One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Chapter 162 Remnants of the Wang Family

Grandpa Guan sized them up a few times. His gaze lingered on Nie Lingfeng for a moment, then shifted to Chen Duo, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes before he nodded.

"As expected, heroes emerge from among the young. Please come in, the Feng siblings are inside."

The three followed him into the house.

The wooden house wasn't big, but it was very warm. Thick furs covered the floor, various religious artifacts hung on the walls, and a heated kang (a traditional heated platform bed) sat in the corner, emitting bursts of heat.

Two people were sitting inside the room; they were Feng Shayan and Feng Xingtong.

Feng Shayan was still wearing her signature white tracksuit, with short hair and sharp eyes. But her face was somewhat pale, her lips were almost bloodless, and her right arm was wrapped in thick bandages, with traces of blood faintly visible beneath them.

Feng Xingtong, dressed in black casual clothes, leaned against the kang (a heated brick bed), looking even worse. His lips were purple, his eyes were unfocused, and there were dark circles around his eyes, as if he hadn't slept for days and nights. He looked extremely weak, and even sitting up was difficult for him.

"Brother Nie, Miss Chen Duo, you've arrived." Feng Shayan stood up, forcing a smile. The smile was faint, but the gratitude in her eyes was genuine.

"Sister Feng, Xing Tong, are you alright?" Nie Lingfeng asked.

"I'm fine, just a superficial wound." Feng Shayan shook her head, looking at her arm. "I was brushed by his yin energy, it'll heal in a few days. But Xing Tong, he..."

She looked at her younger brother, her eyes filled with heartache.

"He suffered a backlash from Wang Kui's 'Spirit Devouring' technique, which damaged his soul. He needs to rest. Grandpa Guan gave him some calming medicine, and after drinking it for two days, he felt much better, but he still can't get out of bed."

Feng Xingtong raised her head, looked at Nie Lingfeng, and gave a bitter smile. That smile contained shame, resentment, and helplessness.

"Brother Nie, I've embarrassed you." His voice was hoarse, as if something had injured his throat. "Our Feng family's Spirit Control Techniques were actually suppressed by a half-baked fellow. He devoured two of my spirit generals and almost tore my own soul out..."

"What happened?" Nie Lingfeng sat down beside his bed.

Feng Xingtong took a deep breath and began to speak.

"That Wang Kui didn't use the authentic Spirit Binding Technique. Our Feng family's Spirit Binding Technique involves 'communicating' with spirits and 'asking' them for help; it's a relationship of equal exchange. But he..."

He gritted his teeth, a look of fear flashing in his eyes.

"He 'forcefully devours' spirits. He forcibly captures those spirits, then refines them using some kind of evil magic, absorbing all their soul power into his own body. He absorbs all the resentment, obsessions, and unwillingness of those spirits. That's why his strength increases extremely quickly, but he also becomes increasingly insane."

"Yesterday at the Heavenly Lake, I released two spirit generals to fight him. But he didn't even engage my spirit generals; instead, he spread out a black net and trapped them. The net was covered in black runes and exuded a corrupting aura. My spirit generals screamed and struggled inside, but couldn't break free. Then he started sucking them in, literally draining my spirit generals into two wisps of black smoke, which he then swallowed."

He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.

"I tried to snatch the spirit general back, but the suction was too strong; it almost pulled my own soul out as well. If my sister hadn't used spatial teleportation to pull me back in time, I might have... I might have..."

He couldn't continue.

Feng Shayan grasped his hand and patted it gently.

Nie Lingfeng was silent for a moment, then asked, "How many did he swallow?"

"At least five," Old Master Guan said in a deep voice. "Three are our Guan family's 'immortals,' and two are Brother Feng's spirit generals. With each one he swallows, his strength will increase dramatically. When we made our move yesterday, he was already able to withstand Miss Feng's Hundred-Step Fist and suppress Brother Feng's Spirit Binding and Commanding. If he swallows any more... I'm afraid no one will be able to control him."

"What is he doing down to Tianchi?" Nie Lingfeng asked.

