87: Chapter 87 Detonating the Underground Palace, Seizing Opportunity Amidst the Chaos

"Explode!"

Boom, boom, boom, boom—!!!

Deafening explosions rang out one after another in the massive underground palace! Crimson flames, ice-blue cold air, blinding lightning, and sharp wind blades instantly filled every corner of the underground palace!

The eight stone pillars were affected by the explosions and shook violently; the eerie green flames at their tops flickered unsteadily, and some even crumbled. The blood-colored Formation on the ground was blown open with several gaps, its light flashing chaotically. The eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators were caught off guard, swept into the explosions and the chaotic flow of Spells; three were instantly heavily injured, and the maintenance of the Formation was immediately interrupted!

The entire underground palace was filled with smoke and dust, flying debris, and rampaging spiritual power, causing severe interference to both vision and spiritual sense!

"Junior! You are courting death!" Master Youquan was both shocked and furious. He had not expected Lin Ye to be so crazy, daring to detonate so many one-time attack items inside the underground palace! He raised his protective spiritual light and waved his hand to disperse several attacks heading toward him, but his vision and spiritual sense were also interfered with by the explosions, making it difficult for him to lock onto Lin Ye's specific location for a moment.

The two internal traitor Elders and the Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Yinkui Sect also each dealt with the explosions, their Formations slightly disrupted.

Gui Li took advantage of the chaos, following Lin Ye's previous instructions, and quickly retreated to the shadows at the edge of the underground palace, preparing to provide support.

"Now!" At the moment the explosions rang out, Lin Ye had already forcibly swallowed the blood from the backlash, pushed his speed to the limit, and simultaneously fully activated the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" in his left hand and the yan jun token in his right!

Both tokens erupted with light simultaneously! The "command token of ten thousand ghosts" emitted a strange suction force, seemingly resonating with the altar and the Soul-Locking Curse on the Sect Master. The yan jun token emitted a scorching golden light shield, protecting him and Su Waner who followed closely behind, and faintly resisting the surrounding Devilish Qi and chaotic energy.

He was like an arrow leaving the string; under the cover of smoke and explosions, he ignored the scattered attacks and charged straight at the altar!

"Stop him!" Master Youquan, after all, had profound cultivation and quickly locked onto Lin Ye's movements, shouting an order. At the same time, he pointed a finger, and a condensed pitch-black finger wind shot toward Lin Ye's back, arriving first despite being launched later!

The two traitor Elders and the Yinkui Sect Foundation Establishment Cultivator also reacted and launched attacks to intercept him.

However, just as the attacks were about to hit him, Lin Ye had already rushed to the edge of the altar! Without hesitation, he leaped onto the altar, and at the same time, fiercely pressed the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" in his left hand onto the dark red Soul-Locking Curse rune on Master Lingxiao's forehead!

"Take the token as a guide, curse seal resonate, open!"

Hum!

The moment the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" made contact with the Soul-Locking Curse rune, it erupted with blinding dark red light! A more violent and chaotic devilish intent rushed into Lin Ye's mind along the token, making his vision go black and nearly causing him to faint. But at the same time, the Soul-Locking Curse rune also flickered violently, producing a strange confrontation and fusion with the token, actually temporarily stopping its erosion of Master Lingxiao!

The soul-seizing bead, having lost the support of the Formation and being interfered with by the light arrows from Su Waner's soul-calming ancient lamp, also dimmed.

Master Youquan's finger wind and other attacks had also bombarded Lin Ye's back!

"yan jun token, protect!" Lin Ye roared, crazily injecting his remaining spiritual power into the yan jun token in his right hand. The yan jun token erupted with an unprecedented pure golden light shield, covering him, Su Waner, and Master Lingxiao on the altar together!

Boom, boom, boom!

Several attacks slammed into the golden light shield! The light shield shook violently and was covered in cracks, but it did not shatter immediately! Lin Ye and Su Waner were shaken, their blood and qi churning, and they vomited blood again. But Master Lingxiao was protected by the light shield and did not receive a direct impact.

"Go!" Lin Ye knew he could not delay any longer; the light shield of the yan jun token could not last for more than a few breaths. He gripped the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" tightly with one hand, pressing it on the Sect Master's forehead (maintaining interference with the Soul-Locking Curse), and activated the yan jun token with the other, while simultaneously communicating with the one-time "Space-Breaking Talisman Token" bestowed by Supreme Elder Tianxuan!

He wanted to forcibly take the Sect Master away! As for where to teleport, he could no longer care about that!

However, just as he was about to activate the "Space-Breaking Talisman Token"—

A strange change occurred again!

The dark red Soul-Locking Curse rune on the forehead of the still-unconscious Master Lingxiao, under the stimulation and interference of the "command token of ten thousand ghosts," suddenly shrank inward, turning into an extremely tiny black dot, and then... exploded with a bang!

