338: Soul-Devouring Bead

A map of the Southern Chu Imperial City was spread out on the long table of mysterious iron in the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace.

Jun Xiaoyao pressed his fingertip on the "Zichen Hall" marker in the center of the map; that was the location of the entrance to the Southern Chu Imperial Family Secret Vault.

The bronze lamp on the desk flickered with a dim light, casting a long shadow that overlapped with the crisscrossing lines of secret passages on the map, as if it were an invisible net.

"Young Lord, West Gate Blows Snow has already infiltrated the Imperial City, and the 'Jinwu Guards' on the perimeter of the secret vault have been cleared."

Zhao Gao's voice came from the shadows. He held a warm message talisman in his hand, upon which West Gate Blows Snow's Sword Intent had condensed—this was the signal that the mission was proceeding smoothly.

In the water mirror, the night in the Southern Chu Imperial City was cut through by a white shadow.

West Gate Blows Snow's figure swept over the palace walls like a ghost. His long sword remained sheathed, and he knocked the patrolling guards unconscious with just the scabbard.

The entrance to the secret vault was hidden beneath the dragon chair in Zichen Hall, guarded by three experts from the Blood Shadow Tower at the Late Heaven-Man Realm. Their bodies were surrounded by a faint blood mist, clearly having cultivated some kind of evil skill.

"One incense stick of time remaining." Jun Xiaoyao whispered to the message talisman, his voice transmitted through Spiritual Power to West Gate Blows Snow's ears.

West Gate Blows Snow's footsteps paused slightly, his fingertips stroking the sword hilt.

He could feel a cold, sinister aura emanating from the depths of the secret vault, more evil than the Blood Shadow Tower's Blood Nerve Skill—that was the aura of the soul devouring pearl.

In another section of the water mirror, Huang Rong and the Marshal of the Unruly had already withdrawn from Yunmeng Marsh and were leading the "Sha" Character Group toward the Southern Chu Imperial City.

The Dog Beating Stick in Huang Rong's hand twirled in her palm as she looked at the defense map of the Imperial City.

Suddenly, she chuckled: "The Southern Chu Emperor is quite cautious; he has set up a 'Nine Children Linked Array' around the secret vault, with Blood Shadow Army soldiers stationed at every eye of the array. Forcing our way in would likely result in heavy losses."

The Marshal of the Unruly's gaze, hidden beneath his bamboo hat, swept across the array map: "What brilliant plan does the young lady have?"

"I do have a plan," Huang Rong pointed her fingertip at the northwest corner of the array map. "That is the granary of the Imperial Guards, where the guards are the most lax. If we burn the granary and lure the Jinwu Guards to fight the fire, the defenses of the secret vault will naturally loosen."

The Marshal of the Unruly nodded: "The 'Rocket' of the 'Qi' Character Group is ready; we only await the young lady's command."

Jun Xiaoyao watched Huang Rong's confident appearance in the water mirror, a faint smile curling on his lips. He looked at the summoning array in the center of the underground palace. Due to West Gate Blows Snow's progress and the victory at Yunmeng Marsh, the Spiritual Power in the array's eye had risen to 70%. As the runes flowed, a faint sound of a dragon's roar could be heard.

【System Prompt: High-energy evil aura detected, triggering enhanced summoning.】

【Summonable Character: Yang Guo】

【From: the return of the condor heroes world】

【Realm: Late Heaven-Man Realm】

【Martial Skill: Aran Xiao Hun Palm (Perfection), Xuantie Sword Technique (Major Achievement)】

【Specialty: Breaking arrays and sieges, the mysterious iron sword can restrain evil objects, peerless lightfoot skills】

【Summoning Cost: 65% Spiritual Power】

Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertip on the name "Yang Guo". The summoning array suddenly erupted with brilliant golden light, and runes surged toward the array eye like a tide. A figure dressed in a black robe condensed within the light. His left arm was empty, his right hand gripped a heavy sword, his face was handsome, and his eyes held a hint of unruliness—it was indeed Yang Guo.

"Yang Guo greets the Young Lord." His voice was clear. His gaze swept across the underground palace and finally landed on the figure of West Gate Blows Snow in the water mirror. "This Sword Cultivator's Sword Intent is quite pure; he is worthy of a battle."

【Character Panel: Yang Guo】

【Status: Sharp Will】

【Loyalty: 85%】

【Current Thought: Although the Spiritual Qi here is thin, there is an aura of a strong expert; it is much more interesting than Jueqing Valley.】

Jun Xiaoyao threw him a token engraved with the character "Break": "To the Southern Chu Secret Vault, assist West Gate Blows Snow in retrieving the soul devouring pearl. If you encounter evil objects, show no mercy."

Yang Guo caught the token, and the mysterious iron sword tapped lightly against the ground, the blade emitting a hum: "Rest assured, Young Lord. As long as it is an evil object, Yang Guo's sword never hesitates." He turned and stepped into the teleportation array, his black figure disappearing into the green light.

In the water mirror, West Gate Blows Snow had already engaged the three Blood Shadow Tower experts outside the secret vault. The sword light unfolded like a ribbon of silk, colliding with the blood mist and making a "hissing" sound. The leader of the Blood Shadow Tower experts sneered: "West Gate Blows Snow, this soul devouring pearl is the Pavilion Master's pride and joy; you dare to snatch it?"

West Gate Blows Snow did not speak. His long sword suddenly unsheathed, a cold light flashed, and the leader's throat was pierced through. Seeing this, the remaining two simultaneously activated the Blood Nerve Skill, the blood mist transforming into two sharp claws that swiped at West Gate Blows Snow's face.

Just then, the hum of a heavy sword came from the air. Yang Guo's mysterious iron sword fell like a meteor, the sword wind directly dispersing the blood mist. He waved his empty left sleeve, and the palm force of the Aran Xiao Hun Palm was imprinted on one expert's chest. The expert screamed, flew backward, crashed into the stone door of the secret vault, and died vomiting blood.

"You've come at the right time." West Gate Blows Snow glanced at Yang Guo, his long sword pointing at the last expert.

The two, one fast and one heavy, intertwined their Sword Intent and palm force. In no more than three moves, the last Blood Shadow Tower expert was killed. West Gate Blows Snow reached out and pressed the dragon chair, and the stone door slowly opened. A thick, icy aura rushed toward them. In the depths of the secret vault, a black bead the size of a pigeon egg was floating in mid-air, blood threads flowing on its surface, as if countless wronged souls were struggling within it.

"Is this the soul devouring pearl?" Yang Guo frowned, a faint golden light emerging on the mysterious iron sword. "Such heavy resentment."

West Gate Blows Snow's gaze fell on a jade box next to the soul devouring pearl. Inside the box was a scroll of bamboo slips—the secret agreement between the Blood Shadow Tower and the Xuan Character Camp. Just as he was about to reach out and take it, a cold snort suddenly came from the depths of the secret vault: "Two juniors, you dare to touch this old man's things?"

A black shadow swept out from the darkness, so fast that it left only an afterimage. The Blood Shadow Needle in its hand carried the sound of tearing air, aiming straight for their throats.

"It's Wuying!" Yang Guo held his mysterious iron sword horizontally, blocking the Blood Shadow Needle. "Middle Celestial Realm!"

Wuying's figure flickered uncertainly in the secret vault, the Blood Shadow Needle shooting out like a rainstorm: "West Gate Blows Snow, Yang Guo? The Net and Beyond Heaven are certainly willing to spend a fortune, but unfortunately, you will all die here today!"

In front of the water mirror, Jun Xiaoyao watched the fierce battle in the secret vault and said to Zhao Gao: "Tell Huang Rong to proceed according to the original plan and burn the granary."

Zhao Gao acknowledged the order and relayed it. A moment later, a raging fire could be seen in the northwest corner of the Southern Chu Imperial City in the water mirror, the firelight illuminating half the sky. The Jinwu Guard soldiers were indeed thrown into chaos, rushing toward the granary to fight the fire, and a gap immediately appeared in the Nine Children Linked Array around the secret vault.

"The opportunity has arrived!" Huang Rong said to the Marshal of the Unruly, "The 'Sha' Character Group, charge with me! Target: the secret vault!"

The Marshal of the Unruly drew the long saber from his waist, his deep voice echoing in the night wind: "Kill!"

Inside the secret vault, West Gate Blows Snow and Yang Guo were engaged in a fierce battle with Wuying. Wuying's Blood Shadow Needle was treacherous and unpredictable, and combined with his ghostly movement technique, it actually made it difficult for the two to win for a time. Although Yang Guo's mysterious iron sword could restrain evil skills, it could not keep up with Wuying's speed; West Gate Blows Snow's sword was fast enough, but it was always blocked by Wuying using the blood mist.

"This cannot go on." Yang Guo waved his empty sleeve and said to West Gate Blows Snow, "I will use my palm force to trap him; you take the bead!"

Before the words had faded, Yang Guo activated the Aran Xiao Hun Palm, his palm force surging toward Wuying like a tide, forcing him into a corner. West Gate Blows Snow seized the opportunity, his figure moving like lightning as he reached for the soul devouring pearl.

"Don't even think about it!" Wuying roared, ignoring the bombardment of palm force, the Blood Shadow Needle aiming straight for West Gate Blows Snow's wrist.

