Meanwhile, in a certain black space, four figures wreathed in black mist stood silently.
Three of them were Nether Spring, Red Grotto, and Ma Xiuxiu. The fourth was a short figure dressed in black robes.
Crystalline black light bloomed from this figure's hand, and a black Demon Butterfly about a foot long appeared in his palm. With a bang, it shattered into countless motes of black light that drifted away.
At the sight, Nether Spring and the other two all breathed sighs of relief.
"Fortunately, I made it in time, or the consequences would have been unthinkable! Nether Spring, the three of you failed to bring back the Holy Bone Claw Spike. The Demon Ancestor is deeply disappointed!" The short figure turned toward the other three and barked coldly.
"We acknowledge our fault. Please punish us, Venerable!" Nether Spring and the other two hurriedly fell to their knees and spoke in trembling voices.
The short figure snorted coldly. Ignoring them, he took out a blood-colored jade talisman and formed hand seals to activate it.
Waves of bloody light rose from the talisman, and a voice issued from within, its pitch rising and falling. Nether Spring and the other two could not understand a word and did not even dare breathe loudly...
The short figure bowed slightly, occasionally nodding toward the bloody light with the utmost respect.
A moment later, the bloody light on the jade talisman slowly faded, and it returned to its original state.
"The Demon Ancestor has said he will give you one more chance. The Holy Bone Claw Spike is now in Shen Luo's hands. I shouldn't need to tell you what to do," the short figure said to the three as he put away the jade talisman.
"Understood!" Overjoyed, Nether Spring immediately nodded.
A glimmer flashed