Chapter 539: Yin Xuansheng, Ghostly Divine Presence! Azurebind Sword! Forbidden Existence! Extreme Peril!

But no one expected that the semi-transparent figure needed only a flick of its hand to shatter the talisman’s pure energy.

The elderly Daoist casting the talisman was instantly struck, his heart meridian broken in an instant.

He was the abbot of a Daoist temple in Donglin Prefecture, skilled in talismans and ghost-capturing techniques, specially assigned to protect General Wei Pingchuan. Yet in a single moment, he was killed!

General Wei Pingchuan drew the sword at his waist, his eyes cold and piercing. “What demon dares disturb my camp!”

Wei Pingchuan shouted sharply, as the dense aura of blood within him erupted, and the shadow of a fierce beast appeared faintly behind him.

“General Wei, you wield your authority impressively, but I do not play by such rules,” the semi-transparent figure sneered.

Wei Pingchuan thrust his sword forward; the explosion of true qi even carried the roar of thunder in the air!

The shadow behind him was not merely martial prowess; it was the aura of a supreme general commanding three armies, blessed by the dynasty, protecting him from demonic harm.

Shhk!

Suddenly, a blue longsword pierced directly into Wei Pingchuan’s chest. The tremendous force on the sword instantly shattered his internal organs. The fierce beast shadow behind him was also obliterated in an instant.

Soon, Wei Pingchuan’s eyes went lifeless.

The supreme general, unwilling to accept his fate, asked, “Who... are you?”

“Then I shall tell you. I am Yin Xuansheng[1]. Remember this name.”

Just like that, General Wei Pingchuan was dead. The formation of Donglin Prefecture’s soldiers collapsed in chaos, with countless casualties.

***

Sensing a surge of overwhelming aura, the Dragon-Subduing Arhat involuntarily turned his head. “Is this... a ghostly divine of the underworld?”

His brow furrowed tightly. “Young monk, why not take up the butcher’s blade[2] and slaughter the Donglin army with me? Why waste your life for them?” Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong said.

The Dragon-Subduing Arhat remained silent, then suddenly removed the fiery wheel behind his head. It blazed like a burning sun as he hurled the wheel directly at Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong. With that, two of the divine demons were instantly obliterated into ash and smoke.

Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong’s expression remained cold, though a trace of satisfaction flickered in his eyes.

Boom!

The fiery wheel suddenly smashed toward the Donglin battlefield, instantly killing countless soldiers. It became clear that the Arhat had been subtly guided all along by the Daoist spiritual master’s illusions.

Seeing so many innocent soldiers harmed by his own attack, Wuse’s face darkened.

“These mortals’ lives are cheap as ants. Like wild grass, cut one batch, another grows. Young monk, do not blame yourself,” Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong said soothingly.

As the saying went,

to break a man, break his spirit.

The demonic nature within Wuse surged uncontrollably, as if a voice whispered persistently in his mind, “Let me out... I will kill Jiugong, slaughter all the soldiers of the Prince Qing's Mansion, and turn the tide!”

The voice was faint, yet crystal clear.

Wuse drew a deep breath, regaining some clarity in his eyes. Above his head, a relic bead slowly floated into view, radiating dazzling Buddhist light.

Immediately, his mind settled, and the voice in his heart was suppressed.

Meanwhile, in the void behind him, a semi-transparent figure slowly appeared, exuding a strange and eerie aura. It was Yin Xuansheng.

Immediately, he thrust his sword into Wuse’s physical body! Yet Wuse’s Buddhist physique was extraordinarily resilient... But even facing a sneak attack from a fellow third realm Yang Spirit expert, he still suffered grievous injuries.

Yin Xuansheng’s Azurebind Sword was incredibly sharp, piercing directly into Wuse’s heart. However, a powerful Buddhist force within Wuse prevented the sword’s energy from shattering his internal organs.

Suddenly, the Dragon-Subduing Arhat manifestation descended from the sky.

Boom!

It struck directly onto Yin Xuansheng.

The speed of a primordial spirit manifestation was incomparably faster than ordinary cultivators.

Yin Xuansheng’s body glowed as he was hurled back by the Arhat’s blow. Yet a malicious smile still lingered on his face.

“Third realm, huh... to have a third realm Yang Spirit fall by my hand today... Truly exquisite!” Yin Xuansheng said, intoxicated with delight.

After his physical body took heavy damage, the Dragon-Subduing Arhat returned to Wuse’s body.

