Then, a flash of spiritual light appeared on the head, and a blue figure several inches tall was forcibly sucked out, wrapped in white mist, its features identical to those of the brocade-robed man.
This was the Spirit Infant the man had painstakingly cultivated for over ten thousand years.
A milky-white stone lock hung on the Spirit Infant’s chest, emitting a layer of silver threads that tightly protected its form. Yet, its face was filled with terror as it cried out repeatedly, “You can’t kill me! The Blue Water Sect is a designated outer sect of Tianyuan City. As the sect master, killing me will surely provoke the pursuit of Tianyuan Realm’s law enforcers. These two items are the Blue Water Sect’s twin treasures—take them and leave! I’m also willing to guide you to all the sect’s treasures and offer them to you, as long as you spare my life!”
Upon hearing this, the white-robed youth’s expression flickered, as if genuinely tempted.
Seeing this, the Spirit Infant redoubled its desperate pleas:
“Though I don’t know why you suddenly attacked us, it must be related to the materials our sect was transporting this time. I’m willing to hand over all of them—”
Before the Spirit Infant could finish, the white-robed youth’s lips twisted into a sinister smile. His arm blurred, then suddenly pierced through the void, seizing the Spirit Infant in his grasp.
With a flash of white light from his fingers, he crushed the protective silver threads around the Spirit Infant.
In the next instant, his arm retracted abruptly, and he tossed the Spirit Infant into his mouth, swallowing it whole.
Almost simultaneously, an unfamiliar male voice echoed from a distant point in the void: “Heh, well done! That fool was courting death. Even with his life on the line, he dared to bargain with things no longer his. His death was meaningless!”
As the voice faded, ripples spread through the void, and a golden figure emerged—a burly man with a peculiar double-horned hairstyle, clad in a golden robe. Though most of his face was obscured by thick black hair and beard, his deep yellow eyes radiated a dizzying aura.
The white-robed youth cast a cold glance at him before ignoring him and reaching down toward the void below.
With two sharp *whooshes*, the fallen orb and the white banner shot upward, drawn into the youth’s grasp before hovering motionlessly in midair.
Unfazed by the youth’s indifference, the bearded man chuckled and took a single step—somehow crossing dozens of feet in an instant, appearing just a few feet away from the youth.
But at that moment, a low hum arose from the youth’s position. Six translucent cicada-winged shadows materialized behind him, vibrating at an imperceptible speed.
Countless pale-white blade lights surged from the wings, forming a sea of white blades that engulfed the orb and banner.
The two treasures merely flickered briefly before shattering with muffled cracks within the blade storm.
A hint of satisfaction flashed across the youth’s face. With a shrug of his shoulders, the countless blades vanished without a trace, leaving only blue and white piles of shattered remnants floating in the air.
He then began chanting, forming hand seals before exhaling sharply toward the debris.
A startling scene unfolded—a golden flame erupted from his mouth, enveloping the remnants and dissolving them into the flame within moments.
Taking a deep breath, the youth inhaled the golden flame back into his body.
Golden light erupted across his skin, and a wheel-sized golden halo materialized behind his head, spinning once before dispersing into countless golden runes.
The bearded man watched, a glint of delight in his eyes, murmuring, “Though the Blue Water Sect’s techniques are mediocre, their twin treasures—the Blue Extreme Orb and White Water Banner—were forged from forty-nine types of extreme cold materials. Moreover, among the materials they were transporting was a massive slab of Profound Yin Crystal Wall, formed over a million years—essential for refining your True Spirit body. We can’t afford to waste such treasures.”
In those brief moments, the golden light on the youth’s body fully receded, yet his aura had grown noticeably stronger—subtle but astonishing.
“Where is the Profound Yin Crystal Wall? Aside from these two treasures, I sensed no other extreme cold materials on these people. Was your information wrong?” the youth finally spoke, his voice icy.
“Wrong? Impossible! I paid a fortune for this intel from the Myriad Connections Sect. If they dared deceive me, I’d wipe them out. The item must be specially sealed—beyond your current ability to detect. Let me help you find it, Six-Wings.”
With that, the bearded man glanced at the frozen statues of the cultivators and suddenly clapped his palm forward.
A series of thunderous explosions erupted as the ice sculptures and their storage artifacts burst apart in flashes of spiritual light.
Amid the scattered debris, a cold glint flashed in the man’s yellow pupils. His outstretched hand clenched and pulled back.
With a *whoosh*, an object shot out from the remnants, landing squarely in his grasp.
It was a yellow jade box, its surface densely covered with crimson talismans, exuding an eerie aura.
Without a word, the bearded man tossed the box toward the white-robed youth.
Instead of catching it, the youth’s eyes gleamed coldly. One of his cicada wings twitched, and a white blade shot forth, slicing the box cleanly in half.
A fist-sized object tumbled out, but before the youth could identify it, blue light flashed, transforming it into a three-foot-thick, ten-foot-tall blue crystal wall that plummeted downward.
At the sight of the crystal wall, the youth’s impassive face finally cracked into a faint smile.
He opened his mouth, exhaling a waterfall of white frost that instantly froze the crystal wall midair.
With a low shout, his body blurred, splitting into twelve identical phantoms—each bearing his face, adorned with faint gold and silver patterns, and sporting six translucent wings.
The twelve figures simultaneously formed hand seals, transforming into six-foot-long snow-white centipedes that vanished into the frozen crystal wall.
Instantly, twelve white orbs glowed within the wall, slowly rotating and pulsating as blue threads converged toward them like rivers to the sea.
The bearded man watched intently, his expression grave. After a long while, seeing no mishap, he relaxed slightly, a complex look flashing across his face.
“Who knew if it was my luck or yours, centipede, to cross paths when I deciphered the *Inverse Spirit Profound Yin Art*. Not only do you possess the bloodline of the White Dragon, but you’ve also undergone a mutation—perfect for cultivating this heaven-defying technique from the Golden Jade Tome’s inner pages. And what a coincidence—you’re the very traitorous spirit insect my lower realm incarnation once mentioned, belonging to that Han kid. How amusing! I wonder what expression you’ll wear when you master the Inverse Spirit Art, forge your True Spirit body, and meet that Han brat again.”
A cold snort echoed in the bearded man’s ears, followed by the youth’s mocking voice:
“What expression I wear is none of your concern. But your lower realm incarnation seemed quite close to my former master. I wonder how it’d react if it knew its true self was scheming against him in the Spirit Realm.”
The bearded man chuckled dismissively. “That Tianlan incarnation was just a contingency. How could it affect me, the true self? Besides, if you master the Inverse Spirit Art before my next heavenly tribulation—assuming it’s as formidable as I estimate—it’ll help me survive the coming trials. That incarnation will be a useless pawn, hardly worth considering.”
“Then spare no concern for my former master. Once I attain True Spirit form, I’ll sever the blood curse in my soul. Until then, I won’t tolerate any meddling behind my back,” the youth retorted coldly.
The bearded man smirked. “You overestimate me. That Han kid has reached the Body Unity stage. Even if I wanted to act, what could I do?”
“Others might be powerless, but given your identity, how could I not be wary?” the youth replied after a pause.
The bearded man’s eyes widened abruptly, twin yellow lights swirling in his pupils like tangible force. “You know who I am?”
His voice was laced with shock—and menace.
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