Translator: CinderTL
Tai He was momentarily stunned when his full-powered strike was deftly neutralized by his opponent.
He hastily waved the Plaguefall Banner, summoning green toxic mist that transformed into several massive venomous serpents, surging toward the two Soul Breaking Awls.
"Facing this overwhelming toxic mist, let's see how you dodge this!" Tai He thought to himself.
The Soul Breaking Awls underwent another transformation.
They turned into a hundred three-inch-long black needles.
The black needles scattered in all directions, shooting toward Tai He from various angles.
Seeing his attack miss once again, Tai He grew anxious.
He hurriedly swung the Plaguefall Banner once more.
Under the banner's command, the toxic mist around Tai He began to spin rapidly.
In an instant, a towering green tornado, a hundred zhang high, formed, with Tai He at its center.
The hundred black needles were caught in the tornado, losing their trajectory and being flung high into the air.
At that moment, a woman's voice rang out.
"Ji Yin, I'm helping you deal with Tai He, yet you stand idly by. Isn't that a bit heartless?"
Hearing this voice, Tai He's eyes filled with disbelief.
But in the next moment, that disbelief was replaced by fury.
His Divine Sense quickly located the speaker.
She stood on a mountain peak dozens of miles away.
"Xue Mei, you dare show your face before me!" Tai He roared.
He never expected that the one who ambushed him would be Xue Mei.
Ever since the ambush at Blue Ink Lake by Xiao Chan, Mi Hai, and Fayan, who targeted him and Xi Ling, Xue Mei had seized the opportunity to escape.
Moreover, Xue Mei had taken the Bronze Key Coffin obtained from the Nether Soul Hall.
Tai He had intended to track her down using the Soul Lock Curse, only to find that the curse had inexplicably failed.
This enraged him to the core.
He suddenly realized that over a hundred years ago, in the endless desert's Nether God Temple, Xue Mei had been plotting against him.
Not only had she used him to seize Yan Yiwen's body, but she had also siphoned endless cultivation resources from him.
Now, Xue Mei had even advanced to the early Nascent Soul stage.
Xue Mei smiled faintly. "Why wouldn't I dare? You're about to be a dead man. Speaking of which, I should thank you. It's because of you that I was able to achieve Nascent Soul again in just over a hundred years."
Although she had sealed her sea of consciousness with the Tranquility Incantation, temporarily shielding herself from the Soul Lock Curse, this was not a permanent solution. Only by killing Tai He could she truly feel at ease.
Xue Mei turned her gaze to Song Wen and continued, "Isn't that right, Ji Yin?"
Song Wen was inwardly surprised by Xue Mei's sudden appearance.
Before she made her move, he hadn't detected her presence at all.
Her ability to conceal her tracks was indeed remarkable.
After Xue Mei acted, Song Wen ceased his attacks on Tai He.
He wanted to take the opportunity to observe Xue Mei's methods and strength.
However, whether due to her lack of strength or intentional concealment, Xue Mei posed no real threat to Tai He.
But one thing Xue Mei said was correct—Tai He had to die!
A flicker of light appeared between Song Wen's brows as nine Spiritual Sense Blades shot forth.
Tai He seemed utterly defenseless against the spiritual attack, allowing the nine transparent blades to pierce him.
Yet, the blades passed right through him.
Tai He's figure blurred and then vanished without a trace.
Xue Mei glanced around and said, "He's gone."
"Ji Yin, Tai He has a Minor Teleportation Talisman, so he won't be easy to deal with."
Song Wen extended his Divine Sense, scanning the surroundings, and spoke coldly.
"He can't escape. I know where he is. Follow me."
Song Wen soared into the air, heading westward, with Xue Mei closely following.
At a mountainside three hundred miles to the west, Tai He was horrified to see Song Wen and Xue Mei flying directly toward him from the distant sky.
He couldn't understand how 'Yin Shuo' had managed to detect him from three hundred miles away.
Of course, Song Wen wasn't going to explain it to him.
A thick cloud of blood mist surged from Song Wen's body, rolling toward Tai He.
If Tai He were caught in this blood mist, he would no longer be able to use the Minor Teleportation Talisman to escape.
Tai He naturally understood the severity of the situation and frantically waved the Plaguefall Banner, driving a green mist toward the blood mist.
