As soon as the black-robed youth’s Spirit Infant was enveloped by the fragrant mist, he felt dizzy and weak, his divine sense utterly sapped. Then, before he could react, the silver lights pierced his Spirit Infant with lightning speed, freezing his vital essence and sealing all his supernatural abilities—even self-destruction was now beyond his reach.
The Spirit Infant’s tiny face instantly turned deathly pale, its eyes wide with disbelief as it stared at the white-clad young woman standing beside Han Li.
“Well done! Your strikes grow ever swifter,” Han Li praised with a faint smile, though it was he who had secretly instructed Silvermoon to act.
“All thanks to Master’s impeccable timing. This man was solely focused on escape, so he failed to notice that the figure I left behind was merely an illusion. My true form had already slipped away unnoticed.” Silvermoon chuckled, her lips curving slightly. With a flick of her sleeve toward the other “Silvermoon” beside Han Li, the figure dissolved into a wisp of white light and vanished.
Han Li smiled faintly but said no more. The massive golden net that had enveloped the area crackled with thunder before shrinking back into a golden sphere, which flew into his hand and disappeared. As for the Great Geng Sword Formation, with a mere thought, it reverted into thirty-six flying swords, shrinking down and slipping into his sleeves.
Only then did Han Li leisurely turn his gaze to the Spirit Infant. The black-robed youth’s Spirit Infant trembled in terror, wanting to curse, but its body was so weak it couldn’t even open its mouth.
“Silvermoon, take him to that grove and begin searching for a way to lift the Soul-Sealing Curse,” Han Li commanded coldly, his expression darkening. With that, he rose into the air and flew alone toward a dense forest in the distance.
“As you command, Master,” Silvermoon replied respectfully, lifting the Spirit Infant effortlessly before floating after him. Soon after, a vast expanse of pink mist rose from the forest, engulfing the entire grove.
Hundreds of miles away from the island where Han Li and the black-robed youth had battled, six streaks of radiant light—each a different color—streaked through the sky toward the island. At the forefront was the silver-haired elder from Fallen Cloud Sect, his expression grave.
“Brother Cheng, are you certain about this? That teleportation array looked incredibly crude—how could it send someone so far? It’s almost unbelievable,” a portly elder with a ruddy nose asked, flying close behind the silver-haired elder.
“Absolutely certain. My senses are crystal clear now. Junior Brother Han should be just ahead. Everyone, stay alert. That man is at least a mid-stage Nascent Soul demonic cultivator. Though we outnumber him, we’re all at the early stage. We must be cautious when facing him,” the silver-haired elder replied firmly before adding a warning.
“Don’t worry. Brother You has even brought his sect’s treasure, the Bewitching Immortal Bell. Even if we can’t defeat him, escaping won’t be an issue,” the Fire Dragon Child, who looked like a young boy, said with a light chuckle.
“That’s true. If not for Brother You’s willingness to bring this treasure, I wouldn’t have dared to lead you all into this danger. If that demonic cultivator truly is the Yin Luo Sect’s leader, we’d be in grave peril,” the silver-haired elder said, casting a grateful glance at the gray-robed elder.
“It’s nothing. Brother Cheng once did me a great favor, so it’s only right I lend my strength. Besides, that Yin Luo Sect cultivator dared to infiltrate our Xi Country and harm others—clearly, he holds us in contempt. We must teach him a lesson, lest he think our Xi Country’s cultivation world is weak,” the gray-robed elder replied with a faint smile.
“Still, I’m quite curious about your sect’s Fellow Daoist Han. I’ve heard that during the war against the Mulan people, he performed brilliantly, nearly turning the tide single-handedly. I’d love to meet him,” a dignified, imposing man interjected with a hearty laugh.
“Indeed, I’ve also heard much about Fellow Daoist Han recently and would like to make his acquaintance,” the ruddy-nosed elder added with a grin.
“That’s simple enough. Once we help Junior Brother Han resolve this matter, I’ll introduce you all. However, I’m worried about his safety now. That demonic cultivator was cunning enough to use a temporary teleportation array to escape us. With Han fighting alone for so long, I fear something may have happened,” the silver-haired elder said, his face clouded with concern.
“Don’t worry. If that man went to such lengths to shake us off, his cultivation must not be too high. Otherwise, why be so cautious? With Fellow Daoist Han’s abilities, he won’t suffer any losses,” the imposing man said bluntly.
