Chapter 263 Chapter : Refining the Ten Thousand Souls Banner
Xiao Ling already had a clear plan for those souls whose strength had not reached Dou Wang. He planned to use these souls as materials for refining to enhance the power of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, thereby improving the quality of this magical instrument.
Xiao Ling stared at the black ball of light in his hand, which imprisoned countless souls. They should have dissipated into the world shortly after death. However, the guardian of the Soul Palace used special means to forcibly retain them, causing them to lose their intelligence and become helpless ghosts, tormented by endless pain all day long.
He sighed softly, with a hint of determination in his tone: "The dead cannot be resurrected. Since I am going to use your lives to sacrifice and refine the magic weapon, I will definitely avenge you. The Iron Guardian who harmed you has been dealt with by me. The Soul Palace and I have always been hostile to each other, so I will naturally fight them to the end in the future."
Although Xiao Ling was not a vicious person and would not commit atrocities such as massacring civilians or refining the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, he was unable to let go of the souls collected by the Soul Palace and let them dissipate.
Despite this, Xiao Ling would still keep his promise, after all, he was destined to be an enemy of the Soul Palace in the future. Moreover, the culprit, Iron Guardian, had already been dealt with by him. Therefore, Xiao Ling had done his utmost kindness and responsibility to these souls.
Xiao Ling did not feel guilty about using these souls to strengthen the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. In his opinion, instead of letting these souls disappear uselessly, it would be better to use their power to strengthen himself, so that he would have a better chance of winning in the future battle with the Soul Palace.
These souls could no longer be resurrected, and all he did was to allow them to continue in another form. Through refining, he transformed the power of these souls into his own power, which was not only a rational use of resources, but also to make him stronger when fighting against the Soul Palace.
Xiao Ling shook his head gently and decided not to dwell on the past. He was still a little too rigid. This was Douqi Continent, a world where strength was respected and the strong survived. Here, only by becoming stronger could one control one's own destiny.
I must abandon the weak ideas of my previous life and adapt to the rules of this new world. In the Douqi Continent, only by constantly improving my strength can I protect myself, protect my loved ones, and stand firm in the fierce battle.
Xiao Ling took a deep breath, suppressed his inner turmoil, and his gaze fell on the Ten Thousand Souls Banner beside him again.
The flag was dull in color and covered with traces of time, and looked like an ordinary black sail flag. But Xiao Ling knew that after this ritual, it would be reborn.
At this moment, Xiao Ling's heart was filled with an inexplicable expectation. He was about to use his soul body to refine the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, which was the first time. He couldn't help but wonder, after such a sacrifice, how much would the quality of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner be improved?
You know, before this, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner could only collect ten souls at a time. For Xiao Ling, this number was really not enough.
Immediately, Xiao Ling began to chant the soul-refining spell in a low voice. Although his voice was low, it was full of power. As the spell echoed, the air in the entire room seemed to tremble slightly and become distorted. The black light ball containing countless souls began to flicker with a faint light, as if they had already sensed the changes they were about to face, emitting an indescribable tense atmosphere.
Xiao Ling waved his hand fiercely, and the black ball of light seemed to be unshackled. The souls seemed to be pulled by an invisible force and flew towards the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. They drew dim tracks in the air, like the tails of meteors in the night sky, and were eventually swallowed by the deep black surface of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
As the soul body merged, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner began to change. The originally dim banner gradually became brighter, and black light flowed on the banner, as if it came alive. The originally blurred patterns began to become clear, like the evil spirits of hell baring their fangs and claws on the banner.
During the ritual, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner exuded an evil aura that enveloped the entire room, making people shudder. Xiao Ling's expression remained unchanged, but his hands moved faster and faster, with a determined look in his eyes.
Finally, as the last soul was devoured by the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, the banner was no longer the ordinary black cloth banner it was before. Its surface became as smooth as a mirror, emitting a deep and mysterious black light, and the evil ghost pattern on the banner seemed to jump out at any time, lifelike.
Although the Ten Thousand Souls Banner exuded a cold aura all the time, under Xiao Ling's precise control, this chill was cleverly restrained and no longer leaked out. The Ten Thousand Souls Banner was now like a peerless weapon containing endless power, hanging there quietly, waiting for Xiao Ling's next instruction.
Xiao Ling tightly grasped the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. He could clearly feel the power surging in the banner. This ritual was obviously a great success. The power of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner was at least increased several times. Although the conditions for absorbing souls remained the same, the ability of the banner had a qualitative leap. It could now absorb up to three hundred souls at the same time, which was much more powerful than the previous limit of ten souls.
With Xiao Ling's slight wave of his hand, dozens of bodies of Dou Wang and Dou Huang appeared out of thin air in the training room. They were stacked together to form a pile like a small hill.
These bodies were the ones he had asked Zi Yan to collect before. Because the souls in their bodies had not yet been extracted, Xiao Ling now prepared to put these souls that had not yet completely dissipated into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
He took out the porcelain bottles containing the souls of Xie Bi Yan, Yan Luo Tian and Iron Protector from the storage space and placed them aside, preparing to incorporate these souls into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner later.
