Soul Devouring Banner, Soul Guiding Array

Having lived two lives, now that Zheng Yi had made up his mind, he did not hesitate in the slightest.

He sold his right of residence in the Immortal City, cutting off his own retreat.

Walking out of the brokerage office, Zheng Yi headed toward the city gate in silence.

No expression showed on his face. When he stood beneath the towering gates of Profound Sky City, he lifted his head and looked around.

Seeing cultivators with hopeful eyes hurrying eagerly into the city, he felt an indescribable bitterness in his heart.

Back when he had transmigrated to the Da Yi Immortal Domain, he too had been alone and without support, his parents long since passed away.

Relying on the family estate left behind by the previous owner's parents, he had endured countless dangers and hardships before barely obtaining the right of residence in Profound Sky City.

When he had first stood beneath Profound Sky City's gates, he had been just like these fellow cultivators, excited and exhilarated, as though he could see the beginning of a far more brilliant road through life.

Yet nothing had turned out as he imagined. After spending two or three years here, he was still only a minor Rogue Cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining, barely scraping out a living.

Now, a brand-new world opening before Zheng Yi undoubtedly gave him an unprecedented chance to turn his life around.

This was his only chance. Zheng Yi had not hesitated to stake his entire fortune on it, even selling his right of residence in the Immortal City. He had smashed the cauldrons and sunk the boats, charging forward without looking back.

One had to know that the Da Yi Immortal Domain was far from a peaceful, stable world.

The immortal sects and Demonic Sects here all followed the cruelest law of natural selection.

Fight the heavens, fight the earth, fight other people!

Fight! Seize! Take everything you needed to sustain your cultivation!

Zheng Yi had heard these words from the mouth of an extraordinary great cultivator. He had taken them to heart then and never forgotten them.

Conflicts among fellow disciples, mutual deceit and scheming—such matters were widely circulated in teahouses, tea shops, taverns, and the like.

For a single magical artifact or some material needed for Foundation Establishment, they would truly fight until one side died.

Even people who knew one another acted this way. It was hard to imagine how fierce the competition must be between complete strangers.

Out in the wilderness, it was not only savage demonic beasts one needed to watch out for. Others of one's own kind were the most terrifying enemies.

This showed just how indispensable the right of residence in an Immortal City was to cultivators.

This was especially true for those lone and helpless Rogue Cultivators—it was practically what kept them alive.

For Zheng Yi to decisively sell off his right of residence at a low price, he had truly made an enormous resolution.

Succeed, or die trying!

Giving the towering gates of Profound Sky City one last look, Zheng Yi drew a deep breath, stepped forward, and walked resolutely out of the city.

Like an oath, this was the final sentence he left behind as he departed the Immortal City.

"I will come back again!!"

Perhaps it was his hope for the future. Perhaps it was also his resolve.

"After selling my residence right and adding my savings, I have roughly 1,300 Low-Grade Spirit Stones left. This is the greatest asset I can possibly produce."

Gazing at a city in the distance that sprawled across the ground and radiated a savage aura, Zheng Yi silently calculated in his heart.

After leaving the Immortal City, Zheng Yi traveled with utmost caution. It took him a full half month to quietly pass through the chaotic region where immortals and demons met.

Only after traveling three thousand li did he reach a city in the Demon Domain.

Blood Mist Abyss City!

"I heard Blood Mist Venerable oversees this city. Compared to other Demon Cities, it should be much safer. This will do."

Throughout those entire half a month, Zheng Yi had not merely been traveling.

After arriving in the Demon Domain, he had spent no small amount of effort and Spirit Stones gathering information about this Demon Domain, which was even more dangerous than the Immortal Domain.

One had to know that those who cultivated demonic paths were crueler and more terrifying than immortal cultivators. They sacrificed human bodies and souls in blood rituals; some, in order to cultivate dreadful Demon Arts, even blood-sacrificed entire villages of their own kind.

Long-term cultivation of Demon Arts, slaughter, and bloodshed had long turned many demonic cultivators temperamental and twisted, into terrifying people who took pleasure in killing.

This Blood Mist Venerable, however, was both righteous and wicked, and immensely powerful. He had laid down a rule forbidding anyone from making a move within the city. Those who violated it would be skinned, have their tendons pulled out, and have their souls and spirits refined.

After spending two Low-Grade Spirit Stones, Zheng Yi entered Blood Demon Abyss City.

Compared with Profound Sky City, the people walking about here were all powerful cultivators. The difference was that these demonic cultivators radiated savage, ferocious auras from head to toe, far more frightening than the relatively peaceful aura of immortal cultivators.

Zheng Yi did not observe much further. Instead, he went directly to the Soul Devouring Sect's station in the city and asked to join the Soul Devouring Sect.

"You're not young anymore. You have some foundation, yet you still want to cultivate the demonic path. Aren't you afraid of death?!"

The man presiding over this station was a shriveled old man. Dazzling glints of light occasionally flashed through his murky yellow eyes, making Zheng Yi afraid to meet his gaze. Stroking his beard, he spoke indifferently.

In his view, Zheng Yi was over twenty and already cultivated a technique, yet had only now come to seek refuge with a Demonic Sect. Clearly, he had discovered that his aptitude was lacking and wanted to take a shortcut. He had seen plenty of such cases.

What he did not know was that Zheng Yi indeed had a shortcut to take—but not the sort he imagined, involving savage and horrifying methods. Zheng Yi had not extinguished his humanity.

"Elder speaks wisely!"

With a respectful expression, Zheng Yi bowed deeply and said, "This disciple is dull by nature and bears a sea-deep blood vendetta. To take revenge, this disciple wishes to enter the Soul Devouring Sect. For vengeance, this disciple will stop at nothing!"

As he spoke, his right hand placed a bundle on the table. He then stood respectfully to one side, lowering his head as he waited.

The Outer Sect Elder's eyes gleamed when he saw the items, and a faint smile appeared on his withered face.

He reached into the air with his right hand, and the bundle flew into his grasp. Feeling its weight, the smile on his face deepened by several degrees.

"Since one lives in this world, one must keep one's word! A blood sea of enmity must naturally be avenged."

"Very well! In light of your sincere devotion, this elder is willing to give you this opportunity."

He did not care whether Zheng Yi truly had a blood sea of enmity. So long as there were enough Spirit Stones, his decision was made.

With that, he took out a token and tossed it over.

Zheng Yi hurriedly caught it. On its front was a ferocious blood skull, while its back depicted a Corpse Mountain piled high with skull heads.

"Drip blood on it to claim it as your own, and you will become an Outer Sect Disciple of the Soul Devouring Sect." The Outer Sect Elder gave his instructions, then took out a cultivation manual and a Soul Devouring Banner.

Following the elder's instructions, Zheng Yi dripped blood to claim it as his own and immediately felt a connection form between himself and the token in his hand.

There was not much information inside, and he quickly absorbed it all. Then he raised his head to look at the cultivation manual and Soul Devouring Banner laid out on the table.

"These two items are the cultivation technique and weapon. The inheritance of cultivation techniques is also among the most important things in our sect, and can be considered one of the benefits granted to you disciples."

"As for this Soul Devouring Banner, it counts as the protective artifact you purchased. Its cost will be deducted from your tribute, so I will not charge you anything extra."

"Thank you, Elder, for bestowing these treasures."

Zheng Yi respectfully accepted the cultivation manual and weapon. When the Outer Sect Elder waved a hand, he hurriedly bowed and took his leave.

After leaving the Soul Devouring Sect's outpost, Zheng Yi felt a wave of relief. Looking at the cultivation manual and Soul Devouring Banner in his hands, a faint joy rose in his heart—the joy of finally reaping a harvest after enduring countless hardships.

In truth, Zheng Yi had chosen the Soul Devouring Sect only after careful consideration.

First, the Soul Devouring Sect was not particularly powerful. It was merely a lower-tier sect within the Demon Domain, and its rules were not overly strict—especially when it came to restricting the movements of its disciples.

Second, the Soul Devouring Sect was one of the few sects that did not require one to travel directly to its main sect grounds before granting a cultivation technique. One only needed to join through an outpost to become a disciple and receive the teachings.

Third, in that newly opened Apocalyptic World, the most important things were Specters and Evil Ghosts.

The Soul Devouring Sect's "Black Fiend Technique" required Vengeful Spirits and Evil Ghosts to be refined into black fiends. The more Vengeful Spirits and Evil Ghosts one refined, the greater the power of the black fiends. It was a perfect match, practically a sacred ground built specifically for cultivating this technique.

