Whoosh!

The sound of splitting air echoed. The opponent seemed unwilling to give Han Lie any chance to catch his breath, launching another fierce assault like a violent storm. Faced with the immense gap in strength, Han Lie fought while retreating.

Judging from the opponent’s somewhat inexperienced and sluggish movements, Han Lie concluded that this person’s practical combat experience was definitely average. However, the gap between the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage and the Golden Core Stage was simply too vast.

Even though the peak of Foundation Establishment was just one step away from the Golden Core, the difference between them was greater than that between the early Foundation Establishment Stage and its peak! Breaking through minor realms within the Foundation Establishment Stage was merely a quantitative change, but the leap from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core was a qualitative transformation! The two were simply incomparable.

If not for the opponent’s relatively inexperienced combat skills and the bolstering effect of his domineering Pure Yang energy, Han Lie would likely have been slain by now.

“If this continues… I’ll eventually die by her hand!”

While defending, Han Lie’s mind raced. The Golden Core Stage was still too powerful, and this opponent wasn’t an ordinary Golden Core cultivator either! Soon, Han Lie devised a strategy. He forcefully took a frontal blow from the opponent and used the recoil momentum to quickly put some distance between them. Then, raising his black saber high, scorching flame spiritual energy coiled around it.

Following that, he slashed down through the air. A vast surge of flame spiritual energy immediately formed into a five-hundred-zhang colossal spiritual energy phoenix. The light of the flaming phoenix illuminated the night.

Seeing this, the opponent seemed to realize what Han Lie intended. He was trying to create a big commotion to attract attention. As long as someone rushed over here, she would have no choice but to withdraw.

Immediately, she swung her sword. A sword beam of spiritual energy, radiating an icy aura, detached from the blade’s edge. Although it was countered in terms of spiritual energy attributes, relying on sheer quantitative superiority, the sword beam still managed to mutually annihilate with Han Lie’s flaming phoenix, both dissipating into nothingness.

However, the collision of the two spiritual energies still produced a terrifying shockwave that spread outwards, causing quite a disturbance.

For Han Lie, this was undoubtedly good news. He refused to believe that everyone in the Heavenly Void Sect was blind. Couldn’t they see such a huge commotion over here?

And yet!

“Right now, their attention is all on the Sun Moon Sect. Don’t count on anyone coming to save you.”

The opponent pointed her sword from afar. Her voice—hoarse, low-pitched, strangely dual-toned, and neither clearly male nor female—came through. “Submit to your death obediently, and I’ll leave your corpse intact!”

Hearing this, Han Lie’s expression darkened immediately. So, the Sun Moon Sect’s sudden occupation of Mine No. 9 was to divert the Heavenly Void Sect’s attention?

Although the other party had used some method to temporarily alter her voice and adopted a different speaking style, Han Lie was no fool. Apart from Saintess Bai Ling, he couldn’t think of anyone else who could be behind that figure! To eliminate him, this uncertain variable, they were truly willing to go all out.

Thinking about it carefully, it made sense. After all, Bai Ling was a top-tier genius with a quasi-ninth-grade spiritual vein, coupled with the importance of the Yin Yang Demonic Art. Using these methods couldn’t really be considered exaggerated given that context.

“Playing tricks!” Despite being terrified inside, Han Lie maintained a calm facade. “This Senior wants to see just how you plan to kill me today!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Han Lie focused his mind; the flame spiritual energy clinging to his black saber’s edge dissipated. Replacing it was a dark, profound mist exuding an aura of death. Under the cover of night, it was completely undetectable to the naked eye. This was precisely the precursor to unleashing the Soul Devouring Saber Art—Soul Hook!

Currently, Han Lie had very few powerful techniques at his disposal. To retreat unscathed from a Golden Core Stage expert’s hands, he could only rely on Soul Hook striking unexpectedly for victory.

Immediately after, Han Lie took the initiative to attack. With a light tap of his toes, his entire body shot forward like a cannonball. Upon closing within ten zhang, Soul Hook slashed out fiercely!

Buzz!

Amidst the hum of saber intent and under the night’s concealment, an invisible saber beam sliced through the night sky, streaking directly towards the black figure.

“Soul Devouring Saber Art?!”

The opponent recognized Han Lie’s technique, a look of disbelief involuntarily surfacing in her eyes. Shocked but reacting swiftly, she dodged with a nimble maneuver, evading Han Lie’s Soul Hook strike.

“Enough!”

“It’s time for you to bid farewell to this world!”

At this moment, the killing intent in the black figure’s eyes surged even higher. She, a dignified Golden Core Stage cultivator, had actually been held at bay for so long by Han Lie, a mere peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, without achieving victory—this alone was frustrating enough. The Soul Devouring Saber Art Han Lie had just displayed further deepened her murderous intent!

