A furious roar swept across Ghost Pass.
Cultivators for millions of li around all seemed to hear that enraged bellow.
Immediately afterward, a dazzling darkness erupted within Ghost Pass. It was as though a mass of utter darkness, a light incomprehensible to the mind, exploded. Heaven and earth trembled; waves of spiritual energy surged like tides.
Countless cultivators trembled in fear, while others were struck with profound shock.
"This level of power..."
"What level of experts are clashing here?"
A Yang God Heavenly Venerable marveled in bewilderment, "This is... Ghost Pass. Did that Banner Lord make a move?"
"Could it be that the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary pulled off another major incident?"
"Wait... where is the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner?"
A Yang God Heavenly Venerable blinked in the void, stormy waves crashing in his heart.
At the same time, inside Demon Pass, countless cultivators turned their gazes toward Ghost Pass.
"Holy crap, this Human Sovereign Hall Emissary is a savage! He actually wiped out the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner!" Ziyuan Daxue exclaimed in shock, not forgetting to spit out mushrooms as she spoke.
"Doesn't that mean now is our best chance to invade Ghost Pass!" Though An Xunlu had love on the brain, she was also quite ambitious. Naturally, she didn't forget to add, "Next to a Human Sovereign Hall Emissary like that, how does Blood Robe have the nerve to compare himself to him!"
Ziyuan Xiaolu glared at An Xunlu, clutching the corner of her robes. In that moment, she racked her brains but couldn't find a single reason to speak up for Senior Brother Blood Robe.
In truth, upon seeing the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner vanish, Ziyuan Xiaolu immediately recalled how she had helped her senior brother find Tiankun Curious Land—a place where one could see the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner from afar.
There might very well be a connection between the two!
Senior Brother Blood Robe definitely knew that Human Sovereign Hall Emissary!
This raid, this astonishing deed, had Senior Brother Blood Robe's contribution, and she, Ziyuan Xiaolu, had also helped a great deal!
However, her lips were sealed tight. She had promised Senior Brother Blood Robe that she wouldn't reveal anything.
Otherwise, she would definitely make An Xunlu's jaw drop!
Could Senior Brother Hei Jian... have snatched away the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner?
Bing Jian sighed faintly. "Under normal circumstances, we probably would have charged over to pick a fight long ago. But now, Black Demon Abyss has just submitted to Taihuang Palace. What pretext do we even have to go?"
Right now, the unrest at Demon Pass presented the prime opportunity to fish in troubled waters.
Yet the Abyss Lord himself was playing the coward. If they went over now, wouldn't they just be seeking death?
Hearing this, An Xunlu lowered her head, eyes bursting with radiance. "Once Big Brother Hei Jian becomes a Great Ultimate Principle and takes charge of Black Demon Abyss, we certainly won't have to suffer such humiliation!"
The other paragons present nodded in strong agreement.
Clearly, they placed immense faith in Hei Jian.
Hei Jian was the only true sky of Black Demon Abyss.
It was just that Hei Jian had not fully matured yet.
Black Demon Abyss had no choice but to swallow its pride for a time.
"A mere Human Sovereign Hall Emissary can turn Guiyu Heaven upside down. Once Senior Brother Hei Jian becomes a Great Ultimate Principle, even Taihuang Palace will have to give us face!" one paragon said.
Lately, certain voices had begun circulating within Black Demon Abyss.
The Abyss Lord's submission was supposedly for the greater picture, meant to buy time for Hei Jian to grow.
Without producing a Great Ultimate Principle who commanded a Supreme Ultimate Principle, Black Demon Abyss could only serve as cannon fodder in the Linya Molt, stripped of any say.
After all, even before the Linya Molt had truly begun, various sacred lands were already restless, and clashes like that between Black Demon Abyss and Guiyu Heaven were hardly rare.
Yet looking back, factions overseen by a Supreme Venerable remained steady and unshakeable.
That was true foundation; that was true confidence.
"Our current humiliation is merely for a brighter future!"
"Tasting bitterness today will only make the sweetness tomorrow all the sweeter!"
The paragons chimed in, debating amongst themselves.
