575: Chapter 85 The Ghost King Retreats, the Point Ends Here

How dare you, you brat!

Just as You Ji, sensing the unfavorable turn of events, began to consider retreat, Wan Wanwang let out a roar filled with shock and fury.

This was because Meng Li, seeing the Blackwater Xuan Snake's failed strike, increased his magical power output.

The devouring force emitted by the Treasure-Swallowing Gourd instantly surged in power. Unable to withstand the suction, the fulong cauldron let out a hum and broke free from Wan Wanwang's control, flying toward the gourd.

Seeing this, Wan Wanwang's eyes nearly burst from their sockets.

The fulong cauldron was not only his Magic Treasure but also a significant token of authority for the Ghost King Sect Master. For the Ghost King Sect, its status was comparable to the Hehuan Golden Bell for the Hehuan Sect, the blood-devouring pearl for the Blood Refining Hall, and the zhu xian sword for the Qingyun Sect.

Furthermore, it was a crucial component for setting up the Four Spirit Blood Array.

If it were taken by Meng Li, not only would his grand ambitions be difficult to achieve, but his prestige would also suffer.

Therefore, the fulong cauldron could not be lost!

His mind raced like lightning. Seeing that he could not recall the fulong cauldron, Wan Wanwang did not hesitate and flew toward Meng Li, who was controlling the Treasure-Swallowing Gourd. As he moved, he formed hand seals, causing black Qi to surge around him, transforming into a horde of ferocious evil spirits that lunged at Meng Li.

Seeing this, Meng Li prepared to act, but a figure stepped forward first, brandishing a sword to summon lightning.

In an instant, several bright white bolts of lightning descended from the sky, sharp as swords or blades, scattering the evil spirits into nothingness.

Seeing his killing move thwarted, Wan Wanwang felt another surge of shock and anger. He then stared at the person who had intervened and spat out three words through gritted teeth: "Tian! Buyi!"

The one who had intervened was indeed Tian Buyi.

Tian Buyi's intervention was, for Wan Wanwang, both expected and unexpected.

It was expected because Meng Li was a young Disciple of the Qingyun Sect. It was only natural for Tian Buyi, as his elder, to step in to protect him.

What was unexpected to him was Tian Buyi's strength.

Wan Wanwang remembered that Tian Buyi's talent was not exceptional. During the last Righteous-Demonic War, he had only just entered the Shangqing Realm. Yet now, he could contend with Wan Wanwang himself, whose strength was comparable to the Late Stage of the Shangqing Realm.

This progress was truly astonishing.

Similarly surprised were Azure Dragon, You Ji, Ghost Master, as well as Water Moon True Person and Zeng Shuchang.

Hearing this, Tian Buyi gave a faint smile. "Ghost King, it's been many years. Your bearing remains as impressive as ever."

Upon hearing these words, Wan Wanwang's already unpleasant expression grew even darker. Tian Buyi's words seemed fine on the surface, but considering their recent clash and their opposing stances, he strongly suspected it was a veiled jab at his lack of progress in cultivation.

Most importantly, with Tian Buyi's obstruction, the fulong cauldron had already been drawn into Meng Li's Treasure-Swallowing Gourd.

Feeling his connection with the fulong cauldron severed, Wan Wanwang's eyes turned bloodshot. He gritted his teeth and angrily rebuked, "As a Disciple of the Qingyun Sect, forcibly seizing another's Magic Treasure—is this what you call the 'Righteous Path'?"

This was his attempt, seeing the situation unfavorable for his side, to use the name of the Righteous Path to play a moral card.

Meng Li let out a cold laugh and declared loudly, "What do you mean, 'forcibly seizing'? It was you who tried to seize my Spirit Beast first. I am merely returning the favor."

Wan Wanwang was taken aback. "Your Spirit Beast?"

Ghost Master, Azure Dragon, You Ji, Bi Yao, and others were equally astonished.

Tian Buyi said, "This Blackwater Xuan Snake was subdued by my seventh Disciple long ago. It is his Spirit Beast."

"Nonsense!"

"How could the Blackwater Xuan Snake be so easily subdued?"

Wan Wanwang simply did not believe it.

He knew from Azure Dragon, Ghost Master, and others that Meng Li's cultivation was high, but the Blackwater Xuan Snake was also immensely powerful. He had just witnessed its ferocity firsthand.

Such a mythical beast—if not for the highly restraining fulong cauldron, he might not have dared to even consider targeting it.

