Han Li’s pupils slightly contracted upon hearing these words, but unlike Baohua, his expression didn’t completely lose its composure.
The silent Crab Daoist suddenly spoke, his words stirring something within Han Li.
“True Extreme Body! The physical form only an Xuan Immortal can possess?” Crab Daoist said calmly.
“Oh? A mere pseudo-immortal puppet actually knows of my True Extreme Body. It seems your original master must have been from the Immortal Realm as well,” the Mother of Moths remarked, glancing at Crab Daoist with some surprise.
Han Li frowned and asked directly,
“What is an Xuan Immortal? A high-ranking immortal from the Immortal Realm?”
“Xuan Immortals are not considered true high-ranking immortals but rather an anomalous existence in the Immortal Realm. They do not cultivate immortal energy or true essence as usual but instead focus on relentlessly tempering their physical bodies, following a path vastly different from ordinary immortals. They are also called Refinement Immortals by others, and their divine abilities and strength far surpass those of ordinary immortals of the same rank. The True Extreme Body is almost a hallmark of Xuan Immortals. However, those who pursue this path, though immensely powerful among low-ranking immortals, find cultivation exceedingly difficult once they reach the middle or higher tiers of the Immortal Realm. Very few can reach the highest realms. Thus, while Xuan Immortals are renowned in the Immortal Realm, few actually choose this path, making them rare to encounter,” Crab Daoist replied impassively.
“Refinement Immortals… They sound somewhat similar to the warriors of our human race. But since they aren’t high-ranking immortals, do you think we still stand a chance in battle? You should know a bit about my true abilities,” Han Li said with an unusually gloomy expression. His ears twitched slightly, and after a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, he suddenly smiled and asked.
“If we can seal her true essence, preventing her from using magic and forcing her to rely solely on her physical body, you might have a thirty percent chance. Of course, this estimation is based on the assumption that her True Extreme Body has only recently been attained and is not yet fully stabilized,” Crab Daoist said after a moment of silence, his eyes gleaming with crystalline light.
“Baohua, you heard him. If we fight desperately, we still have a thirty percent chance. If we don’t, we can only flee separately. But hoping for this vicious insect to spare us is unlikely. At least one of us will surely perish here. Earlier, I used a secret technique to probe this abyss—it seems enveloped by another force. Your Phoenix Spirit Disk is useless here. I’ve also tried several other secret techniques, but none can tear through space to escape,” Han Li sighed before turning to Baohua.
The Mother of Moths listened to their conversation with a disdainful sneer, merely rubbing the two Earth Emperor Nails in her hands until their glow dimmed, utterly indifferent to their words as she focused on subduing the two Profound Heaven Treasures.
“I understand. In that case, we have no choice but to fight. Though I have a way to assist you further, I’ll need Brother Crab’s help. Once this technique is used, neither of us will be able to aid you anymore,” Baohua said after a moment of hesitation, gritting her teeth.
“Good. That’s enough. No more talk—let’s act now. Do we really have to wait until she subdues your treasures?” Han Li said with a faint smile, a strange glint in his eyes.
“Very well. Brother Crab, lend me all your power!” Baohua, decisive as ever, flushed slightly before shouting at Crab Daoist.
Having already received Han Li’s silent instruction, Crab Daoist didn’t hesitate. With a single hand seal, his figure blurred and reappeared behind Baohua in an instant.
A thunderous crackle erupted as thick silver arcs coiled around his body. His hands blurred before firmly pressing onto Baohua’s shoulders.
A deafening roar followed as Crab Daoist’s lightning transformed into silver serpents, surging into Baohua’s body.
Baohua felt a surge of heat in her shoulders as two torrents of spiritual power flooded in, replenishing her nearly depleted energy. Even her pale complexion instantly regained its rosy glow.
She knew this borrowed power wouldn’t last long—it would soon dissipate into the void. But even this brief moment was enough for her to unleash a trump card she had never intended to use.
The cost of this technique, however, was steep. Not only would her cultivation become unstable again, possibly dropping below the Mahayana realm, but she would also deeply offend the true master of the Earth Emperor Nails. The great favor she had painstakingly earned might be utterly wasted.
At this thought, Baohua sighed inwardly.
Who could have imagined the Mother of Moths would be this terrifying, even mastering the divine abilities of upper-realm immortals?
No—from their interactions, it was unclear whether this being was still the same entity that had destroyed multiple realms. Both she and Han Li had noticed the anomalies, but at this point, neither cared to dwell on it.
With so many secrets revealed before them, the Mother of Moths would never let them leave alive. They had no choice but to fight.
A miscalculation, but the arrow was already nocked—they had to shoot.
With a bitter smile, Baohua acted without hesitation.
She formed an ancient hand seal, and her body erupted with radiant pink light. Countless five-colored Sanskrit characters surged from her, intertwining into thirteen dazzling rings of light.
In the center, Baohua stood with her head bowed, softly chanting pure and ethereal incantations. Her waist-length hair began to break off strand by strand from the roots. A silver Sanskrit character “梵” appeared between her eyebrows, deeply imprinted into her skin.
In an instant, her aura transformed into that of a serene young nun, exuding an untouchable sanctity.
The chants intensified as she raised her head, her expression tranquil. With a soft “puff,” a rich floral scent spread, and branches laden with pink blossoms sprouted from her body.
Within the rings of light, she had turned into a living flower tree—a bizarre sight.
Baohua raised a blossom-covered arm and lightly pointed at the Mother of Moths, smiling faintly. All the giant flowers withered and fell in an instant.
Then, with a thud, she plummeted like a wooden statue into the abyss below, vanishing without a trace.
The thirteen rings of light shattered into glazed fragments the moment she disappeared.
Crab Daoist, his lightning extinguished, quickly sat cross-legged, closing his eyes to meditate. It was clear that the brief transfer of energy had nearly drained him, his aura flickering weakly as if on the verge of vanishing.
Meanwhile, the Mother of Moths, who had been suppressing the Earth Emperor Nails, suddenly shuddered. The two nails in her hands erupted with blinding light, spewing countless seven-colored runes and two strands of crimson flame.
The flames engulfed her hands, reducing them to ashes instantly.
With a shrill cry, the freed nails transformed into two seven-colored serpents, darting toward the Mother of Moths.
She let out a surprised “Huh?” as her destroyed hands regenerated in a flash. She reached out, intercepting the nails with an impossible maneuver.
But with two soft “puffs,” the nails phased through her grasp like phantoms, piercing into her body.
Alarmed, she inspected her palms—no wounds. A deeper probe inside revealed two crystalline nails embedded in a pitch-black core, wrapped tightly in yellow threads, sealing her power.
“Good, very good. I never expected you to awaken the Profound Heaven Treasures’ primal power. But doing so has permanently damaged them—they won’t recover for tens of thousands of years. And now, you’ve only enraged me further. I’ll tear you apart inch by inch, refine your souls into puppets, and ensure you never reincarnate!” the Mother of Moths roared, her face twisted with fury.
With a swipe of her forelimb, a white blade of wind sliced through the air, appearing before Crab Daoist in an instant, aiming to bisect him where he sat.
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