Translator: CinderTL
Song Wen sped through the air for over 200,000 miles. Estimating that Li Xinxin should be nearing the Li Clan's territory, he landed on a mountain peak.
He casually tossed Li Rui and his companions onto the ground.
By then, Li Rui and Li Zhengqing had regained consciousness, though their bodies were too severely injured and their divine souls too heavily damaged to resist for the moment.
Song Wen flipped his hand and produced several medicinal pills. He forced three pills each down Li Rui and Li Zhengqing's throats, and one down Young Master Ming's.
These were Blood Luo Pills.
For Song Wen, Blood Luo Pills were miraculous elixirs that boosted his cultivation. But for other cultivators, they were poisonous pills that rapidly drained their blood essence.
Three Blood Luo Pills were enough to completely drain a Void Refinement Stage cultivator's blood essence, causing their physical body to decay.
The seven pills he had fed the trio were temporarily sealed with his spiritual power, preventing them from being absorbed.
Next, Song Wen channeled his spiritual power to seal all three men's meridians.
This spiritual power would block the flow of their own spiritual power, preventing them from healing their injuries and significantly slowing their recovery.
Song Wen's cultivation was on par with Li Rui's and only slightly higher than Li Zhengqing's. The residual spiritual power within their bodies could be easily dispelled by the two of them.
However, once this spiritual power dissipated, the sealing power of the medicinal pill would vanish as well, releasing its poison.
"I won't kill you," Song Wen declared. "But if you recklessly mobilize your spiritual power and attempt to break through the meridian blockades, triggering the poison eruption, don't blame me."
With that, Song Wen withdrew, leaving the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation to guard the three prisoners. The Incarnation held the sun-chasing spear, its tip pressed against Li Rui's dantian.
After flying over two thousand miles away, Song Wen found a shallow pit and buried himself in it. As a precaution, he clutched an Earth Evasion Talisman in his right hand—one of only two such talismans remaining in his possession.
Though he had sent Li Xinxin to warn the Li Family Patriarch, Li Tianhe, against attempting a rescue, how could a Body Integration Stage cultivator willingly heed the warning of a mere Void Refinement Stage cultivator?
True to Song Wen's expectations, less than fifteen minutes later, an elderly man with a ruddy complexion and snow-white hair arrived, soaring through the air. Three soul lamps floated before him, clearly guiding his pursuit.
This elder was none other than Li Tianhe himself.
He halted in mid-air, ten miles away, glanced at the three Li Clan members on the ground, then turned his gaze to the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation.
"Youngster! You've got quite the nerve, daring to threaten this old man."
The Cosmic Transformation Incarnation replied, "There's nothing I wouldn't dare. The Li Clan's reputation in Qingyi City doesn't intimidate me."
Li Tianhe said, "Li Xinxin told me that while you appear to be at the late-stage void refinement realm, your true strength is only at the peak divine transformation stage. This must be just an incarnation of yours, then? Where is your true body hiding, and why are you afraid to reveal yourself?"
The Cosmic Transformation Incarnation replied, "That's none of your concern, Senior."
Li Tianhe said, "This incarnation of yours only possesses the strength of the divine transformation stage. Do you really think you can kill these three before I destroy it?"
"They carry a poison I planted within them," the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation said, exaggerating. "With a mere thought, I can corrupt their flesh and shatter their divine souls."
Li Tianhe raised his eyes and surveyed the surroundings, speaking slowly.
"As a late-stage void refinement cultivator, your divine sense should extend approximately 2,500 miles. Therefore, your true body must be within that radius. If these three descendants of mine die, do you truly believe you can escape my grasp?"
The Cosmic Transformation Incarnation said, "Senior, there's no need for empty threats. I have no desire to make enemies of the Li Clan, but if you insist on forcing my hand, I'll have no choice but to fight to the death. I'm a solitary figure with nothing to lose, but Li Rui and Li Zhengqing are pillars of your clan. If they die, the Li Clan will be in grave danger after your Ascension."
Li Tianhe's lips curled into a cold smile. "In my nearly ten thousand years of life, this is the first time a mere ant has dared to threaten me."
With a flick of its spear, the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation pierced Li Rui's abdomen, drawing a gush of blood.
"As the Li Clan's great elder, Li Rui is your clan's most promising candidate for the Body Integration Stage. Senior, are you truly willing to trade his life for mine?"
Li Tianhe's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Song Wen with murderous intent, yet he hesitated to strike.
"Junior, you've won this round. But finding the robber cultivator who plundered your cultivation cave won't be easy. First, I can assure you that no member of the Li Clan was involved. Second, the culprit framed us, likely harboring a grudge against our clan. However, we have many secret enemies, making the search like finding a needle in a haystack. Do you know any distinguishing features of the robber cultivator?"
The Cosmic Transformation Incarnation said, "The person is a male cultivator, likely at the early or mid-stage of Void Refinement. His spiritual power carries a subtle, feminine aura, suggesting he cultivates some kind of water-based cultivation technique."
Song Wen had deduced the robber cultivator's cultivation stage based on the time it took him to breach Cloudstream Valley's formation. Guan Lin had provided information about his spiritual power's aura and gender, as she had encountered him directly and witnessed him capture the Nether Fox and four Gu insects.
Li Tianhe replied, "Very well, this old one will give it a try. If I find this person, I will bring him before you. However, you must guarantee the safety of these three members of my clan during this time."
The Cosmic Transformation Incarnation said, "That is only natural."
Without another word, Li Tianhe turned and flew toward the Li Clan's territory.
The Cosmic Transformation Incarnation watched him disappear into the horizon, remaining motionless.
After about an incense stick's time, it spoke.
"Senior Li Tianhe, why do you linger? Is there anything else you wish to instruct?"
The only sounds were the rustling of wind through the dense forest and the occasional cries of beasts and birds. Yet the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation stood rooted to the spot.
"Senior, I know you're hiding by a small river four thousand li away. There's no need to conceal yourself."
"Youngster, how can you sense this old one? The perception range of a Void Refinement Stage cultivator could never extend so far! Could you be a Body Integration Stage cultivator?"
Li Tianhe didn't reveal himself, but his voice clearly reached the ears of the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation.
"Senior, let's not waste any more time. We should hurry and find that robber cultivator."
"Hmph!"
A resentful snort echoed in the Cosmic Transformation Incarnation's ears, but no further sounds followed.
Over two thousand miles away, beneath a pile of mud, Song Wen lay motionless, his body covered in dirt.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, Song Wen asked the shadow void, "Has Li Tianhe left yet?"
"He should be gone," the shadow void replied.
"Phew!"
Song Wen let out a long sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Li Tianhe lacked the courage to risk everything. Otherwise, escaping his grasp would have been a truly daunting task.
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (𝗥𝗗𝗖) on the Site till Ch1490. (424 Chapters Ahead)
💲Read upto Ch1300 🎉 for ABSOLUTELY 𝙁𝙍𝙀𝙀! ℕ𝕠 𝕃𝕠𝕘𝕚𝕟
🎁15 Novels | 9.3k+ Chapters | 15.6M+ Words [𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦]