Although Han Yunzhi felt slight regret at her previous decision, she knew there was nothing she could do about it now. She could only put away the jade disk with a sigh. She then spat out a translucent, glowing pearl. The pearl revolved once around her and then fell onto the large bird’s head, rigidly staying in position without any movement.

The woman clutched her hands in an incantation gesture and pointed to the pearl with a solemn expression. As the pearl released a blinding radiance, the bird raised its head and cawed. With a shake of its wings, the giant white bird left a trail of white light in its wake, shooting forward with even greater speed.

Han Yunzhi didn’t cease using the technique, and her complexion paled as a result. It was obvious this secret technique sapped much of her vitality, but given how dire the current circumstances were, she had no choice but to make use of it.

Not long after she made use of this secret technique she suddenly heard rumbles of thunder. Alarm appeared on her face, knowing that the Nascent Soul cultivator had finally caught up to her. She had already reached the greatest speed she could muster. There was nothing else she could do apart from hastily covering herself in a barrier; in order to easily enter Core Formation, she had previously cultivated a cultivation technique lacking any powerful abilities. 

With two further claps of thunder, an arc of silver lightning flashed at the woman’s side. A winged silhouette appeared about forty meters ahead of her, while an azure light obscured the man’s face. The man wordlessly raised his arm, summoning several streaks of blinding azure light.

Han Yunzhi revealed an expression of despair and closed her eyes in the face of certain death. 

“Yi! It’s you.” When the silhouette clearly saw Han Yunzhi’s appearance, he shouted out in surprise. The light from his arm dimmed in an instant.

Han Yunzhi was baffled by this. When she thought to examine the other party’s appearance, his figure flickered with silver light and disappeared. Han Yunzhi was at a loss for a moment, but when she heard thunder roar from behind her, she regained clarity of mind.

Just as the woman thought to hastily turn around, her light barrier was shattered, followed by the strike of a sliver of golden lightning.

Han Yunzhi suddenly felt herself turn numb and her limp body fell off the bird. At that same moment, she felt as if she were being carried in a man’s embrace. With shameful fury stirring inside her, she fell unconscious.

Han Li glanced at the woman in his bosom and wryly smiled with a trace of helplessness.

...

After an unknown amount of time passed, Han Yunzhi slowly opened her eyes to a blue, cloudless sky. She then glanced around in alarm and hurriedly stood up, discovering that she was currently at some small mountain.

Her large white bird was crouching nearby as if it had lost consciousness.

Han Yunzhi hastily walked over to take a look at it. Fortunately, the bird was merely affected by a simple restriction that was easy to dispel. The woman then awakened the bird with a breath of relief and flew it into the air, intending to observe her surroundings.

She didn’t seem to be far from where she had lost consciousness, and it appeared that not much time had passed either.

Han Yunzhi appeared to be at a loss for a long while, before suddenly recalling a dreadful matter. She hastily examined her clothes and body. They appeared ordinary as if nothing strange had occurred. Additionally, the magic treasures within her body and her storage pouch were untouched.

This truly dumbfounded Han Yunzhi. Not only was she not killed, but she wasn’t assaulted either. She was completely lost as to what was going on.

Han Yunzhi recalled that before she fainted, the Nascent Soul cultivator yelled in shock, revealing an expression of bewilderment.

Could it be that Nascent Soul cultivator had recognized her? Were they friends? However, she couldn’t recall ever having met any Nascent Soul cultivators from another sect.

Unfortunately, this person moved far too quickly and she wasn’t able to see his appearance while his stature appeared rather ordinary. However, she wasn’t able to make out anything from his cry of alarm.

Han Yunzhi pondered for a while, but she was unable to come up with any answers. She soon took out the jade disk from her robes and formed an incantation gesture with a single hand. After muttering a few words, a streak of white light struck the jade disk and a flicker of green light revealed that only single speck of red light remained.

Han Yunzhi tensely frowned at the sight. She began to feel trepidation when she recalled how she had been effortlessly restrained by the Nascent Soul cultivator.

