A spatial ripple surged!
A soft cough echoed as a golden light flickered, and a figure staggered into view from an immense distance.
It was Han Li, who had already retracted his Nirvana Sacred Body and reverted to his original form.
However, his face was now even paler, his azure robe tattered, and half of his body was pitch-black, faintly emitting a charred odor.
The arm that had sealed the Profound Heavenly Sword now showed no trace of the dark green spirit patterns, revealing pristine, translucent skin. Yet, the faint green sword mark remained visible, appearing even clearer than before.
Han Li’s aura had diminished by nearly half. Though he had survived the Golden Crab’s full-force strike, his vitality was severely depleted.
The golden-robed middle-aged man’s ferocious expression flickered briefly before vanishing. Clenching his fists, his figure blurred and disappeared on the spot.
After its second strike, the Golden Crab did not immediately fall into slumber but remained motionless in the air, showing no intention of attacking again.
Han Li had just steadied himself in the distance, yet he instantly detected the golden-robed man’s movements. His expression changed as he rolled onto the ground, transforming into a five-colored phoenix over ten feet long.
With a flap of its wings, the phoenix’s body shimmered with radiant five-colored light before vanishing into the void.
The next moment, two colossal black demonic hands, each the size of a house, tore through the space where the phoenix had disappeared. With a thunderous crash, the surrounding void collapsed and twisted violently.
Black mist churned as a towering demonic figure, over thirty zhang tall, materialized nearby.
Its face, covered in black scales, unmistakably belonged to the golden-robed man, now in his demonized form.
Not only had his stature increased dozens of times, but his entire body was also armored in black scales, with a single azure horn sprouting from his forehead, crackling with purple lightning. His appearance bore a striking resemblance to Han Li’s earlier Nirvana transformation, even sharing a similar aura.
Surprised that his attack had failed to capture the weakened Han Li, the demonized man snorted coldly. His massive head turned abruptly as he spoke in a low voice, “I didn’t expect you to still have the strength to tear through space in this state. Though you borrowed the phoenix’s form, I must admit—impressive.”
His gaze fixed on the Golden Crab’s location.
As his words faded, five-colored light flashed above the Golden Crab, and Han Li’s phoenix form emerged, swiftly reverting to human shape amidst the glow.
This transformation further weakened his aura, but Han Li remained composed. After a brief, curious glance at the demonized man, he said slowly, “With such arrogance, you must be one of the highest-tier existences in the Demon Realm. Among the Demon Ancestors, I’ve never met Liu Ji or Nirvana. Rumor has it Liu Ji is a woman, while Nirvana is the only one to master the Nirvana Sacred Body to its peak. That makes your identity obvious. Yet your cultivation is only slightly beyond late-stage Body Integration, not yet reaching the Mahayana realm. It seems you’re merely an avatar.”
“Hmph. I never imagined anyone besides me could cultivate the Nirvana Sacred Body to the Second Nirvana stage—let alone a mere Body Integration cultivator. But after two strikes from the Sacred Crab, you’re gravely injured. Escaping me now is pure delusion. Hand over your life,” the golden-robed man replied icily.
With a low growl, his body erupted with countless dark rays, swelling at an impossible rate until he towered over a hundred zhang tall. Demonic energy surged around him, piercing the heavens.
Han Li’s expression flickered as his concealed hand subtly flexed.
A flash of light revealed a pitch-black ring in his palm, which he gripped tightly—the spirit beast ring filled with Gold Devouring Beetles.
Despite his injuries, Han Li’s divine sense remained formidable, allowing him to command the beetle swarm and a dozen reserve insects.
Moreover, he still had his golden body and spirit puppet untapped, along with the Leopard-Qilin Beast. Even if this Nirvana Sacred Ancestor avatar wielded the Nirvana Sacred Body, Han Li believed he could still fight.
Thus, he remained calm.
Yet as his gaze swept over the Golden Crab below, his thoughts shifted. Instead of releasing the beast ring, he suddenly addressed the crab: “The Nirvana Sacred Ancestor offered you Creation Dew for two strikes. If I present something, would you act for me once?”
“Of course! Immortal or demon, anyone who offers the tribute I desire may receive my aid,” the Golden Crab replied without hesitation, its voice resonating like a deep hum.
Han Li’s heart leaped with joy.
Though he harbored doubts about whether the green liquid from the mysterious vial was truly the legendary Creation Dew, desperate times called for desperate measures.
But before he could act, the demonized man’s mocking laughter rang out: “Hah! Brat, don’t waste your breath. What the Sacred Crab seeks is beyond your reach. I’ll take your life now and spare you the futile effort.”
With that, the demonized man’s massive sleeve lashed toward Han Li.
A sharp whistling sound accompanied a dark flash from his sleeve.
In the next instant, a thick, spike-like black ray materialized ten zhang before Han Li, lunging at him with eerie speed.
Han Li narrowed his eyes but didn’t evade. Instead, a golden figure with three heads and six arms silently materialized before him. Six fists struck out in unison, meeting the black spike head-on.
A deafening explosion erupted as golden light burst forth, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
The golden body’s arms shattered inch by inch under the impact, but the black spike recoiled momentarily.
Han Li’s pupils gleamed with blue light, finally discerning the attacker—a foot-long black nail, missing most of its length.
The nail paused briefly before lunging again.
The golden body’s arms regenerated instantly, weaving a dense curtain of golden fist shadows that repelled the nail relentlessly.
The demonized man frowned slightly but soon sneered, flicking more nails from his sleeve.
Seizing the opportunity, Han Li raised a hand toward the Golden Crab and declared, “Receive your tribute!”
His finger plunged into his chest and withdrew lightning-fast, a glistening emerald droplet clinging to its tip. With a flick, the droplet shot toward the crab as a streak of green light.
The Golden Crab’s massive eyes narrowed, but it opened its maw without hesitation, spewing forth a golden mist that engulfed the green light and swallowed it whole.
After a brief pause, the crab’s half-lidded eyes suddenly widened in shock.
Meanwhile, the remaining black nails arrived, transforming into sword-like rays that assailed Han Li in a frenzy.
Having delivered the green liquid, Han Li immediately summoned his pale green spirit puppet.
Under Qu’er’s control, the puppet’s hands morphed into green claw shadows, joining the golden body in defending against the onslaught—though both were clearly outmatched.
From afar, the demonized man produced a massive bone banner adorned with countless skulls, poised to unleash its power.
“Strike now! Kill the Nirvana Sacred Ancestor’s avatar!” Han Li roared, unwilling to test the banner’s might. Whether the green liquid sufficed or not, he had to act.
The Golden Crab’s resonant voice soon reassured him: “Tribute accepted. Three strikes granted. First strike!”
Its colossal claws snapped toward the demonized man from afar.
“Damn it!”
The demonized man paled, recognizing the Golden Crab’s might from past encounters. Knowing his avatar stood no chance, he hurled the bone banner forward and propelled himself backward with a thunderous boom, vanishing hundreds of zhang away in a black gust.
Almost simultaneously, four colossal golden blades materialized beside the banner, slicing it into fragments with a crisp snap.
“Second strike!” the Golden Crab intoned calmly, then spat a golden beam as thick as a vat.
The beam crossed the distance instantaneously, piercing through the black gust and the fleeing golden-robed man in a flash.
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