Chapter 1097: Imminent Arrival

"Desecrator… must be executed…" Han Wuxian's hand gripping the cup tightened slightly. A cold chill swept his heart again. Was it the lingering will of the "Nine Nether Eye"? Or… the perception behind it, already having locked onto the destroyer by some means?

At the instant his mind trembled slightly, a faint, extremely obscure probing sensation, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, swept over his body without warning! The probing was cold and sticky, bearing a nonhuman indifference, not aimed at his cultivation or aura, but… directly at the unrefined Earth Vein Essence within him and the stubborn filthy evil thoughts!

Han Wuxian's muscles tensed instantly! Light Dao Marks surged rapidly beneath his cloak, completely sealing off his aura like a stubborn stone. The probing lingered on him for a moment, seemed puzzled, then receded like a tide, vanishing into the bustling crowd outside the inn.

Who is it?!

Han Wuxian's heart sank. The opponent's target was unusually clear, far from an ordinary cultivator. Was it a fellow of that Huashen cultivator? Or… the "Lord of Transmigration" mentioned in the fragmentary ancient texts, or its "Servant"? The latter possibility made cold sweat soak his back instantly.

This place is not fit for lingering!

He calmly set down a few Spiritual Stones, rose to leave. Yet, at the moment he was about to step out of the inn's doorway

Boom!!!

A earth‑shattering roar erupted from the east of the town! A violent energy shockwave, like a solid tsunami, instantly shattered all the windows of the Gathering Wind Hall! Sawdust, debris, and smoke, accompanied by terrified screams, filled the entire hall!

At the instant the impact struck, the surface Light Dao Marks on Han Wuxian instinctively flared with a faint glow, shedding most of the force; his body rode the momentum to retreat sharply, toppling several tables and chairs, and vanished into a smoke‑filled corner.

As the smoke cleared slightly, to the east of the town a massive black plume of smoke shot skyward, faintly interlaced with dark‑purple, sinister flames! Within the flames, a vague silhouette hovered mid‑air, enveloped by rolling black vapor tinged with sulfur and decay! The aura it exuded was cold and brutal, brimming with destructive desire, far beyond Huashen, barely touching the threshold of Refining Void.

What made Han Wuxian's pupils contract further was that in the silhouette's hand, a plainly fashioned long sword, entwined with wisps of black vapor, bore a faint, indistinct "Qing" emblem!

Qingxu Gate! The black vapor on this person shares its origin with the foul aura of the Fallen Star Abyss Lake! Is it the corruption of that evil formation? Or… is he the dispatched "Servant"?!

"Desecrator… surrender… core essence…" a dry, twisted voice, sounding like sandpaper rubbing, rasped from the black‑vapor silhouette's mouth, halting and broken, yet laden with undeniable murderous intent. Its hollow eye sockets turned slowly, as if searching for something.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The silhouette raised its hand, several streams of thick black vapor, burning with dark‑purple flames, rained down on the densely packed crowd in the town like meteors! In an instant, screams, the sound of collapsing houses, and crackling flames merged into one, and the entire Black Stone Town plunged into a furnace!

Amid the chaos, Han Wuxian saw the silhouette's gaze, seeming to pierce the swirling smoke and screaming crowd, once again… precisely locking onto the corner where he stood! That cold, nonhuman murderous intent, like a tangible shackle, bound him tightly!

"Found… you…" the twisted voice said, tinged with a cruel excitement.

Locked on!

Han Wuxian did not hesitate; the remaining Earth Vein Essence within him was forcibly activated, mingling with stellar power, erupting in his meridians with tearing agony! He smashed through the inn's rear wall, turning into a dim streak of light, fleeing toward the wild mountains beyond the town!

Behind him, the black‑vapor‑shrouded "Qingxu Gate cultivator" let out a shrill screech unlike any human voice, becoming a meteor trailing a long black tail flame, pursuing relentlessly! The air it passed through bore corrosive marks.

The chaos and screams of Black Stone Town were quickly left behind. Han Wuxian pushed his speed to the limit, darting madly through the forested mountains. The pursuers behind him were like a festering wound in the bone; that cold, sticky murderous intent clung to him, the distance even slowly closing!

Ahead, a massive bottomless chasm spanned the ground like a scar on the earth. Opposite the chasm stood an even more treacherous, sheer cliff shrouded in clouds and mist, the Ten‑Thousand Ren sheer cliff.

No retreat!

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Han Wuxian's eyes. He abruptly reversed direction, no longer trying to shake off the chase, but instead surged toward a protruding, jagged‑rock‑strewn cliff edge at the chasm's rim!

"Star Meteor!"

At the moment his body was about to burst off the cliff into the abyss, he poured all his strength into his feet, slamming onto a massive rock at the cliff's edge!

Boom!

The rock instantly turned to powder! A powerful recoil, mingled with the falling force of the stars, surged his speed severalfold, like a true meteor, crashing boldly toward the opposite mist‑shrouded cliff!

The black‑vapor silhouette that chased to the cliff's edge let out an angry screech, seemingly not expecting Han Wuxian's resolve. Its surrounding black vapor surged, forming a black arc that plunged into the abyss, lunging straight at Han Wuxian's back! A massive jet‑black claw, composed of pure filthy energy, tore the air, bearing a destructive aura as it struck down!

At the instant the massive claw was about to reach Han Wuxian's back,

Buzz!

The seemingly ordinary grey cloak on Han Wuxian suddenly erupted with dazzling starlight! Countless fine Light Dao Marks flared across the cloak's surface in an instant, weaving into a complex, arcane miniature star map!

"Shift Stars, Change Constellations!"

During his recovery, he carved this as his final life‑saving measure, using the remaining Earth Vein Essence and his own stellar power within the cloak! A short‑range, small‑area random spatial displacement sigil! The cost: completely destroying the magical robe cloak and exhausting the last trace of Earth Vein Power he could wield!

Starlight flared, and Han Wuxian's figure vanished strangely in the instant before the black giant claw closed!

Puff!

The black claw struck empty air, the filthy energy corroding the surrounding air into a void. The black‑vapor silhouette abruptly halted mid‑air, its hollow eye sockets fixed on the spot where Han Wuxian vanished, emitting an even more ferocious screech, brimming with the rage of being toyed with.

It lost its target! The crystal‑clear lock was completely severed the moment the spatial shift occurred!

The black‑vapor silhouette hovered above the abyss, like an enraged demon god, its thick black vapor roiling and constantly radiating destructive detection ripples outward, frantically searching for the vanished desecrator. Yet below lay a bottomless, mist‑shrouded chasm, and opposite, a sheer cliff as sharp as a blade, strewn with jagged rocks; Han Wuxian's aura sank like a stone in the sea, leaving no trace whatsoever.

The abyssal gale brushed the rolling black vapor, emitting a whimpering sound.