novelraw Chapter 252 : Shocking Emergence of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner
Chapter 252 : Shocking Emergence of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner
Chapter 252: Shocking Emergence of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner
Eastern Continent, Tidal Bay.
A middle-aged man clad in a white robe and white shoes stood by the bay current, his head lowered as he stared at his reflection in the water, adjusting the two strands of dragon whiskers on his forehead.
Though his appearance was thoroughly unremarkable, he looked at himself with infatuated obsession, utterly enamored with his own beauty.
But very soon, Jiang Zhi’s brows furrowed slightly.
“‘Why did Chu Huaixu leave the mountain?’”
Because both of them possessed Origin Power, as long as they weren’t too far apart, he could accurately sense the other’s location with his strength.
However, since Chu Huaixu was only at the Third Realm, he couldn’t perceive the positions of these cultivation powerhouses—unless they were in close proximity.
“‘Things haven’t been peaceful down the mountain lately,’” Jiang Zhi felt somewhat concerned.
He had already spent five days descending the mountain to eradicate evil.
Recently, the 【Dao Gate】 region hadn’t only been infiltrated by some low-tier riffraff among the Evil Cultivators.
Just among Fifth Realm Evil Cultivators, he’d already slain six in the past few days.
He’d even killed a Sixth Realm one just yesterday!
“‘What exactly are these people searching for on behalf of that ridiculous Sect Leader of the Black Moon Sect?’”
“‘And this person promised them so much. Do they really believe that once they find it, every promise will be fulfilled?’”
“‘To stir such desire among Evil Cultivators—even making them risk their lives—this Sect Leader must have some genuine capabilities.’”
This made his heart uneasy. If Chu Huaixu descended the mountain at a time like this and ran into danger, things could get quite troublesome.
The upper echelon of the 【Dao Gate】 had always felt a certain conflicted attachment toward Chu Huaixu.
They knew all too well: unpolished jade couldn’t become a vessel.
The growth of any cultivator could not happen without trials.
But Chu Huaixu was far too special—he was, so far, the only person in this world who could handle a Nascent Soul.
So, he couldn’t be allowed to fall.
Even Xu Ziqing, the Savior designated by the Dao Ancestor himself, together with the Dao Ancestor’s Sword atop the mountain—had already become backups for Chu Huaixu.
“‘Xiang Yan and Lu Pan should have made some arrangements,’” Jiang Zhi thought to himself.
But after some consideration, he still decided to go see for himself.
Just as he prepared to fly, he suddenly stopped.
Jiang Zhi snorted coldly, then raised a hand and struck behind him with a palm.
Space twisted instantly, and his palm force was devoured within these distortions.
“‘Come out.’”
“‘To lay down a grand array before I could even sense it... you do have some skill.’”
A figure cloaked in a black cape emerged. He wore a bronze mask, concealing his face.
But the man was tall—half a head taller than Jiang Zhi.
This made the little martial uncle of the 【Dao Gate】 frown even deeper.
—This man, I do not like!
The black-robed man with the bronze mask chuckled. “『As expected of the Little Martial Uncle of the Dao Gate. Quite a sharp reaction. So those rumors of you suffering Qi Deviation and losing your realm must be false. You probably forced your realm down yourself, didn’t you?』”
“‘So much nonsense. You must be the Sect Leader of the Black Moon Sect, right? Trapping me here—what, planning to have a chat?’”
Jiang Zhi snorted again. His figure instantly vanished as he raised his hand to grab toward the black-robed man.
——【Qi-Locking Seal】!
In the black-robed man’s hand, a black banner immediately appeared.
With a casual wave, sinister ghostly energy surged forward. In the dense black mist, numerous vicious wraiths began to take shape, as though trying to break free from the fog to envelop Jiang Zhi.
Dressed in white robes, Jiang Zhi looked at the hundreds of wraiths with a mocking sneer on his face.
“‘Petty ghost tricks.’”
What he disdained the most were these so-called wraiths and resentful spirits!
Because in his Sword Domain 【Killing】, who knew how many of these were already trapped?
Every time he unleashed his Sword Domain, tens of thousands of wraiths and resentful spirits would appear behind him, stretching out their hands to drag him into the infernal abyss, into the depths of death.
“‘Scram!’” he shouted.
Spiritual energy wrapped within his voice, as if law followed his words—hundreds of wraiths were instantly repelled, and the black mist was scattered.
The black-robed man in the bronze mask gazed at him with amusement. “『So, even though you willingly dropped your realm, your strength isn’t what it was at the Ninth Realm.』”
“『Ordinary Eighth Realm cultivators are no match for you, but any Ninth Realm expert could kill you.』”
“『Let me guess what you're planning.』”
Jiang Zhi’s brow lifted slightly. He coldly replied, “‘Noisy!’”
With a wide sweep of his hand, the Sword Domain 【Killing】 expanded outward from him, spreading across the entire grand array.
“『Oh? Starting to go all out?』” the man with the bronze mask sneered, his gaze growing cold.
“『Then let this lord witness your sword domain that attains Dao through killing!』”
He swung the black banner fiercely, and countless wraiths surged forth from within.
Each wraith had been at least at the Fifth Realm in life.
Some among them were even at the Seventh or Eighth Realm!
If it had only been that, Jiang Zhi—who had seen many storms—would not have been shocked.
These banner spirits no longer possessed their original strength. Even if they had reached the Eighth Realm before, once refined into banner spirits, retaining half their power would be a miracle!
Moreover, they could not cast divine powers, nor could they wield 【Intent】 or 【Domain】.
They were merely numerous.
What truly astonished him was that he sensed several powers within these banner spirits that did not belong to the Xuanhuang Realm!
They were the Divine Souls of cultivators, imprisoned within this black banner and refined into banner spirits!
“‘How can this be!’”
“‘Where did he find these Divine Souls?’”
“‘Could he have refined all the Nascent Souls hiding within the Xuanhuang Realm into banner spirits!?’”
“‘This wicked—no, this treasure has such power!?’”
At that thought, Jiang Zhi’s eyes changed.
His gaze toward the black banner became tinged with fervor.
——This banner, I want it!
The black-robed man with the bronze mask met his gaze, surprise flickering in his eyes.
“『He actually wants to steal my Ten Thousand Souls Banner?』”
Even the Sect Leader of the Black Moon Sect began to admire this man’s way of thinking.
“『Go!』” he commanded, and the hundreds of banner spirits surged forward.
Jiang Zhi stood within the Sword Domain 【Killing】, murderous intent rising like a pillar to the heavens, spreading outward.
In an instant, this place became a living hell.
The wails of ghosts and wolves echoed all around.
In Jiang Zhi’s eyes, countless threads began to appear.
These threads emanated from the banner spirits—or rather, they were threads of Qi, strands of power.
Within the Sword Domain Killing, nothing could be hidden.
All Jiang Zhi needed to do was sever these gray threads to annihilate them all!
Through these lines of Qi, he could precisely locate their vital points.
At his fingertips, a surge of majestic sword qi coalesced.
Twisting around this sword qi were tens of thousands of black threads!
These threads came from the tens of thousands of resentful spirits within 【Killing】 behind him!
They formed a living hell, all struggling, all trying to pull Jiang Zhi down!
In front of him was endless murderous intent; behind him, a sky full of wrath and grievance!
Yet, his killing intent was even stronger than the rage and resentment!
The towering will to kill drowned out all behind him.
In his eyes, there was only—kill, kill, kill!
As if, in his view, the backlash from all that resentment and wrath couldn’t hinder his path to attain Dao through killing.
Not enough. Not enough. He hadn’t killed enough yet!
Jiang Zhi stepped forward violently, slashing out with what seemed to be an ordinary sword strike.
Gray threads were severed one after another under this sword; one banner spirit after another disintegrated into the world with hideous wails.
They grew fewer with each slash.
Behind Jiang Zhi, the resentful spirits trying to drag him into hell only multiplied.
Soon, all the gray threads from the banner spirits had been severed.
His robes remained spotless; even the soles of his white shoes were clean, not a speck of dust.
Bearing the title of 【Lord of Purity】, Jiang Zhi seemed capable of sweeping all filth in the world behind him.
Kill, kill, kill!
Until he returned this world to a — clear and righteous sky!
And once all the gray threads were severed, only one thread remained.
Within the Sword Domain 【Killing】, this thread extended from the black-robed man.
He held the black banner, and this thread stretched from his right hand outward.
Clearly, the banner was both his reliance—and his vital weakness!
But this thread was peculiar—radiating in brilliant multicolor, intertwined with various hues, and faintly glowing.
Jiang Zhi’s gaze grew colder, his face calm as water, though his heart was a raging storm.
‘You are...’
‘A cultivator from the Immortal World!?’