If an ordinary late-stage Core Formation cultivator were trapped by these golden flames, they likely wouldn’t last even a short while, just as Wen Tianren had claimed.
But Han Li was different!
At this moment, he gazed at the surrounding golden flames, frowned slightly, and then patted his storage pouch with one hand, producing a small vial.
Looking at the vial, Han Li couldn’t help but sigh softly. The ten-thousand-year spiritual liquid he had just obtained probably wouldn’t last much longer.
Ironically, if he hadn’t acquired this spiritual liquid from Yuan Yao, he would likely be facing certain death now. But at the same time, if he hadn’t sought this spiritual liquid, he wouldn’t have encountered this successor of the Six Paths and ended up trapped in this predicament!
This gave Han Li an extremely peculiar feeling.
At first glance, it seemed he was at a disadvantage. But with half a vial of ten-thousand-year spiritual liquid, he had nothing to fear. On the contrary, whether it was the golden light trapping him or the raging golden flames, Wen Tianren couldn’t possibly sustain them without paying a price. If the battle came down to endurance and cultivation, this was actually Han Li’s chance to turn the tables. This time, Wen Tianren was truly digging his own grave.
Thinking this, a cold smile flashed across Han Li’s face. He sat cross-legged within the light barrier, preparing to endure this battle of attrition with the Six Paths successor before launching a counterattack.
Thus, a strange scene unfolded. The sky, once filled with thunder and lightning, fell into complete silence. Wen Tianren and Han Li, one above and one below, sat motionless, silently forming hand seals. Only the towering golden flames burned soundlessly.
The peerlessly beautiful Zi Ling observed this scene, her bright eyes flickering with emotion as she sighed inwardly.
In her view, since Han Li was trapped by Wen Tianren’s divine flames with no means of escape, his defeat was inevitable. Though he could still rely on the silver light barrier for temporary safety, it was merely a desperate struggle.
For now, she stood at a distance with a complicated expression, showing no intention of intervening. It seemed she wouldn’t involve herself in their battle until it was truly over.
Meanwhile, dozens of miles away from the island, the Mei siblings, the old man surnamed Zhao, and the other low-level cultivators couldn’t see the battle between Han Li and Wen Tianren due to the distance. However, they could faintly sense the distant flashes of light and the rumbling explosions, causing their expressions to change drastically.
Mistakenly believing that the white figure was fighting the Core Formation cultivator on the island, they naturally became even more reluctant to leave. Now that all sounds and signs of battle had abruptly ceased, the group exchanged uneasy glances. Unsure whether the battle had concluded or if something unexpected had occurred, they still didn’t dare to leave recklessly and could only grit their teeth and remain where they were.
On the opposite side of the island, the group of beautiful female cultivators accompanying the beast-drawn carriage—still unnoticed by the others—also whispered among themselves with worried expressions.
Though they were called Wen Tianren’s personal attendants, their status was no different from concubines, as they had all received his favor. If anything were to happen to Wen Tianren, the fate awaiting them upon their return was too dreadful to imagine.
However, since Wen Tianren had forbidden them from following when he took Zi Ling to the island, they dared not act rashly despite their unease. After some discussion, they still refrained from entering the island.
Thus, time passed slowly.
From day to night, and then from night to dawn, half a day slipped by in silence. The island remained eerily quiet, as if the previous day’s battle had never happened.
This prolonged silence made both groups of cultivators—now split into two locations—grow increasingly restless and suspicious. Meanwhile, other cultivators began arriving in the vicinity.
After the celestial phenomena of the previous day, most cultivators from nearby small islands had learned of the treasure’s emergence here. Naturally, they rushed over, most of them at the Foundation Establishment stage, though a few reckless Qi Condensation cultivators also tagged along.
These newcomers arrived from all directions. Upon reaching the island’s vicinity and surveying their surroundings, they either encountered the old man and his group or spotted the female cultivators near the beast-drawn carriage.
