Chapter 389: Demon Suppression Vanguard · Wang Manzi

Life-and-death confrontation?

Wang Yu subtly glanced at the Cloudscudding Warship high in the distance, then righteously declared, "There's nothing to discuss between us, old demon. Heretics and evildoers deserve to be exterminated by all!"

"Alright, alright, alright."

To Patriarch Yunyan, Wang Yu was a new face. His cultivation aura was also significantly lower than his own, clearly indicating a recent breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage. He was reasonably confident in defeating Wang Yu, but Qingyi's Nascent Soul was currently within him.

Ten days prior, on his way to Qifeng Pass, he had suddenly sensed the aura of a fellow clan's Nascent Soul, and it was extremely close. Upon investigation, he was overjoyed. "A gift from heaven!" Thus, Yunyan, like many other demonic cultivators, seized Qingyi on the spot before he could speak, then used a spiritual secret technique to put him into a deep slumber before arriving at Qifeng Pass.

If he didn't have to fight today and was given some time to fully absorb his fellow clan's Nascent Soul, he was absolutely certain he could break through to the Mid Nascent Soul stage. Therefore, Patriarch Yunyan did not want a life-and-death battle with Wang Yu. He repeatedly conceded, merely intending to drag out the fight. However, his opponent proved to be a hothead.

"Hmph! It seems your body cultivation has dulled your wits. How much benefit did that red-faced Thunder Lord offer you? Is it truly worth it?"

"That's none of your concern."

With that, Wang Yu leaped forward with a horizontal kick, unleashing a visible shockwave that swept outwards. The piercing shriek of tearing air was utterly hair-raising.

Patriarch Yunyan retreated once more. His Natal Treasure, the Ever-Changing Celestial Net Mist, extended countless smoky tendrils, converging to form an eggshell-shaped shield. As the two collided, there was another massive bang. The damage was minimal, but the commotion was significant, repeatedly drawing attention.

"Stubborn fool!" Patriarch Yunyan emerged from the massive crater, covered in dust, and formed hand seals, fully utilizing the Ever-Changing Celestial Net Mist's versatile properties. The entire cloud of mist split into seven cloud beasts, tightly encircling Wang Yu, instantly forming a formation. Patriarch Yunyan's secondary profession was indeed a formation master. Using this unique Natal Treasure to set up formations was an extension and broadening of his array mastery.

"Seven Stars Enigma: Cloudmist Eclipse Array!"

It was a Feng Shui array. Wang Yu's expression grew solemn. As a Feng Shui Geomancer, he recognized true skill at a glance. The pressure from Patriarch Yunyan's formation was far greater than anything Qingyi had produced. Indeed, his actual perception was that this old demon was considerably more powerful than Qingyi.

With a thought, the Feng Shui Compass, cultivated in his Qi Sea, flew out. As a geomancer's core skill, Wang Yu countered the move. The Seven Stars Enigma was simple to set up and relatively easy to reverse. The moment the orientation reversed, the Big Dipper Death Lock transformed into the Southern Dipper Life Lock, signifying a flaw in the Cloudmist Eclipse Array. Propelled by his Silver Blood Divine Power, Wang Yu burst out of the swirling mist formation. The pounces of the cloud beasts became futile. Patriarch Yunyan was even more shocked, having never expected this brute to also be a Feng Shui Geomancer.

"This was as incongruous as a fierce warrior doing embroidery!" He had intended to finish Wang Yu in one blow, but his hastily integrated enigma had instead become a weakness.

"Do you think this old man's mastery of formations ends here?!" Wang Yu could counter, but so could he adapt to the situation. It was simply a matter of who was more skilled. Pure Feng Shui techniques were, in fact, not as grounded as traditional array formations. Miraculous techniques, after all, emphasized the 'miraculous.' As Wang Yu had just burst out of the array, his vision blurred, and the world seemed to invert like a mirror, drawing him back into the formation. This was a highly advanced secret technique in Feng Shui, called—Cosmic Shift! The physical space hadn't changed, but the orientation of the cosmic pattern was forcibly twisted: 'out' became 'in,' and 'in' became 'out.' In mere moments, the mental clash between them intensified. Wang Yu knew well that his mastery of the 'Earth Mother Scripture' was only at the minor achievement stage. If he continued to compete mentally, he was no match for a veteran like Patriarch Yunyan. A surprise attack, once used, would surely create vigilance. It was better to break the situation with brute force!

This swirling mist formation was perfect for him to employ some less-than-honorable tactics. With a thought, the Malevolent Demon Dragon Armor, which had just completed its promotion in the past few days, emerged from within him, instantly covering him completely. The terrifying dragon armor was imbued with dense malevolent energy. As a low-grade Tier 4 bloodline artifact, its effects were simple and brutal: besides defense, it augmented his physical body, amplified the range of his force field, and enhanced his Silver Blood Divine Power. All these combined allowed Wang Yu's combat power to surge significantly.

