Disobeying the Banner Master's Orders?

The Blood Fetus Ghost Infant before him was like this. No matter how tragic its origins, no matter how much its appearance resembled a human baby,

its essence was still that of a terrifying Demonic Beast that had devoured the flesh, blood, and souls of countless living beings, clung to the Devil Dao, and would step across the threshold of the Foundation Establishment Realm the moment it was born.

Before this monster had even been born, it had already tried to beguile Zheng Yi. So long as Zheng Yi let down his guard and touched the Blood Egg, it could drain away his flesh, blood, and soul, gaining even greater benefits.

That was the creature's true nature.

It was unbound by human emotions, possessing only chaotic instincts that leaned toward evil.

That was what made it most terrifying.

Such creatures possessed no true emotions. They were born killers, yet they did not lack intelligence or thought.

Thus, once Zheng Yi became vigilant and regained his clarity, faced with the threat of the Soul Devouring Banner, the unborn Ghost Infant put on a fawning expression, completely disguising itself as an adorable human baby to deceive him and win his sympathy.

All of this was instinct, and also a form of disguise.

"The Qi Family is already gone."

"You no longer need to be born."

For such an extraordinarily dangerous ghost creature, it was utterly impossible for Zheng Yi to continue sacrificing human flesh and blood to it.

For one thing, it would bring about an enormous amount of Blood Sin resentment and Karmic Force from heaven and earth. His future path of cultivation would essentially be severed, and he might even fall directly into the path of evil demons.

For another, even if he became a Devil Dao cultivator, Zheng Yi still held onto the bottom line of being human.

Otherwise, without humanity to serve as an anchor, when he advanced further along the path of cultivation in the future, it would be hard to say whether the one progressing would still be himself—or some other ghostly thing.

Madmen like the Qi Family were rare even among Devil Dao Sects.

He spread out his hand, and the Soul Devouring Banner slowly rotated above his palm. Invisible gusts of yin wind rose in waves, making the banner cloth flutter.

At Zheng Yi's command, the Soul Devouring Banner's main soul, the most powerful Yin Soldier—the Blood-Clothed Female Ghost—led a host of Malevolent Ghosts and Yin Soldiers in a savage charge.

In an instant, amid the howls of Malevolent Ghosts that blotted out the sky and covered the earth, the entire Skeleton Altar was shrouded in countless clouds of black mist. One vague, ferocious Evil Ghost after another took shape within them, crazily surrounding the Bronze Coffin. Pitch-black Ghost Claws emerged one after another, frantically tearing at the Blood Egg wrapped around the Ghost Infant.

The unborn Blood Fetus Ghost Infant sensed the fatal threat and writhed wildly within the corpse womb's belly, letting out agonized, frenzied shrieks.

It no longer had the adorable appearance of a human baby that had beguiled Zheng Yi earlier. Its entire body turned jet-black, its blood-red eyes savage and venomous, its claws sharp, its forehead bulging—a living, breathing demonic infant ghost creature.

Had the Ghost Infant already been born, it could have effortlessly torn apart these Malevolent Ghosts and Yin Soldiers. It would have been an absolute crushing advantage.

But before it was born, the Ghost Infant truly was like a baby still wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Facing the overwhelming Malevolent Ghosts and Yin Soldiers released by the Soul Devouring Banner, and separated from them by the Blood Fetus, the Ghost Infant was completely powerless. It was merely livestock waiting to be slaughtered.

Moreover, the outer Blood Egg was a tremendous tonic for the Soul Devouring Banner's Malevolent Ghosts and Yin Soldiers.

The Qi Family had plotted for a hundred years, sacrificing and refining an unknown number of living beings to construct the Flesh and Blood Demon Pool. All the Flesh Essence that had settled within it had been absorbed into the Ghost Fetus's fetal membrane and Blood Egg. Like a powerful central converter, it continuously supplied nourishment to the Ghost Infant.

Setting everything else aside, the flesh-and-blood essence accumulated upon the Blood Egg, along with the resentment and Sha Qi entwined around it, brought immense benefits to the Soul Devouring Banner's Malevolent Ghosts and Yin Soldiers.

Especially the Blood-Clothed Female Ghost, the main soul of the Soul Devouring Banner. Threads of vivid crimson blood qi gradually seeped from the surface of her delicate body. This was a Blood Fiend-level Malevolent Ghost evolving toward a Hundred-Year Ghost.

