A Record Of A Mortal's Journey To Immortality

by S.H.A aifu

A poor and ordinary boy from a village joins a minor sect in Jiang Hu and becomes an Unofficial Disciple by chance. How will Han Li, a commoner by birth, establish a foothold for himself in his sect? With his mediocre aptitude, how will he successfully traverse the path of cultivation and become an immortal? This is a story of an ordinary mortal who, against all odds, clashes with

45. 1447

Read A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality - Chapter 1447: Crisis online free - Novel Full

Lei Lan and Bai Bi's expressions changed in unison upon hearing this, and they also hurriedly sprang back into the carriage.

Almost at the exact same moment, a faint cry of surprise suddenly rang out on the third level of the earth abyss, in a place that was pitch-black and completely devoid of light.

A fair and slender arm reached out of the darkness while holding a yellow wooden badge in the shape of a ghostly head.

"What happened? The Eightface Beast's soul flame suddenly snuffed out! Hmph, that useless oaf can't even do something so simple! Looks the ones who destroyed my Giant Spirit Flower have some tricks up their sleeves. So be it, I'll take care of these trivial matters later. As long as these people haven't left the earth abyss, I'll be able to find them no matter what," the woman harrumphed coldly in a confident manner before everything fell silent again.

Two days later, on the first level of the earth abyss.

A faint white shadow passed over a set of black grasslands. All of a sudden, a dozen or so black shadows sprang forth from the tall grass down below, pouncing straight toward the indistinct white shadow.

These were a dozen or so massive praying mantises with green eyes and sinister facial features. They were each around three feet tall and pitch-black in color.

Bursts of rumbling erupted from within the carriage, following which a dozen or so arcs of silver lightning flashed forth from within the white shadow, striking these praying mantises with unerring accuracy.

The praying mantises didn't even get a chance to utter a single sound before they were reduced to dust and blown away by the wind.

Four days later, a spirit carriage flew through the air in a careless manner, flying over a vast expanse of rugged rocks. There were several rock demons with bodies constructed from loose rocks down below, galloping as quickly as they could in pursuit of the carriage.

Countless golden threads suddenly shot forth from within the carriage, instantly puncturing the bodies of their rock demons before constricting in a violent manner.

Brilliant golden light flashed, an all of these rock demons perished, crumbling to the ground as loose rocks.

Seven days later, Han Li's trio stood in the air above a massive valley within which greyish-white mist was surging incessantly, and all three of them were carefully inspecting this valley.

Lei Lan and Bai Bi's eyes were filled with elation, and the flying carriage that had carried them to this point was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps it had been destroyed by demon beasts on the way here or had been stowed away by Han Li. In any case, it was gone now.

"Looks like this place is relatively safe. Let's go in. If we descend underground here for a day, we'll be able to reach the second level. This place is so secluded, so the exit on the other side will most likely be quite safe as well. It would be quite unlikely that someone would go to the trouble of setting up traps on the other end," Han Li analyzed before spreading his wings and leading the way into the mist.

The two Tian Peng Race holy disciples had already come so far, so backing down now was naturally not an option. As such, they also entered the mist with solemn expressions on their faces.

The grey mist wasn't very dense, so even after entering it, they could still roughly see everything just over 100 feet away from them.

However, there would occasionally be a few foot-long winged snakes that would fly out of the mist to try and attack the trio.

Of course, they were all slain with ease.

Two hours later, they finally emerged from the mist and arrived at the end of the valley.

At this moment, they were greeted by the sight of a massive rift on one of the valley's gigantic stone faces. The rift seemed to be leading extremely deep into the ground.

A smile appeared on Han Li's face upon seeing this rift, and he led the two holy disciples into it without any hesitation.

The three streaks of spiritual light flew on, and disappeared from view after rounding a few corners.

A day and a night later, a strange howling sound suddenly erupted near a massive rift that was leading downward.

A gust of fierce black winds erupted from the rift in a frenzy, completely coating the nearby rock face in a layer of ice, clearly indicating that it was extremely frosty.

However, three streaks of spiritual light took advantage of this opportunity to fly out from the gust of wind, appearing several hundred feet away after a few flashes. The spiritual lights then faded to reveal three humanoid figures.

They were none other than Han Li's trio.

"The earth abyss winds in this passageway are far too fierce; I was almost unable to withstand them. Why didn't the information we received mention this at all?" Bai Bi's face was quite pale as he cast his gaze toward the spot from which the trio had just emerged.

"The fact that this phenomenon wasn't detailed in the information we received indicates that it's only appeared in recent years. Otherwise, the senior of our race would've definitely mentioned this to us." Lei Lan also appeared to have expended a lot of energy in flying through the earth abyss winds, and she couldn't help but glance at Han Li.

At this moment, Han Li had his arms crossed and was surveying his surroundings. He was completely unruffled, and it was as if he'd just taken a stroll in the park rather than forcing his way through lethal earth abyss winds.

Could it be that there's such a massive gulf between early-Spirit Generals and late-Spirit Generals? Lei Lan thought to herself in a resigned manner. It was all thanks to Han Li's assistance that she was able to survive that ordeal at all. Otherwise, she may well have perished to those fearsome winds.

"We've already been delayed too much on the first level, so there's no point in wasting time searching for Infernal Flame Fruits on the second level. Let's head straight to the third level," Han Li said in an implacable voice as he withdrew his gaze.

The air here was rather humid, it appeared that they were situated in the air above a swamp-like area.

The two Tian Peng Race holy disciples were now well aware that Han Li was far more powerful than them, so they naturally didn't harbor any more discontent toward him. However, Lei Lan still couldn't help but express her concern after a brief hesitation.

"I naturally have no objections there, but there are only three entrances from the second level to the third level, so no matter which one we take, there's a good chance that we'll encounter people from other branches. If we encounter the holy disciples from branches that bear ill will toward our Tian Peng Race..." Lei Lan didn't finish her sentence, but the implications in her words were quite apparent.

"It's not just a good chance; those branches would've definitely deployed people to those three entrances. We're most likely not their sole targets, either; the people from the weakest few branches will most likely all be targeted by them," Bai Bi sighed.

"Hehe, if we encounter them, then we'll just have to fight. We'll have to overcome this obstacle sooner or later. However, even if a powerful branch like the Chi Rong Race wanted to plot against our Tian Peng Race, there's no way that they'll station all of their holy disciples at the three entrances. The earth abyss trial takes place once every 300 years, so it's just as important to them as it is to us. As such, they could only have stationed a half or even less of their members at the three entrances. In that case, it may not be easy to defeat them, but forcing our way through their barricade certainly won't be impossible," Han Li analyzed with a cold chuckle.

"If that really is the case, then we've got some chances after all." Bai Bi and Lei Lan were reinvigorated by Han Li's encouraging words.

"No one can guarantee exactly what the situation will be like. We can only work things out as we go," Han Li replied in a calm voice.

"Which entrance are we going to choose? Two of them are relatively safer to get to while the other one is rather dangerous," Lei Lan asked with furrowed brows.

"Seeing as we could encounter obstacles from the other branches regardless of which entrance we choose, then it's naturally best to choose the one closest to our current location," Han Li decided without any hesitation.

"In that case, we'll have to go to the Myriad Vine Path," Bai Bi said after a brief pause.

Han Li seemed to have some recollection of this name, and his eyes flashed as he enquired for confirmation, "The Myriad Vine Path? Is that the entrance from the second to the third level connected by many ancient vines?"

"That's the one. Aside from some demonic insects that may appear along that path, there are virtually no hazards to be encountered. If we have a smooth journey, we should be able to get there in half a month," Bai Bi confirmed.

"That sounds good. Let's go to that entrance, then," Han Li said.

Lei Lan and Bai Bi had no objections to this, and both of them nodded in agreement.

Han Li flipped his hand over to produce a blue formation plate, which he shook in front of his eyes, thereby allowing him to confirm the direction they were heading in before leading the two holy disciples onward.

Not long after the three of them had departed, an inky-black figure emerged soundlessly from within the thick mud of the swamp. It turned an intense gaze toward the direction that Han Li and the others had sped away in, and a hint of red light flashed through its eyes.

The black figure then suddenly exploded like a bubble and disappeared on the spot.

All of a sudden, Han Li felt a chill run down his spine as he flew through the air. He immediately paused in his flight and glanced behind him.

"What is it, Brother Han?" At this point, Bai Bi had complete trust in Han Li's abilities and judgment, and he also stopped in a wary manner.

Blue light flashed through Han Li's eyes as he scanned his gaze across the ground behind them. Only after a while did he reply, "Nothing. Perhaps it was my imagination."

The bone-chilling sensation that he had been struck with had already vanished, and it was as if it had never appeared in the first place.

For people like Han Li with excessively sensitive spiritual sense, it was quite often that he would sense peril where none actually existed. However, for something like this to happen in such a dangerous place was rather unsettling to him, and he simply couldn't bring himself to forget it.

Having said that, no demonic being would be able to escape the detection of his spirit eyes unless that cultivation base was far superior to his, so perhaps that spine-tingling sensation really had just been a figment of his imagination.

After a brief pause, Han Li could only arrive at that conclusion. He waved a hand toward Bai Bi and Lei Lan before continuing onward, but his expression had darkened significantly.

Unbeknownst to Han Li, there was a mysterious being whose entire body was enshrouded in a set of vibrant red robes lying down on a black wooden chair within the belly of a mountain in a deeper level of the earth abyss. There was a stone table beside the chair, upon which was placed a large copper mirror. There was a rather blurry image being depicted in the mirror, and the image was none other than that of Han Li's trio flying over the swamp.

"Interesting! To think that he's even able to sense my mud puppet; looks like his spiritual sense far outstrips his cultivation base. Unfortunately, I'm not really interested in refining Yin spirits," the red-robed being chuckled before sweeping a sleeve toward the mirror as if he were going to dispel the image, but its arm suddenly faltered as a contemplative look appeared in his eyes.

"I almost forgot; that ghost hag seems to be collecting beings with powerful souls, so this man would be a good gift for her. I should be able to exchange him for a blood fish from her!" the red-robed being murmured to himself.

He suddenly sat up as a hint of excitement flashed through his eyes, seemingly very pleased with his own lateral thinking abilities.

He rustled a sleeve, and a translucent bead shot forth before stopping in front of him.

He then made a hand seal, and a streak of red light disappeared into the bead in a flash, following which brilliant crimson light began to radiate from the bead.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

After about five minutes, the crimson light radiating from the bead suddenly receded, and the voice of an elderly woman sounded from within. "What is it, Di Xue? Don't you know I'm doing something very important right now?"

The owner of the voice seemed to be quite displeased that she'd been contacted at a time like this.

"Hehe, it's been several decades since we last talked. Are you so busy that you don't even have time to chat with an old friend?" the red-robed being chuckled.

"Quit the chit-chat and tell me what you want. Otherwise, don't blame me for cutting off the transmission." The elderly woman's patience was clearly quickly on the wane.

"Hehe, last time, what we decided on was for Mu Qing to conduct the sacrificial ceremony, Liu Zu to gather Yin Soul energy, while I'm responsible for refining a large number of puppets. As for you, you were assigned the duty of nurturing the 8,000 Yin Armor Profound Ghosts, which are the most important elements of our plan. How are you going with that?" the red-robed being asked, paying no heed to the impatience in the woman's voice.

"Hmph, why are you asking a question that you already know the answer to? I don't even know how many spies of you've planted among my subordinates; are you telling me that you're unaware of what my progress is like?" the elderly woman replied in a cold voice.

"Haha, it's not like you haven't done the same; your subordinates often appear at the location where I'm refining my puppets as well. However, I want to hear you tell me about it in person this time," the red-robed being chuckled.

"Alright, it's not like this is a well-kept secret anyway. The nurturing of the 8,000 Yin Armor Profound Ghosts is progressing quite smoothly. As long as Liu Zu can supply sufficient Yin Soul Energy, it's only a matter of time before I successfully nurture them. The only problem lies with the eight Yin Armor Ghost Monarchs required to lead these ghosts. I can only successfully refine them if I can obtain the soul of a being with a powerful spiritual sense. Such premium soul materials are not that easy to find," the elderly woman said in an indifferent voice.

"Oh? How many of those ghost monarchs have you managed to refine?" the red-robed being asked.

"Only three at the moment. The success rate is quite low," the elderly woman replied in a slightly awkward voice.

"Hehe, that's why I've contacted you, Fellow Daoist, I want to provide you with that premium soul material you're looking for." The red-robed being rubbed his hands together with glee.

"Since when did you develop an interest in Yin souls?" the elderly woman asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.

"I'm not you or Liu Zu; I don't know much about ghostly beings. However, I just discovered a Flying Spirit Race being who was able to detect a wisp of my spiritual sense that I injected into a mud puppet. Even though it was only a wisp of my spiritual sense, that's sufficient indication of just how powerful that man's soul is. It should be ideal for you to refine those ghostly monarchs of yours," the red-robed being said.

"Is it time for the Flying Spirit Race's earth abyss trial again? For one of them to be able to detect your spiritual sense; could it be that one of those old monsters came down in person?" A hint of caution crept into the old woman's voice.

"Don't worry, it's just a little Spirit General, so he won't be able to do anything," the red-robed being said in a nonchalant manner.

"If it's just a Spirit General, then we should be fine. However, he must indeed possess quite a powerful soul to detect your spiritual sense. I'll be taking this gift, then. What do you want in exchange?" The elderly woman was clearly aware that this information wasn't going to be offered to her free of charge.

"Hehe, I love dealing with smart yet straightforward people like you. It's very simple; one Myriad Year Blood Fish will suffice as payment for the provision of detailed information on the target. If you want me to capture the target and deliver him to you in person, then that'll cost you two blood fish," the red-robed being replied.

"Hmph, do you think Myriad Year Blood Fish grow on trees? There's no way that one Yin soul can be worth two of them. I don't have any spare time right now. Bring the soul to me, and I'll give you a Myriad Year Blood Fish. Even then, it's a massive bargain for you," the elderly woman harrumphed coldly.

"Alright, one blood fish it is, then. I'll deliver the soul to you in 10 days," the red-robed being immediately agreed, clearly also of the opinion that this deal was quite a bargain for him.

"By the way, what do Mu Qing and Liu Zu suggest we do with the holy disciples of the Flying Spirit Race? Should we kill all of them or allow them to scurry around on the first three levels like always? They're not going to impede our plan, are they?" the old woman suddenly asked.

"We're at quite a critical juncture at the moment, so we can't attract the attention of the Flying Spirit Race. As long as they don't negatively affect us and don't enter any level below the third one, just let them do as they please. I'm sure Mu Qing and Liu Zu think the same," the red-robed being immediately replied.

"We'll do as you say, then."

After an indifferent reply, the old woman's voice abruptly cut off, and the crimson light radiating from the bead also disappeared.

The red-robed being made a grabbing motion, and the bead instantly flew into his grasp before disappearing.

"Their group consists of a mere late-Spirit General and a couple of early-Spirit Generals, so three early-Great Spirit General Blood Wood Puppets should be more than enough," the red-robed being murmured to himself before rustling a sleeve.

Three crimson shadows flew out from within his sleeve before landing on the ground before him.

Thus, three blurry crimson figures of different forms appeared in a half-knelt position.

Brilliant crimson light erupted from the eyes of the red-robed being as three crimson threads that were barely detectable to the naked eye shot forth from his glabella, then disappeared into the three blurry crimson figures in a flash.

The crimson figures immediately raised their heads, and at the same time, eerie green light appeared within their eyes.

"Go and kill those three and bring their souls back to me," the red-robed being said in an emotionless voice as he pointed toward the copper mirror.

Crimson light flashed and the three puppets disappeared into a nearby wall as three streaks of crimson light.

The red-robed being then lay back down in his chair and closed his eyes again as if everything he'd just done was completely inconsequential.

Within a mysterious set of mountain ranges on the first level, there was a sacrificial altar that was over 1,000 feet tall situated at the summit of a massive mountain that was enshrouded under grey Yin Qi. There was a massive greyish white eyeball that was around the size of a human head being offered on a platform on the altar, and the eye was completely bloodshot.

Countless grey threads were erupting out of the eye's pupil before being absorbed by the nearby grey Qi.

At the foot of the altar, a mysterious tall and broad figure in a black cloak was standing motionlessly on the spot.

On the sixth level of the earth abyss, within a massive palace that was enshrouded under green light, there was a beautiful woman with a head of snowy white hair and a set of pale facial features. She was standing beside a back pond that was over 1,000 feet in size while appraising everything taking place deep within the pond with a cold expression on her face.

Beside her stood two women who appeared to be in their twenties. Both of them were also very pale, but one was quite petite with a sweet and adorable oval face, striking male onlookers with the urge to hold her in their arms, while the other woman had a lithe and graceful figure, but wore a frosty forbidding expression.

There were formations of different sizes set up all around the pond, and inky-black runes were surging relentlessly from those formations into the pond.

At the center of the pond, there were several blurry pitch-black humanoid figures hovering motionlessly above the black water in the pond.

Those black runes split up into several streams, disappearing into the suits of black armor being worn by these humanoid figures.

However, these humanoid figures remained completely still, as if they were inanimate objects.

The white-haired woman's brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this.

"Use the infernal flames!" the white-haired woman suddenly said in a cold manner, and despite her appearance, her voice was that of an elderly woman. She was none other than the woman who had been communicating with the red-robed being earlier.

"Yes!" The two seductive women behind her immediately stepped forward, and following a flash of spiritual light, one of them produced a small black vial while a black banana leaf fan appeared in the grasp of the other.

Both of them raised their treasures in unison with solemn expressions on their faces.

A strange cry erupted as a fire wyrm with black flames all over its body flew out from within the vial, then plunged headfirst into the pond.

Black flames immediately erupted over the entire pond. Meanwhile, the petite woman waved her runed banana leaf fan through the air, seemingly with a lot of difficulty.

A vast swath of black flames immediately surged forth from her fan before also plunging into the pond.

The two flames seemed to share the same source, and they intertwined with one another, both flames burned with increased ferocity in a synergistic relationship, enveloping all of the blurry humanoid figures hovering over the pond.

The white-haired woman's expression remained unchanged upon seeing this, but a hint of anticipation had appeared in her eyes.

At this moment, Han Li was flying through the second level, and he was naturally unaware of the fact that he'd caught the interest of these fearsome beings.

However, after that strange bone-chilling sensation he'd experienced earlier, he had become a lot more cautious.

Even as he flew rapidly through the air with Lei Lan and Bai Bi in tow, he was activating his spirit eyes at regular intervals to survey his surroundings, even if doing so required additional magic power expenditure.

As a result, Han Li was able to discover some low-grade and mid-grade demon beasts in advance, thereby allowing him to skirt around them to avoid these potentially troublesome beings.

As for normal beasts, those were no longer able to survive on the second level, so they naturally didn't encounter any more of them.

Due to the fact that Lei Lan and Bai Bi had expended a lot of magic power during their descent into the second level, the three of them weren't able to fly very quickly. Both of the holy disciples were holding spirit stones in their hands to absorb the spiritual Qi within in order to recover as quickly as possible.

Thus, they flew for an entire day without encountering any troubles.

On the second day, Lei Lan and Bai Bi had completely recovered their magic power, yet there was still nothing happening, so Han Li decided to stop his frequent usage of his spirit eyes.

The three of them sped onward and entered a set of dark green mountain ranges.

During the afternoon of the second day, right after they had passed over a large mountain, a mishap finally occurred.

Spiritual light suddenly flashed in the distant sky, following which a sharp cry rang out. A streak of green light then appeared before hurtling directly toward them.

In the next instant, three balls of yellow light appeared behind the streak of green light in hot pursuit.

Han Li and the others immediately tried to take evasive measures, but it was also ready too late.

As such, Han Li furrowed his brows and came to a slow halt.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

The streak of green light in the distance was a rhomboid treasure, and it covered a distance of hundreds of feet with each and every flash as it sped toward Han Li's trio. Meanwhile, there was a Flying Spirit Race being within each ball of yellow light, and all of them had golden runes flashing over their bodies. They were currently pursuing the green treasure at an astonishing speed.

"This is bad! Those people are from the Yellow Wind Race. They've been plotting against our Tian Peng Race for a long time, just like the Chi Rong Race." An alarmed expression appeared on Bai Bi's face as soon as he identified the beings within the balls of yellow light.

A similar expression also appeared on Lei Lan's face.

"The Yellow Wind Race?" Han Li appraised those three Flying Spirit Race beings with a contemplative look on his face.

These three beings each possessed a pair of yellow wings with fur on their faces, as well as long furry tail attached trailing behind each of them. They appeared to be more like demon beast than humanoid beings. The one who was controlling the green treasure had clearly seen Han Li's trio as well, and she abruptly stopped before the three of them after a few flashes.

The green light faded, and a beautiful woman with a pair of white wings and a small green horn on her head emerged from within the treasure.

As soon as the woman appeared, she said in an urgent manner, "You three are from the Tian Peng Race, right? I'm Qin Xiao of the Green Night Race. Our two races have forged an alliance agreement with one another, so please lend me your assistance."

Before Han Li and the others had a chance to respond, the three Yellow Wind Race beings had also caught up to them, and all of them also stopped at the sight of Han Li's trio.

"This is a matter between our race and the Green Night Race, so you'd better not intervene. Otherwise, you'll only be bringing trouble to the Tian Peng Race," one of the Yellow Wind Race beings said in a cold voice, and the threat in his words was quite apparent.

Qin Xiao's expression immediately paled upon hearing this, and she turned to Han Li's trio with a beseeching look in her beautiful eyes. Lei Lan knew that Han Li was oblivious to the agreement between the two races, so she explained in a low voice, "Our race does indeed have an alliance agreement with the Green Night Race, but the Yellow Wind Race is no less powerful than the Chi Rong Race, so we can't afford to mess with them. These three aren't the only Yellow Wind Race holy disciples to have entered this trial."

"Is that so?" Han Li glanced at Qin Xiao, then turned his attention toward the trio from the Yellow Wind Race.

Two of these holy disciples were mid-Spirit Generals while the other was a late-Spirit General, and all of them were looking at Han Li's trio with arrogant expressions on their faces.

Han Li was just about to say something, when spiritual light suddenly flashed in the distance once again. A massive wooden bird that was over 100 feet long appeared in the distant sky, then hurtled toward them with golden light shimmering all over its body.

Han Li's trio faltered upon seeing this, yet before they had a chance to identify who was sitting on top of the wooden bird, expressions of elation had already appeared on the faces of the three Yellow Wind Race beings.

All of them quickly glanced at once another before springing into action in unison, splitting up rapidly to surround Qin Xiao and Han Li's trio between them.

"What's the meaning of this?" Bai Bi asked in a cold voice as his expression darkened.

"Hehe, what do you think? We originally intended to let you three go, but there's no need for that now," one of the Yellow Wind Race beings chortled with glee.

Han Li's heart stirred as blue light flashed through his eyes. Only then was he able to identify that the beings sitting atop the wooden bird were also from the Yellow Wind Race.

There were three of them, two male and one female, and they also consisted of two mid-Spirit Generals as well as a late-Spirit General.

It was quite clear that these three had originally intended to only kill Qin Xiao, but with the arrival of reinforcements, they no longer had any qualms, and intended to kill Han Li's trio as well.

Lei Lan, Bai Bi, and Qin Xiao's expressions also changed drastically as they finally identified the beings on the wooden bird.

A series of thoughts flashed rapidly through Han Li's mind before he heaved a faint sigh.

"In that case, all of you can die!"

A loud thunderclap erupted as Han Li disappeared amid an arc of azure and white lightning.

Han Li was the Tian Peng Race holy disciple with the highest cultivation base, so the late-Spirit General among the Yellow Wind beings was naturally focusing most of his attention on him. As such, he was able to immediately react and let loose a loud roar.

In the next instant, spatial fluctuations erupted above his head as Han Li emerged within a flash of azure light. He swept an arm through the air, and an inky black palm was thrust toward the Yellow Wind being from above.

A small black mountain appeared within a swath of grey light, and it instantly swelled several times in size to over 100 feet tall, then came crashing down with ferocious might.

The Yellow Wind beings were initially surprised that Han Li had chosen the most powerful being among their trio to attack, but a sinister smile then appeared on his face as he opened his mouth toward the small mountain up above.

A burst of yellow light shot forth from within his mouth, sweeping directly toward the small mountain. At the same time, white light flashed from his hand and he summoned a silver disk treasure. Just as he was about to unleash this treasure, a hint of wariness flashed through Han Li's eyes, and he let loose a cold harrumph.

The harrumph wasn't very loud, but the Yellow Wind being felt as if an earthshattering thunderclap had exploded right within his ear cavity. His face was immediately twisted with agony, and he stumbled back reflexively, almost dropping the treasure in his hand in the process.

A vast swath of grey light erupted from the small black mountain, sweeping aside the oncoming burst of yellow light with ease, then crashing down upon the Yellow Wind being with crushing brutality.

The poor Yellow Wind Tribe holy disciple didn't even get a chance to unleash any of his abilities before he crushed to the ground by the small mountain.

Han Li quickly made a hand seal, and the Divine Essencefused Mountain continued to expand at an alarming rate, transforming into a black mountain that was over 10,000 feet tall in an instant.

The Yellow Wind being was a late-Deity Transformation cultivator, just like Han Li, but his physical body wasn't much more powerful than that of an average human cultivator at the same cultivation base. As such, he had already been crushed into mincemeat by the Divine Essencefused Mountain. His soul had also been completely eradicated by the Divine Essencefused Light.

It had only taken Han Li the span of a single breath to kill this late-Spirit General of the Yellow Wind Race.

The other two Yellow Wind beings, as well as Bai Bi, Lei Lan, and Qin Xiao, were all flabbergasted at this point. However, the other two Yellow Wind beings quickly came to their senses, and golden runes flashed on their bodies as they transformed into a pair of strange yellow birds that attempted to flee into the distance.

Han Li raised an eyebrow upon seeing this before sweeping a sleeve through the air, sending an arc of azure lightning hurtling toward one of the birds.

The bird's heart jolted with shock, yet just as it was about to evade, a pair of foot-long azure scissors emerged from within the arc of lightning.

Following a loud thunderclap, the pair of scissors transformed into a pair of azure lightning wyrms that were each over 100 feet in length. The two wyrms flew forth in a criss-cross formation, instantly slicing the bird apart, and the two halves of its lifeless body were sent plummeting down toward the ground.

The other bird was petrified upon seeing this, and its soul almost leaped out of its mouth in horror. It abruptly changed directions, trying to fly toward the oncoming giant wooden bird.

However, it had only managed to flap its wings once before a male voice suddenly sounded from behind it.

"Isn't it a little too late to be thinking about escape now?"

Before the voice had even trailed off, a large hand that was as pristine white as jade locked around the bird's neck, sending a bone-chilling sensation surging into its body.

Han Li had caught up to the bird using his Thunderstorm Wings, and attacked like lightning, locking his hand around the petrified bird's throat.

The bird shuddered, but it reacted quite quickly as it flapped its wings, sending countless feathers surging through the air. All of these feathers transformed into blades of wind that hurtled toward Han Li, and at the same time, the small feathers around its neck suddenly reared up with a metallic glean, attempting to cut into Han Li's hand like a series of sharp blades.

Black Qi flashed, and a suit of strange-looking armor appeared over Han Li's body. The wind blades struck the suit of armor amid the earsplitting sound of metal grating on the metal, only to be repelled in the end.

Meanwhile, the feathers around the bird's neck were unable to leave so much as a single scratch on Han Li's hand.

Han Li chuckled coldly, and before the Yellow Wind being had a chance to unleash any further abilities, his five fingers clamped together with enormous force, crushing the bird's neck with ease. At the same time, five-colored flames surged from his fingers in a frenzy, incinerating the bird to ashes in the blink of an eye.

Having just slain those three Yellow Wind beings in rapid succession, Han Li stood still on the spot and looked on at the approaching wooden bird with a frosty look in his eyes.

The three Yellow Wind beings sitting atop the wooden bird had naturally witnessed the process in which Han Li had slain their brethren, and all three of them had turned deathly pale.

Back when Han Li had slain the first Yellow Wind being, the three of them had flown into a thunderous rage, spurring on their wooden bird with all their might so they get to Han Li as quickly as possible and tear him apart with their bare hands. However, after witnessing Han Li killing the other two Yellow Wind beings in what seemed like the blink of an eye, the rage in the hearts of the remaining three Yellow Wind Race holy disciples had been completely replaced by horror. At the sight of Han Li casting his gaze over to them, all three Yellow Wind beings shuddered in unison. "Retreat! This man is unfathomably powerful; we're no match for him!" the woman with the highest cultivation base among them hurried ordered.

The other two nodded emphatically as they turned the wooden bird around with all their might before fleeing into the distance as a ball of piercing yellow light.

Han Li furrowed his brows slightly upon seeing this, but he showed no intention of giving chase. Instead, he flapped his wings and flew over to another spot. There, the silver disk treasure of the first Yellow Wind being he'd slain was hovering in mid-air. Han Li rustled a sleeve, and a burst of azure light shot forth before sweeping the disk up into his sleeve.

Following another loud thunderclap, Han Li reappeared beside Lei Lan and the others.

At this moment, Lei Lan and the others were still yet to retrieve their jaws that had dropped to the ground, and they were staring blankly at Han Li, unable to muster up even a single word.

With so many Yellow Wind beings arriving on the scene, they had thought that this was most likely going to be where they died. However, Han Li had taken care of three of them in mere seconds, and frightened away the remaining three with his devastating display of power.

And to think that Han Li was only a Spirit General as well; this was utterly insane!

"Let's go. It wouldn't be wise to stay here any longer," Han Li instructed in a calm voice.

Bai Bi was the first to recover from his astonishment, and he hurriedly replied, "Yes, whatever you say, Brother Han!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Bai Bi and Lei Lan had well and truly been won over by Han Li, and a hint of awe and veneration also appeared in Qin Xiao's eyes after her astonishment had subsided.

However, Han Li's expression and demeanor remained completely unchanged as he waved a hand toward the three holy disciples, then continued onward in silence.

The other three immediately followed along behind him as streaks of spiritual light.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, I recall that the Green Night Race sent more than one holy disciple. Where are the other fellow Daoists?" Lei Lan asked.

"Our race sent a total of three holy disciples, but we were attacked by several holy disciples from opposing branches after entering the second level, and the other two have all perished. I originally intended to try and sneak into the third level and perhaps obtain an Infernal Flame Fruit by some miraculous stroke of luck, but I encountered those Yellow Wind beings along the way, and was hunted all the way here," Qin Xiao replied with a bitter expression.

"Oh? Six Yellow Wind beings were deployed just to hunt you down?" Lei Lan asked with a meaningful look in her eyes.

Qin Xiao hesitated momentarily before elaborating in a careful voice, "Perhaps it's because I'm carrying several treasures from our race."

"I see." Lei Lan wanted to continue her line of questioning, but it didn't seem appropriate to do so.

However, Bai Bi suddenly interjected, "For the Yellow Wind Race to expend so much manpower; could it be that you're carrying one of the three paramount treasures of your race?"

Qin Xiao's expression changed slightly, and she was silent for a moment before giving a resigned admission. "I did indeed bring our race's Chaotic Flask with me."

"The Chaotic Flask? You mean the treasures capable of unleashing the power of chaos to combat enemies?" Both Bai Bi and Lei Lan stirred upon hearing this.

"Indeed. Without that treasure, a mere mid-Spirit General like me wouldn't have been able to escape from the Yellow Wind beings for so long. Unfortunately, every time I use this flask, it requires the expenditure of several Chaotic Crystals. Even though I took all of the crystals our Green Night Race had, I've exhausted the entire supply by now," Qin Xiao sighed.

Both Lei Lan and Bai Bi cast a glance toward Han Li upon hearing this.

However, Han Li didn't turn back even once this entire time, as if he couldn't even hear their conversation.

Seeing as Han Li was completely disinterested, Lei Lan and Bai Bi exchanged a glance before speaking no further on this matter. Instead, they began to discuss some other matters about the third level of the earth abyss with Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao heaved a massive internal sigh of relief upon seeing this.

The Green Night Race and the Tian Peng Race did indeed have an alliance agreement, but that was only a verbal agreement with no way to actually bind the two parties to the agreement. As such, with Han Li's insane abilities, she would be completely powerless to resist if he decided to take her treasures.

On the contrary, if she could win over Han Li as an ally, she would be a lot safer here in the earth abyss.

With that in mind, Qin Xiao showed no intention of leaving, instead choosing to chat with Lei Lan in an extremely friendly manner, trying her best to befriend the Tian Peng Race holy disciple.

Soon, they were as close as sisters, and Bai Bi couldn't help but furrow his brows upon seeing this.

Two days, later, the group finally emerged from the mountain ranges, having slain many waves of mid-grade and low-grade demon beasts along the way, only to emerge in a world of ice and snow.

Thus, they were forced to slow down and carefully survey the scenes up ahead.

There was a vast expanse of translucent black glaciers that extended for as far as the eyes could see, and countless black snowflakes were blown through the air amid gusts of frosty winds. Sharp cries could also be heard all around them, as if there were countless malicious ghosts wandering within the depths of these glacial lands.

From a distance, the land up ahead was completely black and devoid of light, as if it were leading straight into the underworld.

"This must be the renowned Baleful Glacial Lands of the second level. I've heard that there are many low-grade and mid-grade baleful glacial demons in here, and there are even some people who have occasionally encountered Baleful Glacial Demon Monarchs," Han Li murmured to himself.

"These are indeed the Baleful Glacial Lands, Brother Han. However, most of the demon beasts here have to yet to attain intelligence. As for Baleful Glacial Demon Monarchs, there have only been rumors about their existence here, and almost no one has actually seen them in person," Qin Xiao immediately replied.

"This place looks quite treacherous, but with our powers, it shouldn't be much of an issue for us to pass through it," Bai Bi said with a confident smile.

Han Li nodded before spreading his wings as he said, "Theoretically, this place isn't very dangerous, but the earth abyss beast torrent is imminent, so it's best to be more careful. Alright, let's go in."He sped to around twice his original speed, disappearing into the world of black ice and snow in just a few flashes.

Lei Lan and the others glanced at one another before quickly following suit.

From a distance, one could see streaks of spiritual light flashing through the air, but those streaks of light quickly disappeared into the darkness.

A rhinoceros-like demon beast that was over 100 feet tall crashed heavily to the ground amid a resounding boom, causing the nearby ground to tremor with its enormous weight.

Brilliant red light flashed, and several tens of red threads shot forth from within the rhinoceros' body before disappearing into the body of a humanoid figure in the air that was radiating red light. There were a few other winged humanoid figures hovering in the air, and one of them said in a loud voice, "Senior Martial Brother Zhu, your Crystal Flame Threads are becoming more and more powerful. This mid-grade Black Rhinoceros' skin is harder than that of even some high-grade demon beasts, yet you were still able to slay it with such ease. Surely even Fei Ye of the Nan Long Race doesn't possess such abilities."

The one who had attacked the demon beast was none other than Zhu Yinzi of the Chi Rong Race. The other people with him were naturally the other holy disciples of the same race.

The place that they were situated in was a round base with a radius of thousands of kilometers. They were surrounded by dense black forests, yet there was a patch of barren land stretching for over 50 kilometers at the center of the basin, and this entire stretch of land was covered in grey head-sized oval stones.

At the very center of this stretch of land was a black hole that was over 1,000 feet in size, leading deeper into the ground.

The Chi Rong beings were situated near this hole, and that Black Rhinoceros had clearly emerged from the forest nearby before being slain by Zhu Yinzi.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Chi Rongzi said, "Hmph, stop trying to suck up to me. We've waited here at this entrance for three or four days already, but we've only killed the holy disciples of another minor branch; the Tian Peng Race holy disciples still haven't turned up yet. It looks like they've either gone to one of the two other entrances or are still toiling away on the second level. Most of the other holy disciples have most likely entered the third level already. We have to kill these Tian Peng beings, but we can't give up on the Infernal Flame Fruits, either. How about this? Chi Tian, Hong Sha, you two follow me down to the third level; everyone else, continue to stand guard here. I'll bring back your Infernal Flame Fruits for you."

"Senior Martial Brother Zhu, the holy disciple with the Han surname from the Tian Peng Race seems to be quite powerful. Will we be sufficiently equipped to bring them down if we split up?" Chi Tian asked with a concerned expression.

Zhu Yinzi seemed to have considered this already, and he immediately assured, "Hehe, don't worry about that. Junior Martial Brother You's cultivation base isn't inferior to mine by much, and I'll leave our race's Falling Soul Bell with him. This bell attacks in a completely soundless and untraceable manner, and even Great Spirit Generals will be forced into submission if they were to be caught off guard. With Junior Martial Brother You unleashing sneak attacks from the shadows, there's no way anything can go wrong."

He then opened his mouth to expel a ball of green light, within which was contained an antiquated little bell that was around an inch tall.

He pointed a finger at the bell, and it abruptly disappeared, only to reappear above the head of a burly Chi Rong being in the next instant.

"Thank you for entrusting me with this treasure, Senior Martial Brother. I'll be sure to complete my assigned duty!" The man with the You surname caught the bell expressionlessly, and his voice was oddly sharp, akin to the sound of metal grating on metal.

Even though he was a man of few words, Zhu Yinzi seemed to be extremely confident in his abilities. As such, after a brisk nod, Zhu Yinzi waved a hand before entering the black hole with Chi Tian and Hong Sha closely behind him.

"Listen up! From now on, all of you have to conceal yourselves so you don't betray any signs of our presence here. I'll set up a concealment formation and hide in there. Once our targets arrive, I'll use the Falling Soul Bell to unleash a sneak attack against them. You can all show yourselves after that," the burly man instructed.

The man was clearly quite an authoritative figure among the Chi Rong Race holy disciples, and none of them stated any objections as they made hand seals or summoned their concealment treasures.

Everyone else disappeared in the blink of an eye while the burly man flew into the black hole. Thus, peace and quiet resumed, and it really was as if no one was present in the area.

Elsewhere on the second level, deep within a dense forest filled with massive dark green trees, there was a massive black and yellow pillar that was visible even from 50 kilometers away, standing atop a tall hill.

Upon closer inspection, one would discover that this so-called giant pillar was actually a massive plant with a diameter of around 500 meters. It was as if it had been constructed from countless vines twisted and intertwined together before extending all the way up into the sky.

There was not even a single blade of grass growing within a radius of several tens of kilometers around this plant, as if it were situated in a barren desert.

At this moment, there was a series of explosions erupting amid flashes of spiritual light of different colors at the foot of the plant.

There were Flying Spirit Race beings here, and they had been trapped at low altitudes nearby by tens of thousands of golden moths.

There were two groups of Flying Spirit Race beings here. One of them had a dozen or so members in each group, consisting of both male and female beings. However, all of them had black tattoos on their faces. Meanwhile, the other group consisted of only four members, but all four were remarkably tall and broad men with a massive blade strapped to each of their backs.

The fist-sized moths flying around them were all of a shimmering golden hue. None of them approached the Flying Spirit Race beings; they merely flapped their wings from afar to send waves of rainbow moth powder that sweeping toward them, cutting off all avenues for escape.

