The male Sea King tribesman saw Shi Kun’s actions, a flash of killing intent crossing his face. With a single hand, he reached into the void before him, and blue light shimmered as the trident that had been strapped to his back suddenly and eerily appeared in his grasp.
A thunderous roar followed, and streaks of silver-white lightning crackled along the weapon’s edge, exuding an astonishingly fearsome aura.
“Hold!”
“Brother Shi, stop!”
Almost simultaneously, the alluring female Sea King tribeswoman and Liu Shui’er cried out in alarm.
Immediately, the male Sea King tribesman heard his companion’s crisp voice in his ear: “Elder brother, have you forgotten our purpose here? This is not the time for conflict—we have a crucial mission to fulfill.”
“If we release the Nine-Eyed Sacred Whale, these three would be nothing to worry about,” the male tribesman retorted through telepathy, though he halted in place, his expression dismissive of Shi Kun and the others.
“Though I have persuaded the Nine-Eyed Sacred Whale, it’s best not to summon it unless absolutely necessary. Frequent intervention might provoke its wrath. After all, my royal bloodline is not particularly strong, and I can barely communicate with it. Moreover, while our clan is allied with the Horned Race, we have no direct conflict with the Tianyun people. There’s no need to jeopardize our mission for their sake,” the female tribeswoman reasoned.
“I see…” The male hesitated.
Meanwhile, Shi Kun also heard Liu Shui’er’s voice in his ear:
“Brother Shi, we’ve only just escaped the pursuit of the Shadow Beasts, and our spiritual power is greatly depleted. These two Sea King tribespeople are no ordinary opponents—even with Brother Han’s help, we won’t emerge unscathed. Our primary goal is to break the ruins’ restrictions. Let’s not invite unnecessary trouble.”
“Even if we don’t wish to fight, it depends on whether they agree,” Shi Kun replied coldly.
“Don’t worry. Let me negotiate first. If they truly insist on hostility, the three of us together won’t fear them,” Liu Shui’er responded, her tone equally icy.
She then whispered a few words to Han Li, who listened thoughtfully before nodding slowly.
Relieved, Liu Shui’er turned to the opposing pair with a light laugh and said in a melodious voice, “The Tianyun Thirteen Clans and your esteemed clan have no direct conflict. Why must we fight to the death? I doubt you two are confident in killing all three of us. Why not pretend we never saw each other and go our separate ways?”
“Sister speaks wisely. My brother and I are not of the Horned Race—there’s no need for immediate bloodshed. Since you propose it, we shall take our leave first,” the female Sea King tribeswoman replied with a radiant smile.
She then shot a glance at her companion, and a surge of white mist swirled from her lower body, enveloping the male tribesman.
After a brief hesitation, he offered no resistance.
The two merged into a single streak of white light, vanishing into the distance in mere flashes.
Han Li remained motionless, his brow furrowing slightly as he watched them disappear.
For some reason, the female Sea King tribeswoman carried two distinct yet unsettling auras that vaguely threatened him.
Perhaps she cultivated some formidable technique or possessed a terrifying treasure. He dismissed the thought of spirit beasts—typically, unless one specialized in taming them, such creatures were far weaker than their masters and served only as auxiliary tools in battle.
After a brief discussion, the trio also departed, flying off in another direction.
—
Meanwhile, the pair of Sea King tribespeople, now thousands of miles away, conversed gravely within their glowing white mist.
“What? That upper seventh-rank cultivator is more dangerous than the other two?” the male exclaimed in disbelief.
“Indeed. That was another reason I urged restraint. The situation earlier was not suitable for detailed explanation,” the female replied, smoothing her raven-black hair with certainty.
“You wouldn’t say this without reason. Explain,” the male pressed, his expression shifting.
“My replica Profound Heaven Artifact—the Profound Sacred Artifact—reacted to him,” she admitted after a pause.
“What?! The Profound Sacred Artifact reacted? Does he possess one too?” The male nearly leaped in shock.
“Perhaps, but not necessarily. The reaction was unusually intense—far stronger than when encountering others with similar artifacts,” she said slowly.
“If not a replica, then it must be a true Profound Heaven Artifact! Impossible—how could such a treasure be in the hands of a mere upper seventh-rank? You must have misread it,” the male scoffed, though his eye twitched.
They both knew the terrifying might of a true Profound Heaven Artifact.
“Perhaps I misjudged. The elders only recently bestowed this detection-type Profound Sacred Artifact for our mission. But even a ten percent chance that he wields such a treasure means certain death if we fought,” she sighed.
“The gap between a replica and the real thing is insurmountable. Even with the Nine-Eyed Sacred Whale, we’d stand no chance. So, we narrowly escaped with our lives,” the male muttered bitterly.
“Not necessarily. Owning a Profound Heaven Artifact and wielding it are two different things. An upper seventh-rank shouldn’t be able to activate it—though there are rare secret arts that might allow partial use. More likely, he carries an exceptionally well-crafted replica. In that case, provoking them would still be unwise,” she mused.
“True. The latter is far more probable,” the male agreed, nodding vigorously.
“Regardless, their path differs from ours. We’re unlikely to meet again. Let’s focus on our mission—completing it will earn us great rewards. Thanks to our ancestors’ efforts in previous expeditions, we have this rare opportunity,” she said with a smile.
“Agreed. His danger is irrelevant to us. Though, speaking of which, those Horned Race members we encountered days ago seemed suspicious. Their path might intersect with the Tianyun group’s earlier route. What if they meet?” the male mused, a sly glint in his eye.
“Who knows? The Vast Cold Realm is vast—chances are slim. But if they do clash, it won’t end peacefully. Witnessing it might reveal what treasure that man truly carries,” the female said, her eyes gleaming.
“Unlikely we’ll see it. Come, another month’s travel should bring us to our destination,” the male chuckled, abruptly accelerating their flight.
The female followed suit, her own speed increasing.
—
Han Li remained unaware that the Sea King tribespeople had glimpsed part of his hidden secret.
Even the female tribeswoman didn’t realize that what she sensed was merely the Profound Heaven Blade shard concealed within Han Li—not the sealed Profound Heaven Fruit in his arm, which her artifact couldn’t detect.
Now, he and his companions drifted slowly across the grasslands.
“Brother Han suggests resting here for a few days before continuing. Is that necessary? Though Brother Shi and I expended some spiritual power in the Shadow Beast Forest, we can recover gradually by absorbing spirit stones while traveling,” Liu Shui’er said, puzzled.
“Your point is valid, but the dangers here exceed our expectations. The Shadow Beast Forest was troublesome enough—what lies ahead may be worse. Restoring our strength early is prudent. And it’s not just spiritual power—your vitality has also waned slightly,” Han Li replied meaningfully.
“Brother Han sees keenly. But delaying for this…” Liu Shui’er hesitated.
“Brother Han is right. Pressing onward without full strength is unwise. I, too, need days of meditation. Let’s find a safe spot nearby,” Shi Kun interjected firmly.
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