Chapter 746 - 731: Remnant Soul of a Li Hen Sect Expert

A Celestial Artifact was the most powerful type of Magical Treasure Secret Artifact that an Artifact Refining Master in this world could forge.

They were the absolute limit of what could be forged in the Human Realm.

The appearance of any single Celestial Artifact could plunge the world into a bloody storm.

Every Celestial Artifact possessed supreme might. With a single swing, the void would shatter and countless experts would be turned to ash. They held a power unimaginable to ordinary people.

Forging a Celestial Artifact required the combined efforts of at least five peak—that is, Master Level—Artifact Refiners from the Human Realm.

In addition to five powerful Master Level Artifact Refiners, the process also required a vast amount of manpower and resources. It could take over a hundred years, or even longer, to succeed.

The Ten Great Celestial Artifacts, however, shattered the boundary that limited weapons of any given level to only five grades.

They were transcendent existences that far surpassed Fifth Grade Celestial Artifacts!

If one had to classify them by grade, they would likely be Seventh Grade, or perhaps even Eighth Grade.

Legend told that these Ten Great Celestial Artifacts were Divine Weapons capable of commanding the wind and rain, of overturning rivers and seas!

They had been forged back when the Reverse Passage between the Upper Realm and the Human Realm was still open, through the joint efforts of the Upper Realm Divine Demons and the experts of the Human Realm.

The entire Human Realm possessed only these ten.

Shen Lang had suspected he might find a Celestial Artifact in the Yumu Cave Blessed Land, but he never could have imagined that, just moments after entering the Dragon Scale Divine Hall, he would stumble upon one of the Ten Great Celestial Artifacts: the Heaven-Slaying Trident!

Seeing this, Shen Lang was overcome with mixed feelings, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

’The appearance of a Divine Weapon will probably throw the already chaotic Yumu Cave Blessed Land into even greater turmoil!’

’What’s more, this Divine Weapon has been split into four pieces to suppress some kind of entity... If that thing breaks the Seal and gets out, with Taotie and the Abyss Lord of the Dragon Scale Divine Hall also in the mix, wouldn’t this whole place be turned upside down!’

’The Hungry Ghost Dao is completely cut off from the outside world, and there’s an incredibly strong Seal on the Heaven-Slaying Trident, so its aura hasn’t leaked out... Otherwise, if it attracted the Candle Dragon, Taotie, and the others, my only option would be to flee.’

A gleam flickered in Shen Lang’s eyes; he made no effort to hide his desire for the Heaven-Slaying Trident.

’Getting such a powerful Divine Weapon would make this trip to the Yumu Cave Blessed Land more than worthwhile... But if I pull out these four Tridents, the Seal will weaken, and I definitely can’t handle whatever is inside right now!’

’Even if Zuo Wentian were to go all out, he might not be able to deal with it... This is a huge problem.’

Staring at the Heaven-Slaying Trident, Shen Lang’s expression wavered as countless thoughts raced through his mind.

For Shen Lang, the temptation of one of the Ten Great Celestial Artifacts was immense.

Back on Cangxia Mountain, when the seal on his memories had been broken, Shen Lang had seen the Divine Sword Celestial Cry sealed within Xue Shiyin’s arm. It was one of the Ten Great Celestial Artifacts.

It was a supremely powerful Divine Weapon that the War Emperor himself had forged, a companion for his entire life.

But Shen Lang had given it to Xue Shiyin without a second thought.

This wasn’t because Shen Lang disdained the Ten Great Celestial Artifacts.

On the contrary, it was precisely because he recognized the power of the Divine Sword Celestial Cry that he returned it to Xue Shiyin.

Deep in his heart, he already saw Xue Shiyin as Xue Dangdang. He hoped the Divine Sword Celestial Cry would fulfill the War Emperor’s original wish and protect the woman who was inextricably tied to him in both this life and the last.

He had even lost his composure for the first time when Celestial Cry’s Artifact Spirit, Chi Lian’Er, refused to protect Xue Shiyin. He had flown into a rage and told Chi Lian’Er to get lost.

Gu Feng had said that Xue Shiyin and Xue Dangdang were the same person. Although his explanation was vague, Shen Lang connected it to his unsealed memories as the War Emperor and came to a similar conclusion.

’Perhaps Xue Dangdang and Xue Shiyin were one person in a past life. Something must have happened to split their soul in two before they were reincarnated...’

Although it was only a guess, deep down, Shen Lang had already accepted it as the truth.

That was why he had handed the Divine Sword Celestial Cry over to Xue Shiyin without hesitation.

’I couldn’t protect you in our last life, but in this one, I will give my all and never leave you!’

...

Perhaps someone as powerful as the War Emperor no longer needed a Divine Weapon to aid them.

But the current Shen Lang was still far from reaching that point.

Now, recognizing the weapon before him as the Heaven-Slaying Trident, one of the Ten Great Celestial Artifacts, Shen Lang’s gaze grew feverish.

Under the sweeping power of the Star Absorption Technique, the vast expanse of gray-white mist that had shrouded the Hungry Ghost Dao vanished completely.

The dim Hungry Ghost Dao finally became much clearer.

With a flick of his left hand, Shen Lang summoned the Star Moon Bodhi Prayer Beads and smashed them down on the "Sikong Yanbin" that was still half-swallowed by the black hole.

The blow sent the Ghost howling, its eyes welling with tears. "Why’d you hit me again? I didn’t do anything! You humans are so unreasonable!"

