Chapter 702 - 185: Ghost Bone Elder: You’ve Gone Too Far! You’ve Gone Too Far

Chapter 702: Chapter 185: Ghost Bone Elder: You’ve Gone Too Far! You’ve Gone Too Far

The Ten Thousand Souls Banner!

The moment this treasure appeared, the space sealed by the Five Elements Cauldron was instantly engulfed in a monstrous black fog. It became so dark one couldn’t see their hand in front of their face, transforming the area into a veritable Ghost Realm on earth.

"ROAR!!!"

The savage Ancient Fierce Soul fragment within the Demon Puppet seemed to sense the arrival of its natural enemy. It let out a shriek of ultimate terror and thrashed wildly inside the puppet, trying to abandon its vessel to save its own skin.

But it was too late.

With a gentle shake of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, a massive black vortex appeared in the center of its surface, like the gaping maw of an abyss.

A terrifying suction force that targeted souls erupted from it!

The Demon Puppet’s giant skull tilted back slightly as a grayish-black phantom was brutally ripped out from the crown of its head!

It was a ferocious, two-horned Fierce Soul that looked like a cross between a tiger and a dragon. More than half of its body had already been pulled out, and it was struggling desperately, clawing at the air and letting out a piercing shriek.

Just then, several deathly-pale, withered ghost claws shot out from the black vortex, viciously seizing the Fierce Soul’s neck and torso.

There was no suspense.

The ghostly claws gave a savage tug!

"SWOOSH!"

The Ancient Fierce Soul, powerful enough to make ordinary Bright Heart Realm experts tremble in fear at its mere mention, was dragged directly into the endless abyss of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

The world outside returned to silence, with only the Ten Thousand Souls Banner drifting gently in the air.

Chu Fan sat down cross-legged, his Divine Thought sinking into the banner.

Inside the Ten Thousand Souls Banner was a boundless, gray world.

Endless black fog surged, quickly coalescing under the control of Chu Fan’s will into an image of his external self.

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking down dispassionately.

The newly captured Ancient Fierce Soul was cowering in a corner, trembling.

Before it stood a terrifying, giant-like black shadow—the main soul of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

On this main soul, one could faintly discern the venomous face of the Zhang Family Ancestor, see the despairing eyes of the Ghost Bone Elder’s Soul Division, and even spot the looming heads of ferocious Exotic Beasts appearing and disappearing on its body.

It was like a grotesque Demon God stitched together from different parts, exuding a suffocating pressure.

The Ghost Bone Elder had indeed poured his heart and soul into refining this Fierce Soul, but before the Ten Thousand Souls Banner—a veritable "ancestor" specialized in devouring souls—it was like a kitten facing a tiger.

There was no need for Chu Fan to give an order.

The giant-like main soul let out a low roar as its massive ghost claw, large enough to blot out the sky, reached down and slammed the Ancient Fierce Soul to the ground.

The black qi corroded the new prey like a potent acid, crushing all of its ferocity, memories, and power bit by bit before absorbing them into itself.

「Meanwhile.」

Tens of thousands of miles away, in a dark, damp cave hidden deep underground.

"AH—!!"

An utterly wretched scream suddenly rang out, shaking the stalactites on the cave ceiling.

The Ghost Bone Elder, who was sitting cross-legged on a White Bone altar, snapped his eyes open. His once-sinister eyes were now shot with blood and filled with terror.

He clutched his chest as a mouthful of black blood spurted out.

SPLURT! 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"My Demon Puppet... My Ancient Fierce Soul!!"

He had spent years refining that Demon Puppet, and their minds had long been connected.

In that instant, the connection had been forcibly severed, a feeling akin to having a piece of his own heart gouged out.

Through the last lingering trace of his Divine Thought, he witnessed a scene that made his eyes burn with rage—

Five enormous Copper Cauldrons descended from the sky like a cage, completely sealing off the Chaotic Stone Forest.

"The Five Elements Cauldron... It’s Chu Fan!!"

The sparse hairs on the Ghost Bone Elder’s head stood on end, his face contorted.

It was a mask of monstrous hatred, yet it could not hide his terror.

"That damn little bastard! How dare he destroy my life’s work!"

He couldn’t understand it, much less believe it.

’That kid should be on Cuiyun Mountain, participating in the Profound Origin Secret Realm’s tournament.’

’Why did he suddenly appear in the Chaotic Stone Forest?’

’Could it be he came specifically for revenge?’

’Could it be that ever since we parted ways in the Chaotic Stone Forest last time, he’s had his eyes on my Demon Puppet?’

A series of questions exploded in the Ghost Bone Elder’s mind.

Immediately after, a bone-deep chill crept into his heart.

His murky eyes darted around frantically.

The last time he had condensed a clone to hunt Chu Fan down, it had been a case of throwing a meat bun at a dog—it was gone for good.

’Now that Chu Fan dares to show up so openly, there are only two possibilities.’

’One, the kid’s strength has grown immensely, and he isn’t afraid of me at all.’

’Two, and this is the most terrifying possibility—he didn’t come alone!’

’Experts from the Demon Suppression Bureau might be lying in ambush right now, waiting for me to follow my senses and walk right into their trap!’

"Hiss..."

At this thought, the Ghost Bone Elder sucked in a cold breath, a chill running down his spine.

’Revenge? Going there now would be suicide!’

’Get the Demon Puppet back? The soul inside is gone, what’s the use of the puppet?’

’Flee! I have to flee immediately!’

’This cave may be secret, but who knows if that kid has already reverse-tracked my location through the Demon Puppet?’

The Ghost Bone Elder dared not delay any longer. Ignoring the blood at the corner of his mouth, he gave his sleeve a sharp flick.

"WHOOSH!"

A fierce wind howled through the cave as a cloud of foul-smelling black smoke rose from thin air, instantly enveloping his body.

When the black smoke dissipated, the Ghost Bone Elder on the altar was gone, leaving only a mess on the ground and the lingering smell of blood.

A crafty rabbit has three warrens; an old man who doesn’t die is a thief.

In the face of death, the dignity of a peak Bright Heart Realm expert was worthless.

...

"THUD... THUD... THUD..."

Deep within the vast, desolate stone cave, the sound of heavy footsteps, accompanied by the echo of dripping water, was particularly haunting.

The Ghost Bone Elder, his body hunched over, staggered in, carrying a massive Scythe of Death wreathed in sinister black qi.

Under the dim phosphorescent light, his already sinister face now showed an undeniable pallor and dishevelment.

Those inverted-triangle eyes, which always glinted with cunning, now only held the panic of a soul that had yet to settle.

He stopped abruptly and looked back at the pitch-black cave entrance. Only after confirming that no one was following did he lean against the damp rock wall, gasping for breath.

"Damn it... Damn it all!"