On the first day of Wang Ai's disappearance, no one paid any attention.
Even setting aside the immense influence represented by the Wang Family, Wang Ai himself was not someone many in the world of Espers would dare provoke. His disappearance for a single day naturally did not inspire much speculation.
In the stands, everyone was enthusiastically discussing yesterday's battles and the matches to be held today.
"Chairman Feng, that young man below is your son, isn't he?" the benevolent-looking Old Heavenly Master asked the man beside him, carrying himself like a true master.
"Haha, indeed, that is my son. Please forgive his shortcomings, Old Heavenly Master," Feng Zhenghao said with a smile.
The Old Heavenly Master stroked his long beard. "Chairman Feng is too modest. It isn't easy to make it into the tournament's top sixteen."
"That depends on who you compare him to." Feng Zhenghao shook his head with a smile. "His opponent is even younger than him, yet their strength is already on an entirely different level!"
Feng Shayan gave a soft snort beside them. "Dad, don't look down on my little brother too much. His strength may be somewhat weaker than the other contestants', but if his opponent is Shen Ye... hmph, then the outcome is hard to say!"
Though she said this to Feng Zhenghao, her gaze remained fixed on Hua Yue in the distance. Clearly, she still could not let go of yesterday's defeat.
However, Hua Yue completely ignored her, focusing wholeheartedly on the arena.
Feng Shayan could not keep her face straight any longer. "Hey, you..."
Just then, Feng Xingtong's bashful voice came from the arena. "My Feng Family has an inherited Ultimate Skill called Spirit Binding and General Dispatching. It can restrain every spirit under heaven. If you don't want to lose without even knowing why, you'd best not use the ability you used yesterday."
Hearing her little brother's words, Feng Shayan was instantly struck dumb, looking on the verge of collapse. "That idiot! Who reveals their trump card right from the start?"
Before she could finish, Shen Ye's voice rang out below. "No matter. I am rather curious about an ability that can restrain spirits as well. Why not let me see how you intend to restrain me?"
"Huh? Huh? Huh?" Feng Shayan was dumbfounded. Were both of them idiots?
Feng Zhenghao adjusted his glasses. "Shayan, this time you underestimated Xingtong. He has been observing that young man for a long time. He knew that with his opponent's pride, this choice was inevitable!"
"So that's how it is..." Feng Shayan suddenly understood. Then she looked at Hua Yue with a touch of smugness. "Your friend's strength may be decent, but his brain does not seem to work very well. He couldn't even see through such a clumsy provocation from my little brother!"
Hua Yue, who had been intently watching the arena, suddenly turned around. The cold glint in her eyes inexplicably made Feng Shayan feel uneasy. "Did... did I say something wrong?"
Hua Yue closed her eyes and calmed herself before speaking. "The moment you use a mortal's thinking to speculate on the realm of a god, you have already become a joke."
"A god?" Feng Shayan's mouth twitched. "My mistake. I actually argued with a brainless fangirl like you."
In the arena, as the humanoid phantom from yesterday gradually appeared behind Shen Ye, Feng Xingtong put away his "innocent" smile and said apologetically, "I'm sorry. My methods may be somewhat despicable, but if I want to make it to the end of this Grand Heavenly Offering Ritual, I must obtain greater power. Let me borrow your spirit for a few days. Once the tournament is over, I will definitely return it to you! Spirit Binding and General Dispatching, come here!"
At Feng Xingtong's shout, everyone in the stands watched the arena with immense anticipation.
One second, two seconds, three seconds... nothing on the field changed in the slightest.
A cold wind blew past, and crows cawed overhead. The atmosphere seemed to grow somewhat awkward.
"Hm? What happened?"
"Is it already over?"
"Is this a battle between experts? Amazing! I can't even see the slightest trace of it!"
Feng Xingtong's expression changed slightly as he realized something was wrong. "Come here. Get over here!"
Under Feng Xingtong's horrified gaze, Shen Ye calmly remarked, "So this is Spirit Binding and General Dispatching? Interesting."
Seeing Shen Ye still able to speak so casually, Feng Xingtong's expression changed drastically. He pushed the output of his qi to the limit. "Come here! Hurry up and come here!"
Centered on him, an invisible force field rippled outward like waves. Even the spectators faintly felt as though their souls were being pulled.
"What kind of power is this?"
"My head feels so swollen and painful! What's going on?"
Terrified cries filled the surroundings, yet Shen Ye, at the center of the force field, looked as if a breeze were brushing past him. His expression did not change in the slightest.
"It can actually make my control waver a little. Though only a little, that is already quite remarkable. As expected of an ability containing laws!" A strange gleam flashed through Shen Ye's eyes. He had actually encountered an ability containing laws in this mortal world. No wonder that great serpent in the original course of events had been forcibly subdued by Spirit Binding and General Dispatching yesterday.
"Unfortunately, it is of little use against me." Shen Ye shook his head slightly. Though arts containing laws were rare in this world, they were far from precious to him. "Still, if all Eight Unique Skills in this world are arts containing laws, then the source of their creation is well worth investigating!"
If he remembered correctly, the eight people said to have created the Eight Unique Skills were not exceptionally gifted. Even Zhang Zhiwei, the generations of Heavenly Masters of Longhu Mountain, and the ascended ancestors throughout history had not created such extraordinary skills. What gave those eight the right to create arts that should not belong to this world?
While Shen Ye let his thoughts wander, Feng Xingtong's face had gone pale. He stared in disbelief at the rock-solid phantom. Spirit Binding and General Dispatching, which had never failed against souls and spirits, had actually stopped working?
Seeing the other party cease his attack, Shen Ye raised his head. "Are you done attacking? Then it's my turn. Watch closely. This is what you call... Spirit Binding and General Dispatching!"
Under Feng Xingtong's disbelieving gaze, Shen Ye beckoned with his right hand, and the soul residing within Feng Xingtong flew over uncontrollably.
Feng Xingtong stared at the scene in a daze and muttered, "Th-this is Spirit Binding and General Dispatching? Impossible. How could it be like this?"
This is not Spirit Binding and General Dispatching, Shen Ye thought.
This was actually a shamanic art developed by the successive High Priests after City of Flowing Moon went astray—We have helped Venerable God Shennong guard Jumu for so many years. Borrowing a little incense power is not excessive, is it? Since Great God Shennong has not responded, we will take that as his tacit approval.
This shamanic art had not originally been too excessive; it had merely been secretly "misappropriating public funds." But after Shen Ye developed it further, it had directly become the Great Divine Ability of Driving Gods and Employing Ghosts.
In a sense, this divine ability functioned much like Spirit Binding and General Dispatching, except its effects were far more tyrannical. Forget sprites and souls—even heavenly gods and earthly deities were restrained by it. It could even seize ownerless faith and incense offerings.
Of course, in his previous life, in that world filled with gods and buddhas, he had only dared to occasionally "borrow" Great God Shennong's power. If he had truly abused it, the God Realm would have killed him long ago.
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