amaotonovel Chapter 1424 Another Yinluo Sect?
Chapter 1424 Another Yinluo Sect?
Chapter 1424 Another Yinluo Sect?
The trade fair was hosted by an elderly man in gray robes who was at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm. He cleared his throat and announced the start of the trade fair.
Rare materials and ancient treasures, enough to cause a bloodbath in the outside world, were on display. Nascent Soul cultivators displayed their unique abilities, either bartering or bidding against each other with exorbitantly priced spirit stones, and the atmosphere gradually heated up.
The atmosphere at the trade fair gradually calmed down after several rounds of intense bidding. During this brief respite, Qin Hao, who had been sitting quietly in a corner, his aura as restrained as a rock, slowly stood up. Without saying a word, he calmly swept his gaze over the crowd, then silently took out two items.
Above his left palm floated a round bead the size of a dragon's eye, entirely black yet faintly shimmering with a deep blue luster. As soon as this bead appeared, an aura of majesty belonging to a high-level dragon spread out, causing the Nascent Soul cultivators to feel their hearts tremble.
"An eighth-level poisonous dragon's inner core?" A middle-aged Nascent Soul cultivator exclaimed in a low voice, his eyes filled with fervor.
In Qin Hao's right palm floated a golden bead, which was the Vajra Relic he had plundered from the tomb of Xuan Ye, the Corpse King.
"This is a Vajra relic!" This time, it was a beautiful woman dressed in palace attire who exclaimed in surprise.
The entire trading venue fell silent once again, with everyone's attention focused on the inner elixir and the Vajra relic.
Even in the Great Jin Dynasty, an eighth-level poisonous dragon is a rare find, and its inner core is the most precious of all. As for the Vajra Relic, it can only be obtained after a Buddhist monk in the mid-Nascent Soul stage has passed away. It has always been monopolized by the four major Buddhist sects, and it is extremely rare to see outsiders.
After a brief silence, an even more intense commotion erupted. Several powerful divine senses swept over the items, confirming their authenticity. Even the few Nascent Soul stage cultivators who had remained calm and collected were moved.
"Young friend!" The one-horned giant who was the first to recognize the Ink Dragon's inner core appeared in the arena instantly, his voice booming: "I have a dazzling crystal here, and I am willing to exchange it for your Ink Dragon's inner core!" He held up a crystal in his hand that constantly refracted seven-colored light and had a bit of pure gold light at its core. The light was so dazzling that it was impossible to look directly at it.
Almost simultaneously, on the other side, Lin Yinping hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and walking up to Qin Hao: "Here is the Five Elements Jade you wanted."
Qin Hao's gaze swept over the dazzling crystal and the Five Elements Jade, confirming that everything was correct, his expression remaining calm and composed. "Approved."
……
After the trade fair ended, Qin Hao strode away from the market as if no one else was there, without even using any concealment spells. He summoned his Ink Dragon Boat, slowly ascended into the air, and flew in a certain direction, controlling his speed even slower than some Golden Core cultivators, as if he were strolling leisurely.
Such blatant and undisguised behavior was undoubtedly a huge humiliation for Lin Yinping, who was following behind and thought she was being discreet! She was so angry that her teeth itched, and she bit her lower lip so hard that it almost bled.
But she knew that with her strength, charging forward would only be suicide. She could only suppress her anger, keeping a safe distance behind and carefully following, while constantly using communication talismans to report Qin Hao's location and movements to Master Xu, urging them to come as soon as possible.
However, when Qin Hao's ink dragon boat flew a thousand miles outside the market, above a desolate mountain range, he suddenly stopped. The boat turned around and, instead of continuing forward, slowly flew back towards the direction where Lin Yinping was hiding.
Lin Yinping was startled, thinking that her whereabouts had been exposed and that the other party was going to harm her. She instinctively tried to use her escape technique to hide in the mountains below.
But then a flash of golden light appeared before her eyes, as if space itself had been traversed in an instant! When she came to her senses, Qin Hao was already standing with his hands behind his back, hovering less than ten feet in front of her, looking at her indifferently, as if he were looking at an insignificant ant.
"You've been following me for so long, calling for help is a bit too slow." Qin Hao's tone was calm, yet carried a suffocating sense of pressure: "I have little patience. I'll give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. If your help doesn't arrive by then..."
