High-level martial arts: Long spear with black flames to suppress demons.

Xu Xiuqi took out another item.

It was a short sword still in its scabbard, no more than a foot long, wrapped with several layers of thin gray-white rope. The hilt was undecorated, with a dark red bead embedded at the end, inside which seemed to contain a murky liquid that swayed slowly with his movements.

The moment Pei Zhao's gaze fell upon it, his consciousness instinctively tightened.

Unlike the stinging pain brought by the Soul-Binding Box, this time, he didn't even need to extend his divine sense to feel a reluctance to get close, and he could vaguely feel that oppressive aura.

Xu Xiuqi gripped the hilt and drew the blade out about an inch. The exposed blade was dark gray, lacking the luster of metal and resembling a layer of solidified fog. When the light shone on it, it reflected no light whatsoever.

Pei Zhao clearly felt that the sense of oppression had become even stronger.

He then pushed the knife back into its sheath.

That strange feeling finally subsided.

"This is the Soul-Eroding Blade."

He placed the dagger on the table and pushed it in front of Pei Zhao.

"A special one-time use item. It can only be used once. The blade can cut into the soul. Once it hits, the soul will begin to dissolve until it completely dissipates."

"It will not harm the physical body at the same time."

Pei Zhao felt a chill run down his spine; the Soul-Trapping Box and the Soul-Eroding Blade were clearly meant to be used together.

The former affected the remaining traces in Shen Chang'an's body, causing him to lose control of his physical body at a critical moment, while the latter took advantage of this gap to directly destroy his soul.

In this way, he could both kill people and preserve the physical body that Gu Jia needed.

Xu Xiuqi reminded him, "The Soul-Tethering Box can only create opportunities for you; it won't deliver the blow for you. If he avoids it, or someone else intercepts it, the Soul-Eating Blade will still be exhausted."

Pei Zhao stretched out his hands and picked up the short knife.

Even through the scabbard, the unsettling aura lingered. He didn't examine the thin rope wrapped around the sword, but simply separated it from the Soul-Binding Box and carefully put it away.

"Understood, I will confirm that it will hit the target before using this item."

Xu Xiuqi nodded.

"Don't expose yourself first. Once you get to Beiming, observe what those families are planning to do."

They'll be even more anxious than you are.

"Yes."

Pei Zhao bowed and agreed.

Xu Xiuqi looked out the window again. The courtyard was quiet in the night. The light from the streetlights in the distance shone through the branches and leaves, leaving fragmented shadows on the glass.

Pei Zhao waited for a moment, and only after confirming that there were no further instructions did he slowly retreat.

......

Deep in the Northern Sea.

A deep blue light pierced through the thick seawater, illuminating the undulating mountain ridges on the seabed.

One by one, the sea-suppressing pillars are deeply embedded in the rock strata, and the dragon patterns on the pillars slowly move, sending power continuously to the top of the abyss gate along the interconnected light bands.

There, a gigantic phantom of an ancient seal hovered before the darkness.

As the Xuan Yuan Zhen Hai Seal reactivated the entire formation, the previously loose restrictions gradually came back together. Each time the ancient seal cast a layer of light, the surging demonic energy within the Abyss Gate was suppressed, and even the tiny cracks at the edges began to close again.

However, in several corners near the seabed, there are still areas where the dragon pattern cannot be covered.

Several small stone slabs were embedded inside the light curtain of the abyss.

The larger ones were no bigger than the palm of a hand, and the smaller ones were only the size of a fingernail, their surfaces bearing ancient, broken lines. A ghostly blue light swept across them time and again, yet it could never completely peel them away.

Whenever the dragon pattern approaches, the stone slab vibrates slightly and emits a wisp of black light.

The black light did not spread outwards, but flowed slowly along the remaining patterns. At first, the light and dark varied, but gradually, several stone slabs that were far apart began to have the same undulations.

Deep within the abyss, the surging darkness suddenly parted to both sides.

A near-human figure stood behind.

The face and clothing were indistinct; only the arms hanging at the sides and the head slightly raised were visible, their edges blurred in the demonic aura.

Several similar figures stood behind him.

The surrounding monsters continued to search for gaps, occasionally crashing into the seal only to be shredded by the dragon patterns. These figures, however, remained detached, gazing out at the deep sea through the light barrier.

A moment later, the figure at the front raised a hand.

The stone slabs embedded in the seal lit up at the same time.

A very thin ripple traveled along the remaining patterns through the light curtain and disappeared into the massive shadow that was slowly moving above.

The enormous thing suddenly stopped.

Several nearby sea-suppressing pillars lit up, their eerie blue light spreading along their bodies. Their previously hidden outlines gradually came into view.

It has a head as broad as a giant fish, with a raised back that extends into the distance, spanning the waters where several sea-suppressing pillars stand. Beneath its thick skin, dark scales emerge, and two giant fins on its belly slowly unfold, their edges adorned with overlapping, feather-like patterns.

As its body turned to the side, its two fins spread out in the water, so wide they seemed capable of covering the entire seabed. With a gentle flick of its tail, the heavy seawater nearby shifted, even carrying away boulders suspended in the turbulent current.

Fish body, roc wings.

Even though it was covered in wounds, its appearance was still exactly the same as the Kunpeng in ancient legends.

But as that wave of energy arrived, the wounds that had just healed suddenly reopened.

Dark black blood seeped from between the skin and flesh, and before it could disperse into the seawater, it turned into fine threads that burrowed back into the wound.

Kunpeng suddenly opened his eyes.

Within its giant eye, dark purple light surged violently. It slowly arched its body, its fins tightened beneath its belly, and its massive head pressed against the sea-suppressing pillar, as if it were trying its best to suppress some kind of power within its body.

The dragon patterns on the pillar then lit up.

One of the streams swam to its forehead, and a deep blue light shone into its pupils, finally causing the chaotic black and purple color to pause slightly.

Deep within his pupils, a faint golden light reappeared, and Kunpeng raised his head, gazing towards the distant sky.

Even across the endless sea, a scorching heat could still be felt.

It seemed to want to swim in that direction, its fins clinging to the pillar slowly opening, and the black silk on its body being stretched and broken little by little.