Chapter 883: Avoiding Soul Soul Abnormality of the Bell

"Finger of Annihilation (Charge Value: 10.22)"

The giant pointed a finger, and a blue spiritual light flashed.

"Finger of Annihilation," much like the unremarkable attack of "Passive Fist," offered no dazzling visual spectacle. It was even more understated. As an attack on the soul level, it was imperceptible to the naked eye.

To outside observers, all that happened within the battle arena was the giant pointing a finger. The rubble clinging to Yi's body, along with the linear airwaves created by the physical force of the sword-finger, merely rippled outwards. However, Yi's flesh, which had been fully struck by the "Finger of Annihilation," showed no physical reaction whatsoever. It simply plummeted downwards, following gravity.

Falling endlessly…

Immediately afterwards, within everyone's spiritual perception, Yi's soul aura in the field rapidly withered and vanished.

"Dead?!" Grand Ancestor Wuji's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He had just been thinking that even with Xu Xiaoshou's immense power, trying to directly confront a Void Creator with a Grandmaster cultivation, relying on famous swords and sinister swords, would be like an ant trying to shake a tree or a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Yet, the next second, the berserk giant's soul-attacking finger, delivered from a distance, brutally slapped him across the face, leaving him stunned.

"How can there be such a powerful soul attack technique?"

"Isn't this kid primarily a body cultivator?"

"His physical body, swordsmanship, alchemy, and Heavenly Secret Arts are already so formidable. How does he have spare time to cultivate mental attack methods to such an abnormal level?"

The image of that blue spiritual light streaking across the sky kept replaying in his mind. Outsiders couldn't see it, but Grand Ancestor Wuji saw it perfectly clear. He concluded that even a Void Creator, if struck by this terrifying move, would suffer severe damage, even if they found a way to save themselves.

Severe soul damage was almost incurable. This would not only affect a Spirit Refiner's destiny and cultivation foundation. If the injury was severe enough, it could turn the target into a vegetative state, or cause memory loss and missing insights into fundamental laws.

Grand Ancestor Wuji had prepared all his contingencies, just waiting to use the Heavenly Secret Grand Array to obliterate the troublesome Yi right here. He never expected that Xu Xiaoshou's single strike seemed to be accomplishing his goal.

Beside him, Lei Xier's divine demon eyes moved, as if she perceived another hidden scene on the soul level that no one else had witnessed. She furrowed her brow slightly.

Just then.

"Dong—"

A deep sound, like a great bell, reverberated directly in everyone's minds, cleansing their spirits. The souls of the few people present trembled, and their scalps tingled. Even Xu Xiaoshou, transformed into the berserk giant, was no exception; a flicker of surprise appeared in his frenzied eyes.

"Why is there a sound?"

Xu Xiaoshou had tested the power of "Finger of Annihilation." Even cloud beasts, which lacked a fixed form, would be instantly annihilated by a "Finger of Annihilation" dealing around one percent damage. This "annihilation" was completely silent, without any unusual fluctuations.

But now, what was unleashed upon Yi's soul was a "Finger of Annihilation" with a charge value of "10.22." Theoretically, no matter how strong Yi was, he shouldn't have been able to withstand this attack, right? After all, when "Passive Fist" was used on Gou Wuyue, its charge value was only "8.64." Yet, that single move had blown Gou Wuyue's head apart. If it hadn't been for Ai Cangsheng's arrow, which crossed two realms, just the extremely long time it took for Gou Wuyue to recover from his injuries would have decided the outcome of the battle in favor of "Passive Fist." And that was merely physical damage, easily defended against and recovered from, inflicted by "Passive Fist" on Sword Immortal Wuyue, one of the Seven Sword Immortals.

No matter how strong Yi was, he couldn't be stronger than a Sword Immortal, could he? "Finger of Annihilation" had a charge value over 10, and it was soul damage… How could there possibly be any variables left for Yi?

Xu Xiaoshou's heart sank; he had a vague premonition that things were about to go wrong. A move that should have silently obliterated the enemy had, when unleashed upon Yi's soul, produced such an abrupt sound. Was this Yi's trump card?

"Hummm…"

The shredded flesh fell to the ground, no longer stirring. Yet, the world began to hum and tremble. Then, at the exact spot where Yi had stood, the ethereal outline of an ancient bell appeared. The ancient bell was bronze-colored, its surface mottled with rust, exuding an aura of ancient vicissitude, as if it should not exist or be possessed in this era.

"Soul-Shielding Bell?!" Grand Ancestor Wuji exclaimed in a hushed voice.

Lei Xier turned her gaze. Before she could ask, Grand Ancestor Wuji, as if explaining to Xu Xiaoshou, loudly declared: "The Soul-Shielding Bell is one of the lost divine artifacts recorded on the ancient 'Stele of Relic Marks.' It only activates passively just before the soul is completely annihilated, preserving the host's true spiritual consciousness and preventing the three souls and seven spirits from completely dispersing."

"This item requires countless soul treasures to nourish it daily, and it can only be activated once in a short period…" Grand Ancestor Wuji paused his explanation. While astonished that Yi possessed such a life-saving technique, he was also shocked by the terrifying power of Xu Xiaoshou's earlier strike, which genuinely had the ability to annihilate a Void Creator! He also fully realized that at this moment, Yi had been forced to reveal his ultimate trump card!

Perhaps, for a normal person—even a Void Creator—no matter how fiercely they fought Yi, they wouldn't have pushed him, a master in spiritual and soul aspects, to resort to such a life-saving measure. But Xu Xiaoshou's inexplicable finger truly struck Yi's weak spot! While mental attack methods were indeed Yi's most boasted technique, when it came to soul defense, frankly speaking, no one—regardless of their cultivation level—had sufficient defensive capabilities unless they truly specialized in cultivating their soul body! As long as the soul attack was powerful enough, Xu Xiaoshou's finger could not even be considered an over-level kill. At most, he had merely come close to slaying an opponent of the same caliber on the soul level.

"Xu Xiaoshou!" Grand Ancestor Wuji, having recovered, urgently asked, "Do you have another finger? If so, Yi will surely die next!"

Grand Ancestor Wuji considered himself the second-best in Heavenly Secret Arts on the continent. But when it came to mental and soul attack methods, at this moment, he admitted that Xu Xiaoshou had surpassed him, even surpassing the Chief of the Strange Department. The "Finger of Annihilation," upon its debut, had already reached the pinnacle in an era where soul offense and defense techniques were scarce!

On the other side. Within the battle, the Soul-Shielding Bell had preserved Yi's true spirit. However, just as Grand Ancestor Wuji had said, after the ethereal outline of the ancient bell became visible under the impact of the "Finger of Annihilation," the Soul-Shielding Bell once again became indistinct, finally disappearing completely. What was revealed within it was Yi's soul body. His soul body, originally stronger than that of ordinary people, was now battered and tattered, like someone at death's door.

If a normal Spirit Refiner cultivated to the Void Creator realm, their soul body would naturally grow from an infant state to that of a teenager. Yi's own soul body, through continuous cultivation, had grown into a robust, adult man, as strong as an ox. But now, the chest of this adult man was torn open with a grotesque, gaping hole. His entire body was riddled with holes, like a honeycomb, from the residual energy of the "Finger of Annihilation." Had it not been for the Soul-Shielding Bell, it would have completely dissolved by now, like mist and rain.

"'Stele of Relic Marks,' lost divine artifact?" Xu Xiaoshou, in his berserk giant form, stared intently at the void before him. Normally, what Grand Ancestor Wuji could perceive as a soul body would be completely invisible to an ordinary Spirit Refiner. However, Xu Xiaoshou's "Perception" at the Throne level provided him with a blurred silhouette in a certain direction. The outline was ethereal and formless, appearing and disappearing intermittently. But Xu Xiaoshou knew. This was Yi's soul body!

