Pfft!
The evil cultivator spat out a mouthful of pitch-black blood as his body plummeted over ten meters before he barely managed to steady himself.
Jian Dan and Jian Xu's combined strike had shattered the bottom corner of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. The souls trapped within began to riot, flooding out in a chaotic surge, turning the battlefield into utter mayhem.
"Senior Brother, keep going!"
This time, it was Jian Dan who charged forward with her sword. The soul banner had to be destroyed. Her sword, glowing with the power of chaos, lashed out at the same spot again.
The evil cultivator's eyes were bloodshot. These two sword cultivators had actually damaged his Ten Thousand Souls Banner, even injuring him. He quickly tried to summon the artifact back, sensing that the souls he had not yet refined were beginning to slip from his control.
But Jian Dan and Jian Xu worked in perfect sync. They moved like shadows in each other's blind spots, relentlessly hounding the banner with every strike landing at the exact same point. This was the terrifying precision of sword cultivators.
Worse still, both of their natal swords had innate properties that countered his cultivation path. That was one of the reasons Jian Dan had chosen to bring Senior Brother Jian Xu along. She would've preferred to fight alongside Senior Brother Jian Li, who she had more experience coordinating with, but the Fu Ancestor had delayed him.
As their combined strikes rained down, the rift in the banner widened. Eventually, it tore in half at the center, unleashing a wave of ghostly wails. The evil cultivator lost all control over the artifact and coughed up more black blood, falling to the ground below.
"Fall back."
Jian Dan's voice echoed through a transmission, and the four regrouped, momentarily halting their assault.
Jian Gui popped a pill into his mouth to replenish his spiritual energy. Wu Siyuan, expressionless, clutched a supreme-grade spirit stone to restore his strength.
Jian Dan and Jian Xu, having spent the most energy, each held a supreme-grade spirit stone as well.
Above, the freed souls wailed and darted around in confusion before slowly converging toward the evil cultivator, lashing out at him in fury and desperation, tearing at his Primordial Soul in retribution.
"Zūnzhǔ, what's happening to him?"
"He's being devoured by his own evil weapon. Did he really think it was that easy to control?"
At that moment, Cotton Candy floated back, carrying Yue Liang, who was badly wounded. Her injuries festered with black energy, still bleeding and showing no sign of healing.
The sight made Jian Dan's heart ache. She quickly removed the Star-Moon Bodhi bracelet from her own wrist and fastened it onto Yue Liang's, letting it purify the corrupt energy.
The evil cultivator, now swarmed by a mass of tortured souls, raised his Soul-Locking Spike, trying to strike down his former tools. Jian Dan gave a cold laugh.
"Senior Brother, how's your recovery?"
Jian Xu, whose usual warm smile had vanished, said coolly, "I can fight again."
"Siyuan, Jian Gui. If the souls haven't attacked you, don't strike them. With the bodhi bracelets, they won't come near you. Focus on eliminating the ones still under his control."
"Yes, understood!"
Jian Dan and Jian Xu advanced, this time targeting the evil cultivator himself. Their sword lights were as steady and relentless as a flowing stream, every slash colliding with the Soul-Locking Spike in bursts of power that gouged three more feet into the already devastated Fu residence grounds.
Wu Siyuan and Jian Gui had to pause and stabilize themselves due to the shockwaves.
The black mist around the evil cultivator dispersed, revealing his true form. Outside the domain, Tian Yun Zhēnzūn shook his head in disappointment.
"Zhēnzūn, he's Fu Cha, former head of the Fu family," came Jian Li's voice from behind.
"It really is him. The last time I saw him, his life span was nearly at its end. He asked me to look after the Fu clan. I never imagined he would extend his life and boost his cultivation through such means."
Even as he fought Jian Dan and Jian Xu, Fu Cha tried to gather the scattered souls with his Soul-Locking Spike. The damage to the Ten Thousand Souls Banner had left him vulnerable. Now, his only hope was to break free of this domain.
"Keep dreaming. The Heavenly Sword Sect won't let you escape."
Jian Dan struck directly at his intent. Moments ago, Tianyun Zhēnzūn had informed her via transmission that if Fu Cha attempted to forcefully breach the domain, she could safely withdraw it to avoid harm.
But Jian Dan didn't want to let him off so easily. Just looking at Yue Liang's condition filled her with rage.
"Zūnzhǔ, I can still fight. Take me with you. I'll tear his soul apart, piece by piece."
Carried by Cotton Candy, Yue Liang rejoined Jian Dan. A sweep of divine sense showed that while her bleeding had stopped, nearly all her bones were broken, held together only by threads of spiritual energy.
"Yue Liang, don't push yourself."
"Zūnzhǔ, I must. For myself. And for my people."
Jian Dan fell silent. She knew any further persuasion would be useless. With a nod, she teleported to Fu Cha's side and unleashed her Mò Xī Jiàn.
Backed by chaotic energy, her strikes never missed. Each slash either grazed his arm or clashed directly with the Soul-Locking Spike.
Jian Xu's Xuangguang Sword joined the assault, landing precisely where Jian Dan struck, widening the damage and forcing Fu Cha onto the defensive.
Yue Liang, supported by Cotton Candy, unleashed her innate ability at full power. As she had promised, every swipe of her small claws tore away a sliver of Fu Cha's soul, each one black tinged with deep violet.
With every piece torn away, Fu Cha's Primordial Soul trembled, gradually separating from his body.
Realizing the danger, Fu Cha pressed key acupuncture points on himself, stabilizing his soul temporarily, and tried to threaten Jian Dan.
"If you kill me, the Ten Thousand Souls will go berserk. None of you will escape alive."
"Then let's kill you first and see what happens when they do."
Jian Xu answered coldly, his sword transforming into a beam of light as he kept up the relentless strikes.
Yue Liang darted in between openings, and each swipe of her claws pulled free fragments of his soul.
For five straight days, Jian Dan, Jian Xu, Yue Liang, Jian Gui, and Wu Siyuan kept up the assault.
At last, Yue Liang lunged forward with both claws, ripping Fu Cha's main soul in half. With a sharp screech, she shattered his sea of consciousness.
At the same time, Jian Dan's sword pierced his dantian while Jian Xu's strike cleaved through his skull.
Only then did the four descend. Jian Gui was pale, his meridians cracked and his spiritual energy completely exhausted. Wu Siyuan was in better shape, with only a tenth of his energy left. Both took pills to recover upon landing.
Jian Dan and Jian Xu, the primary attackers, were no better off. They slowly descended, gazing at the ruined Fu estate below.
What a mess. Truly, a fate brought upon himself.
Suddenly, a sword light shot out from the side, aimed directly at Jian Dan and Jian Xu. Its power hinted at the early stage of Void Refinement.
"Hmph!"
Jian Xu raised his Xuangguang Sword and sliced the incoming strike clean in half. Jian Dan followed up with a punch, dissipating the sneak attack entirely.
"Well, looks like we missed a rat."
The Fu family's current head, who had used pills to forcefully raise his cultivation, now plummeted to early Divine Transformation—and was still declining.
"Zūnzhǔ, should we seal his spiritual energy?"
"No need. Let's see if he can survive the rampaging souls."
As Jian Dan finished speaking, the souls that had successfully broken free began to riot, shrieking as they drifted through her domain.
They turned, and began to strike at the very space they were once trapped in.