Chapter 700

Just as Han Li's figure had barely "shot" out of the hall door, a deafening explosion erupted behind him; startled, he whirled around at once.

Behind him, the Jade Ji Pavilion had suddenly exploded into ruins, and from the debris rose a golden sun nearly a zhang in diameter, its center flickering with a faint human silhouette—clearly Lord Nanlong Hou himself, having activated some secret technique.

Han Li's heart tightened.

The Jade Ji Pavilion was no ordinary pavilion; otherwise, he would have simply pierced through its wall and fled long ago. Yet now, under a single strike from Lord Nanlong Hou, it had collapsed.

It seems that after a desperate fight, every Nascent Soul elder is utterly formidable!

As Han Li thought this, he had already retreated to the center of the hall he'd entered through. He glanced at the walls now sealed shut, then without hesitation raised a hand and flicked his finger—a green streak several chi long shot out and struck the opposite stone wall.

"Puff!" The wall was pierced by a hole the size of a bowl, but instantly a white flash erased the hole completely.

Han Li frowned, about to devise another plan, when his expression suddenly changed—he spun around in an instant.

His movement was as swift as a ghost.

Several zhang behind him, Lord Nanlong Hou stood silently, his entire body blazing with golden light, yet his face was ashen and his spirit utterly drained.

Han Li glanced past him, and saw that above the pavilion ruins, a massive golden bowl hung inverted in midair, beneath which a golden mist shrouded the area, with black flashes and white vapors flickering constantly, and faint thunderous cracks echoing from within.

Seeing this, a flicker of surprise crossed Han Li's face.

Lord Nanlong Hou had somehow used an unimaginable technique to temporarily trap Wang Wang Tiangu and the old man surnamed Yun, among others, and had freed himself.

"This outer barrier can only be broken quickly with the Mountain-Opening Flag, Han Daoist. There's only one such flag, so it will take time. Please delay them for me—I know my ancient treasure is powerful, but it won't hold them long. They could break free at any moment." Lord Nanlong Hou forced a smile, flipped his hand, and a small yellow flag spun rapidly in his palm; he began chanting, as if certain Han Li would obey without question.

After a brief flicker in his gaze, Han Li made no hesitation—he slapped his storage bag, and a greenish array disc appeared in his palm.

It was the same artifact he'd used to dismantle the Tai Miao Divine Barrier.

Without a word, he swiftly traced several green runes, then blew gently—the runes floated softly onto the disc, which instantly blazed with green light.

"Rise!" Han Li chanted coldly, his hands forming a seal.

Except for the wall directly facing Lord Nanlong Hou, the previously vanished blue crystal walls reappeared, sealing the hall's entrance once more.

"You can control the Tai Miao Divine Barrier?" Lord Nanlong Hou paused his chant, surprised and delighted.

"The barrier's power I can unleash is less than one-tenth of its original strength. It won't hold them long either. Brother Lord Nanlong, best open a path before they break through." Han Li's face showed no pride, only gravity.

Hearing this, Lord Nanlong Hou noticed the crystal walls were indeed far dimmer than before. His expression of relief vanished—he hurled the flag, which became a yellow streak and vanished into the wall; he resumed his incantation.

Simultaneously, a thunderous boom echoed from within, and the blue crystal walls Han Li had summoned flickered wildly, the sound of violent explosions clearly audible from inside.

Wang Wang Tiangu and the others had shattered Lord Nanlong Hou's ancient treasure and were now launching furious assaults on the crystal walls.

Han Li glanced at the stone wall beginning to glow faintly white, then at the flickering blue crystal walls. After a brief hesitation, he flung out a spirit beast bag.

Instantly, three-colored Gold-Biting Larvae surged forth; Han Li formed a hand seal, activated the Insect Armor Technique, and the swarm whirled wildly around him before settling into a three-colored armor covering his body.

Lord Nanlong Hou watched Han Li's actions, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

But escape was urgent—he naturally asked no questions.

Moments later, as the crystal walls flickered violently, on the verge of collapse, a rumbling shook the opposite stone wall—before their eyes, the wall split open in white light, revealing a stone staircase.

Seeing this, Lord Nanlong Hou's golden light flared—he instantly transformed into a golden streak and shot away from his spot.

Behind him, Han Li's Thunder-Wind Wings flashed with lightning, and he vanished from his position.

