Chapter 740: The Agreement

"Let's go!"

Ti Hun glanced at the white beast, then suddenly shouted. She wiped her hand across the void before her, and a layer of dark red light curtain spread out, transforming into a domain with a rather peculiar aura that enveloped both her and Han Li.

Han Li felt his body relax, as if he had been transported outside the Gray Realm, no longer oppressed by the pervasive baleful qi. He somersaulted backward and fell into the Karmic Fire Pool together with Ti Hun.

"Master, within my domain, the karmic fire's effect on you will be much weaker, but you must still guard your divine soul and sea of consciousness, and not let your guard down lest it affect you," Ti Hun cautioned.

As soon as she finished speaking, a shadow suddenly loomed over them from above. It was Su Liu, who had arrived through the air, charging at them with an axe in one hand and a hammer in the other.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

A series of continuous metallic collisions sounded. The metal sphere in the hollow of his chest spun incessantly, its surface符文 flickering, with a mass of black karmic fire burning fiercely inside.

All over his body, black patterns resembling demonic runes emerged one after another, and clusters of black flames bloomed like black lotuses from the black chains on him.

Seeing this, Han Li turned his wrist and summoned the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords. Layers of golden scales rose on his arms, his muscles bulged twofold, and he gripped the sword hilt with both hands. Stepping on the void, he met the attack, swinging his long sword upward from a low angle.

With a thunderous roar.

Violent black flames surged from Su Liu's giant axe, colliding fiercely with the golden lightning on Han Li's sword, producing a deafening boom. Countless golden electric threads and black karmic fire exploded, spreading in all directions.

The karmic fire scattered like a rain of fire, falling everywhere.

Han Li and Su Liu each held their weapons, locked in a stalemate, neither taking a step back, suspended in midair.

But then, another violent boom rang out!

Su Liu swung the meteor hammer in his other hand, smashing it down at Han Li again.

This blow was even more powerful than the previous axe strike. Despite Han Li's desperate defense, his figure was struck heavily and sent flying downward, plunging directly into the Karmic Fire Pool.

Ti Hun followed closely behind, also falling into the fire pool.

"Where do you think you're going!" Ghostwood's pupils constricted, and he bellowed.

It turned out that Han Li and the other were using the momentum to swiftly dive through the fire pool, heading toward the cave at the other end.

Once again entering the karmic fire, Han Li, shielded by Ti Hun's domain, no longer found it as unbearable as before.

His mind calmed slightly, and he began to circulate the Spirit Refining Technique. The damage the Soul Devouring Worm had inflicted on his divine sense was considerable; although it was temporarily suppressed, he dared not take it lightly.

Ghostwood's figure flickered, appearing above the Karmic Fire Pool. He spread his five fingers and suddenly reached forward.

A dark light spread from his palm, rapidly growing like plant vines, wrapping around from all sides. Countless branches and forks separated from it, weaving a sparse but well-organized black net that plunged into the fire pool, enveloping the two.

At the same time, the soul slaves and puppets had also flown above the fire pool, brandishing their weapons and striking down at the two within.

Once the black net entered the karmic fire pool, it moved like a fish in water, its speed increasing severalfold. It circled around from all sides and closed in from the front like a huge fish trap, caging them inside.

"Go."

Han Li muttered softly. With a flick of his wrist, a green gourd immediately appeared. He slapped the bottom of the gourd with his other hand.

A layer of green fluorescence spread over the emerald gourd, and tiny runes emerged one after another. A strong wave of law power radiated outward, forcing back the karmic fire within several zhang.

With a sharp "zheng" sound!

A dazzling golden sword light shot out from the mouth of the gourd, instantly cutting a gap several zhang wide in the karmic fire pool and heavily striking the black net.

The black net shook violently. A large amount of golden lightning mixed with a storm of sword qi expanded fiercely, and it seemed the net was about to shatter under the immense force.

The weapons thrown by the soul slaves and puppets were also scattered by this surge of energy.

"A paltry trick!" Ghostwood sneered.

His figure flashed rapidly, instantly appearing directly in front of Han Li and the other. A layer of black liquid oozed from the palm that had turned into the black net, then instantly vaporized into a gray-black mist that enveloped the entire net.

The black net, on the verge of collapse, suddenly seemed to be infused with more power and slowly contracted, trapping Han Li and the other like a cage.

At the same time, a slender black branch directly entangled the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword, pulling it toward Ghostwood.

"Master, withdraw them quickly! Elder Guimu's Ghost Vine Law is a law of extreme yin, extreme softness, and extreme poison. Unless it is as supremely yang and firm as the Bone-Washing Golden Thunder, it cannot harm him at all. Moreover, the venom on the vines can defile immortal artifacts and turn them into Grey Realm treasures." Ti Hun halted her figure and spoke up to remind him.

