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I was wondering why you hadnt made any progress after all these years, turns out you never truly recovered from the injuries you sustained in your battle with me. Now that all six of your clones have been slain by me and youre trapped in my Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain, theres no way you can get out this predicament. Bao Huas voice rang out from the area enshrouded within the flower petal projections.

However, she received no response aside from the incessant rumbling within the vast expanse of white mist.

You chose to sacrifice your six clones rather than flee from here, you must be waiting for Nie Pan and Yuan Yan, right? Bao Hua said as a mocking sneer appeared on her face.

So what if I am? After I took over your position as one of the three patriarchs, Nie Pan and Yuan Yan both agreed to ensure my safety to the best of their abilities. Dont forget that Im one of the three patriarchs now. I knew that you would take advantage of this opportunity to take revenge on me, so Ive already informed those two of what youre planning. A furious female voice finally rang out in response from within the mist.

Nie Pan and Yuan Yan may have promised to protect you from my revenge, but theyll have to be able to get to you first, Bao Hua said with a smile.

What do you mean that? Are you saying that youve recruited allies as well? Who would dare to oppose Yuan Yan and Nie Pan in our holy realm? Could it be that you recruited those powerful beings from foreign realms? How did you convince them to make enemies of Yuan Yan and Nie Pan for your sake? A hint of fear finally crept into Liu Jis voice.

I did indeed have to pay quite a heavy price to recruit those two allies. One of them possesses powers that are about on par with Nie Pan and Yuan Yan, while the other is most likely even more powerful than them, so youre going to be disappointed if youre waiting for reinforcements, Bao Hua chuckled.

Liu Ji quickly calmed down, then said in a skeptical manner, Hmph, one of them has to be Old Man Copper Crow, theres no doubt about that, but whos the other one? Which one of those foreign beings could possess superior powers to us patriarchs? Youre not bluffing, are you?

Youll know soon enough whether Im bluffing or not. After all, Yuan Yan and Nie Pan arent that far away from where we are right now, perhaps theyll be able to come and save you given enough time, but youll have to be able to last that long first, Bao Hua replied in a cold voice.

Liu Ji harrumphed coldly in response before falling silent once again.

She knew that regardless of whether Bao Hua was telling the truth, she wouldnt be able to win in this war of words, so she chose to remain silent.

A cold smile appeared on Bao Huas face, and she suddenly said something that made Liu Jis heart completely sink.

Are you counting on the final trump card that you have up your sleeve? Do you think that youll be able to make a comeback even if I kill you here?

What do you mean by that? Liu Ji was finally unable to keep her cool any longer.

Im referring to the seventh clone that youve never revealed to anyone. Youve always been very careful in hiding that seventh clone and never told anyone about it, but dont forget that there are no absolute secrets in this world, Bao Hua said with a smile.

I dont believe that you actually know something, you mustve heard some rumor somewhere and are trying to bluff me again! To Liu Jis credit, she managed to remain calm even after her great secret was exposed.

Youre planning to revive yourself with that seventh clone if you die here, right? Even though its only a clone, it wont be difficult for it to cultivate to your former level with your memories intact. Perhaps many years in the future, Ill fall prey to another nasty plot from you. Come to think of it, its about time your seventh clone is hunted down, Bao Hua chuckled.

What? You managed to find the hiding place of that clone? Thats impossible! Who did you send to hunt it down? A hint of alarm and fury crept into Liu Jis voice upon hearing this.

Havent you noticed that Heie isnt here? Bao Hua asked in an unhurried manner.

Liu Jis heart immediately eased upon hearing this. Heie? You think a mere Body Integration Stage junior like him can break through the restrictions I set up?

Heie would indeed struggle to break through your restrictions on his own, but what if hes carrying a Profound Heavenly Treasure that just so happens to suppress your restrictions? Bao Hua mused.

Liu Jis expression completely darkened upon hearing this. You dared to lend him a Profound Heavenly Treasure? Arent you afraid that hell take the treasure and run?

I tampered with the Profound Heavenly Treasure prior to lending it to Heie, so Im not worried at all. Alright, Ive already done you a great favor by chatting with you and letting you live for so long. Now then, its time to send you on your way, Bao Hua said in a cold voice.

The pink flower petals that were drifting slowly through the white mist suddenly began to accelerate drastically, and all of them quickly expanded while becoming as sharp as flying swords.

The white mist within the valley was swept up into a frenzy by the countless pink flower petals, and a string of earth-shattering booms rang out.

All of a sudden, all of the flower petals and mist within a radius of around half a kilometer disintegrated into nothingness.

A long while later, after all of the light and energy fluctuations had faded, only a single lonesome figure remained in the air above the valley, and she heaved a faint sight before vanishing into thin air.

……

On the summit of a giant mountain, Han Li and Yuan Yan were chatting like a pair of good friends.

As expected of one of the three devilish patriarchs, some of Yuan Yans cultivation insights were very eye-opening even to Han Li.

As for Yuan Yan, he remained completely expressionless, but the intrigue in his eyes clearly indicated that he was also very interested to hear what Han Li had to say.

Han Li was in the midst of talking about a secret technique when his voice abruptly cut off, and he cast his gaze toward a certain direction.

He then rose to his feet with a smile, and said, Looks like Fellow Daoist Bao Hua has exacted her revenge. In that case, I wont take up any more of your time, Brother Yuan.

After that, he immediately flew away as a streak of azure light before Yuan Yan even had a chance to respond.

Yuan Yan could only look on as Han Li departed with a resigned look on his face.

Shortly thereafter, Han Li landed on the summit of a small mountain not far away, where Silvermoon was waiting for him with an anxious expression.

Standing beside her were an elderly man and a handsome young man with shoulder-length silver hair, they were none other than Mo Jianli and Patriarch Ao Xiao.

Both of them smiled as Han Li arrived before them, and Silvermoon immediately approached him with an elated expression.

……

Three months later, a white flying boat with countless runes inscribed on its surface was flying at an incredible speed over the vastly renowned Blue Waterfall Lake, completely disregarding the massive flight restriction that encompassed the entire lake.

The devilish beings traversing over the surface of the lake down below were all quite stunned to see this, and after briefly pondering the situation, all of them put on reverent expressions, and some of them even knelt down and kowtowed on their boats.

Only Sacred Ancestors of the would dare to disregard the flight restriction in such a blatant manner, and all of the normal devilish beings down below were greatly honored and also very nervous to be in such close proximity to a powerful being of that caliber.

The one on the flying boat was none other than Han Li, who had reached this region after using the teleportation formations in around a dozen devilish cities.

His objective for this trip was Violet Spirit.

He had promised her that if once he attained the ability to free her from Liu Jis control, he would help her regain a human body and return to the Spirit Realm.

Now that Liu Ji had already fallen by Bao Huas hands and there was no one in the entire Elder Devil Realm that could pose a threat to him, he was naturally going to fulfill his promise and take Violet Spirit with him.

As for Sacred Ancestor Lan Pu, she was one of the people who had been trapped in the ancient seal, so she had definitely already heard about Han Lis exploits.

As such, even though she was aware that he was a human, she naturally wasnt going to try and oppose him.

In what seemed like nothing more than the blink of an eye, the white flying boat arrived at the edge of the giant island that Blue Waterfall City was situated on, then descended toward a lush forest that was enshrouded under a layer of white light.

Several restrictions in the form of white light barriers were instantly forced open by Han Lis enormous spiritual sense, and his flying boat quickly passed through, following which all of the restrictions immediately returned to their original state.

Below the light barriers stood a huge pagoda that was several levels tall, and above the pagodas front entrance was a plaque that had the words Vast Origin House in shimmering ancient characters.

At the same time, a young woman who was lazily reading a book in a secret chamber on the fourth floor suddenly stood up from her chair with an alarmed expression.

She then quickly made a series of hand seals, upon which an elated look surfaced in her eyes.

Young Mistress, someones forced their way through our restrictions! A flustered female voice rang out from below the stairwell.

Its alright, Aunt Zhu, were being visited by a very esteemed guest, the young woman replied with an excited smile.

I have to master the third stage of the Spirit Refinement Technique? That wont be an easy task. Back when I was cultivating the second stage, I had already exhausted all of my resources, it wont be very plausible to expect me to make another breakthrough in a short time, Han Li said with furrowed brows.

I witnessed your battle against the Stemborer Queen through the formation, and I can see that your physical body is no less powerful than those of Profound Immortals, so with my guidance, it wont be as difficult as you think to master the third stage of the Spirit Refinement Technique. Ive never cultivated this technique before, but as a patrolling envoy, Ive detained a few people who have cultivated the technique, and Ive learned some secret tips and tricks from them, the man said in a confident manner.

Even so, this is still quite a difficult proposition. Ill have to think about whether I want to keep progressing in this secret technique. After all, I dont want to become an automatic public enemy if I ever ascend to the True Immortal Realm in the future, Han Li said with a wry smile.

I understand that youre still a little skeptical about my claims. Its alright, even if you dont continue to cultivate the Spirit Refinement Technique, youll begin to notice some abnormalities in your mind in 1,000 years at most, and youll come back to find me then. As for ascending to the True Immortal Realm dont you think its a little too early to be thinking about that? I think its more practical to think about how you can get yourself out of your current predicament, the man said in an indifferent manner, displaying no intention of forcing Han Li into a decision.

Han Li was silent for a long while before finally replying, Thank you for your understanding, Senior, this is a very important matter thatll impact the rest of my cultivation, so I have to be a little cautious. Ill think things through and get back to you as soon as I can. Before that, I have something Id like to ask you.

