“If only it were truly this smooth. For now, we can only take it one step at a time.” Han Li replied calmly, not sharing the same optimism.
Just then, a thunderous boom echoed from behind. Without even turning his head, Han Li knew that one of the golden magnetic spirit trees had been struck. Yet, he showed no panic—after all, he was now merely a few dozen feet away from the massive hall ahead.
He could already clearly see the peculiar plaque hanging atop the towering gate of the hall, some twenty to thirty feet high. Neither metallic nor wooden, the plaque bore three large golden ancient characters inscribed with bold, sweeping strokes: “Kunwu Hall.”
Han Li exhaled lightly, hesitated for a moment, then retrieved a jade vial from his sleeve containing ten-thousand-year spirit liquid and drank a drop.
Instantly, the spiritual energy he had expended resisting the golden magnetic gravity was replenished. The cyan glow, golden arcs, and purple flames around him flared brighter.
With renewed vigor, Han Li quickened his pace toward the hall’s entrance.
—
Deep within the seventh underground level of Kunwu Mountain’s Demon-Suppressing Tower, a crisp shattering sound rang out. The crystalline wall that had obstructed the grotesque-headed ancient demon and his companions for hours finally crumbled under the relentless assault of their treasures, scattering into motes of light that faded into the air.
“Let’s go. This wall truly lives up to its reputation as the Xumi Sect’s treasure, delaying us for so long,” the grotesque-headed man remarked, summoning a gleaming silver sword back into his sleeve.
“With this much time wasted, could the Poison Sage Sect have already seized the treasure?” another elder from the Ye Clan asked worriedly as he stowed away a white jade ruler.
“Relax. Even if they’ve obtained the Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure, they won’t be able to wield it immediately. If they’ve taken it, we’ll simply reclaim it,” the ancient demon replied impassively.
“Indeed. Elder Han speaks precisely what I intended to do,” the grotesque-headed man laughed before striding toward the seventh-level exit.
The Ye Clan elder nodded slightly and followed with a dry chuckle.
Moments later, the trio descended a stone staircase and emerged in a chamber housing a teleportation array.
Faced with two small arrays—one black, one white—they paused in surprise, mirroring the Poison Sage Sect’s earlier reaction. The ancient demon’s gaze lingered on the black array, and a flicker of delight crossed his face.
“Why two arrays? Which leads to the eighth level? Or do both?” the Ye Clan elder muttered, eyeing the white array, which still bore faint traces of spiritual energy from the Poison Sage Sect’s recent use.
“No need to choose. This one will suffice,” the ancient demon declared, his voice oddly strained as he stared at the black array.
“But the Poison Sage Sect used the other—”
Before the elder could finish, the ancient demon suddenly lashed out without warning. A shadowy demonic arm shot from his sleeve, seizing the elder’s skull with bone-chilling speed.
“Ah—!” The elder barely had time to scream before his head exploded like a melon, brains and blood spraying high.
Yet the ancient demon wasn’t done. In the same breath, he spewed a jet of black demonic flames, engulfing the headless corpse before it could collapse. Wisps of green smoke curled upward as the body turned to ash.
Within the black flames, a tiny infant—clutching a pristine white jade ruler—was revealed, encased in a faint white glow.
“Uncle Seven! Save me!” the infant shrieked, desperately channeling spiritual energy into the ruler. Trapped in the demonic flames, it couldn’t even teleport away.
But the grotesque-headed man merely watched coldly, unmoved by the elder’s plight.
The protective glow lasted only moments before the flames surged, shattering it. A final scream echoed as the infant was incinerated.
The elder died in disbelief, his soul vanishing amid seething resentment.
“Why act now? Weren’t we supposed to wait until the final level?” the grotesque-headed man finally spoke, his tone icy.
“I expected to find our target only at the deepest level. But here, I sensed its presence. This fool was no longer necessary,” the ancient demon replied flatly. “Do you regret it?”
“Just a junior. Regret is pointless,” the grotesque-headed man muttered after a pause, his eyes conflicted.
“Good. Once we free the Sacred Ancestor’s avatar, it will bestow demonic energy upon you. With your talent, you’ll have at least a sixty to seventy percent chance of ascending to the Deity Transformation stage.”
“Humph! If not for my impending lifespan limit, I’d never betray the Ye Clan to aid a demon like you,” the man retorted, his gaze flickering.
“Demon? After the infusion, you’ll become one of us. Many human cultivators in the Sacred Realm have joined our ranks. Why hesitate?”
“Enough talk. Let’s move before complications arise.” The grotesque-headed man stepped onto the black array, cutting the discussion short.
The ancient demon smirked and joined him.
A flash of light later, they vanished.
—
The duo materialized in an identical array, surrounded by dim, flickering shadows.
“Where is this?” the grotesque-headed man muttered, disoriented.
“Look up,” the ancient demon urged, excitement creeping into his voice.
The man obeyed—and gasped.
A hundred feet above, dense arrays of restrictive spells pulsed with light. At their center floated a shadowy mass the size of a hill, bound by thick black chains and plastered with multicolored talismans.
Copper mirrors encircled it, projecting yellow beams that formed a colossal cage.
The grotesque-headed man’s breath hitched.
It was a twin-headed silver wolf, over three hundred feet long. Though restrained, its fur gleamed like polished silver, radiating majesty.
Yet one head was silver-white, while the other—from the neck down—was pitch-black, wreathed in dark mist and crowned by a violet horn. Both heads lay motionless, eyes shut, as if in enchanted slumber.
“This… is your Sacred Ancestor’s avatar?” the man asked warily.
“Indeed. This is the avatar of Sacred Ancestor Yuan Cha, ranked among the top five in our realm. Though not her true form—merely a spirit possessing a spirit realm wolf—she far surpasses any Deity Transformation cultivator. In this world, without interference from the spirit realm, she is invincible. Once, she led our invasion of the human realm.”
“Yuan Cha…” the man whispered.
“Guard me while I commune with her,” the ancient demon commanded.
“Very well.” The grotesque-headed man nodded, resolve hardening.
Trusting his ally, the ancient demon began chanting. Black demonic energy erupted from his body, shrouding him completely.
A deep growl echoed as a towering, twin-headed, four-armed demonic figure emerged, its bone-chilling aura forcing the grotesque-headed man back.
The ancient demon’s dual mouths intoned eerie incantations while his four scaled arms wove seals, transforming him into a nightmarish entity.
The grotesque-headed man kept watch but couldn’t tear his eyes from the slumbering wolf.
After what felt like an eternity, the ancient demon ceased chanting. One mouth spat a glob of black-red essence blood skyward, while his arms hurled four black spells into it.
The blood morphed into an arcane sigil, vanishing into the air—only to reappear moments later on the black wolf’s forehead.
The horn flashed. The wolf’s eyelids twitched, then slowly parted, revealing piercing violet orbs—twin suns that burned too fiercely to behold.
Unbeknownst to the duo, as the black wolf stirred, in a nearby sealed chamber, a silver casket atop an altar flickered in response. Above it, a half-foot-long emerald ruler rotated lazily, its glow enveloping the box below.
Something, too, had awakened.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage