But the next moment, the aged voice abruptly ceased in their ears, leaving no further trace of sound.
“I should have realized it sooner. That old bastard wouldn’t miss the chance to come and see for himself once he knew something had happened here,” the Venerable Yuan Yan muttered with a fluctuating expression.
“Nirvana is supposed to be severely weakened and in deep slumber! In that case, it must be one of his three avatars—gold, silver, or bronze—that has arrived. The question is which one and how long he’s been here,” the Venerable Bao Hua quickly regained her composure and remarked thoughtfully.
“Which avatar it is makes no difference. He must have just arrived, or he wouldn’t have been able to evade our notice. What concerns me is whether that human brat, if intercepted, might suspect us of foul play and detonate the spiritual imprint on the medicine,” Yuan Yan hesitated before asking.
“As long as we don’t pursue him, he shouldn’t act so recklessly. But if he truly faces mortal danger, that’s another matter. When life is at stake, any desperate act is possible,” Bao Hua’s eyes flickered as she replied slowly.
“That kid isn’t easy to deal with. A single avatar of Nirvana wouldn’t be enough to push him to that brink. Even if he’s outmatched, escaping would be effortless for him,” Yuan Yan exhaled deeply, visibly relaxing.
“That’s hard to say. You may have forgotten that among the three of us, Nirvana harbored the deepest hatred for the Spirit Realm. Before he achieved his Dao, his partner perished at the hands of a powerful Spirit Realm cultivator during a sacred ritual,” Bao Hua shook her head.
“I know that. But his true form is in slumber now. Unless all three avatars gather, what can he really do to that human brat?” This time, Yuan Yan wore a dismissive expression.
“It seems you still don’t know about that matter. Nirvana has kept it hidden for quite some time!” Bao Hua glanced at the black-robed youth, a strange glint flashing across her face.
“What matter are you referring to?” Yuan Yan’s expression darkened as he asked sharply.
“Years ago, Nirvana and I joined forces to slay an alien cultivator who crossed realms. From him, we obtained many treasures, including two diluted drops of the Heaven-defying Elixir. Though diluted, their potency far surpassed the drop the Spirit King once held—about a third of the true elixir’s power. We split them equally. I used mine long ago, but Nirvana kept his carefully preserved. He likely still has it,” Bao Hua said leisurely.
“A counterfeit elixir with a third of the true power?!” Yuan Yan was aghast, disbelief evident in his tone.
“Indeed. With such a potent counterfeit, you can imagine how Nirvana might deal with that Han kid,” Bao Hua said coolly.
“You think he’d awaken that thing? It’s possible. Even if he hasn’t seen the human brat in action, the fact that he slipped past us into the Spirit Cleansing Pool unscathed would make anyone wary,” Yuan Yan’s eyes darted, his expression turning grim.
“We both know the only reason our Sacred Realm hasn’t destroyed the Bitter Spirit Island is because of that thing’s existence. And to awaken that powerful pseudo-immortal puppet, only a few legendary treasures can suffice. The Heaven-defying Elixir is one of the most effective. A single drop with a third of its potency is more than enough for it to strike twice,” Bao Hua murmured softly.
“Twice? That thing isn’t suppressed by the natural energy in this region. If the human brat carelessly fails to activate his Profound Heavenly Treasure for protection, a single strike would be more than enough to obliterate him,” the black-robed youth grew visibly agitated.
“What, are you worried?” Bao Hua’s beautiful eyes sparkled as she smiled faintly.
“Hmph, aren’t you concerned about the medicine? What if the kid detonates the spiritual imprint before dying?” Yuan Yan snorted irritably.
“If that thing is truly awakened, do you think Han would have time to detonate the imprint? Even if he had a sliver of time, he’d spend it trying to save his own life. As long as we stay away, he won’t have the leisure to worry about the medicine in our hands. And if he uses the Profound Heavenly Treasure to survive, he certainly won’t provoke us further. We need only wait here patiently,” Bao Hua said with confidence.