The man was unsurprised by Han Lis reply, and he asked, Oh? What else do you want to know?

I want to know exactly what the True Immortal Realm is like, Han Li said.

Hehe, its a little too early for you to be thinking about the True Immortal Realm, but if you really want to know, I can disclose some details to you prior to your immortal tribulation. For now, I can only tell you that its a vast place. Only after getting there will you come to understand just how vast the immortal regions are. Even if an immortal were to travel for their entire life, there would be no way for them to completely explore even the most ordinary of immortal regions. As such, even though youve cultivated the Spirit Refinement Technique, itll be very unlikely for you to encounter patrolling envoys like me unless you go to the major cities of the immortal regions, so youre still quite safe, the man replied.

Im even more looking forward to ascending to the True Immortal Realm now, Han Li said with a smile.

The cultivation resources and treasures of the True Immortal Realm are all far more abundant and superior than those of the lower realms. Otherwise, I wouldnt be plotting so desperately to return there. Alright, seeing as youre unwilling to accept my proposal, I wont keep you here any longer. I dont like to owe anyone any favors, so you can have this as compensation for helping me kill the Stemborer Queen.

As soon as his voice trailed off, a streak of white light flew out of the bowl.

Han Li quickly swept his spiritual sense toward the object before making a grabbing motion to draw it into his grasp, upon which he discovered that this was a translucent jade shard that was as thin as paper with golden and silver runes etched all over its surface. These runes were none other than beveled silver text and golden seal text.

This is a talisman that I brought with me from the True Immortal Realm, and it contains a drop of Purple Yun Essence, which is very precious even in the True Immortal Realm, this should be enough to replenish the essential power that you expended from igniting your essential flame, the man explained.

Han Li was ecstatic to sense the immortal spiritual Qi that was being given off by the jade shard, which was completely different from normal spiritual Qi, and he immediately cupped his fist in a grateful salute.

You can go now. Come back and see me when you decide to continue to cultivate the Spirit Refinement Technique. As soon as the mans voice trailed off, a grey light formation emerged beneath Han Lis feet, and he was teleported out of this space.

Theres no way you can simply stop cultivating that secret technique! In his current situation, Ill only need to hibernate for a short while before he returns to me, the male voice mused following a brief silence.

Immediately thereafter, the entire altar tremored violently, and the eight surrounding copper pillars also rumbled loudly as a giant formation emerged under the entire stone forest.

All of a sudden, the stone forest, copper pillars, and sacrificial altar all abruptly vanished, leaving the entire area completely empty again.

……

A year later, a black-robed young man was seated in meditation on a giant rock, which was situated at the top of a massive mountain not far away from the edge of the original sealed site.

After a long while, the young man suddenly opened his eyes, and there was faint purple light flashing within his pupils.

Why is he here? the young man murmured to himself as a hint of wariness appeared on his face.

Moments later, a streak of azure light approached from afar in a blatant manner, reaching the giant mountain after just a few flashes.

Youre a punctual man, Fellow Daoist Yuan Yan, youre already here four hours prior to the agreed time! The azure light faded to reveal a young man in his twenties, who looked down from above with a faint smile.

The young man was none other than Han Li, and the black-robed young man was one of the three devilish patriarchs, Yuan Yan.

I dont recall agreeing to meet you here. Where is Bao Hua? Wait, dont tell me that she was the one who set this up, Yuan Yan said in a cold voice.

Fellow Daoist Bao Hua should currently be in the Jade Cloud Valley. I came here upon her request to keep you company for a short while, Fellow Daoist, Han Li said in a straightforward manner.

Yuan Yans expression darkened slightly upon hearing this, but to Han Lis surprise, he remained quite calm as he said, The Jade Cloud Valley? Thats the place where Liu Ji is temporarily residing to recover from her injuries! So Bao Hua really has decided to reclaim her position as matriarch. In that case, Nie Pan is most likely facing some obstruction as well. Among all of the Grand Ascension Stage beings of the foreign realms, the only one aside from you that can stall Nie Pan is most likely that Old Man Copper Crow. What kind of benefits did Bao Hua grant you to enlist your services?

I dont know who is the one currently keeping Nie Pan occupied, but Id assume that its Old Man Copper Crow as well. As for benefits, I did indeed receive some. Otherwise, I wouldnt be willing to face a devilish patriarch like you, Han Li replied in an unhurried manner.

Hmph, I heard that even though several people were involved in killing the Stemborer Queen, you were the one who contributed the most, it looks like your powers are at least comparable to the likes of myself after you reached the Grand Ascension Stage. However, do you really think you can stop me if I insist on leaving? A cold light appeared in Yuan Yans eyes as he spoke.

I did contribute somewhat to the death of the Stemborer Queen, but I certainly wouldnt dare to declare myself as the main contributor. As for whether Ill be able to stop you, why dont you give it a try and find out? Han Li goaded in an indifferent manner.

Yuan Yans expression darkened even further upon hearing this, and a hesitant look appeared in his eyes.

After a long while, he finally sighed, and said, In any case, it was thanks to Bao Hua that I was able to escape from that seal, so Ill let her do as she pleases just this once. If she can succeed, then Ill acknowledge her as one of the three devilish patriarchs again, but if she fails, then I definitely wont give her a second chance.

Han Li was naturally quite pleased to hear this, and a smile appeared on his face as he said, Im glad youve arrived at such a decision, Fellow Daoist. If you dont mind, why dont we take this opportunity to discuss some cultivation insights and experiences?

Thats not a bad idea, Im also very interested to hear about how you were able to become so much more powerful after making your breakthrough, Yuan Yan agreed after only a brief hesitation.

Han Li nodded in response, then pointed a finger downward, and another giant rock on the mountain rose up before falling heavily back down onto the mountain not far away from where Yuan Yan was.

After that, Han Li descended from above and settled onto the rock.

……

In the sky above a small island countless kilometers away, Old Man Copper Crow was hovering expressionlessly in mid-air.

Standing directly across from him was a handsome young man wearing a suit of translucent armor, looking on at Old Man Copper Crow with cold animosity in his eyes.

……

In a valley that was filled with vibrant green bamboo plants, there was a boundless sea of mist that enshrouded the entire valley.

A string of explosions rang out incessantly at the center of the sea of mist, and countless flower petal projections could be seen fluttering within it.

Hehe, you think you can disable the technique? If it were that easy to escape the techniques clutches, then it wouldnt have been listed as a restricted technique. Once you begin cultivating this secret technique, stopping halfway is not an option. At your current level, if you dont reach the third stage of the Spirit Refinement Technique within 10,000 years, your mind will be unable to contain your enormous spiritual sense, and youll die from self-detonation. Under those circumstances, your fate will be sealed, even if you possess someone else in advance, the man chuckled coldly.

At least I still have 10,000 years to find a solution. Come to think of it, arent there only three stages in total to the Spirit Refinement Technique? Han Li asked.

He naturally wasnt just going to blindly believe everything that was being told to him, and he immediately identified something suspicious.

The man faltered slightly upon hearing this before suddenly arriving at a realization. Who told you that the Spirit Refinement Technique only has three stages? Ah, I see, you mustve only obtained the first half of the Spirit Refinement Techniques cultivation method. There are actually seven stages in total, youve only mastered the first two stages, so you still have a long way to go.

Thank you for telling me this, but would you happen to have the cultivation method for the second half? Han Li asked.

The Spirit Refinement Technique isnt exactly a rare cultivation art in the True Immortal Realm, but its definitely not very commonplace, either. On top of that, trading and teaching the cultivation art is strictly prohibited, and Im a patrolling envoy, so unfortunately, I do not have the second half of the secret technique. However, theres no need to be too concerned, as long as you can master the third stage, youll have around 30,000 to 40,000 more years until you face the same crisis with your spiritual sense. With your aptitude, that should be more than enough time to ascend to the True Immortal Realm and find a solution there, the man replied in a meaningful voice.

You make it sound like a simple task to ascend to the True Immortal Realm. If that really were the case, there wouldnt be so many fellow daoists stuck at the Grand Ascension Stage, Han Li said with a wry smile.

Haha, you seem to have forgotten that youre speaking to a true immortal. If you receive my assistance, your chances of ascension will increase by at least 20%, the man chuckled in response.

Han Li was silent for a moment before replying, Im sure that Ill indeed have a better chance of ascending with your guidance, but surely you didnt summon me here just to help me, Senior.

Youre a smart man. Indeed, if you were useless to me, I wouldve still helped you kill that Stemborer Queen, but I definitely wouldnt have gone out of my way to teleport you here. Ive done this because I want you to help me with something, and in exchange, Ill provide you with the methods to master the third stage of the Spirit Refinement Technique as quickly as possible, as well as to transcend your immortal tribulation, what do you think? the man proposed in a straightforward manner.

Han Li wasnt surprised to hear this, and he asked in a calm manner, Wouldnt a Sacred Ancestor like Fellow Daoist Bao Hua be more suited to assist you? Why does it have to be me?

Hehe, if any ordinary lower realm Grand Ascension Stage being could be of assistance to me, then I wouldnt have been trapped here for so many years, the man chuckled.

So what exactly is it that makes me special? Han Li asked with a solemn expression.

I took an interest in you precisely because youve cultivated the Spirit Refinement Technique. Even if there were another lower realm Grand Ascension Stage being that was several times more powerful than you, they still wouldnt be of any help to me, the man explained.

