C1478 One by One!!

The moment the blood-red flag appeared, Yu Yuan immediately sensed that it originated from the Colddeath. The alien soul within had acquired such a flag with Huangyin's assistance. It then refined the flag into a new vessel, gaining an understanding of several Colddeath blood rune arrays within. Consequently, the flag and Yu Yuan's Baneblade shared some overlapping functions.

Yu Yiyi explained that the alien soul, known as Bloodleech, was initially a mere blood-sucking insect. It serendipitously consumed the blood of a gravely wounded archdemon, which endowed it with sentience. However, the Bloodleech couldn't cope with the archdemon's potent blood and perished during its metamorphosis.

The archdemon's blood granted the Bloodleech's residual soul sentience, and by chance, Yu Yiyi acquired it. She drew it into the cauldron for refinement. As a Bane, the Bloodleech's fortune was remarkable, allowing it to strengthen progressively until it ascended to the tenth level.

Upon regaining consciousness, the Bloodleech recalled its wisdom and memories. It remembered its past and the fact that it had always been close to Huangyin, yet never favored by Yu Yiyi. Nothing had changed.

Originally a blood-sucking insect, the Bloodleech received a flag from the Colddeath. It mastered the intricacies of the flag and merged them with its innate brand, turning the crimson flag into a formidable weapon. However, it now faced Yu Yuan, who had assimilated the blood crystal of the Demon God Grec into the Altar of Rebirth and consumed the lifeblood of numerous Otherkin and archdemons.

While the Bloodleech fed on the blood of living beings, Yu Yuan could consume flesh, bones, and even souls. As Yu Yuan's adversary, the Bloodleech was inherently at a disadvantage, like a mayfly trying to topple a great tree.

Whoosh! Whoosh! The crimson flag, beyond the Bloodleech's control, swiftly approached Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit before anyone could react. Yu Yuan, his body gleaming like red jade, grasped the flagpole firmly. A flurry of fine lightning bolts erupted from his palm, coursing through the flag with wild abandon.

He expertly manipulated the lightning with his remnant soul, shaping it into carving knives, heedless of the Bloodleech's roars and threats, as he began to adjust the formation's array.

Inside the flag, the marks left by a powerful member of the Colddeath were completely transformed in a short time.

Formations that naturally targeted the Bloodleech and connected to the Crucible of Evil swiftly took shape, one after another.

Then, on the surface of the crimson flag, ripples of blood-colored halos emerged, expanding like a net, seemingly ensnaring something tightly.

"Just a bit more refinement, and it will be subdued," Yu Yuan remarked, tossing the crimson flag into the Crucible of Evil with a flick of his wrist.

Yu Yiyi, who was ready for this moment, allowed a cold smile to play on her lips as she watched the Bloodleech struggle futilely within the blood-colored halos, unable to break free.

As the flag entered the cauldron, it descended to the ninth level, guided by her will.

The Bloodleech certainly possessed the strength and the credentials; it only needed a new slave mark to ascend further.

A place for it was already reserved on the tenth level.

"He really is unfortunate," the elegant specter within the wooden tombstone commented with a smirk, addressing Huangyin's displeasure. "You've trained the Bloodleech, it has slain numerous archdemons and consumed a wealth of pure demonic lifeblood. Why is it still so easily defeated?"

In the presence of Huangyin, one of the Terra Fiend's progenitors, she maintained her composure, indicating that she was a formidable figure even in the ancient times of the Terra Fiends.

"Mr. Yuan claims his Solar Spirit Body harbors the marvels of the cosmic giant beast, the Abyssal Leviathan," Huangyin said, furrowing his brow.

"The Cosmic Giant Beast!" she exclaimed, her astonishment evident. Upon observing Yu Yuan once more, the tombstone where she resided began to form new glyphs along its mysterious lines.

She was intently observing Yu Yuan in her own way, scrutinizing both his real body and his Solar Spirit Body.

"Witch Rune! Corpse Transformation!" Yuan Qingxi suddenly exclaimed. The gray fox beside him seemed to glow as if bathed in bright light.