He paused, a cold smile curving his lips: "Don't blame me for not giving you this last chance, and for personally sending you on your way!"
Lin Yinping trembled with rage at his undisguised killing intent and contempt. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to remain calm and said, "Your Excellency... if Your Excellency is willing to return the sacred beast, my Tuwu clan can guarantee that we will forgive and forget what happened on the Tianlan Grassland..."
"Shut up!" Qin Hao interrupted her impatiently, his tone turning cold: "If you want to fight, then fight; if not, get out of here right now! Stop wasting your breath!"
When had Lin Yinping ever suffered such humiliation? Her eyes were bloodshot with anger, her chest heaving violently, but she dared not utter a word of complaint.
Just as she was filled with shame and indignation, she saw Qin Hao suddenly raise an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over her and looking into the distance behind her, saying calmly, "Finally here. Not too slow."
Lin Yinping was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and subconsciously opened her divine sense to its maximum, spreading rapidly backward like ripples on water. However, apart from the clouds and mountains, she did not sense any familiar presence in the area reached by her divine sense.
It wasn't until a few breaths later that she suddenly realized that four incredibly powerful late-stage Nascent Soul spiritual pressures, rising into the sky like smoke signals, were hurtling towards her from the far horizon behind her!
She felt a wave of relief wash over her; reinforcements had finally arrived! But at the same time, a deeper chill rose from the depths of her heart. This person… this person's range of spiritual perception… had reached an extremely terrifying level!
Four streaks of light arrived in an instant, landing in front of Lin Yinping and revealing four figures.
Besides the familiar Grand Master Xu and Grand Master Sun, there were two others. One was dressed in a black robe, his face hidden in the shadows, exuding a cold and eerie aura. He was none other than Fang Ming, the sect leader of the Yin Luo Sect! The other was an old man with a withered face and sunken eyes. His aura was fierce and violent. He was none other than the infamous demonic tyrant of the Great Jin cultivation world—Old Demon Qian!
"Holy Maiden, are you alright?" Master Xu breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that although Lin Yinping looked pale, she was unharmed.
Lin Yinping is not only the Holy Maiden of the clan, but also the most talented cultivator in the Tianlan clan in hundreds of years. It is almost certain that she will advance to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm in the future, and there is even a slight hope that she can break through to the legendary Divine Transformation realm. She must not fail.
"Great Immortal Master Xu, Great Immortal Master Sun, it's good that you've arrived." Lin Yinping's heart was filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, the sacred beast had to be retrieved, otherwise she wouldn't be able to explain it to her clansmen, and it might even shake the foundation of the Tianlan Holy Temple's rule. But on the other hand, facing the unfathomable Qin Hao, even with two powerful allies, she still felt uncertain. Twenty years ago, he could easily withstand the combined might of Great Immortal Masters Xu and Sun; twenty years later, his strength must be even more terrifying. Could four great cultivators working together truly guarantee victory?
Qin Hao glanced at the two new faces, his smile widening with a hint of amusement: "Oh, an old acquaintance. Sect Master Fang of the Yinluo Sect, how have you been?"
His gaze then fell on Old Demon Qian: "This must be the famous Old Demon Qian, right? It seems that the Tuwu Clan offered quite a price to invite you two, managing to get two great cultivators from the Yinluo Sect to come out in full force."
His tone suddenly turned cold, carrying a hint of murderous intent: "However, Old Demon Qian, Sect Master Fang, have you thought this through? The Yinluo Sect's only two late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators have come today. Aren't you afraid... that they might not return, causing the Yinluo Sect to decline forever, or even be removed from the Great Jin Dynasty?"
The moment Sect Master Fang saw Qin Hao's face, his heart skipped a beat, and he began to have second thoughts. Back in the great battle at Huanglong Mountain, he had personally witnessed this young man, with only a mid-Nascent Soul cultivation, ruthlessly shatter the physical body of Master Mu Lantian Zhong! That ferocious power was still fresh in his memory. He never expected that in just a few decades, the other party would have already advanced to the late-Nascent Soul stage! Moreover, judging from Master Xu's previous description, his strength probably far surpassed that of ordinary great cultivators!
He was about to speak when Old Demon Qian, standing beside him, let out a piercing, owl-like laugh, interrupting him:
"Hehehe... Junior! Don't think that just because you've luckily advanced to the late Nascent Soul stage, you can be so arrogant and ignorant! Your physical body is full of blood and qi, and your foundation is solid, which is rare! My 'Five Sons of One Heart Demon' is just missing a core soul of a late Nascent Soul stage cultivator to refine! Today, it's your turn to fulfill my wish!"
Before he finished speaking, the demonic energy around Old Demon Qian suddenly erupted, and the five originally blurry ghostly figures instantly solidified, transforming into five ferocious demons with auras reaching the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm. They let out shrill howls, and a sinister, chaotic, and mind-devouring terrifying demonic thought swept over Qin Hao like a tidal wave! Anyone with a weak mind would likely be instantly corrupted by this demonic thought and lose their composure!
Old Demon Qian licked his lips with his scarlet tongue and said to Xu and Sun, "Fellow Daoist Xu, Fellow Daoist Sun, as long as you cooperate with me to subdue this person, the conditions you promised me before will be wiped clean. How about it?"
Master Xu and Master Sun exchanged a glance, a hint of joy appearing between their brows. On one hand, the price they had paid to persuade the infamous Old Demon Qian was indeed considerable; on the other hand, Old Demon Qian's statement meant that he would not back down easily, and this battle had to take place.
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Qian, this man has an irreconcilable feud with my clan, and today is his death day!" Master Xu replied in a deep voice.
However, Lin Yinping's ominous premonition grew stronger and stronger, especially after she caught a fleeting glimpse of the icy killing intent in Qin Hao's eyes, which was as cold as ice. Alarm bells rang loudly!
Faced with the threat of Old Demon Qian and his overwhelming demonic thoughts, Qin Hao showed no fear. Instead, he laughed heartily, his voice echoing across the surrounding area.
"Five Sons United in Heart Demon? Not bad, not bad! It is indeed a top-tier and bizarre supernatural power in the demonic path! It just so happens that you four are perfect. If I find another late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, I can make a total of five. In the future, when I refine them into the Five Sons United in Heart Demon, I think its power will be even greater! Old Demon Qian, you have given me a heads-up!"
"You dare to be so arrogant, young man!" Upon hearing this, Old Demon Qian flew into a rage. He had dominated the cultivation world of the Great Jin Dynasty for nearly a thousand years, and his fearsome reputation was infamous. How could he have ever been so disrespected, or even regarded as material for refining a demon?!
"In all my years of cultivation, no one has ever dared to utter such arrogant words! Today, I, Qian, will see just how much this young brat really weighs!"
Enraged, Old Demon Qian stopped talking nonsense and directly patted a pitch-black storage bag at his waist.
"Ouch——!"
"Hi ha——!"
Five shrill and ferocious roars rang out simultaneously! The five Nascent Soul stage demons instantly expanded, transforming into five incredibly condensed, pitch-black demonic shadows. Carrying an evil aura that corroded spiritual power and devoured souls, they pounced on Qin Hao from five different directions like hungry wolves! Their speed was so fast that only afterimages remained!
Upon seeing this, Master Xu immediately transmitted his voice to Lin Yinping: "Holy Maiden, this beast is ferocious and this place is dangerous. Please retreat to the rear quickly and hold the line for us!"
Lin Yinping also knew that in this kind of battle between great cultivators, if she, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, stayed in the core area, she would not only be of no help, but might also become a burden, or even be severely injured by the aftershocks of the battle.
She gritted her teeth, her figure transformed into a streak of seven-colored light, and quickly flew backward until she was a hundred miles away, where she hovered and nervously looked towards the center of the battlefield.
Facing the combined attack of four late-stage Nascent Soul experts, Qin Hao showed no panic whatsoever; instead, his fighting spirit soared!
With a thought, he opened his mouth and spat out a golden light that suddenly appeared above his head. The ancient and profound "Ten Thousand Talismans Treasure Record" floated out, turning its pages with a rustling sound even without wind!
"Golden Talisman! Swift!"
"Ice Seal! Suppress!"
"Fire Dragon Talisman! Burn!"
