"Very well, let me tell you what to do..." Zhang Yan whispered a few words.
Su YiAng mulled over his words and found that, while the risk was considerable, the chances of success were high. Moreover, he had no room to refuse at this point. Clenching his teeth, he immediately bowed down and said, "I am willing to follow Senior Brother’s instructions."
By now, after two hours of relentless bombardment, the tower’s prohibitions could no longer hold and gradually dissipated.
He Fang, noticing this, was overjoyed. The Calming Hammer came crashing down once more. With a resounding "boom," followed by an ear-splitting "crack," the unprotected tower, now no different from ordinary structures, crumbled entirely. Splinters of wood, broken columns, copper beasts, and roof tiles fell from the sky chaotically.
Zhang Yan, however, appeared utterly composed, drifting gently in midair as he descended slowly.
He Fang, having hurried through the night and continuously wielding his Dharma Treasure for two hours from midair, was already utterly exhausted despite his formidable mana reserves. With just one glance, he recognized Zhang Yan as the one who had toyed with him. Rage surged to his head, and he bellowed, "Whelp, prepare to hand over your life!"
As golden light surged toward him, Zhang Yan flung an object in that direction and shouted loudly, "This is Su YiAng’s Primordial Spirit—Brother He, you’d best take it carefully."
From within the jade, Su YiAng shrieked, "Senior Brother He, save me, quickly!"
He Fang was startled and hastily formed a spell to recall his treasure, but how could it be so simple? Yet he couldn’t possibly bear the blame for the destruction of Su YiAng’s Primordial Spirit. In a frantic panic, he released a cry of "Ahhh!" With a quiver and shudder of Xuan Guang surrounding his body, a red light forcibly burst forth, catching the falling Calming Hammer. But it was tantamount to hitting himself with his own weapon. Instantly, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and his eyes turned blood-red.
Seeing this, Zhang Yan’s eyes gleamed. With a flick of his sleeve, the Ruyi Divine Shuttle in his hand shot out with a "whoosh."
He Fang suddenly felt a chill sweep over his entire body. Catching sight of a streak of green light flying toward him, he instantly recognized this artifact’s extraordinary origins. In a fluster, he mustered all his Xuan Guang as a shield. For a moment, the crimson light flared wildly, just barely blocking the Ruyi Divine Shuttle.
However, before he could gather his thoughts, it seemed as though the light above him was abruptly blotted out by something. When he raised his head to look, he couldn’t help but cry out in alarm, "The Soul Suppressing Inkstone?"
He was well aware of this treasure’s power. In this urgent moment, he couldn’t afford to think much. Retracting his Xuan Guang, he gathered it into his fists and struck upward with all his strength. With a "bang," he forcibly sent the inkstone flying back.
Just as he was fully exerting himself, two black needle-like beams silently pierced through his back without warning. His face froze instantly, his eyes opened wide in disbelief, and, in his daze, the image of an exquisitely beautiful face flashed before his eyes. A coil of black Xuan Guang twined around his body, encasing him from his chest down to his abdomen. Before long, fresh blood and internal organs splattered down from the sky in a horrific rain.
His mouth moved slightly, as if to speak, but the black Xuan Guang showed no mercy. Like a coiled serpent, it wrapped around him, tightened, and twisted, pulverizing the remaining flesh and his Primordial Spirit alike into nothingness.
A pale, slender hand gracefully caught the Heart-Hitting Hammer. A seductive woman stood charmingly atop a black cloud of light. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes brimmed with grievance. She looked toward Zhang Yan and said, "Young master, you summon me on a whim and cast me aside just as easily. It seems I shall never be free from this Essence Blood Oath in this lifetime."
Zhang Yan burst into hearty laughter and said, "Luo Daoist, have you ever heard the saying, ’When one ascends, their mere dogs and chickens rise to the heavens’? Should I one day attain the Dao, I will surely not fail you."