“Crooked Soul!” Han Li shouted to his side in furious alarm. The Blood Spirit Drill and the fierce attack from the Immemorial Bowl were clearly Crooked Soul’s doing.
However, the figure at his side blurred, shooting towards the green shadow as if he hadn’t heard him.
Han Li reached out for the connection in his mind. Although his spiritual sense was still present in Crooked Soul, for some unknown reason he had completely lost control of him.
The green shadow howled with laughter and flew towards Crooked Soul as a streak of green light.
Han Li’s face grew extremely pale. Then with clenched teeth, he suddenly formed an incantation gesture and fiercely uttered, “Receive”. From a distance, a small green ball flew from the crown of Crooked Soul’s head and hastily shot into Han Li’s body before disappearing without a trace.
At that moment, the green shadow had already entered Crooked Soul.
As Han Li pushed down on the wound in his chest, he was fiercely staring at Crooked Soul.
Crooked Soul then slowly opened his eyes to reveal a pair of glowing blood-scarlet eyes.
Chapter 427: Profound Soul Demonification
Han Li quickly took out a blue talisman from his storage pouch and gently slapped it onto his wound. With a flash of white light, the bleeding immediately stopped.
But when he turned his head back to meet Crooked Soul’s icy gaze, Han Li wordlessly emitted an azure light around his body, which reached ten meters in height, and had his emerald swords revolve around him in streaks. It all appeared blindingly bright.
Han Li had already made a firm resolution that if he were going to leave this place, he needed to have these Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords outside his body to protect against any tricks this ancient eccentric may have in store.
To tell the truth, this was the most fearsome, menacing enemy he had encountered since entering the cultivation world. If his reactions were the slightest bit slow, he would’ve already had a hole through his heart. Were his spiritual sense not stronger and his mind not nimbler than a common cultivators, he would’ve undoubtedly met certain death from Crooked Soul’s recent ambush.
The Blood Spirit Drill was truly vicious and sinister. It could hardly be blocked.
But now, Han Li didn’t have to worry about any further attacks from the Blood Spirit Drill. That last attack was the last charge that Crooked Soul had cultivated.
However, Han Li still felt incredibly gloomy.
According to the External Incarnation Technique, he clearly should have refined his spiritual sense fragment and Crooked Soul’s physical body into one. Just how had this old ghost been able to take control of Crooked Soul without his knowledge?
He wasn’t even given the slightest warning. Were if not for his quick wits in hastily retrieving his divided consciousness from Crooked Soul, he feared the shadow would’ve already used it as a method for consuming him.
Han Li now found himself in a truly troublesome situation.
Since the enemy had possessed Crooked Soul, then the green shadow must be deceased and was closer to an evil demonic spirit or primal soul. The shadow possessing Crooked Soul wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, and it may have quite possibly given Han Li the opportunity to exterminate him.
With that thought, Han Li flipped his hand and an exquisitely-crafted small brass bell appeared in his hand: the Spirit Guiding Bell he had kept stored away for so long.
This bell contained the blood essence of Crooked Soul’s physical body. Although he couldn’t count on it to arrest the enemy, it could still be used to create an advantageous opportunity!
At that moment, “Crooked Soul” was stretching and moving his body as if wanting to familiarize himself with it.
Having seen Han Li’s action, he eerily chucked as if the result of the coming battle were laid in stone.
Han Li’s expression darkened, and he no longer hesitated to ring the small bell.
With a series of clear bell rings, Crooked Soul’s red eyes flickered, but no other change occurred from his body as if nothing was wrong.
Han Li’s heart sunk.
“Regardless of what tricks you perform on this Fiend Core Avatar, since I’ve become the master of this body, do you believe that minor restriction will have an effect one me?” Crooked Soul’s rough voice slowly spoke with a mocking tone.
“You know that it is a Fiend Core Avatar?” Han Li’s heart stirred with surprise.
