A Name Shakes the Region, the Six-Winged Frost Centipede

Although Han Yunzhi regretted her decision somewhat, she knew that dwelling on it would be useless now.

Putting away the jade disc, she took a deep breath. Her apricot lips parted slightly, and a glossy, round light orb emerged from her mouth.

The orb spun once in front of Han Yunzhi, then flew down and landed firmly on the head of the large bird beneath her, staying perfectly still.

The woman formed a hand seal, her expression serious as she pointed at the orb. The pearl emitted a dazzling light, and at the same time, the spirit bird lifted its head and cried out. Flapping its wings, it transformed into a white blur, launching forward at a speed nearly half again as fast as before.

However, judging by the fact that Han Yunzhi had not yet retracted her hand seal and her face was slightly pale, this secret technique was clearly one that consumed a great deal of her energy.

But with mortal danger right on her heels, she naturally couldn't afford to be sparing.

She had only just used this secret technique when a sound of thunder came from behind. Her face filled with alarm, Han Yunzhi knew her enemy had finally caught up.

But this flight speed was already the fastest secret technique she could use. Aside from hastily adding a layer of protective light around herself, there was nothing else she could do.

After all, when she chose her cultivation technique to make forming a core easier, she had deliberately avoided any methods with great destructive power.

The result was that after two claps of thunder, one high and one low, a silver arc flashed past her side. Ten-odd zhang in front of her, a human silhouette with wings on its back appeared.

Green light flickered, making it impossible to see the person’s face clearly. But the figure, without a word, slightly raised a hand. Several piercing azure rainbows abruptly appeared.

A look of despair crossed Han Yunzhi's face, and she was about to close her eyes and await death.

“Eh? It’s you.” After a glance at Han Yunzhi’s face, the person let out a surprised exclamation. With a casual wave of his hand, the azure light vanished.

Greatly puzzled, Han Yunzhi tried to focus on the other person. But the figure, surrounded by crackling lightning and thunder, had already disappeared from the spot.

Han Yunzhi was stunned.

But in that brief moment, the thunder sounded again behind her.

Her heart sinking, she quickly tried to turn her head, but a “pfft” sound signaled the breaking of her protective barrier. A slender golden arc of lightning shot out and struck her.

Han Yunzhi instantly felt her entire body go numb. Her body involuntarily slumped from the spirit bird. At the same time, she vaguely felt someone catch her from the front. A masculine scent rushed into her nostrils. Flustered and indignant, she promptly fell unconscious.

Standing there with the woman in his arms, Han Li revealed a wry smile on his face, looking somewhat helpless.

…

After an unknown period of time, Han Yunzhi slowly awoke. Opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was a cloudless blue sky.

Startled, she quickly sat up, only to find herself on a small, nameless hill.

Not far away, the large white bird was docilely crouching to the side, also seemingly unconscious.

Han Yunzhi hurried over to check. Fortunately, the bird had only been placed under a very simple restriction, easily undone.

Only then did she relax. She awakened the spirit bird, mounted it, and flew high into the sky, looking around.

This place was not far from where she had been captured; she hadn’t been moved much at all.

Judging by the time, it seemed not long had passed.

Han Yunzhi stared blankly for a long moment. Then, as if remembering something terrifying, she anxiously examined her clothes and body.

Everything was normal. She hadn’t experienced any horrible ordeal. Furthermore, the storage pouch on her body and the strange treasure in her bosom were all still there, seemingly untouched.

For a moment, Han Yunzhi was truly stupefied.

Not only had the other party not killed her, they had also left her utterly unmolested. What was going on?

She was bewildered.

Recalling the exclamation of surprise the person had made just before she lost consciousness, a look of shock and doubt appeared on her face.

Could that Nascent Soul cultivator really know her? Or was he an old acquaintance of hers? But as far as she could remember, aside from some Founding Ancestors of the Imperial Spirit Sect, she hadn’t met a single Nascent Soul cultivator from any other sect.

Unfortunately, the person had moved too quickly. She hadn’t been able to see their face clearly. The build was utterly ordinary, with no distinguishing features at all. The only sound was that surprised exclamation, which didn’t reveal anything.

Han Yunzhi stood there in a daze, pondering for a long while, but still came up with nothing.

Then, she reached into her bosom and pulled out the green jade disc.

Forming a hand seal and murmuring an incantation, she shot a white spell incantation at the disc.

Immediately, the treasure shimmered with green light, and a red dot lit up on its smooth surface.

Seeing this, Han Yunzhi’s delicate brows furrowed tightly. Recalling how instantly she had been restrained, a greater sense of fear washed over her.

Her fellow disciple, Liu, had either been killed or had already escaped the range of this treasure’s detection.

Judging by the other party’s ruthless methods from the beginning, the former was more likely.

