Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 808

One day passed, and under a large tree in the forest, Han Li stared at eight hairy beasts with a dark expression.

Unlike the giant ape he had seen before, these were only half the size, but their entire bodies were covered in bright red fur. Also, instead of copper harpoons, they wielded black spiked clubs. All eight beasts bared their teeth and glared fiercely at Han Li. However, Han Li’s lips twitched.

He had thought the long-haired beasts were not sensitive, but for some reason, they had discovered him and surrounded him. Seeing the third eye shining on the foreheads of the eight beasts, he seemed to understand something. The green-haired beast he had seen before had its third eye closed.

At that moment, the eight red beasts growled lowly and leaped, swinging their spiked clubs. The black clubs, densely studded with nails, were imbued with spiritual energy and aimed at Han Li’s head like the wind.

Han Li raised an eyebrow and, without dodging, flicked his sleeve. Then, eight golden swords flew out, turning into golden threads that circled around the beasts.

Swish!

All eight heads were severed in an instant, as if grass had been mowed down. When the eight golden threads returned to their original sword forms, the grass was soaked with blood from the eight corpses. Han Li flicked his other sleeve, and eight red fireballs flew towards the beasts’ corpses.

Poof! Poof!

The beasts’ corpses disappeared into ashes in the flames. After that, Han Li moved expressionlessly and disappeared back into the bushes.

Unknown to Han Li, not long after he left, two green lights suddenly flickered on a nearby large tree. Surprisingly, the large tree opened two green eyes, each a foot in diameter, and stared in the direction where Han Li had disappeared.

* * *

In a bush tens of thousands of miles away.

Although obscured by trees, a large tree with rolling green eyes was quietly watching an open space of about a hundred feet. A man in a purple robe and a woman in a black skirt were Nong Dong and So Hong.

The two were moving their lips, exchanging messages through sound transmission [a technique to communicate telepathically], while a dozen or so red and green hairy monsters lay fallen around them.

“Brother Nong, the beasts are not very powerful, but their ability to see through concealment techniques is remarkable. Even my Illusionary Haze Banner is not easily detected by cultivators of the same level,” So Hong said, frowning, through sound transmission.

“It’s probably a divine ability related to the third eye on their foreheads. Many demon beasts with multiple eyes often possess special divine abilities. We must be more careful in the future.”

“I see. Then let’s go! We must arrive before Ye Ying. Otherwise, that item might fall into her hands.”

“Neither you nor Ye Ying thought that I had other purposes for this mission. It’s a useless item for our Nong family, but it’s still a pity. Don’t forget our promise, Fellow Daoist So. You get the item, and I get the person.”

Nong Dong gave a strange smile and then warned ominously.

“Humph, no matter how important the blood of the Heavenly Phoenix is, I will not jeopardize the affairs of the entire race. I know what is more important, so don’t worry about it.”

“Haha, I understand. Let’s go!”

Nong Dong finished with a laugh through sound transmission, and the two disappeared into the bushes.

In another place, a very fast white shadow was speeding through the bushes. Its movements were so fast that they defied imagination.

* * *

In a secret place in the Black Leaf Forest.

Several dark figures were sitting cross-legged under a silver tree about six or seven feet tall. One of them suddenly opened his eyes, and golden light spread from his green pupils, and he made a strange sound with his mouth.

Then, the surrounding figures opened their eyes at the same time, and the tallest figure among them opened his mouth in a dignified voice. It seemed as if he was asking something.

After listening to the story, the tall figure gave an order, and the rest all stood up and gathered around the silver tree. The tall figure shouted and pointed at the tree with one hand, and at the same time, green threads stretched out and were absorbed into the silver tree.

Then, the silver tree trembled, and several silver eyes appeared on the tree trunk, emitting silver pillars of light that fell towards each of the figures.

The next moment, something incredible happened.

The figures that were hit by the pillars of light became blurry and disappeared from their spots.

Han Li, unaware that someone had already tracked his movements, was still moving through the bushes.

The rest of his journey was strangely smooth. Except for occasionally encountering lone, long-haired beasts, he did not see a single Wood Race member. He was happy, but at the same time, he felt suspicious.

However, the Black Leaf Forest was so vast that there was no guarantee he would encounter the Wood Race. Moreover, this mission was related to the Extinction Pill, and he had already entered deep into the Black Leaf Forest, so he could not turn back now.

Thus, he continued to move forward without stopping, despite his uneasy feelings.

Two days later, Han Li was standing on a very thin branch. His body was as light as if he were fluttering in the wind, and his gaze was fixed on a small hill not far away, about a hundred feet high.

Except for a few old trees that had been growing for who knows how long, no other vegetation could be found on the hill. Han Li observed the hill for a long time before flipping his hand and taking out a dark, triangular formation artifact [a tool used to create magical barriers or effects].

In the center of the formation artifact, a milky white dot was shining. He lowered his head to check it, then made a hand seal and shot a blue light towards the formation artifact.

At the same time, a black light flashed from the formation artifact, and the milky white dot flew up and split into fine white threads. The threads were pointing towards one of the old trees on the hill.

Han Li’s eyes flashed.

The old tree was already half withered. It was over thirty feet tall, but the top was charred black as if struck by lightning, the bottom was yellowish, and the roots had a faint green tinge.

Han Li suddenly closed his eyes and slowly released his consciousness to carefully search the surrounding area. After a while, he opened his eyes, relieved. There was no one around, and he could not find anything strange.

‘Hmm.’

However, Han Li did not act immediately but narrowed his eyes and fell into thought. Soon, he flicked his sleeve, grabbed a silver bead, and spat out a fist-sized silver firebird.

