Published: September 9, 2025
Chapter 857: The Vortex
Han Li was equally shocked when he heard this. Three late nascent soul cultivators had joined forces to fight the ancient demon, yet it seemed they still couldn’t defeat it quickly. This ancient demon, having regained its vital energy, probably had magical abilities comparable to a transformation spirit realm cultivator.
“Was this demon eliminated in that battle?” Han Li asked calmly.
“That, this junior is not sure about. Some say the demon was brutally killed on the spot by the cultivators’ joint assault; others claim it used incredible secret arts to escape from near death, breaking through the encirclement. My family’s abilities are limited, so I can’t judge the truth of these stories. But after that siege, the demon has indeed disappeared from Tian Nan. It’s likely that it was truly destroyed in both body and spirit,” Huang Yuanming hesitated before offering his speculation.
“Destroyed in both body and spirit!” Han Li stroked his chin, pondering briefly but unconvinced.
If the demon had truly been wiped out, Wei Wuya and the others wouldn’t have been so secretive. Most likely, something had gone wrong, causing confusion and deliberate silence. Still, the demon’s disappearance was odd. Perhaps it was severely wounded in the battle and had to hide to recover, or maybe it simply left Tian Nan.
Han Li considered these possibilities but couldn’t determine which was more likely, so he temporarily set the matter aside.
“Dao friend Huang, over the past twenty years, aside from the Fallen Demon Valley and the demon incidents, has anything else major happened? Regardless of which country, please tell me,” Han Li calmly inquired about other affairs.
“There have been other incidents in recent years, but compared to the Fallen Demon Valley, they are trivial. The only noteworthy event, which caused quite a stir, happened shortly after the demon’s disappearance. Near the coast of Xi Country, in the Boundless Sea, a strange great vortex suddenly appeared on the water’s surface. From this vortex, a large amount of spiritual energy erupted, purifying the nearby Boundless Sea waters. Moreover, seven small islands emerged from the sea around the vortex, each brimming with spiritual energy and featuring rare top-tier spiritual veins. The ownership of these islands sparked a contest among the three great cultivators, who once again united to hold a conference to claim them. Many sects participated. Ultimately, seven prominent immortal cultivator sects obtained the islands’ ownership. The vortex is said to be unfathomably deep, and many cultivators have ventured inside to investigate. However, once deep within, immense pressure arises, increasing the deeper one goes, making it unbearable. It is said that even Master Zhiyang of the three great cultivators once explored it, but after descending about three thousand zhang, he couldn’t withstand the pressure weighing over ten thousand jin and had to retreat empty-handed,” Huang Yuanming recounted after a moment’s thought.
“A great vortex! Such a thing exists?” Han Li’s face showed surprise as he asked.
“How could this junior dare to deceive senior? This matter caused a sensation for years before calming down. If you ask others, you’ll know the truth,” Huang Yuanming replied with a smile.
Han Li nodded, intrigued by the matter, but continued asking about other things, especially the actions of the Mulan people and the righteous and demonic paths over the years. He pressed for detailed answers.
Huang Yuanming and the other two elders spoke openly, with no intention to hide anything. Huang Yuanming primarily answered, while the others occasionally interjected to ensure Han Li’s satisfaction.
Before long, Han Li had a rough understanding of the large and small events of recent years and felt reassured.
Apart from the ancient demon and the vortex, other so-called major events were just rumors of spirit medicines or treasures appearing somewhere, or disputes between two cultivation sects. Such matters were insignificant to Han Li. Yet he maintained a serious expression, listening earnestly to the three.