“Nangong Wan!” Han Li finally found the source of that ripple.
Although this female cultivator named Zhuo Ruting did not look exactly like Nangong Wan, she indeed carried some of Nangong Wan’s charm, which gave him such an unusual feeling and touched a deep part of his heart.
After understanding the reason, Han Li glanced at Zhuo Ruting with a complex expression before withdrawing his gaze and restoring his calm, undisturbed state of mind.
However, even though Han Li and Qu Hun had arrived, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting showed no intention of setting off immediately. Instead, they kept looking up at the sky, as if waiting for someone else.
Seeing this, Han Li felt puzzled but did not ask any questions. Instead, he found a secluded corner, sat down cross-legged with Qu Hun, and quietly waited for the departure time.
They waited for nearly half a day. If not for the fact that everyone present was a cultivator with immense patience, someone would have surely complained by then. Even so, a few eventually showed signs of dissatisfaction.
Witnessing this, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting also grew somewhat anxious and reluctantly huddled together, whispering a few words to each other.
Han Li took all of this in, and just as he was speculating about whom they were waiting for, a faint sound of wind and thunder suddenly echoed in the distance. A dark line appeared on the horizon.
The blackness flew rapidly toward them, growing larger as it approached, causing the meditating cultivators to rise one after another, their faces filled with surprise and doubt. In the blink of an eye, the blackness reached the sky above the crowd. Only then did Han Li and the others see clearly that it was a massive dark cloud, about fifty to sixty zhang in diameter. Its enormous size almost covered the entire mountaintop, and from within the cloud came occasional rumbles and sparks of lightning, making it appear extremely eerie!
Just as everyone was staring in astonishment, a cold, clear female voice suddenly rang out from within the dark cloud: “Senior Chi, you may let me down now. I need to speak with my two senior sisters.”
“Hehe, of course, no problem!” an extremely unpleasant, clanging voice replied.
Upon hearing these two voices, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting’s expressions changed slightly, and they exchanged a glance. Other cultivators who knew the origin of the dark cloud turned pale.
Han Li was also secretly alarmed. While he was still puzzled, he overheard one of the cultivators mutter: “The Mystic Sound Sect’s influence is truly impressive. How did they manage to invite Chi Lao Guai from Yuan Gui Island?”
The person’s voice was very low, but Han Li, relying on his powerful spiritual sense, heard it clearly. His heart couldn’t help but tremble.
As the words “Yuan Gui Island” and “Chi Huo Lao Guai” reached his ears, Han Li immediately recalled the origin of the dark cloud.
During his conversations with other cultivators, he had heard the name “Chi Huo Lao Guai of Yuan Gui Island” mentioned more than once. This person had become famous very early and had reached the late Core Formation stage. His Kui Shui Demonic Art was unpredictable, and he was notorious in the Chaotic Star Sea for his ruthlessness and treacherous nature.
Many people asserted that Chi Lao Guai was one of the most likely cultivators to reach the Nascent Soul stage and would eventually become a formidable figure like the Extreme Yin Patriarch. Thus, no one dared to provoke him lightly as he dominated Yuan Gui Island, making him a renowned and infamous character. But why would such a notorious demonic cultivator come here? Could he really have been invited by the Mystic Sound Sect to assist them?
Han Li remained calm but heightened his vigilance, carefully observing the dark cloud.
At that moment, the dark cloud churned, and a woman in purple palace robes flew out from within. She had a tall and slender figure, graceful and light, but her face was shrouded in a faint purple mist, making her true features indiscernible.
Upon seeing her, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting immediately stepped forward to greet her.
“Junior Sister Wang, why is Chi Lao Guai here? Did you invite him? But was that necessary?” Zhuo Ruting frowned and asked in a low voice.
“Indeed! That old monster is not someone to be trifled with. It might be easy to invite him, but difficult to send him away! Besides, with our current manpower, it should be more than enough!” Madam Fan also said with a grave expression, subtly revealing a hint of dissatisfaction.
“Do you two senior sisters really believe that the cultivators who attacked us last time were all the forces the other side has?” The purple-robed woman ignored their concerns and instead spoke lightly.
“Junior Sister, what do you mean? Does the other side have other troublesome figures?” Madam Fan was startled upon hearing this and immediately understood the implication, asking in surprise.
Zhuo Ruting also showed a look of astonishment.
“I received news that the other side’s base has another leader at the late Core Formation stage stationed there. With just the helpers you two senior sisters gathered, our strength would still be somewhat insufficient. So, I went to Yuan Gui Island and persuaded Chi Huo Lao Guai to take action!” the purple-robed woman said nonchalantly.
Hearing this, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting exchanged a half-believing, half-doubting glance but said nothing more.
Although they knew that persuading a demonic cultivator like Chi Huo Lao Guai to help must have come at a great cost for their junior sister, now was not the time to discuss such matters. They could only wait until after the current affair was settled before considering other things.
At that moment, the purple-robed woman’s beautiful eyes swept over the other cultivators on the mountaintop. She nodded, seeming quite satisfied.
“The number of Core Formation cultivators invited by you two senior sisters is even greater than I expected. With Chi Huo Lao Guai’s assistance, we must eradicate these evil cultivators on this mission to avenge my mother’s death!” The purple-robed woman’s voice turned icy, filled with endless killing intent.
“Don’t worry, we will definitely avenge the sect master!” Zhuo Ruting gently brushed her dark, beautiful hair and said slowly.
“Indeed, the sect master showed great kindness to both of us. Even if we have to sacrifice our lives, we will destroy the other side,” Madam Fan also said solemnly, agreeing for the first time.
Hearing this, the purple-robed woman was deeply moved and bowed respectfully to the two women.
“I’ve troubled you two senior sisters greatly this time! As we agreed beforehand, as long as we can avenge my mother, the position of the Mystic Sound Sect leader will be assumed by one of you two senior sisters! Wang Jue will never covet this position!” the purple-robed woman said with a resolute expression.
After the palace-robed woman spoke, a complex expression flashed across Zhuo Ruting’s beautiful face. She parted her cherry lips as if to say something but ultimately remained silent.
Although Madam Fan maintained a calm demeanor, her eyes revealed unconcealable excitement.
“Tsk tsk! This must be the famous Violet Spirit Fairy of the Mystic Sound Sect, right? It’s a pity her face is concealed by a spell. What a shame!” A cultivator surnamed Meng, not far from Han Li, suddenly muttered to himself.
Hearing this, Han Li’s heart stirred.
He seemed to have heard of Violet Spirit’s reputation. It was said that her beauty was heavenly, making her one of the most famous beauties in the Chaotic Star Sea. Could it be this woman?
Han Li glanced at the purple-robed woman from a distance with some surprise.
At that moment, the purple-robed woman finished speaking with Madam Fan and the others. With her robes fluttering, she flew back into the dark cloud like a celestial maiden. Then, under the solemn expressions of the two beautiful sect envoys, the group finally set off.
Over a dozen beams of light in various colors soared into the sky from the mountaintop, forming a loose formation as they flew north.
Han Li and Qu Hun were in the middle-to-rear part of the group, traveling in silence. However, the cultivator surnamed Meng, for some reason, flew to Han Li’s side and chattered incessantly with a smile.
“Fellow Daoist Han, how did you agree to help Envoy Fan? I, Meng, have a concubine who is a direct disciple of Envoy Fan, so I had no choice but to repay this favor! Could it be that Fellow Daoist Han also…”
“I don’t have such romantic fortune like you, Fellow Daoist. Madam Fan merely promised to give me something in return,” Han Li replied indifferently.
“What a pity! Brother, the best things the Mystic Sound Sect has to offer are those beautiful female disciples. Especially the ones personally trained by the two sect envoys, they are truly…”
Listening to this incessant chatter, Han Li remained expressionless but felt somewhat amused and exasperated inwardly. However, this familiar and unreserved manner reminded him of Senior Brother Yu from the Yellow Maple Valley, who was also long-winded. It made it hard for him to develop any dislike for this person.
Thus, with Han Li responding half-heartedly, the entire group, led by the members of the Mystic Sound Sect, flew toward an unknown destination.
On a desolate island.
Several low-ranking disciples of the Mystic Sound Sect had been waiting on this island for a long time. The bandits’ hideout was located on another unnamed island not far away, and other disciples were keeping watch on them.
Upon learning that all the evil cultivators were inside their hideout and had not left, Violet Spirit, who had flown out from the dark cloud again, instructed Han Li and the other cultivators to rest for a while. They would launch a surprise attack early the next morning, catching the enemy off guard.
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