We Are Not the Same Kind of People

Empowered by the Breath of Eternity Talisman, the battle erupted instantly. The Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner blanketed the sky, restricting the combat area between them to a single space. The Banner Lord's face brimmed with confidence. Without a Great Ultimate Principle Engraving, the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary was nothing more than an overgrown fat pig in his eyes. He struck downward, his immortal spiritual power surging like a tempest—a casual blow capable of destroying a world. "Die!" Energy annihilated, and space shattered only to overlap again. Such a terrifying onslaught would deeply shake even an ordinary Great Ultimate Principle. At that moment, the ringing hum of a sword sounded. A crimson blade shot forth, radiating all manner of brilliant, dazzling light and auras. A particularly sinister, dread-inducing presence permeated the air. As the two auras collided, it was as if two supreme villains were clashing. *Boom!* The clash ended without defying the expectations of the onlookers. The Banner Lord held the upper hand, while the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary fell considerably short. The White Dragon Abyss Lord narrowed her eyes. "If the Banner Lord also has the assistance of Taihuang Palace, he might truly be able to seal this Human Sovereign Hall Emissary." "Speaking of which, this Sovereign is also quite curious—he could have simply hidden in the curious land without coming out, so why emerge?" the Shenluo Heaven Lord said in astonishment. "Perhaps he did not anticipate the Breath of Eternity Talisman either." "It seems he likely does not hail from any of our Sixth Heaven's sacred lands." These Great Ultimate Principles buzzed with discussion, guessing amongst themselves. Meanwhile, the battle raged on. In the blink of an eye, a hundred rounds had passed. Throughout these hundred exchanges, the Banner Lord consistently retained the upper hand, yet he was unable to injure the blood-red silhouette in the slightest. The Banner Lord narrowed his eyes, his expression turning surprised. *He has some skill. This Sovereign must get serious!* Having finished probing, the Banner Lord no longer held back and attacked with full force. He had confirmed through testing that the opponent indeed lacked a Great Ultimate Principle Engraving. However, if he fought through conventional means, he could at best wound his foe. Furthermore... the battle would drag on for a long time. Therefore, he had to start utilizing the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner. Last time, when the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner was planted at Ghost Pass, it had slipped out of his direct control and was snatched away by the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary. This time, the banner was in his own hands, so naturally no such worry existed. After all, to a certain degree, he and the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner were one. "Hand over the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, and this Sovereign can grant you a dignified death!" As the Banner Lord spoke, the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner shook, blotting out the sky and sun as it spanned the firmament. A chilling cold pierced straight to the heart, like an ice block pressed against one's spine, followed immediately by howling, furious gusts of yin wind amidst flickering ghastly silhouettes. In the dim light, ghostly figures darted about, extending their arms with bared fangs and brandished claws, like vengeful spirits claiming lives. Their eyes, either blood-red or numb and lifeless, stared at Qi Yuan as though looking at their sworn enemy. Qi Yuan immediately sensed sky-filling killing intent and hatred sweeping toward him. Evidently, through the Banner Lord's refinement of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, the soul emissaries within had long been conditioned to view whoever the Banner Lord targeted as the culprit who had slaughtered them, their kin, or their clans. Empowered by the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, the onslaught of both the soul emissaries and the Banner Lord descended at once. Qi Yuan instantly caught the scent of grave danger. Indeed, he even smelled the peril of death. At this moment, he did not hesitate in the slightest. "You have the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner; I have... the Human Sovereign Banner!" With a great shout from Qi Yuan, his hand flicked, and a tattered, bloodstained Human Sovereign Banner materialized. The banner cloth was boundlessly broad, covered in intricate patterns that were profound and ancient. Utterly distinct from the sinister horror of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, although the Human Sovereign Banner appeared ragged, the light emanating from it resembled boundless noble righteousness, radiant as an ocean. Beneath this brilliance, Qi Yuan's crimson armor turned