“Boom!”
The demonic energy that had been surging wildly from the jade coffin suddenly reversed course with a thunderous roar, swirling back into the black coffin.
In the blink of an eye, the black mist that had filled the entire hall vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, the intricate patterns inscribed on the jade coffin’s surface flared to life, shimmering with dazzling white light. The coffin itself was pitch-black, and the stark contrast between the black and white created an eerie, almost suffocating sensation.
However, this radiant display lasted only a few breaths before dimming abruptly. Yet, at that moment, a faint hum emanated from the jade coffin, and hundreds of silver ancient characters shot out, swirling in the air before coalescing into six massive, shimmering silver phantoms.
Some of these phantoms were towering and broad-shouldered, while others were slender and tall, with horns atop their heads—each one resembling a humanoid demonic entity.
The silver phantoms appeared for only an instant before dispersing into countless silver sparks and vanishing into thin air.
The next moment, a groan echoed from the jade coffin as a black-armored arm suddenly lifted from within, followed by a slender, armored figure slowly rising to its feet!
This warrior was clad in an ancient black battle armor, with a ferocious-looking mask covering its face, revealing only a pair of clear, azure eyes.
“Sister Liuji, is your physical form intact? How much of your original power can you wield?” Yuan Sha asked with concern as soon as the female warrior stood.
“Though this realm still imposes some suppression, I can exert about twenty percent of my true strength—enough to handle any opponent below the Mahayana stage,” the armored woman replied with a light chuckle, stretching her limbs.
“Twenty percent is more than enough to dominate the human race. Your awakening couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m currently facing some trouble and could use your assistance,” Yuan Sha said, visibly relieved.
“Trouble? What kind? Hmm… You’re not alone. Who is that in the Qiankun Disk beside you? Could it be that old fool Dulong has also descended into the Spirit Realm?” The armored woman’s gaze swept outward, landing on the massive jade disk near the stone hall.
“Not Dulong. It’s several avatars of Xue Guang controlling that treasure. Right now, we’re jointly pursuing a human cultivator who possesses treasures like the Demon-Sealing Lock, the Violet Speech Cauldron, and even the Primordial Chaos Qi!” Yuan Sha replied without hesitation.
“The Demon-Sealing Lock and Primordial Chaos Qi? That’s intriguing. I’m quite interested now. Tell me the details,” the armored woman said, her voice calm despite the flicker of surprise in her eyes.
“Here’s what happened. I was originally tasked by another of your avatars to thwart a human plot against our kind. But during the operation, I discovered…” Yuan Sha nodded and began recounting the events.
“…And so, we’re locked in a stalemate with that human brat. Xue Guang isn’t entirely trustworthy either. If we do catch up to him, I suspect there’ll be further conflict between us.”
After nearly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she finished her account and let out a long sigh, her expression bitter.
“From what you’ve said, Xue Guang must have some hidden scheme. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare plot against you. His avatars, borrowed from hosts in the Spirit Realm, are far weaker than your direct descent. But don’t worry—now that I’m awake, I won’t stand idly by. The Primordial Chaos Qi would be far more useful to us than to him. Besides, I’ve brought plenty of demon crystals with me, enough to replenish your magic power.”
“Wonderful! With your help, I can proceed without hesitation,” Yuan Sha said, visibly delighted.
A month later, Han Li arrived before a vast mountain range shrouded in thick gray mist.
The mist was so dense it seemed to merge with the sky, stretching endlessly into the horizon.
Seated cross-legged in a green triangular flying chariot, Han Li held a top-grade spirit stone in each hand, meditating silently.
As the chariot’s green streak neared the mountains, Han Li’s brows twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes.
“Finally, we’ve arrived. This must be the legendary Southern Sky’s End. Truly worthy of the super-formation that’s protected humanity for so long. If not for the weakening of the barrier due to the merging of realms, passing through here would’ve been far more difficult,” he murmured before closing his eyes again.
Without hesitation, the flying chariot plunged into the mist.
Half a day later, the stone hall and the massive jade disk arrived at the same location.
Yuan Sha and Xue Guang, piloting their respective treasures, exchanged a few words before also diving into the mist.
Having pursued Han Li this far, neither was willing to give up now—even if the wilderness ahead was perilous.
Three months later, Han Li hovered above a swamp, his fingers flicking as countless green sword beams crisscrossed, reducing a purple lion trapped in a golden lightning net to minced flesh. A rain of blood poured from the sky.
With a wave of his hand, a purple orb shot from the bloody shower and landed in his palm—a crystalline demon core the size of an egg.
“After all that effort, I’ve finally dealt with this late-stage Void Refining Purple-Eyed Lion. With these demon cores, I can refine a batch of ‘Spirit-Seizing Pills.’ They should sustain my magic power a while longer,” Han Li muttered, pale-faced but with a faint smile.
Though he had many magic-restoring pills, nearly a year of constant use had depleted his stock. Relying solely on spirit stones was unsustainable.
Desperate, Han Li had ventured into the territories of high-tier ancient beasts, slaying them for their cores. Though hastily refined pills wasted much of the cores’ potency, he had no choice.
This strategy gave him some respite. As long as he could keep harvesting demon cores, he could outlast his pursuers.
A day later, when Xue Guang’s three avatars and Yuan Sha arrived at the swamp, they stared grimly at the beast’s remains.
They understood Han Li’s plan but had no countermeasure. Reluctantly, they pressed on, relying on their demon crystals to sustain their magic power.
Thus, Han Li led them deeper into the wilderness, occasionally forced to consume raw spirit herbs from the Moonlight Realm when demon cores were scarce.
Though these herbs contained potent spiritual energy, ingesting them raw left harmful residues in his body. Normally, he’d purge or refine these toxins, but now, he had no time or energy to spare.
While manageable in the short term, prolonged use would eventually become a serious problem.
Han Li knew this well, but survival took precedence.
Half a year passed in this deadly chase.
One day, as Han Li meditated in his flying chariot, a white-robed woman with an air of heroism stood before him, steering the vessel with crystalline light swirling around her.
This was his sentient puppet. Though far weaker than him, it allowed him brief respites to recuperate.
Without it, he’d have collapsed long ago.
Even so, Han Li’s condition had worsened, his aura faint and unstable.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
At the same moment, a thunderclap erupted a few miles away as countless silver arcs converged into a massive lightning array.
From its center, a towering figure stumbled into view.
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