The cultivator who had soared into the sky was naturally a Golden Core True Person. Sensing the violent fluctuations of spirit energy above his encampment, he immediately took flight.
Alas, he was too late.
Just as he ascended, Que Chen believed he had escaped certain death, confident that his Spirit Talisman would ward off Han Yi's assault. But Han Yi, wielding the Black Light Broken Sword to clear a path and the Demon-Slaying Dagger close behind, pierced through Que Chen with a speed that even early-stage Golden Core cultivators would struggle to fully react to.
A golden light recoiled back into Han Yi's Storage Ring. Without a word, he turned and fled three hundred meters before descending. With a few swift applications of the Light Body Technique, he vanished into the night.
True Person Crossing the Dharma, originally named Ying Pengrui, had earned his title through his mastery of an esoteric spell from the Ten Thousand Methods Sect. He was also the sect's sole Golden Core cultivator stationed in Jinyun Immortal City.
Though the Ten Thousand Methods Sect boasted thirty Golden Core experts, they rarely stationed more than one in each major Immortal City of Qian Prefecture.
Ying Pengrui had barely taken flight, his roar of warning still echoing, when he saw a familiar figure plummeting from the sky like a kite with a severed string.
The figure who had been pursuing Que Chen had already vanished in the blink of an eye, landing on the street below and disappearing with a few swift movements.
Ying Pengrui shifted his gaze and descended to the ground, standing beside Que Chen's mangled corpse. His expression darkened as he confirmed that the slain cultivator was indeed Que Chen of the Primal Beast Sect.
A Divine Soul emerged from the corpse's pierced brow. While Golden Core cultivators couldn't sustain their spiritual form indefinitely without a physical body like Nascent Soul experts, they could persist for several days without issue.
"Fellow Daoist Que, what happened? Who was pursuing you?" Ying Pengrui asked solemnly, his right hand, concealed within his sleeve, quietly forming a magic seal.
Que Chen's Divine Soul stared at his headless body and severed head on the ground, a flicker of regret in his eyes. He looked up at Ying Pengrui, trembling uncontrollably—a manifestation of the terror and despair born from the shattering of his Immortal Path.
"Fellow Daoist Que, there's no need to despair," Ying Pengrui said, a subtle glint in his eyes. "At our level of cultivation, we can still choose a promising disciple for Body Seizure. If that fails, we can even become Ghost Cultivators. Reincarnation isn't the only path."
A faint glimmer of light passed through Ying Pengrui's eyes. The magic seal in his sleeve was complete, ready to be unleashed with a mere thought.
Lost in despair over the severance of his Immortal Path, Que Chen failed to notice Ying Pengrui's gaze or movements.
"Fellow Daoist Que, who exactly was pursuing you? Could it have been a True Person from the Profound Pill Sect?" Ying Pengrui asked, raising an eyebrow with impatience.
"No, it was an unfamiliar cultivator—and a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator at that," Que Chen replied, a flicker of hatred in his eyes.
Ying Pengrui's expression darkened, his tone turning hostile. "Fellow Daoist Que, you're already dead. What kind of joke is this? Judging by your condition, your Golden Ni Beast must have fallen as well. To claim a Foundation Establishment cultivator killed the beast, chased you all the way here, and then slew you before my eyes... are you hiding something? Tell me now."
Ying Pengrui's gaze grew menacing. However, Que Chen's Divine Soul, still bewildered by his recent demise and the will of Heaven and Earth, remained oblivious to the threat, his face etched with confusion.
"The truth is, he was indeed at Late Foundation Establishment... and he was completely immune to our Primal Beast Sect's Chaos Spirit Demon Poison."
As Que Chen spoke, his Divine Soul jolted violently, as if struck by sudden realization. He whirled around to face Ying Pengrui.
"Fellow Daoist Ying, please urgently notify my sect! Tell the Sect Leader to prepare—just in case the Profound Pill Sect..." He paused, his eyes widening. "Huh? Fellow Daoist Ying, what are you doing?"
