Chapter 123: Soul Imprisonment

"Boom!"

A massive, pitch-black hand descended, and endless darkness instantly swallowed Ye Zihan.

It all happened so suddenly. Although Mo You had sensed something was wrong, there was no time to intervene. He could only watch helplessly as Ye Zihan was snatched up and enveloped by the boundless demonic energy.

"Boss!" Mo You let out a roar of grief and fury. He and Ye Zihan shared a soul contract; they were connected not just in spirit, but at the very essence of their souls. The bond between the man and the dragon was as profound as that of the closest brothers, if not more so.

Seeing Ye Zihan engulfed by the monstrous demonic energy, Mo You’s reason was instantly drowned by rage. With blood-red eyes, he glared at the Heavenly Demon outside the iron-chained cage. He was truly enraged now. He could tolerate injury to himself, but he would never allow harm to come to Ye Zihan.

"Stay calm, Mo You! I’m still fine!"

Just as Mo You was about to resort to a self-destructive technique, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Boss!" Mo You was startled by the sudden voice, followed by an excited shout.

"Yes, it’s me! Don’t worry about me. This Heavenly Demon’s energy is indeed powerful, but it can also be used to temper the soul. My soul is growing stronger by the moment. Hold your ground out there for a little longer; soon, I’m going to make this old monster regret everything!" Ye Zihan said fiercely.

"Understood!" Mo You nodded repeatedly in his heart. Then, with a choked, determined voice, he replied, "Don’t worry, Boss. I will definitely hold on until you emerge."

In his ancestral memories, the Heavenly Demon’s Soul-Sealing Array was incomparably formidable. When Ye Zihan was first seized, Mo You had been certain of his demise. Discovering that Ye Zihan was still safe and sound filled him with immense excitement.

Ye Zihan’s voice faded after Mo You’s confident nod, but the dragon’s anxiety had vanished. In his heart, he trusted implicitly that his boss would resolve this crisis, for Ye Zihan had never let him down.

"You little dragon are quite sensible, aren't you? Since your master is about to become my slave, what is the point of struggling?" The Heavenly Demon wore a chilling smile as he continued, "Rest assured, once I obtain your master’s Five-Element Soul Origin, your Thousand-Ghost Blood Phantom Dragon bloodline won't be of much use to me. I happen to be lacking a mount, so you can serve as a temporary replacement! Once I successfully refine the boy’s soul origin, I will settle the score with the old fogeys of your clan. Imagine the look on their faces when I show up riding you! Hahaha!"

"Calm down, calm down. Boss is still inside; wait for him to come out and slaughter this bastard. Stay calm, don't ruin Boss's grand plan!"

Mo You clenched his gleaming dragon claws, repeating these words in his heart, using his master’s safety to soothe his burning rage.

Dragons are symbols of nobility, pride, and dignity, and the Thousand-Ghost Blood Phantom Dragon is the king among them, embodying these traits to the fullest. Yet, Mo You, a dragon possessing the supreme bloodline of his kind, lowered his proud head for the sake of Ye Zihan, facing a demon who trampled upon his dignity and honor.

"Haha! Good! Now, call me 'Master' so I can hear it!" The Heavenly Demon, emboldened, threw his head back and laughed wildly at Mo You.

"No!" At that moment, Mo You, who had been bowing his head, suddenly snapped his gaze upward. With eyes dripping blood, he roared at the Heavenly Demon.

Though they never used the labels of master and servant, Mo You knew deep down that Ye Zihan was his one and only master, irreplaceable by anyone. He could endure the demon’s insults toward himself, but he could not tolerate a single slight against Ye Zihan.

To call the Heavenly Demon 'Master' was an impossibility; he had only one master, and that was Ye Zihan.

"Hmph, I expected as much. You arrogant beasts don't bow your heads so easily. It seems I’ll have to give you a taste of pain!" The Heavenly Demon wore a cruel, wicked grin as he watched Mo You.

"Whip!"

With a sharp command and a flick of the Heavenly Demon’s finger, several iron chains intertwined to form a thick, heavy lash.

"Whoosh!"

The iron whip swung through the air with a dull, heavy thud, striking straight at Mo You.

"Dragon Flame Blast!"

Mo You let out a furious roar, spewing a scorching dragon breath at the incoming chains. The collision produced a violent explosion.

"Bang!"

However, the chains were not knocked away as expected. After the impact, they only paused for a fleeting second before whistling toward Mo You again, slamming solidly into his back.

"Pfft!" Before Mo You could react, he was struck, his form losing stability as he plummeted to the ground. The Heavenly Demon looked at the motionless Mo You and wore an excited smile. Years ago, it was a powerhouse of the Thousand-Ghost Blood Phantom Dragon clan who had struck him down, leading to his imprisonment in the Demon Abyss for hundreds of years. Seeing a creature of that very same bloodline crushed beneath his feet filled him with the thrill of vengeance.

"You stupid dragon, I was actually going to spare you. But seeing you lying there reminds me of that old wretch, so let me vent my anger on you first!" The Heavenly Demon’s face twisted into a cruel smile. He swung his arm again, and the heavy chains lashed out repeatedly at Mo You.

In this unique space, Mo You was in his soul form, and the chains struck directly at his spirit. Waves of pain, ten times more agonizing than physical wounds, surged through his soul, but Mo You had no strength left to resist. He could only endure the heavy lash as it struck his body again and again, causing his soul to tremble violently.

"Hahaha!"

Listening to the dull thuds echoing within the iron cage, the Heavenly Demon laughed maniacally. "Since you refuse to crawl at my feet and call me master, I have no choice but to use other methods!" He wore a sinister expression as he opened his palm, revealing a strange rune resting in the center.

"My demonic arts include a specific method for binding the soul. Once shackled, the victim becomes the absolute slave of the caster."

"You are unfortunate, for I happen to know such an art! Now, I shall bind your soul to mine. You will do exactly as I command. When I find that old wretch, I will drag you out like a dog, so he can see that his descendants are nothing but my curs—and eventually, he shall be my dog as well." The Heavenly Demon grew increasingly excited, the rune in his hand glowing with a dark, abyssal light until it transformed into a bolt of black lightning, shooting straight toward the center of Mo You’s brow.