Within Cao Yun's sea of consciousness, Dian Mo shuddered as he recognized the wooden box. It was the one Cao Yun had taken from Yu Xiangling. On it was the personal seal of the Empyrean Asura. Indeed, this small wooden box contained the black orb Cao Yun had faced. Inside this black orb was a fraction of the Empyrean Asura's soul. In other words, it contained a small part of Demon God Da Mo's soul in it. Even Cao Yun had been in trouble when facing this threat. Yet, here he was, ready to unleash it once again. It took Dian Mo some time to be able to utter a few words. Fear was seizing him wholly.

"Boy, are you insane?! You're going to open it?! What if you can't shut it back?! Think about the consequences!"

"I understand your concerns, but you're worrying over nothing. You should have felt it too, right? When we crossed the border. There is something suppressing Da Mo's presence. I can quite literally feel it within me even now. Da Mo's blood in me is not just dormant, it's being actively suppressed for sure. The closer we are to the border and Nuwa's array formations, the stronger this suppression is. This is why I want to test some things. Besides, I don't plan on unleashing it completely. But I'd like your help with setting up an array formation."

"I... I... Well, is there any way for me to dissuade you?"

"No. I made up my mind. I know that you're terrified of Demon God Da Mo. And believe me, I understand your feelings. But I need any ounce of strength I can gather. If I'm able to improve my overall strength even by a tiny bit, I have to take my chances. I know that you've tried to comfort me, but we're both aware that my sister could be sacrificed at any moment now. We have no idea how long Emperor Weide will actually need before being ready. Considering that the two of them seem to be secluded, it's already obvious that he's getting ready. At some point, I will have to face him. So I have to put all the cards on my side. I cannot just rely on allies, I also have to develop my own strength. If worse comes to worst, I will even reveal my asura cultivation. Even if I'm targeted by the Hongchen Kingdom, I won't let my sister be sacrificed. Saving her is my priority."

"Fine... I'll help you, boy. But don't be rash, please. We don't even know if your sister reached the Spirit Warrior realm. Considering Emperor Weide wants to sacrifice her and absorb her Soul Embryo, he will make sure that her cultivation is not rushed but very firm and stable. Moreover, if you're killed or deemed a traitor to the Hongchen Kingdom for your demon blood, many others will suffer, not just your sister. Your brothers, your Dao partner, your masters, your entire Wubei Sect, all of them might also suffer the consequences. Of course, you're trying to convince me, but, please, don't act as rashly in real."

"Thank you."

Then, Cao Yun used his 'Living Death'. From his own soul, he created Death Energy. Then, he fashioned it into several seals that he used with Dian Mo's advice, in order to set up an array formation all around himself. Then, he set up more array formations around the entire lake of shadows that he was in. It took Cao Yun and Dian Mo more than thirty hours. Both of them wanted to make sure that their array formations were as powerful as possible. No hints of Demon God Da Mo should leak from those. Besides, Cao Yun was also trying to harness some of the suppression created by Nuwa's array formations. So they had to allow some influence from the outside world in, while preventing anything from leaking outside. Thankfully, Nuwa's array formations were still powerful enough that Cao Yun's array formations, even with Dian Mo's help, couldn't block their influence.

For demons, this was a bad thing, but for Cao Yun in this circumstance, it was perfect. No one would be able to feel any trace of Demon God Da Mo. At the same time, it would still suffer from the suppression of the nearby defenses left behind by Emperor Nuwa and Saint Duan Huang.

The Lacquer Abyss Nian Fish was observing all of that. Seeing Cao Yun's own soul turn into Death Energy surprised it deeply. Although it was a demonic beast, it had a high affinity with souls. Thus, the presence of Death Energy scared it at first. However, it quickly realized that Cao Yun controlled it completely. It strengthened the Lacquer Abyss Nian Fish's trust in Cao Yun. As time was going by, the giant catfish began to swim with excitement all around his lake of shadows. Honestly, it looked like a little puppy jumping all over the place in trepidation. Besides, its gaze was focused on the wooden box. One could almost imagine the drool coming out of its mouth.

