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"If we can't find Wen Tianren, forget it. We already got the bone-breaking vine. Let's head back, focus on our cultivation, and prepare for my younger brother's breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage," Zhou Yuan said softly. Her gentle eyes landed on Qi Yuan's face before drifting to the distant island.
For some reason, she felt uneasy—worried Qi Yuan might get into trouble. Revenge felt conflicting.
They had searched all day and not seen even a ghost. Both of them were physically and mentally tired.
Well, it wasn't too late to get revenge after her brother reached the Nascent Soul stage.
That would be the safest option.
After some mental struggle, Zhou Yuan managed to convince herself.
Qi Yuan, meanwhile, had extended his divine sense in search of Wen Tianren. Hearing Zhou Yuan's words, he responded quietly, "If Wen Tianren reaches the Nascent Soul stage, it'll be too late. We need to eliminate him while we can."
If Wen Tianren didn't die now, Qi Yuan worried about future inner demons—especially if Wang Heng resurfaced and disrupted his cultivation.
There was also a subtle motive—to show Zhou Yuan his value, making the Miaoyin Sect rely on him more.
But the Sanhuan Sea was vast. Tracking one person wasn't easy.
Especially someone like Wen Tianren, who was already in the early Nascent Soul stage. If Qi Yuan released the gold-eating insects now, he'd be easily discovered.
Zhou Yuan's lovely face paused in thought before she sighed, thinking to herself—Was the younger brother insisting on revenge because he felt guilty?
If he kept feeling indebted like this, what then?
No. She couldn't let this become a habit. The past mistakes were forced, but this...
Just as she wavered again, a loud explosion echoed from a distant island. A small mountain shattered, and a beam of light shot into the sky.
Qi Yuan, sensing the burst of mana, swept the area with his divine sense and smiled. "Wen Tianren is over there. Let's go. Hopefully, he's injured."
Qi Yuan wasn't one to play fair. If there was an opportunity to defeat his enemy, he would take it without hesitation.
He turned into a stream of light and rushed toward the explosion, Zhou Yuan right behind him.
—
Yinshi Island
Four black streaks shot up from the ground. Wen Tianren led the group, followed by a middle-aged man with a curly beard and two sinister-looking twin youths.
They had just retrieved three ancient treasures from a prehistoric altar, which triggered a self-destruction trap. They barely escaped in time.
Only Wen Tianren remained unscathed. The others suffered varying injuries.
"Without Senior Brother Wen, we would've died in there," the curly-bearded man said gratefully.
"Exactly. We both agree that Senior Brother Wen should take the lion's share of the treasure," said the twin brothers in unison.
The bearded man nodded silently.
Wen Tianren chuckled and waved his hand. "No need to be so formal. We're all from the demonic path—helping each other is natural. The treasures will be split based on value and converted into spirit stones. I won't shortchange you."
He had considered forcing them to submit and claiming everything. But after the altar's self-destruction caught them off guard, he changed his strategy—saving their lives and winning loyalty with kindness.
If any of them refused to yield, he'd provoke them into making mistakes. Then take the treasures by force.
Thankfully, the three understood the situation and didn't cause trouble.
Suddenly, Wen Tianren sensed someone approaching. His expression changed slightly. He scanned with his divine sense and smirked in disdain.
After his duel with Wang Heng, Wen Tianren had his disciples gather intel on the Miaoyin Sect—naturally including Qi Yuan.
He had noticed Qi Yuan's movements outside the Sanhuan Sea before, but the intelligence showed Qi Yuan wasn't a simple Golden Core cultivator, so Wen Tianren held back from acting.
But now, Qi Yuan was rushing directly at him.
Perfect. He could deal with him here and then go take Fairy Zi Ling into his hands.
Wen Tianren had long coveted the most beautiful woman in the Chaos Star Sea.
Turning to his companions, he said calmly, "A minor problem is coming. Will you help me?"
The bearded man spread his divine sense, grasped the situation, and smiled. "Small matter. Don't worry, Senior Brother."
The twins grinned wickedly and summoned their magic weapons in readiness.
A flash of colorful light landed near Yinshi Island.
Qi Yuan and Zhou Yuan's figures emerged. As they stabilized, tension rose—the air crackled with hostility.
Qi Yuan looked at the four enemies and said gently, "Sister-in-law, take the two mid-stage Golden Core cultivators. I'll release spirit beasts to help you."
The two flying centipedes, though hungry, had broken through to fifth-rank demon beasts and grown significantly stronger.
