Tu Mingâs voice rang out from beneath Su Ziluoâs feet, and then the earth cracked open as he rose from the underground, stepping on ghostly fire.
After the righteous and demonic battle in the East Continent, Tu Ming activated another ghost fetus, intending to trigger the restriction engraved inside Su Ziluoâs body, to blood sacrifice her back into the Evil Spirit Disk, but there was no response.
If the physical body was lost, then it made sense.
"Congratulations to Ming Zun on your resurrection, returning to ascend to the Spirit Transformation Stage."
Seeing Tu Ming before her, Su Ziluo forced a smile and began to plead for mercy.
"Who killed my ghost fetus?"
Despite his cold demeanor, Tu Ming didnât immediately strike Su Ziluo but asked instead.
Although he had an answer in his mind, he wanted to confirm it personally.
"It was the Sect Master..." Su Ziluo hesitated not at all, recounting the situation at the ruins back then, "At that time, the Light Saint Envoy and I followed your order to besiege the Sect Master... Yi Yuan Taoist Child. Despite just entering the Nascent Soul, he was invincible below the Divinity Transformation. The Light Saint Envoy was killed, and my physical body was severed, forcing your ghost fetus to come out early. But your ghost fetus was no match for him..."
"Impossible! My ghost fetus was nurtured with the Evil Spirit Disk, a child of Huangquan, undefeatable within the same Realm. It mustâve been you, deceitful woman, colluding with that Chen Guixian, who killed it while it was in slumber." Tu Ming interrupted, pointing out the "flaw" in her words and correcting the error.
"I can swear, Ming Zun, that your ghost fetusâs death was all by the Sect Masterâs hand, and had nothing to do with me!" Su Ziluo, to save her life, raised her hand to swear.
"You deceitful woman, still dare to deceive me!" Tu Ming furiously erupted, the eerie Huangquan Yin Qi burst from him, and a terrifying Fierce Ghost phantom rose with a black hand piercing through space, dispersing the Primordial True Qi around Su Ziluo, pinning her to the ground.
"Ming Zun, what I say... is all true, absolutely no... lie..." Struggling as the ghost claw gripped her neck, Su Ziluo spoke.
However, Tu Ming had no wish to witness her swearing.
Because if that were to happen, the belief of his ghost fetusâs invincibility would completely shatter.
As long as Su Ziluo didnât swear, he could comfort himself that it was this deceitful womanâs collusion with the Eastern Wilderness Qing Emperor using insidious means that eliminated his strongest ghost fetus, maintaining his invincible Dao Heart.
"You failed to protect my ghost fetus, your crime is unforgivable. Iâll send you to Huangquan first. But rest assured, soon all the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Five Elements Sect and Yi Yuan Dao Palace will join you, and finally, your cherished Chen Guixian will die by my hand too..." To prevent Su Ziluo from speaking words that could shatter his Dao Heart, Tu Mingâs ghost claw covered her mouth again.
Then, the Fierce Ghost behind Tu Ming lifted its hand, one finger turning into a long, thick iron needle, aiming for Su Ziluoâs head, ready to impale her from head to toe in the most cruel punishment.
"Fellow Daoist, I can attest that Elder Su speaks truthfully."
At that moment, a voice that changed Tu Mingâs expression echoed from the sky, and a golden Sword Light descended instantly, severing the two ghost claws restraining Su Ziluo.
But the Fierce Ghost behind Tu Ming grew a third ghost claw, sweeping from the ground towards Su Ziluo.
A brilliant sun rose, the light from the Haotian Mirror illuminated the canyon, shining through.
Tu Mingâs pride, the Netherworld Avatar, under the light of Haotian Mirror, scattered like ink in clear water, continually diluted and dissipating.
The third ghost claw hadnât yet fallen upon Su Ziluo when it dispersed into black smoke.
"What cultivation technique is this!?"
Tu Ming was shocked, forced to use his ultimate trump card, and a deep black-lined jade disk with eighteen edges rose behind his head, forming a giant black sphere, dyeing half the canyon black, contending with the Haotian Mirrorâs brilliance.