Grandpa Guan remained silent for a while, then looked at the young people around him. The young people understood and left the room.

After the door closed, Old Master Guan finally spoke:

"There is indeed something at the bottom of Tianchi Lake."

He walked to the window, looked at Tianchi Lake outside, and his gaze became distant.

"Our Guan family's ancestral precept is that the waters of Tianchi Lake are unfathomably deep, and a 'Black Dragon' slumbers beneath them, which must not be disturbed. This 'Black Dragon' is not a real dragon, but a spirit formed from the dragon vein, the very essence of this land in Northeast China. More than three hundred years ago, the Qing Dynasty's high shaman priest sealed it beneath Tianchi Lake with his life to prevent the dragon vein of Northeast China from leaking away. Since then, our Guan family has guarded this place for generations, not allowing anyone to approach the depths of Tianchi Lake."

He turned around and looked at Nie Lingfeng.

"But that kid Wang Kui seems to be after the 'Black Dragon.' He told me that as long as he swallows the 'Black Dragon,' he can become the king of the Northeast, the king of the supernatural world. When he said that, his eyes were crazy, but his words... scared me."

"Why?" Nie Lingfeng asked.

"Because he said he had someone backing him," said Grandpa Guan. "Someone told him there was something at the bottom of Tianchi Lake, someone taught him how to devour spirits, and someone prepared the 'Seven Fiends Gathering Soul Array' for him. He wouldn't say who that person was. But he said that as long as he succeeded, that person would help him and allow the Wang family to rise again."

Nie Lingfeng and Gao Lian exchanged a glance.

Sure enough, there was someone behind it all.

"When will he go down to Tianchi again?" Nie Lingfeng asked.

"It should be tonight," said Old Master Guan. "He suffered a loss yesterday, so he'll definitely be better prepared today. Besides, tonight is the night of the full moon, when the yin energy is at its peak, making it the perfect time for him to unleash his evil magic. He's already devoured five spirits; if he devours one more, he'll complete the 'Seven Fiends Gathering Soul Array.' Then, when he goes down to the Heavenly Pool to devour the 'Black Dragon,' then..."

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone understood.

"Alright, then let's wait for him here." Nie Lingfeng stood up and looked at Gao Lian. "Brother Gao, could you please arrange for the area around Tianchi to be sealed off so that ordinary people can't get close?"

"No problem." Gao Lian nodded.

"Master Guan, please have your men keep watch around the perimeter to prevent Wang Kui from having accomplices."

"Okay," Grandpa Guan replied.

"Sister Feng, please take good care of Xing Tong. Don't get involved in tonight's events. Xing Tong needs rest, and you need to recover from your injuries too."

Feng Shayan wanted to say something, but after looking at her younger brother, she nodded.

"Chen Duo." Nie Lingfeng looked at Chen Duo.

Chen Duo stood up from the corner and walked to his side.

"Come with me and meet this Wang Kui."

"Okay." Chen Duo nodded, her emerald green eyes calm.

Feng Shayan looked at them with a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Brother Nie," she suddenly spoke, "that kid Wang Kui is really strange. You... be careful."

"Don't worry." Nie Lingfeng smiled, his smile carrying a reassuring power. "I've seen plenty of strange things."

At 10 p.m., the moon was high in the sky.

The moon was large and round, like a giant silver plate, hanging above Tianchi Lake. Moonlight spilled onto the water's surface, spreading out a silver ribbon that swayed gently with the ripples.

The area around Tianchi Lake was completely silent, without even the chirping of birds or insects. It wasn't just any silence; it was a deathly stillness, as if all living things had vanished, leaving only the moonlight, the lake water, and the people waiting on the shore.

Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo sat on a large rock by the Tianchi Lake.

The stones were cool, the coolness seeping into their skin through their clothes. But neither of them moved; they just sat there, gazing at the Heavenly Lake.

Chen Duo leaned on his shoulder, hugging a panda plush toy. The plush toy was fluffy and rubbed against her face, bringing her a little warmth.

