Chapter 985

The young man dealt with the demon beast and sighed in relief, "Thank you, miss, for stepping in to help. I am Han Wuxian. May I ask how I should address you?"

Translation: "The young man dealt with the demon beast, then sighed in relief: 'Thank you, miss, for your help. I am Han Wuxian; I don't yet know how to address you, miss.'"

The young man dealt with the demon beast and sighed in relief, "Thank you, miss, for stepping in to help. I am Han Wuxian. I still don't know how to address you, miss?"

We need to keep punctuation roughly.

Now output: 【1】 The young man dealt with the demon beast, then sighed in relief: "Thank you, miss, for your help. I am Han Wuxian; I don't yet know how to address you, miss."

Make sure no extra words.

"I am… Yan Xirou."

Translation: '"My name is.... Yan Xirou."'

We keep the ellipsis.

Han Wuxian nodded, "Miss, you're already at the Nascent Soul stage, right? How could you have been unable to defeat that Golden Core cultivator before?"

Translation: Han Wuxian nodded: "Miss, you're already at Nascent Soul Stage, right? How could you lose to that Golden Core Cultivator before?"

"You're already at the Nascent Soul stage, right? How could you have lost to that Golden Core cultivator before?"

"He has backing, and besides… you're only at the late Foundation Establishment stage—how could you have killed him? Even if you're exceptionally gifted, aren't you afraid?"

Translation: "He has backing, and besides... you're only at Foundation Establishment Late Stage—how could you kill him? Even if you're gifted, aren't you afraid?"

"He has backing. And besides… you're only at Foundation Establishment Late Stage; how could you kill him? Even if you're gifted, aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid?"

Translation: '"Afraid?"'

Han Wuxian chuckled, "Afraid of what? Whether you die early or late, you'll die anyway, and I certainly don't want to die an ordinary death."

Translation: Han Wuxian chuckled: "What's there to fear? Whether you die early or late, you die anyway; besides, I don't want to die a mediocre death."

He chuckled, "What's there to fear? Whether you die early or late, you'll die anyway, and besides I don't want to die a mediocre death."

What a lunatic.

Translation: "What a madman."

Yan Xirou sighed, "Then it's best we part ways here; the Profound Gate won't let the two of us go, and splitting up might give us a chance to survive."

Translation: Yan Xirou sighed: "Then it's best we part ways here; Profound Gate definitely won't let us off, splitting up might still give us a chance to survive."

She sighed, "Then it's best we part ways here. The Profound Gate definitely won't let us off, and splitting up might still give us a chance to survive."

"Fine, it seems you have your own business to attend to," Han Wuxian said, watching Yan Xirou drift away without saying much else.

Translation: '"Fine, it seems you have your own business to attend to." Han Wuxian didn't add much, watching Yan Xirou drift away.'

"Fine. It seems you have your own matters," Han Wuxian said, watching Yan Xirou float away.

Han Wuxian looked around and thought, "I'm only at the late Foundation Establishment stage now; after a period of cultivation I should reach the Core Formation stage, so it's a good time to practice this Nine Turns Technique."

Translation: Han Wuxian looked around, thought a moment: "I'm only at Foundation Establishment Late Stage now; after some cultivation I should reach Core Formation Stage—perfect time to practice this Nine Turns Technique."

He looked around, thought for a moment, and concluded that being only at the late Foundation Establishment stage meant a short cultivation period would bring him to the Core Formation stage, making it perfect to work on the Nine Turns Technique.

Thinking of that, Han Wuxian found a secluded spot, took the Nine Turns Technique he had looted from the man he killed—perfectly matching his plan—and settled in a hidden cave to cultivate for a while.

Translation: Thinking of that, Han Wuxian found a spot; the Nine Turns Technique he'd looted from the corpse suited him well, so he sought a hidden cave dwelling to cultivate for a while.

Thinking of that, Han Wuxian found a place; the Nine Turns Technique he had scavenged from the corpse suited his intentions, so he chose a hidden cave to practice for some time.

"Nine turns return to one, the Core Formation is complete!"

Translation: '"Nine Turns Return to One, Core Formation Achieved!"'

Inside the cave, Han Wuxian's bones emitted a crisp, popping sound, and nine dark lines on his skin writhed like living things.

Translation: Inside the cave dwelling, Han Wuxian's bones crackled like popping beans, and nine dark lines on his skin writhed like living things.

