Youmingzi gave a savage laugh. The Thunder-Devouring Demonic Wolf crystal in his hand erupted with an eerie blue light, resonating with the runes on the black-robed cultivators. Countless fissures suddenly split the ground, and pitch-black mist surged out, swiftly coalescing into an enormous Eight Trigrams formation diagram. Countless resentful spirits wailed and struggled within the diagram, and a sinister, terrifying presence instantly shrouded the entire Immortal Burial Valley.
"This is the Netherworld Sect's sect-guarding formation-the Nine Nether Soul-Devouring Formation. Today, you shall be buried here!" As Youmingzi's words fell, the resentful spirits within the formation turned into streaks of black light and lunged at Lin Wudao and Su Yao.
Su Yao swung her gilded whip, the Immortal Qi at its tip turning into golden flames that burned every approaching resentful spirit to nothing. But there were far too many spirits, wave after wave, seemingly without end. Lin Wudao circulated the Mystic Heaven Creation Instruction. Thunder and fire intertwined around the Chaos Sword as he unleashed "Thunder and Fire Scorch the Plains." Purple lightning and crimson flames swept out, and wherever they passed, the resentful spirits let out piercing screams and dissipated into the air.
Yet Youmingzi remained unhurried, his hands rapidly forming seals. The Eight Trigrams markings within the formation began to rotate. The Thunder-Devouring Demonic Wolf crystal at the formation's core blazed with light, and a black pillar of light shot into the sky. Within it, an enormous skull slowly emerged. It opened its gaping, blood-red maw and spewed a foul-smelling cloud of black poisonous mist.
"Careful! This poisonous mist can corrode spiritual power!" Su Yao warned loudly. Lin Wudao immediately formed a lightning shield around himself, while Su Yao raised a golden barrier of light. The poisonous mist struck their defenses with a corrosive hissing sound, and the lightning shield and light barrier actually began thinning at an alarming speed.
Lin Wudao's gaze sharpened. He knew full well that this could not continue. Looking at the two fragments of the Star Spirit-Guiding Formation Diagram in his hand, he suddenly recalled the method the mysterious person had taught him. He poured spiritual power into the fragments. Both blazed with light and slowly merged in midair as a phantom image of stars emerged.
"Stars, guide the spirits-break!" Lin Wudao shouted. The phantom stars radiated dazzling light that shot toward the Netherworld Sinister Formation. Wherever the light reached, the black poisonous mist was purified, and the resentful spirits dissipated one after another. Youmingzi's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly ordered the black-robed cultivators to strengthen the formation.
The Eight Trigrams markings within the formation spun faster. The skull spewed poisonous mist again, while countless black chains extended from the formation and wrapped around Lin Wudao and Su Yao. The corrosive power emanating from the chains instantly turned their skin blue and purple.
Su Yao gritted her teeth. Her gilded whip transformed into an enormous golden dragon, attempting to snap the chains. Lin Wudao circulated all the spiritual power in his body, and the Chaos Sword erupted with dazzling light. "Mystic Heaven Creation Instruction-Ten Thousand Thunders Exterminate Demons!" Thousands upon thousands of lightning bolts suddenly descended from the sky, striking the Netherworld Sinister Formation.
The lightning collided with the poisonous mist, unleashing an earth-shaking roar. The shock waves sent Youmingzi flying backward, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. The black-robed cultivators' formation also began to falter. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Wudao controlled the phantom stars and sent them crashing with full force into the Thunder-Devouring Demonic Wolf crystal at the formation's core.
Boom! With an enormous blast, the crystal shattered, and the Netherworld Sinister Formation collapsed with a thunderous crash. Deprived of the formation's support, the black-robed cultivators spat blood and slumped to the ground. Youmingzi watched it all, his eyes filled with unwillingness to accept it. "Impossible! How could my Netherworld Sect's formation..."
Before he could finish, a black shadow suddenly flashed past. A mysterious person appeared behind him and drove a dagger straight through his heart. Youmingzi's eyes widened, disbelief covering his face. "You... who are you..." The mysterious person gave a cold laugh, their figure gradually fading, leaving behind only a single sentence: "Someone doesn't want the secret getting out."
Lin Wudao and Su Yao exchanged a glance, each seeing wariness in the other's eyes. Immortal Burial Valley was now a scene of devastation. Lin Wudao picked up the shattered Thunder-Devouring Demonic Wolf crystal. A trace of information about a restriction seemed to remain within the fragments. The system notification sounded: "Ding! Destroyed the Netherworld Sinister Formation. Obtained an incomplete scroll of the Netherworld Sect's 'Nine Nether Secret Method.' A connection has been detected between the Thunder-Devouring Demonic Wolf crystal fragments and the Star Spirit-Guiding Formation Diagram. Fusion may be attempted."
Lin Wudao placed the crystal fragments together with the fragments of the Star Spirit-Guiding Formation Diagram, and the fragments began fusing on their own. A moment later, the three fragments became a complete formation diagram, the star patterns upon it shimmering with mysterious light.
"We must hurry back to the Jade Void Palace. The crisis at the Demon-Sealing Abyss still hasn't been resolved," Su Yao said. Lin Wudao nodded. Just as the two were about to fly away on their swords, they discovered several more powerful presences approaching through the black mist of Immortal Burial Valley...