Chapter 560: The Return of Feng Xi
As Han Li flew, he continued to use his magic power to suppress the flare ups from the wind spirit energy. However, his body still trembled from the effort, and it was becoming more difficult to control with each flare.
The current situation filled Han Li with dread. He now suspected that the reason why Feng Xi hadn’t used the wind spirit energy more frequently during the previous chase was likely due to a combination of his exhaustion from refining the magic treasure and the backlash from the green liquid. Had these intense flare ups occurred back then, events would’ve played out much differently. However, upon seeing the small island in the distance, Han Li grew relieved.
Although it had taken him two days to arrive at the small island in the past, it now only took the majority of a day while flying at his top speed. So long as the transportation had been finished by the time he arrived, he would be able to return to the Inner Star Seas without harm. Although he would have to guard against a few Nascent Soul eccentrics, it was better than being relentlessly chased down by the metamorphosed demon beast, Feng Xi.
While these thoughts bounced around in Han Li’s mind, he heard a voice transmission from behind him.
Swift Crane said in a slow, calm and gentle voice, “Fellow Daoist Han, this humble Daoist holds no malicious intentions. I only wish to exchange for a Heavenmend Pill. There is no need for Fellow Daoist to flee with such intensity.” Truly, his words felt sincere, kind, and lacking any hint of maliciousness. Normally, one would feel quite favorable toward such a voice.
However, Han Li wasn’t moved in the slightest by his tone or words, and inwardly cursed upon hearing them. Due to his decreased speed from switching to the blood-red cloak from the Thunderstorm Wings, Han Li could once again see Swift Crane’s light in the distance whenever he looked behind him.
As soon as the old Daoist had entered within range of him, he started using some sort of abnormal technique to continuously send Han Li bewitching messages filled with enticement in an attempt to slow him down. During a moment of carelessness, Han Li had nearly been affected by the technique. Fortunately, the Great Development Technique had automatically activated and protected him, promptly clearing his mind. Although he had managed to avoid falling into Swift Crane’s trap, Han Li still felt his body break out in a cold sweat.
It appeared that even Nascent Soul cultivators were adept in the usage of bewitchment techniques. Swift Crane’s own techniques far surpa.s.sed Lady Fan’s; they were even on par with Yuan Yao’s. As for the old Daoist’s promises that he merely wanted to trade for a Heavenmend Pill and meant him no harm, Han Li would have to be touched in the head to truly believe that.
As Han Li saw the small island growing closer, he didn’t dare to delay his departure and streaked towards the island with a flourish of sparkling red light.
At that moment, a brilliant light flashed from across the sky, filling the air with a chilling whistle. A vague black dot appeared where the light had faded away, and instantly grew larger as it flew in Han Li’s direction at a frightening speed.
When Han Li saw this, his heart shook. Even if he couldn’t clearly see the black streak’s appearance, that fearsome speed and violent whistle couldn’t possibly be from anything other than a certain grade nine Windbreaker Beast.
As Han Li bitterly cursed, wings instantly emerged from his back in a flash of silver light.
Since the demon had already appeared, Han Li strove his hardest to reach the small island, else he would have no chance of survival. Even if he were to turn and flee at that moment, he feared he wouldn’t be able to escape Feng Xi’s fearsome speed even if he exhausted the entirety of his Divine Devilbane Lightning.
With that thought, Han Li disappeared with a roll of thunder, turning into an arc of silver lightning. Each time Han Li reappeared, he was drawing closer to the small island.
When Swift Crane heard the piercing whistle, his expression greatly changed. Although the Daoist didn’t know who that person was, he could faintly feel that they were a fearsome character. When he saw the black dot make its way toward Han Li without the slightest hesitation, he naturally believed that it was for the Heavenvoid Cauldron and he became extremely anxious.
Desperate, Swift Crane opened his mouth and spat out a mist of blood essence. The mist turned into a huge, blood-red cloud and enveloped the old Daoist. The white crane patterns on his robes then glowed with a white light and completely absorbed the surrounding blood mist, instantly staining the cranes scarlet.
Swift Crane then began to spin his body around, enveloping himself in a blinding white light and releasing the cries of cranes.
A ten-meter-long crimson crane with emerald green eyes appeared before him.
