Great Ascension Realm!!!
When Wu Pang revealed that Luo Lielu was at the Void Refining Realm, Lin Feng's heart had already been shaken with profound shock. But when he heard that Yin Wuyá was at the Great Ascension Realm, his mind went completely blank. A 'WHOOM' seemed to echo within his skull, nearly paralyzing his ability to think. A profound sense of bewilderment and helplessness washed over him.
The nine great realms of cultivation: Qi Refining, Foundation Building, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Refining, Body Unity, Great Ascension, Transcending Tribulation. He had endured countless hardships, struggled through unimaginable trials, only to currently stand at the mere Golden Core stage. The most powerful cultivator he had ever personally encountered was merely at the Nascent Soul realm. He hadn't even laid eyes on a Soul Transformation expert! The Void Refining Realm seemed like a distant legend. As for the Great Ascension Realm? It felt as distant and unreachable as the stars in the heavens.
If… if Mother and Father's disappearance truly is connected to that Yin Wuyá… then does that mean my pursuit will ultimately lead me to face him? To face a mighty being of the Great Ascension Realm?
The thought alone made cold sweat bead on Lin Feng's palms. A deep sense of powerlessness surged from the depths of his heart, crushing down on him like a mountain peak, making it almost impossible to breathe.
"..."
Seeing Lin Feng stand frozen in stunned silence for so long, a flicker of mockery passed through Wu Pang's eyes. He couldn't help but think this opponent was utterly overreaching. Matters concerning Void Refining masters, let alone Great Ascension sovereigns—what right did a mere Golden Core ant have to touch them? Even he, Wu Pang, had only caught a single glimpse of Elder Luo, the Void Refining expert, many years ago. As for Elder Yin of the Great Ascension Realm? He had never seen him with his own eyes. He simply lacked the qualification.
However, despite his internal scorn, Wu Pang knew his life hung by a thread in his enemy's grasp. He dared not show a trace of his true feelings. Instead, he ventured cautiously in a low voice, "I... what I know about the Blood Demon Blade and Elder Luo... it's all I've said... Is there... anything else you wish to ask?"
Lin Feng snapped out of his daze. He clenched his fist tightly within his sleeve, forcibly dispelling the fog of confusion clouding his mind. His eyes shone with a flickering light as he pondered for several more moments. Finally, he addressed Wu Pang again, "Earlier, didn't you want to know how I obtained the Blood Demon Blade? I can tell you. Once, within a hidden place, I encountered a stone coffin. At the time..."
Lin Feng recounted the events inside the grand hall, meeting the 'Zombie Cultivator', in meticulous detail. Throughout his narrative, he kept a close watch on Wu Pang's expression. Sure enough, as he spoke, shock registered clearly in Wu Pang's eyes. Finally, Wu Pang couldn't contain himself and gasped:
"Soul Puppet Rebirth Art!! It's the Soul Puppet Rebirth Art!! So then… Elder Luo isn't dead!!"
A fierce light flashed in Lin Feng's eyes. He pressed immediately, "What is the 'Soul Puppet Rebirth Art'? Can you be sure that person was Luo Lielu?"
Wu Pang cooperated readily enough. He nodded, "Since he could use the Blood Demon Blade to set up a Rebirth Grand Array, it must have been Elder Luo without a doubt. He likely placed a Mind-Bewildering Restriction upon the blade itself. That's why the cultivator who picked it up went insane and killed—to gather the Soul Blood required for the rebirth ritual. However, based on what you said, the cultivators who provided the Soul Blood back then were far too weak. That explains why Elder Luo was in an extremely debilitated state after his rebirth, which is why..."
He trailed off here, unable to suppress a wave of intense disappointment washing over him. Oh, how he wished Elder Luo had 'incidentally' eliminated Lin Feng back then! If that had happened, he wouldn't be in this wretched predicament today…
Lin Feng could easily guess Wu Pang's thoughts, though he hadn't mentioned how Luo Lielu had been 'frightened' away by his appearance. After a moment's consideration, he continued his questioning, "What exactly is this 'Soul Puppet Rebirth Art'?"
"It is a secret art of our sect. Actually, it could be considered a special type of soul possession technique. However, the target for possession isn't an ordinary cultivator's body…" Wu Pang explained. "...but instead, it's a Soul Puppet. Only those who have at least reached the Void Refining Realm can perform this art. It allows a cultivator of our sect, whose physical body has perished, to merge their primordial spirit into their own Soul Puppet. It's far safer than possessing the body of another cultivator. And most crucially, the practitioner can directly inherit the existing cultivation base of the puppet itself, bypassing the need to arduously cultivate all over again from scratch."
