Ten Thousand Soul Banner: Deceased, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?-Chapter 1174 - 1170: Out of Step with the Times

"It’s okay, just a bit outdated..." Shen Siyuan said with a smile.

Nowadays, with advanced technology, skin smoothing, filters, and makeup are everywhere. We’re so used to the exquisite images on high-definition screens that these blatant and crude temptations wouldn’t even entice a three-year-old child. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

So, Shen Siyuan slightly raised his wrist, and the Divine Sword in his hand continued to swing.

The Sword Qi tore through the pink aura, shattering the illusory tempting images.

"To be truly captivating, it can’t be completely exposed like this. The allure lies in being half-covered, half-revealed. How dare you show off such an aesthetic that’s centuries behind?"

"How dare you!" the man in the Confucian robe’s face darkened, his eyes growing even more gloomy.

"Oh wow, he speaks so strangely, like someone on TV." Dou Dou whispered into Xiao Yue’s ear.

But her "whispering" was quite loud, and everyone heard it clearly.

The man in the Confucian robe’s face turned solemn. Clearly, he didn’t expect his prideful temptation of desires to be mocked like this. He swiftly rotated his wrist, and his crystal-clear long sword swung repeatedly, instantly transforming the pink aura into thousands of illusions.

Some were treasure troves filled with gold and silver, jewels piled high, with a bronze tripod and Jade Ruyi surrounded by pearls — treasures that only ancient emperors dared to dream of.

Others were banquets of exotic delicacies, with roasted suckling pig, steamed bear paw, and jade wine filling the tables, servants standing around as if one were at a royal feast.

There were also scenes of immense power, clad in purple robes and jade belts, with officials bowing and shouting long live, the masses bowing in reverence — embodying the honor and wealth that ancient scholars most longed for.

"Wow~, it seems so fun, but why does that roasted pig look like it hasn’t been properly shaved..."

Xiao Yue’s mouth twitched. She knew it was inappropriate to laugh at such scenes, but she couldn’t help it.

The desires that had been evoked seemed to fade significantly.

"Do these not catch your eye?"

The man in the Confucian robe coldly shouted, "Human greed, vanity, and desires are all natural instincts. Do you think a few words of ridicule can cover them up?"

Shen Siyuan laughed, "If I truly wanted them, all of these would be within my reach..."

With that, his form turned into a fleeting shadow, and his Divine Sword became a stream of light, directly stabbing at the man in the Confucian robe, "How many years have you been trapped in this Netherworld? Still thinking people can be blinded by such vulgar desires? People today have seen a broader world, and they pursue spiritual fulfillment and true emotions. Your outdated temptations just seem laughable..."

The man in the Confucian robe, enraged, forced a smile, his long sword conjuring layers of sword flowers, each turning into a tangible desire.

There was a peerless beauty holding a pipa, her body concealed by sheer fabric, her dance mesmerizing, the epitome of a confidante in the eyes of ancient scholars.

There were mountains of silks and satin, shimmering luxurious outfits — the luxury that ancient noblewomen yearned for.

There were also literati gatherings, with participants holding folding fans, composing poetry, seemingly allowing one to instantly ascend the clouds, basking in literary fame.

"As laughable as they are, they can’t surpass nature."

"Nature?"

Shen Siyuan’s Divine Sword swept horizontally, the Sword Qi like a blade, cleaving all illusions, "Nature is about seeking benefits and avoiding harm, not falling into degradation. Your notion of ultimate enjoyment is nothing but the perspective of a frog in a well, laughably outdated..."

As he spoke, he was already closing in on the man in the Confucian robe, his Divine Sword aimed straight at the man’s chest.

The man in the Confucian robe hurriedly crossed swords to block, a loud "clang" sounded as both their forms shook, and a powerful surge spread outward, lifting the yellow earth off the ground by several feet.

Seeing the situation, Dou Dou immediately leapt into action, brandishing dual hammers with orange-red Divine Fire sizzling through the air, aiming straight for the back of the man in the Confucian robe.

The hovering Qiankun Umbrella moved instantaneously, its blue-green light shield covering Shen Siyuan and Dou Dou, guarding against sudden attacks.

Xiao Yue, on the other hand, was holding the True Words Book, muttering incantations, golden spell words cascading out like a tide. The Soul-locking Chain coiled around the man in the Confucian robe’s long sword like a Spirit Snake, while the ringing of the Three Pure Ones Bell continuously purified the surrounding tainted desires.