In an instant, dozens of incredibly condensed, massive golden halberd phantoms, radiating sharp golden energy, shot forth like an army, heading straight for Qian Laomo's Five-Hearted Demons! At the same time, countless ice crystals condensed out of thin air, spreading a chilling aura, attempting to slow down the demons' speed; moreover, dozens of agile firebirds, entirely composed of pure flames, let out clear cries and swooped down on those demons!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!
The clash of metal against the demon's claws produced a metallic clang; the ice crystals and demonic energy corroded each other, producing a piercing sound; the firebirds scorched the demonic shadows, causing them to howl in agony!
The powerful burst of power from the Myriad Talisman Treasure Record actually managed to block the first wave of attacks from the Five Hearts Demon with its massive amount of high-level talismans! Although the talisman energy was being rapidly depleted, it bought Qin Hao precious time!
"Hmph! Let's see how long your talismans can last! Netherworld Ghost Claw!" Old Demon Qian was both shocked and furious. He formed hand seals, and a huge ghost claw made of pure demonic energy tore through the void, carrying a soul-capturing demonic sound, and grabbed at the body of the Myriad Talisman Treasure Record.
At the same time, Master Xu and Master Sun also made their move!
"Five Elements Revolve, Great Immortal-Capturing Hand!" Master Xu's voice boomed like a bell. He held his hands in a gesture of respect, and five colors of spiritual light—gold, green, blue, red, and yellow—converged wildly, transforming into a five-colored giant hand that was even more refined and enormous than the one Master Hu had used before. Its five fingers were like mountains, containing the intent to seal space and capture all things, and it crashed down from above Qin Hao's head!
"Heavenly Tide Spiritual Technique - Nine Netherworld Cold Wind!" Grand Immortal Master Sun shouted, her long purple hair moving without wind. As she waved her hands, a gray-black gust of wind appeared out of thin air. This wind was no ordinary wind, but contained a terrifying power that could freeze the nascent soul and erode the spirit. Wherever it passed, even space seemed to be frozen, and it silently swept towards Qin Hao!
The Yinluo Sect Master's eyes flickered. Though fear lingered in his heart, he was now ready to act. He slammed his fist on the top of his head, and a black banner engraved with countless agonizing, distorted faces flew out—his natal magic weapon, the Myriad Souls Banner! He bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the banner, and roared, "Myriad Souls Devour the Body!"
The banner shook violently, and countless hideous ghosts and vengeful spirits surged out like a flood bursting its banks, emitting chilling shrieks and forming a ghostly cloud that blotted out the sun. They rushed towards Qin Hao from the side, attempting to erode his physical body and corrupt his magical power!
In an instant, Qin Hao was caught in the combined attack of four powerful cultivators! Above him, the Five Elements Giant Hands suppressed him; to his left and right, the Nine Netherworld Cold Winds and the Myriad Soul Ghost Clouds eroded him; and in front of him, the Five Hearts Demon and the Netherworld Ghost Claws launched a fierce attack! The offensive was like a raging storm, completely sealing off all his space to dodge!
Faced with this terrifying combined attack, which could instantly cripple or even kill any late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, Qin Hao's eyes flashed with an unprecedented brilliance!
He took a deep breath, no longer holding back, and activated the new technique within his body—the Brahma Saint True Demon Technique, which incorporated the essence of the Heaven-Supporting Demon Art, the Bright King Technique, and the Brahma Saint True Piece—at full power!
“Buzz——!!!”
An aura far more ancient, more savage, and more domineering than before erupted from his body, like a demon god who had been asleep for countless ages suddenly awakening!
To the astonishment of the crowd, his body visibly grew a foot taller, his muscles bulging and his bones creaking! Beneath his skin, it was no longer simply gold, but a mixture of Buddhist light and demonic energy, intertwining and flowing simultaneously! A terrifying power, seemingly surpassing even gods and demons, surged and roared within his body!
Immediately afterwards, behind him, a phantom image, several dozen feet tall and with three heads and six arms, suddenly materialized and appeared!
This Dharma image has three faces: one is dignified and compassionate; one has wide-open, angry eyes and a fierce aura; and one is expressionless and indifferent, like the way of heaven!
With its six arms either forming hand seals, clenching fists, or gesturing wildly, although limited by Qin Hao's late-stage Nascent Soul power, its Dharma form could not yet solidify to the point of unleashing great supernatural powers such as the "Nirvana Holy Body," the pressure it exuded had already caused the heavens and earth to change color and the wind and clouds to reverse!
"The true demon of Brahma, its Dharma form supports the heavens!"
Qin Hao let out a low roar, and the three-headed, six-armed Dharma image behind him moved accordingly! The six huge arms, with fists and palms, fiercely met the attacks that came from all directions!
Faxiang clenched one of his arms into a fist and punched the five-colored giant hand that was pressing down from above!
"Boom——!!!"
Like two meteors colliding! The terrifying roar shook Lin Yinping, who was hundreds of miles away, causing her blood to surge! The giant hand, which contained the mysteries of the Five Elements' rotation, groaned in unbearable pain the moment it came into contact with the Dharma Fist. Its five-colored spiritual light flickered wildly, and then, in the incredulous gaze of Master Xu, it collapsed with a bang, turning into countless colorful light spots scattered across the sky!
Master Xu let out a muffled groan, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. He staggered backward, his eyes filled with horror!
On the other arm of the Dharma Image, a rotating black vortex appeared in the palm, radiating a demonic intent that devoured everything, directly meeting the Nine Netherworld Cold Wind unleashed by Grand Master Sun!
The chilling wind, powerful enough to freeze a nascent soul, crashed into the black vortex, only to be quickly assimilated and devoured by the pure demonic intent, like a mud ox entering the sea, failing to have the slightest effect on the Dharma form and Qin Hao's true body! Grand Immortal Master Sun's face turned pale; his spell was broken, and his mind was injured.
The third Dharma arm, with its fingers joined like a sword, emitted a dazzling golden Buddhist light from its fingertips, containing the true meaning of subduing demons in Buddhism. It swept across the myriad ghost clouds released by Sect Master Fang like a sharp sword!
"Chichichichi——!"
The Buddha's light shone brightly, dispelling all evil! The moment those hideous ghosts and vengeful spirits came into contact with this pure Buddha's light, they were as if they had encountered their nemesis, letting out extremely shrill screams, and all turned into green smoke and dissipated!
The Ten Thousand Souls Banner of Sect Master Fang trembled violently, its spiritual light dimmed by more than half in an instant, and he himself was hit as if by a heavy blow, spitting out a mouthful of blood and his aura weakened!
The remaining three arms of the Dharma Image met Qian Laomo's attack head-on. Two arms, unarmed, threw a punch at Qian Laomo, forcing him back. The other arm then unleashed a palm strike, the palm wind as solid as a tangible substance, colliding fiercely with the Netherworld Ghost Claw, both annihilating each other.
"What kind of technique is this?!" Old Demon Qian shrieked.
Qin Hao completely ignored it. His Dharma Form, in its first display of power, far exceeded expectations! He let out a long roar, and the six arms of his Dharma Form moved simultaneously, launching an attack!
Whether it's a fist, a palm, a finger, or a claw, each strike contains the power and intent of three completely different yet perfectly integrated elements: Buddha, demon, and monster. It is domineering, incomparably powerful, and infinitely potent!
Master Xu desperately used various spiritual techniques, with the five elements of light flowing, but all of them crumbled at the first touch of the Dharma Image's fist!
Master Sun activated his natal magic weapon, and a seven-colored ribbon rolled up like a reversed Milky Way, but it was caught by the Dharma Image and torn apart!
Sect Master Fang attempted to escape, but Fa Xiang pointed an arm at him from afar, unleashing a Buddhist and demonic power that imprisoned space, causing him to freeze instantly!
Old Demon Qian roared, merging the Five Hearts Demons into one, transforming into a gigantic three-headed, six-armed demonic shadow. It clashed fiercely with Qin Hao's Dharma Image. Demonic energy and golden light collided violently, and explosions were deafening. However, it only lasted for a few breaths before the merged demonic shadow was blasted apart by Qin Hao's Dharma Image with even more domineering power!
"puff!"
"what!"
"Do not--!"