Right after, the black figure levitated her longsword in mid-air, her hands rapidly forming a series of mysterious and obscure hand seals. Following that, Han Lie could see the longsword hovering before the black figure actually split into hundreds upon thousands of swords. Under the black figure’s command, a dense, overwhelming multitude of swords shot towards him from all directions.

“If it’s just this…”

Han Lie narrowed his eyes slightly, focusing completely, his spirit highly concentrated. Facing the encirclement of hundreds of swords, Han Lie shifted his footing subtly, making extremely fine adjustments to his body. Sword after sword seemed on the verge of piercing his body, but each time Han Lie narrowly avoided them at the last moment.

This was precisely the result of Han Lie’s training through meditation cultivation!

“You do have some skill, but it ends here!”

Seizing the moment when Han Lie was entangled by the sword formation attack and unable to break free, the black figure gripped her longsword again. Transforming into a shadow within the darkness, she thrust directly at Han Lie’s heart!

Instantly, an incredibly intense premonition of death surged in his heart. Watching helplessly as the black figure charged at him with her sword, Han Lie—hopelessly tangled by numerous blades—could do nothing!

Just then, a powerful streamer of spiritual energy shot up from below in the darkness like a meteor streaking across. It blasted directly towards the black figure advancing on Han Lie.

The spiritual energy streamer anticipated her path; if she insisted on stabbing Han Lie… she would undoubtedly be struck by this attack as well. After brief consideration, the black figure’s eyes flashed sharply; she ultimately chose to abandon her attack on Han Lie and dodged aside from it instead.

Then, a graceful silhouette with three fox tails emerged from within darkness and launched an assault against the shadowy foe.

It was none other than Captain Su Mei of the Law Enforcement Hall’s White Tiger Squad!

“Hmph…!”

After exchanging several moves with Su Mei, the shadow let out an angry snort. She immediately chose disengagement and vanished into the night’s embrace.

Having forced back the shadowy assailant, Su Mei did not pursue further; instead, she rescued the trapped man.

“Little old man, are you alright? Were you injured?”

…….

Chapter 56: Punish Me Severely, Don’t Go Easy on Me! Has That Female Demon Returned?

Han Lie forced a relaxed smile, shaking his head. “This Senior is fine, thank you Captain Su for your timely assistance.”

During the previous battle, although he hadn’t sustained obvious injuries, each collision with the shadow produced a recoil force that affected his body somewhat. Accumulated over time, it caused some disturbance in his qi and blood circulation. It wasn’t a major issue, though; resting a few days would suffice.

“Glad you’re okay! Luckily I arrived not too late. Let’s head back first before discussing further.”

Han Lie nodded, indicating his agreement.

Returning to Su Mei’s residence, she lowered her voice, inquiring softly, “Little old man, was the person who attacked you earlier the Saintess herself?”

Hearing this, Han Lie raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. “Although she didn’t reveal her true appearance, I guess… that shouldn’t be wrong. But Captain Su, how did you know it was the Saintess?”

“Isn’t it obvious!” Su Mei proudly recounted her deduction step by step.

“So that’s how.”

After listening, Han Lie no longer found it strange. Bai Ling twice ordered Su Mei to capture him for trial—clearly deliberate targeting. Anyone not a fool could see: Saintess Bai Ling very much wanted this man dead.

“I just don’t quite understand why the Saintess wants to kill you so badly?” Su Mei expressed deep puzzlement.

Han Lie merely smiled without answering the question posed by the curious captain.

“Alright then! If you’re unwilling to say, I won’t press further~”

Su Mei tactfully ceased probing the subject matter altogether while the old man shifted the topic instead.

“Captain Su, didn’t you participate in the expedition against the Sun Moon Sect?”

“Senior Sister Hongyi and Senior Brother Tieshou both went; Senior Brother Zhui Ming went out training again; the Law Enforcement Hall can’t have no captain staying within the sect, right? If I hadn’t remained behind tonight, you might have met your end, dear little old man~”

Su Mei giggled teasingly, adding, “So how do you plan to repay me, huh?”

Han Lie coughed dryly, tactically feigning ignorance. “Might I inquire what manner of repayment the Captain desires?”

A mischievous grin spread across her face before she wrapped her arms around him from behind, seductively whispering, “What do you think, dear? It’s been two months since our last Dual Cultivation session together, hasn’t it? I missed you terribly during our time apart~”

While speaking, her restless hands began wandering provocatively, causing a sudden shudder throughout his frame—clearly indicating a certain level of pent-up desire was indeed present. The playful captain was making the recipient rather uncomfortable, but the situation unfolding presently before them saw both as equally matched partners. The dance of temptation began anew tonight under the moonlit skies, in a silent mountainside retreat away from prying eyes.