Lin Baixiang sat cross-legged on another branch shining with divine radiance, a glimmer of hope swelling within him. He pressed a finger to the spot between his brows, and a ghostly glow blossomed on his forehead. Insectoid creatures appeared within that glow, forming sinister patterns that radiated a life-devouring power. I don't know if this will work. Lin Baixiang's already aged face became even more deeply lined as the insect swarm within the glow drained away his vitality and soul essence. Phantom Ghost Beetles... bred in a restricted area within the Ghost Race's territory, capable of spawning ghostly abominations. Lin Baixiang recalled the previous leader of the Ghost Race before Zi Mo. As a powerful Sword God from the Sword Pavilion, Lin Baixiang's combat prowess had naturally been fearsome. He had previously fought alone against the previous leader of the Ghost Race and their elite Gods, wiping them all out in the end. That battle delivered a devastating blow to the Ghost Race that they never truly recovered from. It was only after that battle that Zi Mo, the rising star of the Ghost Race, took on the burden of revitalizing the Ghost Race and painstakingly ascended to the position of its leader. However, the Phantom Ghost Beetles that had invaded Lin Baixiang during that fight continued to plague him. Despite all his knowledge and experience, he could not find any method to purge or kill the Phantom Ghost Beetles. When he tried to pierce them with his sword-light, he felt as if each beetle was part of his own flesh and soul. Destroying the beetles meant killing himself, and clearing them out was a death sentence. Life energy is the food for those beetles. If I can absorb enough life energy, I can buy myself a few more years, even if all I'm doing is just treating the symptoms, Lin Baixiang reasoned to himself. He did not believe that the life energy radiating from the World Tree could truly rid him of the Phantom Ghost Beetles. Even so, as long as it could replenish his depleted vitality, it would nonetheless buy him more time. When life energy flowed from the World Tree into his body, he sensed something peculiar. Within this life energy was a vast soul essence that surged straight for the ghostly glow between his brows! The Phantom Ghost Beetles within the glow let out terrified shrieks, scattering like prey sensing their natural predator. Lin Baixiang's heart trembled, and he cried out in disbelief, "This—Could it...could this life energy from Pang Jian actually remove these damned Phantom Ghost Beetles?" The vast, mysterious soul essence transformed into a golden bee that ravenously charged into the ghostly glow. A massacre instantly unfolded! Lin Baixiang watched in stark clarity as the golden bee pounced on the Phantom Ghost Beetles and devoured them like a tiger among helpless lambs. The Phantom Ghost Beetles fell one after another. Lin Baixiang's lost vitality radiated out from the golden bee. The nightmare that had tormented Lin Baixiang for nearly twenty thousand years, robbing him of sleep and peace, was dealt with just like that! "How did he manage this?" The ancient Sword God stared blankly ahead as he felt his vitality return. "Those beetles are deeply rooted in sinister soul-related and life-related arts. Even the previous leader of the Ghost Race found them difficult to handle. I searched for many elixirs. I even went into hiding and sought help from so many people..." As he mumbled, the wrinkles on his face smoothed out, and his aged features rapidly grew younger. "My father earned the recognition of the Soulstream in the Nether Abyss and mastered all kinds of soul-related techniques. Some of the Ghost Race's secret techniques actually originate from that Soulstream," Pang Ling replied with a sweet smile. Then, with disdain dripping from her lips, she added, "As for those sinister life-related arts? Hah, they're not even worth mentioning." Lin Baixiang laughed heartily. "That boy has done me a great service! He's truly a disciple of our Sword Pavilion, truly the son of Pang Qi!" Read complete versıon only at 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹·𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒·𝗇𝗲𝘁 When the last Phantom Ghost Beetle died, the ghostly glow expanded and burst with a muffled pop before disappearing. Lin Baixiang shot up from that branch, his body coursing with clear, unclouded sword intent. He threw his head back and let out a triumphant roar, as if letting out all the years of pent-up frustration from his heart. The sword-light buried deep in his body erupted with boundless power. Lin Baixiang's old heroic will and fighting spirit blazed once more. On another branch, Wu Yuan's expression shifted as he felt himself pulled into a strange Demon Realm. Everything in sight was filled with demonic arts and techniques tied to Sovereign Demonheaven and the Primordial Demon. Six Demons Anchor the Heavens, the Primordial Fusion Demon Art, the Fire Demon Doctrine, Demon Gods Shake the Heaven, the Demon God Grand Dao... Countless ancient demonic techniques handed down from the Demon Gods of old transformed into swirling demonic clouds and flames, filling Wu Yuan's vision, ready for him to pluck at will. Clusters of demonic tomes sank into Wu Yuan's body. Pure demonic energy, sinister thoughts of the beings in the starry skies, arts to become a demon, and the divine power to transform into one! Wu Yuan's body trembled. He felt profoundly grateful that he had chosen to unwaveringly side with Pang Jian back in Absolute Heaven. He had fought shoulder to shoulder with Pang Jian through every trial in the Abyss. That loyalty had helped Wu Yuan ascend as a True God in the Abyss and even to this blessing. All those walking the demonic path and pursuing the Dao of Demon are considered demons. Even a True God of the human race can become the leader of the Demon Gods if they embrace the demonic path. Wu Yuan calmed his turbulent mind and focused on organizing the demonic techniques laid out before him. His cultivation realm advanced by leaps and bounds. On a vibrant green leaf, Li Yuqing, with the Heaven-Splitting Sword on her back, was wrapped in rich life energy. Her flesh, organs, and dantian brimmed with transformative divine power. Her weakness lay in her inadequately tempered body. Though she had exceptional potential in the Dao of Fate, every time she used her divine techniques and forced the River of Fate to manifest, she was also injuring herself. Foreseeing the future, reading an enemy's past, or even looking into the present happening elsewhere all carried backlash on the wielder. Thus, she had unknowingly accumulated serious physical injuries, though her youth allowed her to endure them for the time being. Still, she was well aware of her condition and knew it was not something she could fix quickly. All my hidden injuries have been cleared away. My bones, organs, and flesh have been retempered so I can better withstand the backlash. A light filled Li Yuqing's eyes. High in the canopy, Pang Ling's tangible body watched as the True Gods from the Abyss benefited from the life energy. Smiling softly, she muttered, "Father, it's so good to have you."