Soul-Burying Venerable

Just as Lu Chen's thoughts churned and he struggled bitterly to hold on, another sudden change erupted!

In the western sky, the gray-black clouds of deathly qi that had only been circling slowly seemed provoked by the aura of the "Netherbone Life-Substitution Talisman" and abruptly began to churn violently!

From deep within the clouds came a cold snort, seemingly from beneath the Nine Netherworlds, filled with majesty and indifference.

Then, a condensed beam of gray deathly light, as solid as substance, suddenly cleaved down from the clouds like heavenly punishment!

Its target was neither Lu Chen nor the Netherbone War Puppet, but—the black cocoon behind them, where Wolf Owl was sustaining the war puppet through sacrifice!

"Soul-Burying Venerable?! You..." Wolf Owl's furious, startled roar came from within the black cocoon, only to cut off abruptly!

The gray deathly light struck the black cocoon with unerring precision!

With a soft pop, like a bubble bursting.

The black energy cocoon enveloping Wolf Owl, along with his already feeble aura within, vanished instantly beneath the gray deathly light like ice and snow melting away! Not even a trace remained!

Wolf Owl—the vice sect master of the Sky Wolf Sect and commander of the Northern Frontier army—had ultimately died beneath the casual strike of his so-called "ally"! Body and soul utterly destroyed!

The black energy thread connecting the Netherbone War Puppet and Wolf Owl snapped in response!

"Awoo—!!!"

The Netherbone War Puppet let out a pained, bewildered roar. The soul flames in its eye sockets flickered violently, and its movements became visibly stiff and chaotic!

Having lost the continuous nourishment and control of Wolf Owl's divine soul, it seemed to have become a killing machine that acted solely on instinct and lingering commands. Its power remained, but its agility and precision had greatly diminished.