The moth powder appeared to be quite mundane, but the two groups of Flying Spirit Race beings didn't dare to let so much as a single speck of powder come into contact with their bodies. All of them were unleashing secret techniques and treasures in rapid succession to protect themselves.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

---

Read A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality - Chapter 1451: Small Beast and Ice Fiend online free - Novel Full

Of the Flying Spirit Tribe beings, only two stood still in the air and showed no intention of attacking.

One of them was short and skinny, the Sevenpass Race's Ao Qing. The other was a large dual-pupiled man. They both appeared quite indifferent and tightly frowned.

Seeing the rainbow moth dust that surrounded the area and that their attacks were unable to affect it, the tall man slowly said, "Fellow Daoist Ao, this is the first time a demon insect like the Gold Abyss Moth appeared on the Myriad Vine Path. The insect should only exist on the fourth level of the earth abyss. There is something different about the earth abyss, causing these deeper level demons to appear here."

Ao Qing coldly replied, "I already knew that. Since mid-grade demons can be encountered on the first level. It isn't much of a surprise to find Gold Abyss Moths here. Those old b*stards in the clan should be behind this, not us. But if you're still following me after we reach the third level, don't blame me if I cut you down."

The tall dual-pupiled man's gaze drifted off as he sullenly said, "Lady Ao is so heartless, but you've taken my heart nonetheless. I've already proposed marriage to your clan three times, but each time, you refused. Would the marriage solidify our clans' strength? And from the rumors, you seem to only wish to wed the strongest holy disciple of the races.

Could it be I still don't meet your standards?"

He was the Nan Long's Fei Ye, a character as famous as Zhu Yinzi and Ao Qing.

Ao Qing smirked, "That's right. The Sevenpass Race's holy disciples may only marry the strongest individuals of other branches. Others may not know about your skills, but I do. Your meager strength isn't enough for me to consider you. I may as well extinguish your vain hopes."

Glaring at Ao Qing, Fei Ye said, "I know that Fellow Daoist Ao's abilities are powerful, but I don't believe the difference is so vast. I also don't believe there are others more suitable than me.

If I am not considered, you must think of the others to be lesser as well. Or perhaps you fancy that Chi Rong youth named Zhu. In that case, I will find him and kill him."

"Zhu Yinzi? Hmph, he is suitable. If you feel dissatisfied, go and find him. However, I've also found someone else interesting during the gathering. Although I hadn't personally witnessed his power, I feel like his abilities are no lesser than mine."

"Which branch is he from? Tell me! I will go to this person. If his abilities are greater than mine, I'll leave you alone. But if he isn't, hehe..." Fei Ye's expression quickly became sinister.

The two spoke as if none of the other holy disciples were present, and they viewed the Gold Abyss Moths' attacks lightly.

With the surrounding moth dust suppressing them, the other holy disciples began to use their various abilities to protect themselves and slowly withdraw inch by inch. It appeared as if they wouldn't last much longer.

Ao Qing's expression stirred and she nodded, "It's fine if you want to test his abilities. That Tian Peng holy disciple seemed to be surnamed Han and his face is unfamiliar. I don't know much else about him."

Amazed, Fei Ye said, "The Tian Peng holy disciple? How could the holy disciple of that puny branch be so powerful?"

"That is hard to say," Ao Qing indifferently explained, "The Tian Peng are incredibly weak, but it's still possible for a genius to appear in their ranks. Don't forget that I've cultivated the most profound technique of the Sevenpass Race, the Seven Apertures Analysis Arts. Its efficacy isn't something the other tribe branches can hope to achieve.

Although I only looked at him from a distance, he gave me an unfathomable impression. If you truly pick a fight with him, try not to throw away your life."

Fei Ye forcefully said, "That's fine. But if you're mistaken, I'll be heading over to your clan when the trial is over and I'll ask again to wed you. Don't forget, your rite of transformation is only a few more years. This time, you won't have the opportunity to refuse me."

Ao Qing raised her head and snorted, "You actually know quite a bit. That's right, in three years I won't be able to delay my coming of age ceremony any further and my clan hasn't been able to find anyone in the same generation that is stronger than you. When we return, I will agree to your marriage proposal."

Fei Ye wildly laughed and sneered, saying, "Then it's agreed. If I do encounter that Han fellow on the third floor, it'd be for the best, but if I can't, I'll challenge him after we return. Since you have your sights on him, he shouldn't fail the trial."

"Do as you wish," Ao Qing glanced around and indifferently said, "These insects are somewhat irritating. Will you get rid of them or will I?"

"Hehe, leave it to me. It's only a slight effort!" the large man smiled and suddenly pressed his hand against the back of the sword. Suddenly, the sword hummed and surged to the sky, turning into a mass of dense golden light as it circled in the air.

Meanwhile, Fei Ye leaped forward, turning into a strange bird with a wyrm head and a whale tail.

He unfolded his wings and shot straight up. In several blurs, the large bird arrived at the mass of golden light and fused as one.

When the surrounding moths saw him emerge from their defenses, they let out cries as they directly swarmed towards him.

But before they drew close, countless clouds of dust rushed to the golden light ahead of them.

A deafening boom suddenly vibrated the air. Soon, the golden light surged several times in size and streaked downward in an expanding violent storm.

Layers and layers of incredibly dense dust were scorched away by the golden lightning, piercing through the dust clouds.

As for the large numbers of golden moths hiding behind the dust, they quickly perished as the light passed them by.

In the blink of an eye, nearly half of the moths had died.

The Gold Abyss Moths shrieked as they were massacred and their remaining numbers scattered in every direction.

When Ao Qing saw this, her expression sank and she muttered an incantation, summoning a huge black phantom behind her.

The phantom was blurry but it faintly resembled seven distinct heads, those from animals like apes and leopards, but each and every one of them appeared menacing.

With an incantation gesture, Ao Qing commanded the seven heads to slowly open their crimson eyes and widely opened their mouths.

A cloud of green mist violently streamed out of each of them, quickly spreading out to their farthest surroundings in the blink of an eye.

As the green clouds passed the moths by, they immediately ruptured in green flashes, leaving only a bloodmist behind.

Now, the Gold Abyss Moths were only a tenth of their number.

At that moment, the golden light in the air withdrew to reveal Fei Ye carrying a huge sword on his back.

He looked at Ao Qing's seven head phantoms with a trace of adoration on his face.

A nimble black figure flickered. Several crystalline black demons were torn to countless peaches in a wave of white clawstreaks, which promptly scattered them into black Qi.

The nimble figure cleanly absorbed the black Qi drifting in the air and promptly circled in the air before returning to Han Li. A kitten-like creature soon appeared on his shoulder, the Leopard Kirin Beast.

A beautiful woman, the Green Night Race's Qin Xiao, clicked her tongue in marvel as she watched from the side. She said, "I truly didn't expect Brother Han's spirit beast to deal with these ice fiends so efficiently. It acted before I could even sense they were there. Might I know the name of your spirit beast? This is the first time I've seen it."

Lei Lan and Bai Bi looked at the Leopard Kirin Beast with equal surprise.

Han Li stroked the small beast's soft head and smiled, "I'm not sure of its name myself. I came across this spirit beast on the outside. I didn't expect to be so fond of absorbing the ice fiend's Qi."

Not long after they entered the ice fiend area, the small beast sleeping with the Weeping Soul Beast in his pouch woke up and contacted Han Li through their spiritual sense connection.

Surprised to see that the beast wanted to quickly be let out, Han Li didn't dare to neglect it as it was incredibly capable in spite of its young age. Before any enemies appeared nearby, the beast quickly emerged from the ring.

Not long after it appeared, Han Li and the others were given a shock.

As soon as it emerged, it was not only actively awake, but it keenly sensed the ice fiends before they could fuse with the glaciers and before Han Li could sense them. The Leopard Kirin Beast promptly pounced with claws bared, slicing them into countless pieces and absorbing their remnant baleful Qi into its stomach with great joy.

Although the ice fiends didn't post a threat to them, the fiends were skilled at concealment. If they suddenly ambushed the party while they were least expecting it, it would prove incredibly troubling.

To prevent this, the Leopard Kirin Beast would simply scuttle away and let out a strange roar to the ice below, frightening away any ice fiends hiding in the deep ice sheet below.

Han Li wasn't only surprised by this, but the others also grew interested in the beast.

As such, the party continued on their way with the Leopard Kirin devouring over a thousand ice fiends. The beast's patterned yellow fur began to faintly shine with white light.

The beast's cultivation appeared to greatly progress.

As Han Li turned a blind eye to the beast's actions, he couldn't help but ponder to himself with chin in hand.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Because the Leopard Kirin Beast only had the strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator when he first tamed it, Han Li rarely sent it out against enemies. But after he gave it an unending supply of rare medicine pills, its cultivation made huge bounds and it now had the strength of a demon beast at the peak of grade ten. With another step, it would breakthrough and become a Deity Transformation-grade existence.

According to conventional reasoning, most grade eight demons would be subjected to lightning tribulation, gaining human form and full sentience.

However, a few variant spirit beasts and beasts of peculiar bloodlines are an exception to this rule. There were a few that underwent tribulation at a different rank, or those that didn't transform during their entire lifetime. But when these exceptions did acquire a transformation, their wisdom and abilities would far exceed those from beasts of similar grade, to the point where they would outright exterminate them.

The Leopard Kirin Beast was originally a strange beast that inherited the Kirin bloodline. Only the heavens knew if this was the opportunity it needed for a change or if a later opportunity would come.

But now it appeared, the ice fiend Qi gave the beast the chance to breakthrough the bottleneck to Deity Transformation-stage.

Han Li could only wryly laugh in his mind when he quickly realized what the beast was facing.

If the beast were to breakthrough any other time, it would be well received, but they were currently in the earth abyss. If the beast advanced during this period, it could provoke trouble. Lei Lan and the others didn't know the circumstances of the Leopard Kirin Beast, but the increasingly dazzling white light shining from its body and its growing aura amazed the party nonetheless.

At that moment, their party already threaded deep into the ice fiend territory. They've nearly traveled halfway through the area.

After the Leopard Kirin Beast devoured another mid-grade ice fiend, it crouched back down on Han Li's shoulder and closed its eyes drowsily. It was glowing with unending white light and roamed across its body in a blinding fashion.

At that moment, the party was flying past an icy mountain range when they came across an extremely long canyon. Black winds stormed in the skies above it, appearing as if only the canyon was safe to pass through.

Han Li and company wasn't surprised at all by this strange scene.

They've seen this several times on their journey already, and they made their way into the canyon without any hesitation.

The canyon wasn't very wide. It was only about a kilometer wide, but it was three thousand kilometers deep. With the addition of the black winds whistling above them, they felt an indescribable gloominess cloud their mood.

Fortunately, Han Li and company were unordinary people and didn't allow this strange atmosphere to cloud their thoughts.

But then, Han Li's expression stirred as he heard a roar and he couldn't help but turn his head.

The Leopard Kirin Beast crouching on his shoulder, stood up on its hind legs and widely opened its eyes. Its fur stood up on its back as if faced a great enemy.

Han Li was stunned. The beast encountered so many ice fiends, but it never reacted like this. Could it be that...

As the thought flashed through his mind, he came to a sudden stop.

The others stopped one after another behind him and began to look around with suspicion.

Without speaking a sword, Han Li looked ahead of him with blue light flickering from his eyes. Before the others could ask anything, he suddenly waved his hand in front of him.

Golden light shot out from his palm and sliced at the canyon's depths.

A huge boom erupted and golden light flashed through the darkness. It cleaved through the ice at the very bottom of the canyon, creating a narrow long crack.

A strange cry of pain sound from underground, followed by a violent burst of black Qi. In the blink of an eye, a thirty-meter-large ball of black mist had condensed.

"It's an Ice Fiend King! There is truly such a demon here!" Bai Bi cried out.

Lei Lan and Qin Xiao were immediately startled.

At that moment, the huge ball of mist spun in the air, gathering up countless shards of ice towards it from every direction.

Black light blindingly shined as a sixty-meter-large black ice phoenix flew out from the mist. Its body was crystalline black and its eyes glared black, rigidly staring at Han Li.

No, it was actually staring at the Leopard Kirin Beast on Han Li's shoulder as if it were its nemesis.

The Leopard Kirin Beast snarled, excitement clear in its green eyes.

Han Li raised his brow and pondered.

Then he grabbed the small beast from his shoulder, and to the shock of everyone, he mustered his strength, throwing the beast high into the air.

Han Li promptly spread his wings and disappeared in a flash of azure-white lightning, only to leave a clap of thunder behind.

In the next moment, thunder rang above the ice phoenix, followed by Han Li's swift appearance. His shoulder blurred and a chain of afterimages passed by the phoenix as he made his way below it.

The ice phoenix paused in surprise, soon letting out a cry of anger. It stretched out its claws to crush Han Li, a meager insect in its eyes.

The black three-meter-long claws immediately grabbed a hold of Han Li.

However, Han Li didn't seem to care. His hands blurred as black-white fists left a torrent of afterimages above him.

Booms deafened without end as black-white light erupted from the claws.

The two huge claws began to break before shattering like porcelain. They crumbled inch by inch until they were no more.

The black ice phoenix let out a worldshaking shriek. It opened its mouth and a black torrent of wind emerged. In the blink of an eye, the attack was about to submerge him from above.

But Han Li only blinked as the black wind passed him by, and he suddenly vanished.

The ice phoenix couldn't help but look around to see where he went.

At that moment, a gentle wind blew from behind the black winds to reveal a silent figure.

The figure stirred, arriving at the ice phoenix's back with ghost-like agility. His black-white fists flashed as he struck down ice phoenix's back with vicious power.

Two huge explosions followed. Black-white halos of light ripped out from the impact, completely enveloping the phoenix's body.

It didn't react in the slight. The huge phoenix began to crack like its claw and shatter in a rain of ice shards.

The large black mist reappeared in the air, taking a formless shape and flickering with a strange black light.

With a rustle of wind, a small silhouette appeared, pouncing at the black mist. It hugged it with its limbs and it began to feast. Its nose snorted with clear excitement. This was the Leopard Kirin Beast that Han Li had tossed high into the air.

After the beast fell, it saw that the ice phoenix formed from the black mist was shattered. Of course, it wasn't about to turn away from such a great prize! It happily leaped forward and began to devour the mist.

Since the black mist was a so-called ice fiend demon king, it was unwilling to be eaten by this small beast by all accounts. Not only did it lash out with black tentacles, but it also began to gather up black ice from the ground in an attempt to condense another body.

However, the black tentacles were easily resolved with a swipe of the Leopard Kirin's claws.

As for the black ice, Han Li waved his hand, sending countless embers to melt them away.

It only took Han Li the span of a few breaths to shatter the black ice phoenix.

Although it wasn't the first time the party saw Han Li in action, they couldn't help to feel completely touched as this display of might. Their exceptions vastly changed.

As the Leopard Kirin Beast stood on top of the black Qi cloud, it appeared completely helpless and unable to move.

In the blink of an eye, nearly half of the black cloud was devoured.

Afterwards, the small beast let out a roar and its body wildly flashed with light. Then, it leaped off the black Qi and crouched on the ground.

With a faint change of expression, Han Li flipped his hand and summoned a white jade bottle. He pointed it to the remnants of the black Qi and muttered an incantation.

The jade bottle twirled and its lit flipped, spouting out an azure mist.

The mist roiled and gathered up the remaining strands of black Qi before absorbing them back into the bottle.

Bai Bi and the others couldn't help but show a trace of envy.

Although the ice fiend was called a demon king, in truth an ordinary Deity Transformation-grade existence could easily deal with it. However, they were also rarely seen. The pure Qi of an ice fiend demon king could be used to refine pills, tools, or even cultivate secret techniques. It was far more valuable than the Qi of a common ice fiend.

However, since the demon was defeated by Han Li, they didn't dare to complain.

A short moment later, the remaining ice fiend Qi was completely absorbed into the jade bottle.

Han Li waved his hand, retrieving the bottle in a streak of white, and had it disappear into his sleeve.

At that moment, he glanced at the Leopard Kirin Beast with a trace of worry.

It was curled up with white light repeatedly pulsing from its body as its eyes drooped.

As Han Li was connected to its mind, he could sense the beast's excitement, fear, and anxiousness all mixed into one.

He sighed and slowly descended from the sky. He landed at the side of the beast and knelt down.

He rubbed the beast's head and stroked its soft fur. Afterwards, he attempted to calm it with his spiritual sense.

The Leopard Kirin Beast licked Han Li's hand with its pink tongue and began to gradually calm down.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

At that moment, the line of white light lit up from the pitch-black sky. Soon, they scattered and white motes of light began to slowly drift down.

Meanwhile, the white light on the surface of the Leopard Kirin Beast began to turn pink.

A wondrous fragrance began to emit from this body, arousing a sense of deep hunger to those that smelled it. It was as if the Leopard Kirin Beast had turned into a rare delicacy.

Baffled by the actions of Han Li and the small beast, Bai Bi and the others were startled when they caught the scent.

"The scent of blackened meat! Brother Han, your spirit beast is about to advance," Bai Bi said with a changed expression.

Han Li stroked the small beast's fur a few more times before standing up, "That's right, I'll need to stay here for the day."

With an unsightly expression, Bai Bi said, "The advancement of a spirit beast is a happy occasion, but it is inconvenient to happen here. Once the scent spreads, all the demons in the ice fiend territory will gather. If we're not careful, a powerful high-grade demon could appear and put us in danger."

An icy glint flashed from Han Li's eyes as he indifferently said, "I know that, of course. Brother Bai, would you have me leave my spirit beast here?"

"I didn't mean that, only..." When Bai Bi heard Han Li's unfriendly tone, he tried to explain himself.

Han Li waved his hand and said with a resolute tone, "Regardless, if you feel it is dangerous, you may leave but I will stay."

When they heard him, Bai Bi and the others looked at each other in dismay and they couldn't help but wryly smile.

They didn't find Han Li's attitude out of the ordinary. They couldn't persuade him to choose them over his evolving spirit beast over them with words alone.

At that moment, Han Li didn't pay attention to the other three and busied himself with other matters.

The small beast's advancement will take at least an entire day. During this period, the scent it emitted would attract the nearby demons. Of course, since this was the ice fiend territory, the most demons would be ice fiends.

Azure light flashed from his body as he soared into the air. He swept his hand past his storage pouch and summoned piles of formation flags and plates.

He lifted them all with a single hand. Tens of streaks of light scattered in every direction, vanishing into the air without a trace.

A chain of explosions sounded from the ground as ten pillars of red light rose from the ice. Soon after, a hundred-meter-wide spell formation was erected over the icy ground.

The spell formation contained strange designs and scarlet talisman characters.

A scorching aura spread out, filling the air with a burnt scent.

This was a fire-attributed formation set that Han Li spent many spirit stones to acquire back in Deep Heaven City. It was called the "Encompassing Flame Death Formation".

Once it was laid down, when a Deity Transformation cultivator entered the formation, the formation was powerful enough that they wouldn't be able to immediately break out. It would be even more devastating towards ice-attributed demons.

However, Han Li didn't stop there. He formed an incantation gesture and had seventy-two small golden swords fly out his body and above his head. They hummed as they turned into hundreds of identical golden lights.

After a chant, Han Li pointed to the dense mass of swordlights.

Suddenly, the hundreds of golden lights scattered and flickered out of sight.

This was the Grand Aureate Sword Formation.

With his cultivation at the peak of Deity Transformation, even a late Spatial Tempering cultivator wouldn't be able to escape unharmed. As for whether he'd be able to restrict a Body Integration cultivator, it'd be hard to say. He'd have to test it out first.

With that done, Han Li floated above the spell formation and narrowed his eyes in through before shaking his sleeve.

A ball of silver flame flew out, turning into a silver bird with a cry. It circled once into the air before diving into the ice.

Han Li then raised his hand and summoned the triangular spirit carriage he used previously.

The spirit carriage floated motionlessly above the spell formation and Han Li sat cross-legged inside it, resting his eyes.

At that moment, the specks of white light gathered, thoroughly gathering around the small beast and the scent it released became even more alluring. Even Han Li's grand formations wasn't able to stop the scent from escaping it.

The captivating fragrance and quickly spread to the distant darkness.

Lei Lan and the other three were quietly talking with each other, deciding whether to fly away and say in the spirit carriage.

The three didn't want to deal with a frantic demon assault, but from the previous dangers they encountered, they would find it difficult to enter the third level, let alone find an Infernal Flame Fruit.

As such, the three could only force themselves to face the demons.

Fortunately, Han Li had made ample preparations and they viewed Han Li as someone of profound mystery. So long as they didn't face any excessively powerful demons, it was acceptable to remain there for the day.

As time slowly passed, the white motes that drifted down from the sky became larger and fell in greater number, concealing the small beast entirely.

The Leopard Kirin Beast had finally broken its silence and let out soft groans of pain inside the white light.

Qin Xiao looked at the white light and muttered, "The beast's advancement is much different from others. Each time, its body will be greatly strengthened unlike us from the Flying Spirit Tribe."

"That's true, but the pain of cleansing one's essence and meridians isn't something we can handle," Lei Lan added with a smile.

Bai Bi then raised his brow, looking at the distant dark canyon with a solemn expression.

At the moment, it was rather too peaceful. Apart from some faint whistling winds, they heard no other sounds. And the beast's fragrance had already spread far, at least fifty kilometers away.

Bai Bi felt ill at east and couldn't help to glance at Han Li. He had his eyes shut and appeared serene.

Bai Bi blinked and he thought to say something when Han Li opened his eyes, revealing a bright crystalline glint from his eyes.

Meanwhile, rustles began to sound from the darkness as if countless things were flocking in their direction.

In that next moment, all of the other three ceased their whispering and watched what was happening.

Countless red eyes were glowing through the darkness. A swarm of foot-tall black silhouettes began to pounce forward.

Their bodies glowed back and they moved with great speed as their limbs rustled.

This swarm of malevolent creatures were ice spiders. At a glance, the spiders seemed endless, filling the entire canyon in an instant.

However, these were the lowest level of ice fiend demons. Since Han Li didn't need to deal with them, Qin Xiao let out a shout and waved her sleeve, releasing a dozen green lights onto the spiders.

Several booms later, a dozen three-meter-tall puppets appeared amongst the spiders.

These puppets appeared to be huge lizards. With only faint movements, the lizards began to release beams of green lights from their mouths.

The spiders seemed to melt away like evaporating dew as the green light passed them by.

The puppets were standing in a line and simply moved their heads as they launched their attacks, preventing the ice spiders from moving forward even a single step. In the blink of an eye, countless piles of dead spiders littered the ground.

However, the spiders were truly too great in number. Even with the incisive beams of green light, they eventually began to advance slowly in complete disregard of their lives.

Under this unceasing assault, the spirit stones in the puppets began to dwindle in power. Soon, the puppets' beams began to dim in light and could no longer hold the spiders back.

As such, the spiders soon broke through the line and approached the puppets.

Pu. Pu. Countless black threads shot out from the spiders and enveloped the puppets thoroughly. The threads then dragged the puppets to the ground, rendering them entirely still.

Within the carriage, Qin Xiao was somewhat alarmed, but she merely whispered, "You don't need to take action. Hand over these small things to me. Soon after, the woman flew up in a green ball of light and arrived before the ice spiders in front of the grand formation.

The spiders immediately sensed her and they hissed, releasing countless black threads into the air.

Qin Xiao's expression sank. Suddenly, a dark green flame emerged from her body. When the black threads touched her, they combusted into smoke.

The woman shouted and straightened her arm. A green fire sword appeared in her hand and she swung down.

A huge wave of flames suddenly spread out from the strike. With a huge explosion, a three-meter-wide trench appeared in front of the spiders. Green flames still burned inside it, turning the spiders that touched it into ash in just a moment.

Qin Xiao faintly smiled at the sight and just as she thought to expand the trench, furious cries sounded from the distance, followed by the appearance of several three-meter-tall bodies.

Under closer examination, the woman's expression changed.

The huge figures were giant four-headed spiders. Each one was covered in black fur with sharp fangs from each of their mouths, each of them roaring.

Qin Xiao raised her brow and bluntly waved her fire sword at them.

In that instant, a series of black light roamed across their bodies, creating a pair of black cicada wings.

With a tremble, their wings took them into the air.

Qin Xiao's relaxed expression instantly changed when she saw this.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

When Lei Lan saw this, she frowned and turned to Bai Bi, saying, "These will be troublesome. I'll lend Older Sister Qin a hand."

With that said, golden light flashed from her body and she flew out of the carriage.

But Bai Bi raised his hand to stop Lei Lan and forced a smile, saying, "Junior Martial Sister Lei, you don't need to help Lady Qin. We have other things to deal with.

Lei Lan was startled and looked off in the direction Bai Bi was pointing.

At another edge of the darkness, a large swarm of demon wolves was silently approaching. From a glance, one could only see their fur. Their true number was unknown.

Meanwhile, cries sounded from a different direction.

Lei Lan looked over and saw black silhouettes moving. They were a large group of three-meter-tall ice apes. Their fur was extremely long and somewhat curled, but they held wood or stone clubs in hand. They also had menacing fangs hanging from their mouths.

"I'll deal with the wolves. I'll leave the ice apes over to Senior Martial Brother Bai." Lei Lan gave a quick response before hurrying off in a silver bolt of lightning.

Thunder clapped above wolves as a dozen bolts of lightning struck down.

The silver lightning swept past the wolves, leaving them scorched and trembling on the ground.

Bai Bi shook his head and gave Han Li a salute before flying off in a streak of light.

A short moment later, the apes became restless and a ball of golden light erupted from the sky. Countless golden threads spread downward.

Miserable screams echoed. Golden light flashed across the apes, piercing holes through them and spilling blood across the ground.

The wolves and apes were only low-grade demons and didn't prove a match to the two. But in a swarm, there were bound to be a few capable mid-grade demons. They could only slowly deal with them.

Han Li watched this from the spirit carriage and his expression stirred. He pondered whether the three should return and he would deal with these demons using the might of the grand formation.

But at that moment, a peculiar sound rang through the air, signalling that something has arrived.

Blue light flashed from his eyes and he attentively looked in the distance and his expression sank.

He saw over a hundred ice fiends of varying form flying through the air. Their bodies were a sparkling black and ranged from thirty meters to only a foot in size. From their aura, they appeared to be mid-grade demons.

These demons appeared excited and were rushing over to the grand formation, clearly attracted by the Leopard Kirin Beast's scent.

Han Li coldly chuckled and stood motionlessly in place. The demons quickly arrived before the grand formation and they strangely buzzed as they rushed into the formation towards the small beast at its center.

Han Li only took action when he saw nearly half of the flying ice demons enter the formation.

He flipped his hand to produce a three-inch-large sparkling scarlet formation flag. He immersed the flag with the entirety of his magic power and quickly pointed downward.

A crackle sound as a beam of red light disappeared into the spell formation.

A huge rumbling sounded as the ten pillars at the edge of the spell formation trembled. Once the talisman characters appeared, mists of red light began to gather around the formation and completely envelop the ice fiends.

In their fright, the demons either spat out icy white winds or spread out their wings to summon black snow and hail.

But regardless of their abilities, when red light swept past them, they turned to ash, melting away as if they were thawing ice.

In the blink of an eye, the demons inside the spell formation vanished, leaving only clouds of ice fiend Qi lingering in the air.

The remaining demons outside the spell formation were alarmed.

There were a few that didn't want to leave because of the scent and lingered outside the formation, but those that were smarter quickly took off.

Han Li raised his brow and opened his mouth, spitting out a ball of azure light that contained a small azure cauldron.

The cauldron spun in the air and pulsed with light, expanding to three meters in size.

A bang sounded as Han Li slapped his palm on top of the cauldron.

The cauldron droned, instantly shooting its lid into the air. A swarm of azure threads shot out from it and strangely vanished into space itself.

A short moment later, space warped near the ice fiend demon lingering outside the formation, and countless azure threads shot out in every direction. The ice demons were skewered. Even those that fled earlier weren't able to escape the threads.

Once the threads faded away, the corpses fell to the ground in fragments.

With Han Li's increase in cultivation, the might of the Heavenvoid Cauldron was also vastly different.

The others also used their various abilities to slay the mid-grade demons and eventually repelled the swarm of demons.

Lei Lan and Qin Xiao returned to the carriage and clicked their tongues in wonder. "I didn't expect there were so many demons in the ice fiend territory. Who knows what else is hiding."

In a flash of golden light, Bai Bi returned to the carriage. He chuckled and slowly said, "An area this large is bound to conceal much. However, these were only the nearby demons. Soon, demons from farther away will come. There may be a few high-grade demons among them.

When Han Li heard this, he remained calm.

Not long after, howls sounded from all around them. Various demons had appeared again and were rushing the formation.

This time, Han Li didn't have the other three head out. Instead, he activated the restrictions of the grand formation. Any of the demons that entered the formation were given a painful death, turning to ash as red mist swept past them.

Time slowly passed as they were besieged by waves of demons and half a day passed.

During this time, only one high-grade demon appeared. However, Han Li decisively activated the Grand Aureate Sword Formation and made short work of it.

After this, no other powerful demons had appeared for some time.

Han Li and the others were happy to spend time peacefully.

Six hours later, when the Leopard Kirin Beast's scent had begun to wane and a murder of strange crows was charging into the spell formation, the crows suddenly fled without warning.

Just as Han Li observed this, he heard heavy footsteps thud from a distance away.

Each step caused the ground to shake and it was slowly growing closer.

Lei Lan and the others glanced at each other with astonishment.

As for Han Li, he narrowed his eyes as blue light flickered from them.

A short moment later, a kilometer tall dark-green colossus walked out from the darkness.

As soon as it could be seen, Bai Bi gravely shouted, "A Green Wood Demon! It's a Green Wood Demon!"

The demon before them was quite peculiar.

Its huge figure was half-man, half-deer. Its surface appeared emerald green as if it were chopped out of a tree. And the green leaves and flowers growing on top of it also appeared quite comical.

However, the demon was holding a pair of huge hammers the size of hills, stifling any laughter about its appearance.

Bai Bi quickly glanced at Han Li and said, "No matter. Although it may be large and powerful, the Green Wood Demon, but its body is cumbersome. So long as we don't let it strike with its weapons, it is no threat."

However, the three only saw Han Li's sullen expression. This was the first time he showed such an expression since the beginning of the demon assault.

"Brother Han, you..." When the others saw this, they were bewildered.

After some silence, Han Li said, "If it were only this demon, it would be easily dealt with. But the demon standing on its head might be a problem."

"There's another one?" Frightened, the others quickly looked on top of the giant's head.

Under closer examination, they eventually made out another demon.

It was only two feet tall, appearing to be a long-haired dwarf with green robes. He held a cane in one hand and stood motionlessly on top of the giant. Most of his body was concealed by vegetation, so it was no wonder he wasn't easily discovered.

When the demon saw Han Li and the others had discovered him, the dwarf hadn't opened his eyes and arrogantly said, "I know you are from the Flying Spirit Tribe and have some abilities. However, you are no match for me at your level of cultivation. So long as you obediently hand over the evolving spirit beast to me, I will immediately leave. Otherwise, you will die here."

Lei Lan and the others looked at each other in dismay at his arrogant tone and uncertain abilities.

Han Li's eyes flickered, but when he saw the opponent's cultivation, he couldn't help but sigh.

It was no wonder he spoke so arrogantly. To control a high-grade demon like the Green Wood Demon, he had the fearsome cultivation of a mid Spatial Tempering stage. Ordinary Flying Spirit Tribe holy disciples wouldn't prove a match against him. But to Han Li, so long as he didn't have any heaven-defying abilities, he wouldn't be a strong match against Han Li. Too lazy to respond, Han Li held his arms behind his back and looked at him with a mysterious smile.

Bai Bi and the others felt apprehensive, but they tactfully kept quiet as Han Li was their leader.

When the dwarf saw this, he was enraged and opened his white eyes. He coldly said, "Since you choose death, allow me to take you there!"

The dwarf tapped his cane on the giant below him.

The demon let out a bellowing roar and stepped toward the grand formation in large steps.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Han Li coldly watched as the huge demon took a few steps forward, betraying no emotion from his face.

Only a bit closer and the Green Wood Demon would enter the range of his Aureate Sword Formation. He would release it without reserve and slay both demons in a single attack.

At that moment, red light flashed from the distant sky, followed by a howling cry.

Three balls of blood light appeared from the dark and streaked in their direction.

When the dwarf saw this, his expression vastly changed. He tapped his cane on the wood demon and turned his head to face the crimson streaks. A trace of astonishment appeared on his face.

After several thuds sound, the Green Wood Demon stopped right outside the Aureate Sword Formation

Han Li frowned, but when he saw this new development, he also turned to look at the distance.

The other three appeared apprehensive at the new demons that appeared.

The three crimson streaks were incredibly fast, travelling near them at lightning speed. The light faded away to reveal three foot-tall silhouettes.

These small people had delicate faces and one couldn't make out their age, but they wore peculiar red armor, dense talisman characters appeared on the surface of their faces, their skin gleamed scarlet, and they smelled of rotting blood.

The three emotionlessly swept their gaze around them before setting their glowing eyes on Han Li.

Han Li narrowed his eyes and felt an icy chill spread across his body. It was as if three vipers were staring at him.

When the demon saw the silhouettes, his complexion paled and his eyes were filled with awe, "Blood puppets! They're the puppet incarnations of Lord Di Xue!"

"Blood puppets? Di Xue?" Han Li's mind quickly stirred, but he found the name unfamiliar.

The three small figures stared at Han Li for a long while before a harsh expression appeared on their faces. They opened their mouths and released three blood-red beams at Han Li.

Although Han Li was already prepared, furious alarm still range through his mind as the attack came with no warning.

He instantly reacted, raising his hand and summoning a grey mist in front of him. At that same time, black Qi burst from his body to create a simple black armor.

Three muffled pops sounded.

The three beams of blood light was only stalled by the Divine Essensefused Light for a moment before piercing through and striking Han Li's baleful armor.

The blood light swayed as it struck, gradually dimming to reveal three bowl-sized holes through the armor and directly striking his chest.

Lei Lan and the others turned bloodlessly pale when they saw this, but what happened next left them even more dumbstruck.

Thunder rang from Han Li's chest and boomed, revealing blood light clashing against golden-silver lightning and cancelling each other out.

The attack was blocked in the end by Han Li's lightning robes.

Even so, Han Li was still greatly frightened and his face suddenly sank. He coldly snorted and released clouds of black Qi, instantly mending the three large holes in his baleful armor.

If his baleful armor hadn't scattered the power of the three beams of blood light, he feared his lightning robes wouldn't have been able to block it.

Seeing that their attacks didn't succeed, the three blood puppets hadn't betrayed any emotion. Light simply flickered from their back as pairs of blood-red wings unfolded, and they immediately vanished.

Han Li felt his heart tremble. Before he could react, the nearby space fluctuated and the three silhouettes flickered into existence.

Their hands blurred, slicing at the air with a long crimson saber in each hand. Three bright red crescents streaked out from the swords towards Han Li, completely ignoring any of the others.

As the puppets had a thread of their master's spiritual sense within them, it determined that the only threat present was Han Li and that the others would collapse at the first blow.

Han Li let out a furious shout and the wings on his back shook. With a clap of thunder, he disappeared.

A short moment later, he reappeared sixty meters away in a flash of azure-white lightning.

At nearly the same time, three crimson lights flashed in his direction. The three small figures reappeared and performed seemingly the same attack, but this time, their sabers transformed into a barrage of countless blood streaks surrounding him.

With a face as cold as ice, golden light flashed from Han Li's body to reveal a layer of sparkling golden scales on his flesh. At that same time, he let out a huge shout, striking out with his black and white palms. In the blink of an eye, they turned into intertwining black-white palm projections.

Metallic clangs and screeches sounded as a result. The barrage of crimson streaks struck Han Li's palm, but they wailed in scattered as if repelled by an immense force.

The three puppets felt pushback from the huge force through their blades and were each pushed back ten meters.

Crimson light wildly flickered from their bodies before they regained their balance, but when they raised their heads, they were stunned.

Han Li had vanished from his original location.

In an instant, Han Li had blinked back to his original location on the spirit carriage.

The three figures eventually lowered their heads and found them, but Han Li simply sneered. With his hands quickly forming an incantation gesture, he began to chant.

The nearby space let out a loud clear cry as golden threads began to flicker and shine, surrounding the three blood puppets tightly.

This was the Grand Aureate Sword Formation Han Li originally placed down.

The might of the sword formation vastly increased along with his cultivation. The originally slow sword threads were now surging with greater speed. However, they still definitely couldn't be considered very fast.

When the three blood puppets saw this, their eyes roiled and their wings stirred as they strangely vanished from the air.

It appeared they wanted to employ a secret technique and escape the sword formation. However, something as mysterious as the Aureate Sword Formation wasn't about to let them escape.

Three drones sounded from the edge of the formation where a hundred golden threads lashed out.

Crimson light immediately appeared and the three silhouettes were forced to appear. The three puppets were instantly shredded into countless pieces as if they were destroyed.

Even the dwarf was left dumbstruck by the scene.

The dwarf quickly realized something and immediately had the wood demon below him to slowly retreat.

As an indigenous creature of the earth abyss, the dwarf understood how fearsome the blood puppets were. He couldn't prove a match against the combined forces of the three blood puppets, so he abandoned any thoughts of laying hands on the Leopard Kirin Beast.

But at that moment, a strange scene appeared from the sword formation.

It appeared the shredded fragments of the crimson puppet were glowing and turning into blood drops. They then gathered together to form three fist-sized balls of blood, filling the air with their rotten scent.

As soon as they appeared, they spun and gradually turned back into their blood puppet form.

Han Li wasn't surprised by this and simply pointed at the center of his sword formation with an odd expression.

A rustle sounded and a silver firebird flew out from the ground. As it approached the puppets with a flicker, it exploded, separating into three bowl-sized balls of silver flame.

With a muffled boom, the silver flames truck the blood balls heads one.

The silver flames surged high and completely enveloped the blood balls. As the flames burned, a scorched scent filled the air, followed by miserable screams.

The balls of silver flames wildly knocked against the edges of the sword formation like a headless fly.

Although Han Li was watching this expressionlessly, he was inwardly shocked.

He had a great understanding of the might of his Spirit Engulfing Flames. When an ember of it caught on his opponent, they should turn to ash in an instant. However, these blood puppets were able to endure.

However, the flame's overbearing power became clear to see as the blood balls were soon thoroughly burned away.

With their blood turning to ash, the puppets could no longer reform.

Han Li waved his hand. The balls of silver flames fused back into one, returned to him as a firebird, and vanished into his sleeve.

His expression stirred as if he sensed something and looked to the side.

He saw that the huge Green Wood Demon had unknowingly retreated a kilometer away. When the dwarf saw that Han Li was looking at him, he felt his heart pound and whistled without another thought.

The silent wood demon suddenly glowed with green light and began to run away with large steps without any regard to stealth.

As a colossus, the demon blurred several times before disappearing into the darkness.

"You want to leave?" Han Li muttered. He then opened his mouth and summoned a small cauldron glowing with azure light.

At that moment, a weak beast howl sounded from underneath the spirit carriage.

