Chapter 42: Mysterious Yin Shape-Snatching, Nail-Head Life-Taking

Rumble!

A violent wail accompanied by intensifying spiritual energy fluctuations surged from mid-air. Ouyang Haoze's eyes were bloodshot; he had clearly lost all restraint.

Seeing this, the other two late-stage Qi Refinement disciples of the Shenwu Sect, Wu Zhichong and Duanmu Yuan, could no longer remain idle.

"Senior Brother Ouyang."

Wu Zhichong was the first to step forward. Looking at Ouyang Haoze's current disheveled state, he felt a pang of trepidation and whispered, "The Taixiao Mirror is, after all, of great importance..."

"I understand."

Ouyang Haoze glanced back at Wu Zhichong. The fury in his bloodshot eyes quickly subsided, and he said calmly, "But that demon within the formation is even more important! To master formations at such a young age and possess such formidable cultivation—if he breaks through to the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement in the future, he might not fail to strike for Foundation Establishment."

"If we can kill a Foundation Establishment seed of a Demonic Sect, then the Taixiao Mirror can be sacrificed!"

Buzz, buzz!

In mid-air, the Taixiao Mirror vibrated violently, as if expressing dissent.

However, Ouyang Haoze turned a deaf ear. It was merely a spiritual treasure; when it was useful, it called him "Lord Taixiao," but when it wasn't, what was it worth?

Seeing that Ouyang Haoze was resolute, Wu Zhichong could only sigh. He stopped trying to persuade him. After all, as a practitioner at the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement, Ouyang Haoze was the person in charge of the Shenwu Sect during this mission. Since he had made the decision, he would naturally bear the consequences; Wu Zhichong had done his part by advising him.

Meanwhile, inside the market.

Lu Yang put away the Blood-Sun Sword Pill, which had been mostly destroyed by the explosion. Holding the Primordial Qi Myriad Spirit Banner, he gazed toward Ouyang Haoze outside the market with an unreadable expression.

"Junior Brother Lu, you didn't die?"

Fairy Feixia and Lu Yuanchun approached. One's face was filled with pleasant surprise, while the other, despite having survived the ordeal, looked at Lu Yang with deep wariness.

"Brother Lu truly hides his light under a bushel!"

Lu Yuanchun praised loudly, "By repelling Ouyang Haoze, the market is safe and sound. This is enough to hold out until the Saint Sect receives news and sends reinforcements!"

"Repelling him? That's far from it."

Lu Yang shook his head.

"Indeed. Looking at Ouyang Haoze's state, his blood and qi are heavily depleted. It wasn't just a repulsion; he was clearly heavily wounded. It served as a profound lesson for him!"

Fairy Feixia clapped her hands and laughed.

Hearing this, Lu Yuanchun hurriedly chimed in to agree.

However, seeing this, Lu Yang let out a cold laugh and uttered a startling remark: "Just repelling him won't solve the problem once and for all. I have never liked leaving troubles behind."

"It's better to just kill him. It's simpler and more direct!"

"Kill... kill who?"

Ouyang Haoze?

For a moment, Fairy Feixia and Lu Yuanchun froze in place. Even in their most optimistic imaginations, they had never envisioned such a scenario.

That was a practitioner at the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement, a true disciple of the Righteous Path!

Who could kill him?

How could he be killed?

In the next second, Lu Yang took out the "Mystic Primordial Lunar Jade" that Lu Yuanchun had previously returned to him. He performed hand seals and channeled his energy, holding it in his palm to refine it.

Under Lu Yang's control, the jade gradually melted, finally transforming into a circular light that resembled a pale, translucent precious mirror. Under the radiance of this light, various figures rapidly appeared in Lu Yang's eyes, each figure corresponding to a residual trace of aura.

Judging by the reactions of others, it seemed only he could see them.

Fairy Feixia, Lu Yuanchun, Ouyang Haoze, Wu Zhichong, Duanmu Yuan... everyone who had fought here left behind a residual aura.

"So this is the Profound Yin Form-Capturing Great Method..."

The second divine ability of the *Great Method of Lunar Shedding and Corpse Liberation*. The only difficulty lay in the external object; thus, once Lu Yang obtained the jade, he mastered it in an instant!

"Let's test its power."

Lu Yang lowered his eyelids and quickly locked onto a residual aura—it was Ouyang Haoze's, which he had captured through the Profound Yin Form-Capturing Great Method.

"Profound Yin Form-Capturing..."

Lu Yang activated the divine ability. In the next second, the circular light formed by the Mystic Primordial Lunar Jade swallowed Ouyang Haoze's aura and projected his image.

"...Death-Stalking Nail!"

Immediately, Lu Yang slashed with his fingers.

With a "crack!", the circular light split in two, and along with it, Ouyang Haoze's figure was split in half from head to toe.

To be safe, Lu Yang had performed a vertical slash.

Almost simultaneously.

Outside the market, Ouyang Haoze had just finished his conversation with Wu Zhichong. He turned toward the market and, with a wave of his hand, threw the Taixiao Mirror into the formation.

Although the Taixiao Mirror struggled violently, his mind was made up; he intended to blow it apart.

But in the next second, Ouyang Haoze's movements came to a sudden halt.

A bizarre slash appeared out of thin air above his head, rapidly spreading downward before finally exploding into a spray of blood.

He had been split open.

His corpse fell through the air, leaving only half a face with a lingering expression of shock. His eyes rolled slightly, as if he had not yet realized what had happened.

"What happened... am I... dead?"

His consciousness dissipated in a state of bewilderment.

With the loss of Ouyang Haoze's control, the Taixiao Mirror that had fallen into the formation returned to a state of calm. With a beckoning gesture from Lu Yang, it flew toward him of its own accord.

***

Northern Territory, Shenwu Sect Main Headquarters.

Inside a bright hall.

This place was called the "Soul Lamp Hall." As the name suggested, it housed the soul lamps of many high-ranking members of the Shenwu Sect, including the Sect Leader, Elders, and even true disciples.

As an established power in the Northern Territory, the Shenwu Sect had ruled the region for over a thousand years, and its prestige was deeply ingrained in people's hearts. It was rare for high-ranking members to perish; consequently, the disciples responsible for guarding this place were mostly lazy, viewing the position merely as a lucrative post subsidized by the sect.

Today was no different. The guarding disciple was performing the routine check of the soul lamps.

Entering the door, he scanned them at a glance.

Lit, lit, lit, lit, extinguished, lit, lit...

Hmm?

The guarding disciple blinked, instinctively turned his head to look, and then rubbed his eyes. The expression on his face gradually shifted from casual to terrified.

"Extinguished! Extinguished! Senior Brother Ouyang's soul lamp is extinguished!?"

The voice spread instantly.

In the next second, a middle-aged Taoist appeared out of thin air in the hall. His gaze fell upon the extinguished soul lamp, his expression a mixture of shock and fury.

How many years had it been? How many years had it been since a true disciple of the Shenwu Sect had died?

"Ouyang... Skull Mountain!?"

The middle-aged Taoist's face turned ashen. He suddenly reached out, summoned Ouyang Haoze's soul lamp, and used his magic power to forcibly reignite the flame!

Of course, the dead could not be brought back to life.

This reignited flame could not save Ouyang Haoze; at most, it could manifest the last scene he had seen before his death.

Soon, the flame projected a scene.

The middle-aged Taoist recognized it instantly as the market at Skull Mountain belonging to the Initial Saint Sect. Within the market, a handsome and elegant young man was gazing into the distant sky.

Was it him? He killed Ouyang Haoze?

A deep, bone-chilling hatred surfaced in the middle-aged Taoist's eyes.

Because Ouyang Haoze was not just a true disciple of the sect, but also the most outstanding member of the younger generation of his Ouyang family—the descendant upon whom he had placed great hopes!

This hatred would not end until death!

"Hmm?"

Inside the Skull Mountain market, Lu Yang, who had just put away the Taixiao Mirror, suddenly frowned. He looked up at the sky, a chill rising in his heart.

He was very familiar with this feeling.

It was the sensation of one's karma being manipulated by an external force. When he was being calculated by the Peak Master of Heaven-Mending Peak in his previous life, he had felt something similar.

Could it be that another Foundation Establishment expert was plotting against him!?