"I’ll give you one minute to think about it. Either hand over your Soul Blood, or be wiped from existence," Shen Lang said. He channeled more power through his right hand, and the black hole pulled the Ghost in a little further, scaring it into begging for mercy.

"One minute... How is one minute enough time to think?! You’re too tyrannical, too unreasonable! Aren’t you fucking afraid I’ll fight you to the death!" The Ghost was exceptionally fierce, one moment begging for mercy, the next threatening Shen Lang.

But every such threat was met with another explosive blow from the Star Moon Bodhi Prayer Beads.

After being hit a few times, even a dog would know what to do to avoid being beaten...

The Ghost wanted to cry but had no tears. It could only curse inwardly, no longer daring to whine or complain.

Not long ago, it had been a glorious figure surrounded by followers. Now, it had fallen into such a miserable state.

Not only was it being forced to hand over its Soul Blood and submit, but the other party didn’t even seem to care!

He’d only even been given one minute!

’One minute wasn’t even enough time for a couple of good wails...’

The twists and turns of life were truly unpredictable.

The Ghost was exceptionally cunning by nature, but with half its body already dragged into the black hole and a Zombie with an imposing, immense aura standing guard, no amount of slyness could conjure an escape.

At this moment, the entire world seemed to quiet down.

The Ghost could even hear the pulsing of the Ghost Fire within its own body.

THUMP... THUMP... THUMP...

’Fine! Even a Zombie that powerful has submitted to him, so it’s no disgrace if I do too... At the very least, he can get me out of this Hungry Ghost Dao. Besides, this guy’s methods are so tyrannical and powerful, he’s no ordinary character. This might just be an opportunity sent from the heavens!’

At this thought, the Ghost’s mood lifted considerably, and it quickly shouted, "I’m willing to submit!"

Shen Lang collected the creature’s Soul Blood. Grabbing the Ghost by the neck with his left hand, he said coldly, "Brace your mind and don’t resist. If you dare, I’ll kill you with a single slap!"

As he spoke, Shen Lang’s right hand plunged into the Ghost’s body. With incredible precision, he grabbed a mass of black mist within and ripped it out!

"GUAAAAH!"

The Ghost let out a bone-chilling scream, as if its very soul were being torn apart.

Its form, which had been wavering between solid and ethereal, became even more transparent.

Its aura weakened to the extreme, leaving it on the verge of dissipating.

But it had suffered at Shen Lang’s hands too many times. Though the pain made it want to go berserk, it remained obediently still, truly well-behaved now.

The mass of black mist in Shen Lang’s palm flickered, slowly coalescing into a small figure less than a foot tall.

The figure had a long, wispy beard and dull, lifeless eyes. It looked around in a daze.

"Who am I... Where is this?"

The old man’s gaze settled on Shen Lang, and an instinctive wariness appeared on his face.

But seeming to sense his own weakness, he gave up the thought of escape.

"Are you Senior Sikong Yanbin?" Shen Lang asked softly.

"Sikong Yanbin? A familiar name... Who is that? Is it me? Ah..." The old man formed from the wisp of soul clutched his head in pain.

"That’s right! I am Sikong Yanbin... But didn’t I die? I thought I took the Evil Ghost King down with me in mutual destruction! Why am I here...? Huh? This is still the Hungry Ghost Dao?"

Before Shen Lang could answer, Sikong Yanbin’s eyes fell upon the barely living Evil Ghost King off to the side.

As if from some innate terror, the moment Sikong Yanbin saw the Evil Ghost King, he stumbled backward in panic.

Even though the Evil Ghost King’s aura was now faint and it was half-dead, to him, it was still a terrifying monster.

There was a world of difference between their auras.

"There is no need to panic, Senior. I have already subdued the Evil Ghost King."

Shen Lang said reassuringly, then presented the Immortal Celestial Saber. "I am a friend of Shark’s Kiss. The Immortal Celestial Saber is my proof."

When Sikong Yanbin heard the name "Shark’s Kiss," his terrified expression slowly faded.

Immediately, he stared intently at the Immortal Celestial Saber in Shen Lang’s hand, as if trying to recall something.

After a long moment, Sikong Yanbin’s eyes lit up. "That’s it! The Immortal Celestial Saber! It’s my junior brother Shark’s Kiss’s signature Imperial Artifact! And it’s... it’s in your hands? He actually gave the Immortal Celestial Saber to you? I remember back then, he’d get angry at me if I so much as touched it!"

"I remember now. Many years ago, I entered the Hungry Ghost Dao and fought a great battle with the Evil Ghost King before being devoured by him... At the last moment, I dealt a grievous blow to its soul, and we were mutually destroyed... Why am I still alive? And why is it still alive?"

Shen Lang sighed softly. "It’s possible that after you grievously wounded the Evil Ghost King, another Ghost seized the opportunity and devoured it in turn... This is no place to linger. We can discuss these things after we leave. However, there is something I must explain to you first, Senior..."

Seeing Shen Lang’s hesitation, Sikong Yanbin said hurriedly, "Please, speak your mind. I have been given a second chance at life; there is nothing left that can frighten me."

Shen Lang nodded. "Senior, your soul has been completely shattered and is beyond repair. By borrowing the power of my subordinate, I was able to forcibly rip the wisp of soul containing your Soul Mark from the Evil Ghost King. However, I’m afraid there is no way for you to be reborn."

"Your only path now, Senior, is to enter Reincarnation with this Soul Mark."