Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

The Soul-Catching Lamp, as its name suggests, is a unique treasure specifically used to restrain the Divine Souls of others.

It uses Divine Souls as fuel, and the stronger the Divine Soul, the more power the Soul-Catching Lamp can accumulate.

This power can be unleashed through two methods.

The first is the World-Annihilating Demon Light.

It possesses an incredibly destructive power. Once unleashed, it causes both the victim's body and cultivation to disintegrate until nothing remains.

The second is the Spirit-Annihilating Death Light.

The function of the Spirit-Annihilating Death Light is completely different from the World-Annihilating Demon Light. It is a powerful technique that specifically attacks the Divine Soul.

The Divine Soul is the most profound and mysterious aspect of a Cultivator.

Soul Cultivators are those who primarily cultivate the Divine Soul.

The power of the Divine Soul—also known as Spiritual Power or the power of the soul—is silent, invisible, and formless when channeled. It can even be used to launch attacks from highly unconventional angles, making them difficult to detect and nearly impossible to defend against.

And when the Divine Soul power stored in the Soul-Catching Lamp reaches a certain level, it can even fuse the World-Annihilating Demon Light and the Spirit-Annihilating Death Light to launch an even more terrifying attack.

...

After processing the flood of information in his mind, Ye Chen exhaled deeply.

'This unique treasure is powerful, of that there is no doubt.'

'But its grade is difficult to gauge. At least, I can't determine it right now.'

'If the Cyan-faced Demon Monarch could have fully unleashed the Soul-Catching Lamp's abilities, I'm afraid it would've taken me quite some effort to defeat him.'

'Clearly, the Cyan-faced Demon Monarch himself never managed to erase the Soul-Catching Lamp's soul imprint.'

'He hadn't refined the Soul-Catching Lamp; he only knew how to use its most basic functions.'

Seeing Ye Chen put away the Soul-Catching Lamp, the realm spirit knew that he had most likely figured out how to use it.

Her vermilion lips parted as she asked, "When do you plan to set out for Kunlun Mountain?"

Ye Chen glanced at the sky outside the window.

It was already afternoon. Before long, it would be dark.

"Tomorrow."

"We'll rest properly today and head up the mountain tomorrow," Ye Chen said.

...

「Inside a spacious and grand residence in Kunlun City.」

"What did you say?"

"Li Yue is dead?!"

A young figure suddenly opened his eyes. A brilliant, intimidating light flashed within them.

He had been meditating and cultivating, preparing for the upcoming Martial Arts Tournament.

But he never would have imagined that Elder Hong Zhi would suddenly visit and deliver such terrible news.

His younger clan brother, Li Yue, was dead!

Seeing the icy expression on the young man's face as a powerful aura erupted from him, Hong Zhi couldn't help but caution, "Changhe, calm yourself!"

"Elder, Li Yue died at the hands of another. How can you expect me, his elder brother, to remain calm?"

Li Changhe shot to his feet, his posture as straight as a sword. He was the very picture of youthful vigor, his sharp aura on full display.

The commotion alerted the other disciples and Elders of the Qingyue Sword Mansion, and they all turned to look.

"Elder Hong, just tell me, who exactly murdered Li Yue?" Li Changhe demanded in a low voice, his gaze sharp.

"It was someone from the Songyin Sword Mansion!" Hong Zhi said, his tone icy.

"The Songyin Sword Mansion?!"

At these words, the crowd of disciples and Elders from the Qingyue Sword Mansion erupted in shock and anger.

Both were top factions in Xu Province, and their two mansions had been enemies for generations.

But for the most part, while the disciples of the two factions would antagonize each other, they were measured enough not to take a life.

To think that this time, the Songyin Sword Mansion had actually dared to deal a fatal blow—how could they possibly endure that?

"Was it Ji Yuanshan?"

"No one else would have the nerve, right?"

Li Changhe's eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing within them.

He knew his younger clan brother had a wild streak and had been put in his place by Ji Yuanshan more than once.

He assumed that Ji Yuanshan hadn't held back this time and had accidentally killed Li Yue.

Given Ji Yuanshan's cultivation at the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, it didn't seem impossible for him to have accidentally killed Li Yue, who was merely at the Blood Coagulation Realm.

"Well..." Hong Zhi hesitated. "The one who killed Li Yue was also a young Cultivator at the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, but it wasn't Ji Yuanshan."

"Not Ji Yuanshan?"

"Besides him, where would the Songyin Sword Mansion find another young genius who has reached such a high level?"

The crowd immediately voiced their doubts.

"I've never seen this person, either. I suspect he's outside help the Songyin Sword Mansion hired from elsewhere," Hong Zhi said, shaking his head.

"Outside help, is it? As long as he hasn't broken through to the Primordial Mansion Realm, avenging my brother will be a simple matter!" Li Changhe stated coolly.

"With Senior Brother Li's strength, he's never met his match below the Primordial Mansion Realm!"

"That's right! Senior Brother Li even managed to escape from a true Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivator! I ask you, what other Spirit Sea Realm Cultivator can match such a feat?"

"How dare they murder Junior Brother Li Yue! Senior Brother Li, you have to teach those bastards from the Songyin Sword Mansion a lesson they'll never forget!"

The disciples all chimed in, voicing their agreement.

A sense of shared animosity united them against their sworn enemy, the Songyin Sword Mansion.

"What's your cultivation level now, Changhe?" Hong Zhi asked Li Changhe.

"I'm on the verge of the Primordial Mansion Realm."

"In less than half a month, I should be able to break through to the Primordial Mansion Realm," Li Changhe said calmly.

The crowd was stunned once again.

'A Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivator this young? Has there ever been one in the history of our Qingyue Sword Mansion?'

Hong Zhi clapped his hands and laughed. "As expected of our Qingyue Sword Mansion's once-in-a-century Sword Dao prodigy! With Changhe on our side, we are guaranteed to keep the Songyin Sword Mansion suppressed for the next hundred years!"

"It's just a shame. If it weren't for *that guy* showing up, we still would've had a good chance of competing for a spot at the Peach Blossom Banquet."

At this, Hong Zhi couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

"It doesn't matter."

Li Changhe shook his head, his gaze cold. "This time, all I want is to avenge my brother."

"By the way, Elder Hong, do you know the name of the man who murdered my brother?"

Hong Zhi fell silent for a moment before replying, "I only know that fellow Ji Yuanshan referred to him as Ye Chen."

"Ye... Chen?!"

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. Li Changhe's brow furrowed deeply, his expression one of disbelief.

"Rest assured. He is definitely not the person you're thinking of."

"This Ye Chen's cultivation is merely at the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm, the same as yours," Hong Zhi added with a reassuring smile.

"If that's the case, then I'm relieved." Li Changhe nodded.

...

「Nightfall.」

Yu Xiaoran led Ji Yuanshan to Ye Chen's door and knocked.

"Come in."

Seeing the visitors, Ye Chen immediately understood their intentions.

"So, you want my help removing the Bone-Corroding Soul Curse?"

"Did you gather all the medicinal herbs I asked for?"

"We've gathered them! You can rest assured, Young Friend Ye!"