Inside the cave dwelling, Han Wuxian's bones crackled like popping beans, and nine dark lines on his skin writhed like living things.

He had just shown a hint of joy when the rock above his head suddenly exploded, and three sword‑like beams coiled like poisonous snakes toward his dantian.

Translation: He had just shown joy when the rock above exploded, three sword lights like vipers coiling toward his dantian.

He had just shown joy, then the rock overhead exploded, and three sword‑like lights twisted like vipers toward his dantian.

"The Profound Gate's dog nose is keen!" Han Wuxian tumbled helplessly as the blue stone where he had been meditating was ground into powder by the sword qi.

Translation: '"Profound Gate's dog nose is keen!" Han Wuxian tumbled in disarray; the blue stone where he'd been sitting was ground to powder by sword qi.'

"Profound Gate's dog nose is sharp!" Han Wuxian flailed in disarray, and the blue stone where he'd been sitting was pulverized by the sword qi.

Twelve figures emerged from the smoke, the lowest among them at the mid Golden Core stage, while the leader in a purple robe radiated Nascent Soul pressure like a mountain crushing down.

Translation: Twelve figures emerged from the smoke, the lowest at Golden Core Mid Stage; the leader in purple robe radiated Nascent Soul pressure like a weighing mountain.

Twelve figures rose from the dust, the weakest at Golden Core Mid Stage, and the purple‑robed elder at the front exuded Nascent Soul pressure as heavy as a mountain overhead.

"You little beast can at least hide."

Translation: '"That brat sure knows how to dodge."'

From the purple‑robed cultivator's sleeve flew seventy‑two bone‑piercing spikes, each bearing a soul‑chasing curse: "Sect Master Chu commands, extract your living soul to light a sky lantern!"

Translation: The purple-robed cultivator shot seventy-two Piercing Bone Nails from his sleeve, each bearing a Soul-Chasing Curse: "Sect Master Chu's order: extract your living soul to light the sky lantern!"

The purple‑robed cultivator shot seventy‑two Piercing Bone Nails from his sleeve, each bearing a Soul‑Chasing Curse: "Sect Master Chu's order, extract your living soul to light the sky lantern!"

Han Wuxian's newly formed Golden Core trembled wildly; even the tyrannical flesh granted by the Nine Turns Technique was as flimsy as paper before a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Translation: Han Wuxian's newly formed Golden Core trembled violently; the tyrannical flesh granted by the Nine Turns Technique was still as flimsy as paper before a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

Han Wuxian's freshly condensed Golden Core quivered violently, and the powerful flesh bestowed by the Nine Turns Technique was still as paper‑thin in front of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue, spitting a mouthful of essence blood onto the concealed flask fragment on his chest: "Damn it, I'm going all out!"

Translation: He suddenly bit his tongue tip, spraying a mouthful of essence blood onto the concealed flask fragment on his chest: "Damn it, give it my all!"

He bit his tongue tip hard, spraying a mouthful of refined blood onto the hidden flask fragment on his chest and shouted, "Damn it, I'm giving it everything!"

The fragment burst with violet light, forming a semi‑transparent shield.

Translation: The fragment burst with purple light, forming a semi-transparent shield.

The fragment glowed intensely with purple light, turning into a translucent shield.

The bone‑piercing spikes struck the shield with a metallic clang, but each blocked blow paled Han Wuxian's face a notch. When the forty‑ninth spike fell, blood began seeping from his seven orifices.

Translation: Piercing Bone Nails striking the shield rang with metal-on-metal clamor, but each blocked strike paled Han Wuxian's face a notch; when the forty-ninth Piercing Bone Nail fell, blood began to seep from his seven orifices.

Piercing Bone Nails hitting the shield rang with a metallic clang; each blocked strike made Han Wuxian's complexion grow paler, and by the forty‑ninth nail his seven apertures were bleeding.

"This thief is weird!" a female Golden Core cultivator shouted suddenly.

Translation: '"This thief is weird!" a female Golden Core Cultivator suddenly shouted.'

"This thief is odd!" a Golden Core female cultivator cried out in surprise.

The Immortal‑Binding Rope she unleashed touched the shield, and the spirit within the rope wailed mournfully before turning into a desiccated corpse. Amid the shock, Han Wuxian burst through the back wall of the cave.

