The palace-robed woman, upon seeing this scene, flashed a look of despair on her face but immediately gritted her teeth, her complexion flushing crimson as she prepared to unleash a forbidden family technique, determined to perish together with the leading demon at any cost.
However, before she could even begin her incantation, the space above suddenly rippled, and with a flash of silver light, a hazy, graceful figure eerily materialized.
This sight stunned both the human cultivators and the surrounding demons.
The figure swept her gaze across the demons and let out a melodious cold snort:
“Demons daring to set foot here—truly seeking death! Kill them all!”
As soon as her words fell, silver light erupted from her body, accompanied by sharp whistling sounds as countless crystalline threads sprayed forth, exploding outward in all directions.
The surrounding demons panicked, some activating demonic arts to resist, others hastily summoning demonic artifacts for protection. Yet the crystalline threads ignored all defenses, flickering past and piercing through every demon, causing them to collapse like withered grass.
Among them was even the snake-headed, human-bodied Void Refining demon.
As his corpse plummeted to the ground, his face still bore an expression of disbelief and fury.
No wonder this demon wore such an expression.
He had led this group merely to hunt down a band of human cultivators far weaker than them, thinking it an effortless task. Yet now, he had been abruptly slain by an unexpected interloper, perishing with unwilling resentment.
The palace-robed woman and the other human cultivators were both shocked and overjoyed.
Immediately, under the woman’s lead, the group bowed deeply toward the hazy figure in the sky. The palace-robed woman spoke with utmost reverence:
“Many thanks, Senior, for saving our lives. Had you not intervened, this junior and the descendants of the Xu Family would surely have fallen to these demons.”
“The Xu Family? Could it be the same Xu Family of the Ice Soul Fairy?” The figure in the sky seemed slightly surprised and only spoke after a long pause.
“Senior knows our ancestor? We are indeed descendants of the Ice Soul Ancestor!” The palace-robed woman was momentarily stunned but quickly replied cautiously.
“I do not know the Ice Soul Fairy, but a close friend of mine shares deep ties with your ancestor. How did you end up being hunted by demons here?” The figure’s silver light dimmed, revealing a graceful figure and a celestial countenance as she smiled faintly.
This woman was none other than Silvermoon, who had crossed space from the basin.
During her time with Han Li, she had long learned of the Ice Soul Fairy and the Xu Family, hence her unusually amiable demeanor.
Had it been other unfamiliar human cultivators, given her Body Integration cultivation, she would not have been so courteous.
“A friend of our ancestor! May I ask the name of that Senior? This junior might have heard of them.” The palace-robed woman relaxed slightly but still inquired respectfully.
“What is your name?” Silvermoon did not answer immediately but instead scrutinized the blue-robed woman before asking thoughtfully.
“This junior is Xu Qianyu. If Senior has any instructions, please do not hesitate to command.” The palace-robed woman tensed inwardly but replied swiftly.
This Xu Family woman was the very “Fairy Xu” Han Li had met in Tianyuan City all those years ago. After so many years, she had nearly advanced to the Void Refining stage, though it was unclear why she had led her group here and ended up being pursued so desperately by demons.
“Xu Qianyu! Judging by your appearance, you must indeed be the Xu Family disciple he mentioned. In that case, I shall temporarily requisition your services. This area is off-limits to outsiders for now—you and your people will patrol the vicinity to prevent any other intruders.” Silvermoon chuckled lightly, issuing her orders without hesitation.
“It is our honor to serve Senior. However, our cultivation is shallow. If a mighty expert were to arrive, we might be unable to stop them, potentially disrupting Senior’s plans.” Xu Qianyu was puzzled but dared not show hesitation in her reply.
“No matter. I shall give you a few talismans. If you encounter someone truly unstoppable, simply activate them. I will arrive instantly upon sensing the signal.” Silvermoon had clearly prepared for this.
“Since Senior has already considered everything, this junior will do our utmost to fulfill your orders.” Xu Qianyu bowed slightly and agreed at once.
Silvermoon nodded in satisfaction and was about to speak further when a flash of silver light appeared on the distant horizon, followed by faint but deep rumbles that even caused the ground beneath them to tremble slightly.