Those who met the old man and his companions were in luck. The old man surnamed Zhao and the Mei siblings had wide social connections, and after some polite conversation, the old man and his group truthfully shared what they knew.
Upon hearing that Core Formation cultivators had already entered the island and had yet to return, the newcomers grew hesitant. For now, they gathered around the old man’s group, with no one foolish enough to charge into the island recklessly.
On the other side, cultivators who approached the beautiful female attendants by the carriage were met with a cold response. The leading female cultivator unceremoniously revealed their affiliation with the Inverse Star Alliance, instantly frightening the intruders into retreating with pale faces. With the Inverse Star Alliance involved, there was no advantage to be gained here, and they had no desire to invite trouble.
After some time, two Core Formation cultivators finally arrived, one of them being the deputy island master of the nearby Huangming Island.
They approached from the direction of Wen Tianren’s attendants and, puzzled by their presence, questioned them.
Since the two were Core Formation cultivators, the female attendants didn’t dare to be too dismissive. The leading attendant vaguely hinted at Wen Tianren’s identity.
The two Core Formation experts were startled. Though Huangming Island was neutral, they had no desire to provoke the Six Paths Demon Saint—the foremost figure of the demonic path—or the overwhelming might of the Inverse Star Alliance. Stuttering out a flimsy excuse, they immediately turned tail and fled the way they came.
What a joke! Even if there truly was a treasure on the island, with the Six Paths successor involved, they stood no chance. And if something had happened to the young master, getting entangled in the aftermath would be sheer folly.
Thus, while some cultivators were scared off by the Inverse Star Alliance’s reputation, thirty or forty others still gathered from other directions. However, no more Core Formation experts arrived in time.
These cultivators, each harboring ulterior motives, were unwilling to risk entering the island but also reluctant to leave empty-handed. Most hoped to take advantage of the chaos.
Above the island, the swirling yin-energy clouds had grown so vast that they now covered the entire island, plunging it into complete darkness.
But at that moment, a beam of emerald light suddenly shot up from a corner of the island, piercing straight into the clouds. Instantly, the previously turbulent sky calmed, and the dark clouds began to descend slowly, settling at a height of about a hundred zhang.
The oppressive sight gave the eerie feeling of an impending storm.
This celestial phenomenon sent a chill through the nearby cultivators. However, some quick-witted individuals secretly rejoiced, believing the green light to be a sign of the treasure’s imminent emergence.
Unable to suppress their greed, these cultivators quickly organized a group of over a dozen and prepared to fly into the island. They reasoned that with so many Foundation Establishment cultivators united, even a Core Formation expert wouldn’t dare act rashly against them.
The remaining cultivators, more cautious, simply watched coldly. They were content to let others act as scouts while they observed the situation. Moreover, they doubted these newcomers could gain anything substantial with Core Formation cultivators already inside.
At the same time, on the other side of the island, Wen Tianren’s attendants could no longer wait idly. They gathered around the beast-drawn carriage and also flew toward the island.
None of them knew that in the deep sea over a hundred miles from the island, a strange black light suddenly flickered, followed by the appearance of a slender black rift. From within the rift, countless tendrils of inky black mist surged forth.
The mist initially spanned only a few zhang but rapidly expanded, soon covering an area of over a li and continuing to grow. Within the eerie black mist, ghostly wails and howls could be heard, accompanied by strange black lightning flickering incessantly.
Even more bizarrely, nearby sea creatures—fish, shrimp, and the like—seemed drawn by an invisible force, flying toward the mist like moths to a flame.
In the blink of an eye, all life in the vicinity was swallowed up. But the black mist remained unsatisfied, voraciously expanding its reach.
Two li, three li…
It not only breached the sea’s surface but soon dominated the surrounding waters, forming a seemingly endless expanse of terrifying black mist that sent shivers down the spine.
From above, it was clear the mist’s spread would soon reach the island where Yuan Yao was performing the Soul Return Technique.
Yet everyone on the island, including Han Li, remained completely unaware of this looming threat.
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