Suddenly, a great chant of Buddhist scriptures arose, and countless silver runes surged wildly from the net, instantly transforming into illusory stars the size of peck measures that plummeted downward.
A thunderous boom echoed!
Everything within a radius of several miles was completely engulfed in blinding silver light.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the void became violently turbulent, and gray hurricanes shot straight into the sky, sweeping up and shredding everything nearby.
From within the silver net came earth-shattering explosions, but the true scene was entirely obscured by the dazzling spiritual light, making it impossible to discern any details.
The golden-robed youth, with one hand controlling the massive net and the other casually resting behind his back, hovered high in the air, appearing utterly unconcerned about the three Sacred Spirits escaping, his demeanor one of complete leisure.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the deafening explosions within the silver net gradually subsided and finally fell silent.
The youth’s eyes flickered as he swept his divine sense downward, a cold smile suddenly appearing on his face. He clenched his fingers, pulling the silver net back.
With a *pfft* sound, the enormous silver net shattered into countless fragments.
The hurricanes and silver light vanished without a trace, as if everything that had just occurred was merely an illusion.
Yet the towering mountain below now stood half its original height.
Amid the ruins atop the shattered peak, three faintly glowing objects hovered quietly in the low air: an ancient silver mirror several meters wide, a half-broken emerald bamboo over ten meters tall, and a faintly glowing cyan sphere.
A flicker of delight crossed the golden-robed youth’s face as he spotted these three items. With a flick of his sleeve, a silver mist swept down, lifting the objects into the air before they landed in his grasp after a few flashes.
“Not bad at all. Once their spiritual intelligence is erased and they’re properly refined, these three treasures might just be of some use,” the youth murmured with satisfaction as he examined the items closely.
“Still, these alone aren’t enough. If I could acquire a few more, I might be able to barely wield that divine ability. But I’ve heard the Spirit Tribe has a Mahayana cultivator overseeing them. Given my current state, dealing with them would be quite troublesome.” After storing the items, the youth pondered aloud for a moment.
His expression shifted uncertainly before he suddenly snorted coldly and made a decision. A golden light flashed around him as he transformed into a dazzling golden streak, vanishing into the distance.
The area around the ruined mountain fell into eerie silence, devoid of any movement.
Yet, about half an hour after the youth’s departure, a faint hum arose from the mountain, and a red light the size of a fist emerged from a pile of rubble, hovering mid-air. Within it was a crystalline purple eye-like object.
The eye spun in the air a few times before fixing its gaze in the direction the golden-robed youth had departed, unmoving.
Clearly, this was a controlled magical artifact that had somehow evaded the youth’s detection, indicating its extraordinary nature.
The purple eye suddenly began spinning again, its glow flickering between dim and bright, yet not a single sound was emitted, lending an air of profound eeriness to the scene.
At nearly the same moment, in a golden palace floating amidst a sea of clouds far away, an elderly man with a youthful face sat on a dark wooden chair, staring grimly at a white crystal sphere hovering before him.
On the sphere’s surface, vivid scenes played out slowly—depicting the golden-robed youth defeating the three Sacred Spirits—accompanied by faint voices.
When the old man heard the youth utter the words “spirit slaves,” his expression twisted several times before quickly returning to normal.
But as the scenes shifted to show the silver net unleashed by the youth, the old man abruptly stood up with a low roar: “The Spirit-Seizing Heavenly Net! Impossible! Even if he truly descended from the Immortal Realm, he couldn’t have brought such a thing with him!”
Clearly no ordinary figure, the old man’s face contorted with venomous hatred as he spoke the name of the net.
“Wait—this is merely a replica. Otherwise, under its suppression, it wouldn’t have taken so long to disperse their illusory forms. Yes, it can’t be the real Spirit-Seizing Heavenly Net!” Upon closer inspection, the old man relaxed slightly, clasping his hands behind his back as he paced the room.