Master Xu, Master Sun, and Sect Master Fang were successively struck by the Dharma Aspect's heavy punches, their protective magic treasures shattered, their physical bodies crumbled, and their nascent souls were just about to escape when they were frozen in place by the Condensing Light Mirror that Qin Hao had prepared in advance. Then, the Sky-Splitting Armor-Piercing Blade and the Asura Sacred Fire instantly annihilated them!
In the end, only Old Demon Qian remained. Seeing that all was lost, he revealed a crazed look on his face and was about to self-destruct at any cost, taking Qin Hao down with him.
"Shocking Thrust!"
Would Qin Hao give him a chance? The invisible spike reappeared between his brows, causing Qian Laomo to suffer excruciating pain in his soul and froze in his movements.
In that brief moment of hesitation, an arm covered in golden scales, as if piercing through the void, pierced directly into his chest, crushing his nascent soul along with his violently beating demonic heart!
Old Demon Qian's eyes widened, his face filled with resentment and unwillingness, until finally his consciousness completely disappeared into darkness, and his body fell from the sky.
Four powerful late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, who were renowned throughout the region, joined forces to attack, but in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Qin Hao, relying on his newly formed "Brahma Saint True Demon Art" and his powerful Dharma Form, annihilated them all with overwhelming force! Their bodies and souls were destroyed!
"It's a pity that I couldn't save those four late-stage Nascent Soul bodies. It seems my strength is still not strong enough!" Qin Hao clicked his tongue, looking somewhat dissatisfied with his performance just now.
……
A hundred miles away, Lin Yinping witnessed firsthand the entire process of Master Xu and his three companions' combined attack and subsequent demise. Her face was deathly pale, her delicate body trembled uncontrollably, her mind was blank, and only one thought screamed wildly:
Run! Run! This person is far beyond their capabilities! He's a monster! A demon!
Without hesitation, she turned around, increased her speed to the limit, and transformed into a rainbow, about to flee for her life in the opposite direction from Qin Hao!
However, she had only flown less than ten miles when a tall figure appeared silently in the air in front of her, blocking her path.
The figure was surrounded by a dense aura of death, with a stiff face and empty eyes. It was clearly a corpse puppet with a cultivation level of the mid-Nascent Soul stage! It was Qin Hao's backup plan, which he had laid an ambush here in advance to prevent her from escaping!
Lin Yinping was extremely anxious, as if she had been doused with a bucket of ice water. With a sharp cry, she summoned a moon-shaped magic weapon, which transformed into a cold beam of moonlight and slammed it down on the corpse puppet!
"clang--!"
With a deafening roar, moonlight scattered everywhere! The corpse puppet was sent flying dozens of feet away by the power of the magical artifact, a deep dent appearing in its chest. However, it only swayed slightly before, as if it felt no pain, charging forward again with undiminished speed, relentlessly entangled with Lin Yinping!
This corpse puppet's physical strength far surpasses that of cultivators of the same level, making it impossible to get rid of it in a short period of time!
"My life is over!" Lin Yinping watched helplessly as a familiar, despairing golden light flashed from behind her in an instant, and Qin Hao's figure reappeared before her. An overwhelming sense of sorrow welled up in her heart.
In this battle, the Tianlan clan not only failed to reclaim the sacred beast, but also lost two pillars of the clan, the Great Immortal Masters Xu and Sun! Once the news reaches the grasslands, it will surely cause a huge uproar. The Mulan people will never let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. At that time, the Tianlan clan may really face the danger of extinction!
She closed her eyes in despair and offered her neck for execution.
However, the expected attack did not occur. Instead, Qin Hao let out a cold snort, his voice carrying a hint of amusement that echoed throughout the surroundings:
"You've been watching the show for so long, shouldn't you buy a ticket?"
Lin Yinping opened her eyes in astonishment.
"Senior brother, please hold your hand."
A somewhat familiar voice came from behind a seemingly ordinary stone tablet on the cliff below. Then, the surface of the tablet rippled like water, and a figure in a green robe slowly appeared. His face was ordinary, but his eyes were calm; it was none other than Han Li, the mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator who had traveled with Qin Hao before and later split up!
"Junior Brother Han's concealment technique is truly well-deserved and incredibly skillful. Even I, your elder brother, was almost fooled by you during the fierce battle just now, and only now have I fully confirmed your location." Qin Hao looked at Han Li, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.
