Han Li’s expression remained unchanged as he simply raised an arm, extending a palm with fingers spread to block in front of himself.
In an instant, a soft *pfft* sound erupted from his fingertips as five golden light spheres shot forth, swelling rapidly in the wind before merging with a thunderous boom into a golden vortex the size of a wagon wheel.
The vortex spun swiftly, unleashing an invisible suction force that instantly drew in the incoming sound waves, reducing them to countless scattered streaks of light.
However, at that moment, the human-faced insect flickered like a ghost, appearing near Han Li in the blink of an eye. Without hesitation, it lashed out with its razor-sharp forelimbs, transforming them into a blur of black shadows that stabbed toward Han Li.
Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly but let out a low shout, pointing a finger at the vortex before him.
The vortex abruptly expanded and contracted before exploding into a burst of golden light.
In the next moment, a sharp *zizi* sound filled the air as countless green threads shot out from the golden radiance, piercing straight toward the human-faced insect.
Seeing this, the monstrous insect’s face twisted with ferocity. Instead of dodging, it seized the opportunity to intensify the dense barrage of black shadows.
These black streaks, possessing some unfathomable and mysterious power, blurred through the air, crossing dozens of feet in an instant to appear right before Han Li.
Driven by its savage nature, the insect seemed intent on mutual destruction.
But Han Li was no ordinary opponent. Though slightly surprised by the insect’s ferocity, he would never allow such an outcome.
His pupils contracted slightly as he suddenly slashed a hand through the air before him.
With a series of *puff* sounds, over a dozen layers of grayish light barriers materialized in front of him.
The black shadows crashed into these barriers moments later.
A sharp *clang* echoed as the shadows, astonishingly sharp, pierced through all the barriers without losing momentum, striking Han Li’s protective spiritual light.
A grating metallic screech followed.
Han Li’s body instantly took on a violet-gold hue, with faint silver patterns flickering beneath his skin.
Upon contact, the black shadows dimmed and rebounded harmlessly, utterly incapable of penetrating his defenses.
This protective aura, forged from the fusion of the *Vajra Devilish Arts* and the *Hundred Meridians Treasure Refinement Technique*, was so formidable that even an ordinary Mahayana cultivator would struggle to break through it in a short time.
Moreover, while the human-faced insect was fierce, it still fell short of a true Mahayana-level threat.
Meanwhile, the green crystalline threads rained down on the insect’s black carapace like a storm, piercing through it in a flash.
The insect let out a shrill cry as jets of dark green fluid spurted from countless wounds.
Yet, its face twisted into a vicious snarl as it roared, its body enveloped in a swirling grayish-white light. The punctures on its carapace visibly healed at an astonishing rate.
In just a few blinks, its injuries would have fully recovered.
Han Li sneered, forming a hand seal and uttering a single word: “Slash!”
Instantly, the green threads that had pierced the insect’s body intertwined and solidified, transforming into a gleaming emerald flying sword. With a lightning-fast spin, it circled the insect’s head in an unexpected motion.
The massive insect’s head tumbled from its neck, rolling to the ground. The green sword radiance flared once more, engulfing the remaining body in its glow.
Amid the chilling sword light, the insect’s body was shredded into a bloody rain, its hidden primordial spirit obliterated before it could even attempt escape.
In the blink of an eye, two of these ferocious insects had been annihilated.
Han Li smiled faintly, recalling the green flying sword before scanning the other battlefields.
As soon as his gaze shifted, a piercing shriek echoed from the direction he looked.
The giant insect facing Xie Lian had somehow been ensnared by three silver rings, rendering it completely immobile.
A streak of white light shot from Xie Lian’s mouth, cleanly bisecting the insect’s body.
This Xie Lian, a fellow Saintess and sister to Bao Hua, proved her extraordinary prowess—far surpassing that of an ordinary Mahayana cultivator.
Han Li’s eyes flickered with contemplation.
Almost simultaneously, a deafening roar erupted from another part of the sky, shaking the entire void.
Both Han Li and the victorious Xie Lian tensed, swiftly turning toward the source of the noise.
At the edge of the plaza, an enormous crater had appeared out of nowhere.
The blue human-faced insect lay charred at the bottom, its once-brilliant carapace shattered, half its head missing, and its body drenched in green blood—severely wounded and unable to move.
High above the crater, Crab Daoist hovered, gripping two massive silver blades.
After a cold glance downward, he decisively brought the two blades together.
With a thunderous crack, the blades merged into two thick silver arcs, fusing into a single lightning-wreathed silver spear.
With a swift motion, Crab Daoist hurled the spear downward.
The spear vanished with a thunderclap, only to reappear embedded in the insect’s body with a muffled *thud*.
A tremor later, it exploded, unleashing layers of silver lightning that filled the entire crater.
Despite its formidable strength, the blue insect could only let out a few helpless shrieks before being utterly obliterated.
Crab Daoist then took a step forward, vanishing from the sky before reappearing calmly beside Han Li.
“Brother Crab, impressive. That insect was nearly on par with a Mahayana cultivator, yet you dispatched it in a single strike,” Han Li remarked with admiration.
“It still fell short of a true Mahayana. But even so, most Mahayana cultivators would struggle against it,” Crab Daoist replied impassively.
“Indeed. Regardless of their strength, these insects’ fearlessness is something even Mahayana cultivators can’t match,” Han Li said, his smile fading slightly as he grew more solemn.
“True. Fellow Daoist Lüshi seems to have the upper hand, but his opponent’s suicidal tactics are delaying him. Should we intervene?” Xie Lian suggested, glancing at the remnants of the other slain insects.
Han Li turned to see Lüshi the Venerable still locked in combat with the last human-faced insect. Just as he was about to respond, Lüshi let out a furious roar:
“No need for your assistance! This insignificant insect is no match for me! *Qingtian Seal!*”
Embarrassed by his prolonged struggle while the others had easily triumphed, Lüshi shook his sleeve, releasing nine identical green stone seals.
They spun mid-air before merging with his golden seal, forming a massive green seal wreathed in golden runes.
With a thunderous hum, the laws of the surrounding space trembled as the seal descended, crushing the insect into paste.
Lüshi exhaled in relief, recalling the seal with a wave of his hand.
However, the green mist around him had thinned, and his aura weakened slightly—evidence of the toll this technique had taken.
“So this is the legendary *Qingtian Seal*—not an Profound Heavenly Treasure, yet rivaling one in power. Truly remarkable,” Xie Lian remarked with a light laugh.
“Forgive my delay. Without resorting to my trump card, I might not have subdued it so quickly,” Lüshi admitted with a wry smile, acknowledging his status as the weakest among the four.
“With these pests dealt with, the hall should be clear. Let’s proceed,” Han Li said, eyeing the nearby structure.
“Agreed. Brother Crab, Fellow Daoist Lüshi, shall we?” Xie Lian said with a faint smile.
Lüshi nodded, and the four floated toward the hall.
Upon entering, Xie Lian and Lüshi’s expressions shifted slightly.
Beyond the door lay piles of skeletal remains, alongside scattered fragments of armor and weapons.
“Fellow Daoist Xie Lian, are these…?” Lüshi asked.
“The former guardians of this palace. When the Mother Silkworm broke free, they couldn’t escape in time and fell prey to these insects,” Xie Lian sighed.
With a flick of her sleeve, she unleashed a volley of crimson fireballs, reducing the bones to ashes in an instant.
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