A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 225: Soul Escape
Jin Guang's expression hardened, and he immediately relayed the origin of the song to everyone present.

"This sound is emitted by the Moon Demon, which is specifically designed to attack the mind. You must not resist it by force. You must follow its melody to circulate your magical power. If you are not careful, you may fall into the sound barrier!"

Jin Guang knew about the "Seven Fiends Zither Melody" because Gu Xu had told him before that this melody was stronger when it encountered a strong opponent and weaker when it encountered a weak opponent. If one were to forcefully collide with it, it would inevitably trigger the seven fiends' malevolent energy within. If one's cultivation was not up to par, the malevolent energy would erode one's mind and spirit, eventually leading one to become a mindless puppet.

Upon hearing this, Sima Sanniang was immediately startled. Although she was proficient in the art of magic and array, she had little knowledge of music. If it weren't for the timely reminder from Jin Guang, she would have had to use her internal energy to resist this sound. Now that she had received this reminder, Sima Sanniang immediately used a technique to seize the opportunity.

When the incoming sound touched Sima San Niang, ripples appeared around her, dissolving the music. The others also managed to withstand the first wave of attacks through their own methods.

However, as soon as they moved, a gap appeared in the formation. Nie Xiaoqian, who was trapped inside, immediately seized the opportunity and shouted. The moonlight outside her broke through the binding force. Then, the moonlight surged like a waterfall, freezing the blazing ball of light. Then, she slashed with her sword, and the Qiankun Liangyi Formation paused.

Seeing this, Nie Xiaoqian's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Following the rhythm of the Seven Fiends Zither, she moved like a nimble fish, constantly passing through gaps in the formation, heading towards the outermost edge.

"not good!"

Seeing that Nie Xiaoqian had already broken through several barriers, and that she would be able to break through the formation in a few moments at this speed, Sima San Niang became anxious and wanted to shift the formation's power to block her.

Just then, a strange zither melody came. Sima San Niang's expression changed slightly. This zither melody came at just the right time. If she let it go, she would definitely be pulled into the sound barrier and wouldn't be able to get out for a while. Without her as the main person in charge of the formation, the power of the Qiankun Liangyi Formation would be greatly reduced. In the end, it might not be able to fight against Jing Wuyuan, and Nie Xiaoqian would definitely escape.

However, if they ignore it, the result is equally obvious: with the protection of her zither music, Nie Xiaoqian will break through the formation sooner or later, unless...

Just as the zither music was about to strike them, a clear and melodious flute tune drifted over, landing in the ears of everyone in the formation. Upon hearing this sound, the restless mood stirred up by the Seven Fiends Zither music immediately calmed down, and the omnipresent eerie zither music gradually became inaudible.

"Brother!"

Jin Guang knew that it must have been Senior Brother Gu Xu who made the move. He was both excited and frustrated. He hadn't wanted to trouble his senior brother before, but he hadn't expected that he would have to ask him to make the move in the end. This made him, as the sect leader, feel quite ashamed.

"Stay focused and hold your position; do not get distracted!"

A gentle voice entered Jin Guang's ears, and the latter immediately calmed his mind. He then focused his energy and poured his magic power into the Yin-Yang duality plate. At the same time, Yan Chixia also poured his magic power into it. The originally weak formation suddenly became stronger. Nie Xiaoqian, who was flying away, suddenly felt a tremor. Before she could react, the sound blade formed by the melodious flute sound hit her body directly.

After several dazzling lights, Nie Xiaoqian's face was extremely pale. Although she had not suffered any new injuries, the moonlight power and the protective zither music around her had been swept away. Having lost two protective barriers, she would have to rely on her own magic power to defend herself against any attacks that came her way.

Sima San Niang felt a sense of relief as she watched the Seven Fiends Qin music around her being broken by the flute music.

"The Serenity Melody, I never imagined that my junior brother had even mastered this supernatural ability."

Although I knew that this junior brother was exceptionally talented and had many hidden tricks up his sleeve, I never expected that he could achieve such a level. Although the Pure Heart Divine Melody is not the most difficult divine power to master in the Xuanxin Orthodox Sect, it is not something that everyone can master. In addition to a solid foundation of cultivation, one must also maintain a pure heart. Otherwise, forcibly cultivating this technique will only backfire and end up being neither human nor ghost.

A hundred years ago, a predecessor practiced this art, but due to his evil intentions, he eventually went astray and ended up with no trace of his remains.

"With the Mind-Cleansing Melody present, the Seven Fiends Melody will be difficult to take effect in the short term. Mirror is out of reach. Let's see what other tricks you have up your sleeve!"

Thinking of this, Sima San Niang waved her magic flag, and the six people in the formation shouted at the same time. The four phantom images of spirits and the two energies of yin and yang attacked Nie Xiaoqian's soul. Before this powerful force even reached her, the pressure was already too much for Nie Xiaoqian to bear. With no barrier around her, she could only hold on for half a moment with the remaining power of her soul before the phantom image of her soul began to fade.

