Chapter 360

Words : 2233 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

Chapter 360Lu Qing did not immediately explain the reason. Instead, after finding a cave, he had Wei Xinghe watch over Wei Zihao and the other disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect. After that, he instructed Xiao Li to secretly stand guard. Only then did he summon the Li Huo Cauldron, entering it with his mind. "Young Master." Inside the spiritual artifact space of the Li Huo Cauldron, when "Yan" saw Lu Qing enter, he manifested his form, still appearing with two horns on his head. "'Yan,' Senior, where is the soul of that demonic cultivator?" "Here." With a wave of "Yan's" hand, a cage appeared in the spiritual artifact space, revealing a wisp of black energy inside. That black energy constantly shifted, occasionally forming a face that screamed in rage. Sometimes it showed the long-haired figure Lu Qing had previously seen, sometimes it took on the monstrous form with a blue face and fangs, and even other forms that Lu Qing had never seen before. However, because the space cage could block all sensations within, the demonic cultivator's howls were not heard. "Young Master, this demonic cultivator likely has an extraordinary background. Clearly, he hadn’t even reached the Foundation Establishment Realm earlier, yet he possesses such a condensed soul essence. Even after being separated from his body, it hasn’t dissipated. This kind of ability isn’t something even a Golden Core realm cultivator could necessarily have." "Yan" gazed at the trapped soul in the space cage, exclaiming in astonishment. Having lived for tens of thousands of years, it was the first time "Yan" had encountered such a situation. "This demon indeed has a deeper origin." Lu Qing nodded, though he did not reveal more information. "Yan" recalled the words the demonic cultivator had spoken earlier. "'Yan,' Senior, release it now." With a wave of "Yan's" hand, the space cage that had imprisoned the demonic cultivator's soul was removed. As soon as the cage was lifted, the demonic cultivator's soul tried to flee. But soon, an overwhelming binding force suppressed it, leaving it completely immobilized. "Little demon, there's no use struggling. In my space, you can’t make any moves." "Yan" spoke indifferently as he watched the demonic cultivator's soul struggle. The soul instantly froze, realizing that escape was indeed impossible, and ceased resisting. "Boy, I never expected you could control two spiritual artifacts at the same time. If I’m not mistaken, this place is within a spiritual artifact, and that bag you used to store my body—it’s also a spiritual artifact, isn’t it?" The demonic cultivator's soul emitted waves of mental energy. "You guessed correctly," Lu Qing replied, without denying it. "A mere Qi Refining cultivator, yet you possess two spiritual artifacts. Boy, your fortune is so great that it would make anyone envious. However, as I mentioned before, sometimes too much fortune isn’t necessarily a good thing. Boy, do you know that you’ve already planted the seeds of disaster? In the future, you may fall into a situation from which there’s no return!" Though trapped, the demonic cultivator’s soul showed no panic, instead warning Lu Qing. "Oh? How will I end up in such a situation?" Lu Qing asked. "Boy, don’t think I’m trying to scare you," the demonic cultivator’s soul continued to send mental waves. "The greater your fortune, the more blessings you receive from heaven and earth. But the more entangled you become with the Heavenly Dao of this world, the more karma you bear. You won’t notice anything now, but in the future, as your cultivation deepens and you reach the Nascent Soul stage… You’ll find that without resolving the karma, you’ll find it nearly impossible to make any further breakthroughs. You’ll forever be stuck in the Nascent Soul Realm, unable to advance. Moreover, when the time comes for you to face the tribulation of the Nascent Soul, this unresolved karma will manifest as inner demons, devouring your very soul. Then you’ll truly understand what it means to be entangled in karma, and wish you were dead!" The demonic cultivator’s words grew more and more terrifying, causing even "Yan" to feel a twinge of fear. He remembered the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Li Huo Sect, who had spoken of such things before, and his heart trembled. In contrast, Lu Qing remained calm and indifferent, as if he hadn’t been affected by the demonic cultivator’s words at all. He merely asked in a mild tone, "Since you know so much about this, do you have a way to resolve it?" "What, are you afraid now?" The demonic cultivator's soul felt a slight sense of relief upon hearing this. However, he maintained his composure, responding solemnly, "Knowing the solution isn’t difficult. If you’re willing to cooperate with me, I can teach you the method to avoid disaster. Don’t doubt my abilities—if you know who I really am, you should understand that with my status, possessing such a method is not beyond me." "One of the 108 Demon Generals under the Black Sky Demon Sovereign of the Tianyuan Great World—quite the impressive background. However, given that I know your origins, do you think I wouldn’t already know how to eliminate karma myself?" Lu Qing’s voice remained calm. But his words made the demonic cultivator shudder with shock, and even his soul began to distort. He couldn’t help but blurt out, "Who exactly are you?" The demonic cultivator believed he had concealed his true identity well, never revealing it to anyone. He couldn’t comprehend how Lu Qing had uncovered his background. After all, back when he was being hunted by the righteous sects, he had fled through the stars, on the verge of death. In desperation, he had randomly chosen a direction and used a reincarnation technique. Even he had doubted whether his reincarnation would succeed. In this life, he had undergone multiple rebirths, only by chance breaking through the mystery of the womb and awakening. If his reincarnation had continued a few more times, his essence might have been completely worn away, leaving him no chance of ever awakening. After so many lifetimes, his appearance and soul aura had changed beyond recognition. Even those who had once served as fellow Demon Generals under the Black Sky Demon Sovereign would find it nearly impossible to recognize him. How had Lu Qing seen through his origins? And who was Lu Qing, really? The demonic cultivator couldn’t figure it out, but Lu Qing showed no intention of explaining. He simply said