The array patterns on the log grew increasingly dim, and the black energy dissipated faster and faster. The evil cultivator from the Kujiku Sect who was guarding the side turned pale.
"Quickly inject your magic power and stabilize the array's core!" the leading evil cultivator shouted through gritted teeth, placing his palm on the log first, his evil energy surging wildly into his palm.
But the next second, their expressions changed drastically. The magic power they injected not only failed to activate the array patterns, but instead seemed to be a bottomless pit.
Their magical power was instantly absorbed by the golden bead deep within the log, without even causing a ripple.
Even more terrifying, their hands were firmly stuck to the log, as if it were fused to them, and they couldn't pull them off no matter how hard they tried.
"What's going on?!" a young evil cultivator screamed in alarm. He could clearly feel his Spiritual Power draining away wildly through his arms, and a sharp, empty pain shooting through his dantian.
"Quickly... disconnect! My cultivation is about to be completely drained."
He Fate tried to sever the Spiritual Power connection with the log, but the suction force was like a leech, tightly binding his Spiritual Power and even starting to pull at his original cultivation level.
Upon seeing this, the leader of the evil cultivators' eyes flashed with a ruthless glint. If this continued, all five of them would have their cultivation drained and become cripples!
He roared, bit his tongue hard, and spat out a mouthful of blood.
The blood essence fell onto his arm and instantly transformed into a dark red rune. As the rune flickered, the veins on his arm suddenly bulged, and a tearing pain surged from his arm to his brain.
It can be seen that he is also a ruthless person, forcibly severing the connection of Spiritual Power at the cost of damaging his meridians with a secret technique.
Seeing this, the other heretical cultivators didn't have time to think much and followed suit, biting their tongues and spitting out their semen.
Sure enough, once the connection was lost, they were freed, but their arms were rendered useless.
The group forcibly severed the Spiritual Power connection with the log. The skin on their arms instantly turned ashen white, the blood vessels sank in, and all blood and energy were no longer supplied, rendering their arms useless.
Everyone collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Their faces were ashen, blood trickled from the corners of their mouths, and their lower abdomens felt empty, making it impossible for them to even stand up.
Although they survived, they all suffered severe internal injuries, and their cultivation levels were largely absorbed by the evil god, causing them to regress significantly.
The leading cultivator gritted his teeth and pulled out a bronze token. With his arm crippled, he could only crush it with his foot. The token transformed into a black beam that shot straight into the sky, a signal to the sect's higher-ups for help.
Clearly, they couldn't handle it, so they had to call in the older generation.
In the short time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a slight fluctuation of Spiritual Power emanated from the distant sky.
Lin Yu squinted from the clouds and saw a black figure walking through the air, stepping on a folding fan painted with chrysanthemums. The figure's aura was refined and did not have the sinister intent commonly seen in evil cultivators. Instead, it exuded the elegance of a scholar.
The person was dressed in a well-tailored black kimono with dark gold chrysanthemum patterns embroidered on the cuffs. He had a thin face and even a faint smile on his lips.
If it weren't for the sinister glint in his eyes, anyone would have thought he was a refined and virtuous sage.
The old man in black robes landed on the ground with a light step, gently waving his folding fan. His gaze swept over the five disciples who were slumped on the ground, but he showed not a trace of pity.
In the Kujiku Sect, the weak are destined to be eliminated. These disciples, whose cultivation has regressed and whose arms are crippled, are of no use to him.
This just means there are fewer errand runners.
He raised his hand and grabbed at the void, and five faint black wisps of energy floated out from the disciples' bodies. He then bent down and picked up a wisp of residual energy from the log.
As he channeled Spiritual Power through his fingertips, two streams of black energy intertwined in his palm. The old man's brows furrowed slightly. "The evil god aura of the Fire Lotus Society? These lunatics can't even control the evil object they worship?"
The Kujikuji Sect and the Fire Lotus Society always kept to themselves.
However, the Fire Lotus Society always acted Wuji, either going mad and making sacrifices, or on its way to doing so.
This attracted the frequent attention of the cultivators from the Dragon Nation, making them act with extreme caution. As a result, other sects also disapproved of the Fire Lotus Society.
Why should they bear the blame for the trouble caused by the Fire Lotus Society?
Although the Kujikuji Sect had done their share of bad things in the Dragon Nation.
But the Fire Lotus Society now allowed the aura of an evil god to taint the Nine Snakes Fight the Dragon Formation, even damaging the formation's core, which makes his face grow increasingly gloomy.
He had to deal with the counterattack from the cultivators of the Dragon Nation, and also guard against internal strife within his own sect.
If the formation goes wrong, he can't afford to be blamed by those above.
"The most urgent task is to stabilize the formation." The old man put away his folding fan, and his body suddenly erupted with evil energy. His black kimono fluttered without wind, and the nine chrysanthemum patterns on the cuffs lit up with a dark golden light.
He took a step, each step landing in a specific direction, subtly aligning with the corresponding position of the formation.
He also began chanting obscure incantations.
"Nine chrysanthemums return to their rightful place, the snake demon locks the dragon!"
As the incantation ended, black light patterns suddenly lit up the buildings surrounding the Marshal's Mansion, and nine thick, serpentine pillars of energy rose from the top of the buildings.
Like nine giant black pythons, they converged towards the log.
Clearly, the old man wanted to use the power of the formation to suppress the evil spirits within the bead and regain control of the formation's core.
The serpentine column of air roared toward the log, but was stopped by an invisible barrier the instant it touched the log.
"Hmm?" The old man's eyes narrowed, and he slammed his folding fan shut.
This method clearly indicates that someone is casting a spell in the shadows, and combined with this evil spirit, the finger points entirely to the Fire Lotus Society.
"This is outrageous!" He increased his Spiritual Power output, and the nine serpentine energy pillars instantly tripled in size, crashing into the barrier as if they were solid, attempting to forcibly break through the defense.
No matter how the air column rammed into it, the barrier remained completely still.
Instead, the power of the serpentine energy column was gradually channeled into the log, where it was completely absorbed by the golden beads within.
Upon seeing this, the old man was startled. Even with his cultivation level and the entire Nine Serpents Trap Dragon Formation, he was powerless against this evil god.
Then its summoner must be more powerful than him.
The old man was unwilling to give up, so he took out another black jade talisman, crushed it, and it transformed into a three-foot-tall evil ghost statue.
The statue came to life the moment it hit the ground, wielding a ghostly blade and slashing at the log, the wind from the blade carrying a chilling aura.
However, it instantly disintegrated upon touching the barrier, and the evil spirit statue also turned into black mist, which was absorbed into the beads inside the log.
"Impossible!" The old man finally lost his refined demeanor, a hint of shock and anger flashing in his eyes.
"Who! Who is trying to harm me? Show yourself!" the old man shouted at those around him, disregarding his image.
Fire Lotus Society cultivator with such cultivation would certainly not go mad for no reason like an ordinary member.
So the old man's suspicion ran rampant. Had he offended someone that he would be put to death in this way?
Unwilling to accept this, he unleashed several secret techniques in succession, including burning with ghost fire, suppressing with evil talismans, and colliding with pillars of energy, all of which ultimately became nourishment for the evil spirits within the pearl.
The evil energy on the log did not decrease; instead, it was absorbed by the golden beads and became increasingly pure.