Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 580 Backhand
The distorted, tearing sensation of space did not last long.

Li Zhongren could clearly sense that a much larger and colder divine sense had intervened in the teleportation process, accurately capturing the faint coordinates emitted by Chu Qingqiu and forcibly correcting the teleportation trajectory.

The surroundings were no longer chaotic light and shadow, but rather seemed to have sunk into a dark and deep passage, where one could vaguely hear the illusory sounds of a giant Kun humming and a roc flapping its wings. This was the characteristic of the "Transformation into a Roc" technique, the core secret art of the Northern Underworld Devouring Heaven Sect, when it was used.

Clearly, Chu Qingqiu herself was unable to perform this technique; she was merely a beacon. The true caster was her father, Mo Yuan, the leader of the Northern Underworld Devouring Heaven Sect.

A moment later, I felt my feet firmly on the ground.

The surrounding scenery has changed drastically.

It was no longer the vast and majestic Sword Blade Mountain, but a secluded valley deep within, dimly lit, with array runes arranged around it to conceal its aura, and complex teleportation arrays carved on the ground, not yet completely dark.

A faint, unsettling, chilling energy permeated the air, a unique aura characteristic of the Northern Darkness Devouring Heaven Sect's techniques.

A middle-aged man dressed in a black robe stood with his hands behind his back in front of the formation.

His face was refined, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable, carrying the authority of someone who had long held a high position and a hint of sinister malice that was not easily detected.

His aura was as solid as a mountain, and it also faintly revealed a greedy intent that could devour all things. His blood and energy were far more vigorous than those of ordinary cultivators. It was clear that the evil technique he was practicing had reached a state of perfection, and he seemed to have no regard for the hidden dangers in his foundation.

This person was none other than Mo Yuan.

His gaze immediately fell on Li Zhongren, filled with scrutiny and an undisguised fervor, as if he were examining a priceless treasure, a perfect "sacred vessel".

As for Chu Qingqiu beside him, he merely nodded slightly and did not pay much attention.

"Li Zhongren, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Mo Yuan spoke, his voice calm, yet carrying an undeniable pressure.

"My daughter Qingqiu, I apologize for troubling you along the way."

Li Zhongren's face revealed a suitable hint of tension and vigilance. His eyes swept over the surrounding array, and he said in a deep voice.

"Where is this? What do you want?"

"Do not be nervous."

Mo Yuan smiled slightly, appearing quite magnanimous.

“This place is very safe. Those henchmen of the Special Operations Bureau will never find this place. We invited you here with no ill intentions, but simply because we admire your talent. You have already made some progress in cultivating my Holy Sect’s secret technique, ‘Northern Darkness Qi Absorption Technique,’ which proves that you are destined to be with my Holy Sect.”

He paused, observing Li Zhongren's expression, and continued.

"In just two months, he went from a mortal to the third level of Qi Refining, and was even able to deduce entirely new abilities based on my Northern Darkness Qi Absorption Technique. Such talent and opportunity would be wasted if he stayed in an ordinary school or even entered the Imperial Academy in the future, as there would be too many rules and too many constraints."

"Join my Northern Darkness Holy Sect, and I will personally take you as my disciple and dedicate all the resources of the Holy Sect to nurturing you!"

"Cultivation techniques, elixirs, secret treasures, and even... power and strength—everything far beyond your imagination—is within your grasp!"

Mo Yuan's voice was seductive.

"You only need to open your soul and let me plant a holy seal to show your loyalty. From now on, you and I will be one family."

Li Zhongren looked conflicted, his eyes darting around as if he were weighing the pros and cons, and his voice was hoarse.

"A holy seal? If you place a holy seal on me, wouldn't my life and death be entirely in your hands?"

"Haha, that's wrong."

Mo Yuan smiled.

"The Holy Seal is merely to ensure our unity and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. As long as you are loyal to the Holy Church, the Holy Seal will never be activated. In fact, once you have made great contributions, I may even personally remove it for you. At that time, you will be the Vice Leader of the Holy Church, second only to the leader!"