It was not an explosion, but a formless, cold, and dead silence that seemed capable of freezing Souls, instantly spreading outward with Master Lingxiao as the center!

Lin Ye, who was closest, bore the brunt of it. He felt as if his Divine Soul had been frozen by ten-thousand-year black ice, his thinking slowed down, and the palm holding the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" was instantly covered in a layer of black frost, which rapidly spread to his arm!

"Curse backlash?! Or... some kind of hidden trump card?!"

"It is 'Curse Spirit Backlash'! The Soul-Locking Curse was forcibly interfered with, triggering its protection mechanism, which will devour any external Divine Soul that approaches the cursed target! Let go quickly!" Gui Li's terrified voice came from afar.

Let go? Once he let go, the Soul-Locking Curse would immediately regain control of the Sect Master, and the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" might also be eroded or stolen by the curse power!

Don't let go? His own Divine Soul would be quickly frozen and devoured by this Curse Spirit Backlash!

Life and death hung by a thread!

A flash of madness crossed Lin Ye's eyes. Not only did he not let go, he pressed the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" even tighter against the Sect Master's forehead. At the same time, he poured the last of his strength, along with the "Lingyun Sword Intent" seed in his forehead and a trace of the Great Sun Golden Flame Origin stored in the yan jun token, without reservation, through his left hand into the "command token of ten thousand ghosts," and then through the token, forcibly struck the erupting Curse Spirit Backlash!

"Give me—open!"

Ice and fire, Sword Intent and devilish intent, supreme Yang and supreme Yin—several completely different and even conflicting forces collided and annihilated each other with unprecedented intensity at Master Lingxiao's forehead, through the medium of the "command token of ten thousand ghosts"!

Master Lingxiao's body began to tremble violently, and dark red blood began to seep from his seven orifices. At his forehead, black frost and golden flames intertwined, and silver-white sword light and dark red curse power entangled, forming a chaotic and dangerous energy vortex.

"Madman! He is causing the power within the Sect Master to go berserk!" Master Youquan was shocked and furious, wanting to stop it, but the chaotic fluctuations emitted by the energy vortex made him feel palpitations, and he dared not approach easily.

Su Waner gritted her teeth and placed the soul-calming ancient lamp almost against Master Lingxiao's chest. The cyan-white lamp flames poured into his body regardless of the cost, attempting to stabilize his vitality and drive away the curse power.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

I do not know how much time passed, perhaps an instant, perhaps an eternity.

The chaotic energy vortex suddenly collapsed inward, then exploded with a roar!

A terrifying energy storm, containing an indescribable mixture of Master Lingxiao's original Nascent Soul aura, the evil devilish power of the Soul-Locking Curse, the scorching heat of the Great Sun Golden Flame, the sharpness of the Lingyun Sword Intent, and the strange fluctuations of the "command token of ten thousand ghosts," swept across the entire underground palace with the altar as the center!

Rumble—!

The underground palace shook violently, the eight stone pillars all collapsed, and the eerie green flames at their tops were extinguished. The Formation on the ground was completely shattered. The dark purple "soul-seizing bead" let out a mournful cry in the storm, cracks appeared on its surface, its light dimmed completely, and it fell to the ground.

Master Youquan and the others were also forced back repeatedly by the sudden energy storm, raising their defenses and looking at the center of the storm in horror.

The storm gradually subsided.

The smoke and dust cleared.

Only then could they see that on the altar, Lin Ye was kneeling on one knee, his left hand still pressed on Master Lingxiao's forehead, but the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" had left his hand, hovering between the two, rotating slowly, its dark gold patterns flickering intermittently. The yan jun token in his right hand had dim light and was nearly shattered. He himself had extremely weak aura, covered in a thin layer of black frost, but his eyes were still staring fixedly ahead.

Su Waner sat slumped to the side, the flames of the soul-calming ancient lamp weak, and she herself was pale.

And Master Lingxiao...

He was still lying there, but the dark red Soul-Locking Curse rune on his forehead had disappeared! In its place was a faint, strange mark intertwined with silver-white and red-gold. His eyelids moved slightly.

Immediately after, in the shocked and incredulous eyes of everyone, Master Lingxiao slowly opened his eyes.

Those were eyes that seemed to contain endless starry skies, yet also carried a trace of confusion from just waking up. Deep within his pupils, silver-white Sword Intent and red-gold flames flashed and then disappeared.

He woke up.

The Soul-Locking Curse, broken?

No, it seemed more than just broken... Within his Divine Soul, there seemed to be something else?

"Sect... Sect Master?" Su Waner called out tremblingly.

