The disappearance of the Mulan Sacred Bird was soon noticed by both the cultivators and the spell warriors on the battlefield. Instantly, the spell warriors’ expressions darkened, while the cultivators’ spirits soared, their morale greatly boosted.
The gaunt elder and Tian Zhong, who were entangled with their opponents, also wore looks of disbelief upon witnessing this. The Sacred Bird’s premature disappearance couldn’t possibly be due to the exhaustion of the lamp’s oil—it must have been extinguished by the Tiannan cultivators. These two Great Divine Masters had no idea that their Mulan clan’s ancestral treasure had once again fallen into Han Li’s hands. In their view, all the late-Nascent Soul cultivators on the opposing side were already occupied, and with the Sacred Bird’s support, there was no way the remaining cultivators could have breached the defenses of the woman surnamed Yue. This unexpected turn of events left them utterly baffled.
Meanwhile, Han Li had stealthily flown near the Soul Devouring Beast and reappeared. The giant ape transformed from the beast had already reduced most of the refined corpses to ashes, while the remaining few were hastily retrieved by the black-robed cultivators of the Yin Luo Sect. Otherwise, the entire group of bronze-armored corpses would have been annihilated sooner or later. Having absorbed so much corpse energy, the giant ape had grown even larger, its fur now glossy and black, as if it had just feasted on a great supplement.
During this time, several waves of black-robed cultivators and spell warriors had attempted to eliminate the giant ape. However, Long Han was well aware that this strange beast was crucial in dealing with the bronze-armored corpses and couldn’t allow the enemy to succeed. He immediately dispatched some of his forces to intercept them. A few managed to slip through, but before they could get close to the ape, they were ambushed by Silvermoon, who used illusions to dispatch them effortlessly.
By the time Han Li returned, he saw from a distance that the Soul Devouring Beast had just destroyed the last remaining bronze-armored corpse outside. Without hesitation, he beckoned to it. A flash of black light enveloped the beast as it rapidly shrank, transforming into a dark streak that flew into the spirit beast pouch at Han Li’s waist. Seeing this, Silvermoon also flew obediently to Han Li’s side.
Just as Han Li was about to turn and speak to Silvermoon, a thunderous roar erupted from the sky. A vast expanse of dark clouds, spanning hundreds of feet, descended from above, filled with rolling green lightning. The sky darkened abruptly. Han Li’s expression turned grave as he looked up.
“Who? Who killed my wife? I will extract their soul and refine their spirit to avenge this!” The voice boomed like thunder from within the clouds—it was the Yin Luo Sect Master. Hearing this, Han Li’s heart sank, and his gaze turned icy.
“Since the battle isn’t over yet, why leave in such a hurry? I’d like to learn more about your demonic arts!” Following the black-robed man’s words, the voice of the Joyous Old Demon drifted lazily from above. A surge of gray-white mist shot down from the sky, blocking the path of the dark clouds.
“Get out of my way! I have no time for games now. If you don’t move, don’t blame me for being ruthless,” the Yin Luo Sect Master’s voice was frigid.
“Ruthless? In all my years, few have dared to be ruthless with me. Show me what you’ve got!” The Joyous Old Demon sneered, showing no intention of backing down.
The black-robed man in the clouds fell silent for a long moment before finally replying in a sinister tone, “Fine. Since you refuse to yield, I’ll waste no more time. Let me show you the power of my sect’s treasure—the Ghost Luo Banner!” The sect master seemed to laugh in fury.
“The Ghost Luo Banner?” The Joyous Old Demon’s voice carried a hint of surprise and excitement.
Their brief exchange sent shockwaves through the battlefield below. Many cultivators were stunned to learn that the Yin Luo Sect Master’s wife had been killed by Tiannan cultivators, and they secretly wondered who had done it.
Han Li maintained a calm facade, though inwardly he was relieved that the Joyous Old Demon had intercepted the sect master. He had no desire to be hunted down by a late-Nascent Soul cultivator.