Now, Tian Buyi claimed Meng Li had subdued the Blackwater Xuan Snake? How was that possible?

Meng Li couldn't be bothered to waste words. He simply shouted lightly toward the Blackwater Xuan snake, which was still confronting the Kui Ox in the sea: "Xuan Snake, strike him!"

The Blackwater Xuan Snake opened its mouth and hissed, manipulating a large amount of seawater to lift itself into the air. It then charged toward Wan Wanwang, swinging its tail for a strike.

It had now restored its original size, its body over four zhang thick. Even its relatively thinner tail, except for the very tip, was several meters in diameter. Combined with its terrifying length, this tail strike appeared to onlookers like a massive wall sweeping horizontally, whistling through the air with an intimidating force.

Wan Wanwang's face instantly turned green. Without a second thought, he transformed into a streak of light to evade.

Cultivators in this world were like fragile mages—high attack, low defense.

Using his Physical Body to clash head-on with the Blackwater Xuan Snake would be no different from striking a stone with an egg, not just for Wan Wanwang, but even for Mysterious Dao.

Having its first strike blocked by Azure Dragon and now this tail swipe missing, the Blackwater Xuan Snake grew furious. It turned and, riding a massive wave, lunged toward the Ghost King Sect group.

Wan Wanwang had just reappeared at the front of the formation. Seeing this, his expression changed drastically. Gritting his teeth, he commanded, "Retreat!"

With that, he once again transformed into a streak of light and flew into the distance.

By now, Azure Dragon, You Ji, and the others had long been considering retreat. Hearing the order, they immediately scattered without hesitation.

You Ji grabbed Bi Yao, and together they transformed into streaks of light and fled.

Ghost Master and Azure Dragon each took a portion of the Ghost King Sect's elite Disciples with them.

The remaining portion, those not taken, were doomed.

Because the Blackwater Xuan Snake had arrived. Its massive body thrashed, stirring up violent winds and huge waves.

The abandoned Ghost King Sect Disciples let out screams as they were sent flying in all directions, plummeting from the sky, either dead or severely injured.

Only when not a single person remained in the air did the Blackwater Xuan Snake stop.

Then, it turned its head toward the wary Kui Ox, hissing a challenge.

The Kui Ox roared, causing the sea surface to surge and churn violently. Then, it turned, stomped its foot, and leaped into the waves, disappearing from sight.

It ran away?!

The Blackwater Xuan Snake was momentarily stunned. Instinctively, it wanted to give chase but was stopped by Meng Li's beckoning gesture.

In the end, it could only hiss once, shrink its body, and return to the storage pouch.

Meng Li tied the storage pouch securely and hung it at his waist. Together with Tian Buyi, he returned to the Qingyun Sect's ranks.

As soon as the two returned, Water Moon True Person suggested leading the Disciples to pursue and eliminate the scattered Ghost King Sect members.

Neither Meng Li nor Tian Buyi objected to this.

They had all come together. Since Meng Li and Tian Buyi had handled the major confrontation and taken the spotlight, it was only fair to let the others have some sense of participation.

As for taking advantage of the momentum to pursue and attack Huqi Mountain to wipe out the Ghost King Sect...

No one brought it up.

The reasons were twofold: first, the Ghost King Sect's main headquarters was not an easy place to assault; second, it was to maintain a balance, much like the righteous sects and the Quanxing in the under one person world.

While the Righteous and Demonic Paths were indeed opposing camps, irreconcilably hostile, the Schools within the same camp were not entirely harmonious either.

The Demonic Path sects need not be mentioned—survival of the fittest, with long-standing grudges.

Among the Righteous Path, the three top factions—the Qingyun Sect, Tianyin Pavilion, and Fenxiang Valley—claimed solidarity, but in reality, conflicts and rivalries existed among them.

Between the Qingyun Sect and Tianyin Pavilion, there was the matter of Universal Wisdom.

The issues between Fenxiang Valley and the Qingyun Sect could be glimpsed from the discord between Li Xun and Zeng Shushu.

With the Demonic Path as a common external enemy, the three major Schools, all claiming the Righteous Path, could still maintain surface-level harmony and amity. If the Demonic Path were completely eradicated, removing the external pressure, the problems among the three major Schools would likely become increasingly apparent, eventually leading to conflict among themselves.

This problem stemmed from human nature. Meng Li had no solution. To prevent things from developing to that point, he had chosen to stop at the appropriate moment with the Ghost King Sect members.