I Have an Omen System-Chapter 63 - 61: The Soul Banner Devours a Man

"What a fine True Inheritance disciple of the Holy Sect. And what a fine Cicada Molt!"

Chen Lixuan’s voice was bone-chilling, carrying a trace of the vexation one feels after being bitten by an ant.

The eyes of the Divine Soul Little Man in his Spirit Platform Sea of Consciousness had, at some point, become clouded by a wisp of black candle smoke.

’This kind of Substitution Tribulation Divine Technique, one involving spatial transposition, must be a core inheritance of the Thousand Mechanism Puppet Sect. It might even hide the secrets of the Golden Core realm.’

’Even if it means exposing myself and being hunted by the Purple Mansion Daoists of the Cold Nether Sect, I must get my hands on it!’

Chen Lixuan hovered in mid-air, his gaze sweeping over the dense forest within a hundred-zhang radius, which showed no sign of any Demon Cultivators.

"You can die proud, having forced me to use this Talisman."

Chen Lixuan’s voice was frigid, devoid of a single shred of emotion.

BOOM—!

A tremor echoed, seeming to rise from the depths of the Nine Netherworld Yellow Springs!

From the spot between Chen Lixuan’s brows, a point of ethereal blue light, one that seemed capable of devouring all light and heat, suddenly flared to life.

"Profound as the Abyss, open!"

WHOOSH!

With the ethereal blue light between his brows as its core, a visible "abyss," its surface rippling with deep water, instantly expanded outward.

Positional Divine Technique: Profound Nether Abyss!

This abyss was not a physical current of water, but a domain of principles constructed purely from "Profound Nether True Intent."

Wherever the domain passed, the air condensed into countless fine, ethereal blue ice crystals that fell like snow, rustling softly.

The scenery within a hundred-li radius was clearly imprinted in his mind’s eye.

"Found you!"

Two beams of brilliant light shot from Chen Lixuan’s eyes as he forcibly dragged Qin Xuan into his domain.

However, at that very moment, Chen Lixuan’s brow furrowed sharply. He snapped his head around to stare at the distant horizon.

"Heh heh, a mere backwoods Loose Cultivator dares to seize my Holy Sect’s inheritance? Do you take my Holy Sect for a bunch of nobodies?!"

A light chuckle, as loud as a thunderclap, rang out.

SIZZLE—!

It was like a red-hot branding iron being plunged into solid ice.

Wherever the voice reached, the edges of the deep, ethereal blue Profound Nether Domain began to boil violently.

Countless fine streams of white steam hissed into the air.

Chen Lixuan’s expression changed drastically.

"A Heaven Dao Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Blood Demon Sword Sect!"

As the wisp of black candle smoke clouding his Spirit Platform Sea of Consciousness quietly vanished, Chen Lixuan belatedly realized his mistake.

’I should have left just now! What was I thinking? Why did I use my Positional Divine Technique?!’

Filled with instant regret, Chen Lixuan turned to flee.

"Just figuring that out now? A little late, don’t you think?" the voice boomed with laughter.

Chen Lixuan snapped his head around and saw a streak of crimson light appear on the horizon.

The streak of light faded, revealing a gaunt Demon Cultivator in a black robe, his hair and beard a fiery crimson!

The gaunt Demon Cultivator held a silvery-white Blood Sword. His black robe was embroidered with all manner of bloodthirsty ghouls, which emanated a chilling, spectral light, giving him an aura of profound mystery.

It was none other than the second son of the Yanxue Sword Demon—Ji Boying!

Meanwhile, in Corridor C, a Purple Mansion elder’s eyes shot open the very instant Chen Lixuan unleashed his Positional Divine Technique.

’That’s the aura of the Profound Nether Abyss... The one who murdered Ningshuang is a Sinful Demon from the Blood Demon Sword Sect!’

The Purple Mansion Daoist was seething with uncontrollable rage and was about to move forward. However, when he got a clear look at the newcomer and saw it was Ji Boying, he nearly ground his teeth to dust.

’Damn it! Why is it a descendant of the Golden Core Blood Demon, Ji Boyan?!’

The Purple Mansion Daoist shot Ji Boying a venomous glare, then flicked his sleeve, fuming with rage.

’Revenge for my child’s death... I can’t have it now!’

Finally, he glanced around and saw that besides Ji Boying, other Demon Cultivators like Xiao Ran and Hou Qi were also present.

However, both of them had powerful connections and complicated backgrounds; he couldn’t afford to offend either one.

Furious, the Purple Mansion Daoist vented his frustration on the pair. He broke all one hundred and eight of their bones, one by one, and then planted a Divine Soul Restriction in each of them.

After erasing their memories of the beating and thoroughly venting his spleen, he finally departed.

Xiao Ran and Hou Qi: "???"

...

「On the other side.」

"Your Excellency, this is a complete misunderstanding. Please, just listen to..."

Chen Lixuan tried to explain, but Ji Boying cut him off before he could finish.

"You dare harm a disciple of my Holy Sect? There’s no need for words. Save it for the road to Reincarnation!"

Ji Boying gave Chen Lixuan no chance to explain whatsoever. He brandished his Lifebound Longsword, his dark sleeves billowing, and from his superior position, slashed down violently.

BOOM!!!

The cry of the sword was like the roar of a primeval beast, tearing open Chen Lixuan’s Profound Nether Domain and unleashing a torrent of pure, viscous, liquid-like "crimson"!

The instant this "crimson" appeared, the Fire Element Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth converged and boiled madly, as if paying homage to its sovereign.

Positional Divine Technique: Flame Demon!

The crimson flames roiled and roared, lacking any fixed form.

At times it resembled an angry dragon soaring through the sky, at others a phoenix spreading its wings, and then it would shift into countless pulsing, crimson-gold talismans imbued with a destructive will.

