Chapter 880: Black Calamity Stone

Han Li saw this and, without a word, raised his right hand, which turned into a blur as it struck Zhu Jieshan's abdomen with great force.

Zhu Jieshan's face instantly turned deathly pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead, as his body curled up like a shrimp.

"This punch is to repay the one you gave me back then," Han Li said expressionlessly.

"Cough, cough..."

Zhu Jieshan coughed repeatedly, unable to speak.

"I won't waste words with you. Is what's written on the paper true? Answer me honestly, or I won't mind using your own weapon to cut off your limbs." Han Li picked up the white bone sword lying nearby and said coldly.

"How dare you! If you harm me in the slightest... cough, just wait to be devoured by the Black Calamity Insects, your flesh and blood gnawed away, screaming in agony until you die!" Zhu Jieshan suppressed his coughing and roared.

Han Li sneered, swung his arm, and a white blur flashed.

Zhu Jieshan felt a lightness in his left wrist, followed by intense pain. His left hand had been severed cleanly at the wrist, blood gushing out like a fountain.

Zhu Jieshan was stunned for a moment, then was about to scream in agony when another white blur flashed. Blood surged from his mouth again, and a severed tongue mixed with blood fell to the ground, as he let out muffled sounds.

"My time is limited, and my patience is limited too. Next time, it'll be your right hand! Tell me, is everything on that paper true?" Han Li's voice was as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice.

Zhu Jieshan's body trembled as he stared blankly at Han Li.

"I see. I understand now." Han Li raised the bone sword and looked at Zhu Jieshan's right hand.

"No, I... I'll tell you! It's true. The Qingyang City Lord is indeed coveting the true spirit bloodline within you. I heard he can use it to impact the Xuanqiao or something. I don't know the specifics, really, I'm not lying to you." Zhu Jieshan seemed frightened by Han Li's ruthless methods and quickly transmitted his plea for mercy, speaking rapidly.

Han Li narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.

What was written on the paper was indeed true. Fortunately, he had acted decisively and struck first. If he had waited until the other party made a move, it would have been too late to turn back.

He looked at Zhu Jieshan, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Brother Li, I'm just a small figure in the Arena, following orders from above. Everything I did to you before was not my intention. Please, be merciful and spare my life." Zhu Jieshan trembled and transmitted his plea.

"Don't worry. As long as you tell me everything you know, I won't kill you." Han Li's expression softened slightly as he said this.

"Th-thank you, Brother Li." Zhu Jieshan quickly expressed his gratitude.

"Since the Qingyang City Lord covets my true spirit bloodline, why didn't he act when he first captured me? Why has he waited until now?" Han Li asked again.

"I don't know about that. I only followed orders from above to lock you in the Arena. The rest is not my concern." Zhu Jieshan immediately transmitted.

"Then when exactly does the Qingyang City Lord plan to make a move against me?" Han Li frowned and asked.

"I haven't heard about that either. I just received orders to keep a close watch on your movements recently. Other than that, there were no further instructions." Zhu Jieshan shrank back, paused, and then transmitted.

"And probably if I make any suspicious moves, to capture me immediately, right? That's why the tea you gave me earlier was problematic. Don't bother trying to stall; I didn't swallow the tea, so it won't take effect." Han Li sneered and spat out a small mouthful of tea.

Seeing this, Zhu Jieshan was momentarily stunned, then showed a shocked expression. He lowered his head in panic, not daring to meet Han Li's eyes.

"Alright, one last question. If you give me a satisfactory answer, I'll spare your life." Han Li's expression remained unchanged as he spoke calmly.

"What question?" Zhu Jieshan was overjoyed and slightly raised his eyes.

"How can I remove the Black Calamity Insect from my body without being discovered?" Han Li stared into Zhu Jieshan's eyes and asked word by word.

"The Black Calamity Insect is a strange insect refined by the City Lord himself. It concerns the highest secrets of Qingyang City, and only he can remove it. There is no other way. I've heard that those who try to remove it themselves end up in a miserable state." Zhu Jieshan's expression changed as he quickly transmitted.

Although Han Li had anticipated this, his expression still darkened.

"Brother, this is absolutely true. I can swear by my heart demon! Besides, something as important as the Black Calamity Insect, how could the City Lord possibly tell a small fry like me?" Seeing Han Li's expression change, Zhu Jieshan's face turned pale, and he hurriedly defended himself.

Han Li's eyes flickered. At this moment, his divine sense chain had restrained Zhu Jieshan's soul, and to some extent, he could roughly sense the other's soul state.

Zhu Jieshan's soul fluctuations were relatively stable now, which seemed to indicate he wasn't lying.

