Chapter 102: Spirit Puppet

The previous Legendary Demon Spirit Master, Sheng Mu, had cultivated a Lightning-type technique. By transforming his own body into a Lightning Physique, he had managed to subdue the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword. Without a doubt, that method was indeed very effective, but at the same time, it carried enormous side effects — it had caused irreparable damage to Sheng Mu's Soul Sea. As a result, Sheng Mu died young at the age of thirty-nine. By all reasoning, thirty-nine should have been the prime age for a Demon Spirit Master, which made Sheng Mu's death all the more lamentable.

After that, no one else was able to subdue the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword. In order to prevent the sword's killing intent from leaking out, the various Legendary Demon Spirit Masters constructed this Celestial Illusion Sanctuary and sealed the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword within.

Unlike Sheng Mu, Nie Li had not altered his own physical constitution to subdue the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword. Instead, he had converted the power of the Demon Spirits on the sword to his own use, and used their power to suppress the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword!

Nie Li was playing a bold game of pitting the small against the great. Despite only possessing Silver-level strength, through this method he had achieved something that even Legendary Demon Spirit Masters could not.

"If we had known this method could suppress the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword, we would have been able to wield this divine sword back then!" Ancestor Ye Yan sighed in somber regret. Had they known how to control the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword, those Legendary Demon Spirit Masters would not have perished in battle, and the City of Radiance would surely be far more glorious than it was today!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword erupted with wave after wave of lightning, but as time passed, the lightning gradually dimmed.

Nie Li then slowly rose to his feet, enveloped in the vast Soul Power surging around him, and walked step by step toward the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword.

Before that soul force as powerful as thunder itself, the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword struggled ceaselessly like a bound snake, but gradually it quieted down.

Nie Li gripped the sword's hilt firmly. With a resonant hum, the Heaven-Fallen Divine Thunder Sword let out a deafening buzzing sound.

At that moment, the hum radiated outward like invisible ripples, spreading in all directions.

It continued to travel far into the distance, penetrating through the entirety of the City of Radiance.

This sound wave was practically invisible to the ear — ordinary people could not hear it at all. Only Demon Spirit Masters of Black Gold rank or above could sense this powerful sonic wave, which seemed capable of piercing through the soul itself.

The Sacred Family.

"What happened?" Shen Hong, the patriarch of the Sacred Family, turned ghastly pale. While he had been cultivating, he was suddenly struck by the impact of this sound wave. His Soul Sea trembled violently, and he nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood. Hours of cultivation progress were wiped out in an instant.

What terrifying power!

Shen Hong could not begin to understand where this sound wave's power had come from.

The City Lord's Mansion.

Several of the most elite powerhouses were communicating through voice transmission.

"Where did this sound wave originate?" Ye Zong furrowed his brow and asked.

"Reporting to the City Lord — this sound wave is invisible and traceless. Even we are unable to locate its source!" several Black Gold Spirit Masters replied.

Having sensed this inexplicable invisible sound wave, Ye Zong had initially feared that some fearsome Legendary-class Demon Beast had appeared near the City of Radiance. He immediately assembled several Black Gold-rank and above Demon Spirit Masters to discuss countermeasures.

The supreme experts from the other major families had also encountered similar situations, though ordinary Warriors and Demon Spirit Masters were unaffected.

What terrifying power!

Gripping the Heavenly Thunder Sword tightly, Nie Li silently marveled that this weapon truly deserved its reputation as an ancient divine artifact—its power was beyond imagination, surpassing even the Purple Mist Sword he had used in his previous life!

With a mighty yank, he pulled the Heavenly Thunder Sword free. The sky erupted in flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder as countless bolts converged from every direction toward the sword in his hand, then rapidly faded away.

The Heavenly Thunder Sword, which had been wreathed in electric light moments before, quickly dimmed and transformed into a simple, ancient broadsword bearing a few mottled patches of rust. No one would have guessed that this unassuming blade was the same Heavenly Thunder Sword that had just commanded the storm with terrifying might.

In that moment, the Heavenly Thunder Sword acknowledged its master, becoming Nie Li's sworn servant.

In its dormant state, the Heavenly Thunder Sword looked no different from an ordinary iron blade. It was only when Nie Li channeled his Soul Power into it that the sword erupted with astonishing power.

Strapping the Heavenly Thunder Sword across his back, Nie Li turned toward Patriarch Ye Yan in the void and offered a slight smile. "How about that, Patriarch Ye Yan? I've subdued the Heavenly Thunder Sword!"

After a brief moment of shock, Patriarch Ye Yan let out a long, resigned sigh. "I never imagined you could actually subdue the Heavenly Thunder Sword. Naturally, I will honor my promise. However, now that the sword has been subdued and claimed by a master, my soul can no longer cling to it. Within a few days, my soul will gradually dissipate—so my promise is only valid for those few days..."

"Patriarch Ye Yan, don't tell me you're trying to weasel out of this!" Nie Li looked at him with undisguised contempt.

"You—! As the founding ancestor of the City of Radiance, how could I possibly renege!" Patriarch Ye Yan snorted coldly.

"Finding something for your soul to attach to isn't exactly difficult," Nie Li replied with an eye-roll and a shrug. "Follow me!"

Finding a vessel for a soul to attach to was nowhere near as simple as Nie Li made it sound! Aside from rare, unclaimed spiritual artifacts like the Heavenly Thunder Sword, ordinary objects could not serve as anchors for a soul!

Still, seeing Nie Li's unwavering confidence, Patriarch Ye Yan hesitated for only a moment before following after him.

Before his soul faded away entirely, he would of course honor his agreement with Nie Li!

Without the Heavenly Thunder Sword, the Celestial Illusion Sanctuary was no longer the Celestial Illusion Sanctuary it had once been.