With that said, the scarlet chains on her hands materialized again and lashed out at Su Liu, who was pursuing them.

From the wide-spread net, droplets of black liquid oozed out, emitting a foul stench similar to the putrid air of marsh mud.

As drops of black liquid seeped out and landed on Han Li's Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords, the sword bodies immediately emitted a series of trembling hums, and clusters of golden electric light burst forth on their surfaces.

Han Li looked over and his heart tightened—he saw conspicuous white marks appearing on the sword bodies.

Alarmed, he hurriedly tried to summon the flying swords back, but found that his connection with them seemed to be blocked by something, becoming intermittent.

"These swords are quite extraordinary; they seem to form a sword array. For a Golden Immortal of the Immortal Realm, they are very good. Why not summon them all?" Guimu glanced at another Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword in Han Li's hand and said slowly.

Han Li frowned, raised the gourd again, and slapped its bottom hard.

A beam of emerald light shot out from the gourd's mouth, rolled through the void, and caught the green flying sword entangled by the ghost vines, pulling it back.

"Oh? A Xuantian treasure... You have quite a few treasures. Since you've delivered yourself to my door, I'll take them all." Guimu raised an eyebrow and laughed heartily.

With that, several more ghost vines shot out from the black net, wrapping around the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword and the Xuantian Gourd.

Just then, a strange sound came from the gourd's mouth, and a dark green ray shot out instantly, striking the ghost vines that were winding around and cutting them cleanly.

The ghost vines entangling the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword were also pierced through and shattered.

Seeing this, Han Li immediately pulled back, retrieving the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword and storing it in the gourd.

"It's actually the Law of Destruction... No wonder Yin Kuo repeatedly urged me to spare your life. The surprises you bring are truly too many." Guimu raised an eyebrow again and said in astonishment.

With a loud bang!

Ti Hun, after clashing with Su Liu above, flew back to Han Li's side.

"Master, these puppets have no souls, so my divine abilities have limited effect on them. Guimu is a Da Luo level cultivator; I can at most hold him off for a while. It seems I cannot take you to the Soul-Washing Zone." Ti Hun's face showed a bitter expression as she spoke.

Han Li's throat moved, but he didn't know what to say. Facing a Da Luo level cultivator, even using the power of the Law of Time, he had absolutely no chance of victory.

"Fellow Daoist Han, let me out!" At that moment, Mo Guang's voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

"Fellow Daoist Mo Guang, what do you intend to do?" Han Li was startled and asked in confusion.

"I am originally a usurper of another's body; my soul and the physical form are ultimately at odds. The previous battle with Ti Hun was somewhat due to its innate suppression, which is why I lost so quickly. Today, since you are trapped in a deadly situation, if you agree to one condition, I am willing to fight to the death for you," Mo Guang communicated through divine sense.

"You want me to dissolve the Heavenly Demon Contract?" Han Li frowned slightly and asked.

"Signing the Heavenly Demon Contract is easy, but dissolving it is very difficult and cannot be done in a short time. Against Gui Mu, I naturally have no chance of victory, but I can delay him for the time it takes to burn an incense stick. However, if I die in battle after half an hour... then so be it. But if I survive by luck, you and I will have no further ties. How about it?" Mo Guang replied quickly.

Han Li, upon hearing this, pondered briefly and immediately replied, "Agreed."

With that, he waved his hand, and amidst a flash of silver light, Mo Guang's figure suddenly shot out.

Mo Guang's expression was calm, lacking his usual carefree demeanor; instead, his eyes held a serious look that made Han Li feel somewhat unfamiliar.

"A member of the Xuhe Clan..." Gui Mu showed a trace of disgust upon seeing this and frowned.

"You two go. Leave this to me." Magic Light stared fixedly at Ghostwood, speaking to Han Li and the other.

"A mere Taiyi stage cultivator dares to boast so shamelessly? Then I'll deal with you first." Ghostwood sneered, his figure dashing straight toward Magic Light.

"Whoosh..."

Magic Light let out a long breath from his mouth, then suddenly bellowed.

A silvery-gray light blazed in his eyes, and strange runes began to appear on his brow and eyelids. Under his robe, baleful energy surged and rolled out, and his aura instantly soared, directly reaching the late Taiyi stage.

"When did he..." Han Li was startled, unaware that he had quietly entered the late Taiyi stage.

Magic Light's sleeve rolled up abruptly, and the karmic fire below immediately roared upward as if summoned, coiling into a huge flaming tornado that shot straight toward Ghostwood. With his other hand, he formed a blade with his fingers and slashed diagonally forward into the void.

A strange black light shot from his fingertips, cutting through in an instant.

With a soft "pfft," the black net ahead split open with a gap.

Han Li hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands in salute to him, and with a flicker of his figure, he and Ti Hun dashed swiftly into the karmic fire passage.