ing Xiao watched the frantic Chu Yang in front of him with great interest, a playful smirk lingering on his lips the entire time. Jiuming, meanwhile, had closed her eyes in despair. She believed Ling Xiao would never abandon her, but that blood pact was truly terrifying—even at the peak of her power, she would have struggled to resist it. She didn't know if Ling Xiao could break it, so she had braced herself for the worst.
"Young Master Ling Xiao, if I die, I hope you… will destroy the Holy Cult and avenge my clan!"
"Ding! The Chosen One is betrayed by all. Congratulations, Host, on plundering 120 points of Destiny Value and 1200 points of Villain Value. The Kill Mission is unlocked—kill the Chosen One to receive additional rewards."
"There we go!"
Ling Xiao grinned, a strange glint flickering in his eyes. An clan-annihilating vengeance? So it was indeed the Holy Cult that had destroyed the Nether Phoenix Clan! These hypocrites seemed to have no desires or ambitions, but once someone or some force threatened their rule, they would ultimately meet their downfall.
"You won't die."
Just as Jiuming felt her soul power fading away, a calm, gentle voice suddenly reached her ears. Immediately after, Chu Yang's desperate scream rang out across the cave. Jiuming opened her eyes in surprise, only to see Ling Xiao clutching Chu Yang by the neck, dragging him forward until they were face to face. She couldn't see what Ling Xiao was doing—his back was to her—but she could see Chu Yang's face contorted with terror and his eyes filled with remorse.
"Spare… spare me…"
Chu Yang's voice came out as a gasp, heavy with suppression. When faced with the true threat of death, this Chosen One finally understood: there were people he could never afford to offend.
"It's too late now."
Ling Xiao shook his head, a soft smile on his face. A faint dark light flashed in the depths of his eyes. Then, the expression on Chu Yang's face froze completely. At the same time, Ling Xiao's aura fluctuated slightly—subtly, but noticeably stronger than before.
"Alright, from today onward, you are free."
Ling Xiao casually tossed Chu Yang's cold corpse aside in the cave, then turned to Jiuming and smiled.
"Young… Young Master…"
"Take the elixir first, then rest in here for a few days."
Ling Xiao pointed to a green jade ring on his finger.
"This is… Soul-Nourishing Jade?!"
Jiuming's face filled with shock once more. Even in the Holy State, Soul-Nourishing Jade was a rare treasure—wearing it could nourish the soul and ward off evil disturbances. She never expected Young Master Ling Xiao to have already prepared a place for her.
Jiuming bowed respectfully to Ling Xiao. "Thank you, Young Master."
In the past, following Chu Yang had made her feel like a nanny—Chu Yang relied on her for everything. But now, by Ling Xiao's side, she unexpectedly felt a sense of security for the first time in a long while.
"Take it quickly."
Ling Xiao tossed the elixir over. Jiuming didn't hesitate this time; she immediately put the Soul-Concentrating Elixir in her mouth.
"Hum!"
A ripple spread through the air. A wisp of black flame suddenly burst forth from Jiuming's body, and her soul form became much more solid. Clad in black robes with black hair flowing, she had a face as beautiful as a painting—her stunning figure paired with long, straight legs. Ling Xiao couldn't help but feel tempted again. Compared to Ye Qingchan, Jiuming even had the unique charm of a monster clan; in her black eyes, it was as if flames were burning, radiating wildness and pride. To have such allure even as a residual soul… Ling Xiao was already looking forward to helping her reconstruct her physical body. He never expected that this Nether Phoenix he had casually subdued would be so breathtakingly beautiful. What a steal!
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, on receiving the Kill Reward Gift Pack. Do you wish to open it immediately?"
"Open it!"
Before Ling Xiao could admire her for long, the exciting sound of the system's notification rang out again.
"Congratulations, Host, on obtaining one Divine-Grade Concealment Talisman, one Ancient Pangu Stone, and 3000 points of Villain Value."
"A Divine-Grade Concealment Talisman? An Ancient Pangu Stone?"
Ling Xiao froze for a moment. He didn't care much about the Villain Value—after all, he had ways to earn more. But the Concealment Talisman was a great treasure, equivalent to an extra means of self-preservation. As for the Pangu Stone…
"System, what is the use of the Pangu Stone?"
"Fusing with the Pangu Stone allows you to open up a soul space and resist any soul attacks."
"That powerful?!"
Ling Xiao was shocked. Although his cultivation was strong and his soul realm matched that of an Immortal Ascension cultivator, there were countless powerful beings in the Holy State. His enemies weren't just from the younger generation. If he ever encountered a great powerhouse beyond the Immortal Ascension Realm, he could easily be suppressed by their spiritual sense—even denied a chance to escape. But with this Pangu Stone, he could resist any soul interference and gain a chance to fight back.
"Fuse it!"
Ling Xiao couldn't wait to fuse with the Pangu Stone. In an instant, he felt a wisp of soul power drift through his spiritual sea. Immediately after, the sound of the Dao echoed, and a green lotus seemed to bloom in his spiritual sea. A magnificent, mystical palace gradually took shape, enveloping his entire spiritual sea. The palace was entirely black, with spiritual runes flickering on its surface—exuding an indestructible aura!
"So this is the Ancient Pangu Stone… truly terrifying!"
Ling Xiao sighed in awe. At this moment, he could feel his soul realm inching toward breaking through to the Immortal Ascension Realm. Once just a villain destined to die within five chapters, he was now gradually gaining the qualification to compete with the forces of this world.
"Young… Young Master?"
Jiuming's voice came from the side, pulling Ling Xiao's consciousness back from his spiritual sea. She could feel the change in Ling Xiao's aura, but she couldn't quite put into words what had changed. In short, he seemed even stronger now. This is terrifying—so this is what a prodigy of an ancient clan is like! No wonder the Ling family has stood unshakable in the Holy State for a thousand years. Given Ling Xiao's talent, it probably won't be long before a new supreme ruler emerges in the Holy State. She just wondered what methods the Holy Cult would use to deal with him this time.
Jiuming finally understood why this boy didn't fear the Holy Cult—he truly had the capital to stand against them.
"Oh, you're done fusing? Then go cultivate in the Soul-Nourishing Jade first. No need to come out for now; I'll let you know when we return to the Holy State."
Ling Xiao glanced at Jiuming again, then felt that the name "Jiuming" didn't do justice to her beauty. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke up: "Is 'Jiuming' your real name?"
"No, Young Master—it was just a random name Chu Yang gave me."
Jiuming seemed to freeze for a moment, then shook her head with a bitter smile. "Some of my memories were erased. I've temporarily forgotten my origins."
"Memories erased? Those beasts of the Holy Cult really cover their tracks thoroughly."
Jiuming had been lucky enough to escape with a residual soul from the Holy Cult's clutches. As for her lost memories, they would have to find a way to recover them later.
"Oh, then do you mind changing your name?"
"Huh? I'll obey your orders, Young Master."
Now that she had chosen to follow Ling Xiao, Jiuming kept her posture extremely humble. In fact, by human standards, she was only in her early twenties—her mind wasn't as mature as she appeared.
"Good. From now on, you'll be called Jiuyou."
Ling Xiao suddenly smiled strangely, making Jiuming feel inexplicably nervous.
"Jiu… Jiuyou?"
She had thought the Young Master would give her a much nicer name… What was the difference between Jiuyou and Jiuming?
"That's right—Jiuyou. The name of a woman I once loved deeply."
Ling Xiao looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, his eyes filled with a maturity beyond his years.