Chapter 1123: A Beating

"Kid, make a copy of the 'Great Five Elements Illusory World Art' for me. Don't worry, I'm friends with that old bald donkey Maitreya Patriarch, so I won't let you, a junior, suffer a loss. This is the 'True Scripture of the Five Thunders' I stumbled upon in an ancient relic—it's the general outline of all thunder techniques in this realm, containing supreme thunder laws, not much inferior to your 'Great Five Elements Illusory World Art.'" Black Heaven Demon Ancestor turned to Han Li, flipped his hand to produce a purple jade slip, and tossed it over.

Han Li's expression shifted as he caught the jade slip, his mind racing for a countermeasure.

This Black Heaven Demon Ancestor was mad and erratic, unpredictable by normal standards, and now seemed to have believed Qimozi's words. He had to be cautious in speech and action.

One misstep might provoke the other's displeasure even further.

"Senior Shi, don't believe him. This Qimozi is a man of the天庭 side, and moreover the master of the Immortal Prison. His words just now are likely all false, meant to trick you into going to the天庭, where the Heavenly Dao Patriarchs, or even the Time Dao Ancestor, would deal with you. Fellow Daoist Han and I are both members of the Reincarnation Hall; we are your own people." Before Han Li could speak, Jiao San suddenly stepped out from the crowd, a red glow flickering on her face as she revealed her Reincarnation Hall mask and said directly.

"Time Dao Ancestor... Gu Huojin!" Black Heaven Demon Ancestor's body trembled slightly. Unexpectedly, he did not go mad; instead, the wildness in his face lessened somewhat, as if he had regained a bit of reason.

"Me, a man of the天庭? Ridiculous! Senior Shi is well-traveled and knowledgeable; can't he see what I am? What ulterior motive do you people of the Reincarnation Hall have in stopping me from rescuing Lady Jinling and Young Master Shi?" Qimozi seemed to have anticipated such an accusation, showing no panic, and sneered.

"Judging by the cultivation technique, it is indeed the 'Broken Time Flowing Fire Collection' of the Truthful Speech Sect, not a天庭 technique." Black Heaven Demon Ancestor glanced at Qimozi, as if muttering to himself.

"Senior Shi has keen insight." Qimozi immediately said, not giving Jiao San or Han Li any chance to interject.

At the same time, he raised his hand and waved, and three withered corpses appeared out of thin air before him—the eagle-nosed demon and his two companions.

"Senior Shi, these Five Fiends of Cangshan were once your subordinates, but later betrayed their master and caused you to be imprisoned here. I killed three of them; the remaining two have also died in the Five Elements Annihilation Array. This should vent some of your anger." Qimozi said, as if seeking credit from Black Heaven Demon Ancestor.

"Hmph! Ungrateful wretches! Back then, I treated you five like brothers, yet you betrayed me at the most critical moment! Deserving of death!" Black Heaven Demon Ancestor flew into a rage at the sight of the three corpses. He reached out and grabbed the air, a black light flashing in his palm.

The three corpses suddenly exploded, turning into three puffs of dust that scattered, utterly ground to ashes.

Seeing Qimozi ingratiating himself with Black Heaven Demon Ancestor, Han Li and Jiao San exchanged glances, both growing anxious, but they knew nothing about Black Heaven Demon Ancestor and had no way to win him over.

"Hurry up and give me the 'Great Five Elements Illusory World Art' technique. I can pretend your earlier offense never happened." Black Heaven Demon Ancestor, having vented some anger by destroying the three corpses, turned to Han Li.

"Since Senior wants my technique, how could I refuse? But I haven't learned the complete 'Great Five Elements Illusory World Art'; my master only taught me the first half. I'm afraid it would be useless to you." Han Li's mind raced as he spoke.

"What? Not complete?" Black Heaven Demon Ancestor frowned deeply at these words, his expression turning displeased.

"Senior need not worry. Although I haven't learned the complete 'Great Five Elements Illusory World Art,' I know where the full text is. The Truthful Speech Sect has been destroyed by the天庭. To prevent the sect's techniques from being lost, my master sealed the advanced techniques and scriptures in a certain place. However, that place is special and requires a powerful time immortal artifact to enter. This junior came to the Tai Sui Immortal Mansion precisely to obtain the Lamp of Time, so I can retrieve the latter half of the technique. If Senior Shi trusts me, please lend me this lamp. I guarantee I will bring back the complete 'Great Five Elements Illusory World Art' within ten years to help you rescue your wife and child. If Senior is uneasy, you can also accompany me." Han Li said respectfully, speaking quickly to prevent Qimozi from interrupting.

Hearing this, Qimozi cursed Han Li for his cunning, using his earlier words to turn the tables.

Black Heaven Demon Ancestor's expression visibly softened at Han Li's words.

"Han Li, I saw with my own eyes back then that the master taught you the complete 'Great Five Elements Illusory World Art.' How dare you lie in front of Senior Shi! Senior Shi, this man is cunning; don't believe him. The 'Great Five Elements Illusory World Art' is either in his storage device or his memory—a quick check will confirm it." Seeing Black Heaven Demon Ancestor's demeanor, Qimozi sensed trouble and immediately rebuked.

