Chapter 970: Chapter 420: Soul-Breaking Needle Enhancement; Fourth Rank Middle Grade Body Refining Peak

"No!"

The brocade-robed Nascent Soul let out a shrill scream of despair, watching as Xu Ping, the Wood Spirit Avatar, and the Nine Nether Elder closed in from three directions like three grim reapers, completely sealing off all his escape routes.

"I am an Inspector of the Star Palace, and you dare kill me? If I die, the Star Palace will never let you go. To the ends of the earth, they will rip out your souls and refine your spirits, never to be reborn for all eternity!"

The brocade-robed Nascent Soul roared frantically, putting on a fierce front while hollow inside, trying to use the Star Palace’s fearsome reputation to scare them off.

"Star Palace?"

Xu Ping’s pupils shrank slightly.

Although he had already suspected it, having it personally confirmed by the other party still sent a jolt through his heart.

The Star Palace’s strength went without saying; in the entire human realm it was absolutely among the very top powers.

However, it was only a jolt, nothing more.

Once the killing intent had moved, how could it halt for the sake of a mere name?

What’s more, this matter could no longer be resolved peacefully; if he were allowed to leave, the future troubles would be endless!

"Cut!"

Xu Ping moved with a thought.

The colossal energy hand of the puppet slapped down viciously, endless chaotic sword rain once again drowning the target, while the Nine Nether Elder’s ghostly divine techniques clung to him like a shadow!

"No!"

With a scream filled with boundless malice and despair, the brocade-robed youth’s Nascent Soul, along with his intention to self-detonate and die together, was completely crushed and obliterated, dissipating between heaven and earth.

Body and soul alike annihilated!

On the other side, Xuanmo True Monarch had already known the situation was hopeless at the very instant the Nine Nether Elder suddenly made his move and Xu Ping and Hongyi attacked in unison.

His thoughts were treacherous by nature; what he thought of first was not a fight to the death, but how to escape.

He forcibly took a savage chop from Hongyi’s heavy bronze war halberd, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood mixed with bits of viscera, yet he used that enormous force to madly retreat.

At the same time, an expression of extreme heartache flashed across his face as he slapped his own chest hard.

A life-preserving demonic artifact, hidden at his heart meridian and carved with a ferocious demon head, abruptly flew out and exploded with a boom.

Boom!

A terrifying demonic energy shockwave equivalent to a full-strength strike from a Late-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator instantly spread out, slightly impeding the pursuing Hongyi and also throwing the surrounding space and divine sense probing into chaos.

Taking advantage of this, Xuanmo True Monarch transformed into a twisted blood-colored demonic shadow. Burning his life-bound Demon Essence as the price, his speed soared as he dashed headlong into the deeper, more convoluted pitch-black tunnels of the Water Demon Cavern, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Hongyi swept his halberd to disperse the residual demonic energy. Staring in the direction Xuanmo True Monarch had disappeared, his face was gloomy, yet he did not pursue deeply.

Chasing down a same-realm Demon Cultivator who was focused solely on fleeing, in the eerie depths of the Water Demon Cavern, was far too risky.

At this moment, that Fourth-rank Top-grade Metal Puppet, having lost the control of its master, suddenly became sluggish and stiff in its movements.

Although it had some spiritual awareness and tried to resist, under the mad entanglement and attacks of the ghost souls, it was fundamentally unable to break free.

Seeing this, how could Xu Ping possibly let such a treasure slip by?

His main body and Wood Spirit Avatar struck at the same time!

"Suppress!"

The Five Elements Sword Domain flared with brilliant light, turning into a cage that bound its movements.

The energy of the ten-puppet Puppet Array converged, forming massive chains of law that wrapped around its body.

The Wood Spirit Avatar even sent out strand after strand of Yi Wood Restrictions, infiltrating its core.

Under the combined efforts of the three sides, this powerful puppet was finally forcibly subdued, its spiritual light dimming as it became unable to move.

Xu Ping swiftly stepped forward, sending out dozens of sealing talismans, completely sealing it before putting it away.

The Nine Nether Elder also silently recalled his Yin Spirit Corpse, whose aura had been slightly depleted. The lurking phantoms of ferocious ghosts and the power of curses in the surroundings slowly dissipated.

For a moment, the area fell silent, leaving only rolling black fog and the wreckage left from the battle.

"This place is not suitable for lingering."

The Nine Nether Elder spoke hoarsely, breaking the silence.

The commotion just now had been too great; it would inevitably alarm other terrifying existences within the Water Demon Cavern.

Xu Ping and Hongyi both nodded solemnly.

The three of them did not hesitate in the slightest, turning into three streaks of Escape Light. Following the path they came, they silently withdrew from this troubled place at their fastest speed.

...

Several days later.

An uninhabited, remote island somewhere in the outer seas.

Inside a cave, Restriction light flashed, isolating the interior from the outside world.

Xu Ping and Hongyi sat facing each other.

"I didn’t expect Xuanmo True Monarch to actually be in collusion with someone from the Star Palace." Xu Ping’s expression was somewhat grave. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

This matter was no small thing. The Star Palace was a colossal force; being targeted by it was by no means a good thing.

Hongyi was comparatively calm and reassured him, saying, "Fellow Daoist Xu, there’s no need to worry too much. Though those two were people of the Star Palace, the Star Palace Saints have long been in seclusion for over a hundred years now, seeing no outsiders."

"Affairs within the palace are jointly managed by several elders and it is not a single monolith. Those two were only the power under one elder’s faction."

"Moreover, the deterrence of the True Dragon Hall still exists. They absolutely wouldn’t dare send large numbers of people into the outer seas to stir up trouble."

"With Fellow Daoist Xu’s strength, there’s no need to be overly anxious."

"In that case, it could be considered a blessing in misfortune."

Hearing this, Xu Ping’s heart did relax slightly.

Hongyi had been in the Star Palace for many years; it was only natural he knew of certain hidden matters.

Still, being remembered by such a behemoth would always feel like a thorn in the back.

But things had come to this; thinking more on it was useless.

"Forget it. When the soldiers come, we’ll block them; when the water floods, we’ll dam it."

Xu Ping gathered his thoughts and turned his gaze to their spoils. "Let’s talk about the loot first."

He spoke directly, "Of what we gained this time, Xu Mou only wants that Fourth-rank Top-grade Puppet. As for the rest, including the storage Magical Treasures on that brocade-robed youth and all his belongings, they’ll all belong to Fellow Daoist Hongyi. What do you think?"

Hearing this, a sharp light flashed in Hongyi’s eyes as he began to ponder carefully.

He had seen that brocade-robed youth once in the Star Palace; his wealth was considerable. All of his possessions added together probably faintly exceeded the value of a single Fourth-rank Top-grade Puppet.