To increase his stakes, Mo Yuan even pointed to Chu Qingqiu beside him, speaking as casually as if he were discussing a gift.

"If you like her, Qingqiu can also be betrothed to you. She is my only daughter, the Holy Maiden of the Holy Sect. Whether it is her appearance, status or cultivation, she is worthy of you. All you have to do is nod your head and accept this pledge of allegiance."

Chu Qingqiu's delicate body trembled almost imperceptibly. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the fleeting humiliation and resentment in her eyes. But when she raised her head again, she was already obedient and docile, bowing slightly to Li Zhongren in a soft voice.

"Everything is up to Father and Senior Brother Li to decide."

She even changed her address, calling Li Zhongren her senior brother.

Looking at Chu Qingqiu, Li Zhongren felt calm. This woman wasn't the type who was all looks and no brains; she had a bit of shrewdness.

"Other than that?"

After a moment, Li Zhong spoke, stalling for time and engaging Mo Yuan in evasive conversation, inquiring about specific details such as resources, cultivation techniques, and status, as if he were genuinely considering joining the cult.

The more he acted this way, the more Mo Yuan believed that the boy truly intended to agree. This was exactly what he had in mind; he didn't want to resort to violence here, lest the Special Operations Bureau find any clues. Therefore, he earnestly answered Li Zhongren's various questions.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the valley, in the shadows.

Liu Ruyan was like a ghost in the dark night, silently lurking.

Behind her, several elite members of the Special Operations Bureau were already in position, their auras completely concealed, blending into the surrounding environment. With the help of the black flames she had left in Li Zhongren's body beforehand, they also caught up here at top speed.

Her gaze pierced through layers of concealment arrays, locking onto the three people in the valley.

"It really was that cult leader."

Liu Ruyan felt a chill in her heart, but even more so, she was surprised. She had used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique, yet there were no side effects, and her blood and qi were still so vigorous. It seemed that this must be the characteristic of the Northern Darkness Qi Absorption Technique.

It must be said that this cult leader is indeed exceptionally talented.

Her mind raced as she assessed the situation.

"If we launch a full-scale attack now, there's a very high chance he'll unleash the Heavenly Demon Disintegration technique again. Even after paying a price, he could still break through the encirclement and escape. Once he escapes this time and becomes wary, finding his trail again will be incredibly difficult."

'We must strike decisively and completely eliminate any possibility of his escape!'

An extremely risky plan took shape in her mind.

She took a deep breath and slowly closed her eyes.

The raging black flames within her body began to be forcibly compressed and decomposed by her overwhelming control. Instead of condensing into destructive power, they were degraded into countless nanoscale micro-units that were difficult to detect with the naked eye or even with spiritual sense.

This process is extremely painful and dangerous, as if it is tearing apart one's own soul essence.

She stripped a large amount of black flame from the core, which silently diffused into the surrounding air. With the flow of the mountain wind, it spread like invisible dust towards the center of the valley.

All she could do was control these nano-black flames, making them as "natural" as possible, silently invading the cult leader's body with his breath and the flow of spiritual energy.

With each burst of black flame she released, her own strength decreased by one point.

His breath quickly weakened, his face turned slightly pale, and both his attack and defense capabilities plummeted to a low point.

But her gaze grew sharper and more determined.

'Once I accumulate enough... I can directly construct a black flame brand within his body. At that point, no matter where he escapes to, he'll never be able to break free of my lock! I might even... deliver a fatal blow from within!'

It's a big gamble.

The gamble was that Mo Yuan wouldn't be able to detect the nanoscale black flame invasion.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Inside the valley, Li Zhongren seemed to have finally been "persuaded." Outside, Liu Ruyan also knew that they couldn't wait any longer. Although the accumulated amount of nano black flames wasn't enough yet, the subsequent battle could still be delayed for a while. After all, unless absolutely necessary, even that cult leader probably wouldn't be willing to use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique!

"action!"

Liu Ruyan, outside the valley, suddenly opened her eyes and gave an order!
The specially designed, extraordinary firearms fire bullets like a canopy in the sky.