Her Junior Martial Sister Liu was either killed or left the range of her magic treasure. From the Nascent Soul cultivator’s previous killing spree, it seemed likely to be the former.

She faintly sighed and put away her magic treasure before flying away on her bird....

At that same moment in a far away place, Han Li was flying through the air as he held a young woman in his arms. He looked down at the intact woman in his arms with an entirely calm expression. Not long after he knocked Han Yunzhi unconscious, he immediately changed direction and chased down the other Controlling Spirit Sect cultivator. When this woman saw Han Li chasing after her, she wore an expression of despair and threw several foot-long winged centipedes into the air.

This centipede was quite unordinary. Its body glowed with a pitch-black light and had two snow-white wings on its back. As soon as they left the spirit beast pouch, they spouted out large breaths of frost, resulting in a fierce appearance.

Han Li was initially stunned upon seeing them, but he soon grew elated. If he wasn't mistaken, these exotic insects were the eighteenth rank Winged Frost Centipedes. These centipedes were the same as his Gold Devouring Beetles; they were also an insect species that existed during times of antiquity.

Due to their partial lineage from frost-attribute dragons, their bodies became snow white upon full maturation, grew six wings, and could spew enough icy Qi to freeze anything within fifty kilometers. However, these centipedes were exactly the same as his original Gold Devouring Beetles; they were still only fledglings. The icy Qi they spouted might prove difficult to common cultivators, but to Han Li, who previously refined a trace of Celestial Ice Flames, it was nothing to fear.

Han Li immediately began to circulate his cultivation. He easily swept up the icy Qi with his sleeve and brought it towards his body without the slightest hesitation, much to Cultivator Liu’s shock. He took advantage of this opportunity to restrain the woman through the use of lightning movement and knocked her unconscious.

With the absence of spiritual sense commands, the winged centipedes flew back into their spirit beast pouches.

Han Li glanced at the beautiful woman in his grasp and wore a trace of hesitation.

Killing the woman would only take a very slight effort. But in that case, he’d be incapable of acquiring the Six-Winged Frost Centipedes. Ordinarily, users of spirit beasts and insects placed down self-detonative restrictions to safeguard against having their animals falling into the hands of their killers. Once their master met an unexpected death and their soul scattered, the spirit beast would follow suit and self destruct. Naturally, if cultivators felt that their lifespan was drawing close to the end and wished to impart these animals onto their successors, they would get rid of these restrictions.

Han Li’s Gold Devouring Beetles for example were also placed under similar restrictions.

Since Han Li wished to acquire these centipede eggs, he couldn’t kill the woman. He was also interested in the Controlling Spirit Sect’s method of controlling insects. After all, the Controlling Spirit Sect was renowned in the entire Heavenly South for its beast and insect use. They were certain to have great experience in controlling insects, and were certain to possess a secret technique capable of better controlling his Gold Devouring Beetles.

With that thought, Han Li placed several talismans on her body to restrict her spiritual power and prevent her from waking up. He then carried the woman off in a streak of azure light across the sky.

As for Han Yunzhi, when he recalled that young girl that he met in his youth, he couldn’t bring himself to strike her down. In the end, he wasn’t a heartless man by nature and could only leave the woman alone.

In any case, Han Yunzhi hadn’t seen his true face and would have little to report once she returned. And by the time he headed back to the State of Xi, even if these matters were all revealed, what could the Controlling Spirit Sect and the Ghost Spirit Sect do to him then?

The Heavenly Dao Alliance and the Devil Dao were already hostile with each other. With the Heavenly Fiend Sect Master personally attacking the Dreamcloud Mountain’s sacred area, there were surely grievances being nursed by the three sects of Dreamcloud Mountains. So long as they were incapable of trapping the other, all the two powers would be able to do was menacingly glance at each other and speak boldly.

These circumstances were fully known to Han Li, but for the time being it would be best for him to hurry on his way to avoid being surrounded by other Nascent Soul cultivators.

With that thought, Han Li unconsciously increased his speed.