After all, the Evil Emperor was not a Spirit Beast skilled in direct combat. In terms of physical strength alone, it was even weaker than ordinary Spirit Beasts of the same cultivation level. Therefore, once its mental attacks failed and it was forced out of hiding, its defeat was inevitable.
As Wang Nan's Coiling Dragon Staff fell, the Evil Emperor plummeted from the sky. Its enormous body smashed into the ground, creating an extremely deep crater. The surrounding earth split apart, and soil, rocks, and trees were completely pulverized.
A few tentacles twitched weakly, as if unwilling to give up, but in the end they lost all strength and collapsed limply to the ground.
Wang Nan retracted his Spirit and slowly descended. His aura was completely restrained, his expression calm and composed, as if he were not the one who had just knocked down a seven-hundred-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast with a single strike.
"Yuhao, come over and see if you can absorb its spirit ring."
"Brother Wang, this…" Although Wang Nan had mentioned helping him obtain a spirit ring earlier, Huo Yuhao had never expected him to mean the Evil Emperor, the second-ranked Vicious Beast among the Ten Great Vicious Beasts.
"It's fine. Come and try."
With Wang Nan's current cultivation, dealing with a Spirit Beast like the Evil Emperor truly took little effort. Since its spirit ring was of no use to him anyway, he might as well let Huo Yuhao attempt it.
"You try here first. I'll go check out the Holy Spirit Cult's place." Wang Nan smiled and quickly flew toward the ruins of the Holy Spirit Cult's headquarters.
He knew that facing a seven-hundred-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast was no small matter for Huo Yuhao. He would need to consult Tianmeng Iceworm and the others, so Wang Nan did not intend to disturb him.
"Tianmeng Ge."
Not long after Wang Nan left, Huo Yuhao called out in his mental force sea.
"Stop calling, stop calling. I already know." Tianmeng Iceworm's figure reformed within Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea. "The Evil Emperor's spirit ring is indeed very suitable for you."
"But the spirit power of a seven-hundred-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast is far too vast. I haven't even fully absorbed the Snow Empress's spirit power yet."
"Don't worry, little Yuhao. The Evil Emperor is different from the Snow Empress. It is a mental-attribute Spirit Beast, and you'll be absorbing it with your first Spirit. I can help you seal its spirit power. My mental force has already been completely absorbed by you. Suppressing seven hundred thousand years of spirit power with my Origin is no problem."
"I understand. Thank you, Tianmeng Ge."
"Why say such things? Hurry up and get started."
The Evil Emperor had already lost its ability to resist. Cold energy gathered in Huo Yuhao's hands as he slowly walked toward its massive body.
On the other side, Wang Nan paid little attention to Huo Yuhao's situation. He still possessed several consciousnesses within his body, so the dying Evil Emperor posed no threat to him. As for whether the spirit ring could be absorbed, that depended entirely on Huo Yuhao.
Wang Nan's gaze shifted to the ruins of the Holy Spirit Cult.
His initial strike and the aftereffects of the battle had peeled away layers of earth, fully exposing the underground headquarters of the Holy Spirit Cult, which resembled a vast palace.
The most eye-catching area was a hall arranged around an altar.
Although the vengeful spirits had already been purified and the oppressive atmosphere had dissipated, the traces left behind made it clear what had once occurred here.
This was undoubtedly the place where the Holy Spirit Cult carried out its so-called "Spirit Ascension," sacrificing lives to increase spirit ring years and cultivation.
Elsewhere, many rooms were stained with dried blood. Among Evil Soul Masters, merely restraining Souls was already considered a relatively mild practice.
Still, there were a few rooms that remained clean. In one of them, Wang Nan detected a familiar aura, which should have been where Long Xiaoyao once resided.
His heart stirred.
Wang Nan took out a long sword from his Soul Guidance Device. Blood-red liquid seemed to drip continuously from the blade.
This was the gift Long Xiaoyao had given him when they first met. Although it was a ninth-rank Soul Guidance Device, Wang Nan had never liked the aura it emitted. Coupled with the fact that his Spirit was a tool-type Spirit, he had never used it, and over time had almost forgotten about it entirely.
It was only now, upon sensing Long Xiaoyao's lingering aura, that he remembered it.
Perhaps because it had been kept by Wang Nan for so long, the uncomfortable aura surrounding the sword had gradually faded, revealing another presence within.
It was the aura of a Spirit Bone.
Wang Nan's perception was far sharper than before. He could sense that although this Spirit Bone was fused into the Soul Guidance Device, numerous restraints had been placed upon it. The blood-soaked, evil aura constantly eroded it, yet it still emitted a distinct presence of light and justice.
Wang Nan vaguely understood something.
This Spirit Bone's attribute was not well suited to Long Xiaoyao's darkness.
It was likely never intended for Long Xiaoyao himself.
For some reason, however, it had never been passed on, and Long Xiaoyao had been unable to use it. All he could do was bind it within a Soul Guidance Device.
What Long Xiaoyao truly intended to give back then was probably not the Soul Guidance Device itself.
Unfortunately, Wang Nan's Spirit Bones were already complete. Even if this Spirit Bone were compatible with him, he could no longer absorb it.
Wait—
Wang Nan suddenly looked back toward Huo Yuhao.
Even if it could not be absorbed, this Spirit Bone might still have another use.
Days passed.
Huo Yuhao had successfully drawn the Evil Emperor's spirit ring into his body, with spirit power and mental force constantly fluctuating around him.
Meanwhile, Wang Nan had already searched through the entire Holy Spirit Cult headquarters. Closely connected to the Sun Moon Empire's royal family and operating for many years, the Cult had accumulated a large number of resources.
Wang Nan destroyed items that were only suitable for Evil Soul Masters, but still gained quite a lot.
He did not deliberately conceal what happened in the Fiend Forest. The high-altitude Soul Guidance Devices transmitted everything back to the Sun Moon Empire's royal family. However, even after a long time, no one dared to come investigate.
Defeating the Evil Emperor was no small matter for the Sun Moon Empire. Even Kong Deming would have needed to take great risks, which was why the Fiend Forest had remained untouched for so long.
Now, faced with someone who could easily defeat the Evil Emperor, no one dared to challenge Wang Nan.
Instead, those who witnessed the battle spread the news throughout the region. For a time, the events in the Fiend Forest became a major topic of discussion.
Although Wang Nan was not from the Sun Moon Empire, by annihilating the Holy Spirit Cult, a Sect composed entirely of Evil Soul Masters, he left a deep impression on its people.
"Brother Wang."
Another early morning arrived. Huo Yuhao looked toward the rising sun in the east, a hint of purple flashing in his eyes. After finishing his cultivation, he stood up and called out.