Chapter 320: Villains Should Not Talk So Much Crap
When Zhu Yao voiced out, everyone raised their heads and looked at top of the screen. In an instant, all of their faces changed.
Hidden amidst the clouds, the corner of a green cloth could be faintly seen, swaying with the wind. With a closer look it could be seen that it was the corner of a flag. What’s strange about it was that there wasn’t any trace of a person around it, though a green gas would occasionally emit out of the flag and seep into the surroundings.
“Sect Master Gu, hurry and rewind the Visual Recording Stone, so that we can find out when and how the flag is placed?” Everyone could see that the flag wasn’t normal, and someone reminded Sect Master Gu to replay the incident.
Sect Master Gu immediately circulated his spiritual energy. The Visual Recording Stone could only store three days of records at best, and presently, it had been three days since the incident. Even if he could rewind, it could only return to the point where the chaos and the slaughter among the disciples had just begun. It looked as if the flag had appeared there out of thin air.
“Hurry and look at the surroundings!” Someone shouted. Everyone focused, and they could see tiny flashes of white light seeping into the flag. The sparks of white light were actually flown out of the bodies of the Office Shell Sect disciples.
“Could that possibly be… a Soul Beckoning Banner!?”
Everyone present held their breaths, their faces were filled with utter disbelief.
“That’s impossible!” A Nascent Soul elderly practitioner was the first to step out and refute. “Soul Beckoning Banners can only be used to beckon ghosts. These disciples of Office Shell Sect were still all alive and well. How can a Soul Beckoning Banner possibly beckon the souls of living humans?”
“But those sparks of white light are indeed parts of those disciples’ souls.” That person stood in front of the Visual Recording Stone. He pointed at the disciples who were fighting wildly and said. “Look at these disciples, everyone single one of them is in such a crazed state, completely devoid of logic and reason. If they had been struck with Heart Assimilating Arts, who could possibly control so many hearts at once? Clearly, their main souls were beckoned away, which resulted to such a situation. This flag isn’t a Soul Beckoning Banner at all, but a Soul Assimilating Banner used to assimilate the main souls of living humans.”
“Nonsense!” There were still people who were unwilling to believe such a thing. “Never have I heard of a Soul Assimilating Banner. How can a mystic arts or mystic artifact that can freely control a person’s soul possibly exist in this world? If such a mystic arts truly exist, wouldn’t that mean that everyone in the world can have their souls assimilated by the culprit?”
“Umm…” Zhu Yao raised her hand. “I don’t know if there’s a mystic artifact that can control souls, but if it’s mystic arts that can achieve soul control, I’ve seen it before!”
The crowd was startled for a moment, and then they immediately swept their eyes towards Zhu Yao.
She had no choice but to tell them about the Nascent Soul puppets that had attacked Ness Cesary Sect. Qu Ying and a few of the sect disciples present on that day had all seen it happened before their eyes as well, so when Zhu Yao brought it up, they suddenly came to realization and understood that arts to control those puppets’ souls had been used.
For a moment, everyone was silent. The faces of the various Sect Masters especially were incredibly ugly. Such a terrifying heretic practitioner actually appeared in the world, and he was capable of controlling the souls of living beings easily. Then how could the deity sects possibly have any chance at victory?
“We must find this person with haste, otherwise the consequences will be immense.” The sects that were formerly in support of first building up their strength had instantly changed their minds.
“However… If that person were to return again, and use that mystic arts…” Some were still worried.
“This person developed the Soul Assimilating Banner, yet he does not dare to reveal himself. There must be some form of weakness in it. If we don’t locate him now, I’m afraid he will grow even more powerful while we become even more powerless as time goes by.”
“Right, we must find him immediately.”
In an instant, the situation where they were incessantly arguing over their own safety had disappeared, and they had finally become united. A few of the Sect Masters in-charge of large sects had already begun discussing about their course of action in finding the culprit. Even the Sovereigns were taking this matter seriously.
