"Lord Precious, those people have already found the Spirit Pool. Should we not make our move yet?" The black-armored giant watched Han Li and the others enter the valley, his eyes darting back and forth before he asked with some hesitation.
"There's no rush. We need not lift a finger — others will intercept them soon enough. That person will also arrive before long!" the white-robed woman said calmly.
"Others?"
"My risky return to the Sacred Realm this time was mostly to restore my former Magical Power, but a smaller part of the reason was for this very person." The white-robed woman laughed softly, and the air around her abruptly solidified.
The black-armored giant felt a flicker of confusion, but seeing the strange phenomena around the white-robed woman, a chill ran through his heart and he dared not say another word.
The air around the white-robed woman soon returned to normal. But after waiting a short while, she suddenly arched one slender eyebrow and swept her palm through the air in front of her.
A mass of bizarre, mercury-like liquid materialized out of thin air before her. After briefly solidifying, it transformed into a mirror-like screen of light, within which brilliant flashes erupted as a remarkably clear image took shape.
In the mirror, at the edge of a sea of thunder where countless arcs of lightning crackled and roared downward, a ripple of spatial fluctuation arose, and a colossal sphere of black light, a hundred zhang in diameter, materialized from the void in a flash.
Then the sphere's radiance contracted, revealing what lay within — a three-headed black flood dragon, its body seventy to eighty zhang long!
The demon flood dragon was covered entirely in glossy, pitch-black scales, and its three enormous heads swayed slightly like turret pavilions, wisps of black flame flickering intermittently across its massive body — a truly ferocious and terrifying sight!
But what was even more astonishing was that standing firmly atop the flood dragon's central head was a young man in black robes, empty-handed.
His eyes were a faint violet, his face as flawless as polished jade, a pair of sharp sword-brows arching toward his temples. His expressionless countenance lent him an additional air of cold menace.
The black-robed youth swept his gaze across the sea of thunder and let out a cold snort. He reached out with one hand and grasped at the void, and countless black runes surged forth from his palm. As they converged, they solidified into a long, dark spear wreathed in black mist.
It was roughly a zhang in length, but the spear's shaft was inscribed with layer upon layer of demonic runes and incantations. Staring at them for too long produced a dizzying, vertiginous sensation.
The youth flicked his wrist and, holding the spear in one hand, thrust it casually forward with a light tap.
With a sharp "tsss"!
A waterfall-like stream of black radiance flashed from the spear's tip and struck the sea of thunder with savage force.
An astonishing sight appeared!
Wherever the black radiance passed, every arc of lightning twisted and recoiled, carving out a passage through the sea of thunder that stretched beyond the limits of vision.
Myriad thunderbolts roared on either side of the passage, yet not a single arc could penetrate it, as though an overwhelming force was holding them firmly at bay.
The youth turned his hand over once more, and the black spear burst apart with a muffled "poom," reverting to black runes that vanished into thin air.
He tapped his toes against the black flood dragon's head beneath him, about to urge it forward into the sea of thunder.
But just at that moment, the black-robed youth suddenly sensed something. His expression shifted abruptly as he tilted his head, his entire face appearing clearly within the mirror's surface of light. His eyes flashed with violet light as he let out a low shout: "Who dares spy on this Ancestor!"
As his voice rang out, an invisible wave of energy pierced through the void and manifested directly upon the mirror's surface.
With a muffled boom, the mirror shattered into countless motes of silver light and was destroyed.
The black-armored giant witnessed this scene, his face turning deathly pale. After a long moment, he finally muttered: "Ancestor Yuan Yan — it's Ancestor Yuan Yan! Could it be that the one you've been waiting for is Lord Nightmare!"
"That's right — the one I've been waiting for is indeed Yuan Yan. What, are you frightened?" The white-robed woman appeared entirely unfazed by what had just transpired. Hearing the black-armored giant's words, a sliver of cold amusement appeared at the corner of her lips.
"With Lord Precious here, how could this subordinate be afraid? However, your cultivation has not yet been fully restored. Wouldn't it be... inadvisable to meet Lord Yuan Yan at this point?" The black-armored giant was now drenched in sweat.
"What is there to fear with me here? Besides, meeting Yuan Yan doesn't necessarily mean we have to fight. But in a moment, I'll need you to do something for me." The white-robed woman chuckled lightly, then her voice turned abruptly cold as she continued.
"If there is anything my lady requires, this subordinate will carry it out to the best of his ability." The black-armored giant felt a slight wave of relief and immediately bowed to respond.
"As long as you handle this well, no matter what happens, I will ensure your safety. Now listen carefully!" The white-robed woman's lips moved slightly as she transmitted her voice directly to him.