Chapter 152: Ten Days Away

The second technique of the Soul-Deluding Treasure is "Spirit Convergence."

Once Spirit Convergence is executed, one's spirit becomes exceptionally acute, potentially expanding the range of spiritual perception while making it far more meticulous and sensitive. Even the slightest fluctuation of true force can be perceived.

The blood-colored hand was not an illusion, but a genuine spell. From the very first appearance of the blood-colored hand, Li Mu had already sensed the source of the true force fluctuations, which was precisely where Li Shi was located.

The true force fluctuations of those two blood-colored hands were somewhat stronger than the previous one, allowing Li Mu to pinpoint that exact location and immediately launch an attack.

At that moment, while controlling the Hundred-Soul Banner, Li Shi was immobilized and could only endure Li Mu's strike.

Li Shi was entirely surrounded by captured spirits. The pitch-black vapor formed by hundreds of lingering souls was as thick as ink, making even his white robes barely distinguishable.

Witnessing this, Li Mu instantly recalled the miserable scene he had previously witnessed when Ru Xiucheng was torn apart by lingering spirits. A wave of shock coursed through his heart, and he hurriedly stepped back a few paces, fearful of sustaining any harm.

"Do you think it's over? Do you think I am the only one who could be devoured by lingering spirits?"

Yet Li Shi, enveloped within the pitch-black vapor, did not appear to be torn apart by the spirits at all. His voice gradually grew calm.

The scene before him completely shattered Li Mu's understanding.

"Soul-Devouring Art."

Li Shi let out a low growl, stretched out his hand, and swept it forward. Suddenly, a black eye materialized above his head.

Resembling a bottomless abyss, it emitted an inexplicable, summoning pull. The pitch-black vapor of lingering spirits seemed guided by an invisible force, rushing swiftly into that abyss.

Within mere moments, all the surrounding lingering spirits were sucked into that eye, leaving the area starkly empty.

Li Shi's face remained deathly pale, carrying a trace of a smile, while that pitch-black eye, whose interior remained utterly impenetrable, slowly drifted toward Li Mu.

Li Mu's heart contracted violently. He felt an inexpressible force battering his spiritual sea, causing his mind to shudder. He hurriedly gathered his spiritual perception to block the intrusion.

He was immensely curious as to what kind of technique this Soul-Devouring Art could be, that it was actually capable of absorbing such a vast number of lingering spirits simultaneously, while Li Shi's mental state remained perfectly clear, seemingly undamaged by the spirits.

How could this be possible?

Could it be that those lingering spirits, much like the soul stones he condensed himself, were merely pure energy without any inherent spiritual awareness? That was impossible. He knew very well that even if a lingering spirit retained only a wisp of a soul, it still possessed its original consciousness; without it, it could hardly be called a lingering spirit at all.

Yet the miraculous spirit tower was something only he possessed.

"Curious? Hehe, that is because those whose lingering spirits have lost their sentience should never be considered true practitioners of the dark arts." Li Shi's smile was exceptionally bizarre.

Li Mu shook his head. "You are no different from them, and any dark practitioner possessing sentience deserves to die."

"Oh?" Li Shi uttered a sound that Li Mu found utterly grating. It reappeared right beside Li Mu's ear, droning on like a Buddhist chant, ceaselessly repeating, "So much lingering spirit energy—aren't you afraid? Fear not, you are quite exceptional, and I hold you in very high regard. If you are willing to enter Abyssal City, I will spare you and perhaps even teach you the art of utilizing lingering spirits."

"Get lost. Prepare to be beaten."

Asking Li Mu to enter Abyssal City was an absolute impossibility. Li Mu was thoroughly enraged.

"You truly refuse to join Abyssal City?"

"Not interested," Li Mu replied flatly and decisively.

"Then let us wait and see."

Li Shi chuckled softly, his sleeves fluttering suddenly like flowing water.

Two gouts of pitch-black vapor surged forth ferociously, resembling a pair of black dragons as they lunged straight at Li Mu.

What was going on?

A faint intuition stirred within Li Mu's mind.

