Upon hearing this, Han Li’s gaze shifted to glance at Zhu Guo’er beside him, his expression flickering uncertainly.
“Senior, I don’t know when I was probed. During that time, I was completely unconscious,” Zhu Guo’er said anxiously, her face filled with fear as she hurriedly explained.
“Given their abilities, it’s no surprise you didn’t notice at all. I’m not blaming you, so don’t worry,” Han Li shook his head, offering the girl a few words of comfort. But then his voice suddenly turned cold as he addressed Baohua, “How do I know what you say about the Small Spirit Realm is true? If you can’t provide convincing evidence, expecting me to risk my life to help you now is nothing but a pipe dream. I’d rather take my time to find another method later than gamble on your baseless claims.”
After speaking, Han Li cast another indifferent glance at Blue Waterfall Sage and the youthful woman.
At this moment, the two women, seeing Baohua stop Han Li and openly discuss a deal, both looked displeased.
However, neither was an ordinary demon. Knowing Han Li hadn’t yet decided to stay and assist Baohua, they refrained from rash actions, merely watching their conversation with dark expressions.
“Since I’ve said so, I naturally have proof. I can show you something now—its authenticity is for you to judge,” Baohua’s beautiful eyes shimmered as her lips moved soundlessly, transmitting her words directly to Han Li.
Han Li was momentarily startled before a pink mist suddenly materialized in the air before him, darting toward his face.
Sensing it was merely an ordinary spiritual sense carrying an object, Han Li swiftly grabbed the mist and rubbed it between his hands before examining it closely.
In his palm now lay a short rod, pitch-black yet faintly glimmering with golden light.
Han Li’s mind raced, but he found no recollection of ever seeing such an object.
“Ah! Isn’t this the Profound Mystic Wood?” Zhu Guo’er exclaimed in shock upon seeing it.
“You recognize this?” Han Li narrowed his eyes, asking calmly.
“Senior, the Profound Mystic Wood is a unique spiritual tree from our Small Spirit Realm. It grows only half an inch every hundred years, sprouts a leaf every thousand years, and blooms once every ten thousand years. It’s the rarest material for crafting treasures and artifacts, revered as a divine tree in our realm. I’ve only ever seen a bean-sized fragment before—never one this large!” Zhu Guo’er stared wide-eyed at the rod in Han Li’s hand, visibly astonished.
“Unique? Are you certain it doesn’t exist outside the Small Spirit Realm? Or could you be mistaken, confusing it with a similar material?” Han Li frowned skeptically.
“According to our human elders in the Small Spirit Realm, the Profound Mystic Wood wasn’t introduced from outside. It was an accidental mutation resulting from the hybridization of several spiritual trees and unique circumstances. There’s definitely no second one like it elsewhere. Wars have even broken out between our human race and other tribes in the Small Spirit Realm over this wood. So, I couldn’t possibly misidentify it,” Zhu Guo’er replied earnestly.
“I see,” Han Li murmured, running his fingers over the wood as a thoughtful gleam appeared in his eyes.
“Fellow Daoist Han, if you still intend to leave, this passage won’t remain open for long,” the youthful woman finally spoke coolly.
A flash of killing intent crossed the blue-robed woman’s eyes as she barked, “If you truly don’t wish to leave, then stay forever!”
Simultaneously, the giant cyan banner before her trembled, causing the passage to shake as if on the verge of collapse.
“Go!”
Witnessing this, Han Li’s pupils contracted sharply before he spat out the word without hesitation.
In the next instant, his flying chariot emitted a clear cry, transforming into a ball of light that shot forward. After a few flashes along the passage, it vanished into the hole at the end.
Seeing this, the blue-robed woman and the youthful woman both brightened with delight, while Baohua’s eyes flickered imperceptibly, her expression unreadable.
The blue-robed woman then pointed forward again, causing cyan lightning to surge across the giant banner. With a deafening roar, the passage and the void hole crumbled into nothingness.
The thunderous world returned to its original state.
The youthful woman chuckled lightly and said to Baohua, “Sister Baohua, it seems you failed to sway that human boy. Not surprising—I wouldn’t take such a risk either. Now that your magic power is exhausted, allow us to send you off personally.”
Her smile vanished as she decisively slapped the silver Buddha statue.
Instantly, countless silver rays erupted from the statue, and a ten-zhang-tall silver apparition emerged, solidifying into a colossal silver figure. Meanwhile, Blue Waterfall Sage exhaled several puffs of vital energy, which vanished into the remaining five banners.
The banners roared to life, expanding into towering flags before transforming into six thick cyan thunder wyrms, each as thick as a barrel. With claws bared, they lunged toward Baohua within the yellow halo.
Inside the halo, the black crocodile roared, its demonic mist splitting into a dozen black tentacles that morphed into giant serpents, intercepting the thunder wyrms.
A series of deafening explosions followed as cyan light and black mist clashed violently. The black serpents were torn apart instantly.
The crocodile shrieked in pain, its mist dissipating as it writhed wildly within the halo—clearly suffering a heavy blow.
With no further resistance, the six thunder wyrms closed in on the halo.
But then, Baohua’s expression darkened as she flicked the short rod in her hand.
A piercing screech erupted as yellow rings surged outward, slowing the thunder wyrms to a crawl.
The youthful woman snorted, forming hand seals. The silver Buddha’s giant hand stretched out, crossing hundreds of zhang in an instant to loom above the yellow halo before pressing down like a mountain.
Before the colossal palm even landed, a terrifying force crushed downward, distorting the halo into an oval shape.
Baohua’s eyes flashed as her hand shot out, gripping the rod and striking upward.
The seemingly effortless strike landed squarely on the palm’s center. A muffled boom erupted as a blinding light exploded beneath the palm, unleashing yellow hurricanes that shredded the apparition, thunder wyrms, and surrounding lightning alike before raging outward.
“Not good! She detonated the Profound Mystic Rod!”
“She’s fighting desperately—even sacrificing her treasured artifact!”
Blue Waterfall Sage and the youthful woman paled, retreating into the mist behind them.
Yet they remained composed. Even if Baohua destroyed her treasure, she couldn’t escape the Sixfold Azure Thunder Formation. Worse, the explosion would drain her remaining magic power, making her capture effortless.
But as they waited for the aftermath to fade, a cataclysmic roar echoed from above. The entire mist sea trembled as an overwhelming aura descended.
Even the blue-robed woman and the youthful woman blanched, transforming into streaks of light to flee.
Above the thunder sea, space distorted violently as a golden sun ruptured the void, splitting into two colossal beams that pierced downward.
Golden light flashed, boring through the spots where the two women had stood, leaving gaping white holes in their wake.
Within the halo, Baohua smiled faintly. Summoning her last reserves, she flicked her sleeve, releasing a pink mist that swallowed the black crocodile before vanishing alongside her.
High above the grand formation, Han Li stood expressionless on his chariot. Nearby, a hundred-zhang-long golden crab hovered menacingly, its massive maw slowly closing with residual golden light flickering within.
The devastating attack just now had been Crab Spirit’s full-powered strike at Han Li’s command!
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