137: The collusion between humans and demons strengthens the soul

Under the moonlight, by the riverbank, a figure arrived, treading on the moonlight.

The river water in the night flowed with a gurgling sound, and waves rolled.

A cold Aura permeated the air. Under the cover of night, apart from the sound of the flowing river, almost no other sounds could be heard.

Standing under a willow tree by the river, Han Li gazed into the distance.

“Baoping County…”

“It’s getting late. I’ll rest here tonight.”

As he spoke, Han Li took out his ruyi compass and checked it. After confirming there were no issues, his figure vanished from the riverbank.

The county town was not large, and at night, there were hardly any people around.

Entering the county town, Han Li casually found an inn and settled down.

“Guest, take this.”

In front of the room, the Shopkeeper handed him a talisman.

“?”

Looking at the talisman in front of him, Han Li felt a trace of spiritual energy.

There was a hint of True Qi, but the spiritual energy was very weak. In his eyes, it was no different from an ordinary talisman.

“What does this mean?”

Looking at the Shopkeeper, Han Li was puzzled.

It was the first time he had encountered such a situation while staying at an inn.

Giving talismans to guests.

Is Baoyue Country like this everywhere?

Han Li found it very strange.

Seeing Han Li’s surprised expression, the Shopkeeper smiled and said, “Guest, this is a Peace Talisman blessed by a Master. When you stay here at night, we give one to every guest, because Yin Demons appear at night. As long as you have a Peace Talisman, you’ll be fine.”

“…”

“They’re not just a little rampant!”

“Yin Demons are causing trouble even in the center of the county town.”

A thought flashed through Han Li’s mind.

The chaos here in Baoyue Country seems to be even worse than he imagined.

He encountered a River God during the day, and now unknown Yin Demons at night.

Is there no safe place in this Baoyue Country?!

“Guest, you are an outsider, you don’t understand how formidable those Yin Demons are. They appear at night and will enter people’s dreams to devour them. If you don’t have a Peace Talisman for protection, the Yin Demons will appear, and at that time, it will be dangerous.”

Looking at Han Li, the Shopkeeper said earnestly.

“What do those Yin Demons look like?”

Han Li asked the Shopkeeper.

“I’m not sure, I haven’t seen them, but these Yin Demons are indeed real. Please take this Peace Talisman, Guest, there are no extra charges.” The Shopkeeper said.

“Alright, then thank you.” Han Li nodded and accepted the Peace Talisman.

Watching the Shopkeeper leave, Han Li closed the door and looked at the so-called “Peace Talisman.”

“A single Spirit-Repelling Talisman can ensure safety?”

Han Li looked at the talisman in his hand. A wisp of golden flame appeared in his palm, directly incinerating it into nothingness.

“Appearing at night, then I’d like to see what kind of monster this is…”

Han Li’s True Qi stirred, and a window automatically opened.

Immediately, he went to the bed, lay down, and the True Qi in his body automatically circulated in a grand cycle… Midnight.

Baoping County was already silent, the night engulfing this small county town.

Only scattered lights illuminated the darkness.

In the inn room, Han Li lay motionless on the bed, seemingly in a deep sleep.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked out the window. The pitch-black night was like an abyss.

“Hmm, why does this Aura feel like the third layer of the abyss in that Demon Suppression Valley?”

Han Li felt surprised.

Relying on his vast mental will, Han Li sensed a special wisp of Aura outside.

This Aura reminded him of the monster he encountered in the third layer of the abyss crack in the Sect’s Demon Suppression Valley.

And that monster was also an Yin Demon, but it was not a physical Yin Demon, nor a ghost or spirit. It was a special kind of monster, more like the Yin Demon that Tang Sanzang had mentioned.

“It’s even stronger than the one in the abyss back then. It seems this Yin Demon is not simple.”

Han Li looked at the pitch-black night. In the next instant, his figure moved.

In a flash, he disappeared from the room.

In the pitch-black night, Han Li, relying on his powerful mental will, captured the trace of the Yin Demon.

Without previous contact with such things, it would be very difficult to detect.

Although there was also Yin Demon Qi, this kind of Yin Demon Qi could only be sensed by a sufficiently powerful spirit.

Otherwise, it would require a face-to-face encounter.

Back in the abyss crack, Han Li had suffered countless attacks from Yin Demon monsters.

They were impossible to guard against, but the interference from the Yin Demon monsters had no effect on him.