The firebird circled around his body, grew to a foot in length, and swallowed the silver bead Han Li was holding. Then, it flashed and disappeared into the ground.

This time, Han Li brushed past his storage pouch and took out a set of blue formation artifacts, scattering them in front of him.

Whoosh.

Seven or eight green lights shot out and disappeared around the hill.

Han Li made a hand seal and chanted a spell. At the same time, green spiritual energy lights floated around the hill. But after being hit by his spell, the flickering lights disappeared.

Only then did Han Li sigh and jump off the branch, heading towards the hill. A green light flashed, and his figure disappeared as well.

From afar, the hill looked no different than before, but in reality, everything was just an illusion. Han Li climbed the hill and stood in front of the already withered old tree. As he looked at the tree, he recalled the story he had heard from Nong Dong and So Hong on the way.

According to their story, the priority was to meet the Wood Race spy directly and hear information that was difficult to record. But if that was impossible, the information was to be left somewhere.

‘Then the mission becomes even simpler. I just need to find the item containing the information and leave.’

Thinking this, Han Li raised his finger and slashed through the air. A blue sword qi [a type of energy attack] vertically split the withered old tree in front of him. Then, a milky white jade slip [a thin piece of jade used for writing] was visible between the split tree trunks.

Han Li, with a delighted expression, grabbed the air, and the jade slip floated up on its own and flew towards him.

Bang!

Right then, a golden beam of light broke through the illusionary restriction Han Li had created and flew towards the jade slip.

“…”

Han Li’s expression changed, and a blue light flashed from his other hand. Then, a giant blue hand appeared in the air and grabbed the golden beam of light.

“Haha!”

A familiar laughter was heard, and the golden beam of light disappeared like an illusion as soon as it was caught by the giant hand. And the jade slip that was flying towards Han Li suddenly fell into the hands of a white shadow that appeared in the air.

“Fellow Daoist Ye!”

Han Li instantly recognized the face of the white shadow. It was the white-robed girl named Ye Ying.

“Brother Han, it seems you had no trouble on your way. It seems you arrived here so quickly,” the girl said, holding the jade slip and looking at Han Li with sparkling eyes.

“What do you mean? Did something happen to Fellow Daoist Ye on your way? I waited for a long time at the exit of the First Line Sky and near the Black Leaf Forest, but no one appeared, so I moved alone,” Han Li asked, sounding puzzled.

“I and the other cultivators encountered the Feng Jiao group in the First Line Sky! So we had no choice but to scatter and run, and while avoiding them, we deviated from our path, which caused other minor problems and made us late.”

Han Li realized that there was something hidden in her words and was about to speak. But before he could open his mouth, two beams of light flew into the air. When the light faded, Nong Dong and So Hong appeared.

“You!”

“Indeed, you were ahead of us.”

Both of them spoke in surprised tones. So Hong looked puzzled to see Han Li unharmed, while Nong Dong could not hide his joy at Ye Ying’s presence.

“Brother Nong and Fellow Daoist So! You two are one step behind me,” Ye Ying muttered calmly, looking at the two cultivators.

“The item, did Miss Ye get it?” Nong Dong asked, looking at the jade slip in Ye Ying’s hand with a subtle expression that seemed to be smiling and not smiling. So Hong’s expression also changed at those words.

“Yes, I just got it. To be honest, Fellow Daoist Han was the first to arrive here,” Ye Ying said.

“Brother Han, was there only that jade slip here?” After a moment of silence, So Hong suddenly looked at Han Li. Han Li nodded expressionlessly. So Hong was silent at his reaction, and Nong Dong also kept his mouth shut, staring at Ye Ying. Only Ye Ying was smiling and fiddling with the jade slip.

A tense atmosphere began to fill the silent hill. It was a sign of the calm before the storm.

“Fellow Daoist Ye, may I take a look at the jade slip first? There is a member of our Black Peak Clan among the Wood Race spies dispatched here. I’m curious if there is anything written for our clan,” So Hong suddenly relaxed his expression and spoke kindly to Ye Ying.

“I’m afraid not. Coincidentally, there is also a member of our Ye family among the Wood Race spies. How about I check the contents first and then show them to Fellow Daoist So?” Ye Ying said, raising the corners of her mouth and smiling. Then, So Hong’s expression changed drastically, and his eyes became heavy.

“Now that we have the item we need, let’s move quickly. This is not a place to stay for long.”

“I agree,” Ye Ying immediately agreed to Nong Dong’s suggestion. So Hong moved his lips but did not say anything, and Han Li had no other objections either.

As the girl smiled and was about to put away the jade slip in her hand, a silver light suddenly shot out from the nearby old tree without a sound, ambushing Ye Ying. Ye Ying did not even turn her head and scoffed before her figure became blurry and disappeared from the spot.

Swish!

The next moment, before her figure had fully appeared about a dozen feet away, another silver light flew from under her feet.

“…”

However, unlike the first ambush, this time a sound of air being pierced was heard.

A transparent thread of light, barely visible, flew from close by, aiming for the jade slip she was holding. Ye Ying, startled, quickly pulled her arm back, but it was too late to dodge.

Bang!

The jade slip exploded into pieces. The girl, enraged, grabbed the transparent thread of light with her bare hand and pulled it.

Whack.

Then, a huge insect, very blurry as if it were transparent, was pulled from the air. The insect, resembling a silkworm about three or four feet in size, flapped its wings on its back, trying to escape, but it was impossible because the transparent thread was connected to the insect’s mouth.