“Is that so? But regarding the latest news about this demon in the Thunder Continent, Fellow Daoist Han, have you heard?” Ming Zun nodded, then suddenly spoke.
“Thunder Continent? Has he done something shocking again?” Han Li asked, startled.
“More than shocking. The uproar he caused this time surpasses even what happened in the Blood Sky,” Ming Zun said darkly, flicking his wrist and tossing a jade slip toward Han Li.
Han Li caught the jade slip with one hand and pressed it to his forehead without hesitation, sending a wisp of divine sense into it.
After just a moment, his expression darkened as he moved the jade slip away and said slowly, “I never expected this fiend to provoke the Horned Race, slay four of their Great Ascension cultivators, and even battle three ancient True Spirits. But what does this mention of ‘disappearance’ refer to?”
“It’s simple. After the battle with the three ancient True Spirits, he suddenly vanished from the Thunder Continent, and no one has been able to track him since,” the old man replied, his face still clouded with worry.
“What? Has your alliance discovered something else?” Han Li, sharp as ever, immediately noticed the oddity in the other’s expression and asked directly.
“Fellow Daoist truly has keen eyes! Indeed, right after the battle, our alliance had people investigate the site of the fiend’s disappearance. They detected faint spatial fluctuations and signs of torn space nearby. Unfortunately, despite all efforts, we couldn’t trace him further,” Ming Zun explained.
“So, this fiend isn’t dead but has merely hidden himself using spatial powers,” Han Li said, his expression shifting slightly.
“Exactly. That’s most likely the case,” the old man replied slowly.
“Then what worries you, Brother Ming? Why summon me to discuss this?” Han Li pondered for a moment before countering.
“Fellow Daoist Han, you ask knowingly. If this fiend has appeared in both the Blood Sky and Thunder Continents, it wouldn’t be strange for him to come to our Wind Yuan Continent. As a Great Ascension cultivator of the human race and one of the continent’s top figures, can you truly ignore such a monstrous fiend? What if he targets your people for a blood sacrifice? Even the Horned Race, a superpower, has been severely weakened. If he sets his sights on the smaller and mid-sized races of our continent, the risk of annihilation is real,” Ming Zun said with a faint smile.
“Hmph, your words are peculiar, Fellow Daoist. With so many races on the Wind Yuan Continent, why would he coincidentally target a weak race like ours? I’d think the larger races would be more conspicuous,” Han Li chuckled, his tone noncommittal.
“Our alliance has analyzed the patterns of the fiend’s blood sacrifices. He seems to have no specific targets—only striking wherever living beings gather in large numbers. Though your race was once obscure, that was only due to the lack of top-tier Great Ascension cultivators. In terms of population density, your race ranks among the continent’s highest. Can you truly be sure this madman won’t target you?” the red-haired old man said coolly.
“Are you threatening me, Brother Ming?” Han Li’s pupils contracted, his face expressionless.
“I mean no such thing. I merely state the facts. Moreover, this fiend seems connected to you in some way. The likelihood of him targeting the human race may be higher than you think,” Ming Zun said, a strange look flashing across his face.
“What do you mean by that?” Han Li was genuinely taken aback.
“I have two portraits here. Do you recognize them?”
As Ming Zun spoke, he flipped his hand, producing another jade slip. With a wave, a shimmering light unfurled, revealing the images of a man and a woman.
“This is…”
Han Li narrowed his eyes, visibly surprised.
“It seems you do recognize them. Could you share their origins?” Ming Zun said, unsurprised.
“I only recognize one of them. The woman is named Bing Feng. Though not human, she has personal ties to me. What does this have to do with her? And who is the man?” Han Li stared at the images before shaking his head.
“I’m unsure of the man’s origins. He seems to be from the Wind Yuan Continent, and our alliance discovered that in battle, his true form is a giant six-winged centipede. His strength is considerable even among Great Ascension cultivators. He and Bing Feng seem to have provoked the fiend severely, being chased from the Blood Sky to the Thunder Continent. I suspect the fiend’s clash with the Horned Race may have been orchestrated by them,” Ming Zun said gravely.