Zhu Yao instead took a step back and chuckled at Sovereign Wu Fu, who was standing at the side. “I wonder what brilliant idea does fellow Sovereign have to take this matter?”
Wu Fu who had just been thoroughly beaten earlier, was now looking at her with incredible irritation. He no longer acted courteous either as he coldly snorted. “I can’t accept such flattery, with how smart junior-martial sister Zhu is, it seemed like we have to rely on junior-martial sister to capture this heretic practitioner.”
“Of course! That should be how it is!” Zhu Yao shamelessly acknowledged his words, giving him a “you are absolutely right, I am very incredible” look.
Wu Fu’s face instantly turned green from irritation.
“Junior-martial sister Zhu, it was just a fit of anger on senior-martial brother Wu Fu’s part. Please don’t fuss with him.” Sovereign Wu Hua, who was behind her, took a step forward and came in as a mediator.
“Hoho… How can that be? As an adult, I have never fussed with a tiny person!” Zhu Yao especially emphasized on the phrase “tiny person”. As expected, Wu Fu’s expression turned darker. “Look, I even informed fellow Sovereign on the incantation to activate the bell. As someone with such a benevolent heart, how could I possibly be angry at him? Isn’t that right, Hua Lin?”
She intentionally brought in Old Man Hua from the side.
As a professional follower, Hua Lin immediately nodded like a shaking scallion, and then said with a stern look. “That’s right, that’s right. Fellow Daoist Yu is very kind.”
“…” Wu Hua’s face stiffened, before he let out a dry laugh. “That’s… That’s good… Hoho.”
While Wu Fu’s face had already begun to turn dark.
“Haah, I like to help others. If I don’t help one person a day, my body will itch all over.” Zhu Yao continued to fan the flames. “You guys should be aware of this. As someone who has incredible cultivation like me, I don’t have much going on usually, and since I don’t have much hobbies, I like to refine some tenth rank or ninth rank little toys, and then throw them all around the place. Didn’t I refine a large golden banner for you guys in the past?” She paused for a moment, as though she had just thought of something. She looked towards Wu Hua and said. “Oh right, Sovereign Wu Hua, I forgot to ask you. Do you still have that golden banner I gave you? Haah, back then, I was concealing my cultivation, so I didn’t tell you that it was a seventh rank mystic artifact. Sorry about that~”
Wu Hua was startled for a moment. Then, something seemed to have flashed past his mind as he spoke with a smile. “Sovereign, you’re too courteous! I’m already elated to have been bestowed with your mystic artifact.”
“Actually, I’m to blame for my lack of education during my youth. The word on that banner was written with such crookedness that it has affected the circulation of spiritual energy of the mystic artifact. Otherwise, it could have possibly become an eighth rank mystic artifact. Eh… What was the word I wrote back then? Sovereign Wu Hua, take it out for a moment. Why don’t I help you alter it a little right now?”
“There’s no need for the hassle.” Wu Hua courteously said. “To tell you the truth, this lowly one has accidentally lost it.”
“Ah!?” Zhu Yao frowned. “How could it be lost? Where did you lose it?”
“This…”
“Is it in Peaceful Spiritual Forest?”
Wu Hua was startled, the smile on his face instantly stiffened.
Zhu Yao’s voice turned cold as she continued. “I suddenly remembered. The word ‘soul’ was written on it. The ‘soul’ of a Soul Beckoning Banner!”
When her words fell, his expression changed, while Hua Lin had already reacted in an instant. With all of his spiritual energy at once, he struck out his palm.
Wu Hua dodged to the side and then flew up into the air. Hua Lin’s palm missed, and right after, an enormous crater appeared on the ground. Wu Hua who still had a harmonious smile earlier, instantly made a ruthless and cruel face as he summoned a spiritual sword.
“What are you two trying to do?” Wu Fu at the side instantly flared up as he furiously glared at Zhu Yao and Hua Lin who attacked earlier. Just as he was about to stop them, Zhu Yao stopped him with her glare.
