Translator: CinderTL
Xu Sanyan ruffled Xiang Tan's hair, knowing that her loyalty stemmed not from genuine devotion but from the effects of the Purple Mountain Heart-Planting Art.
He glanced at Lin Fan and nodded slightly, feeling a flicker of satisfaction. His efforts in nurturing the young man had not been in vain; Lin Fan had indeed lived up to his expectations.
Though Lin Fan's cultivation level remained too low to offer significant assistance, his sincerity was invaluable. Xu Sanyan resolved to invest further in his development.
"Immortal Maiden Mo, why aren't you wearing your veil anymore?" Xu Sanyan asked with a smile, standing before Xiang Tan with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes filled with admiration as he gazed at Mo Xianxian's face.
Mo Xianxian frowned, observing Xu Sanyan's leisurely demeanor, as if he didn't take her seriously at all. Irritation flared within her, and she replied coldly, "There's no need."
Xu Sanyan, a seasoned connoisseur of women, immediately sensed something amiss. After a moment's contemplation, he flicked his index finger upward and teased, "Could it be... you've finally 'seen the light'?" He deliberately emphasized the word "light."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Mo Xianxian asked, but when she saw Xu Sanyan's lewd grin, she instantly understood. Her expression darkened, his words striking a raw nerve.
"You're asking for death!"
Xiang Tan, a seasoned warrior, instantly understood the implication behind Xu Sanyan's words. Her cheeks flushed crimson.
Senior Brother... why would you say such things?
"Enough nonsense! Hand over the jade slip, and I'll spare your life!" Mo Xianxian, still new to such matters, found these crude words unsettling.
Xu Sanyan burst into laughter. "Hahahaha... So that's how it is! I wonder which hero's spear has tasted blood?"
"I'll kill you!" Mo Xianxian gritted her teeth, her voice rising to a shrill scream. "Kill him!"
"Hahahaha..."
Xu Sanyan threw back his head and laughed, utterly fearless. Spiritual power surged through his body, causing his robes to billow outward. A formidable aura radiated from him—an aura far beyond what a Dao Seeking Realm cultivator could possess.
A single thought flashed through everyone's minds:
The holy son... has broken through again!
"Soul Refining Realm?!"
"Impossible!"
Mo Xianxian's eyes widened in disbelief. The last time she had seen him, he was only at the Mid Stage of the Dao Seeking Realm. How could he have reached the Soul Refining Realm so quickly?
In just a few days, she had lost her virginity, while he had broken through two realms, reaching Soul Refinement?
Why is fate so unfair?!
Overwhelmed by jealousy, Mo Xianxian roared madly, "Kill him! Kill him!"
So what if he was at the Soul Refining Realm? She had nine ghost generals at her side!
"Protect the holy son!"
Elder Ren's eyes darted around. Before anyone could react, he charged forward to confront a ghost general, determined to show his loyalty even if he couldn't win.
"Protect the holy son!"
Qin Manyang materialized from nowhere, her face grim. She even managed a quick nod at Xu Sanyan, projecting an air of unwavering loyalty as she manipulated her golden bell to coordinate with Elder Ren.
The crowd's morale surged. The holy son's breakthrough to Soul Refinement carried immense significance.
Xu Sanyan clenched his right hand, and a great halberd materialized instantly. "Immortal Maiden Mo, care to taste my halberd?"
Xiang Tan blinked. "Huh?"
Stealing my kill?
Mo Xianxian's face flushed with anger. The way he phrased that sounded... strange.
"Hah!"
Xu Sanyan roared, his halberd flashing in a swift arc. A razor-sharp, dark glow cleaved through the pitch-black ghost energy, instantly shattering it.
The ghost general, hidden within the darkness, panicked as the light sliced through his body before piercing the wooden hut and shooting toward the horizon.
Boom!
The wooden hut collapsed with a deafening crash.
"Agh!"
The ghost general's agonizing scream echoed through the air as the dense ghost energy surrounding him dissipated, thinning significantly.
