C131 Soul Devouring!!

Yu Yuan's mind suddenly flashed back to the White Paper Fan, which had previously absorbed a myriad of chaotic emotions, memories, and legacies.

These elements had poured into the four ancient black characters, seemingly undergoing a process of cleansing and purification.

Ultimately, from those characters, a figure emerged, taking the form of the Yang Acolyte.

"Whoosh!"

In the depths of the dilapidated palace ruins, invisible beams of light streaked through the air, each one merging into the Yang Acolyte.

Initially, the Yang Acolyte was as diminutive as an infant, but he quickly began to grow.

Within the span of ten breaths, he had reached the same stature as the Yin Acolyte.

Yet, the presence they radiated was distinctly different.

"Crackle!"

Golden bolts of lightning erupted from the Soul Splitting Staff, aiming straight for the Yang Acolyte.

With a swift motion, the Yang Acolyte reached out and caught the energy, transforming the golden lightning into a radiant arc that coiled around his waist like a belt.

The once powerful rod, now held by the Yin Acolyte, seemed to have lost half its force and mystique.

Since the appearance of the Yang Acolyte, the Yin Acolyte had not glanced at another soul.

He paid no heed to Lee Yuchan, Yu Yuan, or Yan Lu.

His gaze was fixed solely on his counterpart.

The two acolytes stood at a distance, locked in an enduring gaze.

The onlookers held their breath and watched in rapt attention, their eyes shifting back and forth between the two figures in silence.

A notion sprouted in Yu Yuan's mind.

"Could this acolyte be a cultivator from the vanished fourth upper sect? Only those who defend this forbidden area and practice with the goast and alien soul would be spared by the sword spirit."

"After all, the cultivators of the fourth upper sect were the original masters of this forbidden land."

"One clad in black, the other in white, their differing soul spirits must have branched from the soul of a single cultivator. The white represents the original soul, while the black perhaps signifies corruption by the forbidden area's influence, or an overindulgence in consuming other alien souls and evil spirits, leading to a darker path."

"Regardless of their shades, both emanate the essence of the fourth upper sect's cultivators. The sword spirit recognizes them as kin, hence its lack of hostility?"

As a sword-bearer, Yu Yuan's mind was awash with thoughts as he struggled to unravel the origins of the two children before him, one clad in black, the other in white.

The ruins of the palace, if indeed they were the gateway to the fourth upper sect, then the Yin Acolyte who emerged must surely be connected to this place.

The Yang Acolyte appeared to have been purified by the White Paper Fan, which condensed the remaining Soul Power and gathered a portion of the lingering spiritual wisdom and consciousness.

Yet, in Yu Yuan's perception, neither the Yang Acolyte nor the Yin Acolyte seemed complete.

Indeed, even if the two were to merge, it was doubtful they would form a complete soul.

"Hu!"

At that moment, the White Paper Fan, which rightfully belonged to Yu Yuan, took flight on its own.

It landed before the Yang Acolyte.

Four stark, ancient black characters momentarily transformed into four deep, dark eyes, all fixed upon the Yin Acolyte.

The Yin Acolyte, who had maintained his composure throughout, now wore an unmistakable expression of fear.

Having absorbed Yan Tong's flesh and residual soul, his body, which seemed so solid, suddenly became as light as dandelion fluff. Clutching the Soul Splitting Staff, he made his escape into the distance.

The Yang Acolyte cast a glance at Yu Yuan, as if to say, "I need to borrow this."

Yu Yuan was left somewhat bewildered.

The next instant, the White Paper Fan soared towards the Yin Acolyte.

"To Know All is to Suffer All." The four ancient black characters in the minds of Lee Yuchan and Lee Yu seemed to morph into four black holes capable of swallowing all malevolent spirits.

The four black holes converged on the Yin Acolyte.

The Yin Acolyte, already fleeing, looked back only to see what appeared to be four massive black holes that could engulf the world, covering him with a suffocating pressure that sealed off any chance of escape.

Even a being as sinister as he felt a sense of helplessness, with no recourse.

"Puff!"

The Yin Acolyte was as if ripped into four streams of black light by an unseen twisting force, uncontrollably drawn into the four ancient black characters.

Only the Soul Splitting Staff remained, clattering to the ground, not taken with the rest.

Blood rained down, and tendrils of smoke scattered around the Soul Splitting Staff.

The blood and smoke were remnants of the deceased Yan Tong.

The trial-takers from the prominent families, standing behind Yu Yuan, watched in awe as the Yang Acolyte materialized from within the White Paper Fan. With a mere nod from Yu Yuan, the Yang Acolyte wielded the fan to vanquish the once-dominant Yin Acolyte, absorbing him into four ancient black characters.

Zhan Tianxiang, Han Hui, and the rest were left in stunned silence.

Among them, Su Yan harbored the deepest sense of loss and regret.

That White Paper Fan...

Back in Asvetaesi, within the Zhao family's Vault of Wonders, she had sensed the fan's enigmatic nature and had longed to claim it for herself. However, Yu Yuan had abruptly taken it from her grasp.

Had she known the full extent of the White Paper Fan's mysterious powers and the profound secrets of the ancient black characters, she would never have let it go.

The thought alone filled her with intense remorse.

With a hiss, the golden lightning that had once encircled the Yang Acolyte's waist returned to the Soul Splitting Staff, transforming into a ring-shaped golden pattern.

The golden and silver designs remained intact as the staff reverted to its original form.

The Yang Acolyte turned and gave Yu Yuan a lingering look before splitting into four and merging with the ancient black characters.

Just like the Yin Acolyte, he vanished without a trace.

It seemed his capture of the golden lightning, which resonated with his essence, was merely to weaken the Yin Acolyte, allowing for his subsequent absorption by the White Paper Fan.

His emergence appeared to be solely for the purpose of removing his darker self, thus preventing further harm to the world and sparing all beings from suffering.

With a soft thud, the White Paper Fan fell from the sky, landing at Yu Yuan's feet.

Yan Lu, enduring the agony etched across his face, staggered toward the fallen Soul Splitting Staff and picked it up once more. He turned to Yu Yuan and asked, "Does it still belong to me?"

Yu Yuan nodded. "Keep it for now. I can't provide an answer at the moment, but I will understand in time."

With that, he picked up the White Paper Fan and addressed the others, "Continue your exploration of these palace ruins. I need a moment alone."

With those words, Yu Yuan, holding the White Paper Fan, distanced himself from the ruins and sought solitude.

He settled into his seat and focused his mind and consciousness on the four ancient black characters within the White Paper Fan.

Lee Yuchan observed him from a distance, her expression a complex tapestry of emotions, yet she remained silent.

Lee Yu gripped the Soul Orb, a rare sense of bitterness and dejection welling up inside him.

As the Yang Acolyte wielded the White Paper Fan to consume the Yin Acolyte, the Soul Orb in Lee Yu's possession instinctively stirred with fear and unrest.

This led Lee Yu to an inescapable conclusion — if the White Paper Fan were an object of power, its rank was likely far superior to that of his Soul Orb.

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