The Judge's Office, underground Meditation Chamber.
This place was sealed by Lu Pan with multiple Formation Arrays, isolating it from the outside world; it was his most secret location in Fengdu. Currently, his face was as pale as paper, his Soul Body flickering unsteadily. He sat cross-legged on a Meditation Cushion that condensed Yin Qi, struggling to regulate his breathing. The aftereffects of secretly exploring the Secret Vault were extremely severe; not only was his Soul Power depleted, but he was also injured by the Soul-Splitting Wind and the Restriction Seals within the cave. It would likely take months of hard work to recover.
But he could not afford to worry about that now; his gaze was fixed tightly on the black-and-red stone slab before him.
The stone slab felt cold to the touch. Its material was neither metal nor stone, and he could faintly sense a trace of ancient and sinister Energy contained within it. The few incomplete Runes carved upon it originated from the same source as the "Moon Erosion Demonic Pattern" he had seen earlier at Solitary Delusion Peak and copied from the Ancient Texts, but these were clearer, more complete, and even seemed to possess a faint, life-like rhythm.
He attempted to send an extremely faint trace of Soul Power into the stone slab.
“Boom!”
It was as if a switch had been flipped. A wild, violent Willpower, filled with the desire for Destruction and Devouring, rushed into his Sea of Consciousness like a bursting flood, following that thread of Soul Power!
In an instant, illusions surged before Lu Pan’s eyes! He seemed to be in a blood-colored wasteland where a black Nether Moon, constantly being eroded and incomplete, hung in the sky! On the ground, countless ferocious figures bearing these Demonic Patterns were performing some kind of bloody sacrifice. They were tearing apart powerful Nether Beasts, and even capturing weaker Ghost races, splashing their Soul Blood onto an Altar. At the Core of the Altar was this very strange Demonic Pattern! The Demonic Pattern greedily absorbed the Soul Blood, emitting a heart-palpitating red light that stirred up the violent Baleful Qi deep within the Earth Vein…
Slaughter! Devouring! Destruction!
All sorts of negative emotions, like venomous snakes, madly gnawed at his rationality. Lu Pan grunted, and another wisp of Soul Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. He forcibly severed the Soul Power connection, driving that sinister Willpower out of his Sea of Consciousness.
He gasped heavily, still shaken. This Moon Erosion Demonic Pattern was definitely not an ordinary Rune; it was more like a living, evil inheritance possessing its own Willpower! It could grow by absorbing negative Energy and Soul Blood, and it could incite the Earth Vein Baleful Qi, possessing astonishing power!
No wonder it was listed as a taboo! The Great Emperor of Fengdu must have paid an enormous price to eradicate the Moon Erosion tribe back then.
So, who has unearthed this evil power again now? Is it the Northern Ghost Emperor? What does he intend to use this power for? Merely to contend for power?
Lu Pan suppressed the shock in his heart and began to carefully study the structure of the Runes on the stone slab. Although he could not perceive them deeply, by starting with their external form and combining the residual traces he saw at Solitary Delusion Peak, he gradually made some discoveries.
The drawing of these Demonic Patterns was not arbitrary; it seemed to require writing with a special ‘ink’ containing extremely strong Grievance and Baleful Qi, and the requirements for the carrier material were extremely high. This black-and-red stone slab was clearly an excellent medium. More importantly, on the edge of the slab, he discovered an extremely subtle engraved mark that was almost integrated with the stone’s texture.
That mark was not the Totem of the Moon Erosion tribe, but rather a… small, abstract pattern shaped like a “Gear”!
Lu Pan had never seen this pattern in any official or known insignia within the Underworld! What did it represent? Was it a mark left by the person who made this slab? Or the symbol of some hidden organization?
This was a brand new, crucial clue!
He immediately took out a Jade Slip and clearly copied this “Gear” mark. Perhaps You Ying would know the meaning of this mark, but that would mean another costly transaction.
Just as Lu Pan was completely focused on studying the stone slab, a very faint, almost imperceptible fluctuation came from the warning Formation Array he had set up outside the Meditation Chamber!
Someone had triggered the outer perimeter warning!
Lu Pan instantly became alert. He abruptly put away the stone slab and Jade Slip, blew out the only Soul Lamp in the Meditation Chamber, and curled up like a leopard in the darkest corner, holding his breath and concentrating. The Judge's Brush had quietly slipped into his hand, the tip condensing the utmost Soul Light, ready to strike.
Outside the Meditation Chamber, there was dead silence. But the invisible killing intent permeated through the layers of Formation Arrays like a cold tide.
They have arrived! The people sent to silence him have discovered his actions!