even more unearthly, while he himself appeared immeasurably sacred. A towering crimson silhouette backed by endless radiance, holding a blood-red sword—he looked like a heavenly god, yet also like a demon god from hell. "Evil spirits, monsters, demons, and sprites—every single ghost shall be purged!" With a single sword strike, the pristine light of the Human Sovereign Hall washed away all evil. The hundreds of millions of ghosts within the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner instantly unleashed miserable shrieks. The Human Sovereign Banner was born for light, standing for righteousness and the greater good of the human race. It stood as the diametric opposite of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, which extracted the deceased souls of all living beings; how could the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner compete against it? "The Human Sovereign Banner?" "An offensive Creation Treasure! How does he have one?!" "Why have I never heard of this offensive Creation Treasure?" The spectating Yang God Heavenly Venerables were utterly shaken. In the immortal realm's Sixth Heaven, perhaps even they did not know the exact number of ordinary Creation Treasures, but offensive Creation Treasures were without question renowned and accounted for. Offensive Creation Treasures were inherently different from regular Creation Treasures; they were forged by Great Ultimate Principles through countless eras of blood, sweat, and toil. The Banner Lord's eyes went wide, his expression filled with disbelief. "How could a Human Sovereign Banner truly exist?" Every time the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary came to Ghost Pass, he claimed that all banners in the world fell under the jurisdiction of the Human Sovereign Banner. He had asserted that Guiyu Heaven's Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner belonged to the Human Sovereign Hall. Naturally, the Banner Lord had never believed such words. After all, the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner had been forged by the previous Banner Lord and perfected by himself; what did it have to do with any Human Sovereign Hall? "Wherever injustice lies under heaven, a single wave of this banner shall sweep it away!" Qi Yuan paid him no mind. In his left hand he held his sword, unleashing lethal intent; in his right hand he raised his banner, giving rise to boundless light within his heart. The sinister crimson sword and the radiant, sacred banner complemented each other. "Kill!" The sword struck, and the banner billowed! The Banner Lord's expression changed abruptly. Confronting the Human Sovereign Banner, his Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner was like a mouse meeting a cat—and a feral, alley cat at that, not a pampered house pet. The cloth of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner trembled violently as countless deceased souls shrieked in terror, as if facing their natural predator. At this moment, the Banner Lord grew frantic. The opponent possessed no Great Ultimate Principle Engraving; wielding the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, the Banner Lord should have had more than enough power to suppress and execute him. Yet he had never imagined that his adversary would also possess an offensive Creation Treasure. He was entirely unable to pierce the defenses of an offensive Creation Treasure, so how could he possibly harm the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary? More importantly, he felt utterly counterpicked by nature itself. Wielding the Human Sovereign Banner, Qi Yuan's voice resonated like a vast bell, sounding like an envoy of justice. "Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, you have suffered. "Being born evil is not your original sin." At Qi Yuan's words, the cloth of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner suddenly froze, as if something extraordinary were taking place. The Banner Lord's face tightened fiercely. "What on earth did you do?!" This was the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner he had personally refined and merged with his own heart's blood! "I am rectifying the atmosphere of the cultivation world; I am conducting a righteous reformation!" Qi Yuan said calmly. The culture of the cultivation world was simply far too corrupt. Otherwise, how could something like the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner ever come into existence? As he spoke, he looked toward the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner again. "Banner child, I know you have done many wrong things, but the fault is not yours—it is the world's. "Are you willing to return to the embrace of the Human Sovereign Banner and follow me... to change this world?" The Great Oblivion Heart Scripture activated. Empowered by the Human Sovereign Banner, his intensely persuasive voice carried directly into the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner. The Banner Lord's expression shifted drastically, terror