Master Azure Dragon felt as if a thunderclap had erupted right within his ears, and a sharp pain stabbed into his mind.
He gave a muffled groan and was rendered completely unable to muster up any magic power.
Meanwhile, an astonishing baleful aura erupted from Han Li's body as his giant golden fist hurtled directly toward Master Azure Dragon's head.
Even before the fist had struck its target, Master Azure Dragon was struck by a sense of asphyxiation from the enormous pressure it was giving off. With Han Li's incredible strength in his giant ape form, Master Azure Dragon's head would definitely be pulverized by this punch, even in his half-demon form.
Master Azure Dragon was still reeling from Han Li's Spiritstun Thorn, so he was completely unable to evade or defend himself, and a horrified look appeared on his face.
However, as a Body Integration cultivator, he naturally had a few life-saving trump cards up his sleeve.
White light flashed, and a translucent shield flew out of his body before positioning itself in front of him.
At the same time, all of his scales instantly shrank to form a suit of azure armor that encased his entire body.
These two layers of defenses were more than enough against the average Body Integration cultivator's attacks, but they were destroyed with ease by the giant ape's golden fist.
Golden light flashed as the translucent shield was shattered amid a resounding boom, following which the golden fist struck the suit of azure armor.
All of a sudden, an azure dragon projection erupted forth and pounced directly toward the golden fist, but right at this moment, the giant fist transformed into a golden vortex that was around 10 feet in size.
The vortex released a burst of incredible tearing force, and the azure dragon projection was instantly torn to shreds.
In the instant that the projection was vanquished, the suit of azure armor also crumbled away.
The golden vortex then reverted back into a giant golden fist that hurtled directly toward Master Azure Dragon's head, and the killing intent imbued within it was detectable even to the cultivators outside the light barrier.
Master Azure Dragon's face had become deathly pale under the illumination of the golden light being released by the fist.
"Fellow Daoist Han, no!"
"Stop, Brother Han!"
All of the cultivators outside the light barrier immediately cried out in a horrified manner.
In the next instant, the giant golden fist glanced past Master Azure Dragon's ear before striking the stone platform behind him.
What everyone had failed to notice was that a hair-thin object had shot forth out of the golden fist and instantly vanished into Master Azure Dragon's ear just as it was passing by his face.
The entire stone platform tremored violently, and a giant crater that was around 10 feet deep appeared while the surface of the restriction flashed violently with spiritual light.
Master Azure Dragon's face was completely devoid of color, and he could only stare in silence as the giant ape slowly withdrew its fist.
Everyone outside the light barrier heaved a collective sigh of relief upon seeing this.
Han Li reverted back to his human form amid a flash of golden light, then turned to Master Azure Dragon with undisguised killing intent in his eyes. "I don't care how you came to Deep Heaven City and how you became an elder; I don't want to see you here three days from now. If you haven't left Deep Heaven City by then, I suggest you pick a burial site for yourself!"
After that, Han Li flew off the stone platform as a streak of azure light before landing beside the Ice Phoenix.
Buddhist Monk Jin Yue hurriedly tried to say something, but Han Li cupped his fist in a salute, and said, "Fellow daoists, I've done everything I came here to do; I've only just returned to the city and have some matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave now."
As soon as his voice trailed off, he swept a sleeve through the air to release a burst of azure light, which swept up both the Ice Phoenix and himself, then carried them both over to the teleportation formation.
Following a burst of rumbling from the formation, both of them vanished.
Han Li hadn't given Buddhist Monk Jin Yue and Elder Gu any chance to try and mediate the situation.
Before the two had a chance to say anything, Han Li and the Ice Phoenix had already left.
Elder Gu was silent for a long while before turning to Buddhist Monk Jin Yue with a wry smile. "Looks like Fellow Daoist Han wasn't joking!"
"Benefactor Han has gone too far here. No matter what differences there are between them, Master Azure Dragon is already an elder of our city; how can he leave Deep Heaven City just because Fellow Daoist Han told him to? Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Azure Dragon, I'll visit Fellow Daoist Han with a few other fellow daoists to convince him not to take such drastic measures," Buddhist Monk Jin Yue said with a shake of his head.
