Devil Venerable Also Wants to Know

Chapter 72 – Ziwu Soul Locking Array

The Burning Sky Drum flew at incredible speeds and arrived back at Xuanyuan Sect in less than an hour.

Yin Hanjiang completely removed Yao Jiaping’s skin. Standing atop the drum, his red robes fluttered in the wind, outlining his lithe frame. A silver belt stood out against the red, making his waist look particularly thin.

Arriving above the Main Hall, he didn’t descend, instead transmitting loud and clear, “All members of Xuanyuan Sect, deploy the Ziwu Soul Locking Array.”

Everyone in the Main Hall heard his transmission and was shocked.

Qiu Congxue, who’d been dispirited since having all the flesh sliced off her by Yin Hanjiang, immediately brightened up. Laughing wildly, she grabbed Su Huai, who was sleeping with a book in hand and drooling. “Come on, disciple, let’s go deploy the array!”

“W—what array?” Su Huai said, his brains rattled by Qiu Congxue’s shaking. He immediately raised the Rod of Heartbreak. “Wh—what is it? Are we being invaded?”

“The Ziwu Soul Locking Array. I’ve only seen it once in three hundred years,” Qiu Congxue said, licking her lips. “A hundred years ago, when Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang slaughtered their way into the sect, and the old Sect Master was on the verge of death from the Burning Sky Drum’s backlash, he ordered us to seal them with the Ziwu Soul Locking Array.”

The sky had turned dark at midday as over a hundred experts of the Xuanyuan Sect set up the array, trapping the badly wounded Wenren È and Yin Hanjiang. Everyone thought the two would die. Qiu Congxue, who had been impaled through the brain, maintained the array most desperately of all, determined to kill them.

They maintained the array for three days and nights. Just when everyone thought they had been killed, the twin stars of Polis and Alkaid blazed in the sky. A blood-red demonic sword and black halberd broke out of the array together. Wenren È flew out, calling back the Seven Killing Halberd, and the blood sword transformed back into Yin Hanjiang, who collapsed, being caught by Wenren È and held against his chest.

“I must commend you for pushing me to such an extent,” Wenren È said slowly. “I thought the Xuanyuan Sect was full of fiends, not one worth keeping, but from what I see now, some can be used.”

A wave of the halberd called up the powers of the Northern and Southern Dippers[1]. Above Wenren È’s head, a star map formed.

Fighting intent allowed Wenren È to not feel the pain of his wounds. The power of the stars replenished his drained spiritual essence. Wenren È’s black robe fell, revealing starlight shining on his back.

It wasn’t a technique he had purposefully cultivated, but the scars left from his life-and-death experiences on the battlefield as a mortal.

The scars mysteriously connected into a map of the fourteen major stars[2], steadily absorbing energy from them. With a swing of the Seven Killing Halberd, the unleashed power of the stars injured all of the hundred-plus people maintaining the array.

At that moment, Wenren È stood alone with Yin Hanjiang in his arms. Of the Xuanyuan Sect members, who had just been trying to kill him, all who were capable of getting up kneeled to him, with both hands pressed against the ground and their heads deeply bowed.

They kneeled to Wenren È’s power that could overcome a hundred men, to the courage to take on Xuanyuan Sect with only two people, to this miraculous scene of starlight filling the heavens.

From that moment on, Wenren È was recognized by all as the Lord of Demons.

And the Ziwu Soul Locking Array became a secret technique of the Xuanyuan Sect. With Wenren È there, they would never need such an array. Even in the Great Sect War, it hadn’t been used.

Yet today, Yin Hanjiang wanted this array deployed. What kind of enemy warranted such vigilance?

“That was also the moment I decided I must rise to Mahayana, and worked up the courage to enter the hungry ghost path,” Qiu Congxue said. “I used to fear pain and death. Only now do I know that cultivation is like rowing against the current. Only by having courage can you surmount the heavens!”

But your courage is more like recklessness… Su Huai pursed his lips and didn’t speak his thoughts, in case he got beaten.

“The Ziwu Soul Locking Array requires at least ninety-nine Nascent Soul and above experts. Who knows if we still have that many,” Qiu Congxue said. “Come on. Let’s go watch the fun.”

Qiu Congxue and Su Huai arrived at the scene first, Zhongli Qian following them. After a while, Shu Yanyan led a group of a dozen or so subordinates, all over Nascent Soul stage.

Baili Qingmiao landed smoothly. Wenren È had already left her body by now. She greeted Zhongli Qian, “Brother Zhongli.”

Zhongli Qian took off his blindfold. He looked Baili Qingmiao over, enduring his dizziness, then put his blindfold back on. He said in relief, “You’ve found your Dao.”

“I must thank my seniors for their help,” Baili Qingmiao said quietly.

“Who’s the Ziwu Soul Locking Array for?” Shu Yanyan asked.

“Hè Wenzhao, as well as the Blood Demon,” Baili Qingmiao said. “After infiltrating Shangqing Sect alone, Sect Leader Yin has brought back Hè Wenzhao. Right now, Hè Wenzhao’s fallen to Foundation Establishment, but the Blood Demon is tricky to handle, so must be sealed.”

“You didn’t stop Yin Hanjiang from taking Hè Wenzhao?” Shu Yanyan didn’t care about Hè Wenzhao’s life, of course, but she looked at Baili Qingmiao with concern.

Protector Shu didn’t get involved in matters of love, but she admired those in love. She thought well of Baili Qingmiao, admiring this pure and honest girl who didn’t make demands of others. If possible, Shu Yanyan wanted Baili Qingmiao to have the best in life. Too bad heaven toyed with people, and her impassioned feelings were met with a faithless man.

Baili Qingmiao smiled gently. “Thank you for your concern, Miss Shu, but I have already seen through mortal affairs and dedicated myself to the Path of Indifference.”

Seeing as she was calling her Miss Shu, she must be thinking of the past. Shu Yanyan smiled. “Back when we first met, you were still a little girl who threw tantrums because of me and your shixiong’s relationship. Now forty years have passed, and you’re climbing the path to the heavens.”

The beautiful woman raised her head to the sky with a sigh. “The path to the heavens is arduous, and so many bones lie beneath it. A single misstep can lead to your complete and utter demise. If you can’t find someone who can defy the heavens with you, then you might as well abandon love, and forge onward alone.”

She said these words for Baili Qingmiao, but also for herself. Even if her heart moved, whether or not she was willing to take a risk was another matter entirely.

She, Shu Yanyan, had never indulged in love. She only pursued absolute power.

Shu Yanyan didn’t look at Zhongli Qian, but Zhongli Qian understood. He had realized this clever woman’s intentions all along. He also admired Protector Shu, but he had never admitted it because he knew she was a vicious beauty, living a free and willful life, never to be tied down by anything.

Yet… Zhongli Qian felt the sharp killing intent that descended from the sky and thought it would also be nice to be like them, two people mutually supporting each other.

It was difficult to reach the heavens, but more difficult to know another’s heart.

“Is everyone gathered?” Yin Hanjiang called out. “Deploy the array!”

The plaza before the Main Hall already contained a huge array. Ninety-eight experts stood at the spots suited to their own elements, leaving the center spot to Yin Hanjiang.

Holding an unconscious Hè Wenzhao, Yin Hanjiang descended, leaving the Burning Sky Drum in the sky above the Main Hall as he activated the array.

Ninety-nine experts’ spiritual energy rotated around Yin Hanjiang in the center. With his strength alone, he would command all that power, redirecting it onto Hè Wenzhao and completely sealing him off.

Logically, such treatment shouldn’t be needed for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but Yin Hanjiang had read God of Annihilation: Volume 2 and seen all the times Hè Wenzhao was in desperate situations, even once being forced to destroy his own Nascent Soul, but, as long as he wasn’t dead, he always managed to make a comeback, becoming even stronger and crushing his enemy.

So Yin Hanjiang had to be ever-vigilant. He had to keep his guard up against not only the Blood Demon, but Hè Wenzhao.

That was why he had made an exception and used the Ziwu Soul Locking Array. If this array was used offensively, it had the power to destroy a civilization. If it was used for imprisonment, even a Great Golden Immortal couldn’t escape.

The array was maintained for seven days and nights. In that time, the effects of Wenren È’s talisman wore off and the Blood Demon woke up. Blood mist gathered within the array, and Hè Wenzhao, an ordinary cultivator, let out the howl of a demon.

“Why, you bastards! If this ancestor were at his full strength, a Ziwu Soul Locking Array would be nothing! When I get out, I’ll feast on all your souls!” the Blood Demon Elder roared.

He had already absorbed seventeen cultivators, so he wasn’t easy to deal with. Some lower level disciples were at their limits, and even Shu Yanyan was being drained.

Yin Hanjiang was completely immovable, however. He pointed one finger at the Blood Demon, steadily pouring spiritual energy into the array, wearing him down. His other hand made swift hand seals, beating the Burning Sky Drum, diminishing the blood mist with every strike.

They were at a stalemate for seven days and nights. The Blood Demon Elder’s spiritual essence was finally exhausted, and with the flames of the Burning Sky Drum, he was no longer able to endure. 

Yin Hanjiang was at his limit too, but his expression never changed, stubbornly holding on until the Blood Demon had no more power. His voice steady, he called out, “For damaging my Venerable’s reputation and harming him twice at the Blood Hell, Blood Demon Elder, kneel!”

With his furious yell, Yin Hanjiang steadily pressed his finger down. Ninety-nine streaks of black and white qi poured into Hè Wenzhao’s body. The Blood Demon continued to struggle, until his strength was finally at its limit, and he fell to both knees before Yin Hanjiang.

The black and white qi restricted his spiritual essence, so he could no longer escape. 

Yin Hanjiang was completely drained, but his expression didn’t change. He ordered Shi Congxin, “Throw him into the water prison and have ghost cultivators watch him night and day. If anything unusual happens, inform this Lord immediately!”

Having risen greatly in power after retrieving his sickness qi, Shi Congxin said gleefully, “This subordinate understands!”

“You two.” Yin Hanjiang pointed to Shu Yanyan and Qiu Congxue. “Keep an eye on Baili Qingmiao for a month. She has not yet reached Mahayana, so it’s possible something might disrupt her rationality and she might release Hè Wenzhao in a moment of weakness.

“Altar Master Miao, take the righteous disciples to Altar Master Zhongli, and think of a plan that’ll make it impossible for the righteous sects to refuse this Lord’s invitation.

“Altar Master Ruan, follow Altar Master Shi to the water prison, set up an array there, and keep watch. You have the strongest defensive armor, so if anything happens, you’ll be able to protect the ghost cultivators before this Lord arrives.”

“This subordinate understands,” everyone said.

By now, Yin Hanjiang had proved by his own power that he was strong enough to become the new Lord of Demons.

After retrieving the Burning Sky Drum, Yin Hanjiang returned to Wenren È’s room. He clutched his chest, trying not to show weakness. 

The inner demons, the Burning Sky Drum, and the Ziwu Soul Locking Array were each difficult to endure on their own, but Yin Hanjiang had held on.

“Venerable, I finally… subdued the Blood Demon.” Yin Hanjiang smiled. Though exhausted, he felt carefree.

He was obsessed with revenge, so he wouldn’t let go of his grudge even if Wenren È was alive. He didn’t just want to vent his anger, but tell everyone on earth that he protected the Lord of Demons, and no one else better even think of touching one hair on his head. Anyone who wanted to kill Wenren È needed to go through Yin Hanjiang.

“You’ve done very well, better than I could’ve.” The phantasm that looked least like his Venerable walked up, saying softly.

“Are you my Venerable?” Yin Hanjiang said, looking lost.

“Close your eyes.”

Yin Hanjiang closed his eyes obediently.

Wenren È insubstantially rubbed his head. Yin Hanjiang, you’ve done so well.

Fifteen days had passed without them realizing it.

While Yin Hanjiang’s eyes were closed, Wenren È dipped his head slightly and kissed him on the lips, pressing their foreheads together.

Even though Wenren È wasn’t solid, Yin Hanjiang still felt a hint of warmth on his lips.

What happened?

As he wondered, he began to feel tired, down to the depths of his soul. Wenren È entered Yin Hanjiang’s consciousness, to begin the next soul communion.