Unlike the young paragons, whose discussions centered on pride and politics, the attention of the Yang God Heavenly Venerables was wholly fixed on the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary seizing the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner.
This was enough to shake every Yang God to their core.
An offensive Creation Treasure was the supreme foundation of a sacred land.
Yet the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary had actually managed to steal away an offensive Creation Treasure like the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner.
Such methods were far too unfathomable, too shocking to the world.
Even a Supreme Venerable couldn't snatch away a third of the true body of Guiyu Heaven's Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner just like that.
Yet the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary had pulled it off.
How could anyone not be terrified?
Did this mean that if the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary wished, he could even steal their own offensive Creation Treasures?
"This Human Sovereign Hall Emissary is truly mysterious!"
"Still, he is far too reckless. Poking his head out like this now, once the Linya Molt begins, Taihuang Palace will definitely deal with him first!"
"I've searched through ancient records, yet I haven't found a single mention of this faction."
***
Inside Tiankun Curious Land.
Qi Yuan let out a breath of relief.
"Good thing I returned safely!"
A flicker of pleasant surprise shone in his eyes.
This was a full third of the true body of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner.
Combining it with his half-finished Human Sovereign Banner, didn't that mean he could virtually forge the Human Sovereign Banner into an offensive Creation Treasure?
"All right, time to get to work. Once the Human Sovereign Banner is forged, I'll have much more confidence for the Ultra-Grand Plan."
Without hesitation, Qi Yuan focused his mind.
His gaze fell upon the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner.
Suddenly, a terrifying figure emerged from within the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, carrying astonishing momentum as it struck violently toward Qi Yuan.
At that moment, the low-tier cultivators residing in Tiankun Curious Land felt an overwhelming sense of impending doom.
The terrifying might was simply too horrifying.
"What happened? What's going on?"
"This aura... could it be a Yang God Heavenly Venerable?"
The force of this backlash was shockingly comparable to a strike from a Great Ultimate Principle.
This offensive Creation Treasure had been refined and nurtured day after day by the Banner Lord; to some extent, it was practically one with the Banner Lord himself.
Faced with the backlash of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, Qi Yuan gave a cold scolding: "You've already entered my door, and you still want to commit domestic violence against me?"
A colossal pressure swept out, effortlessly neutralizing the blow comparable to a Great Ultimate Principle.
Qi Yuan stepped firmly onto the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, suppressing the soul emissary beneath his foot.
The Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner struggled continuously, but riddled with flaws, it couldn't break free at all.
Thinking of something, he suddenly shouted in a booming voice, "Everyone, don't panic! I'm refining a treasure, so it might make a bit of noise. Rest assured... it won't harm you!
"If anyone is kept awake by the noise, just silently chant 'sleep' in your heart, and I will make you fall asleep instantly!"
Qi Yuan was quite considerate.
Refining a treasure would inevitably involve ceaseless rumbles and frequent anomalies.
What if it disturbed those cultivators or interrupted the sleep of the mortals?
He had to give fair warning in advance while providing a solution.
Hearing this voice, the cultivators in Tiankun Curious Land all breathed a sigh of relief.
"It turns out that esteemed lord has returned!"
"What kind of treasure is that lord refining?"
"To think it carries such immense power!"
Many cultivators looked toward Qi Yuan's location with curiosity.
They had never witnessed a Yang God refining a treasure before.
Meanwhile, among the mortals, quite a few were surprised.
Among them, a beast-skin-clad youth who had inverted his day and night and had been trying to pull an all-nighter to reset his sleep schedule looked utterly overjoyed: "Sleep!"
He instantly fell asleep.
In the days that followed, Tiankun Curious Land became exceptionally lively.
Every day, immortal melodies seemed to descend, accompanied by thousands of great scholars debating sutras and tens of thousands of Buddhas chanting scriptures.
The verses were obscure and profound, resonating with the cadence of the Grand Dao.
From time to time, the shrieks of fiends and departed souls rang out, utterly horrifying.
For the first six months, cultivators were still gripped by fear, but as time dragged on, they gradually grew accustomed to it.
