Chapter 271 : “Insect Demon Ji Yuan” Was One Step Ahead

“Who ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍are you trying to scare with that pretense!”

Feng ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Zhi Tao raised an eyebrow and reached out to tap the void.

Yun ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Qianzai instantly contracted the formation, exposing an open stretch of sky for Feng Zhi Tao to cast her spell. The two had joined forces many times before, so their tacit coordination went without saying.

But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍immediately afterward, a bolt of purple lightning descended from the firmament.

Ji ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Yuan gave it a rough assessment. It should have been enough for him to temper his body!

Still, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍taking it head-on would not have been wise. Just as he was thinking of throwing out the Dragon Beard Shield in his hand, he saw the formation transform.

A pillar of water appeared within the Rain Curtain and caught the bolt of purple lightning before conducting the lightning outside the formation.

Conducting electricity?

As expected of Yun Qianzai!

Before Ji Yuan could finish being surprised, he saw a gigantic fire phoenix nearly ten meters long condense anew before Feng Zhi Tao.

She softly chanted: “Go!”

The fire phoenix immediately spread its wings and flew straight toward Real Person Black Turtle in the distance.

On the surface, she still appeared to be at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, but in reality, she had already reached Peak Foundation Establishment. The instant she attacked, the resulting commotion shook heaven and earth.

Waves of fire swept in every direction, illuminating the pitch-black night.

Those Foundation Establishment elders who had originally been escorting their patriarch had already been terrified into fleeing in panic after seeing their Sect Master die, then seeing their patriarch's corpse come back to life. Now, upon seeing such a powerful fire spell hurtling toward them, they scattered even faster.

Ji Yuan did not move, but his Divine Sense remained firmly locked onto Real Person Black Turtle opposite him.

Real Person Black Turtle had only just stretched. Then, without the slightest hurry, he shook his sleeves, and nearly ten black threads immediately grew out from behind him.

Every black thread landed steadily on one of the elders.

Immediately afterward, those elders went rigid as if a Body-Fixing Technique had been cast on them.

They did not even have time to let out a scream before becoming completely motionless……their auras rapidly plummeted, while immediately afterward, the old man's aura began rapidly increasing.

In the blink of an eye, he went from a corpse with no cultivation whatsoever to an Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Yet the increase still did not stop, and his cultivation aura continued climbing at an astonishing speed.

Mid-stage, late-stage, peak……

Then, he crossed directly into the Core Formation Realm!

Golden Core in a single thought!

The change happened far too quickly, and Ran Kui immediately followed by making a ferocious move.

He knew that if he did not sever those black threads, the resurrected Real Person Black Turtle before them would probably continue growing stronger.

Holding his great halberd, he transformed into an Escape Light.

In almost the blink of an eye, he had already passed through the numerous black threads.

The great halberd in his hand danced, leaving behind a water-blue tornado amid the many black threads.

A spell unleashed at full strength by a Core Formation cultivator……Ji Yuan felt that if he fell into it, he would at least have to use a Talisman Treasure.

Or perhaps he would have to use the protective scale armor given to him by the sect before he stood any chance of blocking it.

But now?

Under that water tornado, the numerous black threads did not budge in the slightest and were completely unaffected.

No, that was not quite right. Several black threads extending farther away swayed gently, as though brushed by a faint breeze.

Ran Kui, who had passed through the black threads, turned his head to look back. Even he found the scene somewhat unbelievable.

He steadied himself, flicked his right hand, and sent out a three-bladed ring-shaped flying knife.

The flying knife transformed into a snow-white arc of light and once again sliced through the numerous black threads.

But the result?

The flying knife remained completely intact, and the black threads……were the same.

They continued ceaselessly absorbing the Spiritual Energy from those Foundation Establishment elders.

Ran Kui reacted quickly as well, sending the flying knife out once more.

Since he could not sever the black threads, he would first smash those Foundation Establishment elders into pieces!

With a thought, countless densely packed water arrows condensed behind him.

His left hand formed a hand seal upright before him before sweeping forward.

Tens of thousands of water arrows tore through the night and shot toward those Foundation Establishment elders.

He was fast, but Real Person Black Turtle was even faster.

As though he had predicted it beforehand, the black threads behind Real Person Black Turtle trembled gently.