Within the Yin Yue Dynasty, Jing Wuyuan stared grimly at the body on the altar. At this moment, the death aura emanating from the body was increasing, and its once lustrous and jade-like body had turned dark yellow, as if it had slowly decayed after thousands of years.

After pondering for a while, Jing Wuyuan reached out and picked up the magic sword, slashing his palm. Drops of blood flowed from the wound and fell into the jade bowl on the altar.

"The Taiyin (Moon) reigns supreme, full and without deficiency, its spiritual essence pervades all, returning to its origin, and then it ceases!"

Jing Wuyuan chanted an incantation, and as soon as he finished, the blood in the jade bowl seemed to be stirred, instantly transforming into a full, red bead. Guided by the incantation, it floated into the sky, reflecting the Nine Yin Moon in the heavens, radiating a strong, crimson light.

Jing Wuyuan saw that the Blood-Drawing Technique was complete. He pointed his finger at the Heavenly Treasure Mirror, and the moonlight was refracted three times before falling onto the crimson pearl. Then, a burst of blood light appeared and, under Jing Wuyuan's control, slowly fell onto the body.

The decaying body suddenly absorbed a large amount of moonlight and blood energy, and the death energy that was constantly emanating from it gradually became less and less. Even the dark yellow body regained its original jade white color.

"Mirror is not destined. The power of blood can only temporarily suppress the death aura. If you have no other way to get your soul back to its place as soon as possible, in the end it will all be for nothing."

A graceful and elegant figure suddenly appeared on the altar, looked at Jing Wuyuan and slowly spoke.

"It's enough to hold out for a moment. Your Seven Fiends Zither Music doesn't seem that powerful. It was still blocked by Gu Xu. If you really want to help, then show your true skills."

Jing Wuyuan was not surprised at all by the arrival of Yuemo. In his previous conversation with Qiye, the Holy Lord had intentionally or unintentionally revealed his intention to use Yuemo. In any case, the Holy Dynasty's primary enemy was Xuanxin Zhengzong. Even if Yuemo had his own purpose, he was still a member of the Holy Dynasty. If he could use him, he would.

"Don't worry about Gu Xu. He seems to be tied up with something. I can buy you some time. But remember, if you can't return your soul to its right place within three quarters of an hour, not only you, but also at least seventy or eighty percent of those below you will be lost. The Holy Dynasty cannot afford such a loss. Take care!"

The Moon Demon glanced at the mirror, then, having no chance, left these words and slowly disappeared.

Jing Wuyuan remained calm as he gazed at the body on the altar without uttering a word. His eyes flashed with a sharp light, and a blinding beam of light shot from his fingertips. Reflected by the mirror, it entered the body, instantly covering it with a thin layer of white light, making it appear like a dazzling star in the darkness.

With this assistance, a deep black hole appeared in the sky above, the surrounding air currents swirling and being continuously sucked in. Jing Wuyuan reached out, and the Soul-Summoning Banner landed in his hands again. He shook the banner back and forth, and wisps of black air currents were continuously drawn into the black hole, which expanded further. Just as Jing Wuyuan was shaking the Soul-Summoning Banner, the Moon Demon, on a distant cliff, flicked her zither, and a sinister melody immediately began to play before her. The atmosphere around them changed instantly, and the Nine Yin Moon in the sky abruptly turned from white to red, transforming into a blood moon.

The crimson light spread everywhere, and the blood and qi of living beings surged. Some living beings could not withstand the sound of the zither and died on the spot. The scattered blood was attracted and flowed into the blood moon in the sky. Then, through the magic mirror, all the essence of the blood was poured into the body.

"If you complete the blood sacrifice with 30% of the living beings, Jing is not destined. If you still fail under such circumstances, then it is your incompetence."

The Moon Demon uttered a soft sound, his hands moving without pause, as streams of Seven Fiends Qin music continuously traveled through his body to the Xuanxin Sect thousands of miles away.

At this moment, within the Xuanxin Sect, Jin Guang and Yan Chixia sat at opposite ends, continuously refining Nie Xiaoqian's soul with Yin and Yang energies. The four Xuanxin generals protected them with the phantom images of the four spirits, not to mention Sima Sanniang and Gu Xu supporting them from behind.

Just as Nie Xiaoqian's soul was about to be completely refined, a sudden explosion rang out above the main hall, and the restriction was forcibly broken. Before the formation could be repaired, a blood-red pillar of light descended from the sky, enveloping Nie Xiaoqian the instant the hall was opened. The refining power of the formation immediately weakened by several points. Moreover, within the blood-red pillar of light, Sima San Niang and the others could clearly see that Nie Xiaoqian had begun to change.

"Jing Wuyuan is truly ruthless. Such a massive amount of blood energy suggests that he sacrificed many people. The Yin Yue Dynasty has really gone all out this time."

Sima San Niang immediately discerned that the other party had used the most evil and most powerful sacrificial force, sacrificing living beings containing spiritual energy to reverse the universe and disrupt the yin and yang poles.

"Third Sister, be careful!"

Yan Chixia was desperately trying to stabilize the Yin and Yang energies when suddenly, a series of zither sounds came from behind the pillar of blood. This attack was far more intense than the last one, indicating that the opponent was getting impatient.