Gazing into the distance toward the northeastern region of Tiankun Curious Land, one could see countless terrifying dead souls roaring and wailing as if in purgatory.
"As expected of a Yang God magic artifact, terrifying beyond measure!"
"A single wisp of leaked aura is probably enough to throw all of Tiankun into madness!"
"For some reason, this aura feels somewhat familiar—it's quite similar to Guiyu Heaven's soul banners!"
"Could it be that this lord is a cultivator of Guiyu Heaven?"
"Sigh, with this lord refining a treasure, the exits from Tiankun Curious Land are sealed."
Some grew fearful at the thought.
That was Guiyu Heaven, after all.
When Guiyu Heaven cultivators refined soul banners, they routinely wiped out an entire realm of cultivators, drawing their departed souls into the banners.
Meanwhile, within Guiyu Heaven.
The Banner Lord sat perched high in the void.
As the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner trembled ceaselessly, an intimidating glint flashed across his eyes.
The surrounding Yang God Heavenly Venerables bowed their heads one after another, not daring to meet his gaze.
"Do you think hiding inside a curious land means I cannot find you?"
The Banner Lord's voice was thick with fury.
The Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner was his lifebound treasure.
Through the banner, he could faintly deduce that the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary was hiding inside a curious land.
As for which curious land, it remained unknown for now.
However, given time, he would locate it very soon.
"Snatching away the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner comes with a price!"
While pinpointing the location of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, he also contacted Taihuang Palace.
He had been moved to lethal intent, seeking to slay the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary—or, at the very least, imprison and seal him.
With his own strength alone, he naturally couldn't accomplish this, so he needed the aid of Taihuang Palace.
After roughly a hundred breaths of time, a phantom projection descended upon Guiyu Heaven.
Seeing this, all the Yang God Heavenly Venerables bowed in salute.
The Banner Lord of Guiyu Heaven also hurriedly said, "Greetings, Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan!"
This Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan was the foremost figure in Taihuang Palace beneath Great Sun himself.
"Great Sun once stated that this Human Sovereign Hall Emissary is not a Great Ultimate Principle," Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan spoke, his voice booming like a great bell.
Hearing this, all the Yang God Heavenly Venerables were momentarily stunned.
"He isn't a Great Ultimate Principle?"
"How is that possible? If he isn't a Great Ultimate Principle, how could he slay an Ultimate Principle so easily?"
"If he isn't a Great Ultimate Principle, then what am I?" an Ultimate Principle Yang God muttered bitterly.
Heavenly Venerable Guizui and Heavenly Venerable Guiyuan were equally astonished.
If the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary wasn't a Great Ultimate Principle, how could he have fought them to a standstill?
"The number of Great Ultimate Principles in this world has neither increased nor decreased. Furthermore... from what I observed, he bears no Great Ultimate Principle Engraving upon him. Therefore, he likely belongs to an anomaly from outside the Immortal Realm, possessing the combat power of a Great Ultimate Principle without actually being one," Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan concluded.
Hearing this, killing intent surged in the Banner Lord's eyes. "Without a Great Ultimate Principle Engraving... does that not mean... I can slay him?"
Once one reached the realm of Great Ultimate Reason, they would bear a Great Ultimate Principle Engraving.
The Great Ultimate Principle Engraving was intimately linked with the will of the Immortal Dao. Precisely because of this, when ordinary Great Ultimate Principles fought, they could not truly injure one another at all.
Only by employing an offensive Creation Treasure could one cleave cracks into the opponent's Great Ultimate Principle Engraving.
Of course, if a Supreme Venerable intervened, they could effortlessly wipe away the opponent's Great Ultimate Principle Engraving and execute them.
After speaking, the Banner Lord immediately shook his head.
The other party was far too slippery.
Even if he had the capability to slay him, he couldn't catch him in the first place.
"This is the Breath of Eternity Talisman. Once activated, a single instant becomes eternity.
"Unless he possesses an Ultimate Principle at the Solid tier, during this eternity, he will have no choice but to battle you, unable to leave."
Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan waved his hand, and an ordinary-looking talisman landed in the Banner Lord's grasp.
Hearing this, the expressions of the Yang God Heavenly Venerables present drastically changed.