“Still, even a replica can counter our Spirit Tribe’s abilities. We can’t afford to underestimate it. Whether he’s truly from the Immortal Realm or not, anyone wielding such an item must not be allowed to leave our territory alive. But if he is indeed from the Immortal Realm, killing him outright may be impossible. It seems we’ll have to use *that* to seal him away permanently.” After several rounds of pacing, the old man halted abruptly, muttering in a sinister tone before returning to his seat, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, in the mountain range bordering the territories controlled by the Holy City and the Sky Abyss City of the human race, a streak of azure light darted through the air, vanishing and reappearing every few moments, covering hundreds of meters in mere instants—a breathtaking display of speed.
Suddenly, the azure light changed direction, descending sharply toward a hidden valley below.
In a flash, the light materialized beside a pale boulder, revealing a figure in a green robe—a young man in his twenties with an unremarkable face but an air of unshakable composure. It was none other than Han Li, who should have been in Sky Abyss City but had somehow appeared here instead.
After a brief glance around, Han Li’s gaze settled on an ordinary-looking giant tree nearby, his eyes narrowing intently.
“*Hehe*, such sharp eyes. I knew this little trick wouldn’t fool Fellow Daoist Han,” a melodious female voice chimed from the tree. The tree shimmered and twisted, transforming into a yellow-robed giant several meters tall, beside whom stood a beautiful young woman in a five-colored feathered dress, eyeing Han Li with a mix of amusement and surprise.
“So it’s Fairy Ye. How long have you been here? My apologies for the delay,” Han Li said with a smile, clasping his hands in greeting.
The woman was none other than the ancestor of the Ye Family, a prominent true spirit lineage. Han Li had met her once before at the Ten Thousand Spirits Platform gathering. Her abilities were unfathomable, rumored to rival even the Long Family’s ancestor, so Han Li treated her with due respect.
“I arrived merely a few hours earlier. I thought to play a little joke on everyone with this newly acquired Yellow Scarf Puppet, but you saw through it at a glance. It seems this puppet still has some flaws,” the feathered maiden said with a light laugh, patting the giant beside her, which emitted hollow *thuds*—revealing it to be a lifelike humanoid puppet.
“Fairy Ye jests. Even if this puppet’s transformation were flawless, how could it deceive the likes of us?” Han Li replied with a faint smile.
“Other puppets might stand a chance, but this one was crafted by Elder Mugu. He assured me its illusion could fool even Body Integration cultivators. Yet it failed at its first test. It seems his claims were exaggerated. But more importantly, the rumors of Fellow Daoist Han advancing to late-Body Integration appear to be true!” The maiden blinked, her smile turning playful.
“I was fortunate to encounter some opportunities in recent years, allowing me to advance. But in terms of true ability, how could I compare to someone as deeply rooted as Fairy Ye?” Han Li coughed lightly, evading the topic.
“*Hmph*, you expect me to believe that? I heard even a clone of a Demon Saint and another late-stage Demon Venerable fell to you in a single battle. With such power, how could you claim to be my equal? That’s too modest by half,” the maiden retorted, rolling her eyes.
“Exaggerations, nothing more. Other fellow Daoists played crucial roles in that battle. Having just advanced, how could I possess such might?” Han Li chuckled dismissively.
“*Hmph*, as if I’d believe that,” the maiden scoffed, clearly unconvinced.
Han Li merely smiled without further comment.
Seeing his reluctance to elaborate, the maiden dropped the subject, storing the puppet with a wave of her hand before remarking, “When we last met, you’d only just entered Body Integration. Yet in a mere few centuries, you’ve reached the late stage. Such speed is nothing short of monstrous. Had the demonic tribulation not erupted, the Holy Island’s envoys would surely have sought you out by now.”
“Indeed, I’ve heard a little about the Holy Island. They’ve transplanted the purest spiritual veins from human and demon territories and amassed countless rare materials and spiritual medicines. Joining them would undoubtedly be beneficial,” Han Li replied neutrally, unsure of her intent.
“But did you know the Holy Island itself is half a Profound Heavenly Treasure—and the final sanctuary for preserving the bloodlines of our two races?” the maiden added solemnly.
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