Que Chen's tone abruptly changed as he mentioned the Profound Pill Sect. Before he could finish, Ying Pengrui thrust his hand forward from his sleeve. The magic seal hovering in mid-air instantly triggered a surge of Spirit Light, erupting from Ying Pengrui's position to envelop the courtyard within a hundred-meter radius. As the light ascended to a height of twenty meters, it abruptly converged inward, coalescing into a complete Formation.
In that instant, a Formation materialized, guided by Ying Pengrui's will.
Before Que Chen could react, Ying Pengrui slammed his outstretched arm downward with tremendous force.
At that very moment, the converging Spirit Light continued its relentless contraction, its speed accelerating. The light brushed past Ying Pengrui's body and condensed into a glowing cage, barely taller than a man, imprisoning Que Chen within its luminous confines.
"Ying Pengrui, how dare you?!" Que Chen roared, his face contorted with fury as he grasped Ying Pengrui's intentions. He prepared to unleash his Divine Soul's Escape Technique.
But Ying Pengrui was faster. During Que Chen's brief moment of disorientation following his demise, Ying Pengrui had already manipulated the Fourth-Tier Supreme-Grade Formation Arts surrounding the Ten Thousand Methods Sect's compound, drawing it inward. Now, with a decisive move, he sealed the Formation shut, trapping Que Chen like a fish in a barrel.
And then...
Ying Pengrui's expression turned grave. Without hesitation, he shifted his magic seal into a murderous configuration. The Spirit Light imprisoning Que Chen trembled violently, then abruptly contracted inward. Trapped within, Que Chen's Divine Soul shuddered as he glared fiercely at Ying Pengrui.
Bang!
Que Chen's Divine Soul shattered, but its fragments lingered, desperately struggling to coalesce. However, under the relentless crushing power of Ying Pengrui's Spirit Light, they finally devolved into a mass of mindless Soul Energy. With a gentle tremor, Ying Pengrui dispersed the remnants completely into the fabric of the world.
True annihilation—soul and spirit utterly extinguished, leaving no trace, not even the chance for reincarnation.
Ying Pengrui stood motionless, his face cycling through a range of emotions before settling back into impassive calm.
"Fellow Daoist Que, don't blame me. Your complete obliteration, preventing you from speaking, serves the Ten Thousand Methods Sect far better than if you could."
"Now that the incident at the Profound Immortal Pavilion coincides with Que Chen's demise, conflict between the Primal Beast Sect and the Profound Pill Sect is inevitable."
Meanwhile...
After slaying Que Chen with the Demon-Slaying Dagger, Han Yi turned and fled without hesitation.
This marked his first kill of a Golden Core cultivator, albeit an early-stage one, and achieved through a sudden, almost ambush-like assault.
In terms of raw power, Que Chen was weaker than Lu Jie and Yu Hao, who had previously hunted Han Yi. However, Que Chen possessed a Contracted Demon Cultivator, and in a direct confrontation, Han Yi would have had no choice but to flee.
Still...
At the Ten Thousand Immortals Inn, not only was Que Chen relaxed, but so was his Contracted Demon Cultivator, the Golden Ni Beast. The beast believed it merely needed to lightly breach the formation arts, then devour the Foundation Establishment cultivator poisoned by demonic toxins.
For human cultivators, the Chaos Spirit Demon Poison was a deadly toxin that could shatter the Divine Soul. But for Demon Cultivators, it was a precious Spirit Medicine that could strengthen their own Divine Souls.
That was why Que Chen had allowed the Golden Ni Beast to act. And the beast, eyeing Han Yi, couldn't help but drool in anticipation.
Seizing the opportunity of their combined negligence, Han Yi launched a sudden assault. He immediately used his only Third-Tier Spirit Talisman and unleashed the full power of his Seven Stars Kunwu Sword. The sword pierced through the Demon Cultivator's skull, while the Three Spirits Immortal Fall Talisman annihilated its Demon Soul.
