Chapter 1151: Terrifying Bug
For almost half a minute, the hall was silent. Killing someone above one's cultivation level wasn't unusual, but Ye Mo's silent strike was terrifying. Some observed that he used the same technique to kill Tie Baifei and Nan Jinsheng, yet the effects differed dramatically. Almost everyone expected Ye Mo to lose, to be killed by Tie Baifei, but instead, Ye Mo prevailed. Only a few Disaster Transformation state masters and those above saw Ye Mo employ a preliminary attack, momentarily disrupting Tie Baifei's movements before the Illusion Cloud Hua Mountain strike.
Yan Guan gasped, contemplating how to explain Ye Mo's death to the Pill City lord, only to witness this unexpected turn of events. Wen Caiyi stared at Ye Mo, momentarily forgetting her anger. She knew he was powerful; before his fight with Nan Jinsheng, she'd assumed him to be Nascent Soul state tertiary stage, but his single-move kill proved him to possess Hollow Spirit state power. Nan Jinsheng had claimed Ye Mo was Hollow Spirit state level one, a claim Wen Caiyi had doubted but accepted. Yet, now, Ye Mo had killed Tie Baifei, a Hollow Spirit state level six cultivator—a feat impossible for a level one. Wen Caiyi, herself a Nascent Soul state level two prodigy, knew killing a Nascent Soul state level six cultivator was exceedingly difficult, perhaps impossible.
Was Ye Mo Hollow Spirit state tertiary stage? She recalled their first meeting; Ye Mo had been Nascent Soul state, yet now, in what seemed like a short time, he was Hollow Spirit state tertiary stage? Could such a genius exist? If so, the gulf between him and other nine-star sect prodigies was immense.
The smiling young cultivator remained stunned, initially disbelieving Tie Baifei's swift demise. After a minute, however, reality settled in: Ye Mo had killed Tie Baifei, reducing his body to a bloody mist.
"I'm going to kill you!" the cultivator snarled, charging forward and unleashing a dark gourd. Ye Mo recognized the Infinity Sect, known for sword cultivation, yet this youth wielded a black gourd.
"Wujian, return!" an elder shouted, but the enraged cultivator pressed on. Ye Mo sneered; this Wujian was Hollow Spirit state level seven, but he showed no fear, summoning Zi Xu.
The young cultivator, witnessing Ye Mo's readiness, abruptly halted his advance. He calmed himself, bowed to the Infinity Sect, and the elder visibly relaxed. He'd dreaded the confrontation; Ye Mo's power rivaled any Hollow Spirit state tertiary stage cultivator. The elder's only puzzle was Ming Wujian's possession of this gourd artifact.
The young cultivator, letting the black gourd hover, said coldly to Ye Mo, "You have the audacity to kill our Infinity Sect's core disciple. I am Ming Wujian. You will die with my martial brother Tie Baifei. And I will deal with Luo Susu for at least a few years."
Ming Wujian's mention of Luo Susu ignited Ye Mo's fury, a purple mist swirling around Zi Xu. Ming Wujian sneered, performing hand signs. The gourd rumbled, expanding to two meters long and one meter wide, and still growing. Ye Mo felt uneasy; his spirit sense could not penetrate it.
Without hesitation, Ye Mo produced his octagonal cauldron. The onlookers were astonished; it was clearly a top-grade defensive magic artifact, yet Ye Mo hadn't used it against Tie Baifei. He was a madman!
Yang Feicheng's expression darkened. He felt an increasing urgency to kill Ye Mo, but Lu Wuhu's presence complicated matters; no single Infinity Sect cultivator could kill Lu Wuhu.
Wen Caiyi recognized the octagonal cauldron, remembering Martial Brother Yuan obtaining it in the Truth Fall Palace, solidifying her suspicion that Ye Mo killed him.
Ming Wujian, momentarily dazed, quickly dismissed the sight of the cauldron and Ye Mo's purple sword rays. He waved his hand, releasing countless black lines from the gourd—incredibly fast, with an ear-piercing, spirit-sense-jarring screech. The first wave of purple sword rays were blocked, and the subsequent ones were also swiftly dissipated.
Ye Mo recalled Mo Qianli, whose evil soul strands were similar but silent. These lines were faster and shrieked. He soon realized they were not strands, but small, black bugs with wings, sharp teeth, and only one leg each.
They were incredibly fast and numerous. Ye Mo could only spin his octagonal cauldron faster and faster for protection, but the bugs seemed endless, doubling in number. He found controlling the cauldron increasingly difficult. It slowed, its defenses weakening. If it stopped, he would be overwhelmed. He knew that if they all attacked him, not a single bone would be left.
Ye Mo was frustrated; he longed for a worthy opponent who could withstand his Illusion Cloud strikes, but none had appeared. He had killed Nan Jinsheng with one strike, Tie Baifei had used blood snowflakes, and now, Ming Wujian used these bugs.
He attempted another Illusion Cloud division strike, but the purple sword rays were devoured before formation. These bugs were astonishingly powerful, capable of devouring sword rays! He ceased using Zi Xu; his spirit sense struggled to control the cauldron, let alone Zi Xu. Illusion Cloud relied on spirit sense; stronger sense meant stronger sword rays.
Ye Mo, resourceful, unleashed his Mist Lotus Heart Fire. Though he lacked a heaven flame cultivation method, he hoped it would suffice. The cultivators believed the bugs were doomed; heaven flame could easily incinerate any bug. Ming Wujian merely sneered.
The Mist Lotus Heart Fire surged into the bugs. Many fell, but more immediately replaced them. Ye Mo frowned; some died, but most survived. He was shocked. What kind of bug could withstand even heaven flame? Even at its low level, it could kill a Body Condensation state peak stage cultivator. He suddenly remembered a certain spirit bug and his face darkened.