The concealment formation was violently torn apart!
Several powerful auras, like torches suddenly lit in the night, rushed into the valley from all directions!
The light from the attack instantly illuminated the dark valley, and Liu Ruyan, wielding a black knife, charged straight at the cult leader, Mo Yuan!

The sudden attack caused Mo Yuan's expression to change drastically!

Specially crafted psionic bullets rained down like a storm, striking the dark shield he had instantly erected, creating ripples.

Liu Ruyan held a black knife, her body blurring into a blur. The sharp blade slashed straight at her face. Although the power was not as great as before, the resolute killing intent was not diminished in the slightest.

"Good! Good job, Li Zhongren! Good job, Special Operations Bureau!"

Mo Yuan laughed in exasperation, his body surging with a chilling aura. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed several beams of devouring black light, barely managing to withstand Liu Ruyan's attack. However, his gaze suddenly pierced the seemingly innocent Li Zhongren standing to the side.

"You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences! You've set this trap for me! Just you wait! Once I'm free, I'll tear your soul out and refine it, making you wish you were dead!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhongren simply smiled easily, even casually patting off non-existent dust from his clothes, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery.

"Master Mo, anyone can say tough words. You should think about how you and your followers can escape from this inescapable trap before you talk about anything else."

His gaze seemingly casually swept across the battlefield, but his billions of years of soul perception allowed him to instantly discern the key.

Liu Ruyan's aura had weakened considerably. Although her attacks were fierce, they lacked staying power, far from her peak condition. In contrast, Mo Yuan's blood and qi surged, and his strength was formidable. Every move he made carried immense force, forcing Liu Ruyan to retreat continuously and clearly gaining the upper hand.

But Li Zhongren saw things more deeply.

He could "see" that as Mo Yuan became emotionally agitated, his spiritual energy surged, and his breathing intensified, the nanoscale black flames in the air, which were imperceptible to the naked eye and spiritual sense, were being absorbed into Mo Yuan's body at an even faster rate, quietly settling and accumulating like fine dust.

'So that's how it is... a risky move, sacrificing their own strength to create this invisible net?'

Li Zhongren understood and secretly nodded in approval of Liu Ruyan's decisiveness and ruthlessness.

'That's quite bold.'

Given this, his best option at this moment is not to go up and help, as that might force Mo Yuan into a desperate situation and make him use the extremely costly Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique to escape. Instead, he should maintain the status quo.

Liu Ruyan and the Special Operations Bureau, Mo Yuan and his followers, each fight their own battles.

Although Liu Ruyan was at a disadvantage, with her blade light constantly dissipating under the impact of the black light, her steps remained steady and her eyes were as cold as iron.

The Secret Service agents she brought worked together seamlessly, bombarding the area with various types of psionic weapons, creating a powerful barrage that severely restricted Mo Yuan's evasion space and spellcasting rhythm. This was indeed a devastating blow from psionic technology to individual cultivators.

If it weren't for Mo Yuan's profound skill and unpredictable techniques, his expertise in creating barriers, and his use of his followers as the core of a small defensive formation, they would probably have already been severely injured by this intense barrage.

Meanwhile, the battle had already broken out.

Chu Qingqiu reacted the instant Li Zhongren turned against her father; her pretty face turned frosty, and her eyes revealed murderous intent.

With a sharp cry, she activated the Northern Darkness Devouring Technique, her body radiating a devouring power. Her five fingers formed claws, and with a piercing sound, she grabbed at Li Zhongren's vital points.

"Li Zhongren! You're asking for death!"

However, faced with her fierce offensive, Li Zhongren simply smiled calmly and pointed his finger like a sword.

A strange and obscure sword intent flowed from his fingertips.

It lacks earth-shattering brilliance, yet carries a sense of judgment, reflection, and even transcendence.

The Karma-Slaying Sword Technique!

Li Zhongren's figure flickered, his fingertips lightly tapping. Each time he touched Chu Qingqiu's devouring black energy, the black energy would fluctuate violently as if it had encountered its nemesis, emitting a hissing sound, as if it had been purified.

"what--!"