Cao Yun was busy so he didn't pay it any mind. On the other side, Hongyu was looking at the giant demonic beast with disdain and pride. She was seeing a small kid making a clown of itself. Faced with such a childish behavior, she showed all her composure and dignity. This fish in a pond was not worthy of her brother. Of course, the giant catfish could feel the disdain emanating from the Heaven-Searing Fenghuang. Since she was only a 7-core demonic beast, it barely paid her any attention. After all, it was much more powerful than she was.

Finally, Cao Yun was done. It took almost two days straight. But those were the most powerful and stable array formations Cao Yun had ever produced. All around the lake of shadows they were forming concentric circles around Cao Yun. Each one was controlled by some of Cao Yun's Death Energy, so he had a very precise command on each of them. Cao Yun and Dian Mo had merged the two 5-star Heaven array formations 'Universe Engulfing Sparrow' and 'Void Island' as well as lesser 5-star Human array formations like 'Center of All Things'. The complex maze they had created was based on a design Dian Mo had invented himself, with alterations made by Cao Yun to comply with his understanding of the Dao of Death. Thus, they decided to name it 'Death Spiral of the Ten Thousand Souls'.

For now, they had limited themselves to nine concentric circles, but they could make an even bigger 'Death Spiral of the Ten Thousand Souls'. Each new circle required exponentially more time however, so they simply set up what they actually needed. Cao Yun could open and close each circle, both from the outside and the inside. That meant that he could let in outside influences from one circle to another, but he could prevent anything from leaking back at the same time. Each circle was indeed a small maze that would tunnel in energy from the outside and could also let energy outside through another complex maze. Everything was controlled by Cao Yun's own Death Energy.

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That array formation was obviously a 5-star Heaven array formation, even verging on the Spirit grade. Besides, Cao Yun and Dian Mo had realized a Pristine array formation with more than 97% Wandering Qi used while only 2% of energy was being lost.

Once it was done, Cao Yun completely sealed the innermost circle he was in. Then, he decided to open the wooden box. Seeing that, the Lacquer Abyss Nian Fish who was jumping all over the place in excitement suddenly froze in place. His large eyes became more visible than ever. Those two yellow light orbs shined in the dark, focusing solely on the wooden box. Even though it couldn't sense anything because of Cao Yun's 'Death Spiral of the Ten Thousand Souls', it couldn't look away.

The black orb emerged from the wooden box, but Cao Yun didn't take it out. He was ready to close the box at a moment's notice. Indeed, he knew how dangerous this black bead was. As soon as it was freed from the seals inside the wooden box, the tyrannical aura of Demon God Da Mo spread as far as it could. Like a mighty wave, it collided against the innermost circle of the 'Death Spiral of the Ten Thousand Souls'. Cao Yun felt the shock in his very soul, but the array formation stood firm. At the same time, he felt the killing intent of Demon God Da Mo all over his body and soul. The blood from Demon God Da Mo which was within him reacted as well.

Suddenly, Cao Yun could detect this corrupted blood in himself. Unfortunately, he couldn't focus on it because he had to stave off the killing intent of the black orb. The pressure was intense both from within and from without. Even Cao Yun might not be able to hold too long. However, the killing intent began to calm down. As he was literally drowned in it, Cao Yun was able to feel it very clearly. Besides, Da Mo's blood also reacted in a similar manner.

The influence of the nearby array formations suppressed Demon God Da Mo's presence. It wasn't enough to completely extinguish it, but it was mostly thanks to Cao Yun's array formation and the distance with the actual defenses. If that black orb passed through the border, it would be crushed into dust by the array formations. Thus, Cao Yun understood why the Empyrean Asura never tried to enter the Hongchen Kingdom. These array formations were specifically targeted at Demon God Da Mo.