Immediately afterward, the corpses of those numerous Foundation Establishment elders vanished into thin air, leaving behind only black threads piercing straight into the void.

The flying knife struck empty air, and the water arrows likewise struck nothing.

Yet the situation before them was that they clearly knew those Foundation Establishment corpses were right there, but they simply could not hit them!

Ji Yuan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets……what the damn hell kind of technique was this?

It could let an ordinary person reach the Golden Core Realm in a single thought?

That couldn't possibly be real!

And its defensive ability was absurdly outrageous. Even the full-power attack of a Core Formation cultivator could not stop it.

After Real Person Black Turtle stepped into the Golden Core Realm once more, Feng Zhi Tao's Peak Foundation Establishment spell was no longer quite enough.

Real Person Black Turtle merely extended a hand and gently pressed down on the fire phoenix's head.

The previously awe-inspiring fire phoenix seemed to turn into an obedient pet in his hand.

The fire phoenix rapidly shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Within only a few breaths, the fire phoenix had shrunk to the size of a palm, before Real Person Black Turtle gently pinched it.

The fire phoenix transformed into a tiny, feeble flame and dissipated.

“A little interesting, but not much.”

Real Person Black Turtle calmly clapped his hands, then slightly straightened his originally stooped waist.

The black threads that had originally connected him to those Foundation Establishment elders had not broken. Instead, they had grown several times thicker.

Even without seeing the corpses of those Foundation Establishment elders, Ji Yuan could imagine what condition they were in.

Their bodies were undoubtedly shriveling at an astonishing speed.

Spiritual Energy, Vital Blood, Blood Aura—all of it was disappearing.

Real Person Black Turtle's body gradually straightened, and the aura emanating from him rose by another realm.

Golden Core……Mid-Stage!

But after reaching Golden Core Mid-Stage, those black threads gradually withered until they disappeared completely and were finally withdrawn into his body.

“What a pity. In the end, he was still a piece of trash.”

Real Person Black Turtle, now at Golden Core Mid-Stage, sensed the condition of his body and spoke with extreme contempt.

After saying that, he looked at Ran Kui with eyes filled with resentment.

“If not for you, this old man would never have been reduced to entering a dead man's body.”

Ran Kui swung the great halberd in his hand, stirring countless streaks of Spiritual Light, and calmly said:

“Don't worry. A dead body is your final destination anyway.”

Real Person Black Turtle sneered without arguing with him.

Seeing this, Ji Yuan knew that this old devil would probably be extremely difficult to deal with, because……he did not talk much!

Yet immediately afterward, Ji Yuan discovered that Real Person Black Turtle's gaze had actually landed on him.

……No, why are you staring at me!

“Heh, of course, the one who deserves death even more is you, you crafty brat. If you hadn't wanted to wait three days before acting, why would Li Yuan ever have noticed something was wrong?”

“If he hadn't noticed anything wrong, why would he have used this formation to warn you?”

The old man shook his head. “It's all because of you. If not for you, I would never have ended up like this today.”

Ji Yuan said nothing and merely silently took half a step backward.

He was worried that he had drawn too much aggro and that this old devil would focus exclusively on killing him later.

As for running……outside, Black Dragon Island's Island-Guarding Grand Formation blocked their way, while inside, this old devil held them back.

Run?

Unless they dealt with one of the two, escape was simply impossible.

And even if they broke through the formation, where could they possibly run with a Golden Core Mid-Stage cultivator chasing them?

“You're not Black Turtle.”

Yun Qianzai suddenly spoke, then said in a certain tone: “Who are you?”

“Black Turtle?”

The old man sneered again. “If anyone dared pin that bastard turtle's name on this old man, this old man would probably drag out all eighteen generations of his ancestors and humiliate them viciously!”

“You're from Shang Court!”

Ji Yuan, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly spoke.

“Hmm?”

The old man raised his head. The instant his expression changed, it became another sneer.

“Shang Court? Heh, what does Shang Court amount to? Didn't they still have to come begging this old man all the same?”

After saying that, despite not being particularly tall, he swept his gaze over the four of them with an arrogant, disdainful look.

“This old man has never changed his name whether standing or sitting. The people of the world all call this old man……Sea-Crossing Old Devil!”

With that, Sea-Crossing Old Devil began laughing “Jie jie jie”.

