Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Demon Heart Awakening

Ye Tianling’s figure stirred. Although his body was still entwined with a multitude of purplish-black Order Chains that resembled Sinful Dragons, the chains had become incredibly docile and obedient, as if they were little dragons he had raised himself. He was completely in his element. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

CHISSHH—

Ye Tianling stretched out his hand, and the multitude of purplish-black Order Chains, manifested from Sinful Dragons, all flew into his grasp.

Then, Ye Tianling clenched his fist, and a terrifying power suddenly converged.

Karmic Fire manifested in Ye Tianling’s hand. In that single instant, the Demon Soul aura from all the Order Chains was completely refined.

’This scene... it’s so familiar. Where have I experienced this before?’

For a moment, Ye Tianling was stunned.

Soon, he remembered where he had experienced it—the Forgotten Dust World.

He had undergone Ji Tianxie’s trial in the Hidden Dragon Demon Cave within the Forgotten Dust World...

As he recalled this scene, a sealed memory seemed to tear open in the depths of his mind. It was as if a small figure was about to gradually emerge.

"Karmic Fire, burn."

Ye Tianling didn’t continue to reminisce, because now was not the time.

CHISSHH—

The Karmic Fire continued to burn. The Sinful Dragons on the Order Chains twisted and wailed one by one.

At this moment, Xia Qiuhe was twisting in agony, flailing violently like a grasshopper in a hot wok, descending into what could only be described as hysterical madness.

"Ahhh—"

He screamed again and again. The sound of his cries made everyone present feel their souls tremble and their hearts fill with horror.

"W-what’s wrong?"

"What’s wrong with Qiuhe?"

Xia Fansong and Xia Fanqian were shocked. Xia Fansong couldn’t help but gasp, and he became extremely alarmed and uncertain.

As for Xia Fanqian, she suddenly thought of something and instantly realized that Ye Tianling had once again turned the tables on Xia Qiuhe.

At that moment, her heart trembled, and a deep sense of fear seeped into its very core.

Then, she began to retreat, step by step.

But Ye Tianling had already noticed her. A cold sneer appeared on his face as he said, "Trying to escape?"

As Ye Tianling spoke, he waved his hand, and a ball of Karmic Fire shot out, directly igniting the Xuanyuan Celestial Evil Sword.

Having suddenly gained a terrifyingly deep well of power, the Xuanyuan Celestial Evil Sword immediately flew out on its own, launching a killing strike at Xia Fanqian.

"Ahhh—"

Xia Fanqian screamed. Her figure flickered as she tried to dodge, splitting into three afterimages, but she still couldn’t evade the terrifying killing intent!

PFFT—

Xia Fanqian was instantly pierced by the sword, pinned and killed in the distant Void.

The Xuanyuan Celestial Evil Sword trembled violently. On the blade, Xia Fanqian’s body twitched a few times; she had clearly suffered a fatal wound.

The Xuanyuan Celestial Evil Sword began to actively consume her Life Force and Soul Power.

Ye Tianling paid her no more mind, instead turning his head to lock his gaze on Xia Qiuhe.

"Ahhh—"

Xia Qiuhe’s hair was a mess, and he was in an utterly wretched state.

"Enjoy the taste of being burned by Karmic Fire! A Blood Domain Demon Soul? A Demon? Perhaps many things in this world are terrifying, but to me, Demons alone are not!"

Ye Tianling spoke calmly, and then his eyes suddenly focused.

BOOM—

A stream of Karmic Fire gathered between Ye Tianling’s brows, shot out from his eyes, and converged in the Void.

It then formed a curved line, like the arc of a Taiji symbol within a golden circle.

It was the manifestation of the curve of the Dao itself.

And the Karmic Fire was precisely the condensation of this Dao.

The Karmic Fire flared to life and instantly spread across Xia Qiuhe’s body.

Although Xia Qiuhe’s body twisted to its limits and he struggled frantically, it was useless.