Unfortunately, he couldn't use immortal spiritual power now, or else a direct soul search would have been much simpler than torture.

"You're a guard of the Arena, so you can't be completely ignorant about the Black Calamity Insect. I remember you mentioned before that if a prisoner tries to escape, the Black Calamity Insect will activate. What's the reason for that?" Han Li pondered for a moment, then asked with a frown.

Zhu Jieshan's body trembled slightly, and he seemed hesitant, not speaking immediately.

"Hmph!"

A cold glint flashed in Han Li's eyes. He swung his arm, and a white blur streaked across Zhu Jieshan's right hand.

A deep wound was cut into Zhu Jieshan's right hand, nearly severing half his wrist. He let out a muffled scream of agony, his whole body trembling.

"I've already said my patience is limited! If you keep being stubborn, you'll end up without limbs. I have plenty of ways to prevent you from regenerating them." Han Li said, raising the bone sword again.

"I'll talk! Don't cut off my right hand!" The hesitation in Zhu Jieshan's heart was shattered by this strike.

"Speak quickly!" Han Li pressed the bone sword against Zhu Jieshan's right wrist, the sharp blade making his skin crawl, as if he would cut it off immediately if Zhu Jieshan hesitated any longer.

"In the City Lord's mansion, there is a Black Calamity Stone. This stone emits a special soul force fluctuation that covers the entire Qingyang City. As long as the Black Calamity Insects are within this soul force range, they fall into a deep sleep. Once they leave the stone's influence, they awaken and activate. That's why the City Lord isn't afraid of you daring to escape." Zhu Jieshan, now without any other thoughts, spoke rapidly like pouring beans.

"Black Calamity Stone? Does that mean if I obtain that stone and carry it with me, the Black Calamity Insect will never activate?" Han Li's eyes lit up as he asked.

"That... theoretically seems possible, but I don't know if it's really the case. After all, the City Lord has extraordinary means and might have other contingencies." Zhu Jieshan said with downcast eyes.

Han Li frowned and fell into contemplation, but soon looked up again and said coldly, "What else do you know about the Black Calamity Insect? Tell me everything!"

"That's all. I really don't know anything else." Zhu Jieshan's eyes reddened as he transmitted almost plaintively.

"Fine. Later, I'll catch another guard and ask. If your stories match, I'll spare your life. But if you dare to deceive or hide anything, I'll slice you inch by inch and feed you to the scale beasts in the Arena!" Han Li said sternly.

Zhu Jieshan was stunned, but instead of showing fear, he seemed greatly relieved.

Seeing this, Han Li raised an eyebrow. It seemed Zhu Jieshan indeed hadn't lied.

He swung his arm, and the bone sword struck the back of Zhu Jieshan's head.

With a "thud," Zhu Jieshan fell forward, unconscious.

Han Li muttered an incantation, made a hand seal, and pointed at Zhu Jieshan's glabella.

A crystal light flashed at Zhu Jieshan's glabella, and a cage-like sealing rune flickered before disappearing.

After doing all this, Han Li withdrew his finger, his expression slightly relaxed.

This soul seal would keep Zhu Jieshan asleep for three days and three nights, preventing him from interfering with Han Li's escape.

This wasn't out of mercy, but because he feared that the Qingyang City Lord might have placed some unknown means on these people. Killing him might attract the City Lord's attention, which would be counterproductive.

He then stuffed Zhu Jieshan under the bed, roughly cleaned up the bloodstains in the room, opened the door, and walked out with a calm expression.

After leaving this area, Han Li quickly returned to the exchange hall. Standing outside the hall, he looked down toward the Arena.

Across from the Arena, in a position symmetrical to the exchange hall, there was a wide passage leading outside—the entrance to the Arena.

Passing through there would lead directly into Qingyang City.

And the City Lord's mansion was inside Qingyang City.

To seize the Black Calamity Stone, he had to first enter Qingyang City.

Han Li's eyes flickered, and his brows furrowed slightly.

According to the rules, they, as Arena fighters, were not allowed to leave the Arena. The entrance was heavily guarded to prevent them from escaping.

Breaking through would not be easy.

Han Li pondered for a moment, then turned and walked toward his residence.

He hadn't obtained information about the Black Calamity Stone earlier and hadn't prepared for it. Now that he knew about it, his escape plan needed to change.

Han Li quickly returned to the Ninth District, pushed open the door to his room, and was immediately taken aback.

A tall figure stood inside. Judging by the facial features, it was none other than the Crab Immortal.

Joy flickered in his eyes, and he was about to speak when his expression suddenly changed. His figure flickered violently as he shot backward at an incredible speed.

But in that instant, as he was retreating, a figure appeared silently in the void above his head. A blurry arm struck down like lightning, landing squarely on his chest.