Chapter Thirty-Two: The Soul Command!

Yang Nan arrived at the rear hall’s artifact chamber, where Huang Shan was directing several demon soldiers to sort and categorize a pile of spirit stones and spirit iron for easier storage. Upon seeing his master approach, Huang Shan wore a bitter smile and said, “Young master, there are so many materials here—just refining them would take me years. My cultivation is low, and I fear the weapons I forge may disappoint you.”

Huang Shan, who hailed from the Treasure Sect, had followed Yang Nan loyally for years, becoming one of his oldest companions. The management of both the artifact and alchemy rooms had been entrusted to him. Yang Nan observed that the once cunning and lively Huang Shan now appeared gaunt and weary, knowing well how exhausted he had become these past days. “Second-in-command, just organize these materials for now. When I return from Kunlun Mountain in a few days, we’ll refine them together.”

Huang Shan was surprised. “Young master, you want to refine artifacts as well?”

Kunlun disciples always focused on the way of the warrior, eager to devote their time to cultivation rather than wasting it on artifact forging. At most, they might dabble briefly. Huang Shan was deeply astonished that Yang Nan seemed intent on forging artifacts himself.

Yang Nan chuckled softly. “There are three thousand paths to immortality; all may lead to becoming an immortal. The way of artifact forging is not necessarily inferior. Learning it does no harm, and besides, my Black Serpent artifact soldiers could do with some refinement.” Yang Nan gestured to the crescent-shaped artifact soldier that hovered lightly around him. Though a royal-grade divine weapon, it was not invincible; if it met a finer artifact in battle, it might suffer greatly.

Huang Shan nodded, half understanding. He only knew that whatever the young master wished to do, he had his reasons—and whatever he decided upon, he would achieve. Sorting and categorizing was straightforward enough and would allow for precision in artifact forging, avoiding haphazard methods. The dozen or so artifacts he had forged on Hun River were all lost to the Void Sword precisely because his methods had been so flawed.

Yang Nan picked up several pieces of top-grade spirit iron and smiled at Huang Shan. “I need you to make these into a simple token-shaped artifact for me. I need it urgently. It doesn’t need to harm enemies or possess magical abilities—just a small space to conceal a person will suffice.”

“That’s simple, young master. Please wait a moment.” Delighted by the simplicity of the request, Huang Shan nodded, took the spirit iron, and ordered the demon soldiers to bring the earth-fire refining platform. He placed the differently colored pieces of spirit iron onto it, then pointed sharply—flames three yards high erupted from the platform, and the iron pieces rolled and tumbled in the fire, slowly melting into iron liquid.

Huang Shan solemnly ordered the demon soldiers to wield wind-fire fans, fanning furiously beneath the platform. The wind intensified the fire, making the flames roar even more fiercely. Once the spirit iron was completely melted, impurities were removed under the high heat, leaving behind a mass of multicolored liquid. Huang Shan swept his palm, splitting the iron liquid in two, each forming a small, elongated object within the flames.

He spat out his natal true fire, refining the two token-shaped artifacts. The tokens hardened under the true fire, gradually taking shape. Huang Shan drew several gestures, infusing the tokens with his spiritual sense and carving arrays within them. Before long, he finished the engravings, withdrew his true fire, and respectfully presented the tokens to Yang Nan.

Yang Nan noted the skill and proficiency in Huang Shan’s forging technique and silently approved. For the Artifact Sect, cultivation was paramount for forging; Huang Shan was only at the master level, so his true fire was insufficient to refine saint or immortal artifacts, limiting him to ordinary magical implements. Nevertheless, the two tokens, one red and one white, were beautifully crafted, each adorned with intricate patterns, pleasing to the eye—a clear sign of Huang Shan’s meticulous care. Yang Nan glanced at the exhausted, panting demon soldiers and the sweat-soaked Huang Shan, nodding with a smile. “Well done, second-in-command. From now on, this artifact chamber is yours to manage. I’ll have Old Crab assign you more demon soldiers. The materials here are precious—guard them well.”

