At the very moment the sword qi appeared, Ancestor Nether Wishper also raised his head to look at the sword qi that had pressed upon him for a thousand years, causing his fall from the clouds.
In the next second, his face suddenly twisted:
"True Lord, it's been a thousand years! A full thousand years!"
"How much longer do you intend to imprison me?"
"Do you truly wish to annihilate our Witch Ghost lineage!?"
As his words fell, the sword qi in the sky paid no heed, silently discerning something, as if it could descend at any moment.
Ancestor Nether Wishper knew that this was the karmic consequence from his possession a thousand years ago still taking effect.
However, with his aura fully exposed, it wouldn't be long before the Golden Core sword qi completely identified him, then a sword would fly over to take his life.
"I refuse to accept this!"
As his words fell, Ancestor Nether Wishper manipulated the 【Yama Palace】 to press down with a roar!
Lü Yang activated the formation talisman, once again invoking the power of the formation to bolster himself, yet this time, regardless of wind, thunder, water, or fire, none could harm Ancestor Nether Wishper in the slightest.
Because a disparity in status had emerged.
With the eight elders returning to their positions, the 【Yama Palace】 was complete, and Ancestor Nether Wishper's status had already surpassed Lü Yang's, even rapidly approaching the Foundation Establishment realm!
"It's useless. Since you've forced me to expose myself and reorganize the 【Yama Palace】, all your methods are now insignificant. This supreme divine ability was once deduced by us Foundation Establishment cultivators together. If nine perfected Foundation Establishment cultivators were to sit within, it might even feign a Golden Core position and battle a True Lord!"
Ancestor Nether Wishper's tone was full of pride.
Which sect in the world doesn't wish to endure for ages? Which doesn't aim to ascend higher? The Witch Ghost Path was among them and nearly succeeded!
If not for the Sect Master of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion of that generation
Ancestor Nether Wishper roared, the status of the 【Yama Palace】 still rising, astonishingly entering the ascension state that only appears when breaking through to Foundation Establishment!
"Younger generation, let me show you the true pinnacle of Qi Refining."
Ancestor Nether Wishper stood atop the 【Yama Palace】, his aura lofty, breaking through nine layers of heavenly barriers in an instant, standing within the "Foundation Establishment realm"!
In the next second, Lü Yang's pupils contracted!
Because having broken through before, he knew that breaking through to Foundation Establishment involves two steps: the first is ascending to the "Foundation Establishment realm," and the second is constructing the immortal foundation.
At this moment, Ancestor Nether Wishper had completed the first step, ascending into the "Foundation Establishment realm."
Yet, he did not choose to construct the immortal foundation.
Ancestor Nether Wishper stood in the "Foundation Establishment realm," pointing with a finger, simultaneously beginning to descend. In an instant, shadows enveloped Lü Yang's entire mind.
He almost instantly understood the method Ancestor Nether Wishper displayed, sacrificing a "failed breakthrough" to launch an attack from the "Foundation Establishment realm"! But in terms of power alone, this strike was scarcely inferior to that of a true Foundation Establishment cultivator!
In the next instant, shadows fell.
Lü Yang's figure was instantly engulfed, the ground within a hundred miles collapsed, all formation talismans shattered, and the rising dust resembled a dragon ascending to the heavens.
The collision felt like the sky collapsing, turbid waves sweeping the void!
For a time, only billowing energy waves surged, radiant lights intertwined, persisting for a long while before gradually dissipating, finally revealing Ancestor Nether Wishper's battered figure.
One must know that 'Heaven Collapses' is not an ordinary divine ability.
Strictly speaking, it's not even a divine ability, but a method.
The two steps of breaking through to Foundation Establishment, failing the second step results in certain death, while failing the first depends entirely on the cultivator's foundation; a strong foundation allows survival.
And 'Heaven Collapses' was created based on this, a self-destructive method purely using one's foundation to suppress others, attacking the opponent with the momentum of a failed ascension.
Although the user would undoubtedly suffer severe injuries due to the failed ascension, exchanging for a Foundation Establishment-level strike was deemed worthwhile.
