Without hesitation, Han Li let out a cold snort, and the vast spiritual sense he had released suddenly condensed and swiftly withdrew back into his body.
Seizing this golden opportunity, the hoarse-voiced woman and the unfamiliar man naturally refused to let it slip. They immediately urged their spiritual senses forward, chasing after Han Li’s with fierce momentum.
In an instant, three powerful spiritual senses appeared high above where Han Li stood. Though the other three weaker spiritual senses also gave chase, they were clearly a step behind.
Seeing this, Han Li narrowed his eyes and let out an icy, bone-chilling snort!
Though the sound was not loud, the sky above immediately rippled violently. The spiritual senses of the hoarse-voiced woman and the unfamiliar man were caught in the disturbance, involuntarily freezing for a moment and separating from their collision with Han Li’s spiritual sense.
At that moment, a trace of ferocity flashed across Han Li’s face. With a single-handed seal, the spiritual sense he had released did not immediately withdraw back into his body. Instead, it spun rapidly and transformed into a translucent blade over ten zhang long, which flashed and slashed at the man’s spiritual sense.
A piercing scream erupted from the stone city.
Caught off guard, the man’s spiritual sense was cleanly severed in two by the translucent blade, with about one-tenth of it vanishing into thin air.
Han Li’s decisive move to crystallize his spiritual sense had dealt a heavy blow to the unfamiliar man.
Only then did the hoarse-voiced woman snap out of her daze. With a sharp cry, her spiritual sense contracted and transformed into a crystallized giant hand, smashing fiercely toward the blade.
But her attack was clearly too late.
With a flicker, the blade dissolved into specks of crystalline light and vanished.
At the same time, Han Li’s immense spiritual sense surged back into his body like a tidal wave.
“Boom!”
Blue and white lightning erupted behind Han Li, forming a pair of crystalline wings crackling with electricity.
“Go!”
With a low shout and a single-handed seal, Han Li’s wings flapped abruptly.
His entire body shot forward like a blue-white thread of light, covering over a thousand zhang in a single flash. Another blur, and he vanished beyond the horizon without a trace.
From the stone city came an enraged snort. The giant spider phantom flickered into existence once more, with a tall, green-robed beauty standing steadily atop it. Her expression darkened as she gazed into the distance where Han Li had disappeared, but she showed no intention of giving chase immediately.
Nearby, a ripple of energy signaled the appearance of a sinister-looking black-robed elder beside the woman. His face was slightly pale, and he glared fiercely into the distance.
“Lady Luo, shall we pursue him? If we don’t act now, he might truly escape,” the elder said unwillingly.
“Let it be for now. The strength of his spiritual sense far exceeds our expectations, and his other abilities are likely no less formidable. Without knowing his origins, it’s best not to act rashly—there may be companions lying in ambush,” the green-robed woman replied after a moment of contemplation, shaking her head.
“Your words hold merit, Lady Luo. But this fragmented realm has long been sealed. Where did this man come from? Could he, like me, have accidentally fallen into this realm through a spatial rift?” the black-robed elder mused, his expression softening slightly.
“That’s hard to say. Though this realm is sealed, there are still several ways to enter—each requiring either sheer luck or a tremendous price. Otherwise, our Asura Clan wouldn’t have enjoyed such peace all these years,” the green-robed woman said slowly.
“So, this man might have stumbled in by accident, or he might have deliberately entered this Lesser Asura Realm. The former is manageable, but if it’s the latter, things could turn troublesome,” the black-robed elder said, his expression growing graver.
“Whether it’s one or the other, we can discuss it further before deciding,” the green-robed woman said darkly.
“Very well. Let’s first question Bi Zhu and see when that man left his spiritual mark on her. That should help us judge better,” the black-robed elder agreed.
With that, the giant spider phantom dissipated, and the two figures vanished into the void.
Shortly after, in a grand hall at the center of the stone city, the green-robed woman and the black-robed elder took their seats as host and guest, respectively.
Below them stood three middle-aged men and women, their auras no weaker than those of ordinary Mahayana cultivators.
