Chapter 218
Meanwhile, not far from the camp, the pursuing Huoliao Temple disciple lay dead on the ground.
His body showed almost no external wounds except a dried blood hole visible at his lower back.
Yet a sweep with divine awareness revealed everything beneath his flesh had turned to ash.
His shriveled face still bore a twisted expression of rage and bitter resentment in death.
The "Flame Prison" Spirit Projection technique he cultivated possessed overwhelming might—even Yang Lingrui’s yellow wind couldn’t penetrate its scorching barrier.
Under normal circumstances, Yang Lingrui would’ve only fled from such an opponent.
But the disciple’s arrogance created an opening.
Yang Lingrui lured him to this location where Zi He, concealed beyond magical detection range, launched a full-powered arrow strike.
The projectile tore through the red fire projection in an instant, piercing the man’s lower back with a bone-deep wound.
This decisive move sealed their victory. Once the corrosive energy entered his body, the Huoliao Temple disciple faced certain death whether he fought or fled.
Realizing this, he chose a final desperate attack against Yang Lingrui.
Though his last act showed resolve, the damaged Qi meridians prevented him from retracting his projection—the uncontrolled red fire consumed his Qi Palace, reducing his insides to cinders.
After swiftly looting the corpse, Yang Lingrui and Zi He moved to another location.
The difference in cultivation realms made repeating this tactic too risky; they adopted hit-and-run tactics to seek smaller advantages elsewhere.
However, the current sect disciples proved more capable.
Another Huoliao Temple disciple soon tracked them using the projection traces left on Yang Lingrui, advancing alongside Luo Zhuli.
Detecting pursuit, the pair immediately split up to flee.
"Chase the distant Zhanwei," Luo Zhuli commanded. "I’ll handle the yellow wind ghost. That archer’s skilled—don’t repeat your senior’s mistake."
"Yes! Understood!" The disciple answered before pursuing Zi He.
Cold indifference filled Luo Zhuli’s eyes as he watched the departure.
This Faceless Zhanwei from the Tiger-Chasing Exterminate Evil Division reportedly inherited their secret methods—possibly being the direct disciple of the legendary Formless True Person. Such lineage far surpassed the yellow wind ghost’s.
Preferring to avoid personal risk, Luo Zhuli had sent the other after Zi He. The oblivious disciple became a pawn manipulated by both sides.
Closing the distance to Yang Lingrui, Luo Zhuli contemplated capturing him alive for Bai Songran—a valuable favor.
The thought brought a faint smile as he recalled their conversation aboard the celestial ship before descending.
The latter had shown great interest in the Tiger-Chasing cultivator practicing the Yellow Wind technique, which Luo Zhuli quietly memorized.
Today’s fortune smiled upon him – since this prey had fallen into his grasp, he wouldn’t let it escape.
With this thought, he summoned a tri-colored suspended bell with an open palm.
Disciples of Suspended Bell Mountain earned their reputation across the northwest through bizarre bell-sound techniques.
They specialized in divine awareness cultivation, enabling them to harm opponents unseen during combat – attacks nearly impossible to defend against.
Other sects avoided confronting them whenever possible.
For cultivators, spiritual wounds affecting the soul and sea of consciousness proved far more dangerous than physical injuries.
As the undisputed leader among Suspended Bell Mountain’s current disciples,
Luo Zhuli’s expertise in this field surpassed all peers. Fewer than ten cultivators in the entire northwest could withstand his mental attacks.
Thus when Yang Lingrui entered his strike zone, Luo Zhuli considered the man already defeated – nothing left but to kneel and surrender.
Ding-a-ling—
The suspended bell chimed as Luo Zhuli murmured an incantation.
An invisible force sliced through the night sky, striking precisely into Yang Lingrui’s sea of consciousness.
"Hn!"
Yang Lingrui staggered as his vision blurred, collapsing like felled timber.
"Success!"
Delight flashed between Luo Zhuli’s brows. Pressing fingers to his temple, he pointed at the fallen man: "Soul Plunder!"
Whoosh—
Part of Luo Zhuli’s divine awareness invaded Yang Lingrui’s sea of consciousness, plunging the victim’s mind into turmoil.
Everything proceeded smoothly, mirroring countless previous conquests.
But when Luo Zhuli activated his cultivation methods to seize control of Yang Lingrui’s body, his invading awareness suddenly prickled with unease.
"Why does it feel like we’re being watched?"
The unnatural sensation chilled Luo Zhuli’s core.
"Something’s wrong!"
He urgently recited the withdrawal incantation, only to discover with horror that the spell had failed.
More terrifying still – not only was his divine awareness trapped in Yang Lingrui’s mind, but the consciousness in his original body now slid inexorably toward his victim.
"No! Impossible!!"
All composure shattered, Luo Zhuli desperately cycled his cultivation methods. But against the overwhelming force dragging him downward, his resistance proved futile. With finality, his awareness plunged completely into Yang Lingrui’s sea of consciousness.
Thud.
Two bodies fell face-down in the forest less than ten yards apart, eyes vacant and unseeing.
When Luo Zhuli opened his eyes again, he found himself beneath a glittering sea of stars.
"So beautiful," he instinctively thought while gazing upward.
Colorful stars shimmered across the heavens, creating an ethereal dreamscape.
His attention was immediately seized by a crimson star burning brighter than its companions.
Under its radiant glow, warmth reminiscent of sunlight seeped into his divine awareness.
The comforting sensation lulled him into closing his eyes, basking in this celestial gift.
But soon the warmth intensified, turning into prickling heat against his consciousness.
Luo Zhuli snapped alert to see the scarlet star swelling in his vision.
"Growing larger? Expanding?" he wondered as temperatures kept rising.
Realization struck like lightning – "Not growing! It’s approaching!"
"The star! It’s falling toward me!"
Panic surged through him as he commanded his divine awareness to flee.
Yet the endless void offered no refuge – only the immutable sea of stars above.
No matter which direction he moved, the star’s crimson light pursued relentlessly.
"Burning! Scorching!"
"Water! Need water!"
"Can’t endure… Must return to sect… Abandon battlefield…"
The searing agony shattered his thoughts. Flickering flames ignited within his dwindling consciousness.
"Ah!!"
"AHHH!!!"
His final scream echoed through the void moments before the colossal star obliterated his divine awareness.
Meanwhile, across tens of thousands of miles:
Chen Yang paused his perch on the forging room beam in Artifact Towers’ branch. An unexpected surge strengthened his consciousness.
"Odd. Where’s this purified awareness from?"
Returning his main focus to his physical body yielded no answers. The Yang Family’s soul fires burned normally in his perception.
"Another hidden perk from Star Palace, perhaps."
Shrugging off the mystery, Chen Yang redirected his consciousness to observe Artifact Towers’ blacksmiths at work.