Chapter 983: Revival

Han Li struggled to his feet, staggered forward, raised his hand and pulled out the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword embedded in E Kui's dantian. With a frown, he swept the sword horizontally, slicing off half of E Kui's head.

At that moment, he also felt a sense of exhaustion. The Truthful Speech Wheel and the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Sword both flashed with light and returned to his body on their own.

Han Li was covered in blood and his clothes were tattered. He glanced at Zi Ling in the distance, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth, then his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground.

Madam Liuhua, Gu Qianxun, and Shi Chuankong were all stunned at the sight.

“City Lord E... E Kui... just... died like that?” Gu Qianxun murmured to herself.

Madam Liuhua said nothing, only nodded silently.

After the initial shock, Shi Chuankong let out a long breath and slumped to the ground.

Han Li barely managed to sit cross-legged, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

At that moment, the golden pill inside his body rapidly shrank and disappeared, and his immortal spiritual power once again became sluggish.

Taking advantage of the remaining immortal spiritual power, he hurriedly retrieved some healing pills from the Flower Branch Space.

His healing pills were almost depleted, and how could the pills within the Scales of Accumulated Emptiness compare to those outside?

After taking out enough pills, Han Li's eyes flickered as if he remembered something, and he reached into his bosom.

A black light flashed in his hand, and a black statue appeared, the very one he had obtained from Zhao Gu the Bone Illuminator.

As soon as he did this, the golden pill inside him completely disappeared, and his immortal spiritual power fell utterly silent.

He paid no attention to this, took a pill, and his injuries soon began to heal.

“Brother Li, are you all right? I never expected you to possess such strength, even E Kui was no match for you,” Shi Chuankong said as he approached.

“It's nothing.” Han Li waved his hand noncommittally, stood up, and went to Zi Ling's side to carefully examine her condition.

Seeing that she was fine, he breathed a sigh of relief. Then he turned and walked to E Kui's corpse, sweeping his divine sense over it, only to frown.

E Kui's body was completely empty, with nothing on it.

“How can this be?” Han Li was greatly astonished.

Within the Scales of Accumulated Emptiness, storage artifacts could not be used, so everyone carried many items on their person. Pills, weapons, and the like were absolutely indispensable. How could E Kui's body be empty? Could they have been lost during the fierce battle?

His gaze shifted and landed on a bone-white ring on E Kui's left hand.

The ring seemed to be made from some kind of bone, emitting a faint white light, and appeared to be no ordinary object.

After a moment's thought, Han Li removed the ring.

“Good eye. That is the Starry Sky Ring I refined for E Kui using the bones of a Starry Sky Beast as a base, supplemented with star and spatial restrictions. It can be used with the power of stars,” Madam Liuhua's voice came.

Hearing this, Han Li glanced at Madam Liuhua, then silently activated the star power within him, infusing it into the bone ring while also probing it with his divine sense.

The bone ring emitted a layer of white light that blocked his divine sense.

Han Li silently channeled the star power from his hidden apertures to strike the white light. Soon, with a soft “crack,” the white light shattered, and his divine sense entered the bone ring.

The space inside the ring was not large, only about two or three zhang in size. Any storage artifact outside would be much larger, but within the Scales of Accumulated Emptiness, where immortal spiritual power could not be used, such a storage artifact was extremely precious.

The storage space was packed full of various items: pills, weapons, beast cores, and some books and scrolls.

Han Li's divine sense swept over these items, searching quickly. Soon his eyes brightened as they landed on a corner of the storage space, where two statues were placed.

These two statues were all too familiar to him, very similar to the two statues of the Heavenly Fiend Prison Suppression Art he already possessed. Needless to say, they were the remaining two.

Han Li was secretly delighted but did not take them out, so as not to attract attention.

He withdrew his divine sense, put the storage bone ring on his own hand, and then placed the two statues he had on him, along with the pills, into the ring.

At that moment, with a “splash” from the nearby blood lake, a beam of blood light shot out, swiftly enveloped E Kui's body, and with a “whoosh” pulled it into the lake, disappearing from sight.

Han Li raised an eyebrow, turned to glance at the crystal coffin, and a thoughtful expression crossed his face.

Just then, Sha Xin slowly regained consciousness beside him.

Although her body was severely damaged, she still managed to stand up with difficulty.

At the same time that Sha Xin awoke, Zi Ling, frowning slightly, also opened her eyes.

Han Li's face lit up at the sight. He was about to walk over quickly when his gaze shifted and he stopped.

"E Kuai!" Sha Xin looked around and soon spotted E Kuai's corpse, a look of surprise on her face.

"Rest assured, City Lord Sha Xin. E Kuai has been slain by Fellow Daoist Li," said Madam Six Flowers with a grin.

Hearing this, Sha Xin's expression relaxed. A hint of wonder appeared in her eyes as she looked at Han Li. She opened her mouth as if to say something.

