Realm of the Night God

Deng Feng had refrained from consuming the Death Mark Seal before, not out of unwillingness, but out of fear. He was well aware of the precarious state of his body. Forcing even a single dose of the Death Mark Seal would inflict significant harm, potentially permanent and challenging to recover from in the future.

So why didn't he immediately take action against Yang Haoran and others, extracting the Death Mark Seals within them and leaving promptly? It was because intervening with Night Watch individuals like Yang Haoran would also consume his energy, albeit not excessively. Yet, it still required the support of Yin spirit power.

At that time, Deng Feng was too weak and needed time to recover. Only then could he safely remove all Death Mark Seals from Yang Haoran and others. Additionally, he intended to employ secret techniques to absorb and refine the spirit master Duda and the malevolent spirit Zhong Siyu. Hence, he didn't leave immediately but instead engaged in a lengthy conversation with Yang Haoran and his companions.

His extensive talk with them wasn't driven by benevolence to unravel their doubts. Instead, it was a deliberate effort to divert their attention, granting him the time needed for recovery and the execution of his unfinished plans.

As for why he left the extracted Death Mark Seals suspended in the air around him instead of storing them away, it was partly to exert pressure, intimidating Yang Haoran and others. Moreover, he had not foreseen the unexpected turn of events that led to Yang Haoran seizing two Death Mark Seals.

What Deng Feng hadn't anticipated was that the variables introduced by Yang Haoran and Zhong Siyu were only the beginning. The subsequent twists in the plot infuriated him to the point of almost spitting out blood!

Witnessing Yang Haoran swiftly swallowing the two Death Mark Seals, Deng Feng didn't immediately consider whether Yang Haoran's body could withstand the terrifying power unleashed by the Seals. His immediate concern was to quickly retract the remaining Death Mark Seals.

With all the Night Watch members, excluding Yang Haoran, now deceased, displaying the Death Mark Seals outside had lost its deterrent effect. Neither Yang Haoran nor Zhong Siyu was impressed by Deng Feng's tactics.

Although three Death Mark Seals had been lost in succession, retracting the remaining ones at the fastest speed could at least prevent further losses.

However, just as Yang Haoran ingested the two Death Mark Seals and Deng Feng prepared to retract the others, a surge of Yin Qi suddenly emanated from the ground below!

This unexpected development not only startled Deng Feng but also caused Yang Haoran, who had just swallowed two Death Mark Seals, to change expression.

Feeling the rapid approach of the intense Yin Qi, Deng Feng had no time to contemplate the situation. He immediately swung the bone blade in his hand.

This time, the swing of the bone blade not only doubled the number of cracks on Deng Feng's body but also enlarged them. Blood, which had initially oozed out, now gushed out continuously!

Although the bone blade dispersed the oncoming Yin Qi, one Death Mark Seal was forcefully seized by this Yin Qi!

Deng Feng's face displayed a desperate expression as he looked ahead. In front of him, a hunched old man with a cane was suspended in mid-air.

As Deng Feng recognized the appearance of the old man, he spat out a mouthful of blood, his expression a mix of shock and anger.

The person in his line of sight was none other than the supposedly deceased spirit master Duda!

In theory, Duda had been dead for a while, and even if the body hadn't stiffened yet, it should have cooled in this highly concentrated Yin Qi. However, at this moment, he not only revived but also stood upright on the opposite side, having just seized one of Deng Feng's Death Mark Seals!

Duda's resurrection not only astonished and angered Deng Feng but also surprised Yang Haoran and Zhong Siyu.

Clearly, none of the three had anticipated that the old man was still alive!

While shocked, their speculations about the unfolding events were remarkably similar.

In their eyes, Duda's previous death seemed to be nothing more than a feigned act. The purpose behind his actions was self-evident, but what they didn't understand was the method Duda employed to deceive all three of them.

Yang Haoran, not to mention him, given his strength and knowledge compared to Zhong Siyu and Deng Feng, it wasn't surprising that Duda could trick him. However, the fact that Duda had deceived both Zhong Siyu and Deng Feng was quite impressive.

Previously, there had been no signs of life from Duda's body. It appeared as though he had truly died. Zhong Siyu and Deng Feng had independently confirmed this through their unique means. Yet, the guy they thought was absolutely dead had, at this moment, come back to life!

It could be imagined that Duda, being a cunning old fox, had made thorough preparations before entering the ghost building. Venturing in, he must have had his own backup plans and relied on certain advantages. Feigning death to deceive both Zhong Siyu and Deng Feng was evidently part of his strategy.

By pretending to be dead, he could wait for the opportune moment to strike while Zhong Siyu and Deng Feng engaged in a life-and-death struggle. This not only caught them off guard but also positioned him as the potential ultimate beneficiary – a shrewd move indeed!

However, to successfully deceive Deng Feng and Zhong Siyu, Duda had paid a considerable price. Judging from the current relatively weak fluctuations in his strength, the damage caused by the black electric arcs to his body upon hitting the ground was substantial. Coupled with being struck by a Yin Thunder, his body had already sustained significant injuries. Enduring the torment of the black electric arcs, he had undoubtedly undergone immense pain.

What made this strategy particularly cunning was that at no point did Duda make a sound or show any unusual reactions. He truly appeared as if he had fainted and passed away.

Under the torture of the black electric arcs, both Zhong Siyu and Deng Feng perceived that the seemingly unconscious old man had actually died. Neither of them found it surprising; in their eyes, it seemed like a perfectly normal occurrence.

However, unbeknownst to them, this entire act was orchestrated by Duda to deceive the two. To ensure the success of his performance, he not only endured the torment of the black electric arcs without making a sound but also sacrificed his protective Yin spirit, enhancing the authenticity of his act.

Consider how, when Duda's body fell towards the ground, the first thought of the slit-mouthed woman, his protective Yin spirit, was to save Duda, only to be reluctantly stopped by Zhong Siyu, ultimately becoming Zhong Siyu's supplement.

How ludicrous and ironic it would be if the slit-mouthed woman were still alive at this moment and witnessed Duda casually coming back to life. One can only imagine the complex emotions she might experience.

Although "revived," Duda's current physical condition was far from optimal. Given the circumstances – being struck by a Yin Thunder, plummeting from a great height, and enduring the black electric arcs – it would be strange if his body were in good shape.

Realizing the dire state of his body, Duda's first action upon "reviving" was to seize the Death Mark Seal!

This particular Death Mark Seal, modified by Duda, could massively enhance Yin Qi upon ingestion. Though not entirely pure, this Yin Qi could still be absorbed and refined by individuals from the Yin Division, strengthening themselves.

As a spirit master, Duda currently belonged to the spirit master stage and was a formidable presence within it. Although he wasn't a member of the Yin Division, there were many similarities between the spirit power within him and the Yin spirit power of the Yin Division. Utilizing pure Yin Qi to enhance himself was something spirit masters could also achieve.

In other words, the Death Mark Seals Deng Feng had so meticulously acquired could also be absorbed and refined by Duda, a spirit master. After absorption, however, the spiritual power within him would become impure and require considerable time to purify.

However, given the present circumstances, Duda had no qualms about these concerns. As long as he could kill Deng Feng and Zhong Siyu, the benefits he would gain were extraordinary. As for the impurities within his body, he could deal with them slowly in the future – a far better outcome than dying in this place!

With this mindset, Duda, without any hesitation, ignored Deng Feng's shocked expression and emulated Yang Haoran's earlier action, swiftly swallowing the Death Mark Seal in his hand!