“This is the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain, truly miraculous, to so easily break even my Frost Sealed World. However, Baohua, you shouldn’t have been able to activate the Profound Heavenly Flower Tree again. Could it be because of that pill you just swallowed?” The Blue Waterfall Saint Ancestor’s eyes flashed with a strange light as she murmured.
“Brother Lan is quite right. That pill did indeed stimulate some of my potential, allowing me to unleash the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain once more,” Baohua replied calmly.
“Even so, what does it matter? In your current state, you can only activate the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain for one or two more attacks before collapsing,” the youthful woman said coldly, her eyes darkening.
“Even with just one strike, it would be more than enough to deal with the two of you. I doubt you, both heavily injured, could withstand Brother Crab and Fellow Daoist Han unscathed,” Baohua retorted indifferently.
“Stop bluffing, Sister Baohua. Do you really think I can’t see you’re already at your limit? If you truly unleash one last strike, not only will your mana be completely depleted, but the damage to your vitality will directly harm your foundation, worsening your injuries several times over. I don’t believe you’d dare to take such a mutually destructive action. Don’t forget, you’re still one of our Demon Race’s Saint Ancestors. If you fall into the hands of this human boy with no strength left, your fate is all too predictable,” the youthful woman narrowed her eyes, her words dripping with malice.
Han Li listened, his eyes narrowing slightly, though his expression remained unchanged.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to say to the two of you. Liuji is just an avatar, so it doesn’t matter much. But Blue Waterfall, you’re here in person. If you force me to make one last strike, I’ll focus the full power of the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain on you alone. There’s at least a thirty to forty percent chance you’ll perish here. I wonder if Fellow Daoist Lan dares to take that gamble,” Baohua smiled faintly, speaking calmly to the blue-robed woman.
“Are you threatening me?” The Blue Waterfall Saint Ancestor’s expression darkened once more.
“Call it what you will. The question is, what will you choose? Will you risk your true self’s destruction alongside Liuji’s avatar, or will you back down and let us both walk away unharmed?” Baohua continued leisurely.
The blue-robed woman’s face flickered with uncertainty.
“Sister Lan, you’re not actually intimidated by Baohua’s bluff, are you? Whether she can truly activate the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain for one last strike is questionable, and even if she could, I doubt our combined strength couldn’t withstand it!” Seeing the Blue Waterfall Saint Ancestor’s hesitation, the youthful woman inwardly panicked and quickly interjected.
“Originally, with the Golden Saint Crab and this human boy interfering, our chances of victory were fifty-fifty. Now that Baohua can unleash the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain, our odds have dropped to ten or twenty percent. Such slim chances don’t make continuing this fight a wise choice. If you were here in person, Liuji, I might be willing to take the risk. But with just an avatar… heh,” the blue-robed woman mused for a long moment before finally expressing her desire to retreat.
“You’re letting the tiger return to the mountains! Once Baohua recovers and crosses realms to seek revenge, you’ll regret this deeply!” the youthful woman snapped.
“Hmph, the Great Tribulation of the Saint Realm is imminent, and chaos will soon engulf the entire realm. My next Heavenly Tribulation isn’t far off either—whether I’ll even survive until then is uncertain. I can’t afford to think so far ahead. Besides, even if we somehow managed to kill them all, who knows how many of my avatars would perish and how much of my vitality I’d lose? How would I then face the coming calamities?” the blue-robed woman retorted with a cold snort.
“But if we kill Baohua, according to our agreement, you’d gain the cultivation method for the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain and countless treasures. For you—”
“I understand what you’re implying. If the odds were favorable, I wouldn’t need your persuasion to act. But with such slim chances, I won’t make such a reckless choice. Enough—my decision is made. I’ve already instructed my other avatars not to come. If you’re still unwilling to give up, Liuji, you’re free to act alone. Baohua, release me from the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain,” the Blue Waterfall Saint Ancestor waved her hand dismissively before addressing Baohua coolly.
The youthful woman’s face twisted with fury.
“Fellow Daoist Lan has indeed made a wise choice,” Baohua chuckled, lightly shaking the green tree in her hand.
The Blue Waterfall Saint Ancestor felt her surroundings blur, and in an instant, she was transported a thousand zhang away, outside the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain.
