“I have long cultivated the Five Dragon Guillotine to the point of unity between mind and spirit. Even if it were taken away from here, I could recall it with a single thought. Moreover, even if I lent you this treasure, you wouldn’t be able to unleash its full power, especially since you’re merely a puppet possessed by a fragment of your consciousness. I shall impart to you an incantation that uses the power of divine will to control the Five Dragon Guillotine. Though you won’t be able to wield its full might for long, it should suffice to deal with the intruders. However, using this technique will severely damage the divine will you’ve attached to the puppet, possibly even affecting your true body. Are you still willing to proceed?” The aged voice spoke again.
Upon hearing this, the puppet’s eyes flashed with green light, but after a moment, it replied, “If our group fails to stop these intruders, even if we return unharmed, we will face severe punishment. This junior would rather sacrifice this fragment of divine will and take the risk.”
“Good. Since you’ve made up your mind, this will be easier. Listen carefully—I shall transmit the incantation directly to you.” The aged voice chuckled darkly before falling silent.
The blood-armored puppet’s eyes flickered intensely, its expression turning solemn as if intently listening to something.
After a while, the puppet exhaled deeply, bowed toward the cavern, and declared, “Many thanks for the technique, Senior. This junior shall take his leave to prepare.”
“Wait. Here is a vial of pills for the other ghosts to consume. Once they recover their vitality, they may still be of some assistance. I won’t take advantage of you juniors.” As the aged voice faded, a strange gust of wind surged from the cavern. When the wind dissipated, a white jade vial appeared before the puppet.
Overjoyed, the blood-armored puppet immediately stowed the vial, bowed in gratitude once more, and departed. The ghosts followed silently behind.
—
At the same time, Liugou and his group were passing over a withered forest when a dense swarm of skeletal creatures emerged from the trees.
These skeletons appeared to be the remains of some insectoid beasts, with disproportionately large forelimbs resembling massive bone blades. Their bodies were shrouded in yellow mist as they charged toward the puppets and ghost soldiers below.
Liugou and the others conserved their energy, leaving the puppets and ghost soldiers to unleash a barrage of attacks. Blades of light, sword auras, and gusts of yin wind rained down, shattering the skeletons—but an eerie phenomenon occurred.
No matter how severely the skeletons were destroyed, even if reduced to countless fragments, they would reform upon falling into the withered forest below, rising again to attack. It was as if they were indestructible.
Han Li, who had yet to intervene, observed this with a slight frown.
Fortunately, the group had puppets and ghost soldiers to handle the onslaught. Otherwise, these creatures would be impossible to defeat. No wonder Liugou had insisted on bringing so many puppets and ghost soldiers.
Amidst the thunderous explosions, the group flew for most of the day before finally escaping the withered forest. Once beyond its borders, the shattered skeletons crumbled into yellow dust and vanished.
The remaining skeletons, as if sentient, halted their pursuit and retreated into the forest.
Han Li marveled inwardly. There must be some mystery within that withered forest. Were it not for Liugou’s urgency, he would have been tempted to investigate.
Not long after, the group encountered a vast black lake, its surface dark as ink and veiled in faint green mist—clearly a place of ill omen. Undeterred, Liugou led them straight into the fog.
Soon, the sounds of battle echoed once more from within.
—
A month later, after losing nearly all of their thousand puppets and hundreds of ghost soldiers, Liugou’s group finally glimpsed their destination in the distance—the Yin Bone Mountains, where the Netherworld River’s Divine Milk was hidden.
By now, the group had dwindled to a handful of high-ranking demons, including Mu Qing and Liugou. Han Li and Jin Ling, thanks to their abilities, remained unscathed. Yuan Yao and Yan Li had faced several dangers but, under Han Li’s protection, escaped with only minor injuries.
The group halted a hundred miles from the mountains, where the demon kings gathered to discuss something in hushed tones.
Han Li gazed at the distant peaks, his heart heavy.
The latter half of the journey had been unexpected. He had hoped to find an opportunity to escape, but no situation arose that could divert all the demon kings’ attention. Worse, Jin Ling, the sentient white ape, seemed under Mu Qing’s orders to shadow Han Li relentlessly. To his frustration, the ape also possessed keen spiritual sight, making stealth nearly impossible.
Had he been alone, Han Li could have used the Taiyi Concealment Talisman to vanish. But without Yuan Yao and Yan Li, the demonic seals in his body would remain, rendering escape futile.
As he pondered, Han Li noticed the demon kings glancing his way. Their expressions were tense, even heated, as if in dispute. Mu Qing shook her head repeatedly, while Liugou’s compound eyes gleamed with cold resolve. The white-haired beauty hesitated, and the two blood-robed figures remained unreadable beneath their crimson glow.
Han Li’s unease grew. Whatever they were discussing, it concerned him—and likely boded ill.
After a long silence, Liugou’s voice cut through his thoughts: “Fellow Daoist Han, come here. We have a task for you.”
Han Li’s lips thinned as he flew over. “What do you require of me, Seniors?” he asked calmly, clasping his hands.
Liugou’s emotionless gaze swept over him, while Mu Qing and the white-haired beauty looked grim.
“Take a look at this.” Liugou produced a dark, glossy orb.
Han Li frowned, recognizing it vaguely. But as he focused, the orb flashed, and a thin black thread shot into his brow.
“Damn it!” Han Li tried to evade, but the air around him solidified like steel—Mu Qing and the white-haired beauty had immobilized him. Even his immense strength was useless against two Soul Formation cultivators.
The black thread vanished into his forehead. His vision blurred, his body slackened, and his mind grew hazy.
A cry rang out—Yuan Yao and Yan Li, horrified. Before they could react, the blood-robed figures appeared before them, slapping crimson talismans onto their shoulders. The talismans exploded into threads that bound them instantly.
“These Control Talismans govern every aspect of your bodies, even your spiritual energy. You may remain conscious, but until I release them, you are but living corpses,” one blood-robed figure said coolly.
With that, they whisked the two women away.
Meanwhile, Liugou chanted incantations over the black orb. It trembled, then flew from his hand—embedding itself between Han Li’s brows like a third eye, pulsing with dark light.
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