“Idiot, do you still not get it? He’s the culprit behind refining the Soul Assimilating Banner, exterminating Office Shell Sect, and flattening Ness Cesary Sect!”
“What?” This time, it wasn’t just Wu Fu. Everyone present was looking at Wu Hua in the air with looks of utter disbelief.
Zhu Yao coldly snorted. “I have never given him a banner-shaped mystic artifact, but I had seen that golden Soul Beckoning Banner in Peaceful Spiritual Forest five years ago. If my guess is correct, a Soul Beckoning Banner is one of the materials needed to refine a Soul Assimilating Banner.”
Everyone present collectively held their breaths.
“Impossible!” Wu Fu was still denying it with all his might. All of the Ness Cesary Soul disciples also had looks of disbelief on their faces. “He’s a Demigod Sovereign of Ness Cesary Sect in the first place, why is there a need for him to deal with his own sect?”
“Then what if he’s not Wu Hua?” Zhu Yao said, with emphasis on every word.
Everyone present became even more shocked.
“You… What are you trying to say?” Wu Fu had a look of disbelief.
Zhu Yao solemnly said. “Soul takeover.”
Everyone was dumbfounded. Soul takeover… Taking over a Demigod Sovereign’s soul… How was that even possible?
“A bunch of lies. He’s a Demigod!” Wu Fu furiously reproved.
“He’s also someone who can refine the Soul Assimilating Banner.” Zhu Yao reminded.
Everyone’s faces instantly turned pale. That’s right. Since he was capable of pulling out the souls of living people, taking over the soul of a Demigod Sovereign did not sound too far-fetched any longer. Then who was the person in the air?
“Hohohoho…” Wu Hua instantly laughed out loud sinisterly. However, strangely, it was actually a female voice. “I never thought that even after many years of planning, I still ended up getting discovered. That’s right, I’m not Wu Hua. That old snitch agreed to cooperate, but he quickly went back on his word right after and attempted to plot against me. I had no choice but to remove this snake in the grass. After thwarting his schemes, I used him to infiltrate Ness Cesary Sect…” She suddenly looked down and landed her eyes on Zhu Yao. “I believed that I have concealed myself really well for these five years. How did you see through my disguise?”
“Why should I tell you that?” Zhu Yao rolled her eyes at her. “We’re going to fight, right? Why do you villains always have so much crap to say?”
Zhu Yao immediately summoned a heavenly lightning bolt and struck it in his direction.
Right from the very start, she had suspected that the culprit behind this chain of events was most likely within the various clans and sects present. Because from the beginning till the end, other than those few puppets, she did not see the shadow of even a single heretic practitioner. Furthermore, heretic practitioners had always moved on their own and did not have a single gathering site. Wanting to gather them together to strike down a deity sect was even harder than ascending to the heavens.
That was why she had thought that there might be a mole. In the beginning, she had suspected Wu Fu who had been harbouring ill will against her the entire time, until Wu Hua spoke up to rescue Wu Fu. Though the two of them had always belonged to Ness Cesary Sect, and were martial brothers of the same sect, they had always been on opposing sides. They were like kings who refused to acknowledge each other. If not for the occasions themselves, the two would rather stay away and die from old age than see each other. Even back then when she was at Skybond Peak, when the two of them were supervising her cultivation, they had never appeared together. Yet, Wu Hua spoke up for Wu Fu earlier, which was an incredibly strange event.
What made her certain was when her master suddenly spoke up. This person’s soul is unstable.
What kind of person would have an unstable soul? Either when that person had parts of its soul missing, or when his or her soul had been taken over.
Furthermore, with the appearance of the Soul Assimilating Banner, she could not help but recall the time when she was in Peaceful Spiritual Forest. When the toad talked about the Soul Beckoning Banner it saw, it mentioned about seeing a soul takeover occuring. The toad said that a male practitioner had killed a female practitioner, and then that female practitioner took over the male practitioner’s soul. In the beginning, she had thought that the two of them had Nascent Soul cultivation. When she thought about it now, with a beastie’s personality, why would it have waited till the female practitioner had finished taking over the male practitioner’s soul if he had complete confidence in taking it, especially when it was something it liked?
