Within the silver miniature world, Ye Fan had transformed himself into a cauldron and descended from above, shattering Pang Bo. The great cauldron was hazy and indistinct, circulating with the aura of the Great Dao.
Clang!
The Black Emperor lunged forward. The divine bell hovering above its head rang out with resonant tones, and golden radiance fell like ribbons of silk, grinding toward the fragments of Pang Bo’s spiritual consciousness.
Clang!
No matter how powerful Pang Bo was, he could not withstand this. His spiritual consciousness rang out metallic and sharp — and a portion was reduced to ash on the spot.
Boom!
The ancient, weathered great cauldron descended like an undying great mountain, sinking inch by inch. Even the silver space around it was on the verge of fracturing.
Pang Bo’s spiritual consciousness could no longer endure it. Simultaneously, he could not escape — pinned beneath the cauldron, his overwhelmingly powerful spiritual consciousness was immobilized.
The Nine Mysteries — the most enigmatic ancient techniques of the Eastern Desolation — no one knew who had created them. Each one was peerlessly powerful, representing the ultimate pinnacle of its respective domain.
The “All” secret within the Nine Mysteries was most immeasurable of all. Once successfully activated, whether speed, combat power, or spiritual consciousness and more — all could be enhanced by three to ten times.
This was an inconceivable divine technique. Its terrifying effects filled people with dread, and even those exceptional individuals who possessed ancient scriptures regarded it with extreme wariness.
Ye Fan had driven this secret technique to its absolute limit — tenfold enhancement. At this moment, his spiritual consciousness was virtually on par with that of a great power. Transforming himself into a cauldron, he suppressed Pang Bo completely, leaving him utterly unable to resist.
“You really enjoyed striking this Emperor just now, didn’t you? You obliterated a good deal of my spiritual thought-force. Now I return the favor in kind!” the Great Black Dog said through clenched teeth, frenzied in his driving of the golden divine bell.
The resonant bell tones rang without ceasing, transforming into ripple after ripple of golden light. They appeared gentle, yet were sharper and more terrifying than any heavenly blade.
The golden ribbons of light came like a tide — like an ocean surge — inundating Pang Bo. The great bell rang without pause, its vibrations causing even the silver space to tremble.
Pang Bo’s spiritual thought rapidly dimmed. Immobilized by the great cauldron and battered by the reverberations of the great bell, under such crushing force he was continuously being refined, reduced to ash.
In the blink of an eye, a tenth of his silver spiritual thought had vanished. If this continued, he would inevitably be annihilated.
“Retreat!” Just then, Ye Fan called out.
The “All” secret of the Nine Mysteries — once triggered — did not run indefinitely. It was bound by a time limit, capable of unleashing only a few of the strongest strikes before dissipating.
Clang!
The great bell rang out softly. The Black Emperor withdrew like a black bolt of lightning. Ye Fan reverted to human form, entered beneath the great bell, and was sheltered within it.
“Ah…”
Pang Bo reconstituted his true form and could not suppress a long howl. His powerful spiritual thought surged like waves crashing against a shore — deafening — transforming the hundred zhang around him into a landscape of churning tides.
“The Nine Mysteries… you actually command the Nine Mysteries!” Pang Bo ground his teeth, his face bearing both killing intent and an expression of shock he could not conceal.
Swish!
With a gesture, the verdant lotus — like jade green in brilliance — flew back to him. It appeared delicate and tender, yet was tougher than dragon sinew.
“The most mysterious ancient techniques of the Eastern Desolation — after being broken apart, they were scattered throughout the world. Some have been utterly lost, with almost no possibility of ever reappearing again…” The silver light in Pang Bo’s eyes flickered.
He raised the divine lotus and swept it lightly, a stroke of green light rushing out toward the great bell as he roared: “Break for me!”
Clang!
The great golden bell was as if struck by a great mountain — rumbling thunderously, golden light surging outward in wave upon wave, reverberating in all directions without cease.
“Such a tender little verdant lotus, yet with such tremendous offensive power…” the Black Emperor’s expression changed.
Pang Bo held the verdant lotus and swept it forth again and again. Thread after thread of green light — like crashing waves, like stones piercing through the sky — came with tremendous force and grandeur.
Though shielded by the great golden bell, both Ye Fan and the Black Emperor still felt the impact, unable to hold out for much longer.
“Brat, hurry!” the Black Emperor said, baring his teeth.