……Sea-Crossing Old Devil?

Ji Yuan searched through the memories in his mind but had never heard of this person. Before he could even ask, Divine Sense Voice Transmissions from his other senior brothers and senior sister successively rang out in his mind.

“Never heard of him.”

“I've never heard that name.”

“No idea where he came from.”

“……”

As Sea-Crossing Old Devil continued laughing, a figure suddenly flashed through the range of Ji Yuan's Divine Sense. Ji Yuan had only just managed to perceive it clearly when the figure had already stopped beside Sea-Crossing Old Devil.

It was a demon beast resembling a hyena. Its entire body was covered in dense black scales, its eyes were blood-red, and a pure-white vertical eye grew in the center of its glabella.

The demon beast's two front legs were slightly bent while its hind legs remained still. Its lips curled back ferociously, as if it would attack at the slightest disagreement.

“A Three-Eyed Dark Beast……it was actually raised by this Sea-Crossing Old Devil!”

Feng Zhi Tao's Divine Sense Voice Transmission rang out in Ji Yuan's mind.

Looking at the white vertical eye on the Three-Eyed Dark Beast's glabella, Ji Yuan inevitably recalled his time on Ice-Fire Island……back then, while chatting over a banquet with the Ice-Fire Elder dressed in dragon robes, that elder had once mentioned his experience killing a Three-Eyed Dark Beast.

He had said that the Three-Eyed Dark Beast's only weakness was the white vertical eye on its glabella.

Other than that, attacking any other part of its body had little effect.

Unless the difference in cultivation was truly enormous, enough to kill it in a single blow……otherwise, one had to target the vertical eye on its glabella. Yet that happened to be the place from which the Three-Eyed Dark Beast's strongest attack originated.

It could fire an extremely high-temperature beam of light from the vertical eye on its glabella. Its killing power was astonishing, and among those of the same cultivation realm, almost no one could withstand it.

After learning about the Three-Eyed Dark Beast back then, Ji Yuan had carefully thought things over.

After repeatedly considering it, he had realized that there was something he possessed that happened to counter the Three-Eyed Dark Beast perfectly, and that was……Spirit-Devouring Bees!

Those things came in dense swarms, making them exceptionally useful for attacking such a tiny spot. Moreover, although the Three-Eyed Dark Beast was fast, the Spirit-Devouring Bees were equally fast over short distances.

Even if the Three-Eyed Dark Beast used the power of the vertical eye on its glabella, the Spirit-Devouring Bees could scatter to evade it.

At worst, some unlucky Spirit-Devouring Bees might be hit, but the overwhelming majority would remain fine.

Ran Kui, who was closest to it, had already begun arranging their strategy after seeing this. He transmitted:

“I'll hold this old devil back later. Second Junior Brother, first break open Black Dragon Island's Island-Guarding Grand Formation. Third Junior Sister, I'll leave that Three-Eyed Dark Beast to you. Fourth Junior Brother……your strength isn't enough, so act according to the situation. You also understand formations, so see whether you can lend Third Junior Sister a hand.”

The instant he finished speaking, Ji Yuan immediately sent a transmission to his senior brothers and senior sister.

“Leave the Three-Eyed Dark Beast to me. I have a way to deal with it. Third Senior Sister, see if you can help First Senior Brother.”

“What? Little Junior Brother, you……”

Feng Zhi Tao was naturally extremely surprised when she heard that Ji Yuan intended to deal with the Three-Eyed Dark Beast alone.

But before she could finish speaking, Ji Yuan had already interrupted her with three simple words.

“Trust me.”

Because……Sea-Crossing Old Devil had attacked!

The moment he attacked, his target was naturally Ran Kui, who was closest to him. His figure leapt from the Dragon Palanquin, and his entire body instantly transformed into surging black smoke that blotted out the sky as it pressed down toward Ran Kui.

At the same time, bolts of purple lightning came crashing down from the heavens.

“Heh!”

Ran Kui scoffed and charged forward while swinging the great halberd in his hand. A water-blue curtain of light lit up around him, shielding him from bolt after bolt of Divine Lightning.

Yun Qianzai, holding the Formation Disc, piloted his Flying Boat up toward the firmament while a formation enveloped his entire body.

He had already begun breaking the formation.