At the same time, unwilling to give up, he activated another Minor Teleportation Talisman.
Tai He's figure vanished once again.
To Tai He's frustration, a few moments later, Song Wen and Xue Mei reappeared within his perception, closing in on him.
"Truly relentless," Tai He cursed bitterly.
Since escape was impossible, he had no choice but to fight for his life.
Tai He swung the Plaguefall Banner, and a thick green toxic mist, as solid as a towering green pillar, shot straight toward Song Wen and Xue Mei.
Xue Mei formed a sword gesture with her right hand and pointed forward, sending her Soul Breaking Awl flying out.
The Soul Breaking Awl collided with the green pillar, causing it to instantly disintegrate.
A flying sword emerged from the green toxic mist, heading straight for Xue Mei.
The toxic mist had been a feint; the flying sword was the real killing move.
By the time Xue Mei thought to block the flying sword, it was already too late.
However, Song Wen wasn't about to stand idly by.
A blood-red tentacle suddenly extended from his right hand, stretching out like a whip and deflecting the flying sword.
"Giggle..." Xue Mei let out a strange laugh. "Tai He, you're no match for Ji Yin. Surrender now, and I'll make your death quick."
Song Wen glanced at Xue Mei. This woman had hidden her true abilities well, and even now, he hadn't seen her use her real techniques.
However, his Blood Sea Seal and Focused Spirit Stab had already been exposed in front of Xue Mei, so there was no need for him to hold back.
A flash of light appeared between Song Wen's brows, and nine transparent blades shot out, heading straight for Tai He.
Tai He, angered by Xue Mei's taunts, didn't dare to be careless when he saw Song Wen's Focused Spirit Stab.
He summoned a palm-sized jade tablet, which emitted a faint glow, enveloping him within a ten-foot radius.
Seeing this, Song Wen curled his lips into a cold smile.
A mere mid-grade Divine Sense defense Mystic Treasure was no match for his Nascent Soul late-stage Divine Sense.
The nine transparent blades pierced through the glowing barrier, tearing it apart instantly.
The Focused Spirit Stab drove straight into Tai He's sea of consciousness.
"Ah..."
Tai He let out a scream and collapsed to the ground.
Xue Mei, who had been watching intently, immediately activated her Soul Breaking Awl, stabbing it directly into Tai He's dantian.
Tai He's dantian shattered, and a two-inch-tall Nascent Soul suddenly emerged.
Without hesitation, the Nascent Soul fled into the distance.
"Tai He, I told you, you can't escape."
As soon as Xue Mei's voice fell, the Soul Breaking Awl suddenly split into hundreds of black needles, sealing off all possible escape routes for the Nascent Soul.
"Xue Mei, considering the numerous cultivation resources I once provided for you, I beg you to spare my life," Tai He's Nascent Soul pleaded.
Xue Mei sneered coldly, "Spare you? Do you think that's possible? Even if I were to let you go, Ji Yin would never agree."
"Ji Yin?" Tai He was puzzled; this was the second time Xue Mei had mentioned this name. "Why do you refer to Yin Shuo as 'Ji Yin'?"
"Ke ke ke..." Xue Mei let out a strange laugh. "Tai He, for all your self-proclaimed wisdom, you failed to recognize Ji Yin. The Yin Shuo you speak of is none other than that Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator who escaped from your grasp at the Nether God Temple in the Endless Desert all those years ago."
"This... this can't be!" Tai He exclaimed in shock, turning his gaze to Song Wen.
Song Wen took over, his voice icy cold. "Tai He, it's time to settle the score between us from all those years ago."
Tai He's face was filled with anxiety. "Yin Shuo, no... Ji Yin, it was my fault back then. However, I was also deceived by Yan Yiwen. Yan Yiwen has already been possessed by Xue Mei and perished. I beg you, fellow Daoist, to spare my life."
"Absolutely not. Fellow Daoist Tai He, prepare yourself for death."
As Song Wen finished speaking, he conjured a blood-red tentacle, intending to capture Tai He's Nascent Soul.
However, Xue Mei was one step ahead of Song Wen.
The black needles coalesced into a rope, binding the Nascent Soul tightly.
(End of the Chapter)
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