Yan Fang hadn't anticipated Zheng Yuan suddenly interfering with such reckless abandon. She immediately sneered, "Zheng Yuan, your magical artifact is certainly insidious and potent, but do you truly think this is enough to stop me?"

With that, Yan Fang suddenly produced a talisman. She poured her entire True Essence into it, causing the talisman to ignite instantly, transforming into a shadowy figure that lunged toward Ding Nan.

Zheng Yuan's expression shifted. He recognized it as the Liu Jia Yin Shi Fu (Six Jia Dark Master Talisman); this shadow was formed from a resentful spirit. While his own artifact worked against the living, it was useless against such a vengeful entity.

His face changed, and with a quick turn of his eyes, he roared at Yan Fang again, "Yan Fang!"

The moment Zheng Yuan called her name, Yan Fang instantly lost control of her body again, stumbling and crashing to the ground. Enraged and humiliated, she let out a piercing shriek, and the shadowy figure she had dispatched accelerated its assault on Ding Nan with even greater ferocity.

Ding Nan’s eyes widened in shock. Just as she was about to turn and flee, she suddenly heard Zhou Qin shout loudly, "Ding Nan, are you seeking death? Hurry up and throw away the Immortal Pen!"

Ding Nan shuddered. The deep impression Zhou Qin had left on her for so long caused her to instinctively fling the Immortal Pen she held into the center of the fray.

No sooner had she thrown it than Yan Fang shrieked again. The shadow, which had nearly reached Ding Nan, abruptly spun around and lunged for the Immortal Pen instead.

Ding Nan felt a wave of bone-chilling cold Yin energy graze past her, causing the hairs on her body to stand on end instantly. She knew she had just taken a step across the threshold of death; had it not been for Zhou Qin’s sharp warning, she would surely be dead now!

But Ding Nan had no time to dwell on it, as the situation on the floor underwent a sudden, dramatic shift!

After she threw it, the Immortal Pen landed directly in front of a Daoist from the Qingwei Sect. The Daoist’s eyes suddenly blazed with brilliance. He promptly flicked his toes, snatching up the Immortal Pen, and immediately formed a hand seal, striking at the Liu Jia Yin Shi Fu released by Yan Fang while shouting, "Thunder!"

With a deafening boom, a palm thunderbolt shot from his hand, instantly dissolving the resentful ghost into a wisp of green smoke.

However, his celebration was short-lived. A figure behind him slammed a heavy palm strike into his back, sending him spitting a mouthful of blood, and the Immortal Pen tumbled from his grasp.

The man turned to see a Daoist from the Jinshan Sect grasping the Immortal Pen, his striking hand not even fully retracted, laughing maniacally, "The Immortal Pen! I have the Immortal Pen!"

But before his laughter finished echoing, a flash of white light suddenly appeared, and the hand holding the Immortal Pen was violently severed, falling onto the floor.

The Jinshan Sect Daoist cradled his stump, howling in agony, while a figure flashed past him, snatching up both the severed arm and the Immortal Pen.

His fellow disciples from the Jinshan Sect immediately roared in condemnation, "The beast from the Donghua Sect dares to ambush us!" With that, they lunged forward, and the Donghua disciples met them without yielding, immediately drawing their swords.

In an instant, the young cultivators from various sects upstairs erupted into chaotic fighting!

Ding Nan and Yan Fang watched, stunned into silence. Neither had expected that the cultivators from these various lineages were also not to be trifled with. Many had already recovered but had feigned weakness, waiting for precisely this moment of chaos to explode, all hoping to be the final, opportunistic beneficiaries.

As the crowd clashed in battle, the elegant, refined small pavilion, once filled with grace and beauty, now echoed with the glint of blades and a palpable murderous aura. The cultivators, usually so composed and serene, now wore savage expressions, their eyes bloodshot!

Just as the fight reached a fever pitch, Yan Fang burst into laughter, "Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous! A group of men who usually wear the faces of scholarly masters are now tearing off their masks. How comical!"

With that, she moved with lightning speed, plunging into the throng of people.

Most of the fighting cultivators were younger and possessed shallower cultivation, meaning they recovered faster. Others who were deeper in cultivation had forced themselves to act, but they were either far weaker than Yan Fang or were struggling to channel their essence, their power severely diminished—none could withstand her.