Time passed bit by bit, and the space inside and outside the Meditation Chamber fell into a strange standoff. Lu Pan could sense that the opponent was extremely skilled at concealment; their aura blended almost perfectly with the surroundings. If the Formation Array he had set up in advance had not been exquisite enough, he would never have noticed.
“Hiss—”
A slight sound, like the tearing of cloth. The “Profound Yin Traceless Formation” he had placed on the outermost layer had been silently cut open by something incredibly sharp!
What a masterful method of breaking a Formation! The intruder is definitely no ordinary Ghost Officer!
Lu Pan’s pupils contracted. His Soul Power circulated to the extreme, and the Judge's Brush trembled slightly, locking onto the breach in the Formation Array.
There were no footsteps, only a faint, almost transparent shadow that "flowed" in through the gap in the Formation Array like a Ghostly Phantom. After entering the Meditation Chamber, the shadow quickly solidified, transforming into a figure completely enveloped in tight black clothing, even the face wrapped securely, revealing only a pair of cold, emotionless eyes.
A Shadow Fiend Guard! It was indeed the most mysterious assassination force under the Northern Ghost Emperor!
The Shadow Fiend Guard’s gaze was like lightning as he rapidly scanned the dark Meditation Chamber. His perception was extremely keen; although Lu Pan was well-hidden, he seemed to have vaguely captured that faint, almost non-existent aura. In his hand, he held a short blade, less than a foot long, pitch black and lusterless, yet exuding dense Death Qi.
The short blade moved slightly, seeming to slice the air, emitting a faint whimpering sound. He was advancing step by step toward the corner where Lu Pan was hiding.
Lu Pan calculated the distance, his breathing almost stopped. He knew that when facing such a professional assassin, seizing the initiative was crucial.
Ten feet… six feet… three feet…
Just as the Shadow Fiend Guard stepped into Lu Pan’s optimal attack range, and his figure experienced a momentary Stagnation due to an extremely subtle Rune pattern on the ground—
“Thwack!”
Lu Pan moved! He erupted like a long-dormant viper! The Judge's Brush transformed into a golden bolt of lightning, stabbing directly toward the Shadow Fiend Guard’s brow! The concentrated Soul Light at the tip of the brush suddenly exploded, like the rising sun dispelling the darkness, carrying with it an awe-inspiring righteous aura that specialized in breaking all kinds of sinister and hidden techniques!
This sudden, long-prepared strike was fast! Accurate! Ruthless!
The Shadow Fiend Guard had clearly not expected Lu Pan to not only be prepared but also to launch such a fierce counterattack! A flash of astonishment crossed his eyes, but the instincts of a top assassin made him react! The black short blade in his hand moved upward to block without the slightest delay, his body twisting backward as if boneless, attempting to avoid the vital point!
“Clang!”
A crisp sound of metal clashing rang out! The tip of the Judge's Brush collided with the black short blade, sending out a spray of dazzling sparks!
Lu Pan felt a cold and malicious Energy surge through the brush handle, causing his arm to go numb. The Shadow Fiend Guard was not faring well either; the pure Yang righteousness contained within the Judge's Brush was extremely uncomfortable relative to the Underworld's Yin Qi, causing the blocking short blade to be knocked aside, leaving his chest wide open!
“Suppress!”
Lu Pan pressed his advantage, instantly unleashing the Dharma Seal he had formed with his left hand! A chain composed of countless tiny golden Runes appeared out of thin air, coiling around the Shadow Fiend Guard like a spirit snake!
The Shadow Fiend Guard retreated rapidly, simultaneously spitting out a mouthful of ink-thick black mist that instantly filled the entire Meditation Chamber! This black mist could not only obscure vision but also corrode Soul Power and block perception!
Lu Pan was prepared. The Judge's Brush moved rapidly in the air, instantly forming a “Gentle Wind Charm” Rune, stirring up a whirlwind in an attempt to blow away the black mist. However, the mist was extremely viscous, and the effect of the Gentle Wind Charm was minimal.
Taking advantage of the black mist’s cover, the Shadow Fiend Guard’s figure blurred again, as if merging into the darkness. That icy killing intent enveloped him from all directions.
“Hmph! Petty tricks!” Lu Pan snorted coldly, closing his eyes and relying purely on Divine Sense perception. His Divine Sense had undergone special tempering; although it was not as good as the opponent’s concealment ability, at such close range, he could still capture that subtle Energy fluctuation!
“To the left!” He suddenly turned, and the Judge's Brush struck out again, moving like a dragon and snake. A “Evil-Breaking Talisman” instantly formed and blasted toward the darkness on the left!
