Volume I: The Misty Immortal Palace Chapter 127: Soul-Devouring Palm Seal

Chapter 127: The Soul-Devouring Palm Seal

The void rumbled like rolling thunder, as if countless explosions were detonating simultaneously. Over a dozen supreme immortals rode majestic mounts, soaring across the sky with such overwhelming presence that even the wind and clouds seemed to pale, and the sun and moon dimmed in their radiance. The moment they entered the Yunmiao Immortal Hall, they unleashed a divine aura that shook heaven and earth, instantly suffocating all living beings within this small realm.

“People of Yunmiao Immortal Hall, listen well. We are the leaders of the Four Sects of Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Fire. We have heard that your disciples have seized a peerless treasure from the Great Immortal Cave. Today, we come in person to pay a visit. If you know what’s good for you, hand over the treasure, or—death awaits!”

The voice echoed throughout the hall, every elder and disciple hearing it clearly, feeling its weight deep in their hearts. At this moment, fear cast a shadow over everyone’s souls. Though they had retreated quietly into their own immortal mountains as instructed by Master Nangong Xun, supposedly cooperating with him to capture Zhou Hao, this had only invited greater trouble. The heads of the four great forces had come themselves, all demanding Zhou Hao and the treasure he possessed.

Yet the most critical issue was that no one knew where Zhou Hao had gone. How could they possibly hand over the treasure? Even the sect leader Nangong Xun had disappeared, and Yunmiao’s principal immortal mountain had been razed to the ground, desecrating the honor of the entire hall. Their lives were bound to Zhou Hao’s fate—if he dies, they live; if he lives, they perish.

“How amusing. Your gates and main hall are gone, yet your leader dares not show his face. Do you really underestimate us? Hahaha! Do you even have the ability to resist?”

“We have no patience to wait idly. If the treasure isn’t surrendered, then prepare to taste despair!” The speaker was Qiefeng, the third leader of the Wind Sect—a strikingly tall woman standing a full head above even the tallest male immortals, clad in a vibrant blue battle robe.

Qiefeng stood atop a massive Azure-Scaled Eagle, her battle robe fluttering wildly. With a smile, she pressed her palm gently against the immortal mountain below. Instantly, a fierce wave of energy surged downward, and the towering peak, once cloaked in verdant green, quickly turned barren and desolate. Countless immortal birds, auspicious beasts, elders, and disciples barely had time to scream before their internal immortal energy and essence were sucked dry by that nameless force.

“The Soul-Devouring Palm Seal! That’s Qiefeng, the third leader of the Wind Sect. The legends are true—her palm seal can devour vitality and annihilate all life. It’s likely she alone could slaughter our entire immortal hall.” An elder recognized the technique and felt his fear deepen.

“Where has that damned Zhou Hao gone? Why must we bear the blame for his crimes? The traitor! Since his arrival at the hall, nothing has been peaceful. Now he’s brought death upon us all. The entire immortal hall will perish with him,” a disciple snarled, cursing Zhou Hao with bitter hatred, as if wishing to kill him to take away all fault.

“Hmph, a disciple is only as good as his master. Yun Fang, that troublemaker who harmed Yu Yang, wasn’t enough—he also trained Zhou Hao, a mortal flesh-and-blood invader, to plague our immortal hall. Both are the shame of Yunmiao, the worst scoundrels in history!” A female disciple’s disdainful words poured from her ruby lips, blaming Yun Fang as the root of all evil.

At this moment, Zhou Hao became the scapegoat. Nearly every elder and disciple believed he had invited this catastrophe and unleashed a torrent of vitriol upon him.

But what good would that do? Facing such a formidable enemy, Yunmiao Immortal Hall stood no chance. They didn’t even have the right to negotiate because their strength was utterly unequal. In the face of absolute power, all talk of diplomacy seemed childish and laughable.

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Buzz!

Another immortal mountain stronghold was reduced to barren wasteland. The Soul-Devouring Palm Seal inspired dread—it left no trace or shadow, but wherever it touched, life was snuffed out, leaving deathly stillness behind. Any living creature was absorbed, its immortal essence converted into Qiefeng’s potent immortal power.

“Ha ha ha, not bad! Truly worthy of Yunmiao Immortal Hall—your essence and spiritual energy are abundant and pure. My immortal power is intoxicated! I’m even tempted to make this place my second home,” Qiefeng laughed wildly, raven hair whipping in the wind, resembling a fearsome female demon.

“Esteemed immortals, please halt your assault. I have a word to say!” Suddenly, a rainbow light soared from an immortal mountain, and a figure emerged, standing resolutely before the dozen or so immortal experts.

The head of the Wind Sect graciously gestured for Qiefeng to stop. He himself remained atop the Azure-Scaled Eagle and asked, “Who are you?”

“I am Cheng Bing, a humble elder of the current Nangong Immortal Hall,” the man replied, clad in white robes, his handsome, dignified visage still marked by youthful vigor despite middle age.

“Oh? What do you mean by ‘Nangong Immortal Hall’?” The Wind Sect leader and the heads of the other three great forces exchanged puzzled glances.

“Alas, it’s a painful tale. Shortly after the Great Immortal Cave was opened, our elder Yun Fang conspired with the Night Palace demons to assassinate the Yunmiao Hall leader. Fortunately, Elder Nangong broke through to become a supreme immortal and, after a fierce battle, repelled the night envoy and slew the treacherous Yun Fang, avenging our leader. At the elders and disciples’ urging, Elder Nangong became our new hall leader, so naturally, the Yunmiao Immortal Hall was renamed Nangong Immortal Hall,” Cheng Bing explained solemnly.

“Hmph. So the immortal Yunmiao really is dead. I was hoping to witness his Cloud Clearing and Swordsmanship,” the Wind Sect leader sneered.

“In that case, what is this important message you wished to convey?” he asked.

Before the question finished, Cheng Bing knelt before the immortals, voice trembling with emotion, “Esteemed immortals, you may not know the turmoil stirred these past days by the disciple you claim holds the peerless treasure from the Great Immortal Cave. His name is Zhou Hao—a disciple of the villain Yun Fang. Upon returning to the hall, he sought to use that treasure against Hallmaster Nangong. On one hand, he wants revenge for his master; on the other, he aims to supplant Nangong as the new hall leader. His ambition is blatant. The hallmaster clashed endlessly with him and was gravely wounded by Zhou Hao’s treasure, now barely clinging to life and fled to recover. Whether he lives or dies remains unknown.”

“Ha ha ha! Your hallmaster is pathetic if he can’t even defeat a disciple and had to flee to recover. Who knows if he’s even alive? Hahaha! That’s hilarious!” The second leader of the Fire Sect burst into loud laughter.

Cheng Bing’s face darkened, his expression sour, but he dared not retort—his late-stage Golden Immortal strength was no match for Fire Sect’s second leader.

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“Where is Zhou Hao now?” the Wind Sect leader asked.

“To my knowledge, he went beneath the Yunmiao Immortal Mountain, to the formation barrier where a Purple-Gold Vermilion Fruit tree grows. He hopes to pick the fruit to elevate his cultivation,” Cheng Bing answered.

“Purple-Gold Vermilion Fruit? Isn’t that one of the nine key ingredients for the Nine-Transformation Golden Pill? Your hall has such an immortal herb? What a waste! But no matter, after today, that tree and its fruit will belong to the Four Great Sects!” For the first time, the Wind Sect leader smiled coldly, revealing a row of pristine teeth.

“Let’s go. Lead us to the barrier. The peerless treasure and the Purple-Gold Vermilion Fruit will be our spoils! Ha ha ha!”

Shriek! Roar!

Sharp cries and beastly howls pierced the air as twelve supreme immortals flew on their mounts toward the flattened base of Yunmiao Immortal Mountain. Thus, the elders and disciples of the hall temporarily escaped death’s grasp.

Elsewhere, six figures sat cross-legged beneath the Purple-Gold Vermilion Fruit tree, immersed in the Realm of Enlightenment—a rare and elusive state. This time, they all benefited from the tree’s blessing. Should their enlightenment succeed, their cultivation paths would be smoother, avoiding many obstacles and inner demons. Yet enlightenment also carried risks; one might be overwhelmed by inner demons, falling into madness and the demonic path, losing all sanity and selfhood.

Zhou Hao had often sought enlightenment on his journey, mostly to cultivate the immortal path, enhance his realm, and increase his strength. But this time under the tree was different—a deep meditation on self-awareness and spiritual discipline aimed at purifying his malevolence and suppressing the birth of inner demons.

“Young man, do you know that your sword influences you? To a great extent, it stirs your malevolence and fosters the awakening of your inner demons.”