"I'll handle the Seven Fiends Melody. Senior Sister, focus on maintaining the formation. We absolutely cannot let Nie Xiaoqian escape. If necessary, kill her!"

Upon hearing Gu Xu's words, Sima San Niang felt a chill run down her spine. She took a deep breath and continuously manipulated the array mechanism with both hands to resist the power of the blood sacrifice.

The Seven Fiends Qin music was omnipresent, dispersing into several streams of power that first attacked Jin Guang and the others. However, the opponent had already unleashed the "Chongzheng Fangtian Seal." Before the Qin music could even reach them, it was enveloped by layers of formations. The Qin music seemed to have entered a maze. Although it was invisible, it could not escape no matter what. Finally, it exhausted its power and dissipated.

The zither music attacking Yan Chixia and the others collided with flute music. The Seven Fiends Zither music was extremely evil and disturbed people's minds, while the Heart-Cleansing Divine Melody was majestic and powerful, suppressing the soul.

The two are facing each other, their sound waves colliding silently, but the confrontation is extremely dangerous. If either side makes a slight mistake, they will fall into a disadvantageous position, and it will be very difficult to regain the advantage.

"Gu Xu's cultivation has become increasingly refined. This Mind-Cleansing Divine Melody is truly extraordinary. If I hadn't had the advantage of having the first move, I'm afraid his strength would have been even weaker."

Moon Demon had always been very wary of his old rival, Gu Xu. He hadn't seen Gu Xu use any musical techniques before, so he thought Gu Xu wasn't good at it. Now it seemed he had underestimated him.

"This summoning of the soul absolutely cannot fail, otherwise, with one of the seven lifetimes of vengeful lovers missing, the Heavenly Demon Star will be unable to descend, and I do not wish to wait for decades more!"

Thinking of this, the Moon Demon's eyes darkened. He pressed his hands on the demonic zither and plucked the strings with his ten fingers. One strange melody after another was emitted, which merged into a vast demonic torrent that surged into Rong's body.

The body on the altar trembled violently as the music was poured into it. Seeing this, Jing Wuyuan hurriedly poured in the blood moonlight. After several breaths, the body stopped trembling. At the same time, in the deep black hole in mid-air, a blurry figure began to take shape.

"Two quarters of an hour more."

Jing Wuyuan silently chanted, his hands continuously forming hand seals that flowed into the mirror, making the blood moon's radiance in the sky even brighter.

"it's time!"

Seeing that Nie Xiaoqian's soul had turned into a blood-red shadow, Sima Sanniang's eyes flashed with a sharp light. She waved her magic flag, and Yan Chixia and Jin Guang simultaneously poured all their magic power into the Yin-Yang dual pole plate. With a hum, the dual pole plate trembled violently, and a dazzling black and white light flew out from the plate, like two dragons. Halfway through, Sima Sanniang guided them to merge into one, transforming it into a ten-inch black and white light arrow. With a whoosh, its speed was swift, and with just one strike, the blood-red light pillar was pierced through a crack, and wisps of blood energy escaped from the gap.

Just as the blood energy was about to flow back, a blazing sword aura stirred it up, instantly dispersing it. At the same time, a purple talisman flashing with lightning in the golden light's hand approached the blood pillar and exploded with a bang. The already injured blood pillar immediately burst open, revealing Nie Xiaoqian's hidden soul inside.

At this moment, the blood-red shadow had its eyes closed, seemingly asleep. Just as Jin Guang and Yan Chixia were about to trap it, a sudden shock came from their hearts. They saw an invisible blade of energy slashing towards the Yin-Yang Dipper in the sky.

Upon seeing this, Sima San Niang's expression changed drastically. She cried out in alarm and tried to stop it, but it was too late. The energy blade was the Moon Demon's full-force attack. With a crack, the two polar discs shattered into several pieces. Before they even hit the ground, they were shredded into dust by the residual force, leaving not a trace behind.

As soon as the array plate broke, Jin Guang and Yan Chixia were both thrown back by the array's force, their blood churning and they broke free from their positions, spitting out a mouthful of blood. The four Xuanxin generals fared even worse; their protective talismans shattered, their armor was tattered, and their auras became extremely weak.

Nie Xiaoqian immediately fled upon seeing the change in her spirit, but just as she left, an almost imperceptible beam of light fell upon her, which she did not notice at all.

When the array was broken, Sima Sanniang had no time to warn others and could only do her best to protect herself. When the smoke and dust cleared, Sima Sanniang hurriedly checked and saw that everyone was out of danger, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Unfortunately, we still fell short at the last hurdle!"

Sima Sanniang sighed with regret, feeling remorseful. If she had prepared more, things might not have turned out this way.

Jin Guang felt a little regretful upon hearing this. Now that the seven-lifetime grudge couple had returned to the Yin Yue Dynasty, who knew how many troubles they would cause in the future? Yan Chixia and the four Xuanxin generals remained silent.

Just then, Jin Guang suddenly had a thought. After bidding farewell to everyone, he quickly went into the Earth Fire Cave.

(End of this chapter)