Chapter 1628: An Unexpected Guest

Han Li stood atop a small mountain peak, gazing at a distant mountain range with narrowed eyes.

“This is the place you mentioned! It doesn’t look particularly remarkable.” After withdrawing his gaze, he turned to Xianxian beside him.

“Precisely because of that, it chose this location. Brother Yue, you don’t need to guide us further. Please rest nearby for now. Senior Han and I will go ahead first. We’ll return in half a day at the earliest, or three to four days at most. If we don’t return by then, don’t wait for us—just leave on your own,” Xianxian said with a smile to Yue Zong.

“Since Fairy Xian says so, I’ll take the opportunity to rest,” Yue Zong readily agreed, cupping his fists before flying toward another nearby hill and disappearing into it.

“Senior Han, let’s go,” Xianxian said, taking a deep breath as her expression turned solemn.

Han Li nodded without a word, summoning a streak of light as he flew toward the mountain range ahead.

As soon as they entered the mountains, the demonic smoke bird perched on the crystalline woman’s shoulder suddenly flapped its wings and soared into the sky. After circling briefly, it shot off in a specific direction.

Han Li and Xianxian quietly followed.

The mountain range was a vast expanse of overlapping peaks, stretching endlessly.

After flying thousands of miles deep into the mountains, they arrived before an unremarkable peak. The demonic smoke bird folded its wings and hovered in place, letting out a clear cry.

Xianxian’s eyes brightened with excitement.

“We’ve found the entrance.”

She urged her flight light forward, flashing several times before stopping near the mountain. She circled it swiftly before halting at a spot on the mountainside, where she materialized and examined something intently.

Han Li, enveloped in azure light, arrived beside her and followed her gaze. Before them was an ordinary-looking cliff, over a hundred zhang high, smooth and gray-white, with only some black mist floating nearby—nothing else unusual.

However, a faint blue glimmer flashed in Han Li’s eyes, and his expression shifted slightly, as if he had noticed something.

At that moment, Xianxian let out a low whistle. The demonic smoke bird, still circling above, suddenly dove down like an arrow toward the cliff.

With a muffled *thud*, the seemingly solid rock wall rippled like water upon contact with the bird. The surface blurred slightly before transforming into a thick, lifeless black mist.

The entire cliff was actually the entrance to a massive cave.

The demonic smoke bird, unaffected by the mist, vanished inside.

“Senior, please wait. I’ll first check the situation inside,” Xianxian said cautiously, sitting cross-legged in midair and closing her eyes as she formed hand seals.

A strand of her consciousness was attached to the bird, allowing her to explore the cave’s interior.

Han Li stood nearby, his eyes flickering as if deep in thought.

After the time it takes to finish a meal, the demonic smoke bird shot out of the mist, circled once, and landed on Xianxian’s shoulder. She opened her eyes.

“Good news—the Saint-rank demon beast is still in deep slumber. This is the perfect opportunity to strike. I’ll have the bird guide you directly to it. However, the demonic energy inside is extremely fierce. Even with your demonic cultivation, Senior Han, you won’t last long. It’s best to avoid waking the beast and eliminate it swiftly with overwhelming force!” Xianxian said seriously before pointing into the air.

The black bird obediently flew back into the mist.

“Rest assured, Fairy Xian. I know what to do. Since you lack demonic cultivation to protect yourself, please wait here for my return,” Han Li said after studying her for a moment. He then formed hand seals, his body glowing golden as thin scales emerged on his skin.

With a flash, he transformed into a golden streak and vanished into the mist.

Once Han Li disappeared, Xianxian’s smile faded, replaced by a pensive expression.

“It’s about time. We should act now,” a ball of azure light suddenly flew out from her body, transforming into a fist-sized qilin phantom that turned to address her.

“Wait a little longer. Whether he succeeds in killing the Saint-rank beast or not, the best time for us to enter the True Spirit’s lair is when they engage in battle,” Xianxian shook her head.

“Oh? You seem quite wary of him,” the qilin phantom chuckled.

