Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 422

Within the Senluo Ghost Domain formed under the shroud of Ghost Gate Pass, the temperature was already extremely low. With a single thought from Wang Yu, endless waves of cold surged outward from him in all directions.

The ground froze at a speed visible to the naked eye. Frost spread rapidly, and sharp ice spikes shot up from the earth, swiftly shaping the battlefield into the most suitable environment for him to unleash his ice-path divine abilities.

In the early years, this task had belonged to Snowjade. Now, with massive demonic essence reinforcing him, the icy terrain formed almost in the blink of an eye.

An extreme cold storm rose in the sky, forcing the three thousand Foundation Establishment disciples of the Sword Sect to press down their flying swords and land. The air above was simply too cold, cold to a terrifying degree.

The Elder Master Bagua wore a grave expression.

“Three Nascent Souls. Judging by their aura, they are from Cold Blood Peak, Barbarian Ghost Peak, and Fierce Nether Peak of the Blood Reversal Sect. Disciples of Eight Trigrams Peak, form the Qimen Sword Formation with me.”

This was meant to allow the disciples to protect themselves. Once chaotic battle erupted, even Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even the eighteen Core Formation wanderers, risked being killed by the aftermath.

Several hundred Qimen sword cultivators moved in unison.

Xun, Zhen, Kan, Li, Dui…

One golden Bagua symbol after another formed into a massive sword formation that rapidly expanded, blocking the descending cold currents.

However, the gap in cultivation was far too great. Even though Wang Yu had not gone all out and was only using ordinary techniques, it still made them suffer immensely. Their faces turned pale at a visible speed.

Master Bagua swept his sleeve.

A fire sword shot out from his sleeve, releasing tremendous heat and helping the disciples share the burden of the cold.

Dark Demon Barbarian Lord snorted coldly.

His small giant body, over three meters tall, moved so fast that afterimages could barely be seen. He braced both arms, and six pitch-black fist seals slammed down violently, aimed straight at the Master Bagua.

It was the Six Forms of Dark Demon Fist, one of his signature techniques.

The battle had only just begun, yet he had already revealed a trump card. It was clear he intended to leave none of them alive.

Seeing this, Ancestor Hemp Robe drew the iron sword from his back.

One of the most common sword cultivator techniques was the Giant Sword Art. Wrapped in sharp sword qi, it instantly transformed into a hundred-zhang-long giant sword and slashed toward Dark Demon Barbarian Lord.

At that moment, the Nether Beast Dark Tiger fused into Dark Tiger Demon Lord’s body, transforming him into a half-beastman with a tiger’s head. Holding a black cudgel, he swung it downward.

With brutal force, he shattered the giant sword into countless fragments. A storm swept across the battlefield, and the cold grew even more intense.

Ancestor Hemp Robe’s expression changed drastically.

“Mid-stage Nascent Soul?!”

The most troublesome aspect of Nether Beast cultivators was their ability to temporarily fuse with their life-bound nether beasts. Their auras synchronized, and their lives became linked.

Their techniques were perfectly compatible. This fusion was their ultimate trump card, allowing Dark Tiger Demon Lord to briefly reach mid-stage Nascent Soul, granting him terrifying combat power.

It had been nearly five hundred years since the last righteous-demonic war.

For these Nascent Soul cultivators who rarely took action and had advanced during this period, intelligence was extremely scarce. They were far less understood and feared than the older great cultivators.

In this regard, Wang Yu and the two Nascent Souls of the Sword Sect were the same.

They were completely in the dark.

As for how Dark Demon Barbarian Lord knew so much about the Sword Sect, that was another matter. Infiltration and spies were common tools in conflicts between factions.

The Nascent Soul cultivators flew into the sky to battle. Violent explosions were confined within the area covered by Ghost Gate Pass. For low-level cultivators, this was a nightmare.

Fifty-four black-robed demonic cultivators gathered behind Wang Yu.