Han Li was rather perplexed upon hearing this. Youre interested in me because Ive cultivated the Spirit Refinement Technique?

Thats right. I havent described my situation to you yet, but Im sure youve arrived at some conclusions based on what you can see here, the man sighed.

Ill have to ask you to enlighten me, Senior. Is it the case that the Stemborer Queen we just killed no longer contained its original soul? Of course, if this concerns some sensitive information, then you dont have to tell me, Han Li inquired in a cautious manner after a brief pause.

Id rather not reminisce about those past events, but it cant hurt to tell you what happened. Back then, the Stemborer Queen was wreaking havoc on the lower realms, and after this was brought to the attention of the immortal envoys of our True Immortal Realm, I was sent down with another patrolling envoy to eradicate it together. Its quite difficult for immortals like us to descend into lower realms, but we were able to do so through some special methods… Thus, the man began his recount.

It was an extremely rare opportunity even for a Grand Ascension Stage being to hear the experiences of a true immortal, so Han Li was naturally listening very intently.

Right as we were about to kill the Stemborer Queen, a massive spatial storm suddenly erupted in an extremely untimely fashion, impacting all of the realms, and as a result, we were severely debilitated by the power of realms that we had kept in check using treasures and secret techniques. As a result, the tables were immediately turned, and we were almost devoured by the Stemborer Queen. In the end, we had no choice but to use an immortal secret technique to self-detonate and severely wound the Stemborer Queen.

After that, we were no longer able to kill the Stemborer Queen, and we could only possess a pair of high-grade devilish beings, then build this massive seal before issuing instructions for this seal to be maintained in the future. Following the spatial storm, we discovered that we had lost all contact with the True Immortal Realm and were unable to go back using the original method. Thus, we posed as Grand Ascension Stage devilish beings and explored some of the more renowned lower realms. During this process, we discovered that spatial storm had affected all realms, causing the power of the boundaries between realms to be increased by close to tenfold, so we were unable to find a way to return to the True Immortal Realm.

Thus, we could only return to this place and set up this small formation that our souls could reside and hibernate in. At the time, we could only hope that some of our good friends in the True Immortal Realm would think of us and try to descend into this realm to save us. We awakened roughly once every millennium, but we were met with disappointment every time. As time passed, my companion began to fall into despair, and we had a few arguments, following which she suddenly restricted me and sealed my soul within this bowl.

A hint of fury crept into the mans voice as he spoke.

After that, she took the Clear Jade Lamps that were maintaining our souls and sought out the sealed Stemborer Queen. As for what happened after that, Im sure you could already tell after witnessing that Stemborer Queen. If I hadnt had the foresight to save a Clear Jade Lamp for myself, my soul wouldve already dissipated countless years ago. As for why she did that, I presume she wanted to attain a True Extreme Body by borrowing the Stemborer Queens body, then attempt to force her way through the power of realms and return to the True Immortal Realm. Of course, perhaps she had some other intentions as well, but thats beyond my knowledge, the man sighed.

So thats why youve been trapped here this entire time. Are you recruiting my assistance to help you break free from this bowl, Senior? Han Li asked in a calm manner even as countless thoughts were racing through his mind.

Hehe, during all these past years, Ive already undone the seal in this Black Sandalwood Bowl and regained most of my freedom. Otherwise, I wouldnt have been able to assist you two just now. What I need you to do is to use your powerful spiritual sense to help me activate a talisman. Once the talisman is activated, itll be able to send a message to a good friend of mine in the True Immortal Realm. Im sure that with our close friendship, hed definitely do everything in his power to rescue me, the man said in a solemn manner.

You have a talisman that can directly contact the True Immortal Realm? Han Li was quite stunned to hear this.

Ordinary talismans naturally wouldnt be capable of this, but this talisman of mine was created by a renowned immortal lord of the True Immortal Realm, and there are very few of them in existence. On top of that, the average low-grade immortal wouldnt possess sufficient spiritual sense to activate this talisman, which is why Im turning to you now, Fellow Daoist Han, the man said in a resigned voice.

So youre saying that with the enhancement from the Spirit Refinement Technique, my spiritual sense will be powerful enough to activate this talisman? Han Li asked with furrowed brows.

Your spiritual sense is several times more powerful than other beings of the same cultivation base, but its still lacking compared to my spiritual sense back when I was in my prime. Only after you master the third stage of the Spirit Refinement Technique will there be a chance for you to achieve this, the man replied.

This place really is about to collapse! Looks like that person wasnt lying! Bao Huas expression immediately darkened upon seeing this.

Han Lis brows furrowed slightly as he quickly cast his gaze toward the spot where the Stemborer Queen had just been killed, then suddenly made a grabbing motion.

Spatial fluctuations erupted in that direction, and a thumb-sized black bead emerged out of thin air before flying into Han Lis grasp.

Is that… Bao Hua faltered slightly, and was just about to say something, then the entire abyss began to collapse.

Countless white spatial rifts rapidly appeared in the surrounding area, and they were expanding at a rate that was discernible to the naked eye.

Bao Huas expression changed drastically as she summoned her Treasured Phoenix Spirit Plate, but just as it began to glow with crimson light, a burst of peculiar energy fluctuations swept forth, and the formation plate immediately dimmed once again.

Looks like that person really has made it impossible for us to leave this place, Bao Hua said with a dark expression.

Thats only to be expected, it seems that he was determined to keep us here from the very beginning, Han Li replied in a calm manner.

Bao Hua gave a cold harrumph and was just about to say something when grey light converged toward them from all sides, and a blurry light formation descended upon them.

Han Li and Bao Huas expression changed slightly upon seeing this, but neither of them tried to resist or evade.

The light formation flashed, and both of them instantly vanished on the spot.

Almost at the exact same moment, the entire abyss completely collapsed amid an earth-shattering boom.

After returning to his senses, Han Li discovered that he was standing in front of a crimson altar that was over 100 feet tall.

Directly beside him stood Bao Hua, who immediately began to inspect their surroundings with a grim expression.

On the altar sat an inky-black bowl, which was surrounded by eight massive copper pillars, upon each of which was an antiquated crimson lamp.

This seems to be an extremely profound ancient restriction that has the same function as the ancient seal, Bao Hua murmured as a flash of recognition appeared in her eyes.

I didnt think that someone from a lower realm would recognize this Eight Origins Soul Locking Formation. Youre right, this formation is indeed closely related to the seal that had trapped the Stemborer Queen. In fact, it wouldnt be incorrect to say that this is a miniature version of that seal. The familiar male voice rang out again.

Han Li and Bao Hua immediately focused their eyes on the black bowl on the altar, which was where the male voice was coming from.

Youre far too kind, Senior, I was only able to notice the similarities as I had once guarded the seal for an extended period of time. In terms of mastery in the art of formations, Fellow Daoist Han is far superior, Bao Hua said with a slightly forced smile.

I see that your race hasnt forgotten my instructions and has been doing its best to maintain this seal over all these years, Im quite pleased with your efforts, the man said.

So you really are one of the true immortals that sealed the Stemborer Queen! Bao Hua had already guessed this to be true, but she was still stunned upon hearing confirmation of her suspicions.

Hehe, I also didnt think that I would remain in this lower realm for so long and be reduced to such a sorry state. You made quite a significant contribution to eradicating this Stemborer Queen, so here is a reward for your efforts, the male voice chuckled as the lid of the bowl rose up, and an object flew out from within.

An elated look appeared on Bao Huas face upon hearing this, and she immediately caught the object before focusing her gaze on it, upon which she discovered that this was an ordinary-looking yellow wooden hairpin with a coarse surface that was even lined with several cracks.

However, as soon as she caught the hairpin, a burst of cool energy instantly surged into her body, flowing through all of her meridians and striking her entire body with an indescribably warm and comfortable sensation.

This is Golden Yang Wood! Thank you for the precious gift, Senior! Bao Huas eyes widened as she immediately extended a deep bow toward the bowl, and even her voice was beginning to tremble slightly.

This Golden Yang Wood isnt all that precious in the True Immortal Realm, but its perfect for your current situation. With the nourishment from that hairpin, all of your chronic injuries will be completely healed. Alright, Ill send you out of here now, the man said in a calm voice. Bao Hua faltered slightly upon hearing this, yet before she had a chance to react, a burst of black light flashed from the surface of the bowl, and a small light formation emerged beneath Bao Hus feet, instantly teleporting her away.

Thus, Han Li was the only one left standing in front of the altar.

His eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained silent as he appraised the black bowl from afar.

Youre quite a brave man, arent you afraid that Ill turn on you now that youre alone? the man chuckled.

If you truly harbored any ill will toward me, then you wouldnt have helped me kill the Stemborer Queen, nor teleported me to this place, Han Li replied with a calm smile.

Youre not completely right, but youre indeed correct to say that I bear no ill will toward you. I teleported both of you here so you wouldnt perish in that collapsing space, but in reality, I only wanted to see you. Let me ask you this: have you cultivated the Spirit Refinement Technique? the man asked.

Han Lis heart jolted slightly upon hearing this, and he asked, Did you find this out after hearing what the Stemborer Queen said before it perished?

Theres no need to be so suspicious, I already detected that you had cultivated the Spirit Refinement Technique through the formation here as soon as you entered the underground palace. Do you know what my occupation was back in the True Immortal Realm? I was a patrolling envoy. In the presence of an immortal patrolling envoy, theres no way that anyone can disguise the special spiritual sense fluctuations from cultivating the Spirit Refinement Technique, the man said in a nonchalant manner.

Han Lis expression changed slightly upon hearing this. Why are the patrolling envoys of the True Immortal Realm so fixated on whos cultivating this technique?

I really dont know whether youre immensely fortunate or extremely unlucky to have been able to master this Spirit Refinement Technique up to the second stage. The Spirit Refinement Technique is a restricted technique among all of our immortal regions, and even though there arent specific laws prohibiting it, all those discovered by major powers to have cultivated this secret technique will be hunted down and killed no matter the cost, the man said in a cold voice.

Han Lis expression darkened slightly upon hearing this, and he asked, Why is that? Is there something wrong with the Spirit Refinement Technique?

Hehe, do you know how many immortal regions there are in the True Immortal Realm? Even discounting all of the secluded and insignificant ones, there are thousands upon thousands of immortal realms. The Spirit Refinement Technique had been invented tens of millions of years ago, and due to its extraordinary spiritual sense enhancement effects, countless people cultivated the technique. However, not long after that, barely anyone in all of the immortal regions dared to cultivate this technique, and those who did were almost constantly in seclusion, the man sighed. reewebovel.com

Han Li was very intrigued to hear the reasons behind this, but he didnt ask any questions as he knew that the man would provide an explanation in due time.

Sure enough, after a brief pause, the man continued, The reason for this is that all those who cultivated the Spirit Refinement Technique ended up going insane and perished as they couldnt repress their inner demons. In this insane state, they lose all sense of reason and become extremely bloodthirsty, and the condition is irreversible, creating a disaster that almost destroyed half of the entire True Immortal Realm. Of course, theres no lack of immortals who couldnt resist the temptation and cultivated the technique in secret, but all of them were apprehended with no exceptions upon being discovered by patrolling envoys like me.

Even true immortals are unable to perfect this secret technique? Has there really been no one thats managed to break the mold and completely master this technique? Han Li asked with a grim expression.

At its core, the Spirit Refinement Technique is a technique that stimulates the latent potential of ones spiritual sense to drastically enhance it. The one who invented it was an extremely renowned figure in our True Immortal Realm, and its certainly no easy task for others to try and perfect it. There have been several other spiritual sense secret techniques invented with the Spirit Refinement Technique as reference, and theyre all a lot safer than the Spirit Refinement Technique, but they obviously work nowhere near as effectively.

As for whether anyone has ever fully mastered this secret technique, there has, and theres been more than one. However, all of them encountered some miraculous opportunities. Otherwise, their ultimate fates wouldnt have been any different, the man said in a solemn voice.

So that means those who unintentionally cultivate the Spirit Refinement Technique in the True Immortal Realm will either have to go into hiding or disable this ability altogether, Han Li murmured to himself with furrowed brows.

The silver chains were glowing and rather illusionary in appearance, as if they werent substantial objects.

The Stemborer Queen thrashed violently, but was unable to struggle free from the chains.

A look of incredulity appeared in the Stemborer Queens eyes at the sight of the chains, and that disbelief was quickly replaced by fear. These are Spiritual Sense Chains! But thats impossible! You cultivated the Spirit Refinement Technique? How could this secret technique possibly have ended up in a lower realm?

Han Li remained silent and expressionless as he made a hand seal with each of his six hands before changing an ancient incantation.

All of a sudden, the silver chains tightened even further around the Stemborer Queen.

So what if youve cultivated the Spirit Refinement Technique? Your pitiful spiritual sense will be nowhere near enough to bind my True Extreme Body! the Stemborer Queen harrumphed coldly as five-colored runes surfaced all over its body, and the eyes on its two demonic heads suddenly sprang open with menacing looks on their faces.

Two extremely unfamiliar auras immediately erupted from the Stemborer Queen, and its magic power fluctuations, which had completely disappeared earlier, were beginning to arise again.

A peculiar look appeared on Han Lis face at the sight of the Stemborer Queens transformation, and he said something that was quite perplexing to the Stemborer Queen.

I never intended to truly defeat you with this ability, all I need to do is to trap you here for a short while.

What do you mean by that? The Stemborer Queen faltered slightly before hurriedly inspecting its surroundings, but there was no else around aside from the meditating Daoist Xie.

However, right as its voice trailed off, a string of rumbling thunderclaps suddenly rang out above the underwater abyss.

A dazzling flash of light erupted, and a five-colored pillar of lightning comprised of countless arcs of lightning came crashing down from above.

This is Punishment Lightning! That old bastard, He Kang, is still alive! A look of horror and incredulity appeared on the Stemborer Queens face at the sight of this pillar of lightning.

It then abruptly shook its three heads, and a layer of inky-black flames surfaced over its body, while the black crystalline core within its body began to emit a loud buzzing sound.

In this dire situation, the Stemborer Queen had chosen to self-detonate its own crystalline core without any hesitation.

Upon coming into contact with the layer of black flames, the silver chains quickly began to display signs of melting, and it seemed that the Stemborer Queen was about to struggle free.

However, right at this moment, a deafening thunderclap rang out, and the five-colored pillar of lightning came crashing down onto the Stemborer Queen at an incredible speed.

Countless arcs of lightning intertwined to instantly encompass the Stemborer Queens entire body, and a piercing screech rang out as the Stemborer Queens body quickly disintegrated into ashes within the span of just a few breaths.

The five-colored pillar of lightning flashed a few more times before abruptly vanishing, seemingly only able to last an extremely short time.

High up in the sky above the water, the giant five-colored eye that had just sprung open also silently dissipated.

The entire sky returned to its murky grey state, and it was as if nothing had ever happened.

……

Meanwhile, a pained groan rang out from within the black bowl situated on the alter in the mysterious stone forest, and the chains connecting the bowl to the ancient lamps suddenly tremored violently.

The flame within the only remaining lit lamp became even dimmer, as if it could be snuffed out at any moment.

That was a close call! That attack alone expended around 90% of all of my remaining spiritual sense. Without that human brats help, I wouldve been in severe trouble. Ive finally managed to avenge myself by erasing that b*tch out of existence, I bet she couldve never imagined that I would live until now, haha! Come to think of it, I have to thank that human brat. Otherwise, who knows when or if I wouldve ever been able to avenge myself, the male voice chortled in a near-deranged manner, and it was filled with both a hint of hatred and wistfulness.

……

Meanwhile, Han Li wasnt thinking about how the Stemborer Queen had been killed so easily. Instead, he was writhing violently on the ground with his hands thrown over his head, howling with excruciating pain.

His massive body began to rapidly shrink as his golden body was withdrawn, and his purplish-golden armor quickly reverted back into purplish-golden scales before fading altogether.

Around 15 minutes later, Han Li finally reverted back to his human form, then struggled to his feet and shook his impossibly heavy head vigorously.

Not only had that transformation expended much of his essential power, the Spiritual Sense Chains that he had manifested had exhausted almost all of his spiritual sense.

It had been a very long time since he had engaged in such a fierce battle, and thinking back on it now, there was still a hint of lingering fear in his heart.

Are you alright, Brother Xie? Han Li asked in a raspy voice as he cast his gaze toward the meditating Daoist Xie.

Im fine, I just need some time to rest, but I wont be able to fight for the next few months. Otherwise, this body of mine would sustain irreparable damage, Daoist Xie replied as he slowly opened his eyes.

I understand. How about you come into my spirit beast bracelet to rest and recuperate, and Ill take care of everything here, Han Li suggested.

Thats a good arrangement. I dont even have enough power to protect myself right now, so I would only be a hindrance to you, Daoist Xie agreed after only a brief moment of contemplation.

He then immediately made a hand seal, and silver light surged over his body as he quickly shrank down into a palm-sized miniature golden crab.

Han Li swept a sleeve toward the golden crab, releasing a burst of five-colored light that drew the crab into an intricate spirit beast bracelet.

After that, he cast his gaze toward a certain direction, and said, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua, youve been spectating there for quite some time, its about time you showed yourself, is it not? Even though you expended a lot of your energy to unleash that secret technique, Im sure youre still not completely defenseless right now.

Spatial fluctuations erupted in that direction, and an extremely pale Bao Hua appeared with a wry smile on her face. Your spiritual sense really is far superior to all of us, Brother Han. However, Im afraid youve made an incorrect assessment of my condition, I really dont have much magic power left, and I was only able to unleash that concealment secret technique using a talisman gifted to me by a good friend.

As Bao Hua cast her gaze toward Han Li, her eyes were filled with unadulterated astonishment.

It was clear that the power displayed by Han Li during his battle against the Stemborer Queen had made her realize that she was already no match for him.

As such, even though she appeared to be quite calm on the surface, she was internally extremely wary of Han Li.

Im sure youre aware that I wasnt the one who killed the Stemborer Queen, someone else stepped in to land the killing blow, Han Li said as he shook his own head, then summoned a vial, tipping out several green pills that he swallowed in a single mouthful.

That may be true, but if you hadnt trapped the Stemborer Queen with that incredible ability of yours, that Punishment Lightning definitely wouldnt have been able to kill it. Speaking of which, who exactly was it that had unleashed that lightning? Not only was he aware of everything that was happening here, he was also able to transmit his voice directly to the two of us. Without that voice transmission, the two of us wouldve most likely fled for our lives already, Bao Hua mused with furrowed brows.