"Nie Lingfeng," she suddenly spoke, her voice very soft.

"Um?"

"Beneath Tianchi Lake... something is crying."

"Cry?" Nie Lingfeng was taken aback.

"Mmm." Chen Duo nodded, her emerald eyes gazing into the depths of the pool, as if she could see things others couldn't. "It's very sad, very angry, very... lonely. Like it's been locked up for a long time, wanting to get out, but unable to. It's shouting, it's crying out, but no one can hear it."

Nie Lingfeng's heart stirred.

Could it really be the "Black Dragon"? The spirit of the dragon vein sealed beneath the Heavenly Pool? Having been imprisoned for over three hundred years, of course it would feel anger, sorrow, and loneliness.

"When the fight breaks out, stay away." He said to Chen Duo, "Your Phoenix True Fire, although it can suppress evil spirits, was too depleted last time and hasn't recovered yet. That kid Wang Kui has swallowed so many spirits, his soul power is mixed, and he might hurt you."

"I'm not afraid." Chen Duo shook her head, hugging the doll tightly. "I want to help you."

"Then stay close to me and don't stray too far," Nie Lingfeng relented. He knew that once Chen Duo became stubborn, not even ten oxen could pull her back.

"Um."

The two stopped talking and waited quietly.

Time passed second by second, the moon rose higher and higher, and the moonlight grew brighter and brighter.

At 11 p.m., the surface of Tianchi Lake suddenly became rippled.

It wasn't the wind—there wasn't a breath of wind around. Something at the bottom of the water was stirring it.

The water began to swirl, slowly at first, then faster and faster, forming a huge whirlpool. The center of the whirlpool grew deeper and darker, like an entrance to another world, with no bottom in sight.

"Here it comes." Nie Lingfeng stood up and stared at the vortex.

A person slowly rises from the vortex.

It was Wang Kui.

He looked to be in his thirties, wearing a tattered black robe stained with mud and blood, the hem soaked through and clinging to his calves. His hair was disheveled and draped over his shoulders, and his face was covered in grime, but his eyes—eyes that were an eerie blood red, like two burning flames, were particularly striking in the darkness.

His face was as pale as a corpse, devoid of any color. A crazed smile hung on his lips, a twisted and insane smile that sent chills down one's spine.

His arms were exposed, covered with black, vein-like lines. Those lines were slowly writhing, like something alive crawling beneath his skin. With each writhing movement, he trembled slightly, as if enduring immense pain, or perhaps enjoying some kind of pleasure.

Behind him, five blurry, illusory figures floated.

Those were the five spirits he had devoured—three were "immortals" from shamanic families, and two were spirit generals of Feng Xing Tong. They had lost their original forms, turning into twisted, ever-changing black shadows. They were wailing and struggling, trying to break free from Wang Kui's control, but they were tightly bound by the black mist emanating from Wang Kui and could not escape.

"Another suicide mission?" Wang Kui looked at Nie Lingfeng and Chen Duo on the shore and licked his dry, cracked lips. The tongue was long and thin, like a snake's forked tongue, and gleamed with an eerie bluish hue in the moonlight.

"Perfect, I only need two more to complete the 'Seven Fiends Gathering Soul Array'." His voice was hoarse and grating, like sandpaper rubbing against glass. "Your souls seem... quite potent. Especially that little girl, her soul has a peculiar quality..."

He stared at Chen Duo, his eyes flashing with greed and desire.

"Screw you."

Nie Lingfeng stepped forward, blocking Chen Duo's path. His voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a nail, piercing Wang Kui's ears.

"Wang Kui, the Wang family is finished, what are you still doing? Just find a place to hide and you might live a few more days. Why do you have to come out and court death?"

"The Wang family is finished?" Wang Kui laughed loudly.

The laughter was manic and shrill, echoing over Tianchi Lake, startling several night birds that fluttered away into the distance.

"The Wang family is not finished! As long as I'm alive, the Wang family is not finished!"

His laughter stopped abruptly, and his eyes were fixed on Nie Lingfeng.