"Enough. E Kuai is dead. There's nothing more for you here. Everyone else, leave. Fellow Daoist Li, stay." A dignified voice came from the crystal coffin, still sounding like Crab Daoist's.

The blood lake water was still surging toward the crystal coffin. The flesh on the holy remains inside the coffin had fully grown, now forming a naked male body.

The man appeared to be middle-aged, with white hair and a square face. Though his eyes were closed, he still exuded an air of authority.

"This face..." Han Li looked at the male body in the crystal coffin, his eyes flickering.

The man in the coffin bore some resemblance to Crab Daoist from years ago, but not entirely.

"Master... Master, you have finally revived! Wonderful!" Seeing this, Sha Xin was overjoyed. Ignoring her injuries, she knelt before the crystal coffin and spoke excitedly.

"I have not yet fully recovered. I need some time to recuperate. With Fellow Daoist Li here to guard me, that will suffice," continued Crab Daoist.

"This... Although Fellow Daoist Li helped us slay the villain E Kuai, he is still an outsider. It would be better if I stayed to guard you," Sha Xin said softly, glancing at Han Li.

"Fellow Daoist Li and I have known each other for many years. You need not worry. Besides, I have another important task for you..." Crab Daoist's voice trailed off, clearly switching to telepathic communication.

"As you command. Fellow Daoist Li, I entrust this place to you." Sha Xin's expression shifted, then she nodded firmly. After saying this to Han Li, she immediately led Zi Ling toward the exit.

"Wait, City Lord Sha Xin. Zi Ling is my friend. Please release the restrictions in her soul and let her return to her true self," Han Li suddenly called out to Sha Xin.

Hearing this, Zi Ling's body trembled, and a complex expression crossed her face.

"Oh, my memory fails me. I almost forgot. When Zi Ling first entered Puppet City, I feared she was a spy from Xuan City, so I sealed her memories. Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist Li. I will lift the seal now." Apologizing to Han Li, Sha Xin walked over to Zi Ling.

She quickly formed hand seals, then suddenly extended both index fingers and pressed them against Zi Ling's brow, muttering incantations.

Streams of golden light emanated from her hands and sank into Zi Ling's brow.

Golden patterns appeared on Zi Ling's forehead, forming a seal-like sigil. Her eyes grew hazy, and she slumped softly to the ground.

"Release!" Sha Xin shouted softly.

The golden patterns on Zi Ling's forehead brightened all at once, then scattered into countless specks of light.

Zi Ling let out a muffled groan, fell unconscious, and collapsed toward the ground.

A figure flashed, and Han Li appeared beside Zi Ling, catching her.

"What's wrong with her?"

"No need to worry, Fellow Daoist Li. Fellow Daoist Zi Ling is merely unconscious and will wake soon," Sha Xin said with a faint smile.

With that, she bowed once more to the crystal coffin, then turned and walked out.

Madam Six Flowers and Gu Qianxun followed behind.

Shi Chuankong shifted his gaze from Crab Daoist, glanced at Han Li as if wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing and walked out.

The group soon left the underground chamber and emerged outside.

Sha Xin closed the passage entrance but did not leave. Instead, she sat cross-legged nearby, a faint white light emanating from her body as she seemed to be healing.

Madam Six Flowers and the other two did not leave immediately either; each stood off to the side.

Madam Six Flowers's expression shifted uncertainly. Then, gritting her teeth, she led Gu Qianxun before Sha Xin and bowed deeply. "I, Six Flowers, along with my daughter Qianxun, pay respects to City Lord Sha Xin."

"Fellow Daoist Six Flowers, such a grand bow is more than I deserve," Sha Xin said calmly, slowly opening her eyes.

"City Lord Sha Xin is highly esteemed. Now, with the aid of the exalted one in the crystal coffin, unifying the Scale Sky is within reach. In the past, I was blind and helped that villain E Kuai oppose you. I beg your forgiveness. Now I wish to abandon darkness for light and join your ranks. I hope you will accept me," Madam Six Flowers said earnestly.

"I too wish to join Puppet City. Please accept me, City Lord," Gu Qianxun also bowed.

"Oh? You wish to join my Puppet City? Heh, leaving aside Gu Qianxun for now, Fellow Daoist Six Flowers, you once helped E Kuai develop countless star weapons, causing immeasurable harm to our city. Even if I could generously accept you, I doubt others in Puppet City would tolerate you," Sha Xin said coldly, glancing at Madam Six Flowers.

"I understand. To appease the anger of the fellow daoists in Puppet City, I am willing to inform City Lord Sha Xin of Xuan City's troop deployments and the weaknesses in its city defenses. Most of Xuan City's defenses were set up jointly by E Kuai and me. Would that suffice?" Madam Six Flowers said with a bitter smile.

"Since Fellow Daoist Six Flowers is so sincere, I am not one to be unreasonable. Very well! From today, you two are members of my Puppet City." Sha Xin's eyes lit up at this.

"Thank you, City Lord." Joy flickered in Madam Six Flowers's eyes, and she bowed again along with Gu Qianxun.