The man in green was riddled with holes, blood gushing out. On the verge of death, he opened his mouth and spat out a few drops of vital blood. Immediately, a raging inferno ignited, and his entire body turned to ashes in an instant, leaving no trace of bone or body. He had clearly used a secret technique to escape.
"It really is the Soul Devouring Spear of the Soul Devouring Sect, no doubt about it!"
"This spirit treasure belongs to me!"
Suddenly, several sinister cackles echoed, and then, several figures in black clothes emerged swiftly from the depths of the dense forest. Each of them exuded an exceptionally potent aura, having reached the Great Perfection of the Innate realm, far stronger than those guard captains.
As soon as these individuals appeared, their gazes fixed on the Soul Devouring Spear in Zhou Yan's palm, filled with greed and burning desire, their eyes turning red.
"Hahaha, this Soul Devouring Spear is mine!"
A man in black laughed heartily, taking a step forward. His figure moved like a phantom as he lunged towards the Soul Devouring Spear.
This man in black had reached the fifth stage of Body Refinement and was not far from the sixth stage of Innate.
"Not good, the Soul Devouring Spear is mine, get lost!"
The eyes of the other men in black flashed with intense killing intent. Surges of powerful True Qi erupted, and with a rumble, they overturned the undergrowth and lunged towards Zhou Yan. Clearly, they recognized the man in green and knew his methods were anything but simple.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...*
In an instant, Zhou Yan's expression became extremely serious. He wielded the Soul Devouring Spear, and enchanting spear flowers bloomed from it, like lotuses in full bloom.
*Bang, bang, bang!*
The enchanting spear flowers unfurled like brilliant fireworks, scattering in all directions and engulfing three men in black. These three men in black froze instantly, as if stuck in quicksand, unable to move.
They were filled with horror and struggled desperately, but to no avail. Their bodies slowly stiffened, and finally, they turned into shriveled husks, falling back to the ground.
"What? This young man's strength is actually this formidable?"
From afar, an old man in white robes' pupils constricted.
He had watched clearly. The spear technique this young man used, though seemingly simple and brutal, contained immense profoundness. These men in black were utterly unable to resist and were instantly killed.
"As expected of the Soul Devouring Spear, truly powerful. However, it's still not enough to claim it. I must make a move."
The old man in white narrowed his eyes, his body flickered, and he instantly vanished from his spot, appearing next to the man in green. He reached out and took the storage ring from the man in green's hand.
This man in green was a disciple of the Green Mountain Sect from Nanling City. Their group of seven had entered the Barbarian Forbidden Zone to explore ruins, but they had been tragically eliminated, leaving only him and those three men in black.
"Hmm? Someone?"
The man in green sensed something amiss. He turned his head, his face changing drastically, "Not good, it's them!"
*Swish!*
Before he could finish speaking, those three men in black had already arrived. Their expressions were cold, and their killing intent was palpable. The blades in their hands ferociously hacked down on the man in green.
*Clang, clang, clang!*
The sound of metal striking metal echoed. These three weapons were all second-tier precious armaments, possessing immense power. Unfortunately, they encountered the Soul Devouring Spear and were directly shattered. Immediately afterward, the three men in black let out screams as their wrists were pierced, blood pouring out.
"How is this possible? How can the Soul Devouring Spear be so terrifying?" the man in green exclaimed in disbelief.
He naturally knew the power of the Soul Devouring Spear, which could devour enemies' souls for rebirth, and even turn enemies into puppets.
However, how could this young man, who was only at the ninth stage of Body Tempering, possess such formidable strength?
"No matter who you are! I will remember you. When I get out, I will definitely report to my family head and dispatch experts to kill you!"
The man in green roared, and a ball of fire erupted from his body. He actually chose to self-destruct his Nascent Soul.
*Puff!*
His body trembled, and flames blazed from him. He turned into a fiery figure, and in the blink of an eye, became a scorched corpse, perishing completely.
"Hmph!"
Zhou Yan snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping around, finally landing on a stone tablet. This stone tablet was a full ten feet high and wide, inscribed with many mysterious patterns.
On the back of the stone tablet, ancient seal script read – Soul Devouring Secret Tome!
"Soul Devouring Secret Tome. This cultivation technique should be the supreme secret tome of the Soul Devouring Sect, and it's incredibly valuable. Furthermore, there are fragmented parts. As long as I find all the fragmented parts, I can obtain the complete Soul Devouring Art!" Zhou Yan licked his lips, his gaze fervent. He then sat down cross-legged and took off the storage ring.
"This storage ring's quality is too low. Apart from some pills and materials, there's nothing inside!"
"Eh, there's actually a pill here. It seems this man in green was looking for this kind of pill!"
Zhou Yan's eyes were sharp. He immediately spotted a pill, black as ink, lying in a wooden box in the corner, emitting a foul stench.
"Soul Devouring Pill!"
Zhou Yan's eyes lit up. He quickly opened the lid and took the black pill in his hand. He examined it carefully and found that strange symbols flowed on the surface of the pill, emitting a faint green glow.
"This Soul Devouring Pill can be consumed to increase cultivation."
Zhou Yan muttered to himself, "It seems my guess is correct. Within the Barbarian Forbidden Zone, there must be some kind of heavenly spiritual object, or a top-tier spiritual medicine!"
"This Soul Devouring Pill can increase my soul power, and I can test its effects."
*Swish!*
Zhou Yan's arm flicked, and the Soul Devouring Spear pierced the void. With a hum, the spear shaft vibrated violently, sending out a strange ripple. A wave imperceptible to the eye suddenly spread out.
*Puff, puff, puff...*
Dark shadows like venomous snakes leaped out from the darkness, burrowing into Zhou Yan's mind, roaring frantically, attempting to erode Zhou Yan's consciousness and possess his body.
However, before they could even get close, they all collapsed.
"Vulnerable!"
Zhou Yan shook his head. His mind was already firm, how could it be invaded by these shadows?
"The Soul Devouring Spear is truly domineering!"
Zhou Yan was shocked. His soul power was many times weaker than in his previous life, but relying on the might of the Soul Devouring Spear, he could still easily crush these dark shadows.
"What exactly are these dark shadows?"
Zhou Yan furrowed his brows. The Soul Devouring Spear was his weapon in his previous life, but within it was sealed a terrifying spiritual intelligence. It was not a simple spirit treasure; on the contrary, it was a fierce and evil weapon.
"I obtained this Soul Devouring Spear by chance, but I've always cherished it as a treasure. Normally, no matter how I urged the Soul Devouring Spear, it wouldn't react in the slightest. I never expected it to erupt with such terrifying power today!"
The more Zhou Yan studied it, the more astonished he became.