“Hehe! The Fiend Core and External Incarnation Technique were something I had originally passed down to my two traitorous disciples. Did you believe I wouldn’t see through them? You sure are courageous to use them in front of me! Could it be that your master didn’t warn you that so long as this secret technique was used to refine an avatar, that I would be able to easily control it?” Crooked Soul twisted his neck left and right and indifferently said with crossed arms.
Han Li was bewildered, but his face wore a strange expression.
“What master? The avatar creation technique was something I acquired from a jade talisman. Could it have some relation to you?” Han Li asked, unwilling to be a scapegoat for Grandmaster Zenith Yin. Regardless of whether his words were true or false, Han Li still gave a dull explanation.
“Jade slip? Youngster, did you believe that by not admitting to be the apprentice of my two traitorous disciples that I would let you go? After I capture you, I will refine your soul and acquire everything that I want to know.” Crooked Soul didn’t seem to believe Han Li and spoke expressionlessly.
With that said, he beckoned to the skeleton pile nearby without further hesitation, causing it to float in the air. In an instant, it reassembled into a complete skeleton, and flew towards Crooked Soul with a flash of white light.
Although Han Li didn’t know what he intended, he wasn’t going to allow his opponent to smoothly succeed.
He immediately flicked his finger three times, shooting out three streaks of azure swordlight from his hand. The Azure Essence Swordstreaks shot straight towards the skeleton.
“You dare to so presumptuously release those granules of light?” Crooked Soul sinisterly said. He then opened his mouth and spouted out a beam of blood light.
With a series of explosions, the blood light and the azure light struck and scattered into radiance.
Han Li frowned and wore a solemn expression. After being possessed, Crooked Soul’s cultivation was no longer restricted to early Core Formation stage. How truly odd!
But what happened next left Han Li even more aghast!
Once the white skeleton flew in front of Crooked Soul, it merged into his body without the slightest obstruction.
Crooked Soul then loudly roared with his head facing upwards. His body emitted several different flashes of colors: from dark-green otherworldly flame, pitch-black ghost mist, and Crooked Soul’s Divine Blood Light. These three distinct radiances tangled with one another, continuously wandering throughout Crooked Soul’s body and fully covering him within it.
As Crooked Soul roared, a small explosion could be heard from within his body. With his body bowed in pain, his limbs and body began to slowly shrink.
Once this was done, he stood up appearing much shorter, exactly like an ordinary person.
But what caused Han Li to be most shocked was Crooked Soul’s face had changed to that of a youth’s with delicate facial features. Even the flourishing blood-red in his eyes had greatly dimmed. In that instant, Crooked Soul had undergone a transformation into a completely different person.
Han Li was stupefied for a moment before revealing a bitter smile.
Han Li originally wished to used this opportunity to strike his opponent given how audaciously he used magic in front of him, but he didn’t expect that this technique would be performed so quickly that there wasn’t an opportunity to make use of.
After a moment of silence, Han Li dryly asked the youth a bizarre question, “Is this possession? Or complete body seizure?”
The delicate youth mysteriou
sly smiled and glanced at Han Li with narrowed eyes, serenely saying, “ You greatly underestimate my Profound Soul Demonification Technique. It is a secret art that only a Nascent Soul cultivator is capable of performing. So long as it is cultivated, there are no restrictions with body seizure, and profound souls may be added to another body as one wishes. Now that my profound soul has solidified its bones, I will have you be a blood sacrifice so that this Divine Ancestor may rise once again!”
He raised his hands, suddenly turning his fingers into incisive claws with dark green fingernails several inches longs.
Han Li’s expression darkened, and he didn’t further waste his breath. He tossed out the spirit beast pouch that he had been holding since the beginning and released his several thousands of Gold Devouring Beetles. A short moment later, a glowing cloud of gold and silver floated above his head.
Then with a wave of his arms, white lights continuously flickered around him, surrounding Han Li with forty huge ape puppets. Each of them stared at the youth with an icy gaze.