“Puff!”
A muffled groan came from within the black mist. A dark figure staggered backward, clearly having suffered a minor injury.
But the tenacity of the Shadow Fiend Guard exceeded Lu Pan’s expectations. The injury did not cause him to retreat; instead, it provoked his ferocity. He stopped concealing himself, his figure darting rapidly within the small Meditation Chamber like a phantom. The black short blade in his hand transformed into streaks of deadly dark light, attacking Lu Pan from all unimaginable angles! His moves were vicious and tricky, specifically targeting the vital points of the Soul Body!
Lu Pan wielded the Judge's Brush, protecting himself tightly. The tip of the brush and the short blade constantly collided, producing continuous clanging sounds and scattering sparks. His Soul Body was injured, making a prolonged fight disadvantageous; he had to end it quickly!
During the fierce fight, Lu Pan deliberately exposed a flaw, retracting the Judge's Brush slightly slower than necessary. The Shadow Fiend Guard indeed fell for the trap, and the dark light stabbed straight toward his throat!
Just as the short blade was about to make contact, a sharp glint flashed in Lu Pan’s eyes. He neither dodged nor retreated. The Judge's Brush, with a mysterious trajectory, struck first and faster, its tip precisely hitting a certain point on the side of the short blade!
“Crack!”
With a crisp sound, the black short blade, which was clearly no ordinary item, was actually snapped by Lu Pan’s strike, which contained both subtle force and immense Soul Power!
The Shadow Fiend Guard’s weapon was destroyed, and his movement instantly stalled!
“Now!”
Lu Pan’s Soul Power erupted without reservation. The Judge's Brush swept a complete circle in the air. At the center of the circle, an incomparably complex divine character for “Seal” suddenly lit up, emitting a magnificent divine might that suppressed everything!
“Soul Sealing Brush Mark! Suppress!”
The massive “Seal” character descended upon the Shadow Fiend Guard with irresistible force! Terror finally appeared in the assassin’s eyes. He tried to flee but was already firmly locked by the divine character’s aura!
“Boom!”
The Seal character manifested. The Shadow Fiend Guard was instantly frozen as if crushed by a mountain. The surrounding black Qi dissipated, and he fell straight down, his Soul Body completely sealed.
Dead silence returned to the Meditation Chamber. Only the lingering black mist and the traces left by the fierce battle spoke of the danger just experienced.
Lu Pan leaned on his brush, panting heavily, his Soul Body growing dimmer. He walked over to the sealed Shadow Fiend Guard, squatted down, and reached out to lift the opponent’s mask.
He needed to know who had come to silence him! Perhaps he could find more direct evidence of the Northern Ghost Emperor’s conspiracy from this person!
However, just as his fingers were about to touch the opponent’s mask—
A deeply hidden, incredibly violent Energy within the sealed Soul Body of the Shadow Fiend Guard was suddenly triggered! A destructive aura erupted instantly!
Self-Destruction Prohibition!
Lu Pan’s face changed drastically, and he retreated rapidly!
“Bang!!!”
With a muffled explosion, the Shadow Fiend Guard’s Soul Body burst open like a balloon! A shockwave of violent Energy instantly swept through the entire Meditation Chamber!
Although Lu Pan retreated quickly, he was still hit by the residual wave. A sweet taste rose in his throat, and another mouthful of Soul Blood was spat out as he slammed heavily against the wall. The isolating Formation Array he had set up flickered violently, threatening to collapse under the intense explosion.
When the dust settled, the Meditation Chamber was a complete wreck. Where the Shadow Fiend Guard had been, only a patch of scorched black residue and a few wisps of rapidly dissipating black smoke remained.
Soul Scattered and Spirit Destroyed, leaving no trace behind.
The opponent’s ruthlessness was absolute, leaving no room for retreat!
Lu Pan leaned against the wall, looking at the empty ground, his expression extremely grim. The clue was broken again. No, perhaps it hadn't been completely severed.
His gaze swept over the ravaged floor and suddenly fixed on a corner near the edge of the explosion. There, lying unnoticed, was a small piece of debris that hadn't been completely destroyed—it seemed to be a fragment of the opponent’s clothing. On the fragment, a faint… Gear-shaped pattern could vaguely be seen!
It was exactly the same as the mark on the stone slab!
Lu Pan’s heart sank heavily. The Shadow Fiend Guard also bore this mark! This meant that this mysterious “Gear” mark was not solely related to the Moon Erosion Demonic Pattern; it likely represented a core organization carrying out the most covert missions under the Northern Ghost Emperor!
This discovery caused the seriousness of the entire incident to escalate once more!