Princess Ling Yao pondered for a moment. A staff materialized in her hand, emitting a nine-colored radiance that spread a hundred zhang around her.
The nine-colored brilliance was dazzling and illusory, causing the void to ripple. Wherever it passed, illusions vanished. The two old women behind her followed closely, their bodies also emitting a three-colored haze that pierced through the illusions, heading straight for the Purple Nether Lotus.
Qing Ling flicked his finger, and the heart of the Purple Nether Lotus blazed with purple light. Amidst the faint purple glow, the heavens and earth became a sea of lotuses.
The thirty-six lotus leaves unfurled, blooming with myriad possibilities. Wherever the spectral light passed, the divine senses of all who were touched scattered and disappeared.
Even Princess Ling Yao halted her steps, her face filled with surprise as she looked towards the expanse of purple lotus sea.
The Purple Nether Lotus was a top-grade innate spirit root. Even a treasure taken from it would be a top-grade innate spiritual treasure. However, while this lotus excelled in the realm of souls and primordial spirits, it was somewhat lacking in offense and defense.
Yet, precisely because of its exquisite efficacy in nurturing primordial spirits and creating souls, it was enough to make all Taiyi cultivators yearn for it.
Qing Ling flashed into the boundless sea of purple lotuses. Facing each other across the ethereal lotus sea, Princess Ling Yao also stared at him, scrutinizing him for a long time.
"Fellow Daoist, if you yield this lotus to me today, I shall offer a treasure in exchange!"
She held out a seven-colored mystic pearl and explained, "This treasure was condensed from the lifelong Great Dao by a mighty cultivator of the Illusory Color path. Although it is a acquired treasure, its offensive power far surpasses that of this Purple Nether Lotus, and it can even contend with mid-grade innate spiritual treasures."
Qing Ling chuckled faintly, "So, Fellow Daoist, you are also a collector of treasures. Unfortunately, I have no such intention.
I have offensive treasures as well!"
As his words fell, he flicked his sleeve, and a terrifying aura of destruction surged forth. "God Slaying" emerged, bringing with it absolute annihilation. The chaotic energy crushed the minds of all present, an aura of despair and terror that could make even gods despair shot towards the Black Nether Ghost Child, who was trapped by the thousand bells.
The Black Nether Ghost Child's eyes widened in alarm. He wielded a Ten Thousand Souls Banner, from which a million ferocious ghosts surged forth, even directly breaking through the restraint of the thousand bells. Endless souls rushed towards the arrow of God Slaying!
One arrow pierced through ten thousand ghosts, its Four Symbols sharp edge and the sun of the Fusang Tree suppressing the yin and evil, directly shattering the multitude of ghosts.
The ghost child was greatly alarmed and quickly reached out with his spectral claw. Half an inch from his brow, God Slaying was captured by the spectral claw.
The sky full of flames retracted. Blue blood dripped from the spectral claw, and the ghost child exhaled a long sigh of relief.
But at this moment, the arrowhead of God Slaying suddenly shot out a silver needle. The silver needle flew straight, piercing the ghost child's brow with the pain of gods in despair and Qing Ling's poison.
"Chiiii~"
The ghost child's expression became vacant, motionless.
Qing Ling smiled, recalled God Slaying, and looked at Princess Ling Yao.
Princess Ling Yao's heart trembled. She harbored a single feeling: the person before her was too powerful, almost at the level of Da Luo!
He even resembled a Da Luo Golden Immortal hiding his strength, yet he utterly lacked the aura of transcendental Dao that a Da Luo Golden Immortal possessed.
Star Ling, who had also broken free from the illusion, looked at the dead ghost child and Hu San Niang with astonishment.
He glanced at Qing Ling in fear, then retreated, holding his long sword horizontally before him, his face filled with caution.
Qing Ling remained unconcerned. During his seventy-seven thousand years of slumber, his primordial spirit and mana had merged with the innate spirit root, his every breath in harmony with the mountains and heavens.
The breath of the heavens and earth was his breath; the vitality of the heavens and earth was his vitality. The ebb and flow of spiritual energy in the entire Chimei Forest for seventy-seven thousand years had all been absorbed into his body.
His mana, his primordial spirit, on the vast foundation of the ten thousand-mile sea of qi at the Heavenly step, had multiplied countless times.
