The eerie young man immediately showed a hint of astonishment: "The Soul Banner?"
"How can a mere mid-Qi Cultivation cultivator like yourself wield such a treasure?"
The Demonic Soul Banner, an artifact forbidden by the righteous sects, is not even openly used by the demonic upper sects, yet many cultivators secretly refine it.
However, there is a difference between Soul Banners.
For a regular Soul Banner to advance to the Top-Grade Magical Artifact Hundred Soul Banner, it must either refine thousands of mortal souls or slaughter hundreds of cultivators.
Such extensive slaughter is almost impossible in the current environment where demonic sects are weak.
Even if someone is fortunate enough to refine a Hundred Soul Banner, its usage would inevitably be traced by the righteous sects’ deductions, making concealment nearly impossible due to karmic ties of killings.
These circumstances have led to the scarcity of the Hundred Soul Banner in the Cultivation Realm.
Common Top-Grade Magical Artifacts are precious to Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators; not to mention the Hundred Soul Banner, which boasts a formidable reputation among Top-Grade Magical Artifacts.
Rumor has it that those who wield a Hundred Soul Banner are invincible below the Golden Core, though somewhat exaggerated, dominating cultivators of the same level with the Hundred Soul Banner is easy.
Such a precious Top-Grade Magical Artifact appearing in the hands of a mere mid-Qi Cultivation cultivator was hard for the eerie young man to believe.
However, Lu Yan gave the eerie young man no time to ponder, as the Hundred Soul Banner summoned two hundred fierce ghosts into the thick ghostly mist, charging towards the eerie young man.
The eerie young man’s expression changed, but his Dharma Seal actions remained swift.
Second-tier superior spell: Red Lotus Body Protection Spell!
The Dharma Seal transformed into a slowly blooming blood-red lotus that enveloped the eerie young man, colliding with the fierce ghosts amidst the protective spiritual light, causing a violent roar that stirred ripples in the ghostly mist.
No matter how the fierce ghosts attacked, the Dharma Protection Spiritual Light remained unwavering; instead, when their Soul Bodies encountered blood-red spiritual light, they started showing signs of corrosion.
The eerie young man, not hurried to retaliate, instead examined the Soul Banner in Lu Yan’s hand, noticing unusual auras during the brief clash.
"The Hundred Soul Banner surprisingly lacks karmic force from slaughter, and even bears little residual negative emotions like resentment and fear, so clean it doesn’t resemble a demonic magical artifact at all."
The fierce ghosts let out sharp wails, the two hundred vengeful spirits formed ghost qi into a massive sinister Ghost Claw, bearing a bloody brilliance, struck heavily.
A booming sound erupted within the courtyard, the Red Lotus Body Protection Spell finally showed some change, its radiance dimmed considerably, and cracks started appearing in the protective spiritual light.
Under the protection of the spiritual light, the eerie young man scanned the fierce ghosts with his divine sense, upon realizing the absences of heaven and earth souls in the fierce ghosts, he became suddenly enlightened, his face exhibiting uncontrollable ecstasy.
"So that’s it, the rumored madman who refined the Ten Thousand Beast Banner in Wushan was you!"
With a maniacal laugh, the eerie young man looked at Lu Yan with an eye full of chilling greed.
"The sect sent me to investigate Wanling Mountain, suspecting that Wanling Mountain was slaughtering Spirit Blood Beasts in Wushan Territory to extract special bloodlines.
Unexpectedly, there is indeed someone harvesting Spirit Blood Beast souls, and that person even delivered themselves right to me; truly blessed by the Demon Venerable!"
"Your Hundred Soul Banner differs from other Demonic Soul Banners, surely it’s effective in harvesting Spirit Blood Beasts.
The rumor about refining the Ten Thousand Beast Banner through beast slaughter is sheer nonsense, but using special means to feed Spirit Blood Beast souls to nourish vengeful fierce ghosts within the Soul Banner holds some credibility.
However, it is unfortunate that whether it be your Hundred Soul Banner or the method of gathering beast souls, both will become mine!"
As he finished speaking, the protective spiritual light from the Red Lotus Body Protection Spell shattered, the two hundred fierce ghosts lunged forward with their Ghost Claws.
Once those Ghost Claws pierce into the eerie young man’s flesh, even as a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator, his Divine Soul would certainly not withstand two hundred fierce ghosts comparable to mid-Qi Cultivation.
Just then, the eerie young man moved.
Raising his right hand, a pure white bell appeared in his hand.
With a gentle flick of the wrist, the bell, though no larger than a palm, emitted a raspy sound akin to a dying person’s struggle, visible ripples spread from it in all directions.
Almost instantly, the Ghost Claws extended by the two hundred fierce ghosts shattered, their Soul Bodies dimming visibly, and each wraith revealed a frightened expression, instinctively fleeing afar.
Demonic Magical Artifact: White Bone Bell!
Lu Yan recognized the bell in the eerie young man’s hand at a glance; it was one of the Demonic Magical Artifacts recorded in the "Secret Record of Demonic Magical Artifacts."
Unlike the Soul Banner which neglects material creation, focusing on subsequent refinements.
The refinement of the White Bone Bell requires the bones of powerful creatures, and employs a special technique to seal the last remnant soul of the creature before death within, so complex that even a true Artifact Refiner may not succeed.
The White Bone Bell in the eerie young man’s hand, clearly a high-quality superior magical artifact, is a formidable weapon against Divine Souls.
Glancing at the fleeing fierce ghosts, the eerie young man did not pursue victory to eliminate all fierce ghosts.
In his eyes, the Hundred Soul Banner was already his, the fierce ghosts should be his property, naturally he would not exhaust them.
Holding the White Bone Bell, the eerie young man walked slowly towards Lu Yan, speaking with a light laugh:
"If you had Foundation Establishment cultivation, or I didn’t have this White Bone Bell, with your Hundred Soul Banner, there’d still be some chance for victory.
But now facing me, you stand no chance."
"I’ll give you another opportunity, voluntarily present the Hundred Soul Banner, and reveal your secrets to me, I’ll forgive your offenses and take you as my servant into the Red Lotus Demon Sect.
Should the day come when I ascend to the position of Red Lotus Demon Sect Leader, you will rise to be an elder of the sect."
Lu Yan said nothing, merely shaking the Soul Banner, striving to maneuver the fleeing fierce ghosts into merging with the ghostly mist.
The dense, rolling ghostly mist surged, intensifying the darkness of the Nether Realm, a massive Ghost Claw coalesced by the force of many fierce ghosts struck down.
The eerie young man commented indifferently, shaking the White Bone Bell in his hand.
Once again, that sound resembling the dying words of a creature rang out, ripples spread to meet the massive Ghost Claw.
Yet this time, the collision far exceeded the eerie young man’s expectations.
The massive Ghost Claw only briefly paused before continuing its descent, the ripples dispersing the overwhelming ghostly mist, revealing beneath a bizarre entity.
Seemingly a horrific creature stitched from hundreds of fierce ghosts, their souls connected, the partially activated White Bone Bell could not move this mighty form.
The next moment the Ghost Claw clenched into a fist, a sound of thundering shook the earth!