Master Lingxiao's gaze slowly swept across the underground palace, across the horrified faces of Master Youquan and the others, across the severely injured Lin Ye and the weak Su Waner, and finally, landed on the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" hovering between him and Lin Ye.

A complex emotion flashed in his eyes—there was doubt, realization, coldness, and also a trace of... indescribable depth.

Then, he slowly raised a hand and gently grasped the "command token of ten thousand ghosts."

Hum!

The token vibrated slightly, and instead of resisting, it emitted a wisp of gentle black light that merged into his palm.

The next moment, an aura far more vast, far more profound, and carrying an indescribable majesty and coldness than that of Master Youquan from before, slowly recovered and rose from Master Lingxiao's body!

He slowly sat up, his gaze like lightning, locking onto the horrified Master Youquan. His voice was calm, yet carried a bone-chilling coldness:

"Youquan, how long has this seat been asleep?"

In the underground palace, there was deathly silence.

Master Youquan's face was pale, his lips trembling. Looking at Master Lingxiao, who was holding the "command token of ten thousand ghosts," with an unfathomable aura and cold eyes, he felt a chill rushing from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

The Sect Master has awakened! And, it seems... different from before? He can actually control the "command token of ten thousand ghosts"?!

What on earth is going on?!

The two traitor Elders and the Yinkui Sect Late Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator were even more terrified, their Souls flying away, and they subconsciously wanted to run away.

Lin Ye also looked at this scene in shock. The Sect Master had awakened, the Soul-Locking Curse seemed to be broken, but... why could he hold the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" so naturally? Wasn't that token the token of Demon Lord Yinming? Could it be...

A terrifying and absurd thought flashed through his mind.

Just then, Master Lingxiao (or rather, the newly awakened Sect Master) set his gaze on Lin Ye.

That gaze was deep, complex, carrying scrutiny, and also a trace of... inexplicable meaning.

"Lin Han... was it you who saved this seat?"

Lin Ye struggled to answer, but it aggravated his injuries, and he coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Master Lingxiao frowned slightly, raised his hand and pointed in the air. A gentle and pure spiritual power poured into Lin Ye's body, quickly stabilizing his injuries and nourishing his dried-up Meridians.

"Many thanks... Sect Master." Lin Ye felt a bit better and quickly thanked him, but his heart was even more vigilant. This spiritual power of the Sect Master seemed... somewhat different from before?

"No need for formalities. You saved this seat, and also... helped this seat a great favor." Master Lingxiao stood up slowly, holding the "command token of ten thousand ghosts," and his gaze turned back to Master Youquan and the others who were facing a formidable enemy.

"It is time to clean up the sect."

As his words fell, he took a step forward, and his figure already appeared in front of Master Youquan. The black light on the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" in his hand surged, turning into a dark Domain that devoured all light, covering Master Youquan within it!

There was no earth-shattering momentum, only absolute darkness and dead silence.

A moment later, the darkness dissipated.

Master Youquan remained in his horrified expression, standing stiffly in place. Then, his body shattered inch by inch like a weathered sand sculpture, turning into fly ash. Even his Golden Core could not escape and was completely annihilated.

Killing a Golden Core in seconds!

The whole scene was stunned!

The remaining people, including the two traitor Elders and the Yinkui Sect Foundation Establishment Cultivator, were so scared that they collapsed to the ground, not even having the courage to run away.

Master Lingxiao did not even look at them, turned around, and his gaze landed on Lin Ye again. The corner of his mouth seemed to hook into a faint, elusive smile:

"Lin Han, come with this seat. There are some things you should know."

After speaking, he put away the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" and walked toward the depths of the underground palace, toward a dark-covered passage behind where the altar was originally placed.

Lin Ye's mind raced. The Sect Master before him, his aura, his methods, and even his control over this "command token of ten thousand ghosts," all seemed strange. Following him, is it a blessing or a curse?

But at this moment, does he have a choice?

Glancing at the weak Su Waner, and then at Gui Li who dared not move in the shadows in the distance, Lin Ye gritted his teeth and said to Su Waner: "Senior Sister Su, please wait here and look after Gui Li. I will be back soon."

"Junior Brother Lin..." Su Waner's eyes were full of worry.

"Don't worry." Lin Ye gave her a reassuring look, then struggled to get up, followed Master Lingxiao's footsteps, and walked toward that unknown, dark passage.

The passage wound downward, seemingly leading to the deeper part of the underground palace, or perhaps... the true core of the Sword Tomb?

In front, Master Lingxiao's back appeared and disappeared in the darkness, and the "command token of ten thousand ghosts" in his hand emitted a faint black light, like a guiding lamp of the underworld.

Lin Ye's heart was filled with vigilance and questions.

Is this awakened Sect Master still the original Sect Master?

Where is he going?

What does he want to tell him?

All the truths seemed to be hidden in the deepest part of this underground palace.