Only then did Master Azure Dragon return to his senses, and his face was still completely devoid of color as he shook his head in response. "There's no need for that. I lost to Fellow Daoist Han; even if he didn't ask me to leave, I would be too ashamed to remain in the city. I'll leave the city tomorrow and will no longer be an elder. Thankfully, not many people knew that I had joined the city, so my departure won't cause much of a disturbance."
After that, he vanished from the stone platform as a ball of azure light, then also teleported out of this space using the teleportation formation.
Buddhist Monk Jin Yue and Elder Gu exchanged a glance, and both of them were temporarily rendered speechless.
"Looks like Fellow Daoist Azure Dragon has been dealt a heavy blow," Elder Gu sighed.
"His reaction makes sense. Conflict has already arisen between him and Fellow Daoist Han, and he's clearly no match for Fellow Daoist Han's powers; if I were in his place, I would also leave the city," Buddhist Monk Jin Yue said in a resigned manner.
"Are we really just going to allow a mid-Body Integration cultivator to leave our Deep Heaven City? That will be a massive loss to the panel of elders! Fellow Daoist Han may be far more powerful than Fellow Daoist Azure Dragon, but he has no intention of joining the panel of elders," Elder Gu said in a hesitant voice.
"Let's visit the other fellow daoists and see if we can come up with a way to keep him. Having said that, with the devilish army piling so much pressure on the city, Fellow Daoist Han is more important to our city at the moment. Besides, Azure Dragon has already developed a sense of fear and wariness toward Fellow Daoist Han; I think it's going to be very difficult to change his mind," Buddhist Monk Jin Yue sighed.
"In any case, we still have to give it a try. I'll contact the other fellow daoists and invite them here right away," Elder Gu said as he flipped a hand over to summon a stack of voice transmissions talismans.
Buddhist Monk Jin Yue merely nodded in agreement as a contemplative look appeared on his face.
Meanwhile, Han Li was taking the Ice Phoenix back to his abode.
Han Li flew on ahead with his hands clasped behind his back, looking into the distance in silence.
The Ice Phoenix was situated behind him with a complex expression, and she didn't say anything, either.
Several hours later, the streak of azure light returned to the top floor of the stone pagoda.
Qi Lingzi and Hai Yuetian were beginning to grow rather impatient from waiting, and they immediately extended ecstatic bows toward Han Li upon witnessing his return with the Ice Phoenix.
"Master, Senior Ice Phoenix, welcome back! Did you have a smooth trip, Master?" Hai Yuetian asked in an excited manner.
"I did. You two can go and rest now; I have some things that I'd like to discuss with Fellow Daoist Ice Phoenix in private," Han Li instructed.
"Yes, Master!"
Qi Lingzi and Hai Yuetian immediately gave an affirmative response before departing after extending another respectful bow.
Thus, Han Li and the Ice Phoenix were only ones left in the hall.
"Please take
a seat, Fellow Daoist Ice Phoenix; that must've been quite the ordeal for you," Han Li said with a smile as he sat down on the main seat.
"Thank you, Brother Han. Indeed, I thought I was done for. Never did I think that a Body Integration cultivator like Azure Dragon would do something so brazen and underhanded," the Ice Phoenix said with a wry smile as she sat down beside Han Li.
"Under normal circumstances, perhaps he would be more inclined to uphold his reputation, but in the midst of this devilish tribulation, he's naturally willing to cast all that aside for the opportunity to become more powerful. I'm guessing that if he weren't wary of me, he most likely would've gone after you even earlier than this," Han Li replied.
Chapter 1987: Pull the Weed Out by the Roots
"Is Azure Dragon really going to leave Deep Heaven City? Even if he were willing, surely the panel of elders wouldn't be willing to let him go. After all, a mid-Body Integration cultivator is currently an extremely prized asset to Deep Heaven City," the Ice Phoenix said in a concerned manner.