Yan Fang was like a fierce tiger entering a flock of sheep, sending everyone reeling.

The crowd cursed her repeatedly but remained helpless against her, forced to watch as she snatched the Immortal Pen back again.

Yet, before Yan Fang could savor her victory or utilize the treasure, Zheng Yuan’s voice roared her name again: "Yan Fang!"

Yan Fang immediately collapsed back to the floor with a thud. The Immortal Pen clattered away, and in a blink, Zheng Yuan beckoned with his hand, forcibly seizing it.

The cultivators who had just suffered greatly at Yan Fang’s hands laughed riotously at her pathetic fall. Some even attempted to deliver a finishing blow as she lay there.

Yan Fang, fueled by extreme fury, scrambled up and struck down the nearest attacker. She then glared at Zheng Yuan with a terrifyingly savage expression. "You old bastard, are you tired of living? Be careful, or I’ll burn down your Wuhua Mountain!"

Zheng Yuan’s heart sank. He knew Yan Fang’s temperament was volatile; once an enemy, she would pursue vengeance relentlessly, which was truly terrifying and could bring endless unrest. After all, the saying goes: a thief can hide for a thousand days, but who can constantly guard against a thief?

Dark intentions surged within Zheng Yuan; he considered killing Yan Fang. But just as he prepared to mobilize his True Essence, his breath suddenly hitched. He couldn't draw a full breath, and an eerie, rosy flush spread across his face. His breathing became rapid, and after a series of violent coughs, he spat up blood.

Yan Fang roared with laughter. "You reap what you sow! You forcefully used your power, and now you regret it! Die!" With that, she moved, intending to advance.

But before her words had fully faded, she heard a young man’s cold voice bark, "Yan Fang, you are a mud Buddha crossing a river—you can barely save yourself. Perhaps you should worry about yourself first!"

Hearing that voice, Yan Fang’s body shook violently. She turned her head to see Li Yundong looking at her with a cold smirk, slowly walking toward her step by step.

This sight nearly scared the soul right out of Yan Fang, making her regret her past actions almost to the point of green envy!

Yan Fang instantly realized that Li Yundong had not been fully recovered earlier; he had only used his sight to glare at her, suppressing her killing intent, leading her to believe he had the capacity to fight back, hence her hesitation to attack him. Now, however, Li Yundong was completely restored!

Once this villain had recovered, how could she possibly match him? She cursed her own weakness of will for not decisively striking Li Yundong earlier, which led to this current situation of nurturing a threat!

Yan Fang’s thoughts raced like lightning. She let out a piercing, unwilling scream, her features becoming grotesquely terrifying, every strand of her black hair standing on end. She shrieked, "Li Yundong, this is not over between us!"

With that, her Yang Spirit instantly departed her body. Her savage, shrieking expression froze, and her physical form dropped like a stone with a dull thud. Her Yang Spirit transformed into a streak of green light and fled rapidly from the pavilion.

Li Yundong’s eyes flashed, and he roared, "Where do you think you’re going!" He instantly projected his own Yang Spirit, carrying the Finger-Burning Bowl, in hot pursuit!

Inside the small pavilion, with Li Yundong and Yan Fang—the two who had recovered earliest and fastest—gone, the eyes of the remaining crowd simultaneously focused on Zheng Yuan, who held the Immortal Pen. Soon after, a unified roar erupted as they charged at Zheng Yuan like madmen.

Zheng Yuan’s face darkened. Gritting his teeth, he pointed at the few charging at the forefront and began shouting their names repeatedly.

Instantly, those few people convulsed violently. Zheng Yuan’s artifact was the Yin Hun Duo Po (Soul Seizing and Soul-Snatching), and when he shouted a name, the specter within his Jade Ruyi would instantly surge into the target’s body to tug at their soul. If the target possessed profound cultivation and a solid Inner Core, the specter could not seize the soul; it could only briefly halt their vital energy circulation, resulting in a "stumble and loss of resistance." But if the person’s foundation was shallow, their Three Souls and Seven Spirits would be immediately drawn out of the body, resulting in instant annihilation by Zheng Yuan’s artifact!

