Chapter 280: Chapter 199: Using Oneself as Bait, Orphan of the Ling Clan (Part 2)

This was also incredibly dangerous for him. If the Soul Gu died, he would lose a crucial trump card for his own survival.

But to kill Song Changsheng, he was willing to risk it all.

Unfortunately, his hopes were high, but reality was a cruel letdown.

It was true that the Soul Gu was invisible to the naked eye. But Song Changsheng’s eyes were different. They were a fusion of two Pupil Techniques, the Eye of Truth and the Insight Skill. Anything with Spiritual Power—be it an object or a living creature—had nowhere to hide once it entered his line of sight!

But Song Changsheng didn’t attack it rashly. He suddenly realized this was a good opportunity to break the stalemate, though it would require taking a risk.

As the Poisonous Insect drew near, he deliberately exposed a small opening.

Feng Wuming fell for it, just as expected. He immediately directed the Soul Gu to break through Song Changsheng’s Protective Spiritual Gang, tearing a small gash in his green robe with lightning speed.

Its mouthparts were bizarre. Not even the Tier Two Low-Grade Artifact, the Golden Thread Robe, that he wore against his skin could stop it. It pierced right through his skin and burrowed inside.

Song Changsheng let out a muffled grunt. He could feel something swimming rapidly upward through his flesh.

He immediately circulated his Spiritual Power, trying to force it out.

"Hahaha, Song Changsheng, time to die!"

Seeing the Soul Gu successfully invade, Feng Wuming was ecstatic and charged straight at Song Changsheng to kill him.

It all came down to this!

He grew closer.

His hands, emitting a sinister glow, were only a foot away from tearing Song Changsheng open!

Just then, the panicked expression on Song Changsheng’s face twisted into a bizarre smile as he tossed something into his mouth.

Feng Wuming’s heart lurched, and a sudden, ominous premonition washed over him.

"HUMMM..."

In that instant, a humming sound erupted from within Song Changsheng’s body, and a faint light shone through his skin.

"Inconstant Killing Array, activate!"

A gray wave of Sword Qi erupted from Song Changsheng, unleashing a terrifying aura that made one’s soul tremble.

At such close range, he had no time to unfurl the Tai Chi Diagram. He could only resort to his old trick and transfer his Divine Soul into the Soul Gu.

The next moment, his Physical Body was shredded to pieces by the Sword Qi. Even the Wooden Tower behind him was cleaved in two.

"What the hell is this..."

Feng Wuming, having just transferred his Divine Soul into the Soul Gu inside Song Changsheng’s body, let out a shrill, disbelieving cry at the sight.

But Song Changsheng was in no mood to reply.

The attack had drained every last bit of Spiritual Power from Song Changsheng’s body. He could no longer even maintain Sword Control and plummeted from the sky.

Fortunately, his physique was powerful. Otherwise, the fall would have splattered him into a paste.

"Your Spiritual Power is depleted! Hahaha, so that’s how it is! In that case, I will gladly take your Physical Body for myself."

The previously terrified Feng Wuming was now thrilled. He began to struggle, forcing his way toward Song Changsheng’s Sea of Consciousness. A powerful Physical Body was exactly what he needed.

The thought of Song Changsheng’s monstrous talent made his soul tremble with excitement.

"You’re the one who’s going to die!"

The moment the words were spoken, Feng Wuming felt the surrounding flesh and blood constrict around him. The immense power contained within left him utterly helpless.

"No—!"

In a flash, the Soul Gu was crushed to death by Song Changsheng’s sheer Physical Power.

Having cultivated the Five Beasts Body Refining Technique for years, Song Changsheng’s Physical Power was strong enough to clash head-on with a Spiritual Artifact. The Poisonous Insect was far too fragile before him; a slight flex was all it took to obliterate it.

Once he felt Feng Wuming’s aura vanish, Song Changsheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He lay on the blood-soaked ground, quietly waiting for his Spiritual Power to recover.

Before activating the Array, he had tossed a Replenishing Essence Pill into his mouth. He had now crushed it between his teeth, and a sweet medicinal liquid was flowing throughout his body. It wouldn’t take long for it to be converted into Spiritual Power.

Just then, the sound of footsteps reached him, making Song Changsheng’s heart jump. ’There’s someone else here?’

"Elder Song? Are you alright, Elder Song?"

It was Wum Yan’s voice.