After several attacks, Chu Qingqiu suddenly let out a shrill scream, her offensive abruptly halted, and she staggered backward, clutching her head.

In her perception, every time she came into contact with that sword intent, countless distorted, painful, and resentful blurry faces exploded in her mind!

Those were remnants of spiritual energy that she had devoured and refined, remnants that should have been erased!
The sword intent that cuts through karma points directly to the root of karmic forces!
"No...don't come any closer! It wasn't me...I didn't kill you!"

Chu Qingqiu was on the verge of a mental breakdown. The exhilarating feeling of rapidly increasing her cultivation level with the Northern Darkness Devouring Heaven Technique was gone. In its place was the backlash of fear and resentment from countless victims before their deaths. She saw the distorted faces of those she regarded as "resources" and heard their silent curses.

Her Dao heart was utterly vulnerable before this sword intent that specifically targets karma.

"Those who have committed grave sins deserve this retribution."

Li Zhongren's eyes were indifferent, without the slightest pity. He felt no pity for this cannibalistic group; after all, they were treating him like food.

He took a step forward, and the sword intent of judgment at his fingertips suddenly condensed, transforming into an invisible yet deadly sharp edge that swept past like lightning.

The fear and confusion in Chu Qingqiu's eyes froze instantly.

A beautiful head flew into the air, its face still bearing the look of despair and disbelief.

Blood splattered, and the headless, delicate body collapsed limply to the ground.

Mo Qingqiu, the Holy Maiden of the Northern Underworld Devouring Heaven Sect, has passed away.

Li Zhongren didn't even glance at her corpse, turning his gaze to the main battlefield.

The death of his beloved daughter did not seem to disrupt Mo Yuan's rhythm. He remained steady and methodical, hovering in the air like a mobile artillery platform. Liu Ruyan was in grave danger under Mo Yuan's frenzied attacks, and blood was spilling from the corner of her mouth.

Almost instantly, Mo Yuan seized an opening in Liu Ruyan's defenses. His large hand, resembling a ghostly claw, thrust forward with a fierce strike. The sharp nails even reflected a faint, eerie light. If this attack had hit, it would have ripped out Liu Ruyan's heart on the spot!

"Pfft!"

Faced with this attack, Liu Ruyan not only did not dodge, but rushed forward. However, as she lifted her body, her claws pierced directly into her abdomen. At that very moment, the black flames that permeated the entire valley returned instantly.

In an instant, Liu Ruyan's aura soared into the sky like a rocket!

Black flames transformed into armor, firmly binding Mo Yuan's hand and preventing him from escaping.

"How dare you wait for me here!"

Mo Yuan instantly realized why the other party wasn't using that strange black flame. He had actually been on guard all along. Now it seemed that the other party was worried about his secret technique and therefore planned to use this method to trap him here.

Feeling the pull of his hand, Mo Yuan knew that he couldn't pull his hand out. In close combat, even ten of him wouldn't be a match for Liu Ruyan.

"This time, you win. Just you wait and see."

Mo Yuan's eyes flickered, and his entire hand snapped off without even glancing at his daughter's corpse. He absorbed the blood of all the followers within the array's core, then transformed into a streak of blood-red light and vanished into the night sky.
"It's done."

Watching Mo Yuan flee into the distance, Liu Ruyan knelt on the ground, but a smile appeared on her face. Her final act of exchanging injury for injury was to dispel Mo Yuan's doubts and make him believe that she wanted to use the black flames to fix him in place, rather than to enter his body.
"Chief, are you alright?"

Not far away, Li Zhongren walked over and looked at Liu Ruyan, whose abdomen was almost pierced by the ghost claw, and asked cautiously.

"Can't die."

With a swift movement, Liu Ruyan pulled out the ghost hand. The hideous wound on her abdomen, along with the damaged internal organs within, were instantly sealed and repaired by black flames, much like a nanobot.
Then, she slowly stood up, about to say something, when she saw the ghostly hand suddenly turn into dust, and Liu Ruyan herself seemed to be possessed by something, her veins bulging and her face contorted in a ferocious expression.
(End of this chapter)