"Mystic Yin Demonic Qi!"
Elder Miao and Elder Gu seemed to recognize the origin of those black energies, crying out in alarm.
The two split apart like they had spotted venomous scorpions, instantly fleeing to opposite sides.
The black energies had no intention of giving chase. Like a serpent retracting its tongue, they pulled back over the sea surface, and next to the ice-sculpture-like Infant Carp Beast, condensed into a swirling column of black wind.
The black gale gradually subsided, revealing the silhouettes of one man and two women beside the Infant Carp Beast.
The man was short and gaunt, his face riddled with dark pockmarks. The women, by contrast, were voluptuous and striking, clad in sleeveless short skirts. All three were suffused with an aura of yin-cold malevolence.
The two women were tolerable — only at the late Foundation Establishment stage — but Han Li couldn't gauge the depth of cultivation in the extraordinarily ugly, gaunt youth. He was clearly a Core Formation cultivator as well.
"Wu Chou! What is the meaning of this? Are you trying to declare war on our Six Unified Halls?"
Elder Miao obviously recognized the man, and blurted out in fury.
"Declare war? I have no such interest! It's simply that my grandfather will soon be emerging from seclusion beneath the sea. Consider this Infant Carp Beast's demon core a congratulatory gift from me!" The gaunt youth declared haughtily, his eyes fixed on the sky.
"Grand Patriarch Ji Yin is emerging from seclusion?"
These words threw both Six Unified Halls elders into shock, and they exchanged stunned glances.
The nearby cultivators, including Qing Suanzi, went deathly pale upon hearing this. Even the perpetually arrogant middle-aged scholar couldn't help but tremble slightly, revealing a trace of fear.
Han Li observed all of this with inward astonishment. Could this "Grand Patriarch Ji Yin" really carry such tremendous notoriety?
What struck him as even stranger was that he felt a faint, almost familiar sense of recognition regarding the black malevolent energy surrounding the youth — a feeling that puzzled him greatly.
After a moment's thought, Han Li realized that although he didn't know the true power of this black energy, it bore a faint resemblance to the aura of the "Blood Refinement Divine Light" practiced by the Yue Emperor and Qu Hun. This reminded him of the "Mystic Yin Scripture" mentioned in that grayish-white jade slip.
"Could this 'Mystic Yin Demonic Qi' have some connection to that?" Han Li grew suspicious.
But before Han Li could dwell on it further, Elder Miao couldn't hold back and blurted out loudly.
"Wu Chou, what nonsense are you spouting! Everyone knows your grandfather entered life-and-death seclusion over a hundred years ago. Short of achieving another breakthrough in cultivation, nothing under heaven would draw him out. Don't tell me you expect us to believe your grandfather reached the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm in barely over a hundred years."
Upon hearing this, Wu Chou threw his head back and burst into wild laughter.
"Ha! You people of the Six Unified Halls are truly ignorant! Who told you my grandfather entered seclusion to reach mid Nascent Soul? In truth, he went in to cultivate a demonic technique of unparalleled power. Now that the technique has been perfected, he naturally intends to emerge!" Wu Chou declared with smug arrogance.
These words left both Miao and Gu stunned, uncertain whether the youth spoke truth or lies.
"Since you know my grandfather's reputation, I'll be taking this Infant Carp Beast. I trust the Six Unified Halls won't refuse such a small courtesy to our Ji Yin Island!" Wu Chou said with a sinister edge, noting their conflicted expressions.
Hearing such brazen words, Elder Miao's face went somewhat pale, while Elder Gu's eyes flickered as if he were deep in thought. For the moment, neither spoke.
As for Qing Suanzi and the others who had been invited to lend their support, they couldn't help but take several steps back, clearly wanting no part in this affair.
Feng Sanniang saw this and furrowed her brow, unable to think of any solution for the moment.
After all, Qu Hun and the others had only agreed to deal with the demon beast — they were not subordinates of the Six Unified Halls.
In truth, the Six Unified Halls were at a clear disadvantage in this situation!
Although they had Elder Miao and Elder Gu, both early Core Formation cultivators, they had already severely depleted their vital essence moments ago when driving the two borrowed primordial treasures, the "Heaven-Severing Halberds." Meanwhile, the youth called Wu Chou, though also an early Core Formation cultivator, practiced the "Mystic Yin Technique" — one of the premier demonic arts of the Scattered Star Seas — making him far beyond any ordinary Core Formation cultivator!
Moreover, behind him stood Grand Patriarch Ji Yin, a notorious demonic titan known to every soul in the Scattered Star Seas. Who would dare provoke him lightly!
But allowing Wu Chou to simply walk away with the Infant Carp Beast would be a tremendous loss of face for the Six Unified Halls!
Not only would all their previous efforts be wasted, it would also give others the impression that they were weak and easy to bully — something absolutely detrimental to the Six Unified Halls' future prospects.
Just then, Elder Gu, his wild hair draped over his shoulders, began murmuring to Elder Miao, their lips barely moving. The two conferred in hushed tones, their expressions shifting between resolve and uncertainty.
Wu Chou let out a cold snort and swaggered over to the Infant Carp Beast at his feet. A flash of black light flickered in his hand, and an ink-dark demonic blade materialized in his grasp.
With a swift swing, he cleaved the monstrous beast's head from its body without the slightest hesitation, then rummaged through the skull without ceremony. The two women, meanwhile, kept wary eyes trained on Miao and Gu overhead.
Seeing this scene, Feng Sanniang's expression turned utterly grim!