Fortunately, Zheng Yi had previously found the method for the Soul Devouring Banner's subsequent advancement in the sect's Law Transmission Hall.

He had gathered some of the materials and unexpectedly acquired an extremely rare piece of Earth Soul Silver. After adding it to the Soul Devouring Banner and slightly upgrading this Lifebound Artifact, he managed to stabilize the impact caused by the Blood-Clothed Female Ghost's evolution.

"Wait!"

At this moment, stimulated by the immense potential for evolution, all the Yin Soldiers and Malevolent Ghosts went mad, frantically devouring the essence within the Blood Egg.

Just then, the Blood-Clothed Female Ghost, the main soul of the Soul Devouring Banner, actually defied Zheng Yi's command.

Her slender, fair, beautiful hands gradually transformed into hideous black ghostly hands. Piercing through the barrier of the Blood Egg, they viciously reached for the Ghost Infant within.

"You wretch, you dare defy the Banner Master's command!"

At that moment, cold light flashed in Zheng Yi's eyes.

"A Devil Dao artifact is a Devil Dao artifact. Though it advances quickly and possesses great power, it is far less reliable than orthodox immortal cultivation artifacts!"

"Once the Malevolent Ghosts and Yin Soldiers within are nurtured into savagery and wickedness, they will rebel against their master at the slightest provocation, perhaps even devour the Banner Master in backlash. Even you, the main soul, are no exception..."

Seeing the Red-Clothed Female Ghost, the main soul of the Soul Devouring Banner, stimulated by instinct until her ferocity erupted, baring her fangs as she tried to devour the Ghost Infant,

Zheng Yi snorted coldly and suddenly waved the Soul Devouring Banner in his hand. At the same time, he ordered her to stop, then casually drew the Ghost Infant within the Blood Fetus into the Soul Devouring Banner.

Roar! Roar!

Suddenly discovering that her prey had vanished without a trace, the Blood-Clothed Female Ghost, as the Soul Devouring Banner's main soul, immediately understood what had happened and instantly flew into a frenzy.

Her fair, youthful maidenly appearance vanished as her entire form underwent a tremendous transformation. She became green-faced and fanged, her body swelling enormously. Her blood-colored eyes glared at Zheng Yi as she let out a soundless roar.

"You defy the Banner Master's command!"

"You even dare to devour your master in backlash..."

"You're courting death!"

Zheng Yi snorted coldly and directly waved the Soul Devouring Banner in his hand.

Whoosh!

As the main soul of the Soul Devouring Banner, the Red-Clothed Female Ghost was directly controlled by this Lifebound Artifact. She could not stir up the slightest wave.

At the same time, a rising and falling blaze of azure Sha Qi ignited across Zheng Yi's body. He spread open his palm and thrust it forward, his palm aimed directly at the Red-Clothed Female Ghost.

A ball of Azure Nether Flame shot from Zheng Yi's palm, directly engulfing the Blood-Clothed Female Ghost's entire body. Boundless agony instantly extinguished the ferocity in her heart, making her wail in pain and repeatedly beg for mercy.

After countless generations of study and refinement, Devil Dao cultivators had long developed a set of practiced methods for controlling such cunning and savage ghost creatures.

The restrictions and controls established within the Soul Devouring Banner had already seeped deep into every part of the Yin Soldiers' and Malevolent Ghosts' bodies. They were not so easily broken through.

Unless the Banner Master stood at death's door or had lost all ability to resist, it would be harder than ascending to heaven for these ghost creatures to turn the world upside down.

Moreover, Zheng Yi knew that dealing with these Yin Soldiers and Malevolent Ghosts was like training hunting hounds. Only harsh methods could make them afraid and completely suppress their ferocity.

Therefore, the moment such signs appeared, Zheng Yi showed no mercy.

Only after burning her until her aura became weak and listless did Zheng Yi disperse the Nether Flame and say coldly,

"This is the first time, and the last. Otherwise, next time, you will become food for the other Malevolent Ghosts."

The icy voice made the Red-Clothed Female Ghost, the main soul of the Soul Devouring Banner, tremble in spirit. She returned to the form of a fair maiden, terror shining through her blood-colored eyes as she repeatedly knelt and begged for mercy.