Han Li gave an awkward smile, flew to Lin Yinping's side, first glanced warily at the menacing corpse puppet, then cupped his hands to Qin Hao and said, "Senior Brother's supernatural powers are unparalleled, I admire you. But... could you please be so kind as to allow me to make a deal with this woman?"
"Oh?" Qin Hao looked at Han Li with a half-smile, then glanced at Lin Yinping, whose face was ashen. "Junior Brother Han is interested in this woman?"
Han Li quickly sent a telepathic message to Qin Hao, explaining, "Senior Brother is joking. To be honest, I've heard that you've been collecting spiritual woods like 'Phoenix Blood Wood.' I just happened to obtain a piece of ten-thousand-year-old Phoenix Blood Wood a while ago, and I was looking for an opportunity to present it to you. I wonder if it would be possible to exchange this for this woman's life, so that I could deal with her for a moment?"
Upon hearing this, a look of understanding flashed in Qin Hao's eyes. He naturally understood that Han Li was not after Lin Yinping's beauty, but had other motives.
The Ten-Thousand-Year Phoenix Blood Wood was indeed one of the auxiliary materials he needed to refine a certain magic weapon, and Han Li's move could be considered as catering to his preferences.
“Since Junior Brother Han is so willing, then this woman is yours to deal with.” Qin Hao nodded, agreeing to the deal. With a thought, the mid-stage Nascent Soul corpse puppet blocking Lin Yinping immediately stopped attacking and retreated to the side, but still blocked her escape route.
Just as Qin Hao had expected, Han Li turned to face the bewildered Lin Yinping and, without any preamble, went straight to the point, transmitting his voice: "Fairy Lin, you must be aware of the current situation. I can guarantee your life, but I need you to hand over the complete method for cultivating the mature 'Gold-Devouring Insect'."
Upon hearing this, Lin Yinping's pupils contracted sharply, and she instinctively wanted to refuse. The method of cultivating the Gold-Eating Insects was a closely guarded secret of the Tuwu Clan, related to the clan's foundation; how could it be easily revealed to outsiders?
However, upon further reflection, the clan had already lost two Grand Immortal Masters, Xu and Sun, suffering heavy losses in its high-level combat power. If she, the Holy Maiden, were to also perish here, the news would plunge the Tianlan clan into unprecedented weakness and chaos. The Mulan people would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to launch a massive attack, and the annihilation of the clan would be imminent!
The only option now is to endure humiliation and hardship, preserve my life, and return to my clan. Then, I must immediately announce to the outside world that the two Grand Immortal Masters are in seclusion cultivating secret techniques, concealing the truth as much as possible to buy time. Only if I can break through to the late Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible and become a new Grand Immortal Master can the Tianlan clan barely stabilize the situation and have the resources to contend with the Mulan people.
Compared to the life and death of the entire species, a method of insect breeding does not seem like an insurmountable price to pay.
Thinking of this, Lin Yinping's face drained of color, her teeth almost grinding to powder. Finally, she squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth, transmitting her voice in return: "Fine! I agree! But you must swear an oath to your inner demons, guaranteeing my safe departure after obtaining the cultivation method!"
"I, Han, have never liked making oaths. You should understand that your life or death is now entirely in my hands," Han Li sneered.
"If you obtain the secret method and then go back on your word..."
"Do you have any other choice?"
Lin Yinping subconsciously glanced at Qin Hao beside her, and could only endure the humiliation and tremble as she took out a blank jade slip. She carefully imprinted the many key points, secret medicine formulas, and precautions for cultivating mature Gold-Eating Insects into it, and then threw it to Han Li.
Han Li took the jade slip, quickly scanned it with his divine sense, and after confirming that the contents were correct and complete, a satisfied look appeared on his face. He then carefully put it away.
He turned and nodded to Qin Hao, indicating that the transaction was complete.
Seeing this, Qin Hao stopped trying to stop him and waved his hand.
Lin Yinping gave Qin Hao and Han Li a deep look, as if she wanted to etch their images into the depths of her soul. Then, without saying a word, she transformed into a streak of seven-colored light and sped off towards the Tianlan Grassland without looking back.