His heart sank. The Chief of the Strange Department truly lived up to his reputation as a super expert who had survived for so many years, managing to acquire even a soul-defensive divine artifact like the "Soul-Shielding Bell." Xu Xiaoshou knew that the divine artifacts recorded on the ancient "Stele of Relic Marks" were truly transcendent treasures spanning across eras. To put it simply: these types of supreme treasures shouldn't exist in the current era, and each requires a special method to unseal. For example, the sinister sword, "Four Swords," and the famous sword, "Blazing Python," currently in Xu Xiaoshou's possession. If he were to die, and these two swords, after centuries of obscurity, were still found by later generations, due to the phenomenon of "treasure self-obscuration," the power of both swords would be permanently sealed. At that time, the names of these two swords would be added to the "Stele of Relic Marks." Although the power of the sinister sword and famous sword would be sealed, it wouldn't disappear. In fact, after long periods of being nourished by renown and the Heavenly Dao, they would only grow stronger. Then, several eras later, if someone found these two swords and could use contemporary methods to unseal these "lost divine artifacts," they would be able to unleash even more formidable power.

Xu Xiaoshou had previously fought Teng Shanhai, the Chief of the War Department, and used the power of his Saint Image to seize one of the lost divine artifacts recorded on the Stele of Relic Marks from him: the "God-Slayer Spear." Currently, the God-Slayer Spear was still resisting and struggling within his Origin Mansion World, not yet fully subdued. Like the Soul-Shielding Bell, this item, in its own era, was akin to the existence of the "Famous Sword Twenty-One." And now, Yi had clearly unsealed the Soul-Shielding Bell, using this lost divine artifact at the most critical moment to save his own life.

"Xu Xiaoshou!" On the other side, Grand Ancestor Wuji was still calling out anxiously. The individual entangling him from afar in the Heavenly Secret World, unexpectedly, exhibited a surprisingly meticulous application of Heavenly Secret Arts, unlike the one Liu Changqing had previously fought. Their ability completely surpassed Grand Ancestor Wuji's imagination. At this moment, Grand Ancestor Wuji couldn't free himself to offer assistance. He had to ensure that when Yi died, control of the Cloud Realm World remained in his hands. Otherwise, even if Yi died, if even a single image of the battle here leaked out, and Rao Yaoyao arrived with her sword, everyone present would have to be buried with Yi! Grand Ancestor Wuji had to handle the final logistical support. He only wanted to settle his personal grudge, not to be buried with Yi. Of course, more importantly… Xu Xiaoshou couldn't die here! Otherwise, he, Grand Ancestor Wuji, might not even be able to transcend his soul under the wrath of the Three Ancestors of the White Vein and the sword of Bazun An.

"Shut up!" Facing Grand Ancestor Wuji's urgent questioning, the berserk giant didn't even turn his head, letting out a deep roar that made the heavens and earth hum and tremble.

Grand Ancestor Wuji listened in surprise. Xu Xiaoshou still had his sanity?

Xu Xiaoshou naturally still had his sanity; his mind was rapidly churning again, considering how to deal with Yi's remaining soul body. "Finger of Annihilation" was impossible now. This special passive skill, like "Passive Fist," cleared its charge value with every use. But even if he could control it, Xu Xiaoshou wouldn't dare hold back in front of a Void Creator. He wished he could obliterate all of this guy's soul with one finger; how could he not go all out?

The ethereal outline of Yi's soul body in front of him seemed to have finally regained a bit of consciousness after the severe injury and began to move. He seemed to be pulling out something? Xu Xiaoshou couldn't see clearly. But Grand Ancestor Wuji behind him saw it as clear as day.

"Xu Xiaoshou! That guy pulled out a 'Spirit Restoration Flower'! He's trying to repair his soul body. After repairing his soul body, the next step will definitely be to repair his physical body."

"A Void Creator is hard to kill, and this guy has too many trump cards. Once he finishes repairing his physical body, he'll almost recover three to five tenths of his peak strength!"

Xu Xiaoshou heard this and grew anxious, recalling the Four Swords and fiercely slashing his sword towards Yi's soul body. He believed that the Four Swords, with their demonic aura, could infect people's wills, and perhaps, could even destroy Yi's soul body. But Yi's ethereal soul body didn't even attempt to dodge the attack. Xu Xiaoshou's sword sliced through, seemingly cutting through air, with no reaction from the other side.

"Damn it…" He was enraged. As expected, physical attacks were ineffective against soul bodies…

Grand Ancestor Wuji saw this sword strike and his face darkened. He finally saw a glimpse of the thoughtless actions that a Grandmaster cultivator might typically make in Xu Xiaoshou, but he didn't dare mock him, only loudly explaining: "Non-soul artifacts cannot affect soul bodies in the slightest! Your Four Swords is a sinister sword, not a 'Soul Cleaver.' If only you had a soul artifact…" At this point, he still hoped Xu Xiaoshou possessed other trump cards. After all, the abilities this young man displayed were far beyond ordinary.

Xu Xiaoshou, as the berserk giant, abruptly turned his head, his frenzied eyes gleaming with savage brutality: "Why are you completely useless?! Didn't you say you'd kill Yi? Are you just going to chatter here?!"

Grand Ancestor Wuji choked. He had a bitter story he couldn't tell. In the Cloud Realm World, as anticipated, as long as Dao Qiongcang didn't arrive, it would be impossible for anyone to find the key to breaking the situation and regaining control so quickly. Yet, on the Red Coat side, Situ Yongren seemed to have gone mad, suddenly becoming incredibly fierce. If he, Xuan Wuji, didn't withstand the pressure on the Heavenly Secret level, this place would be exposed, and everyone would die! Moreover, the grand array to slay Yi required time to set up. According to his previous plan, he could have accomplished everything. But now, the Red Coats had a master on their side, and he, Xuan Wuji, was busy dealing with the crazed Situ Yongren. How could he possibly spare time to set up the Yi-Slaying Grand Array?

Grand Ancestor Wuji was indeed powerful. But the limitation of a ghost beast possessing a Spirit Refiner lay precisely here. Even Feng Yujin was limited by Mo Mo's cultivation realm, and he, Xuan Wuji, similarly could not transcend the low cultivation restriction of Liu Changqing's mere Soul Severing realm to fully unleash all his power.

"I, the Grand Ancestor, can make you see…" Grand Ancestor Wuji pondered for a moment, then reluctantly freed a hand to construct Heavenly Secret Dao patterns.

Instantly, Xu Xiaoshou felt the world before his eyes become clear. Yi's fragmented soul body held the "Spirit Restoration Flower" in one hand, frantically drawing soul energy from it. In such a short time, his injuries were already mostly healed.

"Cackle, cackle, cackle…" Seeing Xu Xiaoshou looking at him, Yi raised his gaze, let out a brilliant yet grim laugh, and spoke coldly: "Little one, you have many trump cards, don't you? However, in this place, do you dare risk using your Saint Image?"

If the Saint Image moved, even if Rao Yaoyao couldn't see the Cloud Realm World's visuals, she could trace the Saint Power fluctuations and rush here with her sword. This was also the fundamental reason why Xu Xiaoshou only dared to feed Mu Zixi Saint Blood for healing, but not use it to activate his Saint Image! Yi clearly understood his opponent's apprehension, throwing his head back and laughing wildly, utterly arrogant.

"If you don't use your Saint Image, do you think my life's accumulation can't compare to a junior like you, who's only been cultivating for two or three years?"

"Do you really think that with the Four Swords and the Blazing Python, you're invincible?"

Yi spread his hand, and from within his soul body, numerous divine artifacts flew out and arrayed themselves in mid-air. There were soul cauldrons, ancient bells, spirit pagodas, weapons… Clasping his chest, he laughed grimly, tongue lolling out like a mad dog that had lost its mind from a beating, full of provocation.

"You don't have a soul artifact, do you? Oh, perhaps with your limited knowledge, this is the first time you've even heard of a soul artifact, isn't it?"

Yi pointed at a dagger-shaped soul artifact floating before him, as if about to throw food to a dog, and beckoned with his hand. "Come on, if you want it, come and get it! If you can take it, I'll even give you one for free, no problem!"