Too close to react, Que Chen couldn't evade the sword completely. He managed to twist his torso aside, narrowly avoiding the blade, but his arm was severed by the passing sword artifact.
With his Contracted Demon Cultivator slain and his arm lost, Que Chen nearly lost his soul. Without a second thought, he turned and fled in terror.
This set off the chase that followed.
The tables had turned in an instant.
Meanwhile, Han Yi, having turned and fled, used the Light Body Technique to rapidly shift positions. He escaped from one end of the Immortal City to the other, a feat that would have been nearly impossible for the Six Ministries of Great Qian or even the cultivator from the Ten Thousand Methods Sect to pursue.
Han Yi hadn't initially known the encampment belonged to the Ten Thousand Methods Sect. However, the Golden Core cultivator who had taken to the skies revealed his affiliation, confirming Han Yi's suspicions.
Confident in his ability to pursue and eliminate the severely wounded Que Chen, Han Yi was far less certain of his chances against a fully recovered Golden Core cultivator from the Ten Thousand Methods Sect.
Looking back, this battle had been exceptionally perilous. The threat of death had materialized with terrifying speed, leaving Han Yi barely any time to react. The sudden reversal of fortune had been equally swift, so swift that he hadn't even had time to rejoice, consumed solely by the frenzied pursuit.
Having narrowly escaped death, Han Yi finally pieced together the truth behind Zhuo Qun's disappearance and Wei Tushen's descent into madness: the Primal Beast Sect had acted as the vanguard, while the Ten Thousand Methods Sect lurked behind the scenes.
As for why the Primal Beast Sect, which had long maintained peaceful relations with the Profound Pill Sect, would suddenly collaborate with the Ten Thousand Methods Sect, Han Yi couldn't tell. Was it Que Chen acting on his own initiative, or had the entire Primal Beast Sect leadership aligned on this course? He couldn't be sure.
With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Han Yi slipped into a courtyard, searching for an unoccupied side room. He planned to wait until dawn before departing Jinyun Immortal City and returning to Qian Capital. The information he had gathered would be transmitted through appropriate channels to Liu Ruyan ahead of his arrival.
This was Han Yi's plan: by killing Que Chen himself, he reasoned that even if the Primal Beast Sect retaliated, they would hesitate, unwilling to risk further losses. Once Zhuge Wuyou arrived, he would naturally handle the situation, making Han Yi's continued involvement unnecessary.
Just then, a black light suddenly erupted from the darkness ahead. The moment his eyes registered it, a suffocating dread, chilling even his Divine Soul, washed over him. In that split second, Han Yi managed to twist his body sideways and jerk his head aside. The black light sliced across his forehead, spraying a fine mist of blood.
Before the droplets could fully disperse, Han Yi had already hurled himself sideways. Snatching a Teleportation Talisman from his Storage Ring, he activated it without hesitation, blinking into existence a hundred meters away.
Shock and fury flared in his eyes.
He was terrified by the sword's ghostly swiftness, launched during the brief moment of relative calm as he prepared to flee into the courtyard. If not for his lingering sense of danger from his recent brush with death, the sword would have pierced his forehead, killing him instantly.
Fury burned within him. Twice in one night he had faced death's embrace. The profound terror of life and death drove him into a cold rage.
"Hmm?"
A soft hum drifted through the air. The black light settled into the hand of a Profound-Robed Cultivator, revealing a slender black short sword.
Just moments ago, the Black-Robed Cultivator had unleashed a sudden attack, wielding his short sword with the intention of piercing Han Yi's forehead. To his surprise, Han Yi's evasive speed proved far greater than anticipated.
This cultivator was none other than Yan Bu, who had been tracking Han Yi all the way from Qian Capital to Jinyun Immortal City. Yan Bu had lost sight of his target, but tonight, Han Yi had brazenly revealed himself. Despite the Disguise Technique he employed, Yan Bu recognized him instantly. As a seasoned assassin with over a century of experience in concealing his aura and altering his appearance, he was a master of such arts.
When a corner of the Ten Thousand Immortals Inn was shattered by the battle, Yan Bu was alerted. Arriving at the scene, he witnessed Han Yi slaying Que Chen above the Ten Thousand Methods Sect's headquarters, further fueling his determination.
As Han Yi fled the Ten Thousand Methods Sect's territory, Yan Bu silently trailed him through most of the Immortal City, patiently awaiting his opportunity. When Han Yi prepared to slip into a courtyard using an Escape Technique, Yan Bu knew his long-awaited moment had arrived.
!
Yet, to his astonishment, Han Yi dodged the carefully planned assassination attempt.
Yan Bu remained unconcerned. His short sword was coated in a deadly poison, and even without it, his own strength was more than sufficient to kill Han Yi.
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
Han Yi dove sideways, then activated a Teleportation Talisman to instantly reappear a hundred meters away. Turning back, his eyes blazed with shock and fury, but the anger faded in an instant, leaving only horror.
His body trembled violently as he sensed a bizarre resistance to his Mana, the force that sustained him.
He touched the deep gash on his forehead, a wound that had penetrated to the bone. Another millimeter deeper, and his skull would have shattered.
The blood on his fingertips was black.
"Poison... a potent one, specifically targeting the Mana in my Physical Body."
"Damn it."
Han Yi's eyes widened in dread. In a single night, he had first encountered a poison aimed at his Divine Soul, then been ambushed by this cultivator, whose sword strike, while failing to kill him, had inflicted a deadly toxin that crippled his Mana flow.
Divine Soul, Physical Body, Mana—all compromised.
Han Yi felt as though this day was truly cursed.
He swiftly retrieved a Medicinal Pill, a Flawless-grade Toxin Dissolving Pill capable of neutralizing ten thousand poisons. Yet an ominous premonition gnawed at him.
Sure enough.
The Toxin Dissolving Pill dissolved in his stomach and immediately clashed with the poison coursing through his veins. For less than a breath, his Mana stirred, regaining mobility, only to collapse back into the suffocating resistance.
The poison was so potent that even the Flawless-grade Toxin Dissolving Pill could only provide a fleeting moment of relief.
Terrifying. Utterly terrifying.
Without hesitation, Han Yi turned and fled.
The cultivator who had ambushed him was of unknown strength, but that brief glimpse of power had revealed him to be a Golden Core cultivator. Whether early, mid, or late-stage, Han Yi knew he stood no chance in his poisoned state.
As he fled, Han Yi's face twisted with bitterness. He had never imagined that he, the mantis stalking the cicada, would become prey to the oriole lurking behind.
His escape route naturally led to the Six Ministries' official residence, where the Great Qian's official cultivators were stationed.
Just as Liu Ruyan had predicted, in times of crisis, he could rely on the power of the Great Qian's authorities to save his life. This path offered the surest safety, and Han Yi wouldn't let such an opportunity slip away.
Jinyun Immortal City was one of the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom's major cities, overseen by Marquis Jinyun, one of the kingdom's seven great marquises.
The marquis bore the city's name because Jinyun Immortal City served as his fiefdom.
While securing the protection of a True Monarch would guarantee his safety, Han Yi dared not risk disturbing a Nascent Soul True Monarch. Instead, he aimed to reach the Six Ministries' residence, where numerous Golden Core cultivators resided. Once there, he would surely be safe.
However...
Yan Bu was fast.
Yan Bu was even faster. As if anticipating Han Yi's plan, he effortlessly shifted, blocking Han Yi's escape route toward the center of Jinyun Immortal City.
Han Yi was horrified. At this speed, he knew he couldn't outrun Yan Bu with Sword Flight alone.
A mid-stage Golden Core cultivator—this was undoubtedly a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.
What could he do?
How could he survive this?
Was he truly going to die here?
The thought flashed through Han Yi's mind, but he immediately crushed it. As long as even a sliver of hope remained, he would never give up.
Though his body was poisoned, the toxin hadn't yet spread to his Sea of Consciousness Space. Han Yi had no idea if such contamination would cripple his Divine Soul. If his Divine Soul became incapacitated, he wasn't sure whether the black pearl hovering in his Sea of Consciousness Space could save him again.