After the backlash from his own Demon Soul Power, he had, in fact, already been afflicted by Ye Tianling’s Ancient Soul Extinction Forbidden technique. If not for that, how could he be in such agony?

"Ahhh—Lord... Lord Celestial Demon, s-spare me—"

Xia Qiuhe knelt on the ground, twisting in pain, yet still forcing himself to kowtow and beg for mercy.

At this point, he understood completely. His so-called Evil Spirit, his so-called Demon Soul, were nothing before this ordinary-looking young man—because this young man was a Demon, a true Demon, an unparalleled Celestial Demon!

"Spare you? I never spare those who have a strong killing intent toward me. I’ve already made that mistake once, and I will absolutely not make it a second time!"

As Ye Tianling spoke, the Karmic Fire flared up with a ROAR.

"Then you can just die!"

Xia Qiuhe tried to struggle, but just as he shot into the sky to launch a final attack on Ye Tianling, Ye Tianling unleashed a terrifying Devouring Talent!

It was the Taotie Heaven-Devouring Talent, which came from the Taotie Divine Beast!

ROAR—

A terrifying, primordial aura suddenly manifested.

It was not a Taotie, but a terrifying, golden behemoth.

In reality, Ye Tianling was indeed using the Battle Soul of the Taotie Divine Beast, but he had used the Simulation Technique from the Little Faceless Technique to alter its appearance into that of a Kunpeng.

He didn’t want to directly expose the fact that he was not the Kunpeng Divine Son. For now, he still desperately needed this identity.

A Kunpeng!

A real Kunpeng!

That scene truly stunned Yao Lun!

Even Xia Xinqin was somewhat dumbfounded.

It wasn’t that she had never seen Ye Tianling use Kunpeng techniques, but to see such a terrifying Kunpeng Heaven-Devouring Talent displayed right before her eyes... the sheer horror of it made her feel as if she were suffocating. ’He’s too strong!’

"Is that... our Kunpeng’s Swallowing Sky Divine Skill?"

Yao Lun cried out in astonishment, then nearly fell to his knees in excitement.

"Excellent! Truly excellent! To think that in my lifetime, I would actually get to witness our Kunpeng’s Heaven-Devouring Divine Technique!"

Yao Lun was so overjoyed he began to weep. His voice trembled, and the sound of it made the expressions on Xia Fansong and Xia Fanqian’s faces turn extremely ugly.

In their eyes, this meant that the Kunpeng branch of the Golden-winged Roc Clan—the absolute Venerable branch—had finally emerged into the world!

For them, this was the worst possible news!

"S-stop! Divine Child, please, stop!"

At this moment, the distant Xia Fansong couldn’t help but cry out. Then, despite his incredibly proud and untamable nature, he actually knelt directly before Ye Tianling.

"Stop?"

Ye Tianling sneered. He activated the Xuanyuan Dragon-Controlling Immortal Sword Technique, causing the Karmic Fire to burn even more intensely. At the same time, he fully unleashed his Heaven-Devouring Taotie ability and swallowed Xia Qiuhe in a single gulp!

BOOM—

The Void trembled.

Xia Qiuhe let out a series of miserable cries, but his voice gradually faded away until he was completely devoured.

BOOM—

In the next moment, Ye Tianling’s Realm instantly broke through from the Sword Spirit Second Heaven Realm to the Third Layer.

However, in that instant, a terrifying negative emotion suddenly began to stir in the depths of Ye Tianling’s heart.

At that moment, his entire body was surrounded by wisps of a dark aura.

Waves of negative emotions—sinister gloom, brutality, ghastliness, cruelty, and viciousness—began to well up within Ye Tianling’s heart.

It was as if the light had faded and the shadow of a Demon Soul had begun to close in, causing his Nine-Orifice Exquisite Heart to begin transforming into a Demon Heart.

The Demon Heart seemed on the verge of being activated. Ye Tianling’s eyes turned blood-red, and an aura of pure Destruction began to emanate from him.