Although the bodies of these Dou Zong-level warriors have passed away, their souls are still strong and they even retain a certain level of consciousness.
As soon as they saw Xiao Ling standing by, the three souls began to curse Xiao Ling angrily. Although their souls were trapped in the porcelain bottle, they still retained their arrogance and hostility in their lifetime and were full of hatred for Xiao Ling.
Xiao Ling turned a deaf ear to these curses and said in a meaningful tone, "Haha, you guys, go ahead and curse if you want to, but I'll see if you can curse again later."
Afterwards, Xiao Ling began to wave the Ten Thousand Souls Banner in his hand, aiming at the remains of the Dou Wang level. Every time he waved it, it was full of power and determination, and the black light on the Ten Thousand Souls Banner burst out. Along with the burst of black light, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner exuded a strong cold air, and even the temperature in the room dropped slightly.
Under the astonished gazes of Xie Biyan, Yan Luotian and Tie Hufa, souls actually floated out from the bodies. The forms of these souls were exactly the same as the bodies before they died. Obviously, Xiao Ling used the mysterious black Ten Thousand Souls Banner to guide these souls out of the bodies.
As Xiao Ling waved the banner, the black light on the Ten Thousand Souls Banner was like a living thing, winding and flowing, emitting a heart-pounding chill. This chill was not ordinary cold, but a chill that penetrated deep into the bone marrow and struck the soul. Wherever the black light reached, the soul in the body seemed to be attracted by some irresistible force and slowly freed itself from the body.
These souls were wandering in the air, their faces filled with confusion and fear, as if they had not yet realized that they had left their bodies. However, they could not resist the call of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, and one after another, the souls were entangled by black light, as if being pulled by invisible threads, and were eventually sucked into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
Seeing Xiao Ling's actions, Xie Biyan, Yan Luotian and Tie Hufa quickly understood his intention. Xiao Ling was obviously planning to use the mysterious black Ten Thousand Souls Banner to collect souls. Since he had already collected the souls of the Dou Wang and Dou Huang into the banner, it was obvious that the souls of the three of them would not be able to escape the same fate.
A trace of panic surged in their hearts. Xiao Ling's plan was obvious, and the Ten Thousand Souls Banner did not look like an auspicious object, emitting an unsettling aura. They knew that once they were taken into it, their souls would face an unknown fate.
Even the Iron Protector was shouting, "Wow! This method is even worse than that used by the Soul Palace. Xiao Ling, you are so despicable!"
The souls of the three people were restless in the porcelain bottle, and their eyes were flickering with resentment and fear. They were once powerful men who dominated the world, but now they could only watch their souls being controlled by others.
The previous sarcastic insults were now swallowed back by Xie Bi Yan and the other two. They began to try to please Xiao Ling with flattering words.
Xiao Ling just shook his head slightly, and a playful smile appeared on his lips. He said lightly: "I still like your rebellious look at the beginning. You should recover a little, haha."
There was a hint of ridicule in his words, and he obviously did not intend to accept their flattery. Xiao Ling continued, "This is the result of your own lack of effort in cultivation. From now on, you will be a companion in the Ten Thousand Souls Banner." As his words fell, Xiao Ling no longer paid attention to the three people's pleas or flattery, and planned to take these three guys into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner first. He waved the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, and the black flag drew mysterious tracks in the air, sucking the souls of the three people into it one by one.
Under the pull of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, the souls of Xie Biyan, Yan Luotian and Iron Guardian were pulled by an invisible force, and their expressions changed from fear to despair, and they were finally completely swallowed up by the darkness of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner. Their screams and curses echoed in the training room, but were soon swallowed up by the silence inside the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
Xiao Ling's face was calm, his eyes were fixed on the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, observing its changes. With the addition of the souls of the three Dou Zong masters, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner did not change much from before, but the black light on the banner became deeper, as if it could swallow all light.
He could feel the souls inside the Ten Thousand Souls Banner churning, their powers intertwined inside the banner, forming a powerful soul storm. This storm raged inside the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, but was controlled by Xiao Ling's will and gradually subsided.
Touching his chin, Xiao Ling said to himself, "It seems that they have begun to devour each other. I don't know how it will develop."
Immediately, Xiao Ling waved his hand and put the Ten Thousand Souls Banner into the system space. Then, he summoned a ball of strange fire. Under his control, the strange fire completely enveloped the remains of the Dou Wang and Dou Huang. The flames jumped, emitting a faint light, and soon turned the remains into wisps of light smoke, which drifted away with the wind without leaving a trace.
After dealing with these, Xiao Ling walked out of the training room without any hesitation. He rode on the Rayquaza, and under Xiao Ling's guidance, the Rayquaza twisted its slender body and galloped towards the direction of the Izumo Empire.