The blue-robed woman’s heart chilled as she swept a cold gaze over Baohua, Han Li, and the others before sparing one last glance at the youthful woman still trapped within the domain. Without hesitation, she turned and transformed into a streak of blue light, vanishing into the horizon—utterly abandoning Liuji’s avatar.
“Fine, I admit defeat this time. I’ll leave as well. Baohua, release the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain,” the youthful woman, sensing the dire situation, gritted her teeth and demanded.
“Let you go?” A flicker of killing intent flashed in Baohua’s eyes.
“Let her leave,” Han Li suddenly interjected.
“Very well. Since it’s Fellow Daoist Han’s wish, keeping a mere avatar serves little purpose. I’ll spare her life,” Baohua glanced at Han Li in surprise but quickly acquiesced with a faint smile, as if recalling something.
With a flash, the tree in her hand vanished into her body, and the sky full of pink flower shadows disappeared without a trace. Baohua had truly withdrawn the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain.
The youthful woman’s eyes lingered on Han Li’s face, suspicion gnawing at her. She couldn’t fathom why he’d intercede on her behalf in such circumstances. Was he truly hoping to reconcile with her true self in the future?
But this was no place to linger. Suppressing her doubts, she gave Han Li a coy smile before transforming into a streak of gray light and fleeing into the distance.
Neither Han Li nor Baohua made any move to stop her.
Yet inwardly, Han Li sighed bitterly.
Had it been any other Demon Race Saint Ancestor’s avatar, he wouldn’t have hesitated to strike—perhaps even delivering the killing blow himself. But with Liuji’s avatar, he dared not act recklessly, fearing for Ziling’s safety. If too many of Liuji’s avatars were destroyed, Ziling might be forced into becoming one herself.
Thus, sparing the youthful woman’s life was necessary—it might even save Ziling’s in the future.
“Brother Crab, let’s go. Though they’ve retreated for now, if they change their minds and return, Senior Baohua won’t be able to take a second Soul Heaven Pill,” Han Li turned to the Golden Saint Crab and said.
The crab nodded slightly, its body shrinking amid a burst of silver lightning, reverting to Crab Daoist’s human form. With a single step, he boarded the flying carriage.
“You know of the Soul Heaven Pill?” Baohua looked at Han Li in surprise.
“Of course I know of such a rare medicine. I once considered refining one or two for self-defense, but I lacked some key ingredients and had to abandon the idea. Still, I’m familiar with its effects. After forcibly activating the Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain to neutralize all attacks, you wouldn’t have had the strength for a second strike. Your earlier words were merely a bluff,” Han Li chuckled.
“That Soul Heaven Pill wasn’t refined by me—I stumbled upon it by chance. As for whether I truly had the strength for a second strike, you’re free to speculate,” Baohua remained unfazed by Han Li’s words. With a faint smile, her figure blurred as she stepped onto the flying carriage, standing mere inches from Han Li—close enough to touch.
Han Li’s heart skipped a beat, but he showed no outward reaction, nor did he retreat. Instead, he lightly tapped the carriage with his foot, sending it soaring into the sky as a blurry streak, heading toward the distant horizon.
A day later, the flying carriage hovered silently above a secluded forest. Han Li stood deep in thought, his expression grave. Beside him were only Crab Daoist and Zhu Guo’er—Baohua was nowhere to be seen.
“Senior, is the information Baohua gave us reliable? Can we truly find the entrance to the Minor Spirit Realm as described?” Zhu Guo’er asked eagerly, her eyes fixed on Han Li. The girl longed to return to her homeland.
“It should be genuine. Given her status, she wouldn’t falsify such things,” Han Li exhaled slowly, forcing a smile.
“That’s wonderful! Then I might truly return home one day. But Senior Han, did you really just let her leave like that?” Zhu Guo’er’s face lit up with joy before doubt crept back in.
“Should I have dragged her back to the Spirit Realm with us?” Han Li’s eyebrow twitched, though his tone remained light.
“But Senior, given her condition, you could’ve easily detained her,” Zhu Guo’er lowered her voice, blinking innocently.
“Cough, do you think I didn’t want to? I just lacked confidence. She was once one of the Demon Realm’s progenitors—who knows what hidden trump cards she still possesses? I pursue the Great Dao of Longevity, not mutual annihilation with a demonic cultivator,” Han Li sighed, his face marked by resignation.
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