"So that's it…" Lin Feng analyzed internally, piecing together the new information with his previous deductions. "So that 'Zombie Cultivator' was indeed a Soul Puppet of the Corpse Sect, just one that had been 'possessed'. It truly must have been Luo Lielu..." A mixture of apprehension and a grim sort of satisfaction warred within him as he sank deep into thought.
A considerable time later, Lin Feng finally began inquiring about various intelligence regarding the Corpse Sect. However, much to his disappointment, he gleaned little useful information. According to Wu Pang, the Corpse Sect possessed no fixed stronghold. Matters were handled through temporary communications, and the methods of contact were exceedingly complex and concealed, known only to disciples of the sect proper. Of course, there was a distinct possibility Wu Pang wasn't telling the whole truth. Yet, even if the man was lying, Lin Feng had no way to verify it. His cultivation base was insufficient; he lacked the ability to perform a soul search.
After Wu Pang had answered all of Lin Feng's questions obediently (or at least, appeared to), he spoke again, his voice tinged with pleading, "Alright. I've told you everything I can. Now… will you honor your promise? Grant me a swift end?"
He held not the faintest shred of hope for survival left. Having divulged so many secrets of the Corpse Sect, even if he miraculously escaped this ordeal, he knew only a wretched fate awaited him later. All he craved now was a quick, clean death.
Lin Feng pondered. It seemed there truly was nothing left to ask. He looked at the utterly wretched Wu Pang. Suddenly, his voice was flat, devoid of emotion:
"When did I ever promise you that?"
Wu Pang trembled violently, staring at Lin Feng with utter disbelief. Horror and fury twisted his features.
"You!! How can you—"
His words were cut off mid-sentence. Wu Pang saw Lin Feng's right hand sweep through the air. The dozens of Yin Souls that had been constantly circling nearby instantly swerved, converging upon him like a dark tide!
"NO!!! AAAAAHHH!!!" Wu Pang's final roar was one of pure despair before he was completely engulfed by the spectral swarm. Only his agonized, bone-chilling screams could be heard, echoing briefly.
Lin Feng's expression remained impassive. He formed a swift hand seal and waved the Soul Banner he held. A gust of Yin wind swept through the cavern. All the Yin Souls, along with Wu Pang's Nascent Soul, vanished without a trace. The banner itself churned violently, dark miasmic energy roiling across its surface. A vague humanoid shape struggled desperately within the black vapor, trying to burst free—clearly the visage of Wu Pang. But immediately, other Yin Souls within the banner seized him, dragging him back into the depths like a drowning man pulled under black water. The surface calmed, but faint, tortured wails could still be faintly sensed emanating from the banner itself through spiritual sense.
Lin Feng gazed coldly at the Soul Banner in his hand. His eyes held a ruthless severity rarely seen. He hadn't initially intended to use the Soul Banner. But his hatred for the Corpse Sect ran bone-deep. Even if this method was brutal, he felt not a shred of pity. Instead, it felt like a small measure of vengeance, a way to slake a fraction of the burning fury in his heart.
There was another reason too. He knew that killing members of the Corpse Sect would inevitably leave a Curse Mark of Resentment clinging to him. He dared not simply extinguish Wu Pang's Nascent Soul outright. Trapping it within the Soul Banner was the safest option.
...
Lin Feng stored the Soul Banner away. His gaze swept meticulously over the surrounding area, confirming nothing of note remained behind. Only then did he summon his flying sword and depart.
After careful consideration, Lin Feng decided to return to the quicksand pit. If nothing else, he wanted to retrieve Wu Luosen's possessions—those were his rightful spoils of battle. Moreover, with the enemies dealt with, he could likely resume his original plan. Besides, leaving this place later would still require the ocean vessel of the Town Sea Alliance.
Throughout his flight, Lin Feng meticulously sorted through the clues gleaned from Wu Pang. Though numerous enigmas still lingered, one thing was now fundamentally clear: his parents' disappearance was inextricably linked to the Corpse Sect. As long as he continued pursuing this line of investigation, he believed he would eventually find more leads.
Yet, the moment Wu Pang's words about Luo Lielu and Yin Wuyá's cultivation levels resurfaced in his mind, that crushing sense of powerlessness returned. It felt as though an immense, insurmountable mountain range now towered before him. He felt insignificant, dwarfed, utterly incapable of scaling such heights.
Strength. In the end, everything boiled down to strength. If he couldn't surmount it now, then he would push himself relentlessly, cultivate with desperate fury until the day he could shatter the mountains blocking his path!
Lin Feng clenched his fist with savage determination. An unyielding, fierce light blazed in his eyes. He poured True Essence into his flying sword, accelerating even faster towards the direction of the quicksand pit...
It wasn't long before the colossal depression of the quicksand pit reappeared within Lin Feng's field of vision. However, as he drew nearer and his gaze landed upon the hill where the group had first arrived earlier, he blinked... and paused mid-flight.