"He's possessed!"

Xuan Huang blurted out, his words were more than just a description. Yu Ci hummed in agreement. His understanding of cultivation was not as profound as Xuan Huang's, and he couldn't articulate the intricacies, but his perception was extremely clear.

Pan Chang, with the power of the Talisman Seal, had an intimate understanding of the changes within the Secret Domain, as if observing the patterns on his own palm. Yet, he was unaware that others knew his every move even better than he did. Yu Ci and Xuan Huang were among them. This was not to say that they understood every action of Pan Chang, but rather, through Aura perception, they could discern the fluctuation of his vital energy and spirit, as if they were right in front of him, even though they were miles apart.

This situation arose due to Yu Ci's calculation. He dared to relinquish control of the First Layer Talisman Seal, relying mainly on Xuan Huang's fundamental control over the Secret Domain. Even though Xuan Huang only had a little Primordial Spirit left and could hardly drive the power of the Three-layer Talisman Seal, his existence itself was a key - although the method of unlocking was extremely complex, having him or not having him was definitively not the same.

Like Pan Chang, who could so easily take control of the First Layer Talisman Seal, it was because Xuan Huang had given up some control of the Talisman Seal Primordial Qi, choosing this mediocre fellow.

Pan Chang, by virtue of this, ascended to the top, and in an instant, lost himself in this power, not needing to think about "controlling with the heart". Because of this, his control over the First Layer Talisman Seal had significant weaknesses. Yu Ci and Xuan Huang, who truly understood the Talisman Seal, exploited this weakness through remote sensing, effectively having Pan Chang in their grasp.

"It's always easier to know others than to know oneself." Yu Ci and Xuan Huang were originally wary of plots, but because all the pressure was on them, it took a lot of energy just to stay alive, making it difficult to quietly observe the enemy. Now, by pushing Pan Chang to the forefront, it was like casting bait for fish, stepping out of the chessboard, taking on the role of a bystander, and indeed, their understanding was different, all saying "so that's how it is".

When Pan Chang laughed hysterically, the two who were watching in the dark saw the truth:

"This unlucky guy is full of weaknesses, truly a pushover. Now, he's obviously bewitched, his potential extraordinarily stimulated, seven out of ten are already dead."

"So, he's playing the tricks of Pigeon Occupying the Magpie's Nest, Borrowing the Chicken to Lay Eggs, Borrowing a Corpse to Resurrect the Soul."

"Where do you see these tricks coming from?"

Yu Ci nodded, "From the Talisman Seal Core, and also from the Heavenly Calculation Bead. Both combined, it's a method of attacking the Divine Soul. Taking advantage of this man's ecstasy, his Heart-Mind defenseless, he succeeded in one fell swoop."

At this point, they were astounded. The Heavenly Calculation Bead was one thing, but the trap laid within the Talisman Seal Core was truly formidable. Especially since they had not initially detected any flaw, only realizing the situation when the trap was sprung on Pan Chang, transforming the theoretical into the tangible.

This was the essence of "the bystander sees the clearest." With Pan Chang in the frontline, they, hidden in the shadows, had the opportunity to respond in a timely manner. With this, they had seized the initiative.

The one who set the trap was truly formidable. Though they did not directly control the core, they used the Talisman Seal Core as bait, arranging traps around it, specifically targeting those intending to control the core. On one hand, it demonstrated their profound and insidious tactics, and on the other, it showed their deep understanding of the Talisman Seal.

"From what I know, that thief doesn't possess such a technique that can silently erode one's heart. Even if he does, he wouldn't be able to use it so effortlessly," Xuan Huang (Xuan Huang) said, having regained his composure, no longer blindly calling for battle.

Yu Ci asked, "Does Mister Xuan Huang know the origin of this technique?"

"When it comes to eroding hearts for one's own use, naturally, the Tao of the lords is revered in this world. Those God Lords and Demon Lords are all skilled in this technique. Of course, none can compare to the Outer Realm Sky Demon clan above the Nine Heavens, the true ancestors of manipulating hearts. Naturally, the leader of the Outer Realm Sky Demon is the founder of the Demonic Sect, so there's no distinction between inside and outside."

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Only someone as experienced and audacious as Xuan Huang would dare to refer to the "Original Demon Lord," revered by the Demonic Sect, as the "boss."

However, Yu Ci was taken aback, "Demonic Sect?"

Wen Shifei, Di Tianluo, Di She, and others were all from the Demonic Sect. It wouldn't be surprising if one of them was in cahoots with the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave. However, there was one point: among the simplified Talisman that had just fought with Pan Chang for the control of the First Layer Talisman Seal, their presence could be detected. This was undeniable. Yet, Pan Chang fell for the trap and still had to repel them afterwards.