“Hmm, that makes sense,” the black-robed youth pondered, then nodded, his expression easing.
Han Li sped through the thunderous sea, seventy-two azure flying swords swirling around him, golden arcs crackling across his body, while two miniature mountains floated above, intercepting most of the lightning. Though he now traversed the storm alone, his speed had nearly doubled compared to his entry. In mere flashes, he covered vast distances.
This was because Han Li had concealed much of his strength when entering with the Long family patriarch and others, withholding his true abilities.
Moreover, after undergoing the Spirit Cleansing Pool’s transformation, his physical resilience alone could withstand the thunderous onslaught for a considerable time.
After an indeterminate period, Han Li’s expression shifted as a hint of joy surfaced. The edge of the thunderous sea loomed ahead.
Taking a deep breath, he gathered his spiritual energy, preparing to burst forth. Suddenly, the ceaseless thunderclaps above ceased abruptly, and the descending arcs of lightning froze mid-air before inexplicably retracting into the heavens.
In an instant, all lightning vanished, leaving only a blinding silver-white radiance in the sky, accompanied by a terrifying aura.
Han Li’s expression darkened. His flight slowed as he materialized mid-air, gazing solemnly upward, his eyes narrowed with faint blue glints.
The anomaly above the thunderous sea lasted only moments before the silver light dissipated, revealing a colossal, mountain-like figure.
Its body gleamed gold, entwined with shimmering silver arcs—the Golden Crab!
But what unsettled Han Li most was the golden-robed middle-aged man standing atop one of the crab’s massive claws.
The man’s skin bore a faint golden hue, his emerald-green eyes sunken, exuding an eerie gloom.
Han Li’s spiritual sense swept over the man but failed to discern his true cultivation level, heightening his wariness.
Either this man’s power far surpassed his own, or he possessed techniques or treasures to conceal his strength—neither scenario boded well.
Compounding his unease, the sudden disappearance of the thunderous sea and the crab’s appearance left Han Li deeply suspicious.
Yet, having already faced the likes of Bao Hua and Yuan Yan, he felt no overwhelming fear. He simply stared silently at the golden-robed figure below.
“Are you from the Spirit Realm?” the golden-robed man asked coldly.
“Indeed. And you are…?” Han Li replied calmly, though his mind raced.
“All from the Spirit Realm deserve death—you’re no exception!” The man’s eyes flashed with malice as he spoke icily.
“What do you mean by that?” Han Li frowned, countering.
The golden-robed man seemed disinclined to elaborate. With a flip of his hand, a small golden vial appeared, which he upended.
A drop of green liquid fell, vanishing into the Golden Crab’s massive claw.
“Heaven-defying Elixir!” Han Li’s pupils contracted sharply as he exclaimed involuntarily.
“Hmph, so you recognize it,” the man remarked coldly, slightly surprised.
Han Li’s expression darkened further.
At that moment, the previously motionless Golden Crab suddenly dimmed its arcs of lightning. Countless glowing golden runes surged across its body, covering every inch. Its massive front eyes slowly opened, revealing irises of molten gold.
“Nirvana, you’ve awakened me again. This time, your offering is acceptable. As per our agreement, I shall aid the supplicant,” the Golden Crab’s voice boomed, resonating through the void.
The crab displayed remarkable sentience, as if possessing its own intellect.
Han Li was stunned, his mind racing.
“Kill this Spirit Realm brat!” the golden-robed man commanded sharply, pointing at Han Li.
“Very well. But regardless of success, given the elixir’s potency, I can only strike twice. Are you certain?” the crab replied leisurely, its enormous eyes locking onto Han Li, sending a chilling sensation down his spine.
“Ha! With your power, two strikes are enough to slay an ordinary Mahayana cultivator. Proceed,” the man laughed maniacally, agreeing without hesitation.
“Then I shall act.” The crab raised a massive claw, which morphed into a golden scissor over a hundred feet long, slashing toward Han Li in a flash.
Han Li saw golden light flare on either side as the scissor’s blades materialized abruptly beside him, closing in with lethal precision.
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