Chapter 777 Covered in Cold Sweat

Ye Xuan turned and retreated from the black skeleton’s position with astonishing speed.

The black skeleton finally realized something was amiss.

"Young man, why are you moving so far away from me? How am I supposed to impart my Cultivation Technique to you, or give you treasures and opportunities?" the black skeleton’s raspy voice called out.

Ye Xuan sneered inwardly, ignoring it completely and focusing only on retreating.

"You little brat. How dare you trick me."

The black skeleton finally realized Ye Xuan had seen through its scheme. A shrill, piercing shriek of fury rang out as a powerful soul assault instantly slammed into Ye Xuan’s mind.

’This bastard really is going to attack me.’

Even though Ye Xuan had been prepared, he was instantly struck by a wave of dizziness, and his mind turned to mush.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Wisps of a strange, black power formed and instantly invaded Ye Xuan’s mind, devouring his soul. It was so fast that despite his preparations, Ye Xuan was caught completely off guard.

What horrified Ye Xuan even more was that this feeling of being devoured was identical to what he had experienced at the Spirit Marrow Liquid altar in the Ancient Demon Land.

The Endless Molten Flame was occupied with resisting the encroaching Jueyin Water, so Ye Xuan immediately unleashed his Devouring Martial Spirit. He began to frantically absorb the black power, knowing that only his Devouring Martial Spirit could withstand such a terrifying force.

The black War God formed by the Devouring Martial Spirit immediately clashed with the black power. However, this black power was far more terrifying than what he had encountered at the Spirit Marrow Pool altar, and the two fell into a stalemate. Although the Devouring Martial Spirit could absorb the black power, the absorption rate was extremely slow—it simply couldn’t keep up with the speed of the invasion.

"Heh heh heh, boy, I never expected you to have such a terrifying power inside you besides the Celestial Fire, one that can resist my possession. But what a pity, your power isn’t enough. Just obediently become my flesh puppet."

A raspy, cold voice, like a drake’s quack, sounded out. It was like jagged teeth sawing through glass, making Ye Xuan extremely uncomfortable.

Ye Xuan’s heart sank. He hadn’t expected that the creature could still attack him from so far away, and with such terrifying power.

’What should I do?’

A wave of anxiety washed over Ye Xuan. He hadn’t expected that even his Devouring Martial Spirit would be unable to stop this terrifying black power. His head swam, and he felt like he could pass out at any moment.

’No, I can’t pass out. I absolutely cannot pass out.’

Ye Xuan roared inwardly. He knew that if he fainted, it would all be over. He would surely become the black skeleton’s puppet.

’Absorb it! Devour it!’

Roaring in his mind, Ye Xuan frantically pushed his Devouring Martial Spirit. The spirit’s entire body glowed with a pitch-black light, and the black hole on its chest grew ever more terrifying.

Suddenly—

BOOM!

Above Ye Xuan’s head, a hazy black phantom appeared. Six crimson star rings materialized around it, followed by a seventh crimson ring that slowly began to take shape.

Ye Xuan was instantly thrilled. He hadn’t expected his Devouring Martial Spirit to level up at a time like this. Once it advanced from Six-Stars to Seven-Stars, its power would surely skyrocket.

’Faster, faster...’

Ye Xuan screamed inwardly. This was now a battle of wills. Whoever could hold on the longest would be the victor.

As more of the black power seeped into his soul, Ye Xuan’s consciousness began to fade. A hint of dazed confusion appeared in his eyes.

But just at this critical moment, the Devouring Martial Spirit’s transformation was finally complete.

The black War God formed by the Devouring Martial Spirit now had much clearer facial features. Its pitch-black eyes were incredibly deep, like an endless, mysterious cosmos. It wore a suit of armor, its posture was imposing, and a battle saber burning with black flames materialized in its hand.

Even more terrifying was the black hole in its chest. The vortex spun ceaselessly, converging into a singularity at its deepest point, as if it could swallow the cosmos and all of creation. A single glance was enough to strike awe and terror into one’s heart.

BOOM!

After the Devouring Martial Spirit’s breakthrough, its devouring power surged. If before it could only swallow a stream’s worth of the black power, now it could swallow a great river. This terrifying new devouring force instantly descended upon the black power in Ye Xuan’s mind.

"No! You damned bastard, what in the hell is this thing?!"

The black skeleton shrieked, furious and humiliated.

WHOOSH!

Vast amounts of the black power were rapidly devoured by the Devouring Martial Spirit. It even absorbed the portion that had already tainted Ye Xuan’s soul, converting it all into its own pure Power of Origin.

PTUI!

Ye Xuan spat out a mouthful of black blood. Having repelled the black skeleton’s soul assault, he frantically fled from its location.

"You wretched brat! Don’t you dare run!"

As the black skeleton roared, a hazy ripple swept outward. SPLASH! The entire Jueyin River erupted into a frenzy. Giant waves, several meters high, rose from all sides and crashed down toward Ye Xuan.

"Boy, go die beneath the Jueyin Water!"

