462: Chapter 477 The Battle of the Two Banners! [Part 1]

Seeing Lu Ming's action, Bone Underworld was momentarily stunned. Thinking the opponent was preparing some powerful ultimate move, he immediately assumed a vigilant posture.

The soul devouring banner hovered before him as yin nether qi surged around his body; he was as alert as if facing a formidable enemy.

But after waiting for a moment, the field remained silent, and nothing happened.

Lu Ming maintained his hand-raising posture, and the expression on his face gradually shifted from initial excitement to a bit of embarrassment.

Damn it, he had forgotten that this wasn't the Secret Realm. It would take a bit of time for his true body to send the human emperor banner over.

However, as the saying goes, as long as I'm not embarrassed, the one who's embarrassed is someone else.

He completely ignored Bone Underworld, whose face turned from green to pale, then from white to red, and finally settled into a hideous liver-colored hue.

At this moment, Bone Underworld was also roaring inwardly.

He, a dignified personal disciple of a Nascent Soul Demonic Lord and a figure with a fierce reputation in the Inner Domain, had actually been bluffed by the empty bravado of a waste with an unstable Foundation!

What a disgrace!

It was simply a profound humiliation!

"Heh."

It turns out that when a person is truly speechless, they really do laugh!

The expression on Bone Underworld's face gradually returned to calm, replaced by undisguised ridicule.

He stowed the soul devouring banner and stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at Lu Ming as if watching a buffoonish clown.

"Jiang Wunian, you want to stall for time? Hehe, this is all the skill you have."

His voice was raspy and cold, like sandpaper rubbing together.

"I can't believe I was actually frightened by someone like you. It really shouldn't have happened."

In response to Bone Underworld's words, Lu Ming simply shrugged with a look of indifference.

"Ah, right, right, right. Whatever you say."

"Hmph, putting on an act," Bone Underworld sneered.

"Do you think stalling for time will bring reinforcements? You've likely forgotten what kind of place this is; no one can come and go as they please here."

"That's not for certain."

Lu Ming glanced at the gloomy sky, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Seeing that Jiang Wunian was still being stubborn, Bone Underworld's face darkened. Just as he was about to say something more, his body suddenly stiffened, and he abruptly looked up.

He saw that the gloomy sky of the Jiling Wasteland, which hadn't changed for tens of millions of years, suddenly split open at this moment!

It was as if something was descending from a higher place. The sky could not withstand that force and naturally receded to both sides.

The crack spread down from the Nine Heavens, as if torn open by an invisible giant hand. Countless fine cracks spread in all directions from the edges, making a sound like shattering glass.

From within the crack, a Profound Yellow Light suddenly bloomed from the darkness.

It poured down from the rift like a heavenly waterfall hanging in the sky, dyeing the entire wasteland—which was dominated by gloomy tones—with a faint layer of dusky yellow.

The earthly fiend astral wind for miles around was swept away. Those fierce winds that had raged for tens of millions of years did not dare to make the slightest move in the face of this Aura.

And within that dusky yellow heavenly waterfall, a long banner slowly emerged.

The moment it appeared, the world abruptly changed color.

Profound Yellow Light spread out behind it like a sun falling into the Mortal world, bringing about a sunset twilight.

Seeing this, Bone Underworld's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of needlepoints. His breathing hitched for a moment, and his chest felt as if pressed by a giant boulder, making it hard to breathe.

His fingers unconsciously tightened around the soul devouring banner, his knuckles turning white from the force.

At this moment, Bone Underworld only felt his Divine Soul trembling; it was a fear born of instinct, like facing a natural predator.

"Is that... a soul devouring banner?"

He muttered to himself but soon shook his head, rejecting his own judgment.

"No... that's not right!"

He stared fixedly at the long banner suspended in mid-air, his eyes full of confusion.

There was a familiar feeling about it, just like the soul devouring banner in his hand; both possessed the overbearing power to devour all yin nether qi and the power of deceased souls.

But while they seemed similar, they felt completely different.

Besides the difference in appearance, there were internal characteristics; it seemed the two had embarked on different paths.

His soul devouring banner was a pure tool of the Demonic Path.

Sinister, eerie, feeding on the devouring of deceased souls, and delighting in slaughter.

Any deceased soul that entered the banner would sink for eternity, never to be reborn.

But this banner before him...

It also emitted yin nether Death Qi, but it was different; it was like order within chaos, like an army with strict discipline, under the unified command and deployment of a certain will.

This didn't seem like the Demonic Path; it was more like... the Imperial Path?

It possessed a majestic imperial prestige that held dominion over Life and Death and governed the Netherworld.

Bone Underworld's eyelid twitched violently.

What the Hell is this thing? It's neither righteous nor demonic!

And wasn't this Jiang Wunian one of those 'Flower-Plucking Thieves' who only knew how to manipulate the six desires and seven emotions of others?

How did he end up acting like someone from my Soul Devouring Demonic Sect!

Bone Underworld had countless doubts, but no one was there to answer them.

However, he quickly suppressed the surging emotions in his heart.

