The mutated Dark Epiphyllum retained its pinkish-white hue. Nothing seemed extraordinary about it at first glance. Yet, Zong Shou could sense within the bud an immense, terrifying wellspring of primal energy.

It pulsed continuously, causing his Sea of Consciousness to ripple incessantly.

"Can I no longer infuse it with Soul Power?"

Roughly sixty days prior, Zong Shou had tentatively tried to pour his Soul Power into the flower for storage, but none of it remained within. He had initially assumed this was due to the Epiphyllum's ongoing mutation, but even now that the change was complete, the result was the same. This pinkish-white flower could no longer store Soul Power. Previously, the Epiphyllum would continuously accumulate Soul Perception Power within his Sea of Consciousness, releasing it all at once when Zong Shou required it. But now that this mutated Dark Epiphyllum had transformed, what kind of supernatural abilities or divine powers might it possess?

Zong Shou frowned, suddenly feeling he had made a slight miscalculation. While the Creation Underworld Spring certainly allowed the Dark Epiphyllum to advance its stage, he had not considered that the flower’s mutation might also cause abilities that were useful to him to vanish.

"I can only try it out first—" Previously, after three Epiphyllums bloomed and withered, it would take several months for them to recover. He did not know the situation now, but it would certainly require a significant amount of time. Wasting one instance was regrettable, but he certainly couldn't use it when encountering an enemy without understanding its true nature. —What if it proved useless, or worse, even harmed him?

Without much hesitation, Zong Shou guided one of the flowers with his thoughts. Instantly, petal after petal began to unfurl like ribbons. In that fleeting moment of blooming, supreme splendor! Before Zong Shou could even appreciate the absolute beauty unleashed in that instant, he felt a massive surge of primal force erupt from the Epiphyllum. It was a power where life essence and deathly aura intertwined, darkness taken to its extreme. It bore some similarity to the three wisps of Immortal Power he nurtured within his own body, yet it possessed subtle differences—it was purer, and far more overwhelming.

Zong Shou felt his body on the verge of splitting apart at that moment. Without hesitation, he thrust a palm forward. All his Qi condensed into the shape of a blade, and simultaneously, a pair of ashen-white wings unfurled behind him.

Following a low, dull thud, dust billowed and filled the tomb chamber. Only after a solid ten breaths did it begin to dissipate. In front of Zong Shou, the entire wall of the tomb chamber had been blasted open. A fathomlessly deep pit, its true depth unknown, was revealed to everyone present. Those present blinked but showed no surprise. With their cultivation levels, wiping out a massive mountain was trivial. They found it stranger that the aura Zong Shou exhibited just now was nearly equal to that of a Saint Realm Venerable, yet the single palm strike produced such a slight effect. Was he trying not to alert others?

But the next moment, the expression of Yuan Wushang changed drastically: "The living die, and the dead die! Life and death reversal—Zong Shou, how did you achieve that?"

The four then realized something was wrong. Wherever the sword-light condensed from Zong Shou's palm blade passed, hundreds of miles around, everything from giant pangolin beasts down to underground ants perished, their bodies showing no other wounds. Yet, some of the dead ants, provided their damage wasn't too severe, had now 'come back to life'.

Sensing closely, even the well-informed Shen Yuexuan was deeply shocked; this was nothing short of seizing creation from heaven and earth!

Zong Shou knew those 'revived' things were actually infused with abundant life force. They would perish once that life essence dissipated. Reversing life and death—even a transcendent Saint Venerable who had achieved eternal life could not accomplish this, let alone him?

However, after this strike, Zong Shou had a rough grasp of the Epiphyllum's capability. It was an unexpected delight, far exceeding his own inherent opportunities.

The power of life and death was intrinsically linked to the Epiphyllum's state. When the flower bloomed, it was the peak moment of life force. As long as the body and soul were not utterly annihilated, leaving even a trace remaining, that immense life force could instantly restore a person, including their Nascent Soul, to its original state. No matter how severe the injury, it could be healed. Used on oneself, one Epiphyllum was a life; used on others, it was equivalent to a supreme life-saving elixir—the kind whose quantity in this domain did not exceed a thousand.

The power of death, conversely, would erupt only when the Epiphyllum withered. It could be used to injure enemies, equivalent to a strike delivered after Zong Shou utilized his Immortal Power. Whether it could be stacked, Zong Shou hadn't tested and naturally didn't know. But he did know that if he combined it with his Styx River Death Omen Sword right now, the level of this swordsmanship could immediately break through the Twelfth Tier, World-Ending level! Even reaching the threshold of the Unsurpassed Realm! With this sword strike, even a true Saint-ranked Venerable, even without employing Kingly Martial Arts, he would possess enough confidence to attempt to slay them.

Regrettably, the recovery time for this Epiphyllum had also become much longer. It required an entire year to return to a usable state. To reach its peak condition would demand three years of nurturing. The only method to accelerate this process was the Creation Underworld Spring.

Recalling the over eight hundred drops of Underworld Spring Water traded away by Kong Yao, Zong Shou was consumed by regret. Had he known this, he never should have let Kong Yao trade away that Creation Underworld Spring! Not a single drop should have been given—

With a soft sigh, Zong Shou took out six more drops of Underworld Spring Water fluid and dripped them onto the withered flower. These were the last few drops; the rest had been used to comprehend the laws of life and death. Sure enough, not long after the watering, the Epiphyllum regained its vitality, reforming into the shape of a flower bud. To fully recover, it required nine drops of Creation Underworld Spring. Therefore, this Epiphyllum likely possessed only sixty percent of its peak potential.

