“Since the Grand Elder says so, it must be absolutely correct. As for that burly man, I faintly saw a blurry shadow of a flood dragon around him, and his body secretly contained extremely pure demonic energy. Could he have some connection to the True Demon Clan?” the Wood Clan woman respectfully added.
“A flood dragon and demonic energy! It’s unlikely he has any ties to the Demon Clan. In the Spirit Realm, there are countless techniques from various races that can harness demonic energy for cultivation. As for him being a flood dragon, that’s even more improbable. The Flood Dragon Clan and the True Demon Clan are mortal enemies—when they meet, only one side can survive.” The blue-robed elder shook his head slowly after a brief consideration.
Even with his vast knowledge, this Wood Clan Grand Elder could never have guessed that the black-armored man’s true form was the descendant of an evil dragon long extinct in the Spirit Realm.
Thus, his judgment was gravely mistaken.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the sky, the ugly burly man respectfully asked the white-robed woman, “Sacred Ancestor, since the Black Spirit Flowers are useful to you, why not take them all? Leaving half behind seems unnecessary. That Wood Clan elder is only at the early Mahayana stage—how could he possibly threaten you? After all, your divine abilities rank among the top five among all Sacred Ancestors in the Sacred Realm.”
“What do you, a little crocodile, know? While I’m confident I could defeat that Wood Clan Grand Elder, I’m not certain I could kill him. Moreover, the Black Spirit Flowers have limited effect on my recovery—consuming more than ten would be pointless. The risk outweighs the gain, so why would I act so foolishly?” the white-robed woman replied softly.
“I see. But Sacred Ancestor, we’ve traversed most of the Wind Yuan Continent. If we don’t find anything soon, should we leave? If I recall correctly, the Sacred War is about to erupt. If we encounter other Sacred Ancestors who’ve descended from the Sacred Realm, it could be disastrous,” the burly man hesitantly suggested.
“The Sacred War! Before fleeing the Sacred Realm, we Sacred Ancestors predicted its timing and discussed related matters. This is indeed one of the regions where the two realms converge most densely. But don’t worry, little crocodile. Even if the war breaks out immediately, other Sacred Ancestors won’t appear in the Spirit Realm right away—at most, their avatars will descend first. Earlier, I wasn’t certain, but after arriving here and using a secret divination technique, I found strong evidence that what I seek is likely here. Under these circumstances, how could I leave so soon?” The white-robed woman chuckled lightly.
“I understand. Then even if it costs me my life, I’ll help you find it so you can fully restore your powers,” the black-armored man declared, thumping his chest.
“It seems my old friend Ming Luo trained you well. If you truly aid my recovery, I won’t be stingy—you’ll receive immense rewards,” the white-robed woman replied with a mysterious smile.
“Thank you, Sacred Ancestor Baohua! I’ll spare no effort, even if it means death!” the man exclaimed, eagerly pledging his loyalty again.
The white-robed woman glanced at him but said nothing more, her expression enigmatic.
Yet the direction they flew was precisely toward the human territories.
—
Han Li stood atop a mountain peak, gazing at the massive demonic rift stretching miles across the sky, his expression shifting between gloom and resolve.
A few yards behind him, Bai Guo’er and his two other disciples stood respectfully with hands clasped.
“Let’s return. It seems the demonic calamity will erupt within six months,” Han Li said decisively after a deep breath.
“Yes, Master!”
The three disciples voiced no objections.
With a flick of his sleeve, Han Li summoned a burst of azure light, enveloping the four of them before swiftly returning to their cave abode.
Half an hour later, Han Li sat in the main hall of his cave, with a silver-robed woman—Ice Phoenix—seated beside him. Under his protection, she had not only fully recovered her cultivation but had advanced to the late Nascent Soul stage, thanks to his ample supply of elixirs.
Further down sat Bai Guo’er, Hai Dashao, and Qilingzi.
