The silver chains shimmered with a crystalline glow, flickering in and out of visibility as if they were not entirely corporeal.
The Mother of the Silvermoon Moths twisted violently, yet despite several attempts, she remained ensnared by the chains.
“These are chains of divine will—impossible! You… you’ve also cultivated the Divine Refinement Art! How could such a secret technique have descended to the lower realm?” The Mother of the Silvermoon Moths glared at the chains, her expression shifting to one of disbelief for the first time, even flickering with a trace of fear.
Meanwhile, the colossal ape that Han Li had transformed into remained expressionless and silent. Its six arms each formed a hand seal as a deep, ancient chant rumbled from its mouth.
In an instant, the silver chains tightened abruptly, binding the Mother of the Silvermoon Moths even more tightly than before.
“So what if you know the Divine Refinement Art? With your meager divine will, do you truly believe you can restrain my True Extreme Body?” The Mother of the Silvermoon Moths was no ordinary foe. She quickly regained her composure and let out a sharp cry. Multicolored runes surged across her body, and the two previously closed heads on her shoulders suddenly snapped open their eerie, cold eyes.
Within moments, two entirely unfamiliar auras erupted from her, and the vanished fluctuations of her magic power began to slowly reawaken.
Witnessing this astonishing transformation, the ape’s face flickered with an odd expression before it spoke in a calm tone, uttering words that left the Mother of the Silvermoon Moths bewildered.
“I never expected this technique to truly turn the tide. But trapping you for a brief moment is enough.”
“What do you mean by that?” the Mother of the Silvermoon Moths demanded, her gaze darting around. Aside from the motionless Crab Daoist seated in the distance, there was no sign of a third presence.
Yet, the moment those words left her mouth, a deep rumble of thunder echoed from above the abyss.
A dazzling burst of radiant light flashed, and a colossal five-colored thunderbolt, crackling with countless arcs of lightning, descended with terrifying momentum.
“No! That’s Heavenly Punishment Lightning! He Kang, you old ghost—you’re still alive?!” The previously composed Mother of the Silvermoon Moths shrieked in horror, her face contorted with disbelief.
Her three heads shook violently as a layer of pitch-black flames erupted from her body. The dark crystal core within her buzzed furiously—she was preparing to self-destruct in desperation.
The silver chains binding her began to melt under the black flames, and the Mother of the Silvermoon Moths seemed on the verge of breaking free.
But at that very moment, the five-colored thunderbolt struck with an earth-shattering roar, slamming directly into her massive form.
In an instant, countless arcs of lightning enveloped her, reducing her seemingly indestructible body to fragments within mere breaths. The thunderbolt flickered violently before vanishing as abruptly as it had appeared, lasting only a fleeting moment.
High above, the five-colored cloud that had resembled a giant eye dissipated silently, leaving the sky gray and still, as if nothing had happened.
Simultaneously, within the mysterious stone forest of the underground palace, a muffled groan emanated from the black bowl on the stone platform. The chains connected to the ancient lamp trembled violently, and the lone flickering lamp atop the copper pillar dimmed further, as if on the verge of extinguishing completely.
“That was truly pushing it. That single strike consumed ninety percent of my remaining soul power. If this kid can’t help me, I’ve suffered a tremendous loss. But at least that wretch has been utterly erased, avenging the betrayal of the past. She never imagined I’d survive until now. Hah! In the end, I owe thanks to this lower-realm brat… otherwise, who knows how long I’d have waited for vengeance.” The man’s voice erupted into a near-manic laugh, laced with both bitterness and chilling satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Han Li, still in his ape form, had no time to dwell on the Mother of the Silvermoon Moths’ abrupt demise. He clutched his central head, rolling on the ground in agony, his roars filled with pain.
His massive body shrank rapidly as he withdrew his Dharma Form. The purple-gold armor reverted into scales before fading away entirely.
After what felt like an eternity, Han Li finally regained his human form, staggering to his feet and shaking his heavy head groggily.
The transformation had drained his true essence, and the chains of divine will had nearly exhausted his spiritual power. It had been a long time since he’d endured such a brutal battle, and the thought of it now sent a chill down his spine.
“Brother Crab, are you alright?” Han Li asked, his voice slightly hoarse as he glanced at the still-seated Crab Daoist in the distance.
“I’m fine. I just need to rest for a while. But for the next few months, I won’t be able to engage in combat. Otherwise, this body will suffer irreparable damage,” Crab Daoist replied, opening his eyes slowly.
“I understand. In that case, rest inside my spirit beast ring for now. Leave everything else to me,” Han Li said with a nod.
“Very well. I have little means to protect myself now, so staying outside would only be a burden,” Crab Daoist agreed after a brief pause.
With a hand seal, his body shimmered with silver light, shrinking rapidly until he transformed into a palm-sized golden crab.
Han Li flicked his sleeve, releasing a swirl of five-colored light that drew the crab into an exquisite spirit beast ring.
Then, he turned his head and spoke calmly toward a seemingly empty space in the distance.
“Fellow Daoist Baohua, you’ve been watching for quite some time. Isn’t it time to show yourself? That secret technique of yours may have drained your vitality, but surely it hasn’t left you completely defenseless.”
“Brother Han’s divine will is indeed far superior to ours. But your words are a misunderstanding. I truly have almost no magic power left. This concealment was only possible due to a secret talisman gifted by a friend,” Baohua replied, emerging from the void with a pale face and a bitter smile.
Despite her explanation, the astonishment in her eyes was unmistakable. Han Li’s display of power during the battle had left even her, a former progenitor of the demon race, awestruck and humbled.
Though she maintained her composure, a deep wariness now lurked in her heart.
“You know full well that killing the Mother of the Silvermoon Moths wasn’t my doing. Someone else intervened,” Han Li said, shaking his head as he retrieved a vial and swallowed several emerald-green pills.
“Yet without your astonishing power to restrain her, even the Heavenly Punishment Lightning wouldn’t have been enough to kill her. But speaking of which, who is this person who can command such lightning? Not only did they know everything happening here, but they also communicated directly with us. Without their warning, we might have fled long ago. Do you have any thoughts on their identity?” Baohua asked, her brows furrowing.
“This is my first encounter with them. But given their ability to summon such thunder, they’re clearly not from the lower realm. Combined with the fact that this is an ancient sealing ground and their intimate knowledge of the Mother of the Silvermoon Moths, their identity is almost obvious. With your wisdom, Fellow Daoist Baohua, you must have deduced it as well,” Han Li said after a pause, chuckling lightly.
“It seems we share the same thoughts. They’re likely one of the two true immortals who sealed the Mother of the Silvermoon Moths in ancient times. Otherwise, none of this makes sense. But this Mother of the Silvermoon Moths didn’t seem to be the original—her soul appeared to possess deep knowledge of the immortal realm. Could it be that another immortal’s soul took over her body?” Baohua mused, nodding but still frowning in confusion.
Han Li stroked his chin, deep in thought.
“If you two wish to know the truth, why not come to me directly? All will be revealed,” a calm, warm voice suddenly echoed from above the abyss—the same voice that had spoken to them earlier.
Han Li and Baohua exchanged wary glances.
“It seems you still distrust me. No matter. With the Mother of the Silvermoon Moths dead, the void created by her power will soon collapse. You’ll see me soon enough,” the voice continued, unfazed by their hesitation.
“Senior, what do you mean by that?” Baohua asked urgently.
But the void fell silent again, the voice vanishing without another word.
At the same time, a deep rumble erupted from the depths of the abyss, and the surrounding waters began to tremble violently.
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