Chapter 66

--It's Ji Li.

It must be Ji Li.

Ji Li has found them.

Shan Heyuan's first reaction was to back away, pretending to be passing by unintentionally, wanting to leave this place.

Before he could even take a step, Ji Li turned around and looked straight at him with a slight smile, "Shan Heyuan? It's our first meeting, so you must have already recognized me?"

Shan Heyuan didn't speak, but stared at Ji Li with his dark eyes.

Ji Li smiled and said, "Does Shen He like this type? I guess I haven't found the right one for him before."

Shan Heyuan could sense that Shen Duheng was not at home. He was anxious, but under Ji Li's surveillance, he had no way to send a message to Shen Duheng.

Shan Heyuan placed his hand in front of his Dantian, attempting to secretly retrieve the jade tablet engraved with a spatial array and the Top-Grade Spirit Stone, and quickly escape from this place.

He might get hurt, but with his Dantian Small World, he wouldn't have to face death directly.

Just as Shan Heyuan was about to take a desperate gamble and give it his all.

Ji Li suddenly said, "I know you have other tricks up your sleeve, but it's best not to try them. Otherwise, it wouldn't be good if Shen He came back and saw you covered in blood."

Shan Heyuan's expression changed slightly.

Ji Li reverted to her smiling, stern demeanor. "Since this is my first visit, would you like to invite me in for a cup of tea? Perhaps we can wait for Shen He to return while we drink tea."

Under his gaze, Shan Heyuan had no choice but to extend his hand in a gesture of invitation. "If Senior Ji is willing..."

Ji Li smiled and said, "Of course I'm willing. I've wanted to see you for a long time, but the right time just hasn't come yet."

Ji Li stepped into their house. "The timing isn't perfect, but unfortunately I can't wait any longer."

Shan Heyuan: "Why? Because our cultivation levels are getting higher and higher?"

"Of course not, your cultivation level is nothing to me." Ji Li shook her head with a smile, answering Shan Heyuan's question, "Because more and more cities are dying, I need to hurry up and leave this place."

Chapter 66

Ji Li's attitude was very gentle, Shan Heyuan knew that this was just a disguise. He had come all this way not just to chat with them.

Shan Heyuan was covered in cold sweat; he had no way of contacting Shen Duheng right now.

He had always been a cultivator specializing in agriculture, and after transmigrating to this world, he made a living by farming. He had never encountered anyone coming to his door seeking revenge before.

Ji Li's cultivation level was too high. Even without knowing Ji Li's exact cultivation level, he could sense that Ji Li was definitely above the Tribulation Transcendence, far beyond what they could contend with.

What to do?

A wave of despair washed over Shan Heyuan.

He could vaguely sense that the surrounding space had been sealed off.

Even if he desperately wanted to send the message, he probably wouldn't be able to.

With a stiff face, Shan Heyuan followed Ji Li back into the house.

Ji Li turned her head and looked around their living room, saying gently in a strange and subtle manner, "Your home is quite cozy; you seem to be living a good life."

Shan Heyuan completely ignored it.

Ji Li sat down on a chair in the living room, her eyes crinkling with a smile. "Don't be nervous. I quite like you, and we don't have any grudges against each other. If you're willing, I can make you a planter for the Sword Reverence Sect, or you can go to the Planting Institute if you want."

Shan Heyuan smirked, revealing a mocking smile, "Before you speak, can you take off this mask and show your true self? Have you been stealing for so long without getting any trouble from your master that you think this face is your own?"

Ji Li smiled with a touch of elegance, "I thought you would prefer me the way I am now. Don't you find me quite endearing?"

As he spoke, his figure began to change; he became shorter, and the features of his face softened, making him more handsome. "If you like, you can change back. So, do you like how I look now?"

Shan Heyuan looked at him with a complicated expression. "Is there something wrong with you? Do you only feel comfortable when you're being scolded?"