With a single strike, Xu Sanyan had inflicted a severe wound.
Mo Xianxian stared at Xu Sanyan in disbelief. The ghost general was also at the Initial Stage of the Soul Refining Realm—how could he be defeated in a single move?
"Kill him now!"
Mo Xianxian rebuked him sharply, her voice laced with fury. At the same time, she steeled her resolve, her spiritual power surging within her.
A crimson flush spread across her face as she lightly tapped her forehead with two fingers, as if channeling some hidden power.
Four of the nine ghost generals were already entangled with Elder Ren and the others. The remaining five converged from different directions, unleashing a torrent of ghost energy that enveloped the wooden hut.
"Heh heh heh..."
Xu Sanyan licked his lips, his face twisted with savage glee. A layer of crimson mist, even darker than before, suddenly billowed around him, completely shrouding his figure.
"ROAR~!"
A monstrous roar, unlike any human sound, erupted from the Crimson Mist, shaking the very heavens and earth.
All eyes instinctively turned toward the crimson haze. From within the blood-red mist, a hulking figure slowly emerged:
Four-armed, three-eyed, wielding a pitch-black great halberd, its body rippling with coiled muscles. Its dark, bottomless eyes locked onto the surrounding ghost generals.
Whoosh—
Xu Sanyan vanished from his spot in an instant.
When he reappeared, he was already beside one of the ghost generals. The general's eyes widened in terror as it stared at the crimson-clad figure before it.
The remaining ghost generals, utterly shocked, rushed into the fray without hesitation.
Inside the room, ghost energy and Crimson Mist intertwined, obscuring the battle from onlookers. Only the agonizing screams of the ghost generals pierced through the chaos.
Bang!
After the final muffled thud, an eerie calm descended. The dense ghost energy, now seemingly without a master, slowly dissipated, revealing a crimson figure. His long red hair cascaded down his back, making him resemble a demonic lord incarnate.
At this sight, everyone held their breath, staring fixedly at Xu Sanyan, terrified of drawing his attention.
Mo Xianxian's expression was blank. She couldn't comprehend how the ghost generals, though weaker than cultivators, could possibly lose a five-on-one fight.
The remaining four ghost generals exchanged panicked glances, now desperate to flee.
Mo Xianxian gritted her teeth, pointing a trembling finger at Xu Sanyan. Her delicate features twisted into a ferocious snarl as she screamed,
"Burial!"
The moment the word left her lips, Mo Xianxian's face drained of color. The backlash of her spiritual power caused blood to trickle from the corner of her mouth, but she ignored the pain, her eyes locked on Xu Sanyan.
In an instant, the suffocating silence shattered.
Xu Sanyan's heart lurched, as if an immense danger had enveloped him. A palpable pressure descended from the void, as if the very heavens were targeting him.
For someone at the Dao Seeking Realm to threaten a Soul Refining Realm cultivator, this technique was truly extraordinary.
The vertical eye on Xu Sanyan's forehead slowly opened, engulfing him in a thick crimson mist. He tilted his head slightly, using the eye to survey the heavens and earth. Through the haze, he could discern a colossal coffin coalescing above him.
"What mystical arts are these?" Xu Sanyan asked, his tone grave, though a hint of curiosity lingered in his voice.
Huan Xi'er's heart tightened, his expression filled with awe. "She's actually using the Burial Word Art..."
Lin Fan looked puzzled. "What does that mean?"
Huan Xi'er didn't hesitate to explain. "This is a secret technique passed down only within Shangyin Mountain: the Five-Character Heaven-Concealing Art. It's divided into five aspects: Chaos, Punishment, Burial, Death, and Life. It's incredibly difficult to master. Before, Mo Xianxian could barely use the Punishment Word Art. I never imagined she'd progress so quickly..."
Amidst his admiration, Huan Xi'er felt a pang of disappointment. Perhaps his talent truly paled in comparison to Mo Xianxian's. Even now, he struggled to consistently execute the Punishment Word Art.
(End of the Chapter)
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