Devouring Soul Emperor

Chu Qingyun just smiled at Dai’s mistake.

"Forget it. It’s not like we had a better plan. We can’t just stand by and watch them destroy the Array Base, so we were going to have to force a confrontation eventually."

"Once the fight starts, don’t get tied down by those mutants. Focus on killing the people from the Martial Soul Hall."

"Let’s move."

With a soft cry, Chu Qingyun was the first to charge out.

Mu Xiaoxiao and Dai followed right behind him.

The moment the three of them emerged from their hiding spot, a Blood Aura flared in the eyes of the Mutants and Mutated Demon Beasts. They all roared and pounced.

"You! It’s you!"

Upon seeing Chu Qingyun, a look of wild joy spread across Lord Ming’s face.

’I searched high and low for him, and now he just falls right into my lap.’

’I thought being roped into this rotten job of destroying the seal would make me miss the perfect opportunity to hunt down Chu Qingyun. I never expected him to just deliver himself to my doorstep!’

"Hmph. I’ll take the leader. You two, go kill the men from the Martial Soul Hall!"

Chu Qingyun gave the order, then activated his Profound Celestial Divine Pattern. His body flickered as he dodged the Mutants and Mutated Demon Beasts, charging straight for Lord Ming.

Following Chu Qingyun’s earlier instructions, Mu Xiaoxiao and Dai didn’t get entangled with the mutants. They disengaged after a single clash and went after the members of the Martial Soul Hall.

The Mutants and Mutated Demon Beasts, after all, lacked any real intelligence. They acted purely on their instinct to kill and hunt, and didn’t understand tactics like surrounding and bogging down an enemy.

"You dare to come for me?"

"Brat, don’t tell me you think reaching the Fifth-level Martial Spirit gives you the right to fight me? It’s not dark out this time. Let’s see you try to escape now!"

As Lord Ming spoke, a silver light flashed between his hands, materializing into a silver spear that he thrust straight at Chu Qingyun.

"Why would I need to run from you?"

"Thunder Sword!"

Chu Qingyun sneered. With a swing of his longsword, the Earth Seal Sword became wreathed in blinding lightning as he met Lord Ming’s spear head-on.

BANG!

The Earth Seal Sword and the silver spear clashed violently.

A tremendous force erupted from the impact, sending two nearby Mutants flying. Lord Ming’s spear flickered unstably, as if it were about to shatter.

"This... How is this possible!"

Lord Ming was horrified, unable to believe his eyes.

’Just a few months ago, I was chasing him all over the forest. Now, the power in a single one of his sword strikes has actually surpassed my own!’

’Even advancing from a third-level to a Fifth-level Martial Spirit shouldn’t result in such a massive leap in power!’

"Hmph, I’m not done yet!"

Lightning surged from the Earth Seal Sword, coursing up the silver spear and striking Lord Ming in the blink of an eye. The Thunder Power erupted, blasting him backward as he screamed in pain.

Chu Qingyun glanced over and saw that Mu Xiaoxiao and Dai were fully occupied with fending off the Mutants and Mutated Demon Beasts to hunt down the Martial Soul Hall members, not paying any attention to his fight.

Reassured, he nodded. With a turn of his palm, he gathered a stream of Devouring Power in his hand.

"Die!"

With a cold shout, Chu Qingyun unleashed a palm strike at Lord Ming, the Devouring Power churning in his hand.

"Damn you, brat! I’ll kill you!"

Lord Ming was already severely injured. Chaotic streams of Martial Soul Power leaked from multiple wounds on his body.

Now, looking utterly crazed, he mustered all his strength. His palm swelled dramatically as he met Chu Qingyun’s strike with his own.

’To be grievously wounded by a single sword strike after hunting him for months...’

He couldn’t accept this outcome!

BOOM!

It was another violent collision.

The immense force of the blow sent a violent shudder through Chu Qingyun’s body, numbing half his arm. Even the Devouring Power in his palm was blasted apart and scattered.

However, Chu Qingyun controlled the scattered Devouring Power, using the momentum to reshape it into countless fine black threads that shot forward and wrapped around Lord Ming.

At the same time, he thrust his sword toward one of Lord Ming’s wounds. The Earth Seal Sword was also coated in black Devouring Power.

With a sickening squelch, the Earth Seal Sword plunged into Lord Ming’s wound.

But it met with immense resistance, struggling to push deeper.

Lord Ming sneered. He was about to press his advantage in close-quarters combat and launch a counterattack.

But just then, all the Devouring Power erupted simultaneously. Lord Ming instantly sensed something was wrong. His Primordial Power and Martial Soul Power were thrown into chaos, surging uncontrollably toward the black energy.

"Get off me!"

Lord Ming roared in terror. A shockwave of power erupted from his body, scattering the Devouring Power as he fled backward.

’As expected of a "Lord" from the Martial Soul Hall. It really is troublesome without the Iron Thread Ten-Star Vine to bind him. But does he really think he can escape?’

With a wave of his hand, Chu Qingyun re-formed the Devouring Power and gave chase.

However, just then, a Mutant with the strength of a sixth-level Martial Spirit suddenly leaped out from the side, its mouth agape as it pounced on Chu Qingyun.

The shockwaves from the intense battle between Chu Qingyun and Lord Ming had been enough to keep the surrounding Mutants and Mutated Demon Beasts at bay.

But they hadn’t left, instead lingering nearby and watching Chu Qingyun hungrily.

"You’re courting death!"

His pursuit of Lord Ming blocked, a cold glint flashed in Chu Qingyun’s eyes. He redirected his momentum and slapped his palm onto the Mutant.

The Devouring Power erupted, transforming into countless fine black threads that rapidly invaded the Mutant’s body, siphoning streams of Primordial Power and a faint red energy into his Devouring Martial Soul.

The Primordial Power was refined into Primordial Liquid, replenishing his Qi Sea.

As for the faint red energy, it was once again refined into a dark red power that traveled along his meridians and condensed into a dark red elixir pill in his palm.

Devouring a Mutant was no different from devouring an ordinary Demon Beast.

A Mutant at the sixth-level Martial Spirit realm possessed incredibly tenacious Life Power. Defeating one was easy, but killing one was extremely difficult.

However, in the face of the Devouring Power, they were no different from ordinary Demon Beasts or human Martial Artists. In moments, they were reduced to ash and bone, scattered by the wind.

In about half a minute, the sixth-level Martial Spirit Mutant was completely devoured.

All that remained was a faint red, diamond-shaped crystal, which Chu Qingyun caught and casually tossed into his Storage Ring.

Meanwhile, Lord Ming, who had fled to the side, was once again left in a state of profound shock.

He knew from personal experience just how difficult Mutants were to kill.

’And yet Chu Qingyun, using some unknown method, had disposed of one with such ease!’

’This guy...’

’That terrifying sword strike, the bizarre technique that turned a Mutant to ash, and that shadow-splitting move from a few months back...’

’Remembering Chu Qingyun’s endless stream of abilities, Lord Ming suddenly had a feeling. Chasing him all this way might have been a terrible mistake.’