"It's actually the Breath of Eternity Talisman!"
"This talisman was crafted by Great Sun himself. That Human Sovereign Hall Emissary... is doomed to die!"
Having received the Breath of Eternity Talisman, the Banner Lord's gaze deepened. "Rest assured, Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan. With this Breath of Eternity Talisman, I will personally slay him with my own hands!"
Since the other party lacked a Great Ultimate Principle Engraving, he naturally possessed no Solid-tier Ultimate Principle either, leaving him with no choice but to engage in combat.
Moreover, even with a Solid-tier Ultimate Principle, one might not necessarily break free from a Breath of Eternity Talisman crafted by Great Sun.
What Great Sun had comprehended was a Supreme Ultimate Principle, and at the Pattern tier at that.
Thus, that Human Sovereign Hall Emissary definitely wouldn't be able to escape.
With an offensive Creation Treasure in hand, the Banner Lord could wear him down to death regardless.
"I await your good news," Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan said, and the phantom projection dispersed.
A smug look welled in the Banner Lord's eyes.
"Invite the four quarters to a banquet! I shall slay the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary!"
The Banner Lord spoke with supreme confidence.
If the other party hid inside a curious land and refused to come out, he would simply swallow the curious land whole.
He could even descend directly into the curious land to slaughter him.
As for confirming the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary's location, it was merely a matter of time.
After all, the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner was one with him; searching meticulously for a few days would be more than enough to locate his target.
"Understood!"
The other Yang God Heavenly Venerables felt a surge of joy.
Guiyu Heaven was finally going to wash away its humiliation.
Turning into streams of light, these Yang God Heavenly Venerables vanished.
About a day later, word of the Banner Lord's banquet invitation spread to the various sacred lands.
Within White Dragon Abyss.
A veiled, charming woman had amusement in her eyes.
"The Banner Lord wants to execute that Human Sovereign Hall Emissary and invites all quarters to a banquet. Interesting."
Behind her smile lay a hint of wariness.
The Banner Lord's strength was roughly comparable to hers.
She knew full well she lacked the ability to slay a Great Ultimate Principle.
Yet the Banner Lord had such assurance, which clearly showed... Taihuang Palace's hand was behind this.
"It wouldn't hurt to go watch the show!"
In Moon Goddess Palace.
Heavenly Venerable Yuehua's gaze was profound, tinged with latent worry. "I will not go!"
She rejected the invitation outright.
In Shenluo Heaven, the Heavenly Lord's figure was towering and majestic, obscured by a layer of mist that hid his countenance.
"Is a Great Ultimate Principle about to fall? It seems... in this Linya Molt, perhaps more than one Supreme Venerable will perish."
As for other factions overseen by Supreme Venerables, most only sent second- or third-in-command figures to attend, while many dispatched no Yang God Heavenly Venerables at all.
Meanwhile, within Demon Pass, Ziyuan Xiaolu looked fraught with tension.
Demon Pass and Ghost Pass were very close to one another, so the news of Guiyu Heaven hosting a realm-wide banquet naturally reached their ears in no time.
"With Guiyu Heaven boldly inviting all quarters, aren't they worried the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary will catch wind of it and flee?"
"Sigh, Taihuang Palace is definitely involved behind this. Otherwise, how could Guiyu Heaven be so confident!"
"The Human Sovereign Hall Emissary was simply too arrogant, even snatching the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner. It looks like this time... he's doomed."
"The outcome isn't decided yet, so how can you be so certain?" Ziyuan Daxue said offhandedly. Suddenly catching sight of Ziyuan Xiaolu, she asked gently, "Xiaolu, why the long face? Could it be you're worried about that Human Sovereign Hall Emissary?"
"No." Ziyuan Xiaolu was somewhat anxious. "Senior Sister Daxue, can you contact Senior Brother Blood Robe? I just went to his cave dwelling to look for him, but he wasn't there."
Ziyuan Daxue shook her head. "That fellow is elusive as a ghost. Who knows where he is?"
Hearing this, Ziyuan Xiaolu grew terribly anxious.
She even suspected that Senior Brother Blood Robe might be with the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary.
