Spirit Realm

“Zheng Xiao, you guys spread out as well. Surround this place. No one is to approach without my authorization.”

Han Xing looked to the side, and with Luo Chen’s support he issued the order to Zheng Xiao, the martial practitioner responsible for the teleportation formation.

“I obey the president’s orders,” Zheng Xiao replied respectfully.

Following his announcement, all of the Blue Star Association martial practitioners near the teleportation formation began to spread out.

These people stayed a hundred meters away from Han Xing and Qin Lie’s group, forming a large defensive circle.

Zheng Xiao realized that the president wanted to talk with those people alone and did not want anyone else to hear their conversation.

They were sent away because they weren’t allowed to know about it.

Soon enough, Han Xing and Luo Chen’s group, and Qin Lie and Gao Yu’s group were the only people near the teleportation formation. Every other person that had nothing to do with them had moved away.

Song Tingyu’s beautiful face was currently filled with helplessness. When she learned that Han Xing had not come for the Astral Thunder Hammer, she knew that they were in huge trouble.

“Your Blue Star Association martial practitioners died by the hands of the rampaging god corpse. I did not have much to do with it.” Now that his identity had been exposed, Qin Lie no longer tried to hide and said with a grim face and low tone, “Some people were killed by the hands of Celestial Artifact Sect’s Jiang Tianxing and your Qiu Yun.”

“Is that so?”

Han Xing narrowed his eyes and snorted. “Jiang Tianxing said that you were the one who killed them all! Qiu Yun and Kong Xiang also died by your hand!”

Qin Lie frowned and pondered for a moment, then said, “What’s done is done. What exactly do you want to do?”

At this moment, both Song Tingyu and Xie Jingxuan noticed Zhang Chendong and Zhao Xuan behind Luo Chen. These two people had appeared at Herb Mountain before, so it could be said that they were familiar with them.

Song Tingyu quickly understood that Zhao Xuan and Zhang Chendong must have been connected due to the fact that Blue Star Association’s Han Xing was able to find her and Qin Lie.

“Miss Song, Miss Xie, long time no see.” Zhao Xuan laughed.

Song Tingyu and Xie Jingxuan’s faces were cold.

Zhao Xuan rubbed his nose in slight embarrassment. He laughed dryly. “The Trial is about to begin. It is too dangerous for the two of you to enter alone. I suggest that you join us and Heavenly Sword Mountain’s Luo Chen. We can go together, watch each other’s backs, and survive until the end. What do you think?”

“Not interested!” Song Tingyu shook her head.

Xie Jingxuan was indifferent and could not be bothered to even answer. She obviously disliked Zhao Xuan.

Han Xing looked at Luo Chen. “How do you think we should handle this?”

Luo Chen’s eyes were cold. He glanced at Qin Lie’s spatial ring and indifferently said, “I only want what was inside the god corpse.”

Han Xing nodded.

He laid out the conditions to Qin Lie with a smile, “As long as you give us what you took from the god corpse, then all of the grudges between you and the Blue Star Association will be null and void. We can overlook the deaths of Qiu Yun, Kong Xiang, and the others, the Astral Thunder Hammer you stole, and the losses that you’ve cost Blue Star Assocation. You will be allowed to go through the teleportation formation to the Heavenly Wither Continent, and even be allowed to use the large scale teleportation formation there to go to the site of the Trial in the Heavenly Fissure Continent.”

“You come from Profound Heaven Alliance and can be considered a subordinate of Heavenly Sword Mountain, so I will hide this matter for you. Celestial Artifact Sect will not know about you.” Luo Chen looked to Song Tingyu and Xie Jingxuan, proudly saying, “Your realms aren’t bad. Why don’t you come with me during this Trial? At the very least, I can guarantee that you will live longer.”

He then looked toward Qin Lie and frowned. “You can leave once you give us the item. Your realm is too low and you are not qualified to join us.”

Qin Lie had slowly become calm.

“If I tell you that I don’t have what you’re looking for, what kind of consequences are going to befall me?” He frowned.

“Hehe, if that’s the case, then please don’t blame me for personally searching you.” Han Xing’s attitude was leisurely, and his tone completely threatening. “You’re called Qin Lie, aren’t you? I don’t care how big of a commotion you caused in the Scarlet Tide Continent or how sensational you are. On Sea Moon Island, you better act obediently, otherwise…!”

Han Xing’s voice went cold, and his eyes shone with wisps of golden rings of light. “I suggest that you be obedient. Even if it is not for yourself, you should consider your friends. Your friends are very loyal, and they all chose to stand by your side. Could you stand seeing them die for your sake?”

He coldly glanced at Gao Yu, Feng Rong, and the others.

Everyone caught in that gaze, such as Gao Yu, Feng Rong, and the others, felt as if they were being glared at by an ancient, ferocious beast. Their backs crawled with fear.

Han Xing was at the peak of the Fragmentation Realm, and he was only half a step away from the Nirvana Realm. Even if everyone here worked together, they still wouldn’t be a match for him.

If they were to fight him forcefully, death would be their only option. No one would be able to survive this disaster.

“Kid. Where there’s life, there’s hope. As long as I am able to acquire the Blood Progenitor’s corpse and merge my fragmented soul with it, I will be able to kill this Han Xing easily!” Xue Li’s voice resonated within his mind. “Let’s admit our defeat for now. We got that tombstone for free anyway, and you’ve used it to cultivate for some time and were unable to decipher its secrets. It won’t matter if we give it away…”

“You better think about this carefully,” Han Xing said patiently.

Everyone else was looking at Qin Lie as well.