Meeting one here today, Han Li wanted to investigate… In the pitch-black night, Han Li’s figure moved like a ghost.

Relying on his powerful mental will, Han Li sensed a monster in the dark night.

A semi-illusory, semi-real existence, almost invisible to the naked eye under the cover of night, but in Han Li’s mental will, it was as bright as a beacon in the darkness.

“Jie~”

A peculiar sound rang out, piercing directly into the Soul. In the next instant, the Yin Demon monster fled into the distance.

However, Han Li did not immediately make a move, but instead followed its traces.

He felt that this Yin Demon monster seemed to be not simple; it might not be alone.

Perhaps it had accomplices.

He suspected that the Master mentioned by the Shopkeeper was an accomplice.

Of course, this was just speculation.

Everything would only become clear after he found out the truth.

Speeding through the night, the Yin Demon monster had no physical form, so its speed was very fast, but Han Li followed steadily behind it.

Before long, the Yin Demon monster left the county town center and headed towards a temple outside the city.

Han Li followed closely behind. Under the night sky, only scattered lights illuminated the temple. Entering the temple, Han Li followed the Aura and arrived at a Buddhist hall.

At this moment, the Yin Demon had been pursued by him and was cornered inside the Buddhist hall.

Under the lamplight, the Yin Demon could be clearly seen.

Its hideous appearance looked extremely terrifying.

Sensing Han Li’s powerful Aura, the Yin Demon clearly showed a hint of fear.

“Om—!”

Han Li’s True Qi stirred, directly transforming into an invisible hand that grabbed the Yin Demon monster.

“Friend, please stop.”

At this moment, a voice suddenly came from behind a door next to the Buddhist hall.

Han Li ignored it, grabbing the Yin Demon monster with one hand, firmly trapping it.

His powerful True Qi rendered the Yin Demon monster completely immobile.

“Jie jie—!!”

The Yin Demon monster let out another peculiar cry, seemingly calling for help.

At this moment, the door in the Buddhist hall opened, and a monk wearing a Buddhist robe appeared before Han Li.

He had a fleshy face, and on this monk, Han Li also sensed the same Yin Demon Aura.

However, it was not emanating from the monk himself, but rather from the Yin Demon Aura clinging to the Yin Demon monster.

“This is a spirit I raised, Your Excellency. Please be merciful and spare my spirit.”

The monk looked at Han Li and said.

Han Li looked at the monk in front of him, who was at the Innate First Realm of Cultivation.

However, Han Li hadn’t expected how this Yin Demon and this monk were together?

Was this monk the Master mentioned by the Shopkeeper?

It seemed quite likely.

“Om—!”

The golden Innate True Fire appeared. In the next instant, a shrill scream rang out. Before the monk could react, this Yin Demon monster was directly killed by Han Li. A wisp of vital essence surged into his Soul, strengthening his mental will slightly.

“You…”

Seeing the Yin Demon directly killed by Han Li, an angry expression instantly appeared on the monk’s face.

“Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life. Why is Your Excellency so cruel, slaughtering my spirit?”

The monk said angrily.

“Spirit? This thing is clearly an Yin Demon. How is it a spirit?”

“When you colluded with Yin Demons to slaughter and harm people, why didn’t you have the virtue of cherishing life?” Han Li looked at the monk, his gaze cold.

“Swish—!”

With a shift in his figure, Han Li appeared directly in front of the monk and clasped his hand around the monk’s neck.

“No… don’t kill me, I… I was also forced.” The monk said with a terrified expression, his voice strained.

“Forced? Who forced you?” Han Li looked at the monk, his hand still clamped, not loosening in the slightest.

“It… it was a Great King. He… he instructed… me… this humble monk. If… if I didn’t… didn’t do his bidding, he would… would… kill me. I was also… forced… forced by helplessness.” The monk spoke intermittently.

A ray of light flashed in Han Li’s star-like eyes.

Great King…!

Could it be… an Yin Demon King?

There’s another big fish!

If he could eliminate an Yin Demon King, his spiritual Soul would surely grow considerably.

Thinking of this, Han Li’s hand loosened.

“Hoo… hoo… hoo…”

The monk gasped for air, his face extremely pale.

“Is the Great King you speak of also this Yin Demon?” Han Li said faintly.

“Yes, no, I’m not sure if it is.” The monk shook his head.

“Not sure?”