At this moment, Wuse’s eyes were injured by the Eye-Piercing Bead, and his heart had been stabbed by Yin Xuansheng’s Azurebind Sword. He was grievously wounded.

Yet truly killing a third realm Yang Spirit was no simple task.

Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong laughed and said, “Today, we will slaughter all the soldiers of Donglin Prefecture right before your eyes, let’s see what you can do!”

His profoundly cruel words were subtly stirring Wuse’s inner demon. Meanwhile, the relic bead above Wuse’s head emitted golden Buddhist light, slowly healing the wound to his heart.

Neither of the two cultivators intervened; instead, they watched the young third realm powerhouse with amusement. It seemed they wanted to see this Buddhist prodigy fall completely to the Demonic Dao.

“Amitabha. Even if I die today, I will drag the two of you down to hell with me!” Wuse closed his eyes tightly and resolutely.

“Abandon your flesh, then detonate your primordial spirit manifestation... perhaps then you could achieve all of this,” Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong sneered.

“Today, my Demonic Dao rises! Capture Qingfeng Ridge, and I shall massacre another hundred thousand souls!” Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong said with a grim smile.

“How could a hundred thousand suffice? Have you forgotten me, Jiugong?” Yin Xuansheng said with a smile.

These two demonic third realm cultivators now seemed utterly confident, constantly using words to stir Wuse’s inner demon.

At this time, Wuse was furious, his heart overwhelmed with murderous intent. With his cultivation, he might handle one of them. But with two third realm Yang Spirit experts working together, he had no chance, especially while grievously injured.

Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong had counted on this perfectly. Even if more Yang Spirit experts arrived from Mount Longhu, Great Xiangguo Temple, and the Court of Judicial Review, by then Qingfeng Ridge would already be a human hell.

By slaughtering several more cities, they could summon that forbidden existence, something no ordinary third realm could confront!

Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong smirked coldly.

Yin Xuansheng’s sect, Mount Youming, had masters skilled in divination, with profound foundations. Did they truly think the righteous sects could dominate the world alone?

“Wuse, I suddenly regret injuring your eyes; otherwise, you could have witnessed this human hell firsthand,” Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong said.

Meanwhile, Wuse was preparing to stake his life on this fight.

Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, a massive python, a black leopard, and a colossal eagle was thrown before them. They were completely dead.

Daoist Spiritual Master Jiugong and Yin Xuansheng were stunned speechless. These were the three great venerables of the White Marsh Demon Kingdom. Though not Yang Spirit experts, they were unquestionably at the peak second realm. Yet they had been silently killed by someone else!?

The next moment, a handsome young Daoist descended from the sky. His aura and blood and qi surged mightily, like a blazing sun.

Boom!

Like a meteor crashing down, Yin Xuansheng was heavily trampled beneath this young Daoist’s feet.

Shards of stone flew, and the ground trembled. A massive crater appeared, crisscrossed with dozens of cracks. Then, a tremendous shockwave spread outward!

At this time, Yin Xuansheng was dumbfounded by the sudden appearance of this young Daoist.

1. “Yin” (阴) evokes shadow, secrecy, the hidden, and the darker half of cosmic balance, immediately suggesting someone connected to forbidden arts, death, or the unseen side of the world. “Xuan” (玄) adds another layer of profundity, connoting the abstruse, the arcane, and the unfathomable truths of the Dao, while also hinting at profound cultivation or esoteric wisdom. “Sheng” (生), meaning life or birth, creates an intriguing contrast with the preceding characters, implying rebirth from darkness, life emerging from mystery, or someone who manipulates the boundary between life and death.

To me, the name feels ominous yet philosophical, suggesting a character whose existence is entwined with hidden laws, deep schemes, and the shadowed currents of fate. ☜

2. “拿起屠刀” literally means

“to pick up the butcher’s knife.”

In Chinese usage, it is often a metaphor rather than a literal action. Figuratively, it refers to choosing violence, killing, or ruthless action, especially making the conscious decision to harm others or to step onto a bloody, morally heavy path. It commonly appears in literary, religious, or philosophical contexts to describe the moment someone abandons restraint or compassion and embraces killing or brutality. In Buddhist-influenced language, it is frequently contrasted with ideas of mercy and repentance, such as in the phrase “放下屠刀，立地成佛” (“put down the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha on the spot”), highlighting the moral weight of

taking up

the blade as a deliberate turn toward sin, cruelty, or irreversible wrongdoing. ☜