"It’s a pity I don't cultivate the Dao of Life and Death. Otherwise, relying on the Life-Death Transformation technique derived from my comprehension, along with these three Epiphyllums, the Styx River Death Omen Sword could ascend another level. It might even truly reach the Thirteenth Tier, Unsurpassed! However, encountering Han Qing again, this swordsmanship should bring him a small surprise—" Han Qing's heaven-defying magic might reverse the Sword Intent of Execution and Extinction, but it could not reverse the Dao of Life and Death! This swordsmanship was truly his nemesis!

Zong Shou then gave a self-deprecating laugh. If it could indeed reach the Thirteenth Tier Unsurpassed, then he wouldn't need to be so cautious now and could directly strive for the Divine Realm rank.

"After mutation, it can no longer be called a Dark Epiphyllum; it should be called a Life-Death Epiphyllum. It is unique in this world!"

Zong Shou was naturally overjoyed; with this trump card, he felt completely assured. Even if he truly encountered those foreign, extraterrestrial races, he would possess the power to contend. Moreover, the existence of the Life-Death Epiphyllum could minimize casualties.

"Mr. Shen, has that thing been completed?"

Shen Yuexuan, still in astonishment, awoke upon hearing the question and then smiled: "I have not failed my duty!" With a wave of his hand, he tossed the Nine-Aperture Life Primordial Stone over.

Upon receiving it, the joy in Zong Shou's eyes deepened; Shen Yuexuan had indeed succeeded. This Nine-Aperture Life Primordial Stone was currently only a nascent artifact, but Zong Shou could already use the World-Shaking Spirit Art to guide out the Life Primordial Energy contained within. What was even rarer was that the spiritual nature of this object had not diminished. This meant he could give a satisfactory account to Master Xuan Shuang later, and also use this object to trade for something of greater value.

As the Spirit Art guided the energy, a faint, clear radiance enveloped the five people.

"Is this the power of the Nine-Aperture Life Primordial Stone?" Yuan Wushang glanced at the floating jade stone beside Zong Shou, then suddenly sliced open his own arm with his sword. The others watched as the wound instantly healed as if it had never existed. Immortal-tier cultivators all possessed an Indestructible Golden Body and the ability of flesh and blood regeneration. However, achieving such speed was truly rare.

"So fast!" Chu Xue gasped at the sight. She was tempted to cut herself to try it, but fearing the pain, she gave up the idea.

"Does that mean we can never die near this piece of jade?"

Yuan Wushang, however, let out a cold chuckle: "I feel my physical strength has been slightly depleted, so this Nine-Aperture Life Primordial Stone is not omnipotent! At most, it can instantly restore non-fatal injuries, and it cannot repair damage to the Dao Foundation. Also, Brother Zong, can your Soul Power sustain it?"

Zong Shou smiled wryly, retracting the Spirit Art and dispersing the cold, clear radiance. In truth, the consumption wasn't significant, but if he had to fight others simultaneously, it would become strenuous; it could only be used at critical moments. However, knowing that this supreme treasure capable of instantly healing injuries existed, the expressions of the group clearly relaxed considerably. If they absolutely couldn't win, they could exchange injury for injury—their side would definitely gain the advantage.

It was then that Zong Shou noticed Su Xiaoxiao’s vacant expression, as if she were somewhat absent-minded. From the subtle shifts in her vital energy alone, he could tell this demoness had made considerable progress within the hundred days. Her Primordial Demon Seven Emotions Art had become even more refined. Staying near this woman, without her even needing to actively think, caused others' minds to feel chaotic, their desires swirling and merging with turbulent emotions. Zong Shou could suppress it, but Yuan Wushang and the others had deliberately maintained a certain distance from Su Xiaoxiao.

Being unable to control the Art, allowing the Primordial Demon Seven Emotions Art to be unleashed freely—it was clear that Su Xiaoxiao's progress this time could be described as exaggerated. Yet, there was no joy on her face; instead, her eyes were filled with sorrow.

"I wonder what has the Saintess so preoccupied? Could you share it with us?"

Su Xiaoxiao's focus gradually returned, and she saw Zong Shou's cold gaze. One look was enough for her to know that her momentary trance had once again aroused Zong Shou’s suspicion. But over these hundred days, as her cultivation of the Primordial Demon Seven Emotions Art surged, that feeling of wrongness had grown increasingly intense. A strong premonition of disaster enveloped her heart, refusing to leave. She felt that if she continued to follow Zong Shou, some tragic event she did not wish to see would certainly occur.

"I just felt something strange, I wish to leave my beloved for a short while. Lately, I seem to have forgotten something, perhaps related to my beloved and the Lord of Primordial Demons, it was that—"

Before she could finish speaking, Su Xiaoxiao felt a piercing pain in her head, her blood and qi churning violently in her chest, as if she were on the verge of death. When she recovered, confusion clouded her eyes. What had she just said? And what exactly had she intended to say?

"Leave?"

Zong Shou gave a cold laugh. After following him these few days and learning so many of his secrets, now she planned to leave? Was she preparing to abandon this ambush, or preparing to pass information to those people? This was something he absolutely could not allow; keeping this woman forcibly by his side was the safest choice.

Without answering, Zong Shou turned his face away. He noticed that the Evil-Warding Purple Aura Incense, which had been burning outside the range of the Book of Cosmos, had finally burned down to its last sliver of ash.

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