This is my first time interacting with that being as well. However, seeing as he was able to unleash such fearsome lightning, he definitely isnt a being from the lower realms. On top of that, hes also in the original sealed site and seems to be very familiar with the Stemborer Queens situation, Im sure his identity is quite apparent now. Surely someone as intelligent as you wouldve already arrived at the same conclusion, Han Li chuckled.

Looks like our conclusions are quite similar then, that person is most likely one of the true immortals that sealed the Stemborer Queen in the first place. Otherwise, theres no reasonable explanation for all of this. However, this Stemborer Queen doesnt seem to be the same one from before, either, the soul within its body seemed to be very familiar with the True Immortal Realm. Could it be that its body was possessed by the soul of another true immortal? Bao Hua speculated with a befuddled expression.

Han Li also began to stroke his chin with a contemplative expression.

If you want to know the truth, then pay me a visit, and all will be revealed. A placid and benevolent male voice suddenly rang out in the air above the abyss, and it was none other than the voice that had been transmitted to the two of them earlier.

Han Li and Bao Huas expressions changed slightly upon hearing this, and they quickly exchanged a wary glance.

Looks like you two still dont trust me. In any case, the Stemborer Queen is already dead, and this space that was created using its power is going to collapse soon, so youll meet me in a short while anyway, the man chuckled, seemingly completely unbothered by Han Li and Bao Huas hesitation.

Bao Huas heart jolted upon hearing this, and she hurriedly asked, What do you mean by that, Senior?

However, the male voice completely cut off there, and the entire surrounding space fell silent once again.

Almost at the exact same moment, a burst of dull rumbling rang out from the bottom of the abyss, and the surrounding seawater began to surge violently.

A dull thump rang out as a shimmering golden fist shattered the wind blade with a vicious blow.

Immediately thereafter, Han Li appeared in front of Daoist Xie as he slowly withdrew one of his giant fists.

The Stemborer Queen faltered slightly upon seeing this.

That wind blade seemed to be quite ordinary, but in reality, it had been imbued with enormous power, and even the average spirit treasure wouldnt have been able to oppose it.

Looks like I underestimated you, your physical body is quite powerful as well. I recall that among the group of Grand Ascension Stage beings that I trapped earlier, there was a demonic being with a very similar form to yours, are you using the same cultivation art as him? the Stemborer Queen asked.

She was completely disregarding Daoist Xie and Bao Hua, choosing to focus entirely on Han Li.

You must be referring to Sacred Ancestor Nie Pan. My Provenance True Devil Arts are slightly different, but our cultivation arts are indeed related. I possess a lot of powerful treasures and abilities, but in reality, my greatest trump card just so happens to be this physical body of mine as well, Han Li said as he made a hand seal with each of his six hands, upon which purplish-golden scales and silver patterns emerged all over his body.

At the same time, several giant true spirit projections emerged behind him before fusing as one with his body, and he suddenly transformed into a fiendcelestial that was over 10,000 feet tall with countless runes revolving around him.

His purplish-golden scales then transformed into a suit of intricate purplish-golden armor with countless runes engraved on its surface, and it was giving off an incredibly fearsome baleful aura.

Meanwhile, a tiny miniature humanoid figure that was identical to Han Li in appearance was seated in his dantian with a layer of silver flame burning around it.

Han Lis Nascent Soul had ignited an essential flame that was burning through his essential power.

As a result, his magic power and physical body would be enhanced by as much as twofold, but he wouldnt be able to maintain this form for long, and the after-effects were definitely going to be very severe.

The disdainful look on the Stemborer Queens face finally faded upon seeing this.

Is this the Holy Nirvana Physique of the Elder Devil Race? Wait, thats not all… This is the Hundred Meridian Refinement Mantra! How do you possess a secret technique from the Hundred Refinement Mountain of the True Immortal Realm? Ah, I see, you mustve obtained this cultivation art from the Hundred Refinement Mountain traitor that fled down to the lower realms. Hehe, even so, you havent received any guidance from a true immortal of the Hundred Refinement Mountain, do you really think your half-assed mastery of this secret technique will allow you to oppose me? the Stemborer Queen said with a mocking sneer.

In the next instant, countless golden and silver runes emerged on the surface of the Stemborer Queens body, and it swelled drastically in size once again to match Han Lis enormous stature.

The two gargantuan beings had virtually taken up the entire underwater abyss, and both of them were releasing extremely fearsome auras.

I wont know if I can oppose your True Extreme Physique or not until I give it a try, Han Li harrumphed coldly as a silver visor appeared over his three heads, leaving only his six bright and piercing eyes exposed.

He then let loose a thunderous roar, and three balls of light of different colors emerged from his body, each of which contained an extremely life-like miniature mountain.

The three mountains crashed into one another to form a single massive ball of light, and Han Li reached into the ball of light to pull out a gigantic staff that was of a dark azure color.

Not only was the staff extremely thick, there were countless five-colored spirit patterns etched onto its surface, and it seemed to be incredibly heavy.

Han Li gripped onto the giant staff before casting a cold gaze toward the Stemborer Queen, then swung the staff viciously toward his opponent.

A huge spatial rift appeared in the wake of the gargantuan staff, and a tremendous burst of wind pressure came crashing down with devastating might.

With his Third Nirvana Transformation, Han Lis physical body could already match that of some of the powerful legendary true spirits, but now that he had ignited his essential flame as well, his strength had truly reached an astounding level.

The Stemborer Queens eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing this, and it raised a pair of scissors-like limbs attached to its abdomen to oppose the massive descending staff.

A ball of rainbow light exploded amid a resounding boom, and the entire underwater abyss tremored violently as powerful shockwaves erupted in all directions in a frenzy.

Despite this, Han Li and the Stemborer Queen both remained as still as a pair of immovable mountains.

Once all of the light up above faded, it was revealed that the giant staff and the pair of sharp insect limbs were locked in a complete standstill.

The staff was unable to descend any further, but the pair of limbs were able to repel it, either, and it seemed that the two sides were evenly matched.

Han Li was quite stunned to see this, and he immediately raised his staff again before unleashing a flurry of attacks, sending countless staff projections sweeping toward his opponent from all sides.

The Stemborer Queens expression darkened slightly upon seeing this, and it retaliated with its many limbs, creating countless limb projections in the surrounding space as well.

Neither of them were using any magic power and were purely clashing with their physical strength.

All of a sudden, a series of tornados erupted out of the water, and the entire space tremored violently as countless thin spatial rifts emerged, while one massive wave after another was swept up on the surface.

The battle between these two gigantic creatures had plunged the entire underwater abyss into a doomsday-like scenario.

A resounding thump rang out as the Stemborer Queens back was struck by Han Lis staff during a lapse in concentration, and it was sent flying for over 1,000 feet.

However, in the next instant, the Stemborer Queen let loose an enraged roar and shot back like an arrow, instantly reaching Han Li before unleashing countless white wind blades toward him using its sharp appendages.

All of these wind blades were imbued with tremendous power, and they had been unleashed in extremely close quarters, so Han Li was forced to scramble to defend himself.

All of a sudden, a pair of pristine white fists emerged from behind the flurry of wind blades, pressing against Han Lis chest before lashing out in a vicious surprise attack.

Two massive indentations appeared on Han Lis suit of purplish-golden armor, and he was sent flying backward, only managing to right himself after flipping over several times in succession.

The Stemborer Queen immediately pressed its advantage as it flapped its wings and shot forth in a flash, slashing its sharp limbs toward Han Li like a series of lethal scythes.

At the same time, it reached out with one of its human arms to gouge out the eyes on Han Lis central head.

Even with Han Lis incredibly powerful body, he would definitely be severely wounded if these attacks were to land.

However, Han Li seemed to have anticipated this situation, and as soon as he steadied himself, he released his giant staff, which reverted back into three massive mountains that shielded him from the Stemborer Queens attacks.

The Stemborer Queens sharp limbs flashed through the air, and dozens of deep gouges instantly appeared on the surfaces of the three mountains.

Meanwhile, the Stemborer Queens human arm lengthened dramatically before skirting around the three mountains like lightning, continuing to reach out toward Han Lis eyes.

Han Li was caught off guard by this crafty maneuver, and it was too late to take evasive measures.

As such, he could only inject his magic power into his silver visor in a frenzy to release a flurry of countless runes while quickly closing his eyes.

The Stemborer Queens fingers pierced through the flurry of runes like a pair of needles, then struck Han Lis eyelids with vicious force.

Han Li had already mentally prepared himself for the impact, but he still felt as if he had been dealt a hammer blow to the face, and countless golden stars exploded in his field of view.

Despite this, Han Li suddenly let loose a peal of hearty laughter as the three giant mountains abruptly vanished.

At the same time, bright golden and silver light erupted from the surface of his suit of purplish-golden armor, and countless silver spirit patterns detached themselves from his body before vanishing into the Stemborer Queens body.

The Stemborer Queen was quite alarmed by this turn of events, and it was just about to do something when a series of thick silver chains appeared out of thin air to bind its entire body.

Han Lis expression changed slightly upon seeing this, while Daoist Xie suddenly said something that was rather intriguing to him.

Are you referring to the True Extreme Body possessed only by Profound Immortals?

Oh? I didnt think that a mere Faux Immortal Puppet would be aware of this, looks like your former owner had to have been someone from the True Immortal Realm, the Stemborer Queen said as a hint of surprise appeared in its eyes.

Han Lis brows furrowed slightly as he asked, Whats a Profound Immortal? Is it some type of high-grade true immortal?

