Chapter 407: Red Fire Old Monster

"Nangong Wan!" Han Li finally pinpointed the source of that ripple.

Although the female cultivator named Zhuo Ruting did not resemble Nangong Wan in appearance, she undeniably carried some of Nangong Wan's charm. This was what gave him such a peculiar feeling, stirring a chord deep within his heart.

After understanding the reason, Han Li gazed at Zhuo Ruting with a complicated expression for a moment before retracting his gaze, his mind returning to a state of calm.

However, even after Han Li and Qu Hun arrived, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting showed no intention of departing immediately. Instead, they frequently looked up at the sky, as if still waiting for someone.

Han Li felt a touch of confusion upon seeing this, but he said nothing. Instead, he found a secluded spot and sat down cross-legged with Qu Hun, quietly waiting for the departure time.

This wait lasted for half a day.

If not for all the present individuals being cultivators, each possessing immense patience, someone would have undoubtedly started complaining much earlier.

Nevertheless, even so, a few people eventually showed signs of displeasure.

Noticing this, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting also appeared somewhat anxious. They reluctantly huddled together, quietly discussing something.

Han Li observed all of this, and just as he was speculating about whom they were waiting for, faint sounds of wind and thunder suddenly reached his ears. Then, a dark line appeared on the distant horizon.

This dark mass rapidly approached, flying from a distance towards their location. The cultivators, who had been meditating, rose to their feet one by one, looking on with expressions of surprise and doubt. In a blink of an eye, the dark mass was directly above them. It was only then that Han Li and the others clearly saw that it was a dark cloud, roughly fifty to sixty zhang in diameter. Its sheer size nearly enveloped the entire mountaintop beneath it, occasionally emitting rumbling sounds and flashes of lightning. It was an exceptionally eerie sight!

As everyone stared in astonishment, a clear, cold female voice suddenly emanated from within the dark cloud.

"Senior Chi, you may let me down now. My two senior sisters and I need to speak a few words."

"Heh heh, certainly no problem!" a grating, unpleasant voice replied.

Hearing these two voices, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting's expressions subtly changed, and they exchanged a glance.

Some of the other cultivators who knew the origin of this dark cloud turned pale.

Han Li was also secretly alarmed. As he wondered, he heard one of the cultivators mutter something.

"The Wondrous Sound Sect really has some power. How did they manage to invite Old Monster Chi from Primordial Tortoise Island?"

The person's voice was very low, but Han Li, relying on his powerful spiritual sense, heard it with perfect clarity, and his heart involuntarily tightened.

The moment the words "Primordial Tortoise Island" and "Old Monster Scarletflame" entered his ears, Han Li immediately recalled the origin of the dark cloud.

While socializing and chatting with other cultivators, he had heard the name "Old Monster Scarletflame of Primordial Tortoise Island" mentioned more than once.

This individual had gained fame very early, having already reached the late Core Formation stage. His Kui Water Demonic Arts were unpredictable, and he was known throughout the Scattered Star Seas for his ruthlessness and fickle nature.

Many asserted that Old Monster Chi was one of the cultivators most likely to reach the Nascent Soul stage, destined to become a powerful figure like Old Ancestor Ji sooner or later. Consequently, no one dared to easily provoke him, as he dominated Primordial Tortoise Island. He was indeed a renowned figure.

But how could such a notorious demonic cultivator be here? Could he truly be an aid invited by the Wondrous Sound Sect?

Han Li, without betraying any emotion, heightened his vigilance and closely observed the dark cloud.

At that moment, the dark cloud churned, and a woman in purple palace robes flew out from within.

The woman had a slender, graceful, and lithe figure. However, a faint purple mist shrouded her face, obscuring her true appearance.

Upon seeing her appear, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting immediately stepped forward to greet her.

"Junior Sister Wang, why is Old Monster Chi here? Did you invite him? But there's no need for that, is there?" Zhuo Ruting asked in a low voice, her delicate brows furrowed.

"Indeed! This old monster isn't someone easily provoked. It might be easy to invite him, but difficult to send him away! Besides, with our current manpower, it should be more than enough!" Madam Fan said with a solemn expression, faintly betraying a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Do you two senior sisters truly believe that the cultivators who ambushed the goods last time were their entire force?" The purple-robed woman disregarded their concerns and simply said, her tone indifferent.

"Junior Sister, what do you mean by that? Are there other troublesome figures on their side?" Madam Fan was startled by her words and immediately understood the purple-robed woman's implication, asking with a look of surprise and doubt.

