Chapter 1 Enormous Memories

Vast memories surged in, accompanied by chaotic, bloodthirsty, and brutal spiritual contamination. The female statue's level wasn't low. Even with a portion of its spiritual body severed, it could still resist a newly advanced Riyoushen (Night-Traveling God) level spirit. However, Zhang Yuanqing was different. He primarily cultivated the power of the sun god. His spiritual body was tougher than a Riyoushen of the same level. Plus, the power brought by the Illusory God's Heart allowed him to barely manage to devour spirits beyond his level.

While suppressing the invading chaotic spirit, he digested the memory fragments. Soon, he understood the female statue's identity. It was none other than the Yaoguang Headmaster who had led the Shushan disciples to resist the rebel army.

After the Yaoguang Headmaster died, the Shushan disciples built Yaoguang Hall for her, offering incense every day. The Yaoguang's remnant soul was attached to the statue, gradually recovering with the nourishment of faith power.

For a long time, she existed silently in the statue as the sect's guardian deity, receiving worship from the disciples.

Of course, ordinary disciples were unaware of her existence. Only the elders who built the hall for her knew that her remnant soul was attached to the statue. They entrusted the sect's treasure, the Zhanxian Feidao (Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger), to her to guard Nan Yuan (Southern Garden).

Until one day, black smoke spread from the main hall to Nan Yuan. As a yin spirit, Yaoguang couldn't resist the pollution of yin energy and degenerated into a pure vengeful spirit, hunting nearby living beings. Moreover, the power of incense and faith allowed the remnant spirit to recover its strength and exist in the human world for a long time.

Zhang Yuanqing, enduring his throbbing head after gaining new knowledge, was surprised. If that were the case, what were ancient cultivators afraid of when it came to lifespan exhaustion?

Uh, no, cultivators who died peacefully had their souls and bodies extinguished simultaneously. Yaoguang, however, suffered severe damage to her origin and died prematurely, a death considered violent.

The remnant spirit of a violently deceased high-level master could linger in the world for a long time. So, after obtaining the power of incense and faith, she survived as a guardian spirit. He should make a note of this. It might be useful in the future.

Zhang Yuanqing continued to read the memory fragments. As memories flashed through his mind, Zhang Yuanqing captured a memory fragment that made his blood boil.

The "Man-Eating Divine Art." After the fall of the Han Dynasty, the tradition of cultivators being enfeoffed as kings and chancellors ended. Most cultivators scattered into the jianghu (martial world) and formed sects. The order among cultivators became chaotic and disorderly. They no longer served the country and the people but sought personal gain. Thus, the evil method of plundering others' spiritual essence emerged.

By the Tang Dynasty, the order of the jianghu had stabilized. Such spells were classified as forbidden arts. Only those in the evil path were keen on using this method to devour the spiritual essence of others to enhance themselves.

It was said that this method was created by a Taoist alchemist. This alchemist was limited by his talent. His cultivation stagnated in his year of knowing destiny. In despair, he suddenly came up with an evil idea.

Since spiritually rich medicinal materials could be refined into spiritual pills, why not the human body? So, he delved into Taoist scriptures and comprehended them for several years, creating the method of refining the Sancai Dan (Three Talents Pill).

The so-called "three talents" were to refine a person's earth soul, heavenly soul, and human energy into a divine pill. After taking it, one's power would increase dramatically. This alchemist roamed the world with this method, and no one could defeat him.

However, at the peak of his power, he became mentally disordered because the soul fragments he devoured were too mixed. He became a madman. Losing the guidance of his will, the massive and chaotic spiritual power in his body went out of control, backfired on his body, and he exploded and died.

Zhang Yuanqing was worried about not having a "man-eating" secret method. Whether it was to hunt down the Chunyang (Pure Yang) Headmaster or ask the old hag for the method, the chances were slim.

The former was a rat in the gutter, both a Star Official and a Void Wanderer. It was too difficult to capture him alive. The latter hated evil and was upright and dignified. She would never allow her disciples to improve their cultivation through such evil methods.

Now, he had found the secret method in the dungeon. Heaven was helping him. Memory fragments continued to flash. Before long, Zhang Yuanqing saw the Yaoguang Headmaster, before she became a stone statue, with her feathery clothes fluttering, dancing gracefully. In front of her floated an old yellow gourd.

The dance was sometimes wild and fierce, like epilepsy; sometimes swaying her waist and hips, lightly and gracefully; sometimes vigorous and powerful, like a martial arts performance.

This didn't seem like a dance created for entertainment, but more like some kind of ancient sacrificial dance.

The dance wasn't long, ending in twenty seconds. The Yaoguang Headmaster, with her feathery clothes fluttering, bowed and said.

"Please, treasure, turn around." A line of white light shot out from the gourd, with eyebrows and eyes, whistling away, heading towards the enemy camp at the foot of the mountain. The picture disappeared.

Zhang Yuanqing opened his eyes, pinching his throbbing forehead. Although he had the abilities of a Riyoushen and a Void Wanderer to suppress the negative consequences of spirit devouring.

But his mental state still had problems. He became irritable, easily angered, and his thoughts were chaotic, making it impossible to think calmly.

Seeing him wake up, Fu Qingyang and others surrounded him, their eyes on the yellow gourd. What kind of treasure was this?

Zhang Yuanqing exhaled a long breath and sighed, "An awesome treasure, the Zhanxian Feidao (Immortal-Slaying Flying Dagger)!"

Zhanxian Feidao?

Everyone was moved. Obviously, they had all heard of the great name of this magic weapon. Xiahou Aotian's titanium alloy dog eyes suddenly flashed with light. "Let me see."

Excited, he reached out to grab it. Zhang Yuanqing's eyes sharpened, and a short blade was placed across the other's neck, his expression fierce. "Looking for death!"

Xiahou Aotian was stunned. Zhang Yuanqing seemed to have just reacted, his ferocious expression disappeared, and he hurriedly retracted the knife, shaking his head in pain. "Sorry, my mental state is not good. The female ghost statue's level was too high. Eating the spirit caused problems!"

Xiahou Aotian took the opportunity to take the yellow gourd and said, "Quickly think of a way to save the Zhisha Palace Master. Musicians can soothe your restless spirit. Why would you devour the spirit for no reason?"

Saying that, he lowered his head to read the item information. A flash, with eyebrows and eyes, how strange! The artifact spirit can give birth to eyebrows and eyes? How exactly was the Zhanxian Feidao refined? I want to analyze it. Xiahou Aotian held the old yellow gourd and muttered to himself. At the same time, he understood the reason why Yuanshi Tianzun devoured the spirit.

Without mastering the sacrificial dance, the Zhanxian Feidao was just a useless decoration in the high pavilion. Moreover, the Zhisha Palace Master would undoubtedly die.

"Don't analyze it. It's a waste of time." Daode Tianzun (Lord Lao) and the Demon Eye Heavenly King snatched it away. After reading the item information, they took a breath of cold air. "Although this item is not rule-based, its killing power is at least level eight peak, or even level nine. How could such a level of item exist in the Shushan Nan Yuan dungeon?"

He and Fu Qingyang were both at level eight early and mid-stage. The output of level eight peak was enough to injure them, and level nine was fatal.

Yaoguang Hall was just the first level. There shouldn't be such a high-intensity item.