Hearing this, Han Li fell silent, his expression shifting uncertainly as if deep in thought.
The two Inverse Star Coalition cultivators exchanged a knowing glance upon seeing Han Li’s reaction, growing even more vigilant as they fixed their eyes firmly on him.
“Very well. Since I have nothing else to attend to, I shall accompany you two fellow Daoists,” Han Li said with a sudden relaxed smile, his tone unhurried.
Upon hearing this, the stern expressions of the scholar and the burly man softened. The scholarly elder even flashed a hint of smugness, opening his mouth as if to say something.
But at that very moment, Han Li struck.
His right hand, previously hidden in his sleeve, shot out abruptly, sending six streaks of cyan light silently shooting toward the burly man. Simultaneously, his left hand flipped over, and five copper rings of varying colors materialized in his palm, emitting a low, resonant hum.
“You dare to attack?!” The scholar reacted swiftly. The moment he saw Han Li move, he opened his mouth and spat out a square treasure several inches in size. The object was flat, pitch-black like ink, resembling an inkstone—a peculiar magical treasure.
The burly man was also quick to react, flicking his wrist to release a large white jade seal. The treasure instantly expanded several times, enveloped in white light, and shot toward the six cyan streaks.
“Be careful! Those copper rings are ancient treasures!” the scholar exclaimed in alarm upon recognizing the rings in Han Li’s hand.
The burly man was momentarily stunned by the warning, but before he could react, the six oncoming cyan streaks emitted a clear chime. They blurred and multiplied into twelve identical sword lights. Six of them instantly merged into a massive cyan sword, slashing fiercely toward the white light-encased seal.
The other six changed direction, arcing through the air and shooting toward the burly man from the side.
Panicked, the burly man formed hand seals without a second thought. A brilliant blue light erupted, and several clearly visible runes floated out from within. These runes, shimmering with azure light, rapidly expanded to the size of a dou measure, forming a pale blue barrier that enveloped and protected him.
The burly man intended to rely on this barrier to withstand Han Li’s Emerald Swarm Sword.
As the burly man took action, the scholar naturally did not stand idly by. After his warning, he urgently pointed at the inkstone treasure floating before his chest. The inkstone began spinning rapidly, spewing out murky black mist that spread several zhang in size. The scent of ink and brush filled the surrounding air.
Without hesitation, the scholar activated his spell, and the black mist condensed rapidly. In the blink of an eye, it formed several dozen pitch-black, bizarre birds. Each bird was half a chi long, emitting strange cries as they shot toward Han Li, their eyes glowing red.
Han Li, however, seemed indifferent to all of this. After shaking the copper rings in his hand a few times, they vanished in a flash of radiant light. He then flipped his hand again, revealing an ancient-style flower basket.
Seeing Han Li dismiss his attack so casually, the scholar felt not anger but delight. His “Illusion Inkstone” had been crafted using an ancient method, requiring immense effort and nearly all his lifelong savings to create. Yet he had no regrets, as since its completion, he had rarely met his match among cultivators of the same rank, even holding his own against mid-stage Core Formation cultivators. As long as his opponent’s cultivation wasn’t significantly higher, anyone trapped in the inkstone’s mist would quickly fall into illusions, unable to break free.
Just as the bizarre birds arrowed toward Han Li, the scholar wore a sinister smile, forming hand seals to make the birds explode. But at that moment, a faint hum sounded in his ears, and five copper rings materialized around his neck and limbs, tightening instantly. He felt his spiritual power scatter, unable to gather it again.
Terror seized the scholar.
He had been highly vigilant against the mysteriously vanishing ancient copper rings, but their sudden appearance without any warning was entirely unexpected. Fear gripped him, and his mind raced for escape strategies.
Meanwhile, a loud explosion echoed from the other side as cyan light and white energy intertwined. The massive cyan sword finally collided with the seal.
