Life and Death Crisis

"We've disabled the mechanisms here, so we should have passed the test. Lin Feng from the Qingxuan Sect also appeared here earlier, so clearly others will show up too. However, besides that spirit artifact, all that's left here is this banner. Why don't we check out other places? We should be able to find something."

Shen Yi's suggestion was met with agreement from the others. Seeing the Mid-grade spirit artifact in Wu Liujian's hand, they were all eager to find one for themselves.

As Shen Yi had predicted, when they entered another room, they encountered no further difficulties. However, there were signs of a struggle, and residual spiritual energy fluctuations lingered in the air, indicating that the treasure had already been taken by someone else.

After passing through several more rooms, each time arriving too late, the group couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

"These cultivators have good taste, leaving only a few Low-grade Magic Tools behind."

Shen Yi smiled and tried to comfort them, advising them not to worry. He believed that opportunities would present themselves when the time was right. Meanwhile, he was secretly calculating. The map indicated that after a few more rooms, there would be a passage leading to the final chamber, which he presumed was the ultimate location of the Soul Summoning Banner. However, given the current situation, he suspected that by the time they arrived, someone would have already claimed it. Still, he anticipated a confrontation ahead, which meant they might still have enough time.

As expected, after Shen Yi and his four companions moved through a few more rooms, they heard the sounds of fighting emanating from within.

It turned out two cultivators were fighting over a magic tool. Upon seeing Shen Yi's group, who appeared to be numerous and powerful, they immediately stopped fighting and faced each other warily, showing signs of forming an alliance if Shen Yi attempted to seize the item. Shen Yi smiled faintly and signaled that they were just passing through, allowing the two to continue their dispute. Once Shen Yi's group left the room, the two cultivators resumed their fight.

"Finally, we've found a spirit artifact!"

Yuwen Yue, holding a long sword, was overjoyed. He drew his sword and performed a few flourishes, satisfied. "Huaying, what a fitting name!"

After walking through another three to five rooms, although none had been searched by others, they only contained magic tools, leaving the group feeling rather unsatisfied.

"What is that?"

Shen Yi spotted a figure holding half a stone key, and his spirits immediately lifted, a glint flashing in his eyes. The person also noticed the movement behind them and turned around, revealing Wang Mingxuan.

Shen Yi whispered a few words into Jiang Miaoyi's ear. She glanced at Shen Yi with some concern, wanting to speak but holding back. In the end, she led the other three away into the next room.

Only Shen Yi and Wang Mingxuan remained in the room, facing each other.

"Shen Yi, you truly are audacious. This time, I will definitely kill you!"

Wang Mingxuan put away the stone key. Although he didn't know its purpose, his intuition told him that this half-key was no ordinary object.

"Oh? Is that so? Lin Feng also told me the same thing."

Upon hearing Lin Feng's name, Wang Mingxuan's eyes instantly turned cold. Since Shen Yi claimed to have seen Lin Feng, his complete presence here now indicated that Lin Feng had been killed by Shen Yi.

"Die!"

Wang Mingxuan, consumed by rage, shouted and thrust his sword forward, aiming directly for Shen Yi's face.

"A mere trick!"

Shen Yi snorted coldly and unleashed the Dragon Elephant Fist, blocking the sword's edge with a punch. The immense force caused the sword to bend slightly. Wang Mingxuan retracted his sword and immediately slapped forward, unleashing a torrent of spiritual energy accompanied by a howling gale.

Shen Yi met the attack head-on with another punch. The two powerful spiritual energies collided, stirring up the spiritual energy in the entire room and reducing the surrounding furnishings to dust.

A hint of solemnity flashed in Wang Mingxuan's eyes. Shen Lang had grown even stronger. If this brat isn't eliminated, he will be an endless source of trouble.

With this thought, he let out a long roar, his aura intensifying further, even causing faint flames to flicker around him. "Shen Yi, I know you were responsible for my brother Wang Minghui's death as well!"

Shen Yi's gaze froze upon hearing this, and he was greatly shocked.

"You don't need to put on that expression. In fact, I should thank you."

Shen Yi was utterly bewildered until he saw the human face on Wang Mingxuan's chest. Only then did he understand what Wang Mingxuan was referring to.

"Without you, how could I bring myself to devour my own brother!"

Wang Mingxuan spoke with a crazed look, his words uttered nonchalantly. Shen Yi felt a wave of nausea, cold sweat breaking out on his back.

"Let me show you my divine ability!"

Wang Mingxuan roared, plunging his long sword fiercely into the human face on his chest. Blood surged out, staining the sword. Such a bizarre technique made Shen Yi's heart palpitate. He rapidly swung the Soul Character Banner, fending off the subsequent attacks.

"Is this all you've got? It's not enough!"

Wang Mingxuan taunted Shen Yi as he attacked, his spiritual energy surging once more. The powerful aura made it difficult for Shen Yi to breathe.

"Peak Qi Refining!"

Shen Yi's gaze turned grave. He swung the soul banner with even greater frequency, and ghostly energy permeated the entire space, yet it still couldn't block the bizarre sword energy emanating from the blade.

"Crack!"

The soul banner finally couldn't hold on and was severed by Wang Mingxuan's sword. The eerily blood-red sword energy swiftly sliced across Shen Yi's arm.

"Hahaha, no matter how strong your physique, you can't withstand my blood curse!"

Seeing Shen Yi struck, Wang Mingxuan laughed arrogantly. He could already picture Shen Yi bleeding from all seven orifices, dying in agony, and then imagined his own beautiful future with two beauties.

Shen Yi could barely focus on Wang Mingxuan's madness. At this moment, he felt his blood boiling, his spiritual energy coursing chaotically through his meridians, causing excruciating pain. It felt as if he would explode at any second.

"The Indestructible Scripture can only suppress it for a moment. That sword energy is too bizarre, like a phantom attached to my body."

At this point, Shen Yi was bleeding from all seven orifices, a bloody mess. He could clearly feel his meridians being churned and on the verge of shattering.

"Since I'm going to die, I won't let you live either!"

He gritted his teeth, took out the jade slip. His legs were already crippled, and he knelt on the ground. His hands trembled as he painstakingly activated it. A flash of light shot towards Wang Mingxuan.

Wang Mingxuan sneered, convinced that Shen Yi was at the end of his rope, merely struggling in his death throes. A look of contempt flashed in his eyes as he raised his hand to block the attack.

"Kid, you tricked me!"

Only when the powerful energy pierced his chest did Wang Mingxuan realize that this attack was beyond his ability to withstand.

Alas, Wang Mingxuan, who had barely savored his moment of glory, was killed by his own arrogance.

Seeing Wang Mingxuan fall, Shen Yi felt that less than ten percent of his meridians were intact. He let out a despairing laugh.

On the other side, Jiang Miaoyi, having heard Shen Yi's words, led the other three forward. They searched as they went and finally reached a passageway.

"Senior Brother Shen said that beyond this passageway lies the Soul Summoning Banner."

Wang Teng's spirits soared upon hearing this. Seeing the worried expressions on Jiang Miaoyi and the other two's faces, he also glanced back at the closed room.

"You must survive!"

The four of them prayed for Shen Yi in their hearts as they walked towards the room at the end of the passageway.