It could be said that only after layer upon layer of deduction had Zheng Yi found the fundamental reason he could obtain a cultivation technique in one stroke.

Plan before acting!

After acquiring the "Black Fiend Technique" and the Soul Devouring Banner, Zheng Yi did not dare leave Blood Mist Abyss City just like that. Instead, he paid for a room at an inn and stayed there.

After opening the "Black Fiend Technique" and studying the method of circulating its cultivation, then dripping blood to gain control of the Soul Devouring Banner, Zheng Yi made all necessary preparations before entering the Apocalyptic World once again.

The first thing he did upon arriving in the Apocalyptic World was disperse his cultivation. The technique he had previously cultivated to Qi Refining Stage Three was directly scattered.

Pfft!

He spat out a mouthful of blood, then immediately took out the prepared healing Pills and swallowed them. The chaotic aura within his body gradually settled down.

Zheng Yi could not wait to begin circulating the "Black Fiend Technique." The aura converted into demonic qi began to flow slowly through him.

Relying on his previous accumulation, he swiftly entered the first level of the technique, and his plummeted cultivation stabilized at Qi Refining Stage One.

This was the result of the true qi remaining in his body being converted into demonic qi.

"Caw! Caw!!"

Harsh cries rang out alongside the beat of wings. Zheng Yi looked up and saw a pitch-black mass, like dark clouds, surging toward him.

"A flock of carrion crows? A single mouthful of blood drew these things here."

Zheng Yi was astonished by the crows' sense of smell. From such a great distance, they could still detect the scent of blood. They truly were terrifying monsters.

For the native inhabitants, they were likely a disaster. But for Zheng Yi, they were quite the pleasant surprise.

"Perfect. I'll use you to test my blade today."

Facing the crow flock descending like a canopy blotting out the sky, Zheng Yi raised the Soul Devouring Banner in one hand and danced it into the wind. Surging demonic qi erupted forth, transforming into a black cloud that fiercely swept over them.

The flock of crows that had charged in with such overwhelming momentum was engulfed by the surging demonic qi. At once, the crows fell from the sky like pebbles, soon carpeting the ground.

The flock of crows, numbering in the thousands and hundreds and enough to terrify anyone, became nourishing fodder beneath the shroud of the Soul Devouring Banner.

Crow corpses littered the ground in a horrifying sight, yet Zheng Yi, standing amid the scene, revealed a smile.

He hurriedly inspected the Soul Devouring Banner in his hand and clearly sensed countless Crow Souls struggling within it.

"They're all excellent souls..."

"Who would have thought that although these carrion crows had also been infected by the virus, their souls would remain so pure? They are completely comparable to human souls from the cultivation world."

"This is the perfect chance to absorb these souls and raise my cultivation back up."

Using the Soul Devouring Banner, Zheng Yi refined the crows' souls anew. The refined Soul Power flowed through his arm and into his body, while he circulated the Black Fiend Technique and greedily devoured the energy without restraint.

It took him an entire day to completely absorb all that refined Soul Power.

Even more incredible, the cultivation he had lost from switching techniques returned once more to Qi Refining Stage Three.

Without question, this apocalyptic world was a paradise for demonic cultivators.

There was no need for slaughter, no need for brutality, no need for blood—and certainly no need to be hunted down by cultivators.

These were all top-grade materials. Even a flock of inconspicuous crows could refine a vast amount of Soul Power—the results spoke for themselves.

"If I had a Soul Guiding Array, wouldn't that be even better?!"

A thought suddenly sprang into Zheng Yi's mind.

Soul Guiding Array.

A formation that attracted souls. It was not uncommon among demonic cultivators, an essential tool for those who slaughtered villages and plundered souls afterward.

But in this world, Zheng Yi could make full use of this formation, sitting back and waiting for those ferocious Malevolent Ghosts and Specters to come to him.

With that thought, Zheng Yi impatiently returned to the Cultivation World once more.

A mere half hour later, Zheng Yi appeared again.

For the sake of cultivation, he raced against every second and wasted no time. Only after spending a considerable number of Spirit Stones did he obtain a Soul Guiding Array from that Outer Sect Elder.

Everything was ready. Next, it was time to make a grand move.