Chapter 259: Trap

The cultivator beside the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master received his order and headed towards Li, who was disguised within the magic array. However, he suddenly stopped, turned, and asked the Young Master again, his expression puzzled:

“Young Master, the two elders say three cultivators are too far from the magic array. Once it’s activated, they won't be confined within it. Please think of a way to draw them closer!”

The Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master looked surprised, his brows subtly furrowed.

This situation was quite unexpected. Logically, the range of this hastily arranged Yin Fire Great Array was already considerable, yet there were still people outside its confines. This was truly odd.

Thinking this, Wang Chan, the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master, looked up. Indeed, beyond the control range of the magic array, he spotted three individuals.

Two of them were a male and female cultivator from the Masked Moon Sect, whispering intimately under a large tree at the array's northeastern corner, seemingly engrossed in their illicit affair, avoiding everyone's gaze. The third was a young man in yellow robes with an ordinary appearance, calmly observing everything on the mountain peak. This was Han Li, who always prioritized caution.

“So, it's these three, is it?” Wang Chan murmured thoughtfully.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he quietly spoke a few words to the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivator beside him. His subordinate nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Then, this Ghost Spirit Sect cultivator, dressed in the Yan family's attire, stepped out from the earthen platform and the mist. He stood not far from the magic array and began to loudly announce:

“All guests participating in the grand assembly, please come forward to draw lots and register! The Treasure-Seizing Assembly will officially begin once the numbers are tallied...”

This shout immediately caught the attention of the other cultivators, who then instinctively moved closer to the magic array. Even the male and female disciples from the Masked Moon Sect, though somewhat reluctantly, walked over and entered the array's restricted area.

Seeing this, Wang Chan's lips, hidden beneath his mask, curled into a faint smile. However, when his gaze shifted to Han Li's location in the west, the hint of a sneer that had just appeared on his lips instantly froze.

Because Han Li, in his view, remained utterly still, showing no intention of coming forward to draw lots or register. Instead, he stood with his arms crossed, watching with apparent interest as the other cultivators gradually gathered.

“Which sect does that man belong to?” After a long pause, Wang Chan asked coldly.

“Judging by his attire, he should be a cultivator from Yellow Maple Valley!” The Ghost Spirit Sect cultivator nearby, sensing the Young Master's displeasure, answered cautiously.

“Tell the two elders to make their move! This Yellow Maple Valley disciple is quite interesting; it would be good to warm up my hands on him.” Wang Chan said flatly, but a bloody glint flickered in his eyes, as if radiating a faint scent of blood.

“Yes, Young Master!” The Ghost Spirit Guards behind him shivered instinctively and replied respectfully.

From a distance, Han Li stood by the side of a rock, seemingly smiling broadly as he watched the cultivators register. However, if one were to look closer, they would notice his smiling face was stiff and strained, and tiny beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead.

“That Yan family member is a Ghost Spirit Sect cultivator!” This was the shocking discovery Han Li had made moments ago.

Originally, when this Ghost Spirit Sect member, disguised as a Yan family member, appeared, Han Li had no suspicions whatsoever. He even intended to go forward after hearing the call to register.

But the moment this person waved to the cultivators behind him, Han Li was astonished to notice that this Yan family member had half-inch long dark green fingernails—identical to those of the yellow-haired eccentric from the Ghost Spirit Sect he had encountered that day!

Stunned, Han Li immediately felt a chill run through him, as if doused with cold water.

“These dark green fingernails are not something ordinary people would have. Could this person be...”

After making such a terrifying, unbelievable deduction in his mind, Han Li naturally refused to take another step forward.

While he painstakingly maintained a smile on his face, his eyes darted around, observing his surroundings. Yet, everything seemed normal, with no sign of an ambush. Could the man's fingernails truly just be a coincidence?

As soon as the idea of coincidence emerged, Han Li immediately dismissed it! How could there be so many coincidences in this world? Even if it were a coincidence, he wasn't willing to take such a risk, especially since the magic array looked so wrong!

Thinking this, Han Li no longer hesitated. He reached out, and the Divine Wind Boat instantly appeared in his hand. But before he could throw it, a voice spoke:

“I didn't expect someone so young to have such sharp eyes! You noticed the flaw and tried to slip away so quickly! Don't you want to save your...”

