Chapter 44: The Banner of Ten Thousand Souls

Emperor Cang first imparted his self-created “Golden Core Grand Dao” to Zu Wu Dijang.

Next, he separated the eleven tricolored clouds of meritorious virtue the Wu tribe had obtained, along with a single golden cloud of merit. He intended to have Zu Wu merge them one by one.

By Emperor Cang’s estimation, as the suppression from the blood-tainted karmic force within the Zu Wu’s body weakened, their spiritual power would gradually gain the ability to commune with the innate pure energy. With the formidable spiritual power possessed by the Zu Wu, evolving innate Dao patterns through sheer will, communicating with primordial energy, and drawing it for their own use would be effortless.

The key question, however, was: how much meritorious power would it take to cleanse the curse and suppression of karmic force from the Zu Wu’s body?

Zu Wu Dijang considered and at last agreed.

He first merged with a single tricolored cloud of virtue. Everyone watched as the cloud intertwined with the blood-colored karmic energy inside Dijang, the two forces counteracting one another until, at last, the tricolored cloud faded away.

Dijang gathered his spiritual strength, attempting to evolve all the spatial and chaotic Dao patterns he had comprehended throughout his life. An entire hour passed, yet he gained nothing.

Clearly, the suppression of the Zu Wu’s bloodline remained in force. A single tricolored cloud of virtue was insufficient to dispel all innate karma and curses.

Helpless, Zu Wu Dijang absorbed three tricolored clouds in succession.

“It’s done!”

Suddenly, Zu Wu Dijang spoke with delight, “It’s done! I seem to sense the power of the innate pure energy—I can use it to nourish my spirit and evolve a true soul!”

But at that very moment, faint roars, as if from three thousand chaotic demon gods, echoed from within Dijang. In addition, boundless gray cursed energy spread throughout his body, weaving a net to exhaustively suppress his absorption of the innate pure energy.

“This is… the power of resentment?”

“And also, the power of a curse!”

The twelve Zu Wu were visibly moved and all stepped forward to examine him.

After a careful investigation, the twelve finally understood.

Why, in the primordial age, were the twelve Zu Wu and the Wu tribe inherently flawed? All other primordial gods and demons were born with a soul, but the Wu tribe was not.

When Pangu split heaven and earth, he slew three thousand chaotic demon gods. The remnants of their unwillingness filled the primordial world’s turbid energy, instinctively polluting and cursing the Wu tribe.

At the dawn of creation, the Zu Wu lacked intelligence and could not resist. Moreover, they inherited Pangu’s bloodline and, with it, a portion of the karmic consequences of slaying the demon gods.

So, not long after creation, the Zu Wu were invaded by the resentment and curses of those three thousand demon gods.

Within each Zu Wu, a third was karmic force, a third was demonic resentment, and a third was demonic curse.

To completely cleanse a Zu Wu of all karma, resentment, and curse, one would need to expend twelve tricolored clouds of merit—all together forming the supreme seven-colored cloud of virtue, the merit required for sainthood in the primordial world.

However, Dijang had only absorbed four tricolored clouds.

With a third of the merit for sainthood, Dijang was able to dissolve part of the karma and consequence inherited from Pangu’s slaying of the three thousand demon gods.

Now the karmic force was gone, but demonic resentment and curse remained.

This meant that, with the loss of karma’s protection, the true forms of demonic resentment and curse became apparent, allowing the twelve Zu Wu to easily perceive them.

“Haha!” Zu Wu Dijang, suddenly enlightened, smiled broadly, “Before, resentment and curse were intertwined with karma, inseparable. Now, with the karma gone, mere demonic resentment dares to flaunt itself before us twelve Zu Wu!”

Zu Wu Houtu smiled, “I have delved into the Grand Dao of Death, which includes mastery over souls. Though demonic resentment is just that, it is also a kind of remnant soul. Leave this matter to me.”

Immediately, Houtu devised a treasure-forging method inspired by her path, naming it the “Banner of Ten Thousand Souls.”

The twelve Zu Wu acted together, each harnessing part of the power. In no time at all, the resentment of three thousand chaotic demon gods was merged into the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls. The resentful souls devoured one another, gradually coalescing into a single, supreme remnant of a chaotic demon god, embodying aspects of all three thousand, radiating an ancient, primordial chaotic aura.

Upon closer inspection, they found that the main soul of the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls, forged from this remnant, was only at the consummation of the Da Luo Divine Demon level. Yet, as it contained the power of three thousand demon gods, those who understood the truth knew it was anything but ordinary. In true combat, its strength would trouble even nascent Primordial Demon Gods.

Emperor Cang witnessed the twelve Zu Wu forging the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls and purging the resentment from within.

He could see at once that this banner was a ruthless and sinister artifact—not one of the righteous path.

However, since it was refined from the Zu Wu’s own hand, and since the resentment of the three thousand demon gods was not truly karmic force but merely a harmful substance to the world, using it to forge a treasure could bring only benefit without any ill effect.

Understanding this, Emperor Cang said nothing more.

“Excellent!” With the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls in hand, the twelve Zu Wu were filled with praise.

Zu Wu Dijang said, “By removing the resentment of the three thousand demon gods in this way, not only do we save a third of a seven-colored cloud of merit, but we also forge a treasure. Though it is only a superior acquired spirit treasure, it is still quite impressive.”

Houtu smiled, “So far, we have only gathered the resentment from one brother. If we were to gather the resentment from all twelve Zu Wu, or even the entire Wu tribe, the grade of this Banner of Ten Thousand Souls would be unimaginable!”

“In that case…” Zhuyin laughed heartily, “What once hindered us, the demonic resentment, is now not a curse but a rare cultivation resource?”

“Good!” Zhuyin exclaimed in joy, “This is truly wonderful!”

After this surprise, all the Zu Wu turned their gaze toward the last lingering curse within Dijang’s body.

This curse was the true culprit that prevented the Wu tribe from being born with a soul. Normally, with karmic force masking it and demonic resentment providing endless strength, the curse of the three thousand demon gods could never be eradicated.

But now, with karma gone, the curse stood exposed. Deprived of resentment, it lost its source of power.

Who were the twelve Zu Wu? With Dijang’s mastery of the Dao of Space, he easily gathered the cursed force into one arm, then severed it, using a sealing method to imprison the demonic curse!

Thus, the final obstacle was removed.