Zhuo Ruting also showed a surprised look.

"I received intelligence that there's still a late Core Formation stage leader presiding over their stronghold. The helpers you two senior sisters gathered would be a bit weak on their own, so I made a trip to Primordial Tortoise Island and persuaded Old Monster Scarletflame to act!" the purple-robed woman said nonchalantly.

Hearing this, Madam Fan and Zhuo Ruting exchanged a look of skepticism before falling silent.

Although they knew that persuading a demonic cultivator like Old Monster Scarletflame to take action would certainly come at a huge cost for their junior sister, now was not the time to discuss such matters. They could only consider other things after the current situation was resolved.

At this point, the purple-robed woman's beautiful eyes swept over the other cultivators on the mountaintop. She nodded, seemingly quite satisfied.

"The Core Formation cultivators invited by you two senior sisters are even more numerous than I anticipated. With Old Monster Scarletflame's assistance, we must utterly eradicate this group of evil cultivators on this expedition to avenge my mother's murder!" The purple-robed woman's voice turned incredibly cold, filled with boundless killing intent.

"Don't worry, we two will definitely avenge the Sect Master!" Zhuo Ruting gently swept her dark, beautiful hair and said slowly.

"That's right, the Sect Master showed great kindness to both of us. Even if it costs us our lives, we will destroy them," Madam Fan agreed for the first time, her expression solemn.

Hearing this, the purple-robed woman, visibly moved, bowed deeply to the two women.

"This time, I'm relying heavily on you two senior sisters! As we agreed beforehand, as long as we can avenge my mother, the position of Wondrous Sound Sect Master will be taken by one of you two senior sisters! Wang Ning will absolutely not covet this position!" the purple-robed woman said with a resolute expression.

After the woman in palace robes finished speaking, a complex expression appeared on Zhuo Ruting's beautiful face. She opened her cherry lips as if to say something, but ultimately kept silent.

As for Madam Fan, though her expression remained composed, her eyes betrayed an undeniable hint of excitement.

"Tsk, tsk! I presume this must be Fairy Ziling of the Wondrous Sound Sect! It's a pity her face is obscured by a spell; what a real shame!" The cultivator surnamed Meng, standing not far from Han Li, suddenly muttered to himself.

Han Li's heart stirred upon hearing this.

He seemed to have heard the name Fairy Ziling mentioned before. It was said that her beauty was divine, one of the most renowned in the Scattered Star Seas. Could this be her?

Han Li, somewhat surprised, glanced at the purple-robed woman from afar.

At this point, the purple-robed woman and Madam Fan concluded their conversation. With her ribbons fluttering, she flew back into the dark cloud like a celestial maiden.

Then, under the solemn gazes of the two Sect Emissaries, everyone finally departed.

Over a dozen streaks of colorful light soared from the mountaintop, forming a loose formation as they flew northward.

Han Li and Qu Hun remained in the middle-to-rear of the group, silently pressing on with their journey.

However, the cultivator surnamed Meng, for some unknown reason, flew over to Han Li's side and began chattering cheerfully without pause.

"Fellow Daoist Han, how did you agree to assist Left Emissary Fan? As for me, one of my concubines is a direct disciple of Left Emissary Fan, so I had no choice but to repay this favor! Could it be that Fellow Daoist Han is also..."

"I don't have such 'blessings' as you, Fellow Daoist. Madam Fan simply promised to give me an item when the time comes!" Han Li replied indifferently.

"What a pity! My friend, the best things in the Wondrous Sound Sect are, of course, those beautiful women. Especially the two Sect Emissaries themselves; they are truly..."

Although Han Li remained impassive, he felt a mix of amusement and exasperation at the ceaseless chatter.

However, this familiar way of speaking reminded him of the garrulous Senior Brother Yu from Yellow Maple Valley, and he couldn't help but feel any ill will towards this person.

Thus, with Han Li responding intermittently, the entire group, led by the Wondrous Sound Sect members, flew towards an unknown destination: a desolate island.

On this island, several low-level cultivators from the Wondrous Sound Sect had already been waiting for a long time. The bandits' lair was on another unnamed island not far from here, and other members were currently monitoring them.

After learning that all the evil cultivators were inside their lair and hadn't gone out, Fairy Ziling, who had once again flown out from the dark cloud, immediately instructed Han Li and the other cultivators to rest for a while. They would launch a surprise attack at dawn the next day, catching the enemy off guard.