Han Yunzhi let out a faint sigh. Putting away the treasure, she guided her spirit bird away from this place.

…

At the same time, tens of thousands of li away, Han Li was flying as an azure rainbow, holding a young woman in his arms.

Looking down at the full-figured beauty in his embrace, his expression was calm, revealing no unusual emotion.

A short while ago, after knocking out Han Yunzhi, he had immediately changed direction to pursue the other female cultivator of the Imperial Spirit Sect.

As soon as the woman saw Han Li catching up, she turned pale with fright and released several foot-long Flying Heaven Centipedes from her spirit beast pouch.

These centipedes were completely different from ordinary ones. Their bodies were pitch-black and shiny, with pure white wings on their backs. As they swarmed out of the spirit beast pouch, they spat out large mouthfuls of snow-white frost, appearing exceedingly ferocious.

At first, Han Li was startled. Then, immense joy filled his heart.

If his eyes weren't deceiving him, these ferocious centipedes were actually the “Six-Winged Frost Centipedes,” ranked eighteenth on the Strange Insect List. Like his Gold Devourer Beetles, this type of centipede was one of the ancient spirit insects from the primordial wild times.

Legend had it that they possessed a trace of ice-attribute True Dragon bloodline. Once they evolved into their mature form, their bodies would be pure white, with six wings growing from their backs. The chilling air they spewed could cover a hundred li and freeze everything.

However, these centipedes, like his original Gold Devourer Beetles, were clearly all in their larval stage. The chilling air they spat might be difficult for an ordinary cultivator to withstand, but for Han Li, who had refined some of the Dry Azure Ice Flame, it was nothing to fear.

Han Li immediately executed his technique. Sweeping his sleeve, he casually gathered the chilling air and unceremoniously absorbed it into his body, leaving the woman surnamed Liu utterly terrified.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, he used a Lightning Evasion technique, subdued the woman, and rendered her unconscious.

With her consciousness lost, the several Flying Heaven Centipedes automatically flew back into the spirit beast pouch.

Han Li looked at the beautiful woman in his arms, a look of hesitation flickering across his face.

Killing her would naturally be an effortless task. But then he would not be able to obtain these “Six-Winged Frost Centipedes.” The reason was that cultivators who tamed spirit beasts and insects, fearing that their spirit pets might fall into the hands of their enemies if they died unexpectedly, would generally place a self-destruction restriction on them in addition to the standard master recognition restriction. Once the master died and their origin soul dissipated, the spirit beast or insect would also self-destruct.

Naturally, a cultivator who felt their end was near, or who wished to pass these pets on to their disciples or descendants, would remove this restriction.

Han Li’s Gold Devourer Beetles also had this same restriction placed on them.

If Han Li wanted to obtain the eggs of these Frost Centipedes, he naturally couldn’t resort to lethal force.

Furthermore, Han Li also had some other thoughts about the Imperial Spirit Sect’s techniques for controlling insects.

After all, the Imperial Spirit Sect had originally been renowned across the entire Heavenly South for its ability to drive spirit insects and beasts. They undoubtedly had many unique methods in the way of controlling insects.

His Gold Devourer Beetles required better secret techniques and restrictions to strengthen their control.

With this thought in mind, Han Li placed several talismans on the woman’s body to seal her spiritual power and keep her unconscious for a short time. Then, holding her, he transformed into an azure rainbow and soared away.

As for Han Yunzhi, this gentle woman who had once reminded him of his little sister, Han Li couldn’t bring himself to treat her harshly.

In the end, he was not a person who could be heartlessly ruthless.

He had no choice but to leave her here and simply ignore her.

After all, Han Yunzhi hadn’t seen his face clearly. Even if she returned, she probably wouldn’t be able to say anything concrete.

And as long as he hurried back to Xi Country, even if the matter was eventually exposed, what could the Imperial Spirit Sect and the Ghost Spirit Sect truly do to him?

After all, the Heavenly Alliance and the Devil Dao were originally hostile to each other. In previous years, the Heavenly Fiend Sect Master had personally made a scene at the three sects’ sacred grounds in the Yunmeng Mountains, leaving the three sects with nothing but a bitter loss.

As long as a person wasn’t truly trapped or captured alive, the two great powers could only snipe at each other from a distance, exchanging words.

Han Li was well aware of this.

Now, he had to rush back without a moment’s rest. He couldn’t afford to be cornered within the Devil Dao’s sphere of influence by their Nascent Soul old monsters.

With this thought, Han Li’s flight speed unconsciously increased again.

(This chapter was quite difficult to write. I revised it several times back and forth, and I’m only barely satisfied with the current version. But looking up, I see the sky is bright again. Speechless. This is it for this chapter. Time to sleep. Sweat drops. When will I ever stop staying up late!)