Chapter 542: Ninth-Grade Cultivating Beast

Several Demon Companion Grasses he had long had his eye on, roots and all, flew straight into the jade box.

With a crisp “snap,” Han Li neatly closed the box, a trace of delight flashing across his face.

Obtaining the Demon Companion Grass so easily was truly unexpected. However, this was no place to linger! Just as Han Li was about to turn and flee, a faint voice sounded from behind.

“You’ve been loitering around here for so long, all for these few plants. Human cultivators really are a bit strange!” It was the voice of an unfamiliar man.

Han Li’s expression changed drastically, his face turning extremely grim. But he quickly forced himself to calm down, shifted his posture, and turned around with a dark expression.

Before him stood a demon cultivator in a blue robe, looking at him with curiosity.

The moment Han Li clearly saw the other’s appearance, his mouth went bitter.

This demon cultivator wore a silver crown on his head and hemp shoes on his feet. Apart from his small, jade-green eyes and a pointed, horn-like nose, he looked almost exactly like a human man.

Han Li’s eyelids twitched violently.

A demon beast that had nearly fully taken human form couldn’t possibly be just an eighth-grade demon beast. Could it be a legendary ninth or even tenth-grade demon beast?

Han Li’s body stiffened instantly. Though he had already gripped the Five Elements Ring and a spirit beast pouch in his hands, he didn’t dare act rashly.

“So you noticed me long ago,” Han Li said, his voice dry and unpleasant to his own ears.

But the demon cultivator opposite him seemed amused upon hearing this, letting out a light laugh.

“Indeed. I noticed you the very day you arrived. At first, I thought you were just a passing human cultivator and didn’t pay much attention. But in the days that followed, you actually stayed on the nearby reefs and didn’t leave. That piqued my interest a bit,” the blue-robed demon cultivator said, narrowing his eyes and revealing a set of snow-white teeth.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Han Li felt the other’s teeth were overly sharp, faintly gleaming with a chilling light.

“Feng? So it really is that adult Wind Splitter Beast,” Han Li thought, his heart sinking even further.

“In that case, why didn’t you make a move earlier?” Han Li forced a smile as he asked.

“I would have liked to meet you sooner. But I had just completed the second stage of my transformation and was stabilizing my form, so it wasn’t suitable for me to venture out forcefully. I’ve only just solidified my form and was about to go out when, to my surprise, you came right into my lair. This is quite unexpected,” the Wind Splitter Beast said with a strange smile.

“Second stage of transformation? Could it have just reached ninth grade?” Han Li’s face paled, and his hand gripping the Five Elements Ring began to sweat coldly.

“Ninth grade? That’s how you humans classify us demon beasts, right? Well, the second stage of our transformation period is equivalent to what you call a ninth-grade demon beast,” the demon cultivator, whose true form was an adult Wind Splitter Beast, replied casually, blinking.

Hearing the other admit it so frankly, Han Li fell silent. A moment later, the corner of his mouth twitched, and he smiled bitterly.

If it were an eighth-grade demon beast, he might still have a sliver of a chance to escape. But facing a ninth-grade demon cultivator, he had almost no hope of survival. It seemed his demise was unavoidable.

With that thought, Han Li said no more. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and spat out over a dozen green beams that circled around him. Then, with a wave of his hand, he prepared to summon the spirit beast pouch.

But in that instant, the demon cultivator opposite him moved.

Han Li’s vision blurred, and his hand felt light—the spirit beast pouch had been snatched away by the other.

Though his dozen or so flying swords instinctively moved to block, the other’s speed was too fast. Before they could strike, the demon cultivator had already returned to his original position.

After the initial shock, Han Li’s face turned ashen. How could he have forgotten? Wind Splitter Beasts were renowned for their speed among high-grade demon beasts. And at such close range, the speed of a ninth-grade Wind Splitter Beast was almost akin to teleportation. How could he possibly harm it?

In that brief moment, chaotic thoughts flooded Han Li’s mind. His extremely grim face flushed with an unusual shade of red. He pressed a hand against his storage pouch, and a gleaming golden thread sphere appeared in his hand.

Han Li quickly raised his hand and swallowed the sphere in one gulp. Then, he stared coldly at the blue-robed demon cultivator opposite him, not saying a word.

