“Hehe, since Young Master Han says so, this old man won’t insist further.” The elderly driver chuckled and indeed fell silent.
Han Li smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping the surroundings once more as he stood silently atop the giant tortoise.
Since Han Li’s tortoise was positioned in the middle of the caravan, it remained motionless while the other tortoises ahead and behind swiftly converged toward them.
Before long, over thirty giant tortoises formed several concentric circles, establishing a rudimentary defensive perimeter.
The wolf-riding knights also gathered, numbering fifty to sixty, standing just outside the defensive ring under the leadership of the scar-faced man. Surprisingly, the blue-robed young woman was among them, accompanied by the blood-red monstrous tiger crouching beside her.
The distant bird cries grew increasingly urgent and closer. When several crimson birds appeared in the distance, circling high above, the scar-faced man barked with a murderous expression, “Prepare for battle! All land tortoises, crouch for defense!”
At his command, all the drivers lashed their whips against the tortoises’ heads. The massive creatures, previously standing firm, slowly crouched down, retracting their heads and limbs into their enormous shells, transforming into massive green boulders that blocked the path ahead.
A thunderous tremor shook the ground in the distance as a vast cloud of yellow dust rolled toward them from the horizon, obscuring whatever lay within.
The scar-faced man’s expression darkened. Without a word, he raised his hand, and the knights beside him silently lifted their spiked clubs, displaying remarkable discipline.
Witnessing this, Han Li’s eyes flickered with surprise, but before he could ponder further, another astonishing sight unfolded.
The scar-faced man suddenly tossed a green pill into his mouth. With a long howl, his body shimmered with yellow light as fine yellow fur sprouted across his face and arms, and his pupils turned an eerie emerald green.
Then, with a kick to his mount’s belly, the giant wolf beneath him let out a low growl and shot forward like an arrow.
The other knights, though lacking the scar-faced man’s terrifying transformation, activated their own techniques, their bodies glowing with various hues as they fearlessly followed him into battle.
The dozens of riders stirred up a yellow mist as they charged toward the approaching threat.
*What’s going on? Is this man a shapeshifting demon? Impossible—demons capable of human form must at least be at the Transformation Stage. He doesn’t seem like such a high-level demonic cultivator. Besides, the others didn’t react to his transformation, suggesting this is a common occurrence in the Spirit Realm. It seems I’ll need more time to understand this world. Whether it’s this bizarre transformation or these so-called ‘spirit tools,’ none of this was ever heard of in the human realm.*
Han Li was startled, his thoughts racing. Compared to the human realm, the Spirit Realm was indeed vastly different.
By now, the scar-faced man and his knights had plunged into the billowing yellow dust hundreds of yards from the caravan. Shouts and roars erupted from within, but the dust merely paused briefly before continuing its relentless advance toward the caravan from both flanks.
In the blink of an eye, the dust reached the caravan, concealing something within.
“Kill!”
Someone shouted first, and the guards armed with crossbows unleashed a volley of long-range attacks.
A rain of arrows shot forth from the caravan.
*Thud! Thud!* The advancing dust slowed momentarily, but then dark shadows lunged out—massive yellow insects, each over ten feet long.
Their bodies were flat, their heads dominated by gaping maws flanked by writhing fleshy tendrils. These were the so-called “Sandworm Beasts.”
Han Li remained unfazed. Back in the Chaotic Star Sea, he had slaughtered countless demonic beasts, some far more grotesque than these. These creatures were nothing to him.
As the insectoid monsters emerged, arrows whistled through the air, embedding themselves in their bodies. One beast collapsed instantly, its maw pierced, but the others, though wounded, only grew more ferocious, leaping toward the nearest tortoise despite their injuries.
The four guards atop the tortoise reacted calmly, slashing down with their blades.
Clearly trained in special techniques, their strikes left deep gashes on the beasts, knocking them from the air.
For a moment, the wounded insects writhed on the ground.
But more poured from the dust, swiftly enveloping the entire caravan.
A fierce battle erupted.
Roars and the clang of weapons filled the air, blood and steel flashing everywhere.
Han Li’s tortoise was at the heart of the defensive ring, with only the elderly driver beside him. The three young women were nowhere to be seen.
Unconcerned for his safety, Han Li calmly observed the battle.
After a while, his brow furrowed slightly.
As the old driver had said, the sandworms’ massive size limited their jumping ability. Most could only reach the edges of the tortoise shells before being struck down by the guards.
Initially, the guards held the upper hand.
But the sheer number of sandworms was overwhelming. Though the dust obscured their true count, over three hundred had already emerged in a short time.
Though clumsy, these creatures were tough-skinned. Even after enduring a dozen slashes, they could still attack unless struck in vital areas.
As more sandworms surged forward, some inevitably breached the defenses, leaping onto the tortoises and mauling the guards.
Casualties mounted—some lost arms, others their heads. Once on the tortoises, the sandworms’ tendrils became deadly weapons.
The caravan’s situation worsened.
The only calm spot was the central area where Han Li stood.
His gaze shifted toward another tortoise where Nanzhi and the other cultivators had entered.
Given their Foundation Establishment-level abilities, dealing with these insects should be trivial. Yet, their carriage remained silent, showing no intention to intervene.
Han Li’s eyes flickered, but he remained expressionless.
By now, over twenty guards had fallen, and the survivors were tiring.
Casualties increased.
Unless the scar-faced man and his knights dealt with the insectoid demon soon, the caravan wouldn’t last much longer.
Han Li, however, was unperturbed.
Though unable to cast spells and with damaged meridians, his Fourth Layer of the King Ming Art rendered his body impervious to the sandworms’ attacks.
Moreover, he still possessed two Annihilation Pearls—enough to severely injure even a Transformation Stage demonic cultivator if used unexpectedly.
With such confidence, he stood calmly, watching the chaos unfold.
“Not good! Sister Xiang’er, the situation is dire. We must act now!” A clear, youthful voice rang out behind him.
Han Li turned slowly.
The three young women—Xiang’er among them—had reappeared, each holding a small flag. The youngest, in red, looked anxious.
“No rush, there’s still time. Let’s set up the Minor Revival Formation. Even without Sister Liu’er, it should buy us enough time,” the emerald-robed girl said.
They quickly arranged themselves, placing embroidered cloths on the ground to form a small array diagram.
Han Li’s eyes gleamed with interest.
The three girls raised their flags, their wrists adorned with spirit stone-embedded bracelets identical to the blue-robed girl’s.
Chanting, they infused the flags with faint spiritual light before planting them into the array. A weak surge of spiritual energy erupted, spreading a white glow in all directions.
Where the light touched the guards, their fatigue vanished, replaced by renewed vigor. Their weapons felt lighter, and they fought with renewed ferocity, driving the sandworms back.
Watching this, Han Li stroked his chin, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
This so-called “Minor Revival Formation” was nothing but a simplified version of the human realm’s demonic “Essence Draining Array.” While it seemingly restored stamina and strength, it actually burned the users’ life essence. Though the effects were brief, each guard had just sacrificed years of their lifespan.
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