After all, unless the formation was broken, everyone would remain trapped on this tiny Black Dragon Island. In a battle at Ran Kui's Golden Core level, there simply was not enough room to fully fight.

Ji Yuan piloted the Wind Locust Flying Boat toward the Three-Eyed Dark Beast.

Feng Zhi Tao looked left and right. While blocking a bolt of Divine Lightning, she ultimately waved the fiery-red feather fan in her hand and followed behind Ran Kui to fight the Golden Core Mid-Stage Sea-Crossing Old Devil.

Ji Yuan's Divine Sense locked firmly onto the Three-Eyed Dark Beast, yet his reaction speed still could not keep up.

In merely an instant, it slammed toward him with tremendous force.

Ji Yuan tightly braced the Dragon Beard Shield in his hands, yet he could still feel it frantically biting and clawing at the shield.

“Go!”

With a thought from Ji Yuan, the Thunder Punishment Sword flew out from his Dantian.

The instant it appeared, it called down a bolt of Divine Lightning that smashed into the Three-Eyed Dark Beast.

The latter recoiled instantly in pain.

Ji Yuan abruptly raised the Dragon Beard Shield in his left hand while simultaneously summoning the Earth-Pressing Hammer with his right and smashing upward from below.

But in the end, he had underestimated the Three-Eyed Dark Beast's reaction speed.

The instant he raised the Dragon Beard Shield, the Three-Eyed Dark Beast retreated in an eerily unnatural posture.

Then, before Ji Yuan could even pull back the Earth-Pressing Hammer, the Three-Eyed Dark Beast had already stepped through the void and pounced at him again.

With a thought, Ji Yuan summoned the Magic Treasure Heavenly Net to protect the space before him.

The Three-Eyed Dark Beast charged straight into it.

Ji Yuan contracted his Divine Sense and was just about to pour Spiritual Energy into it to activate the net and trap the beast, yet with only the tiniest opening remaining, the Three-Eyed Dark Beast still managed to escape.

They were completely different levels of opponents!

Feng Zhi Tao's anxious Divine Sense Voice Transmission had already sounded in his mind. “Little Junior Brother, do you need me to come over!”

Ji Yuan said nothing, but answered her through his actions.

……An army was trained for a thousand days to be used for a single moment.

He had raised these Spirit-Devouring Bees for so long. Today, it was finally time to bring them out and let them see some action!

Ji Yuan piloted the Flying Boat backward while reaching out and gently patting the Spiritual Beast Pouch at his waist.

In an instant, countless densely packed Spirit-Devouring Bees flew out from the Spiritual Beast Pouch at his waist.

Although the overwhelming majority were First-Tier Spirit-Devouring Bees, mixed among them were several Second-Tier Spirit-Devouring Bees whose colors and markings were much darker.

The swarm blotted out the sky.

The endless “buzz buzz” resounded through the air and spread across the entirety of Black Dragon Island in an instant.

The moment this commotion appeared, it immediately drew the gazes of everyone else.

The first to react was naturally Sea-Crossing Old Devil. Hidden within the surging black fog, he snarled:

“You even have exotic insects like Spirit-Devouring Bees, and you've raised so many of them. It seems you truly cannot be allowed to live!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a gigantic black palm suddenly stretched out from the black fog and descended straight from the firmament toward Ji Yuan.

“Heh, old turtle bastard, your opponent is me!”

Ran Kui himself could not be seen, but his voice could be heard.

A brilliant arc of light likewise slashed out from the black fog, instantly smashing the gigantic black handprint into pieces.

“Courting death!”

Sea-Crossing Old Devil roared furiously.

Immediately afterward, Ran Kui was seen coughing up blood as he fell from the clouds and smashed into the ground.

But then another blaze of fire lit up.

Ran Kui's figure once again shot from the ground into the sky.

Even higher in the firmament, although Yun Qianzai had been struck by Divine Lightning until his entire body was charred black, fortunately, he had finally located several nodes of the Island-Guarding Grand Formation.

Ji Yuan, meanwhile, manipulated the Spirit-Devouring Bees and had them gather protectively in front of him.

The Three-Eyed Dark Beast charged over again, and the Spirit-Devouring Bees vibrated their wings as they swarmed around it, immediately enveloping the demon beast completely.

“Ding ding ding——”

Tens of thousands of Spirit-Devouring Bees drove their poison stingers into the Three-Eyed Dark Beast's body, but all were blocked by its scales.

