Above a certain sea in the Spirit Realm, two groups of unidentified low-tier sea beasts resembling giant whales were locked in a fierce battle for unknown reasons.
Broken and mutilated carcasses of the beasts occasionally floated to the surface, while streams of blood dyed the surrounding waters a deep crimson.
Suddenly, an overwhelmingly terrifying aura surged from the depths of the ocean.
The two groups of sea beasts, struck by this aura, immediately halted their battle in shock and fled in opposite directions without hesitation.
In the blink of an eye, the sea returned to its usual calm, leaving behind only scattered remains and a faint scent of blood.
At that moment, the waters in the area violently parted, and from within emerged a massive, pitch-black vessel, stretching nearly a thousand zhang in length, resembling a monstrous black beast.
Crowded at both ends of the vessel were numerous human cultivators, most appearing quite young, their faces alight with excitement as they pointed and chattered about the scene on the sea.
Some of the younger cultivators even closed their eyes, seemingly sensing something in deep meditation.
This colossal vessel was none other than the Ink Spirit Holy Ark, which had just returned to the Spirit Realm from the Minor Spirit Heaven.
The moment the ark resurfaced, the seven-colored luminous passageway collapsed, unable to sustain itself any longer.
If Han Li ever wished to return to the Minor Spirit Heaven again, it would require an unknown span of time and the rediscovery of an ancient altar to calculate the possibility—merely a sliver of hope.
At the prow of the vessel stood Han Li and Nangong Wan, side by side, while the surrounding crowd maintained a respectful distance, not daring to approach.
“This is the true Spirit Realm. The purity of spiritual energy here far surpasses that of the Minor Spirit Heaven. Only in such a place can we cultivators hope to advance further and ultimately ascend to the Immortal Realm,” Nangong Wan murmured after inhaling the salty sea breeze.
“The Spirit Realm is indeed superior to the Minor Spirit Heaven, but even here, those who reach the Mahayana stage are rare. For weaker races like ours, having one or two Mahayana cultivators is usually enough to secure a foothold. However, some of the super races boast over a dozen Mahayana cultivators. Of course, even among Mahayana cultivators, there are vast differences in strength. The truly powerful ones can contend with true spirits and effortlessly slay multiple peers,” Han Li replied with a faint smile.
During their time in the Minor Spirit Heaven, he had already explained the general state of the Spirit Realm and the human race to the others, so those returning were not entirely ignorant.
“Judging by your confidence, you must be one of these so-called ‘powerful ones.’ I never imagined the human race’s situation in the Spirit Realm would be so precarious. But with you here, things should improve,” Nangong Wan sighed.
“I am confident in my ability to hold my own against any Mahayana powerhouse in single combat, but since my advancement was recent, revitalizing the human race will require careful planning,” Han Li said seriously.
“Of course. I believe in your strength, and one day, you will achieve it,” Nangong Wan gazed at him with tenderness in her eyes.
“I hope so,” Han Li replied, his expression flickering.
“How do we return to the Wind Origin Continent? Do we cross the sea directly?” Nangong Wan asked after surveying the distant waters.
“That won’t be necessary. I am acquainted with the overseer of the Helian Merchant Guild in the nearby Blood Sky Continent. Through the teleportation array under his control, we should be able to return directly to Wind Origin,” Han Li answered without hesitation.
“That would be best. I truly wish to see our human race’s settlement in the Spirit Realm as soon as possible,” Nangong Wan smiled brightly.
Han Li chuckled lightly and said no more. The massive vessel beneath them adjusted its course and, with a thunderous roar, sped toward the Blood Sky Continent.
…
Several months later, the Ink Spirit Holy Ark appeared above a massive port city on the Blood Sky Continent, hovering imposingly over a triangular structure.
Han Li and Nangong Wan stood within the central hall of the building.
A nervous middle-aged man, sweating profusely, was explaining something to them.
“What? The guild has already withdrawn most of its forces, and even Fellow Daoist Bi Ying has fallen? Are you certain you’re not jesting with me? I’ve only been away for a short time—how could such things happen?” Han Li’s expression darkened as he fixed the man with an icy stare.