“Brother Han, with the demonic rift so close to our abode, this is no longer a safe place for cultivation. Should we relocate immediately?” Ice Phoenix asked softly, her brows slightly furrowed.
These past few centuries had been the most satisfying period of her cultivation life—free from danger and with endless elixirs to aid her progress. The impending demonic calamity filled her with reluctance.
“Yes, we must move. But not just anywhere—we’ll go straight to Tianyuan City. Once the calamity begins, scarcely populated areas will be extremely dangerous. If not Tianyuan City, our only other option would be the Three Sovereigns’ domains,” Han Li replied thoughtfully.
“Tianyuan City? Does Brother Han plan to join the Elder Council?” Ice Phoenix asked in surprise.
“No. Only you all will reside there long-term. After helping Tianyuan City withstand the initial demonic assaults, I’ll retreat to a secluded place to continue my cultivation,” Han Li explained.
“Why? Unless you’re planning to…” Ice Phoenix’s eyes flickered with realization.
“Exactly. Given ten more years, I’ll attempt to break through to the late Body Integration stage. For that, I need undisturbed time,” Han Li confirmed.
“Understood. That’s a wise decision. As for assisting your breakthrough, that was our agreement—I’m at your disposal anytime,” Ice Phoenix replied, her cheeks faintly reddening.
“Good. Since you agree, the three of you must immediately gather all disciples and prepare to depart in three days. Guo’er, since you prefer not to go to Tianyuan City, head to Xuanwu City after settling the others. With Xuanwu Overlord and the ancient tortoise there, it’s equally safe,” Han Li instructed firmly.
“As you command, Master!”
“Thank you, Master!”
The three disciples bowed in unison.
Three days later, several massive flying ships, each over a hundred feet long, soared from the mountain peaks.
At the prow of the lead ship stood Han Li, his expression serene, as if nothing in the world could perturb him.
The other ships carried hundreds of disciples, their faces a mix of tension and excitement.
Moments later, the ships glowed brilliantly and shot into the distance, vanishing beyond the horizon.
—
At the same time, in a small mountain range surrounded by hills far from Han Li’s abode, tens of thousands of mortal cultivators were boarding giant flying ships.
Amid the bustling crowd, a palace-robed woman in her twenties stood on one ship, surrounded by a dozen Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation cultivators.
“Lady Blood Spirit, must our Xu Clan truly seek refuge with the Sacred Emperor? Wouldn’t Xuanwu City be safer, given the presence of Xuanwu Overlord and the ancient tortoise?” a Soul Transformation elder ventured cautiously.
“Do you doubt my judgment?” the woman turned, her gaze icy.
“Never! This junior wouldn’t dare!” the elder hastily clarified.
“Hmph. What do you know? While Xuanwu City is stronger, I have ties to the Tianyuan Sacred Emperor’s lineage. There, our clan won’t be treated as cannon fodder. In Xuanwu City, I can’t guarantee that,” the woman said confidently.
“I see! Forgive my presumption!” The elder sighed in relief.
“Since you acted for the clan’s sake, I’ll let it pass this time. But next time, don’t blame me for being ruthless,” she warned coldly.
The others, including the elder, bowed deeply, murmuring assurances.
By midday, hundreds of ships took flight, leaving the mountains deserted. The Xu Clan had abandoned its vast estate without hesitation.
Similar scenes unfolded across human territories as small and medium-sized clans, unable to remain idle after the demonic rifts appeared, fled their homes en masse.
—
Two months later, atop Tianyuan City’s towering walls, an old monk in golden robes stood motionless, his narrowed eyes occasionally flashing with sharp light.
Behind him, a dozen high-ranking cultivators in varied attire gazed curiously at the distant sky.
After a while, specks of light appeared on the horizon—flying ships approaching the city.
The crowd stirred slightly, but a light cough from the monk silenced them instantly.
Soon, the ships came into clear view, their silhouettes emerging from the glowing horizon.
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