“You’ve witnessed his power firsthand through me. Even a ninth-rank upper-tier demon beast couldn’t last more than a moment against him. If we were to fight him, I’d stand no chance. And as for that Saint-rank beast—though it’s still asleep, it must have set up defenses around its den. Approaching it unnoticed would be nearly impossible. Our only chance is during their battle,” Xianxian reasoned calmly.

“You make a fair point. We’ll wait a bit longer,” the qilin phantom tilted its head before nodding.

Meanwhile, outside the mountain range, Yue Zong sat meditating in a newly carved cave. Suddenly, he sensed something and abruptly opened his eyes, his expression changing as he flipped his palm.

The box containing the strange insect appeared in his hand. The silkworm-like creature immediately thrashed wildly, letting out frantic cries as soon as the lid was opened.

Yue Zong inhaled sharply, leaping up without hesitation and transforming into a white streak as he shot out of the cave. But the moment he emerged, his face darkened.

Before him hovered a silver-armored man with an expressionless face—the same Gui clansman who had clashed with them in the pavilion.

“So it’s you, Senior. I thought another demon beast had appeared. What brings you here?” Yue Zong forced a smile, though his heart sank.

Gui stared coldly at him for a long moment before asking emotionlessly, “Where are the others?”

“What others? I’m alone here,” Yue Zong replied steadily.

“Is that so? Then you may die now.” A bloody light flashed across Gui’s face as a murderous aura surged forth.

Yue Zong’s expression twisted. He hurled the box at Gui, then flung dozens of multicolored talismans from his sleeve. At the same time, he spat out a white jade token.

The insect burst from the box, swelling to a zhang-long serpentine form as it lunged at Gui. The talismans exploded into bursts of colored light, while the jade token transformed into a vast white mist, covering Gui within a mu-sized area.

Meanwhile, Yue Zong’s feet shimmered with white light as a pair of dharma wheels appeared. With a flicker, he vanished, reappearing over ten zhang away from the mist. He immediately summoned a white streak of light, preparing to flee.

Gui sneered. With a slap to his own forehead, his figure blurred, splitting into three identical clones.

One clone raised its arms, transforming them into bloody ghost hands with sharp, black mist-wreathed fingers. It seized the giant insect and tore it apart effortlessly.

The second clone opened its mouth wide and exhaled a crimson mist, swallowing the incoming colored light balls. With a gulp, it devoured them all, along with a portion of the white mist.

The third clone’s eyes flashed silver before it transformed into a silver flood dragon and shot forward. In an instant, it teleported above Yue Zong’s fleeing light, swinging its tail as its massive claws descended menacingly.

Yue Zong, pale-faced, refused to surrender. With a roar, two bone swords shot from his body, crackling with lightning as they crossed to block the flood dragon’s claws.

*Crack!* Though the swords halted the claws momentarily, they shattered under the force.

Seizing the chance, Yue Zong spat a mouthful of blood onto the dharma wheels beneath his feet, seemingly preparing an escape technique.

But the flood dragon’s eyes gleamed coldly. It opened its maw and spat out a crimson pearl that emitted a clear chime.

The pearl spun, releasing a wave of black-red light that instantly enveloped Yue Zong below.

A scream echoed as Yue Zong melted into a pool of blood, which the flood dragon swallowed whole.

The flood dragon then circled back as the other two clones rose to meet it. In a blur, the three merged back into Gui’s form.

His face darkened as he pondered.

“These people appearing here… could they also be after *that*? But no one else should know its location—unless, like me, they’re… Hmph! No matter who they are, only I am worthy of claiming it. Anyone in my way will be devoured,” he muttered, his eyes gleaming with savagery.

Suddenly, he whipped his head around and snarled, “Who’s there? Show yourself!”

But the surroundings remained silent, devoid of any presence.

With a vicious expression, Gui raised his hand, sending a silver flying saber shooting out.

A flash of silver light later, countless blade shadows enveloped the empty space.