Huang Shan was overjoyed, nodding repeatedly. “Rest assured, young master. I’ll take care of the artifact chamber for you. If even a single spirit stone goes missing, you can hold me accountable!” To be entrusted with a chamber was to become a confidant; Huang Shan was genuinely grateful, barely refraining from beating his chest in assurance.

Yang Nan gently placed the two tokens into his Rivers and Mountains Ring, comforted Huang Shan with a few kind words, then left the artifact chamber and proceeded toward the place where the Eagle Demon King and Horse Demon King were imprisoned. The Eagle Demon’s true form was a Cloud-soaring Snowwing Eagle; the Horse Demon was a white celestial horse. The eagle’s wings were covered in white feathers, while its body, from head to tail, was pure black—black and white intermingled, making it appear majestic and noble. Both were rare spiritual breeds; otherwise, why would the True Immortal Qingya have taken notice two thousand years ago?

After fighting each other to the brink of death, their powers were greatly diminished; the Tree Demon King and Monkey Demon King used their powers to capture them. Now, bound by restrictive seals, they could not transform into human form and were tied up tightly.

Several demon soldiers stood guard, alert and cautious. Seeing their master approach, they hurried to greet him. Yang Nan looked at the two formerly arrogant demon kings, now in such a sorry state, and his lips curled into a faint smile. The two demons, seeing this young Daoist enter, glared at him with burning eyes, defiant and proud.

Yang Nan stepped into the cell and greeted them with a bow and a smile. “Are the two demon kings comfortable in their accommodations?”

By now, the two demons understood well that Yang Nan’s visit was hardly friendly. The Horse Demon King shouted angrily, “If you want to kill us, just do it. To make me, a demon king, submit to a mere child—never!”

The Eagle Demon King was even more haughty, raising his head and snorting coldly. Yang Nan sneered. “Very well. One of you craves human flesh, the other drinks human blood. Now you’ve fallen into my hands—consider this retribution for your evil deeds!” He had no intention of being courteous with these fierce demons; since they courted death, he could conveniently test his newly acquired soul-control secret art on them.

The Eagle Demon King laughed coldly. “Ignorant child, you’re just a weapon master—what can you do to us, the Demon Sect?” Their defeat had been unwilling; had they not fought each other, how could Yang Nan have seized the opportunity? Now, to obey a young Daoist weaker than themselves was unthinkable—they would rather die.

Yang Nan said no more, drew out a jade token, and began to use the soul-control secret art. This technique was a demonic sect method, requiring demonic sect cultivation to wield. Upon obtaining it, Yang Nan quickly devised a solution: by using his Undying Yin-Yang Wheel to convert his power, he could produce a bit of demonic sect energy. With such a supreme art capable of freely transforming energies, he need not cultivate demonic sect methods.

Ai Muyun, who had given him these two techniques, was not necessarily acting out of goodwill. Cultivating demonic sect arts left a trace of demonic energy; if word spread that a Kunlun disciple had learned demonic techniques, what would become of him?

Ai Muyun merely wished for Yang Nan to request instruction in the True Demon Art of Marvelous Forms. If Yang Nan learned demonic arts, he would inevitably need the True Demon Art—a supreme demonic sect technique not so easily obtained. Thus, Yang Nan would become Ai Muyun’s puppet.

In this way, Yang Nan would be entirely at his mercy.

Yang Nan, cautious by nature, considered all consequences upon acquiring the techniques. Fortunately, he had mastered the Undying Yin-Yang Wheel; though only at the third realm, it converted energy rapidly enough.

He knew Ai Muyun was plotting against him, but he urgently needed the soul-control secret to tame unruly demons. His supreme demon body technique had its own flaws; if Ai Muyun lacked calming techniques or treasures, he too would become a bloodthirsty god or demon.

He and Ai Muyun simply played their own games.