"Once I master the 'Seven Fiends Gathering Soul Array' and devour the 'Black Dragon' at the bottom of the Heavenly Pool, I will be able to revitalize the Wang family, and even... unify the world of supernatural beings! At that time, all you so-called righteous sects, companies, and 'Ten Elders' will have to kneel at my feet and call me Master Wang!"

"Keep dreaming." Nie Lingfeng was too lazy to waste words.

He took a step forward.

This step was as fast as lightning. The rock beneath his feet cracked with a "crack," sending fragments flying. His figure became a blur, rushing straight at Wang Kui!

"Well done!" Wang Kui grinned maliciously, forming a hand seal.

The handprint was bizarre; the ten fingers were twisted at impossible angles, as if they had been broken and then reattached. As the handprint took shape, the five spirits behind him simultaneously let out mournful roars.

"Seven Fiends Gather Souls - Devour Spirits!"

Five streams of black energy erupted from the spirit body, like five giant black pythons, rushing towards Nie Lingfeng!

Wherever the black mist passed, the air suddenly turned cold. Water vapor on the lake surface instantly condensed into frost, making a crackling sound. The vegetation on the shore withered at a visible speed, its leaves turning yellow, then black, and finally turning to dust. Even the moonlight was swallowed up, leaving only pure darkness, like a gigantic mouth ready to devour everything.

"Watch out!" Chen Duo exclaimed.

But Nie Lingfeng did not dodge.

He clasped his hands together, interlaced his fingers, and formed a strange hand seal.

"Three Parts Return to Origin—Primordial Unity!"

"Buzz—!"

A hazy, three-colored vortex of energy suddenly erupted from his body!

The vortex, centered on him, rapidly expanded, transforming in the blink of an eye into a massive vortex three zhang in diameter. The vortex slowly rotated, its surface shimmering with three distinct lights—a heavy, earthy yellow; a misty, grayish-white; and a deep, dark blue. These three lights intertwined, forming a perfect cycle.

Five streams of black energy crashed into the vortex.

Then--

"Hiss hiss hiss—!"

The vortex, like a giant millstone, began to spin and grind. The resentment, malevolent energy, and soul power within the black mist were peeled away and ground down layer by layer by the vortex, eventually transforming into the most primordial "Qi," which was absorbed by the vortex.

The black mist struggled and roared, but it couldn't break free or escape. The vortex's suction was too strong, like countless hands tearing it apart, grinding it into pieces and powder.

A few seconds later, all five streams of black energy disappeared.

The vortex slowly dissipated, revealing Nie Lingfeng's figure. He stood there, motionless, not even his breathing was disturbed.

"What?!"

Wang Kui's expression changed drastically. He took a step back, stepping onto the water and creating ripples.

"How could you absorb my soul power?! This is impossible! This is the power of the Soul Gathering Array, a supreme secret technique taught to me by that master! How could you possibly..."

"Because your soul power is too dirty."

Nie Lingfeng grinned, a smile that, in Wang Kui's eyes, was more terrifying than a ghost.

"I'll purify it for you, you're welcome."

"You're asking for it!"

Wang Kui flew into a rage, his eyes turning even redder, as if they were about to bleed. He formed hand seals again, this time with faster and more frantic movements.

"Seven Fiends Gather Souls—Ten Thousand Ghosts Devour the Heart!"

The five spirits behind him suddenly merged together!

They screamed, twisted, intertwined, and devoured each other. The black mist churned like boiling water. Within the mist, countless faces appeared, disappeared, and wailed—these were the images of the devoured spirits in life, still struggling, not yet completely gone.

Finally, the mist condensed, transforming into a gigantic, hideous phantom.

The demon was three zhang tall, pitch black all over, with disheveled hair and blood-red eyes like two burning fireballs. It opened its blood-red maw, revealing countless sharp teeth, each engraved with eerie runes. A foul-smelling black mist spewed from its mouth, and within the mist, one could vaguely see the faces of countless wronged souls, wailing, howling, and struggling.

"go!"