Realm of the Night God

With a resounding boom, the ancient tomb trembled violently, and cracks spread across the barrier under the fierce strike of Waning Moon, resembling spider webs.

Even with Waning Moon's full force behind the blow, Yang Haoran was somewhat surprised that the barrier didn't break instantly.

Nevertheless, despite this slight surprise, Yang Haoran remained calm. The barrier, now covered in cracks, seemed unsustainable.

However, in the next moment, Yang Haoran's smile froze as the array suddenly glowed, and the cracks on the barrier began rapidly healing before his eyes.

Although a portion of Waning Moon had already breached the barrier, now, with the cracks sealing up, that part inside the barrier was gradually pushed out by a powerful force!

Simultaneously, an unexpected change was occurring above the ancient tomb in the stone forest, unbeknownst to Yang Haoran. Every pillar and peak lit up with intricate runes, countless in number, densely packed, their significance unknown.

Unaware of the external developments, Yang Haoran had no time to spare even if he knew. Frowning as he watched the barrier, covered in spiderweb-like cracks, swiftly heal, he couldn't help but feel concerned.

The sealing array for the malevolent spirit was much stronger than he anticipated. He had assumed that by unlocking the Heaven Soul and summoning the Soul Weapon, breaking the barrier would be straightforward. However, reality proved otherwise.

He refrained from infusing more Yin Spirit Power into the Soul Weapon because another concern arose.

Just as humans vary in strength, malevolent spirits exhibit a spectrum of power. Weaker ones, like the one encountered in the black water pool, could be easily devoured by more formidable malevolent spirits like Zhong Siyu. The power gap was immense.

As for the malevolent spirit sealed within the array before him, Yang Haoran had no clear idea of its strength.

While his Ghost Eye could glimpse scenes from the deceased's past, it couldn't reveal what occurred after their demise. Hence, he couldn't ascertain the malevolent spirit's power.

He deduced the ghost's nature based on Serpent Demon's account, having witnessed the ancient battle firsthand. Moreover, Yang Haoran analyzed the situation based on what Serpent Demon disclosed and his own observations.

If the sealed entity were an evil spirit, such an elaborate sealing array wouldn't be necessary. A formation master capable of deploying such an array, imperceptible even to Yang Haoran, wouldn't bother with an evil spirit. It was unlikely. Therefore, based on Serpent Demon's narrative and his analysis, Yang Haoran concluded that the sealed entity was likely a malevolent spirit.

Regarding the possibility of a Ghost King above the malevolent spirit, Yang Haoran considered it improbable. If the sealed ghost were indeed a Ghost King and the formation master had the capability to seal such a potent entity, their clash would have razed this place to ruins long ago, rendering the existence of the ancient tomb impossible.

Thus, the likelihood of the ghost being a Ghost King was almost nonexistent; the most probable scenario was a malevolent spirit.

However, judging from the sealing array's strength, this malevolent spirit was likely exceptionally powerful. This was Yang Haoran's primary concern!

If this malevolent spirit surpassed him in strength, once the barrier was breached, and if the spirit remained unsubdued, Yang Haoran might become its prey. After all, his Yin Spirit Power within him was immensely tempting to ghosts!

With this in mind, Yang Haoran decided to retract Waning Moon, reorganize his thoughts, and revise his plan. Subduing the malevolent spirit was a certainty, but it couldn't be rushed. He needed to minimize the risk!

Yet, just as Yang Haoran was about to retract Waning Moon, the Yin Qi hovering motionlessly in the air, resembling a black stone, suddenly began churning violently. Then, it surged towards Waning Moon's location!

This scene startled Yang Haoran, his expression turning grave. Before he could retract Waning Moon, the Yin Qi, transformed from the malevolent spirit, collided with its position!

Boom!!!

With a deafening roar, the barrier, still not fully healed, was struck once again, shattering instantly. Yang Haoran's Soul Weapon, Waning Moon, was sent flying and embedded into the stone wall!

Though the barrier didn't collapse immediately after Waning Moon's strike, and it was swiftly repairing under the array's influence, it remained weakened, especially at the point where Waning Moon had breached it.

The malevolent spirit targeted this weakness, seizing the opportunity to launch a swift attack on the barrier, using Waning Moon's power to shatter it completely.

Indeed, he succeeded; despite the barrier's mending efforts, it was ultimately destroyed!

In the moment of the barrier's destruction, the runes floating above the ground's pillars and peaks shattered simultaneously, leaving nothing behind.

Inside the ancient tomb, Yang Haoran's expression turned grim. Previously, due to the barrier, he couldn't perceive anything about the malevolent spirit, including the extent of its Yin Qi or its strength. He had to rely solely on speculation and analysis.

Thus, upon arriving here and seeing the motionless Yin Qi, he assumed the malevolent spirit was in a state of slumber. However, at this very moment, just when he least expected it, this slumbering malevolent spirit awakened and precisely struck the barrier, completely destroying it!

As the barrier shattered, the array on the ground vanished instantly, and the white bones sitting in the center of the formation disintegrated into powder.

"Hahaha! Freedom at last! I'm finally free! Hahaha!"

Excited laughter echoed in the air as the Yin Qi churned violently, condensing into a soul body.

It took the form of a thin old man, seemingly in his seventies or eighties, with a long beard. His soul body was solid, not much different from a living person's physical body.

Radiating dense Yin Qi, emanating formidable power, the malevolent spirit gave Yang Haoran some insight into his strength.

This was a malevolent spirit, a potent one at that. Yang Haoran wasn't sure if the power he displayed now was all he had, but judging from the current power surge, he was already formidable, surpassing Yang Haoran's expectations. This made his expression very unpleasant.

The stronger the malevolent spirit, the greater the benefits once subdued, whether handed over to the Yin Division or used for future soul pill refinement. However, there was a limit to this strength. If it exceeded what he could handle, how would he subdue it?

To Yang Haoran, this malevolent spirit seemed like a tough opponent. Its power surge was no weaker than Zhong Siyu's. Faced with such a formidable malevolent spirit, Yang Haoran's expression naturally turned ugly because he wasn't confident in overcoming it.

However, with the arrow already on the string, he couldn't retreat. Since he had come this far, he wouldn't leave easily. Regardless, he had to give it a try. If, despite exhausting all means, he couldn't defeat this malevolent spirit, he could still retreat later.

He initially intended to retract Waning Moon and re-plan, but plans couldn't keep up with changes. With the malevolent spirit seizing the opportunity to destroy the barrier, he had no choice but to confront it head-on!

The malevolent spirit was still excitedly laughing after regaining freedom. Having been sealed here for who knows how many years, it was natural for anyone to feel excited and exhilarated, and Old Man was no exception.

Yang Haoran observed the malevolent spirit's reaction, but he wasn't planning to wait until its excitement subsided before making a move. He wasn't that kind-hearted, nor was he a gentleman. If ambushing could kill his opponent, he wouldn't hesitate to do so.

In his view, it was a perfect opportunity for an ambush. If he missed it, it would be a pity. Therefore, he had no intention of wasting this chance.

Although Yang Haoran stood motionless, numerous black chains suddenly appeared around the malevolent spirit's body, resembling vicious black pythons, and pounced ferociously towards the malevolent spirit.

Simultaneously, Waning Moon, embedded in the stone wall, was summoned by Yang Haoran. With a buzzing sound, it broke free from the stone and slashed through the void towards the malevolent spirit!