But this did not put Song Changsheng at ease. In his current state, Wum Yan could easily take his life without even getting close. Fortunately, having taken the Replenishing Essence Pill beforehand, he had already recovered a sliver of Spiritual Power and was not entirely defenseless.

"Wum Yan, why haven’t you left?" Song Changsheng’s tone was calm, betraying no hint of his feelings.

"I... I just wanted to see who the murderer trying to kill me was. I didn’t mean to spy on your Magical Combat, Elder," Wum Yan explained, waving his hands hastily.

"It’s fine. I’m not blaming you. I’m exhausted. Help me up." Song Changsheng stared intently at him, not letting his guard down for a second.

"Of course."

Wum Yan hurried forward, draped Song Changsheng’s right arm over his own shoulder, and helped him to his feet.

"Elder Song, let me help you over to sit down."

"My thanks." Song Changsheng nodded calmly. ’From this close, I could crush his head instantly.’

Wum Yan showed no strange reaction and helped Song Changsheng toward a nearby rock.

Just then, Song Changsheng said abruptly, "I am incredibly weak right now. If you chose to kill me, the rewards would be beyond your wildest imagination."

The words made Wum Yan tremble. He quickly replied, "Elder, you saved the lives of a dozen of my brothers! I haven’t even had the chance to repay your kindness. How could I dare harbor such a monstrous thought?"

Song Changsheng stared silently into his eyes. Just as Wum Yan was starting to feel his skin crawl, Song Changsheng’s face broke into a smile. "I’m just kidding. Don’t be so tense."

Aided by the Replenishing Essence Pill, Song Changsheng had finally recovered some Spiritual Power. He took the Ink Jade Lotus Platform from his Storage Bag, sat on it to meditate and regulate his energy, and quickly brought himself back to a stable condition.

He opened his eyes, slowly exhaled a breath of foul air, and looked at Wum Yan, who had been standing respectfully by his side the whole time. "Let’s go take a look."

Just as he stood up, he seemed to remember something. He swiped a hand across his chest, instantly opening a large, bloody gash.

Then, under Wum Yan’s stunned gaze, he reached his fingers into the wound and forcibly dug out a flattened insect, tossing it to the ground. He didn’t even furrow his brow throughout the entire process.

That wasn’t all. The wound twitched, then began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye. In moments, it had already scabbed over.

’Such astonishing healing ability.’

Wum Yan was dumbfounded. ’This Elder Song seems even more incredible than the rumors say.’

In the brief moment Wum Yan was stunned, Song Changsheng had already walked some distance away. He hurried to catch up and saw Song Changsheng bending down to pick up a scroll.

He knew that it was the indestructible Tai Chi Diagram. While watching the battle from afar, he had been filled with an intense craving for it.

’But he could only dream,’ he thought. ’A treasure like that is not something I’m worthy of possessing.’ He had always been very clear on that point.

Song Changsheng unfurled the Tai Chi Diagram, and its surface immediately began to glow with a soft Spiritual Light.

But no matter how he inspected it, he couldn’t sense its Spiritual Attribute, nor could he determine its specific grade.

Furthermore, he didn’t recognize the material of the Tai Chi Diagram at all, which only made him more curious about its origins. Now, however, was not the time for investigation.

After putting the Tai Chi Diagram into his Storage Bag, Song Changsheng gazed at the ravine, which now resembled a Ghost Realm. His heart was unusually heavy.

"Evil Demons... they are a scourge that everyone has a duty to eliminate."

This was the first time he had witnessed an Evil Cultivator slaughtering mortals, but he knew in his heart that it would certainly not be the last.

"Wum Yan, I need your help."

"Anything, Elder," Wum Yan replied respectfully. He already had a faint idea of what Song Changsheng was about to ask.

"Help me gather these bodies and lay them to rest."

"I will, Elder."

Looking at Song Changsheng’s somewhat bleak silhouette, Wum Yan felt a sudden stirring in his heart.

He said nothing more, simply giving a silent, respectful bow before he began to gather the corpses. For a time, the only sound in the empty ravine was that of two men using Magic to move the bodies.

There were seventy to eighty thousand corpses. Even for cultivators, this task would take a significant amount of time.

The two of them worked for over an ancient hour but had gathered less than half.

Just then, a cry, so faint it was almost inaudible, abruptly echoed through the empty ravine, instantly capturing Song Changsheng’s attention...