“Heh heh heh… Evil Bone, you have truly disappointed this Venerable…”
A sinister laugh rang out directly in everyone’s souls, filled with lofty indifference and mockery.
“To think you cannot even handle a scene like this. All the slight expectations this Venerable once held for your Heavenly Evil Sect have been utterly wasted.”
A faint, almost translucent figure that seemed ready to dissipate at any moment, formed entirely of pure shadow and resentment, slowly emerged above the altar.
It was none other than a wisp of the remnant soul of Soul-Devouring Heavenly Venerable!
Compared to his peak, this remnant soul was weaker by more than a hundredfold, yet the venom and cunning in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest.
“Soul-Devouring Heavenly Venerable! You have finally shown yourself!”
Chen Ping beheaded a Heavenly Evil Sect elder who had attempted a sneak attack with a single sword stroke. His gaze shot toward that illusory figure like cold lightning, killing intent locking onto him without any concealment.
Yet he did not charge forward immediately, because he could sense that this remnant soul was not a true entity. It felt more like a projection or mouthpiece.
“Brat, your life really is absurdly tenacious…”
The remnant image of Soul-Devouring Heavenly Venerable flickered as his voice brimmed with bone-deep hatred. “The trash of Heavenly Evil Sect truly excels at ruining things while achieving nothing! But do you think this is the end? The game has only just begun…”
His words carried an eerie implication, as though he were brewing an even greater scheme.
“A rat who only dares to show his tail also dares to speak of games?”
Chen Ping sneered. With a thought, the phantom of the Demon-Suppressing Tower appeared and vanished in his palm. The aura that specially countered divine souls caused the remnant image to fluctuate violently.
“The Demon-Suppressing Tower!”
The remnant let out a wary growl, but it quickly turned into a sinister chuckle. “Hmph! Terrifying though that treasure may be, this Venerable does not fear it in the slightest! Besides, do you think the location of this Venerable’s true body is something you can easily discover?”
He had clearly decided not to confront Chen Ping head-on. The existence of this remnant image was more akin to mockery and stalling.
“Finding you is only a matter of time.”
Chen Ping’s tone was calm, yet carried unshakable certainty. “Today I will first destroy your lackeys and sever your limbs. In future I shall cut down your true body and obliterate both your form and spirit!”
“Arrogant boasting!”
The remnant snorted coldly. “This Venerable has operated in the Nine Heavens for ten thousand years. The depths of my foundation are beyond the imagination of a snot-nosed brat like you!”
“Evil Bone, I leave this place to you. If you can survive this day, when this Venerable recovers in the future, I shall assuredly help your Heavenly Evil Sect become the true overlord of the Nine Heavens!”
“If you cannot… heh heh, then that is simply your fate!”
Before Elder Evil Bone could react, the illusory figure twisted violently, turning into a wisp of black smoke that tried to drill back beneath the altar. Clearly some special teleportation or concealment array had been prepared there.
“Trying to flee?”
Chen Ping’s eyes sharpened. How could he let him escape so easily?
He needed to force the location of Soul-Devouring Heavenly Venerable’s true body from this remnant soul!
“Time Stasis! Spatial Seal!”
The dual power of laws instantly enveloped the small area around the altar!
The wisp of black smoke that had been trying to escape suddenly slowed to an extreme pace, as though trapped in invisible mud. The surrounding space also turned incomparably solid, blocking its path of return.
“Soul Search!”
Chen Ping pointed his fingers like a sword. A stream of light condensed to the utmost and containing mighty divine-sense power shot toward the slowed black smoke like a bolt of lightning!
He intended to use overwhelming divine sense to forcibly scour the memories of this remnant soul concerning the true body of Soul-Devouring Heavenly Venerable!
“Hmph! Delusional!”
The remnant let out a shrill screech, as though he had prepared for this long ago.
The wisp of black smoke suddenly exploded, splitting into countless finer, almost invisible soul threads that shot in every direction. At the same time, a self-destructive soul shockwaves spread outward, attempting to disrupt Chen Ping’s soul-searching.
“Annihilate!”
Chen Ping reacted with lightning speed. The phantom of the Demon-Suppressing Tower abruptly enlarged, spilling clear radiance that fixed the surrounding space. At the same instant, five-element sword intent swept horizontally, wiping out great swathes of those scattered soul threads.
