Chapter 83: Spell Backlash

As the sword of starlight swept toward him, Lü Mengqiu was instantly gripped by terror, his hair standing on end, his face drained of all color. Even as a cultivator in the Golden Core stage, he could sense the approach of death. He simply could not fathom how an ant with only the initial Foundation Building cultivation could unleash such a terrifying spell.

He frantically summoned all his strength, trying to wrest back control of his three flying swords, but it was to no avail—his swords hung lifeless in the air, devoid of the slightest ripple of energy.

A wet, sickening sound split the night.

Before Lü Mengqiu could react further, the sword of starlight cleaved through the void. His head, eyes wide with disbelief, was sent flying from his shoulders, trailing a fountain of blood—a sight both shocking and grotesque.

"Boy, how do you find the power of this Demon Lord's Sevenfold Starlight Sword Technique?" The voice of the Demon Lord of Infinity drifted forth, and, borrowing Ye Yun's body, he raised his gaze to the battle raging in the skies.

With a series of piercing whistles, the seven swords of starlight shot across the heavens like meteors, slashing toward Wu Ying and the Jade Flood Dragon King.

Even the formidable flesh of the Jade Flood Dragon King fared no better; under the swords' assault, it was as fragile as paper. He shifted into his true form—a dragon more than thirty yards long—yet was cut in two at the waist, his crimson demon blood scattering across the sky as his anguished howl echoed far and wide.

But the Jade Flood Dragon King did not perish. In an instant, his bisected body fused back together, and, at unbelievable speed, he fled toward Sunset Mountain beyond Cloudwater City.

Witnessing this, Wu Ying was likewise struck with terror. Unlike the Jade Flood Dragon King, he lacked both the power and the talent to escape. He had barely managed to flee a short distance before the sword of starlight caught up to him, piercing his body. His corpse, cold and lifeless, plummeted from the sky, landing in a pool of blood.

"Damn it! That slippery little mudfish got away!" the Demon Lord of Infinity cursed bitterly. He had not much soul force left to expend, so he could not unleash the full power of the Sevenfold Starlight Sword Technique.

At the same time, Ye Yun felt his own consciousness gradually returning to his body, as the remnant soul of the Demon Lord of Infinity withdrew from his three souls and seven spirits and returned to the Eye of Infinity.

He drew a sharp breath.

Regaining control of his body, Ye Yun's first instinct was to gasp in pain; agony radiated from every part of him, making him grit his teeth. The Demon Lord had used his body as a vessel to cast a spell far beyond his cultivation, resulting in severe backlash. Cracks split his skin, jagged and grim, as though his body might shatter at any moment.

What was worse, the crimson flame true energy in his dantian had been completely depleted, his meridians all damaged to varying degrees, and much of the crimson flame demonic patterns branded into his bones had been erased.

"Boy, I warned you before—the backlash is severe. Your cultivation has now fallen from the initial Foundation Building stage to nearly the late-stage Qi Refining level," came the Demon Lord's voice.

"I'll just recover slowly," Ye Yun replied, showing little worry.

"Do you think recovering from spell backlash is that simple?" the Demon Lord continued. "You’ve dropped two levels. If it took you three years to reach Foundation Building from late-stage Qi Refining, it will take at least twice as long to recover—at least six years to regain your former strength!"

"That long?" Ye Yun’s heart sank. He had not expected the consequences to be so dire.

"But if you acquire some rare treasures and spiritual herbs, you may greatly shorten that time," the Demon Lord consoled him. His voice grew faint. "Helping you this time has cost me much soul force. I must rest now. The rest is up to you."

With that, the Demon Lord’s voice faded into silence.

Lü Mengqiu and Wu Ying were slain, the Jade Flood Dragon King gravely wounded and fleeing—the sudden turn of events left the Wu clan cultivators who had come to attack Cloudwater City dumbfounded.

None of them knew that Ye Yun was now in a state of extreme weakness, his cultivation fallen to late-stage Qi Refining. If the remaining Foundation Building cultivators attacked together, they could easily kill him—he would not have the slightest strength to resist.

But what they had just witnessed had thoroughly terrified them. A Golden Core cultivator was an existence of overwhelming power—yet he had been slain before their eyes. How could they, mere Foundation Building cultivators, dare to take action?

Ye Yun simply sat down cross-legged where he stood, using his spiritual sense to examine his internal state, all the while remaining on guard in case any Wu clan cultivator, reckless or desperate, tried to attack.

With damaged meridians, fallen cultivation, and a body on the verge of collapse, even a novice Foundation Building cultivator could overpower him with ease.

Just then, a figure descended from the sky. The wavering Wu clan cultivators, upon recognizing the newcomer, were instantly struck with terror.

"Retreat!"

At the command of a Wu clan elder, all Foundation Building cultivators obeyed at once, withdrawing from Cloudwater City like a receding tide.

With their clan lord who possessed Golden Core cultivation dead, they had lost all will to continue the fight.

Ye Yun opened his eyes to see the Lord of the City, Ye Haiyi, standing before him, gazing down with a complex expression.

A faint golden radiance shrouded Ye Haiyi. According to the Demon Lord of Infinity, this was a sign of burning his own lifespan. Although his adversaries—the Jade Flood Dragon King and Wu Ying—were gone, once the method of burning lifespan was set in motion, it could not be stopped. All that remained was to await the moment when his life force was completely exhausted—when death would claim both his body and soul.

"I am not my ancestor," Ye Haiyi said suddenly, a bitter smile on his lips, his words simple but heavy with regret.

Ye Yun merely looked at him, saying nothing. Ye Haiyi’s fate was the result of his own choices, and there was no one else to blame, nor did Ye Yun feel any sympathy or pity for him.

"The spell you just cast was formidable. Was it something the ancestor taught you?" Ye Haiyi asked, then shook his head with a sigh. "No matter, I am about to be annihilated—what does it matter if I know?"

Speaking almost to himself, he abruptly raised a hand and pressed his palm against Ye Yun’s crown.

Ye Yun tensed, a cold light flickering in his eyes, his first instinct to evade. But under the pressure of Ye Haiyi’s Golden Core aura, he found himself utterly unable to move.

A large hand covered his crown, yet Ye Yun sensed no killing intent from Ye Haiyi. Instead, he felt a surge of pure true energy pouring into his body from the baihui point atop his head.

"Your body has suffered spell backlash. Since I am about to die, I will give you the remainder of my life force’s true energy. I hope it may help you," Ye Haiyi’s voice sounded gently. Then, with a self-deprecating laugh, he added, "I suppose this counts as the right thing for me to do before I die."

A Golden Core cultivator’s true energy was vast, pure, and powerful. As it poured into Ye Yun’s body, it swept through his meridians, flesh, and bones. His shattered body began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye. Ye Yun quickly operated his heart technique, refining the energy into his own use. His dried-up dantian gradually filled, and the extinguished crimson flame sprang to life once more.