“I hope your words prove true,” the silver-haired elder replied with a bitter smile. Privately, he knew better—given the demonic cultivator’s prowess when he infiltrated Fallen Cloud Sect, he was either a late-stage Nascent Soul grand cultivator or a peak mid-stage expert. Such an opponent wouldn’t be easily dealt with. He dreaded the thought of losing their newly acquired powerhouse so soon. Still, as long as the tracking mark remained active, it meant Han Li was alive, which offered some comfort.
As the six Nascent Soul cultivators conversed, they covered another hundred miles, gradually nearing the island. Their expressions grew solemn.
“Hmm?” The silver-haired elder suddenly halted his flight.
“Brother Cheng, what’s wrong?” someone asked in surprise.
“Junior Brother Han seems to be moving toward us. I don’t know if he’s resolved the matter or if…” The elder trailed off, but the implication was clear—if Han Li had been captured alive, the mark could still be moving in their direction.
“Let’s prepare ourselves. If Fellow Daoist Han is truly in trouble, we must rescue him,” Elder You said calmly, retrieving a small yellow bell from his storage pouch and holding it aloft as he gazed ahead. The others exchanged glances before solemnly drawing their own treasures, ready for battle.
The silver-haired elder’s face darkened, his eyes flickering with anxiety. Moments later, a streak of azure light appeared in the distance, speeding toward them.
“That’s Junior Brother Han’s flight light! He’s unharmed!” The elder exhaled in relief, his face brightening. The others looked surprised—had Han Li truly defeated the demonic cultivator alone?
As they wondered, the azure light arrived before them in a flash, dissipating to reveal a green-robed youth—Han Li himself.
“Brother Cheng, Fellow Daoist Fire Dragon, you’ve arrived. And these must be the fellow Daoists who came to assist. I’m deeply grateful for your aid,” Han Li said with a clasped fist, though his brows remained furrowed as if weighed by concerns.
“Fellow Daoist Han, you jest. We arrived too late to be of any real help. It’s rather embarrassing,” Elder You said humbly after scrutinizing Han Li. The others, deferring to the gray-robed elder, simply smiled without comment.
The silver-haired elder glanced behind Han Li, seeing no pursuers, and asked, “Junior Brother Han, where is that demonic cultivator? Did you manage to escape?”
“He’s dead. I destroyed his Spirit Infant as well. However, he wasn’t the Yin Luo Sect’s leader—just one of their elders,” Han Li replied flatly.
“What? You truly killed him? Even if he wasn’t a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, he must have been at least mid-stage. How did you manage it?” The silver-haired elder was stunned.
Elder You and the Fire Dragon Child exchanged shocked glances. Though they had spoken lightly of the demonic cultivator earlier, they knew his strength—he had wounded an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in Fallen Cloud Sect and escaped unscathed. Only Elder You’s Bewitching Immortal Bell had given them the confidence to intervene. Yet Han Li had slain the man alone, even destroying his Spirit Infant. The revelation left them awed.
“It was luck. His techniques happened to be countered by mine,” Han Li said vaguely. After a pause, he flicked his wrist, tossing a black object toward the silver-haired elder. The elder caught it reflexively, finding it icy to the touch. Upon closer inspection, it was an ebony token covered in dense inscriptions, with the ancient character “Luo” (罗) at its center.
“What is this?” the elder asked, though he already suspected.
“The demonic cultivator’s Yin Luo Sect elder token—a rather potent ancient treasure. This should suffice as proof of his identity,” Han Li said calmly, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
The others examined the token, sensing its extraordinary nature, and their doubts vanished.
They pressed for details of the battle, but Han Li brushed them off with vague remarks. Sensing his reluctance, they tactfully dropped the subject, though all now harbored a desire to befriend him. After all, a cultivator capable of slaying a mid-stage Nascent Soul demonic practitioner was someone of immense power—worth cultivating ties with, for both personal and sect benefits.
Since they had come to aid him, Han Li treated them with utmost courtesy, and the group parted on amicable terms.
On the way back, Han Li bid farewell to the silver-haired elder and the others, returning with him to Fallen Cloud Sect in the Cloud Dream Mountains.
In a side chamber of the sect’s main hall, the elder finally voiced his concerns: “Junior Brother Han, did you find a way to lift the Soul-Sealing Curse? You seemed troubled on the way back, forcing smiles at times. Did this trip fail to achieve its purpose?”
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