When Han Li heard this, he was overjoyed, but he looked to the distant wood demon with some hesitation before taking back the Heavenvoid Cauldron back into his stomach. Afterwards, his figure blurred and he appeared on top of the spirit carriage.

A short moment later, he nimbly stepped onto the ground and stood next to his spirit beast which was still wrapped in white light.

At that moment, the fragrance being emitted had grown much dimmer.

Through his spiritual sense connection with the beast, he already sensed that its advancement was on the verge of completion. He now had another source of strength.

He took a deep breath and stretched his hand forward into the white light, putting the Leopard Kirin Beast within it.

At that same moment, a wave of pure spiritual energy entered the small beast's body.

Azure light brightly shined from Han Li's body and his expression turned grave.

The other three in the spirit carriage all let out a long sigh, seeing that matters had concluded. They looked at each other with a face of deep relief.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

What shocked Lei Lan and the others the most was how Han Li faced two powerful enemies, slaying one with ease and sending the other running away in fright.

The three hadn't known that the blood puppets were actually as strong as low-grade Great Spirit Generals, or they would've been even more shocked.

As for the other demons, they no longer came. Han Li was simply spending this time assisting his spirit beast in the last step of its advancement while Lei Lan and company recovered their strength in the spirit carriage.

Two hours later, white light wildly flashed from the ground and a roar crossing between a dragon and a tiger sounded out.

As for Han Li who stretched his hand through the light, his expression changed and his figure blurred as he shot away in a chain of afterimages.

Immediately after, a golden figure flew out from the white light. It spun in the air and revealed a thirty-meter-long phantom. Its body sparkled gold from the scales covering its body. It was a golden Kirin beast.

Although the Kirin beast was only a phantom, when it raised its head, it let out a majestic roar, releasing an astonishing pressure into the air. Even Han Li, who originally stood firm, couldn't help but take a step back with a changed expression.

However, the phantom was short-lived as it slowly faded away.

And the small beast emerged from the white light underneath.

As of current, the Leopard Kirin Beast didn't look much different than it did before, but there were now golden stripes on its fur and its eyes shimmered with sparkling silver.

In a blur, the Leopard Kirin Beast vanished from its original location.

At that same moment, Han Li felt a slight weight on his chest and something quite soft.

He lowered his head to find that the newly advanced demon had leaped on top of him.

It beamed at him with its enchanting eyes and licked the back of his hand with its pink tongue.

Han Li wordlessly swept his spiritual sense past the small beast and joy soon lit up on his face.

As expected, the small beast succeeded in its advancement and now possessed Deity Transformation cultivation.

As for the beast's innate abilities and its Kirin Bloodline, it proved far stronger than other beasts of the same cultivation and would prove to be a rare helper.

The small beast yawned inside Han Li's embrace, appearing quite tired. Its recent advancement had been quite difficult for it and it needed to quickly rest.

With a flip of his hand, Han Li produced a red medicine pill in his hand and put it in its mouth before lightly patting it.

Then in an azure flash, the beast vanished back into his storage bracelet where it soundly slept.

The three in the spirit carriage unconsciously glanced at each other when they saw the Kirin phantom and wore awed expressions.

Although the Flying Spirit Tribe believed in the true spirit of birds, Kirins and other existences were held in reverence by the other tribes as they were True Spirit level existences.

They were truly shocked that Han Li's spirit beast had the bloodline of a Kirin True Spirit.

At that moment, Han Li's expression stirred and he soared into the air as an azure streak. Rainbow streaks flew out from the ground as the formation flags and plates in the surrounding area flew up.

With all the formation tools in his sleeve, the ten crimson pillars emerging from the ground vanished and completely disappeared.

In an azure flash, Han Li appeared inside the spirit carriage and calmly said, "We don't have much time. Let's head to the third level as quickly as we can."

Bai Bi and company raised no objections, all nodding in agreement.

As for the triangular spirit carriage, Han Li tapped his foot on its floor, commanding it to streak forward. With several white flashes, the carriage blurred and vanished into the darkness.

In the deepest level of the earth abyss, when the three blood puppets were devoured by the Spirit Engulfing Flames, a crimson-robed person sitting in a hidden room in the mountain suddenly sensed something. He opened his eyes and let out a yelp.

With a harsh expression, a trace of malice appeared from his eyes, "My blood puppets are exterminated along with my threads of spiritual sense. How can this be? Could it be that others have involved themselves with my bounty?"

The man stroked his chin and muttered, "No matter, I fear it'll be too late to send more puppets. I won't let a meager spirit general-grade existence have me personally have me go to the upper levels."

A short while later, he shook his sleeve and released a ball. It spun in the air as it floated in front of him.

He formed an incantation gesture and pointed at the ball with his free hand. It quickly surged with crimson light and began to softly hum.

Eventually, a cold woman's voice spoke, "Di Xue, why did you contact me?" The voice spoke without a trace of politeness.

"Hehe, I wish to perform a trade with Fellow Daoist Mu Qing." The crimson-robed man chuckled.

"What is it?" The woman said with surprise.

'It's nothing," the man casually said, "I want to borrow your subordinates, the high Great Spirit General grade blood wyrm."

The woman astonishedly asked, "The blood wyrm? What are you doing with them? I need them to find me blood feed for the sacrifice."

The man said, "I need them to exterminate a few spirit general-grade Flying Spirit Tribe beings. They're at the second level so it's too late for me to personally deal with them. There is no teleportation formation that can send me there so I can only rely on you."

After some silence, the woman snorted and indifferently said, "Why do you need the blood wyrm for a few spirit generals? I don't care what you're planning to do with my blood wyrm, but it'll be fine if you give me that spirit concealing wood. Otherwise, consider the matter null."

The man calmly said, "That's fine, but I do have one request. I want the soul of the flying spirit tribe beings. After you kill them, have the blood wyrm deliver them to me."

"That is a small matter. Send their appearances and locations over to me," the woman said with a softer tone.

"Of course. It'll just be a moment." The man extended his finger to the pearl and gently closed his eyes, sending the information with his spiritual sense.

A short moment later, the man withdrew his fingers and opened his eyes, "I have you their most recent location. You should be able to easily find them with your blood wyrm. I will be awaiting good news."

"As they are only spirit general existences, it won't take up much time. But if your information isn't accurate..." The woman then coldly laughed with a deep tone.

"If it isn't accurate, Fairy Mu can cancel the trade." The man said with a smile.

With his abilities, he naturally wouldn't mistake the cultivation of spirit general grade beings.

"Since you are certain, then so be it. I will directly send the blood wyrm to the second floor. You should receive news in three days," The woman calmly said. Then with a red flash from the ball, the connection was severed.

When the man saw this, he appeared satisfied rather than anger. He withdrew the ball and muttered, "With the high Great Spirit General grade blood wyrm, they shouldn't fake. If they truly fail, then it shows that those old fellows from the Flying Spirit Tribe have truly infiltrated the earth abyss. It is better to deal with this carefully."

The man sat in his chair and quickly drifted off to sleep.

On the third level of the earth abyss, in a large hall constructed from black wood, there was a vague silhouette that sat on top of a three-meter-large golden flower. They motionlessly held their chin in hand.

Sitting not far away from them were two rows of black figures of varying heights. There were sixteen of them.

A short moment later, the black figure sitting on the flower raised their hand, releasing a green streak, quickly disappearing into the air.

A short moment later, a rumbling thunder sounded from the outside. Crimson light flashed from the hall gates and a hazy blood mist shot inside.

The blood mist vanished to reveal a demon with a wyrm's head and a human's body. It respectfully bowed to the figure sitting on the golden flower and hoarsely spoke, "May I ask what Master has called Xue Du for?"

The black silhouette spoke with a cold woman's voice, "Xue Du, you'll temporarily give up on collecting blood feed and will go to the second floor." She had the same voice as Mu Qing, the woman who spoke with Eccentric Di Xue.

"As the master commands!" The wyrm-headed demon had an incredibly red head and its eyes contained indescribable savagery, but it spoke to the black figure with the utmost respect.

The woman waved her hand and tossed a black bamboo tube at him, "There are several spirit general-grade Flying Spirit Tribe beings on the second floor. Teleport over, kill them, and deliver their souls to Eccentric Xue. Those are their last known locations and their appearances. Take note that the Flying Spirit Tribe beings might be odd. If there is something amiss, quickly report it back to me. Move quickly!"

"As you bid!" The wyrm-headed demon accepted the tube and blurred, shooting out in a blood mist. It flickered several times before disappearing.

The woman glanced at the hall gates for a moment and withdrew her gaze. With a cold tone, she said, "Alright, tell me about the progress with the blood feed captured on the various levels. The next blood sacrifice will occur soon. Hei Zhuo, it's your turn."

A tall silhouette stood up and said, "The fourth level's four-winged serpents and the bright cloud scorpion are the largest blood feeds and have been completely captured. Only the three-eyed grey mouse and several other beasts are hiding in Black Crow Mountain. We temporarily can't reach them."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

On the second level of the earth abyss, there were four faint white-winged figures with disheveled hair. They were fighting against black meter-long scorpions as they were moving away.

Although the scorpions didn't have any wings, they were able to fly through the air with swift movements and could spit acid from their mouths.

Over an hour later, one of the Flying Spirit Tribe resolved themselves and employed much of their magic power to cast a formidable technique, releasing balls of sparkling blue flames and turning four of the surrounding black scorpions into ashes. Finally, the black scorpions had reluctantly retreated.

The four Flying Spirit Tribe beings let out a long sigh and felt at ease.

But before they could say anything, light flashed from the distant sky and a bloody mist roiled through.

The blood mist was silent and was as fast as a ghost. With several flickers, it drew near the four Flying Spirit Tribe beings and circled around them several times.

The four Flying Spirit Tribe holy disciples were alarmed and hastily assumed a guarded posture.

The blood mist coldly snorted and looked at them with crazed eyes. After its gaze passed the holy disciples, they heard an icy hoarse voice, "Although you aren't the ones I'm looking for, you're still out of luck to have come across me."

With that said, thunder rang from the blood mist and the nearby sky turned blood-red. Bloody clouds began to strangely form and roil in the sky.

"No, run! It's Heavenly Blood Lightning!" When one of four holy disciples saw this, their expression turned bloodlessly pale and he loudly shouted. Then, he flew off in a yellow streak in panic.

When the other three heard this, they scattered in fright and quickly flew off as well.

But in that instant, thunder clapped int he air and four blood-red lightning bolts flashed down from the sky, strangely bending in different directions before they disappeared from sight. A moment later, the blood-red lightning appeared above the four fleeing holy disciples and struck down.

Four miserable screams sounded and the streaks of light were instantly dispersed by the lightning.

The corpses of the disciples wildly flickered in the lightning before they turned to ash. Their protective treasures and light didn't pose the slightest resistance.

The blood mist let out a howl of insane laughter, and in a flash of bright blood light, the mist shot off into the distance, soon to disappear without a trace.

An unknown distance away, Han Li took a shallow breath and looked in front of him. Seven ill-intentioned holy disciples surrounded them and Han Li asked, "Aren't you Fellow Daoists going to find the Infernal Flame Fruit? Why are you blocking us?"

"Our Tian Peng race and yours has no grudges," Bai Bi sullenly said at the side. His face appeared calm.

The group of people had both dark wings and dark skin. A taller man among them held his hands behind his back and arrogantly said to Han Li, "There truly are no disputes between our races, but the Chi Ron and several other powerful branches have secretly issued a reward. So long as you perish, we'll acquire very significant benefits. If we hadn't encountered you, we wouldn't go looking for you either. But now that we've met, the Black Spirit Race won't refuse the opportunity."

Black Spirit holy disciples surrounding Han Li's group all looked at them without emotion.

This came as no surprise. The Black Spirit Race wasn't among the top branches in the tribe, but they were in the upper half, far beyond the weaker branches like the Tian Peng.

"A reward?" Han Li frowned, finding this somewhat surprising.

"That's all to be said. Now your souls won't be confused in the afterlife, so die." Their leader was unwilling to speak any further and waved his hand with a hostile expression.

When the other Black Spirit Race disciples saw this, they opened their mouths and spat out a black feather.

The feather was only an inch initially, but when they slapped their hands together, the feathers instantly expanded to a foot long. The feather glowed black and had talisman characters roaming across them.

The six Black Spirit disciples surrounding them all acted together, waving the feather to release waves of black flames from them and enveloping him from every side.

Boom. The black flames turned into a huge flame barrier and trapped the four inside.

These Black Spirit disciples were ruthless in their attack and planned to kill the lot of them in a single strike. As for Green Night Race's Qin Xiao, they didn't care enough to spare her.

When Lei Lan saw the flames, her expression vastly changed and silver lightning rose from her body to create a protective barrier for herself. Then, she shook the golden gourd on her necklace, releasing thin silver lightning to turn her lightning purple, producing an astonishing pressure.

When all of this was done, Lei Lan quickly spoke to Han Li with a voice transmission, "Brother Han, this is the Black Spirit Race's Golden Crow Spirit Fire. It is fearsome as it can absorb our magic power and cultivation. We cannot allow it to catch onto our bodies."

Bai Bi and Qin Xiao both appeared astonished and quickly released their defenses.

A brilliant flash of golden light and strands of green light from dark jade badge were released to block the black flames.

"Golden Crow Spirit Fire! How interesting!" Han Li smiled, seemingly taking no action. Then, rainbow flames appeared from his body. Even as powerful as they were, when the black flames touched the rainbow flames, they began to crackle with muffled thunder. A violent reaction occurred similar to icy water and boiling oil.

The Black Spirit disciples were stunned.

Their leader narrowed his eyes and shouted, "Increase the flame's power! We have more people! Even if this person has the ability to temporarily block the flames, he can't hold out much longer!"

The others promptly acknowledged the order and waved their feathers even quicker. Each of them even produced a large black crow projection from their backs. Most of them appeared vague, but those that were clearer still pulsed dimly, clearly showing that they were unstable.

When the true spirit projections appeared, the black feathers might greatly increased and the flames turned pitch-black. As the flames swept through the air, they faintly warped the air and summoned a soft crow's cry.

The flames were clearly being used to the extent of their power.

Against such might, the defenses of the other three were reaching their limits. They hastily brandished their treasures in alarm as if they couldn't hold out much longer.

However, Han Li's rainbow flames seemed to be endless. As the might of the black flames increased, the rainbow flames surged a meter high and kept the black flames at a distance.

At that moment, the Black Spirit disciples' expressions turned unsightly. But before they could say anything, Han Li narrowed his eyes and glanced at the others who were struggling against the flame. He promptly spat out a ball of silver flame and turned into a silver firebird in a crackle.

As soon as the silver firebird appeared, it stared at the black flames and let out a cheerful cry. It spread its wings and expanded several times in size, turning a meter-wide.

Without waiting for Han Li's command, the silver flames flew out to the black flames. Black and flames silently roiled together and soon, the firebird's body turned into a magnet and absorbed the black flames towards itself.

The Spirit Engulfing Flame was originally a fusion of other powerful flames. Furthermore with the instinct it possesses, it is quite adept at devouring different flames.

Although the Golden Crow Flames they used weren't the Golden Crow True Spirit Flames that could melt space and burn earth, with the support of the golden crow feather, they could use a sliver of the golden crow's divine flame. It was something the Spirit Engulfing Flames happily enjoyed consuming.

Thus, when the bird formed from the Spirit Engulfing Flames entered the fire, it devoured them without reserve and within the span of a few breathes, the bird circle around the black flames and devoured them entirely.

All of the Black Spirit disciples were left dumbstruck.

Lei Lan and the others were overjoyed.

Furious, the Black Spirit leader shouted, "Who are you? The Tian Peng Race doesn't have such techniques!"

"I don't have to answer you," Han Li lazily said. He spread his wings and vanished in a bolt of azure-white lightning.

But as someone with rich battle experience, the Black Spirit leader quickly reacted, shaking one of his sleeves and forming an incantation gesture with his other hand.

Suddenly, a net of black threads shot out of his sleeve, but it wasn't aimed at Han Li. Rather, it covered himself. In the blink of an eye, a thin black cloth thoroughly covered him. As for his other hand, he summoned three cup-sized balls of black lightning to circle around outside.

In a clap of lightning, Han Li appeared next to the black cloth.

Three booms sounded as the black lightning flashed and struck Han Li. However, a black armor had already emerged around him.

Despite having scattered away half of his armor, the lightning hadn't done any damage to him.

Rather, Han Li remained expressionless as golden light flashed from his body, revealing a layer of golden scales underneath. Then, his hand became blurred as it stretched out faster than sound with his fingers aimed at the Black Spirit leader's vitals.

Zap. The golden lightning from his fingers tore through the black cloth like paper.

The Black Spirit leader felt a chill run down his back as the golden hand pierced his chest. Strangely enough, blood didn't dripped down Han Li's arm.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

The Black Spirit leader wore an expression of disbelief. He shouted and grabbed the arm in his chest.

A cold glint then flashed from Han Li's eyes and golden light brightly shined from his arm. A meter-long sword then strangely appeared from his hand.

A flash of swordlight flickered, followed by a metallic ring.

Not only did the Black Spirit leader's arm fall off, but his body had been sliced in two by the sword light. Only a crystal core and a ball of green flames appeared from the bisected body; his soul had been destroyed by the swordlight.

The other Black Spirit holy disciples turned pale with fright. Their leader was a high spirit general grade being. In regards to cultivation and abilities, he was unrivaled. How could the Tian Peng holy disciple slay him in a single strike?

Soon, four of the Black Spirit holy disciples let out furious shouts and they aggressively dived towards Han Li in the form of large black crows. As for the remaining two, they wordlessly exchanged a glance and withdrew their feathers, immediately taking off to the distance in black streaks of light.

Han Li smirked and thunder rang from his back as he disappeared in a flash of lightning.

The large black birds were startled by this and couldn't help but stop.

In that brief delay, azure light flashed and the image of a winged figure appeared underneath one of the black crows.

Before the crow could take action, the figure's arm moved and released a glaring flash of golden light.

The crow was startled, but its body immediately felt a chill before it was split into two. The two corpse halves rained blood into the air as it fell.

The figure underneath blurred and strangely vanished once again. Soon after, it appeared near another golden crow and waved its hand, releasing another streak of swordlight.

The crow was similarly cut down faster than the speed of sound. Its iron-like feathers weren't able to stop the attack in the slightest.

As such, Han Li's figure continued to flicker with ghost-like agility several more times, before he clearly stopped in midair. The remaining four Black Spirit disciples were cleanly massacred.

However, Han Li didn't stop there. He glanced at the two Black Spirit disciples a hundred meters away and expressionlessly spread his wings, tearing through the air in a white streak.

Air shrieked as he cut through it!

With formidable speed, he only traveled for thirty meters before blurring and disappearing into a thin white line.

The line then strangely wrapped and disappeared into space.

Behind one of the desperately fleeing Black Spirit disciples, a white-azure line appeared along with a fluctuation of space.

In a blur, the line pierced through their body, quickly circled around it, and released a golden flash.

By the time the Black Spirit disciple was separated into eight pieces, the white line wrapped and disappeared once more.

Soon, azure-white light brightly flashed from above the remaining Black Spirit Tribe disciples. In a blur, Han Li came into full view. His hand silently blurred, turning the small golden sword in his hand into dense sword light.

In a flicker of golden swordlight, it cleaved into the head of the being below.

Horrified, the Black Spirit disciple simply folded his wings and slapped the top of his head.

As black light flashed from his wings, their feathers turned into countless arrows, filling the air in the dense barrage. Then, a black wooden shield appeared from his skull and turned into a black cloud as it faced the golden sword light.

Regardless, the shield was unable to withstand the incisiveness of his Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword.

Golden light flashed and the black cloud was split into two along with the Black Spirit disciple's body.

As for the black feather arrows, they were blocked in midair by a grey mist.

When the grey light swept past them, the arrows disappeared, leaving Han Li completely unharmed.

Han Li looked at the corpses with a raised brow as if something came to mind and he reached out to them.

With a rustle, a foot-long black feather flew out from one of the corpses and into his hand.

Han Li stroked the feather in his hand as he observed them.

The pitch-black feather glowed and traces of gold faintly shined from them. With a slight shake, black talisman characters appeared from them and they turned into balls of black flame, releasing a scorched scent into the air.

Han Li revealed interest and black light flashed from his hand.

As for the corpses, they were each given a fireball and turned to ash.

Han Li circled the air at a low height, collecting all of the black feathers from the corpses and took them into his hand.

In an azure flash, Han Li returned to the others in a fierce streak.

"Let's continue!" Han Li said as if nothing had happened.

Lei Lan and the others had pale complexions but they obediently nodded nonetheless.

Half a day later, Han Li arrived in the air of an unfamiliar land. Not far from him was a short dense forest. Most of the threes in the forest were only a bit over ten meters tall, but their leaves were a sickly yellow and released a putrid scent.

When the party stopped at the edge of the dense forest, Han Li stood in front and silently observed the forest with a sullen expression.

Bai Bi and the others didn't know what he was thinking. They simply stood ten meters behind him, not daring to stand at his side. They all viewed Han Li with traces of awe.

To tell the truth, ever since Han Li easily killed the seven Black Spirit holy disciples, they realized how truly powerful Han Li was.

Perhaps even the legendary Sevenpass Race's Ao Qing and the Nan Long Race's Fei Ye couldn't rival him.

Therefore as they continued on their way, Lei Lan and the others spoke to Han Li with an unconscious tone of reverence as if Han Li was one of their clan seniors.

With a powerful companion like Han Li, they shouldn't have much trouble passing the trial.

Han Li eventually said with a soft voice, "If I'm correct, this is the Rotten Leaf Forest. It is the place most concentrated with filthy Qi on the second level. Our luck is good to have come here. Although our chances aren't high, we can acquire Infernal Flame Fruits here. Do you plan on spending some time to find them here, or will you rush to the Myriad Vine Path?"

The three hesitantly exchanged a glance and Bai Bi respectfully replied, "Brother Han, The Rotten Leaf Forest isn't very large. Although our spiritual senses are restricted, we'll be able to search through it in only half a day."

Feeling that there was no problem, Han Li nodded and said, "Oh, I understand. Half a day's time isn't much. We'll stop here for the time being."

Lei Lan and the others were happy to hear this.

If they could find the Infernal Flame Fruits here, they wouldn't have to risk looking for them in the third level.

The three had a quick discussion and Qin Xiao shook her sleeve, summoning a dozen more lizard puppets. She had them spread out to various parts of the rest before disappearing.

Ll and Bai Bi were also making their own preparations.

Lei Lan raised her head and summoned a white jade box. She muttered to it a moment and its lid flew off to reveal tens of inch-long butterflies. They flickered with silver light and flew off.

Bai Bi's wings trembled and a dozen small golden snakes shot out from his body. They burrowed into the ground with a flicker.

Following that, the three sat down cross-legged in the air, controlling their puppets and insects to search through the forest.

Han Li floated motionlessly in the air, completely separating himself from the matter.

Time slowly passed by.

Hours later, Lei Lan and the others searched through most of the forest but to no avail.

But after consuming so much spiritual sense in the search, their complexions had turned faintly pale.

Han Li held his arms behind his back and he frowned. He looked at the horizon with a trace of shock.

At that moment, he sensed a powerful aura, but it quickly flickered and disappeared, causing him to doubt his senses.

His eyes flickered. Just as he thought to examine this more closely, Lei Lan cried out in alarm and delight.

Han Li tossed the matter to the back of his mind and turned around in surprise, "What? Did you truly find the Infernal Flame Fruits?"

Lei Lan's beautiful eyes lit up and she excitedly said, "That's right. I've truly found an Abyss Fruit Tree. Furthermore, it has six fruits. Most of them seem ripe."

Bai Bi's heartbeat quickened. Unable to further control his butterflies, he asked, "Junior Martial Sister Lei, are you sure?"

"That's right, the earth abyss has many fruits that appear similar to Infernal Flame Fruits. Junior Sister Lei, let me have a look," Qin Xiao spoke with a trembling voice.

The woman also was distracted from using her puppets.

Lei Lan shook her head and confidently said, "I can't be wrong. Although this is the first time I've seen it, both the tree and fruit are exactly as described."

Han Li calmly said, "Very good, let's go verify it. If there is no problem, we won't have to head to the third level."

Originally, one could find the fruit on the second level, but the odds weren't very high. It wasn't an impossible outcome.

"Yes, let's head over." Lei Lan happily answered. She quickly stood up.

The other two also stood up. Although they were trying to appear calm, their excitement was betrayed by their eyes.

With Lei Lan leading the way, the party flew at full speed. A quarter-hour later, they arrived at a deep part of the forest covered in grey Qi.

Lei Lan pointed down and said, "It's here. There is a pond nearby and the Infernal Flame Fruits are growing at the side of the pond."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Looking at the fog below, Han Li's eyes flashed blue, allowing him to clearly see through it.

He shook his sleeve, blowing a strong wind and clearing away most of the fog.

The bottom of the foggy area could be faintly seen.

There was a pond near it that was about three hundred meters wide. And about thirty meters away, there were tens of short trees but most of them were rotting.

A tree with black-green wood had black fist-sized fruits at the very top branch.

The fruit's surface was rough and had countless thin cracks. Even odder, it had black Qi swirling into it.

Han Li narrowed his eyes. The fruit was similar to what was described in records.

When the others saw these fruits, they couldn't help but break into a smile.

Bai Bi happily said, "Junior Martial Sister Lei was correct. It truly is an Infernal Flame Fruit."

Han Li took a deep glance at them and calmly said, "Pick off the ripe fruits. There is enough for us all."

"If the Chi Rong are lying in ambush for us on the third level, let's have them continue to wait," Lei Lan jokingly said, clearly expressing her happy mood.

Qin Xiao was also cheerful.

But when the three planned on descending on grabbing the fruits, Han Li's expression sank and he raised his arm without turning his hand, pointing at an empty space.

A loud crack sounded and a large rainbow hand appeared in the air.

It bluntly swiped down and crimson light flashed in response, summoning a blood-red hand to meet the attack.

A boom sounded as the hands struck one another. Rainbow and blood light intertwined and disappeared in a flash.

"Yi!"

"How interesting!"

The two different voices shouted.

The yelp came from Han Li who just turned around and saw what happened.

The other voice belonged to the tall figure in the ball of blood Qi where the large blood-red hand had appeared.

Han Li looked at the blood mist and solemnly said, "Who is your esteemed self, and why are you acting so secretively?"

"It is truly suspicious that a mere spirit general can discover me." The person in the blood Qi let out a sinister laugh.

Han Li blinked and waved his arm at the other three and sternly commanded, "Head down and collect the Infernal Flame Fruits. I'll deal with this person."

"Yes!"

"As you command!"

"Be careful, Brother Han!"

Although Lei Lan and the others weren't able to see the power of the figure from the blood mist, Han Li's serious appearance caused their hearts to drop.

Afterwards, the three flew down towards the fruits.

The blood figure glanced at the three and spoke with an odd tone, "What? You're quite interested in those fruit trees. Hehe, although they aren't anything good, they won't be so easily acquired."

Han Li's heart trembled and his spiritual sense stirred. He immediately thought to warn the three, but it was already too late.

A huge boom sounded. A wave suddenly rose out from the pond and several pink tentacles emerged from the wave, shooting out a dense barrage of countless icicles.

Having already landed at the pond side, they were greatly frightened.

As the Abyssal Flame Fruits were behind them, they didn't dare to dodge. With no other option, they unleashed their abilities to block the strike.

Lei Lan clapped her hands and unleashed several dense bolts of silver lightning. Bai Bi released a myriad of intertwining golden threads. As for qing Xiao, she opened her mouth and spat out a green mist.

The three abilities combined smoothly and knocked against the barrage of ice.

The deafening force of the impact forced the three several steps back.

What resulted from the many attacks was a scorching liquid on the ground and a messy bloody scene.

A painful wail cried out from the pond. Soon after, a wave of ice rose to reveal a brown octopus demon. When it glared at them with its strange green eyes, several tentacles emerged from the water and stretched forward. Each one rose over thirty meters high.

On the top of the demon's head grew a dense batch of blue fur. Every time a tentacle swung, the fur released the cracking of torn space.

Lei Lan and the others felt their hearts sink. The wounded tentacles were restored to completion after they flickered with blue light.

The demon was unleashing its full strength as it regarded the pond's surroundings as its own territory. It raised its head and released a savage roar as its tentacles began to stir, glowing to blue light as they swept towards the holy disciples.

As the three were aiming for the Abyssal Flame Fruit, they couldn't afford to step away and could only confront the attacks head-on.

Suddenly, rolls of thunder and explosions repeatedly boomed at they sank into battle with the demon.

Up above, Han Li glanced at what was happening but didn't betray the slightest emotion from his face.

Although the demon appeared fierce, it would be defeated given enough time. Rather, the main enemy was the blood figure; he would have to deal with him carefully."

Han Li stared at the blood mist and asked, "What relation do you have with the blood puppets that appeared before?"

"Hehe, blood puppets? You mean Eccentric Di Xue already sent people over here? They should've slaughtered you. Good, very good! It seems My trip was worth it." The blood figure let out a cold laugh. He clearly had no intention of answering Han Li.

Han Li frowned, feeling the swords in his body shake with anticipation.

At that moment, a sharp whistle sounded, causing his ears to ring dully.

Han Li was startled. Before he realized what happened, a cold wind attacked him. A hair-thin blood needle had attacked from a foot away and was about to bore into his skull.

At such a distance, Han Li could hardly react.

He simply saw a bloody glint and the needle devilishly arrived in front of him.

The blood figure's lip stirred and formed an evil grin.

He had killed countless strong opponents with this ability and it had yet to fail.

A metallic clang sounded. The thin penetrating needle spun through the air, repelled.

Han Li's expression vastly changed and his arm blurred as he stretched it forward, grabbing the blood needle in his hand. The smile on the blood figure's face froze.

"Your physical body is able to block my Blood River Infernal Spike?" The blood figure spoke with disbelief.

Han Li wordlessly retracted his fingers and saw a blood needle jumping in his palm as if it were alive. Layers of rainbow flames were wrapping around his needle.

Han Li's face was unsightly and his complexion was ashen. An extreme cold gripped his heart.

He was caught in a sneak attack that had truly left him on the verge of death.

If it wasn't for a body that was far stronger than demon beasts of the same grade with flesh as durable as magic treasures, anybody else would've died in that strike.

Even so, Han Li felt cold sweat cover his body.

It had been many years since he felt that he had this close a brush with death.

The figure in the blood mist was no less shocked than Han Li.

His opponent had a body that was sturdy to untold degrees. He couldn't help but doubt Han Li's identity as a Flying Spirit Tribe being, or as a powerful demon that took the form of one.

His expression wavered.

At that moment, Han Li slowly raised his hand and a strange light flickered from his eyes. Then, he let out a cold snort.

The figure in the blood mist felt an attack shake his mind as if it were being pierced with a needle. He was overcome with acute pain.

Although the figure's spiritual sense was far stronger than demons of the same grade, his body couldn't help but sway from the pain, nearly bending down as a result.

At nearly the same time, his last trace of clarity sensed a wind blow behind him and he felt a strange coldness approaching his waist.

The figure was greatly alarmed and attempted to dodge, but his suffering spiritual sense distracted him, causing his movements to become delayed.

He could only let out a shout as blood light brightly shined from his body, summoning a strange azure scale armor around him.

Crackle. A golden light struck his armor. It penetrated only a few inches before it stopped entirely. The gold light faded away to reveal a foot-long sparkling golden sword.

It was one of Han Li's Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords.

Ten meters behind the blood mist, Han Li stood there with an astonished expression.

At the same time he used his Soulfright Thorn, he used lightning movement to turn to wind and strike at the figure from behind.

But he didn't expect that the figure would regain a trace of clarity and summon a strange scale armor that could block his incisive Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword.

'What kind of armor is so durable?'

Han Li felt amazed.

"You're courting death!"

In that instant, the figure in the blood mist recovered from the Soulfright Thorn. He felt a lingering fear from Han Li's strike and in his rage, he turned around and released a crimson beam from his mouth.

However, Han Li wasn't so easily hit. With a wave of his wings, he vanished in a flash of azure-white lightning.

A short moment later, Han Li stood in his original place

His expression was calm as if nothing had happened.

At that moment, he heard a roar and the blood mist dissipated in a roil.

The figure's true appearance was revealed, a blood-red demon with a wyrm's head and a person's body!

"A blood wyrm!"

Han Li narrowed his eyes.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Staring at the recognizable demon, Han Li felt greatly surprised and apprehensive.

This wasn't the first time he had seen this demon.

He had killed a metamorphosed venomous flood dragon back in the mortal world's Scattered Star Seas and it looked exactly the same as this demon. However, this blood wyrm wasn't a grade eight demon beast, but a fearsome existence at the high Spatial Tempering stage.

After exchanging an attack, he knew that the demon's abilities were extremely fearsome. He was no ordinary Spatial Tempering-stage being.

Han Li's thoughts quickly churned, pondering if he could deal with the opponent before him.

The blood wyrm glanced at Han Li and solemnly said, "It is truly odd for a spirit general to be capable of injuring me. It is no wonder my master had given me a warning."

"Your master?" Han Li felt his heart tremble.

Behind this fearsome high-Spatial Tempering grade demon was a greater demon at Body Integration stage. How could such an existence in the earth abyss set their eyes on him?

This was the first time he's arrived here.

Bewildered, Han Li's expression sank.

The blood wyrm wore an odd expression and mysteriously smiled, "If you can block my next strike, I will immediately turn around and spare you for the time being."

Afterwards, the demon cared no for Han Li's amazed expression. He formed an incantation gesture and crimson light flashed from his body as a large blood mist spread in every direction.

The blood mist that earlier dispersed has returned, roiling as it concealed the crimson wyrm's body.

With a strange incantation, the large blood mist began to form a huge blood cloud in the sky.

The cloud loudly roared with thunder and blinked with crimson light.

"What ability is this?" Han Li's heart was greatly shaken.

Although the cloud's lightning had yet to drop, it gave him a feeling of dread.

Without another thought, he slapped the black of his head and released a large mist of grey light above him.

Following that, azure light flashed from the top of his head, summoning the Heavenvoid Cauldron. It released countless twinkling azure threads and formed a net below the grey screen.

Even so, Han Li still didn't feel safe. He spun his body to release seventy-two flying swords. They formed a sword screen as they rushed in circles around him.

As for his gold-silver lightning robes, they turned into layers of gold-silver talisman characters in front of him. Black mist also surged and he summoned his baleful armor.

In an instant, Han Li erected five layers of impenetrable defense.

Han Li then raised his arms and the black figure on his hand blurred, releasing a small foot-tall mountain. He flicked the fingers of his other hand to release five pulsing white skulls, each with a different colored flaming wandering around it.

When the blood wyrm saw this, he felt his heart jump and he hesitated briefly. He quickly circulated the blood essence in his body and pointed at the blood cloud in the sky.

The cloud flashed blindingly. Nine flaring bolts of blood lightning fiercely cleaved down from the sky, striking at Han Li in three waves. Each wave striking down with even greater lightning. Thunder rang trice. The first wave struck down on the grey light mist with two bolts of lightning.

Even the might of the Divine Essensefused was scattered away by the two bolts of blood lightning.

The second wave struck down with three bolts. In an explosive flash, the azure net was easily dissolved and struck down on the sword screen.

The seventy-two Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords seemed to form an imaginary defense.

The blood lightning directly struck through it and attacked the talisman characters formed from the lightning robes.

Worldshaking thunder clapped and the talisman characters turned into lightning balls, blocking the blood lightning.

The three lightning bolts were like snakes, attempting to spread down, but the gold-silver lightning furiously exploded in an astonishing display of power, unresigned to defeat.

But it was clear the blood lightning was more powerful. The blood lightning wildly flashed, scattering the silver-white lightning. The thinned three bolts of blood lightning continued to strike down on Han Li's baleful armor and released two muffled explosions.

Han Li effortfully released protections were destroyed in an instant. At that moment, the last wave of the thickest four lightning bolts was about to strike.

Han Li's expression sank. Without making any other movements, he released a bright golden light from his body. A three-headed six-armed projection appeared.

It moved and six sparkling golden arms directly reached up to the four blood bolts.

Although the Provenance True Devil Projection was hollow, it possessed might beyond imagination. Its six arms stirred and turned into balls of blurred golden lightning.

Four crimson bolts of lightning flashed, directly striking at the golden lightning.

The two sides struck and silence followed.

Two flashes of blood lightning flashed, and the six balls of golden light were no more.

Two unobstructed bolts of blood lightning directly struck the top of Han Li's head.

Han Li's figure blurred and he clenched his hands together. Then, he reached for the sky with his bare hands and met the two bolts of lightning with his fists.

His black-white fists suddenly expanded several times in size before the lightning struck them.

A grey mist and a roaming rainbow flame both spiralled around the fists and seemed to compress the nearby air.

Two explosions roared. Brilliant light radiated and Han Li's sleeves turned to ash, revealing the sparkling golden scales on his skin. His fist projections and the lightning erupted, turning into grey ash.

Han Li tumbled back and began to fall before he held himself up and regained his bearings. He raised his head and looked to the blood wyrm in the distance. Han Li's cold eyes seemed to express he suffered no injuries.

The blood wyrm felt his blood run cold and he couldn't conceal his surprise.

At that moment, the blood cloud flashed several more times before it faded away, exhausted of its power.

Although the blood wyrm was beyond astonished, he was unresigned and sullenly said, "You were actually able to receive my twelfth fold Heavenly Blood Lightning. However, that wasn't my true cultivation art. And once I cultivate this to a deeper level, I'll be able to unleash four waves of blood lightning. Nevertheless, you won't be receiving any more."

When Han Li heard this, blue light flickered from his eyes, and his body blurred before he vanished.

In that next moment, a gale blew above the blood mist, following Han Li's bizarre appearance. He violently struck down with tens of sword light.

As the swordlight weaved through the air, the nearby space droned as white streaks were left in their wake. In the blink of an eye, the blood mist was submerged by the swordlight.

With the stir of so much sword Qi, the vague figure instantly sliced into countless pieces, but when the blood mist faded away, nothing was left, let alone the corpse of the blood wyrm.

Han Li was stunned. Before he looked around, the wild laughter of the blood wyrm sounded three hundred meters away. "Since you've received my Heavenly Blood Lightning, I won't take the risk of further battling with you. Once I report this back to my master, they will certainly be interested in you. I believe we'll see each other soon."

Han Li quickly turned around and only heard the sound of fluctuating space and a faint blood-red flicker. Then, light flashed and the blood-red streak flashed through the sky.

Using some strange movement technique, the blood wyrm was able to travel over three hundred meters in only a few blurs with seemingly normal movements. In a few flickers, he was at the horizon, and with another, he was gone.

This speed exceeded even the full abilities of his Thunderstorm Sings.

A flicker of astonishment appeared on Han Li's face, but he remained still in the air.

A short moment later, he raised his hands and brought them in front of him.

His crystalline white hands was now faintly black and scorched.

He looked at them in silence.

The blood wyrm had to be the top subordinate of a Body Integration-stage demon.

If he truly fought to the death against the blood wyrm, his chances of victory was no greater than seventy percent, even if he used his Gold Devouring Beetles.

The Heavenly Blood Lightning was truly terrible. Furthermore, his treasures weren't able to block it. His Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords were particularly useless against it.