He couldn't risk it.
He still had a way. Before the poison could taint his Divine Soul, Han Yi unleashed a torrent of Divine Sense, focusing it on the Green Ripple Sword. He soared into the sky, then summoned his Immortal Boat. Boarding it, he fled toward the City Lord's Mansion—Marquis Jinyun's residence—in Jinyun Immortal City.
Relying on his status as the Ninth Dragon of Qian and a Four-Command Patrol Envoy, Han Yi was certain that Marquis Jinyun wouldn't abandon him to his fate. Furthermore, he wagered that the cultivator pursuing him wouldn't dare to enter Jinyun Manor. Even if the manor's residents were displeased, once he recovered, he could offer apologies or compensate them with Spirit Stones—a trifle compared to his life.
Yet below him, Yan Bu wore a triumphant smile. "I've been waiting for you to try that trick."
A beam of Spirit Light shot from Yan Bu's hand, streaking across the sky and striking Han Yi's Immortal Boat. The vessel, just about to activate, shuddered to a halt with a strained creak, as if its frame were groaning under unbearable stress.
"Damn it! A Spirit-Trapping Talisman specifically designed for Immortal Boats!" Han Yi's face paled. He recognized this type of talisman from his previous encounter with the Southern Dipper Divine Palace's ambush while aboard the White Jade Tower's Emerald Immortal Boat. Back then, even the Mid-Grade Magic Treasure-grade Emerald Immortal Boat had been immobilized. What chance did his Earth Immortal-grade Immortal Boat stand now?
His face contorting in a grimace, Han Yi realized the Immortal Boat route was no longer viable.
Without hesitation, he abandoned the vessel, mounted his sword, and attempted to escape toward the heart of the Immortal City. But in a flash, Yan Bu reappeared before him, blocking his path once more.
The black-robed cultivator barring his way surprisingly didn't strike first. Though puzzled, Han Yi's eyes flashed with fierce determination as he prepared to fight to the death. But a sudden weakness gripped his physical body, and the mana he had forcefully mustered dissipated instantly. He immediately swallowed another Toxin Dissolving Pill, abandoning all thoughts of a suicidal struggle. Focusing his still-intact Divine Sense, he commanded the Green Ripple Sword to carry him swiftly out of the city.
As a major city within the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom, Jinyun Immortal City boasted a powerful City-Protecting Formation. However, this Fourth-Tier Supreme-Grade Formation remained dormant unless faced with dire threats, such as the emergence of a Demon Cave nearby or a large-scale invasion by demon cultivators.
Having escaped the Immortal City on his sword, Han Yi immediately fled northward without hesitation.
Yan Bu, who had pursued him out of the city, paused in momentary bewilderment.
Tonight's operation had gone exactly as Yan Buliao had anticipated, except for Han Yi's initial dodge, which had caught him off guard. Every subsequent move by Han Yi fell precisely within his calculations.
Yan Buliao had already determined his response: he couldn't kill Han Yi quickly, but he could drive him out of the Immortal City. That's why he had merely blocked Han Yi's path earlier, avoiding direct confrontation. If they had exchanged blows, Han Yi's speed, though only marginally slower than his own, would make the outcome uncertain.
Moreover, Yan Buliao feared that Han Yi might activate a high-tier Spirit Talisman, draining all his mana in a desperate attempt to take them both down.
To ensure absolute certainty and an effortless victory, Yan Buliao had devised a simple plan: drive Han Yi out of the city, wait for the poison in his system to take effect and exhaust him, then effortlessly claim his life to complete the mission.
This meticulous strategy, honed over a century of experience as an assassin, was his most reliable approach.
Yet Yan Buliao never anticipated Han Yi's escape route after leaving Jinyun Immortal City: north.
For less than ten kilometers north of Jinyun Immortal City lay a mountain range stretching countless miles: the Myriad Demon Mountain Range.