NOVEL NEXT Chapter 845: Exiled
"Of course I can't deny a request from you, Your Highness, but the problem is that Violet Spirit currently isn't in the Black River Water Palace, so I can't call on her even if I wanted to," Lady Ju replied as her brows furrowed slightly.
"Where is she?" Han Li immediately asked.
"Our Black River Water Palace is home to many cultivators, and that slut was granted special privileges by my husband, allowing her to enter and exit the water palace as she pleases, so how am I supposed to know where she's gone?" Lady Ju snapped in a cold voice.
Lady Ju's scathing words and haughty attitude were really beginning to get on Han Li's nerves, and he said, "You just said that you were assigned with the task of overseeing the Black River Water Palace's affairs during Senior Black River's seclusion, so surely you at least have some idea of where Violet Spirit has gone."
"Who the hell do you think you are? I only allowed an Immortal Realm scoundrel like you into our Black River Water Palace because you're accompanying His Highness, yet you dare to interrogate me now? Our Black River Water Palace doesn't welcome uncivilized guests like you!"
Lady Ju abruptly flared up with rage and swept both sleeves through the air she spoke.
Two bursts of black light immediately erupted out of the walls on either side of the hall, then swept up Han Li in a flash before forming a black vortex, attempting to teleport him out of the palace.
Han Li's brows furrowed slightly upon seeing this, and his Mantra Treasured Axis instantly appeared behind him before revolving rapidly on the spot, releasing countless golden ripples that encompassed the black vortex, which fell completely still.
Lady Ju's expression changed slightly upon seeing this, and she made a rapid string of hand seals to try and spur the black vortex back into action, but to no avail.
"Lady Ju, I have no intention of opposing you. All I want to know is Violet Spirit's whereabouts, and I'm willing to compensate you handsomely for this information," Han Li said as he cupped his fist in a salute."Insolent scoundrel! Do you really think I'm powerless to do anything to you? Come to me, Black River Water Palace!" Lady Ju yelled as she continued to make more hand seals, and the entire Black River Water Palace began to tremble.
Countless rays of black light converged from all directions, forming a miniature Black River Water Palace projection that was several feet in size over the palm of her hand.
Han Li's pupils contracted slightly upon seeing this, and before he had a chance to do anything, Lady Ju thrust both palms forward, sending the Black River Water Palace projection flying into the golden ripples around Han Li.
The golden ripples were instantly torn apart without being able to pose any resistance, and as a result, the black vortex was restored to its normal state, instantly devouring Han Li like a giant black mouth.
In the next instant, Han Li found himself outside the Black River Water Palace.
Only a small portion of the Time Dao Runes on his Mantra Treasured Axis had recovered, so its powers were greatly diminished.
However, for Violet Spirit's sake, there was no way that he could back down.
He took a deep breath, then activated his Infernal Devilish Eyes to inspect the restrictions on the black light barrier before him, and at the same time, his Mantra Treasured Axis released a wave of golden ripples that descended upon the light barrier.
Right at this moment, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from beside him.
"I knew I'd find you here, Fellow Daoist Li."
Han Li hurriedly swung around to discover Shi Pokong standing not far away.
"What are you doing here, Your Highness?" Han Li asked in a surprised voice as he stopped what he was doing.
A faint smile appeared on Shi Pokong's face, and he was just about to respond when a black vortex suddenly took shape nearby amid a burst of spatial fluctuations.
The black vortex only lingered for a moment before fading away to reveal Shi Chuankong, and it seemed that he had also been thrown out by Lady Ju.
"Pokong? What are you doing here?" Shi Chuankong asked with a surprised expression.
"I heard that the two of you left Night Sun City for the Black Water Region, so I knew that you had to have come for Celestial Maiden Violet Spirit. Even now, the matter concerning Fellow Daoist Weeping Soul hasn't been resolved, and that's constantly been weighing on my mind, so to make up for that, I wanted to do whatever I could to help Fellow Daoist Li save Violet Spirit," Shi Pokong replied with an apologetic expression.
"You can count on Pokong, Fellow Daoist Li! He'll definitely be able to save Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit!" Shi Chuankong said with an ecstatic expression.
"Thank you, Your Highness," Han Li said as he cupped his fist in a grateful salute.
"What's the situation like now? It looks like things haven't gone very smoothly for the two of you," Shi Pokong remarked.
A wry smile appeared on Han Li's face as he gave Shi Pokong a recount of what had happened in the Black River Water Palace.
"Lady Ju is Daoist Master Black River's dao partner, but while she possesses quite a lofty cultivation base, she's also a very petty woman, so she must've been very jealous of Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit. You're a friend of Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit's so her resentment must've extended to you as well," Shi Pokong mused after hearing Han Li's recount.