But Han Li didn’t stop there. With his two hands forming an incantation seal, his nine small swords flew out as azure light and converged into a three-meter-long emerald sword. The sword streak endlessly twinkled with faint golden arcs of light continuously sparking from it.
Upon seeing this, the delicate youth’s expression greatly changed, revealing surprise and a grave expression.
After the youth’s gaze flickered several times, he suddenly said, “Flying swords refined from Heaven Lightning Bamboo, insect control techniques, and puppets! It seems you really aren’t the disciple of Zenith Yin and Zenith Brilliance. Since this is the case, then how about we have a proper chat?”
Han Li, who had just prepared his entire offensive, was stunned upon hearing this. But after a moment of silence, he coldly said, “Unfortunately, I really want to test whether or not your esteemed self is capable of receiving my flying swords!”
Without the slightest hesitation, Han Li pointed towards his huge flying sword, and it immediately launched towards the youth in a green streak of light as thick as a python. As it flew, it occasionally rolled with sounds of thunder.
The youth’s face slightly sank upon seeing this, and he lightly waved his claws in front of him. Five crescents of black radiance appeared out of the air and rapidly expanded, blurring several times before quickly chopping towards the green sword streak.
Upon contact, the green sword streak sparked with faint golden arcs of lightning, completely obliterating the crescents of black radiance. They weren’t able to withstand even a single blow!
Although the youth’s expression remained calm, his mind was greatly startled. The power of the Gold Lightning Bamboo was far greater than he had anticipated.
In the blink of an eye, the green sword streak had arrived in front of the youth. However, he was still calm and collected as he indifferently watched the huge sword approach him as if he still had something up his sleeve.
Chapter 428: Xiao Cha
The youth swiped his ghost claw again but this time with a flash of green radiance, shooting a green streak of light towards the incoming sword streak. It immediately resulted in a huge clap of thunder.
Black and golden arcs of lightning burst out, intertwining to eventually form a huge sphere of lightning. With neither attack giving way, their cries of thunder reverberated through the hall with astonishing pressure.
Han Li suddenly narrowed his gaze.
“Heaven Lightning Bamboo!” He was alarmed to find the opponent also possessed a magic treasure refined from Heaven Lightning Bamboo!
Could it be...?
Han Li thought of something and attentively examined the green streak that the youth released.
At the brilliant center of the arcs of lightning, he saw a foot-long emerald arrow struggling fiercely against his huge sword made from combining nine Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords.
The lightning it shot out was much different than that of his sword. Instead of a golden color, it was instead mixed with a deep black as if it had been refined by an evil technique.
Although this was the case, the black lightning was exceedingly powerful and even took the upper hand in its clash against the gold lightning.
Han Li couldn’t help but let out a gloomy sigh. He didn’t expect that his original doubts were accurate.
He had felt a familiar aura upon seeing the arrow embedded in the skeleton’s skull. It was quite similar to his own Gold Lightning Bamboo, but it occasionally released a faint, black evil Qi, arousing his doubts.
After all, according to what he knew, the Gold Lightning Bamboo had only appeared once in the Scattered Star Seas, but it soon disappeared after an unknown number of years. How would chance have it that he would end up encountering it? He had found it incredulous. But now, not only was this misleading arrow refined from Gold Lightning Bamboo, but it was also a magic treasure that was refined by the old ghost. What an amazing farce!
Han Li couldn’t help but reveal a faint, sarcastic smile.
But he suddenly recalled something. Had the old ghost taken advantage of when he was examining the skeleton and controlled the arrow, he would’ve certainly died.
With that in mind, he couldn’t help but feel increasingly fearful. His back was covered in cold sweat from that lingering fear.
It wasn’t exactly a surprise that his Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords couldn’t beat the arrow. He had tempered his flying swords for far too little time, and he was only capable of relying on the innate ability of the Gold Lightning Bamboo in a fight. It was only natural for it to be inferior to the enemy’s magic treasure. Had his nine flying swords been tempered for a slightly longer time, the enemy’s trifling single magic treasure wouldn’t be able to contend with it, regardless of whether or not it had also been refined from Gold Lightning Bamboo.
