However, as the blade shadows descended and merged, the void remained empty, showing no signs of anything unusual.
The man surnamed Gui showed a flicker of surprise, his eyes flashing with confusion. After a moment of contemplation, he snorted coldly and gestured toward the distant void with one hand.
The flying blade immediately transformed into a streak of silver light, shooting back and disappearing into his sleeve in a flash.
Without another word, the man erupted into a bloody glow, transforming into a crimson streak that vanished into the sky.
In an instant, the area fell silent, with only a faint breeze stirring the air.
After what seemed like the time it took to finish a meal, a faint silver light flickered in the sky, and a petite figure emerged.
With pointed ears and a delicate, alluring face, this was the humanoid demonic beast named “Jiuye.”
She stared in the direction where the man surnamed Gui had disappeared, her brows furrowed. After a long pause, she murmured to herself, “Who is this man? Though he isn’t the one who killed the young master, his abilities are formidable. If I hadn’t used a secret technique to shift my aura elsewhere, I might not have been able to deceive him. No, these outsiders are too troublesome. I can’t handle them alone—I must call for reinforcements.”
With that, she grabbed a tuft of fur from her tail, muttered an incantation, and flung it into the air. The fur burst into countless fine silver streaks, shooting into the sky before vanishing in the distance.
Relieved, she glanced once more toward the mountain range where Han Li and the man surnamed Gui had disappeared. After a brief hesitation, she sighed softly.
With a hand seal, her figure blurred within a silver glow and vanished without a trace.
—
Han Li followed the demonic smoke bird, walking steadily through the thick black mist. Though the bird occasionally let out low, anxious cries as if urging him forward, Han Li ignored it, maintaining his composed demeanor.
Seeing his indifference, the bird had no choice but to slow its flight, matching his pace as it led him deeper.
Despite the overwhelming demonic energy that made it impossible to see even an inch ahead, Han Li’s body shimmered with golden light, and his eyes glowed faintly blue, allowing him to perceive his surroundings clearly.
He found himself in a massive square passageway, over ten zhang in width and height, its walls constructed from an unfamiliar black stone. The dense demonic energy seeped continuously from these eerie stones, piquing Han Li’s curiosity.
Were it not for his wariness of potential hidden restrictions on the walls, he might have chipped off a few pieces for study upon entering.
The passage was not solitary but part of a labyrinthine network that extended deep into the mountain’s belly, descending further underground with each step.
Time passed slowly.
The demonic smoke bird had previously made the journey in the time it took to finish a meal, yet Han Li had walked for what felt like ages without reaching the end. His gaze toward the bird gradually turned icy.
Sensing his displeasure, the bird led him through several intersections before suddenly halting and circling in place.
Han Li’s attention sharpened. Ahead, the demonic energy thinned, revealing a faintly glowing white exit.
Relaxing slightly, he took a deep breath and beckoned the bird toward him.
Infused with a trace of the woman’s divine sense, the bird hesitated but obediently flew to him.
Just as it reached above his head, Han Li flicked his sleeve, releasing a burst of gray light that ensnared the unsuspecting bird.
The bird panicked, attempting to cry out, but the gray light swirled around it, muffling all sound.
With a calm gesture, Han Li pointed at the immobilized bird. A green rune shot from his fingertip, striking the creature and causing it to vanish within the gray radiance.
Satisfied, Han Li clapped his hands lightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Yet as he turned his gaze back to the exit, his expression grew solemn.
Narrowing his eyes, he opened his mouth, releasing a silver flame that morphed into a fiery bird. After circling him a few times, it vanished into the wall with a soft *puff*.
Next, he flicked his sleeves, unleashing seventy-two golden flying swords. With a silent incantation, they transformed into a flurry of lotus blossoms before dissipating like bubbles.
After a moment’s thought, he produced two silver talismans, which shot toward the ground, transforming into faint golden shadows that vanished beneath—two Armor Origin Talismans.
Facing a severely injured but still formidable demonic beast of the Body Integration stage, Han Li dared not take any chances.
For this venture, he had specially prepared several Silver Scale Talismans. Though the materials were rare, in a city like Yuncheng, wealth could procure anything.
With all precautions in place, Han Li’s eyes gleamed coldly. He slapped a purple talisman onto himself, and in a burst of light, his body dissolved into a mist of silver runes—vanishing completely.
To ensure absolute stealth, he had activated the Taiyi Vanishing Talisman.
His invisible form drifted toward the exit, as if truly intent on slaying the Saint-rank demonic beast.
—
Outside the mountain, at the entrance of the passage, the woman named Xianxian gasped as her demonic smoke bird was suddenly restrained.
“What happened?” the azure qilin phantom asked urgently.
“My demonic smoke bird has been immobilized by him,” she replied, her expression uneasy.
“What? How could this happen? Did he discover something?” the qilin demanded, its eyes flashing.
“Unlikely. He’s probably just cautious and doesn’t want us watching him while he deals with the Saint-rank beast,” she speculated uncertainly.
“But this complicates things. Without knowing his battle with the beast, we can’t time our move accurately,” the qilin growled, its tail lashing.
“I know! But we can’t wait. Whether he’s fighting or not, we must act now. Even if he’s powerful, slaying a Saint-rank beast won’t be quick. We’ll have enough time to open the True Spirit Cave,” she declared, gritting her teeth.
“Then let’s go,” the qilin agreed decisively.
Xianxian produced a triangular black token, one side engraved with a black qilin, the other with silver runes.
“A pity to waste this Demon Qilin Token. It took me great effort to craft it, with several failures along the way,” she lamented, stroking its surface.
“No matter how precious, it’s nothing compared to what lies in the True Spirit Cave. Only this token can mask your presence and let you bypass the cave’s demonic energy. And with that Han fellow distracting the Saint-rank beast, even if it senses something, it won’t stop us,” the qilin retorted.
“Still, using it just for concealment is a waste—and it’s a one-time consumable,” she sighed.
Before the qilin could reply, she tossed the token into the air.
It spun rapidly, summoning a howling black whirlwind that roared toward the heavens, its center echoing with terrifying growls.
Xianxian’s expression hardened. With one hand forming seals, she raised the other and bit her wrist.
A small green sword shot from her mouth, circling her wrist before returning. Blood gushed forth, coalescing into a fist-sized orb that shot into the whirlwind.
Instantly, the growls ceased, and the wind dissipated, revealing a pitch-black, ten-foot-long ink qilin.
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