Because his foundation was too thick, the amount of spiritual energy he could contain was terrifyingly large.
Seventy-seven thousand years of continuous absorption of spiritual energy from a realm, even when compared to the mana of a Da Luo who did not employ their Da Luo Dao Realm, was not far off.
And his primordial spirit, nourished by the Purple Nether Lotus under the Red Leaf Camphor for seventy-seven thousand years without interruption, had evolved in the Dao realm of life and death for seventy-seven thousand years. The strength of his primordial spirit was something only he himself knew.
Therefore, ordinary Taiyi cultivators truly posed no threat to him.
Qing Ling glanced at the two and said, "My two fellow Daoists, since you do not want it, I shall take my leave!"
As his words fell, Qing Ling instantly withdrew, retracting the golden bells woven from his black hair, intending to ascend to the heavens.
But at this moment, a powerful black soul light erupted from the Black Nether Ghost Child, who should have died physically, soaring towards the firmament.
The ghost child abruptly opened his closed eyes and sneered, "Stay where you are!"
He raised one hand, bearing down like the sky. From the black clouds, infinite ghost heads emerged, coalescing into a colossal palm. Countless ferocious ghost heads roared on the giant palm, descending from the highest heavens.
Qing Ling's expression darkened. Such immense power was infinitely close to Da Luo!
Star Ling and Princess Ling Yao also looked warily at the resurrected ghost child.
Princess Ling Yao's staff was already out, emitting a dazzling light to protect her. She said coldly, "You are not the Black Nether Ghost Child!"
The Black Nether Ghost Child turned his head and sneered, "The Black Nether Ghost Child is me; I am the Black Nether Supreme!
This body is merely a disguised clone of mine."
Star Ling and the other two's expressions turned grim. A Da Luo clone, no matter how weak, was still a part of a Da Luo Supreme's power. For them, it was far too formidable.
In the sky, the colossal palm of infinite ghost heads pressed down, covering a million li, and slammed directly towards Qing Ling.
Qing Ling reached out and pulled. The Purple Nether Lotus rotated, splitting into myriad forms. The purple lotuses bloomed beneath the giant palm, forming a sea stretching for ten thousand li.
Furthermore, black silk wove into a net, the Heavenly Net covering the nine directions, spreading above the purple lotuses, attempting to ensnare the sky-covering giant palm.
The endless ghost heads opened their massive mouths, countless black soul flames burning, incinerating the Qing Net.
But the purple lotuses emitted a mysterious blue divine light. The clear blue light was like an ocean, with black and blue clashing across a line of green light.
The Black Nether Ghost Child chuckled solemnly, "Indeed, you possess some true skill."
He shook the Ten Thousand Souls Banner in his hand. Ten colossal ghost kings, like mountains, surrounded Qing Ling beneath the giant palm. Yin energy rose in all directions, ghost mist billowed and surged, and endless ghostly beings emerged. Not only did a thousand Heavenly level ghostly beings appear, but the ten great ghost kings simultaneously erupted with powerful ghost energy comparable to Taiyi.
Although Qing Ling was in a perilous situation, his expression remained unchanged. He transmitted his voice remotely, "Two fellow Daoists, if you do not assist me, I fear your fate will be sealed after mine!"
Upon hearing this, the two changed their expressions.
The Black Nether Ghost Child also looked at the two and sneered, "Are you two still planning to stay here? Then remain and become my Soul-Slaying Ghost Kings!"
Star Ling immediately retreated, saying, "Senior, please wait a moment. This junior shall take his leave!"
As his words fell, a streak of starlight traversed and departed.
The ghost child glanced at him but did not act. He knew that this young man possessed a method left behind by the Heavenly Que Supreme. He was merely a clone and was somewhat wary.
With Star Ling gone, Princess Ling Yao also dared not linger. She quickly bowed and offered a salute, transforming into a colorful light and departing.
The Black Nether Ghost Child sighed. Even though he was a Da Luo Golden Immortal, he was alone. He disdained to make a move against Star Ling. Princess Ling Yao, on the other hand, had the power of an entire clan behind her, and a supreme being of great power residing there. He could not afford to offend her.
Therefore, he could only let the two youngsters go.
However, he had no intention of letting the surrounding hundred or so cultivators who had come to watch go. Once news of the top-grade innate spirit root leaked, it was likely that powerful beings from all over the world would intervene!