He had already decided: before he died, he would use his Divine Devilbane Lightning to detonate the Dry Blue Pearl in his stomach. That way, even if he couldn’t take the other down with him, he would at least inflict severe injuries.

Seeing Han Li’s strange actions, the Wind Splitter Beast showed a trace of surprise but then smiled indifferently.

“Heh! Why so impatient, fellow Daoist? I never said I meant you any harm!” He tossed the spirit beast pouch casually in his hand, a strange expression on his face.

“What do you mean? Aren’t you demon cultivators hunting human cultivators?” Han Li frowned, his voice cold.

He had no intention of being toyed with before his death.

“The ones currently at war with you humans are just the nearby sea tribes. I’m not under their jurisdiction. I just like the Phosphorus Fire Pond here and have temporarily settled down,” the Wind Splitter Beast said, shaking his head with a smirk.

Han Li was taken aback.

Only then did he remember that Wind Splitter Beasts were somewhere between sea beasts and demon birds and couldn’t truly be considered sea demons. Moreover, from the other’s tone, it seemed he wasn’t a local demon cultivator.

Could it be that the other really had no intention of killing him? Han Li’s expression shifted uncertainly. A moment later, he recalled his flying swords back into his body, his expression easing slightly.

Since his flying swords were useless against the other, it was better to act straightforwardly. If the other was deceiving him, he could always self-destruct with the Dry Blue Ice Pearl.

Seeing Han Li put away his magic treasure, the Wind Splitter Beast looked pleased.

“I enjoy dealing with clever humans. Here, I’ll return this to you first.” Without even looking at what was in the spirit beast pouch, he tossed it back to Han Li.

Han Li caught it, feeling slightly more at ease.

“Fellow Daoist, would you be interested in visiting my actual cave dwelling? This is the first time I’ve invited a human cultivator,” the demon cultivator said, staring at Han Li, uttering words that completely took him by surprise.

Though the Wind Splitter Beast spoke politely, Han Li didn’t dare refuse. He could only nod with a bitter smile.

Seeing Han Li agree, the Wind Splitter Beast looked pleased.

Without another word, he raised his hand, and a blue light sphere appeared in his palm. The sphere instantly expanded, enveloping Han Li as well.

A strange glint flashed in Han Li’s eyes, but he didn’t resist. In a flash of blue light, he was pulled to the Wind Splitter Beast’s side. With a “plop,” the light sphere carried both of them into the pond, sinking straight down.

Since the light sphere emitted a faint blue glow, Han Li could still see the underwater world around him. Perhaps due to the peculiar nature of the pond water, aside from a kind of palm-sized white strange fish, Han Li saw no other fish. There were also no small sea creatures or seaweed.

Seeing Han Li seemed curious about the scenery underwater, the Wind Splitter Beast smiled faintly but said nothing.

After about the time it takes to eat a meal, the light sphere stopped descending. With a slight tremble, it began moving sideways.

In the blink of an eye, a massive black stone gate appeared before them. White light shimmered on the stone gate, indicating some restriction was in place.

“We’re here. This is my humble abode. I hope you won’t laugh, fellow Daoist,” the Wind Splitter Beast said, pointing at the stone gate with unusual politeness.

Han Li forced a smile but said nothing.

The light sphere directly collided with the stone gate, but the gate opened on its own. Instantly, the sphere passed through a white curtain, delivering them into a dry passage.

The passage was dazzlingly colorful, with walls inlaid with various dragon-eye-sized pearls that reflected each other’s light, illuminating the place as bright as day.

“After you, fellow Daoist!” The Wind Splitter Beast couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride seeing Han Li’s astonished expression.

These pearls were no ordinary pearls. They were treasures he had obtained by venturing into the deepest parts of the ocean and specifically targeting thousand-year-old intelligent clams. Each had unique properties, such as repelling water or warding off fire.

Han Li glanced at the passage ahead, extremely reluctant to enter. But under the gaze of the ninth-grade demon beast beside him, he had no choice but to steel himself and take the lead.

The blue-robed Wind Splitter Beast followed closely behind at a leisurely pace.

The passage wasn’t too long. In no time, Han Li arrived at a gorgeously decorated hall adorned with various corals.

In the center of the hall stood a pure white, crystalline jade table with several chairs carved from the same exquisite jade. In each of the four corners stood an ancient-looking small tripod, each holding a black incense candle as thick as a finger, emitting a faint, clear fragrance.