The ancient demon flicked its twin blades, instantly transforming the blade light into countless palm-sized black crescents that densely shot toward Han Li. Ignoring the other cultivators, the demon seemed fixated on Han Li as its opponent, intent on pursuing him relentlessly.
This was hardly surprising. Among the group, Han Li and the Heavenly Lander Saintess had the lowest cultivation levels, while Lin Yinping was in the air with the Xu youth. In comparison, Han Li stood alone, appearing to be the easiest target to break.
Of course, this was also because this ancient demon was not the same demonic soul from before and had never fought Han Li. Otherwise, it would never have entertained such a notion—one it would surely regret.
Seeing the demon’s ferocious attack, Han Li showed no fear. Instead, he flicked his sleeve, and a small silver shield shot out, swiftly expanding into a massive barrier before him.
He glanced at the demon and sighed softly.
From afar, the demon noticed Han Li’s expression and paused in surprise, only to sense an unusual spiritual pressure beneath its feet.
Before it could look down, a muffled *pfft* sounded as a figure wrapped in yellow light eerily emerged from the ground, appearing several zhang behind it.
With a low shout, the figure swung its hands, and a massive silver axe descended with a fierce gust of wind.
This was none other than the ugly woman, Gui Ling, who had been lying in ambush beneath Han Li. With her terrifying cultivation as a tenth-grade demon beast and this fully prepared strike, the axe carried devastating force.
Before the blade even landed, the terrifying spiritual power it carried caused the ground nearby to rumble and collapse by nearly a foot.
The demon’s expression changed. Abandoning its attack on Han Li, it twisted its body like a ghost, simultaneously crossing its twin blades upward in a slash.
Black light surged as two thick blade beams shot out, colliding precisely with the silver axe.
Black and silver lights clashed eerily before exploding apart.
A shockwave of alternating heat and cold radiated outward, momentarily halting the axe’s descent before dissipating.
Seizing the moment, the demon swiftly performed a hand seal. Its bones cracked as its body swelled, and black-green scales the size of bowls emerged across its exposed flesh, gleaming as if clad in armor.
The wounds on its body were also shrouded in black demonic energy, flesh writhing as they rapidly healed.
Once the demon’s body had expanded by a full circle, its eyes flashed with malice. Taking a deep breath, it opened its mouth, releasing concentric shockwaves that solidified in the air. The descending axe froze mid-air, as if blocked by an invisible force.
Meanwhile, the demon began chanting an eerie incantation. Its scales glowed with black light before erupting into black-purple flames, engulfing its entire body in a sinister blaze—clearly preparing a formidable secret technique.
Gui Ling’s heart chilled, but instead of retreating, she roared and her body swelled dramatically, her form now clad in green armor as she activated a size-enhancing technique.
The silver axe also expanded, its radiance intensifying before it descended once more with overwhelming force.
This transformation caught the demon off guard. Seeing the now-giantess towering over it, the demon’s chant faltered. It hastily raised its black blades to block while retreating backward.
The moment the black blades met the axe, a deafening explosion erupted, sending a shockwave outward. The demon, however, remained unharmed, using the force to accelerate its retreat.
Mid-flight, the demon sneered. The green halberd in its third arm ignited with black flames before it hurled it like a meteor toward Gui Ling’s massive form.
The attack was blindingly fast, striking her armored body with a burst of light.
Without waiting to stabilize itself, the demon resumed its incantation, preparing its near-complete secret technique—clearly not expecting a single strike to kill a tenth-grade transformed demon beast.
But then—a sudden twist!
A faint black light flickered a zhang behind the demon as a crystalline, inch-long black dagger silently materialized. A black streak flashed, and the dagger vanished without a trace.
Almost simultaneously, the demon’s keen senses detected danger, and it lunged to evade.
Yet, in that instant, its mind was pierced by a sharp, agonizing pain—a spiritual attack.
Even with its formidable will, the unexpected assault briefly paralyzed it.
That split-second delay was all it took.
A faint red line appeared on its neck before its head toppled clean off, blood spurting several feet high.
From afar, Han Li, now pale-faced, released a hand seal, visibly drained.
The spiritual attack had been his modified, simplified version of the Great Development Art’s *Soul-Piercing Spike*—dubbed *Mind-Lost Spike* for distinction. Though weaker than the original, it was still devastating if unguarded against.
However, even this weakened version left Han Li’s consciousness reeling, unable to launch a second strike.
The demon’s remaining head blinked in disbelief before letting out a furious shriek. Black demonic energy erupted, shrouding its body as it vanished into the haze.
A moment later, space distorted several zhang away as the demon staggered into view, grievously wounded.
From Gui Ling’s ambush to the demon’s decapitation and retreat, the entire sequence had unfolded in a flash.
Above, the Xu youth and the Silver-Winged Nightfiend stared in shock.
This was not part of their plan. They had only intended to drive the demon away from the teleportation formation—not seriously injure it, let alone kill it.
Yet Han Li had pressed the attack relentlessly. And that dagger—how had it appeared unnoticed even from their vantage point?
Had it been aimed at them, would they have detected it?
The thought sent a chill down their spines.
In truth, the demon had been unlucky.
Facing multiple high-level cultivators in rapid succession, it had no chance to catch its breath or unleash its full power. Had it done so, even Han Li’s group would have struggled to wound it so quickly.
Now, the demon’s remaining head twisted to glare venomously at Han Li before it gathered its energy to flee toward the black-robed woman.
It knew it stood no chance in its current state.
But Han Li’s gaze held only mockery.
A burst of silver light exploded near the demon as a figure materialized out of thin air.
Startled, the demon coiled its energy defensively—only to lock eyes with the newcomer and suddenly feel the world spin. Its mind filled with nothing but two eerie purple lights.
*Soul-Hypnosis Art!*
Though its spiritual power surpassed even late-Nascent Soul cultivators, the demon only succumbed for an instant before shaking off the effect.
But that instant was enough.
A streak of emerald light, crackling with golden lightning, shot toward it.
*Evil-Warding Lightning!*
The demon recognized the infamous golden arcs that had tormented ancient demons. Uninjured, it might have resisted—but now, it dared not risk further damage.
With a wave, it condensed a black shield to intercept the attack while darting aside.
Yet the moment it landed, thunder roared behind it.
*Bad!*
Before it could react, Han Li materialized in a flash of silver lightning, his sleeves unleashing a purple fire serpent and dozens of golden swords.
The timing was impeccable—escape was impossible.
In desperation, the demon’s head twisted 180 degrees to face Han Li, spewing black shockwaves while its arms summoned twin black blades to parry.
But then—
The same black dagger that had beheaded it earlier reappeared before its original front, vanishing in a flicker.
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