Ye Fan gave no answer. He calmed and focused his mind. With only one chance in every hundred-plus attempts, urgency served no purpose.
Clang!
Pang Bo gripped the divine lotus and struck the golden divine bell again and again with increasing force — at any moment, the bell might be sent flying.
“Nine Demon Emperor Slashes — Plunder!”
Suddenly, Pang Bo roared and unleashed another slash of the Nine Demon Emperor Slashes — the very one that had imprisoned Ye Fan’s and the Black Emperor’s spiritual consciousness in this silver miniature world.
He unleashed it once more. A dazzling silver radiance burst into being, surrounding the great golden bell, seeking to seize and plunder it away.
Clang…
The golden divine bell shook; thread after thread of golden light shot outward, yet it still could not hold — the great bell moved inch by inch, on the verge of being taken.
Swish!
Pang Bo held the verdant lotus in hand, and the two merged into one — green brilliance soaring skyward, crystalline and resplendent. He was drawing upon the divine power of his weapon.
It was evident that this particular slash of the Nine Demon Emperor Slashes was costing him considerable effort.
“Hurry — I can’t hold on much longer!” the Black Emperor transmitted urgently.
If the divine bell were seized, both he and Ye Fan would be in grave peril. Without the protection, they could not withstand Pang Bo’s attacks at all — the Nine Demon Emperor Slashes would destroy them, body and soul.
“Ready!” Ye Fan shouted.
Boom!
At last, he unleashed the “All” secret of the Nine Mysteries once more. Divine might surged forth, his spiritual consciousness incomparably powerful as he reached out one great hand.
Bang!
He seized the great golden bell back in one grab. He executed the Holy Technique of Battle and swung the great bell toward Pang Bo.
Clang…
Like the morning bell of the ancient Heavenly Court ringing out — great sound like a tide, sweeping across the eight directions — thread after thread of golden radiance shot forth without cease, flooding the silver miniature world.
Pang Bo was sent flying in an instant. Such overwhelming force — he could not withstand it, his entire form shattered.
Ye Fan pressed forward. With the tenfold enhancement, time was brief — fleeting as a passing moment — and he had to seize the opportunity.
Clang…
He swung the great bell and brought it crashing down with full force. The bell’s sound shook the heavens, and ten thousand threads of golden light radiated outward.
Clang!
Pang Bo reconstituted his true form, raising the divine lotus to resist, sweeping it at the great bell — but he could not move it at all. Facing spiritual consciousness several times greater than his own, even the supreme wondrous techniques of the Demon Emperor could not hold up.
Boom!
He was struck as if by a great mountain, sent flying backward — his form cracking, shattering apart in an instant — and only the verdant lotus remained, suspended motionless in the air.
Ye Fan returned the great bell to the Black Emperor, then executed the Holy Technique of Battle in conjunction with the “All” secret of the Nine Mysteries. Like a war god descending upon the world, his entire being blazed with fierce radiance as he pressed downward.
Clang!
The divine lotus shook, carrying the shattered spiritual consciousness, and slashed toward the silver space — seeking to flee this place.
“Quickly, intercept it — or it will escape!” the Black Emperor cried, immediately offering up the great bell to block the verdant lotus.
Clang!
Above Ye Fan’s head appeared a nine-tiered ancient pagoda — grand and imposing — descending in one motion and pinning the verdant lotus beneath it.
Clang!
The bell tones rang out deep and resonant as the Black Emperor charged forward, using the great golden bell to fix the divine lotus in place, rendering it unable to move.
“Collect!” Ye Fan called out in a great voice.
The nine-tiered ancient pagoda expanded, drawing all of Pang Bo’s remaining spiritual consciousness within it. Its radiance blazed brilliantly as it began the final refinement.
He sat cross-legged in the void before the ancient pagoda, utterly still. He intended to seize this opportunity to eliminate the old demon in one fell swoop.
Boom!
The ancient pagoda shook violently as Pang Bo raged within, seeking to break free. At this moment of life and death, he did not even hesitate to burn his own spiritual consciousness.
“Retreat!”
Ye Fan refined a portion of Pang Bo’s spiritual consciousness, then flew backward. The Great Black Dog moved in perfect coordination, shielding him beneath the great bell.
Pang Bo manifested his true form, his expression utterly cold. By now, he had lost a full three-tenths of his spiritual consciousness — and if this continued, his destruction was inevitable.