Of course, that was all her own speculation.
It was also possible that Senior Brother Blood Robe didn't know the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary at all.
"What is it? You seem very anxious. Is there something urgent?" Ziyuan Daxue asked, looking at Ziyuan Xiaolu.
Ziyuan Xiaolu shook her head, her expression crestfallen. "No."
Suddenly, thinking of something, she asked softly, "Senior Sister Daxue, can you contact the Old Ancestor?"
"I can't," Ziyuan Daxue shook her head as well. "Just after the news from Guiyu Heaven arrived, the Abyss Lord summoned all the Yang God Heavenly Venerables. They're probably discussing some important matter."
Hearing this, Ziyuan Xiaolu wore a bitter expression, her little face drooping like a frost-bitten eggplant.
"Xiaolu, what is it really? Do you suspect Blood Robe is in danger?" Ziyuan Daxue asked.
From Ziyuan Xiaolu's words, she had inferred quite a bit.
"N-No," Ziyuan Xiaolu denied.
After all, she had promised Senior Brother Blood Robe that no matter what happened, she would not reveal their secret.
What if Senior Brother Blood Robe had nothing to do with the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary and was plotting something else?
If she blabbed and disrupted Senior Brother Blood Robe's grand plans, that would be terrible.
"You, stop worrying about that guy Blood Robe. Even if the Old Ancestor were in danger, he wouldn't be," Ziyuan Daxue remarked casually. "That guy has a sharp tongue, but I've never seen anyone curse that figure in Taihuang Palace every single day and still live this long."
A Supreme Venerable could not be insulted, nor cursed.
No matter how much Ziyuan Daxue disliked that figure in Taihuang Palace, she wouldn't dare curse him.
Yet that fellow Blood Robe cursed him with utter ruthlessness.
And to have lived safely this long after doing so—it would be impossible if he didn't have some real tricks up his sleeve.
Hearing this, Ziyuan Xiaolu felt slightly reassured. "I hope Senior Brother Blood Robe is all right."
***
Inside Tiankun Curious Land.
The refinement of the Human Sovereign Banner continued.
Qi Yuan was utterly focused and diligent. Naturally, he had no idea that Guiyu Heaven's Banner Lord was hosting a realm-wide banquet to execute him.
In any case, his right eyebrow hadn't twitched, which meant everything was normal.
At this moment, anomalous phenomena surged across Tiankun Curious Land.
The soul emissaries, who had originally resembled creatures from purgatory, had undergone a drastic transformation.
They were now clad in golden armor or holy radiant plate, cutting imposing and awe-inspiring figures.
Greed, slaughter, evil, and malice had vanished without a trace, replaced by uprightness and unblemished radiance.
The refinement of the Human Sovereign Banner had now reached its final step.
After an unknown period, Qi Yuan snapped his eyes open and gave a resounding shout.
"Yinhun Heaven Division, hear my command!"
At his command, the densely packed army of departed souls suddenly erupted with holy, radiant light.
As if blessed by the Heavenly Dao, they transformed from soul-reaping emissaries of the Netherworld into heroic divine generals guarding the celestial palaces.
"Enter my Human Sovereign Banner, and protect our human mountains and rivers!"
"Enter my Human Sovereign Banner, and sweep away the evils of the Immortal Realm!"
"Enter my Human Sovereign Banner, and restore righteousness to the human way!"
Following Qi Yuan's bellow, the boundless army of departed souls marched in synchronized strides, divine might vast as an ocean, plunging headlong into the Human Sovereign Banner.
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
Terrifying battle cries swept out in unison.
It was as though countless budget-busting special effects were raining down.
With countless heroic spirits entering, the original Human Sovereign Banner blazed with radiant light, transforming into a tattered banner stained with blood.
Yet though the banner was worn, its spirit was eternal.
Holding the Human Sovereign Banner, Qi Yuan admired his masterpiece with satisfaction in his eyes.
"If I hit someone with this banner, wouldn't they be bruised black and blue?"
At last, he finally had his very own offensive Creation Treasure.
In the Sixth Heaven, his combat prowess had grown even stronger!
Chapter 472