As the Seven Fiend Wolf Smoke hurtled toward them, Fang Han lay flat against the back of the Crane Immortal, peering through the gaps in her feathers. He saw the monstrous, sinister face made of black smoke, relentlessly pursuing them. Its wide mouth snapped open, revealing sharp, terrifying teeth. From the swirling smoke, an eerie demonic laugh echoed.
The wind howled fiercely, almost scattering them from the sky, yet the smoke remained undeterred, its form unbroken, as if it was alive—some malevolent force chasing them.
Fang Han's heart raced as fear clawed at him. He had encountered many dangers in his time, but nothing like this. The malevolent face in the smoke bore down on them, drawing nearer with every passing moment, and he felt an overwhelming sense of doom.
"The Seven Fiend Wolf Smoke," the Crane Immortal cried, her voice filled with panic. "It's a toxic smoke made into a magical weapon—an artifact of the Demon God Sect. Only their inner disciples can wield it. If we're caught by it, we'll turn to blood and rot!"
The Crane Immortal beat her wings desperately, but the smoke face remained in hot pursuit, closing the gap rapidly.
"What is the Demon God Sect?" Fang Han shouted, trying to distract himself from the immediate danger.
"They are a great sect of the demonic path, as powerful as our Yuhua Sect. Their leader, the 'Demon God,' achieved immortality through divine magic long ago. He became a being of unimaginable power, with abilities rivaling the Demon Emperor, and now rules the demonic forces!"
The Crane Immortal was clearly frightened. Her wings beat furiously as she dodged and twisted through the sky.
"They shouldn't be here," she continued, gritting her beak. "Demonic, magical, and immortal cultivators were supposed to be at peace for these years. The Demon God Sect shouldn't be appearing anywhere near Yuhua Mountain!"
Fang Han, barely listening, stared at the ever-approaching black smoke. His mind raced for a way to escape. The Crane Immortal's speed was impressive, but the smoke face kept closing in, relentless and determined.
"Creatures of immense power sometimes undergo a transformation if they eat rare immortal herbs," she continued as they soared, trying to buy time with explanations. "Such creatures become 'demons'—not immortal, but still very strong. However, few can break through to the Divine Power Realm and achieve the Longevity Secret Realm, where they can change their bodies at will and become immortal demons. They are then truly immortal, with power comparable to a divine entity."
Just as the Crane Immortal finished speaking, the terrifying face of the black smoke roared, its sharp teeth ready to tear through them.
"We're doomed!" The Crane Immortal cried, panic breaking her usual calm. "We're going to die!"
Fang Han could barely breathe, the air thick with the stench of toxic fumes. He felt the poison invade his lungs, threatening to dissolve him. In that moment, he knew only one thing: "We're done for."
But then, a strange heat rose within his chest. The Nine Aperture Golden Core reacted to the poison, glowing brightly. A sweet fragrance poured from it, instantly dispelling the toxic smoke that surrounded them.
Fang Han's heart raced, his mind confused. At the same time, he felt the Jiao Subduing Yellow Springs Diagram in his robe tremble with power. A strong pulling force emanated from it.
The black smoke, as if drawn by some invisible force, vanished entirely, absorbed into the diagram. The air cleared, and the foul stench disappeared, replaced by fresh wind. The Crane Immortal, now free of the poisonous haze, regained her strength, and with a mighty flap of her wings, she shot back into the sky, racing towards Yuhua Mountain.
"What just happened?" the Crane Immortal asked, confused and amazed. "We were about to die, and then the Seven Fiend Wolf Smoke... disappeared?"
Fang Han's mind was racing. The Jiao Subduing Yellow Springs Diagram... it must have absorbed the smoke. He couldn't explain it to the Crane Immortal—she wouldn't understand. Instead, he simply shrugged, pretending ignorance.
"Maybe we were just lucky," Fang Han said. "Perhaps the person controlling the smoke decided to retract it."
The Crane Immortal seemed to accept this explanation, too dazed to question further. She fluttered towards Purple Lightning Peak, where they could take refuge.
"We got lucky," she murmured, her voice still trembling. "That was too close!"
After resting for a while, the Crane Immortal stretched her wings and let out a long yawn, fresh droplets of crane saliva dripping from her beak.
"I'm heading back to rest," she said. "Stay safe, Fang Han. The world outside is dangerous."
Fang Han nodded, watching the Crane Immortal fly off to rest. He didn't waste any time. He headed straight to his room to inspect the Jiao Subduing Yellow Springs Diagram, curious about what had happened.
Meanwhile, far away from Yuhua Mountain, at the site where the Seven Fiend Wolf Smoke had been released, the dark smoke began to dissipate. Seven columns of smoke merged into a small, green gourd, about the size of a palm.
A young man in black, with a cold, sinister expression, picked up the gourd. He looked up into the sky, his eyes narrowed. "How did that crane escape?" he muttered. "I lost part of my Seven Fiend Smoke. Something's wrong."
Just then, a green figure descended from the sky, floating before him like a wraith.
"Jinshi Tai! What are you doing here?" the young man, Wang Molin, snapped.
The newcomer, a disciple of Biyan Peak, was none other than Jinshi Tai. The two exchanged a few words, the atmosphere tense with underlying schemes.
"It seems you haven't entered the Divine Power Realm yet," Jinshi Tai sneered, eyeing Wang Molin's floating gourd. "You still rely on that Seven Fiend Gourd to float, protect yourself, and kill. It's a good treasure, but it's not enough."
"I'll enter the Divine Power Realm soon enough," Wang Molin growled, clearly irritated. "And don't forget, your rise in the sect was thanks to your father's connections. You'd still be stuck at the outer gates if not for him and that Yangshou Elixir!"
The tension thickened. The two had a history of rivalry, but today they were united by a common goal: using their combined powers to take down Fang Qingxue, a true disciple of Yuhua Sect. They planned to use the Seven Fiend Gourd to fight Fang Qingxue's Purple Lightning Yin Thunder Sword.
"Is the Nine Aperture Golden Core and the Jiao Subduing Yellow Springs Diagram truly in her hands?" Wang Molin asked cautiously. "If they're not, I'm not risking it."
"I'm sure they are," Jinshi Tai said, his eyes gleaming. "Fang Qingxue is the key to unlocking the secrets of those treasures. Once she's subdued, we'll have everything—especially the Nine Aperture Golden Core. Then, we can both break through to the Divine Power Realm and dominate the world."
Their words were filled with dark ambition, plotting to conquer everything before them. But Fang Han and the Crane Immortal had escaped for now. How long would their luck hold?