In the valley, silence reigned supreme. All the martial artists within were looking up at the sky, watching the spatial rift gradually close, observing the giant skeletal hand slowly retracting.

Demon Emperor Poxun! One of the two supreme beings of the Four Demon Realms!

Because Demon Lord Moqi* was trapped, he had unleashed an earth-shattering divine ability, tearing through the void to grasp Moqi's fragmented soul and drag it back into the Demon Realm. Without Poxun's skeletal giant hand, Moqi's soul, under the power of the Soul Gathering Orb, was doomed.

Even a divine-level soul like Moqi Kai's could not escape the bondage of the soul once it encountered a natural nemesis like the Soul Gathering Orb; it would simply become one more spirit among the myriad souls trapped within. The appearance of Poxun's skeletal giant hand profoundly shook every martial artist in the valley.

Under that world-destroying aura, even Mo Duanhun felt a sense of utter powerlessness. Fortunately, Poxun's skeletal hand only appeared to rescue Moqi*'s soul.

Otherwise, if he had truly unleashed his full power against the people in the valley, everyone present—save for Mo Duanhun who might have a chance of escape relying on the Myriad Manifestations Scroll—would likely have perished, all one thousand of them. Shi Yan looked up at the radiant glow filling the sky, his face grim.

This was the second time he had witnessed this supreme being of the Demon Realm in action. The last time, on the way to the Endless Sea, a skeletal Dharmakaya suddenly manifested and snatched Xiao Hanyi directly into the Fourth Demon Realm.

Now, Poxun’s skeletal Dharmakaya had acted again, rescuing Moqi Kai. The terrifying power displayed by Poxun left Shi Yan deeply horrified.

The psychological pressure felt like confronting a deity, making it impossible to even conceive of resistance. Were it not for his exceptionally resolute will, under Poxun’s terrifying pressure, his knees might have buckled, forcing him to his knees.

Mo Duanhun’s face was grave as he watched the rift in the valley vanish completely. On Cloud Mist Island, he could no longer sense a trace of demonic energy from the Demon Realm.

Only then did he descend from the sky, instantly appearing beside Shi Yan. “Young Master Yan,” Mo Duanhun said upon arrival, bowing slightly.

“I am here by the Patriarch’s command to take you to Undying Island.” Shi Yan frowned. “You know I’m still alive?” “The Patriarch expended three drops of Undying Blood to divine that you were not possessed by the Profound Ice Cold Flame.

He knew you would come to Cloud Mist Island during this period. The reason we chose Cloud Mist Island as the meeting spot, after agreeing to the Gu family’s terms of reconciliation, was precisely because we knew Young Master Yan would be here,” Mo Duanhun nodded.

“So that’s how it is.” Shi Yan was surprised inwardly, astonished by the means of Yang Qingdi, the Master of the Yang Family. Expending three drops of Undying Blood to deduce his life or death—such power was comparable to a deity’s.

Legend had it that upon exiting seclusion, Yang Qingdi had stepped into the Divine Realm in one stride, his cultivation undergoing a heaven-and-earth-shaking transformation. It seemed the rumors were indeed true.

“Shall we deal with the Gu father and son first?” As Shi Yan was about to speak, he suddenly noticed Gu Lie in the nearby cave and said gravely. Mo Duanhun’s expression was unreadable as he nodded slightly, seeking Shi Yan’s opinion: “How does Young Master Yan intend to deal with these two?” Gu Lie and Gu Jiange, father and son, had worn grim expressions ever since Moqi* was subdued by Shi Yan’s Soul Gathering Orb.

By now, the father and son were pale as paper. Hearing the conversation between Shi Yan and Mo Duanhun, the two exchanged a look, their eyes filled with despair.

“Colluding with demons, how should this be handled?” Shi Yan pondered for a moment, then sneered coldly. “These two utilized heretical cult secret arts to slaughter thousands of civilians, using their living souls to construct a bridge for the demons to enter, allowing Demon Lord Moqi Kai passage.

Should such an act be punishable by death?” “It should be,” Mo Duanhun nodded. “I will kill Gu Lie first.

We will keep Gu Jiange for now. We will take Gu Jiange to the Gu family to demand justice.

Using Gu Jiange’s soul memories, we can perfectly recreate everything that happened in the valley; the Gu family will have no choice but to admit it.” “Hmm, you handle it,” Shi Yan replied with a cold smile. Mo Duanhun stopped speaking.

The figure of Mo Duanhun, previously standing before Shi Yan, began to blur, slowly vanishing before Shi Yan’s eyes. Simultaneously, a piercing shriek suddenly erupted from the neighboring cavern.

As the scream sounded, Gu Jiange’s harsh cry followed immediately: “Father!” Shi Yan was startled. Only then did the figure of Mo Duanhun in front of him completely disappear.

Glancing towards the cave, he clearly saw that Gu Lie had breathed his last, bleeding from all seven orifices. Mo Duanhun’s silhouette reappeared at the mouth of the valley, his large hand reaching out and suddenly pressing down toward Gu Jiange’s head.

Traces of green light drilled out from the palm of Mo Duanhun’s hand, rapidly seeping into Gu Jiange’s mind. Gu Jiange, who had been crying out in grief and rage, instantly became vacant in the eyes, stopped screaming, and stood there foolishly.

Mo Duanhun, holding Gu Jiange, flew into the air to where Shi Yan stood, casually tossing Gu Jiange to a waiting Asura Blood Guard, instructing, “Take him.” Shi Yan hadn't even clearly seen how Mo Duanhun had moved; Gu Lie was instantly executed, and Gu Jiange, after only a single cry, was subdued by Mo Duanhun, his soul even imprisoned, rendering him mindless. The Level Six demonic beast from Heavenly Evil Grotto, the Wind Thunder Flying Lion, suddenly descended from the sky, stopping beside Shi Yan and Mo Duanhun.

