Chapter 738: Going Along with the Plan

After a piercing scream, the snake monster’s Nascent Soul within the golden light dissipated into a wisp of green smoke, vanishing without a trace.

Speaking of the Possession Spirit Technique, it was an exceptionally sinister ancient secret art of the demonic path, naturally suppressed by the Evil-Warding Divine Thunder. The monster didn’t even have a chance to use its teleportation ability before being utterly annihilated.

In the distance, the bald-browed man stood with his mouth agape, unable to close it for a long time. The old man surnamed Ma appeared relatively composed, though the shock in his eyes was unmistakable.

Seeing their astonishment, Han Li had anticipated this reaction and showed no surprise. Instead, he stretched out his hand, summoning the fallen storage pouch and the blue flying fork from the ground with a single motion. After a brief scan with his spiritual sense, he suddenly tossed both items to the bald-browed man.

“Though we killed him, we should return his treasures and the contents of his storage pouch to the Beast Taming Sect intact. That way, they’ll have no grounds for complaint,” Han Li said slowly, looking at the two.

“Brother Han’s words make perfect sense. We’ll follow your suggestion!” Perhaps still reeling from Han Li’s instantaneous slaying of the Possessed Spirit Snake Monster, the bald-browed man voiced no objection and instinctively agreed.

The old man’s lips twitched a few times, but he ultimately refrained from voicing dissent, awkwardly retracting his ruler-shaped magic treasure.

If Han Li’s earlier elimination of the black-robed man could be attributed to luck or the opponent’s carelessness, his bare-handed annihilation of a monster with power comparable to a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator had left the two utterly stunned.

Almost simultaneously, they began to wonder: Could this newly appointed elder of the Falling Cloud Sect possess abilities rivaling even late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators? Once this thought surfaced, their stunned reactions were hardly surprising.

“Since the matter is resolved, I’ll take my leave to rest. When the spell warriors return, feel free to summon me,” Han Li said calmly, his expression unchanged.

“Brother Han, go ahead. We’ll keep watch here,” the bald-browed man replied, his tone now tinged with reverence.

Han Li smiled slightly, clasped his hands in farewell, and turned to exit the hall.

Using the Dry Blue Iceflame and Evil-Warding Divine Thunder to kill the Possessed Spirit Snake Monster had been a necessity. Han Li knew that without his intervention, the bald-browed man and the old man would have struggled to stop the freed monster, given its formidable power. If it had escaped, the consequences would have been dire. Moreover, now that he had formed his Nascent Soul, there was little reason to continue concealing his abilities.

His current situation was vastly different from when he was stranded in the Chaotic Star Sea. Back then, his low cultivation and unfamiliar surroundings had compelled him to hide his strength to avoid drawing unwanted attention. But now, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, he stood among the highest echelons of power in this realm. Aside from a select few, no one posed a significant threat to him, so such concerns had greatly diminished.

Given the invasion by the spell warriors, continuing to conceal his abilities was no longer feasible. At the very least, after his treasure-hunting expedition in the Mulan Grassland, the Ghost Spirit Sect and Marquis Nanlong were already aware of his formidable strength. Revealing a portion of his power openly might deter potential troublemakers. If others perceived him as weak, it could invite unnecessary trouble.

Of course, he would still refrain from displaying his most critical trump cards unless absolutely necessary.

As Han Li pondered, he focused on the peculiar sensation of his Nascent Soul enveloped by the Violet Miasma Flame. Earlier, facing the Possessed Spirit Monster, he had unleashed the full force of the Dry Blue Iceflame within it to freeze the creature instantly. Now that the flame had reverted to its original form, it felt somewhat unstable. Evidently, wielding such potent demonic flames still required a certain level of cultivation.

A faint self-deprecating smile crossed his face as he slowly made his way toward his residence.

“Brother Lu, we’ve truly misjudged him. This Fellow Daoist Han’s abilities are unfathomable, far beyond our own,” the old man surnamed Ma said with a bitter smile once Han Li had left the hall and disappeared into the distance.

“Indeed. Though his cultivation is only at the early Nascent Soul stage, with that golden lightning and the unknown blue flame, even mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators would likely retreat upon encountering him,” the bald-browed man remarked, a trace of envy flashing across his face.