“A six-winged centipede? Hunted by that fiend?” Even Han Li, usually unflappable, couldn’t hide his surprise.
“Ah, so you recall something about this man?” Ming Zun’s eyes gleamed.
“If I’m not mistaken, he might also be an old acquaintance of mine. I never expected him to end up like this,” Han Li mused, staring at the portrait.
“So both are your old acquaintances. In that case, the human race may indeed be in grave danger. If that madman learns of their origins, he might very well come for your people,” Ming Zun said slowly.
“That’s an exaggeration, but I suppose I can’t remain uninvolved. Do you know where they are now? Still on the Thunder Continent?” Han Li frowned.
“According to our investigations, they vanished almost immediately after the fiend. Since you know them, where do you think they’d go?” Ming Zun pressed.
“Hard to say. Though I know them, it’s been years since we last met,” Han Li replied impassively.
“Would they return to the Wind Yuan Continent to seek you out?” Ming Zun pressed further.
“It’s possible. If so, I’d have a real headache. Speaking of which, I have a question for you, Brother Ming. How likely do you think it is that this fiend is an immortal from the Immortal Realm?” Han Li sighed, suddenly turning the tables.
“By my judgment, over ninety-nine percent,” Ming Zun’s expression shifted slightly before he answered honestly.
“Why are you so certain?” Han Li stroked his chin, his tone grave.
“Simple. The techniques he employs are indeed secret arts from the Immortal Realm. I can vouch for this because my ancestors were direct descendants of immortals. Though some immortal techniques weren’t passed down, descriptions and records of them remain,” Ming Zun replied with a bitter smile.
“I see. So he’s undoubtedly an immortal. That’s hardly good news. But summoning me here and saying all this—you don’t truly expect me to face this immortal alone, do you?” Han Li asked pointedly.
“Fellow Daoist Han jests. How could I entertain such a thought? For the sake of the Wind Yuan Continent, I merely propose we unite against this threat. Our realms have long lost contact with the Immortal Realm. Now, with such a powerful immortal descending, who knows his true motives? If he comes to our continent to slaughter, we top cultivators must band together to either drive him away or suppress him utterly. Otherwise, scattered, we’d only be picked off one by one,” Ming Zun said, a fierce glint in his eyes.
“Unite? Didn’t the Blood Sky’s blood path sects attempt that, only to be crushed by his overwhelming power?” Han Li’s expression flickered, but his tone remained measured.
“Those in the Blood Sky underestimated him. Before even discerning his origins, they gathered only a dozen Great Ascension cultivators, with barely three or four true powerhouses among them. Failure was inevitable. My proposal is for the Wind Yuan’s foremost experts to unite, with our alliance summoning powerful True Spirits to join the fight. Together, we can prevail. No matter how strong an immortal is, with most of his power sealed, he cannot withstand our combined might,” Ming Zun declared proudly.
“Can you truly gather so many? Aside from me, who else has agreed?” Han Li was genuinely surprised.
“Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Han. Beyond you, most have already pledged to join if this immortal sets foot on our continent. The rest, once contacted, will likely agree given the stakes. No one wants an immortal running amok here,” Ming Zun replied without hesitation.
“Since you’ve planned so thoroughly, I’ll tentatively agree. But if your alliance fails to gather enough power, I’ll leave immediately, even if present,” Han Li said after a long, uncertain pause.
“Haha, set your mind at ease, Fellow Daoist Han. If we can’t muster enough strength, even I wouldn’t throw my life away. Take this message talisman. Once we detect the immortal, I’ll notify all participants and arrange our gathering swiftly,” Ming Zun laughed heartily.
With a flick of his wrist, a pale silver talisman shot toward Han Li.
Han Li nodded, his sleeve sweeping up to silently tuck the talisman away.
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