From the wyrm's words, this ability wasn't even fully cultivated. This caused Han Li's heart to stir.

However, what caused Han Li the most unease was the 'master' that the blood wyrm mentioned. Needless to ask, he definitely wouldn't be a match against them.

Although Han Li felt greatly doubtful about how he provoked such a fearsome enemy, he didn't have the time to ponder over the matter and could only return as quickly as he could.

So long as he returned to where the Flying Spirit Tribe elders were, this great enemy wouldn't be able to do anything to him.

Han Li finished his thoughts after a moment of time.

He then turned his head and saw that the three were still battling the giant octopus-like demon. With a cold glint in his eye, he sent a golden streak downward.

When Lei Lan and the others saw the first streak, countless others began to rain down.

This originally fearsome octopus along with its dozen tentacles were instantly turned into countless pieces, scattering blood in every direction.

The golden light faded and Han Li appeared above the demon's shredded corpse. He glanced at the three and coldly said, "You have the time of thirteen breaths before I return. Hurry, collect the Infernal Flame Fruits! I won't wait for any of you!"

Han Li spoke without any emotion in his voice.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Upon hearing Han Li's cold words, Lei Lan and the others could naturally see that Han Li wasn't kidding. As such, they didn't dare to delay as they hurried over to the Infernal Flame Fruit trees, pulling out wooden boxes within which they could store the fruits.

Qin Xiao even took an extra fruit and handed the wooden box to Han Li with both hands.

Han Li accepted the box without any hesitation, sweeping a sleeve through the air, and the box disappeared amid a flash of azure light.

At this moment, Lei Lan and Bai Bi had also collected their Infernal Flame Fruits and gathered nearby.

"Let's go! Don't pause or delay for anything; we have to get back to the surface as quickly as possible," Han Li said in a grave voice before flying away as a streak of azure light without providing any additional explanations.

Bai Bi and the others didn't know why he was suddenly in such a hurry to leave the earth abyss, but they could guess that this most likely had something to to with the blood wyrm. Even the unfathomably powerful Han Li was in such an urgent state; the other three were feeling even more uneasy.

Thus, Lei Lan and the others immediately set off in close pursuit.

The four of them disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.

Two days later, the giant golden flower still stood within that wooden hall on the third level of the earth abyss. The black shadow woman down below was stroking her chin, seemingly in deep thought.

At this moment, there was no one else in the hall aside from a pair of green-robed female servants.

All of a sudden, a streak of crimson light shot forth from outside the doors, following which the crimson light faded to reveal a crimson demon beast half-knelt within the hall.

It was none other than the blood wyrm that had just faced Han Li in battle!

"I pay my respects to my mistress!" the blood wyrm said in a respectful manner.

The woman turned an indifferent gaze toward the blood wyrm, and asked, "How did it go? Were you able to kill those people and take their souls?"

"My Mistress, I was too useless and was unable to kill those people," Xue Du replied as it lowered its wyrm head even further.

"Oh? So that means those people really are quite out of the ordinary." Not only was the woman not enraged, she was quite intrigued.

"Yes, My Mistress. The others were quite ordinary in that they were only normal Spirit Generals, but one of them was able to take the full power of my Heavenly Blood Lightning head-on as a mere late-Spirit General as well as an attack from my Blood River Infernal Spike with his physical body alone, yet remain completely unscathed. You told me to return immediately if I encountered any mishaps, so I returned after may failed attacks," Xue Du recounted.

"He was able to withstand your Heavenly Blood Lightning and Blood River Infernal Spike?" The black shadow was already aware that she would be hearing some interesting news, but Xue Du's words still came as a surprise to her.

The blood wyrm paused momentarily before replying, "That's right, not only that, but that man's movement techniques and other abilities are also quite extraordinary. Even if I were to engage in battle with him and fight with all my power, I would still most likely have been defeated."

"There are countless abilities in this world, so it's not too much of a surprise that he was able to withstand your Heavenly Blood Lightning. However, being able to repel your Blood River Infernal Spike with just his physical body alone as a late-Spirit General really does suggest that he's quite an extraordinary being. It means that his physical body is extremely powerful, and he would be the ideal blood sacrifice. Very good, we should have prepared three premium blood sacrifices, yet I've only found one, and I was just fretting over this matter." A hint of elation had crept into the woman's voice.

"What do we do next, Mistress?"

"I'll go in person and capture that man alive, then use him to conduct the final sacrificial ceremony." The woman's voice suddenly turned quite sinister.

"But Mistress, isn't Master Di Xue after this man?" the blood wyrm reminded.

"Due Xue clearly wants to kill these Flying Spirit beings for their Yin souls and use them for some kind of exchange. I only want this man's physical body, so there's no conflict of interest here. Why should I be concerned?" the woman said in a cold voice, and her guess was spot-on.

"Your wisdom is unmatched, Mistress!" The blood wyrm was enlightened by her words.

"We shouldn't delay any further. Di Xue, teleport to the second level with me, and let's hunt this man down together," the woman instructed.

"Yes, Mistress!" The blood wyrm immediately rose to his feet.

The black shadow on the giant golden flower flashed, the woman appeared beside the blood wyrm in a wraith-like manner.

She made a hand seal and began to chant something, upon which inky-black light poured forth from her body, sweeping up the two of them in the blink of an eye. Following a quick flash, the two of them disappeared amid the black light.

On the other end, Han Li and the others were flying with all their might, covering a distance that would've taken several days otherwise in just a single day. However, they were still racing along.

Thankfully, all of the dangerous demon beasts along the way had already been exterminated by them, and they were quite familiar with this route, having traveled it once already, so there was no need for them to stop for anything.

Even so, Bai Bi, Qin Xiao, and Lei Lan had expended a lot of spiritual power during such high-intensity flight, and they were struggling to maintain this pace. However, they didn't dare to complain in the slightest as the sight of the grim expression on Han Li's face, so they could only grit their teeth and continue onward.

A day later, a swamp appeared up ahead, and the second level exit was revealed to them.

Han Li heaved a faint sigh of relief upon seeing this before immediately leading the group into the exit without any hesitation.

Half a day later, Han Li and the others reappeared in the valley on the first level of the earth abyss.

At this moment, Han Li suddenly made a decision that had the others completely dumbstruck.

As soon as they exited the valley, Han Li suddenly said in a cold voice, "We'll split up from now on. Separate yourselves from me, and we'll fly back the surface as quickly as we can along different routes."

"What? Why, Brother Han?" Bai Bi and the others were all stunned to hear this.

"With the situation as it currently is, I won't keep you three in the dark any longer. We may have caught the interest of a Demon Monarch level existence in this earth abyss. Even with my abilities, there's no way I can oppose such a fearsome being. I don't when they'll be able to catch up to us, but if we split up, there's a very good chance that they'll come after me, which means there will be a greater chance for you three to escape to the surface. On top of that, without having to take the three of you with me, I'll be able to flee without any inhibitions. There should be very few things on this first level that can pose a threat to you, so you should be safe here," Han Li explained.

"How could a Demon Monarch level being have developed an interest in us? Are you sure you haven't misjudged the situation, Brother Han?" Qin Xiao immediately turned deathly pale.

"I don't know the reason behind this, but that's all I have to say. Your lives belong to you, and you can choose whether you believe me or not. However, I suggest that it's best for us to split up. Perhaps our pursuers will catch up to us soon," Han Li said in a brisk tone.

Lei Lan and the others glanced at one another upon hearing this.

It was just as Han Li had said; their lives belonged to them. Regardless of whether Han Li had misjudged or not, they could only regard this to be true. Furthermore, Han Li's judgment had been faultless throughout their journey, so there was a good chance that he was correct on this occasion as well.

As such, Lei Lan and the others could only follow his advice and fly toward another direction after Han Li flew off and left them behind.

As long as they could return to the surface, they would most likely be safe.

A streak of azure light sped through a set of barren plains in a frenzy, moving as fast as lightning. It traveled from one end of the sky to the other after just a few flashes, and it was racing along in a completely soundless manner.

Many demon beasts and demonic insects down below had noticed the streak of azure light in the sky, but they were nowhere near fast enough to catch up to it, so they could only look on as it disappeared into the distance.

Han Li was flying as quickly as he could while holding a pair of top-grade spirit stones to replenish his energy.

Back when he was traveling to the Spirit Realm through the spatial node, he had used up all of his Myriad Year Spirit Milk. As such, he had no choice but to use top-grade spirit stones instead. They were indeed extremely valuable, but in this dire situation, he certainly couldn't be stingy with them.

Han Li's decision to split up with the other three was a forced one. He had told Lei Lan and the others most of the truth, but he had hidden one thing from them; he had a feeling that those demons from earlier seemed to be targeting him, and didn't pay much heed to Lei Lan and the others.

In this situation, splitting up with them would make the rest of their journey to the surface a lot safer.

He had protected the two Tian Peng Race holy disciples throughout this trial, helped them secure Infernal Flame Fruits, and also led them safely back to the first level. He had done everything in his power, so the rest was up to those holy disciples themselves. He had to worry about his own safety now.

Up to this point, he hadn't noticed anything amiss nearby, and he wasn't too far away from the entrance that led up the surface, but Han Li didn't dare to get complacent, even in the slightest.

Not only did he not slow down, he instead expelled a mouthful of blood essence and unleashed a secret technique to accelerate even further.

If he could expend some energy to avoid a Body Integration Stage Demon Monarch, then that would most definitely be a wise decision.

However, after flying for over half a day, Han Li's expression suddenly changed drastically as he abruptly turned around to look behind him.

A streak of black light had appeared in the distant sky, and it was speeding straight toward him.

Furthermore, it seemed to be closing in rapidly.

A dark expression appeared on Han Li's face, and he immediately flapped his Thunderstorm Wings, appearing over 1,000 feet away in the blink of an eye.

He didn't have any means through which he could conceal himself, so he could only unleash the full power of this Thunderstorm Wings.

A faint cry of surprise sounded from within the black light, and Han Li felt as if it had been uttered right beside him.

His heart sank as he flapped his wings vigorously, launching himself through the air at an astonishing pace, as if he were trying to puncture space itself.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

"That's him up ahead, right? He really does have some skill. However, if he can escape from me, then that would be a massive joke."A female voice sounded.

The ones within the streak of black light were none other than the black shadow woman and Xue Du.

They had managed to somehow track Han Li with unerring accuracy all the way to the first level. The woman chuckled coldly as she made a hand seal, and the black light around them immediately swirled before manifesting a black formation of light.

Light surged through the formation, and the woman and Xue Du's bodies blurred slightly before vanishing.

An incredible scene then ensued.

Just as Han Li was racing through the air, spatial fluctuations suddenly erupted up ahead, following which a massive black spell formation surfaced out of thin air.

Han Li's heart jolted with shock, and he wanted to stop, but it was already too late.

Unleashing the full power of his Thunderstorm Wings naturally allowed him to fly at an extraordinary speed, but what he gained in speed was compromised by a lack of control.

As such, he plunged headfirst into the black formation, having been unable to arrest his own momentum.

Han Li felt his world go dark, following which streaks of black light and gusts of Yin winds swept forth from all directions, as if he'd entered through the gates of an infernal hell.

Han Li immediately unleashed countless arcs of golden lightning without any hesitation amid a string of loud thunderclaps.

All of the black light and Yin winds immediately exploded into nothingness as soon as they came into contact with this golden lightning, as if they'd met the bane of their existence.

"Divine Devilbane Lightning! You possess lightning of this caliber?" The woman's surprised voice sounded from all around Han Li, following which the black light in the surrounding area began to swirl, and it was only picking up speed in its rotation.

Han Li's heart jolted with shock as all of the golden arcs of lightning around his body formed a golden lightning garment that settled over his body.

However, right at this moment, a woman's giggling voice sounded.

"There's no need to be alarmed, Fellow Daoist. I bear no ill will toward you; I only wanted to invite you as a guest to my humble abode."

Han Li naturally wasn't going to be fooled by this as he flapped his wings to try and escape. However, the woman seemed to have predicted his actions in advance, and she suddenly thrust a palm toward him from afar.

A burst of enormous power crashed into Han Li, and such was its power that even with his current body, he was still unable to force his way through it.

Han Li's heart immediately sank. During this split-second delay, black light flashed within the massive formation, and all three of them disappeared at once. Han Li was struck by a rush of dizziness, and he immediately activated his Great Development Technique to regain his clarity of mind. Only then did he discover that he'd been teleported to a tall platform that resembled a sacrificial altar. At this moment, he was standing atop a teleportation formation.

The woman and the blood wyrm were standing not too far away from him, and it was as if they hadn't even moved a single step since the beginning.

Judging from the dense aura of darkness in the surrounding air, this was most likely a level of the earth abyss that was deeper than the second level.

What was even more concerning to him was that there were seven or eight demons of different forms standing near the platform. All of the were half-humanoid half-demonic creatures, and they were at the Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation stages.

Looking at the buildings around the tall platform, he had clearly been teleported into the nest of some kind of demon beast.

In this perilous situation, Han Li didn't dare to engage in any reckless actions, and merely appraised the woman in silence.

This was most likely the "Mistress" that the blood wyrm had been referring to. Otherwise, how could she possibly possess such extraordinary abilities to be able to abduct him to this place with such ease?

"Come and have a chat with me in the hall first, Fellow Daoist," the black shadow woman invited with a smile before flying toward the cluster of buildings in the distance.

Xue Du glanced at Han Li with a rather peculiar look on its face before also following the woman away. He didn't seem to be concerned in the slightest that Han Li would try to escape again.

Han Li looked around at the cluster of buildings, then up at the sky, and a wry smile appeared on his face.

The entire sky was filled with dense grey clouds, and there was a burst of indescribable spiritual power radiating from the sky along with flashes of black lightning. A powerful restriction had clearly been set up here, and it was definitely not one that he'd be able to escape from in a short time.

However, judging from the woman's words and actions, she didn't seem intent on killing him right away. As such, it was best to listen to what she had to say first, then see if there were any opportunities he could take advantage of.

With that in mind, Han Li was feeling slightly more assured as he followed the woman and Xue Du as a streak of azure light.

Han Li was led to the largest of the cluster of buildings by the woman and the blood wyrm.

He glanced at the demon beasts standing guard on either side of the wooden hall, and a peculiar look on his face.

All of these demon beasts were short ape-like creatures, each sitting atop a black Giant Spirit Flower with their roots planted deep into the soil outside the doors of the wooden hall.

A contemplative look appeared on Han Li's face, and he felt as if he'd discovered why this woman was targeting him.

Without any further delay, Han Li strode into the hall under the menacing eyes of the apes outside.

The entire hall was completely empty aside from the black shadow woman and the blood wyrm.

There were two rows of wooden chairs lined up on either side of the hall, and the woman had already made her way over to a massive golden flower at the center of the hall. She then sat down with her legs crossed while the blood wyrm stood beside her in an obedient manner.

The woman gestured for Han Li to take a seat on one of the nearby wooden chairs before clapping her hands as she instructed, "Bring some tea for our guest!"

Moments later, a green-robed female servant with a set of fine and delicate facial features appeared within the hall, carrying a wooden platter, upon which was placed two white teacups.

The servant handed one cup to Han Li and the other to the woman, neglecting to prepare one for the blood wyrm.

However, Xue Du's expression remained unchanged as if he were already accustomed to such treatment. Han Li looked at the tea in the cup, and his lips twitched.

Within the pristine white teacup was a tiny pool of inky-black liquid that was emanating a rank odor.

Even just catching a whiff of this "tea" was making his expression change slightly, let alone drinking it.

He was able to instantly identify that there were several tens of types of lethal poison in this tea, and he had only been able to identify a small portion of its constituents.

Even with the poisons that he'd identified, those would definitely be sufficient to kill a normal person the spot.

Han Li was indeed quite confident in his physical body, but he certainly wasn't going to go around drinking poison for no good reason.

The woman wore a faint smile on her face, and she seemed to have identified Han Li's reluctance. "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist; I brewed this tea using 81 different types of lethal poison, yet all of them cancel each other out to create a completely harmless drink. On top of that, frequent consumption of this beverage is beneficial to one's spiritual sense."

She then took a sip of this tea to set an example, and he hesitated momentarily before also taking a small sip.

With the woman's abilities, there was no need for her to try and kill him using poisoned tea as other more direct methods would suffice. As such, decided to go along with whatever she had planned. Furthermore, it appeared that she wasn't lying about this.

The putrid-smelling tea was extremely bitter, but after sliding down his throat, it transformed into a ball of heat that spread through his entire body via his meridians. At the same time, a cool sensation rushed into his mind, making him instantly feel more sharp and alert.

He quickly inspected his body with his spiritual sense, and was greatly relieved to find that he hadn't been poisoned.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Senior, but may I ask why you've brought me here? This is my first time here in this earth abyss, and surely I haven't done anything to offend you," Han Li said in a grim voice as he placed the teacup onto the table beside him.

The black shadow woman appraised Han Li carefully for a while, and only after Han Li was starting to get chills running down his spine did she reply in an unhurried voice. "I've invited you here because I have something important to discuss with you, but there's no hurry in that. You can stay here for a few days first, and I'll reveal everything to you after that. By the way, may I ask your name? My name is Mu Qing."

After a brief hesitation, Han Li decided to tell the truth. "Junior Han Li pays his respects to Senior Mu Qing."

There was no point in lying about something like this, and if his lie were to be exposed, it would surely leave a bad taste in Mu Qing's mouth.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Han. Bi'er, take Fellow Daoist Han to rest in the guest pavilion for now. Make sure to satisfy every single one of his needs." Mu Qing's voice suddenly turned quite cold as she delivered an instruction to the female servant in the hall.

The green-robed woman faltered upon hearing this before immediately falling to her knees to accept the order.

As such, Han Li could only stand up and follow her out of the hall. Thus, Mu Qing and Xue Du were the only ones left in the building.

Mu Qing looked on in the direction that Han Li had departed in, and the expression on her face suggested that she was in deep thought. Meanwhile, Xue Du remained completely silent beside as if he were a mute.

"Xue Du, don't you want to ask me why I changed my mind?" Mu Qing suddenly asked.

"My Mistress naturally has her reasons; there's no need for my lowly self to state any questions," Xue Du replied with a respectful bow.

"Hehe, you sure know how to talk! There's no reason for me to keep this a secret from you; I decided to change my mind naturally because I've found a more worthwhile use for him than using him as a blood sacrifice," Mu Qing giggled.

"Could it be that you're referring to his Divine Devilbane Lightning, Mistress?" Xue Du asked as his heart stirred slightly.

"Hehe, it's exactly because of that. Premium blood sacrifices are hard to find, but I can always gather more given some time. However, with this divine lightning to assist me, the probability of success for our grand scheme will be increased by at least 10%. Do I need to elaborate on which one is more important?" Mu Qing explained.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

"I see. No wonder you changed your mind then, Mistress. However, Master Di Xue singled out that man to be killed, so we'll have to give him a proper explanation. After all, he's certainly not the kind to forgive and forget," Xue Du chuckled.

"I'm well aware of that. However, make sure to keep a close eye on that Han brat before I reveal everything to him. Otherwise, it'll be quite troublesome if he were to get away again," Mu Qing instructed.

"Yes, Mistress. I'll be sure to keep a constant eye on him," Xue Du replied in a respectful manner.

Mu Qing nodded with a pleased expression before waving a dismissive hand, and Xue Du immediately recognized that as a cue for him to leave.

Meanwhile, Mu Qing sat still in contemplation for a while before suddenly laying a hand on the giant golden flower before her.

The massive flower tremored slightly, and a shimmering golden mirror of an antiquated design emerged from the flower's core.

There were runes flashing indistinctly over the mirror, and Mu Qing opened her mouth to expel a ball of green Qi onto the mirror's surface.

Golden light flashed, and the green Qi disappeared into the mirror, following which a layer of golden light appeared over the surface.

Moments later, an indifferent male voice sounded from within the golden light.

"Why have you contacted me, Fellow Daoist Mu?"

Mu Qing smiled upon hearing this voice, and she replied, "Brother Liu Zu, I was wondering how your Yin Qi collection was going. Will you be able to supply sufficient Yin Qi for that ghost hag to refine a sufficient number of Yin Armor Profound Ghosts by the designated date?"

After a brief silence, Liu Zu replied in a completely emotionless voice, "I've collected all of the Yin Qi there is on the lower levels. The Yin Qi on the first level is the most sparse, but I can gather quite a bit given sufficient time. There will definitely be enough for 8,000 of those profound ghost. Why are you suddenly asking me this, Fellow Daoist Mu?"

Instead of answering the question, Mu Qing changed the subject. "According to our plan, the 8,000 profound ghosts and all of Di Xue's puppets are mere cannon fodder to pave the way for the Infernal River Ghosts. However, we have to employ another method to remove the restriction on the infernal river. The resources that we currently have at our disposal may not be all that reliable for that task."

Liu Zu immediately caught on to something, and his voice changed slightly as he asked, "Have you found a good way to dispel this restriction, Fellow Daoist Mu?"

"Hehe, you sure know me well, Brother Liu Zu. I have indeed just discovered something of value, and I wanted to share the good news with you," Mu Qing chuckled.

"So what's the good news?" Liu Zu's voice turned flat and emotionless again.

"I found a being that can use Divine Devilbane Lightning. The infernal river restriction is predominantly comprised of Yin Qi, but the most troublesome element about the restriction is actually the infernal devilish Qi contained within it. The devilish Qi is extremely pure, and if we were to go ahead with our original plan, there's a good chance that it might fail. However, with Divine Devilbane Lightning on our side, that devilish Qi won't be an issue for us," Mu Qing said as a serious expression appeared on her face.

"Divine Devilbane Lightning is indeed the bane of all devilish Qi, but in ancient times when the Evil Dragon Race ruled over the Spirit Realm, almost all of the Golden Lightning Bamboo in the Spirit Realm was harvested into extinction by them. At the time, all cultivators with Divine Devilbane Lightning or possessed this bamboo were also slain; how did you manage to find someone capable of using such divine lightning? Are you sure you're not mistaken?" Liu Zu seemed to be rather skeptical of her claim.

"Rest assured, Brother Liu Zu, the lightning unleashed by that man was most definitely Divine Devilbane Lightning. The only problem is that he doesn't seem to be aware of the true method to use this lightning. He's merely unleashing it as part of his attacks as if it were merely normal lightning, and he's only able to make use of a tiny portion of its power as a result," Mu Qing chuckled coldly.

"Oh, in that case, then that makes sense. That being must've unintentionally come across some Golden Lightning Jade and attained this lightning by chance," Liu Zu analyzed calmly.

"Hehe, I also believe that to be the case. Otherwise, if he were capable of unleashing the true power of his Divine Devilbane Lightning, even you and I would have to be wary of him. However, for us to encounter a being like at this time and in this place is a massive stroke of fortune for us. It appears that even the heavens is lending us its assistance," Mu Qing said with a smile.

"If he really does possess Divine Devilbane Lightning, then he'll naturally be a great help to us. However, why have you suddenly decided to tell me about this? Are there some troublesome circumstances involved?" Liu Zu asked.

"Your wisdom is truly unmatched, Brother Liu Zu! Truth be told, Di Xue asked me to kill this man and hand over his Yin soul to him. I'm guessing that this most likely has something to do with the ghost hag," Mu Qing replied with a faint smile.

"I see. So you want to keep this man for yourself and ask me to mediate." Liu Zu immediately understood Mu Qing's intentions.

"Exactly. You should be aware that I possess a wood spirit body, so my understanding of Golden Lightning Jade is unmatched among the four of us. If I can provide guidance to that man in person, he should be able to quickly master the true power of his Divine Devilbane Lightning before the initiation of our plan," Mu Qing chuckled in response, showing no intention of hiding anything.

"Hmm, you're right, but this matter is quite important, so I'll have to discuss it with the others. The three of us will also have to see this man in person for verification purposes," Liu Zu finally replied after a lengthy period of contemplation.

"That can definitely be arranged. All of you can gather at my abode in half a month. I'll leave it to you to inform the others, Brother Liu Zu. I'll make sure to prepare a splendid welcome for all of you,"Mu Qing said with a smile.

"Alright, we'll do as you say," Liu Zu agreed without any hesitation.

The golden light on the mirror then faded, and the voice transmission was cut off.

"Hmph, it's just as I expected; Liu Zu doesn't care whose hands this man falls into. But then again, he's the only one among us who doesn't fear divine lightning, so of course it doesn't matter to him. The other two most likely won't be able to accept this arrangement, though. It's too bad for them that I'm the one who captured him, and there's no way I'm handing over to them." Mu Qing's cold voice reverberated throughout the spacious hall.

Han Li sat beside a round table, looking at the man who was pouring wine for him with a wide smile on his face in a speechless manner.

This was a scholar with a set of graceful features, and he appeared to be in his thirties. He was currently holding a green jade cup of wine and trying to propose a toast.

There were all types of delicious dishes, as well as a black urn on the round table. The urn was filled with delectable wine that was giving off a mesmerizing aroma.

The green-robed servant by the name of Bi'er was standing off to the side.

"Come on, Brother Han, have a taste of our Wood Essence Wine. It was brewed using the essence of Myriad Year Spirit Wood, and even though it may not be as effective as the tea you had earlier, it can still bolster your spiritual sense. Once you have a few more cups of this wine, you'll know how amazing it is," the middle-aged scholar urged in an enthusiastic manner.

"Senior Xue Du, I'm a complete lightweight when it comes to drinking. After the few cups I've had, I'm already at my limit. If I keep going, I'm going to make an embarrassment out of myself," Han Li said in a resigned manner.

This middle-aged scholar was none other than the human form of that blood wyrm. As soon as Han Li had been led into the guest pavilion, he had immediately turned up and organized this massive feast for himself and Han Li.

Han Li was essentially being held as prisoner by them, so he naturally couldn't refuse. As such, he could only sit down by the table and dine with the blood wyrm.

"Haha, at our cultivation bases, a few cups of spirit wine will barely have any effect. Could it be that you still hold a grudge against me from our earlier battle?" Xue Du suddenly asked as he cocked his head to the side.

"Hehe, if you hadn't mentioned it, I would've forgotten such a trivial event already, so I certainly wouldn't be holding any grudges. Alright, then, I'll have one more cup of wine." Han Li could only make a concession in the face of Xue Du's insistence.

He then poured himself a cup of wine before downing it in a single mouthful.

Bi'er immediately stepped forward to fill Han Li's cup with wine from the urn again, and Han Li furrowed his brows in response, but refrained from saying anything in the end.

Meanwhile, Xue Du smile as he said, "Enjoy your time here in our Wood Immortal Valley. My Mistress clearly holds you in high regard, so she must have an important task for you to complete. Regardless of what that task is, you'll definitely receive a rich reward for your efforts. Isn't that much better than going back to the Flying Spirit Race to be a so-called holy disciple? I'm going to go as far as to say that our earth abyss can provide you with everything that the Flying Spirit Race can, and we can even give you things that the Flying Spirit Race can't. This is a brilliant opportunity for you, Fellow Daoist!" Xue Du was trying to convince Han Li to switch his allegiance.

Han Li's lips twitched, and he didn't give a direct reply. Instead, he smiled, and asked, "What level of the earth abyss is this? Would you be able to disclose that to me, Senior? And would you be able to tell me what Senior Mu Qing intends to do with me?"

"Unfortunately, that's something that I won't be able to tell you for now. However, everything will be revealed to you in half a month or a month at most by my mistress. As for what level of the earth abyss we're currently situated in, that's something I can certainly disclose to you. This is the Black Mist Forest of the third level," Xue Du replied.

"The Black Mist Forest! Is the forest enshrouded under Yin mist that traps all beings who enter it?" Han Li's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

"Haha, that's the one. I didn't think that our forest would be so renowned in the Flying Spirit Race. Truth be told, my mistress set up a restriction in the forest, which is why no beings are able to escape from it," Xue Du replied with an amused chuckle.

"I see." A wry smile appeared on Han Li's face, and he didn't say anything further.

After convincing Han Li to down a few more cups of Wood Essence Wine, Xue Du suddenly asked, "By the way, there's something that I'm quite curious about; would you be able to enlighten me, Brother Han?"

"Of course. I'll tell you everything I know." Han Li's heart stirred, and he immediately activated his Great Development Technique to completely dispel the hint of inebriation that was numbing his mind.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

"Hehe, it's nothing much. I was just wondering how you were able to attain such a powerful body. Even though my Blood River Infernal Spike isn't renowned for its sharpness, for you to be able to repel it with your physical body alone is still incredible," Xue Du said after a brief pause. At the same time, he was looking into Han Li's eyes with an unblinking gaze.

"So that's what you wanted to ask me. My body is indeed slightly more powerful than that of the average person, but that's only because I stumbled upon a few spirit medicines by chance in the past and consumed them to bolster my constitution. My body can't compare to the body of a wyrm like yours, Senior," Han Li replied in a calm manner.

"I see. I suspected that to be the case. However, the final three-headed and six-armed projection you summoned to withstand my final attack doesn't seem to be the true spirit projection of your race, right, Brother Han? It felt rather familiar to me, but I can't recall where I've seen it before. Would you be able to provide me with a reminder?" Xue Du asked with a faint smile.

"Oh, that's just a foreign cultivation art that I happened to obtain, and I decided to cultivate it, seeing as it was a rather useful ability, but I'm not too familiar with its origins, either," Han Li replied in an extremely vague manner. In reality, his answer provided no answers whatsoever.

Xue Du was slightly surprised that Han Li was able to muster up such a wily response after downing so much wine, but he merely chuckled and spoke no further about this matter.

Thus, Xue Du only bade farewell to Han Li after seemingly becoming extremely inebriated. Han Li stood at the window of the pavilion, and his fake smile faded as he looked out at the departing Xue Du.

The middle-aged scholar stumbled unsteadily toward another pavilion that was only several thousand feet away from the one that Han Li was situated in. Han Li's brows furrowed slightly upon seeing this. At such close quarters, Xue Du would be able to constantly monitor his actions.

It appeared that he had been tasked with keeping an eye on Han Li.

With that in mind, Han Li strode away from the window.

At this point, the green-robed servant had already carried the dishes and wine urn away, and the room had been cleaned up to a pristine condition. She then stood respectfully off to the side, awaiting any instructions from Han Li.

Han Li waved a dismissive hand toward her, and said, "You can go now; I want to take a rest." "I'll be on the first floor; feel free to summon me at any time, Master Han," Bi'er replied obediently before departing from the room. After the servant had left, Han Li swept a hand over his storage bracelet to produce a stack of azure formation flags.

He then raised his hand, and a dozen or so streaks of azure flew in all directions around the room before disappearing into space. Han Li made a hand seal and cast an azure incantation seal, following which a dull thump erupted all around him. An azure barrier of light appeared on the walls of the room, creating a restriction. This restriction had no defensive properties, but it was quite effective in cutting off the spiritual sense of others.

Han Li knew that he had been imprisoned, but he still didn't want Xue Do to be able to see everything that he was doing. In the other pavilion, Xue Du had just sat down atop a futon with his eyes closed when his expression changed slightly, and he abruptly reopened his eyes. However, a cold smile then quickly appeared on his face as he closed his eyes again. At this point, Han Li had already laid down on his bed. Even though he was in a perilous place, there was nothing he could do about his current situation. Furthermore, he was rather exhausted from the ordeals he'd been beset with during this earth abyss trial, so this was a good opportunity for him to relax and recuperate. He could consider strategies to try and escape after recovering to his peak condition. With that in mind, Han Li quickly fell asleep. He slept for an entire day and an entire night before finally waking up.

After getting up from his bed, Han Li did a series of stretches in an unhurried manner before sitting down in the wooden chair beside his bed, stroking his chin in deep thought. Mu Qing and Xue Du had tried to convince him that they wanted to entrust him with an important task from the very beginning, but Han Li didn't believe a word of that.

Setting aside everything else, with his countless years of battle experience, he could tell that the two of them had truly been intent on killing him initially.

As for why this Mu Qing suddenly changed her mind, that was definitely because she's unintentionally discovered something about him that could be used to her benefit.

However, it had only taken mere moments for her to change her mind, and the only clue that Han Li could think of was that she seemed to have been alarmed by his ability to use Divine Devilbane Lightning. Han Li's eyes flashed as this thought occurred to him. He felt like he was onto something.

However, despite the fact that the Divine Devilbane Lightning was extremely effective for anguishing all powers of darkness and evil, its efficacy was limited when the devilish Qi was of a high enough caliber. How could the power of his Divine Devilbane Lightning possibly have garnered the interest of a Body Integration Stage Demon Monarch like Mu Qing? If a devilish creature or evil spirit was too powerful even for her to deal with, then how was Han Li's Divine Devilbane Lightning supposed to do anything? Han Li was feeling rather perplexed. However, he didn't try to force himself to arrive at a conclusion. Instead, he merely exhaled and relinquished this train of thought for now. Seeing as they had found a worthwhile reason to keep him alive, then he would most likely be safe for now. As long as he remained alert, he was quite confident in his ability to escape from this place. Next, he only had to wait for Mu Qing to disclose everything to him before formulating a plan based on that information. Thus, Han Li decided to play the waiting game. As for escaping right away, the thought did cross his mind, but he didn't consider it for very long, seeing as Xue Du was residing so close to him.

His thoughts then strayed to Lei Lan and the others. Seeing as Mu Qing and Xue Du had both come after him, those three had most likely returned to the surface and passed the trial.

As such, he had fulfilled his promise to the Tian Peng Race and regained his freedom. As a result, the Tian Peng Vow of the Tian Peng Race would cease to have any further restrictive effect on him.

But then again, the Tian Peng Race was only concerned about whether Lei Lan and Bai Bi would be able to pass the trial; they didn't care whether Han Li died or not.

Han Li chuckled to himself before returning to his bed and taking a seat in a cross-legged manner. His expression smoothed out as he began to meditate.

Half a month flew by in the blink of an eye. During this time, Xue Du would occasionally come over to drink and chat with Han Li, but Han Li stayed in his room all day and made Xue Du's job quite an easy one.

On this day, Xue Du visited Han Li again, and he wore a serious expression as he said, "Brother Han, my mistress would like you to meet her in the Wood Spirit Hall. She would like to introduce you to a few other seniors."

"Sure. Thank you for informing me of that, Senior Xue," Han Li replied in a completely calm manner. Xue Du was starting to admire Han Li's mental fortitude. If he were in Han Li's shoes, he knew that he definitely wouldn't be able to remain so calm and collected.

Thus, Xue Du led Han Li out of the pavilion. After a while, Han Li appeared in front of the wooden hall again before entering through the doors behind Xue Du.

The setup within the hall was slightly different from when Han Li had last been here. There were three long tables set up on either side of the hall, with a group of people seated at each table. Han Li cast his gaze over to a table where only two people were seated. Both of their bodies had been hidden under long crimson robes, and Han Li was completely unable to glean their appearance nor their auras. As far as Han Li knew, these people could even be avatars of the same person.

On another table, there was a burly man wearing a black cloak, and a burst of glacial Qi was emanating from his body, making it feel as if the air around him had been frozen solid. At the final table sat three women.

One of them was a middle-aged beauty with a head of snowy white hair and an extremely pale complexion. She wore a green palatial dress and sat at the head of the table. Two young women sat at the table with her. One of them was quite petite with a sweet and adorable oval face and a pair of shimmering eyes. The other woman had a lithe and graceful figure with skin as fair as snow, and an expression as cold as ice. All three women were quite pale in complexion. None of the people on the first two ables caught Han LIi's attention. Even though all of their cultivation bases were unfathomable to him, he had expected this to be the case prior to coming here, so he wasn't very surprised.

However, his calm facade finally cracked a little at the sight of the two young women on the final table.

He quickly composed himself again and his expression reverted back to normal, but the hint of shock in his eyes betrayed his true emotions.

How could it be them? Back when he'd been separated from these two in the Scattered Star Seas of the human world, he hadn't heard anything about them again, and never would he have thought that he'd encounter them here in the Spirit Realm. Seeing as the two of them were still alive, it appeared that they had successfully mastered the Soulrise Technique. Even though Han Li quickly turned his attention away from them, his heart was still reeling with shock.

The lithe and graceful beauty was none other than Yuan Yao from the Scattered Star Seas, and the petite woman beside her was naturally her Senior Martial Sister, Yan Li, who had almost perished all those years ago.

Back when he was starting to make a name for himself in the human world, he'd encountered Yuan Yao on several occasions. He was touched by her determination to save Yan Li and gave in to her pleas in the end, deciding to provide her with his assistance. However, who would've thought that they'd encounter the legendary ghost mist along the way? He was sucked into the Umbra Realm as a result, and only managed to escape after an extensive struggle.

However, after emerging from there, Yuan Yao had disappeared. Now that he was encountering her again, she was seemingly ranked alongside the Demon Monarchs of the earth abyss; how was Han Li supposed to remain calm after making such a discovery? In the instant that Han Li made his way into the hall, everyone else also turned their attention toward him. However, Yuan Yao and Yan Li's reactions were quite different. A hint of astonishment had flashed through Yuan Yao's eyes upon catching sight of Han Li, but she immediately adopted an expressionless facade again, not giving away anything.

In contrast, Yan Li merely blinked with confusion, and it was quite clear that she'd basically forgotten about Han Li, yet was struck by the feeling that he was rather familiar somehow."He's just a Spirit General; are you sure he'll be useful to us?" the middle-aged woman sitting at Yuan Yao's table asked in a cold voice.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

"Don't be so hasty to jump to conclusions, Fellow Daoist Lan. Fellow Daoist Han is far more powerful than his cultivation base indicates, and he possesses the Divine Devilbane Lightning. Even if his cultivation base were a rank or two lower, he'd still be of great help to us if he could unleash the true power of his Divine Devilbane Lightning," Mu Qing chuckled.

"Divine Devilbane Lightning isn't that easy to master. The higher one's cultivation base, the greater the likelihood that they'll be able to master this lightning. I'm very skeptical that a Spirit General would be able to truly unleash the power of the divine lightning. If I recall correctly, you'd have to at least be an early-Great Spirit General to be able to unleash the Divine Devilbane Lightning's full power, right?" A red-robed being from another table spoke on this occasion, and his voice was quite sharp and piercing, akin to the sound of metal grating on metal.

"Don't worry about that, Brother Di Xue. Even though Fellow Daoist Han is only a late-Spirit General, the purity and abundances of his magic power is only a tiny bit inferior compared to that of an early-Great Spirit General, so I'm sure he's up to the task. Alternatively, do you have any suggestions for methods that could help us dispel the infernal river restriction?" Mu Qing asked in a meaningful voice.

"If this man really can help us break the restriction, then that would naturally be fantastic. I have no intention of stopping him, I'm merely concerned that he's not going to be able to provide us with any substantial assistance, so please don't misconstrue my words," the other red-robed figure chimed in, and his voice was exactly the same as that of the man who had just spoken, as if they were the same person.

Mu Qing's expression remained unchanged as she said, "It would be best if that was indeed the case. Brother Liu Zu, Sister Lan, what do you two think of this?"

"As long as it's beneficial to our grand scheme, I'll support it," the mysterious figure in the black cloak said in an emotionless voice.

However, the white-haired beauty's brows were tightly furrowed, as if she were mulling over something.

