Song Yan said, "Let’s not discuss this further! If I go, we’ll both just end up being humiliated. Why bother?"
Han Weizi nodded happily and responded, "Yes, I’ll listen to you."
Song Yan said, "Now, let’s go retrieve the little bell."
At this moment, he was in a great mood.
Why?
The appearance of Ying Wubei meant that the forces deep within the Giant Dragon Battlefield had set their sights on Lu Jueyun and his group; and Lu Jueyun and his group were not to be trifled with.
The two sides would likely clash head-on, and regardless of the outcome... it would definitely become a "fight between the snipe and the clam."
The opportunity he had been waiting for was near.
...
...
Song Yan hadn’t expected to meet Lu Jueyun again so soon.
But a few days later, a Wind-Strangling Beast appeared at his courtyard gate once more.
This time, the arrogant male cultivator did not dismount; instead, he shouted, "Li Xuanchan, I’m sure you’ve heard about my affairs by now. Today I’ve come to tell you... Ying Wubei has awakened, and he knows the way. So, how about it, is my offer still valid?"
Song Yan said, "Be careful, Ying Wubei might have issues."
Lu Jueyun laughed and said, "No need for you to worry."
His smile abruptly ceased, and he frankly said, "Li Xuanchan, you already have Han Lingzi, how about you let me have Han Weizi? I’ve heard that her Talisman Character is amazing, yet I’ve never experienced it, and neither has my father, we’re all quite curious about it!"
Song Yan was taken aback.
He had climbed out of many crises.
Now that he was at least an Elder of the Crane Spirit Sect, why would Lu Jueyun choose to break relations with him now?
Seeing that Song Yan did not reply, Lu Jueyun sneered coldly and left behind a sinister remark: "You’re as good as dead, Li! After you’re dead, I’ll take Han Weizi to your grave!"
Then, he spurred his Wind-Strangling Beast and departed.
Song Yan squinted as he watched his retreating figure.
Unnoticed, someone took his hand.
The beautiful woman looked at him with a pale face.
Song Yan embraced her, saying, "Don’t worry."
Just then, Han Lingzi appeared out of nowhere and said coldly in a low voice, "Elder Xuanchan, aren’t you very capable? Didn’t you take my Profound Charm Body? Can’t you secretly kill him?"
The beautiful woman glanced at Han Lingzi and said, "Don’t cause trouble."
Han Lingzi said nothing and quietly stepped back.
...
...
A fortnight later...
It was still snowing heavily, at night.
Figures of cultivators emerged onto the snow, treading between Rusted Swords; besides Lu Jueyun and his nine Wind-Strangling Knights, there were over twenty other cultivators, including the local lords of the Rusted Sword Blood Abyss, powerful surrounding loose cultivators, and cultivators from other allied forces.
These cultivators themselves formed small groups, balancing and plotting against one another.
But at this moment, they shared the same goal: to follow Ying Wubei and enter the Giant Dragon Secret Realm.
Of course, no one would completely trust Ying Wubei.
This journey was destined to be full of deception and scheming.
Compared to when he came here over ten years ago, the place was shrouded in shadows, with various illusions alternating, and in the air, there were many twisted and changing paths.
Song Yan perceived a bit and discovered that the markers he had set more than ten years ago were still there. Though a bit incomplete, what’s left was enough to indicate the way.
He did not follow Lu Jueyun, Ying Wubei, and others; instead, after entering the first layer of the Sea of Blood, he quietly waited at the exit.
He waited for a full half month before proceeding along the correct path to the second layer.
With the Three Tribulations Celestial Thunder Pearl paving the way, he easily broke through the Thunderstorm Pool and entered the denser ghost mist of the Blood River Layer.
Upon reaching the Blood River Layer, he did not advance further but dug a pit at the entrance to the third layer and buried himself, waiting patiently.
If he didn’t detect any commotion, he might very well retreat, for if so many in Lu Jueyun’s group could not put up a fight, there was little point in him entering blindly.
Having gained the immense advantage of the "Profound Charm Body," his two Forbidden Talismans within had somewhat improved, and with his newfound status as a Crane Spirit Sect elder, he had a new place for cultivation. This was enough to regard this location as a "site to revisit in the future," rather than a place to fight to the death now, especially since each resurrection meant the "Burial" contamination he suffered became graver.
He... patiently waited.
He decided to wait a year.
If a year passed without any event, he would turn and leave.
...
Time flew by.
Three months later.
A violent wave erupted in the Blast Rune River, with Lu Jueyun surging out in utter disarray, hair disheveled, covered in wounds, and shouting "Ghost Cultivator, Ghost Cultivator!" Several cultivators followed behind him.
But closely trailing them were two extremely cold ghostly shadows.
Song Yan quickly concealed his presence.
After a period of waiting until the pursuers and the pursued had left, he swiftly headed towards the Blast Rune River, using the Celestial Wind Wooden Sword to clear his path, submerging himself into the depths of the Giant Dragon Secret Realm.

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