Divine power surged. Wang Yu stomped the ground, and instantly, a colossal cloud of dust erupted, clashing with the Cloudmist Eclipse Array. Dozens of miles around were within the influence of his force field. The entire formation was enveloped by the field, and the earth cracked inch by inch. If one could observe from high above, they would see that Wang Yu's stomp was like an invisible giant delivering a powerful kick to the formation. Under the sheer pressure of his strength, similar to the effect of gravity, it was as if several mountains had been placed upon them. The seven vivid cloud beasts simultaneously took the hit. They were immediately forced to the ground, and Yunyan's Natal Treasure was compressed into a thin layer of white mist clinging tightly to the earth. Breaking cleverness with brute force, this was it!

Not far away, Patriarch Yunyan, who was hidden within a cloud beast, hoping to seize the opportunity to launch a fierce attack on Wang Yu, was also forced to the ground by the force field of the Silver Blood Divine Power. His expression immediately turned extremely grim. He was already considering focusing on containment, as a mere body cultivator surely wouldn't be as fast as him...

—Boom! No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than Patriarch Yunyan was sent flying backward like a ball. With any point of leverage, and under the eruption of immense power, Wang Yu's speed was such that his figure became invisible. And with the physique of a Tier 4 body cultivator, he could even use the air itself as leverage! Honed to Wang Yu's level, body cultivators had truly come into their own, no longer in the awkward position they once were.

Spiritual sense fluctuated. The Soul-Shattering Death Ray shot out. Enhanced by his spiritual sense, comparable to a Mid-Tier 4 cultivator, Patriarch Yunyan had no time to react before being struck by the gray beam. His body instantly stiffened.

—Whoosh! The afterimage of Wang Yu vanished from where he stood, and his true form appeared beside Patriarch Yunyan. A brutal beating of an elderly person commenced. Without his Natal Treasure, he lacked any automatic protective artifact. Only the battered Patriarch Yunyan knew the full weight of Wang Yu's fists. In fact, his body's resilience, preventing him from exploding into a mist of blood with the first punch, already exceeded Wang Yu's expectations. Once the soul-shaking effect of the Death Ray subsided, a torrent of punches, interspersed with numerous fist imprints from the Lesser Asura Killing Fist, caused Patriarch Yunyan's entire body to go numb. His very soul was invaded, and he cried out in agony.

With multiple restraints compounded by ferocious attacks, the tide turned in just three breaths. Following Wang Yu's final, powerful back kick, the tattered, almost unrecognizable Patriarch Yunyan plunged deep underground, his bones shattered and his internal organs reduced to a bloody pulp. Had it not been for the formidable life force of a Nascent Soul cultivator, he would have long since perished.

Compared to Qingyi, Patriarch Yunyan, perhaps due to his trust in and habitual use of his Natal Treasure, the Ever-Changing Celestial Net Mist, had surprisingly neglected to prepare any other defensive measures. This was a fatal oversight; otherwise, his physical body might have still been salvageable to some extent. Now, victory was completely assured.

Wang Yu's main body remained still, while a massive amount of spiritual sense flowed continuously underground. The Netherworld Grievance Puppet, carrying the Glazed Ice Heart Pagoda, was waiting there to ambush. The Nascent Soul's teleportation technique was truly troublesome. For a permanent solution, the best way was to fully master a space-locking secret technique. Such techniques involved spatial manipulation and held significant strategic value, making them impossible for ordinary cultivators to learn. If he were still in the Holy Sect, he might have found a way to obtain one. He silently blamed the damnable Nine Evil Sword Lord, adding another note to his mental blacklist.

Deep underground, after being struck by the Soul-Shattering Death Ray, Yunyan's heart sank, knowing the situation was dire, which it indeed was. This body, which he had used for 1,200 years, was ruined! A body so utterly pulverized, aside from the essence of a Tier 4 life form, had lost all its value. It was then that he decided to abandon his original physical body. After enduring the final kick, Yunyan's Nascent Soul immediately fled its shell. During this process, he didn't forget to snatch his storage ring.

However, it was precisely this moment of greed that made it too late for him to use his teleportation technique. A strange figure, imbued with the aura of the netherworld, emerged from even deeper underground. The glazed black ice pagoda spun, drawing him inside. The sealing power took effect. Teleportation? Not a chance. Qingyi could escape before because he had used the cicada shedding technique much earlier. Once trapped in the pagoda, ten lives wouldn't be enough.

After retrieving both the corpse and the Nascent Soul, Wang Yu's true body landed on the ground, and he carefully put away the puppet and the artifact. As demonic energy was injected and spiritual sense probed, inside the Glazed Pagoda, Patriarch Yunyan's Nascent Soul was firmly bound by countless black ice chains emerging from the pagoda walls. His tiny face was filled with terror and regret, and he shouted loudly, "Fellow Daoist! Fellow Daoist!! Please spare me, old man! The Feng family of Yougu still has much wealth hidden throughout Chiyuan, and there's also my Feng family's secret treasury in the Broken Boundary Mountains. As long as you spare my Nascent Soul, everything is negotiable."

After listening quietly for a moment, Wang Yu genuinely considered it for a moment, then injected more demonic energy, completely transforming Patriarch Yunyan's Nascent Soul into a block of black ice. Only then did he feel slightly relieved. Had the circumstances been appropriate, he would have performed a soul search.

Strictly speaking, this was his first time slaying a Nascent Soul cultivator, especially such an old and experienced one. This proved that his combat power was indeed very close to the Mid Nascent Soul stage. Perhaps he had even already reached it.

"The path of a body cultivator is truly formidable!" According to records, a Tier 5 body cultivator was the limit in the Ice Prison Realm, with only a handful appearing throughout history. The overwhelming effects of Silver Blood Divine Power were something only those who used it truly understood. He, for one, was quite satisfied. If he could further advance to a stronger domain with divine abilities, he might gain an even greater advantage among peers.

Ooooooohh~~ In the distance, a deep horn sound, as if from ancient times, reverberated, and Wang Yu immediately realized it was time to retreat. Just in time.

On the Cloudscudding Warship, True Monarchs Yang Lei, Fen Xin, Zi Dian, and Lei Yao were seated around a conference table. Zi Dian, in particular, looked pale, with a dark crack extending from his temple to his neck, permeated by the potent aura of the Great Black Heavens Talisman, which prevented the wound from healing. The other three were as before. They all felt a bit dejected recalling the cost of this offensive against Qifeng Pass. Failing to capture it was normal; success would have been an unexpected bonus. Thus, their despondency was only slight.

"Uncle Li, Wang..." Lei Yao was about to ask about Wang Yu's situation when her vision blurred, and a faint blue aurora of the Aurora Escape Technique flashed, revealing Wang Yu's sudden presence. With a flick of his right hand, Patriarch Yunyan's mangled corpse landed on the conference table. He smiled and said, "Gentlemen, how was that?"

True Monarch Yang Lei sprang to his feet, exclaiming in surprise and delight, "This is Old Demon Yunyan's corpse! Where is his Nascent Soul?"

Wang Yu shrugged and sighed. "He got away," he said, "but with injuries of this severity, even if he possessed another body, he wouldn't be able to recover to his peak state anytime soon."

An old demon's Nascent Soul contained too many secrets. Its strategic importance was even greater. Numerous time-sensitive pieces of intelligence could play a crucial role in the battle, making it incredibly valuable. Moreover, there was still Qingyi's Nascent Soul; he had already detected its presence. This was like a 'buy one get one free' deal, returning something that was originally his. Not mentioning it now was because he didn't trust these people. If greed arose, or if they tried to claim it under some grand pretext, giving it away would be a waste, but not giving it could easily create friction and suspicion. Better not to say anything at all. Given True Monarch Yang Lei's generous nature, if the price offered were too high, Wang Yu feared he might be tempted to actually sell it. The true situation with Yunyan and Qingyi still needed confirmation. He couldn't risk exposure by selling them.

"You're right," Yang Lei mused after his initial surprise. "To cause Qifeng Pass to lose a Nascent Soul combatant is already a great achievement. Might Fellow Daoist Wang be willing to take on the position of Demon Vanquishing General? The army is in dire need of strong individuals like yourself to lead."

"Demon Vanquishing General..." Wang Yu's mouth twitched, and his eyes inadvertently met Lei Yao's. She was subtly covering her mouth, stifling a laugh. The title was quite ironic.

"Could you elaborate?"

"Certainly." In essence, the Demon Vanquishing General commands a Demon Vanquishing Army of roughly three hundred individuals, all elites among elites, with peak combat strength within their respective realms. Their battlefield missions mostly involve decapitating generals and seizing flags, tasked with eliminating prominent enemy figures and neutralizing demonic threats in their nascent stages. During wartime, the righteous path uses a unified battle merit system. The Lake Tai Treasure Vault, including that of the Sword Sect, will be opened for all cultivators to exchange for items, even high-grade Golden Core spiritual materials. And in a cultivation environment suffering from severe internal competition, Lake Tai cultivators were highly susceptible to the allure of resources, let alone extremely rare breakthrough spiritual items. The Demon Vanquishing General receives a fixed stipend of three thousand battle merits per month. Destroying Old Demon Yunyan's physical body earned Wang Yu a commendation, rewarding him with one hundred thousand battle merits. True Monarch Yang Lei handed him a scroll containing a list of treasures for him to peruse at his leisure.

"Wait." Having presented his 'letter of allegiance' and been entrusted with a significant position, it was clear that Wang Yu had successfully gained Yang Lei's trust, which was a good sign. But before he could unroll the scroll, Zi Dian suddenly spoke. His eyes betrayed deep distrust. "Senior Yang Lei, how can such an important position as Demon Vanquishing General be given to an outsider of unknown origin? I object."

Wang Yu raised an eyebrow, understanding the crux of the issue. "You want it?"

"Heh, and you're not getting it!"