Chapter 1291: Reunion

At this moment, the two demon clan members trapped within the blade formation saw the situation outside. Though they did not know what was happening, they realized reinforcements had arrived. Their spirits lifted, and they began to counterattack.

The tall demon’s hand flashed with silver light, and a silver-white pipa appeared. His ten fingers plucked the strings.

Amid a series of “chi chi” sounds, more than a dozen long black spatial cracks emerged in the void around him, like a dozen black pythons, swiftly slashing toward the damaged part of the blade formation.

With a tearing sound like ripping silk, the blade formation was torn open even further, leaving only a thin layer.

“This is!” Han Li’s eyes widened abruptly.

The black-robed woman also acted immediately, waving both hands.

Two purple orbs shot out from her sleeves, rapidly expanding and transforming into two purple puppets, entwined with streaks of purple lightning.

The aura emitted by these two puppets was no weaker than that of the black-robed woman, and the purple lightning contained an explosive lightning law, unknown as to what kind of lightning power it was.

The black-robed woman spread her hands, and ten black threads shot from her slender fingertips, each piercing into the two puppets. A peculiar law force emanated from the black threads.

The purple lightning on the surface of the two puppets suddenly blazed brightly, their aura abruptly surging by half, transforming into two enormous purple thunderballs, which then exploded with a bang.

Two purple suns appeared, slamming fiercely into the blade formation, causing the nearby void to crack directly.

The blade formation could no longer hold and was torn open into a large hole.

“Go!”

The tall demon pulled his companion, transforming into a streak of silver light that shot into the sky, instantly flying out through the large hole in the blade formation and soaring into midair.

Han Li smiled and drifted forward to meet them.

“Who are you, friend?” The two demons, having escaped the encirclement, relaxed slightly, but as Han Li approached, they immediately showed caution.

To avoid being recognized as a human cultivator by the ghost clans of the Netherworld, Han Li used the Reincarnation Palace mask to transform into a robed figure, looking mysterious and nearly nine-tenths like a ghost. No wonder the other party was wary.

At this moment, Gold Boy and Soul-Devouring Beast flew back, while the goat-headed ghost creatures charged at them with roars, seemingly unwilling to stop until one side was dead.

“This is not a place for talk. Follow me first.” Han Li raised his hand and waved.

Five dragon-like golden lightning bolts shot from his hand, causing the void around them to tremble violently, as if about to be torn apart by the lightning.

Han Li was somewhat surprised. His strength had greatly increased, and when he activated the Dutian Divine Thunder, its power had surged to this extent, exceeding his expectations.

The five thick lightning bolts landed near the group, intertwining with each other, about to form a new lightning array.

But at that moment, the black-robed woman spread her five fingers, and five black threads shot from her fingertips, plunging into the surrounding lightning array.

The lightning array, which was about to take shape, suddenly halted, as if controlled.

Seeing this, Han Li’s eyes flickered with surprise.

“Where are you taking us?” The black-robed woman stared at Han Li and demanded.

The tall demon beside her did not stop his companion’s action.

This lightning array seemed to have a teleportation effect. Although the person before them had helped them escape, they could not simply let themselves be taken away.

As for the ghost creatures charging up from below, the tall demon paid them no mind. They had only been trapped due to carelessness; now that they had broken free, they could leave whenever they wished.

Han Li’s surprise lasted only a moment; then his expression returned to calm. He moved his five fingers, and the golden lightning he had shot out suddenly thickened by half.

The black threads from the black-robed woman’s fingers snapped with a crack, and the five lightning bolts swiftly interwove, instantly forming a lightning array.

The goat-headed ghost creatures pounced near the group, and countless black mist blade lights rained down like rain, tearing everything apart.

A dazzling golden lightning light suddenly burst forth, illuminating the space for a hundred li. The figures within the array flickered and vanished in an instant, leaving countless blade strikes hitting empty air.

The goat-headed ghost creatures all showed anger, roaring repeatedly, venting their fury by continuing to slash at the spot where the golden lightning array had been.

“Enough, all of you be quiet!” Accompanied by a majestic voice, a tall figure flew out from among the goat-headed ghost creatures.

This was an unusually tall Shangyang ghost clan member, twice the height of ordinary Shangyang ghost creatures. On its head grew two curved blade-like horns, and a long beard hung from its chin, giving it a dignified appearance, seemingly a chieftain.

The roaring ghost creatures all fell silent, looking at that person.

“Chieftain, those two outsiders have escaped. Should we pursue?” Another tall Shangyang ghost clan member stepped forward and asked reluctantly.

“Can you catch up? Besides, these outsiders are very strong. We only trapped them with our battle formation. Sending a few to chase after them—are you trying to get them killed?” The Shangyang chieftain sneered and said.

That Shangyang ghost clan member, rebuked, looked embarrassed, mumbled an assent, and dared not say more.

“Let’s all go back. At the same time, send word of the foreign invasion to the Horse King clan.” After a moment of silence, the Shangyang chieftain spoke.

The Shangyang ghost clan member behind him acknowledged, and then the ghost creatures in the valley transformed into streaks of black shadows, flying off into the distance.

……

Above a black forest millions of miles away, a mass of golden lightning appeared out of thin air in the void, rapidly expanding into a lightning formation.

