Soul Banner Displays Its Might

The night was deep, and Listening Thunder Abode was shrouded in silence, broken only by the rustling of the wind through the pine forest.

Mo Yuan sat cross-legged in the quiet room, the ten-thousand-year-old warm jade on his chest emitting a soft glow, nourishing his body and mind.

The battle with Luo Li had been immensely draining, followed by forcing his way through the illusion array. Though he had won, his internal organs and meridians had been severely shaken, and he needed time to recuperate and recover.

However, just as he calmed his mind, guiding gentle spiritual energy to heal his internal injuries, and simultaneously dedicating a sliver of his divine sense to slowly refine that wisp of innate Dao rhythm, an extremely subtle yet bone-chilling sense of crisis suddenly pierced his sea of consciousness like a poisoned needle!

It wasn't a fluctuation of spiritual energy, but a pure, soul-targeting malevolence!

Someone was ambushing him! The target was his very soul!

Mo Yuan's eyes snapped open, a flash of purple-gold lightning streaking through them before vanishing.

He didn't even have time to stand up. His mind instantly connected with the Soul Cleansing Banner in his sea of consciousness to its utmost limit!

"Buzz--!"

A clear, watery, yet incredibly resilient beam of pure light erupted from his body, instantly enveloping him.

On the light shield, faint, intricate golden runes flowed, exuding a serene, peaceful, yet inviolable majestic aura.

This was the protective power of the Purity Domain, a gift from the Soul Cleansing Banner after its advancement to High-Grade Magic Item, specifically for safeguarding the soul!

Almost the instant the light shield formed!

"Chii!"

An intangible, formless, yet incredibly venomous black soul stab, like a viper from the deepest netherworld, fiercely collided with the light shield!

There was no earth-shattering roar, only a bizarre, grating sound, like a soul being torn apart.

The light shield rippled violently, the golden runes on its surface flickering in and out of existence. The soul stab had managed to penetrate an inch deep! But ultimately, it was blocked!

Mo Yuan felt a sharp pain in his sea of consciousness, as if pierced by a steel needle. If the Soul Cleansing Banner hadn't timely protected its master, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

He was both shocked and enraged. The opponent's methods were vicious, directly attacking the soul, clearly harboring a malicious intent to kill in one blow or cripple his foundation!

"Oh? It actually possesses such a soul-defending magic item?"

A surprised "Hmm?" came from outside the courtyard, tinged with a hint of unexpectedness, which then turned sharp and fierce, "Attack together, break it!"

Three black figures, like phantoms, pierced through the courtyard wall (not physically, but through some kind of escape technique), forming a triangular formation around Mo Yuan's quiet room.

The one in the lead held a black clay pot, its opening emitting a dim light locked onto Mo Yuan; the one on the left held a pair of pitch-black short blades, their surfaces entwined with soul-devouring black energy; the one on the right flickered and swayed, muttering incantations, seemingly preparing a stronger soul-attacking spell.

The aura of all three individuals was at the ninth level of Qi Refining! Furthermore, their cultivation techniques were of the same origin, cold and sinister, identical to the Black Fiend Sect, yet seemingly more refined and ancient!

"Assassins from the Netherworld organization!" Mo Yuan instantly understood.

They had indeed taken advantage of his weakened state, and his guard being slightly down after the recent battle, to launch a fatal ambush!

"Quite a quick reaction! Let's see how long you can last!"

The assassin holding the clay pot snorted coldly, channeling his magic power. Another, more condensed black soul arrow shot out from the pot.

Simultaneously, the other two moved. They swung their short blades, unleashing two crisscrossing black blade energies that struck directly at the light shield; the one chanting pushed his palms forward, and an invisible soul shockwave surged like a tide!

The combined attack of the three was far more powerful than before!

Mo Yuan's expression turned grave. His spiritual energy had only recovered to about thirty to forty percent. Forcing the use of thunder techniques or spear arts would greatly reduce their power. But he remained calm in the face of danger, his Primordial Comprehension working frantically under the life-or-death crisis!

He didn't choose to confront them head-on. Instead, he divided his attention! On one hand, he fully maintained the Purity Domain of the Soul Cleansing Banner. The light contracted, becoming more solid, stubbornly guarding his sea of consciousness and vital points.

On the other hand, he formed a hand seal, drawing not on his own spiritual energy, but connecting with the earth beneath his feet, with the Earth Vein energy of Stone Bamboo Shoot Mountain!

Earth Vein Dragon Seeking Art!