"A prized asset? He couldn't even take three attacks from me; do you think the panel of elders will actually hold him in high regard? Under normal circumstances, the panel of elders will perhaps exert pressure on me to prevent this from happening to maintain their authority, but now that the devilish army has surrounded the city, I'm sure they know who's more important to the city between Azure Dragon and myself. I'm guessing that they'll send some people to try and persuade Azure Dragon to stay as a mere formality, then let him go when he insists on leaving," Han Li said with a nonchalant smile.
"You're right, the panel of elders wouldn't dare to do anything to antagonize you at a time like this. However, that Azure Dragon is undoubtedly going to be extremely resentful toward you; you'll have to be wary of him in the future. Of course, you won't have anything to fear, but he could target your disciples," the Ice Phoenix cautioned.
"It's alright, Azure Dragon won't trouble anyone ever again," Han Li replied with a mysterious smile.
"What? You don't mean..." With the Ice Phoenix's intelligence, she was naturally immediately able to read between the lines, and her heart jolted with shock.
"He's a very petty man; I'm not going to allow such a toxic enemy to live on in this world. Otherwise, who knows what troubles could arise in the future?" Han Li said in a cold voice.
"I'm sure you're more than powerful enough to put an end to Azure Dragon's life, but surely the panel of elders won't allow you to do something like this. Besides, no matter how discreetly you do this, the panel of elders will still suspect you for foul play," the Ice Phoenix said in a hesitant manner.
"I won't do this in the city, and I'll have someone else take him out in my stead," Han Li replied with a faint smile.
A hint of surprise appeared on the Ice Phoenix's face before she hurriedly cautioned, "You have an ally who's capable of doing this? Please do exercise caution, Brother Han. That Azure Dragon may be no match for you, but he's still a mid-Body Integration cultivator; it'll most likely be very difficult for other people to kill him."
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Ice Phoenix; I'll make sure that the job gets done," Han Li replied in a confident manner, then swept a sleeve through the air to release a ball of yellow light, which then transformed into a little girl who appeared to be around two or three years of age.
The little girl had fair skin and a pair of large black eyes that were extremely adorable to behold.
"Go and keep an eye on Azure Dragon. If I'm not mistaken, he'll most likely leave the city before the three-day time limit runs out. Follow him out of the city, then put an end to him in a secluded location," Han Li instructed.
The little girl's lips didn't move, but a tender female voice suddenly rang out in the hall. "You make it sound so simple! I can keep an eye on him with no issues; with my current powers, I can conceal myself even from the average late-Body Integration cultivator. However, I don't think I have the power to put an end to his life. I only just went through metamorphosis, so my powers won't outstrip his by much."
"Master Azure Dragon has already been wounded by me; even if he immediately takes pills to try and recover, he won't be able to make a full recovery anytime soon. On top of that, I planted something in his body so he'll only be able to unleash around 30% of his powers at most. In his current state, you'll be more than enough to put an end to him," Han Li said with a hint of a smile on his face.
"Oh, in that case, I don't have any further issues." The little girl gave an adorable smile before vanishing on the spot amid a flash of golden light.
"Brother Han, who was that?" Ice Phoenix couldn't help but ask.
"That was a spirit beast of mine; it only underwent metamorphosis recently," Han Li replied.
"Your spirit beast? From the sounds of it, it also seems to be at the Body Integration Stage," the Ice Phoenix said with a stunned expression.
"It is indeed at the early-Body Integration Stage, but it's inherited some of the bloodline of the true spirit Kirin, so even the average mid-Body Integration cultivator won't be a match for it," Han Li replied in a truthful manner.
A wry smile appeared on the Ice Phoenix's face upon hearing this. "I finally understand why you're not concerned about repercussions from the panel of elders now; with that spirit beast to assist you, you're most likely the undisputed number one cultivator of Deep Heaven City."
"I wouldn't dare to claim such a title. Deep Heaven City has protected the human and demon races for hundreds of thousands of years; surely you don't think that the city is only as powerful as it appears on the surface, Fellow Daoist Ice Phoenix. Who knows how many powerful cultivators there are lurking beneath the surface?" Han Li replied with a solemn shake of his head.
