Chapter 45: You? Worthy of Becoming a Soul Banner Spirit?

Cheng Yu glanced at Lu Yan in surprise.

That line of questioning… Lu Yan was likely connected to the Bamboo Grove Market incident.

And that immediately made Cheng Yu recall what had happened behind the scenes there—how the talisman shop owner had recruited a large number of mortals as assistants, luring them into cultivating techniques to refine the Soul Banner.

“Could it be… the Hundred Soul Banner in his hands is the same one that vanished from Bamboo Grove Market?

But in such a short time, how did he refine it into a Hundred Soul Banner? Don’t tell me the rumors about refining beast souls weren’t baseless?”

Cheng Yu’s pupils shrank sharply. Lu Yan’s words instantly linked together a string of implications in his mind.

Still, under Lu Yan’s pressure, Cheng Yu forced down the questions swirling in his heart and explained honestly:

“I don’t know the full details of what happened in Bamboo Grove Market. I only heard that a demonic cultivator was secretly refining a Soul Banner there, but a mysterious fire broke out and burned the demonic cultivator to death. The Soul Banner also disappeared without a trace.

A peak Qi Refining cultivator named Li Zhaoheng from the market’s upper echelon covered up the whole affair under the excuse of avoiding attention from the Qingwu Sect.

Originally, that was supposed to be the end of it. But then Gongyang Xuanming suddenly died inside Bamboo Grove Market.”

“Gongyang Xuanming was the son of a Golden Core Elder from the Demon Refining Sect. He himself had Foundation Establishment cultivation and had been secretly hiding in Bamboo Grove Market for years.

But just when his identity was perfectly concealed, he suddenly died—along with another late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Demon Refining Sect, and over a dozen outer disciples at the Qi Refining stage.

So many deaths immediately triggered Qingwu Sect’s investigation. Upon further inquiry, Gongyang Xuanming’s true identity was exposed, and the secret behind the Soul Banner refinement in the market was uncovered.”

“The elders of Qingwu Sect were enraged and purged all upper management of the Bamboo Grove Market. Even the true disciple in charge of the market was punished and removed from their post.”

Lu Yan nodded slightly at that. The events in this “cultivation version” weren’t too different from the urban version.

In the modern setting, it had been Li Zhaoheng who was responsible for covering up the fire at the underground facility. At Gongyang Xuanming’s behest, the whole thing had been buried.

Later, after Lu Yan killed both Li Zhaoheng and Gongyang Xuanming, it led to a review by the upper echelon of Luo City, uncovering many hidden matters—though nothing was made public.

The only difference was that in the cultivation version, a true disciple of Qingwu Sect had been implicated and demoted. That could only mean Jade-Sculpting Fairy Ji Xingyao.

“If Ji Xingyao was affected in the cultivation version and even stripped of her post as market overseer, then there should be some parallel impact in the modern version as well.

She’s just a fallen internet celebrity in that world… but how could that tie into a bizarre high-profile case involving elite Burmese figures? What consequences would she face?”

The more he thought about it, the more Lu Yan circled back to her concert.

The murder had occurred just a few hundred meters from her venue. Even if the public didn’t catch wind of it, the wealthy shopping mall executives surely knew.

Even if Ji Xingyao had no connection to the case, just being linked to such a violent crime would make those businessmen avoid her. They’d never invite her to perform again.

“Guess that fallen celebrity is going to fall even harder…”

Lu Yan couldn’t help but click his tongue inwardly. He’d tried to form a karmic bond with Ji Xingyao, hoping to use her status for stability.

But now? He could suppress Foundation Establishment experts with ease, while Ji Xingyao, once a shining true disciple, had become so pitiful she couldn’t even keep her post at Bamboo Grove Market.

At this point, the only thing under her name was likely Qinggu Market, the last remaining market for rogue cultivators. For a true disciple to fall this far—what a sight.

“Maybe… the celebrity persona reflects how little control Ji Xingyao really has over her life. Her glamorous status as a true disciple might just be a hollow shell.”

Seeing Lu Yan lost in thought, Cheng Yu grew even more convinced of his suspicions.

“You got anything else to ask?” he asked cautiously.

Lu Yan raised his head, nodded, and replied:

“Your answers were satisfactory.”

As he spoke, Lu Yan gave his Soul Banner a gentle wave, and the half-melted Bloodbeard emerged from the mass of ghosts and slowly walked forward.

“As thanks, I’ll let him eat faster—try to make your end a little less painful.”

Cheng Yu’s face instantly turned ashen, panic flashing across his features.

“You’re going to feed me to that peak Qi Refining main soul?!”

“Among the three main souls in your Hundred Soul Banner, two are just at the peak of Qi Refining! I’m a Foundation Establishment elite of the Red Lotus Demon Sect, and you won’t even make me a main soul?!”

Lu Yan gave him a strange look.

“Why would I make you a main soul?

You don’t look like someone who’d behave even in death. Even if I made you a main soul, you’d definitely cause trouble or rebel. I’m not falling for that.”

Cheng Yu’s spectral face turned green.

He had answered so honestly because he wanted to cooperate and become one of the Soul Banner’s main souls, hoping to cling to a shred of existence.

Any demonic cultivator wielding a Soul Banner wouldn’t pass up the chance to refine a powerful soul into a main soul. The more powerful the main spirits, the higher the upper limit of the banner.

Throughout history, the great demonic figures who refined Soul Banners had relied on dominant main souls to wield terrifying power—not the countless lesser ghosts.

In the early stages, ghost hordes could overwhelm enemies by sheer numbers. But once one reached Golden Core or even Nascent Soul, low-tier ghosts were utterly useless.

At that point, you only had two options:

One, slowly nurture thousands of Foundation Establishment ghosts, which would require an insane amount of resources—if you tried to refine the souls of mortals, you’d need millions upon millions. Not even the most evil of villains would dare attempt such a slaughter.

So almost no one chose that route.

The second path was to rely on a few powerful main souls. The ghost horde was just for support or swarming low-level foes.

But strong main souls were comparable to cultivators of the same rank—and once unleashed, could easily crush enemies.

That’s why, after defeating a strong opponent, a Soul Banner cultivator would always refine the soul into a main spirit.

And even the defeated often welcomed the chance—as a main soul, they still had a sliver of hope. At least it wasn’t total annihilation.

But Cheng Yu never expected Lu Yan to completely ignore convention and feed a precious Foundation Establishment soul to a Qi Refining ghost like it was garbage.

Panicking, he shouted desperately:

“I have secret arts from the Red Lotus Demon Sect! I know where sect treasures are! I have clues about ancient ruins!

Let me be a main soul! I’ll provide you with information and serve you loyally!”

In just moments, the once high-and-mighty sect cultivator had become utterly pathetic—begging to be enslaved.

Lu Yan couldn’t help but chuckle, asking softly:

“You? Worthy of becoming a main soul?”

He had too many secrets on him. A main soul with intelligence and a high chance of rebellion was a ticking time bomb. He’d never allow that to exist.

Bloodbeard tore Cheng Yu’s soul apart with a bite, swallowing it piece by piece amid the man’s chilling, agonized screams.

(End of Chapter)