Black solid ice condensed in his hands into a long spear. As his Silver Blood Divine Strength activated, his power domain transformed into a sharp drill, covering the black ice spear.

He raised his arm and hurled it.

“Boom!!!”

A deafening explosion erupted. Smoke mixed with ice fragments scattered in all directions.

The Qimen Sword Formation, led by the Master Bagua’s Li-position Sword, was shattered like paper. The several hundred Foundation Establishment Qimen sword cultivators instantly exploded into clouds of blood.

The more than two thousand cultivators protected by the formation also vomited blood repeatedly. Those closer were killed beyond recognition. Only those farther away barely survived.

Wang Yu shook his head, somewhat dissatisfied with his efficiency.

“Kill them all.”

With a single command, fifty-four elite demonic cultivators, mixed in with two Foundation Establishment juniors and one bewildered snow fox, charged forward like starving wolves released from their cages.

In an instant, they formed an overwhelming crushing force. Although the potential of demonic-path magic treasures might be slightly inferior, when it came to pure killing power, they were no weaker than sword cultivators. In fact, they carried an even more eerie and unpredictable quality.

Wang Yu’s gaze, however, settled on the eighteen Core Formation wanderers.

All sword sect wanderers came from the Righteous Qi Institute, and their techniques were closely interconnected.

Among them, the slender woman in a moon-white gauze dress was the most eye-catching. Her figure was alluring and fiery, yet her temperament was as cold as an iceberg, forming a striking contrast with her voluptuous body.

Even in a desperate situation, she maintained a calm and composed mind.

“Junior brothers, follow my lead. Activate the Eighteen Sword Shadows Dragon-Binding Formation!”

There was no escape.

No way out.

A desperate last stand was their only hope. Since someone was willing to step forward and bear the main pressure, the others naturally would not hold back.

“This is the only way.”

“Junior Sister Moonlight, we’re counting on you.”

The eighteen figures quickly took their positions. As mana surged, chain-like formation patterns spread beneath their feet, rapidly forming a massive formation diagram.

At the center, the Moonlight Fairy Chang Xi erupted with dazzling golden light and, with shocking boldness, slashed directly at Wang Yu.

A platinum-white crescent sword qi shot forth, appearing indestructible.

Yet Wang Yu casually flicked his sleeve and dispersed it. With a single step, he transformed into a streak of aurora light and appeared before Chang Xi, reaching out to touch her smooth, delicate cheek.

Wang Yu gazed at her and said calmly, “Chang Xi. Long time no see.”

The iceberg beauty’s pupils contracted sharply. She did not care about being molested. Instead, she stared at Wang Yu in shock, her clear, spring-like voice turning sharp.

“This is impossible… This is impossible. Clearly…”

“Clearly, when we last met, I had just reached Foundation Establishment, while you were already at peak Foundation Establishment.”

Wang Yu’s reply was exactly what Chang Xi had been thinking.

And less than two hundred years had passed.

Her aptitude was not bad. Among the 1,008 wanderers of the Righteous Qi Institute, she ranked in the upper tier and had some chance of reaching the Nascent Soul realm.

However, in the Void Heaven Sword Sect, the most outstanding talents were always the Twelve Sword Heirs. The top three could even become disciples of Spirit Transformation venerables. Compared to those twelve, Wang Yu still surpassed them by a wide margin.

His Innate Demonic Embryo constitution gave him the qualification to touch the Spirit Transformation realm.

Seeing Chang Xi’s changing expression filled Wang Yu with satisfaction.

In life, besides cultivation, one should not neglect beauty and fine food. But nothing was more refreshing than showing off.

Putting on a display in public meant nothing without acquaintances watching!

“Senior Sister, don’t fall for the demon’s illusion!”

“Dragon-Binding Chains, rise!”

The chain-shaped formation diagram suddenly began spinning, transforming into golden chain-dragons that rushed toward Wang Yu, attempting to restrain him.

In response, Wang Yu merely willed it.