"Oh? Have you heard some rumors, Brother Han?" the Ice Phoenix asked in a surprised manner.
"No, I'm merely speculating. Alright, let's not dwell on this topic any longer; everything will be made clear once the devilish army officially commences their attack on the city, but prior to that, I'm going to require your assistance, Fellow Daoist Ice Phoenix," Han Li said with a serious expression.
The Ice Phoenix faltered slightly upon hearing this before a thought immediately occurred to her, and a faint blush appeared on her face. "Are you referring to..."
"That's right. I encountered some peril during my trip, but also some opportunities as well, and I can begin attempting a breakthrough to the late-Body Integration Stage, so I'll have to borrow your Heavenly Phoenix Origin Yin Qi," Han Li confirmed.
The blush of the Ice Phoenix's face quickly faded, and she said in a solemn manner, "If you hadn't stepped in to save me, I would've been reduced to a mere spirit beast, and there's certainly no way I could've reached the Spatial Tempering Stage so quickly, so it's only right for me to repay you for your kindness. When do you plan to go into seclusion, Brother Han?"
"If I had full confidence in my ability to break through this bottleneck, I wouldn't have asked this of you. If I can succeed in my breakthrough, you'll definitely be the most significant contributor. As for when I'm going into seclusion, that answer to that would naturally be as soon as possible. Once the Leopard Kirin Beast returns, I'll go into seclusion right away," Han Li replied.
The Ice Phoenix nodded in response.
Thus, the two of them chatted for a while longer before the Ice Phoenix stood up to depart.
Han Li accompanied her out of the hall, then returned to his cultivation chamber to meditate.
At the same time, Master Azure Dragon was seated on a wooden chair in the hall of a small stone pagoda that was around 1,000 feet tall. His face was quite pale, and he was surrounded by a dozen or so cultivators, all of whom seemed to possess powerful cultivation bases.
Not far away from Master Azure Dragon sat a beautiful female cultivator who appeared to be around 27 to 28 years of age.
She was none other than the only other remaining Body Integration cultivator of Heavenlean City, Fairy Lin Luan.
She could sense
Master Azure Dragon's severely weakened aura, and she heaved a faint forlorn sigh. "Have you really decided to go to the Holy Sovereign City, Fellow Daoist Azure Dragon? We are the only remaining grand elders of our four great sects; if you leave now, I'll truly be all alone in this city."
"I don't want to leave, either, but that man is forcing me to go, so I have no choice. You've seen him in action; even if we were to join forces against him, we still most likely wouldn't be a match for him," Master Azure Dragon said as a hint of resentment flashed through his eyes.
"Why did you insist on pursuing that Fairy Ice Phoenix, Fellow Daoist Azure Dragon? I've always been rather curious about this; she is indeed quite a beauty, but surely that's not enough to make you take such a huge risk. I know you're not a promiscuous individual; is there some other reason behind this?" Fairy Lin Luan asked with furrowed brows.
"There are indeed some reasons that I can't reveal, but there's no point in talking about this now. I'm going to leave tonight so that bastard has no opportunity to hunt me down before I go. If it weren't for the fact that I intend to leave my disciples to you, I wasn't planning to tell anyone about this," Master Azure Dragon said with a wry smile.
"Our four great sects have always been a unified entity; even if you hadn't said anything, I would've still looked after the disciples of your Nine Star Sect in your stead; I'm sure the elders of the city wouldn't stoop to oppressing these juniors. Come to think of it, it may not be a bad thing that you're going to the Holy Sovereign City. This way, we can avoid putting all of our eggs in one basket, and if something happens to either of us, the other can preserve the heritage of our four great sects," Fairy Lin Luan said after a brief silence.
"I had those considerations in mind as well. Alright, I won't delay here any longer; I'll be taking my leave now, and I'll leave you with all of my disciples except for two of them. Listen up, during my absence, all of you must follow Fellow Daoist Lin's instructions, understood?" Master Azure Dragon instructed as he rose to his feet.
"Yes, Grand Elder!" the dozen or so disciples replied in unison.
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 1147