Although his soul was probably stronger than anyone else on the Piaolu planet, he simply couldn't cross this border. Otherwise, the Hongchen Kingdom might have collapsed already. Emperor Nuwa was still protecting the human kingdom, even after she left the planet.

Pleased with the result, Cao Yun let more and more of this aura out of the first circle. He channeled some of it toward the Lacquer Abyss Nian Fish. Then, he observed. Like a shark smelling blood in water, the giant catfish sensed this soul fragment. Without any hesitation, its barbels acted out. They darted toward the soul and pierced through it. It was as if the soul were physical. Once the Lacquer Abyss Nian Fish's barbels were in it, it couldn't escape. There was something with those barbels. So Cao Yun studied them as much as he could. He was trying to sense any fluctuation around them.

The Lacquer Abyss Nian Fish could sense Cao Yun's spiritual senses all around its barbels, and even a bit inside too. Instead of rejecting it, the fish let the human do as he pleased. After all, he had kept his promise, the human had just given it a delicious soul to devour. In those barbels, it was clear what Cao Yun was trying to find. He was working on his 'Death Verses' in the hope of understanding 'Soul Chains'. After all, those barbels were very similar to the concept he was trying to comprehend. And now that he had mastered 'Living Death', he could experiment with his soul much more. Even though he couldn't understand the Dao of Death directly, he could try to induce those changes in his own soul and explore the sensations.

Even with its huge appetite, the Lacquer Abyss Nian Fish could only devour a tiny part of Demon God Da Mo's soul fragment. Obviously, Cao Yun was expecting that and it was why he had used this array formation as well. He had only let a small portion of the black orb's aura out. Most of it was still focused around Cao Yun himself. Since it was suppressed, Cao Yun could stay inside it for longer.

While the giant fish was savoring the soul offered to it, Cao Yun sat cross-legged in the air. Then, he focused his intent within. He was hunting down any ounce of Da Mo's blood within himself. This was a great opportunity to do so. Even if he couldn't chase them all down, he would not let those he found escape. For many hours, he was able to trap almost half of Da Mo's blood that was in him. Using Death Energy to isolate each drop, he brought them all together in his heart, toward the Drop of Wrath.

Then, Cao Yun used his Death Energy to create seals on each individual droplet of blood. His goal was clear. Cao Yun wanted to completely digest this blood, eradicating every trace of Da Mo within. It would be long and difficult. But since he had sealed his asura cultivation, he had created the perfect environment for such a process. Indeed, the intent of his Drop of Wrath was now focused in a very small space. Honestly, it was almost like a cauldron and the Drop of Wrath was the furnace. Thus, Cao Yun forced each droplet of Da Mo's blood in, one by one. He could feel them resist, but they were weakened by Nuwa's array formation and had a hard time fighting against Death Energy.

Unfortunately, Cao Yun wasn't able to purge all of Da Mo's blood, but he was confident that the blood he had trapped would be digested in a matter of months, if not weeks. Then, it was only a matter of time for Cao Yun to get rid of Da Mo's influence in all of his bloodstream. Of course, it would hide deeper and deeper within him, but Cao Yun would do everything he could to find it all. Ironically, he could use this fragment of Da Mo's soul to make his blood manifest itself.

After all of that, Cao Yun decided to focus on his Qi cultivation. Since he had to hide his asura cultivation, he had to develop his Soul Embryo as fast as he could. Although he also planned on improving his other trump cards, he had to focus on his Qi cultivation as much as he could, he couldn't lose a single moment. And for that, he had an idea, a dangerous idea. But if he could succeed, he might be able to speed up his cultivation by at least a couple years.

In Cleansed Asura's documents, he had found several techniques. In particular, the Cultivation of Wrath explained how to use the rage of the Drop of Wrath to temper one's Soul Embryo, but it was deemed too dangerous. But to Cao Yun, the Drop of Wrath was now quite literally a part of his soul, his Po. Thus, he could use this technique without much problem. On the other hand, he could also use the black orb and even Da Mo's presence as a catalyst to improve his Soul Embryo. That, however, was dangerous.

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