Upon hearing Han Li’s words, although Zhu Guo’er was quite naive, she could still sense the caution in his tone. She stuck out her tongue and refrained from further questions.
“I let Baohua leave for another reason—I didn’t want to keep shielding her from calamities indefinitely. Even though Liu Ji and the Blue Waterfall Saintess retreated earlier, they will likely regroup and return. However, as long as Baohua remains alive, despite their resentment toward me for thwarting their plans, they won’t have the capacity to target us. After her recent ordeal, Baohua will only grow more cautious. For Liu Ji and the Blue Waterfall Saintess to succeed again will be exceedingly difficult,” Han Li said indifferently.
“While these demons are still entangled, this is the perfect opportunity for us to return to the Spirit Realm. Senior Han’s foresight is truly remarkable. Guo’er admires you greatly,” Zhu Guo’er said, her spirits lifting.
Meanwhile, the Crab Daoist stood rigidly in a corner of the flying carriage, his face expressionless, offering no opinion.
“Let’s go. Though I suspect Liu Ji and the others will pursue Baohua, we must still guard against the possibility of them turning their attention back to us,” Han Li said calmly. He then channeled his spiritual power, and a surge of azure light erupted beneath his feet.
The flying carriage trembled before swiftly carrying Han Li and his companions toward the edge of the dense forest.
At the same time, countless miles away, Baohua stood atop an unremarkable hill, her complexion fully restored, her demeanor serene and composed, showing no signs of severe injury.
Behind her stood Hei E, clad in black armor. Though his aura was weakened and his face slightly ashen, he remained motionless like a stone pillar.
The two remained on the hill for half an hour without any intention of leaving, as if waiting for something.
After another short while, a gust of yellow wind surged from the horizon, rolling toward the hill.
Only then did Baohua’s expression shift slightly.
The yellow wind abruptly dissipated, revealing a figure shrouded in yellow light hovering above the hill.
“Greetings, Lady Baohua! Upon receiving your message, I rushed here overnight, yet I was still a day late, nearly endangering your life. I deserve death for this failure!” The yellow figure immediately prostrated in midair, his voice trembling with fear.
“This is not your fault. I originally summoned you for another matter and did not anticipate falling into Liu Ji and the Blue Waterfall’s trap. For now, I must seek refuge in your dwelling to evade their pursuit. It seems your cultivation has improved significantly over the years—you are now only one step away from the Saintess realm,” Baohua remarked coolly, her gaze sweeping over him.
“Had it not been for your mercy in sparing me back then, I would have perished long ago, let alone reached my current level. Serving you now is an honor I never dared hope for. Though Liu Ji and the Blue Waterfall are cunning, they would never suspect me—after all, I was one of the few demon lords who openly opposed you, and I’ve maintained a good relationship with the Blue Waterfall Saintess,” the figure in yellow light replied respectfully.
“Your confidence is reassuring. It seems summoning you was the right decision. Let us depart for your abode immediately. Liu Ji and the Blue Waterfall will not relent and will surely return,” Baohua said with a faint smile.
“As you command, my lady! Please board my demon vessel and rest. Should we encounter anyone along the way, I will handle it,” the figure said, summoning a medium-sized flying boat.
The vessel was pristine white, exquisitely crafted, with several conspicuous demonic inscriptions on its side, hinting at the owner’s status.
Baohua glanced at the boat and nodded in approval. With a light step, she and Hei E boarded, entering the cabin to meditate.
Though some time had passed since their last battle, both were severely depleted and needed every moment to recuperate.
Once the yellow figure stepped onto the boat, it let out a piercing whistle and shot into the sky as a streak of white light, vanishing beyond the horizon in a few flashes.
—
Half a day later, spatial fluctuations rippled above the hill once more, and five figures emerged from the void.
Among them were the Blue Waterfall Saintess and the youthful avatar of Liu Ji.
Beside the blue-robed woman stood two other women in their thirties—one in yellow robes, the other in red, their features strikingly similar to the Blue Waterfall Saintess.
Behind the youthful woman was a short, dwarf-like man dressed in Daoist robes, with a long beard and a jujube-red wooden sword strapped to his back.
As soon as they appeared, the Blue Waterfall Saintess flicked her sleeve, releasing a white shadow that transformed into a snow-white marten. The creature circled the hill swiftly, sniffing the air before darting back to the blue-robed woman, emitting strange chirps.
“Baohua was indeed here, and it seems there was a third person besides that black crocodile,” the Blue Waterfall Saintess said grimly, recalling the marten.
“Another person? Could that human brat have secretly returned after pretending to part ways with Baohua?” the youthful woman muttered, her face darkening.
“No. If it were him, the Spirit-Sniffing Marten would have recognized his aura. The newcomer must have concealed most of their presence, but they underestimated my marten’s abilities—it detected a trace of familiarity, someone I’ve met before,” the Blue Waterfall Saintess replied coldly.
“Someone you’ve met? Then they must be from the Demon Realm, likely one of Baohua’s hidden allies. This complicates matters,” said the dwarf-like Daoist behind the youthful woman.
Despite his comical appearance, no one mocked him. The blue-robed woman replied seriously, “Do not worry, Daoist Fu. Though Baohua reactivated her Profound Heaven Domain earlier, it drained her severely. She won’t recover her strength anytime soon. As long as she doesn’t immediately flee our realm, hiding is futile. The newcomer must have taken her in. Given how quickly they arrived, they likely reside nearby. We’ll investigate every high-ranking demon in the area until we find them.”
“Sister Blue is right. Daoist Fu is my most capable subordinate, nearly as powerful as my avatars. With your two incarnations here as well, even if unforeseen events arise, Baohua won’t escape us this time. We must ensure her complete eradication. Sister Blue, where shall we begin our search? If necessary, we may have to eliminate suspects indiscriminately,” the youthful woman said, her eyes flashing with hatred.
“We’ll start with those who had prior ties to Baohua—they are the most suspicious,” the blue-robed woman replied without hesitation.
“Sister Blue, mobilize more forces to shut down the teleportation arrays in nearby major cities. Without them, Baohua won’t get far even if she risks fleeing,” the youthful woman suggested.
“A sound plan. I’ll issue the orders immediately. The rulers of nearby cities have ties to me and will comply. With your status as a Progenitor added, they won’t dare disobey,” the blue-robed woman said.
“Agreed. I’ll co-sign the directives to the city lords,” the youthful woman affirmed.
“Good. Let’s act without delay. Near here, in the Bronze Gong Mountains, resides a highly suspect demon lord. We’ll start with him. Hopefully, Baohua is hiding in his lair,” the blue-robed woman said coldly.
With a flick of her sleeve, a blue mist enveloped them, and they vanished into the void.
—
Time flowed swiftly, and half a year passed in a blink.
Near a desolate stretch of rolling yellow hills in the Demon Realm stood a colossal fortress, its walls towering hundreds of feet high, encircled by rugged terrain.
The fortress spanned nearly ten li, resembling a small town.
Patrols of armored guards marched along its towering walls, while shimmering lights in the surrounding skies hinted at numerous defensive formations.
Higher above, a vast expanse of dark demonic clouds loomed, occasionally pulsing with formidable energy.
“Senior Han, are you certain this is the weakly guarded cross-realm passage you mentioned?” Zhu Guo’er asked incredulously, staring at a bronze mirror reflecting the fortress’s imposing sight from a hill over a hundred li away.
The mirror flickered with light, displaying the fortress’s surroundings in rapid succession.
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