Despite being under attack from all sides, the man in the Confucian robe remained unyielding, his long sword once again erupting in pink aura, this time conjuring an imposing palace. Inside the hall, emperors and generals stood on either side, with a majestic ruler seated on the dragon throne, civil and military officials bowing with heads lowered, armored soldiers lined up — showcasing the ultimate power and prestige of ancient times, attempting to seduce everyone with the fantasy of "master and ministers ruling the world together, with power overwhelming the land."

Yet even so, these scenes appeared pale and feeble in Shen Siyuan’s eyes. In this day and age, who still indulges in the outdated power lust of emperors and generals?

"Still the same old trick, just different packaging." Shen Siyuan sneered, the Divine Sword suddenly bursting with intense light, "You don’t understand. Nowadays, people no longer believe in ’If the ruler wants a minister to die, the minister has no choice but to die.’ It’s about equality for all. You could also say everyone is inherently rebellious..."

The Divine Sword thrust into the pink aura, shattering the entire palace and the illusion of emperors and generals together.

The man in the Confucian robe spat out a mouthful of blood, retreating repeatedly, his eyes filled with disbelief and shame: "Impossible, how can humans not covet power and kneeling?"

"What they covet is the power to control their own lives, not the power to control others. What they seek is mutual respect and recognition, not groveling."

Shen Siyuan pressed on relentlessly, "What you’re behind in isn’t just perception but also understanding of the human heart."

As he spoke, he and Dou Dou and Xiao Yue launched a three-pronged attack, while Duoduo held the Qiankun Umbrella high to shield them.

The Xiaoguang and crimson evil sword Qi intertwined and clashed, casting the entire sky into alternating brightness and darkness, the deafening noise reverberating between heaven and earth.

The outdated power-lust illusions of the man in the Confucian robe retreated continuously under the trio’s onslaught, shattering and dissipating one after another.

The man in the Confucian robe, under a three-way siege, swung his long sword with increasing urgency. Despite the intertwine of crimson sword Qi and pink aura, he was never able to break through the trio’s defense.

He watched as his prideful temptations of desire shattered time and again, watched as Shen Siyuan’s Xiaoguang Divine Sword drew closer and closer, fear finally appeared in his eyes.

"No~, humans can’t escape desire, you all must be fake."

He roared, his long sword bursting with a last, intense pink aura, attempting one final struggle.

Unyielding, Shen Siyuan’s Divine Sword was already upon him.

"There’s nothing inherently wrong with desire, the mistake is in enshrining it as a guiding principle, trapped in outdated knowledge, becoming its slave,"

When the words fell, the Xiaoguang Divine Sword, like a meteor piercing the darkness, directly pierced through the man in the Confucian robe’s chest,

"Splurt~"

The sound of the blade entering flesh was drowned out by a deafening hum, the Xiaoguang Divine Sword emerging from the man in the Confucian robe’s back, and the Primordial Magnetic Power on the sword exploded instantly, surging into his body like a tide.

The man in the Confucian robe’s pupils contracted sharply, his body stiffened in place, and all the emotions in his eyes rapidly dissipated.

Then, orange-red incense fire poured down like a rushing waterfall, completely enveloping the man in the Confucian robe’s body.

The Power of Incense, like the purest detergent, washed away the evil desires within him. His body began to show fine cracks, slowly turning into dispersing sand from the wound on the chest.

"No... my way... how could it be..."

The man in the Confucian robe’s voice grew weaker and weaker, filled with endless confusion and unwillingness, as his body disintegrated at an increasingly rapid pace.

His robe, his skin, and his bones all turned into countless tiny grains of sand under the washing of the incense fire, scattered and vanished in the wind of the Netherworld amidst the torrent of incense fire.

The pink aura gradually dimmed, the illusions of emperors, generals, and beautiful women lost their power source, burst like bubbles, turning into points of black energy that were completely purified by the incense fire.

Above the Netherworld, only the orange-red incense fire continued to flow slowly, erasing the traces on the ground.

At the spot where the man in the Confucian robe originally stood, once the sand dispersed, there lay a crystalline long sword quietly on the yellow earth.

The sword’s body remained transparent, but it had lost its erstwhile sinister aura, only a cold silence remained.

Shen Siyuan retrieved the Primordial Magnetic Divine Sword, the buzzing from the Primordial Magnetic power subsided.

"Wow~, this sword is so pretty, I really like it. It’s mine now."

Dou Dou reached out to take it, but Xiao Yue slapped her hand back.

Then turned her gaze to Shen Siyuan standing beside them.

In fact, what the man in the Confucian robe said wasn’t entirely wrong. Humans have never changed from ancient times to the present; they’ve just switched to a different way.