But now that he found out that the opponent had a method of restraining the Divine Devilbane Lightning of his flying swords, Han Li was unwilling to launch a full scale attack. After all, the green shadow’s true cultivation had not been clearly shown from the very start, even after he had transformed into a youth.
In addition, given his adversary’s cunning and resourcefulness, his opponent’s evil magics and devilish arts would surely be even more weird and troublesome. He doubted if he could do much to stop them. If he were to put his all into the fight, even by giving his hundred thousand Gold Devouring Swarm the kill command, his victory still wouldn’t be certain.
It could be assumed that since the enemy had suddenly put forward a proposal a moment ago that he was also somewhat fearful of Han Li’s own magic treasure and strange techniques.
With that thought in mind, Han Li wordlessly beckoned toward his huge sword. With a huge explosion, the huge sword dissolved into the original nine swords and shot back towards Han Li.
When the youth saw this, a cold glint flashed through his eyes. Then after some hesitation, he decided to not continue his attack and recalled his magic treasures.
After Han Li recalled his flying swords, he indifferently asked as if uncertain, “If your esteemed self truly is Grandmaster Zenith Yin’s master, then you must be over a thousand years old.”
The youth lowered his head to look at his restored hands and indifferently said, “Before I cultivated the Profound Soul Demonification Technique, I was over six hundred years old. Although I don’t know exactly how much time has passed after I transformed my body into a profound soul, it should be no less than four hundred years! Fortunately, I cultivated this profound soul body after scattering my Nascent Soul. Had I remained in my flesh body, I fear I would have long died in meditation.”
Han Li remained silent. If what he said was true, this person was a “Thousand Year Ghost”!
Han Li couldn’t help but be interested in this Profound Soul Demonification Technique, which allowed one to break through the limitations of one’s lifespan. As such, Han Li slowly said, “Since you say this, then I must truly address you as Senior!”
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When the youth heard this, he glimpsed at Han Li and found that Han Li’s words were not to his liking. He sneered and said, “Senior? After so many years of being cursed and lauded in the cultivation world, I didn’t expect to remain as a bodiless ghost and renounce my opportunity to enter the cycle of reincarnation, all in order to take revenge on my two traitorous disciples. If you do not clearly explain your origins, then I will greatly damage my own Origin Qi to ensure you do not leave here alive.” Although his voice was exceptionally calm, his words were heavy and chilling, leaving no room for doubt.
Han Li bitterly smiled. After some doubt, he said, “Wouldn’t it be too much of a loss for this Junior if only Senior got to ask the questions? Could Senior also clear up a few of this one’s doubts?”
The youth was stunned for a moment before roaring with laughter.
“Good, very good! I can agree to these conditions. But if you know too much, your life will be difficult to preserve.” The youth made a grand display of arrogance!
“Hehe, Senior doesn’t need to worry about that. If this one hasn’t guessed incorrectly, then Senior’s cultivation should be at late Core Formation at most. I’m honestly curious about whether or not I could endure.” Han Li asked a probing question while carefully examining the youth’s expression.
The youth coldly laughed several times, but he didn’t reveal the slightest peculiarity, causing Han Li to inwardly curse, ‘Sly old bastard’.
“Let’s cut the rubbish. You said that you learned everything from a jade slip, but not my two traitorous disciples. Give it to me.” The youth’s voice was harsh and cold, carrying an overbearing tone.
Han Li frowned. After some hesitation, he patted his storage pouch and flung a jade slip emitting grey Qi towards the youth.
The youth didn’t directly catch the jade slip. Instead, he raised his hand, summoning a black python of black Qi to catch it in its mouth and bring it before him.
Without moving his limbs, his eyes flashed with blood-red radiance, and he emotionlessly gazed into the jade slip.
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