Not exactly, Profound Immortals are considered to be anomalies in the True Immortal Realm. Instead of cultivating magic power, they focus only on refining their physical bodies, walking a different path from normal true immortals, and theyre referred to by some as Refinement Immortals. Among true immortals of the same caliber, Profound Immortals are generally far more powerful, and a True Extreme Body is almost a signature trait among all Profound Immortals. Profound Immortals are very powerful among low-grade true immortals, but progressing to higher levels is extremely difficult for them. As such, even though theyre vastly renowned in the True Immortal Realm, very few people choose to pursue this path, Daoist Xie explained.

That sounds rather similar to the body refinement warriors of our human race. Seeing as the Stemborer Queen isnt a high-grade immortal, do you think we still have a chance here? Youve been with me for quite some time now, so Im sure youre aware of what Im truly capable of, Han Li suddenly asked.

If we can completely seal away its magic power and force it to battle us with only its physical body, then you should still have a roughly 30% chance of securing victory. Of course, thats assuming that the Stemborer Queen has only recently attained her True Extreme Body and hasnt consolidated it yet, Daoist Xie replied.

You heard him, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua, if we fight to the death here, we still have a 30% chance, but if you dont want to take the risk, then well have to split up and flee. I dont think the Stemborer Queen would be willing to let us go, so if we were to do that, at least one of us would definitely perish here. Ive just examined this area using a secret technique, and it seems that some type of power has encompassed this abyss, making it impossible to use the Treasured Phoenix Spirit Plates. Ive attempted to use some other secret techniques as well, but none of them have allowed me to teleport out of here, Han Li sighed.

The Stemborer Queen merely looked on with a sneer as Han Li communicated with Daoist Xie and Bao Hua. At the same time, it was refining the pair of Earth Emperor Nails, attempting to take the Profound Heavenly Treasure for itself even while the battle was still in progress.

I understand. In that case, well have to fight for our lives. I have a technique that I can use to help you, but Ill need Brother Xie to assist me, and once I unleash that technique, I wont be of any further use in this battle, Bao Hua said as she gritted her teeth.

Haha, thats all I needed to hear. The Stemborer Queen is in the process of refining those two treasures, so lets not waste any more time, Han Li said.

Alright, Brother Xie, please lend me all of your magic power, Bao Hua said in a decisive manner as she turned to Daoist Xie.

Daoist Xie had already received an instruction from Han Li through voice transmission, and he immediately teleported behind Bao Hua before pressing his hands firmly onto Bao Huas shoulders.

Arcs of silver lightning then flowed from his hands into Bao Huas body in a frenzy, and with this influx of energy, Bao Huas near-exhausted supply of magic power was quickly being replenished, even her pale features were becoming more flushed and exuberant.

Bao Hua was aware that this external source of magic power wouldnt be able to linger in her body for very long, and it would soon seep out of her body before dissipating. However, this brief window was enough for her to unleash a trump card that she didnt think that she would have to use.

Unleashing this technique would sow instability into her cultivation base again, and not only could it cause her to fall below the Grand Ascension Stage again, she would also make an enemy of the owner of the Earth Emperor Nails.

The friendship that they had forged over countless years would most likely completely cease to exist after this.

Bao Hua couldnt help but heave an internal sigh as this thought occurred to her.

Who couldve imagined that this Stemborer Queen would be able to master an immortal ability?

In reality, it really couldnt be said for sure whether the Stemborer Queens body still contained its original soul.

Neither Bao Hua nor Han Li were idiots, and they could tell that this Stemborer Queen was very suspicious, it was just that neither of them saw any reason to point this out.

After all, the Stemborer Queen was definitely determined to kill them, so there was no need to waste time with words.

A wry smile appeared on Bao Huas face, but she didnt hesitate in the slightest as she made a hand seal, and brilliant pink light erupted from her body alongside countless five-colored runes, forming 13 resplendent wheels of light.

Bao Hua was situated right at the center of these wheels of light, and she was chanting an incantation that was as pleasing to the ears as delightful heavenly music.

At the same time, her hair suddenly began to fall off at their roots, and a silver rune emerged on her glabella.

All of a sudden, her aura changed drastically, and she transformed into a young female nun that was giving off an air of purity and holiness.

She raised her head with an indifferent expression, and a strong floral fragrance wafted through the air as a series of branches that were riddled with pink flowers sprouted out of her body.

She had transformed herself into a living tree, presenting a very strange sight to behold.

All of a sudden, Bao Hua raised one of her arms, which was riddled with floral branches, and pointed a finger at the Stemborer Queen.

All of the flowers all over her body then abruptly wilted away, while Bao Hua herself plummeted out of the sky like a wooden statue, plunging deep into the abyss down below.

In the exact same instant, the 13 wheels of light around her also disintegrated into specks of spiritual light.

At the same time, the silver arcs of lightning being released by Daoist Xie instantly faded, and he quickly sat down to meditate.

During this brief period of energy transference, Daoist Xie had expended almost all of his energy, and his aura became virtually non-existent.

Meanwhile, the Stemborer Queen was suddenly struck by a sense of foreboding, and the two Earth Emperor Nails that she was refining suddenly began to release scintillating light.

Countless rainbow runes surged out of the pair of nails alongside two bursts of crimson flames, and the Stemborer Queens two hands were instantly incinerated into ashes.

Immediately thereafter, the two Earth Emperor Nails transformed into a pair of rainbow snakes that shot forth toward the Stemborer Queen like lightning.

The Stemborer Queen was quite alarmed by this turn of events, and it immediately regenerated a new pair of hands before grabbing toward the two Earth Emperor Nails from an incredible angle.

However, the pair of Earth Emperor Nails merely passed through the Stemborer Queens hands like a pair of projections before plunging into its body.

The Stemborer Queen hurriedly examined its own hands, and upon discovering that they were completely unscathed, it inspected its own internal conditions, upon which its expression darkened significantly.

The two Earth Emperor Nails had embedded themselves firmly into the black crystalline core within the Stemborer Queens body, then released countless yellow threads that bound the crystalline core tightly, rendering the Stemborer Queen completely unable to draw upon any magic power.

I didnt think that youd have the ability to unleash the essential power of these two Profound Heavenly Treasures. You can maximize their power by doing this, but itll take them at least 100,000 years to recover. In any case, your struggles are futile, and all youve done is make me more enraged. Im going to tear all of you apart inch by inch, then refine your souls into puppet servants for myself, the Stemborer Queen said with a furious expression as it swept one of its front limbs through the air.

A white blade of wind instantly appeared before Daoist Xie, attempting to slice him in half.

As a result, the number of flower petal projections in the Profound Heavenly Floral Realm increased by close to half, and they all transformed into a series of palm-sized pink shields.

Meanwhile, all of the silver formations on Han Lis body began to emit a loud buzzing sound alongside bursts of five-colored light, which flowed into his Profound Heavenly Spiritslash Sword along his six arms.

The silver runes on the sword instantly began to glow with scintillating light, making it almost impossible to look directly at the sword.

Once all of the light faded, the sword was revealed to have swelled to over 100 feet in size, and the silver runes on its surface were moving incessantly as if they had sprung to life.

Han Li then slashed his longsword through the air, and a green halo immediately proliferated outward.

Almost at the exact same moment, the surrounding skeleton warriors also sprang into action, hurling their bone tridents forward in unison.

As soon as the bone tridents left the hands of the skeleton warriors, a string of cracks and pops rang out all over their bodies, and they disintegrated into powder, having exhausted the power that had been supporting them.

In the next instant, the bone tridents plunged into the expanding green halo, and an earth-shattering boom rang out as black Qi and green light intertwined, stirring up the worlds origin Qi in the surrounding area into a chaotic frenzy.

Han Lis slash was extremely powerful, but there was no way it could withstand the full-blooded attacks of over 100 Grand Ascension Stage beings.

The green halo only lasted for an instant before it was shattered, but it had eradicated most of the bone tridents as well.

As for the dozen or so remaining bone tridents, they plunged into Bao Huas rapidly revolving spirit domain as streaks of black light. reewebove.com

Bao Huas fingers curled back slightly within her sleeves, and a burst of faint energy fluctuations erupted forth.

The revolving spirit domain immediately came to a standstill before shrinking even further, and around a dozen balls of black light suddenly appeared within it.

These balls of black light quickly fused as one, staining a large section of the spirit domain black, then abruptly vanished on the spot.

At this point, the Stemborer Queens spirit domain seemed to have also exhausted all of its power, and it gradually faded to reveal the underwater abyss again.

At this moment, Bao Hua was holding the Earth Emperor Nail in one hand, while Han Li was standing with his sword raised before him.

The two of them had managed to protect themselves with their Profound Heavenly Treasures, but the Profound Heavenly Floral Domain had been completely destroyed.

As for Daoist Xie, he had reverted back to his human form and was standing right beside Han Li with lightning flashing around his body. The giant grey net overhead was nowhere to be seen, perhaps it had been eradicated during the clash between the powers of laws that had just taken place, or perhaps Daoist Xie dispelled it somehow.

The Stemborer Queen was floating in the water up ahead, and there was a surprised look in the eyes of its central human face.

I didnt think that the three of you would be able to dispel my Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain with only a pair of Profound Heavenly Treasures, its no wonder that my two clones were no match for you. Setting that Faux Immortal Puppet aside for now, you two must be among the most exceptional powerful beings of the lower realms, the Stemborer Queen said.