taking root in his heart. For he saw with his own eyes that the soul emissaries within the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner had momentarily dazed, seemingly genuinely moved! "Shut your mouth!" Shamed into furious rage, the Banner Lord launched a direct attack at Qi Yuan. Yet the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner in his grip no longer answered his command as smoothly as expected. In this clash, he actually fell into a disadvantage. "Do you see? The Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner in your hands is unwilling to harm me. "Banner Lord... do you know your wrongs?" Qi Yuan's figure stood like an ocean, towering and unshakable. "Wrongs my ass!" the Banner Lord roared in fury, attacking with frantic desperation. Panic completely gripped him now. The moment the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary brought out the Human Sovereign Banner, the Banner Lord knew he could not execute him. Now, it was no longer a question of killing his opponent—his Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner was malfunctioning. If this continued, his Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner... might truly change hands. Regret flooded him, and his face twisted with anxiety. In this dire moment, he cast all shame aside: "Fellow Daoists, come to my aid at once! I shall present you with Creation Treasures!" The Banner Lord had no choice but to plead for help from the other Great Ultimate Principles. Unfortunately, that was destined to be mere wishful thinking. Those Great Ultimate Principles paid him no heed at all, purely enjoying the spectacle. Only the three Great Ultimate Principles who had accompanied him from Guiyu Heaven joined the fray at this moment. Regrettably, even with three more Great Ultimate Principles, he remained at a disadvantage beneath the Human Sovereign Banner. *Riiip!* In an instant, utter terror gripped the Banner Lord's face. A fifth of the cloth of his Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner tore away, flying straight toward the Human Sovereign Banner. His eyes nearly split with fury. This was his offensive Creation Treasure, the very bedrock of his life and standing! "No!" He let out a desperate shriek, but it availed him nothing. Witnessing this, the surrounding Great Ultimate Principles could no longer remain indifferent. "Could this Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner truly be a part of the Human Sovereign Banner?" "What a sinister calculation from this Human Sovereign Hall Emissary! To plot so extensively just to force the Banner Lord to deploy the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner against him, and then devour it!" "If this goes on... the Banner Lord's offensive Creation Treasure might be... lost completely." A Great Ultimate Principle spoke up, his gaze flickering. If the Banner Lord lost the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, he would fall from the second tier of Great Ultimate Principles down to the third. Even as they spoke, another tearing sound came from the Banner Lord's banner. More and more fragments of the banner cloth surged into the Human Sovereign Banner. This looked less like a clash between offensive Creation Treasures and more like... a prodigal son turning back from his errors! "To recognize one's mistakes and mend them is the greatest of virtues. "Banner Lord, look at how perceptive the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner in your hand is, repenting thoroughly. "Can you not follow their example, end your own life, and enter my Human Sovereign Banner? I shall reserve a soul emissary position for you." "You..." The Banner Lord truly regretted everything now. Had he known, he never would have used that cursed Breath of Eternity Talisman. Bound by the talisman's restriction, he could not break free at all and was forced to battle the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary without the slightest opportunity to flee. He could only watch helplessly as the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner was torn apart bit by bit, merging into the Human Sovereign Banner. No one knew how long the battle lasted. Less than a seventh of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner remained in the Banner Lord's possession, and his appearance had become utterly wretched. Suddenly, a radiant glow flared brilliantly. Upon seeing it, joy burst across the Banner Lord's face. "Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan, help me! Dispel the Breath of Eternity Talisman!" The newcomer was none other than the projection of Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan. All the Great Ultimate Principles turned solemn upon seeing him. This was a Great Ultimate Principle of Taihuang Palace. A strange glint passed through Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan's eyes, but he ultimately intervened: "Disperse!" The Breath of Eternity Talisman had limited duration anyway. Even if he had