“But this is good news for us. With such a powerful ally, those invading spell warriors may no longer be a threat,” the old man said with a chuckle.

“True. Though I’ve never heard of that blue iceflame before, the golden lightning seems vaguely familiar. Yet I can’t quite recall it. Brother Ma, do you have any insights?” the bald-browed man asked, frowning slightly.

“No, this is my first time seeing golden lightning as well. What kind of cultivation technique could produce such a fearsome power, capable of trapping even a near-formless Nascent Soul and preventing teleportation?” the old man murmured, recalling the earlier scene with a chill.

“Regardless of what technique Fellow Daoist Han cultivates, it benefits us. Let’s discuss tomorrow’s plans instead,” the bald-browed man said, steering the conversation away.

“Tomorrow’s plans? What do you mean, Brother Lu?” the old man asked, puzzled.

“Since the Mulan people sent spies to sabotage our formation, why not turn their scheme against them?” the bald-browed man said coldly, a sinister glint in his eyes.

“Brother Lu, you mean…” The old man’s expression shifted as comprehension dawned.

“Exactly. We’ll simply…”

Their voices lowered, and the hall was filled with hushed whispers.

Moments later, the bald-browed man burst into hearty laughter, evidently pleased with his own scheme.

—

At noon the next day, under the scorching sun, the thunderous sound of war drums echoed as the dark mass of spell warriors approached once more. This time, however, their ranks included a colossal beast—a thirty-zhang-tall, twenty-zhang-long brown monstrosity.

At first glance, it resembled an enormous rhinoceros, magnified dozens of times. A dazzling blue horn, over a zhang in length, protruded from its snout. Its massive body was clad in gleaming black armor inscribed with flickering talismanic scripts, clearly of immense value.

Despite its size, the beast was remarkably agile, floating on strange blue clouds beneath its feet, allowing it to move with surprising grace.

Seated atop the beast was a young woman in her twenties. Her bare arms and legs contrasted with her delicate features, though a faint aura of killing intent lingered in her eyes. She wore a simple dark green robe.

The tall, lean spell warrior and Ku Yao flanked the beast on either side, their demeanor respectful toward the woman.

“Hmm?” Before they reached Mount Huanglong, the green-robed woman let out a soft exclamation.

“What is it, Master Le? Did you notice something?” Ku Yao asked.

“Something feels off,” the woman replied slowly, her eyes flashing with suspicion.

“Has something gone wrong? Did our spy fail?” the tall spell warrior asked nervously.

“Not necessarily. See for yourselves,” she said coolly before closing her eyes.

Ku Yao and the tall spell warrior exchanged glances before cautiously extending their spiritual senses forward. Moments later, their expressions turned bewildered.

“What’s going on? The mist has already dispersed. Wasn’t the plan to wait until we were halfway through the attack before removing the restrictions to trap the cultivators? Why are the formations already down?” Ku Yao exclaimed.

“I don’t know. Let’s proceed carefully and assess the situation,” the tall spell warrior said hesitantly.

The woman remained silent, and the army advanced cautiously under heightened alert.

The remaining distance passed without incident, and soon the spell warriors arrived at the same vantage point as the previous day. But this time, the sight below stirred unrest among their ranks.

The once-endless sea of green mist had vanished, revealing the stark peaks of Mount Huanglong and the elegant structures atop it.

Yet these once-magnificent buildings now lay charred and ruined, with tendrils of smoke rising from several spots, as if ravaged by fire. The entire mountaintop was eerily silent, seemingly abandoned.

The spell warriors parted, allowing the green-robed woman to guide the colossal beast forward. The others watched her with reverence, their earlier unrest quelled. Ku Yao and the tall spell warrior followed closely.

The woman surveyed the scene silently before brushing a strand of hair from her shoulder, her lips curling into a cold smile.

“Strange. Though the mist is gone, there are still formations blocking our spiritual senses. We can’t inspect the area properly,” the tall spell warrior said warily.

“True. What we’re seeing might even be an illusion. If our spy had succeeded, why hasn’t he contacted us?” Ku Yao added skeptically.

“So, what do you propose, Masters? That we stand here idly?” the woman asked icily.

“Of course not. But we must proceed with caution. It’s possible our spy only partially succeeded before being discovered and forced to flee. The other cultivators may have abandoned this place,” the tall spell warrior speculated.