When Swift Crane saw this, his face grew sullen and he sat upon the huge crane in a blur. He then quickly clapped the head of the crane. Its eyes flickered with green light as it extended its wings, carrying the old Daoist a hundred meters away in the blink of an eye.
Although he was still slower than Han Li’s lightning movements, he was still far faster than before.
As a result, a bizarre scene unfolded in the nearby skies.
As Han Li pushed forward with his warped movements, both the whistling black blur in front of him and the crimson crane from behind him rushed straight towards him.
A few seconds later, Han Li had arrived above the small island. At that same moment, the black blur was now only a few kilometers away, travelling at an unbelievable speed.
Han Li’s heart turned icy when he clearly saw the demon beast’s appearance. It was a bizarre form with the body of a bird and a fish tail, both covered in three meter long feathers. Below its abdomen were two incredibly sharp claws covered in inch large scales that sparkled with an azure light.
Feng Xi was using his demon beast form to hunt him down. Although high grade demons found it awkward to fight against humans while in their beast form, it allowed them to use their innate characteristics without restraint. In this case, it allowed a Windbreaker Beast to display their innately extraordinary speed.
After taking a cold breath of air, Han Li didn’t dare to further delay and disappeared in a flash of silver light. He reappeared at the island’s surface only to disappear once more.
When the demon beast saw this, his piercing whistle came to an abrupt halt. With a few more flaps of his wings, he crossed the remaining couple of kilometers in a mere instant. After arriving above the island, he transformed into his human form with a bright flourish of azure light.
Much to his dismay, Swift Crane saw Feng Xi’s transformation as he continued to chase after Han Li. After seeing that Feng Xi looked nearly the same as an ordinary human, he felt a chill run down his entire body.
Staring in awe, Swift Crane felt his blood run cold. “Grade nine demon beast? And it’s an extremely fast bird-type.”
Ordinarily, when high grade humans and demon beasts met, it didn’t necessarily result in a battle to the death. But if there was a huge disparity in the strength between them, a bloodbath was unavoidable. After all, regardless of whether it were for the demon beasts’ cores or the humans’ Nascent Souls and golden cores, they were both extremely coveted by the opposing side.
As grade nine demon beasts were slightly above mid Nascent Soul cultivators, the old Daoist inwardly cursed at the encounter. Were this any other time, he would’ve already turned tail and fled without a word, but with the Heavenvoid Cauldron before his eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to relinquish it. As a result, he raised his hands with a pale face and held an ancient blue mirror in one hand along with a small jade hammer in the other. With the two ancient treasures in hand, the old Daoist’s courage was strengthened and he gloomily stared at the demon beast.
When Feng Xi saw Han Li’s wings and his adept usage of them, he was initially amazed before subsequently becoming filled with an immense, bitter regret. Even if he managed to kill Han Li and refine the Thunderstorm Wings, he would only be able to draw out seventy percent of the magic treasure’s might at most since it had already recognized another master, further stoking the flames of hatred towards Han Li.
As a result, even though Feng Xi had seen Swift Crane, he had completely ignored the old Daoist; his mind was completely focused on Han Li. He faced the Daoist and coldly shouted, “F*ck off!” before blurring in the direction of the island.
Daoist Swift Crane was stunned for a moment before gritting his teeth and flying in pursuit. The Heavenvoid Cauldron was the top ranked secret treasure in the Scattered Star Seas, and even if he had to risk his life, he had to acquire it.
At that moment, Han Li quickly changed his face while he was flying through a pa.s.sage after breaking through the stone gate. After several more flickers of lightning, he appeared before the transportation formation where several Exquisite Sound Sect cultivators were currently bantering with each other. When they saw Han Li appear, they instantly found their throats choked from the shock.
Han Li appeared at the side of the transportation formation before wildly roaring at the disciples, “Is the transportation formation finished!?”
One of the disciples recognized Han Li and respectfully replied, “Ah! Yes, Senior Li! The transportation formation has been finished. However, we’ve yet to test it. We were...”
But before she could finish speaking, his body blurred and he appeared inside the transportation formation.
At nearly the same moment, a hole was suddenly ruptured from the ceiling and the demon cultivator Feng Xi dropped down in a streak of azure light.
Han Li’s face instantly drained of blood!