The brilliant white energy easily overwhelmed the cyan light, and the giant sword shattered into pieces after holding out for only a moment. At the same time, the other six cyan streaks struck the peculiar runic barrier.
Thudding sounds echoed repeatedly.
The runes, shimmering with blue light, held firm against the six cyan streaks, preventing them from breaking through the barrier.
Han Li let out a soft “Oh?” in surprise.
It seemed that without the Divine Annihilation Lightning, the Emerald Swarm Sword, due to its short cultivation time, lacked significant power.
But before he could ponder further, the black bizarre birds were upon him.
Though the scholar had lost his spiritual power, the inkstone treasure, still connected to his divine sense, continued to drive the birds forward undiminished.
Han Li snorted coldly. The flower basket in his hand glowed brilliantly, releasing a vast expanse of white light that engulfed every one of the approaching birds.
Seeing this, the scholar turned pale. “Impossible! You have another ancient treasure! Who are you?” he cried, his face a mask of disbelief.
For an ordinary cultivator, possessing even one ancient treasure was a stroke of immense luck. After all, whenever ancient treasures emerged, they usually fell into the hands of Nascent Soul cultivators. For a Core Formation cultivator to own one was exceedingly rare.
Yet Han Li had produced two entirely different ancient treasures—the copper rings and the flower basket. How could the scholar not be terrified?
But Han Li had no intention of answering. Instead, he hurled the flower basket forward. In a flash of white light, it enveloped the oncoming seal, trapping it in a struggle within the radiant energy, unable to break free.
Without delay, Han Li flicked his fingers, sending over a dozen cyan sword energies shooting fiercely toward the scholar, who was immobilized by the Five Elements Rings.
“No—!” the scholar managed to scream before his body was pierced by multiple holes. He swayed briefly, then fell dead. Pitifully, he hadn’t been able to use any of his techniques, his true energy locked by the Five Elements Rings, rendering all his skills useless.
Han Li beckoned, and the Five Elements Rings transformed into a stream of light, automatically leaving the corpse and returning to his hand.
Only then did he turn his cold gaze to the other side.
The burly man was sweating profusely, forming hand seals in a desperate attempt to recall his seal, but it was impossible to succeed in such a short time. Meanwhile, the six cyan streaks outside continued to assault his runic barrier relentlessly.
Now, witnessing the scholar’s swift death, the burly man was shaken to the core. As Han Li’s attention turned to him, he felt a chill run through his entire body.
Gritting his teeth, he transformed into a blue streak of light and fled, abandoning even his life-bound magical treasure connected to his primordial spirit.
The man was remarkably decisive!
Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly, and the copper rings vanished from his hand once more. In the next instant, they reappeared eerily above the fleeing burly man amidst a five-colored radiance.
Under the man’s disbelieving gaze, the five copper rings materialized on various parts of his body, ignoring the protective runes. Instantly, the blue escape light halted abruptly, and the burly man plummeted straight down.
A cold glint flashed in Han Li’s eyes as a cyan streak descended from the sky, circling the burly man several times before slicing him into multiple segments at the waist.
Thus, both Core Formation cultivators of the Inverse Star Coalition had fallen to Han Li.
Calmly, Han Li retrieved the storage pouches from both bodies, scanning their contents briefly with his divine sense before storing them away without hurry.
He also unceremoniously claimed the seal from the flower basket and the inkstone treasure floating in the air without an owner.
“Fellow Daoist, you’ve been hiding and watching for quite some time. Isn’t it time to show yourself?” Han Li stood mid-air with his hands behind his back, speaking calmly toward the sea below. Though his voice wasn’t loud, it echoed across several li of the ocean surface.
A sea breeze swept past, but silence prevailed.
Seeing this, Han Li sighed softly. “You’re hiding in the sea below. Must I really drag you out myself?” His expression darkened slightly, his tone turning unfriendly.
“Wait, Fellow Daoist! I’m coming out,” a voice replied, seemingly unable to stay hidden after being exposed. The concealed figure finally revealed himself.
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