Xiao Ling's eyes were deep, and he already had a plan in mind. His first target was the treasure house of the Wanxie Sect, where countless poisons and resources were stored, which were exactly what he and Xiao Yixian could use for their cultivation. He planned to use this opportunity to seize all the wealth accumulated by the Wanxie Sect over the years.
After looting the treasure house of Wanxie Sect, Xiao Ling planned to continue to Mulan Valley and Jinyan Sect to empty their treasure houses as well. Now that these three sects have lost Dou Zong-level masters, it is easy for Xiao Ling to take away their treasures quietly.
Even if he were discovered, with his current strength, he could easily deal with it and seal it physically to ensure that his actions would not be discovered.
……
Not long after, a shocking piece of news quickly spread throughout the Gama Empire and its surrounding countries, becoming the focus of heated discussion.
In a crucial battle at the Black Mountain Fortress, the Gama Empire won an overwhelming victory! Facing the strong pressure from the coalition forces of the three countries, the army of the Gama Empire showed amazing combat effectiveness.
Among them, the most eye-catching was Xiao Ling's heroic performance. He not only defeated three Dou Zong-level masters, Xie Bi Yan, Yan Luo Tian and Mu Lan San Lao, but also killed a mysterious Dou Zong, turning the tide of the battle in one fell swoop.
This victory made Xiao Ling's reputation in the Jia Ma Empire so high that no one could match him. His name became synonymous with victory, and his achievements were praised as legends. On the streets and alleys, people were talking about the deeds of this hero, and his story was woven into various versions and spread in every corner.
The children gathered around the fireplace, listening to their elders tell how Xiao Ling broke into the enemy camp single-handedly and defeated the powerful enemy on his own. Their eyes sparkled with admiration and yearning for the hero.
The adults raised their glasses to celebrate in the tavern, discussing Xiao Ling's extraordinary strength and wisdom, as well as the glory and hope he brought to the empire.
Inspired by this victory, the morale of the people of the Gama Empire was high and they were full of confidence in the future.
And Xiao Ling, the young hero, has become the patron saint in their hearts. His image is carved on the monument in the Royal Square, becoming a symbol of the empire's immortality.
At this time, Xiao Ling knew nothing about the praise and legends from the outside world. He had quietly completed the plunder of the treasure houses of Mulan Valley, Jinyan Sect and Wanxie Sect, and returned with a full load.
He was riding on Rayquaza, and this powerful monster was cutting streaks of light in the sky as it sped towards the direction of the Gama Empire.
With the rapid flight of the Splinter Cell, Xiao Ling quickly crossed the vast Tagor Desert and entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range of the Gama Empire. This mountain range was once a paradise for magic beasts, but now most of the area has become the new territory of the snake people.
The outline of the mountains gradually became clear on the horizon. The towering peaks seemed to be the work of nature, which made people marvel at the magic of creation. In the mountains, ancient trees were towering and lush, and various strange beasts' calls came one after another, adding a bit of mystery and wildness to this land.
Sitting on the broad back of the Sky Splitting Seat, Xiao Ling's eyes penetrated the clouds and overlooked the winding Magic Beast Mountains below. To him, this land was not only a territory of the Jia Ma Empire, but also the place where he and Xiao Yixian first met. Thinking of this, he felt an irrepressible excitement in his heart.
Memories came flooding back like a tide, and Xiao Ling seemed to see the moment when he first met Xiao Yixian again. At that time, she was a little alert, a little alert, and a little playful. Their meeting was like fate, and from then on, Xiao Yixian became an indispensable part of his life.
The wind from the mountains whistled in his ears, but Xiao Ling's thoughts drifted far away.
The Rayquaza seemed to sense its master's mood, and its flying became more stable, as if providing a quiet space for Xiao Ling's memories.
As he went deeper into the Splinter Cell, Xiao Ling saw the settlement of the Serpent People. There were newly built houses and facilities there, which were still a little rough, but full of life and vitality.
The members of the Snake People work hard on this land. Although their lives are simple, their faces are filled with satisfied and happy smiles. Obviously, compared with the heat and dryness of the Tagor Desert, this humid climate of the Warcraft Mountains is much more livable for the Snake People.
As Xiao Ling continued to go deeper into the heart of the Magical Beast Mountains, his eyes were attracted by a spectacular scene. Surrounded by the eight tribes of the Serpent People, a magnificent and gorgeous palace stood tall. Its exquisiteness and splendor were obvious. This was undoubtedly the residence of Queen Medusa.
The palace has a unique architectural style that incorporates traditional elements of the snake people. The towering towers and winding corridors sparkle in the sunlight, like a shining pearl in the mountains.
Around the palace, the snake people's tribe is well organized, and the tribal architecture blends harmoniously with the natural environment, appearing very harmonious.
Seeing the snake people's new home in the Warcraft Mountains in good order, Xiao Ling couldn't help but sigh in his heart, "Not only did they arrange the relocation of the snake people from the Tagor Desert in such a short time, but they also managed this place so well. This Medusa is really a great wife. It would be great if I could take this beautiful snake with me."
(End of this chapter)