The Demon with Holy Radiance

Even so, when faced with the sudden Curse Technique—one saturated with a massive amount of light—most of his body was destroyed in the span of a breath, with no way to recover.

He instantly determined that the one who cast the curse was the same person who had killed Third Elder Jishan.

Everyone else he hunted could only struggle helplessly, yet this upstart actually dared to strike back.

It wasn’t that Xuan You had never dealt with Curse Techniques before. Although they were troublesome and bizarre, with his powerful Cultivation Level, ordinary Curse Techniques could hardly harm him at all.

But this was the first time he had ever witnessed a Curse Technique combined with a Light Forbidden Technique.

In the blink of an eye, the Fierce Beast avatar that had merged with Xuan You was utterly destroyed. This forced out Xuan You’s own avatar, which was still being constantly eroded and disintegrated by the light.

He hung in mid-air, at the very center of the radiant explosion. The surrounding clouds, dyed crimson, vanished in an instant—a testament to the attack’s terrifying power.

With no time to think, Xuan You immediately formed a Seal Decision.

"Merge!"

Instantly, his other avatars scattered across the land felt the summons. After placing restraints on the people they had captured, they vanished from where they stood.

All the avatars merged into one, reforming Xuan You’s true body and the mountain-sized Fierce Beast.

The Fierce Beast stood before Xuan You, serving as a shield against the radiant blast of the curse.

Several breaths passed. By the time the crimson light had fully dissipated, the Fierce Beast was reduced to a skeletal frame with scraps of flesh still clinging to it. With a final, agonized roar, it crashed heavily to the ground and shattered.

Gazing at the wretched state of the Fierce Beast he had summoned, Xuan You’s expression turned grim. He waved a hand, and the massive skeleton dissolved into countless wisps of mist.

With his various avatars having merged back into his true body, the tracking Technique was canceled. The last crimson spot disappeared, severing his connection to Yang An.

He had been outsmarted by Yang An twice in a row without even a proper confrontation. As the Grand Elder of the Golden Soul Sect, Xuan You hadn’t felt this humiliated in many years.

Coupled with the mission from Sect Leader Non-Birth—to eliminate these "rats" before the Array took form—his fury intensified.

However, despite being outwitted by Yang An twice, he had still determined Yang An’s direction of travel from the path of the crimson spot.

Earth Demon Cliff!

Earth Demon Cliff again!

’Jishan died at Earth Demon Cliff. So that fiend, the Death Lord, has truly sided with these rats!’

"Even the Death Lord can’t save you!"

Xuan You was brimming with killing intent. While the Death Lord was certainly powerful enough to give the Golden Soul Sect pause, they all knew he could not leave Earth Demon Cliff. He couldn’t even leave the Stone Stele that was his Seal.

Any caution they showed was only necessary within the confines of Earth Demon Cliff itself.

’As long as I’m fast enough to intercept him before he reaches Earth Demon Cliff, I’ll definitely catch that rat and make him pay dearly.’

"Don’t even think about escaping!"

"Qing Luo! Human Calamity! Soul Mother! Four Bones!"

Xuan You bellowed their names, and with each roar, his limbs exploded, one after another, into enormous clouds of blood mist.

Instantly, the winds howled between heaven and earth as the thick, metallic scent of blood permeated the air.

Four colossal, shadowy figures materialized behind Xuan You.

The first was an immense, green dragon, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws. It had a demonic face with long tusks and breathed a black fog. Its scales resembled a thick, keratinous hide overgrown with moss, and it emanated a toxic, green mist.

The second was a towering, ancient woman in a black dress, her body plastered with Talismans. Her back bristled with branches like a porcupine’s quills, and these branches were riddled with thousands of holes. A loud buzzing emanated from the openings, where countless eyes seemed to glitter in the darkness.

Then came a vast cloud of black mist that coalesced into a feminine, humanoid form. Countless twisted Soul Bodies howled in misery from within it. As she appeared, the very space around her began to warp, torn at by the innumerable Soul Bodies desperately trying to claw their way out.

The last to appear was a flawless, jade-white skeleton, unstained by even a speck of dust. But soon, maggots swarmed its surface, and flesh and blood grew upon the bones as if a film played in reverse. It finally transformed into a heavily decayed corpse, which, compared to the other monstrosities, looked almost normal.

Upon appearing, the four summons immediately began to merge with Xuan You’s body, entering through his shattered limbs.

Before one’s very eyes, Xuan You’s body twisted into something hideous and terrifying, losing all human resemblance.

At the same time, a token flew from his waist and instantly shattered.

"Relay my command! All Cultivators at or above the Zombie God level in the vicinity of Earth Demon Cliff are to proceed there at once! Intercept anyone attempting to enter!"

The chilling command emerged from Xuan You’s mouth, his voice as cold as if it had risen from the depths of the Nine Netherworld Hell.