Yang Nan summoned his Black Serpent artifact soldier, and the Yin-Eroding Mouth spat out the Undying Yin Wheel. As his power passed through the wheel, it transformed into wisps of black energy, each containing countless wailing ghosts—clearly ominous. Yang Nan formed a seal and applied the soul-control secret art, fixing the haughty, immobilized Eagle Demon King in place. The seal set, the black energy entered the Eagle Demon King’s mind.

The soul-control secret was exceedingly domineering; the black energy acted as hooks, probing the Eagle Demon King’s soul. Soon, it extracted his soul!

The black energy hooked the Eagle Demon’s soul; the Eagle Demon seemed unaware, simply standing blankly. The Horse Demon King’s heart froze in terror—he had never seen such a sinister technique before. The Eagle Demon was surely doomed!

The black energy split into countless threads, wrapping around the Eagle Demon King’s soul and bringing it before Yang Nan. Yang Nan smiled coldly, concentrating the secret art at his fingertip and tapping lightly. The Eagle Demon’s soul instantly split in two; his three souls and seven spirits separated. The Eagle Demon King’s body let out a piercing cry of agony, writhing as if suffering immense torment, but his body, bound by the seal, could not move—he could only shudder violently, like a dying fish.

Yang Nan took one soul and one spirit and placed them into the token, then infused his spiritual sense and carved the soul-control array inside and out. Countless cryptic runes appeared on the token, which began to emit a strange, ominous aura.

Once the soul and spirit fully fused with the jade token, Yang Nan sent the remaining souls and spirits back into the Eagle Demon’s body.

Now, the once arrogant Eagle Demon King was reduced to a blank, dazed state. Yang Nan held the token and commanded in a low voice, “From now on, whoever holds this token is your master. You must obey any order without resistance; if not, your soul will be utterly destroyed!”

The Eagle Demon King nodded blankly, answering, “Yes, master!”

The Horse Demon King saw the Eagle Demon transformed from a fierce eagle to a meek hen, and his fear grew—he was terrified of this incomparably sinister soul-control art. He pleaded, “Master, I, Old Horse, was wrong. Please spare me! I’ll obey your commands from now on.”

Yang Nan smiled coldly, his eyes chilling. “Why didn’t you beg before? Now… it’s too late.”

The Horse Demon thought only to escape today and rebel later? Yang Nan was not so foolish.

If you do not uproot the weeds, they will sprout again at the breath of spring! In both past and present lives, countless lessons had taught him this.

He ignored the Horse Demon King’s pleas, and, following the same method, refined the second token into a soul-control token. The Horse Demon King, like the Eagle Demon King, was reduced to a dazed state after his soul and spirit were extracted, obeying only the token’s commands.

Yang Nan lifted the restrictions on the two demons, and with a wave of the token, both entered the tokens. On the tokens—red and blue—appeared vivid images of the Cloud-soaring Snowwing Eagle and the White Celestial Horse, lifelike and animated.

However, demons refined into token soldiers by the soul-control secret could no longer increase their cultivation, forever barred from the heavenly path. If the token was destroyed, their souls would perish. The ruthless nature of the soul-control token shocked Yang Nan, but for now, it was extremely useful.

Yang Nan did not intend to treat the Great Roc Demon King in his Rivers and Mountains Ring the same way. First, the Great Roc was exceptionally gifted; second, he was about to break through to the venerable realm. If refined with soul-control, he would never reach that rank, and Yang Nan had too few experts at his side; he had other plans for the Great Roc.

Satisfied, Yang Nan stored the two tokens in his Rivers and Mountains Ring and left the cell. The demon soldiers on guard saw their master emerge and quickly bowed. “Young master, safe travels.”

Yang Nan saw the little demons had nothing else to do in the cell, so he smiled. “The two demon kings are now under my control. You may join the personal guard.”

The little demons were overjoyed, falling to their knees in thanks, their faces alight with happiness. To join the personal guard meant they were trusted confidants, their status and treatment far superior to ordinary demon soldiers—how could they not smile with delight?