Just as everyone, including Han Li, expected a fierce battle between the Joyous Old Demon and the Jin Country’s demonic cultivator, another development occurred. A sharp whistle pierced the air from the direction of the spell warriors’ rear, followed by the appearance of over a dozen streaks of light racing toward the battlefield.
Before they even arrived, a voice boomed, “Great Divine Masters, halt the battle! The grasslands are in turmoil—something has changed!” The speaker had amplified their voice with a secret technique, ensuring everyone heard. The streaks of light accelerated, plunging into the battlefield.
Both sides paused in astonishment, many turning to look. The gaunt elder’s heart sank at the words, while Long Han and the others also hesitated, their attacks slowing.
The elder decisively retreated dozens of feet, casting a cold glance at the cultivators before transforming into a streak of light to meet the arriving spell warriors.
Long Han hesitated but didn’t pursue. The elder hadn’t been losing—if anything, he’d held a slight advantage. Chasing him now would be unwise. The messenger’s words had clearly been meant for both sides, suggesting something unusual was afoot. Perhaps it was related to the Uptal people? Long Han’s mind raced with possibilities.
Han Li also watched intently as the elder approached the newcomers. The lights dimmed, revealing over a dozen spell warriors in varied attire. The leader, a yellow-robed spell warrior, was at the mid-Nascent Soul stage—a surprising discovery, as such a high-ranking figure hadn’t appeared in the earlier battle. This suggested the news was serious.
Above, the Joyous Old Demon and the Yin Luo Sect Master fell silent for unknown reasons.
The gaunt elder was visibly shocked upon seeing the yellow-robed spell warrior. Before he could speak, the latter approached and whispered something, causing the elder’s face to darken. The yellow-robed man then handed him a jade slip, which the elder examined briefly before his expression turned ashen. After a brief exchange, the elder turned and flew back toward Long Han.
“There’s no need to fight any longer. Cease hostilities immediately, or we’ll only be playing into someone else’s hands,” the Mulan Great Divine Master said calmly upon reaching Long Han.
“What do you mean? If we’re to stop, I need a reason,” Long Han replied cautiously, his eyes flickering.
Despite Han Li’s unexpected feats—destroying the bronze-armored corpses and the cyan demonic bird—the battle had remained evenly matched. Long Han doubted the Mulan were retreating out of fear.
“Did you send a team to raid our warehouses in Tiantian City?” the elder countered sharply.
Long Han’s heart skipped a beat, but he kept his composure. After a moment, he admitted, “Yes, we did. It seems you’ve discovered them.”
“Discovered? Hmph! If not for a third party’s interference, you might have succeeded,” the elder said, his anger flashing briefly before he regained control.
“A third party?” Long Han frowned.
The elder wasted no more words, instead transmitting a message directly to Long Han.
“What? Such a thing!” Long Han exclaimed, unable to maintain his calm.
“Given the circumstances, do you think I’d lie?” the elder snapped.
Long Han’s brow furrowed. After a brief pause, he raised his hand and released a talisman into the sky. It exploded into several golden orbs, their brilliance dazzling. At this signal, the cultivators immediately disengaged and retreated to their lines.
The spell warriors, having received their own orders, also withdrew silently. Even the blood ghost and the stone giant were forcibly separated, ceasing hostilities. In moments, the battlefield lay empty.
Both sides returned to their original positions, though their numbers had dwindled significantly. While the spell warriors remained orderly, the cultivators buzzed with speculation. High-ranking cultivators crowded around Long Han, demanding answers, but he only offered a bitter smile, frustrating the crowd.
Above, the dark clouds and gray mist dispersed, revealing the Joyous Old Demon and the black-robed man glaring at each other. The sounds of battle from the higher altitudes also ceased as Wei Wuyan and Supreme Yang floated down unharmed, much to the cultivators’ relief.
Shortly after, the Confucian scholar and the dwarf also returned unscathed, prompting cheers from the Mulan.
With the three great cultivators back, Long Han finally spoke. To avoid panic, the news was shared only among mid-Nascent Soul cultivators and a few special individuals. Simple barriers were erected as they discussed the dire tidings from the Mulan.
Given Han Li’s performance in the battle, his inclusion in the meeting was unquestionable.
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