Chapter 104: Soul Devouring Divine Skill

In Niu Lianhua’s eyes, Beiling’s art of concealment was as evident as a firefly darting through the night sky. Transforming into a streak of rainbow, his light and shadow flickered like a dream in the void, swiftly catching up to the phantom-like figure of Beiling ahead.

To him, Beiling’s waist-length hair floated freely in the air, her slender neck as pure and delicate as snow and jade. Yet what stirred his heart most was her eerie, otherworldly aura—serene and graceful in appearance, but with eyes that held a profound coldness.

A faint smile curved her lips, handsome and elegant, exuding boundless charm.

Closing the distance behind her, he reached out to touch the cascade of black hair flowing like a dark waterfall in the air... The smile on his lips widened, but the moment his fingers brushed the strands, Beiling’s ethereal, dreamlike form shattered instantly, dissipating like mist and rain into the void.

A sudden shock surged through Niu Lianhua’s heart—he had not expected to be deceived. At that moment, a sharp sense of danger overwhelmed him. He whipped his head around and saw someone hovering in the sky behind him—it was Beiling.

But now, Beiling wore a blood-red robe, her eyes faintly glowing red, radiating a chilling, bloodthirsty aura...

This was merely a fleeting glimpse, yet the sensation that flooded Niu Lianhua’s heart was undeniable. There was no time to ponder how this woman could change so drastically in an instant. Just moments ago, her demeanor was cold and forbidding, but it had lacked this bone-chilling aura—and now, in the blink of an eye, it had become so.

An inexplicable current enveloped his body, as if he had been transported to another realm. His vital energy and spiritual power began draining rapidly with this turn of his head.

With a thought, he tried to channel his magic, only to find his spiritual energy ebbing even faster... He hurriedly enacted various secret spells to stem the loss, but at best, it only slowed slightly; it could not be entirely stopped.

Yet, he had no intention of fleeing. The first time, he had been unwilling to offend such a beauty; the second time, the sudden assault clearly threatened his life—he resolved not to remain weak.

With a flick of his white sleeve, a vast blaze erupted from thin air, fiercely burning through the void and surging toward Beiling.

Her expression remained unchanged, icy and ruthless. Her cherry lips parted slightly, and the once-white flames turned pale as if sucked into her mouth like a line of fire...

The void seemed to freeze suddenly, but only Niu Lianhua felt his essence draining at a terrifying speed.

His face darkened as a red glow enveloped him. In an instant, he streaked upward like a rainbow, circling above Beiling’s head before shooting off toward the horizon, disappearing from sight.

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Beiling’s heart stirred with mild surprise. Her divine art, her signature ability, was called “Soul Devourer.” From its name alone, one could tell it absorbed all spiritual energy around her—whether from a person’s essence, spells, or magical artifacts—instantly devouring it all.

When a magical artifact was unleashed, it inherently contained its own spirit energy and drew power from the world through the artifact itself. Beiling’s Soul Devourer could instantly consume the spiritual energy within, rendering the artifact powerless. At its highest mastery, it could strip a magical item entirely of spirit energy, turning it into a useless husk, and on the ultimate level, it could conjure storms and upheavals with but a thought, draining the vitality from all beings around.

Though primarily a skill for devouring spiritual energy, Beiling’s art also granted her immunity to water and fire, and the ability to fly and teleport. Early on, when her power couldn’t reach across the void, she had to approach silently and stealthily to absorb energy from others. Thus, her concealment techniques were extraordinarily refined. Even when she was captured and restrained by Zhaomian during her transformation, she retained her clarity of mind and had secretly learned many witch clan secrets during her captivity.

The shadow clone technique she had just used wasn’t extraordinarily advanced but was cunning and mysterious. Even those with far superior magical cultivation found it difficult to discern, making it an excellent method for escape, deception, and surprise attack.

When Niu Lianhua had evaded her earlier sneak attack on the cliff, transforming into a rainbow, she knew his cultivation was not inferior to hers. That streak of rainbow was the fastest escape method she had ever seen.

So she immediately deployed her shadow clone technique, and Niu Lianhua had indeed failed to see through it. Yet, when he caught up and saw through the illusion, she launched her attack. It was clear Niu Lianhua also possessed secret techniques, as in that instant, he significantly slowed the rate at which his spiritual energy was drained.

Beiling was surprised, but Niu Lianhua was even more so...

After devouring the raging firestorm, what she expected to be a fierce battle ended unexpectedly with Niu Lianhua’s departure. It was certain he did not flee out of fear—his rainbow transformation alone afforded him near invincibility. Still, Beiling did not believe she would lose to him.

Glancing toward the direction Niu Lianhua had fled, she turned away without further thought. She had been vexed by her own uncharacteristic attitude toward Nan Luo and was feeling restless. The interruption somewhat dissipated her agitation, and she immediately recalled the purpose of her journey. Her figure blurred in the air and vanished without trace.

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Traveling across ten thousand mountains, piercing endless void, she flew straight toward Kunlun Mountain without pause—a feat even she found astonishing.

Flying day and night without rest, she finally arrived at Kunlun Mountain after a month.

Before her stretched endless peaks, rolling like furious waves. Clouds and mists swirled, auspicious clouds blooming like a fairyland. Yet in this convergence of sinister energy, a faint malice lingered.

“Kunlun Mountain, Taiji Palace... Where am I to find it...” Beiling muttered, a trace of killing intent rising within her as she surveyed the vast mountain range.

She thought bitterly of Nan Luo’s refusal to disclose the exact location; how could she find the enigmatic Taoist Master and save him? Yet she had forgotten she had left before Nan Luo finished speaking.

Entering the mountains, she trampled a tiger demon beneath her feet and demanded if it knew the whereabouts of Taiji Palace.

The tiger demon trembled in fear, shaking its beastly head and sobbing, “This lowly demon has never left this mountain and has never heard of Taiji Palace.”

“Where is your king? Does he know the location of Taiji Palace?” Beiling asked.

“I have no king, but there are many powerful elders here who may know,” it replied quickly.

Beiling ordered the demon to lead the way, and eager to escape, it took her to the den of the most powerful demon it knew.

In her heart, Beiling secretly hoped this cold and ruthless woman might be slain by the den’s master. The tiger demon spoke of having witnessed a great battle between the den master and others, a storm of sand and stone, roaring winds shaking the entire valley.

Out slithered a giant python, its body a dark blue-black. Yet the tiger demon was disappointed: at the sight of the cold woman, the mighty serpent turned to flee deeper into the black cavern. But the moment it twisted its head, it suddenly became immobile, and was soon pinned beneath Beiling’s foot like the tiger demon before it.

Beiling’s chilling voice repeated the same question, and the python also professed ignorance. Growing increasingly irritated, her rising killing intent was barely restrained as she prepared to act.

The python, terrified, hurriedly added, “Though I do not know where Taiji Palace is, I have heard that a hundred miles west, in a great mountain, there is someone who once learned the Taoist arts at Taiji Palace.”