Empowered by demonic essence, the Ice Chain Soul-Binding Curse activated. Tens of thousands of black ice chains lashed out in reverse, entangling everything. A small formation created by eighteen Core Formation cultivators was simply no match for him.

The gap between Core Formation and Nascent Soul was like heaven and earth.

From ancient times until now, there had never been a precedent of crossing this boundary to win. How could he become a disgrace of his realm?

Back then, however heavy the psychological shadow Chang Xi had cast on him, today he would return it all.

The reversed ice chains entwined them. The tyrannical extreme cold nearly froze their mana solid. Even the sharp sword radiance released by their life-bound swords could not cut through the black ice chains.

Wang Yu’s extreme cold aura had been strengthened countless times.

Perfected cultivation techniques, absorption of power from exotic frozen lands, enhancement through heavenly treasures, demonic essence reinforcement… all of these formed his foundation in the ice path.

Even the Cold Blood Mountain Lord’s extreme cold was inferior to his. This was the result of accumulated opportunities. Every perfected ice-path technique was like a realm-level metamorphosis.

The most basic effect was purifying his demonic essence and strengthening his frost qi. Over time, it naturally formed power comparable to the world’s supreme cold.

Just like spiritual flames such as the Ice Chi Pill Flame.

Strong meant strong.

This extreme cold spread rapidly.

That so-called Eighteen Sword Shadows Dragon-Binding Formation collapsed completely within a few breaths.

Aside from Chang Xi, the remaining seventeen sword sect wanderers lost their life aura like ants. With a mere breath, they perished completely.

Not far away, the demonic cultivators laughed sinisterly as they slaughtered the sword sect disciples. Draining blood, extracting souls, even corpses were excellent materials. In the hands of demonic cultivators, people were equivalent to spiritual resources.

Every bone had its proper use.

True thrift.

“No!”

As the lower battlefield stabilized, Wang Yu, amid Chang Xi’s despairing gaze, sealed her into the Glazed Iceheart Pagoda for suppression. He still had use for her.

Only then did he turn his attention to the wailing figure in the sky.

“Master Bagua…”

Wang Yu narrowed his eyes and waved his hand, forming an ice prison that enveloped the demonic cultivators who were locked in battle. This was both a restriction and a form of protection.

He was about to unleash a major move.

Dark Demon Barbarian Lord and Dark Tiger Demon Lord both seemed to be holding back. The former focused mainly on entangling Master Bagua, preventing him from interfering with Wang Yu.

As for the latter, although he was pressing Ancestor Hemp Robe and beating him badly, a closer look revealed that while a great deal of blood had been spilled, there were no truly fatal wounds.

All the effort Wang Yu had secretly put into arranging the Lock of Heaven had gone to waste.

Nascent Soul cultivators were difficult to kill, but as long as their spatial shifting techniques were sealed, Wang Yu was confident he could take them down.

The next instant.

Wang Yu suddenly appeared behind Master Bagua. A beam of Ice Soul Divine Light shot out in a flash.

He rarely used this divine ability, but that did not mean it was weak.

In the past, he had not used it much because his realm was insufficient. Even after perfecting it, he still used it sparingly because he had not fully comprehended its Dao intent, making it less effective against top experts.

But against opponents of the same realm, its power was formidable.

Light was unimaginably fast. Ordinary people could not react at all, especially since Wang Yu had deliberately closed the distance.

As the signature divine ability of the Ice Soul Immortal, Wang Yu pushed it to the extreme.

The icy-blue beam swept out. The Bagua swords surrounding Master Bagua, infused with wind, thunder, earth, and other spiritual energies, were instantly covered in frost.

Their connection to their master was severed.

They fell toward the ground.

Not far away, Ancestor Hemp Robe saw that his old friend was in grave danger. Gritting his teeth, he spat out a mouthful of essence blood, sacrificing it to his sword and stirring up countless blood-red sword shadows.

They shot toward Dark Tiger Demon Lord to delay him.

At the same time, he transformed into a streak of bloody sword light and charged toward Master Bagua.