Han Li’s gaze turned cold, and a powerful Aura emanated. The monk’s face turned pale, feeling as if a great mountain was pressing down on him.

“This humble monk truly doesn’t know. That Great King only told me to listen to him, and he would give me benefits, allowing my Cultivation to Breakthrough.” The monk said hastily.

“Then you should know where your Great King is, right?” Han Li said faintly.

“I know.”

The monk nodded.

“Then lead the way. I want to meet your Great King.” Han Li said faintly.

“This…” The monk’s face showed hesitation.

“If you don’t go, you’ll die now!” Han Li’s expression instantly turned chilling, and a wisp of Aura overflowed. The monk’s face changed, and he quickly nodded.

“Alright, alright, I’ll lead the way now.”

As he spoke, the monk walked out of the Buddhist hall, activated his True Qi, and flew directly into the night.

Han Li followed closely behind, trailing the monk.

After a moment, the monk stopped, arriving at a mountain. Not far away was a dilapidated mountain temple.

“Is your Great King here?” Han Li said faintly.

“Yes.” The monk nodded.

Han Li looked towards the mountain temple. In his mind, he sensed an Aura similar to that of an Yin Demon.

However, it was much more powerful. Compared to the Yin Demon he had killed, it was like comparing a small witch to a great one.

“Om—!”

Just then, from within the mountain temple, a tremor was heard. Immediately after, a black-robed man stepped out of the mountain temple.

An Aura similar to that of an Yin Demon emanated from him.

With a condensed Physical Body, there was no need to guess; this was undoubtedly the Yin Demon King.

Han Li’s gaze fell upon this Yin Demon King.

He felt that this Yin Demon King should be comparable to a Peak Yin Demon of the Extreme Realm.

However, Yin Demons possessed extraordinary methods, specializing in Soul attack techniques, which were not to be underestimated.

Stepping out of the mountain temple, in a few steps, the Yin Demon King arrived nearby.

“Very good, you’ve brought another one. Once this King kills him, you can obtain a saint pill.”

The Yin Demon King spoke, his voice hoarse.

At this moment, the monk moved and instantly arrived in front of the Yin Demon King.

“Thank you, Great King. This person is very strong, Great King, please be careful.”

The monk said with a fawning expression.

Han Li quietly watched the Human and the Yin Demon King.

From the Yin Demon King's words, it seemed this wasn't the first time he had done such a thing.

Such deep collusion with demons.

This fellow had lost all his Heart-Nature.

"Haha, you did well this time. This King will reward you handsomely."

The Yin Demon King laughed loudly.

Hearing this, the Monk's face became even more fawning.

"Thank you, Great King."

The Monk was delighted, then retreated a few steps.

"Your spirit is very strong, very good. After devouring you, this King will be able to advance further."

Looking at Han Li, the Yin Demon King said with a chilling tone.

"A creature from the Yin Domain causing trouble in the Human Realm, your guts aren't small, are they?" Han Li's voice rang out.

"Enough talk, prepare to die!"

The Yin Demon King's Aura stirred, and in the next instant, a pitch-black Demonic Claw appeared, rushing directly towards Han Li.

"Sizzle~!!"

Behind Han Li, a Thunder God Avatar suddenly manifested, with crisscrossing lightning flashing, dispelling the darkness.

With a light punch, the pitch-black Demonic Claw instantly shattered.

"Hmm?"

The Yin Demon King was startled. Then, he let out a roar, his pitch-black eyes emitting an extreme, eerie glow, capable of seizing Souls.

In an instant, Han Li felt his Soul vibrate, as if it was about to be devoured.

"Don't resist. Your will cannot withstand this King's Soul-Seizing Eye."

An ethereal voice echoed in Han Li's ears.

"Is that so?"

Han Li's voice rang out. In the next instant, he suddenly vanished from his spot, instantly closing in and striking the Yin Demon King with a punch.

"Bang—!"

The punch landed on the Yin Demon King, and a strange scene occurred: the Yin Demon King's body instantly transformed into black Qi, scattering, then re-condensing.

"Your power is useless against me."

"This King is immortal and indestructible!"

The Yin Demon King's face was filled with arrogant laughter.

"Immortal and indestructible?"

A cold glint flashed in Han Li's eyes. In the next instant, his vast spiritual power instantly surged.

Several Celestial God Pierces erupted.