“Take these talismans. I must leave immediately.” Silvermoon’s expression shifted. With a flick of her sleeve, several silver talismans shot forth, while she herself transformed into a silver streak and vanished into the sky in a few blinks.
Xu Qianyu caught the talismans and gazed in the direction of the departing light, unable to conceal her bewilderment.
Yet the next moment, she turned and issued an unyielding command to the other Xu Family members:
“You heard Senior’s orders. Form teams of five immediately and patrol in different directions. But none of you are to venture deeper into this region.”
“Yes!”
Most of the group bowed in acknowledgment, though a few exchanged hesitant glances.
Finally, an elder stepped forward and clasped his hands toward the palace-robed woman:
“Qianyu, don’t you find that Senior’s behavior somewhat suspicious? And what of those distant sounds and tremors? If we assist her, might we not end up entangled in another disaster?”
“Seventeenth Cousin, whatever unusual events are unfolding at the center of this region, they are none of our concern—nor should we indulge any curiosity. Otherwise, that Senior might well be the first to take our lives. Moreover, she just saved us. Even without that debt, given her power, do you think we have the right to refuse? Since I lead this group, the decision is mine. Say no more.” Xu Qianyu’s expression darkened as she rebuked him sternly.
“My oversight. Naturally, we shall follow your lead.” The elder’s face flushed, but he dared not argue further.
The other hesitant Xu Family members also looked embarrassed and abandoned any thought of defiance.
Thus, they split into three teams and began patrolling their assigned areas.
Though the region was vast, with their flying artifacts, a full circuit did not take long.
Xu Qianyu led four Xu Family members, flying steadily through the air when suddenly a blinding light flashed on the distant horizon before vanishing just as swiftly.
A deep, thunderous roar followed, faintly audible even from afar.
Xu Qianyu instinctively turned toward the light, her eyes flickering with curiosity, but she quickly averted her gaze and urged the others onward.
Meanwhile, above the basin, the massive hole in the sky had expanded to hundreds of acres in size.
Amid deafening thunder, arcs of lightning as thick as water vats streaked down, while thunderballs the size of small pavilions crashed relentlessly.
The two types of lightning filled the sky, their might enough to pale even a Grand Ascension cultivator.
Yet despite the storm of electricity and thunder, three mountains hovered in a triangular formation above the basin, steadfastly blocking the majority of the attacks.
Each mountain was a thousand zhang tall.
One spewed rolling gray mist, its rings of gray light causing swathes of lightning to vanish inexplicably.
Another buzzed with countless invisible sword energies, slicing through arcs and thunderballs alike.
The third shimmered with five-colored radiance, causing any lightning that touched it to burst apart instantly.
Beneath the three mountains stood the thousand-zhang-tall Vajra Guardian, its six arms hurling golden orbs like rain, dispersing stray bolts of lightning.
And below that, a green sword lotus the size of an acre spun ceaselessly.
Any remaining lightning or thunderballs that fell into it were instantly shredded by the sword energies within.
Han Li, his hand forming a seal, channeled his spiritual power, relying on his meticulously prepared defenses to withstand the True Lightning Tribulation—a trial most cultivators would consider a death sentence—without a single injury thus far.
Yet he knew well that his survival was largely due to the three mountains.
Though the Five Extreme Mountains were not yet fully forged, the three existing peaks combined to suppress the tribulation with miraculous efficacy.
These three incomplete treasures alone neutralized the majority of the lightning, leaving only the remnants for Han Li and the Vajra Guardian to handle.
Even so, he was barely holding on—his face pale, his energy drained, his spiritual power nearly exhausted.
Now, he understood why Grand Ascension cultivators were so rare in the Spirit Realm.
Despite his thorough preparations, his spiritual power and physique far surpassing ordinary late-Body Integration cultivators, he had nearly succumbed to the True Lightning Tribulation. The odds for others were undoubtedly even slimmer.
As Han Li silently marveled, the True Lightning Tribulation reached its climax.
The edges of the massive hole flickered violently before suddenly contracting. The sea of lightning within churned and compressed, coalescing into a single terrifying orb.
Within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, an aura of apocalyptic destruction spread through the sky as a black-and-white thunderball took shape within the shrinking void.
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