With their resilience and Zhou Yuan's skill, it wouldn't be hard to restrain two mid-stage cultivators.
The curly-bearded man would be left to Qi Yuan's blood jade spider and gold-eating insects—then, kill him.
The blood jade spider had caught up to the centipedes in strength, and when in its bloodthirsty rage, it could devour a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator with a misstep.
The gold-eating insect now had golden wings, greater devouring ability, and terrifying reproduction—tens of thousands in number.
Together, they could make even a late-stage cultivator's scalp tingle.
Wen Tianren's eyes lit up when he saw Zhou Yuan, this mature beauty. He regretted only asking Wang Heng for Zi Ling.
With his status and power, he should have both.
"Capture that woman alive. Don't harm her—she'll be useful later."
He planned to use Zhou Yuan to threaten Fairy Zi Ling. Surely she would give in.
The three men turned into streaks of light and charged at Zhou Yuan.
Qi Yuan calmly opened a beast pouch. Two massive flying centipedes shot out, their fifth-rank aura shaking the air.
Zhou Yuan's eyes flashed. A brown spear appeared in her hand, its sharp tip dancing as she charged with a cold face.
She would avenge her husband today.
Wen Tianren showed no concern—even two fifth-rank beasts could only stall.
Then two blood jade spiders appeared, followed by a massive swarm of gold-eating insects that blotted the sky.
Qi Yuan sent the beasts after the bearded man.
The blood spiders turned blood-red, emitting a violent aura as they charged. The buzzing insect swarm followed hungrily.
The bearded man's expression twisted. He instantly regretted helping Wen Tianren—these creatures weren't to be taken lightly.
Even Wen Tianren was alarmed. He had underestimated Qi Yuan.
But just spirit beasts wouldn't turn the tide. If Qi Yuan died, the beasts would be masterless.
Why worry?
He spat out a beam of blue light that flashed and landed in front of Qi Yuan.
The movement was strange and fast—had Qi Yuan not been careful, he would've been seriously injured.
Thunder Escape.
Qi Yuan vanished and reappeared behind Wen Tianren. A yellow glow flickered in his hand as he launched an attack.
The yellow flying dagger, an ancient treasure, had formidable power. A hit would disrupt Wen Tianren's defenses.
The dagger pierced Wen Tianren's body—but Qi Yuan didn't celebrate. He quickly moved.
A phantom.
Wen Tianren wasn't dead.
A blue cone weapon stabbed through the air behind Qi Yuan but missed and vanished.
Thunder Escape again? Interesting.
Wen Tianren turned his gaze to a blood jade spider, forming a long black spear from dark mist and locking onto the beast.
He wanted to help the bearded man and then settle the fight with the twins.
But just as he was about to strike, his soul tingled—danger.
He was being attacked from behind!
How did Qi Yuan bypass his early Nascent Soul divine sense?
He had underestimated him.
The black spear faded as Wen Tianren dodged.
A giant bronze Tian Ge crashed down, leaving a massive crater and sending tsunamis rippling outward.
The ambush failed.
Qi Yuan raised a hand and retrieved the Tian Ge, which floated beside him.
He had killed Gu and Miao of the Sixth Palace to obtain it.
"You actually have early Nascent Soul divine sense?"
Wen Tianren now took Qi Yuan seriously. A small purple banner appeared in his hand, glowing brightly.
His divine sense advantage, key to his dominance over other cultivators, had just been matched.
He couldn't allow Qi Yuan to escape.
Thick purple mist sprayed from the banner, shrouding Wen Tianren, then shooting out hundreds of golden threads that shimmered with deadly energy.
Qi Yuan narrowed his eyes. These needles weren't ordinary. Even Thunder Escape wouldn't shake them off.
Ten blue dragon talismans floated before him.
He flicked his finger—colorful light hit the talismans. Dragon roars filled the air as ten massive blue dragons emerged.
They soared through dark clouds, calling wind and rain, then unleashed a gleaming blue light curtain.
Qi Yuan didn't stop—he summoned a black oil-paper umbrella and raised it.
The golden needles pierced the dragon shield, both sides flickering wildly.
After a moment, the dragons shattered and vanished.
The needles continued forward, weakened, and struck the spinning umbrella. A black vortex formed, radiating fear.
The needles began to swirl toward the vortex, as if sucked into a void.
Wen Tianren's expression changed drastically. If the needles were consumed, even recovery wouldn't restore their power soon.
He recalled the weapon with full force.
That umbrella's defense was too bizarre.
At the same time, he sent the blue awl hurtling at Qi Yuan—
(To be continued...)