“Yuansha, how is it you? When did you send an avatar into the Spirit Realm? If I recall correctly, you weren’t on the list of Sacred Ancestors descending this time, and later you certainly had no right to send your true form down.” The demon in the ancient mirror was a delicate youth clad in a blood-red robe, though his expression was far from pleasant. This was none other than the avatar of the Blood Light Sacred Ancestor, who commanded the demon army at Tianyuan City.
“Blood Light, I merely sent an avatar to assist Liuji. I didn’t command any army, nor did I intend to bring my true form down. Naturally, this doesn’t violate our original agreement. What grounds do you have to accuse me?” The woman in the blue palace attire replied expressionlessly.
“Hmph, no matter how you explain it, it’s just sophistry. Let’s set that aside for now. Since your avatar is here to assist Liuji, why has it appeared in the region under my jurisdiction? By all rights, you owe me an explanation. Don’t tell me the sensing treasure on my war vessel malfunctioned.” Blood Light was furious but clearly wary of her, so he could only snort coldly and press his question.
“Malfunction? Hardly. I am indeed in your territory now, pursuing a human cultivator. But this is under Liuji’s orders, and it benefits all our Sacred Clan’s forces. You needn’t interfere.” The woman’s expression softened slightly.
“Pursuing a human cultivator? With the teleportation abilities of your two Stone Demons, no human below the Mahayana realm could escape you. If this matter concerns our entire Sacred Clan army, then I cannot stand idly by. I’ll dispatch my other avatars to join you immediately and lend you aid.” The blood-robed youth’s eyes gleamed with hidden meaning.
“So, you still don’t trust me. Your other avatars—I’ve heard rumors. Blood Light, you’ve actually sent three more avatars into the Spirit Realm? Aren’t you afraid your true form will be vulnerable in the Sacred Realm? Besides, sending help now seems rather late. By the time your avatars arrive, I’ll have already resolved the battle.” The woman narrowed her beautiful eyes and let out a cold laugh.
“Yuansha, my affairs are none of your concern. As for my other avatars, they should be close by now—likely within half a day. I’ve just borrowed the Qiankun Disk from Poison Dragon, which should prove useful to you.” The blood-robed youth spoke indifferently.
“What? The Qiankun Disk! Poison Dragon would lend you that treasure? He guards it as fiercely as his own life!” The woman’s expression shifted, finally showing surprise.
“Heh, with the right price, even Poison Dragon can be persuaded. But tell me, who is this human cultivator you’re chasing? To escape your grasp, he must be someone of great importance to the humans. Contact my avatars at once—I’ll have them ambush him ahead and cut off his retreat.” The youth abruptly changed the subject.
“You may intervene, but this man once gravely offended me in the lower realm. Once captured, he must be handed over to me. Otherwise, I’d rather spend more time dealing with him alone.” The woman hesitated briefly before speaking gravely.
“Offended you in the lower realm? How intriguing! I seem to recall hearing that a strand of your soul was destroyed by a lower-realm human. Could it be the very one you’re chasing now? Hah! What a coincidence!” The youth paused, then smirked mockingly.
“If you’ve come solely to mock me, then spare me your words.” The woman’s face darkened, and with a flick of her jade-like hand, black light shimmered as she prepared to sever the mirror’s connection.
“Wait! I agree to your terms. But once this is settled, you must assist me with a task—and then leave my territory immediately.” The youth suddenly barked.
“What task?” The woman was taken aback, her hand pausing mid-seal.
“Simple. Help me deal with another human cultivator.” The youth replied without hesitation.
“You already have three avatars here. Why would you need my help? What are you scheming? Don’t tell me you want my avatar to face a Mahayana human!” The blue-robed woman’s heart clenched in alarm.
“Heh, facing a Mahayana human? You’ve quite the imagination. Even if you sought death, I wouldn’t sacrifice my avatars so lightly. Rest assured, it’s merely a Body Integration cultivator. But this one possesses many treasures. My avatars, though borrowed vessels, lack suitable artifacts to subdue him. With your aid, it should be no issue.” The youth smiled faintly.
“Just a Body Integration cultivator? Then it’s settled. Tell me how to contact your avatars.” The woman relaxed, her resolve firm.
The youth readily agreed, then tapped the mirror’s surface, unleashing a stream of silver runes…
Meanwhile, Han Li, racing ahead, remained unaware that his two demonic foes had inadvertently joined forces.
As he flew, he pondered deeply but could devise no escape plan.
This was hardly surprising!
Not long ago, he’d clashed fiercely with Blood Light’s avatars, exhausting most of his talismans, artifacts, and temporary formations. Naturally, his options were limited.
Moreover, though he sensed the danger posed by the demon woman behind him, he’d yet to engage her fully, leaving her abilities a mystery. Thus, he remained cautious.
After much deliberation, Han Li decided to gauge her strength before considering further steps.
After all, knowing one’s enemy was half the battle!
With his mind made up, the Kunpeng-form Han Li unleashed countless feathers, transforming them into talismans, formation flags, and disks. He swiftly laid over a dozen traps behind him before continuing his flight.
Moments later, a series of explosions echoed from behind as his traps were destroyed, severing their spiritual links.
Han Li’s heart sank slightly.
The speed at which she dismantled his defenses suggested her power surpassed his expectations—far beyond an ordinary Demon Venerable, rivaling even Blood Light’s three avatars.
Moreover, her faintly familiar aura unsettled him, stirring memories of a long-dreaded foe.
Could she truly be that one’s avatar?
If so, given his past enmity—having destroyed her soul strand in the human realm—her relentless pursuit made grim sense.
After careful reflection, Han Li realized her aura resembled that of Yuansha’s soul strand, sealed long ago in the human realm. The revelation filled him with dread.
Yet knowing her formidable power and likely identity as his nemesis, he had no intention of stopping to fight. Instead, he pushed his flight to the limit.
He reasoned that while the stone hall could teleport, the energy cost far exceeded normal flight. Prolonged pursuit would likely exhaust her first.
Thus, steeling himself, Han Li resolved to endure, even at the cost of his vitality.
From then on, he stopped testing her and concentrated on replenishing his energy with pills and top-grade spirit stones.
Meanwhile, the stone hall continued its relentless pursuit, teleporting intermittently.
Half a day later, after traversing wilderness and deserts, they reached a swamp dotted with shrubs. The sky was clear, save for a few drifting clouds and the blazing sun.
Ahead, Han Li noticed the hall’s teleportation frequency waning, sparking hope.
Just then, a faint, childlike voice echoed in his mind: “Master, beware! Enemies lie ahead!”
Startled, Han Li halted, demanding, “Who speaks? Could it be—?”
“Master, it’s me, Leopard Qilin! I’ve just awoken but must sleep again. But ahead, enemies lurk—I sense their malice clearly!” The voice, urgent yet drowsy, faded after a few words.
“Leopard Qilin? Enemies?” Han Li was stunned.
After devouring the Dark Beast’s core, the Leopard Qilin had awakened briefly before falling into deep slumber again during his Body Integration breakthrough—this time due to its own cultivation bottleneck.
That it had awoken now, after centuries, and spoken human words, was astonishing. But its warning of unseen foes left him wary.
Scanning the empty skies with his keen eyes and vast spiritual sense, he found nothing amiss and grew pensive.
Meanwhile, within a mysterious artifact, three blood-red figures stood before a colossal crystal wall, its surface reflecting a silver Kunpeng wreathed in lightning.
The four-winged bird glanced about suspiciously, its golden pupils filled with doubt.
“To think Yuansha’s quarry is this very man! Hah! ‘Seek long, find near!’” The central blood-shadow laughed darkly, brimming with suppressed fury.
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