Behind these three were seventeen or eighteen individuals of varying appearances and ages, all exuding the spiritual pressure of Void Refinement cultivators. Among them was the young woman who had lured Han Li to the lava lake.
“Clan Matriarch, what is the origin of the intruder? Is he targeting our clan specifically?” asked one of the middle-aged men, a pale-faced individual, bowing respectfully to the woman and elder.
“Whether he’s targeting our clan remains unclear for now. Bi Zhu, you were marked by that man’s spiritual sense—did you not notice anything at all? When and where do you think he planted the mark?” the green-robed woman asked expressionlessly, turning to the young woman.
“Clan Matriarch, if not for Elder Yi’s intervention, I would never have known about the spiritual imprint. I truly have no idea when or where it was placed,” the young woman replied, stepping forward nervously and kowtowing.
“Not even a hint? Think carefully. Even if you didn’t notice at the time, you should be able to recall some clues afterward,” the green-robed woman said coldly.
“Yes, I’ll think again,” the young woman replied anxiously, lowering her head in deep thought.
The others watched her with varying expressions.
After what felt like an eternity, the young woman shuddered and raised her head again.
“Well? Have you remembered?” the green-robed woman asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Yes, Clan Matriarch. I recall feeling a slight anomaly in my body when I left the Dry Fire Pool of the Sky Fish Clan. But the sensation was so faint that I wouldn’t have remembered it if I hadn’t gone over it repeatedly,” the young woman said fearfully.
“What? The Sky Fish Clan? The Dry Fire Pool?” The green-robed woman and the black-robed elder exchanged shocked glances, as if this revelation had struck a nerve.
The others looked at each other in confusion. After a long pause, one of the middle-aged women—delicate and petite—stepped forward hesitantly. “Clan Matriarch, is there something amiss about the intruder marking Bi Zhu in the Sky Fish Clan’s territory? The Sky Fish Clan is little more than prey to us. Why the concern?”
“You know nothing. If the Sky Fish Clan were merely prey, why would I have granted them the precious Dry Fire Pool? There are other clans far more abundant and delicious as blood sustenance,” the green-robed woman said darkly.
Seeing her grim expression, the petite woman dared not press further and silently retreated after a slight bow.
At this point, the black-robed elder spoke with a furrowed brow: “Lady Luo, since this involves the Sky Fish Clan, we must deliberate carefully to ensure that matter doesn’t go awry.”
“No need to remind me. Bi Zhu, recount everything that happened at the Dry Fire Pool that day, word for word,” the green-robed woman commanded coldly.
“Yes! That day, I arrived at the Dry Fire Pool at noon…” The young woman began recounting the events in detail, recalling everything meticulously.
After listening, the green-robed woman and the black-robed elder exchanged glances, their expressions grave.
“All of you, leave us. I need to speak with Elder Yi alone,” the green-robed woman ordered after a deep breath.
“As you command!”
The others bowed and retreated from the hall without protest.
Soon, only the green-robed woman and Elder Yi remained.
“Elder Yi, what do you make of this? Could that man truly be here for that matter? Otherwise, why would such a powerful being come to this Lesser Asura Realm, despite its rare resources?” the green-robed woman asked gravely after a moment of thought.
“Unlikely. That matter was a stroke of divine inspiration we stumbled upon after years of contemplation. It’s improbable others would share the same idea. He must be here by accident,” Elder Yi replied after some thought, his expression easing.
“I thought the same. But we can’t rule out the possibility he’s targeting our Asura Spider Clan. After all, to other realms, we are a rare and coveted existence,” the green-robed woman said cautiously.
“True, we can’t dismiss that. But if he were truly after your clan, he wouldn’t have come alone—he’d have brought allies,” Elder Yi mused, then chuckled coldly.
“Your words are wise. With the current information, we can’t be certain. We must investigate whether he has companions to discern his intentions. Summon Wu Ying and Wan Feng,” the green-robed woman said, nodding in agreement. She flipped her hand, producing a formation disk, and issued crisp orders.
Soon, the hall doors swung open as a gust of wind and a streak of yellow light swept in. In a flash, they materialized before the green-robed woman and Elder Yi, revealing their true forms.
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