Ji Li's smile vanished abruptly, and all the lines on his face began to droop. Although his face didn't actually look like it was collapsing, the subtle shape of those lines gave him a more terrifying, witch-like aura.

Shan Heyuan wasn't intimidated, but upon seeing that face, she instinctively wanted to take a step back.

Ji Li's aura was too sinister, making people instinctively want to avoid her.

There's no point in talking further. Shan Heyuan drew his spiritual sword from his Dantian Small World: "We are enemies, not friends. There's no point in saying more. Draw your sword."

Ji Li smiled and said, "In all these years, you're the first person who dared to draw your sword in front of me. I admire your courage."

As Ji Li said this, she also drew her spirit sword.

It was a crimson spirit sword, emanating an ominous, bloody aura. One look revealed that this spirit sword must have drunk a great deal of blood and killed many people.

Without another word, Shan Heyuan brandished his spirit sword and charged forward.

As he approached Ji Li, Shan Heyuan simultaneously unleashed his sword and simultaneously opened his Dantian Small World.

His Dantian Small World had become much stronger, and its suction power had also increased significantly; he had conducted experiments on it before.

When one fully opens their Dantian to Dantian Small World, they can take in all objects within a radius of several miles, including mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas.

He wanted to confine Ji Li to his own Dantian Small World.

Perhaps the Dantian Small World cannot imprison Ji Li for long, but it can effectively slow down his escape and buy time for Shen Duheng.

Escape.

All you need to do is escape. If you survive, you have a chance.

In desperation, Shan Heyuan activated his inner cultivation technique, expanding his Dantian Small World as much as possible.

Ji Li stood steadily in front of him, showing no signs of being affected. "I was quite surprised to hear from the intelligence that a small world had formed in your Dantian. I didn't expect it to be true. The aura of the primordial Heavenly Dao in your Dantian Small World is truly abundant."

Shan Heyuan gripped his sword and unleashed a move called "Knowing People".

Ji Li's figure flashed, and in the blink of an eye, she suddenly appeared in front of Shan Heyuan, firmly grabbing the back of his neck, and smiled eerily, "I came to see Shen He today, but I didn't expect you to give me such a pleasant surprise."

Shan Heyuan roared, "Die!"

Ji Li: "I can't bear to see you die. Is Shen He's cultivation progressing so fast because of your Dual Cultivation? Your world power is just a waste on him."

The difference in their cultivation levels was too great.

Shan Heyuan had almost no hope of winning against Ji Li.

He wanted to stall until Shen Duheng found out, until Shen Duheng successfully escaped.

However, he also knew that Shen Duheng would not run away; he would never abandon him and escape.

When Shan Heyuan actually saw Shen Duheng appear outside the cabin, he still felt a wave of despair.

Shen Duheng didn't run, and neither did he. Ji Li's arrival was hostile; were they going to die here today?

Shen Duheng's face remained expressionless as always, but when he saw Shan Heyuan gave her a reassuring smile.

The atmosphere was too oppressive; Shen Duheng's smile appeared and disappeared in an instant, like a rare and precious ray of sunshine under dark clouds.

Shan Heyuan felt a deep sadness.

If only they had more time—three, five, or even eight or ten years—they wouldn't be in such a sorry state today.

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs".

Ji Li, holding Shan Heyuan in one hand, stared straight at Shen Duheng: "You're finally back, but just like decades ago, knowing there's a problem, you still recklessly rush forward. Doesn't your simple mind even have the concept of weighing gains and losses?"

Shen Duheng ignored his words and asked directly, "Why are you looking for us at this time? Is it because more and more worlds are dying, and you want to leave this world?"

Ji Li did not answer.

Shen Duheng: "Being trapped in this world must be unpleasant, right? Over these thousands of years, how many layers of skin have you changed? Has each one not lasted long? Is it because it violates the natural order? Or—is it because you yourself have begun to rot from the inside out?"