However, the few Second-Tier Spirit-Devouring Bees that Ji Yuan was paying special attention to and controlling remained hidden in the shadows. Seizing the opportunity, they abruptly drove their poison stingers into the Three-Eyed Dark Beast's glabella.

Its vertical eye flared with pain, and the Three-Eyed Dark Beast began frantically rolling around in place.

Immediately afterward, the vertical eye on its glabella closed, then opened again.

An intense light appeared, and Ji Yuan hurriedly used his mind to command all the Spirit-Devouring Bees to scatter.

Tens of thousands of Spirit-Devouring Bees exploded outward like fireworks, while Ji Yuan hurriedly urged his Flying Boat down toward the ground.

A snow-white beam shot from the Three-Eyed Dark Beast's vertical eye and swept chaotically through the void.

Ji Yuan's Divine Sense clearly saw several hundred Spirit-Devouring Bees instantly vaporized. The beam did not extinguish, and more and more Spirit-Devouring Bees were vaporized.

……Damn it, these are all my treasures!

Ji Yuan was still counting on these Spirit-Devouring Bees to upgrade the 【Bee Nest】 to Level 3!

But now!

Before he could finish mourning his losses, the Three-Eyed Dark Beast seemed to sense something and suddenly lowered its head, aiming the vertical eye on its glabella at Ji Yuan on the ground.

The beam shot toward him, and Ji Yuan raised the Dragon Beard Shield in front of himself.

The shield……was instantly burned through, leaving a small hole.

Fortunately, the beam was also greatly weakened. When it struck Ji Yuan, whose physique was comparable to a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator……it felt like a mosquito bite.

Cultivators of the same realm could not withstand the Three-Eyed Dark Beast's beam, but those were spell cultivators.

Old Devil Ji, on the other hand, was a body cultivator of the same realm as the Three-Eyed Dark Beast!

The beam lasted for roughly four or five breaths before finally extinguishing, while the Spirit-Devouring Bees that had luckily survived swarmed around it once more.

Under Ji Yuan's control, one after another lunged toward the vertical eye on its glabella.

The Level 2 【Bee Nest】's inherent spiritual effect, “No Poison, No Bee”, had given these bee swarms the extremely potent “Beeswax Vein-Eroding” toxin.

It obstructed the Three-Eyed Dark Beast's Spiritual Energy circulation while simultaneously inflicting tremendous pain upon it.

Not to mention that Spirit-Devouring Bees themselves could devour the Spiritual Energy within the Three-Eyed Dark Beast.

Under this natural counter, the Three-Eyed Dark Beast still struggled for roughly half a stick of incense before finally being completely drained by the Spirit-Devouring Bees. In the end, it transformed into a cold corpse and crashed to the ground.

Ji Yuan was quick-eyed and quick-handed, hurriedly storing it inside his Storage Pouch.

He then raised his head. With a single glance, he saw the blood-soaked Ran Kui being smashed into the ground once more.

Feng Zhi Tao, whose cultivation realm was already far lower, was in even worse condition. She could barely remain steady while standing aboard the Flying Boat.

The difference in realms……was ultimately too great.

Not to mention that this was an old devil who had seized another body.

As Hua Yaoyue's disciples, Ran Kui and the others were indeed considerably stronger than cultivators of the same realm.

But an old devil capable of living a second life was naturally no weakling either!

The only one whose situation could be considered decent was Yun Qianzai. Not only had he broken the formation, his body was still mostly intact.

As this thought crossed Ji Yuan's mind, he knew that he could only use that move……

He sent a Divine Sense Voice Transmission: “First Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, Third Senior Sister, do you have any way to trap this old devil for ten breaths? I have a way to kill him!”

“Little Junior Brother, you……you have a way to kill someone at Golden Core Mid-Stage?”

Feng Zhi Tao's weak voice sounded.

“I do!”

Ran Kui's voice immediately followed. “I also have a way. Little Junior Brother, just use yours.”

“I'll act together with you.”

Yun Qianzai said.

Ji Yuan responded once more with a “Good”.

Since that was the case, what was there left to fear?

……It was time to roll out this daddy's Italian cannon!

What Sea-Crossing Old Devil? Blast that damn old devil to pieces!