The giant felt a sharp screech in his ears, as if several awls were drilling into his brain, and an excruciating pain that seemed to tear his soul apart suddenly surged forth.
The early-stage Body Integration demonic venerable let out a scream, clutching his head with both hands. His protective spiritual light dissipated, and he plummeted uncontrollably from the sky.
At that moment, the two colossal mountains flickered and vanished, reappearing above the fire-armored giant with overwhelming force, crashing down with a thunderous roar.
Gray radiance churned chaotically, and countless faint sword energies materialized, densely interweaving to form a massive silk-like net that enveloped the fire-armored giant.
“No! Fellow Daoists, save me quickly!”
Despite being struck by Han Li’s Soul-piercing Spike, the fire-armored giant, after all a Body Integration cultivator, regained his senses almost instantly. Seeing his predicament, his face turned deathly pale as he cried out for help.
The crimson armor on his body emitted a resonant hum, expanding in size without his command, while three fiery serpents, each dozens of feet long, coiled around him, shielding him completely.
This life-saving treasure, which he never parted with, did not disappoint him. In this critical moment, it activated on its own to protect its master.
Hearing the giant’s plea for help, Han Li’s heart stirred slightly, but his hands never stopped moving. With a flick of his sleeves, seventy-two small azure swords surged forth, instantly multiplying into hundreds of azure sword lights before coalescing into a single massive azure sword over thirty feet long.
As the gray radiance swept forward, the three fiery serpents scattered like prey encountering their nemesis. Then, countless sword threads crisscrossed and slashed down mercilessly.
Explosive sounds erupted from the surface of the crimson armor, which flickered wildly, barely holding on.
“Slash!”
Han Li pointed at the hovering giant sword before him and uttered a cold command.
At the same time, he flicked his wrist downward, and a faint silver shadow vanished from his sleeve.
With a thunderous roar, the giant sword transformed into an azure streak, descending with such speed that it arrived in an instant.
Even before it struck, an overwhelming sword intent, sharp enough to cleave heaven and earth, enveloped the fire-armored giant.
The giant felt as if a bucket of icy water had been poured over him, his entire body plunging into an abyss of cold. In panic, flames surged around him as he attempted to transform into a fiery blaze and flee.
But at that moment, space beside him rippled, and a silver ruler emerged without warning, transforming into a silver serpent that coiled around his waist with lightning speed, immobilizing him completely.
Despite the flames around the giant intensifying twofold, they had no effect on the silver serpent. Instead, the serpent tightened its grip, its tongue flicking menacingly.
The giant’s face paled in terror. By the time he thought to use another technique, it was already too late.
The azure streak flashed like clear water, engulfing the giant’s form entirely. His protective spiritual light was utterly incapable of withstanding such terrifying sword energy, torn apart in an instant.
The sword energy then twisted, forming a massive azure vortex that sucked in everything within an acre of space.
The fire-armored giant, caught at the vortex’s center, let out a piercing shriek as his body and nascent soul were ground into dust, vanishing from this world forever.
Almost simultaneously, two terrifying fluctuations erupted from the demonic sea. A silver and a golden streak shot out, streaking toward Han Li.
Han Li had no time to savor the joy of slaying a Body Integration demonic venerable in an instant. Retrieving his treasures, he narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the approaching streaks of light.
The silver and golden streaks moved with astonishing speed, closing the distance of a hundred feet in mere flashes before halting, revealing their forms.
They were a middle-aged man in a silver-threaded robe and a beautiful woman in a pink palace dress, her eyes like water.
Both glared at Han Li with a mix of fury, disbelief, and a tinge of fear.
These were the Yin-Yang Twin Fiends, who had recently joined the demonic army here. Somehow, the black-armored man surnamed Cang had convinced them that Han Li was the murderer of the three venerables, including Li Zunzhe, and enlisted their aid in attacking Qitian City.
The two demonic venerables had deliberately hidden in the demonic clouds, intending to let the others draw Han Li’s attention while they launched a surprise attack.
But they never expected that before they could act, Han Li would kill the weakest among them—the fire-armored giant—in a single encounter, leaving them no time to intervene.
Stunned and enraged, they could only watch helplessly.
Han Li’s spiritual sense swept over the two, and his brows furrowed slightly.
Two more demonic venerables, both at the mid-stage Body Integration level. This was troublesome.
Though he had vaguely anticipated this from the fire-armored giant’s plea for help, seeing other demonic venerables still unsettled him.
“Impressive skills, to slay Venerable Yan in a single encounter. It seems the three venerables, including Li Zunzhe, most likely fell by your hand. With such abilities, you must be no ordinary human. Dare you reveal your name?” the middle-aged man asked coldly after studying Han Li for a moment.
“Li Zunzhe? You must have the wrong person. As for my name, I’ll tell you when I send you both to your graves,” Han Li replied expressionlessly, though inwardly wary.
“Heh, bold words. It’s been years since anyone dared speak to us like that. But even if you deny involvement with Li Zunzhe, it matters not. Once we capture you and use the ‘Five Nether Soul-refining Art,’ you’ll spill everything. Brother, let’s use the treasures bestowed by the Sacred Ancestor,” the beautiful woman said with a murderous glint, turning to her companion.
She opened her mouth and spat out a small purple cauldron wrapped in black mist. Initially only a few inches tall, it expanded to over ten feet in the wind.
The cauldron’s surface was densely inscribed with glowing black runes.
Without hesitation, the middle-aged man flipped his hand, revealing a translucent pagoda radiating seven-colored spiritual light.
With a flick of his wrist, the pagoda emitted a hum and expanded into a towering seven-story structure, each layer adorned with shifting images of birds, beasts, fish, and insects, as if they might leap out at any moment.
Though Han Li was wary of their questions about Li Zunzhe, he wasn’t truly afraid of two mid-stage Body Integration demonic venerables, even with their extraordinary treasures.
His expression darkened as he hurled an azure and a black mountain forward.
With a hand seal, he pointed solemnly at the two peaks.
Instantly, the mountains glowed brilliantly, transforming into thousand-foot-tall behemoths that crashed down mercilessly.
Gray radiance and crisscrossing invisible sword energy surged from their bases, darkening the sky.
Knowing this alone wouldn’t suffice, Han Li grabbed at the air, summoning a silver short ruler.
Two ruler shadows shot forth, vanishing into the void before reappearing behind the man and woman, striking at their heads.
Simultaneously, Han Li’s wings crackled with thunder as he vanished into a silver arc.
“Pathetic tricks!” the woman sneered, ignoring the ruler shadows. She pointed at the purple cauldron, which roared as black runes surged forth, forming a massive “absorb” character above its mouth.
A terrifying force erupted from the cauldron, pulling the ruler shadows toward it. They transformed into silver streaks and were sucked inside.
As the twin peaks pressed down, the woman swiftly altered her hand seal, transforming the character into “托” (to uphold).
The cauldron’s energy redirected upward, halting the mountains mid-air as countless black lotuses bloomed beneath them.
At that moment, a silver arc flashed, and Han Li appeared atop the black mountain, stomping down with all his might.
A deafening boom echoed as the mountain’s weight multiplied, crushing the black lotuses beneath.
Han Li then rubbed his hands together and hurled a dozen golden lightning bolts, thick as bowls, downward. Hidden among them were dozens of near-invisible azure sword shadows.
The woman, though inwardly shocked, smirked and spat a stream of pure black demonic energy at the cauldron.
The cauldron absorbed the energy, rumbling as several more ancient characters shot forth from within.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage