“Profound Devil Yin Qi!” The Core Formation elders seemed to have recognized this black aura and shouted out in alarm. They quickly flew away as if they had seen a venomous scorpion.

The black aura didn’t pursue them and sank back into the ocean like a hissing snake, condensing into a black whirlwind at the side of the ice sphere containing the Infant Carp Beast.

The black wind gradually stopped to reveal a man and two women. The man was short, shriveled, thin, and had a young, black-pocked face. The women were well-endowed, gorgeous, and wearing a sleeveless short-skirt. However, they were enveloped with a dark, cold evil aura.

The two women were only late Foundation Establishment cultivators. Han Li was unable to see through the the grotesque, shriveled youth’s cultivation, and he was sure to be a Core Formation Cultivator.

Elder Miao clearly recognized this man and in his rage, he spoke near-incoherently, “Wu Chou![1] What are you doing? Could it be you wish to go to war with our Six United Palaces?”

The shriveled youth spoke with great arrogance, “War? This young master has no such interest! But as my clan’s Ancestor is leaving seclusion from the ocean’s depth, this Infant Carp Beast’s demon core will be my congratulatory gift to him!”

“Grandmaster Zenith Yin is leaving seclusion?” The youth’s words greatly frightened the Six United Palaces, and they looked at each other in dismay.

When the other nearby cultivators heard this, their faces became deathly pale; even the rather haughty middle-aged Confucian scholar trembled in terror.

When Han Li saw this, he felt amazed! This “Grandmaster Zenith Yin” actually had such a large reputation? But what he was most curious about was the faint feeling of familiarity towards the youth’s evil aura.

After a moment of thought, Han Li felt that the “Divine Blood Light” that the Emperor of Yue and Crooked Soul cultivated felt rather similar to the shriveled youth’s, although theirs are much weaker. He couldn’t help but think of the “Profound Yin Scripture” that was mentioned in the gray jade slip.

Han Li mused, ‘Could it have some relation to this Profound Yin Devil Qi?’

Before Han Li could ponder any further, Elder Miao loudly reproached, “Wu Chou, you talk big! Did that matter of life and death seclusion a hundred years ago allow him to make a huge breakthrough? Don’t tell me that your ancestor became mid Nascent Soul Stage during that time!”

When Wu Chou heard this, he howled with laughter.

“Hehe, your Six United Palaces are truly ignorant! Who told you that my clan’s ancestor entered cultivation to reach mid Nascent Soul Stage? My ancestor entered seclusion to cultivate a peerless Devil Art. He only left seclusion because he had reached the great success stage in the technique!” Wu Chou stated proudly.

Elder Miao and Gu appeared stupefied, not knowing whether he was speaking truth or lies.

“Since you now know of my Clan Ancestor’s fame, this young master will be taking the Infant Carp beast. Surely there is no way that your Six United Palaces won’t give our Zenith Yin Island face!” Wu Chou sinisterly said as he gazed at their expressions.

Upon hearing his infuriating words, Elder Miao’s face paled, and Elder Gu’s eyes flickered when he thought of something, but the both of them remained silent.

As for the others, they couldn’t help but take a few steps back, not wishing to become mixed up in this mess.

When Feng Sanniang saw this, she frowned helplessly. Everyone here had been invited to deal with a demon beast; they weren’t subordinates of the Six United Palaces. Under this current situation, the Six United Palaces truly found themselves at a disadvantage.

Although the Six United Palaces initially had two Core Formation cultivators, their origin Qi had been greatly damaged by activating the ancient rare treasures, the "Opposing Heaven Spears”. The youth, Wu Chou, was also an early Core Formation cultivator, but he cultivated the finest Devil Art in the Scattered Star Seas, the “Profound Yin Art”. He was far above common Core Formation cultivators!

Moreover, he had the backing of Grandmaster Zenith Yin, an Evil Devil Lord known to all of the Scattered Star Seas that nobody dared to lightly provoke!

But to have Wu Chou to take away the Infant Carp Beast before their eyes was a huge loss of face for the Six United Palaces. Not only would the entirety of their efforts be in vain, but they would also appear weak and easily bullied, stifling the future growth of the Six United Palaces.

At this moment, Elder Gu and Elder Miao started to have a silent discussion and their expressions continuously alternated between clear and gloomy.

Wu Chou coldly snorted and arrogantly walked to the side of the Infant Carp Beast. His hand flashed with black radiance and a pitch-black devilish saber appeared in his hand.

After chopping the demon beast’s strange head open with his saber, he searched through the head for the demon core without any restraint. As for the two women, they vigilantly watched Elder Miao and Gu in the sky.

Feng Sanniang’s face became extremely unsightly, but since Elder Miao and Gu still hadn’t said anything, she didn’t dare to act.

Han Li and the others silently gazed on, not daring to say a word. They were fearful of inviting disaster upon themselves.

Not longer after, Wu Chou fished out a jade-blue sphere from the demon beast’s head with his face full of delight. But his gaze then turned to the four wondrous items that were held in the demon beast’s limbs and he wore an expression of avarice.

But just as he lifted his devilish saber, Elder Gu stopped him, speaking with a deep voice, “Young island lord, your ancestor could be said to have a relationship of old friendship with our palaces. You can take the Infant Carp Beast’s other items. However, our Six United Palaces requires the demon core. We must take it back or else we will not return.” Elder Gu spoke with an indifferent tone, showing not the slightest emotion.

When Wu Chou heard this, he coldly laughed and continued to chop down, ignoring his words. Breaking the demon beast’s grasp, he tightly gripped the blue coral in his hands.

Having seen this, Elder Gu revealed a softer expression and sighed, helplessly transmitting his voice towards Wu Chou.

Upon hearing him, Wu Chou suddenly halted his saber and revealed an expression of astonishment. He lowered the devilish saber in his hands and opened and closed his mouth in disbelief as though he wanted to say something. Elder Gu then expressionlessly said a few additional words.

This strange scene was completely baffling to Han Li and the others. As for elder Miao, he expressionlessly floated in the air and turned a blind eye to what was happening.

“I don’t believe you! Give me evidence of your status!” Wu Chou suddenly shook his head and coldly shouted.

It’s unclear whether or not it was deliberate, but he suddenly shouted this out without using a voice transfer technique. When Han LI and the others heard this, they couldn’t help but feel puzzled. After giving each other a mutual glance, Elder Gu and Miao revealed a furious expression.

“Fine, here is proof of our status!” With an ice-cold expression, he waved his arm and released a black light. Wu Chou caught it without any effort.

Han Li attentively gazed at this with a thumping heart, but he was only able to clearly see the item by relying on his powerful spiritual sense. It was a command medallion carved and painted in the shape of a malevolent ghost head that released a faint black Qi. After carefully examining it, Wu Chou seemed to recognize it.

Han Li’s heart thumped, and he faintly felt a foreboding premonition. He hastily turned his head around, but what he saw left him fearful.

The others appeared bewildered and were glancing at the actions of the three Core Formation cultivators. However, Qing Suanzi’s face appeared deathly white and he started to fall back with tightened fists in complete silence. In the blink of an eye, he was already a hundred meters away.

When he saw Han Li looking at him, he was initially startled before revealing an unsightly, bitter smile. Afterwards, he wordlessly transformed into an azure streak, fleeing away at the greatest speed he could muster.

This sight caused Han Li’s heart to sink! He instantly reacted, patting his storage pouch and hastily withdrawing his Divine Wind Boat. After dragging Crooked Soul onto the magic tool, he soon turned into a streak of white light and hastily fled in the direction of the small, unnamed island.

Qing Suanzi’s and Han Li’s strange actions left Feng Sanniang and the other cultivators stunned, feeling great bafflement.

When Elder Gu and Miao saw this, they revealed cold expressions. Elder Gu then sinisterly said, “We will take responsibility to kill the two that fled. Elder Brother Wu, I will leave the rest to you!”

Without waiting for Wu Chou’s response, Elder Gu and Miao turned into two streaks of light, disappearing without a trace in the direction of Han Li and Qing Suanzi.

Wu Chou coldly snorted. Although he appeared unwilling, he gazed at the bewildered Foundation Establishment cultivators with killing intent.

“Humph! You all sure aren’t lucky, having witnessed something you shouldn’t have! Now, this young master will be taking your souls!” Wu Chou spread open his arms and covered the nearby sky and earth with a black, evil wind in an instant, the astonishingly dense pressure instantly engulfing Feng Sanniang and the others.

[1] [丑 Chou can mean ugly as he is described. Also describes certain Q.I. thieves.]