Sister Gong Yan’s soul was severely wounded... He Qingyan jumped down from the Wind Thunder Flying Lion, her voice filled with anxiety: “It’s been this long, Sister Yan is still in a coma.

What should we do?” Shi Yan stepped forward, immediately moving toward the Wind Thunder Flying Lion. “Roar!” The Wind Thunder Flying Lion roared, opening its massive maw, glaring fiercely at Shi Yan, forbidding him to approach.

“Behave,” He Qingman cried out sharply, her slender, beautiful leg kicking out, striking one of the Wind Thunder Flying Lion’s wings. The Wind Thunder Flying Lion immediately settled down, glaring resentfully at Shi Yan but daring not move further, apparently terrified of He Qingman.

Shi Yan reached the Wind Thunder Flying Lion and immediately saw Xia Xinyan, whom he hadn't seen in three years. She was still peerlessly beautiful, though her face was slightly pale, her lips bearing faint traces of blood.

Her long eyelashes covered her lovely eyes; she remained deeply unconscious. “Sister Xinyan knew you were in the center of the pool.

Gu Lie tried to go into the water to find you, so she immediately activated her Samsara Martial Soul to try and stop him. Midway through, Demon Lord Moqi Kai suddenly attacked, releasing a soul shockwave that instantly and severely wounded her spiritual origin...” He Qingman’s eyes were full of distress, and she sighed: “Soul injuries are far more difficult to recover from than physical ones.

That Demon Lord Moqi Kai is also in the Divine Realm; his soul attacks are terrifyingly potent. Sister Xinyan...

I fear, I fear it will be hard for her to wake up.” He Qingman and Xia Xinyan were extremely close; otherwise, she wouldn't have insisted on coming with Xia Xinyan despite knowing the dangers of Cloud Mist Island. After Xia Xinyan was severely wounded, she frantically retrieved all the medicinal pills she carried and forced them into Xia Xinyan’s mouth, yet Xia Xinyan remained comatose, her soul extremely weak.

He Qingman tried to communicate with Xia Xinyan soul-to-soul but found Xia Xinyan’s soul consciousness scattered and unfocused, unable to receive any mental messages from her. Seeing this, He Qingman grew even more panicked and utterly lost.

Shi Yan examined her carefully, his expression gradually turning ugly. Xia Xinyan’s soul consciousness was scattered—in his world, this was akin to a vegetative state, perhaps never waking up.

“Lord Mo, please take a look,” Shi Yan said grimly, staring deeply at Mo Duanhun. “I don’t want anything to happen to her.” Mo Duanhun nodded gently and slowly approached Xia Xinyan, extending his thumb and resting it on the back of her head.

A faint, strange soul fluctuation traveled from Mo Duanhun’s finger, subtly entering Xia Xinyan’s mind. Mo Duanhun’s expression gradually grew serious.

Shi Yan’s heart tightened, his face slightly changing. Judging by Mo Duanhun’s reaction, Xia Xinyan’s soul injury was perhaps quite troublesome.

Indeed. A short while later, Mo Duanhun withdrew his hand and stated solemnly: “The injury is extremely severe; her consciousness is difficult to re-coalesce.

Having sustained a strike from Moqi*’s soul, not to mention a high-level martial artist, even a martial artist of the Nirvana Nest Realm would likely suffer instant soul dissipation. The only reason the girl Xia hasn't scattered her soul is related to her Samsara Martial Soul; without it, she would already be dead.” “Lord Mo, what exactly is the situation?” He Qingman asked anxiously and sharply.

“Xia girl’s Samsara Martial Soul gathered the souls from her past lives at the crucial moment, helping her forcefully block Moqi*’s soul attack. The memories and consciousness of her past lives, gathered alongside her current life's memories and consciousness, were scattered by the impact of Moqi’s fragmented soul strike.

Currently, not only does she have her present life’s memories, but also memories and consciousness from past lives—and more than one! So many chaotic memories filling her mind have directly caused her soul to collapse.

In this state, unless she can sort them out herself, it will be hard for her to wake up.” Shi Yan’s expression changed slightly. “What can we do?” “Nothing can be done,” Mo Duanhun pondered briefly, shaking his head helplessly.

“Severe soul trauma cannot be healed by elixirs. Only by continuously sorting through those chaotic memories and consciousness on her own can she possibly reawaken.

This process might take a year, or it might take a century, or even a lifetime.” “Ah!” He Qingman cried out in shock. “If that’s the case, won’t Sister Xinyan ever wake up?

What, what are we to do?” “Is there really nothing that can help her?” Shi Yan gritted his teeth. “I do not know of any method that can help her,” Mo Duanhun sighed.

A flicker of despair crossed He Qingman’s eyes, then she glared resentfully at Shi Yan. “It’s all your fault!

If she weren't trying to save you, Sister Xinyan wouldn't be like this!” Shi Yan looked utterly bewildered. Just then, the Blood Pattern Ring flashed.

Shi Yan, trapped in deep self-reproach, impatiently plunged his consciousness into the Blood Pattern Ring. “What are you yelling about?” “Isn’t it just a soul injury?” The consciousness of the Profound Ice Cold Flame sounded quite disdainful.

“You are truly stupid! Once the Soul Gathering Orb in your hand is fully refined, the pure soul energy within is the finest spiritual medicine for healing souls.

As long as that woman isn't dead, no matter how severely her soul is wounded, the soul energy within the Soul Gathering Orb can restore her to perfection.” Shi Yan’s body jolted, his eyes suddenly brightened, and joy returned to his face.