"Fellow Daoist Qimozi, you're welcome to check my storage device anytime. But Fellow Daoist Qimozi, would you dare to let Senior Shi take a look at your storage device as well? I'm sure there's something inside that can prove your identity." Han Li, instead of getting angry, was pleased and immediately took off his storage device and said.

Qimozi was taken aback, then inwardly regretted his carelessness in mentioning storage devices, allowing Han Li to seize on this weakness.

His storage device contained many天庭 items, including the identity token of the Immortal Prison Master.

But showing weakness now would undo all his previous efforts.

"Hmph! Why wouldn't I dare? But since we're checking, everyone present should be checked, lest some malicious person fish in troubled waters." Qimozi snorted, taking off his storage ring, his words hinting at muddying the waters.

He had two storage devices; this ring contained only emergency combat supplies, while the Immortal Prison Master token and other important items were in the other.

That storage device was well hidden, and Han Li might not find it.

Black Heaven Demon Ancestor, already muddled in the head, grew impatient listening to their tangled argument and was about to scold them.

At that moment, he suddenly turned and looked outside.

"Who's skulking out there? Get the hell out here!" Black Heaven Demon Ancestor snorted, raised his hand, and grabbed the air.

At the mountainside of the towering peak below, the world's spiritual energy collapsed and converged, instantly forming a colossal black hand that covered the sky, grabbing toward a certain void like lightning.

With a "bang," that void shattered, and a golden figure stumbled out—Qu Lin, caught firmly by the black giant hand.

Before he could struggle, the black giant hand flickered and vanished from its spot.

A ripple passed through the void in the Time Hall, and a much smaller black giant hand appeared, startling Han Li and the others.

The black giant hand then dispersed, and Qu Lin fell to the ground.

"Oh, it's you, little bug! Heh, I've been itching for a fight for a long time. Didn't expect you to deliver yourself to my doorstep." Black Heaven Demon Ancestor's anger turned to joy at the sight of Qu Lin. His form flickered and disappeared.

A ripple appeared in the void before Qu Lin, and Black Heaven Demon Ancestor materialized, punching at Qu Lin.

Seeing this, Qu Lin's face filled with terror. He shouted, and a golden light flashed over his body as he transformed into his true form—a giant golden beetle over ten zhang in size.

Its two sharp forelegs slashed, sending out streaks of golden crystal light that wove into a dense golden net, cutting into Black Heaven Demon Ancestor.

Black Heaven Demon Ancestor did not dodge. As the countless golden crystal light struck him, his body seemed to turn into an illusion; the light passed through him without any effect.

His movements unchanged, he still punched down, hitting the giant golden beetle's head.

With a thunderous "bang!"

The black fist suddenly turned solid, sending the giant golden beetle flying, crashing heavily into the nearby hall wall with a loud thud.

The walls of the Time Hall were made of special materials and, though not reinforced with restrictions, were still hard to damage.

The Tongtian Sword Sect members happened to be standing there. Dao Yin True Person had not yet awakened, and seeing this, Lei Yuce and the others quickly carried him aside to dodge.

The giant golden beetle hit the wall and fell to the ground, its eyes dazed, as if stunned.

A shallow fist imprint was clearly visible on its extremely hard carapace, but it had not cracked.

"Tsk tsk, your shell has gotten tougher. Let me loosen my bones!" Black Heaven Demon Ancestor's figure reappeared beside the giant golden beetle like a ghost, punching again.

A golden light flashed over the giant golden beetle's body, and its massive form shrank countless times into a fist-sized golden bug. With a buzz, it shot forward, incredibly fast.

"Still trying to run!" A figure flickered before it, and Black Heaven Demon Ancestor somehow appeared ahead, his black fist arriving like lightning, striking the golden bug.

With a "bang," the golden bug was sent flying again, crashing into another wall with a loud noise.

Moreover, nearly half of the golden light on the golden bug's body was dispersed, and its shrunken form reverted to its previous size.

"Haha, exhilarating, exhilarating! Haven't had this much fun in ages!" Black Heaven Demon Ancestor nodded, his figure blurring and disappearing, then reappearing beside the golden beetle, punching it away again.

The golden beetle hit another wall and fell to the ground.

This time, the blow landed on its body, not its head, so it wasn't stunned. As soon as it hit the ground, it prostrated itself.

"Senior Shi, Lord Shi, I was wrong. I shouldn't have spied on you from outside. Please be merciful and spare me this time!" The golden beetle didn't try to escape but begged for mercy.

"No way, I haven't had my fill yet. Stop your yapping!" Black Heaven Demon Ancestor snorted, his figure appearing beside the golden beetle like a ghost, kicking it away again.

He had been quite annoyed by Han Li and Qimozi's arguments, but since they concerned his wife and child, he had to endure. However, he was already fuming inside, and Qu Lin's ill-timed arrival gave him a perfect outlet.

Thus, the golden beetle became a genuine punching bag, sent flying back and forth by Black Heaven Demon Ancestor's casual strikes.

Black Heaven Demon Ancestor didn't use law attacks, only pure physical strength, punching and kicking Qu Lin. Qu Lin's body was indestructible, so he wasn't really hurt, but his form streaked back and forth through the hall's ruins, leaving golden trails and creating large craters wherever it passed.

For a time, the entire seventh floor was in chaos, with stones flying, screams and booming sounds rising one after another.