The Demon with Holy Radiance

But the answer he received now told him a different story: only Elder Life Crane had created the Lighting Technique and passed it down to the disciples of the Life Crane Sect. The sect’s disciples relied on this Lighting Technique to enter the Deep World, a method completely different from others who entered by consuming Spirit Cores.

’Could Elder Life Crane really be connected to Boundary Repairer He Ming of the Earth Immortal Dao Sect?’

This potential answer completely upended his previous speculations about Elder Life Crane. ’That old man is long dead, so what else could he be hiding?’

"That’s all I know, and I’ve told you everything. You should honor your promise and let me go."

The man’s voice echoed in his ears again, snapping Yang An out of his thoughts. But Yang An’s expression was as cold as ice.

"Apologies. I have no way of knowing if you’re telling the truth or not, so that promise is void."

"You..."

Rage instantly contorted the man’s face, and he looked as if he was about to let out a defiant roar. But in the next moment, a flash of light engulfed him completely.

With a casual gesture, he obliterated the man’s remains. The surroundings fell deathly still once more. Yang An stood silently by the bonfire, lost in thought again.

’What astonishing secret is hidden within the Earth Spirit Stele?’ He hadn’t just failed to find a loose thread in this tangled mess; things had become even more chaotic.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to push these chaotic thoughts from his mind.

’These things must be figured out, no doubt. But before that, I need to raise my Cultivation Level. All I’m missing now is the Forbidden Artifact Fragment.’

’There’s only one month left. If I can fuse the Xianyuan Forbidden Artifact and break through to the Middle Stage of Zombie God before the Golden Soul Sect completes its Array, I’ll have a much better chance.’

...

「Five days later.」

After fully recovering and restoring his spirit to its peak in the dark Quiet Chamber of the real-world stronghold, Yang An entered Gray Scale once again.

Everyone from the Scripture Defector Association was cultivating diligently in the stronghold, so Yang An didn’t have to worry about them.

Upon entering Gray Scale again, Yang An planned to search as thoroughly as possible within Lower Hu for information on comprehending the Xianyuan Forbidden Artifact.

’Since I can’t sort out this mess for now, I’ll focus on my top priority.’

But the moment Yang An stepped into Gray Scale, he immediately sensed that something was wrong.

’Killing intent!’

RIIIP—

In the gray world, it was as if a blood-red curtain had been torn open. A figure suddenly appeared before Yang An.

At such a close distance, the aura felt incredibly familiar to Yang An.

’Fu Ming!’

Fu Ming’s gray eyes were completely clouded, his face contorted with a madness never seen before. Long tendrils sprouted from his back, dragging along the ground, and his body had become somewhat twisted.

He pointed a finger at Yang An. The ground trembled violently, and in an instant, countless colorless masses of flesh surged up from below, rushing toward Yang An.

’Just by his appearance, I can tell something’s wrong with him. He’s obviously lost his sanity in the Deep World.’

Faced with Fu Ming’s attack, Yang An remained remarkably calm, even feeling a faint sense of anticipation.

"Senior Brother, we’ve never once crossed swords since I joined the Life Crane Sect. This is the perfect chance for me to see what you’re truly capable of."

’Fu Ming’s appearance is a good thing. I still want to get more information out of him, so the first thing to do is beat some sense back into him.’

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A series of deafening explosions erupted.

But the flesh surging from the ground stopped short in front of Yang An, completely blocked by a layer of brilliant, azure light.

Yang An rarely used the Treasure Light Glaze Purification Technique, a Defense Technique. But against Fu Ming, he wanted to test his strength. ’Just how powerful can he be in this frenzied state?’

The next moment, a halo of light flashed from Yang An’s body. In that instant, the countless masses of flesh were severed, spraying torrents of blood that seeped back into the ground.

The Senior Brother Fu Ming he could once only look up to... was now nothing more than this.

For some reason, Yang An felt a pang of loneliness in his heart.

Back then, in the Life Crane Sect, he had been a newcomer at the very bottom of the hierarchy.

Looking back now, the Life Crane Sect was but a grain of sand in the river of time, and he was the only one left standing.

His attack having failed, Fu Ming shot backward. A hundred meters away, Mana leaked from his body, carrying a bloody stench as fierce as a gale.

Dark Talismans, which he must have laid out at some unknown time, began to flicker on the ground.

As these Talismans appeared, a powerful suction force suddenly manifested around Yang An, attempting to lock him firmly in place.

At the same time, the countless masses of flesh formed a gigantic cage, trapping Yang An within as it abruptly contracted.

’I don’t know what kind of Technique this is, but if an ordinary Zombie God were to take this hit head-on, they would probably be incapacitated for a while.’

In response, Yang An remained expressionless as his power flared. Simultaneously, eight Curse Seals materialized in the void around him.

’Drumming Technique!’

He had no intention of killing Fu Ming, only of knocking him to his senses. Thus, he struck out with both fists, landing heavy, powerful blows on the Curse Seals to his left and right.

It was as if the deep sea parted in an instant.

A terrifying force blasted out from Yang An, pushing horizontally in all directions.

Under this power, the cage of flesh and the Talismans only held for a single breath before shattering to pieces.

The world was filled with a bloody mist. Within a thousand-meter radius, everything except the unwavering bonfire was completely obliterated.