Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 578

Im Eun-byeong, with a cold glare, watched Han Li’s retreating figure and then released a bizarre four-legged snake from her spirit beast pouch.

The snake’s entire body was covered in thick scales, and it had muscular wings fluttering on its back, giving it a strange appearance.

“Go!”

At Im Eun-byeong’s command, a yellow protective barrier formed around the beast, and it quickly flew over the mountain gate. The strange snake traveled about ten *zhang* [a Chinese unit of length, approximately 3.3 meters] before it went *thud!* and fell to the ground, just like Gal Cheon-ho’s spear.

However, the beast’s strength was considerable; after falling, it moved its four legs, attempting to rise. Seeing this, Im Eun-byeong’s face lit up with joy.

But her smile vanished in an instant. The snake’s body exploded from the immense pressure, scattering blood and flesh everywhere.

“How can this be! How can that person walk so casually when the pressure is this immense?”

Im Eun-byeong’s face turned pale as she raised her voice.

“I can faintly sense demonic energy; it seems he’s using a secret technique to borrow the power of a demonic beast. It’s truly remarkable how he walks forward with a body as tough as a demonic beast, while also manipulating various divine abilities. To control three divine abilities simultaneously without even using a magic treasure…”

Geon Noma coldly analyzed the divine abilities Han Li was using.

“Is there such a secret technique?”

At those words, Im Eun-byeong and the other cultivators were surprised, as if they had just realized something.

“Isn’t it time to stop with the useless talk? If we waste any more time because of you human cultivators, that person will enter the Gono Palace alone,” said the ugly woman among the three demons, noticing Han Li getting closer to the palace. Her voice was deep and had a grating tone, like the sound of a gong.

“Don’t worry, the restrictions of the Gono Palace won’t be just this one. Now that we’ve identified the nature of the Golden Magnetic Spirit Trees, dealing with them won’t be difficult. We just need to cut them down one by one with magic treasures that don’t contain metal-type materials,” the young man surnamed Seo said calmly.

“Is it really that simple?”

“Once you’re within the influence of the Golden Magnetic Light, there’s nothing you can do, but preventing it beforehand isn’t difficult.”

As he spoke, the young man extended his hand and sent a yellow sword flying.

*Thud!*

A loud sound echoed as golden light flashed from the entire body of a large tree. The flying sword left a deep mark but failed to cut down the tree.

“Huh!”

The young man surnamed Seo inhaled sharply, surprised.

“Have you forgotten? Those Golden Magnetic Spirit Trees are as hard as diamonds and have grown for tens of thousands of years in the Gono Mountain, absorbing spiritual energy. So, they can’t be cut down easily. Let’s all move together without wasting any more time.”

As Geon Noma shouted this, a huge white shadow opened its mouth and sent a white crystal ball-like object flying towards the tree.

Gal Cheon-ho and others also took out treasures made of jade or wood and began attacking the trees on both sides of the path. Various colored lights poured down on the trees.

Unbeknownst to the other cultivators, the demonic beasts, including Yin Siyacha, were secretly rejoicing as the human cultivators launched a fierce attack on the Golden Magnetic Spirit Trees. They also took out treasures and joined the attack, but they rarely managed to inflict any real damage on the giant trees.

Because so many were moving and there was a flurry of explosions and lights, the other cultivators didn’t notice.

“Aren’t they really foolish! They’re cutting down the Golden Magnetic Spirit Trees without even being asked!”

Eun-wol’s sigh echoed in Han Li’s mind as he walked diligently.

“It’s not their fault. If I didn’t have the Bright Clarity Eyes, I wouldn’t have imagined that the Great Light Wheel Demonic Curse was engraved inside the trees. The ancient cultivators must have engraved curses on each tree to repel the demonic creatures!”

“Then Yin Siyacha and the other demonic creatures will freely enter and exit the Gono Palace. Shouldn’t we warn the other cultivators in advance?”

“Why should we? Except for the Ye family cultivators, the cultivators from the Heavenly Orchid Sacred Hall and the Yin Demon Sect are all on the same side. It’s good that the demonic creatures are appearing to keep them in check. Besides, cutting down all those trees will take quite a bit of time and effort, which will buy me time.”

