Chapter 71: The Extraction of Soul and Spirit

Looking at the elderly patriarch of the Zhou family before me, my heart could not help but tremble slightly. I could distinctly sense that his gaze now was entirely different from when I had seen him earlier. Such a drastic change in such a short time could only mean one thing: the Master of Remembrance had forced him to consume far too many vengeful souls.

Because the patriarch's three souls and seven spirits had been wholly recalled and sealed within his body by the Master of Remembrance, he had become terrifyingly furious. His soul had transformed into a dreadful wraith; after devouring countless other souls, it had swiftly become a corpse demon. Though its power paled in comparison to a true corpse demon like the Master of Remembrance, it was still terrifyingly strong. In short, I was no match for him now.

Roaring!

The moment he grabbed my shoulder, the old patriarch let out a bone-chilling howl. With a violent pull, I was flung several meters away, crashing heavily against a tree. Blood gushed from my mouth as I hit the ground.

My head spun, and I felt as if my internal organs were about to spill out. “Master, run! We’re not his match!” Nie Xiaoke's voice sounded just as I was about to collapse. At this point, no matter what tricks I had, I couldn't use them. The old man had become a corpse demon, something no ordinary person could withstand—let alone a novice like me. Even Chen Chuyi would likely have a headache facing him.

I grabbed the Sword of All Beings and forced myself to stand. “Fiery Talisman—ignite!” It was the only means left to obstruct the patriarch. Standing up, I bit my finger and smeared blood onto the Sword of All Beings. Nie Xiaoke instantly understood my intent.

A burst of flames erupted behind me, and the sword carried me away at incredible speed. But just as I tried to escape, my plan failed—because the Master of Remembrance was already standing before me.

On his middle-aged face twisted a woman's cold smile, and his raspy voice rang out again. “Boy, I told you, you won’t escape today. Now that you’ve fallen into my hands, you shall become my third servant.”

“Third?” I blurted out, my heart trembling.

“Yes, third. The old Zhou counts as one. You just gifted me another—the adorable little girl…”

My face changed instantly, and I growled coldly, “Master of Remembrance, if you dare harm Yinyin, I’ll fight you to the death—my life be damned!”

“You’ll fight me? What do you have to fight with? Do you think you’re that woman from before? You’re just a mortal. You’re nowhere near my equal!” As he spoke, the Master of Remembrance lunged at me.

“Hmph!” Even a cornered rabbit bites back. Without a second thought, I stepped forward and swung my sword.

The Sword of All Beings felt my murderous intent, and crimson light burst forth, wrapping around me almost instantly. I stood trembling, drained by this attack, yet I clenched my teeth and endured.

“Such petty tricks—do you still wish to fight me?” As the red sword light enveloped him, the Master of Remembrance’s body suddenly swelled; his hand, once no different from mine, instantly became a gigantic palm. It struck at me, shattering the sword light and pinning me flat to the ground with crushing force.

“Now, boy, let’s see how you resist. Your soul has surprised me—in the midst of my vast spiritual assault, you remain unscathed and defiant. Truly astonishing.”

I managed a bitter laugh. Now, I could barely move; I was completely pinned, like a mangy dog awaiting slaughter.

“Master, release me. If I self-destruct my soul, I can break this pressure and take you away!” Nie Xiaoke pleaded.

“No!” I looked up at the towering Master of Remembrance, whose palm was as broad as a fan. He had far surpassed me, not even in the same league. Not to mention the Zhou patriarch, bloodied and battered, standing nearby. Even if Nie Xiaoke self-destructed, it would be useless against these two combined.

“Boy, you truly have had strange encounters. I’m amazed—what is hidden within your body? I can’t even see it clearly!” The Master of Remembrance’s body gradually shrank as he approached. Though his form returned to normal, the oppressive aura remained.

My heart quivered again as he curled a finger and I felt myself drawn inexorably toward him. I couldn’t move at all, as if my body was no longer mine. I sensed a tremendous force rampaging within me—the Blood Array inside me had begun to loosen.

“How interesting—your body contains a great array. Hahaha…” The Master of Remembrance laughed even more radiantly, then extended his middle finger and pressed it to my brow. His finger, sharp as a drill, pierced my forehead as if it were tofu. Instantly, the array within me shuddered.

At that moment, a mysterious power burst forth from within, and I regained my freedom.

“Break!” Filled with strength, I swung the Sword of All Beings fiercely at the Master of Remembrance. He had no time to react, and didn’t realize his control over me had vanished so suddenly.

With a slash, he barely managed to dodge, but at such close range and with such a sudden attack, my sword severed the arm he had extended toward me.