Zhang Xiaofan, still radiating with the faint glow of golden and azure light, slowly stepped closer to the dark, ominous pond.
The eerie silence surrounding the place was broken only by the bubbling of the murky water and the occasional low hum of spiritual pressure leaking from beneath the surface.
A step, then another. Soon, he stood barely a meter from the water's edge.
His expression turned serious as he focused on the strange pool before him.
Thick, black mist swirled above the surface, writhing like the tendrils of a beast waiting to strike. Just then, a searing heat surged through his arms.
His pulse quickened. In the next breath, murderous intent and bloodlust flooded his body like a tide.
Before he could react, a glowing crimson bead—the Bloodthirsty Pearl—burst from his sleeve. It hovered in the air, trembling violently, then darted toward the pond like a comet.
"Not good!"
Zhang Xiaofan immediately raised his palm and activated the Great Brahma Prajna.
A warm golden radiance enveloped his hand as he reached out to seize the unruly artifact.
The moment his fingers closed around the pearl, it fought against him like a raging beast.
The Buddhist restraints left behind by the divine monk Puzhi had been completely shattered by now, and the pearl had returned to its original, uncontrollable state.
It glowed with a vibrant, blood-red hue, pulsing like a heart drunk on slaughter.
Still, Zhang Xiaofan did not release his grip.
He allowed it to strain within his palm, yet maintained control—barely.
The Bloodthirsty Pearl trembled with excitement, and then, with a flash of crimson light, it shot downward—straight into the dark pool.
Zhang Xiaofan narrowed his eyes and immediately followed.
At a glance, the pool appeared no more than twenty or thirty meters across.
But the moment he dove in, the illusion shattered.
The true pool was a hundred meters deep—more like an abyss than a pond.
As he descended, the oppressive aura intensified.
Waves of malevolence crashed against his spirit, and a heavy dizziness overcame him. His limbs felt weak, as if lead had been poured into his veins.
Clenching his teeth, Zhang Xiaofan surged his mana. Instantly, golden and green light flared from his body, forming a barrier that pushed back the corruption.
The pressure eased slightly, allowing him to continue downward.
At the bottom of the pool, something caught his eye.
Embedded deep in a jagged rock, a pitch-black rod jutted upward like a cursed monument.
It was about two feet long, covered in strange patterns. From within the lines, a dim red glow shimmered—like veins pulsing with blood.
Even from a distance, Zhang Xiaofan felt its monstrous presence.
This was it—the Soul-Snatching Rod, a sinister weapon of immense power and malevolence.
As if provoked by the Bloodthirsty Pearl's presence, the rod suddenly responded. Crimson light surged through the etched lines along its body.
A low, guttural hum echoed through the water.
Then, with a violent blast, the rock around it shattered.
"Boom!"
Debris scattered as the rod burst free from its stone prison, shooting upward with terrifying speed.
It soared straight toward the Bloodthirsty Pearl, which hovered above it like a rival predator.
The two dark artifacts faced each other, suspended in the black waters.
In that moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
From the "Ten Chapters on Rare Treasures", Zhang Xiaofan recalled the legend:
> "A rare iron from the heavens fell into the netherworld and was forged by the ghostly flames of the underworld.
After a thousand years of burning, it turned red. After a thousand years more, it took shape.
Another thousand years gathered the ghostly essence, and finally, a thousand more forged its soul-reaping power. Thus was born the Soul-Snatching Rod."
The Bloodthirsty Pearl, on the other hand, had its own dark history. It had once belonged to the infamous Black-Hearted Elder.
Over eight hundred years ago, it had slain countless righteous cultivators, soaking itself in rivers of blood.
Thirty years ago, Monk Puzhi discovered it by chance in the Great Western Swamp. The region around it—within ten miles—had been a graveyard of bones, saturated with death and resentment.
Now, these two monstrous artifacts faced off at the bottom of the abyss.
The Soul-Snatching Rod quivered with rage, its blood-red glow intensifying.
In turn, the Bloodthirsty Pearl blazed to life, crimson light bursting forth like a volcano erupting.
Without warning, the pond exploded.
The water surged upward, boiling with malevolent force, sending geysers hundreds of meters into the sky.
The two dark forces collided in a violent clash, as if each were determined to destroy the other.
Zhang Xiaofan saw the opportunity.
"This is the moment!"
With a powerful leap, he reached toward the rod.
As his hands closed around it, sharp pain sliced across his palms—his skin split open, and blood poured onto the Soul-Snatching Rod and the Bloodthirsty Pearl simultaneously.
The blood vanished into both items.
In the next instant, Zhang Xiaofan screamed as pain erupted across his body.
It felt as if his bones were being shattered and reformed. His head throbbed with unbearable agony.
"Ahhh!"
With a furious roar, he pushed his mana to its absolute limit.
The eighth-level power of Jade Purity surged through him, golden and azure light exploding outward.
His consciousness cleared in an instant, and the two forces—his own will and the evil within the artifacts—began a deadly struggle.
The main story begin
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