"What is it, Sister Lan? Do you have any alternative opinions you'd like to air?" Mu Qing asked.

"This man's soul is remarkably powerful, and I was planning to refine his soul into one of my ghost monarchs, but I have to source other materials now. Besides, Xue Di and I discovered this person before you, so isn't it inappropriate for you to claim him like this?" the woman said in a calm voice.

"Hehe, are you saying you'd like to instruct him instead, Sister Lan? But if I'm not mistaken, you're vulnerable to lightning, are you not? In that case, how will you instruct him to master his divine lightning? If we miss out on this opportunity due to a delay on your end, we'll be regretting this for the rest of our lives," Mu Qing said with a faint smile.

"Oh? It sounds like you're implying that you have a better understanding of Divine Devilbane Lightning than I do. Neither of us has attained this lightning before, so why does it make a difference who whether you or I instruct him?" the white-haired beauty chuckled coldly.

"I possess a wood spirit body. Back in ancient times, Divine Devilbane Lightning was the paramount wood-attribute divine lightning among the divine lightning of the five elements. Surely I'm more qualified than anyone else here to instruct him." Mu Qing's expression darkened slightly.

"That's not necessarily the case. I've spent far more years cultivating than you have, and I believe that gulf in experience is more than enough to outweigh any other advantages you may have in this respect," the woman retorted in a cold and unyielding manner.

Mu Qing's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and she was just about to say something when Liu Zu interjected, "There's no need for an argument. Shouldn't we confirm whether Fellow Daoist Han truly possesses the Divine Devilbane Lightning before we discuss anything else?"

This Liu Zu was clearly the most authoritative figure among the four, as evidenced by the fact that both women did indeed fall silent upon hearing his words. Mu Qing turned to Han Li with a calm expression, and said, "I'm sure you've heard everything we've just discussed, so I'll have to trouble you to unleash your Divine Devilbane Lightning again and display it to everyone present. I'm sure you wouldn't refuse such a small request, right, Fellow Daoist Han?"

A wry smile appeared on Han Li's face, and he wasted no time with words as he made a hand seal.

A rumbling thunderclap immediately erupted as brilliant golden light radiated from his body. Countless thin arcs of electricity surfaced from within his body before forming several thick bolts of golden lightning in the blink of an eye, creating quite a marvelous spectacle to behold.

Everyone in the wooden hall stared intently at the golden arcs of lightning, including Mu Qing, even though she'd already seen it once before.

Liu Zu waved a sleeve toward Han Li, and a burst of black Yin winds rushed directly toward him.

Han Li raised an eyebrow before pointing a finger, sending a bolt of golden lightning hurtling toward the oncoming gust of Yin winds.

The golden lightning exploded amid a loud boom as soon as it came into contact with the black winds, and the latter faded like snow under the scorching sun, disappearing into nothingness in the blink of an eye.

"There's no mistaking it; this really is Divine Devilbane Lightning!" Liu Zu nodded, and there was a hint of elation in his voice.

"How many bolts of Divine Devilbane Lightning of that caliber are you capable of unleashing, Fellow Daoist?" one of the red-robed figures suddenly asked.

"Around 20, but after that, it'll take a long time for the lightning to recover to its original power," Han Li replied.

He was completely lying in his response; in reality, he was able to unleash thrice the quantity of lightning he'd proclaimed.

"20 should be enough." The other red-robed figure cackled with glee upon hearing this.

"Indeed. Even though the infernal river restriction is quite formidable, there's no way that it'll hold up in the face of so many bolts of divine lightning. Alright, his divine lightning has been confirmed; let's discuss who will be instructing Fellow Daoist Han. Fellow Daoist Di Xue and I are quite unfamiliar with divine lightning, so we won't put our names forward. The issue at hand is that both Fairy Mu and Fellow Daoist Lan want to take Fellow Daoist Han under their wing, and it's rather difficult to decide who is the better candidate. Here's my proposal; there are still a few years left until the implementation of our plan. For the first two years, we can get him to learn from Fairy Mu, and the two years after that will be spent under Fellow Daoist Lan's tutelage. As for the final two years, those will be for Fellow Daoist Han to cultivate and digest what he's been taught on his own. Do either of you two have any objections?" Liu Zu said in an emotionless voice.

Both of the women faltered upon hearing this proposal.

"Hehe, that's a brilliant suggestion, Brother Liu Zu. Neither of the fellow Daoists seems willing to back down, so this is the best way to proceed," one of the red-robed figures cackled as he rubbed his hands together.

The white-haired beauty hesitated momentarily before nodding in response. "Seeing as both Fellow Daoist Liu Zu and Fellow Daoist Di Xue approve of this arrangement, then I have no objections, either."

In contrast, Mu Qing remained silent with a contemplative look on her face.

A cold light flashed through Liu Zu's eyes as he asked in a cold voice, "Are you unhappy with this arrangement, Fairy Mu?"

"Of course not; we'll do as you say." Mu Qing's heart stirred as she forced a smile onto her face.

"Then it's settled. These are all trivial matters anyway. Everything is building toward the implementation of our grand scheme. Fellow Daoist Han, we'll give you six years to master the true power of the Divine Devilbane Lightning. If you're able to do so, we'll take you to a place where brilliant rewards will await you. But if you can't master the divine lightning in six years, hehe..." one of the red-robed figures began before his voice trailed off.

Even though he hadn't finished his sentence, the threat in his words was quite apparent.

Han Li's expression darkened a little upon hearing this.

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Han. You're able to attain this divine lightning at such a young age, so you must possess outstanding aptitude. For someone like you, mastering the divine lightning in six years will be no issue at all. However, in order to prevent you from attempting to do anything to our detriment, we'll have to place some restrictions on your body," the white-haired beauty said before suddenly raising a hand. A grey thread shot forth without any hesitation, reaching Han Li in the blink of an eye.

Han Li's expression changed drastically, and he reflexively tried to evade, but the nearby space suddenly tightened, following which he was completely immobilized by an enormous force.

Han Li's eyelids twitched, and after a series of thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind, he refrained from using any of his powers to try and resist.

He merely looked on as the silver thread disappeared into his body with a dark expression.

Almost at the exact same moment, Liu Zu, Mu Qing, and Di Xue released a ball of black Qi, an orb of green light, and a cloud of blood mist respectively, all of which also disappeared into Han Li's body in quick succession.

Only then did the enormous power weighing down on Han Li disappear.

He hurriedly conducted an internal inspection of his body with his spiritual sense, and his findings left him rather concerned, but also allowed him to heave an internal sigh of relief.

The restrictions that had entered his body were merely tracking symbols that wouldn't actually be able to harm him. However, with these things in his body, it would be next to impossible for him to escape.

"Fellow Daoist Han, you'll be staying in the Wood Immortal Valley for the next two years. After that, Fellow Daoist Lan will send someone to take you to her. That will be the extent of our discussion on this matter; let's discuss some other things now. Fellow Daoist Lan, I heard that you've refined almost all 8,000 profound ghosts, but you're still missing..." Liu Zu quickly moved on to other subjects after settling this issue.

Everyone else listened while interjecting from time to time in a spirited discussion.

Throughout this entire process, the demon monarchs gave no opportunities for Han Li to speak, and they had no intention of hearing what he had to say.

But then again, he really didn't have the right to make his opinions heard in the face of four demon monarchs at the Body Integration Stage and above.

After all, regardless of whether it was in the human world or the Spirit Realm, power determined one's rights. A mere Deity Transformation cultivator like him was far too insignificant to take seriously.

As such, even though Han Li was feeling quite gloomy, he could only remain silent while pondering what he had just heard.

The demon monarchs hadn't revealed many details, but he roughly understood the situation now.

As expected, these beings wanted to borrow the power of his Divine Devilbane Lightning, and they wanted to use it to break some infernal river restriction.

However, what was it that they had said about truly mastering the Divine Devilbane Lightning? Could it be that there was some kind of unique method to maximize the divine lightning's power? Or was there another ability he could unleash with it?

Han Li was completely perplexed.

All of a sudden, Han Li sensed someone scrutinizing him, and he looked up just in time to meet a furtive glance from Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao remained completely expressionless even after meeting Han Li's gaze, but Han Li's expression stirred slightly. Only after a while did he withdraw his gaze in an unhurried manner.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

The demon monarchs discussed many things in front of Han Li, but none of them mentioned Han Li in their subsequent discussion.

At this point, Han Li had already backed away to the side, and was secretly inspecting these demon monarchs.

In all honesty, the two most mysterious and unfathomable beings among these four demon monarchs were Liu Zu and Di Xue. The former was emanating a frosty aura that was extremely unsettling, and he didn't even seem to be a living being.

If it weren't for the fact that it was clearly moving and speaking, Han Li would've been led to suspect that he was an inanimate object.

The latter was also quite unfathomable to him as both of the red-robed figures were completely identical in every single way. Their voices, statures, and auras were both completely identical, and both of them were referred to as Di Xue, thereby further adding to Han Li's confusion.

As for Mu Qing and the white-haired beauty, Han Li had roughly gleaned their origins. Mu Qing's body was enshrouded in a layer of black that even his Brightsight Spirit Eyes were unable to see through, but he could glean a faint wisp of green through the black light.

In conjunction with the extremely pure wood-attribute spiritual power emanating from her body, Han Li was almost certain that she was a rare wood spirit demon, but he didn't know what kind of spirit wood her true body consisted of.

As for the white-haired beauty, her body contained the densest Yin Qi that he had ever seen.

Furthermore, judging from the conversation between the demon monarchs, Han Li could determine that she was a ghostly demon.

As such, the fact that she was able to manifest a body identical to that of a normal person was a sufficient indication of her power.

However, Han Li also noticed that Yuan Yao's body also contained dense Yin Qi, suggesting that she was also no longer a normal human. However, she wasn't a true ghostly being like the white-haired woman, so she had to have gone down a slightly different path.

Yan Li's situation was also identical to Yuan Yao's.

Judging from the auras emanating from their bodies, the two of them were only at the early-Deity Transformation Stage.

For them to be allowed to accompany the white-haired beauty with their cultivation bases suggested that the woman truly adored them, or was keeping them around for other purposes.

The discussion between the demon monarchs didn't last too long. There were occasional clashes of opinions, but they were quickly resolved through diplomatic votes.

After a while, everything had been discussed, and everyone got up to leave.

Mu Qing rose to her feet and saw off the demon monarchs in person.

When the two red-robed beings were on their way out, they just so happened to pass by Han Li, and one of them asked, "Were you the one who destroyed the two puppets I sent out?"

Han Li hesitated momentarily before bowing as he gave an honest reply, "They were indeed destroyed by me. I was unaware that they belonged to you at the time, Senior, so please don't hold it against me."

"Hehe, a couple of blood puppets aren't significant enough for me to lose sleep over. However, I can't just let you get away with this. Why don't you do me a small favor at some point in the future to make up for this?" Due Xue suggested.

Han Li faltered slightly upon hearing this, yet when he raised his head again, the two red-robed figures had already walked past him as if they hadn't said anything to him at all.

Han Li's brows furrowed, and he couldn't help but feel as if he had more trouble on his hands.

The white-haired beauty's trio was the final group to depart, and they also walked past Han Li. The beauty merely smiled at him, yet didn't say anything. As for Yuan Yao, she remained completely expressionless, as if she couldn't even see Han Li.

In contrast, Yan Li blinked and was looking at Han Li with a contemplative light in her eyes.

Han Li's lips suddenly twitched in a barely noticeable manner, following which one of his hands suddenly clenched up into a fist within the sleeve of his robes.

As soon as everyone had left, Xue Du turned to Han Li with a smile, and said, "Congratulations, Brother Han; everyone is holding you in very high regard?"

"What is there to congratulate me about? I'm still completely in the dark about everything. Do you know what they were referring to when they were talking about true mastery of my Divine Devilbane Lightning, Senior Xue? Will it actually improve the power of my lightning?" Han Li asked with a wry smile on his face.

To Han Li's surprise, Xue Du actually gave him a detailed response. "Hehe, I do actually know a little bit about this. In ancient times, Divine Devilbane Lightning was the vastly renowned paramount wood-attribute divine lightning, and was one of the five-elemental true lightnings. It specialized in vanquishing devilish Qi and all evil creatures, and its power far exceeds that of even my Heavenly Blood Lightning. However, unless this lightning is refined through a special method, the wielder will only be able to unleash a tiny portion of its power. During the reign of the Evil Dragon Race in ancient times, they destroyed all of the Golden Lightning Bamboo they could find, essentially erasing the existence of Divine Devilbane Lightning off the face of the Spirit Realm, so its special refinement method naturally became lost. At the very least, I do not know of this method."

"The Evil Dragon Race?" Han Li faltered slightly upon hearing this.

He had never heard of such a race in the Spirit Realm back when he was in human territory.

"Hehe, you've never heard of such a race, right, Fellow Daoist Han? That makes sense. Due to the excessively violent and oppressive way through which they treated other races during ancient times, a joint rebellion from all other races toppled their despotic rule. All of the current major races of the Spirit Realm rose into prominence in the aftermath of that epic war, while the name of the Evil Dragon Race fell into complete obscurity," Xue Du explained, giving Han Li a brief history lesson in the process.

Han Li was feeling a little overwhelmed by this information. How had the history books of the human race and Flying Spirit Race failed to record such a monumental event?

Despite his confusion, he refrained from asking any questions.

"By the way, when I say ancient times, I mean well and truly in the distant past. At that point, your Flying Spirit Race hadn't even come into existence yet, so they naturally wouldn't have any records of this piece of history," Xue Du chuckled, seemingly having identified Han Li's confusion.

"I see!" Han Li was immediately enlightened.

According to the historical records of the human race, they had appeared in the Spirit Realm after the Flying Spirit Race, so it was no surprise that they didn't have records regarding this matter, either.

Just as Han Li and Xue Du were chatting with one another, footsteps sounded outside the wooden hall, and Mu Qing strode in through the doors.

Xue Du immediately ceased conversing with Han Li as he made his way over to Mu Qing and extended a respectful salute.

Mu Qing nodded in an errant gesture of acknowledgment before sitting back down on her giant golden flower, supporting her chin with a hand as she sat in silence.

She seemed to be mulling over a difficult decision, and she didn't say anything for a long while.

Han Li didn't know what was happening, so he cast a glance toward Xue Du to gauge his reaction. The blood wyrm wore a calm and collected expression on his face, seemingly already accustomed to such occurrences.

"Listen up, Fellow Daoist Han; I don't care what you're thinking, but you have to master the Divine Devilbane Lightning under my tutelage within these two years. Once you do, I'll think of a way to waive the two year period you have to spend with that ghost hag, understood?" Mu Qing's voice sounded from within the black light.

Han Li's expression stirred slightly, and a wry smile appeared on his face as he replied, "I'll be sure to do my best, Senior Mu Qing."

"Hmph, you'd better do your best! Otherwise, I won't let you go to that ghost hag without leaving you a memento to remember me with." Mu Qing's voice suddenly became cold and forbidding.

Han Li's heart sank, and he could only fall silent.

"Three days from now, move over to my Wood Essence Cave. I'll instruct you to master your lightning during these two years. Xue Du, I'll leave the preparations for the blood sacrifice to you during this time," Mu Qing instructed in an implacable voice.

"Yes, Mistress!" Xue Du was rather surprised to hear this, but he naturally accepted his orders.

Han Li also faltered slightly in response.

After that, Mu Qing waved a dismissive hand as she said, "Alright, I'm feeling a little weary, so all of you can go back for now."

Han Li and Xue Du could only depart after extending farewell salutes.

As soon as they exited the hall, Xue Du suddenly said, "Tsk tsk, you're a lucky man, Brother Han. To think that my mistress is going to instruct you in person; this is a brilliant opportunity for you!"

"Is that so? I don't even know if I can master my lightning in two years." Han Li shook his head in a rather gloomy manner.

"Haha, the fact that my mistress said what she just did indicates that she has confidence in you, so there's no need to worry, Brother Han. I still have some matters to take care of, so I'll be taking my leave now," Xue Du chuckled before flying away as a streak of crimson light.

Han Li stood on the spot and looked on at the departing streak of crimson light. Only after it had disappeared out of sight did he slowly return to his living quarters.

Not long after that, Han Li was back in his pavilion.

He immediately activated his restriction to prevent anyone from being able to conduct surveillance on him, then sat down on his bed with a dark expression.

A white later, he suddenly raised a hand and glanced at his palm. There was a black character around the size of a grain of rice that had appeared on his palm, and upon careful inspection, Han Li discovered that it was the character for "yuan".

A peculiar look appeared on Han Li's face upon seeing this.

If he had been slightly skeptical about Yuan Yao's identity before, then all of that skepticism had now been wiped away.

This character was something that had appeared soundlessly in his hand when Yuan Yao had brushed past him earlier.

No trace of spiritual fluctuations had been set off during that process, so even the four demon monarchs were unable to detect anything.

It was quite astonishing that a mere Deity Transformation cultivator was capable of doing something like this.

Han Li extended a finger before gently tapping the "yuan" character on his palm.

A flash of green light erupted from his fingertip to wipe this character away. He then withdrew his hands into his sleeves and began to contemplate his situation with an indecisive expression.

After a few moments, he suddenly extended a palm again. A low thunderclap erupted as a fist-sized ball of golden lightning surfaced over his palm, and its mass was fluctuating slightly.

A series of shimmering strands of electricity were also flashing over its surface.

Han Li appraised the ball of lightning expressionlessly before suddenly narrowing his eyes.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Many years ago, he'd unintentionally nurtured a shot of Golden Lightning Bamboo, thereby allowing him to refine his Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords, as well as to attain the Divine Devilbane Lightning, but never would he have thought that this lightning would have such stunning origins, nor have some kind of special refinement method.

If the Divine Devilbane Lightning really was one of the five-elemental true lightnings of the Spirit Realm and its power could truly be significantly increased, then it would become staggeringly powerful. In that case, it would immediately become one of his trump cards. Being able to master his Divine Devilbane Lightning would certainly be a good thing, but having to go to this infernal river place was most definitely going to incur a massive risk for him.

If he weren't careful, it was quite possible that he could die in the process. Thankfully, it appeared that there were still around six years left before he'd have to face that ordeal, so he could carefully consider his situation during that time, perhaps allowing him to devise some kind of plan to avoid this peril.

Furthermore, it was quite a surprise to see Yuan Yao again here. Many years ago, she'd been willing to sacrifice her own Core Formation Stage cultivation base to save Yan Li, and that was naturally worthy of respect and admiration.

However, after the passage of so many years, it was yet to be seen whether she was still someone who cherished her bond with others. After all, the most fickle thing in this world was one's heart.

However, Yuan Yao had refrained from revealing the fact that they were acquaintances, and that was quite a relief to Han Li.

Even though he didn't have to hide the fact that he was merely impersonating Flying Spirit Tribe being, he still didn't want his true origins to be revealed to the earth abyss demon monarchs.

Han Li silently recalled all of the memories he had of Yuan Yao. They had met on several occasions, the first of which was in the secret chamber within the Heavenvoid Hall. At the time, she was bathing in a spring, and the image of her flawless body flashed through his mind, sending a slight stir through Han Li's heart.

However, Nangong Wan's figure then surfaced from the bottom of his heart, and a sense of clarity immediately returned to Han Li's mind. After so many years, if everything had gone smoothly, she would've most likely reached the Deity Transformation Stage in the human world as well.

Han Li wondered how long it would take for him to be reunited with his beloved Dao Companion here in the Spirit Realm. Nangong Wan's appearance and voice, as well as the memories of the intimate times they'd spent in the Heavenly South Region flashed through Han Li's mind, and a faint smile appeared on his face as he basked in those warm memories.

A long while later, when Nangong Wan's voice gradually faded from his mind, another set of exquisitely beautiful facial features surfaced in his heart, and he was once again lulled into a period of sentimental recollection.

After the passage of an indeterminate period of time, Han Li heaved a long sigh and finally returned to his senses as a wry smile appeared on his face.

He didn't think that Yuan Yao's appearance would trigger such a long walk down memory lane for him. Thankfully, there wasn't anyone nearby who bore ill will toward him. Otherwise, he would've been in some peril, having been completely absorbed in his memories.

However, seeing as he was unable to depart from the earth abyss anytime soon, he would always get opportunities to meet Yuan Yao again. As such, he didn't have to be in a hurry to contact her.

With that in mind, a contemplative look appeared on his face again.

Three days later, Han Li stood before a small mountain, looking at a strange mountain face, the entirety of which was as green and translucent as jade. A hint of surprise quickly flashed through his eyes.

"This is the Wood Essence Cave that I cultivate in during the seclusion. There are very few places in the Spirit Realm with such abundant wood-attribute spiritual Qi, and those using wood-attribute cultivation arts will be able to enjoy rapid progress in their cultivation here," Mu Qing introduced in a proud manner.

Han Li had turned up to meet Mu Qing as instructed, and Mu Qing had taken him over several mountains, then entered a restriction that was filled with dense mist before finally stopping in this strange place.

They were quite far away from his previous living quarters, and it was quite a surprise that Mu Qing had set up her cultivation venue here.

However, the entire green mountain face was as smooth as a mirror with not a single cave to be seen.

Han Li swept his spiritual sense over the mountain face several times, but was unable to discover anything more than what met the eye. Thus, a peculiar look appeared on his face.

Mu Qing stepped forward and swept a hand gently over the mountain face. Green light flashed over the mountain face, following which a large opening appeared, revealing a green passageway that led straight into the heart of the mountain.

The entrance to the passageway had been sealed by a layer green light barrier, and there was also a series of strange runes carved onto the surrounding rock face, creating quite a discreet and mysterious camouflage effect.

Han Li was quite flabbergasted to see this. How had his powerful spiritual sense been unable to detect this passageway?

It appeared that these earth abyss demon monarchs really did have some unfathomable abilities; he was going to have to take extra care around them from now on.

Mu Qing led the way into the passageway, having been completely unaffected by the green light barrier. Han Li hesitated momentarily before following suit.

The light barrier posed no impediment to him, either, and soon after he'd passed through it, the entrance of the passageway disappeared again.

Not only that, but the entire green mountain face also turned completely dull and lusterless not long after that.

On the other end, Han Li walked behind Mu Qing in this passageway for a long while before they finally reached a hall that was not very large.

The entire hall was empty, and there was nothing else in there aside from seven or eight openings that led to other places. As soon as Han Li entered this hall, he could sense the rich wood-attribute spiritual Qi emanating from the walls around him, and that was something that filled him with both elation and concern.

He was elated the wood-attribute spiritual Qi was so abundant here, and it seemed that with such exceptional facilities, mastering the Divine Devilbane Lightning in two years wasn't entirely impossible. However, at the same time, he was concerned by the fact that Mu Qing was willing to let him use such an exceptional cultivation venue. This indicated that she was intent on keeping him, and it wouldn't be easy for him to escape from this demon monarch's control in the future.

"Come with me; I'll set up a place for you to stay. You'll be spending the upcoming two years in here, and you're forbidden to take so much as a single step out of this Wood Essence Cave. I've already set up an extremely powerful restriction in the surrounding area. Unless I open it for you in person, there's no way that you can leave this place," Mu Qing said in an indifferent voice that was full of confidence.

Han Li's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything as he silently followed Mu Qing into one of the passageways that led away from the room.

After passing through a large garden filled with strange and exotic plants, Han Li was brought to a large yellow gate that was refined from some kind of unknown metallic material.

Mu Qing stopped here, and said, "This is a secret chamber that I often meditate in, but I'll let you live in it for now. From now on, I'll instruct you in mastering the Divine Devilbane Lightning once every seven days. At midday on the seventh day, just come to the hall to find me. Alright, you can go in now; I'm going to another secret chamber. Aside from a few important places that I've set up restrictions at, you can go anywhere you like in here."

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior!" Han Li hurriedly expressed his gratitude.

However, Mu Qing merely took an indifferent glance at Han Li before departing, disappearing from sight after she rounded a corner.

Only then did Han Li heave a faint sigh and strode into the secret chamber beyond the metallic yellow doors.

Time passed by in a flash, and a year flew by in the blink of an eye.

On this day, within a vast expanse of mist, a strange phenomenon suddenly appeared in the air above a mundane-looking small mountain.

Countless dark clouds converged at low altitudes, following which azure lightning flashed amid rumbling thunderclaps. It was if a fearsome vicious beast was being born from the clouds.

All of a sudden, a black formation that was over 100 feet in size appeared amid a flash of black light on the mountain's summit.

Two humanoid figures appeared, one of which was a slender female with black light swirling all over her body, while the other was an ordinary-looking young man in a set of azure robes.

These two were none other than Mu Qing and Han Li.

In the instant that the two of them appeared, loud thunderclaps erupted in the air above, following which the dark clouds began to tumble and surge violently. Countless azure arcs of lightning surfaced within those clouds, creating a formidable sight to behold.

Mu Qing looked up into the sky with a calm expression, and said, "What a coincidence that your heavenly tribulation would arrive at a time like this. You possess the Divine Devilbane Lightning and have achieved an elementary level of mastery over the lightning, so you should be able to transcend this tribulation with ease. This will also be a good opportunity to further hone your affinity for lightning, and that'll be quite beneficial to improving your mastery of your Divine Devilbane Lightning. I'll leave you to your own devices, now." As soon as Mu Qing's voice trailed off, she abruptly disappeared amid a flash of light.

Thus, Han Li was the only one remaining on the mountain summit.

He could only give a wry smile in this situation.

Never would he have thought that he'd be beset with his second minor heavenly tribulation in the Spirit Realm under such circumstances.

Thankfully, he'd been consuming Earth Cleansing Pills regularly, so he was well prepared to handle this tribulation. The first bolts of lightning to fall were normal azure heavenly lightning, rather than the extremely fearsome two-colored tribulation lightning.

Even so, Han Li didn't dare to get complacent in the slightest. After all, this was his second minor lightning tribulation, and it was certainly not something to be scoffed at.

Han Li opened his mouth to expel a small azure cauldron, and at the same time, he laid his hand on the back of his head to summon a burst of grey light that created a light barrier around his body.

After that, he let loose a low cry as both of his hands balled up into fists. A resounding boom erupted as countless arcs of golden lightning erupted from his body, hurtling up toward the sky.

Moments later, a golden net of lightning took shape, and the golden lightning was even more dazzling than the tribulation lightning up above.

At the same time, more and more arcs of azure lightning began to appear, and they intensified in brightness at an alarming rate. Finally, countless arcs of azure lightning came crashing down with reckless abandon amid an earthshattering boom, heading directly toward Han Li. The arcs of lightning as thick as human thumbs, and they rained down in a torrential downpour, crashing headfirst into the net of golden lightning.

Han Li made a hand seal, and the net of lightning let loose a loud thunderclap as a blurry golden rune appeared over its surface, then transformed into vortex-like swaths of golden light.

A peculiar scene then ensued!

As soon as the azure arcs of lightning came into contact with the golden vortexes of light, the former disappeared into the latter in a completely soundless manner, as if the tribulation lightning had been devoured.

Thousands of arcs of azure lightning were engulfed in such a manner in mere moments while a small portion of them struck the golden net of lightning amid resounding booms, only to be deflected with ease.

The first wave of tribulation lightning had fallen, and Han Li didn't even bat an eyelid, having withstood this initial wave with ease.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

After devouring so much azure tribulation lightning, the golden net above Han Li's head swelled to several times its original size, encompassing an area over 200 feet in size.

As soon as the first wave of tribulation lightning ceased, even thicker bolts of azure lightning materialized up above before crashing down as the second wave.

Han Li made a hand seal before extending a finger and rapidly scribbling something in the air with his fingertip.

Golden light flashed and a shimmering golden rune was inscribed in mid-air. Following an explosive thunderclap, the rune transformed into a bolt of golden lightning that hurtled up toward the air.

The golden arc of lightning then disappeared into the golden lightning net in a flash, causing the entire net to tremor.

The balls of light that were hovering within the net of golden lightning converged toward the same spot to form a vast expanse of golden light, within which runes were shimmering erratically.

During this split-second, the second wave of azure lightning was already descending with devastating might.

The same scenes appeared again.

The powerful bolts of azure lightning quickly disappeared without a trace into the vast expanse of golden light. However, the second wave of tribulation lightning was far more powerful than the first, as evidenced by the fact that the vast expanse of golden light was tremoring violently from the lightning strikes while the golden net of lightning continued to expand.

Moments later, a series of cracks finally began to appear amid the golden light, and it was slowly being vanquished by the tribulation lightning.

Without the golden light posing as an obstacle, the bolts of tribulation lightning struck the net of lightning directly.

The two clashed, and golden and azure light intertwined, creating a thunderous commotion.

Despite how ferociously powerful the bolts of heavenly lightning were, the golden lightning net remained resolute, managing to keep most of the azure lightning at bay.

The occasional stray bolts of heavenly lightning that managed to sneak through were all vanquished by Han Li's Divine Essencefused Light.

Standing atop the mountain summit, Han Li looked up at the dark clouds overhead, but showed no intention of unleashing his Divine Devilbane Lightning. He seemed to have some other course of action in mind.

After a while, the golden net of lightning was finally shattered, and the second wave of tribulation lightning also ceased.

However, the dark clouds in the sky were only surging more violently, and within the span of a few breaths, balls of azure lightning had appeared up above.

Each ball was around the size of a human fist, and they were clearly imbued with far more power than the bolts from the previous wave of tribulation lightning.

Han Li adopted a more serious expression as one of his hands turned white while the other turned black, and he thrust both palms into the air.

All of a sudden, the grey light overhead congealed, following which the projection of a miniature black mountain surfaced within it.

Almost at the exact same moment, five wagon-wheel-sized skull projections appeared above the grey light, and all of them opened their mouths in unison.

Five-colored flames tumbled forth, instantly forming a protective barrier over the Divine Essencefused Light.

Han Li then let loose a low cry, and the miniature azure cauldron above his head swelled to more than 10 times its original size amid a flash of brilliant spiritual light, transforming into a massive cauldron that was around 10 feet in size.

Azure light tumbled within the cauldron alongside an indistinct rumbling sound.

The third wave of tribulation lightning came crashing down in a merciless manner.

The balls of azure lightning were like massive chunks of hail, and they were far more fearsome than the previous two waves of heavenly lightning.

However, Han Li had been able to withstand two-colored tribulation lightning even when he was only at the early-Deity Transformation Stage, so he certainly wasn't going to be fazed by these azure balls of lightning.

The lightning balls crashed into the five-colored flames, and an incredible scene ensued.

All of the balls of lightning became extraordinarily slow after entering the five-colored flames, as if they'd been trapped.

In the blink of an eye, over 100 balls of lightning had been frozen in mid-air.

Han Li made a hand seal, and grey light erupted from the miniature mountain projection, sweeping up all of the balls of lightning.

At the same time, brilliant azure light erupted from the massive cauldron down below, and all of the lightning balls appeared at the cauldron's opening. Countless azure threads then shot forth, dragging all of the balls of lightning into the cauldron.

A faint smile appeared on Han Li's face upon seeing this. An hour later, the dark clouds in the air above dissipated, and the lightning tribulation drew to a conclusion.

Han Li had already arrived back in the secret chamber of the Wood Essence Cave. He was seated with his legs crossed on a futon, while a small azure cauldron hovered before him.

The lid of the cauldron had already been removed, and electricity was flashing within alongside the occasional dull thunderclap.

Han Li stared at the cauldron for a while before waving a hand toward it and drawing it into his grasp.

He patted the cauldron with his hand, and it tremored before producing an egg-sized ball of lightning.

The ball of lightning was flashing erratically, but it was unable to escape from the azure threads by which it was bound.

This was the heavenly tribulation lightning that Han Li had procured.

This lightning naturally couldn't compare to the golden and silver heavenly lightning that he'd captured in the past, but it was still a lot more powerful than normal lightning.

Having been given the opportunity, Han Li was naturally going to secure as much of this lightning as possible to refine some lightning beads with.

One lightning bead or two could perhaps only pose a threat to Spatial Tempering Stage beings, but if a dozen or so were to be hurled at once, even Body Integration cultivators would be forced into retreat.

Aside from the first two waves of heavenly lightning, all of the subsequent lightning had been drawn into the Heavenvoid Cauldron.

There was enough azure lightning in there to refine several tens of lightning beads in one go.

However, due to the power of the heavenly lightning itself, these lightning beads were going to be slightly inferior compared to the ones he'd refined in the past.

Even so, with so many lightning beads at his disposal, they could serve as one of his trump cards in the face of unforeseen threats.

Even though this heavenly tribulation hadn't posed any threat to him, each successive heavenly tribulation was more devastating than the previous one. By his estimations, he would only be able to transcend seven or eight more tribulations of this nature before things would get rather out of hand for him.

As for the major heavenly tribulations that befell Spatial Tempering Stage beings, even the first of such tribulations were extremely dangerous, and there was no lack of Spatial Tempering Stage beings in history who'd fallen to their first tribulations.

However, that was only something for Han Li to worry about in the future. For now, he had to think about how he was going to escape.

Han Li's expression darkened again as he considered the perils that he was going to face in the future.

During this past year, Mu Qing had truly done everything in her power to instruct him. Furthermore, he was quite proficient in using lightning himself, so he had made steady and fast progress. It appeared that it wouldn't be an issue for him to fulfill Mu Qing's requirements within two years.

Perhaps it was due to this that Mu Qing had been a lot more benevolent toward him of late, and after instructing him in the way of mastering his divine lightning, she would occasionally answer some of his cultivation questions as well.

At her lofty cultivation base, her guidance in cultivation was naturally extremely invaluable to a mere Deity Transformation cultivator like Han Li.

However, Han Li naturally wasn't going to allow himself to be imprisoned just because of the improved treatment he was receiving.

During this time, he had snuck around the mountain on several occasions to search for any holes in the restriction, as well as researched potential methods to erase the four tracking marks within his body.

If he could find solutions to these two issues, he'd be able to escape.

However, the results yielded by his efforts were very disheartening.

The restrictions around the Wood Essence Cave was unimaginably profound, transforming the entire cave into a massive cage from which there was simply no escape for him.

Of course, that wasn't to say that he couldn't destroy the restriction by force. After all, his Divine Essencefused Light and Spirit Engulfing Heavenly Flames were both extremely effective in this respect.

However, if he were to attempt to do this, Mu Qing would immediately be alerted to what he was up to, and things would not end well for him.

As for the tracking marks planted in his body by the four demon monarchs, they were even more troublesome. The marks seemed to have taken root in his body, and refused to be removed regardless of what he tried.

The only way was to use the nascent flames within his body to slowly refine them, but these were marks left behind by four Body Integration Stage demon monarchs; refining them was far from simple!

Setting aside whether the demon monarchs that had planted the marks in him would notice what he was doing, even if he were to take a massive risk and forcibly refine the marks, it would still take him at least three or four years.

As such, he was feeling quite depressed. However, Han Li was certainly no ordinary person, and he did manage to devise a feasible strategy.

In a dire situation, he could use the powers of his Divine Essencefused Light and Divine Devilbane Lightning to temporarily mask the four tracking marks in his body.

Han Li hadn't tried this method to see if it would work as doing so would most likely alert the four demon monarchs, but with his understanding of those two abilities of his, he estimated that there was at least a 70% chance that it would succeed.

Of course, this masking effect would only work on a temporary basis. As soon as the four demon monarchs sensed what he was doing, they'd be able to forcibly summon the tracking marks from within a certain distance, and he most likely wouldn't be able to conceal himself for long.

As such, this was only going to be a last resort.

Han Li exhaled deeply as if he were trying to expel all of the frustrations in his heart. He then tossed the miniature cauldron in his hand forward and prepared to begin refining lightning beads.

Even though this was a place where Mu Qing had once cultivated, he'd set up restrictions here again, so he wasn't afraid that she'd be able to see what he was doing.

Thus, loud thunderclaps erupted within the secret chamber as Han Li set about refining one lightning bead after another.

Several days later, a streak of green light flew over the nearby garden, then disappeared in a flash through the doors of Han Li's secret chamber.

Only after a long while were doors opened, and Han Li emerged from within with furrowed brows and a peculiar look on his face.

This was the date for his weekly lesson yet, so why was had Mu Qing summoned him using a voice transmission talisman?

This was something that hadn't ever happened during the past year.

Thus, Han Li made his way slowly down the path in the garden with a hint of confusion in his heart.

There were already over 30 extra thumb-sized lightning beads in his storage bracelet, all of which were shimmering with azure light. Han Li had exhausted most of the heavenly lightning that he'd procured to refine these lightning beads, and if it weren't for Mu Qing's voice transmission talisman, he was preparing to refine all of the heavenly lightning in his Heavenvoid Cauldron in one go.

When Han Li finally made his way into the hall, he was surprised to discover that not only was Mu Qing seated in the hall, there was a crimson-robed figure sitting off to the side.

This crimson-robed figure was none other than Di Xue.

"Fellow Daoist Han, Fellow Daoist Di Xue would like to see you," Mu Qing said in a calm voice as she held a teacup in her hand.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

"You're looking for me, Senior?" A hint of surprise flashed through Han Li's eyes. "That's right, I am indeed here to see you. Have you forgotten my voice transmission from a year ago?" Di Xue's voice was just as sharp and metallic as ever."Of course not! What can I do for you, Senior?" Han Li was feeling a little uneasy, but he naturally wasn't going to feign ignorance in this situation. "You heard him, right, Fair Mu? Han brat agreed to help me voluntarily, so you can't refuse anymore," Di Xue chuckled.

"I never refused in the first place, but as I'm sure you're well aware, our top priority now is for Fellow Daoist Han to master his Divine Devilbane Lightning as soon as possible. As such, there's no way that I can loan him to you for three months. I can only give you one month at most. Otherwise, you're going to be hindering his progress too much," Mu Qing replied calmly as she took a sip of her tea.

"One month is nowhere near enough to finish what I'm doing. The puppets I'm refining are also extremely important, and can't be delayed. How about this? Hand him over to me for two months; that should just barely suffice," Di Xue conceded.

"I can give him to you for one and a half months at most, no more than that!" Mu Qing countered in a cold voice. Di Xue paused momentarily before nodding as he said, "Alright, one and a half months it is. However, I'll have to borrow your teleportation formation then."

"That won't be an issue. I'll teleport both of you straight to the Bloodflame Mountain, but you have to bring him back to me in person." Mu Qing's voice eased slightly upon hearing this."Haha, I can certainly do that. Come with me, Han brat," Di Xue chortled with glee as he rose to his feet.

More than half a day later, black light flashed from a teleportation formation on an obscure stone platform in front of a black mountain on the fifth level of the earth abyss. Two humanoid figures appeared on the teleportation formation, and they were naturally none other than Han Li and Di Xue.

As soon as Han Li recovered from his rush of dizziness, he surveyed his surroundings to find that there was another crimson-robed figure standing next to the teleportation formation.

As soon as he caught sight of Han Li, the crimson-robed figure cackled, "You're finally here, Fellow Daoist Han. My four Purpleblood Puppets require an injection of power from your Divine Devilbane Lightning. Only then will they be able to serve a substantial purpose when we get to the infernal river."

"Purpleblood Puppets!" Han Li's heart immediately jolted upon hearing this.