indifferently, "Demon, don’t waste your efforts. Your little schemes won’t escape my eyes. I’ve come here for one thing. If you undo the seals you’ve placed on the Qingyun Sword Sect disciples outside, perhaps I’ll grant you a swift death. If not, I’ll refine your soul completely. I’ll destroy your true spirit, leaving you no chance for reincarnation." "You came here for those ants?" The demonic cultivator’s soul was stunned. He hadn’t expected Lu Qing to come for such a small matter. But soon, hope arose in his heart. Because he realized this might be his chance to escape. "That’s right, so will you do it or not?" "You want me to remove the seals on them? I can do that. But you must swear a soul oath, promising to release me. If you do, I’ll agree." At this, the entire space within the spiritual artifact fell silent. Lu Qing quietly stared at the demonic cultivator's soul, without saying a word. He gazed at the demon long enough to unsettle him before speaking slowly, "Demon, it seems I wasn’t clear earlier. What I meant was that if you release them from the seals, I’ll leave you with a sliver of your true spirit, allowing you to reincarnate. If you refuse, I’ll annihilate even your true spirit." "Impossible! Once the soul is destroyed, what use is a true spirit? Even if I reincarnate, I won’t be myself anymore. Boy, if you don’t give me a way out, we’ll both perish! Let me tell you—if my soul is destroyed, those ants outside will die with me, accompanying me in death!" However, before the demon’s soul fluctuations could subside, flames suddenly surrounded him. And with them came Lu Qing’s cold words: "What made you think you had the right to negotiate with me? Or did you really believe you could threaten me over a few ants? Since you refuse, then die!" With that, the flames began to burn the demonic cultivator’s soul. As soon as the fire approached, strands of black energy began to rise from the demon’s soul, being completely refined. "Ah!!!" The demon hadn’t expected Lu Qing to turn hostile so abruptly, without giving him any room to negotiate. Feeling his soul essence being constantly burned away, the demon knew that once it was fully consumed, he would truly perish. "Please, let’s talk this through!" The demon’s soul cried out in desperation. "Even if you refine me, it won’t benefit you at all. I know—you’re doing this for Wei Zihao, your friend’s son. If he dies, you’ll have a hard time explaining yourself to your friend. Since that’s the case, why don’t we each take a step back? If you agree not to refine my soul, I’m willing to submit to you as your servant!" ... "Fine. Open your mind now, and I will place a soul imprint upon you." Lu Qing’s cold, merciless voice echoed. The demon’s soul no longer dared to hesitate. He knew that as he begged for mercy, Lu Qing hadn’t slowed the refining of his soul at all. If he delayed any longer, he wouldn’t last more than a few breaths before he completely perished. The demon’s soul immediately opened itself completely, leaving nothing hidden. And just as his mind was opened, almost instantly, a soul imprint descended from above, striking the very core of the demon’s true spirit. At the same time, the fierce flames that had been burning him suddenly vanished. It was as if they had never existed, as though everything had only been a terrifying illusion. But the demon knew it had been no illusion. In those few brief moments of burning, two-thirds of his soul essence had already been consumed. Any more, and he would have been truly annihilated. "Greetings, Master!" Feeling the soul imprint within his core, the demon dared not show any neglect. Despite his weakened state, he knelt and saluted Lu Qing. With the imprint on his true spirit, he had now been completely enslaved by Lu Qing, left without any means of resistance. "Very good. Now, release the seals on Wei Zihao and the others." Lu Qing showed no sympathy for the demon's weakened state, issuing his command directly. The demon’s heart trembled, and he responded cautiously, "I dare not deceive you, Master. My soul is now weakened and without a body. I currently lack the power to perform the technique needed to release Wei Zihao and the others from the seals." "So, you were lying to me before?" Lu Qing’s tone turned cold. The demon was startled and quickly replied, "I did not intend to deceive you, Master. Earlier, I was desperate and acted rashly. Rest assured, Master, once I regain some of my soul power, I will immediately release Wei Zihao and the others from their seals." "And what do you need to recover?" The demon paused before answering cautiously, "If I can absorb some primordial demonic energy, I should recover quickly." "We’ll discuss that later. For now, is there any other way to undo the seals? Or, at least, to stop them from draining their life force?" Lu Qing immediately saw through the demon’s intent. To restore himself, the demon would naturally need to return to his demonic body. However, given the demon’s formidable background, Lu Qing was wary of allowing him to regain his physical form right away. Although the demon was now enslaved, there was no guarantee he didn’t have some secret method to break free. There are no absolutes, and Lu Qing did not wish to complicate matters further without absolute certainty. "Your teachings are wise, Master!" The demon felt disappointed, but he understood that he was newly enslaved and that it would take time to earn Lu Qing’s trust. So, he suppressed his feelings and replied humbly, "To merely stop the seals from operating is much simpler. It only requires knowledge of the technique to control them. I will impart it to you now." With that, the demon transmitted a wave of energy through the soul imprint to Lu Qing. The soul imprint, as a link between master and servant, allowed for direct communication of thoughts and intentions. However, this connection was strictly hierarchical. The enslaved could not perceive anything from the master unless permitted, and even in communication, they had to send their thoughts as if seeking approval. The master, on the other hand, had complete control over the connection. Lu Qing could sense the demon’s every thought, and if he wished, he could even force the demon into soul self-destruction. And if the demon were to die, it would have no effect on Lu Qing. But should Lu Qing die, the demon would perish along with him. This was the fearsome nature of soul enslavement. If it weren’t a last resort, no cultivator would willingly submit to such a fate. Table of content

Chapter 360

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