Light and shadow flickered at the center of the formation, and Han Li and his companions materialized out of thin air.

But the golden lightning formation did not dissipate; instead, it flared up again and continued teleporting them away.

After several consecutive teleportations, the group stopped in a dark red desert, and the lightning formation finally dispersed.

"Who are you?" Two demon clansmen immediately retreated, barking in deep voices.

"It's me." Han Li looked at the two, formed a hand seal to activate the Reincarnation Temple mask, and revealed his true appearance.

"Fellow Daoist Han, it's you!"

The tall demon was overjoyed, pulling off his hood to reveal a face—none other than Shi Chuankong.

He was much taller and broader than before, his body radiating a powerful oppressive force, clearly having made considerable progress in physical cultivation.

"Fellow Daoist Shi, who would have thought that after parting ways in the demon realm, we would reunite here in the Netherworld."

Han Li nodded slightly at Shi Chuankong, then turned to the black-robed woman, a rare flicker of tenderness barely perceptible in his eyes, and said softly:

"Zi Ling, I never imagined we would meet again."

"Brother Han, why are you here?" The black-robed woman stared blankly at Han Li, slowly pulling down her hood to reveal a breathtakingly beautiful face.

Who else could it be but Zi Ling?

But at this moment, perhaps having just experienced a fierce battle, her complexion was somewhat pale, and her chest rose and fell slightly, making her appear even more delicate and moving against the dim backdrop of the Netherworld.

This scene stirred something in Han Li's heart, and many past events mixed with complex emotions surged up, but he forcibly suppressed them.

Gold Boy and Soul-Devouring Beast had also changed their appearances; seeing that Han Li no longer hid, they too formed hand seals to revert to their true forms.

Zi Ling saw Gold Boy and Soul-Devouring Beast, furrowed her brows slightly, as if wanting to ask something, but held back.

"They are Gold Boy and Soul-Devouring Beast, former spirit beasts who have now taken human form." Han Li, noticing Zi Ling's expression, introduced them.

Upon hearing this, the knot in Zi Ling's heart instantly dissolved, and she smiled at the two, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.

Han Li had told her about Gold Boy and Soul-Devouring Beast before, and they had met in the mortal world long ago, having gone through many experiences together, but at that time, Gold Boy and Soul-Devouring Beast had not yet awakened their intelligence.

Who would have thought that after so many years, the Soul-Devouring Giant Ape and the Gold Devouring Beetle would have undergone such great changes.

Gold Boy merely nodded at Zi Ling without speaking, but Soul-Devouring Beast said in a warm tone:

"Fellow Daoist Zi Ling, I heard from my master that we met in the demon domain, but I was severely injured and unconscious in the Flower Branch Space at the time, unable to come out and see you. Please don't take offense."

"It's fine, and thank you both for helping us just now, aiding Fellow Daoist Shi and me in escaping." Zi Ling bowed to the two and thanked them.

"Fellow Daoist Zi Ling, you're not an outsider, no need to be so polite." Soul-Devouring Beast laughed.

Zi Ling's pretty face flushed, but her heart felt sweet, and her fondness for Soul-Devouring Beast greatly increased.

"Tsk tsk, Fellow Daoist Han, surrounded by beauties, you really make others envious." Shi Chuankong patted Han Li's shoulder and teased via voice transmission.

"Don't talk nonsense. Gold Boy and Soul-Devouring Beast are just my companions. By the way, you haven't said why you are here." Han Li brushed off Shi Chuankong's hand and changed the subject.

Shi Chuankong hesitated upon hearing this and remained silent for a moment.

"If it involves confidential matters, just pretend I didn't ask." Han Li raised his hand and said.

In truth, upon seeing Shi Chuankong and Zi Ling, he couldn't help but think of Crab Daoist and what had happened in the demon realm, but under the circumstances, it seemed inappropriate to ask too many questions.

"Thank you for understanding, Fellow Daoist Han." Shi Chuankong breathed a sigh of relief and said.

Zi Ling glanced at Shi Chuankong, seemed to want to say something, opened her mouth slightly, but ultimately remained silent.

Shi Chuankong looked at Han Li and the other two, wanting to ask their purpose for coming, but since he hadn't been forthcoming himself, he felt embarrassed to ask.

To avoid the awkward silence, he looked around and asked:

"Where is this place?"

"Judging by the terrain, this should be a place called the Inferno Desert. The climate here is relatively hot, and most ghosts are unwilling to approach; no powerful tribes live here, so it's relatively safe. The two of you have just been through a fierce battle—do you need to rest?" Han Li asked.

"I am a bit tired and would like to rest for a while." Before Shi Chuankong could speak, Zi Ling said. She had been barely holding on earlier, and now that she saw Han Li and the others, she relaxed and suddenly felt she couldn't hold on much longer.

"Then let's take a break." Shi Chuankong nodded and flicked his sleeve.

Hundreds of black lights flew out from his sleeve and landed on the ground nearby—they were array tools—forming a black light barrier that covered an area of several hundred zhang.

Zi Ling and Shi Chuankong sat down cross-legged, taking out demon essence stones to restore their demonic qi.

Gold Boy also sat down on the spot to meditate and regulate his breathing.

Han Li and Soul-Devouring Beast did not sit; each stood on one side to guard Zi Ling and the others.