"Hehe, I'll tell you about the specific details when we get there." The crimson-robed figure was acting in a very polite manner, presumably because he required Han Li's services.

Han Li naturally wasn't going to state any objections, and thus, he flew toward the black mountain behind the two crimson-robed figures.

This mountain was around 40,000 to 50,000 feet tall, and the two crimson-robed figures were leading Han Li toward a point halfway up the mountain.

In the end, they arrived on a nondescript cliff over 1,000 feet up the mountain.

One of the crimson-robed figures strode forward and made a hand seal with one hand. He then began to chant something before abruptly raising his other hand. The scenes that unfolded next had Han Li completely flabbergasted,

The entire cliff began to tremor amid a loud burst of rumbling, and black light flashed as a gargantuan moss-covered stone wyrm head appeared. The wyrm head abruptly opened its massive eyes to reveal a pair of crimson eyeballs.

It swept a cold gaze across Han Li and the two crimson-robed figures, then opened its mouth to reveal a passageway that was shimmering with white light. "Come in!" one of the crimson-robed said emotionlessly before making his way into the passageway with his identical companion. Han Li recomposed himself and carefully examined the wyrm head through narrowed eyes for a moment before entering the passageway.

The passageway inside was remarkably spacious at around 40 to 50 feet tall, and all of the walls were paved with angular black stones. There were thumb-sized phosphorescent beads embedded into the walls at regular intervals, illuminating the path that led deep into the heart of the mountain. The two crimson-robed figures walked side by side and remained completely silent from the moment they entered the passageway.

After traversing through the passageway and descending over 1,000 feet underground, they arrived at a series of seven or eight completely identical entrances placed next to one another on a large plot of empty land.

This was a rather surprising sight to Han Li.

However, neither of the two crimson-robed beings stopped for even a single instant as they casually made their way into one of the passageways.

The entire mountain seemed to have been hollowed out, and there were countless passageways interconnected with one another, making this place resemble a massive diabolical maze.

Through these passageways, one could occasionally catch glimpses of puppets of different shapes and sizes, all of which were wielding different types of massive blades, patrolling through their respective areas.

Some of these puppets were constructed from metal and shimmering with golden light, some were of a murky grey color, having been constructed from rocks and stones, and there were also some agile puppets carved out of a spirit wood.

All of these puppets were emitting astonishing spiritual pressure, and there were even a few special puppets that possessed Deity Transformation Stage power. Han Li was quite astonished by what he saw.

He could tell that Di Xue's proficiency in the art of puppetry was most definitely superior to that of the Monarch of Soul Divergence.

Of course, that wasn't to say that Di Xue possessed far superior aptitude than the Monarch of Soul Divergence in the art of puppetry. Not only did Di Xue possess a Body Integration Stage cultivation base, there was a vast variety of materials and resources to be found in the Spirit Realm that couldn't be sourced in the human world, so it would simply be unfair to compare the two. After traversing through this maze-like structure with the two crimson-robed figure's for a while, Han Li finally emerged into a cavernous space with a scorching crimson lake down below. This was a natural underground lava lake! There was a crimson palace floating on the surface of the lake, and even though it wasn't an extremely large palace, it was still over 10,000 feet in size.

The entire palace emanated an overwhelming aura of blood and gore, but its construction was absolutely exquisite. There was a massive crimson crystal that was several feet in size attached to the top of the palace, and it was emitting a vibrant crimson light. Han Li couldn't help but falter slightly upon seeing this.

This crystal almost immediately evoked recollections of the strange crystal Han Li had seen on the Spiritseal Tower of the Tian Peng Race's holy city. That crystal was just as massive and mysterious.

It appeared that some kind of extremely powerful restriction had to have been placed on those crystals.

The crimson-robed figures suddenly descended after leading Han Li to the edge of the lava lake.

One of them rustled a sleeve, and a yellow bell immediately shot forth from within before landing in his grasp. Yellow light flashed as a crisp clink sounded from the bell, and as soon as Han Li heard this sound, his consciousness immediately began to waver as he was struck by a sense of feebleness. His heart jolted with shock, and he hurriedly activated his Great Development Technique to dispel those debilitating effects. He then hurried retreated a step and appraised the two crimson-robed figures with wariness in his eyes.

He didn't believe that the two would suddenly try to kill him here, but he had never let his guard down even for a single instant.

One of the crimson-robed figures immediately turned around to appraise Han Li with a cold expression, and a hint of surprise flashed through his eyes upon seeing Han Li's ability to retain clarity of mind.

Right at this moment, a burst of violent tumbling and surging suddenly erupted from within the crimson lava in the lake down below, following which a giant beast that was around 100 feet in length emerged.

This was a shelled beast that resembled a giant turtle, but it possessed three elk-like heads with strange vibrant red coral-like horns on those heds.

The beast seemed to have been summoned by the bell, and as it swam quickly toward Han Li and the others as soon as it emerged from the lava.

"This is my gate guardian beast, a Chaotic Turtle Beast. This beast possesses a fire spirit body from birth, and can unleash three different types of spirit flames. It's extremely powerful when in its natural habitat of lava, and it took me a lot of effort to tame it. If we want to enter my Bloodflame Palace, we'll have to get around this beast first," one of the crimson-robed figures chuckled."I am truly in awe of your exceptional powers, Senior!" Han Li immediately replied upon hearing this.

He then cast his gaze toward the lava lake as blue light flashed through his eyes, and his expression changed drastically. With the assistance of his Brightsight Spirit Eyes, he was able to see that there were countless transparent threads up ahead, intertwining to encompass the entire lava lake down below.

One end of those threads was connected to the giant crystal on top of the palace, and if someone were to fly down recklessly from above without being aware of the presence of these threads, they would most likely be sliced into countless pieces.

Han Li's lips twitched and he drew a sharp breath upon making this discovery.

At this moment, the Chaotic Turtle Beast had arrived at the shore of the lava lake, and it opened its three mouths to let loose a strange cry that resembled frog croaks.

One of the crimson-robed figures raised a hand upon seeing this, and a black fist-sized ball shot forth amid an aura of blood and gore.

One of the demon beast's heads opened its mouth to lap up the black ball by expelling a burst of red light.

The three heads then let loose low cries in unison, seemingly in a display of joy and elation. It then turned around and laid a thick tail onto the shore of the lake to act as a bridge.

The two crimson-robed figures climbed along the tail onto the creature's back, then turned around to face Han Li. Han Li heaved an internal sigh before also making his way onto the beast's back.

One of the crimson-robed figures shook the yellow bell again, and the Chaotic Turtle Beast swam rapidly toward the Bloodflame Palace at the center of the lake with the trio on its back. The lake wasn't very large, and it only took moments before the beast reached the palace.

The three of them immediately rose into the air and flew over to the palace gates.

Han Li had only just descended onto the ground when the palace gates abruptly opened up from the inside, and two groups of beings emerged.

One group was clad in red armor while wielding fiery halberds, and all of their bodies were covered in scorching flames. The other group consisted of unarmed black shadows that were enshrouded in clouds of grey mist.

Han Li swept his spiritual sense toward them to find that these two groups of beings seemed to possess signs of life, so they didn't appear to be puppets. The two groups of strange beings strode forward at once before extending respectful bows toward the two crimson-robed figures. "Open the Yinflame Palace; I'm going to give Fellow Daoist Han a warm welcome!" one of the crimson-robed figures commanded.

The two groups of beings immediately sprang into action upon hearing this. Most of them rushed back into the palace while the remaining group split up into two neat lines as they stood respectfully on either side of the gates. None of them uttered a single word during this process, and it was as if they were all incapable of speech. Han Li's expression remained unchanged, but a hint of bewilderment welled up in his heart upon seeing this.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Just as Han Li was appraising these strange beings, one of the crimson-robed figures suddenly asked, "Are you interested in my spirit servants, Fellow Daoist Han?"

"Spirit servants? Forgive me for my ignorance, Senior; this is my first time hearing about such things," Han Li replied truthfully.

"Hehe, it's no surprise that you haven't heard of it. These spirit servants are a type of semi-puppets that I've refined," the crimson-robed figure chuckled with a hint of smugness in his voice.

"Semi-puppets? I really would like to know more about them now," Han Li said with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"You seem to be quite interested in these spirit servants; you must also be familiar with the puppetry arts, right? I'd be happy to provide some guidance, but let's go to the Yinflame Palace first" the other crimson-robed figure interjected.

Han Li naturally wasn't going to state any objections, and he merely nodded in agreement.

Thus, the group entered the palace, and the gates slowly closed behind them.

The Chaotic Turtle Beast that was outside the palace also disappeared into the lava again.

After a while, Han Li and the two crimson-robed figures appeared within a large hall that was over 1,000 feet in area.

Everything in the hall had been constructed from some kind of strange black and red jade, and upon making contact with the material, Han Li was struck by a scorching sensation, which then turned into a flow of icy coolness.

This was quite an interesting material.

Han Li was quite intrigued as he felt the interchanging hot and cold sensation making its way into his body from the jade chair that he was sitting on.

At this moment, he was situated on one side of the hall, while the two crimson-robed figures naturally sat together at the center.

The jade tables before the three of them were all piled full of exotic fruits and delectable wines, and there were humanoid figures enshrouded in pink mist standing off to the side, attending to their needs when required.

Every time someone finished the wine in their cup, one of the humanoid figures would rush forward for a refill in a respectful manner.

These humanoid figures in the pink mist were different from the earlier ones that were enshrouded in grey mist. Not only were all of them quite slender, the mist around them emitted a pleasant fragrance that evoked within one a sense of relaxation.

At such close quarters, Han Li was naturally able to examine these spirit servants from time to time, and a contemplative look appeared on his face.

"Have you gleaned the secrets of the spirit servants, Fellow Daoist Han?" One of the crimson-robed figures downed his cup of spirit wine before turning to Han Li with a hint of a smile in his voice.

"I'm afraid I can only identify that these beings seem to be spirits, but also like objects, yet also like neither at the same time. As for the exact intricacies involved, that's definitely beyond me," Han Li replied with a smile.

"You're not wrong! Spirit servants are indeed beings that are a mix between spirits and objects. They possess souls and their actions appear to be identical to that of a normal person, but most of what they're doing is merely instinctive, and they're being controlled by me using a puppet secret technique. As for how they came to be, I discovered two types of spirit bodies on the Bloodflame Mountain that are unable to attain intelligence, and I infused them into puppets," the other crimson-robed figures explained, finally revealing the origins of these spirit servants to Han Li.

"Infusing spirit bodies into puppets!" Han Li's expression stirred upon hearing this, and he instantly recalled back to how he had once infused his second Nascent Soul into his humanoid puppet.

"Indeed. These spirit bodies are yet to manifest complete souls, so they're extremely docile, yet they possess a certain level of spiritual nature, thereby allowing them to complete some simple instructions. On top of that, they're able to fuse together with puppets, so they're perfect for refining spirit servants. It's exactly because of this that I decided to settle permanently on the Bloodflame Mountain," the crimson-robed figure explained.

"This is also a result of your proficiency in the puppetry arts, Senior. Otherwise, even if others were able to find such spirit bodies, they wouldn't be able to incorporate them into puppets." Di Xue had made the process sound quite simple, but infusing spirit bodies into puppets was extremely difficult. As someone who was proficient in the puppetry arts himself, Han Li was naturally well aware of this.

As such, those words of praise were truly genuine.

The two crimson-robed figures glanced at one another, and one of them offered, "If you'd like, I can teach you the secret technique required to infuse spirits into objects."

"I haven't done anything for you yet, Senior, how could I ask for a reward that I don't deserve?" Han Li was rather surprised, and a hint of hesitation appeared on his face.

"Haha, it's just a little trick that I managed to invent during my free time; there's no need for you to be so polite, Fellow Daoist Han. I'm going to require a lot of assistance from you in the coming month and a half, and I hope you'll help me to the best of your abilities," one of the crimson-robed figures said with a smile, his tone became even more polite.

As such, Han Li could only accept this offering with gratitude.

"Senior Di Xue, seeing as I'm already here, would you be able to tell me how I can assist you in refining your puppets?" Han Li asked.

"There's no hurry. You've only just arrived at my Bloodflame Palace, so you should drink to your heart's content, then have a good rest. We can discuss those matters tomorrow."The crimson-robed figure waved a hand to brush his question aside.

Han Li could only comply with a wry smile and down another cup of spirit wine.

All of a sudden, one of the crimson-robed figures clapped his hands a few times, and a series of shuffling footsteps sounded from outside. All of a sudden, a peculiar fragrance wafted through the air as 12 beautiful young women in five-colored dresses made their way into the room.

Han Li cast his gaze toward the faint pink mist emanating from the bodies of those women, and he quickly realized what they were.

These women were also spirit servants, just like the other beings enshrouded in pink mist in the room.

However, the pink mist on their bodies had become extremely faint, thereby revealing their true appearance.

Han Li didn't know what materials their bodies had been refined from, but judging from their appearance and complexion, they appeared to be identical to normal Flying Spirit Race women, and they even had a pair of azure wings on each of their backs.

A flash of blue light appeared in Han Li's eyes, yet he was unable to glean any illusionary techniques concealing the bodies of these women, so this was indeed their true appearance.

Han Li was quite astonished that these puppets were able to resemble actual living beings so closely.

Back when he was in the human world, his late-Nascent Soul Stage humanoid puppet was able to fool others into thinking that it was a living being partly due to the fact that its skin had been made from a precious material known as Soft Spirit Jade, which closely resembled human skin. On top of that, very few cultivators in the human world were able to use their spiritual sense to assess the true nature of a late-Nascent Soul Stage puppet, so it was able to regularly confuse his enemies, making them unable to tell whether it was a true human or not.

However, the bodies of these spirit servants had clearly not been constructed from Soft Spirit Jade. Even when he forced his spiritual sense out of his body to examine these women, his spiritual sense was somehow kept out.

Thus, Han Li fell into deep thought as he looked at these women.

If he had to find a difference between these women and normal human beings, then he could only say that the light in their eyes was a little dull, seemingly indicating a slight lack of spiritual nature compared to a normal person.

Just as Han Li was looking on in wonder and bewilderment, a few young men that were also enshrouded in faint grey mist appeared on either side of the hall.

All of them had fine and delicate facial features, and they sat down onto the ground with their legs, holding a series of strange musical instruments in their hands.

Moments later, delightful music began to play in the hall, and the beautiful women put on a mesmerizing dance.

Their five-colored dresses fluttered through the air as they danced gracefully around the hall, sending the peculiar fragrance they were emitting spreading to all directions.

Han Li sat still in his chair, seemingly have been completely entranced by these gorgeous dancing figures as he remained silent with his eyes narrowed.

The two crimson-robed figures glanced at Han Li out of the corners of their eyes, and both of them then looked at one another after witnessing Han Li's seemingly intoxicated state.

After a while, the music stopped and the 12 women also stood motionlessly on the spot.

"What do you think of these spirit servant dancers, Fellow Daoist Han? Even though they're not spirit servant guardians, all of them are proficient in hundreds of types of rare dances, and it took me quite a bit of effort to refine them," one of the crimson-robed figures suddenly said with a smile.

"They are indeed quite extraordinary. At the very least, I can't tell them apart from real living beings," Han Li praised in response.

"Hehe, seeing as you like them, I'll give you these 12 spirit servant dancers and 24 spirt servant musicians as a gift," the crimson-robed figure said with a smile.

The other crimson-robed figure then raised a hand before Han Li's surprised eyes, and flicked his fingers in quicks succession toward the dancers and musicians.

Plumes of crimson threads shot for from his palm, instantly puncturing all of the spirit servants.

After the crimson threads were withdrawn, all of the spirit servants fell to the ground, completely motionless, as if they had truly become inanimate objects.

At this moment, the crimson-robed figure made a grabbing motion with his other hand.

All of these spirit servants instantly shrank down to wooden puppets that were only around an inch in size each, then flew onto Han Li's table and arranged themselves in a line.

"I've withdrawn the seals within the bodies of these spirit servants. You'll only have to refine them again with the secret technique that I'm going to give you, and you'll be able to control them," the crimson-robed figure chuckled.

"I can't accept this gift, Senior; I've done nothing to deserve it!" A peculiar look appeared on Han Li's face as he looked at the line of wooden puppets on his table.

"Hehe, they're just a few little toys, so feel free to accept them. Unless, are you unwilling to accept them because you think they're not a worthy present?" The crimson-robed figure's expression darkened slightly.

Han Li's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and a wry smile appeared on his face as he cupped his fist in a salute. "In that case, I'll have to accept your kindness, Senior."

Thus, he swept a sleeve over the table, and azure light flashed, following which all of the spirit servant wooden puppets disappeared.

"Haha, you should've accepted them from the start. Here's the spirit infusion secret technique I was referring to earlier; you can take it and have a good look at it tonight. It'll be beneficial to my puppet refinement later on if you could master this secret technique," the crimson-robed figure chuckled with a content nod before raising his hand to send a black bamboo tube flying toward Han Li.

"Thank you, Senior." Seeing as these two were essentially forcing these presents on him, Han Li made no further efforts to turn them down as he made a grabbing motion to catch the object in his grasp.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

After Han Li put away the bamboo tube, Eccentric Di Xue enthusiastically chatted with Han Li for over an hour in the Yinflame Palace before the banquet was over.

Afterwards, with the guidance of the servant behind him, he was led to a quiet side chamber.

Han Li closed the door to the side chamber and immediately took out a set of formation flags with a flip of his hand. Then, he released them into the air, disappearing in a dozen streaks of light.

A barrier of rainbow light suddenly appeared in the room's walls.

Han Li sighed and sat down cross-legged on a mat before his mind drifted off in thought.

Eccentric Di Xue's courteous tone was truly out of place considering he was a Body Integration-grade demon monarch. It left Han Li with an odd feeling.

Could it be that the eccentric had spoken to him in that way because assisting in the puppet refinement would be incredibly difficult?

Han Li shook his head, feeling that it was unlikely. Even if Di Xue didn't do that, Han Li wouldn't have dared to hold back.

Apart from the mysterious Liu Zu, the beautiful woman surnamed Lan, Mu Qing, and Yun Yao were trying their best to entice him. Mu Qing in particular seemed entirely unwilling to let him contact the white-haired beauty.

It seemed in addition to having him eliminate the infernal river restriction, they had another reason for roping him in, most likely having to do with his Divine Devilbane Lightning.

As thoughts quickly formed in his mind, he began to analyze most matters related to this.

After a long while passed, he sighed and he closed his eyes once more.

Although he didn't know what the demon monarchs of the earth abyss were conspiring, if he understood what actions he should take, he wouldn't need to fear for his safety.

Han Li's eyes flickered and soon after, he shook his sleeve, releasing tens of various styled and colored wood puppets. They circled in front of him as they floated in the air.

Blue light shined from his eyes and he began to examine the puppet.

From a long distance away, he wasn't able to grasp the marvels of the spirit servant puppets, and he had no trouble pouring his spiritual sense into one of the puppets through his hand.

A short moment later, Han Li wore an odd expression as he tossed the puppet away and took another.

And he did it again, repeatedly. A while later, Han Li examined every one of the puppets.

The spell formations inside the puppets were profound and complex. With his current attainments in spell formations, he wasn't able to see through their designs, but he was able to leave behind his imprint with ease.

But even Han Li wasn't completely sure of this. After all, puppet techniques involving spirit servants were knowledge far beyond that of the mortal world.

Fortunately, Di Xue had given all related refinement techniques over to him. So long as he wholeheartedly studied them, he'd eventually come to understand them.

When that time came, he'd fully understand any problems related to them.

But before then, he didn't need to waste any more thought on them. Furthermore, after careful consideration, he would be protected from any surprises.

With that thought, Han Li swiped his hand past his storage bracelet and produced a faint golden box.

The surface of the box was filled with odd decorative designs. From the faint talisman characters roaming on its surface, its mysteriousness was clear to see.

Han Li opened the box and waved his hand to the puppets floating in the air.

Suddenly, a cloud of azure Qi flew out from the box and wrapped around all the puppets, dragging the puppet back into the box.

Once the box was closed, Han Li flipped his free hand and produced several various-colored talismans.

In a flash, the talismans stuck onto the surface of the box and sealed.

With that done, Han Li felt more at ease and took out the bamboo tube recording the refinement process of spirit servants. He inserted his spiritual sense into it and began to study it in detail, quickly immersing himself in the mysteries of this new technique.

It was only when a few light knocks sounded from his door that he suddenly woke up. He stood up, folding the tube into his sleeve with slight reluctance.

He opened the door to reveal a spirit servant shrouded in grey mist.

This spirit servant couldn't' speak, but it raised its hand and a blood light burst from its hand. Di Xue's relaxed voice sounded out.

"Fellow Daoist, please follow the spirit servant for a meeting at the Blood Refinement Hall. I want to officially discuss the matter of the puppet refinement with you."

Afterwards, Di Xue's voice came to a stop and the blood light faded.

"Lead the way," Han Li bluntly commanded.

The spirit servant bowed and promptly twirled around and gently walked, producing no sound as if nothing were there.

If he hadn't comprehended Di Xue's secret puppet techniques the day before, Han Li might've found this interesting, but now Han Li glanced at the puppet with seemingly no interest.

After the time it took to finish a cup of tea, Han Li appeared at a secret underground area in Bloodflame Palace. When he looked around, he couldn't help but betray his astonishment.

The so-called Blood Refinement Hall was a huge underground hall carved out of crystal. It was over a kilometer wide, and its walls sparkled with white light.

The flowing red lava roiled behind the walls, but the walls were completely stable and the hall was absent of scorching heat.

But what truly surprised Han Li was the three-kilometer-tall puppet standing in the lava underneath the crystal hall.

The giant puppet wore jet-black armor, arms that stretched below the knees, sparkling purple-red flesh, and bowl-sized scales.

But when Han Li looked at its head, he felt his heart tremble.

Not only did the puppet have a single white horn on its head, but it also had a mouthful of lion's teeth and six blood-red eyes. Two of them were where one would expect but it also had two on either cheek and two on the back of its head.

Each of the blood-red eyes were slowly looking around, each of them giving off an eerie blood-curling glint.

Having studied the huge puppet for a long while, Han Li deeply sighed and said, "This must be Senior's Purpleblood Puppet. It seems to have some intelligence. Could it be he used a secret technique and fused it with a spirit body?"

A crimson robed figure appeared in the crystal hall and strangely laughed when he saw Han Li's shocked face. "Hehe, it seems Fellow Daoist had spent the night studying the secret puppet techniques I gave him. That's right, this Purpleblood Puppet is infused with a spirit. However, it isn't a weak spirit body like a spirit servant. Rather, it uses a trace of my spiritual sense."

Han Li wryly smiled and said, "So it was like that. I think its an astonishing puppet. Ordinary spirit bodies wouldn't be able to control it. With Senior's immense spiritual sense, even a trace of it wouldn't be a problem."

"Now that Fellow Daoist Han has seen this puppet, you should know why I've had you come to the Bloodflame Palace. I don't want anything from you apart from having you infuse your Divine Devilbane Lightning with your grey armor. Afterwards, I'll change the divine lightning in accordance to the talisman formation. During this process, there can't be any loss of focus or everything will be lost."

Han Li felt his heart trembled and he readily answered, "When the time comes, I'll follow your instructions to the best of my abilities!"

Di Xue cheerfully laughed when he heard this and said, "Very good. Don't worry, Fellow Daoist; I won't have you work for free. Once the puppet is finished, I'll hand over a few things to you in addition to the spirit servant refinement method."

Soon after, Di Xue formed an incantation gesture and chanted a few words.

Suddenly, the huge puppet underneath them began to move. As its six eyes stirred, it formed an incantation gesture with its hands and completely enveloped its body in purple light.

As purple light shined, the lava gradually withdrew, creating a huge purple realm underground.

At that same moment, white light flashed from underneath Han Li and Di Xue and the crystalline floor vanished as if it were an illusion; the two suddenly fell.

Although Han Li was surprised, his wings flapped and slowed his descent.

As for Di Xue, crimson light flashed from his body and steadied himself like a mountain.

Han Li flew quickly and landed on the top of the Purpleblood Puppet. At that moment, one of the blood-red eyes turned and stared at Han Li.

Han Li felt a chill run down his back as his body became sluggish as if an invisible force was covering him.

In the blink of an eye, Han Li's expression changed and a layer of sweat appeared on his brow.

Fortunately, the three-meter-wide demon eye flashed and looked at something else, returning Han Li to normal.

Han Li deeply sighed and wiped away the sweat on his heat. From this experience, he came to view Di Xue's puppet with greater importance.

The might of this Purpleblood Puppet might even be a fraction greater than that of the old eccentric himself; why else would a mere look force such pressure onto him?

In that moment, he was nearly forced to use his Law Destruction Eyes out of helplessness to resist that fearsome gaze.

But with the support of the Great Development Technique, he had forced himself to endure it. From this, it can be seen that not only was the puppet extremely powerful, but even the power of its spiritual sense was profound.

Dumbstruck, Han Li didn't dare to linger near the top of the puppets head and quickly descended.

Soon, Han Li arrived in front of the puppet's chest where Di Xue was waiting.

Han Li swept his gaze past the black armor and felt stunned. He revealed a trace of doubt.

When he arrived near the armor, he saw that its surface was as shiny as a mirror and that a talisman formation appeared to be absent.

'Could it be that the eccentric...' Han Li muttered apprehensively.

"Fellow Daoist Han, Because I need to conform with the Divine Devilbane Lightning, I will explain a simple explanation about the talisman formation I want to place on the armor. After this is all done, I will seal the talisman formation's power and the lightning together. If anything goes wrong, I'll tell you at the time."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Han Li was greatly surprised by what Di Xue said. Infusing Divine Devilbane Lightning into a complete formation and infusing lightning during the formation engraving process were two entirely different things.

The former was far easier and the latter required step by step coordination. It would require much attention as one would imagine. Could that be the reason why Di Xue was kind earlier?

Han Li still felt uncertain, but his face remained unchanged and he readily agreed.

Di Xue nodded with a satisfied expression in response to Han Li's respectful display.

He then flew off several steps to the side of the puppet.

He shook his sleeve and summoned a faint red bottle from his sleeve.

Di Xue raised his hand and flicked the bottle.

Its lid opened, shooting out a ball of purple liquid. It circled once in the air before stopping and shining with a faint light.

Di Xue shrouded himself crimson robes, but his eyes turned grave as his hands formed a chain of mysterious incantation gestures.

A strange voice suddenly sounded from behind Han Li, "Fellow Daoist Han, be careful! The set of talisman formation inscriptions will cause wonders to emerge from the puppet. I'll explain a bit more in a moment. It'll depend on you how many mysteries you'll be able to comprehend. The more you understand, the easier it'll be to cooperate with me."

In his alarm, he turned around to find another crimson-robed man. He seemed to be there this entire time, but Han Li hadn't detected his presence.

Han Li cupped his hand and respectfully said, "Many thanks, Senior, for imparting the talisman formation to me. I will be diligent."

The crimson-robed man waved his hand, signaling hat Han Li should be paying attention to the actions of the other crimson-robed man.

Han Li looked back over and saw that he was holding a different incantation gesture with one hand. He was chopping his other hand at the ball of purple liquid.

A bang sounded and a small fraction of the purple liquid slit off and burst into fist-sized talisman characters, then shooting off towards the huge armor.

In a flash of light, a series of talisman characters disappeared into the armor, but a series of low hums immediately sounded immediately after and the talisman characters reappeared on the armor's surface.

Seeingly waving his fingers with the weight of a boulder, the talisman characters began to reorganize. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into a three-meter-wide purple outline of the formation.

A few talisman characters repeatedly transformed inside as if they had yet to take shape.

As Han Li was entranced, the crimson-robed man to the side explained, "This talisman formation is called golden engraving. It has no other use than to make the armor more durable, allowing it to withstand attacks from ordinary magic treasures without damage. The formation is divided into three layers. The first layer is..."

As someone with deep attainments in puppet and spell formation techniques, Han Li repeatedly shifted his gaze between the man drawing the formation and one that was giving a lecture. A lecture and demonstration by a Body Integration-grade existence was incredibly rare.

Although Di Xue was only giving a shallow explanation, a few problems that had perplexed Han Li on the topic for ages had suddenly been solved.

In the time it took to finish a meal, Di Xue had finished refining most of the talisman formation and was about to begin solidifying.

The crimson-robed man to the side sullenly said, "Youngster Han, it's now. You will just have to fuse Divine Devilbane Lightning into the last layer's formation core."

Although his voice wasn't loud, Han Li immediately woke up from his scholarly trance.

He wordlessly flew over and clapped his hands together. Rolls of thunder loudly sounded as bolts of golden lightning were released, causing the nearby scales to shine with golden light.

When the crimson-robed man saw the lightning in Han Li's side, a trace of astonishment briefly appeared from his eyes.

Half a month later, Han Li once again appeared in a secluded room in the Wood Essence Cave.

He sat down on a mat cross-legged and he fiddled with a white jade badge and muttered to himself.

During the month, he spent day and night underneath the Bloodflame Palace and beside the huge puppet, assisting Di Xue through the daunting experience unharmed.

When the time came, Mu Qing arrived at the Bloodflame Palace and led him back.

Although his mind was greatly exhausted from pouring his Divine Devilbane Lightning into the talisman formation day in and day out, Han Li didn't feel like he suffered a loss.

Let alone anything else, the set of spirit servant refinement methods and the narration of the talisman formation process had benefited him greatly.

And when he departed, Di Xue bestowed him a batch of puppet materials distinctive to the earth abyss and a few rare materials.

Although Han Li knew he had plans in him, he couldn't help but feel satisfied.

However, Han Li hadn't put further thought into the matter. Instead, he was focused on the badly damaged outer page of the Golden Jade Tome.

The outer page recorded many powerful talismans. Among them, he already comprehended the High Zenith Invisibility Talisman and had several of them on hand.

As for the other three talismans, they were the enemy trapping Nine Palaces Heavenly Talisman, the offensive type Heavenly Halberd Talisman, and the puppet talisman Armor Origin Talisman.

The most powerful and profound of these talismans was the Heavenly Halberd Talisman. Even now, Han Li could only rack his head and leave to the side.

He studied both the Nine Palaces Heavenly Talisman and the Armor Origin Talisman meticulously over the past few years and have comprehended them mostly. There were only a few crucial points that evaded him.

But after the month of guidance from Di Xue, a master of puppets and spell formations, and several days of hard study on the spirit servant refinement methods, he resolved these problems and fully comprehended these two talismans. He was now confident he could refine them.

The materials of the two talismans were incredibly rare. But fortunately, they weren't priceless or never sold. In Deep Heaven City, he was able to gather many ingredients of the two talismans and he could now make an attempt.

Originally, he would need much more experience before he would be comfortable refining these talismans using his rare and precious materials.

But with the several Body Integration-grade demon monarchs watching him covetously, he didn't have time to waste.

Because of the matters regarding his Divine Devilbane Lightning, he had several more years of safety. But he had no idea if or when the demon monarchs would change their minds.

Since Han Li tread on the path of cultivation, relied on his own strength to ascend to the spirit realm, and achieved his current cultivation, he had never trusted his safety entirely to destiny.

Thus, he set his mind on refining these two talismans with utmost speed as several lifesaving measures.

Han Li's expression varied for a long while and his expression became calm.

He slowly closed his eyes and his spiritual sense fused into the jade badge, reading through the talisman's refinement process from start to end.

After confirming there were no problems, he opened his eyes once more.

He shook his wrist at the air and spirit light flashed. A ball of light flew out and whirled in the air.

It was Han Li's storage bracelet. He quickly pointed at it.

A gust of wind blew out, carrying an azure mist. It laid out tens of bottles and jars as well as few jade and wood boxes all on the floor.

Among them, he took a white wooden box into his hand and flipped its lid, releasing a sparkling silver object.

Han Li drew back his fingers, causing it to flicker in front of him where it stopped. It was a delicate beast hide that seemed as smooth as silk.

Not only did the hide sparkle with silver light, but natural talisman designs of various sizes shined from its surface in a gorgeous display.

This was an optimal material for refining puppets, a beast hide of a rare ancient beast by the name of Windfire Beast.

This beast was not only proficient in wind and fire and had the Deity Transformation-stage strength, but it was also fond of Yin-cold and sleep.it would sleep yearlong in dark and moist swamps. It would only wake and leave tracks when it hunted.

Not only would using this beast hide increase the odds of success in refining a puppet talisman, but its might would increase as well. Its value was as high as one would imagine.

At the time, Han Li spent a good deal of effort to acquire many of these hides from various stores in Deep Heaven City in exchange for several myriad year medicine herbs.

Han Li planned on refining the Armor Origin Talisman from the start.

This talisman was like other puppet talismans in that it would turn into a puppet projection when summoned. It would also be granted the cultivation and partial abilities of its user. Its efficacy depended on the talisman quality itself and the cultivation of its controller.

Normally, puppet projection talismans could use only a few abilities and could produce half a user's strength at most. Rumors had it there were perfect puppet projection talismans that could replicate a user's entire strength. It is said only the humans of the Heavenly Spirit Region could produce them, but it has yet to be seen.

Naturally, these puppet talismans couldn't be limitlessly duplicated, and only early Spatial Tempering cultivators and below could use them. These talismans also were consumed in a single use, and their projections would disappear once their power was consumed.

As Han Li's Armor Origin talisman came from the Golden Jade Tome, its might wasn't comparable to ordinary puppet talismans.

At the level of the Armor Origin Talisman, the puppet projection not only could produce eighty percent of the user's strength and a majority of their abilities, but it also allowed use for cultivators at early Body Integration stage and below. Its qualities were clear to see.

As such, it would be equivalently more difficult and complex to create than ordinary talismans.

Were it not for the extreme heat and cold flames contained in his Spirit Engulfing flames, he wouldn't be able to refine them.

Han Li gazed at the beast hide with muddle thoughts before he opened his mouth and spat out a ball of silver flames.

The Spirit Engulfing flames let out a clear cry and soon turned into a foot-long bird. It spread its wings and circled around the beast hide.

When Han Li saw this, he inwardly muttered an incantation. Suddenly, the bird fluttered in circles and rammed into the hide.

With a crackle, the silver flames roiled, wrapping around it.

Within the flames, the beast hide didn't burn. Instead, the talisman designs seemed to squirm in the flames as if they were alive. It was truly a mysterious sight.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Six days later, Han Li emerged from seclusion.

Although he wore a tired face, he couldn't help but show a trace of joy.

Over the past few days of talisman refinement, he succeeded greatly.

As today wasn't the day Mu Qing would be teaching him lightning control techniques, Han Li decided to take a walk and relax.

After all, he would be in his best state when he was properly rested.

Mu Qing's cave wasn't as small as the Bloodflame Palace. Han Li had to tread through the garden in front of his room before making his way to other areas of the cave.

An hour later, Han Li appeared in front of a gate. He looked at the endlessly flickering green light on the gate and couldn't help but lower his head and mutter to himself.

He's already walked through most of the cave several times.

But there were some areas that were placed under restrictions and were kept concealed.

There were two areas in particular that were placed under heavy restrictions that caused Han Li to feel in awe of them, piquing his curiosity as a result.

One of the areas was a side courtyard named the Jade Song Garden.

After sensing the traces of the pure wood spiritual Qi leaking out of the dense restrictions, he guessed it was most likely a medicinal garden.

What medicines and spirit fruits would be viewed so importantly by a Body Integration-grade demon monarch?

As Han Li thought this, his curiosity grew even greater.

But when he thought of the casual warning Mu Qing gave him, Han Li wryly smiled in his mind and gave up on investigating these places.

Given their harsh restrictions, Mu Qing would definitely pay close attention to these areas.

Although it seemed there was no one nearby, it was likely he was already being observed, so he definitely couldn't do anything out of the ordinary.

Han Li inwardly shook his head and held his hands behind his backs as he walked forward.

Before he made it to the outside, he already walked for two hours. Then, he returned to his

In the following year, Han Li spent his days uneventfully.

Perhaps due to being superbly talented with the Dao of Lightning, he didn't find his lessons with Mu Qing on controlling lightning very difficult.

In a short amount of time, Han Li had a good grasp of the technique and only needed to practice.

Mu Qing was happy to see this. When two years passed, Liu Zu and the others were issued an invitation to gather at the Wood Spirit Hall.

Three days later, Han Li arrived in the hall, facing the several demon monarchs.

This time, Yuan Yao and the beautiful women weren't present. This left Han Li somewhat disappointed as it proved some of his impressions false.

Di Xue's two crimson-robed men gathered there as well.

The white-haired beauty wore an expression of doubt and said with a surprised tone, "What? Has Fellow Daoist Han already grasped the lightningwield technique with his Divine Devilbane Lightning? Little Sister Mu, are you telling the truth?"

At that moment, she was the only one sitting at the side of the hall.

Mu Qing chuckled within the black light and said, "I wouldn't lie about something this important. To tell the truth, I was also shocked by how quickly Han Li grasped the most important part of the lightning control method, the lightningwield technique. It was then I realized that Fellow Daoist Han used Golden Lightning Bamboo to forge his personal magic treasures. As such, it is no wonder he was able to quickly control the Divine Devilbane Lightning."

"He used Golden Lightning Bamboo as his personal magic treasure?" The white-haired woman turned to look at Han Li and deeply said, "Fellow Daoist Han, you're awfully courageous. Could it be you didn't know how easily the divine lightning can backlash? It is a miracle you're still alive today."

Han Li was startled when he heard this, "Divine lightning backlash? I've never heard of that before? Could Senior tell me about it?"

"Did Little Sister Mu not tell you about it?" the white-haired woman asked with a frown.

Mu Qing casually answered, "I've already looked into it. Fellow Daoist Han is deeply fortunate. The Divine Devilbane Lightning he controls is incredibly stable and shows no signs of backlash. As such, I hadn't mentioned the matter."

"Hmph, those are only your words. I've yet to see it for myself!" The white-haired woman said with a cold tone and examined Han Li once more.

Mu Qing smiled and thought to say something else when Liu Zu suddenly said, "Enough rubbish. We were invited here by Fairy Mu, but not to idly chat. We'll have to personally see if Fellow Daoist Han truly learned the lightningwield technique."

Liu Zu's words were calm and emotionless. However, when Mu Qing and the white-haired woman heard this, their hearts trembled.

The one of the two blood-robed smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Han, since you've learned the offering technique for the Divine Devilbane Lightning, please present it to us."

When he heard the two, he forced down his puzzlement over the mention of this backlash and bowed, "Seniors, I will immediately follow your command. It's only that the technique is very powerful, this place..."

When Han Li said that, he looked around him.

"Fellow Daoist Han, our Wood Spirit Hall has some restrictions in place, but it won't be able to bear the true might of the Divine Devilbane Lightning. Let's head outside." Mu Qing nodded and went out first.

When the other demon monarchs saw this, they exchanged a glance and followed after them.

The demon guards standing at the hall gates were stunned to see so many demon monarchs present.

Naturally, none of them dared to speak.

A short moment later, the party arrived in an empty area in front of Wood Spirit Hall and focused their sights on Han Li.

Han Li wryly laughed in his mind when the many high-grade existences looked at him. But with a calm face, azure light flashed from his body and he shot up sixty meters in the air where he floated motionlessly.