not arrived, it would have dissipated before long. At his word, the talisman dissolved instantly. A look of surviving a catastrophe washed over the Banner Lord's face. Though the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner was shattered, as long as a sliver remained in his hands, he would still rank among the second-tier Great Ultimate Principles—even if at the very bottom. He fled madly, putting distance between himself and Qi Yuan. Yet right at that moment, two streaks of light suddenly blocked his path. Furious outrage contorted the Banner Lord's face: "Who is it?!" During his escape, two Great Ultimate Principles had secretly acted to delay him for half a breath. Yet that mere half-breath was enough for Qi Yuan's Great Oblivion Heart Scripture and Human Sovereign Banner to descend once more. The last remaining piece of the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner on the Banner Lord was swept into Qi Yuan's possession as well. "No!" The Banner Lord wailed in agony. Yet this was no time for grief. Having lost the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, though the mighty Human Sovereign Hall Emissary could not execute him, he possessed more than enough power to seal him away. Nourishing deep resentment, the Banner Lord fled frantically. Behind him came the faintly gleeful voices of the Great Ultimate Principles attending the banquet. "Banner Lord, it wasn't me." "Nor was it me!" "It wasn't me either!" Many Great Ultimate Principles had attended this banquet, and quite a few were delighted to see the Banner Lord tumble out of the second tier. With that, the curtain fell on the battle, concluding with the Banner Lord losing his banner and fleeing in disgrace. The remaining Great Ultimate Principles took deep breaths, casting glances at Qi Yuan with complex expressions. Some even contemplated whether to try roping in the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary. After all, since the conclusion of the previous Linya Molt, nothing of this magnitude had transpired in the Sixth Heaven. The Banner Lord's Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner had been stripped away completely. That was an offensive Creation Treasure! There were scarcely any of them across the entire Sixth Heaven! Still, they understood this was likely an isolated incident. They even suspected that the Banner Lord's Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner might truly have originated from the Human Sovereign Banner; otherwise, how could it have been so thoroughly countered? Meanwhile, Qi Yuan stared at Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan with profound eyes. "Aiding a criminal in fleeing—you are guilty!" The moment those words rang out, all the Great Ultimate Principles present were startled. This Human Sovereign Hall Emissary actually dared speak to a Yang God of Taihuang Palace in such a manner. What audacious gall! The White Dragon Abyss Lord's eyes flickered, deep in thought. The Great Ultimate Principle of the Ultimate Principle Society showed a bright gleam in his eyes, seemingly delighted. At this point, the languid Boundless Abyss Lord spoke up: "Human Sovereign Hall Emissary, do you know who he is? He is the Third Palace Master of Taihuang Palace!" "Hmph, if the emperor breaks the law, he is as guilty as a commoner. "He may be an Honored Exalted, but committing a crime today makes it a crime all the same!" Qi Yuan's tone was calm. At these words, the expressions of the Great Ultimate Principles present shifted slightly. Among them, several who had contemplated befriending the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary in secret snuffed out the thought. Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan's projection gazed at Qi Yuan with calm detachment. "This Sovereign would like to see just how you intend to punish my Taihuang Palace!" "I'll talk trash!" Qi Yuan stretched his back, his demeanor turning lazy. "Once my divine arts are perfected, I will personally visit your Taihuang Palace to hold you accountable!" Generally speaking, in television dramas, the pathetic little villains who got beaten into flight were the ones to utter parting threats. Qi Yuan was no pathetic villain, nor did he look down on them; he was simply borrowing their lines. "Hmph, this Sovereign shall await you in Taihuang Palace!" A sneer appeared on Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan's face, and his form vanished into thin air. The other Great Ultimate Principles now felt that this Human Sovereign Hall Emissary was somewhat thick-skinned. To actually claim he would go to Taihuang Palace to demand accountability... That was Taihuang Palace! Seeing Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan disappear, the remaining Great Ultimate Principles gave Qi Yuan a long look before departing one after another. Had the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary not challenged Heavenly Venerable Zhenyuan afterward, they might have chosen to stay and forge ties with