Im greatly flattered by your kind words of praise, but if it isnt for the fact that youre currently severely debilitated, we most likely wouldnt have been able to break your spirit domain even with our Profound Heavenly Treasures. It looks like you really havent recovered much of your powers, Bao Hua remarked.

Oh? Are you of the opinion that you gained the upper hand in that last clash? the Stemborer Queen chuckled with a disdainful expression.

I dont know about that, but what I do know is that you most likely wont be able to unleash any powerful abilities now, Bao Hua said with a faint smile.

Whats that supposed to mean? Hold on, what is this? The Stemborer Queens expression changed drastically as it suddenly raised one of its front limbs.

A thin yellow needle had been embedded into that front limb, and most of the needle had plunged into the Stemborer Queens flesh.

A peculiar smile appeared on Bao Huas face as she waved her Earth Emperor Nail through the air, and the thin needle on the Stemborer Queens front limb also swelled to around a foot in length.

At the same time, it was releasing countless yellow runes, as well as a burst of power of laws that had completely encompassed the Stemborer Queens body.

As a result, the massive Stemborer Queen suddenly shrank down significantly to only several tens of feet in size.

You have a third Profound Heavenly Treasure? When did you manage to do this? Ah, I remember feeling a bit of discomfort during that final clash, that mustve been when you struck, the Stemborer Queen said with a dark expression, and its expression darkened even further upon discovering that it was unable to access most of its magic power.

Hehe, thats not a third Profound Heavenly Treasure, the Earth Emperor Nail is a pair of treasures, and only when the two are combined is the nail in its most powerful form, Bao Hua said as she flicked her wrist to hurl the giant yellow nail in her hand through the air.

In the next instant, spatial fluctuations erupted above the Stemborer Queen, and the second Earth Emperor Nail plunged down like lightning.

Even with the Stemborer Queens incredible powers, it would most likely be rendered completely unable to access its magic power if it were to allow both Earth Emperor Nails to plunge into its body.

However, in the face of Bao Huas surprise attack, the Stemborer Queen merely gave a cold harrumph as it swept a front limb through the air, swatting the second Earth Emperor Nail away as if it were a pesky fly.

It then reached out with its other front limb to catch the yellow nail that it had just sent flying.

I was wondering why your Profound Heavenly Treasure was so weak, turns out its a pair of treasures. I just so happen to be missing a few good treasures, I wouldnt mind adding this Earth Emperor Nail to my collection, the Stemborer Queen said with a mocking smile as it appraised the struggling yellow nail in its hand.

Impossible! Most of your power has already been sealed away, how are you still able to do this?1 Bao Hua couldnt believe her own eyes!

She had hidden the second Earth Emperor Nail from the very beginning to be used as a sure-kill trump card, yet her plan had completely failed, and as a result, she had lost all of her confidence.

Meanwhile, a thought seemed to have occurred to Han Li, and a hint of enlightenment flashed through his eyes.

I must say, you two are quite unlucky. If you had encountered me several hundred years ago, perhaps that plan of yours wouldve worked. However, in my current form, Id be able to kill you two with ease even without access to any of my magic power, the Stemborer Queen said in a lazy voice, and her fearsome aura completely faded, only to be replaced by another type of invisible pressure that was just as formidable.

Bao Huas face paled even further upon hearing this, while Han Li asked, Does your confidence stem from your physical body?

Youre a smart man. Did you really think that all Ive been doing here this entire time is recover my power and attempt to break the seal? Haha, truth be told, if I wanted to break the seal, I couldve done so with ease over 100,000 years ago. I chose to remain here as I wanted to use the power of the ancient seal to refine my body and attain a True Extreme Body. Now that Ive achieved that objective, you wouldnt be able to harm me even if I do nothing but stand here and allow you to attack me. With this True Extreme Body, I am the most powerful being across all realms! the Stemborer Queen chortled with glee.

As soon as its voice rang out, it swept all of its limbs through the air, creating countless thin spatial rifts.

Enormous suction force erupted out of those rifts, sweeping up the yellow runes around its body, following which all of the rifts were sealed again.

In the next instant, the Stemborer Queen reached over and plucked out the yellow nail embedded into its front limb with ease.

Impossible! This Earth Emperor Nail has been refined by my good friend for countless years, how could it be pulled out so easily? Bao Hua murmured to herself as her face took on an ashy complexion.

The entire abyss seemed to have been tipped upside-down, all of the surrounding seawater had vanished, while dark clouds had filled the entire sky up above, and a vast expanse of murky greyness that was tinged with specks of white light had appeared down below.

Ghostly howls rang out in the surrounding area, and gusts of glacial winds swept forth as the specks of white light slowly rose upward.

Bao Huas expression changed drastically as she discovered these specks of white light were all skulls with white ghostly flames burning in their eye sockets, and the sheer number of them presented a chilling sight to behold.

This is also a spirit domain?

Han Li had felt the surrounding air instantly tighten as these skulls had appeared, and he was immediately struck by a sense of extreme peril, but nothing had actually happened.

However, an enlightened look then appeared on his face as he cast his gaze toward Bao Hua, who was currently making a rapid series of hand seals with a grim look on her face.

Her spirit domain had been shrunk down to less than a thousandth of its original size, covering an area of only around an acre.

All of the flower petal projections within this compressed spirit domain became extremely bright, while the fragrance they were emitting became several times more pronounced, and they were also fluttering through the air with far greater urgency.

However, the Stemborer Queen was nowhere to be seen outside the spirit domain. Instead, the only things that were visible were those countless white skulls.

They were blasting white flames out of their mouths to clash with the pink flower petals, sending bursts of energy fluctuations surging through the air.

With each clash that took place, Bao Huas face would pale slightly, and a short while later, she was already sweating profusely.

Brother Han, Ive already compressed my spirit domain, but even so, I wont be able to last much longer, Bao Hua hurriedly said as an urgent look appeared on her face.

I understand. Let me try and break through here, this isnt the True Immortal Realm, so Im sure this isnt an actual Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain, Han Li said with a dark expression before issuing an instruction to Daoist Xie.

He then transformed into a giant golden ape that was several hundred feet tall, then sprouted two extra heads and four additional arms before thrusting his six giant fists viciously through the air.

Six head-sized balls of light erupted from his fists, then immediately appeared outside Bao Huas spirit domain before exploding among the white skulls.

An earth-shattering explosion rang out as a vast expanse of golden light surged through the air, reducing all of the white skulls in its wake to ashes.

Han Lis attack had cleared out a wide berth around Bao Huas spirit domain, and the pressure on her was immediately alleviated somewhat.

A hint of elation appeared on her face, yet her expression then immediately stiffened.

Countless white skulls had reappeared in the area that Han Li had just cleared out, and all of them were extremely furious. They began to blast forth white flames to clash with the golden light again, and their auras seemed to have become even more powerful than before.

Han Li was unsurprised to see this, and he murmured to himself, As expected, they cant be killed so easily, but what about this?

He then made a hand seal before pointing a finger forward, and the golden light exploded into countless golden runes that transformed into a golden vortex with a diameter of around 100 feet.

The worlds origin Qi surged violently, and the vortex began to rotate at a rapid speed, releasing a burst of fearsome suction force that forcibly sucked in many of the nearby skulls.

More white skulls would emerge to replace the ones that had been sucked into the vortex, but the suction force of the vortex seemed to also be boundless, and it was becoming more and more powerful.

Thus, no matter how many skulls appeared, they were all drawn into the vortex and shredded without any exception.

Oh? This is Xuanyuan Divine Light! No, its only a replica ability. Hehe, perhaps the actual Xuanyuan Divine Light would pose some threat to me, but this is nothing.

The Stemborer Queens chuckling voice rang out, following which a black rune emerged amid a burst of spatial fluctuations, then vanished into the golden vortex, enveloping it in a burst of power of laws.

Following the entry of the black rune, the golden vortex quickly shrank before finally disintegrating into specks of golden light.

Han Lis expression darkened slightly upon seeing this.

The power of the law of time could counteract virtually all abilities, and it was very troublesome for him to oppose.

Meanwhile, Bao Hua was injecting her magic power into her spirit domain with all her might to oppose the Stemborer Queens Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain, while Daoist Xie was sweeping his giant pincers violently through the air, releasing massive balls of lighting that surged upward in a torrential barrage to keep the descending grey net at bay.

The giant grey net had been manifested by some type of extremely formidable power, and even though Daoist Xie was pushing his lightning output to its maximal extent, he was still unable to damage the net and could only prevent it from descending for now.

Neither of them were using any other treasures as they knew that normal treasures wouldnt work against such a powerful opponent anyway.

Han Li was silent for a moment before suddenly giving a cold harrumph.

Your law of time is very formidable, but I wonder how many more times you can unleash it, Im sure you cant just use such a powerful ability as you please.

As soon as his voice rang out, he thrust his fists through the air again to unleash countless golden fist projections that exploded among the sea of white skulls.

Countless golden runes surged forth, forming around a dozen golden vortexes at once, all of which began to revolve at a rapid speed.

A cold harrumph rang out, and an equivalent number of black runes sprang forth to strike the vortexes with unerring accuracy.

All of the vortexes quickly disintegrated into nothingness once again, but Han Lis expression remained unchanged as he continued to unleash more fist projections.

How dare you! The Stemborer Queen finally flared up with fury.

No more black runes were released, but all of the white skulls suddenly converged to form massive skeletons, each of which was over 1,000 feet tall.

These skeletons had countless skulls all over their bodies, and all of the skulls wore twisted agonized expressions, presenting a very chilling sight to behold.