The crowd watched as after Zheng Yuan shouted their names, these few individuals collapsed to the ground like wooden stakes, their faces pale, life fading within moments. From the orifices of these fallen figures, a plume of five-colored energy was pulled out by a mass of black energy, surging toward Zheng Yuan’s Jade Ruyi. As the Jade Ruyi pulled back these individuals' Three Souls and Seven Spirits, its own black aura swelled dramatically, as if it had devoured the souls, its power vastly increased.

The onlookers were immediately terrified!

Someone pointed at Zheng Yuan in sheer horror and shrieked, "Zheng Yuan, you dare secretly refine such a sinister and venomous artifact? Aren’t you afraid of retribution?"

"Zheng Yuan, are you courting death? Using such a vile and underhanded artifact—aren’t you afraid of heavenly damnation?"

"You murdered my fellow disciples! Zheng Yuan, my Jinshan Sect will never forgive you!"

Zhou Qin stared at Zheng Yuan’s artifact in horror. She whispered fearfully, "What kind of artifact is that? So powerful? Shouting someone’s name kills them?"

Zi Yuan also looked at Zheng Yuan with a pale, frightened expression, a shadow of dread in her eyes. "Could this possibly be the You Ming Wu Zhang Gou Hun Yu (Netherworld Five-Zhang Soul-Hooking Jade)? B-but wasn't this artifact destroyed during the Ming Dynasty’s Zhengde era? How has it been reforged?"

Su Chan gazed at Zheng Yuan in terror, afraid he might turn and shout her name, causing her immediate demise. She stammered, "How can such an evil artifact exist in this world? If it falls into the hands of a villain, within five Zhang, he can incessantly shout names and hook souls. This artifact will grow stronger and stronger, until its power surpasses that of the strongest cultivator in the world! At that point, whoever the wielder calls out by name will die! Who could possibly stand against him?"

Ruan Hongling also stared at Zheng Yuan with palpable fear. She commented, "It’s fortunate Zheng Yuan is currently afflicted by the First-Grade Immortal Downfall, otherwise the consequences are unthinkable! If he hadn't been poisoned, perhaps even Zhang Tianshi, the leader of the Zhengyi Sect, wouldn't dare face him directly, only retreating three leagues and fleeing far away! This artifact was rumored during the Zhengde era to be 'invincible within five Zhang.' I thought it was bragging then, but seeing it now, it truly is terrifying!"

The women’s faces were ashen with fright from Zheng Yuan’s artifact, and the cultivators from other sects were no better. Even the usually fiery and righteous Zhang Ling snapped his eyes open, looking at Zheng Yuan with shock and rage, yet daring not speak out, terrified that Zheng Yuan might angrily call his name!

Seeing everyone glaring at him, most too afraid to voice their anger, Zheng Yuan laughed maniacally. He waved his sleeve, holding the Immortal Pen in one hand, and swiftly moved to Ding Nan's side. He roared, "Let’s go!" Then he dissolved into a wisp of black smoke and vanished from the small pavilion in an instant.

Zheng Yuan fled with Ding Nan, and no one dared pursue them. After flying for quite some time, upon finally returning to his cave dwelling on Wuhua Mountain, Zheng Yuan collapsed to his knees the moment his feet touched the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Ding Nan was greatly alarmed and quickly asked, "Master, what is wrong?"

Zheng Yuan’s face was paper-white. He gave a grim, hollow laugh and shakily raised a hand toward Ding Nan, saying, "Quickly, fetch the Nine Revolutions Spirit-Returning Pill! It’s in the third shelf of the wall cabinet, the seventh purple vial from the left!" As he finished speaking, he gagged and vomited another gush of blood.

Ding Nan knew this was the result of Zheng Yuan forcibly exerting himself earlier. She immediately got up and rushed to find the pill. But as she reached Zheng Yuan’s side, seeing the white-haired, youthful-faced old man collapsed on the floor, vomiting blood, his back completely unguarded toward her, Ding Nan’s heart suddenly leaped. A bold, audacious thought flashed through her mind.

Now he has the Immortal Pen, and the Netherworld Five-Zhang Soul-Hooking Jade. I possess the Luo Mu Soul-Separating Hairpin! If I kill this lecherous old man, with these three magical artifacts in hand, won’t I be invincible? Won't Li Yundong finally look at me differently?

At the mere thought, Ding Nan’s heart began to beat violently!