Translation: The Immortal-Binding Rope she unleashed, upon touching the shield, had its artifact spirit wail miserably and instantly turn into a desiccated corpse; in the midst of everyone's shock, Han Wuxian burst out through the back wall of the cave dwelling.

As everyone gasped, the binding rope's spirit shrieked and turned to a dry corpse, and Han Wuxian broke out through the rear wall of the dwelling.

"Chase him! He won't last long!"

Translation: '"Chase! He won't last long!"'

In the rain‑soaked mountain forest, Han Wuxian fled like a bereaved dog.

Translation: In the mountain forest under a torrential downpour, Han Wuxian fled like a bereaved dog.

In the torrential downpour of the forested mountains, Han Wuxian ran away like a dog that has lost its family.

His right leg was swept by a blade, exposing stark white bone, and three bone‑piercing spikes lodged in his back, none fully blocked. The speed at which his cultivation method could heal lagged far behind the fresh injuries, and the mysterious black‑and‑white qi inside him had already reached its limit, unable to curb the damage.

Translation: His right leg was swept by sword aura, revealing stark white bone; three Piercing Bone Nails jutted from his back, not fully blocked. The speed of his cultivation method to heal wounds lagged far behind the new injuries, and the profound black and white qi within Han Wuxian seemed already at its limit, no longer able to check the damage.

His right leg was cut by sword aura, showing bleached bone, and three spikes pierced his back without fully stopping. Healing speed couldn't keep up with the new wounds, and the profound black‑and‑white qi inside him had hit its ceiling, no longer able to restrain the injuries.

"Cough… Profound Gate old dog!" Han Wuxian smashed through seven or eight ancient trees before halting his retreat, his vision darkening intermittently.

Translation: '"Cough cough... Profound Gate old dog!" Han Wuxian broke seven or eight ancient trees before halting his retreat, vision swimming.'

"Cough… Profound Gate old dog!" he croaked, breaking through several ancient trees before his vision went black in patches.

The pursuers had formed an encirclement, and the Nascent Soul cultivator even leisurely stood on his flying sword, looking down: "Running? Why have you stopped?"

Translation: The pursuers had formed an encirclement; that Nascent Soul Cultivator even leisurely stood on his flying sword, looking down at him: "Running? Why aren't you running?"

The pursuers closed in, and the Nascent Soul cultivator, unhurried, perched on a flying sword and sneered, "Running? Why aren't you running?"

The torrential rain washed the blood‑stained grime from Han Wuxian's face, revealing a feral grin: "Run, your ancestors!" He suddenly slammed a bone‑piercing spike into his own celestial crown; the excruciating pain caused the black and white qi to surge instantly.

Translation: The torrential rain washed the blood grime off Han Wuxian's face, revealing a feral grin: "Run your ancestors!" He suddenly slapped a Piercing Bone Nail into his own celestial cap; under the agonizing stimulus, the black and white qi surged instantly.

The rain rinsed the blood grime from his face, he grinned ferociously, shouted "Run, your ancestors!" and thrust a bone spike into his own celestial cap, triggering a violent surge of black‑white qi.

Everyone gasped in shock, realizing that what crawled out of the thief's wounds was not blood but fine white light strands like hair.

Translation: Everyone gasped in shock, discovering that what crawled out of the villain's wounds wasn't blood, but fine white light strands like hair.

The crowd stared in disbelief as they saw fine white light threads, not blood, emerging from the thief's wounds.

"Careful! That is…."

Translation: '"Watch out! That's....."'

Too late!

Translation: '"Too late!"'

White light exploded like a wave, turning a radius of a hundred zhang into a pristine holy realm in an instant.

Translation: White light exploded like a wave, a radius of a hundred zhang instantly became a pristine holy realm.

White light burst outward like a tide, instantly turning a hundred‑zhang radius into a pure, sanctified domain.

But within this holy realm, plants withered, birds and beasts turned to ash, and three Golden Core cultivators who failed to dodge instantly became desiccated corpses.

Translation: But within this holy realm, plants withered, beasts turned to ash, three Golden Core Cultivators who failed to dodge instantly turned into desiccated corpses.

Yet inside the sanctified zone, flora withered, fauna turned to ash, and three Golden Core practitioners who couldn't evade were instantly reduced to dry corpses.

The purple‑robed Nascent Soul cultivator retreated a hundred zhang but his left arm remained entangled by the white light; he decisively chopped off his arm to save his life.

Translation: The purple-robed Nascent Soul Cultivator retreated a hundred zhang but was still entangled by the white light on his left arm; he decisively chopped off his arm to save his life.

The purple‑robed Nascent Soul master fell back a hundred zhang, still caught by the white light on his left arm, and he severed his own arm to survive.

"Light Dao principle? This kid is only at Core Formation stage—how could he grasp such a terrifying law?!"

Translation: '"Light Dao Principle? This brat, merely at Core Formation Stage, how could he grasp such a terrifying principle?!"'

"Light Dao principle? This brat is merely at Core Formation, how could he comprehend such a terrifying principle?!"

And at the storm's center, Han Wuxian knelt in the mud, spitting blood profusely.

Translation: And at the storm's center, Han Wuxian knelt in the mud, spitting blood profusely.

At the eye of the storm, Han Wuxian was on his knees in the mire, coughing up blood.

Forcibly driving the black and white qi inside cracked his whole body, and the mana he had just cultivated from the Nine Turns Technique had dissipated by more than half.

Translation: Forcibly activating the black and white qi within him cracked his whole body; the mana just cultivated from the Nine Turns Technique had dissipated by half.

Forcibly activating the black and white qi within him cracked his whole body, and the mana he had just cultivated from the Nine Turns Technique also dissipated by half.

But even more despairing was that he saw three more streaks of light flying in from the horizon—the second batch of Profound Gate pursuers had arrived!

"Damn, they actually think highly of this young master..." Han Wuxian stumbled, grabbed a handful of bloody mud and smeared it on his face, when suddenly he heard a faint sound coming from the stream behind him.

The woman in white, Yan Xirou, appeared at some point in the middle of the raging current, her fingertips holding aloft an ancient bronze lamp.

"Come." Her voice remained icy cold, yet the lamp flame eerily reflected the pursuers' terrified expressions.

Han Wuxian dove into the stream without a second thought; the next moment the lamp flame surged, and the stream actually rolled upward to form a water curtain. Through the gradually closing gap, the last thing Han Wuxian saw was the purple-robed Nascent Soul Cultivator's ghost‑like expression.

"Path of Desire?!"

"Cough cough cough!!!"

After Han Wuxian was rescued by Yan Xirou, he was taken to a remote mountain.

Yan Xirou set up a formation seal, but her face was filled with worry.

With only these meager means of hers, she definitely couldn't hold off the Profound Gate—what should we do?

Yan Xirou gritted her teeth; she didn't want to die here, she still had to go find that person and ask him why....

"Thank you, miss.... Oh dear, I almost died." Han Wuxian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and gave a helpless laugh.

Yan Xirou frowned, looking at him: "How can you be so reckless? I told you the Profound Gate's people would arrive soon, yet you dare to linger nearby?"

"If I didn't take advantage of that bit of time to break through, I'd probably die on the spot." Han Wuxian sighed.

Only then did Yan Xirou realize that Han Wuxian, who had just been at late Foundation Establishment Stage, had actually broken through to Core Formation Stage in just over ten days!

Although Core Formation Stage is merely an extension of Foundation Establishment Stage, achieving such a breakthrough in such a short time shows that this youngster is no ordinary person.

"What is your background?" Yan Xirou asked doubtfully.

"Me?" Han Wuxian pointed at himself: "I'm just a loose cultivator."

"Forget it, it doesn't matter if you don't want to say."

"No, I really am a loose cultivator. From as far back as I can remember, I only recall being taken in by a menial servant of a small sect, though he treated me poorly—constantly beating and scolding me. I secretly learned some of that sect's cultivation methods, then went out to wander the world." Han Wuxian said.

Yan Xirou looked at him strangely: "So... you don't know your own birth parents, nor your own origin?"

"Hmm." Han Wuxian nodded.

Yan Xirou looked at him, could it be that some major power deliberately released a heaven-defying prodigy to let him undergo tempering in the mortal world?

Such things are not uncommon in the cultivation world, but if that were the case, Han Wuxian couldn't possibly be unaware of how vast the Profound Gate's power is; even those top powers would have to consider whether they could afford to provoke them, and they would never allow Han Wuxian to kill the descendant of the Profound Gate sect leader.

Sigh.

I'm probably just overthinking it.

"What are your plans next?"

"I plan to go to a nearby secret realm for some tempering, and meanwhile collect some Spiritual Stones to aid my cultivation." Han Wuxian said.