him. Even the Great Ultimate Principle from the Ultimate Principle Society left, seemingly to avoid suspicion. The once-bustling area was left with only Qi Yuan. With a flicker of his body, he appeared outside a dilapidated town. Numerous skeletal remains lay scattered along the stone steps. These bones belonged to mortals whom the Banner Lord had slain at whim. At this moment, these raggedly dressed common folk still retained the postures they had held before their deaths. Qi Yuan closed his eyes, and scenes of the past surfaced in an instant. Before dying, these mortals had been carrying hundreds of jin of goods up the steps to deliver them to a Taoist monastery on the mountain, all to earn a livelihood. "Fortunately, I am kindhearted and sow seeds wherever I go." Qi Yuan sighed. After his combat strength reached the level of a Great Ultimate Principle, Qi Yuan had grown bolder. Whenever he saw cultivators, he secretly left behind the imprint of the Netherworld. Of course, this was limited to low-tier cultivators; Yang Gods and above were easy for him to kill, but any imprint left on them would be discovered and expunged. When passing through this place earlier, he had casually left Netherworld imprints within the bodies of the surrounding living beings. This meant that as long as the Netherworld possessed sufficient resources, all these people could be revived within it. "I've secured jobs with room and board for you all." Qi Yuan spoke, his expression turning solemn. The skeletal remains lying on the ground vanished in that very instant. Right then, a slightly surprised voice sounded: "Fellow Daoist, what are you doing?" A cultivator enveloped entirely in a gray robe appeared, their face hidden and their voice indistinguishable between male and female. Qi Yuan glanced at the newcomer. [White Dragon Abyss Lord, Great Ultimate Principle realm, possesses the White Dragon bloodline.] "I am helping them find work," Qi Yuan said indifferently. To be honest, he did not wish to stand too close to the White Dragon Abyss Lord. What if this person stripped naked, dropped their blindfold, glared at him, and made him pregnant? "I did not expect Fellow Daoist to be so kindhearted," the White Dragon Abyss Lord sighed. Naturally, she assumed Qi Yuan was providing burials for these people. As for resurrection? That was out of the question. Even if resurrected, the living being would not be the same person who had died. She felt somewhat moved. After all, she too had known such benevolence long ago. Yet having tread the immortal path for tens of millions of years, she had seemingly seen through everything, growing increasingly numb and indifferent toward all things. "Why have you come looking for me?" Qi Yuan asked. Just then, an aged voice sounded: "This old man wishes to invite Your Excellency to join our Ultimate Principle Society as a guest elder!" The Great Ultimate Principle of the Ultimate Principle Society appeared. Unlike the White Dragon Abyss Lord, he wore no disguise. As a member of the Ultimate Principle Society, he possessed greater boldness and confidence than the White Dragon Abyss Lord. "No thanks," Qi Yuan said, shaking his head. The Great Ultimate Principle was taken aback, then quickly said, "Fellow Daoist has formed a grudge with Taihuang Palace. Only by cooperating with our Ultimate Principle Society to confront Taihuang Palace together can we achieve a win-win outcome!" Even knowing another Great Ultimate Principle stood nearby, he spoke openly without concealment. Qi Yuan shook his head. "I can't be bothered to join your Ultimate Principle Society. Otherwise, if I discover that your society also commits crimes and atrocities, my conscience will ache, and how could I face my Human Sovereign Banner then?" These words astonished the White Dragon Abyss Lord and left the Great Ultimate Principle dumbfounded. To him, the line between good and evil in this world was never distinct; it was mostly a clash of interests. He had assumed that the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary dared speak harshly to Taihuang Palace only because a preexisting grudge lay between them. As for the talk of crimes and evil the emissary had spouted earlier, he had paid it no mind at all. It was nothing more than an excuse, a righteous banner to wave. "Could what Fellow Daoist says... truly be genuine?" After a moment's hesitation, the Great Ultimate Principle asked apprehensively. "I rarely tell lies, so naturally it is true." Qi Yuan shrugged. "With the Human Sovereign Banner in hand, rectifying the atmosphere of the cultivation world has always been my wish. We... are not the same kind of people." Seeing Qi Yuan's sincere manner, the Great Ultimate Principle ultimately let out a long, quiet sigh. "It was my intrusion. Alas." The White Dragon Abyss Lord looked at Qi Yuan, her gaze churning, uncertain of what she was pondering. At their level, there was no need for such falsehoods. Did that mean... the Human Sovereign Hall Emissary... truly thought this way?