After I stopped trying, a rich woman trained me into a demon emperor.

The golden nanmu door slammed shut.

The last footstep was swallowed by the thick carpet, and the top-floor lounge fell into dead silence.

Zhou Ran leaned back in the leather chair, toying with two long, black nails between his fingers.

Two nails collided between the fingers.

Click.

Click.

The crisp metallic clanging sound gave his tense nerves a moment of relief.

He needs this clarity of mind.

When Li Zhiyao's paper doll devoured the soul masters of the Wuji Sect, it transmitted a memory to him.

The incantations for the Soul-Suppressing Nails, as well as the secret Soul-Controlling Technique of the Wuji Sect, were being sorted out and arranged in his mind.

He dismantled the logic of it like a precision bomb, piece by piece.

The mushroom spirit that Bai Xuan had lived for over a thousand years had previously taught him a method to suppress the Qilin bone inheritance within his body.

That explanation sounded flawless, full of classical allusions, and even the logic of the Five Elements' generating and restraining relationships was impeccable.

Now, he has another set of Wuji Sect's soul control techniques at his disposal.

Two plans are placed on opposite sides of the scale.

Whom should we believe?

Zhou Ran scoffed, then tightened his fingers, the nail tip piercing the skin of his palm, causing a sharp pain.

In the cultivation world, there is no trust, only whether the stakes for betrayal are high enough.

His body is now like Tang Sanzang's flesh laid out on the chopping board.

The women in his family were lusting after him, hoping for harmony of yin and yang, and for longevity and ultimate bliss.

This craving, imbued with the warmth of everyday life, is something he can resist and even enjoy.

But the non-human creatures around him were craving his life.

Bai Xuan's ancient fungus that had lived for over a thousand years, and the old demon deep within his sea of ​​consciousness who had lived for countless epochs.

They stared at the perfect demonic body that had been fused with the Qilin bone, their eyes practically gleaming with green light.

To outsiders, Zhou Ran is the ruler of Jiangcheng, a man who can control everything.

In reality?

He has to sleep with one eye open.

Close your eyes to prevent the Old Man from possessing you; open your eyes to prevent the mushrooms from poisoning you.

Walking this tightrope is a dangerous undertaking; the slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

"Sigh, success is like wetting your pants."

To outsiders, it appears glamorous and glamorous.

But only he knew the feeling in his crotch.

Zhou Ran gave a wry smile.

Afraid?

He stopped playing with the nail, a flash of violence crossing his eyes.

afraid.

That's why you have to be even crazier, more ruthless, and have no bottom line than those old monsters.

Just as he was deducing the Wuji Gate Soul Control Technique to a critical moment.

The room temperature dropped sharply.

Deep within his consciousness, the long-dormant black demonic energy suddenly began to boil.

It's like a volcano that has been suppressed for thousands of years has finally found an outlet.

That thing woke up.

"Kid."

The voice was arrogant, carrying the arrogance unique to those in high positions, and it exploded directly in his head.

"Have you gotten the Soul-Suppressing Nails yet?"

There were no pleasantries, no transitions.

The first thing this old monster did upon waking was to demand the weapon that could allow him to defy fate.

Zhou Ran's facial muscles relaxed instantly, and that gloomy, calculating expression vanished without a trace.

Instead, there was a perfectly balanced mix of ecstasy and grievance.

This acting is Oscar-worthy.

"Master!"

Zhou Ran shouted in his mind, his voice trembling.

That was the excitement of "finally finding a backer".

"You're finally awake!"

Have you been living like a human being these past few days, my disciple?

"Those powerful families in the capital, and that Wuji Sect, they all want to skin my disciple alive!"

"I almost died in the capital trying to get these Soul-Suppressing Nails for you!"

Instead of taking credit, he first complained about his troubles.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the apprentice who knows how to play the victim is the real deal.

The churning demonic energy in his sea of ​​consciousness subsided slightly.