"That sneaky thing," Xuan Huang was referring to the constantly fluctuating Spiritual Consciousness Mark that Yu Ci encountered when he first controlled the Talisman Seal. Given its momentum, its penetration power of the Talisman Seal was far beyond the norm.

Reflecting back, it seems the adversary likely didn't initially target the Talisman Seal. Instead, they employed their unique methods to set traps on the periphery. Their plans were foiled at the outset by Yu Ci, a man who understood the intricacies of the Talisman Seal. His mind was clear and his defenses impenetrable, forcing them to withdraw hastily. It was only after Yu Ci inexplicably lost control that they seized the opportunity to strike in the shadows.

Even with the potential that Pan Chang's provoked, the chance of breaking through the second layer of the Talisman Seal was slim to none. More likely, he would be drained of life in the process.

Xuan Huang's thoughts wandered elsewhere, "I heard that the thief offered ten Heavenly Calculation Beads?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Ci understood the implication and responded, "By combining the power of ten individuals, backed by the power of the Talisman Seal, there's a chance. Perhaps this was the original plan of the Master of the Sunken Sword Cave. But individuals like Wen Shifei are cunning and not easily fooled. Even discarding the beads, like I did, isn't out of the question."

As he spoke, Pan Chang's condition took a turn for the worse.

As his calculations continued, the Heavenly Calculation Bead in his hand shone brighter and brighter. However, his vitality was being drained at a visible rate. This condition was sensed by Yu Ci and Xuan Huang, thousands of miles away. How could those nearby, like Elder Ma, not be aware?

"This is bad!"

Elder Ma watched as Pan Chang's body shriveled. At first, there was some vitality in his eyes, but eventually, all the light converged onto the Heavenly Calculation Bead. The fist-sized bead emitted a light as bright as the sun, blinding the members of the Heavy Weapon Sect.

The female cultivator wearing the Thunder God Mask gave a shrill cry, "Seal the bead!"

Several people acted together, disregarding Pan Chang's body. With a loud bang, Pan Chang's shriveled body was crushed, and the Heavenly Calculation Bead vanished mysteriously from their sight!

Simultaneously, thousands of miles away in the Cloud Born Pavilion, Yu Ci jumped from his seat. Xuan Huang, residing in the Inner Void of the Heart, issued a sharp mental warning, "This is the Divine Power of Soul Refining into Demon, a highly toxic Sky Demon Secret Technique. Disconnect immediately!"

However, Yu Ci remained silent. Ignoring Xuan Huang's warning, he kept the sensory connection open, scanning the demonized Divine Soul.

The presence of Pan Chang had faded, replaced by an elusive emptiness. Yu Ci was taken aback, then startled to realize that the moment he sensed the other, their power had already seeped through the sensory channel, the danger felt akin to a colorless, odorless poison, only revealing its true nature when one's life was on the brink of extinction.

"Idiot!"

The furious curse of Xuan Huang echoed, and Yu Ci abruptly rallied his Heart-Mind. Ever since the formation of the Life Death Talisman, the auxiliary Divine Power External Appearance suddenly shone brightly in the void. The nearby was insignificant, but the undulating, floating Fish-Dragon abruptly swelled in size, the mark on its forehead, "Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure," emitted a white light, within it held the symbol of the "Heavenly River Prayer Incantation."

A moment later, the external appearance of the Fish-Dragon surged dozens of times, vaguely resembling the majestic figure of the "Shan Gu." The Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form was already rumbling and transforming into a tidal wave, colliding against the direction of the "poison" infiltration.

Yu Ci was truly proficient in the Heavenly River Prayer Incantation, hastily launched with the aid of the Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure imprint, it had a significant effect. The Qi of the Heavenly Dragon True Form that followed was a powerful Sha energy capable of warding off all evils and exorcising demons, the force of its rush was extraordinary.

Especially with the "Life Death Talisman" orchestrating in the middle, the grasp of the slightest opportunity was truly exquisite. As the Heavenly River Prayer Incantation just suppressed the momentum of the "poison," like the wind suppressing the fire, leaving only a spark, the big wave had already arrived, without any suspense, it wiped out the malicious power completely.

That was not all, on the form of the Fish-Dragon, a pair of sharp claws that had just been "embedded" took on the reflection of the Double Hook Palace Tassel, causing astonishing harm to the Divine Soul. At this moment, it followed with a tear, the invisible yet substantial shockwave instead poured back through the sensory channel.

At this point, the feeling of nothingness returned. Yu Ci felt that the counterattack had missed, the other party had never intended to linger in battle, merely following the flow of Primordial Qi in the Talisman Seal, disappearing in the void several times. By the time Yu Ci caught the other's trail again, they were already at the core of the First Layer Talisman Seal.

Without any hindrance, this demonized Divine Soul had already seeped in.

Xuan Huang suddenly cried out in agony, "Plague Sky Demon Method... this is truly a bitter pill to swallow!"

...