A sinister, bone-white rune took shape inside the gray fox, its eerie presence instantly becoming pronounced.

A chilling, malevolent aura, capable of penetrating the heart and soul, emanated from the gray fox, seeping into the earth by the lake and swiftly infiltrating the multitude of corpses.

Yuan Qingxi gave Huangyin a nod, signaling that he had taken action as per their agreement.

The purple dark fire within Huangyin's eye sockets flared up, surging with intensity as he issued a command through his devil soul.

Boom!

Beneath the Headless Horseman's towering frame, a ghostly white flame ignited at the hooves of his steed.

The horse itself became shrouded in the pale flames. Snorting and kicking its hooves through the void, it transformed into a bolt of chilling white lightning, hurtling towards Yu Yuan.

Atop the knight's neck, a deep red soul materialized, his expression turning grave in an instant.

He thrust his short spear through the air towards Yu Yuan's real body, bringing with it the foul stench of decay.

Yu Yuan's vitality began to wane as the repulsive odor reached him, his blood's life essence and strange power noticeably diminishing.

"Hmm?"

Yu Yuan was taken aback, not expecting the mounted assailant to affect him in such a manner.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The hundreds of corpses strewn about the Seven-Colored Lake, now devoid of ghosts, devils, and soul spirits, seemed to be yanked by unseen forces, shooting out like arrows.

Their target: Yu Yuan atop the Dragon Slaying Stage!

"Corpse Transformation?"

Yu Yuan's mouth curled into a nonchalant smile.

He recognized the workings of the Evil Curse that Yuan Qingxi had cast, commanding the soulless dead to seek out a designated target.

With the Soulforge Matrix in place, he had just stripped all the soul spirits from these aberrant bodies using the Crucible of Evil.

In such a state, the purely dead corpses, whether human or beast, should not be able to move autonomously.

Yet the Bloodbrawlers, masters of Ghoul manipulation, had their methods.

"The stench of decay..."

Upon further reflection, he had an epiphany. The pungent odor the headless knight had left in his wake as he charged on his spectral mount had marked him for the soulless Ghouls below.

"Perish!"

The Solar Spirit merged instantly with his body. Yu Yuan, in his real form, brandished the Baneblade, carving a radiant arc of light through the air above the Dragon Slaying Stage.

The blade's light shimmered like a spectacular wave, radiating from him in all directions.

Any soulless corpse it touched instantly exploded into a shower of grayish-white light.

This luminous rain filled the void around him with a repugnant odor.

Amidst the light, specks of pale green corpse poison fell, causing his soul great discomfort. If his body came into contact with it, his robust vitality would be slightly eroded.

The headless knight and his spectral white steed didn't truly approach.

Instead, they streaked above him from the Dragon Slaying Stage, merely pointing the short spear in his direction, ensuring the air around him remained saturated with the stench of decay.

Their sole purpose was to mark the location, to trigger the corpses below to detonate beside him.

"I'll take him on!"

The newly transformed Terra Fiend, having assimilated the alien thundersnake, cackled wickedly. From its underside sprouted two claw-like hands, which summoned forth bolts of lightning.

Crackling loudly!

The lightning bolts struck the Crucible of Evil's rim, prompting Yu Yiyi to quickly don the Frost Queen as armor to fend off the lightning's onslaught.

The Terra Fiend, now agile with the Thunder Snake's demonform, slithered up to Yu Yuan.

It miraculously coiled around Yu Yuan's neck, passing through the net of blade light he had cast.

After wrapping around him several times, the Terra Fiend that had absorbed the thundersnake let out a bizarre cry, "This kid isn't all that impressive. Huangyin, Old Ancestor, and Mr. Yuan, why do you fear him so?"

The black thundersnake's constriction made Yu Yuan's neck appear as though it were encircled by dark rings.

Yu Yuan's face turned a shade of purple-black from the Terra Fiend's grip, looking as though he was struggling to breathe.

Yet, in that moment, Yu Yuan still managed to utter, "You will be the second!"

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