The Yin Demon King was startled, but he could no longer dodge. The Celestial God Pierces instantly pierced into his body.

"Ugh..."

The Yin Demon King let out a muffled groan, his face showing pain.

However, before he could even catch his breath, a vortex suddenly appeared above the Yin Demon King's head.

A terrifying power restrained his body.

Sensing the terrifying nature of this vortex, the Yin Demon King's surrounding Aura surged, and with a roar, the vortex instantly dissipated.

Han Li's face also paled slightly.

"It seems my Soul is still quite strained..."

Han Li's gaze sharpened. In the next instant, lightning illuminated, and a Thunder Seal directly blasted out.

"Boom—!!!"

In the silent mountains, a huge roar echoed, and lightning flashed.

Amidst the dazzling lightning, the Yin Demon King's dishevelled figure appeared.

But before he could even catch his breath, a second Thunder Seal descended.

With a "boom," it engulfed the Yin Demon King's body, and painful roars emanated.

The Yin Demon King's body had already become somewhat ethereal.

However, in the next instant, Han Li struck with a punch, lightning crisscrossing, tearing through the darkness, and completely shattering the Yin Demon King's body on the spot.

Lightning destroyed it.

His immortal body was directly pulverized by the lightning, and a black bead appeared.

The Yin Demon Bead.

A bead that could only be condensed by a Yin Demon King who had Cultivated, equivalent to the Demonic Core of an ordinary Demon King.

Vast Essence Qi surged into his body, which Han Li directly sealed away.

At this moment, not far away, the Monk looked at the Yin Demon King, who had died without a trace, revealing horror. Without hesitation, he instantly flew into the darkness.

"Whoosh—!"

A sound of tearing air rang out, and a brilliant Divine Sword directly severed the Monk's head, separating his body.

With a "bang," it fell to the ground, blood splattering everywhere.

Han Li's figure moved, and he obtained a hundred treasure sack from the dead Monk.

After collecting the hundred treasure sack, Han Li directly used Innate True Fire to completely incinerate it.

The night returned to silence.

As if nothing had happened at all.

Han Li exhaled. The Yin Demon King was indeed formidable; ordinary attacks could destroy his body but couldn't kill him. However, Ben Lei Fist was different. Thunder Gods Wrath was a natural lightning attack Divine Ability, completely countering him.

This was also a Peak Yin Demon King. If it were an ordinary Yin Demon King, he wouldn't have been able to withstand a single Thunder Seal and would have been directly annihilated.

"Could this Yin Demon King have escaped from the Yin Domain?" Han Li looked at the mountain temple not far away, feeling surprised.

The Yin Domain was far away in the Central Continent, separated from the Southern Continent by tens of thousands of miles, if not more.

Meeting a Yin Demon King here, Han Li still found it very strange.

"Let's see if there are any more..."

Looking at the mountain temple, Han Li's figure moved, and he quickly arrived inside the mountain temple.

This mountain temple was just an ordinary mountain temple.

However, under Han Li's spiritual investigation, he still sensed a passage hidden behind the abandoned idol in the mountain temple.

It led directly underground.

Han Li moved the idol aside and directly entered the passage.

Soon, he arrived at an underground space beneath the mountain temple.

Here, a powerful Yin Demon Aura still permeated.

It seemed this was the Yin Demon King's lair.

Scanning the surroundings, Han Li looked at an idol in the center.

The idol was very large, but there was nothing special about it.

And in a corner nearby, there was a dark green gourd.

Han Li stepped forward, opened the gourd, and a rich, bloody smell emanated.

Inside the gourd were numerous blood-colored Medicinal Pills.

Emitting a powerful Essence Qi.

He poured out a blood-colored Medicinal Pill, which was covered with strange patterns.

"Blood God Pill..."

Looking at this blood-colored Medicinal Pill, Han Li's pupils contracted.

As an Alchemy Great Master, he had naturally read many Medicinal Pill texts.

This was a forbidden Medicinal Pill.

The Blood God Pill was a special Medicinal Pill refined entirely from the Essence Blood of Human Martial Artists.

Among them, some special Materials were also needed.

And these Materials were the bones of Martial Artists.

Although this Medicinal Pill could temporarily increase cultivation, it had significant side effects.

It caused people's Heart-Nature to become lost. Eating too much would cause one's mind to change, become uncontrollable, and turn into a killing Puppet.

This was the formidable aspect of the Blood God Pill.