“Find a way to shatter one ghost gate and retreat immediately!”

He sensed the fatal danger. At this moment, worrying about the disciples’ lives was no longer appropriate. When it was time to cut losses, one had to act decisively.

Master Bagua’s eyes were bloodshot. A Taiji Bagua Diagram flew out of his body. The yin-yang fish enveloped both of them as they slammed toward the eastern Ghost Gate.

As he turned his head, he shot Wang Yu a vicious glare, as if engraving his face into memory.

Unexpectedly, Wang Yu smiled back.

“Crack.”

In an instant, frost and snow filled the sky.

After deliberate charging and release, his life-bound divine ability reached its peak. The Glazed Pagoda spun rapidly above his head.

A cold Frost Moon appeared.

Around it, strange visions emerged.

Palaces and osmanthus trees were imprinted within the moon.

An immortal silhouette, carrying a jade plate on her back and wearing feathered robes, crossed an icy bridge. Her face was indistinct, but her graceful figure revealed that she was a female immortal projection.

An ice axe and frost sword hung at her waist. She held a sacred bow, its string formed from a white jade ruyi. A moon rabbit leaped into her hand and transformed into a frost arrow.

Osmanthus tree, moon rabbit, ice axe, jade disk, immortal silhouette, celestial palace, cold bridge, frost sword, aurora, feathered robes, ruyi scepter, sacred bow.

The Twelve Phases merged into one, achieving preliminary fusion.

This meant that this life-bound divine ability was infinitely close to perfection. Once perfected, the twelve visions would resemble real existences.

Wang Yu would be able to borrow their power and partially manifest their abilities, drastically increasing his flexibility.

But at this moment, it brought Master Bagua and Ancestor Hemp Robe nothing but terror.

It could not be blocked. It could only be dodged.

“Whoosh!”

The frost arrow shot out. Midway, it transformed into a cute moon rabbit vision, crashing into the two like it was leaping toward the moon.

The Bagua Diagram was a fourth-rank mid-grade magic treasure, and an extremely rare one. Through shifting hexagrams, it could mobilize various forces of heaven and earth.

While doing its utmost to weaken the moon rabbit arrow, the two also shifted their positions.

However, in less than one-third of a breath, the Taiji Bagua Diagram shattered violently, turning into tattered fragments that scattered everywhere.

Dark Demon Barbarian Lord and Dark Tiger Demon Lord widened their eyes.

They clearly had not expected Wang Yu’s strength to be this terrifying.

Before they could speak, the moon rabbit arrow exploded, dragging even the manifested Frost Moon into the blast.

The world turned pure white.

A froststorm many levels stronger erupted. Dense hailstones shot out in all directions. The aftermath alone blasted the ground full of holes, accompanied by endless thunderous roars.

Most important was the result.

In midair, a frost flower bloomed, seemingly freezing even space itself. A Sword Sect Nascent Soul whose body had completely perished was forced to flee from within.

His Nascent Soul was unstable, though still some distance from total annihilation.

The Guanghan Twelve Phases were extremely powerful.

But they had not yet reached the absurd level of destroying both body and soul in one strike. At present, they could only crush early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

This was also a reflection of Wang Yu’s deep foundation.

The two old demons looked numb.

The two victims, however, wanted nothing more than to tear Wang Yu apart. Having lost their original bodies, their path to immortality had been cut in half.

Without a suitable body for possession, they would be stuck at this realm for life.

Ancestor Hemp Robe was injured even more severely.

He followed the path of ancient artifact cultivation. That iron sword was linked to his life. It was like Dark Tiger Demon Lord losing his life-bound Yin Beast. His damage was far worse than Master Bagua’s.

Such a terrifying rising star would become a major enemy of the Taihu Spiritual Domain.

“Go, spatial shift!”

“In your dreams.”

Wang Yu clasped his hands and slammed them together. Instantly, dense spatial chains filled the void. He turned his head and roared at Dark Demon and Dark Tiger.

“Get them. Don’t let them escape!”