The frenzied flames soared six or seven zhang high. Under the giant bird’s peck, Qingwen transformed into a massive human torch and plummeted straight down from the sky. Upon hitting the ground, he managed only two agonized screams before turning into a pile of white ash, utterly powerless to resist.
Just as Han Li was reeling in shock, the flaming bird let out a sharp cry, turned its head, and fiercely pounced toward the two glowing cocoons. A towering pillar of fire erupted between them, instantly engulfing the two blood attendants, who were on the verge of completing their transformation, in a sea of flames.
Han Li watched intently as the blood-red glow around the two cocoons struggled briefly against the crimson inferno before completely dissolving. Two blurred human figures were exposed, swayed silently a few times, and were then utterly incinerated.
These flames, which appeared no different from ordinary fire, were astonishingly powerful, filling Han Li with awe. He once again gained a clear understanding of the might of a Core Formation cultivator’s magic treasure.
Apart from sharing Han Li’s shock, Song Meng and the others wore expressions of pleasant surprise.
“This true treasure is incredibly powerful!”
“We owe the eradication of this cult entirely to Senior Brother Liu!”
…
The others excitedly chimed in.
In their view, once these blood attendants were dealt with, how difficult could it be to handle the Black Fiend Cult Leader, who was still in seclusion? After all, with so many Foundation Establishment cultivators present, there was no reason they couldn’t handle a single cult leader.
Liu Jing watched as the flames transformed by the firebird below gradually dissipated, his heart aching with regret. Yet, upon hearing these words of praise, his spirits lifted.
“Let’s go! We’ve wasted enough time here. Let’s head in and eliminate the Black Fiend Cult Leader as well!” Liu Jing declared with newfound boldness, waving his hand.
The others nodded in agreement and flew downward.
Han Li smiled faintly and was about to follow when a glance to the side revealed Senior Brother Wang staring blankly downward with a peculiar expression.
This gave Han Li pause, and he couldn’t help but follow his gaze. However, aside from the white ash that was the remains of the transformed Qingwen and a fellow disciple sorrowfully collecting his Dao Companion’s remains, there was nothing noteworthy on the ground.
“Senior Brother Wang, did you find something?” Han Li couldn’t resist asking, a hint of suspicion on his face.
“No, nothing at all! Junior Brother Han, you’re overthinking it!” Senior Brother Wang immediately averted his gaze, his eyes evasive.
Seeing this, Han Li understood immediately. This senior brother must have discovered something important but didn’t want others to know, hence his odd behavior.
The thought left Han Li somewhat frustrated. On the surface, however, he smiled lightly and said calmly, “Since it’s nothing, we should hurry down. Senior Brother Liu is about to enter!” Pointing toward the main gate of the Cold Palace, Han Li flew down on his artifact without another word, leaving Senior Brother Wang alone in the air, his expression shifting uncertainly. After a moment, he stamped his foot in frustration and reluctantly followed.
Just as Han Li landed, a delicate voice called out from above.
“Senior Brother Liu, Junior Brother Han, wait for us!”
Han Li paused and slowly turned around. Liu Jing and the others also stopped in their tracks, looking up with joyful expressions.
Under the gentle moonlight, Zhong Weiniang, Chen Qiaoqian, and an extremely pale middle-aged man descended slowly from the sky.
The middle-aged man wore golden-yellow robes and appeared utterly terrified, almost being dangled by the collar outside the flying artifact by Zhong Weiniang. Upon seeing Han Li, Liu Jing, and the large group, his face grew even more panicked.
Liu Jing smiled slightly and stepped forward to greet them.
“It seems your mission went smoothly, Junior Sisters! This must be the Yue Emperor!” After the two female cultivators landed, Liu Jing glanced at the middle-aged man’s face before casually looking away and asking.
“Yes! This guy was holding court in some hall, meeting with several ministers. Senior Sister and I knocked the others unconscious and captured him. There were two Qi Condensation disciples from the Black Fiend Cult who rushed out to stop us, but we dealt with them easily. Senior Brother Liu, I’m so glad you’re safe!”
Zhong Weiniang seemed overjoyed to see Liu Jing unharmed, chattering incessantly, her concern for him evident. This put Liu Jing in an slightly awkward position under everyone’s gaze, amusing Han Li inwardly.
“Junior Sister Chen, are you alright?” Chen Qiaoqian’s two senior brothers stepped forward solicitously.
