Not only the Mr. Min cultivator, but also the hunched elder and the harsh, Xuan-named man had their hearts lifted to their throats—perhaps the other one was the very Lord of the Insect Demon himself! "Interesting. It seems the reputation of this Insect Demon is truly formidable. I wonder if any of you have seen what he looks like, and whether the insects he commands are similar to mine?" Han Li, instead of showing anger, smiled lightly. "What does he look like? I haven't heard much detail—seems quite ordinary in appearance. As for the insects he commands, they appear to be flying insects of gold and silver hues? Ah! You, sir, have three-colored beetles—so clearly, the elder is not the Demon after all!" Initially hesitant, the Mr. Min cultivator suddenly realized the difference between the two, and exclaimed with surprise. The hunched elder and the harsh man also suddenly recalled the matter, both feeling a renewed sense of confidence. If the other one wasn't the Insect Demon, then their lives were indeed safer. "Thank you all for your honest accounts." I still have matters to attend to, so I must now bid you all farewell. However, I beg you three to speak of our meeting today sparingly. I would not wish to be truly mistaken for some insect demon and pursued as such. I am sure my fellow Daoists will understand! Han Li gazed upward, as though pondering deeply. Only after a moment did he lower his head and speak the words that filled the three elderly faces with profound joy. "Of course. We shall keep your matter strictly confidential and cause you no trouble. Then, we shall be off." The elderly figures, though trying hard to suppress their excitement, asked with gentle anticipation. Han Li nodded calmly, and the three immediately felt relieved, bowing to him before rising swiftly and taking flight. A short while later, at the other end of the small island, the three elderly figures, accompanied by their disciples, hurriedly took off from the island and sped toward the distant sky. Han Li had risen without knowing when, standing motionless and watching until the glow of the others faded away, only then did his expression suddenly darken. Though it had been a matter of ease to take the lives of these cultivators, he had made no move at all. He was by no means a bloodthirsty man! Moreover, whether or not their presence revealed his whereabouts was entirely irrelevant—since this sea region was worlds away from his abode. If he had encountered them on the shores of the Mist Island Sea, he would have ensured not a single one of them survived. In fact, he had already planned to return to his estate to enter meditation retreat, intending to remain there for at least twenty or thirty years—no further ventures from his cave planned. Let those who sought trouble with him endure in the starry seas for as long as they wished! Yet, "Insect Demon"—that was quite a sinister title they had bestowed upon him. Yet, besides being forced to do so, when had he ever personally killed anyone to seize treasures before? This was clearly a case of false accusations and frame-up! Though韩立did not burst into a rage, he was deeply frustrated. Thinking back on his enemies beyond the star-sea, it seemed that only the Biyun Sect remained. Back then, due to the dangers posed by high-level beast spirits,韩立had not ventured too deeply into the deep regions of the star-sea. He had merely operated in the outer areas, continuously using the Nishang grass to attract beasts and extract their essences. Once, while he had just successfully ensnared a seventh-level beast spirit, he encountered a group of high-level cultivators—around seven or eight at the Jiedan stage—who claimed to be from the Biyun Sect. These cultivators, full of arrogance, suddenly grew greedy and demanded to kill him and take his treasures. To defend himself,韩立had to deploy over ten thousand golden-feeding insects to defeat them. According to his plan, once he had taken action, it would be best to eliminate his opponents completely. Yet, to his surprise, although most of the cultivators had been eliminated, one of the late-stage Jin Dan cultivators possessed a powerful ancient artifact that protected him. Seizing the moment when the cultivator was unprepared, he broke through the swarm of gold-devouring insects and managed to escape with his life. Han Li naturally knew that the famed Bi Yun Gate was one of the major powers on Qi Yuan Island. With no choice, he had to take the risk and venture deep into the ocean to evade this newly emerged formidable adversary. In fact, he had been rather fortunate. Over the years of his deep-sea expeditions, he had never encountered a single beast of eight or higher rank. His most perilous encounter involved only a few seven-rank beasts, which had left him quite flustered for a while. However, after deploying both his gold-devouring insects and his magical artifacts, he successfully repelled them without any harm. Through years of relentless deep-sea hunting, he had accumulated hundreds of six- and seven-rank beast spores—more than sufficient to produce medicinal pills—and had also gathered a substantial stock of materials from various beasts. With these resources now secured, he finally decided to return along the same path. But just returned from the deep sea, while passing through this sea region, he accidentally discovered a lapis beast. Naturally, Han Li had no intention of letting it go, so he cast a