"To achieve swift victory, this is the only way."
Ancestor Nether Wishper's expression was calm.
After the eight elders returned to their positions, he could steadily suppress Lü Yang with the 【Yama Palace】, but suppression doesn't equate to swift victory.
With the Golden Core sword qi above, he couldn't afford to waste time.
Thus, he chose this extremely fierce method, severely injuring Lü Yang in one blow, to proceed with the final step of his plan.
"Ten Thousand Souls Devour Spirit Seize Heaven Grand Technique"
As Ancestor Nether Wishper formed a hand seal, a mysterious fluctuation instantly spread, not targeting Lü Yang, but the city of Wrongful Death below.
In the next second, City of Unjust Death overturned!
In just a blink, all living beings within the city were slaughtered by Ancestor Nether Wishper! Not only City of Unjust Death, but blood splattered throughout the secret realm!
Immediately after, visible soul lights surged towards Ancestor Nether Wishper, finally clustering around his soul, transforming into a flying light, rushing towards Lü Yang with a ferocious grin of success.
"Raising spirits for a thousand years, it's time to use them!"
Yet, in the next second, his smile suddenly froze.
As the dust settled, Lü Yang stepped out, not as severely injured as he imagined, merely his clothes stained with blood, seemingly unharmed!
"So that's it, it wasn't the Golden Core sword qi committing mass slaughter, it was you."
Lü Yang sighed, understanding the cause and effect.
Why were there so many people in the Witch Ghost Secret Realm? Because Ancestor Nether Wishper's secret technique required them; they were all nurtured talents!
The reason the secret realm became a dead land in the previous life was likely because Ancestor Nether Wishper killed everyone to perform the secret technique, but failed to deceive the Golden Core sword qi, leading to his own soul's destruction.
Thinking of this, Lü Yang couldn't help but sigh, looking at Ancestor Nether Wishper with a hint of pity.
Pitying his thousand years of survival, yet still in vain.
"This is impossible!"
Ancestor Nether Wishper's face twisted, looking at Lü Yang in disbelief: "You clearly took my 'Heaven Collapses' strike, how can you be unscathed?"
Lü Yang smiled faintly: "To be honest, I do have some skills."
[Purple Talent·Some Skills]
[Some Skills: No matter how terrifying the attack, as long as it's within your capability, you can handle it with ease twice.]
With his current cultivation, the Qi Refining realm was within his capability.
Even "Heaven Collapses" was no exception!
In an instant, Ancestor Nether Wishper showed a look of despair.
Lü Yang was not weak; if severely injured, his possession would have been a guaranteed success.
But if Lü Yang was only slightly injured, the situation was different.
A tenfold chance of success instantly plummeted to fifty percent, or even lower!
However, at this point, Ancestor Nether Wishper had no retreat, only able to muster all his spirit, rushing into Lü Yang's sea of consciousness with the support of ten thousand souls!
He aimed to achieve success in one strike!
Destroy Lü Yang's sea of consciousness in one blow, then possess and replace him!
In the next second, Ancestor Nether Wishper saw within Lü Yang's sea of consciousness.
Lü Yang's soul calmly rose, casually making a few moves as if aided by divine forces, effortlessly and gracefully throwing him out of the sea of consciousness!
Ancestor Nether Wishper: "???"
Due to Lü Yang's actions being too relaxed and unrestrained, Ancestor Nether Wishper didn't even realize what had happened until he was thrown out of the sea of consciousness.
"I told you, I do have some skills."
One to handle "Heaven Collapses," another to handle possession.
The failed possession left Ancestor Nether Wishper only time to let out a miserable scream.
In the next second, a majestic sword qi descended from the sky, without hesitation, directly shattering his soul, countless thoughts exploding like stars.
Seeing this, Lü Yang didn't hesitate, sweeping his sleeve to collect all the thoughts.
These were the divine senses formed from the shattered soul of Ancestor Nether Wishper, the last sect master of the Witch Ghost Path, containing most of his memories.
Frankly, they were priceless treasures!