In that case, he would have a bout first.

After dealing with Jiang Wunian, he would search his soul, and then all secrets would be revealed.

In any case, in his view, even if Jiang Wunian possessed this Magic Treasure, it posed no threat to him.

After all, things depended on who was using them.

Playing with this kind of soul banner-type Magic Treasure in front of his Soul Devouring Demonic Sect was like trying to teach a fish how to swim.

He would properly teach Jiang Wunian how a soul banner was actually meant to be used!

"Jiang Wunian."

Bone Underworld spoke first, his raspy voice carrying undisguised ridicule.

"You have certainly given this lord a surprise."

"Unfortunately... using this kind of Magic Treasure in front of me makes you rather ignorant."

Hearing Bone Underworld's blatant mockery, Lu Ming did not get angry. He only smiled slightly, a mysterious glint flashing in his eyes as he thought to himself.

I'll see in a moment whether it's a surprise or a shock.

The human emperor banner had been in his hands for quite some time now.

In terms of proficiency, the current Lu Ming could be said to be not at all inferior to those people from the Soul Devouring Demonic Sect.

However, he would only know the specifics after testing it.

It just so happened that the Jiling Wasteland, this spirit-severing land, provided him with a relatively good and fair venue.

In a situation where neither could normally use their magic power, the human emperor banner and the soul devouring banner were their greatest reliances.

He wanted to see which was stronger and which was weaker.

After all, he was just feeling his way across the river. Ever since the human emperor banner began its mutation, the situation had gone a bit beyond his control.

He had no idea what following this path would develop into.

He would take this opportunity to see and get a feel for things, checking whether the orthodox Demonic Path or his kind of mutation was stronger in terms of potential.

Bone Underworld seemed to have the same intention, his eagerness undisguised in his eyes.

He wasted no more words.

Abruptly raising his hand, the soul devouring banner moved in response!

The banner surface fluttered loudly as countless streaks of ink-black yin nether qi surged out, twisting and intertwining in mid-air like hideous venomous snakes.

The devoured souls surfaced on the banner, emitting silent wails, and the temperature of the entire world suddenly dropped to the freezing point.

"Ten Thousand Souls Devouring the Heavens!"

Bone Underworld gave a low shout, and the soul devouring banner abruptly unfurled!

The banner expanded with the wind, transforming in an instant into a massive size of a hundred zhang, like a black curtain spanning heaven and earth.

Upon the banner's surface, countless eerie runes lit up. Amidst the flickering ghostly light, a giant gate reaching the heavens slowly emerged from the banner!

The giant gate was over a hundred zhang high, its frame constructed from countless white bones, and its doors were engraved with distorted ghost-face reliefs, emitting a suffocating sense of pressure.

Behind the giant gate was an endless, deep darkness, where countless distorted figures could be vaguely seen struggling, roaring, and wailing.

"Boom—"

The giant gate swung open with a bang!

In an instant, the yin wind howled, and ten thousand ghosts wept together!

Countless deceased souls surged out from behind the gate like a bursting dam, covering the sky and earth, obscuring the entire gloomy firmament!

There were the Divine Souls of Cultivators, the beast souls of Yao Beasts, and even the souls of Mortals.

They transformed into malevolent spirits, and the moment they appeared, they let out shrill roars. Their eyes were full of resentment and madness as they pounced toward Lu Ming like hyenas scenting blood!

The scene was like the gates of Hell opening, with billions of deceased souls pouring out!

Seeing this terrifying scene, Lu Ming remained calm.

He raised his hand, and the human emperor banner fell into his palm.

The moment his hand touched the banner pole, a warm current surged from the banner, spreading through his arm to his entire body.

The injuries previously eroded by the yin nether qi healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The Puppet body, which had been covered in cracks, also slowly repaired itself under the power of the human emperor banner.

Then, he gave a sharp command.

"By My Decree, Yin Soldiers!"

"Emerage!"

The human emperor banner abruptly unfurled, its surface transforming into a sky-covering cloth that spread out from the firmament like a giant scroll suspended in mid-air.

Upon the heavenly cloth, a phantom of a towering and magnificent city emerged.

Fengdu City. Its gates towered into the clouds, its walls stretched for ten thousand miles, and banners fluttered atop the towers. Every flag was embroidered with ancient runes, emitting a solemn majesty.

Within the city, halls and palaces stood in clusters with upturned eaves and bracket sets layered upon each other, stretching beyond the horizon.

The entire city was shrouded in a layer of faint ghostly light, both mysterious and solemn, like the core of the Netherworld and the final destination of the dead.

"Rumble—"

The city gates swung open with a thunderous sound!

Countless Yin Soldiers surged out from the city, their armor cold and their killing intent chilling.

They were like the enforcers of the Netherworld world, marching out step by step. Their hollow eyes held no fear, only absolute obedience and endless Battle Intent.

They formed neat phalanxes, their halberds like a forest and their shields like mountains. Their steps were perfectly synchronized, and every step that landed made the Void Realm tremble.