“That’s true. Once we get the treasures, escaping won’t be a problem. We can hide in a corner of the mountain range for a few days, and then leave Gono Mountain when the passage is restored.”

Han Li chuckled, and Eun-wol smiled as well.

“How nice it would be if things went that smoothly.”

Han Li replied nonchalantly, and then a *thud!* sound came from outside. He turned his head and saw one of the Golden Magnetic Spirit Trees had fallen.

Without showing any signs of panic, he continued walking forward. He only had a few dozen *zhang* left to go.

He could faintly see the gate about twenty or thirty *zhang* away. On a plaque made of a special material that was neither wood nor metal, the words ‘Gono Palace’ were written in a majestic font.

He sighed and took out a bottle from his pocket, swallowing a drop of ten-thousand-year spirit liquid. As his magic power surged, the blue light, golden lightning, and purple flames surrounding his body intensified.

Han Li walked forward with even faster steps.

***

On the seventh underground floor of the Gono Mountain Demon Suppression Pagoda, clear explosions echoed continuously. It was the sound of the big-headed giant and Ko Ma’s group breaking through the crystal walls. Under the relentless attacks of the three cultivators, the solid crystal walls crumbled and disappeared.

“Let’s go. The treasures of the Sumeru Sect are indeed different. They’ve held us three here for so long!”

The giant waved his hand and retrieved a silver, shining sword into his sleeve.

“It’s been quite some time; the Poison Sect might have gotten the treasure first, Uncle,” another Ye family elder said worriedly, retracting a white jade ruler.

“The Heavenly Passage Treasure is difficult to obtain, but it’s also impossible to control immediately, so don’t worry. If they’ve obtained it, we’ll just take it from them.”

“Elder Han’s words are exactly what I was about to say.”

At Ko Ma’s words, the big-headed giant laughed and first exited through the seventh floor’s exit. In an instant, the three cultivators arrived at the stone chamber with the teleportation array that the previous cultivators had passed through.

Seeing the small black and white teleportation arrays, the Poison Sect cultivators hesitated slightly, but Ko Ma’s face lit up with joy as he looked at the black teleportation array.

“There are two teleportation arrays; which one leads to the eighth floor?” the Ye family elder muttered, examining them. There were still slight fluctuations of spiritual energy remaining on the white teleportation array that the Poison Sect cultivators had used earlier.

“There’s no need to choose. This one is enough for us.”

Ko Ma stared at the black teleportation array.

“That one? The Poison Sect cultivators…”

The old man was about to say something when Ko Ma suddenly flicked his sleeve. A pitch-black demonic arm shot out like lightning and grabbed the old man’s crown.

“… !”

*Thud!*

Before the horrified old man could finish his sentence, his head exploded. As blood gushed out, Ko Ma opened his mouth and spewed black flames.

The old man’s corpse instantly turned to ashes and disappeared. The old man’s nascent soul [a concept in some Eastern religions referring to the soul in its early stage of development], wrapped in a white protective barrier, held a pure white ruler in both hands and cried out pitifully.

“Uncle! Help me!”

The nascent soul desperately tried to escape towards the big-headed giant, infusing spiritual power into the ruler, but it couldn’t teleport within the black flames.

However, the big-headed giant didn’t do anything, even as he looked at the nascent soul. The nascent soul only lasted for a moment before exploding in the black flames.

“Why did you act now? Didn’t we agree to deal with him at the end?” the big-headed giant finally spoke coldly.

“I only dealt with him because I sensed the presence of the person we were looking for here. It’s best not to leave any future troubles. Are you regretting it now?”

“Of course not.”

“You’d better not. If we can retrieve the Saint Ancestor’s avatar, he will use a secret technique to inject demonic energy into you. With your aptitude, you might even reach the Transformation Stage immediately.”

“If my death wasn’t near, I would never have betrayed my family and joined hands with a demon like you.”