Just then, the stone door of the secret vault was violently knocked open. Huang Rong's Dog Beating Stick struck with a fierce wind, hitting Wuying's wrist with precision. The Blood Shadow Needle deflected, flew past West Gate Blows Snow's sleeve, and nailed into the stone wall, making a "hiss" sound; the stone wall was actually corroded, leaving a small hole.

"You again?" Wuying was shocked and angry; he recognized Huang Rong as the person who had destroyed the granary at Yunmeng Marsh.

"Bullying the few with the many is not the act of a hero." Huang Rong chuckled, her Dog Beating Stick tracing an arc, blocking Wuying's path of retreat.

The Marshal of the Unruly led the "Sha" Character Group into the secret vault, and the crossbowmen instantly aimed at Wuying: "Drop your weapon and surrender!"

Wuying looked at the surrounding Luowang Assassins, then looked at the soul devouring pearl in West Gate Blows Snow's hand, knowing that the situation was lost. He suddenly sneered, the blood mist around his body surging violently: "Want to capture me? It's not that easy!"

In the blood mist, Wuying's figure actually began to fade, clearly intending to self-detonate to escape.

"Not good!" Yang Guo slammed his mysterious iron sword into the ground, the Sword Intent forming a barrier. "He is going to detonate the Blood Nerve Skill!"

A cold light flashed in West Gate Blows Snow's eyes. His long sword flew out of his hand like a white rainbow piercing the sun, precisely piercing Wuying's heart. The blood mist instantly dissipated, and Wuying's body fell softly. Before dying, he looked at the soul devouring pearl in West Gate Blows Snow's hand, his eyes filled with unwillingness.

West Gate Blows Snow placed the soul devouring pearl into a specially made jade box. The jade box was engraved with runes specially crafted by Ouyezi, which could just suppress the evil aura of the bead. He picked up the scroll of bamboo slips and handed it to Huang Rong: "The secret agreement of the Xuan Character Camp."

Huang Rong took the bamboo slips and quickly browsed through them, her expression changing slightly: "The Xuan Character Camp actually agreed to cede the three states of the Northern Territory to the Blood Shadow Tower as a stronghold after the matter is accomplished!"

Jun Xiaoyao watched the figures in the water mirror and said to Zhao Gao: "Tell them to return to the Hanyue Valley immediately; the Southern Chu Imperial City is not a place to stay for long."

"Yes." Zhao Gao bowed in response and handed over a new secret report. "The 'Ying' Character Group's secret agents in the Imperial City have sent back news that the Southern Chu Emperor has requested aid from the 'Heavenly Dao Alliance' of the Central Plains, and the Alliance Leader Zhang Sanfeng has already sent Disciples down the mountain, who will arrive in Southern Chu in a few days."

Jun Xiaoyao's eyes darkened slightly. Zhang Sanfeng was an expert in the Land Immortal Realm, and his Tai Chi Fist was both hard and soft, making him extremely difficult to deal with. He looked at the summoning array; the Spiritual Power in the array's eye had risen to 80% after capturing the soul devouring pearl. As the runes flowed, it seemed to be waiting for new instructions.

"It seems I must summon another expert capable of dealing with Tai Chi." Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertip on the array eye, and the runes suddenly lit up, beginning to randomly match a summonable character.

In the water mirror, West Gate Blows Snow, Yang Guo, Huang Rong, and the Marshal of the Unruly had already withdrawn from the Southern Chu Imperial City with the soul devouring pearl and the secret agreement. The "Sha" Character Group provided rear guard, engaged in a fierce battle with the arriving Jinwu Guards. In the night wind, the hum of the mysterious iron sword and the crisp sound of the Dog Beating Stick intertwined, playing a song of victory.

The Hanyue Valley Underground Palace remained silent, with only the light of the bronze lamp flickering. Jun Xiaoyao looked at the location of the Southern Chu Imperial City on the map, his fingertips tapping lightly on the table surface. The soul devouring pearl was in hand, the Blood Shadow Tower Pavilion Master had been executed, and the Southern Chu Imperial Family had suffered a severe blow; this round, Beyond Heaven had won cleanly and decisively.

But he knew this was only the beginning. The intervention of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, the schemes of the Xuan Character Camp, and those forces hidden in the dark would all be challenges that Beyond Heaven would have to face next.

However, Jun Xiaoyao was not worried, because his net had only just begun to tighten.

The runes of the summoning array gradually calmed down, and the 80% Spiritual Power lay quietly dormant, waiting for the opportunity for the next summoning.

Jun Xiaoyao picked up the jade box on the desk, feeling the cold, sinister aura emanating from the soul devouring pearl inside, a cold arc curling on his lips.

This bead could certainly be used for many things. For example, giving those who coveted Beyond Heaven a profound lesson.