Though it was only a fragment, at this moment, leveraging the advantage of Stone Bamboo Shoot Mountain being their home ground, and the amplification of his ten-thousand-year-old warm jade on sensing spiritual energy, he managed to draw upon a trace of weak yet profoundly powerful earth energy!

"Earth Vein, rise!"

He let out a low cry. The ground of the quiet room trembled violently, and several sturdy stone bamboo shoots suddenly thrust out as if the earth dragons were turning over. They weren't attacking the three assassins, but cleverly obstructed the path between them and the quiet room, disrupting their attack routes and positions!

"Boom! Boom!"

Most of the black soul arrow and blade energy were blocked by the suddenly rising stone bamboo shoots, exploding and dissipating. Only some residual waves impacted the light shield, causing it to shake, but failing to break it.

The soul shockwave was also weakened by more than half by the heavy earth energy.

"Hmph! A mere trick!"

The assassin holding the pot's eyes narrowed. He clearly hadn't expected Mo Yuan to be able to use earth vein techniques to interfere under such circumstances.

He was about to channel the clay pot again, to unleash a stronger killing move.

Just then, a fierce glint flashed in Mo Yuan's eyes!

Defense was never his style! Especially when the opponent specialized in soul attacks!

His strongest counter-attack method was precisely aimed at the soul!

"Soul Cleansing Banner, retract!"

He stopped passively defending and actively activated the High-Grade Magic Item, the Soul Cleansing Banner, in his sea of consciousness.

The pure light that had enveloped him suddenly expanded, no longer a simple protective shield, but transforming into a rotating vortex of pure light with a powerful suction force, actively covering the three assassins.

At the center of the vortex, faint, peaceful chanting of liberation could be heard, along with the spiritual radiance of the Purity Bamboo shining!

The clear light posed no harm to living beings; it could even bring peace to the mind. However, for cultivators of sinister techniques, especially those who specialized in soul attacks and whose own soul power was inevitably tainted with yin and malevolent energies, it possessed extremely potent suppressive and purifying effects. Furthermore, the suction from the vortex directly targeted the soul.

"What?! This magic item..."

The expressions of the three assassins changed drastically. They felt their soul power being faintly drawn out, even showing signs of being stripped from their bodies.

Their cultivated sinister techniques were also greatly suppressed, like ice and snow meeting a scorching sun!

The assassin who was chanting to prepare a soul attack was affected the most. His incantation was instantly interrupted, and he let out a muffled groan as his soul power backfired, causing black blood to seep from the corner of his mouth!

"Not good! This banner is strange! Destroy him first!" The assassin holding the jar made a decisive move. He abandoned the attempt to capture souls and instead aimed the earthen jar at Mo Yuan. A faint glow condensed at the mouth of the jar, clearly indicating an imminent powerful physical or energy attack.

The other two assassins, enduring the discomfort of their soul power, charged forward again with their blades!

An opportunity!

Just as the enemy's formation faltered and their attack shifted!

Mo Yuan moved!

The scarce spiritual power remaining within him erupted, infused with the aura of Geng Metal Thunderous Evil, and his Ghost Shadow Footwork was pushed to its absolute limit.

His figure became like lightning tearing through the night. Instead of retreating, he charged directly at the chanting assassin, who was suffering from the backlash and was the most unstable.

At the same time, he already held the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear in his hand.

Although his spiritual power was insufficient to unleash powerful spear techniques, the Thunder Dragon Soul Essence and the power of lightning contained within the spear itself had a natural suppression against sinister entities!

"Die!"

His speed was extreme. Almost the instant the clear light vortex's interference took effect, Mo Yuan had already closed in on the chanting assassin.

The Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear, with unparalleled resolve, transformed into a streak of purple lightning, piercing directly towards his throat!

The assassin, suffering from soul power backlash, was sluggish and had no time to react!

"Puchi!"

The spear tip pierced through his protective evil energy without resistance and penetrated his throat! The power of lightning erupted, instantly destroying his life force!

A single strike, a kill!

"Third brother!" The other two assassins' eyes were about to burst!

The attack from the assassin holding the jar finally launched. A condensed beam of black light shot out from the mouth of the jar, carrying an aura of corrosion and destruction, heading straight for Mo Yuan's back!

Meanwhile, the dual blades of the other assassin were already upon him!

Mo Yuan's old strength was depleted, and new strength had not yet arisen. Furthermore, he was facing away from the attack, and it seemed he was about to be struck!

At the critical moment, he made an extremely bold decision.

He completely abandoned his defense from behind, pouring all his remaining spiritual power and mental energy into the Soul Cleansing Banner, activating its strongest 'subjugation' power, targeting the assassin with the blades!

"Subjugate!"

