Chapter 99: The Great Whirlwind Transposition

Star-Wind said excitedly.
Qin Chuchu nodded and said, “I checked the entire Heaven-Star Sect. I couldn’t sense him anywhere. Even with a spiritual-sight scan for several thousand li, there was no trace. This is suspicious. Brother, why don’t you use the Heavenly Star Eye and investigate?”

Star-Wind nodded solemnly. For the future of the Heaven-Star Sect, it was worth opening the Heavenly Star Eye once. The Heavenly Star Eye and the Heavenly Star Sword have been inherited for generations. The Heaven-Star Eye is a treasured divine artifact of the sect, forged by its founding patriarch, the Sky-Wandering Ascetic. He gathered the primal source of the Seven Stars, fused it with countless heavenly and earthly treasures, and for millennia cultivated it within the violet-blue fire of heaven; only then did it become what it is now—an insight that can peer through all things and wield unimaginable powers.

Yet after generations of inheritance, the aura of the Heavenly Star Eye has become immense and layered, and its use consumes a great deal of spiritual awareness.

Star-Wind pressed his brow apart with his fingers. A seam split open, and a brilliant silver eye bulged out, tiny cross-shaped stars slowly revolving inside it.

A silver pillar of light tore through every obstruction and swept outward in a single surge. Halfway through, Star-Wind suddenly stopped the search. His face turned as white as snow. “No… Ge Qian is in danger. Is he with Ancient Demon Lika?”

“Lika is that old monster,” Qin Chuchu said anxiously. “His strength is great and he is hard to handle. Should I go with you?”

“It’s impossible—we’re out of time. At this distance it’s no small span, and they are at Wolong Gully, in the lands of the Beast-Tamer Sect. Sister Qin, you must hold the sect, or I won’t feel at peace. Do not worry. I’ll take the Heavenly Star Sword and return in victory.”

With a gesture, he pointed to the ground. A vortex began to turn; within it a silver longsword shimmered with starlight, then flashed into him. He finished a hand-seal and a peerless tornado rose from the earth. With a sharp burst of sound it vanished into the void, leaving no trace.

Qin Chuchu prayed silently. “Brother, has your Great Whirlwind Relocation grown stronger again? Do be careful.”

On the other side, at Wolong Gully, ten thousand li away.

Ge Qian had only just recovered from his wounds and drained power when Ancient Demon Lika, not yet willing to accept the end, came back again.

With his tremendous spiritual perception, Lika fixed on Ge Qian instantly and descended through the air.

Ge Qian felt a dreadful pressure sweep over him and knew at once he was locked onto. He thought of fleeing. But at their speeds, it would have been like an ant trying to outrun an elephant. So he forced himself to hold steady; he couldn’t run, and if he couldn’t run he would face it. He stepped out from the cave, crossed his arms behind him, and waited.

From above, an ancient demon dropped down and landed before him, blinked once, then said, “Kid, why didn’t you run? Don’t you know running from me is useless? So you just stand there to hear my orders?”

Ge Qian wore an untroubled expression, almost too calm, and held up a talisman sheet in his hand. A chill from the Path of Hell, full of the scent of death, spread from him. “Ancient Demon, do not even think about me. The Death God gave me this talisman. It is called Hell-Demon Sever, equivalent to unleashing the Death Scythe at full force. If you do not believe me, try.”

Ge Qian was gifted at deception. He had learned in this harsh world to wear every face and could counterfeit sincerity so perfectly that it could be mistaken for truth.

Lika’s blood-red eyes showed hesitation. His thoughts raced. If that was real, he could not risk it; even the Death Scythe at full power was not something he could stand against.

He forced a smile. “You are a youth. I do not know what your ties are, but I should warn you: consorting with the Death God is like wrestling with a tiger’s hide. They are the dead, after all—not truly alive like us. Why not cooperate? Draw out Moon-Shadow Dune. Give her this ‘Nine-Naraka Dispelling Pill,’ and I’ll guarantee you are untouched. I’ll take her Death Scythe. Everything else will be yours. I’ll let my demonic qi flood you, and you’ll step straight into the Coagulated-Dan stage.”

That was his real purpose.

Ge Qian cut in with a hard, mocking laugh. “Ridiculous. Nothing you do escapes the Death God’s stratagem. Do not drag me in as your shield. I won’t agree. I’ll tell you plainly: the Death God is using me as bait and gave me this talisman so that once I trigger it, she will tear through the sky and descend. Then I lose my value. You and I are both on borrowed time. If so, better this: you go your way, I go mine. As long as we do not cross, we may each live a few more years.”

Ancient Demon Lika had a shiver of dread just recalling the earth-shattering ghost-paw from before. Had he not used the ancient-demon forbidden art Blood-Light Escape, he might already have been done for.

Yet he was reluctant to give up. “I’ll reluctantly believe you once… But think it over carefully. I’ll leave for now and return?”

As he spoke, a tiny demonic needle appeared in his palm. Inwardly, he thought: *Once I catch you, what I do afterward is my own choice. Even that spirit talisman will be mine.*

At once Ge Qian tightened his grasp on the talisman. “Ancient Demon, are you planning to kill me with that needle, then slaughter me and take my prize? If so, don’t blame me for being merciless.”

Lika’s fingers closed around the needle instantly. He did not cast it. He felt fear again, and in his heart thought, Damn, this one knows exactly what I’m thinking.

Truly, Ge Qian’s spiritual perception was far beyond what Lika could grasp. Though he never mastered the Cataclysmic God-Cutting Art, he had gained much from it. And a demon tyrant like him can act as he pleases, bound by no moral code, given to betrayal at any moment—especially an ancient demon. One could guess his next move from the twitch of a toe.

Lika’s eyes flicked sideways. “You underestimate me greatly. I am a true practitioner of the late Infant-Transformation Stage. How could I be considered your equal?”

Even as he said it, a broken claw-blade appeared in the hand at his back. He meant to employ his strongest method and end Ge Qian in one blow.

Then a whirlwind suddenly whipped through the heavens, immense and fierce, sweeping all across the sky. When it passed, a handsome man stood before Ge Qian.

Lika’s brows tightened; danger flared in him. He glared. “Star-Wind, is that you? You meant to ruin my good chance?”

Star-Wind laughed loudly. “Lika, you never know when to stop. To use your demondragon remnant blade, the Heaven-Piercing Spirit Treasure, against a youngster of only Foundation Establishment rank—your behavior is laughable.”

“Disciple Ge Qian pays respect to the sect master.” Ge Qian moved to bow. Relief finally touched him—his master was also in the late Infant-Transformation Stage, so he was no weaker than Lika.

Star-Wind brushed the air at arm’s length. An unseen force caught Ge Qian and held him steady. “No need to bow now. Let me deal with this demon first, then we will speak.”

While the two were still talking, Lika suddenly struck. A wave of demonic power surged; the half broken blade in his hand turned into a three-meter sweeping slash, and a colossal demonic-dragon claw lunged straight at Star-Wind.

No one had expected it. Lika did not merely act; he attacked at once, a base and treacherous ambush. Swift, crushingly strong, and an all-or-nothing gamble.