The reason why it quietly watched the entire scene before taking action, was most likely because one of the pair was most likely a Demigod Sovereign. The toad did not have the confidence for absolute victory, and so decided to wait till he was taken over, before snatching its beloved golden banner away.
That male practitioner was most likely Sovereign Wu Hua, while the female practitioner was that heretic practitioner. Wu Hua probably wanted to work with the heretic practitioner in the beginning, and that Soul Beckoning Banner was most likely his creation as well. However, after a while, he must have regretted his actions and thus wanted to kill the female practitioner. Having his soul taken over was most likely something he never expected would happen.
Earlier, Zhu Yao had just casually mentioned the Soul Beckoning Banner to test her, but Zhu Yao never expected that she would really take the bait and thought that Zhu Yao was the one who refined the Soul Beckoning Banner which Wu Hua brought!
Presently, within Wu Hua’s body was the female practitioner who took over his soul. In the heart demon site which she along with little tyrant and Ye Qingcang were in, the strand of divine sense she saw back then belonged to a female practitioner as well!
She was the mastermind behind everything.
With Zhu Yao’s opening strike, everyone regained their senses and summoned their own mystic artifacts as they moved to surround ‘Wu Hua’.
‘Wu Hua’ dodged that heavenly lightning bolt. Glancing at the surrounding people, she coldly laughed. “With the likes of you people, trying to capture me is but a pipe dr-”
Before she could even finish, with a splat sound, she fell from the skies and slammed onto the ground.
Zhu Yao once again strengthened the pressure she was releasing and sighed. “I already told you that villains shouldn’t talk so much crap, right?” She was already surrounded, yet she still did not forget to throw down some trash talk. Are you here to act for a show?
Everyone present: “…” Such a ruthless Sovereign.
Zhu Yao instantly called upon a stream of lightning bolts and struck them down at her. The ground was instantly covered in clouds of dust.
“Damn it!” ‘Wu Hua’ flew out from the minefield. Her hair was dishevelled and even her clothes were ripped. She glared at Zhu Yao with gritted teeth. This time, she no longer started off with her trash talk. She immediately pulled out an item and threw it into the air.
In an instant, a green banner shrouded over Zhu Yao’s head.
“Soul Assimilating Banner!” Someone recognized this was the banner within the Visual Recording Stone with a glance. “Sovereign, watch out!”
“It’s useless!” ‘Wu Hua’ smiled sinisterly. “No one is able to escape my Soul Assimilating Art. So what if you have a higher cultivation level than me? Become my puppet!” She hurriedly cast an art with her hands, and the green banner instantly released a pale green aura akin to ghostly flames, enveloping Zhu Yao.
“Daoist Yu!” Hua Lin’s face paled.
“Hahahaha…” ‘Wu Hua’ laughed even more maniacally, sparkles of excitement filled her eyes as she stared intently at Zhu Yao who was within the green light. She’s about to become my Demigod Sovereign. Very soon! Very soon…
A moment later.
Nothing happened…
Zhu Yao stably stood within the green light. Forget about her soul leaving her body, not even a strand of hair was lost.
“That’s impossible!” ‘Wu Hua’ immediately cast the art again. However, no matter how she cast it, Zhu Yao was affected in the slightest.
Hua Lin and the rest of his little companions were dumbfounded, as they looked suspiciously at ‘Wu Hua’. You’re just here to play a prank, right? Where’s the promised puppet?
“Daoist Yu? How… are you feeling?”
“Mn, it’s a little chilly!” I’m sorry, I just found out I’m immune to soul manipulating abilities too.
Everyone: …
Zhu Yao waved her hand and summoned two lightning bolts. One landed right on the Soul Assimilating Banner, while the other struck fellow student ‘Wu Hua’ who was already beginning to seriously suspect her own character setting.
With a loud thunderous boom, she was immediately slammed onto the ground.