The clear light vortex suddenly contracted, its entire power concentrated into a single point. Like an invisible heavy hammer, it fiercely struck the soul of the blade-wielding assassin.

The assassin felt as if a great bell had struck in his mind, and countless peaceful and benevolent thoughts surged in, instantly dispelling the killing intent and malice in his heart. His eyes became vacant, and his movements paused!

It was this pause!

Mo Yuan suddenly twisted his body, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow to his back, but his left shoulder was still grazed by the black beam!

"Screech!"

His robe on his left shoulder instantly turned to ash, and his skin and muscles were corroded and burned, exposing bone. The searing pain pierced his heart!

However, he used this impact to surge forward. Simultaneously, he spun around and thrust his spear. The Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear, like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, stabbed towards the heart of the blade-wielding assassin, whose movements had been halted by the subjugation power!

"Pfft!"

Another piercing through the heart! The power of lightning instantly annihilated his soul!

In the blink of an eye, two of the three assassins at the ninth level of Qi Refining were gone!

Only the leader, the one holding the earthen jar, remained! He watched his two companions perish in the flash of lightning and thunder, and fear finally surged within him.

He had not expected the target, in such a state, to possess such terrifying counterattack capabilities and a bizarre magic item!

"Retreat!" Without hesitation, he crushed a teleportation talisman, and his figure was about to dissipate into black smoke!

"Trying to leave? Stay here!"

Mo Yuan endured the severe pain in his left shoulder and the dizziness from his depleted spiritual power, channeling his last vestiges of strength, along with a trace of enlightenment brought by the refining primordial Dao rhyme, entirely into the Soul Cleansing Banner!

"Purity Bamboo Domain, Seal!"

The clear light spread out again, no longer a vortex but transforming into a massive, rune-covered transparent barrier that instantly enveloped the entire small courtyard.

The black smoke, into which the assassin had transformed, struck the clear light barrier and bounced back as if hitting a solid wall, his escape technique broken!

"Impossible!" The assassin leader's face turned deathly pale, and despair finally appeared in his eyes.

Mo Yuan leaned on the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear, his face ashen, blood dripping continuously from his arm and left shoulder. His aura was extremely weak, but his eyes were as cold as ten thousand years of ice. He walked towards the leader step by step.

"Tell me, who sent you? What is the relationship between the Netherworld and the Black Fiend Sect?"

The assassin leader looked at the approaching Mo Yuan, then at the corpses of his companions on the ground. A look of ferocity and determination flashed across his face as he gritted his teeth, "You wish! Netherworld... Long live!"

His spiritual power surged backward within his body, his form swelling as if inflated!

"Trying to self-destruct?" Mo Yuan's pupils constricted. He was powerless to stop it now.

At this critical moment, a golden lightning strike, brilliant as the sun, descended from the heavens like divine punishment, precisely cleaving the assassin leader's head!

"Boom!"

After the lightning, the assassin leader's charred body stood frozen in place. The swelling spiritual power was instantly dispelled by the intensely yang thunder, and he was already dead.

Uncle Nine (Lin Jiu) appeared in the courtyard, his face ashen. A terrifying aura of a Foundation Establishment Earth Master emanated from him, clearly alerted by the earlier battle's fluctuations and arriving just in time.

He looked at the devastated courtyard, and at his disciple, bloodied and swaying precariously yet still standing. His eyes were filled with lingering fear and surging rage.

"Netherworld... Black Fiend Sect... Good! Very good!" Uncle Nine's voice was bone-chillingly cold. "You dare to assassinate the foremost disciple of my Mount Mao? Do you truly think Mount Mao has no one?!"

He strode forward and supported Mo Yuan, pure Foundation Establishment spiritual power surging into him, helping to stabilize his injuries and suppress the corrosive black energy.

Mo Yuan let out a sigh of relief. As his strained consciousness relaxed, waves of dizziness washed over him.

"Master... they... they came for me..." he said weakly.

"This master knows."

Uncle Nine looked at his disciple's pale face, his heart aching with both tenderness and fury. "You heal first. This matter is far from over!"

His gaze, sharp as a sword, swept towards the dark night sky outside the courtyard.

Within Mount Mao, and indeed the entire cultivation world, undercurrents surged due to Mo Yuan's sudden emergence. Tonight's events were merely the beginning.

And through this battle, Mo Yuan finally understood: possessing treasures invites calamity. His future path was destined to be accompanied by slaughter and danger.

He had to become stronger, faster. Strong enough to crush all schemes and assassinations!

The fourth floor of the Scripture Pavilion, the Foundation Establishment realm, would be his next crucial step.