After some hesitation, the ape worriedly asked, “Since Master understands, I am at ease. But before you head to the infernal river, will you be leaving your tree body here?”

Mu Qing calmly answered, “I’ve considered it. I’m prepared to carry my spirit tree body with me.”

The ape wore an uneasy expression and said, “Master, how can that be! There are many dangers in the infernal river. If Master is trapped or something unexpected happens, you’ll be able to revive yourself after some time. But if you’re trapped in the infernal river, you would lose that opportunity. Furthermore, your spirit tree body can’t survive long in storage s.p.a.ce. Since the infernal river is a barren place, you won’t be able to plant it there.”

Mu Qing shook her head, walked up to the tree, and gently stroked its trunk. “Don’t worry. Since I dare to bring my body into the infernal river, I have high confidence I’ll be able to survive. For this reason, I especially refined a storage pearl capable of holding my spirit tree for several years.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t feel at ease taking my body to the outside. Even if your abilities are great, only a step away from mine, if someone is determined to conspire against me, you still wouldn’t be able to protect my body for long.”

Hearing her resolute tone, the ape pondered for a moment and said, “Since Master has decided, I will follow the Master into the infernal river and lend you my strength.”

Mu Qing sweetly chuckled and said, “Don’t mention it, I have something else in mind. After all, I may have acquired many capable subordinates over these past years, but you are the only one I trust. After we enter the infernal river, all I need you to do is watch over that Youngster Han. Of course, I’ll also have you protect him whenever he is in danger.”

A cold glint flashed from the ape’s eyes and he asked, “Him? In two years, Master will be bringing him along?”

Mu Qing nodded with a serious face, “That's right. Not only will he be greatly useful in destroying the restriction on the infernal river, but he is also someone crucial in restoring my body’s essence Qi.”

The ape slapped his chest in confirmation and said, “I will look after this person properly.”

Mu Qing muttered to herself for a moment and said, “Before I officially enter the infernal river, there is no need for you to worry about this person. Even if we don’t do anything, the others need this person to break the seal to the infernal river. They wouldn’t do anything to harm themselves. But I’ll have to trouble you to look after him after we enter.”

“Master, don’t worry. I, Jin Ling, understand,” the ape solemnly answered.

Mu Qing let out a sigh and wore a cunning expression, “Good, then I am relieved. For the time being, I’ll have you look over this place. I’ll call for you when we set off.”

...

In the huge world underneath the Bloodflame Palace, two crimson-robed men were standing side by side. In front of them was a mountain-large Purpleflame Puppet.

At that moment, the puppet’s four front eyes were open. They flickered with a strange crimson light and were staring at the two men.

The men were completely still and were looking into the puppet’s eyes, appearing completely fascinated.

A long while later, a deep sigh sounded from one of the puppets.

“Mu Qing and that ghost woman have come to some sort of agreement, using that brat to jointly divide the devil tomb treasure. Hmph, fortunately, I already antic.i.p.ated this and had that Han Brat help refine the devilbane armor. So long as that brat brings those spirit servants with him, I’ll be able to control them. Even if Liu Zu and the others are sly, its hard to think that they abandoned their plans for the two-headed devil fiend. With my main soul and the puppet fused together and my second soul left behind on the devil body, I have nothing to fear from Divine Devilbane Lightning. So long as I enter the infernal river and acquire that to increase my puppet’s grade, I’ll finally be able to draw on the puppet’s support to advance in the grand Dao. Hehe, I naturally won’t let those two women get their hands on the devil tomb’s treasure.”

An unfamiliar man’s voice sounded out from the giant puppet, causing a faint tremor throughout the ground.

The two men’s eyes became clear and silently stood in place.

...

On a particularly deep layer of the earth abyss, a black wind was wildly blowing in the canyon. The white-haired beauty floated in midair and fiddled with something in her hand. She glanced down and swept her gaze.

In the black wind blowing underneath, she saw countless figures standing inside it.

Each figure was ten meters tall and they wore a strange black armor, concealing their faces.

The white-haired beauty looked downward for a while and withdrew her gaze, instead looking at the item in her hand.

She had been fiddling with a faint green pearl.

The pearl emitted an exceptionally pure wood spirit Qi. Her face wavered as if there was something she couldn't decide.

...

