Chapter 32 Part 2

As a protective treasure left by the demon god for later generations of the Demon Race, the Soul Lamp would actively shelter demon race divine souls and soothe the hatred and fear in the instant of a demon race member’s death.

Just like how it had previously protected Xie Linlang in that chaotic astral wind passage, now the Soul Lamp was also pacifying the lingering resentment in the Black Snake.

Watching this scene, Xie Linlang murmured, “…Very well.”

Since the Soul Lamp had this function, perhaps he could make good use of it.

Xie Linlang looked toward the Nine Spirits Sect Master’s head, whose aura grew ever weaker.

If he let the Nine Spirits Sect Master continue to be devoured by the Heavenly Demon, Xie Linlang would be unable to obtain information about Pei Ji from his head.

With that thought, Xie Linlang gritted his teeth and pinched a magic formula.

In the next second, his divine soul turned into a thin thread and directly pierced into the brain of the Nine Spirits Sect Master’s snake head.

Boom—

Xie Linlang only felt his consciousness crash into a massive, solid wall.

He briefly lost his reaction, then his qi and blood surged, and he directly spat out a mouthful of blood.

The yellow Ditang Soul Lamp seemed to sense something wrong with Xie Linlang’s state and lightly floated back to his shoulder.

Xie Linlang’s divine soul stabilized somewhat. He gritted his teeth and intensified the input of demonic qi. “Break for me!”

Crack. It was like a fine crack appeared on the wall, expanding continuously until it became a hole.

Xie Linlang charged into the Heavenly Demon Illusion Realm where the Nine Spirits Sect Master resided.

The surroundings were a scene of devastation, with black flames shooting into the sky and shrill screams everywhere.

Xie Linlang carefully avoided these black Hetero Fires.

Everything encountered in the Heavenly Demon Illusion Realm would truly reflect on the divine soul; he had no desire for his divine soul to be burned to ash by the black Hetero Fires.

However, Xie Linlang did not notice that even when these black Hetero Fires touched him, they did not harm him in the slightest.

Or rather, in the Nine Spirits Sect Master’s subconscious, he understood that the master of the black Hetero Fires would absolutely not harm Xie Linlang.

Xie Linlang swept past the wailing demon beasts and seemingly deranged cultivators around him and soon arrived at the center of the fiercest battlefield.

The Nine Spirits Sect Master was just as Xie Linlang remembered him: a refined-looking middle-aged man with long beard fluttering in the wind, dressed in a white robe, appearing elegant and poised.

Six Nine Spirits Totems circled around the middle-aged man, three of which were indistinct in form.

Of the other three, one was a Luan Bird, one was an Eight-Clawed Giant Python, and the last should have been a Black Tortoise.

Standing before the Nine Spirits Sect Master was a person.

The instant Xie Linlang saw the back, he froze, as if all the blood in his body turned ice-cold, unable to react.

It was Pei Ji—the Pei Ji from when he had left Jiuxia Mountain.

Pei Ji wore the deep green robe that Xie Linlang was very familiar with. That steady, serene green was like the bamboo grove beside the little hut deep in the Moon Tang Flower valley, or the layered emerald hues amid the mountains, brimming with vibrant life.

Perhaps due to the fierce battle, Pei Ji’s hair was disheveled, his face and expression unclear.

Blood seeped from his shoulders, sleeves, and back. He did not even have the Dongling Sword in hand, only a spare Spirit Sword, which was already broken.

Yet even so, Pei Ji’s back remained straight as a green pine, carrying an aura of advancing without retreat, staking everything on one throw.

He charged toward the Nine Spirits Sect Master.

The Nine Spirits Sect Master laughed loudly, smug and arrogant: “Pei Ji, oh Pei Ji, you were ultimately defeated by this old man. Savor well the pain and struggle you once inflicted on me!”

With his words, the charging Pei Ji was suddenly struck by the Black Tortoise, his body exploding in a massive spray of blood. The broken sword in his hand was directly sent flying.

Pei Ji crashed to the ground, seemingly without strength to resist further.

Xie Linlang could not bear to watch. He forgot this was the Heavenly Demon Realm, forgot this was an illusory scene constructed by the Heavenly Demon. He flew into a rage, and at some point, a pure white, icy longsword appeared in his hand.

It was the Xuanpo Sword, paired with the Dongling Sword.

Xie Linlang gripped the Xuanpo Sword, his entire body surging with terrifying air currents. “Die for me!!”

Man and sword united as one, transforming into a streak of rainbow light that thrust straight toward the Nine Spirits Sect Master’s brow!

“What?!”

The Nine Spirits Sect Master had never imagined encountering Xie Linlang here.

In his memory, he had already returned to the cultivation world from the Underground Palace. He had exhausted his efforts to climb back to the peak, regaining six Nine Spirits Totems, and tricked Pei Ji back to this Chaotic Lands.

He wanted to thoroughly kill Pei Ji in the very place where Pei Ji had humiliated him all those years ago!

But Xie Linlang should not be here?

In an instant, a chill rose from the depths of the Nine Spirits Sect Master’s heart.

Fake, it was all fake. He—he had not left this forbidden land. He was still clinging to life…

The Nine Spirits Sect Master finally remembered.

He had been bewildered by the Heavenly Demon that Xie Linlang had summoned, stepping into the Heavenly Demon Tribulation!

He was undergoing tribulation!!

And at the moment he realized this, Xie Linlang’s Xuanpo Sword had already pierced through the Nine Spirits Sect Master’s brow.

The Nine Spirits Sect Master suddenly burst into maniacal laughter. “Hahahahaha!”

He had not broken through the Heavenly Demon Tribulation with his own power. He had failed the tribulation and would become prey for the Heavenly Demon, thoroughly perishing body and dao.

But—and this was a big but—he absolutely would not let Xie Linlang obtain his divine soul memories!

“Explode for me—!!”

The Nine Spirits Sect Master forcibly urged his last bit of power to choose self-detonation. Even at the cost of leaving no remnant soul, he would utterly destroy everything of himself.

Xie Linlang, you will never know Pei Ji is still alive. You will never see him again.

He roared, “I curse you! With the merits of countless generations of the Nine Spirits Sect, I curse you! You will never see Pei Ji again! You will never see him!”

Spiritual power turned into a massive vortex that directly flung Xie Linlang out.

He grunted, his divine soul returning to his body, followed by another mouthful of blood. He collapsed weakly to the ground.

Xie Linlang ignored the sudden gray curse that appeared on his divine soul and stared blankly at the shattered remnants of the seven-inch snake head. After a long while, he let out a low chuckle.

Excellent.

The Nine Spirits Sect Master had cursed him. Truly excellent.

Because this proved one thing.

Pei Ji was still in the mortal world.

—You are in the mortal world.