attack.
"Brat, you tricked me!"
Only after that powerful energy pierced through his chest did Wang Mingxuan understand that the attack was not something he could withstand.
Poor Wang Mingxuan had barely enjoyed his moment of glory before his own arrogance killed him.
Seeing Wang Mingxuan fall, Shen Yi felt that fewer than one in ten of his meridians remained intact. He gave a despairing smile.
Elsewhere, after hearing Shen Yi's instructions, Jiang Miaoyi led the other three onward, searching and looting all the way until they finally reached the corridor.
"Senior Shen said that once we pass through the corridor, the Soul Summoning Banner will be ahead."
Wang Teng was immediately invigorated by those words. Seeing the worried expressions on Jiang Miaoyi and the other two, he too turned back to look at the closed room.
"Please, stay alive!"
The four prayed for Shen Yi in their hearts and headed toward the room at the end of the corridor.
Before you continue