Swish!
He wielded the divine lotus in one sweep, and the silver miniature world was torn open. The spiritual consciousness space rapidly collapsed. No longer willing to remain confined here, he decisively chose to withdraw.
In the forest clearing, Pang Bo’s physical body sat motionless. The verdant lotus, carrying his spiritual consciousness, plunged swiftly downward.
“Give chase!” Ye Fan shouted. His spiritual consciousness rushed forward like a golden river. The Black Emperor gritted his teeth and followed, diving downward with the divine bell.
Hiss, hiss, hiss…
The three of them entered one after another through Pang Bo’s forehead, entering his body. All three spiritual consciousnesses gleamed with brilliant light.
“You push people too far!” Pang Bo’s face was saturated with killing intent as he turned to face Ye Fan and the Black Emperor who had rushed in after him.
“Old demon — it is you who have pushed people too far, seizing another’s physical body!” Ye Fan shouted.
Every body of flesh and blood is its own small cosmos — most mysterious of all things — capable of containing within its smallest span entire mountains and rivers, sun and moon.
Take the sea of consciousness, for instance: boundless and without limit. Standing here, all three of them were as if facing a vast and open starry sky.
“Where have you imprisoned the true Pang Bo?” Ye Fan demanded.
“Kill him directly — the seal will break on its own once he’s gone!” the Great Black Dog said, his murderous intent surging. He had suffered greatly today and was in no mood for mercy.
Pang Bo’s expression was grim, the verdant lotus in his hand as he stood unmoved — yet he emanated a wave of energy that made the heart tremble.
The Great Black Dog hastily mobilized his spiritual consciousness, shielding his form with the great golden bell. Ye Fan took shelter within it as well.
“Nine Demon Emperor Slashes — Soul Wound!” Pang Bo roared. His spiritual consciousness surged like a tide, rushing outward — and his own spiritual consciousness body immediately dimmed considerably, testament to the staggering cost of this slash.
Silver radiance like dragons shot forth one after another, flooding the hundred zhang miniature world.
In this moment, both Ye Fan and the Black Emperor felt a chill to their very bones. Time seemed to stop — sinking into eternity. This was a supreme secret technique designed specifically to attack spiritual consciousness, named — Soul Wound.
“Wither and perish…” Pang Bo held the verdant lotus — but then his words abruptly ceased, and his body shook violently again and again. His strength had given out; he could no longer sustain it.
Bang!
He cracked apart in an instant. The Nine Demon Emperor Slashes — Soul Wound — came to a sudden halt.
He slowly reconstituted his form, filled with resentment. “This slash — as I am now, I cannot truly execute it. Otherwise, you would have both been reduced to ash without question.”
A chill settled into Ye Fan’s heart. The ancient scripture created by the demon race’s great emperor was indeed terrifying — Form Annihilation, Plunder, Soul Wound… these secret techniques were beyond the grasp of gods and demons alike.
“No wonder ten thousand years ago the Demon Emperor was able to sweep across all under heaven and even seize the priceless treasures of the Central Province.”
The ancient scripture created by the Demon Emperor must have shaken the heavens and moved the earth to tears. Setting aside all else — just the three slashes revealed alone were enough to fill people with dread.
“He injured himself with his own slash — let’s see how he survives now!” the Black Emperor shook the great bell and charged forward on the offensive.
Boom!
Simultaneously, Ye Fan triggered the Nine Mysteries for the third time and unleashed the “All” secret technique. His spiritual consciousness surged like a golden ocean in full tide.
He executed the Holy Technique of Battle and with a bang shattered Pang Bo apart. On the other side, the Black Emperor also pinned the verdant lotus in place.
This time there was no longer any suspense. Just now, Pang Bo had been forced to unleash the Nine Demon Emperor Slashes — Soul Wound — which ended in failure and left him grievously wounded. At this moment, he simply could not withstand Ye Fan’s divine might and was instantly crushed.
Boom!
Ye Fan transformed into a great cauldron, drawing all of Pang Bo’s spiritual consciousness within it — and began the final refinement.
“Don’t refine him into ash — if you do, the Demon Emperor’s ancient scripture will be obliterated along with him,” the Black Emperor cried out.
“Ye Fan — is it you?” From deep within the sea of consciousness of this physical body, a strand of spiritual thought reached out.
“Pang Bo!” Ye Fan’s heart shook. He knew this was the true Pang Bo.