Chapter 1213: Settling Karma

“Fellow Daoist Sun, weren’t you killed by Lian Yan?” The black-robed youth stared at the old man, his face full of shock.

“You two…” The white-robed nun was also startled, then recalling the gray-robed old man’s words, her expression changed abruptly.

Her figure flickered, turning into a white streak that shot to the side.

A thin red light grazed past her body, missing its target.

A thin red light also appeared behind the black-robed youth, piercing through his chest.

With a “bang,” a large hole burst open in the black-robed youth’s chest. Blood gushed from his mouth as he fell to the ground, his aura in disarray.

Behind the two, the red-dressed young woman lowered her hand expressionlessly, faint red light still lingering on her hands.

“You’re in league together!” The white-robed nun’s figure flickered and reappeared hundreds of zhang away, her brows raised as she shouted.

“Hehe, Fairy Yu is indeed perceptive. But this is my territory; no matter how you struggle, it’s useless.” The gray-robed old man chuckled lightly and raised his hand to wave.

The array patterns on the six stone stele around the square suddenly lit up. Amid sharp whistling sounds, countless dark red rays shot out from the stele, weaving into a huge net of light that descended toward the white-robed nun.

At the same time, a huge grotesque face relief emerged on one of the stele, with cyan face and fangs, like a ferocious ghost.

The grotesque face opened its mouth wide and spat out a dark red light that enveloped the black-robed youth on the ground.

The black-robed youth had intended to struggle, but once enveloped by the light, his entire body became immobile.

Seeing this, the white-robed nun’s expression changed drastically. She shot toward the outside of the square, while purple electric light blazed from her body and spread outward, instantly forming a purple lightning domain that submerged her figure.

Countless purple electric serpents swirled in a vortex within the domain, the arcs at the vortex center blindingly bright and crackling.

With a thunderous roar!

The purple lightning within the domain suddenly gathered at the vortex center, and in the next moment, a dazzling lightning sword light burst forth, carrying immense momentum, and struck the dark red light net ahead.

With a “rip” sound!

The dark red light net was torn open, and the white-robed nun flew out of the domain, about to shoot through the gap.

“I underestimated you; you’ve already cultivated a domain. But what use is it here?” The gray-robed old man raised an eyebrow, then chuckled dismissively. He extended a hand forward and suddenly clenched his fist.

With a “boom,” the sky of the dark red space shook violently, emitting streaks of dark red light that instantly condensed into the phantom of a dark red mountain peak, pressing downward.

Rumble!

A terrifying force pressed down from the sky. The lightning domain shattered inch by inch, and the white-robed nun’s figure halted, then fell like a meteor, heavily crashing onto the square.

A huge grotesque face relief also appeared on the stele nearest to her. It opened its mouth and spat out a dark red light that enveloped the white-robed nun’s body.

A strange power emanated from the dark red light, and the white-robed nun’s body became immobile, just like the black-robed youth.

The gray-robed old man slowly descended from midair and stood on the square.

The red-dressed young woman also flew down and stood behind the gray-robed old man.

This woman was now expressionless—no, rather wooden, like a puppet, a stark contrast to her lively and enchanting demeanor outside.

“Sun Zhongshan, this is all your scheme, isn’t it? You went to great lengths to trick us into this space. What exactly do you want?” The white-robed nun glanced at the red-dressed young woman and shouted sternly.

The gray-robed old man ignored the white-robed nun’s质问. He waved his hand.

A flash of light appeared before him, and a black storage ring and a green snake sword materialized—items belonging to the triangular-eyed man.

At the same time, the storage artifacts on the white-robed nun and the black-robed youth also flew out and landed in the gray-robed old man’s hand.

“Not bad, not bad—a great haul!” The old man probed the storage artifacts with his divine sense, his delight growing.

“You intend to kill us for our possessions? Don’t forget that the Sun-Moon Divine Ship has strict regulations. Boarding and disembarking require verification of each cabin’s occupants. If you kill us here and the count is short when we disembark, the Sun-Moon Alliance will not let you off.” Seeing this, the white-robed nun shouted sternly.

The black-robed youth’s face also turned deathly pale.

“Hehe, Fairy Yu need not worry. I won’t kill you; I’ll merely refine you into the puppet spirits of this Nine-Nine Yama Formation. In appearance, you’ll be exactly as before, like this.” The gray-robed old man chuckled coldly, then formed a hand seal and pointed.

Another stele revealed a huge ghost face relief, which opened its mouth and spat out a beam of light that entered a certain spot on the square.

There, a flash of blood light appeared, and the triangular-eyed man’s mutilated corpse emerged, then was swept up by the dark red light and flew into the ghost face’s gaping maw.

The ferocious ghost face chewed for a moment, and the stele where it was located flickered with light. After a while, the ghost face opened its mouth and spat.

A figure flew out and landed on the ground—it was none other than the triangular-eyed man.

Moreover, the triangular-eyed man was exactly the same as before, with an identical aura, only his expression was wooden, like the red-dressed young woman. But with a little concealment, outsiders would never detect any flaw.

"Well? Will the Sun-Moon Alliance find any flaws this way?" the gray-robed elder said with a smug laugh.