"The saint pill the Monk mentioned should be this thing..."

Han Li looked at this gourd of Medicinal Pills. Many Martial Artists must have been killed for this.

"Buzz—!"

Innate True Fire burned, and Han Li, along with the gourd, completely incinerated the Blood God Pills.

He naturally didn't need this thing.

Moreover, it was a very malicious forbidden Medicinal Pill. Generally, no one would dare to accept such a thing.

Only some Demonic Path individuals needed it, but even top-tier Demonic Path Martial Artists didn't need this thing.

The side effects were great, it harmed the mind, and while it offered a short-term increase, for top-tier Demonic Path Martial Artists, there were better methods.

It was a mere chicken rib.

He scanned the underground space, confirming there were no omissions, then Han Li left.

Stepping out of the mountain temple, he flew into the sky and disappeared into the vast night... A moment later, Han Li silently returned to his inn room.

He had originally thought it was just a small demon, but he didn't expect to encounter a big catch.

The Essence Qi of the Yin Demon King was far more powerful than tens of thousands of Yin Demons.

It greatly enhanced his spiritual Soul.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Han Li's thoughts stirred, and the sealed Essence Qi and blood Qi instantly surged into his body.

One entered his Physical Body, the other went straight to his Celestial Court.

His spirit and Physical Body were enhanced simultaneously.

Han Li circulated the Heavenly Evolution Divine Art. In the center of his Celestial Court, his seated Soul emitted a dim light.

A powerful spiritual fluctuation spread throughout the room.

Golden light also rose on his skin; the Monk's blood Qi was absorbed by his Dragon Elephant Primordial Embryo.

However, the improvement was not significant. The blood Qi of just one Innate First Realm Martial Artist was completely insufficient for him to Cultivate a Dragon Elephant Divine Embryo.

He Cultivated another Dragon Elephant Primordial Embryo, increasing his strength by ten thousand jun.

But the important thing was the spiritual enhancement.

Vast Essence Qi poured into his Soul, and Han Li's Soul grew at a visible rate.

His Soul body also became increasingly solid, and the spiritual fluctuations it emitted became stronger.

This was Han Li's first time killing a Yin Demon King, and it was a Peak Realm Yin Demon King at that.

The Essence Qi provided by this single Yin Demon King was even more powerful than all the Essence Qi from the abyss crack in Demon Suppression Valley... A moment passed, and Han Li opened his eyes.

The Essence Qi of a Peak Yin Demon King directly magnified his Soul several times.

It became increasingly solid.

In the center of his Celestial Court, his Soul emitted powerful spiritual fluctuations.

Like a miniature Han Li, it looked more like a physical entity than before.

With a thought, light flickered between Han Li's eyebrows. In the next instant, his Soul directly underwent Soul Emergence.

Floating in the air of the room, Han Li's Soul directly came to the window.

With a spiritual thought, the tightly closed window suddenly opened.

His Soul appeared in the night sky.

This was his second Soul Emergence.

Compared to the first time, it was completely different.

Han Li could still feel the suction coming from the Nine Heavens, but with his current Soul, he could easily resist this wave of suction.

However, Han Li didn't fly too far. After circling once, he returned to the room.

Looking at himself on the bed, Han Li's Soul's face showed a smile.

The next second, his Soul entered his Celestial Court, and Han Li also opened his eyes at the same time.

"With my current Soul, even if my Physical Body is killed, my Soul can persist for a year without dissipating..."

"I can even Possess and Rebirth!"

Han Li's eyes were sharp.

Absorbing this wave of Essence Qi greatly enhanced his Soul.

With a thought, twenty-five Celestial God Pierces appeared in the Void Realm!

They even reached a visible degree, like white light, forming the Celestial God Pierces.

With a thought, the Celestial God Pierces reunited, emitting a golden glow.

Then they dissipated again, turning into nothing.

"With my current Soul, if I use the Soul Vortex, I can definitely restrain a Yin Demon King. However, to devour it, a Peak Yin Demon King might still be tough. I'd need the assistance of Thunder Gods Wrath to kill it."

Han Li clicked his tongue.

He had been in Baoyue Country for a day, and his gains were significant.

Now, Han Li was not in a hurry to go to Pu Tuo Country.

There were many demons in Baoyue Country. He would kill as he went, improving along the way. By the time he reached Pu Tuo Country, his strength would have improved even further.