Ye Futian clearly enjoyed this sense of dependence.

"snort."

The old devil snorted coldly, his murderous intent lessening somewhat.

"Stop wasting your breath on me. The person in this world who can kill you hasn't been born yet."

Where are the things?

Zhou Ran spread out his right hand.

Two black nails lay quietly in his palm, their crimson runes flowing, exuding a menacing aura.

"I have successfully completed my mission."

Zhou Ran's tone was sincere.

"I have already killed Li Cangtian. All the nails are here, a total of one hundred and seven. I didn't dare to keep any for myself, I left them all for Master."

Ye Futian's divine consciousness was entangled in the nail.

Zhou Ran had no intention of lying.

With that old devil's methods, you can't fool him at all.

Moreover, it's easy to alert the enemy.

It would be better to speak frankly and openly.

Upon hearing this, Ye Futian's greed and desire were nakedly transmitted through the connection between their souls.

"Good...very good!"

Ye Futian's voice was filled with fervor.

"Pure Yin Wood, tempered with the essence and blood of ten thousand people."

With this item, my soul will no longer be a rootless duckweed.

"etc!

You said there are only one hundred and seven?

In his delight, the old devil finally discovered the problem.

"That's right! I've searched Li Cangtian's soul, and there are indeed 107 souls."

Zhou Ran frowned, as if he was thinking about something.

"Master, is the quantity incorrect?"

A violent roar exploded in his mind in just a moment.

"You brat! You've been fooled by that scoundrel!"

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, dark blue demonic energy surged ceaselessly.

"This item evolved from the Soul-Suppressing Wedge."

This should correspond to the 108 constellations in this plane.

Not a single bit more or less is acceptable!

"Find it for me, even if you have to turn this entire plane upside down!"

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, Ye Futian stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes burning with rage.

"Okay...okay, Master."

I also wish my master could have a physical body, so I can properly take care of you.

Zhou Ran nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

"Um."

Ye Futian realized what was happening, and his voice softened, revealing a strangely benevolent quality that seemed to be guiding him.

"However, you've done quite well all by yourself."

"In that case, I will once again bestow upon you a great fortune!"

Upon hearing this, a fleeting sneer crossed Zhou Ran's eyes.

But he immediately sat up straight on the sofa, his tone becoming even more respectful.

"Please speak, Master. Your disciple will certainly not disappoint you."

"Haha, this child is teachable!"

Ye Futian stretched out two fingers and touched his left shoulder.

"This item is too malevolent; if you carry it with you, it will damage your very foundation sooner or later."

"I will now impart to you a set of the 'Nine Netherworld Soul-Fixing Technique'."

"Following this method, insert nine of the Soul-Suppressing Nails into the Lianquan acupoint on your left shoulder..."

"Then, nine more were fired..."

The old devil spoke tirelessly, and Zhou Ran nodded frequently.

After a while, Ye Futian laughed heartily.

"In this way, you can use the yin energy in the nail to help you temper your meridians."

It can also help stabilize my soul. Once I recover my strength, you and I, master and disciple, can freely roam the world!

Zhou Ran lowered his head, looking at the nail in his hand.

He didn't say anything.

Left shoulder.

That was the core location where he fused with the black jade unicorn bone.

Lianquan point?

Zhou Ran toyed with the cold, piercing nail in his hand, without even lifting his eyelids.

That old devil, the abacus beads practically flew into his face.

There are 361 major acupoints in the human body.

Lianquan is the meeting point of the Ren meridian and the Yin Wei meridian, connecting the brain marrow above and the heart meridian below.

If these nine nails, imbued with malevolent and deathly energy, were to be driven in...

Forget about tempering your meridians, this is like voluntarily tearing down your own security door and then laying out a red carpet for the robbers to welcome them.

The first step in possession is to block the host's consciousness.

This is not the "Nine Netherworld Soul-Stabilizing Technique" at all.

It is clearly the "Nine Netherworld Death-Sending Technique".