He formed an incantation gesture with his hands and loud explosions sounded as countless golden sparks leaped out and wrapped around his body.

The golden sparks gradually turned dense and began to wildly spread in every direction.

In a short moment, under the immense light, a huge net of lightning began to gradually condense.

At that same moment, as Han Li formed an incantation gesture, strange golden talisman characters began to rush out from his hands and repeatedly vanish into the surrounding lightning.

As the talisman characters entered the dense net of lightning, the net seemed to silently disappear like a popped bubble, turning into a glowing golden halo that was ten meters wide.

Within the halo, Han Li's image became vague, but his voice spoke as it chanted a cryptic incantation.

As the golden halo began to turn, the golden talisman characters roiled without end. Furthermore, a faint buzzing sounded from it, growing louder and more frequent as time passed.

Suddenly, thunder clapped.

For an instant, golden light brightly shined within the halo, only to disappear in the next.

Han Li's image reappeared with one hand forming an incantation gesture. He spread out his other hand above him, seemingly holding up a fist-sized orb a foot above in the air.

The orb appeared unremarkable apart from the uneven talisman markings on its surface. It also shined with a dim light and didn't emit a spiritual pressure as if it were a mundane object.

When the demon monarchs saw this, they watched with wonder.

At that moment, Han Li wore a solemn face and flicked in the direction of the golden orb with a single finger.

Zap. The golden orb shot into the sky in a golden streak.

With a few blinks, it vanished from sight.

At nearly the same moment, a zap sounded from his other hand. In a flicker of lightning, a massive golden talisman character shot high into the air.

A rumble sounded.

The nearby sky was suddenly swept up in a windstorm and dark clouds formed up above where a golden sun can be faintly seen. An astonishing aura capable of worldly destruction suddenly burst out from the golden sun.

Countless arcs of electricity wildly flashed from the surface of the sun, followed by a repeated chain of deafening thunder.

When the others saw this, their expressions changed.

Liu Zu called out, "Stop! Cease your casting. There is no need to release the true power of the Divine Devilbane Lightning."

When Han Li heard this, he could only force a smile and say, "You were a bit too late. My control over the technique is still lacking. I cannot stop it."

With those short words, the golden sun repeatedly boomed with thunder and blinked, suddenly releasing a barrel-sized golden light beam downward.

Fortunately, the attack landed in an empty area.

The area the beam struck was a stone area reinforced with restrictions. But now, the area had turned to ash and there was a ten-meter-wide black hole heading deep down.

The golden beam had only lasted the span of several breaths. Following that, the golden sun had strangely vanished.

After releasing this strike, Han Li's face turned pale and he gently drifted down with his wings.

At that moment, the black clouds scattered and the sky returned to normal.

With a blur, one of the crimson-robed men and the white-haired woman appeared at the large hole and they looked downward.

They only saw an endless black along with the smell of scorched earth.

With an odd expression, the white-haired woman muttered, "It really is the lightningwield technique. The fearsomeness of the Divine Devilbane Lightning is as legend says! We can neither block this attack nor dare to receive it."

The crimson-robed man was shifting his gaze as he looked at the whole as if lost in thought. Liu Zu and Mu Qing remained in their original places.

The two glanced at each other, clearly knowing how powerful Han Li's lightningwield technique was. Mu Qing had already seen Han Li use it several times and was no longer excited by its appearance.

Mu Qing smiled and said, "Fellow Daoists, I hope Fellow Daoist Han's display was to your satisfaction.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Liu Zu nodded and asked, "Although he still isn't very proficient, his might is unquestionable. He'll be able to destroy the Infernal River restriction. However, when I saw his casting, I also saw how he was able to avoid divine lightning backlash. When Fellow Daoist Han originally refined the Golden Lightning Bamboo magic treasure, was your magic power also several times greater than your peers?"

Already landed on the ground, Han Li said with an amazed tone, "That's right. I've long ago cultivated a strange technique. Although my cultivation speed was a bit slower, my cultivation was deeper than my peers. Could it be because of this that I don't suffer divine lightning backlash?"

Liu Zu calmly explained, "Although it isn't solely due to this, it is the most important factor. After all, magic power is the basis of all abilities. When similar abilities are displayed by those of differing cultivations, the ability's power is different as well. With magic power far exceeding your realm, you were able to control your Divine Devilbane Lightning and suppress your lightning backlash. In addition, Fellow Daoist Han previously learned a different lightning controlling technique, reducing the odds of backlash even further."

"From your words, it seems that backlash is still possible in the future," Han Li said with a changed expression.

Liu Zu continued with a calm voice, "Maybe not. In addition to your dense magic power, it is possible you've stayed safe until today because you consumed a worldly treasure, have another strange treasure in your body, cultivating some wondrous technique, you've been able to suppress backlash. At the very least, there is some reason why you've never shown signs of backlash. I won't say anything about the future, but you have no need to worry about it with your present cultivation."

Although Han Li didn't dare to completely accept his words, his expression turned unsightly nonetheless.

Even if he currently had no problems, after his cultivation progressed, he would no longer be able to restrain the divine lightning backlash.

When the beautiful white-haired woman heard Liu Zu, her eyes narrowed and suddenly turned to the woman in the black light and coldly asked, "Little Sister Mu Qing, since you've had us gathered here, it can't be only to show Fellow Daoist Han's lightning. What else do you have to say?"

Mu Qing briefly paused and soon chuckled. With no intention of hiding her plans, she leisurely said, "That's right. Since Brother Liu Zu recognized the power of Fellow Daoist Han's Divine Devilbane Lightning, I believe in two years, Fellow Daoist Han won't need to visit Elder Sister Lan again. For the remaining years, have him properly practice the lightning control techniques in my cave. How do you feel?"

The white-haired woman's expression sank and imposingly said, "Even if Han Li has a grasp over the lightningwield technique, there are differences in the lightning control techniques we understand. Why can't Fellow Daoist Han learn under me for two years? Besides, we've already come to an agreement on this. I won't accept your changes."

Mu Qing chuckled and casually said, "Elder Sister Lan's words are wrong. We only want to borrow Fellow Daoist Han's Divine Devilbane Lightning to eliminate the restriction on the Infernal River. Why is there a need to do so much? As for the agreement, since the circumstances have changed, a few temporary changes should be acceptable."

The white-haired woman no longer addressed Mu Qing and turned to the other two, saying, "Brother Liu Zu, Fellow Daoist Di Xue, what do you think? Will you approve of Mu Qing's words?"

One of the crimson-robed men chuckled and casually declined, "I don't understand a single aspect of lightning control. I'll leave it to you to decide." It seemed he didn't wish to involve himself with this dispute.

The white-haired woman was stunned at Di Xue's response and wore a puzzled expression. She then turned to the mysterious Liu Zu.

Shrouded in his black cloak, he lowered his head in thought.

Liu Zu eventually raised his head and said, "Both of your words are reasonable. On one hand, Fellow Daoist Han's control over his lightning is sufficient, and Fellow Daoist Lan's tutelage is no longer necessary. On the other, this matter was already decided in advance and it would be unfair. How about this? I view that the two years are unnecessary. How about Fellow Daoist Lan only instructs Han Li for a single year, and for the remaining time, he can stay at his own residence?"

When they heard this, the white-haired woman frowned and Mu Qing grew silent.

When Liu Zu saw they were silent, he said with a cold tone, "I know you two are unwilling to accept these conditions but don't forget what's important, entering the infernal river. If you harbor resentment and make a mistake during this matter, then all your pettiness will cause you to lose everything. Could it be that you truly wish to renounce your once in ten thousand year opportunity?"

With that said, the women's expressions stirred, and they couldn't help but exchange a glance.

The beautiful woman's expression stirred and her lips stirred, sending voice transmissions to Mu Qing.

Once Mu Qing heard this, her expression vastly changed. After a while, she eventually said, "What you say is true, but are you willing to hand it over to me?"

The white-haired woman replied, "Little Sister Mu should understand. With my ghost body, the object isn't worth much to me, even if it were more wondrous."

"Then I agree to your conditions." The white-haired beauty seemed to hold something extremely important to Mu Qing and promptly persuaded her.

"Good. I hope Little Sister Mu Qing won't be going back on her word." The white-haired woman sweetly smiled and rose into the air in a Yin wind, then flying off in a grey streak.

The two crimson-robed men paused when they saw this, but Liu Zu showed no surprise and simply watched the white-haired woman fly off.

Mu Qing grinned and said, "Fellow Daoists, I've already settled things with Elder Sister Lan. Fellow Daoist Han won't need to head over to her. For the remaining time, let's have Fellow Daoist Han live in his own residence and practice controlling lightning. What do you think Fellow Daoists?"

With an ordinary expression, one of the crimson-robed men let out an odd laugh and said, "I did say I'd leave it to you. I won't interfere."

"So long as it doesn't affect the important event, I have no objections," Liu Zu coldly said.

Mu Qing was overjoyed.

Han Li originally stood in place and sighed.

Not knowing anything about the circumstances, Mu Qing and the white-haired beauty had come to an agreement. This caused him to feel sullen and apprehensive.

Not long after, Liu Zu and the two blood-robed men departed.

When Mu Qing called out to Han Li, he followed her back into the hall.

Sitting on a huge golden flower, Mu Qing calmly said, "Fellow Daoist Han, you should've heard us. Now, I will explain a few things to you and resolve your doubts. You may ask me three questions. Take note that you only have three. I will not answer anything past that. But in exchange, I will require you do help me with something after we enter the infernal river region."

Han Li felt his heart tremble and he cautiously asked, "Do what?"

Mu Qing stared at him and slowly said, "In these two years, I've given you much instruction on cultivation. With the addition of these three questions, I'm not asking for much."

"Of course, but I..." Han Li forced a smile, thinking of something to say.

But Mu Qing then raised her hand and explained, "Don't worry, I won't have you do anything outside of your abilities. In the end, I only want to borrow your Divine Devilbane Lightning. Why else do we hold such a favorable attitude towards you?"

Mu Qing's expression turned sullen.

Han Li felt his heart relax. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Since you've said this, I won't decline. So long as it's within my abilities and there is no danger to my life, I will agree to help you with this one matter."

Mu Qing darkly smiled and held his arms behind her back, "You sure are covering your bases, but that is no matter. Go ahead and ask your questions."

Han Li raised his head and looked at her, asking, "I wish to know what is the infernal river area. Also, what dangers are there?"

Mu Qing found Han Li's question unsurprising and gravely explained, "The infernal river is something we unintentionally discovered in the deepest layer of the earth abyss. It is an independent space, containing Yin Qi filled with various ghosts and harmful spirits. It contains countless dangerous. Let alone ghost monarchs and demons on par with our strength, there are some places that are dangerous beyond our capabilities. That is to say, there were originally five demon monarchs in the earth abyss. During our first venture into the space, one of us perished. Admittedly, we didn't understand much of the space at the time and hadn't made many preparations. However, it is dangerous as one can imagine."

When Han Li heard this, his heart sank and he curiously asked, "This infernal river region was something you named. There must be a reason why you call it this place."

"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Han, is that your third question?" Mu Qing said with a sweet laugh.

"Of course not. My third question is..."

As Han Li pondered about this third question, Mu Qing stopped him with a laugh and slowly said, "It doesn't matter. I'll answer your question for free since it doesn't amount to much. The space is shrouded in a dense bottomless screen of Yin Water. If someone enters the water, a myriad of souls will immediately engulf you and turn you into a Yin corpse eternally flowing in the Yin Water. That is why we gave it that name."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

"So it was like that!" Han Li muttered. He now had a vague impression of the infernal river region.

Mu Qing coldly said, "Alright, I will answer one last question. Think about it carefully."

After some thought, Han Li said, "I want to know what you want me to do after we enter the infernal river."

Although he wanted to ask about the demon monarch's plans in the infernal river, matters concerning himself were more important. He would feel apprehensive if he didn't ask about this.

"You truly want to ask about that?" Mu Qing said with surprise.

"That's right. Please answer me!" Han Li said with a determined tone.

The woman indifferently said, "Since you used your last question, I may as well tell you. It's rather simple. I want you to accompany me in fetching an item of great use to me. However, this item is guarded by an extremely powerful devil wherever it is located. It would be difficult by myself, but with your Divine Devilbane Lightning, you'll be able to restrain them."

Han Li frowned and astonishedly said, "A devil? Wasn't the infernal river a gathering spot for ghosts?"

"The majority of creatures there are ghosts and Yin souls, but there are a few devils among them. Don't ask me for the reason since I don't know as well," Mu Qing said with an unquestionable tone.

Han Li felt speechless.

"But you don't have to worry. With my help and the power of the Divine Devilbane Lightning, the devils will be no problem. Besides, so long as we acquire what I want, I'll bestow you a treasure. As the holy disciple of the Flying Spirit Tribe, you'll definitely be interested in it." A cunning glint flickered in her eyes.

"A treasure?" Han Li said doubtfully.

When the earth abyss demon wave erupted, I took the risk of killing a Flying Spirit Tribe elder and acquired a vial of true holy blood from his body. According to my knowledge, even if it isn't the blood of your branch's deity, it is still a priceless treasure."

"What kind of blood is it?" Han Li asked with alarm.

Mu Qing answered with an enticing tone, "The true spirit blood of the Rainbow Peacock. What do you think about it? Even if you can't use it, if you bring it back to your tribe, there will surely be great benefits for you."

The Flying Spirit Tribe may view the true spirit blood as a holy item, but even other foreign races view the blood with great importance.

After all, the blood will have miraculous effects when used for tool and pill refinement.

The Rainbow Peacock in particular was exceedingly famous, a fearsome existence even among the top ranks of bird-type true spirits.

Han Li suddenly felt delighted.

Of the twelve awakening transformations, he knew of three transformations, the Rainbow Peacock transformation being among them.

So long as he ingested the spirit blood and cultivated the technique, he could take the form of a rainbow peacock.

Twelve awakening transformations were more fearsome the more transformations one knew.

According to the technique incantation, for each transformation he learned, the might of his original transformations would increase by thirty percent.

If he fused all the transformation he knew into one, the strength of his transformation would be amplified over four times.

Of course, the cultivation realm of the transformation would greatly increase as well; this was the basis on how the transformation's strength increased.

In addition, the transformation would also grant access to true spirit divine abilities.

The fearsomeness of the awakening transformations were clear to see.

The Rainbow Peacock's rainbow divine light was especially famous in the spirit realm.

Rumors said that objects of the five elements were restricted wherever the divine rainbow light passed. It had a similar result to Han Li's Divine Essensefused Light, but the discrepancy of their true power was vast.

Han Li's expression remained the same, but his eyes betrayed a trace of delight that hadn't escaped Mu Qing's notice.

She smiled and continued, "It seems Fellow Daoist Han would be quite satisfied with the Rainbow Peacock true blood. How about this? I'll present a bit less than half of the true blood over to you first. Afterwards, I'll give the other half to you."

With that said, Mu Qing slapped the golden lotus beneath her, causing it to spit out a small bright-red vial.

She grabbed it and tossed it at Han Li.

With an odd look on his face, he caught the vial and promptly opened its lid.

A clear cry immediately sounded from the vial, followed by the glow of rainbow light as if something were about to fly out from it.

Pop. Han Li quickly sealed the vial without hesitation.

In that instant, he used his spiritual sense to sweep past the vial's interior.

Although he hasn't seen this kind of true blood before, from its astonishing aura it should be the genuine thing.

"Many thanks for the spirit blood, Senior!" Han Li didn't refuse out of politeness and bowed in thanks.

Mu Qing nodded and chuckled, "When the time comes, don't forget to lend me your aid. You may leave now. So long as you don't head to the third level or above, you may choose any place in the earth abyss to cultivate. In several years, we'll finish our preparations and call for you."

Han Li wore a pensive expression for a moment and saluted her without saying anything else. Azure light wrapped around his body and he flew off in an azure streak.

Several flickers later, Han Li vanished from the hall.

Mu Qing glanced in the direction Han Li departed and watched him until he was out of sight.

A short moment later, the woman suddenly formed an incantation gesture with a single hand.

Suddenly, the golden lotus underneath her flash black and a black light formation appeared in midair.

Mu Qing then vanished from the top of the gold lotus in a blur and the black formation disappeared along with her.

At nearly the same time, Mu Qing appeared in front of the gate to the Jade Song Courtyard inside her Wood Essence Cave.

She raised her head and took a look at the gate placed under layers of restrictions and seals. She then walked forward in a blur, showing no hesitation.

A gust of wind blew and she passed through the restrictions as if they were water, leaving ripples through the air. However, the black light roaming around her seemed to dissolve the gate.

In the next moment, Mu Qing appeared on the other side of the huge gate.

She now stood in front of a huge medicinal garden filled with various huge flowers.

These flowers were astonishing large ranging from a foot long to ten meters wide. There were also flowers that were still buds and those that were fully open.

In any case, every flower was emitting an astonishing spiritual QI.

Between the huge flowers, there seemed to be a zigzagging path inside them.

Mu Qing walked on this small path without hesitation and slowly made her way through them.

After walking through many flowers for the time it took to finish a cup of tea, she arrived in front of a bright green grassland absent of flowers.

At the heart of the grassland, there was a huge black pine tree standing there.

The tree was about two hundred meters tall and was incredibly thick, but its outer appearance was also quite odd.

At the center of the tree, there seemed to be an invisible boundary. Half of the tree was fragrant and lush. The other half of the three were dried out and withered, lacking any leaves as if it were dead.

As Mu Qing looked at the huge tree, she walked up thirty meters away from the tree with an odd expression.

At nearly the same time, the lush half of the huge tree suddenly lit up and a cloud of black mist flew out, directly wrapping around her.

When the black mist wrapped around her, the black light surrounding her shed away to reveal a slender bewitching figure.

Her true appearance was revealed to be a beautiful dark-skinned woman.

The woman might not be considered an outstanding beauty, but the rich baleful Qi gathering at her forehead was capable of striking fear in those that saw it.

After staring at the huge tree for a while, she coldly shouted, "Old Jin, are you there?"

Gold light flashed from the air and a golden figure appeared in front of her. He saluted the woman and said, "Welcome Master. I've always been here."

The golden figure was a meter-tall dark ape that sparkled with golden light. He wore two shortswords on his back, had a short beard, two pitch-black eyes, and a solemn expression.

Mu Qing raised her hand up at the ape and warmly said, "Please rise, Old Jin. During this time, has anyone spied on this place?"

The ape answered, "No. I've followed your body closely these past two years and I've discovered nothing odd."

Mu Qing sighed and said, "Very good. Thank you for your trouble, Old Jin. You should know that while my abilities are on par with the others, my spirit tree soul body has a fatal weakness. I have no choice but to have you protect me."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

After some hesitation, the ape worriedly asked, "Since Master understands, I am at ease. But before you head to the infernal river, will you be leaving your tree body here?"

Mu Qing calmly answered, "I've considered it. I'm prepared to carry my spirit tree body with me."

The ape wore an uneasy expression and said, "Master, how can that be! There are many dangers in the infernal river. If Master is trapped or something unexpected happens, you'll be able to revive yourself after some time. But if you're trapped in the infernal river, you would lose that opportunity. Furthermore, your spirit tree body can't survive long in storage space. Since the infernal river is a barren place, you won't be able to plant it there."

Mu Qing shook her head, walked up to the tree, and gently stroked its trunk. "Don't worry. Since I dare to bring my body into the infernal river, I have high confidence I'll be able to survive. For this reason, I especially refined a storage pearl capable of holding my spirit tree for several years.

Otherwise, I wouldn't feel at ease taking my body to the outside. Even if your abilities are great, only a step away from mine, if someone is determined to conspire against me, you still wouldn't be able to protect my body for long."

Hearing her resolute tone, the ape pondered for a moment and said, "Since Master has decided, I will follow the Master into the infernal river and lend you my strength."

Mu Qing sweetly chuckled and said, "Don't mention it, I have something else in mind. After all, I may have acquired many capable subordinates over these past years, but you are the only one I trust. After we enter the infernal river, all I need you to do is watch over that Youngster Han. Of course, I'll also have you protect him whenever he is in danger."

A cold glint flashed from the ape's eyes and he asked, "Him? In two years, Master will be bringing him along?"

Mu Qing nodded with a serious face, "That's right. Not only will he be greatly useful in destroying the restriction on the infernal river, but he is also someone crucial in restoring my body's essence Qi."

The ape slapped his chest in confirmation and said, "I will look after this person properly."

Mu Qing muttered to herself for a moment and said, "Before I officially enter the infernal river, there is no need for you to worry about this person. Even if we don't do anything, the others need this person to break the seal to the infernal river. They wouldn't do anything to harm themselves. But I'll have to trouble you to look after him after we enter."

"Master, don't worry. I, Jin Ling, understand," the ape solemnly answered.

Mu Qing let out a sigh and wore a cunning expression, "Good, then I am relieved. For the time being, I'll have you look over this place. I'll call for you when we set off."

In the huge world underneath the Bloodflame Palace, two crimson-robed men were standing side by side. In front of them was a mountain-large Purpleflame Puppet.

At that moment, the puppet's four front eyes were open. They flickered with a strange crimson light and were staring at the two men.

The men were completely still and were looking into the puppet's eyes, appearing completely fascinated.

A long while later, a deep sigh sounded from one of the puppets.

"Mu Qing and that ghost woman have come to some sort of agreement, using that brat to jointly divide the devil tomb treasure. Hmph, fortunately, I already anticipated this and had that Han Brat help refine the devilbane armor. So long as that brat brings those spirit servants with him, I'll be able to control them. Even if Liu Zu and the others are sly, its hard to think that they abandoned their plans for the two-headed devil fiend. With my main soul and the puppet fused together and my second soul left behind on the devil body, I have nothing to fear from Divine Devilbane Lightning. So long as I enter the infernal river and acquire that to increase my puppet's grade, I'll finally be able to draw on the puppet's support to advance in the grand Dao. Hehe, I naturally won't let those two women get their hands on the devil tomb's treasure."

An unfamiliar man's voice sounded out from the giant puppet, causing a faint tremor throughout the ground.

The two men's eyes became clear and silently stood in place.

On a particularly deep layer of the earth abyss, a black wind was wildly blowing in the canyon. The white-haired beauty floated in midair and fiddled with something in her hand. She glanced down and swept her gaze.

In the black wind blowing underneath, she saw countless figures standing inside it.

Each figure was ten meters tall and they wore a strange black armor, concealing their faces.

The white-haired beauty looked downward for a while and withdrew her gaze, instead looking at the item in her hand.

She had been fiddling with a faint green pearl.

The pearl emitted an exceptionally pure wood spirit Qi. Her face wavered as if there was something she couldn't decide.

At the center of the mysterious mountain range on first level of the earth abyss, there was a shrine that was three hundred meters tall. There was a huge grey eyeball on top of it, releasing countless grey thoughts into the surrounding air and absorbing the nearby Yin Qi.

Wearing a black cloak, Liu Zu watched this indifferently with his arms held behind his back. He raised his head and stared deep into the sky, motionless.

His hands outside his cloak were extremely coarse and had grey cracks on their surface.

On the other side, an azure streak flew past a pitch-black wilderness.

He was Han Li, an azure-robed youth that had just left Mu Qing's cave.

His body was still imprinted with the mark of the four demon monarchs, and he couldn't hide his location from them.

Regardless, Han Li thought to look for a remote location and soon descended.

Any thoughts of escaping only appeared in his dreams. So long as the mark was still there, he wouldn't have any chance of escaping from the demon monarchs.

The demon monarchs hadn't given him much time. It would take several years before he could refine the small vial of Rainbow Peacock blood and cultivate its true spirit transformation.

Fusing himself with true spirit blood wasn't an easy task. It would require particular blood vessels or a secret technique to assist him.

The twelve awakening transformations used a set of arts to resolve this difficult problem.

From this, it was clear to see the resources that were available to the Tian Peng grand elder that originally founded this technique.

Although Han Li knew that he wouldn't be a match against Body Integration-stage opponents with this ability, at the very least, he would have more methods to fall back on.

Of course, if he could think of how to resolve all these problems during this time, he would just destroy their imprint on him and immediately escape.

Although Mu Qing had only chatted about matters related to the infernal river, it must be incredibly dangerous for a Body Integration-stage demon king to perish.

As Han Li inwardly pondered this, he flew for over half a month and eventually arrived at a small-scale mountain range.

The mountain range was already far away from the residences of Mu Qing and the others. The spiritual Qi was also rather dense on the mountain, and it wasn't a place where high-grade demons gathered.

Han Li flew around this mountain range for some time before nodding in satisfaction and landed in the height of the mountains.

Several hours later, Han Li easily carved out the mountain and established a simple cave residence.

He entered the cave and immediately placed down restrictions, releasing white mist around the huge mountain.

After Han Li entered the seclusion room in his cave residence, he sealed the door and planned on entering seclusion.

As time slowly passed, the mountain range passed through the seasons, from spring, summer, autumn, and winter, bringing lush vegetation and snow.

Mu Qing and the others seemed to have forgotten about Han Li for the time being and were busy with their own affairs.

Then two years later, Han Li sat cross-legged on a mat as he fiddled with a common wooden stick.

The stick was blunt on one side and smooth like a knife on the other. There were green and mysterious markings on its surface.

After much maturation, this was the Profound Heavenly Fruit that Han Li didn't know what to do with.

These past few years, Han Li used the mysterious small bottle to pour liquid on it and after many years, the fruit hadn't changed much on the outside.

It simply concealed milky white specks of light deep within it and grew several times thicker. The light also appeared far more provoking.

Han Li attempted to control the fruit several times with magic power and even blood essence, but to no result. This time, the attempt still had no effect.

After a sigh, Han Li could only put the stick back in his storage pouch and lower his head in thought.

Over the two years, he eventually used the awakening art to fuse the Rainbow Peacock true blood with his body. The transformation refinement succeeded and his body's cultivation greatly increased, much to his surprise.

If he hadn't already cultivated the incantation for the dragon phoenix transformation, he would've wanted to fuse the two spirit bloods into his body at once and see if it caused an even greater increase in cultivation.

He also began to use True Toad Liquid. It was a pity that he had so little time as the spirit liquid had astonishing effects. He wasn't able to use it to increase his cultivation by much.

As for the four demon monarch's imprint, it still remained.

As such, it appeared he had no choice but to enter the infernal river.

As Han Li thought about it, his face grew sullen.

A short moment later, his face stirred as he raised his head. He suddenly looked outside his secluded room and wore an odd expression.

He suddenly reached out for the door.

Crack. The door's restrictions fluctuated and a black item shot into his hand.

Han Li stared at it and his expression vastly changed. He suddenly stood up.

It was a foot-long box. Its surface was scorched black and uneven. It looked truly unsightly.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Han Li used his spiritual sense to look at the box and then stroked it, only to remain silent afterwards.

Shortly after, he opened the box's lid and a pitch-black ball flew out.

The ball spun in front of Han Li and then ruptured into a black mist before disappearing.

At that same moment, he felt an itch from his palm.

As his heart stirred, he suddenly raised his hand.

He saw several small strange characters appear on his hand. They were as small as grains of rice.

Han Li glanced at them and shook his wrist. Azure light flickered and the small characters completely disappeared without a trace.

He pondered to himself for a moment and azure light flashed from his body, flying out of his room in an azure streak. He circled once in the air before flying out of his cave residence.

A quarter-hour later, an azure streak arrived above a nameless valley at the edge of the mountain range with dragon-like speed.

Once the azure light faded, Han Li's figure was revealed.

His eyes flickered as he glanced downward and he slowly descended.

The valley stretched over three thousand kilometers. At the very end of it was a pile of scattered rock.

Han Li landed right in front of it.

When his feet touched the ground, he looked at a huge rock and calmly said, "I've already arrived. Fellow Daoists, please show yourselves."

"Hehe, Senior Martial Brother Yan, I told you so. You can't use mere invisibility techniques to hide from Brother Han.

"I already knew Fellow Daoist Han's abilities were unordinary, but I may as well test him."

After a few giggles, two pleasant female voices chatted near the huge rock.

Afterwards, the mist of grey light blurred and two beautiful young women appeared there.

One of them had snow-white skin and appeared like a goddess. The other appeared dainty and charming. They were Yuan Yao and Yan Li.

The black wooden box he received inside his cave residence was refined from the Soul Nurturing Wood he originally acquired from Heavenvoid Hall. He recognized it at a glance.

Using some mysterious technique, they were able to secretly send it to his secluded room.

Han Li glanced at the two women with an odd expression on his face. He then slowly asked, "So it was you two Fellow Daoists! Lady Yuan, I haven't seen you since we've last met in the Scattered Star Seas. Are you in good health?"

Yuan Yao withdrew her smile and sighed, "Brother Han, are you teasing little old me? Do I and my Senior Martial Sister look to be in good health?"

Han Li sensed an astonishing Yin QI being emitted from their bodies and he frowned, "Ah, my words were mistaken. However, I see that you two aren't ghosts. There is something odd about you two."

"Brother Han is right. Back when my Junior Martial Sister saved me and fell into the ghost mist in the Scattered Star Seas, we drew the support of the Umbra Qi to cultivate the Yin Yang Revolution Art. However, this human-ghost dual cultivation art caused us both to become half-human and half-ghost. But in the end, I have no physical body, so I've become a burden to Junior Martial Sister Yuan."

Yuan Yao's expression changed and she hastily said, "Senior Martial Sister, don't say that. If you hadn't helped me, I would've been dead already. And you managed to reach this stage as well."

Yan Li could only bitterly smile and shake her head.

"The Yin Yang Revolution Art?" Han Li frowned.

Yan Li turned to him and said, "Yes, it seems Brother Han knows quite a bit about this technique."

Han Li sighed, "I do know a bit about it. You've lost your right to reincarnate!"

He was quite unfamiliar with her, but from what Yuan Yao said in the past, he held her in admiration.

Yuan Yao smiled at Han Li and said, "In the past, If my Senior Martial Sister and I didn't jointly cultivate this odd technique, she would've already perished in the moral world. As such, I have no regrets cultivating this technique. But Brother Han was also able to ascend to the spirit realm; I admire you quite a bit."

"The mortal world's spiritual Qi is lacking and I can't use common methods of flight in this world. More importantly, why have you appeared here? This isn't human territory," Han Li said with an odd expression.

Yan Li wore a blank expression and answered, "Junior Martial Sister and I don't know either. Two hundred years ago, we completed the Yin Rang Revolution Arts. Just after we entered the Deity Transformation stage, a huge Yin Wind suddenly covered us and directly blew us away from our cultivation area, causing us to lose consciousness. When the two of us woke up, we found ourselves in the earth abyss. We soon came across that ghost matron and became her disciples. Since Yan Li and I stayed here for so long, we came to understand that we were in the Spirit Realm and we didn't have the opportunity to arrive at the surface."

When Han Li heard this, he turned silent.

In the mortal realm, many Deity Transformation cultivators were blocked from the spirit realm. Even with their greatest efforts, they weren't able to ascend.

But when these two women cultivated their cultivation art to completion, they stumbled their way into the spirit realm.

The world was truly filled with bizarre things.

"I also don't understand how you came to the spirit realm. But you most likely didn't arrive in the spirit realm because of your Yin Yang Revolution Arts, and caused the spirit flight tower to refuse you."

"After some investigation, we came to a similar conclusion." Yan Li nodded.

Han Li raised his brow and said, "Alright, I'm sure we can save talk about the past for another time. There must be another reason why you've sought me out."

Yan Li and Yuan Yao exchanged a glance and grew silent.

A short moment later, Yan Li hesitantly said, "Since Brother Han and Junior Martial Sister Yuan are old friends, I don't hide this from you. We've come to find you because our lives are in danger and we need your help."

"Preserve your lives? What do you mean, Fellow Daoist Yan? As disciples of that ghost woman, no one in the earth abyss would dare to threaten you." Han Li said with an odd expression.

Yan Li let out a long sigh and betrayed fear from her eyes. "The one after our lives is the ghost matron herself."

"Her?! Lady Yuan, is this true?" Han Li felt his heart tremble. Although he sensed they weren't lies, he asked Yuan Yao for confirmation.

Yuan Yao sullenly nodded, "Brother Han, If we had any other choice, we wouldn't have risked her discovering us as we sneaked out to see you. Nevertheless, Brother Han doesn't need to worry about anything. For the matter of the infernal river, she is personally refining a great yin-armored ghost monarch and should not come out for some time. This is our only opportunity to save ourselves. Normally, we wouldn't be able to leave the earth palace."

"Brother Han had assisted Junior Martial Sister in the past and acted as her protector while she was reviving my soul. She has spoken of you many times. This time, we have no one else to ask for help. I hope that you'll be able to save our lives." With that said, her eyes turned pink and she pulled Yuan Yao towards her and they both saluted Han Li.

Han Li's expression changed and he shook his sleeve. An invisible force suddenly divided the air.

As they saluted, Yuan Yao and Yan Li felt the nearby air freeze and the two were forced to break their salute.

The two were delighted.

Han Li's abilities were beyond what they had anticipated, and if Han Li helped them, they would be able to escape.

Han Li didn't accept their salute. His expression changed for a long while as he hesitated, eventually replying with a deep tone, "The two of you think too highly of me. You should understand my circumstances as well. I am restricted here and do not have the ability to face that ghost. Furthermore, for what reason will she take your life? Have you verified this?"

Yan Li said, "If it truly is a misunderstanding, it would be extremely fortunate. In truth, we personally discovered that the ghost was concealing a calamity heart. I won't bother with the specifics, but I can tell you that when the ghost matron took us in as disciples, she was thinking of the pure Yin Qi we condensed from cultivating the Yin Yang Revolution Arts. The ghost has a technique that can consume both our souls and Yin Qi, arousing a surge in her cultivation." As she spoke, she couldn't help but tremble.

"Also, our investigations have found that the ghost matron has also had disciples with ghost bodies in the past who quietly disappeared. This is evidence of our assumptions!" Yuan Yao said with a paled expression.

Han Li went silent for a moment and his gaze wandered, "Even so, you can't count on me. That ghost matron won't let me go. Even if I have some value, after I enter the infernal river, my life will be hard to preserve."

Yan Li smirked and slyly said, "There is no need for Brother Han to worry about this. My little sister already thought of something that only asks from a token effort from you. Furthermore, if Brother Han helps us, he'll also have an opportunity to escape. We have a method to quickly dispel the mark on your body inside the infernal river."

"What! You truly have such a thing!" Han Li's expression vastly changed and his heart was thoroughly moved.

Yan Li sweetly smiled and said, "For something this important, how could I lie to you. Furthermore, I can tell the method to Brother Han ahead of time, and can determine if its true or false."

Han Li stroked his chin and glanced at Yuan Yao. He then determinedly said, "Good! If the method is genuine, I'll do all I can in my power and take the risk of helping you two escape."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

"We sure found the right person. Brother Han, listen well!" Yan Li's face brightly lip up upon hearing his reply and she began to speak to him in voice transmission.

As Han Li attentively listened to her, a pensive expression appeared on his face.

As Yuan Yao quietly stood at the side, her eyes glistened while she looked at Han Li's face.

When Yan Li finished her voice transmission, Han Li let out a long sigh and said, "This technique will do. However, I fear that I'll only be able to do this inside the infernal river with the help of you two."

Yan Li giggled and said, "That's right. The Yin Qi in the infernal river only resonates with pure Yin Qi in our bodies. Of course, the ghost matron can also do this, but she won't remove the mark I place down."

Han Li nodded and said, "Good, but I have to ask, how do you want me to help you?"

Yuan Yao slowly said, "I suppose it would be impossible to make the ghost matron completely abandon us, but it would be possible to have her postpone consuming us. So long as we can delay it until after we enter the infernal river, we will have an opportunity to escape their control."

Han Li's brow stirred and he didn't immediately answer. He knew the two would go into more detail.

As a result, Yan Li immediately continued, "The ghost matron and the other monarchs view Han Li's assistance with great importance. So long as we leak out that we were old friends of deep importance and Brother Han openly displays affection towards Little Sister Yuan in front of the ghost matron, she would temporarily spare us, even if she had some doubts."

"Be affectionate towards Lady Yuan?" Shocked, Han Li quickly shot a glance at Yuan Yao.

Despite the many years she cultivated, when Yuan Yao heard Yan Li's words, her face flushed with a deep red, revealing a lovely appearance.

"If it's only with words, I will do it. However, the ghost matron and Mu Qing have already come to some sort of agreement. I don't know how effective this will be," Han Li warned.

"There was something like that?" Yan Li's face slightly changed and she wryly laughed.

Yuan Yao's expression faintly changed and she wryly laughed, "If that's true, there is some risk. But apart from this plan, we have nothing else. We'll only be able to rely on our luck, and how heavily the demon monarchs view Brother Han."

After some thought, Yan Li solemnly said, "Let's go with that. Fellow Daoist Han has confirmed our words so we may as well speak of more serious things. We'll have the ghost matron believe that Brother Han is infatuated with Junior Martial Sister Yuan. In this case, the ghost matron should be somewhat apprehensive and shouldn't dare to harm us. In addition, the ghost matron knows a bit about our history, so Fellow Daoist Han's disguise as a Flying Spirit Tribe member must be broken."

Han Li shook his head and said, "My disguise as a Flying Spirit Tribe member was only temporary to begin with. I don't care if the ghost matron knows or not. They don't care about my identity as a Flying Spirit Tribe member but the Divine Devilbane Lightning I carry."

Yan Li proposed, "In that case, we're relieved. There is no time to lose. Once the ghost matron emerges from seclusion, let's act according to plan. So long as she doesn't touch on our true plan, Fellow Daoist Han may as well reveal a few details about our time in the mortal world. After all, lies that contain truth are the most convincing."

Han Li lowered his head in thought and felt that there were no problems. He calmly answered, "Yes, I can do that. I will do my best to assist you."

The two felt great relief when they heard this and they couldn't help but look at Han Li with a close attitude.

The three then chatted about the particulars a bit more and the two women said their farewells.

Even as the ghost matron was still in seclusion, the two women didn't dare to be careless and hastily returned to the deepest level of the earth abyss.

When Han Li saw the two travel off in Yin winds, soon disappearing from sight, Han Li suddenly shook his sleeve.

A light flashed from his body, taking the form of a three-meter-tall peacock with bright beautiful feathers.

It unfolded its wings and rainbow light glared, causing the nearby space to hum.

The rainbow light swept up in a wind and the peacock turned vague, immediately turning into a rainbow mist, directly heading to the heart of the mountain range.

Not long after, Han Li appeared back in his cave residence and closed the door to his seclusion room once again.

Two months later, a ball of black wind directly made its way to Han Li's residence and bluntly dropped down. Then it vanished as if it sank into the mountain.

The few restrictions Han Li placed down didn't have any effect on it.

After two hours, the gate to Han Li's residence opened and the black Yin wind flew out, flying into the distant sky.

A short time after, the gate slowly closed.

As time quickly passed, the mountain was covered twice over in snow, winter had passed twice.

On the seventh level of the earth abyss, dark Qi gathered there the densest.

There were a few powerful earth abyss demons that have yet to gain sentience, but the four demon monarchs held them in fear regardless.

Even the white-haired beauty that was particularly fond of Yin Qi was unwilling to establish her cultivation palace on this floor and instead established it on the floor above.

