Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 167

The Great Elder shuddered and turned his head.

The round moon hung high, bamboo tips swayed low, and a tall figure stood upon them, holding a flute. The moonlight shrouded his face in darkness.

“So it really is you.”

In the next instant, three crimson fireballs streaked forward, dragging long tails of flame, spiraling toward him. The moon on the horizon grew larger, and the sound of trickling water echoed all around.

Wang Yu’s lips curved into a smile. His face was hidden in shadow, but his eyes gleamed with a ghostly light, revealing the bright mark of a crescent moon.

“It seems you are still unconvinced. Then experience once more the pain that pierces the heart.”

In the blink of an eye, the spell pierced through Wang Yu’s figure, which instantly vanished.

The Bai Family’s Great Elder was startled. At some unknown time, the scene around him had changed.

He now stood on a boundless, silent surface of water, with the moon behind him, so close that it seemed he could touch it with his hand.

Fearfully, he whispered, “Illusion… when did this happen.”Subconsciously, he looked down at his reflection in the water. But it was not his reflection. Instead, countless scenes of Bai family members dying tragically filled the surface.

He saw the Second and Third Elders opening the treasure vault and slaughtering each other.

He saw two middle-aged cultivators activate a formation, killing the clansmen under control.

He saw himself, with scarlet eyes and blood dripping from his mouth. Behind the demonic figure lay countless gnawed corpses. It was the future he feared most.

“No.”

“This is impossible. These are all false illusions.”

“…Illusion, damn it.”

Having fallen into the Moon Illusion created by the Taiyin Nether Eyes, all the scenes he feared would replay again and again until his emotions reached the breaking point.

Then, the shadows of fear would crawl out of the reflection and deliver a painful strike.

Wang Yu had lurked in the dark, scheming to create such an atmosphere, for the sole purpose of trapping the Bai Family’s Great Elder.

The opponent’s ninth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivation was troublesome. Head-on, Wang Yu was certainly no match. But after inducing fear and unease, with his divine sense comparable to the late Foundation Establishment stage, he could use the Moon Illusion to trap him. As long as no reckless strike shattered the demonic illusion, the trap could last a very long time.

At this moment, Wang Yu sensed the Bai Family formation activating, and his smile deepened. Before entering, he had studied the records in the City Lord’s Mansion.

The Bai Family residence formation, although a second-rank high-grade, was primarily defensive. It could resist external attacks and serve as a temporary trapping array. That was exactly the effect he wanted.

Casting one last glance at the Great Elder, who raved madly in the white courtyard, Wang Yu casually threw down several formation flags.

The Blood Mist Hidden Spirit Formation activated, sealing him securely within, isolating external interference, and preventing escape from the illusion.

His figure flickered and disappeared once more.

…

Inside the Bai Family ancestral hall, before the Merit Stele.

The Second Elder pressed one hand upon it, activating the hidden core of the Mountain Marsh Turtle-Shell Formation. While operating it, he spoke coldly to the tearful Third Elder, Bai Zhuzhu.

“Bai Zhuzhu, there is no time to grieve for your granddaughter. The greater cause must come first.”

“The greater cause?”

Bai Zhuzhu glared at him bitterly, her voice sharp.

“I knew it. I knew we should have listened to the Ancestor.

He led the Bai Family from third-rate to first-rate, until we became one of the three great clans of Jade Spirit City. His vision and judgment far surpassed ours.

We should never have followed that fool Bai Yang. Otherwise, how could my granddaughter have died, and at the hands of Xuan’er no less. With such a death, how am I to face my son.”

The Second Elder faltered, speechless. But soon his voice hardened.

“Say what you will, it is already too late. The tragedy has already happened. Do you want every member of the Bai Family to suffer the same agony as you. Do you still care about the clan or not.”

Bai Zhuzhu froze, finally jolted awake from her grief.

She placed her hand on the core and channeled her strength to help activate the formation.

Moments later, earthen-yellow tortoise-shell patterns of light visibly expanded, quickly covering the entire Bai Family estate.

The Second Elder then activated the hidden mechanisms, burying the Merit Stele, the array’s keystone, underground. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

“Come, let us assist Decai and Yihe.”

Wooo—

Wooo woo—

“Hmm?”

The flute sounded, like the cries of ghosts, close at hand. Both elders realized at once. “There is something wrong with the flute sound. Seal your ears.”

But it was too late.

The flute was never meant for them. And even if it was, sealing one’s ears was useless against Heart-Demon Sound, a soul and mind dual-path art.

From the darkness, rustling noises swelled.

Soon, hundreds of Bai Family disciples with blood-red eyes charged forth. They did not use spirit power or artifacts. They attacked with raw physical strength, launching suicidal assaults at the two elders.

“Why is this happening.”

For a moment, the two elders dared not strike lethally. They could only use force with precision, tossing attackers aside. With their protective spiritual light, the falls caused no harm.

But the disciples controlled by Heart-Demon Sound merely shook their heads, then rushed forward again like tireless puppets.

Thus, a seventh-layer Foundation Establishment expert and a sixth-layer Foundation Establishment expert were pinned in place, unable to advance even half a step.

From the shadows, Wang Yu observed and nodded with satisfaction.

His figure darted swiftly toward his third target, Decai and Yihe, both Foundation Establishment third-layer cultivators.

Tonight, the Bai Family would taste true pain.

…

Bai Decai and Bai Yihe swept past one room after another, yet all they could see was blood flowing wantonly and mangled corpses scattered about. Their suppressed rage finally erupted.

“Yihe, this will not work. Use Bai Clan secret art to directly confirm everyone’s location.”

“Very well. Use Bloodline Tracing.”

The two stopped on a bridge across a pond, cut open their palms, and used their bloodline as the source to confirm the existence of Bai Clan blood within a certain range.

Moments later, they opened their eyes at the same time.

“They are all in the ancestral hall?”

“Isn’t that the direction where the Second Elder and Third Elder went?”

“Quickly, let’s go take a look.”

Dong.

Suddenly, a flute sounded, different from before. After just the opening note, a flurry of wings came from above.

“Gaa, gaa, gaa—”

Blood-eyed crows the size of human heads descended.

Soul-Sound Dual Dao Technique: Ghost Crow Devouring Soul Sound. Second-rank peak-grade.

Although the technique had only reached minor completion, against two Foundation Establishment third-layer cultivators, it was effortless for Wang Yu. The Bai Clan cultivators seemed to have deep foundations, but that was only when compared to rogue cultivators.

Compared with him, who came from the Blood Reversal Sect, they were nothing. At most, they were just a little stronger than the Azure Dragon Gang Leader.

Countless ghost crows surged forth, gathering into two tornadoes. The two each used their methods, summoned artifacts for support, and tried to kill the ghost crows with spells.

Unfortunately.

The ghost crows were like illusions, completely unaffected by their attacks. On the contrary, every time they passed through their bodies, part of their divine sense was taken away.

After many times, their souls grew weak, their spiritual essence insufficient, and fatigue set in. Their limbs weakened as if paralyzed, making it difficult to precisely control their bodies.

This was the mystery of the Ghost Crow Devouring Soul Sound.

“Sound represents illusion. Soul represents devouring. Though distinct, they are united. The ghost crows were but phantoms. The true attack was the inaudible soul-devouring sound waves.”

It was like boiling a frog in warm water. By the time they realized something was wrong, the ghost crows of soul-devouring sound would transform into real entities and deliver the fatal strike.

“Something is wrong. Why can we not kill these crows? Could this all be an illusion?”

Decai panted heavily, his head clouded, stabbing pain between his brows, nausea rising in his stomach. He knew.

This was the sign of divine sense being depleted.

“Yihe, Yihe, summon your Roaring Sound Hound to clear your mind.”

At the words, Bai Yihe hurriedly patted his spirit beast pouch.

At once, a strange fat hound appeared, its body plump, its head nearly half its body, with purple fur covered in yellow ring-shaped markings.

This was the Roaring Sound Hound.

A creature despised by many in the Bai Clan. Though it had the strength of an early second-rank beast, its courage was small. Upon seeing the endless ghost crows, it shrank behind its master.

Yihe quickly kicked it and scolded, “Bark! Don’t you bark so loudly usually?”

Aggrieved, the purple fat hound barked at the ghost crows.

“Woof!”

“Woof, woof, woof!”

To their surprise, it truly had an effect. The disorderly sound waves stirred the Ghost Crow Devouring Soul Sound, which had only reached minor completion, destabilizing it.

Especially the ghost crows made of illusory sound, many of them shattered directly.

Wang Yu shook his head at the sight. A minor completion spell was still lacking. The casting time was long, and the structure unstable.

But this Roaring Sound Hound was indeed a strange beast. He had never seen a spirit beast with talent in sound waves. Its ancestry must be untraceable. Since one move could not kill them, he would strike personally.

“Soul-Shattering Finger.”

This divine sense secret art was of low power, only second-rank low-grade. Yet for Decai and Yihe in their current state, it was the final straw.

Divine sense attacks were hidden and swift. Normal defenses were useless. Without the proper counter, the best option was to evade.

But with Wang Yu lurking in the shadows, no matter how vigilant they were, mistakes were inevitable.

“Ah!”

As the owner of the Roaring Sound Hound, Yihe was Wang Yu’s first target. The Soul-Shattering Finger nearly knocked him unconscious before he could react.

Wang Yu held the Ghost-Weeping Flute, frost-moon wings unfurling behind him.

In a flash, he appeared between the two, kicked Decai away with the Draconic Chant, and with the Ghost-Weeping Flute slashed down with a fatal sound-blade.

— Wailing Heart-Rending Blade.

Puchi.

Almost without resistance, Yihe stood dazed, a bloody hole opening at his chest. The next moment his body split in two, blood and organs spilling everywhere.

His spirit beast, the hound, howled in grief, rolling on the ground. With its master dead, the subdued spirit beast was doomed as well.

Within a few breaths, it was nearly dead.

Elsewhere.

From the ruins of a shattered building, Decai crawled up spitting blood. He immediately saw his clansman’s death and fled skyward in terror, only to be swatted down by a giant gray-black hand.

He became a lump of flesh.

Wang Yu reached out to collect the two storage bags, and also put the dying Roaring Sound Hound back into the beast pouch. His figure then disappeared once more.