Han Li's heart sank. Without thinking, he tapped his foot, and his body suddenly shot backward, covering a distance of over ten zhang before stopping. Then, he patted his body, and immediately a red protective barrier enveloped him, while another layer of green light shield appeared close to his body within the red barrier.

At that moment, a faint sound of surprise came from the air again, perhaps in admiration of Han Li's quick reaction, or perhaps in astonishment at his skill in simultaneously activating two protective barriers.

Hearing this sound, Han Li, now slightly calmer, solemnly looked up into the air.

Dozens of zhang high in the sky, a green-robed figure wearing a silver mask stood facing the wind, stepping on a gigantic trident several zhang long. The trident was entirely emerald green, enveloped by a layer of black qi, making one's heart turn cold at the sight of it.

Seeing this, a chill ran down Han Li's spine, and he blurted out:

“Ghost Spirit Sect Young Master?”

“Hehe! It seems no further introduction is needed; it's best you recognize me! But tell me, will you willingly enter the array to live a little longer, or shall I extract your soul immediately?”

The blood-red color in Wang Chan's eyes was far more intense than when he was on the earthen platform. His eyes were largely bloodshot, subtly revealing hints of bestiality. This made Han Li's heart churn at a glance, wondering what terrifying secret technique the other party was cultivating.

However, upon hearing the words “within the array,” Han Li instinctively glanced to the side. The scene that met his gaze made his face turn terrifyingly grim.

At some unknown point, a massive black light barrier had enveloped a hundred-zhang radius centered around the great array. The barrier was filled with dense, black-red mist, making it impossible to discern anything inside. Furthermore, there was no sound within the barrier, as if it were completely empty.

Around the light barrier, eight green-robed cultivators stood dispersed. They were intently observing everything within the black barrier, not even sparing a glance toward their Young Master.

It seemed the Young Master's subordinates truly had immense confidence in him!

After a quick glance, Han Li swiftly averted his eyes, unwilling to be distracted further.

Undoubtedly, although this Ghost Spirit Sect Young Master appeared to be only at the Foundation Establishment mid-stage, he was absolutely an extremely formidable opponent! One mistake, and Han Li would be trapped here forever.

Thinking this, Han Li extended one hand, and a white light emerged from his palm. It expanded against the wind, instantly transforming into a white scale shield that appeared before him. With his other hand, he tossed the Divine Wind Boat seven or eight zhang behind him, where it floated gently in the air.

Han Li's plan, of course, was to immediately mount the Divine Wind Boat and flee. Only a fool would engage in a direct confrontation with this Ghost Spirit Sect Young Master here!

Setting aside whether he could defeat the Young Master of a major sect, even if he managed to dispatch him, there was a large group of helpers waiting behind him! He possessed no ability to fight against overwhelming odds, nor would he do such a foolish thing!

Therefore, for Han Li, it was best to quickly return to Yellow Maple Valley and report the collusion between the Ghost Spirit Sect and the Yan family, thus fulfilling his duty. As for Dong Xuan'er and Senior Brother Feng, and others, he could only hope their masters would come to rescue them personally.

Wang Chan saw Han Li's actions and burst into maniacal laughter, a hint of madness within it that sent a chill down Han Li's spine.

“Trying to run? Where will you run to? Go die!”

Having said that, the Ghost Spirit Sect Young Master's figure suddenly spun on the trident. In an instant, a thick, blood-red mist surged out from his body, transforming into a blood cloud several tens of zhang high, sweeping menacingly towards Han Li.

Seeing this, Han Li no longer dared to hesitate. He leaped onto the Divine Wind Boat, activating its spiritual power to the fullest. In the blink of an eye, both he and the boat transformed into a streak of white light, rapidly soaring into the sky and fleeing.

“Haha! Kid, you still don't know, do you? My Blood Spirit Escape Technique is unusually fast; you won't be able to escape!”

Wang Chan's maniacal laughter constantly followed close behind Han Li.

Although he hadn't turned back, Han Li indeed felt the other party's voice getting closer and closer.

This fellow's escape technique truly seemed faster than the Divine Wind Boat at full speed. Han Li's face began to turn pale!