spell to imprison and eliminate it. Yet unexpectedly, this action summoned three elderly figures with crooked faces, who were deeply alarmed and referred to him as the "insect demon." This naturally left Han Li deeply frustrated. It was clear that the most likely explanation was that the Bi Yun Sect, having failed to locate him despite extensive searches, and recognizing his expertise in insect manipulation and his distinctive appearance—especially his ability to wield the Qingzhu Bee Cloud Sword—had actively fabricated the story of the "insect demon" to tarnish his reputation. Undoubtedly, they aimed not only to undermine his standing and drive him out of the extraterrestrial sea, but also to lure him into appearing, even sending agents to feign his actual killing of others and seizure of treasures—achieving both objectives at once. Unfortunately, Han Li had spent the past several years entirely immersed in the deep-sea regions, so their efforts had been entirely in vain. However, as he spoke on this matter, Han Li found himself puzzled. Finding another high-level cultivator equally skilled in insect It was easy enough to find some flying insects similar to the gold-devouring beetles. But if it truly were members of Biyun Sect behind this, why would the impersonator use insects of gold and silver colors, rather than imitate the three-colored gold-devouring beetles that had been used when they had slain Biyun Sect cultivators during their attack? Wouldn't the returning Jin Dan cultivator have noticed that detail? And as for the original colors of the beetles before their evolution—those were from before the journey to the extraterrestrial sea. Could it be…that the old masters from Xitian Pavilion had tracked them all the way here? As Han Li pondered this, a sudden chill ran through him, and his expression changed dramatically. If this were indeed the case, things were truly looking serious. After a quiet moment of deep reflection, Han Li suddenly stomped his foot and, without any prior sign, soared into the air. Then, he transformed into a streak of jade-green light, breaking through the heavens toward the misty island. In the midst of his swift journey, Han Li's demeanor remained calm, a subtle cold irony playing at the corner of his lips. He had just realized it. As for the matter of the "Insect Demon," whether it's a scheme concocted by Biyun Sect or the old monsters attempting to force him to appear—either way, it requires no great mental effort to pay attention. The circumstances in the Outer Star Sea have grown increasingly strange due to the events involving the deep-sea beast creatures. He had originally planned to return to his abode and remain secluded, diligently cultivating for years without venturing out. In this way, he would neatly avoid the current perilous period with a dual benefit. Once his cultivation level reached a sufficient height, even if he truly became the famed "Insect Demon," what could others possibly do to him? In the immortal realm, strength is always the foundation of influence and voice! With this mindset, Han Li felt no further doubts and simply continued his journey, drifting onward. Meanwhile, within a secret chamber of Heishi City on Qi Yuan Island, two figures were quietly conversing in hushed tones. "Qin brother, it's now over two and a half years since this began. Is your method still effective? I can't possibly stay here for another seven or eight years, merely waiting for this young man to finally fall into place!" "A cold voice, full of impatience, spoke. "Master Wu, this situation cannot be rushed. You're not constantly scanning every corner of Black Stone City with your spiritual awareness, are you? If that young man has disguised himself to enter the city, he surely won't escape your notice." A slightly hoarse voice responded, speaking calmly. The owner of the first voice was none other than the venerable Master of Extreme Yin—long absent! At present, he still bore the appearance of a pale middle-aged man, yet his expression was deeply somber, with a subtle hint of displeasure in his eyes. "Hmph! Master Wu, following Qi's method, I've sent several disciples to impersonate that young man, each going out to kill and seize treasures throughout the city. Yet, not a single success. Is it not possible that Master Qi is deliberately concealing something for other reasons? I simply don't believe it—how difficult can it be for such a large sect as Biyun to find a cultivator at the initial Dan stage?" Master of Extreme Yin expressed his irritation. "Cough! Master Wu, you're quite mistaken." Qi and Wu have been close friends for no less than a couple of years. How could I be such a person? Moreover, our sect shares a deep grudge with that young man—our pursuit of him has never ceased! "The voice, somewhat hoarse, belonged to a middle-aged Taoist wearing a robe patterned with white cranes. Though his face was marked with white spots, a subtle sheen of jade-like luster covered it, giving him an impressive presence. "Nevertheless, Wu, I find myself quite curious—what exactly has this young man done to offend you, prompting you to risk your life and journey all the way to Tianxing City, only to transmit here? You've consistently cited the death of your grandson at his hands as an excuse, yet I find it hard to believe." The Taoist suddenly smiled, as though remembering something. ------------ I'm sorry, the update will be delayed a bit!