“A demon… If we succeed in injecting demonic energy, you’ll become a member of our Saint Clan, won’t you?”

“Enough, let’s go quickly. There’s no point in wasting time.”

The big-headed giant, not wanting to talk anymore, urged Ko Ma and walked towards the teleportation array. Ko Ma sneered at this and stood on the teleportation array. As black light was emitted, the two cultivators disappeared.

***

Shortly after, the giant and Ko Ma were teleported to a place with the same formation.

“Where is this?”

The giant felt dizzy for a moment, but quickly regained his senses and looked around the dark surroundings.

“Look up,” Ko Ma said with a slightly excited voice. The giant hurriedly raised his head and opened his mouth.

There was something massive, bound by various restrictions, about a hundred *zhang* high. Its entire body was wrapped in black chains, and various talismans were densely attached to it.

Around the black object, bronze mirrors emitting yellow pillars of light were lined up, imprisoning it.

The Ye family giant’s heart sank.

From a distance, it was a giant silver wolf with two heads and a body over a hundred *zhang* long. Its silver, shining fur looked as if it had been forged from silver.

Strangely, one of the wolf’s heads was silver-white, but the other had turned pitch-black from the neck up and was surrounded by black energy. Moreover, a purple horn protruded from its head, emitting a ferocious aura.

Both of the distinctly different wolf heads had their eyes closed, as if they were in a deep sleep.

“Is this the Saint Ancestor’s avatar you were talking about?” the big-headed giant frowned.

“Yes. This is the avatar of the Saint Ancestor of Origin Slaughter from the Saint Realm. He is among the top five Saint Ancestors in the entire Saint Realm. Even though it’s just a wisp of his divided soul that has taken residence in a wolf demon of the Spirit Realm, he has displayed power that overwhelms ordinary Transformation Stage cultivators. If it weren’t for the interference of the Spirit Realm, he would be nearly invincible in the Human Realm. He was one of the three commanders that the Saint Clan dispatched to the Human Realm back then.”

“Saint Ancestor of Origin Slaughter…”

“If Elder Ye will act as a protector, I will use a secret technique to communicate with the Saint Ancestor’s divided soul.”

“Understood. Begin your spell.”

The big-headed giant, having cast aside all other concerns, replied. Ko Ma comfortably formed hand seals and fell into a pitch-black aura.

Then, a low growl was heard, and the shadow of a four-armed, two-headed demon grew to several *zhang* in size. An immense killing intent emanated from Ko Ma’s massive body, forcing even the big-headed giant to take a few steps back.

Then, Ko Ma’s two heads chanted incantations, and his four arms formed hand seals.

The big-headed giant cautiously guarded his surroundings, his gaze fixed on the giant wolf in the air, but there were no changes yet.

After about an incense stick’s time [a traditional Chinese unit of time, roughly equivalent to 5-15 minutes], Ko Ma’s muttering stopped, and he spat out dark red blood. The black magic seals that extended from his four hands cleanly absorbed the blood.

Shortly after, a blood-colored pattern strangely bloomed on the black wolf’s head, and a light flashed from its horn, causing its eyelids to twitch. The wolf’s huge eyes opened halfway, slowly revealing purple pupils.

Unbeknownst to Ko Ma and the big-headed giant, at the same time the black wolf head awakened, a silver box in a sealed palace space began to emit light.

Something seemed to be awakening inside, and above it, a jade-green wooden ruler slowly turned, emitting a light of spiritual energy.

The silver box was surrounded by a green protective barrier emitted from the wooden ruler, and it instantly lost its light and returned to a peaceful state.

Just then, a shadow suddenly appeared a dozen *zhang* away from the table where the silver box was placed. It was Hwa Cheon-gi, the Great Elder of the Poison Sect, wearing a navy blue robe and a red hood.

He blinked his eyes, but blood was streaming from his ears and nose. At first glance, he would have been mistaken for a dead man. Strangely, the other three Poison Sect elders had disappeared, and he was alone.

At that moment, faint explosions were heard from outside the palace. Someone else was fiercely resisting, trapped by the restrictions.