At the center of the mysterious mountain range on first level of the earth abyss, there was a shrine that was three hundred meters tall. There was a huge grey eyeball on top of it, releasing countless grey thoughts into the surrounding air and absorbing the nearby Yin Qi.

Wearing a black cloak, Liu Zu watched this indifferently with his arms held behind his back. He raised his head and stared deep into the sky, motionless.

His hands outside his cloak were extremely coa.r.s.e and had grey cracks on their surface.

...

On the other side, an azure streak flew past a pitch-black wilderness.

He was Han Li, an azure-robed youth that had just left Mu Qing’s cave.

His body was still imprinted with the mark of the four demon monarchs, and he couldn't hide his location from them.

Regardless, Han Li thought to look for a remote location and soon descended.

Any thoughts of escaping only appeared in his dreams. So long as the mark was still there, he wouldn’t have any chance of escaping from the demon monarchs.

The demon monarchs hadn’t given him much time. It would take several years before he could refine the small vial of Rainbow Peac.o.c.k blood and cultivate its true spirit transformation.

Fusing himself with true spirit blood wasn’t an easy task. It would require particular blood vessels or a secret technique to a.s.sist him.

The twelve awakening transformations used a set of arts to resolve this difficult problem.

From this, it was clear to see the resources that were available to the Tian Peng grand elder that originally founded this technique.

Although Han Li knew that he wouldn’t be a match against Body Integration-stage opponents with this ability, at the very least, he would have more methods to fall back on.

Of course, if he could think of how to resolve all these problems during this time, he would just destroy their imprint on him and immediately escape.

Although Mu Qing had only chatted about matters related to the infernal river, it must be incredibly dangerous for a Body Integration-stage demon king to perish.

As Han Li inwardly pondered this, he flew for over half a month and eventually arrived at a small-scale mountain range.

The mountain range was already far away from the residences of Mu Qing and the others. The spiritual Qi was also rather dense on the mountain, and it wasn’t a place where high-grade demons gathered.

Han Li flew around this mountain range for some time before nodding in satisfaction and landed in the height of the mountains.

Several hours later, Han Li easily carved out the mountain and established a simple cave residence.

He entered the cave and immediately placed down restrictions, releasing white mist around the huge mountain.

After Han Li entered the seclusion room in his cave residence, he sealed the door and planned on entering seclusion.

As time slowly pa.s.sed, the mountain range pa.s.sed through the seasons, from spring, summer, autumn, and winter, bringing lush vegetation and snow.

Mu Qing and the others seemed to have forgotten about Han Li for the time being and were busy with their own affairs.

Then two years later, Han Li sat cross-legged on a mat as he fiddled with a common wooden stick.

The stick was blunt on one side and smooth like a knife on the other. There were green and mysterious markings on its surface.

After much maturation, this was the Profound Heavenly Fruit that Han Li didn’t know what to do with.

These past few years, Han Li used the mysterious small bottle to pour liquid on it and after many years, the fruit hadn’t changed much on the outside.

It simply concealed milky white specks of light deep within it and grew several times thicker. The light also appeared far more provoking.

Han Li attempted to control the fruit several times with magic power and even blood essence, but to no result. This time, the attempt still had no effect.

After a sigh, Han Li could only put the stick back in his storage pouch and lower his head in thought.

Over the two years, he eventually used the awakening art to fuse the Rainbow Peac.o.c.k true blood with his body. The transformation refinement succeeded and his body’s cultivation greatly increased, much to his surprise.

If he hadn’t already cultivated the incantation for the dragon phoenix transformation, he would’ve wanted to fuse the two spirit bloods into his body at once and see if it caused an even greater increase in cultivation.

He also began to use True Toad Liquid. It was a pity that he had so little time as the spirit liquid had astonis.h.i.+ng effects. He wasn’t able to use it to increase his cultivation by much.

As for the four demon monarch’s imprint, it still remained.

As such, it appeared he had no choice but to enter the infernal river.

As Han Li thought about it, his face grew sullen.

A short moment later, his face stirred as he raised his head. He suddenly looked outside his secluded room and wore an odd expression.

He suddenly reached out for the door.

Crack. The door’s restrictions fluctuated and a black item shot into his hand.

Han Li stared at it and his expression vastly changed. He suddenly stood up.

It was a foot-long box. Its surface was scorched black and uneven. It looked truly unsightly.