The front row raised shields, the back row leveled halberds, layered together like a bronze wall and iron bastion. With an unstoppable momentum, they crashed into Bone Underworld's tide of deceased souls.

"Boom—"

A clash between chaos and order played out on this Jiling Wasteland.

The tide of souls frantically bit and tore at the Yin Soldiers' lines. They had no formation and no tactics, only the most primitive instinct for slaughter.

They surged from the soul devouring banner that had transformed into the Netherworld gate, like waves crashing against rocks, wave after wave, never-ending.

Yet the Yin Soldier phalanxes remained as steady as boulders. The front row raised their shields, blocking all the impact of the souls.

The back row thrust their halberds through the gaps in the shields, piercing every soul that drew near.

They coordinated with tacit understanding, following orders strictly. Every row of Yin Soldiers that fell was replaced by the next.

Every time a defensive line was torn open, a new one was built up behind it.

On the battlefield, Yin Soldiers and souls were intertwined, the sounds of slaughter shaking heaven and earth.

The Yin Soldiers' halberds pierced the souls' bodies, while the souls' claws tore through the Yin Soldiers' armor.

Some Yin Soldiers were besieged by dozens of souls and eventually dissipated into a clump of profound nether qi.

There were also souls pinned to the ground by the Yin Soldiers' halberds, falling completely silent after a few struggles.

But no matter how they were charged, the Yin Soldiers' lines always stood firm.

They were like an indestructible dam; no matter how the tide of souls surged, it could not cross a single step.

Seeing this, Bone Underworld frowned slightly.

He could see clearly that although the tide of souls had an absolute advantage in numbers, in terms of casualty ratio, his souls were suffering greater losses.

The yin nether qi dissipated from those defeated souls was actually being directly plundered and absorbed by that strange soul banner!

With one side gaining while the other lost, he would inevitably be the one at a disadvantage.

Thinking of this, the hand seals in Bone Underworld's hands suddenly changed.

The overwhelming tide of souls suddenly changed its method of attack. No longer launching a direct frontal assault, it split into several streams to besiege from all directions simultaneously.

Some dove from the sky, some drilled up from the ground, and some flanked from the sides, attempting to tear through the Yin Soldiers' defense through multi-point Breakthroughs.

However, the Yin Soldier phalanxes also changed accordingly.

The shield-bearers in the front row turned to all sides, while the halberdiers in the back row moved within the formation to provide support. The entire phalanx was like a hedgehog; no matter which direction the attack came from, it would be met with a head-on blow.

Although this was somewhat effective, it still could not completely break through the Yin Soldiers' defense.

Bone Underworld's face darkened.

"This damn turtle!"

He cursed inwardly, but he also knew this couldn't continue. He had to change his approach.

"In that case, I'll break the surface with a single point!"

He would use the strongest spear to break through Jiang Wunian's turtle shell!

"Converge!"

At Bone Underworld's command, the soul devouring banner moved again, and the overwhelming tide of souls suddenly contracted!

Countless souls gathered in one place and began to twist and undergo Fusion.

In an instant, nine massive 'Malevolent Draught Zombies' rose from the tide of souls!

Each Malevolent Draught Zombie was ten zhang tall, their bodies formed from countless twisted and intertwined souls. Their faces were hideous, and they emitted a suffocating, terrifying Aura.

Their bodies were constantly writhing, with countless faces appearing and disappearing on the surface, letting out silent wails.

Their attacks had no technique, but they possessed pure power.

With every punch they threw, the earth would crack apart.

Each of these nine Malevolent Draught Zombies was comparable to the Late Golden Core Stage!

A cold smile curled on Bone Underworld's lips.

"Jiang Wunian, your turtle shell is indeed sturdy, but in the end, it's nothing more than a group of low-level yin souls and scattered ghosts!"

"In front of my Malevolent Chiefs, they are nothing but a disorganized rabble!"

Hearing Bone Underworld's somewhat playful words, Lu Ming's expression remained unchanged. He even curled his lip.

Heh, saying so much just means you're getting anxious.

Don't think he couldn't see that Bone Underworld had actually suffered quite a loss in these two clashes.

No matter how surging the tide of yin souls was, it had never been able to break through the defense formed by the Yin Soldiers.

Moreover, in just that short amount of time, he had already felt the human emperor banner devouring quite a bit of the soul devouring banner's yin nether Death Qi. For the human emperor banner, this could be considered a great tonic.

Although he had also lost a lot in the process, by comparison, he was still gaining more.

And don't forget, his human emperor banner was not Bone Underworld's soul devouring banner.

The soul devouring banner used yin nether Death Qi, while his used the mutated profound nether qi!

Lu Ming didn't know which was superior, but he could see clearly that the soul devouring banner seemed unable to digest the human emperor banner's profound nether qi.

The soul devouring banner simply could not absorb the profound nether qi that dissipated after the Yin Soldiers were killed; it could only watch as it drifted away into the Jiling Wasteland.

Bone Underworld had obviously noticed this too, which was why he got anxious and directly started increasing the intensity.

But why would Lu Ming be afraid?

He also had units for individual combat!