"I figured that was the case. I'm going to make her tell me Violet Spirit's whereabouts whether she likes it or not, even if I have to do it by force," Han Li said as a cold look flashed through his eyes.
Violet Spirit wasn't his dao partner, but in his heart, he was just as important as Nangong Wan, and there was no way that he could simply back down, knowing full well that she was potentially in a state of peril.
Shi Pokong hurriedly stopped him as he said, "I can understand that you urgently wish to save your friend, but resolving this matter by force is not a wise option. Daoist Master Black River is a Great Encompassment cultivator, and even though he's in seclusion right now, you'll be in a lot of trouble if he comes after you after emerging from seclusion."
"I know this isn't a wise option, but I have no other choice," Han Li replied with furrowed brows.
"If you trust me, then leave this matter to me. Daoist Master Black River and I are allies at the moment, so Lady Ju can't just kick me out as she pleases, and perhaps I'll be able to get some information out of her," Shi Pokong said.
"Pokong's right, Fellow Daoist Li. Let him go first, and if that doesn't work, then we'll think of somehting else," Shi Chuankong chimed in.
"Alright, in that case, I'll be counting on you, Your Highness," Han Li replied as he cupped his fist in a salute.
"Get back a little," Shi Pokong said to Han Li and Shi Chuankong, and the two of them exchanged a glance before flying back into the distance, following which Shi Pokong began to approach the Black River Water Palace.
Han Li activated his Infernal Devilish Eyes to observe the Black River Water Palace from afar, while Shi Pokong summoned a blue talisman before sending it flying into the black light barrier.
Moments later, an opening appeared on the black light barrier, and Shi Pokong immediately flew inside.
"You can rest assured now, Fellow Daoist Li. Pokong will definitely be able to find out Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit's whereabouts for you," Shi Chuankong assured with a confident smile.
"I certainly hope so," Han Li sighed.
Close to two hours flew by in a flash.
Han Li was still relatively calm and collected, but Shi Chuankong was beginning to grow a little uneasy, and he opened his mouth on multiple occasions to say something, but didn't know what to say.
Right at this moment, an opening reappeared on the black light barrier, and Shi Pokong flew out from within.
Han Li and Shi Chuankong immediately approached him before the former asked, "How did it go, Your Highness?"
"I was able to find out Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit's current whereabouts, as well as some information about the time that she spent in the Black River Water Palace," Shi Pokong replied with a faint smile, and Han Li was ecstatic to hear this.
"I knew we could count on you, Pokong!" Shi Chuankong said with a wide smile.
"Thank you, Your Highness. How has Violet Spirit been faring after coming to the Black River Water Palace?" Han Li asked.
"After she ascended to the Holy Realm, Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit caught Daoist Master Black River's eye for her looks and her aptitude, and he wanted to make her his concubine, but she desperately refused, threatening to take her own life.
“Daoist Master Black River didn't want to subdue her by force, and he was also in a hurry to go into seclusion at the time, so he could only leave Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit under the supervision of Lady Ju," Shi Pokong replied.
Han Li was quite relieved to hear this, and Shi Chuankong slapped him firmly on the shoulder as he exulted, "That's great! Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit's purity still remains, so you can rest assured now, Fellow Daoist Li."
"What are you saying, Chuankong?" Shi Pokong scolded with a stern glare.
Only then did Shi Chuankong realize that he had misspoken, and he scratched his own head with an awkward look on his face.
Han Li remained completely unflustered as he said, "Violet Spirit is all on her own, so even if something had happened, it wouldn't be her fault. What happened after that? Is Violet Spirit still in the Black River Water Palace?"
"After Daoist Master Black River went into seclusion, Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit attempted to escape from the Black River Water Palace, and not only did Lady Ju not stop her, she intentionally let her go, so she's not in the Black River Water Palace right now," Shi Pokong sighed.
"That's good news, is it not? The Holy Realm is a big place, but it won't be difficult for us to track someone down. Once we get back, I'll make some arrangements, and..."
Shi Chuankong's voice gradually trailed off as he spoke, and he seemed to have realized that something wasn't quite right.
Han Li's brows were also tightly furrowed in concern.
It made sense for Lady Ju to intentionally allow Violet Spirit to escape from the Black River Water Palace, and even if Daoist Master Black River were to ask her about the matter after coming out of seclusion, he wouldn't be able to blame her.
However, given how petty she was, there was no way that she would simply allow Violet Spirit to leave.
Shi Pokong took a glance at Han Li, then confirmed his suspicions as he said, "Not long after Fellow Daoist Violet Spirit left the Black River Water Palace, Lady Ju sent people to capture her before exiling her into the Scalptia Spatial Domain."