There were hundreds of these massive skeletons, and all of them made hand seals to release layers of spiritual light, allowing them to be completely unaffected by the suction force of the golden vortexes.

The skeletons then cackled as gusts of fierce winds erupted from their bodies, then transformed into suits of translucent armor, as well as giant white bone tridents.

With the enhancement of the spirit domain, all of these giant armored skeleton warriors possessed auras that were comparable to Grand Ascension Stage beings, and they hurled their bone tridents viciously into the golden vortexes.

A dull thump rang out as the golden vortexes exploded one after another, and the skeleton warriors conjured up more bone tridents before hurling them toward Bao Huas spirit domain.

Bao Huas face paled significantly upon seeing this, but there was nothing that she could do as it was already taking all of her effort just to support the entire domain.

Of course, Han Li wasnt going to just stand by and watch. The Profound Heavenly Spiritslash Sword reappeared in his grasp amid a flash of green light, and he immediately unleashed around a dozen more green lines at once.

The green lines clashed with the bone tridents, and both sides were completely eradicated amid a resounding explosion.

Han Li had expended a lot of magic power through that attack, and in the next instant, his expression immediately darkened significantly.

The skeleton warriors had conjured up more bone tridents, and their auras had become even more powerful.

Faint black light was flashing from the tips of these tridents, and they were releasing hints of the power of laws.

Let me assist you, Brother Han. Even if this is a true Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain, its power cant be unlimited, this is most likely the last wave of attacks the domain is capable of unleashing. As long as we can withstand this wave of attacks, the spirit domains power will be completely exhausted, Bao Hua hurriedly yelled.

At the same time, she flipped her hand over to produce the Earth Emperor Nail, and she grabbed onto the nail before quickly plunging it into the giant floral tree that was supporting her entire spirit domain.

The giant tree was already looking quite withered due to overexertion, but in the instant that the Earth Emperor Nail was plunged into its trunk, it was suddenly infused with a powerful burst of vitality. Not only did its leaves take on an exuberant green color again, it had also swelled noticeably in size.

The two insect projections were very alarmed to hear this, and they immediately attempted to flee, but two shimmering black runes shot out of the silver-robed womans fingertip, then vanished into the bodies of the two projections at an incredible speed.

The two projections let loose a collective agonized howl as they writhed with all their might to resist the black runes power, but it was all to no avail as their bodies rapidly began to shrink.

Moments later, only a pair of balls of light were left hovering in mid-air.

The silver-robed woman swept a hand through the air, and the balls of light flew directly toward her.

She then opened her mouth to devour the two balls of light, and as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her aura seemed to have swelled to become around twice as powerful as it had originally been.

Moments later, she reopened her eyes, and her aura instantly returned to normal.

Right at this moment, she seemed to have sensed something, and she cast a cold gaze upward before returning to the ball of devilish flames within the eye socket of the giant carcass in a flash.

In the next instant, the carcass suddenly raised its head and let loose a shrill roar, upon which clouds of blood mist appeared around it before transforming into crimson threads that quickly adhered to the bones of the carcass.

One layer of crimson threads after another wound themselves around the carcasss bones before quickly transforming into blood, flesh, meridians, skin, and scales.

In the blink of an eye, the carcass had transformed into a three-headed giant insect.

The central head of the insect bore the appearance of the silver-robed woman, while the other two heads were mostly covered in five-colored scales with countless eyeballs of different sizes all over the tops of the heads, presenting a very chilling sight to behold.

As for the insects body, it was as smooth and translucent as a flawless chunk of crystal. On its back were four pairs of beautiful white cicada wings with five-colored runes etched all over their surfaces.

As soon as the mountainous insects body was reconstructed, the central head cast a cold gaze upward in silence.

As for the other two heads, their eyes were tightly shut, and they remained completely expressionless as if they were inanimate objects.

Moments later, three streaks of light descended into the abyss from above.

The lights faded over 1,000 away, and Han Lis trio was revealed.

At such a close range, Han Li and Bao Hua were naturally able to see the giant insect down below, and both of their expressions faltered slightly in response to this sight.

This giant insect was completely different in appearance from the body they had destroyed above the water, and what was most alarming to Han Li and Bao Hua was the central head of the insect, which bore a strong resemblance to the little girl.

So this is the Stemborer Queens body. It looks like were too late, its already awakened, Bao Hua said with a dark expression.

It doesnt look like the body we just destroyed, but this should indeed be the Stemborer Queens body, Han Li replied with a grim look in his eyes.

Seeing as its completely unscathed here, I can only assume that our two fellow daoists have already perished, Bao Hua sighed.

Han Li cast his gaze toward the broken treasures next to the giant insect, and he nodded with a solemn expression.

So you three were the ones that harmed my clone and disrupted my rest. The central head of the giant insect suddenly spoke, and its voice was very pleasing to the ears, like that of a seductive maiden.

Are you the Stemborer Queen? Have our two companions from earlier already fallen by your hands? Bao Hua asked in a calm voice.

Hehe, those two puny Grand Ascension Stage beings dared to attack me, so of course I had to devour them. Seeing as you three arent willing to answer my question, Ill send you on your way just like I did to your companions, the central head of the giant insect said in a cold voice, but its words were accompanied by a mismatching seductive smile.

As soon as its voice trailed off, it opened its mouth to release a plume of grey threads, which transformed into a massive net that descended toward Han Lis trio from above.

The net was releasing a nauseating rank odor, and Han Lis trio appeared to be quite calm, but they were naturally very wary of the Stemborer Queen.

As the grey net descended toward the trio, Bao Hua immediately yelled, Now!

She then instantly flipped over a hand to conjure up a miniature tree amid a flash of green light, which quickly transformed into a massive pink tree that released countless pink flower petals to fill the entire space down below.

At the same time, Daoist Xie transformed into a giant golden crab that was around 100 acres in size, and a massive lightning net rose up from its body to oppose the descending grey net.

Meanwhile, Han Li made a grabbing motion, and the Profound Heavenly Spiritslash Sword appeared in his grasp amid a flash of green light.

His body also swelled drastically in size as his Provenance True Devil Projection emerged, then transformed into its golden body form before fusing as one with him.

Purplish-golden scales began to appear all over his body alongside countless silver spirit runes that formed a series of formations of different sizes.

He then abruptly flicked his wrist, and countless balls of five-colored light suddenly emerged within the abyss before surging into the longsword in a frenzy.

A row of silver runes lit up on the blade of the sword, and the power of laws surged forth as 12 green lines swept through the air.

The 12 green lines were virtually connected to form a single line, and they instantly reached the giant insect before slicing toward it with devastating force.

It was clear that Han Li and the others had already devised a strategy to be used when facing the Stemborer Queen, and all of them had unleashed their trump cards in unison.

Daoist Xie was responsible for opposing the Stemborer Queens attack, Bao Hua had been assigned the duty of trapping the Stemborer Queen, while Han Li was the one who was going to land the killing blow.

A normal Grand Ascension Stage being would most likely have no chance of surviving this combination attack, but the human face of the Stemborer Queen merely raised an eyebrow, and a flurry of energy fluctuations erupted from its body to sweep all of the surrounding flower petal projections aside.

Immediately thereafter, it raised a human arm and pointed a delicate finger forward.

Black light flashed as a shimmering black rune shot forth out of its fingertip to strike the green line at the very forefront with unerring accuracy.

The black rune exploded, and a burst of formidable power of laws swept forth.

As soon as the 12 green lines came into contact with this power of laws, they immediately drew to an abrupt halt before suddenly being repelled back to Han Lis trio.

Han Li and Bao Huas expressions both changed drastically upon seeing this, and the former hurriedly slashed his longsword through the air again to unleash 12 more green lines.

The 24 green lines clashed and were destroyed in unison, but a burst of fearsome energy fluctuations continued to surge toward Han Lis trio.

Han Li raised his Profound Heavenly Spiritslash Sword, and several of the silver runes on the blade lit up to absorb the oncoming energy fluctuations, but he was involuntarily forced back a few steps by the impact.

Using his Profound Heavenly Treasure several times in succession had eaten away a large chunk of his magic power, and his face had paled slightly to reflect that.

If a normal Grand Ascension cultivator had been in his shoes, they wouldve most likely already exhausted their magic power and suffered backlash from the Profound Heavenly Treasure.

Thats not normal repulsion, its the power of reversal of the law of time! Bao Hua exclaimed as she gritted her teeth and plucked off one of the thick branches of the floral tree in her hand, then quickly swept it through the air.

However, the Stemborer Queen seemed to already be prepared for this, and a grey halo abruptly erupted from its body alongside bursts of peculiar energy fluctuations.

The grey halo forced back a vast expanse of pink flower petal projections, and a grey rune suddenly appeared near the giant insect.

At the same time, a burst of power of laws struck the halo with devastating force, only to be repelled by the halo, which remained completely unscathed.

An incredulous look appeared on Bao Huas face upon seeing this.

Hehe, a Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain, eh? I didnt think that a mere lower realm Grand Ascension Stage being would be able to master such an ability. Unfortunately, this is only a faux spirit domain, so theres no way itll be effective against me. How about this? Before I devour you, let me show you what a true Profound Heavenly Spirit Domain looks like, the Stemborer Queen chuckled as it suddenly made a hand seal with its front limbs, then chanted an incantation to make the grey halo around it rotate at a rapid speed.

All of a sudden, the halo vanished in a flash, and all of the light in the entire abyss dimmed significantly.