Having executed "Spirit Convergence," his spiritual perception was greatly enhanced, making him exceptionally sensitive to true force. He instantly perceived that the power of these two streams of black Qi was actually slightly inferior to the blood-colored hand of the Hundred-Soul Banner.

This made no logical sense. Logically speaking, Li Shi, having absorbed hundreds of lingering spirits, should have possessed immense power. Yet the reality was quite the opposite—his strength was considerably weaker.

Moreover, the true force fluctuations within that floating eye were far greater than those emanating from Li Shi's sleeves.

His defensive barrier snapped open instantly, dispersing the two streams of black Qi.

Gripping his soul spear and pointing it straight at Li Shi, Li Mu said slowly, "I have figured it out."

"Figured out what?" Li Shi lowered his sleeves, his expression tranquil and devoid of any emotion.

Li Mu retorted instantly, "You never absorbed those lingering spirits at all; they are still trapped inside your body. You cannot unleash their power whatsoever; instead, you are forced to expend your own energy just to suppress them."

Li Shi's expression shifted abruptly, turning even paler than before, making him look utterly foolish.

"I truly misjudged you. Your spiritual perception far outstrips your cultivation level, vastly exceeding the limits of the Pulse Condensation Stage. Very well, it has been a long time since I encountered someone like you." Li Shi's face twisted savagely as a sharp, piercing glare shot from his eyes.

"Enough chit-chat. Today is your death anniversary."

Now that he had exposed his opponent's weakness, Li Mu had no intention of giving up.

The soul spear emitted a low roar, and a mass of dark clouds rapidly enveloped the weapon, its black radiance flaring brilliantly.

"A truly fine soul weapon. The lingering spirit sealed within it must be terrifyingly powerful."

Li Shi's eyes suddenly lit up. "What a pity that your current power is insufficient. Since you possess such a soul weapon, I am even more interested in you. Did you know? If you were to learn my techniques, you could completely unleash the full might of this spear, and even those in the Pulse Condensation Stage would fall within two strikes."

Li Shi's words were entirely accurate. The lingering spirit sealed within the spear was Huang Butong, a cultivator of the Pill Condensation Stage. If fully unleashed, its might could likely reach the upper echelon of the fourth tier or even higher. No matter how formidable a practitioner of the Pulse Condensation Stage might be, they could never withstand its锋芒 (edge).

"Yet against you, it should be more than enough." Li Mu gripped his spear, pointing it abruptly at Li Shi.

"Such a temptation, and you remain entirely unmoved?" Li Shi smiled faintly.

A trace of a smile surfaced at the corner of Li Mu's mouth. "To destroy you."

It was not that he felt no temptation toward such techniques. Techniques were not like cultivation methods; any practitioner could utilize them. Furthermore, dark arts did not mean the practitioner's intent had to be inherently evil—he had used the Blood-Sucking Art numerous times, and his soul spear was also a dark soul weapon. The virtue of a technique lay entirely in the hands of the person wielding it.

Yet his own principles were utterly unshakeable. Even if he possessed dark soul weapons and techniques, he would never violate his own moral resolve.

Like a bolt of lightning, the soul spear shot forward, its dark radiance driving straight toward Li Shi.

Li Shi's body flickered, and with unimaginable speed, he vanished dozens of meters away.

Li Mu stood grasping his spear, shaking his head slightly. Li Shi's speed surpassed even the Void Evasion Technique; trying to pin him down was truly no easy task.

Yet Li Mu knew the opportunity was right before him. Since Li Shi was currently suppressing the lingering spirits within him, he could not possibly sustain this state for long.

Li Shi's figure drifted unsteadily, pacing leisurely across the sky as if strolling on the ground, before circling around in the blink of an eye. He looked down at Liyu Mountain below and sighed suddenly, "I have waited long enough. It is time to leave."

Li Mu watched coldly, quietly seeking the right moment.

A pitch-black jade token suddenly flew close, landing right before Li Mu.

"I genuinely look forward to our next meeting."

With a few turns in the air, Li Shi vanished into thin air in an instant.