Qin Lie’s gaze was harsh. He was quiet like a ferocious beast, holding himself back this entire time.

After a long moment, he pulled off the fox skin mask and revealed his actual face before everyone’s eyes.

“Remember my face. For everything I’ve suffered today on Sea Moon Island… I will one day have Blue Star Association pay for it ten times over!!” As soon as Qin Lie said this, a blank tombstone suddenly appeared on the ground before him. Seven bolts of colorful divine light violently writhed at the back of the tombstone, giving off a mysterious, magical feeling.

Many people’s gazes were attracted by the blank tombstone.

Han Xing and Luo Chen were the only ones coldly staring at Qin Lie.

From Qin Lie’s actions and words, Han Xing and Luo Chen could sense a bone deep hatred and reluctance.

Han Xing suddenly regretted guaranteeing forgiveness at the beginning of the negotiation. It would be awkward if he went back on his promise now.

Staring at the current Qin Lie, he suddenly had the feeling that, if he allowed Qin Lie to leave alive, there would be an endless amount trouble in the future.

“Let’s go.” Qin Lie led the way and headed toward the teleportation formation.

Mo Hai, Feng Rong, and the others immediately followed him.

Gao Yu did not leave immediately. His evil, poisonous eyes were like the tongues of poisonous snakes hidden in darkness, flitting across the face of Han Xing and Luo Chen for a while.

It was as if he wanted to memorize their faces by heart.

“There’s another vicious bastard!”

Gao Yu’s dark, icy gaze made Han Xing and Luo Chen feel extremely uncomfortable. They felt as if they were being committed to memory by evil ghosts from the depths of the Nine Hells.

It was only when they felt thoroughly uncomfortable that Gao Yu finally turned to leave with Qin Lie.

“Miss Song, Miss Xie, the two of you will definitely encounter great danger if you head to the Trial. Stay here and come with us. I only mean well,” Zhao Xuan cried out.

However, neither Song Tingyu nor Xie Jingxuan paid him any heed. They both went in Qin Lie’s direction.

After stepping through the teleportation formation, Song Tingyu activated a square blue crystal, and as it spun, icy blue rings rippled outward from the teleportation formation.

Before long, the crowd of figures disappeared one by one.

“I don’t know why, but I feel troubled by letting them leave alive.” Han Xing frowned. “Of those two bastards, one looked more sinister than the other. Maybe I should’ve killed them.”

“You cannot act against him at Blue Star Association. There would be consequences if you killed him here.” Luo Chen shook his head.

Luo Chen knew that Qin Lie, Song Tingyu, and Xie Jingxuan were specifically appointed by the Sixth Heavenly Sword of Heavenly Sword Mountain. He was also vaguely aware of the fact that Qin Lie and Li Mu shared a subtle connection. This was also why he acted so generously and only asked for the tombstone, not daring to take their lives.

“I feel like they’ll be trouble.” Han Xing couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

Every time he recalled Qin Lie and Gao Yu’s gazes before they left, he felt as if he were sitting on needles.

“Don’t worry. You can’t kill them on Sea Moon Island, so I will take care of them for you in the Trial.” Luo Chen stared at the blank tombstone below him and said indifferently, “I could kill whoever I want in the Trial, and there wouldn’t be any trouble.”

Any martial practitioner who participated in the Trial could potentially be killed. As long as one had enough power, they could kill whoever they wanted in the Trial.

No one would question them!

Hearing Luo Chen’s words, Han Xing slowly relaxed and smiled. “I feel much better hearing your promise.”

He was very familiar with Luo Chen’s strength and temperament. He believed that Luo Chen would definitely make good on his promise.

“Brother Luo, I know that you have put all of your heart into increasing your strength and in tempering your sword, which is why you have no interest in relationships.” Zhao Xuan chuckled and narrowed his eyes, saying in a low voice, “The spirit art I cultivate comes from Joyful Union Sect and depends on the relationships between men and women. If you run into Song Tingyu and Xie Jingxuan in the Trial, could you… leave them to me?”

“Brother Luo, we’re interested in those women as well.” A Heavenly Sword Mountain martial practitioner chuckled.

“Do whatever you want,” Luo Chen said apathetically.

All of his attention was already on the blank tombstone. His eyes burned intensely.

……

The teleportation formation completed its teleportation over and over.

Five teleportations later, the dazzled group suddenly appeared at a giant valley.

The fresh, thick spirit energy of the world lingered inside the valley like white fog.

A huge teleportation formation stood tall inside the valley. There were many martial practitioners garbed in the attire of Heavenly Sword Mountain around the teleportation formation.

This place was the Heavenly Wither Continent and the domain of Heavenly Sword Mountain. All the forces here were subordinate to Heavenly Sword Mountain and needed to act according to their will.

“Where have you come from?” Inside the valley, a middle-aged man with long, flowing hair was seated on top of a metallic stone pillar. He looked down at Qin Lie’s group after they came out of the teleportation formation.

“We came from Sea Moon Island,” Song Tingyu answered.

“Where are you headed?” he asked again.

“We are participating in the Trial,” Song Tingyu answered again.

“Do you have a sword token?”

“Yes.” Song Tingyu took out a sword token.

“Alright. You will first be transferred to the Heavenly Calamity Continent. Then you will be transferred to the Heavenly Fissure Continent through the teleportation formation of the Heavenly Calamity Continent. Stand there and don’t move. Wait for the next round of teleportation!” After he looked at them, the man nodded and exclaimed, “Send them away!”

The giant teleportation formation, which was ten times bigger than Sea Moon Island’s formation, activated once more. The group was immediately flooded by a sky of colorful light.