“Senior Han holds our guild’s VIP token—how would I dare deceive you? Moreover, these events are common knowledge in the Blood Sky Continent now. If you doubt me, a simple inquiry outside will confirm my words,” the man replied with a bitter smile, bowing repeatedly.
“That fiend is truly formidable, to have single-handedly slain so many Mahayana powerhouses. Regardless of what forbidden methods he employed, this is unimaginable. Your guild is well-informed—have you uncovered his origins?” Han Li’s expression shifted before he pressed further.
“I… I cannot say for certain. Perhaps the main guild has concrete information, but I am merely the overseer of a branch and know little,” the man hesitated before answering.
“Knowing little still means knowing something. Speak freely—do you think my husband is unworthy of such information?” Nangong Wan interjected with a light laugh.
Han Li had already briefed her about this fearsome fiend. Initially, she had been shocked to learn of a being in the Spirit Realm who treated mass slaughter so casually.
“I would never dare think that! If Senior Han wishes to know, I will speak truthfully,” the man hastily assured, his heart trembling.
Han Li nodded slightly, his expression easing. Nangong Wan also focused intently.
“The emergence of this fiend is highly unusual—he seemed to appear out of nowhere in the Blood Sky Continent. Based on the techniques he displayed, it’s certain he is not from this continent, nor even this realm. Rumors suggest he is either a cross-realm powerhouse from another world or a being descended from a higher plane. From what I’ve gathered, it’s most likely the latter,” the man whispered, his voice dropping, his eyelids twitching involuntarily at the last sentence.
“A descended being? You mean this fiend is an immortal from the Immortal Realm? How can you be so sure?” Even Han Li felt a flicker of dread at these words.
Nangong Wan’s face paled.
“Rumors say someone witnessed the fiend invoking a great divine ability that angered the realm’s laws, causing chains of order to manifest and bind him, sealing most of his power. Only an immortal from the True Immortal Realm could provoke such a reaction. While other powerful realms might produce extraordinary beings, none could match this fiend’s ability to annihilate so many Mahayana powerhouses at once—not even legendary beings like the Heavenly Phoenix or True Dragons,” the man explained, his words striking at the fiend’s true origins.
“If the chains of order are real, your reasoning holds some merit. Yet, I find it hard to believe an immortal would descend into the Spirit Realm. I will verify this with your main guild. By the way, with Fellow Daoist Bi Ying gone, who leads the guild now? And where is this fiend? Does he still conduct mass slaughters?” Han Li exhaled slowly.
“After Bi Ying’s fall, the guild is temporarily governed by several elders until a new overseer is elected. As for the fiend, he has already slaughtered over a dozen regions in the western Blood Sky Continent, nearly wiping out all life there. But two months ago, he suddenly stormed the Blood Scar Sect, killing two Mahayana elders and thousands of disciples before activating their cross-continental teleportation array and vanishing,” the man replied honestly.
“A cross-continental array? He went to another continent? Which one?” Han Li’s expression sharpened.
Nangong Wan also tensed, a flicker of worry crossing her face.
“Investigations suggest he went to the Thunderstorm Continent,” the man answered after a moment’s thought.
Han Li’s expression eased slightly, but a trace of concern lingered. After questioning the man further, he and Nangong Wan left the hall under the man’s respectful escort and immediately returned to the black ark above.
…
Above an endless emerald lake on the Thunderstorm Continent, a crystalline thread streaked through the sky at an inconceivable speed, covering thousands of zhang in a single flash and accelerating further without pause.
As a sparsely wooded island came into view, the thread abruptly veered downward.
With a *boom*, a crater appeared atop the island’s lone yellow hill, revealing a kneeling white-robed youth and a silver-robed woman.
“Rest for two hours, then we continue,” the youth spat out a mouthful of blood before staggering to his feet, his voice laced with fury.
“Two hours—is that enough? Your vitality is severely depleted. Even if you recover somewhat, using such forbidden techniques so frequently will soon become unsustainable,” the woman said after a pause.
“Hmph, what choice do we have? That fiend has inexplicably abandoned his massacres to pursue us relentlessly. If not for his sudden appearance at the Blood Scar Sect, we wouldn’t have been forced to flee through the unadjusted teleportation array, ending up here in the Thunderstorm Continent,” the youth retorted coldly.
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