Chen Qiaoqian responded indifferently with a few words, her eyes scanning the crowd. When they fell on Han Li, they lingered briefly on his face before she quickly looked away, her expression complex.
“Where is Senior Sister Xuehong?” Chen Qiaoqian frowned delicately, a sense of foreboding in her voice.
At her words, the expressions of those nearby darkened, becoming heavy.
“Xuehong has already perished,” said the Dao Companion of the “Xuehong” senior sister, forcing back his grief with difficulty.
The moment these words were spoken, Chen Qiaoqian and Zhong Weiniang’s faces turned ashen.
Zhong Weiniang immediately flared up, opening her mouth to say, “How could you…?” But this accusatory question was cut short by a sudden, agonized scream.
Han Li and the others started in alarm, immediately turning toward the source with extreme vigilance.
Not far from the group, a blue-robed man had appeared out of nowhere. One of his glowing red arms was withdrawing from the chest of Senior Brother Wang, who had also appeared there unnoticed. The corpse then toppled straight to the ground, devoid of any life force.
“I hadn’t originally planned to kill him first, but this child really shouldn’t have taken something that didn’t belong to him!” the blue-robed man said with a smile. He appeared to be in his forties, with a clean-shaven, fair complexion, crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes, and an exceedingly benevolent appearance.
As he spoke, he casually bent down and picked up a thumb-sized green pearl from one of Senior Brother Wang’s hands, the smile on his face growing even wider.
Upon seeing this person, the expressions of both Liu Jing and Han Li darkened simultaneously, becoming extremely cautious.
“Are you the Black Fiend Cult Leader?” Liu Jing asked tentatively, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
“Hehe, very clever! Indeed, I am the founder of the Black Fiend Cult. You must be their leader?” the old man asked with a genial smile, his expression unchanged.
Hearing that this person was the Black Fiend Cult Leader, who should have been in seclusion, even Han Li couldn’t help but change color abruptly, let alone the other Yellow Maple Valley cultivators. They all gripped their magic tools tightly, treating him as a formidable enemy.
After a slight change in expression, Liu Jing took a deep breath to suppress the panic in his heart.
Then, secretly signaling the others to be cautious, he asked coldly, “Correct, I am Liu Jing! I am leading this mission to eradicate your Black Fiend Cult! Now that you’re alone, you still dare to commit murder? Your audacity is truly immense!”
Liu Jing spoke with righteous indignation and without a trace of fear. He was quite satisfied with his performance and words, feeling his momentum surge with each sentence.
Once this cult leader was eliminated, his prestige among the seven sects would undoubtedly reach new heights, earning him even greater respect and admiration from others!
The thought made Liu Jing’s heart burn with fervor, as if doused with strong liquor. With a flip of his hand, he summoned two silver hooks and that circular ring.
But before he could signal the others to attack together, the Black Fiend Cult Leader opposite him gave him a strange smile. Then, he heard a soft whisper: “Then you can die.”
Almost simultaneously, a sharp pain erupted in Liu Jing’s chest. Before he could understand what was happening, a blood-drenched arm pierced through his front, five crimson fingers clutching a faintly pulsating, round object.
“What is this?” Liu Jing thought in stunned disbelief. Perhaps he knew in his heart, but he truly didn’t want to acknowledge it.
Then, he felt the world spin violently, his vision darkening. Faint screams reached his ears—the sound, it seemed, of Zhong Weiniang, who had always been hopelessly infatuated with him, crying out. But it sounded so strange, so distant!
“Cough, this little girl is still so prone to crying…” Liu Jing thought bitterly, just before sinking into eternal darkness.
Han Li’s expression was grim. Before the battle with the Black Fiend Cult Leader had even begun, an unexpected figure had taken action, instantly killing two mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators on their side. Liu Jing, the leader of this expedition, had actually fallen just like that at this person’s hands.
After succeeding with a single strike, the figure, each arm impaling the corpses of Liu Jing and one of Chen Qiaoqian’s senior brothers, flashed to the Black Fiend Cult Leader’s side. Then, he turned his head and leered viciously at Han Li and the others. Han Li hadn’t even had time to intervene.
The moment Liu Jing was killed, Zhong Weiniang let out several heart-wrenching screams before completely freezing, falling into a stupor. Seeing this, Chen Qiaoqian, who was beside her, quickly pulled her behind for protection, then stared at the ambusher with a face full of fury and regret.
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