A cold, venomous roar echoed as the colossal wave of Jueyin Water completely enveloped Ye Xuan, submerging him.

But in the next moment, Ye Xuan’s figure re-emerged, parting the waters as he moved farther and farther away.

"How is that brat not being corroded by the Jueyin Water? Wait... it’s the Yin Transformation Skill I taught him! GAH! I’m so furious I could die!"

Amid the black skeleton’s furious roars, Ye Xuan gradually moved beyond its sensory range.

"Hah... hah..."

Deep within the pitch-black Jueyin Cave, Ye Xuan retreated two thousand meters before finally pausing.

’That was too close. I was almost possessed by that black skeleton.’

Lingering fear gripped Ye Xuan. His face was pale, and his body was drenched in a cold sweat.

’Close call!’

’That was way too close.’

’If my Devouring Martial Spirit—which had already absorbed a large amount of martial souls and black power back in the Ancient Demon Land—hadn’t broken through at the critical moment, I’d probably be that black skeleton’s puppet right now.’

’And I never expected that black skeleton could control the Jueyin Water.’

’If it weren’t for the Technique the skeleton taught me, which allowed me to integrate some of the Jueyin Water and greatly boost my resistance, I would have already become a pile of bones at the bottom of the Jueyin River in my weakened state.’

’I need to go. I have to get out of here now.’

Without a moment’s hesitation, Ye Xuan hurried toward the entrance of Jueyin Cave.

「An incense stick’s time later.」

SWOOSH!

A figure shot out of Jueyin Cave. Seeing the hazy black mist outside, Ye Xuan felt as if a lifetime had passed.

Less than a day had passed between being chased by the Ghost Ruler Emperor into Jueyin Cave and his eventual escape. But for Ye Xuan, it had been one of the most dangerous days of his life.

「Three days later.」

Ye Xuan found a cave on the outskirts of the Celestial Yin Valley and sealed himself inside.

He took out basins filled with Jueyin Water and began attempting to absorb it.

Back in Jueyin Cave, the situation had been too critical for him to absorb the Jueyin Water. Now that the danger had passed, Ye Xuan was eager to test the Technique the black skeleton had given him.

Fortunately, he had collected plenty of Jueyin Water from a depth of over three thousand meters in the cave, so he had enough to practice.

As he operated the Technique, wisps of Jueyin Water did indeed begin to slowly merge with his body.

This time, Ye Xuan was able to calm his mind and focus on his cultivation, and he immediately noticed something new.

The Jueyin Water entering his body only appeared to be merging with him on the surface. In reality, the water still existed in its original form.

It was similar to how Celestial Fire and Earth Fire seemed to merge with an Alchemist’s body, allowing them to manifest endless flames, when in reality their source remained the Earth Fire. The very origins of the Endless Molten Flame and the Purple Wound Flame resided in the core of Ye Xuan’s mind.

After a day, a trace of the Jueyin Water’s power had been added to Ye Xuan’s body.

’Let’s see if I can release this trace of Jueyin Water as an attack.’

Ye Xuan threw a punch at the wall, simultaneously activating the Jueyin Water within him. With a FIZZ, the wall in front of him instantly dissolved. Watery stains appeared on the surface, and any rock touched by them melted like rotten tofu. As the stains spread, the hole widened.

After a few dozen breaths, a pit tens of meters deep had formed in front of Ye Xuan.

’How terrifying.’

Ye Xuan was dumbfounded. He hadn’t used any Profound energy in that punch at all; he had merely released a single trace of the Jueyin Water from his arm, and it had produced such a dramatic effect.

’If I had enough Jueyin Water in my body, couldn’t I kill even a Nine Heavens Martial Emperor?’

The Jueyin Water he had absorbed was Tier Nine, from a depth of over three thousand meters—a depth that even a Tier Nine Third Layer Martial Emperor would struggle to reach.

However, Ye Xuan also knew that the Jueyin Water integrated into his body was incomparable to the massive volume in the Jueyin River. One was a vast, raging river, while the other was just a small, absorbed portion. The difference was immense.

It was the difference between a single spark that could only cause a burn and a sea of fire that could incinerate someone completely.

But regardless, as long as he had enough Tier Nine Jueyin Water in his body, even if he couldn’t kill a mighty Nine Heavens Martial Emperor, he could still inflict serious damage on an ordinary Tier Nine First Layer Martial Emperor.

Seeing the results, Ye Xuan immediately settled his mind and began absorbing the Tier Nine Jueyin Water with all his focus.

As time trickled by, more than half a month had passed since the closing of the Ancient Demon Land.

In the Celestial Yin Valley.

SWISH! SWISH!

Two streaks of light flew in and landed on a mountaintop several thousand li from Ye Xuan’s position.

They were two women who seemed otherworldly. The younger of the two was refreshingly elegant, dressed in white. Her lovely face, as beautiful as a white lotus, was as ethereal as a fairy’s. She possessed the fresh, simple elegance of an orchid in a remote valley, making one feel it would be a profanity to even look at her directly.