As Han Li had anticipated, once the two Void Refining-level puppets unleashed their power, the nearby armored warriors and two-headed eagles were utterly unable to resist. Some were torn into pieces, while others plummeted from the sky, screaming as they were engulfed in raging flames.
The material these puppets were made of was extraordinary. Whether struck by the claws of the two-headed eagles or various energy attacks, all blows were deflected. Even when the few Nascent Soul-level warriors hurled treasures at them, they left only shallow marks.
Yet the Horned Demon tribesmen seemed prepared for this. Far from panicking, many warriors slapped their waists, releasing waves of multicolored light toward the long-haired outsider. Before reaching him, the light transformed into large nets that descended upon him.
The Horned Demon tribesmen intended to capture the outsider alive.
Witnessing this, Han Li couldn’t help but feel astonished.
At that moment, the long-haired outsider snorted coldly. With a single stomp on his flying boat, the treasure shimmered, instantly forming a thick yellow barrier. Then, with a hand seal, he activated some technique.
A crackling sound erupted from the barrier as pale white arcs of electricity flickered across its surface. The nets shattered into bursts of spiritual light upon contact.
Before the warriors could react, the outsider flipped his hands, producing two golden, shield-like artifacts. He hurled them into the air, where they whizzed around before suddenly reversing course and shooting back toward him.
The warriors tensed, watching warily. But with a dull *boom*, the two shields collided against the outsider’s body, erupting in a blinding golden radiance.
The outsider vanished, replaced by a massive golden sphere, ten feet in diameter. Its surface was inscribed with dense, eerie runes.
A strange creaking sound echoed as countless foot-long blades sprouted from the sphere’s surface. Then, trailing afterimages, it rolled into the crowd.
Any warrior struck by the sphere was instantly torn apart. Attacks bounced off its spinning surface.
In moments, the golden sphere reunited with the horse-bodied puppet, charging in the same direction. Meanwhile, the seven-headed lion puppet spewed fireballs, mostly aimed at the two-headed eagles above, preventing them from descending.
The trio’s combined assault was devastating. Nearly a hundred warriors and eagles fell before they reached the edge of the encirclement, on the verge of breaking free.
Then, one of the Horned Demon Nascent Soul leaders barked an order. The surrounding warriors abruptly scattered, retreating instead of pressing forward. The two-headed eagles above also dispersed.
A hundred-yard clearing opened around the golden sphere and the two puppets.
The outsider inside the sphere hesitated.
At that moment, the two warships above took action.
Hundreds of crystalline pillars beneath the ships glowed, unleashing a dense barrage of milky-white beams. The area was engulfed in deafening explosions.
Seizing the opportunity, the warriors and eagles regrouped, tightening their encirclement.
The warships’ assault didn’t last long. Soon, the barrage ceased, and the white light dissipated, revealing the scene below.
Han Li narrowed his eyes, focusing.
At the center stood a massive blue umbrella, dozens of feet wide, glowing with spiritual light. Beneath it, the golden sphere had partially opened, revealing the upper half of the outsider’s body.
Frowning, the outsider scanned his surroundings, anxiety flickering across his brow. The two puppets beside him remained unharmed.
This time, he seemed unwilling to delay. With a low shout, he raised a hand, and the umbrella shrank rapidly, landing in his palm. His upper body vanished back into the sphere.
The horse-bodied and lion puppets surged forward again.
The battle resumed, mirroring the earlier carnage. Warriors and eagles fell in droves, unable to withstand the trio’s onslaught.
Within moments, half were dead. The outsider was on the verge of escape once more—until the lion puppet abruptly stopped spewing fireballs. Its body flickered red, then all seven heads drooped, motionless.
The nearby warriors, initially startled, soon rejoiced. A few hurled nets, swiftly capturing the puppet.
Without the lion’s cover, the eagles swooped down fearlessly, unleashing razor-sharp wind blades. The golden sphere’s glow dimmed under the assault, its movement slowing.
The outsider was trapped again, his escape thwarted.
Worse, the horse-bodied puppet soon faltered too, seized by the Horned Demon tribesmen.
Now alone, the golden sphere, though formidable, began to weaken under relentless attacks.
Han Li sighed.
The outsider’s ability to control puppets far beyond his own cultivation level and hold out so long spoke of his extraordinary origins. But now, capture seemed inevitable.
Unwilling to expose himself, Han Li prepared to leave—until the outsider’s voice boomed from the sphere:
“Senior below, I am Jia Tianmu of the Ancient Spirit Tribe! Aid me, and upon my return, I shall gift you a sentient puppet!”
The words, infused with spiritual energy, echoed for miles.
Han Li’s expression darkened. He hadn’t expected the outsider to detect him, much less announce his presence so blatantly.
As expected, the Horned Demon warriors reacted instantly. A leader gestured, and several warriors with eagles began scouring the hillside where Han Li hid.
They quickly zeroed in on his tree.
Han Li’s lips twitched. Concealment was no longer an option—but he felt no fear. These low-level warriors and eagles posed no threat. Only the warships warranted caution.
Still, being exposed angered him.
With a cold glint in his eyes, he flicked his sleeve, releasing dozens of inch-long swords. They vanished into the air as thin green threads.
A moment later, *whooshing* sounds filled the sky.
The threads reappeared near the warriors and eagles, flashing green. Instantly, they were sliced apart, raining blood and gore.
Han Li stepped from beneath the tree, thunderous wings sprouting from his back. With a flap, he vanished.
Then, amidst the Horned Demon ranks, lightning crackled.
Han Li materialized, hands forming seals. Seventy-two green threads shot from his body, multiplying exponentially.
In moments, the air was filled with green light. The warriors and eagles fell, screaming, none able to withstand a single strike.
Soon, Han Li stood alone, surrounded by corpses.
The remaining warriors recoiled in terror.
But Han Li wasn’t done. With a flick of his sleeve, two shadows emerged—a leopard-like beast and a black monkey, a foot tall.
“Kill them all. Leave none alive,” he commanded, his voice icy with killing intent.
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