"This..." The white-clad nun and the black-robed youth were both stunned at the sight, then despair spread across their faces.

"Oh, quite an ingenious method, truly eye-opening." A voice suddenly rang out, echoing across the square.

"Who goes there?" The gray-robed elder's expression changed abruptly as he scanned the surroundings, his hands forming seals as if activating something.

But nothing unusual happened around him; instead, the dark red light enveloping the white-clad nun and the black-robed youth flickered and vanished.

The light of the array patterns on the stone tablets around the square also flickered out, the blood-colored giant peak in midair faded away, and the entire dark red space returned to calm.

The white-clad nun and the black-robed youth quickly stood up and also looked around.

"How can this be! The Yanluo Cauldron is mine! I have already refined it completely—how could someone take it from me!" The gray-robed elder's face twisted in fury as he screamed hoarsely.

He frantically formed seals with both hands, but the surrounding space gave no response.

"Oh, this treasure is called the Yanluo Cauldron? Not bad, not bad." Two figures appeared out of thin air in midair—Han Li and Ti Hun—and slowly descended.

"It's you! How dare you steal my Yanluo Cauldron! Die!" The gray-robed elder was momentarily stunned at the sight of them, but then his eyes turned bloodshot as he waved his hands repeatedly.

With a thunderous roar!

Dozens of dazzling treasures shot out from his body—mostly high-grade immortal artifacts, along with some powerful talismans, thunder beads, fire beads, and other disposable items—hurtling toward Han Li like a storm.

Ti Hun, standing beside Han Li, stepped forward. Black light blazed from her body as she pushed out a single hand, sending a black mass dozens of feet wide flying out to envelop the gray-robed elder's immortal artifacts and talismans.

Those artifacts and talismans all slowed down, as if stuck in mud, unable to move.

Then Ti Hun casually flicked her sleeve, and the black mass along with everything inside obediently flew into her sleeve, disappearing without a trace.

"Who... who are you people?" The gray-robed elder's face turned deathly pale as he asked in terror.

The white-clad nun and the black-robed youth, seeing this and sensing the unfathomable auras of Han Li and Ti Hun, were also greatly shocked.

"For someone of your cultivation level to possess so many immortal artifacts, it seems you've grown quite adept at killing and robbing," Han Li said indifferently, glancing at the gray-robed elder.

The gray-robed elder's face grew even paler, his body trembling like a leaf.

"Thank you, seniors, for saving us." The white-clad nun and the black-robed youth quickly stepped forward to bow and thank Han Li.

Han Li glanced at the black-robed youth and raised his hand.

The black-robed youth's figure vanished instantly, teleported out of the place.

Seeing this, the white-clad nun's delicate body trembled slightly, and her expression grew even more respectful.

Those with supreme cultivation often had peculiar temperaments and must never be offended.

"What is your name?" Han Li walked up to the white-clad nun and asked.

"Reporting to senior, this junior is Yu Menghan," Yu Menghan quickly replied.

"Judging by your aura, you are an ascendant from the lower realms. Which realm did you ascend from?" Han Li thought to himself, 'Just as I suspected,' but showed no sign of it on his face as he asked again.

"Senior has keen eyes. This junior is indeed an ascendant from the lower realms, hailing from the Linghuan Realm," Yu Menghan was taken aback but answered honestly.

"So you are from the Linghuan Realm. You carry its unique aura. I am half a native of the Linghuan Realm myself. Meeting you today is fate. I see that your body has accumulated a considerable amount of thunder elemental power—you must have consumed some thunder-attribute heavenly treasure. Unfortunately, the cultivation technique you are practicing now is not very advanced. I have here a thunder-attribute technique. Considering our shared origin, I will give it to you. I hope you will not let this technique down." Han Li smiled faintly, took out a purple jade slip, and handed it to Yu Menghan.

The jade slip recorded a thunder technique derived from the "True Scripture of the Five Thunder Methods."

Yu Menghan was stunned again, somewhat at a loss as she took the purple jade slip. She felt a sense of familiarity with the person before her but could not recall where she had seen him.

Han Li said nothing more to her and raised his hand.

Yu Menghan's figure also vanished from the spot, teleported out.

"Wasn't that person your friend? Why didn't you reveal your true form and meet her?" Ti Hun's voice sounded in Han Li's mind.

"Times have changed. Revealing my true form to her now would not be good for either her or us. Settling this karmic debt in this way is fine," Han Li shook his head and said calmly.

Ti Hun smiled faintly and said nothing more.

Han Li looked at the gray-robed elder and walked up to him.

"Senior... this junior deserves death for his crimes. I was blinded by greed and did many wrong things. I am willing to offer this Yanluo Cauldron to you, senior. Please give me a chance to reform," the gray-robed elder fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing frantically.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to seek revenge. What you did before has nothing to do with me. I have a few questions for you. Answer honestly, and I might spare your life," Han Li said indifferently.

He was no moral crusader; he himself had committed many acts of killing and robbery.

But those he killed had all harbored ill intentions toward him, unlike this gray-robed elder, who killed purely for treasure.