HISSSSSSS—

A dense, ear-piercing sizzling of dissolution filled the air.

Upon contact with the "crimson," the deep, ethereal blue Profound Nether True Intent seemed to have met its nemesis, rapidly evaporating and disintegrating!

"Impossible!"

Chen Lixuan’s pupils contracted as he cried out in disbelief, his face instantly turning ashen.

’Water overcomes fire, fire overcomes metal... The generating and overcoming cycle of the Five Elements is an immutable law.’

’My Profound Nether Abyss contains a trace of the Extreme Cold Dao Principle and is even of the Yang Water Position. I’ve rarely met my match among peers of the same realm. How could it be corroded so easily?’

"Heh heh. Summer’s fire gives rise to Yang. When water tries to overcome such fire, the water is instead imprisoned. When such fire overcomes metal, the metal is utterly destroyed."

"How could a backwoods Loose Cultivator like you possibly understand the mysteries of my Holy Sect? Now, enter my Soul Banner!"

The roiling, roaring "Flame Demon" abruptly contracted inward, instantly condensing into an immense, peerless crimson blade.

"Flame Demon Transformation Sword, strike!"

Ji Boying made a sword gesture with his fingers and swiped viciously downward!

VMMMM—

The crimson blade descended without a sound.

Its target was not Chen Lixuan himself, but the core of the Profound Nether Domain he was struggling to maintain: the illusory, ethereal blue Talisman hovering before his brow, a projection from his sea of consciousness.

It was like the sound of tearing cloth.

"PFFT—!"

As if struck by a colossal hammer, Chen Lixuan violently spat out a mouthful of blood laced with shimmering, ice-blue fragments.

His face went deathly pale, his aura plummeted, and he teetered on the verge of collapse, like a kite with a snapped string.

Qin Xuan, witnessing this firsthand, was utterly shaken.

Having recovered a sliver of Demonic Essence, he immediately bowed his head. "Shi Huaizhong, True Inheritance disciple of the Holy Sect, thanks Senior Brother for saving my life!"

Ji Boying glanced at Qin Xuan with great interest.

He instantly understood. ’He’s trying to hide his real identity.’

"Junior Brother Huaizhong, rise. You have suffered."

Ji Boying let out a great laugh. "Today, I shall give you a grand gift, fulfilling a promise from the past!"

A surge of scorching Demonic Essence formed a massive, fiery hand that lifted the heavily injured Qin Xuan, drew him to Ji Boying’s side, and fed him a crimson, blood-red Pill.

In an instant, a pure and gentle stream of Fire Element coursed through his body. Qin Xuan’s spirits lifted as all his injuries healed completely!

A flash of insight struck Qin Xuan. He recalled the divination from his time at the Blazing Fire Sect. This was it—the Seventh-Grade Opportunity!

The destruction of his Positional Divine Technique sent a backlash surging through him. Chen Lixuan’s Divine Soul throbbed with excruciating pain, his vision blackened, and he nearly plummeted from the sky.

Meanwhile, Ji Boying watched him with a grin as the Flame Demon, which had reverted to a roiling mass of "crimson," slowly began to converge.

"Your Excellency... must you truly be so merciless?!"

Chen Lixuan shrieked, his hoarse voice sounding exceptionally desolate amidst the wailing Yin Wind.

"Whatever do you mean, fellow Daoist? I am merely inviting you to be a guest in my junior brother’s Soul Banner."

Ji Boying chuckled darkly and made a grabbing motion in the empty air.

VMMMM—WOOOO!!

A long, dark-red banner, made of neither metal nor jade, materialized from thin air.

The banner’s surface was incredibly wide, as if crafted from a single, massive piece of tanned human skin. It writhed and undulated ceaselessly.

Upon closer inspection, one could see that the banner’s face was stitched together from countless tormented, howling faces of souls!

"No—!"

Chen Lixuan let out a heart-rending, desperate howl.

The moment the Soul-devouring Banner appeared, Chen Lixuan’s blood ran cold. He frantically channeled what little Spiritual Power he had left in a desperate attempt to escape.

But it was too late.

The Demon Flame in Ji Boying’s eyes surged. Gripping the hideous spinal-column flagpole with both hands, he gave it a vicious shake in Chen Lixuan’s direction.

"Ten Thousand Souls Devour the Heart, absorb!"

AOOOOOO—

On the Soul Banner, the myriads of tormented faces shrieked as one.

The banner’s surface swelled violently, and in an instant, countless fine, blood-red threads shot out from it.

"Argh—!"

Chen Lixuan’s body went rigid. His eyes bulged as he let out an inhuman shriek.

Amid his terror and despair, his Flesh Body rapidly turned gray and withered, and his pure Water Elemental Spiritual Power became nourishment for the Demon Banner.

With every bit it consumed, the venomous expressions on the faces grew deeper, and the demonic might emanating from the banner grew stronger!

"Sinful Demon... I curse you... for all eternity... may you never..." Chen Lixuan’s curse came in fits and starts, his voice like a broken bellows as his body visibly shriveled.

"Ah!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Chen Lixuan let out one last, short, and piercing scream.

RRRIP—!

It was the sound of a rag being torn to shreds.

The great Heaven Dao Foundation Establishment Cultivator vanished without a trace.

All that remained in his place was a pile of cloth fragments corroded by an aura of death, along with a few blackened and shattered pieces of dry bone, the only testament to Chen Lixuan’s former existence.

Ji Boying held the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, its demonic might now even stronger, and handed it to Qin Xuan with a grin.

"Junior Brother Huaizhong, I wonder, are you satisfied with this gift?"

In the center of the banner, a distorted face vaguely resembling Chen Lixuan could be seen slowly "stitching" itself onto the surface.

It was an utterly grotesque sight.