"The cultivation technique that killed your ghost fetus."
Chen Mobaiâs Second Primeval Spirit spoke while maneuvering the Primordial Yang Sword, landing in front of Su Ziluo, facing Tu Ming.
"Sect Master, save me. I didnât betray you..."
At the moment of Chen Mobaiâs appearance, Su Ziluo, who just broke free from the ghost clawâs hold, immediately knelt behind him, repeatedly kowtowing in explanation.
Chen Mobai was quite satisfied with her prior performance.
Anyone would succumb before the Spirit Transformation Stage in such circumstances.
He gently rang the Morning Bell beside Su Ziluoâs ear three times, and under the rippling unseen sound waves, black Qi surged out from her orifices, nearly forming a ghost head phantom but dissipated under the Haotian Mirrorâs illumination.
After breaking free from the influence of the Enslaving God and Controlling Spirit Talisman, Su Ziluo felt her heart and mind clear, delighted as if shedding a heavy burden.
"Thank you, Sect Master, thank you, Sect Master..." She performed a grand salute to Chen Mobai, but he waved, drawing her into the Law Domain.
Though Tu Ming was of meager strength and countered by his Pure Yang Scroll, to avoid any mishap, it was better not to involve her, a mere Nascent Soul, in the ensuing Magic Duel.
"Chen Guixian!"
Tu Ming, glaring at Chen Mobai clad in golden Magic Artifact before him, eyes filled with hatred.
If his ghost fetus had remained, he wouldnât have wasted a century returning to Spirit Transformation with the Hell Diskâs help. If that century werenât wasted, he had faith he could rival the Central Demonic Pathâs Master.
In that case, the advent of the Six Paths of Reincarnation and the Disk of Life and Deathâs reemergence wouldnât fall to the Central Demonic Pathâs Master.
"Fellow Daoist, it truly was I alone who slew your ghost fetus back then. Elder Su witnessed it and only then defected to righteousness. She speaks truthfully."
Chen Mobai clarified for Su Ziluo, indicating she told the truth.
"Silence!"
Tu Ming shouted in anger, unwilling to hear this so-called truth, convinced that the wretched thing before him had colluded with Su Ziluo, using underhanded methods to eliminate his most powerful ghost fetus.
As they spoke, Tu Ming had already activated the Hell Disk, summoning his most formidable Black Fly Sky Demon Avatar.
"If you arenât willing to reason, then Iâll have to speak with my sword!"
Chen Mobai felt disappointed seeing Tu Ming so irrational.
Despite being the East Continentâs Demonic Path Master, before achieving Spirit Transformation, Tu Ming still held his ground. During the righteous and demonic battle, Chen Mobai regretted not having reached a level to duel this demonic titan.
After their meeting, Chen Mobai anticipated their reckoning.
Unfortunately, seeing in person wasnât like hearing the reputation!
Like an abandoned mad dog, lacking any grace of a Demonic Path Master.
Meanwhile, Tu Mingâs Black Fly Sky Demon Avatar completely evolved under the Hell Diskâs support.
Buzzing noises!
Accompanied by a distorting sound, within the canyonâs shadowy expanse, countless black flies emerged, devouring the Haotian Mirrorâs light like needles piercing into them.
In a blink, the initially half-covered canyon shadow expanded to nearly eighty percent, as these innumerable black flies consumed the light.
"What demonic path divine skill is this!?"
Chen Mobai, witnessing this, was astounded.
In the entire Tianhe Realm, among the eighteen demonic sects, such a method had never been heard of.
"This is the innate divine ability of the Black Fly Demon God, who transcended Ascendance long ago. It was the worldâs first fly, even the Generation Emperor once had its blood sapped by it. Since youâve come seeking death today, Iâll send you to Huangquan first!"
Tu Ming, trying a minor warm-up, unraveled the Haotian Mirrorâs obliterating glory that had vanquished his Fierce Ghost Avatar, feeling slightly reassured within.