The next instant, Han Li appeared ahead of Lord Nanlong Hou, materializing in the middle of the passage—when suddenly, a sharp cracking sound echoed from below.

Han Li's face changed—he activated his Thunder-Wind Wings again, instantly appearing at the staircase entrance, then unleashed the Thunder Dash Technique to vanish in flashes, fleeing far away.

Just as Han Li had fled several hundred zhang, a piercing shriek erupted from the passage, followed by a blinding golden streak that shot out.

The golden streak paused briefly at the exit, and Lord Nanlong Hou's cold, venomous voice rang out.

"Remember this: if you ever fall into my hands again, I'll annihilate your bodies and souls!" No sooner had he spoken than the golden streak blazed fiercely, then blurred—just as a silver aura shot out from the passage, the golden streak transformed into an impossibly thin filament, flickered several times, and vanished into the distance at a speed so great it disappeared between one breath and the next, leaving no trace.

At the horizon, Han Li flickered in and out, becoming a tiny black dot.

"What kind of dash technique did those two use? How fast is that!" Immediately after the silver aura emerged, a black streak shot out, its light dimming to reveal a figure—Wang Wang Tiangu, speaking gravely.

"Lord Nanlong Hou used the unique secret technique 'Ten Thousand Chi, One Thread,' developed by Master Cangkun Cangkun Shiren—an art that consumes immense qi and even blood to achieve instant long-distance travel. It can condense the dash into a thread-thin line, completely suppressing all aura, making pursuit impossible. He hasn't gone far—he's merely undetectable by spiritual sense. As for the Han boy's technique, it seems tied to those strange wings that command lightning—likely the legendary Thunder Dash, which allows near-instant teleportation." After the silver aura vanished, the old man surnamed Yun emerged, his expression grim.

At that moment, the old woman and the black-faced cultivator also flew out of the passage, just catching his words.

"With such strange dash techniques, won't they escape entirely? What do we do now?" The old woman's face showed unease, her complexion pale.

"The Han boy is one thing—but if Lord Nanlong Hou escapes alive, our troubles will be immense. Wang Daoist, Yun Daoist—you both swore this mission would eliminate Lord Nanlong Hou, which is why we agreed to join forces!" The black-faced man's expression was no better.

"Relax. Do you think his ability to hold his own against all of us at once reflects his true cultivation? He was already gravely wounded, yet still forced his power up with a secret technique, then just now used 'Ten Thousand Chi, One Thread'—another technique that drains immense qi. Even if we don't pursue him, he'll collapse upon returning. Even if he spends a hundred years recovering, he'll never regain his Nascent Soul mid-stage realm. Besides, when did I say we couldn't track him?" The old man surnamed Yun sneered coldly.

"Oh? So you mean—" The black-faced man perked up, eager to ask.

"Since I planned to kill him here, I naturally prepared in advance. As long as he doesn't flee beyond three hundred li, I can find him. Given his current condition, he can't sustain 'Ten Thousand Chi, One Thread' for long. We'll simply catch up and eliminate him then." The old man spoke with perfect confidence.

"That's reassuring. I can finally breathe easy! Had Wang Daoist not first gifted me a piece of 'Black Jade Lotus' and promised to share the secrets of the Fallen Demon Valley afterward, I'd never have risked this. Making an enemy of a Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator is no wise move." Not only did the black-faced man sigh in relief, but the old woman's face relaxed too.

"You two truly went to great lengths for the Fallen Demon Valley! But we never expected—you, Yun Daoist, aren't a lone cultivator at all, but an Elder of the Ghost Spirit Sect! That's a surprise! Are there many more such hidden Elders among the Six Demon Sects?" The black-faced man's expression turned complex.

"I was born into the Ghost Spirit Sect long ago, but I've always stayed out of affairs. Few even within the sect know my true identity—I never intended to deceive anyone. To be honest, I never wished to kill Lord Nanlong Hou—he's a descendant of Master Cangkun Cangkun Shiren and has been my friend for years. But later I learned he secretly allied with several Elders of the orthodox Feng Tianji Sect and intended to join them. I hinted at this several times—he showed no change of heart, and even planned to use Feng Tianji Sect's influence to enter the Fallen Demon Valley and retrieve treasures. I could not allow orthodox forces to grow stronger, so I had no choice but to act." The old man shook his head, speaking calmly.

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