But one day on the seventh level, countless demons arrived from a desolate grey desert in dense formations of untold size.

Most of them consisted of a few common low-grade earth abyss demons and there were a few that appeared odd.

A portion of them was covered in a large Yin Wind, faintly revealing countless ghost images. Furthermore, they wailed with ghostly howls, causing the other demons to distance themselves in fear.

Above these Yin winds floated the white-haired beauty, and behind her stood eight black figures.

They were all ten meters tall and donned an especially sinister set of armor. There were a few that were unharmed and those that wielded blades. As for their faces, they were blurred and couldn't be seen.

Near the eight black figures, there were two beautiful women floating at their side.

They were Yuan Yao and Yan Li.

And outside the scope of the black winds, there was an arrangement of puppets of various heights and styles.

Most of them were carved out of claw and were ten-meters-tall. Their bodies flickered with a grey, white, and brown light, but they were clearly carved with crudeness. A small portion of them was carved out of black-green wood and there were others were metal-attributed puppets shining with black light.

These puppets were refined meticulously regardless of their exterior material and had a talisman formation on their surface.

However, the most eye-catching of the puppets was a purple-red hundred-meter-tall puppet that had six eyes.

This was the colossal Purpleblood Puppet that was refined underneath Di Xue's Bloodflame Palace.

However, this puppet now appeared tens of times smaller, and it no longer appeared as fearsome as before.

On the shoulders of the Purpleblood Puppet stood two crimson-robed men with their hands behind their back.

And at the very front of the puppets and demons, others flew high in the air.

A man entirely wrapped in a black cloak were among them. He was the most mysterious of the four demon monarchs, Liu Zu. Astonishingly, a three-meter-wide eyeball floated above his head and flickered with grey light.

Not far away from Liu Zu floated a huge golden flower.

Mu Qing stood above it and looked up the sky with a raised head. Standing at her side was a golden ape wearing swords behind his back and had bright cold eyes.

Beneath them floated over a hundred high-grade demons with solemn expressions in half-demon form.

And at the apes side, there was an azure-robed youth with his arms crossed, watching everything in silence.

He was Han Li, who had been summoned by force after spending several years in cultivation.

At that moment, he was looking at the puppets and demons around him. His face was expressionless, but his heart felt quite shaken.

From the number of low-grade demons, they must've represented most of the power the demon monarch's controlled in the earth abyss.

Besides the demons, the ghosts in the black wind and the myriad of puppets were clearly the strongest forces among them.

These forces must've taken the demon monarchs several hundreds of years to gather.

Their willingness to spend such strength illustrated their determination to succeed in the infernal river. It was unknown what the area contained, but it caused them to risk everything.

As Han Li inwardly pondered, he saw Liu Zu move and his cold voice commanded, "Fairy Mu, the time has come. Quickly offer the blood feed and advance the last blood offering."

When Mu Qing heard this, she nodded and waved below her.

The several figures flew out from high-grade demons, each one had bare hands, but had several blood-red pouches at their waist.

In the blink of an eye, they flew high into the air and grabbed their pouches, shaking them down into the air.

As a series of pops sounded, crimson light flashed. A dozen streams of blood rivers shot out from the pouches.

A dense mist of putrid blood Qi suddenly scattered and filled the air.

The blood rivers condensed in midair and seemed to concentrate together as if they were alive, turning into a hundred-fifty-meter-wide blood ball.

At that moment Mu Qing stepped on her golden flower and a black formation suddenly flashed from it. Her figure promptly vanished.

In the next moment, the huge blood ball flickered with black light and Mu Qing reappeared near it.

She wore a sullen expression and raised her hand. Suddenly, a small black vial was summoned into the air and flew up to the blood ball.

Forming an incantation gesture, the black vial spun and its lit vanished.

The vial released several fist-sized black-red objects, blurring into the blood ball and disappearing without a trace.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

After the blood ball absorbed these black-red items, the blood scent in the air vanished and was replaced with a dense fragrance.

The demons below became restless.

The high-grade demons were better off. Although their minds were dulled and their desires rampant, they managed to control themselves.

The lower-grade less-intelligent demons all appeared starved and crazed. As for the ghosts in the black wind and the puppets, they seemed unscathed.

Suddenly, a cold snort sounded from the air.

A wave of breath-freezing cold descended from the air, covering their entire surroundings in the blink of an eye. The demons promptly shivered and a trace of their desires vanished.

This was an immense spiritual pressure emitted by Liu Zu, who already anticipated this would happen.

When Han Li felt this, his heart trembled.

Of the Body Integration-stage beings he's seen before, Liu Zu was the strongest among them.

Is it possible he is at the peak of Body Integration-stage?

Han Li inwardly muttered to himself and resolved himself to never get in his way.

With his abilities, he might have a chance at escaping from the other demon monarchs, but when he faced Liu Zu, he stood no chance.

At that moment, Mu Qing stood in front of the huge ball of fragrant blood and began to mutter an incantation.

The other high-grade demons began to flee downward as if they were running for their lives.

At nearly the same moment, the blood ball let out a muffled explosion, causing the nearby space to fluctuate. Balls of silver clouds began to form in the air and they began to spiral, turning into a huge vortex.

The vortex was nearly thirty meters wide and contained roiling silver mist. It grew increasingly brighter before it let out a series of ruptures as if it were about to tear through space.

Han Li's expression stirred and he narrowed his eyes as he looked at the air. A trace of blue light flickered from his eyes.

The others didn't notice but Han Li was able to see the vortex's interior clearly with his Brightsight Spirit Eyes.

In the deepest point of the vortex, the silver mist began to compress and wrinkle like paper as it violently shook.

The strange sound of violently fluctuating space burst out.

Suddenly, glass-like cracks mixed with the sounds of explosions, and Han Li narrowed his eyes.

The space within the vortex ruptured and black light flashed within it. Suddenly, a furry silver arm suddenly stretched out from it and began to swipe several times through the air and soon a similar arm appeared next to it.

Two jet-black fingernails struck out from the huge silver hands as they attempted to stretch open the black light to create a larger hole.

The space within three hundred meters began to shatter in tiny pieces.

The silver vortex wailed, turning into specks of silver starlight before disappearing.

In its original spot was a black hole that appeared ten times larger. The pair of huge hands connected to the edge of the hole was still. At that same moment, a pair of huge green eyes glinted from the dark.

Apart from the four demon monarchs, everyone who saw this felt their blood run cold.

Mu Qing's expression sank and the black light formation underneath her flickered, vanishing from her position next to the blood ball.

A short moment later, she reappeared in front of her golden ape, and her expression faintly relaxed.

The sounds of rumbling repeatedly sounded out from the large black hole.

When Han Li heard this, he was greatly surprised, but when he looked around, he was startled.

When the nearby demons heard this strange scream, their bodies began to sway.

The lower-grade demons powerlessly fell to the ground, but the higher-grade demons managed to remain standing.

Even the four demon monarchs erected flashing light from their bodies to resist the effects.

As for Han Li, he was entirely unaffected by this.

He was amazed by this result, but this also drew the attention of the four monarchs.

The white-haired woman yelped and her lips curled as she thought of something. As for Liu Zu, he coldly shouted, "Don't be surprised! This youth has a personal magic treasure crafted from Divine Devilbane Lightning and he hasn't stayed in the earth abyss for long. Since his body isn't corrupted by dark aura, it isn't odd he isn't scared by the Voidfright Devil's scream."

When the white-haired woman heard this, she wore an expression of enlightenment and she turned silent.

When Mu Qing and the two crimson-robed men glanced at Han Li with a changed expression, they also didn't speak.

When Han Li heard the name Voidfright Devil, he frowned.

He hadn't heard of its name before, but since it was able to tear through space, it wasn't something to be trifled with. Could it be a True Spirit-grade existence? Although the demon monarchs appeared serious, they didn't view with much fear.

As Han Li remained baffled, the pair of silver arms at the edge of the black circle withdrew at lightning speed and the demonic eyes in the hall gradually became clearer. A strange huge creature slowly moved closer, revealing its true appearance.

Han Li was startled at a glance.

The monster was a silver skull that was over a hundred meters large with decayed skin and dead inch-long hair. There was a green eye half-protruded from its forehead, and its long mouth was filled with tiny teeth of incredible sharpness. Its nose and eyes were pitch-black completely absent of anything there.

But what was most frightening was how the skull had no body. It merely had a pair of furred arms stretching out from its ears as it floated with faint silver light.

'So that's a Voidfright Devil! No wonder they're so scared!'

Although Han Li saw many demons, devils, and ghosts in the past, none were as grotesque as this monster. It was truly a chilling sight!

After the monster floated to the front of the black hole, it landed on top of the blood ball and its eyes flickered.

The four demon monarchs and their myriads of subordinates watched silently.

They had used the blood feed to attract it and tear open space.

At that moment, the low-grade demons had begun to crawl up from the ground as the Voidfright demon had ceased yelling. However, they were still fearful and didn't dare to make any noise.

As for the four demon monarchs, they looked at this monster with a solemn calm.

The huge head let out a low groan and opened its mouth wide, spitting out a silver mist to wrap around the blood ball and take it into its mouth.

With a gust of wind, the blood ball entered its mouth.

Suddenly, light glowed from the devil and it turned a bright red, turning into a similar color as the blood feed.

It let out several muffled belches from its mouth and its huge head shook several times. Soon after, it turned around into the black hole and disappeared in an instant.

The Voidfright Devil actually left.

The four demon monarchs took no further action. They simply remained high in the air near the black hall.

When Han Li saw this, he revealed his astonishment from his eyes, feeling somewhat at a loss.

But then Liu Zu faintly said, "Enough. With the Voidfright Demon assisting us in tearing open a spatial tear, we're halfway into the infernal river. Fellow Daoist Mu, let's enter first and link the space to the infernal river, allowing Di Xue's and Fellow Daoist Lan's armies to enter smoothly."

Mu Qing nodded and then shouted, "Yes, Fellow Daoist Liu Zu! Fellow Daoist Han, Jin Ling, follow me in."

"Yes!" The golden ape promptly replied and quickly bowed.

Startled, Han Li soon let out a wry laugh and quickly flew off.

Originally, the demon monarchs planned on using the blood feed to lure the Voidfright Devil into appearing and tear open a spatial tear, thereby granting them access to the infernal river.

But from how smoothly the demon monarchs conducted themselves, it appears this wasn't the first time they've done this.

And through some unknown ability, the Voidfright Devil had disappeared, but the spatial tear remained.

Liu Zu and Mu Qing blurred, quickly entering the black hole.

As the golden ape forced a smile and watched Han Li, Han Li could only force himself to follow.

After he approached the edge of the black hole, Han Li sensed powerful spatial fluctuations pulsing out from it. He only noticed that the spatial tear was quite different from others he's seen in the past. It was more like a huge tunnel that reached into the distance.

The darkness deep inside the hole would occasionally boom with muffled explosions.

Liu Zu and Mu Qing were flying forward ahead of them at a slow and careful pace.

Han Li and the golden ape promptly trailed behind them.

The black tunnel wasn't very long. The party only flew for three kilometers before they reached the end. Silver mist roiled in front of them, blocking the way.

Liu Zu stared at the roiling grey mist and said, "We've arrived. The Voidfright Devil should be sleeping. After we return from the infernal river, we'll still have time to block half of the passage with ease. Fellow Daoist Mu Qing, could you tell me how long the blood feed will keep him asleep?"

Mu Qing confidently said, "Don't worry, I put in the greatest effort of collecting the blood feed and refined it in accordance to your formula. It took me many years of effort."

Liu Zu nodded, "That will do. This Voidfright Devil may be a spatial devil, but it isn't sentient. It only acts on instinct. But having previously consumed blood feet a dozen times before and having consumed the myriad-year-old intoxication medicine in this blood feed, it should be asleep for at least several months. So long as it doesn't wake, we'll be able to move unimpeded and we'll have enough time to make it back from the infernal river. In fact, if not for the devil appearing at our earth abyss, we would've never discovered the infernal river."

"However, if Brother Liu Zu hadn't heard of the infernal river, we wouldn't have taken such a huge risk and enter this dangerous place!" Mu Qing chuckled.

Liu Zu snorted and said, "Nevertheless, you were all interested in the infernal river god. I hardly needed to convince you. Now is not the time to speak of this. Start on opening up the passage!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Mu Qing smiled and she flipped her hand, producing three sparkling blood-red pearls, each the size of a thumb.

Liu Zu shook her shoulders and black light flickered. Another two arms emerged from his back.

One of the arms was holding a triangular black badge while his other arm held a blue textile shuttle.

With his original arms grasped in an incantation gesture, the air crackled, and a black beam of light shot out from his mouth into the silver mist.

Boom. The silver mist immediately began to collapse upon contact with the black beam, resulting in a series of hums sounding from the impact.

Mu Qing raised her hand when she saw this.

The three blood-red pearls shot out in a line, turning into crimson fireballs.

After three worldshaking booms, the silver mist and three head-sized crimson flames erupted and began to disperse.

As the silver mist clashed against the black light and crimson flames, the passage began to sway.

Standing behind them, Han Li couldn't help but change his expression.

Although he experienced the collapse of a spatial tear several times before and lived through the passage of a spatial node, it didn't mean he was confident in escaping a spatial tear collapse. In the past, he only survived by luck. Apart from existences at True Spirit or Grand Ascension stage, none dared to ignore spatial-type dangers.

At that moment, Liu Zu's new arms began to move.

The triangular badge vibrated and released countless crimson balls of lightning and fire, smashing down on the mist. From the shuttle-type magic treasure, it turned into a blue streak in a hum.

Mu Qing shook her sleeve, releasing countless green streaks.

Afterwards, the three attacks joined in and forced the silver mist to gradually collapse.

When the silver mist was pushed by thirty meters, it eventually let out a world-shaking tremble and completely disappeared.

The barrier to the space was struck open and another passage appeared.

Han Li blinked and could see what laid past the opening.

A faint white light flickered without end and an icy wind blew towards them from it.

Even when he was protected by spiritual light, Han Li shivered as the icy wind blew past him.

The coldness of the wind penetrated the light and touched his body directly. If he didn't cultivate the five ice flames in his body, he would've suffered quite a bit.

Fortunately, the winds only blew for an instant and soon subsided.

He let out a long sigh.

Liu Zu looked at the hole and a glint flickered from his eyes. His body blurred as she shot forward. At that same time, he said, "The passage is open! Call for the other Fellow Daoists to enter. I'm going to take a look first at the outside!"

Before they completely heard what he said, he had already entered the white light outside.

Mu Qing frowned and she commanded without turning around, "Jin Ling, call for Di Xue and Fellow Daoist Lan to march their forces. I'm going to bring Fellow Daoist Han inside."

"Yes, Master!" The golden ape replied. He turned around and shot off in a golden streak.

Han Li then silently flew after Mu Qing to the exit.

A quarter-hour later, Han Li's surroundings lit up and he appeared in another space.

However, the scene was much to Han Li's surprise.

A kilometer away, he saw an expanse of white water blocking the path.

As the white water was cloudy, it was difficult to see how far it reached.

Icy winds brushed past the surface of the water.

Strangely enough, the surface of the water was smooth as a mirror without a single flaw as if it were completely still, even as such strong winds blew.

Liu Zu floated not far away from the surface of the water and looked ahead in solemn silence.

Han Li let out a long sigh and muttered, "So this is the infernal river!"

Mu Qing indifferently said, "That's right. To pass this water shroud into the infernal river, we'll need to draw the support of your Divine Devilbane Lightning."

"This junior won't hold back," Han Li respectfully replied.

Mu Qing nodded and thought to say something else when Liu Zu suddenly reached out his hand in the direction of the water's surface.

Suddenly, a large black appeared in the air and grabbed downward.

But when the large hand arrived ten meters away from the ice, countless ice streaks crashed out from the ice.

As the sounds of space tore, the ice streaks tore thousands of holes into the hand, causing it to vanish.

"What's that?" Han Li said with alarm.

Mu Qing eventually turned her head and explained, "That is a monstrous fish in the infernal river. It is as slender as a needle and lives on the water's surface. It can launch flying attacks tirelessly and can't be underestimated. However, they are only the most minor dangers inside the infernal river. So long as you protect yourself with spiritual light with enough cultivation, you will be able to enter the water. The other danger is if a school of fish launches a continuous attack on you. You would have to kill them all."

When Han Li heard this, he felt enlightened.

At that moment, something sounded from the back of the passage.

Han Li turned his head and saw two crimson-robed men standing on the shoulders of the Purpleblood Puppet. The white-haired beauty was also there, accompanied by eight black figures, Yuan Yao, and Yan Li.

Afterwards, seemingly endless armies of demons, puppets, and yin-armored ghosts followed them.

In the blink of an eye, the armies occupied most of the air in the passage, floating in dense numbers in various places.

One of the crimson-robed men directly flew over to Han Li and company. As for the other crimson-robed man, he loudly shouted, "Brother Liu Zu, how is it? Have the infernal river's restrictions changed at all?"

"None. It's exactly the same as we last entered!" Liu Zu withdrew his gaze from the water and turned around.

"That is to say, we'll have to do the same thing to get rid of the restriction?" A crimson-robed man sullenly said.

The white-haired beauty flew over and confidently said, "That is so! However, this time we made more preparations. It won't be as harmful as the last time."

Liu Zu turned to look at Han Li and said emotionlessly, "Yes, the most important point is that we join hands to destroy the restriction and separate the river. As for other dangers, you don't need to take them to heart. Alright, let's prepare. Fellow Daoist Han, when the time comes, release you divine lightning and aid us in dissolving the devilish Qi that scatters from the water. So long as the devilish Qi is gone, we'll be able to part the water without a problem."

Han Li bowed and calmly said, "Seniors, don't worry. My lightningwield technique has been well-practiced. I definitely won't interfere with this matter."

"Hehe, that's reassuring." A crimson-robed heartily laughed.

The others nodded.

Soon after, the four demon monarchs waved their hands and suddenly, high-grade demons flocked out, taking out strange tools to establish a spell formation.

Eight black figures and a dozen black metal-attributed puppets gathered together and prepared something.

As for Han Li, as he floated in midair, he shook his sleeve. Suddenly, eight small azure flags circled in the air as azure sparks flashed from them, creating a lightning attributed spell formation around him.

At his side, the golden ape looked at Han Li's actions and couldn't help but alarmedly ask, "Fellow Daoist Han, what are you doing?"

Han Li casually answered, "Nothing. This is a supplementary spell formation that I researched. Not only will it stabilize the lightningwield technique, but it will also amplify its might."

After Han Li found out that the Divine Devilbane Lightning could backlash on him when using grand techniques, he felt greatly apprehensive and put in much effort into resolving this.

This small spell formation was such a method he researched during his time in seclusion.

He used lightning talismans to condense the formation flags and allow them to absorb lightning. Then when placed in his Eight Gate Lightning Draw Formation, it would also amplify its strength.

If the lightning truly backlashed during the technique, he could use the spell formation to ward off the lightning, buying him time to escape the formation and escape injury.

Of course, Han Li could only test if it was truly effective if the backlash truly happened.

Nevertheless, Han Li felt more at ease using the lightningwield technique inside the formation. As for the amplification effect, it was only an excuse.

When the ape heard Han Li's explanation, he nodded and said nothing else.

Mu Qing and the others glanced at it, but they weren't able to see anything odd about it.

After all, the strange part about the formation was its flags which consisted of lightning talismans. However, Han Li had spent painstaking effort to craft them, so even the vastly powerful demon monarchs weren't able to see through them.

The other demons had been drilled before and in the time it took to finish a cup of tea, the huge formation was placed down in midair.

The huge spell formation used tens of various styled tools, including bowl-thick black plates, rulers, rings, the crystals, and the other strange objects.

But scattered about, these items still released an astonishing aura and seamlessly fused into a single body.

At the heart of the formation, Liu Zu and Mu Qing stood side by side.

The other eight black figures stood in formation, each one of them standing on each other's shoulders like a human ladder.

The white-haired beauty stood in front of the black figures and wore a calm expression.

By a crimson-robed man, the Purpleblood Puppet expanded, rising over a hundred times in size. A dozen metal-attributed puppets gathered together, condensing into a hundred-meter-tall iron puppet. The huge blades in its hands glinted brightly.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

"Fellow Daoist Han, prepare to unleash your Lightningwield Technique when we give the signal," Liu Zu instructed in an implacable voice as he hovered over the center of the giant spell formation.

Han Li nodded and made a hand seal, upon which arcs of golden lightning immediately began to revolve around his body. A lightning net appeared before swelling drastically, then transforming into a ball of golden light amid a resounding boom.

Golden runes flew in all directions, and the golden ball hovered gently over his palm.

At this point, Han Li ceased what he was doing and stood off to the side with the golden ball above his hand.

Liu Zu and the others then began breaking the restriction.

Liu Zu and Mu Qing both began to chant something as the treasure being controlled by several tens of high-grade demon beasts down below began to glow with scintillating light, forming a formation that instantly gave rise to a massive black hole. Boundless world's origin Qi surged toward Liu Zu and Mu Qing in a frenzy from the surrounding air.

In the blink of an eye, the two of them had been completely enshrouded in rainbow spiritual light, and their bodies shimmered as if they were a pair of divine deities.

On the other end, the white-haired beauty stood in front of the eight black shadows, and brought her hands together before separating them again, producing a small pitch-black bell in the process.

The bell was extremely antiquated, and there were even chips missing from the edges.

Meanwhile, one of the crimson-robed figures stood atop the shoulder of the Purpleblood Puppet while the other descended on top of the head of the giant metallic puppet that had just taken shape.

The Purpleblood Puppet let loose a low roar and rubbed its hand together before producing a purple blood ax that was around 100 feet in length.

The surface of the ax was shimmering with crimson light, and the puppet raised it high above its head with both hands, aiming it directly at the river down below.

The metallic puppet also raised its giant blade at the crimson-robed figure's behest, and black light began to shimmer over the surface of the blade.

At this moment, Liu Zu finally thrust a palm forward amid an explosive boom.

A pillar of black light shot forth from his hand, and this one was several times thicker than the one he'd unleashed in the spatial passageway. As the pillar of light hurtled through the air, the surrounding space warped and twisted as if it were being folded in on itself.

The pillar of light disappeared into the water in a flash, and the seemingly dead infernal river initially displayed no reaction. However, as the pillar of black light continued to be injected into the river, the latter finally began to change.

Ripples began to appear over its surface, following which the water in the river began to rotate in a frenzy around the pillar of light, and it was only accelerating amid a dull rumbling noise.

Mu Qing also sprang into action at this moment.

The golden flower beneath her feet rotated on the spot, absorbing most of the nearby light before swelling drastically, transforming into a gargantuan golden mirror that hurtled directly up ahead.

The mirror was several tens of feet in diameter, and before it had even come into contact with the water, it was already causing a massive commotion. Golden light flashed as the mirror sliced into the surface of the river, finally parting the water in what appeared to be a herculean feat.

A white hole began to appear at the center of the pillar of light before slowly expanding, but the water around it was tremoring violently, causing the holy to waver in an extremely unsteady manner, making it appear as if it were going to collapse at any moment.

Two loud booms erupted as a giant purple ax and a black saber projection also sped through the air.

In the face of the demon monarchs' combined efforts, the infernal river was finally completely parted amid an earthshattering boom, and a chasm that was around several hundred feet tall and over 100 feet wide slowly took shape within the water.

However, right at this moment, a strange noise sounded from the nearby water, following which wisps of translucent black threads appeared from within the water, then converged toward the massive chasm.

An incredible turn of events unfolded!

All of the astonishingly fearsome attacks unleashed by the demon monarchs suddenly dimmed, and their powers were quickly being diminished.

"What are you waiting for, Fellow Daoist Han?" Liu Zu's cold voice sounded from within the rainbow light.

The massive formation that had materialized from the surrounding world's origin Qi was rapidly shrinking while sustaining the output of the black pillar of light. The massive golden mirror that Mu Qing had unleashed was also quickly diminishing in size.

It was quite clear that both of these abilities were extremely taxing on their reserves of magic power, and even with the power of the spell formation to support them, they wouldn't be able to sustain them for long.

Han Li took a deep breath before flicking his five fingers toward the golden ball hovering over his palm.

The golden shot forth high into the air as a streak of golden light. Meanwhile, Han Li rapidly pointed the fingers on his other hand at the ball of golden lightning, and a massive golden rune appeared.

Following a rumbling thunderclap, gale-force winds and dense dark clouds were abruptly swept up in the surrounding area. A golden sun then appeared amid the dark clouds, and a devastating doomsday-like aura erupted from within the dark clouds.

The surface of the golden sun was flashing erratically with arcs of lightning, and dull thunderclaps rang out incessantly.

Han Li wore a grave expression as he chanted something in an unintelligible language, then pointed a finger toward the river.

The golden rune flashed, and a pillar of golden light that was as thick as a water tank shot forth from the golden sun, striking the infernal river after just a few flashes.

A dull thump erupted from the surface of the water, and in the instant that the golden pillar of light struck the water, it transformed into countless arcs of golden lightning that spread in all directions.

Following a loud thunderclap, an astonishing scene ensued.

All of the translucent black threads that had surfaced from the infernal river were destroyed without a trace by the golden lightning, much to the elation of the demon monarchs. All of them hurriedly unleashed a barrage of devastating attacks into the river, and the white-haired beauty, who had refrained from attacking this entire time, also let loose a shrill screech.

The eight black shadows behind her suddenly combined their Yin Qi before sending it surging toward the white-haired woman.

Even though these eight Yin Amor Ghost Monarchs were only late-Spatial Tempering Stage beings, their combined Yin Qi was still astonishingly powerful, and a massive ghostly projection appeared above the woman's head.

Meanwhile, brilliant black light erupted from the small black bell in her hand, and it instantly rose into the air before expanding to several tens of feet in size.

The woman then extended a finger and gently flicked it toward the air.

The black bell tolled, and a layer of black light fanned out from its surface, proliferating toward the chasm that had appeared in the infernal river up ahead.

A peculiar turn of events then unfolded.

As soon as the black light came into contact with the chasm, it instantly transformed into a light barrier to support the walls of the chasm, thereby forming a true passageway.

As Liu Zu and the others continued their relentless barrage of attacks, the chasm deepened further into the infernal river, thus extending the passageway further and further.

Han Li was quite surprised to see this, but he had to focus on controlling the golden sun in the sky to continue eradicating the black threads that were relentlessly emerging from the infernal river. One golden pillar of light after another erupted from the sun, assisting Liu Zu and the others in their efforts.

As the chasm continued to extend, the demon monarchs drew upon more of the spell formation's power to ensure that their attacks also extended to match. This was going to be the final push, and they were in the home stretch. Meanwhile, Han Li continued to inject his power into the golden sun up above, and he could only stand on the spot with a wry smile on his face.

He didn't have a powerful enough spiritual sense to guide his divine lightning to strike a spot so far away with unerring accuracy, but thankfully, the golden lightning was conducted by the water in the infernal river, so he only had to strike within the general vicinity of the spot that he was aiming for to eradicate all of the black threads in that area.

Of course, as the chasm continued to extend, Han Li was forced to focus more of his attention on guiding the golden pillar of light deeper into the passageway.

Around 15 minutes later, a dull rumbling sound erupted from the other end of the chasm.

Mu Qing was elated upon hearing this sound, and she immediately announced, "The passageway has extended all the way through!"

She then waved a hand, and the golden mirror flew back to her from deep within the chasm before settling beneath her feet and reverting back to its golden flower form.

All of the other demon monarchs were also overjoyed as they withdrew their abilities.

"Alright, this passageway can maintain itself for several hours, which should be more than enough for us to pass through the infernal river. However, we still have to look out for attacks from the ghostly beings in the river," Liu Zu cautioned before turning to the low-grade demon beasts behind them before he continued, "As for them, how many of them make it through the infernal river will depend on their luck; let's just focus on trying to get to the other side as soon as possible."

Mu Qing and the others glanced at one another upon hearing this, and their elated expressions also faded.

Meanwhile, Han Li withdrew his Lightningwield Technique, seeing as there was no need to continue unleashing it any longer.

At this moment, all of the puppets and ghostly soldiers had gathered at the entrance of the passageway, and had arranged themselves into a circular formation to protect the demon beasts at the center.

There were tens of thousands of beings in total, and they took up almost the entire entrance of the passageway.

The demon monarchs issued an order, and the army of puppets and ghostly soldiers flew ahead into the passageway first.

The black winds that enshrouded the bodies of those Yin Armor Profound Ghosts had already dissipated at this point, finally revealing their true appearance.

All of them were shriveled up corpse-like beings with glistening black armor over the upper halves of their bodies. They were wielding all types of long weapons such as halberds, tridents, and spears, and the sections of their skin that were peeking through the gaps in their armor were all gray and drab. All of their heads were enshrouded by a ball of green ghostly flames each, and a sinister skull could be seen within each ball of green flames.

All of the profound ghosts were completely silent and expressionless, and Han Li couldn't help but narrow his eyes as he appraised these ghosts from behind Mu Qing.

The infernal river was rife with ghostly beings, but the demon monarchs still refined so many ghostly soldiers; there had to some kind of reason behind this.

Moments later, the low-grade demon beasts that were surrounded by the puppets and ghostly soldiers were also ordered to enter the passageway.

Meanwhile, the demon monarchs and high-grade demon beasts looked on with cold expressions, displaying no intentions to enter the passageway with them.

In the instant that those low-grade demon beasts entered the chasm passageway, silver light flashed from black light barriers around them. Countless silver threads then hurtled through the air from all directions, and all of them were aimed directly at the low-grade demon beast, but paid no heed whatsoever to the puppets and ghostly soldiers.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

These silver threads were naturally none other than the strange infernal river fish that Han Li had seen saw at the beginning.

All of these fish were shaped like thin and long needles, and even though they couldn't do anything to high-grade demon beasts, they ere most definitely lethal to low-grade demon beasts.

Mere moments later, most of the demon beasts that had charged into the passageway were punctured countless times and perished in the face of these silver fish.

The demon beasts behind them were greatly startled upon seeing this, and many of them conjured up protective barriers of spiritual light around their bodies. The profound ghosts and puppets around them also began to swing their weapons through the air, keeping most of the silver threads at bay.

However, there seemed to be no end to the silver threads emerging from the black light barriers.

One of the crimson-robed figures let loose a long cry, and all of the low-grade demon beasts charged toward the other side of the chasm with all their might.

Even though they were all low-grade demon beast, they were still astonishingly fast when traveling at full speed.

Demonic Qi surged, and many of the demon beasts managed to cover a small portion of the passageway.

Right at this moment, a sudden turn of events abruptly unfolded! A series of black shadows appeared from the black light barriers amid bursts of unsettling cries.

Black creatures of different forms squeezed their way out of the light barriers, and some of them opened their mouths to blast forth white arrows of water, while others pounced onto the demon beasts and tore at their bodies with their sharp fangs.

All of the demon beasts that were struck by the arrows of water stiffened the perished on the spot. Even those with protective spiritual light around their bodies seemed to be unable to withstand the infiltration of those arrows as black Qi began to surface from their bodies, and they only managed to last a few more steps before falling dead.

Meanwhile, the demon beasts that had been latched onto fanged black shadows only managed to thrash around violently for a short while before their bodies were reduced to puddles of putrid black liquid.

These black shadows all had lethal poisons in their mouths! "So those are Yin ghosts!" A blue light flashed through Han Li's eyes, and he looked on with a hint of shock in his heart.

Using his spirit eyes, he was naturally able to see everything. Those black shadows were comprised of countless body parts thrown together in all types of different random configurations, and they were all zombie-like ghostly beings without any intelligence. All they did was charge toward the living demon beasts with all their might, completely ignoring the puppets and ghostly soldiers.

Of course, there were tens of thousands of low-grade demon beasts in the chasm, and they were certainly far from completely defenseless. Following a period of panic and turmoil, all of them began to unleash retaliative attacks like fireballs and blades of wind against these Yin ghosts.

However, much to their surprise, no matter what kind of attacks landed on the bodies of the YIn ghosts, the attacks merely disappeared into their bodies without any effect whatsoever!

All of the demon beasts were in a state of complete panic now.

"Idiots! Yin ghosts are unable to leave the infernal river. As long as you get to the other side, you'll be safe." Liu Zu's cold voice suddenly rang out within the passageway like claps of thunder, making the ears of the demon beasts ring loudly.

Only then did they realize what they had to do, and all of them ignored the attacks from the Yin ghosts as they focused wholeheartedly on getting to the other side of the passageway as quickly as possible.

The distance of over 100,000 feet was covered in just a few flashes by some of the fastest demon beasts.

The remaining demon beasts trudged onward under the protection of the puppets and the ghostly soldiers, and even though they suffered extensive casualties, the good thing was that they had massive numbers. As such, despite the huge number of demon beasts that perished, those actually only accounted for a fifth of the total number of demon beasts that had entered the passageway.

Meanwhile, more and more low-grade demon beasts were being forced into the passageway like floodwaters by their high-grade counterparts.

The scent of blood and gore quickly filled the entire passageway.

All of the demon monarchs looked on from outside the passageway with grave expressions on their faces, but none of them showed any intention of offering their assistance to the demon beasts. Instead, the seemed to be waiting for something.

Just as Han Li was pondering their intentions with furrowed brows, a massive black shadow suddenly descended toward the top of the passageway.

The previously stable and stalwart black light barrier suddenly began to tremor violently.

Following a series of resounding booms, a few massive tentacles broke through the barrier of light like giant pythons, then rushed into the passageway.

With just a casual swipe, a dozen or so demon beasts were swept up before being dragged out of the light barrier into the infernal river like lightning.

Those demons beasts were devoured by the massive black shadow amid a string of bloodcurdling howls, following which the huge tentacle appeared in the passageway again.

The nearby low-grade demon beasts were immediately thrown into complete turmoil. "It's here! Attack!" As soon as those tentacles appeared, the demon monarchs were all elated as the white-haired beauty, the two crimson-robed figures, Mu Qing, and Liu Zu abruptly disappeared on the spot amid flashes of spiritual light.

In the next instant, the five of them reappeared in the section of the passageway where the tentacles had crashed through.

Four of them raised their hand and grabbed the air in unison.

Four massive hands constructed from spiritual light different colors instantly materialized in a flash. Each of those hands grabbed onto a tentacle before pulling downward at once.

With the combined efforts of four Body Integration Stage beings, even a massive mountain hundreds of thousands of feet tall could most likely be plucked up from the ground.

Following a thunderous roar and a resounding boom, the owner of the tentacles was forcibly dragged into the passageway by the four demon monarchs.

It was a gargantuan ball of white flesh! It had no nose nor eyes, but it did have a huge mouth that took up most of its body. Furthermore, there were seven or eight long tentacles on the upper half of its body, half of which were being held by the hands of spiritual light, but the other half of those tentacles immediately thrashed violently, crashing directly toward the demon monarchs.

A cold harrumph sounded, following which a white streak of sword Qi appeared out of thin air. Black light flashed, and the giant ball of flesh was sliced apart down the middle.

A humanoid figure then shot forth like lightning, digging something out of the ball of flesh before rapidly darting back.

The humanoid figure was none other than Liu Zu, who had refrained from attacking this entire time, and he was currently holding a white egg-sized crystal that was shimmering in the darkness.

"We've finally got the Infernal Spirit Crystal. With this thing, it'll be a lot easier for us to overcome that hurdle." Liu Zu nodded with a pleased expression as he examined the object in his hand.

All of the other demon monarchs were also elated to see that they'd secured the crystal so easily.

"Hehe, there's only infernal river spirit in an infernal river, and there's no way that we wouldn't catch its attention after making such a massive commotion. It may be quite powerful, but it's no match for our combined powers," one of the crimson-robed figures cackled.

The jointed attack they had unleashed just then appeared to be quite simple, but it was something that they had rehearsed countless times. Only then were they able to slay this infernal river spirit with such apparent ease.

Mu Qing swept a sleeve through the air, pulverizing the oncoming Yin ghosts with a streak of green light as she said, "Now that we have this thing, let's hurry up and pass through this river as well. We're lucky that nothing more powerful than Yin ghosts have shown up on this occasion."

No one else had any objections, and they all flew toward the other end of the passageway as streaks of spiritual light.

At this moment, the high-grade demon beasts had received an order from Liu Zu and the others, and all of them also sped into the passageway.

Han Li and the golden ape followed suit.

For high-grade beings like Han Li, these silver fish and Yin ghosts were naturally nothing to be feared.

Furthermore, they were also flying far more quickly than low-grade demon beasts.

Thus, it only took them a few moments to arrive at the other end of the passageway, where they found themselves in a boundlessly cavernous space.

At this point, there was still a constant stream of low-grade demon beasts charging into this space through the passageway.

After a while, all of the demon beasts as well as the profound ghosts and puppets finally made it through the passageway. The puppet and ghost army was almost completely intact without any casualties, but a portion of the low-grade demon beasts had perished, and many of the survivors were riddled with injuries. Thankfully, all demon beasts had remarkably recovery abilities, so that wasn't a cause for concern.

However, the demon monarchs paid no heed to this and were gathered together to discuss something.

Meanwhile, Han Li hovered in the air, surveying his surroundings.

At this moment, he was at an altitude of tens of thousands of feet, and from his vantage point, he could see that everyone was situated in a bleak barren blank comprised entirely of black soil and dark yellow grass that was a few inches tall.

The water from the infernal river formed a white sky overhead that encompassed the entire earth down below.

After ascertaining their rough location, Liu Zu flew over and ordered, "We'll proceed as we originally planned with the Yin Armor Profound Ghost leading the way, and the puppets taking up the rear."

Everyone was immediately cast into turmoil as they hurriedly reorganized themselves into the designated formation.

Meanwhile, Han Li remained behind Mu Qing alongside the golden ape.

Mu Qing was currently standing atop her giant golden flower, and was situated at the center of a group of high-grade demon beasts.

Liu Zu and the white-haired woman led the 8,000 ghostly soldiers at the front, and the two crimson-robed figures were naturally allocated to the rear, where they would control all the puppets.

The entire army flew through the air at a rapid rate like a massive black dragon, leaving the passageway behind in the blink of an eye.

Several hours later, the army had flown out of this vast expanse of black land, yet the sight that greeted them next made Han Li drawn an involuntary sharp breath.

There were stark white bones all over the ground, stretching as far as the eyes could see. All types of bones were littered over the plains up ahead, and all of them were of different shapes and sizes, clearly having belonged to many different types of living beings. The bones were all strewn haphazardly over the ground, and they appeared to have been there for an extremely long time.

Furthermore, there was a putrid smell wafting toward everyone from deeper within the plains, and that made them even more uneasy.

However, the army only stopped momentarily before they were led into this harrowing land of bones by Liu Zu and the white-haired beauty.

The progressed onward for close to 10 kilometers, and their surroundings were still littered with piles up piles of bones while the putrid odor in the air was only growing more and more unbearable.

Han Li had already summoned a layer of protective spiritual light to ward off this godforsaken stench, and blue light was flashing his eyes he constantly surveyed his surroundings.

Even though his spiritual sense was still severely restricted, he was able to see very far with his Brightsight Spirit Eyes.

All of a sudden, Han Li's calm expression stiffened, and he let loose a low cry.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter