Gazing intently at the descending giant bell, Han Li lightly tapped the ancient treasure flower basket before him with a single finger. Instantly, the white mist transformed from it shot toward the space above his head.
At the same time, a dull “dong” echoed from the giant bell. Though the sound was not loud, Han Li, standing directly beneath the bell’s opening, felt his mind grow heavy, and his body swayed unsteadily, nearly toppling over.
Yet another sound-based attack—his most loathed type!
Cursing inwardly, Han Li dared not delay. He swiftly activated the ancient treasure in the air. A flash of light later, the white mist revealed the original form of the flower basket, which then spun rapidly, releasing a radiant white glow that coiled around the silver bell and began pulling it into the basket.
Naturally, the silver bell refused to submit so easily. It emitted blinding silver light, its chimes ringing incessantly. However, now that it was tightly wrapped in the white mist, though Han Li still felt somewhat uncomfortable, he could at least stand steadily, unlike before.
With that, Han Li shifted his attention away from the two ancient treasures above and refocused on the man opposite him.
The young master of the Six Paths, having regained his composure, was contemplating the moment his True Devil Avatar had been obliterated by the golden arcs. His expression flickered before he fixed his gaze on Han Li. “Evil-Warding Divine Thunder! You possess a Golden Lightning Bamboo treasure!” Wen Tianren’s voice was thick with shock and fury.
Aside from the legendary Evil-Warding Divine Thunder, known for its ability to suppress demonic arts and wicked techniques, he could think of no other lightning capable of such heaven-defying power—instantly destroying his True Devil Avatar. The Golden Lightning Bamboo, an artifact that had once stirred storms of bloodshed, had reappeared, and worse, had been forged into a treasure by his opponent. This realization left the heir of the Six Paths utterly stunned.
Hearing Wen Tianren name the Evil-Warding Divine Thunder, Han Li’s expression shifted slightly, but he maintained his cold smile, focusing instead on urging the flower basket treasure to subdue the silver bell first.
Seeing this, Wen Tianren knew his guess was correct, and his face paled. As the heir of the foremost figure in the demonic path, his understanding of the Evil-Warding Divine Thunder far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators, and his wariness of it was profound.
Moreover, witnessing how the Six Ultimate True Devil Art had been utterly powerless against the divine thunder, he realized the legends of its suppression of demonic arts were not exaggerated in the slightest. With this thunder in his opponent’s hands, nearly all of his demonic techniques would be rendered useless.
Taking a deep breath, Wen Tianren glanced at Han Li’s impassive stance, his expression darkening like stormy waters. A sliver of unease flickered in his heart.
He had a vague premonition that the man before him was fated to be his lifelong nemesis. Not only were his cultivation and treasures on par with his own, but with the Evil-Warding Divine Thunder, he was now perfectly countered. This was something Wen Tianren could never tolerate.
“No matter the cost, I cannot let him leave this island alive today. Only by seizing the Golden Lightning Bamboo treasure for myself can I truly rest easy,” Wen Tianren thought viciously as he stared at Han Li.
Meanwhile, the stunningly beautiful maiden standing further away was left dumbstruck by the series of spell exchanges and treasure clashes between Han Li and Wen Tianren.
She had already deduced Han Li’s true identity when he summoned the Gold Devouring Beetles, leaving her utterly astonished.
In just a few decades, Han Li’s cultivation had soared from early Core Formation to late-stage—something she found hard to believe. But then she recalled the rumors of the Void Heaven Cauldron being in Han Li’s possession, and her surprise eased somewhat.
Even so, she had initially dismissed Han Li’s chances against Wen Tianren, expecting him to flee in defeat after a brief struggle. Yet to her shock, Han Li now held the upper hand, especially after his pale golden arcs shattered Wen Tianren’s demonic arts. Her mind reeled at the sight.
Evil-Warding Divine Thunder! She had recognized the golden arcs even before Wen Tianren.
After all, she had personally handed Han Li that half-section of thousand-year-old Heavenly Lightning Bamboo back then. How had it transformed into ten-thousand-year Golden Lightning Bamboo? Had Han Li obtained new materials elsewhere? That was the only explanation she could fathom.
This peerless beauty was none other than Fairy Violet Spirit, whom Han Li had last seen at the Void Heaven Palace. Her appearance had changed drastically, and now she stood alongside Wen Tianren, seemingly against her will. The story behind this remained a mystery.
Now, biting her lip, Fairy Violet Spirit stared unblinkingly into the distance, sensing that this battle was far from over.
As the silver bell teetered on the brink of being drawn into Han Li’s flower basket, Wen Tianren’s expression finally shifted. The golden light between his brows intensified, elongating as if solidifying. In the blink of an eye, a delicate, intricate horn protruded from his forehead, gleaming with golden radiance and inscribed with cryptic, profound runes. Strangely, it exuded no demonic aura but instead pulsed with pure spiritual energy.
Watching this bizarre transformation, Han Li narrowed his eyes, his heart tightening. Without hesitation, he pointed at the two massive azure swords in the distance and cast another set of incantations.
With a resonant hum, the swords disassembled, reverting to over twenty smaller blades. These swords then multiplied into threefold illusions under the Sword Shadow Separation Technique before retreating en masse, swirling protectively around Han Li in a defensive formation.
“Good, very good! I never imagined you’d push me to this point,” Wen Tianren said calmly, his demeanor now eerily composed. “I once believed that among Core Formation cultivators, none could rival me—only those at the Nascent Soul stage. But it seems I was arrogant, trapped in my own narrow perspective. Yet this is fortunate. Meeting you now is my luck. Had you reached Nascent Soul, eliminating you would have been far more troublesome.”
He spoke as if Han Li’s actions were inconsequential, his confidence now unshakable, the earlier traces of panic entirely vanished.
Han Li’s face remained impassive, but his spiritual sense had already swept over Wen Tianren. Aside from the strange golden horn, there were no signs of a sudden surge in cultivation or other anomalies.
Frowning inwardly, Han Li grew even more vigilant. He doubted Wen Tianren’s words were mere bluster—that horn undoubtedly concealed some sinister trick.
Before Han Li could ponder further, Wen Tianren spread his arms, and eight golden flames shot from his sleeves. Each flame was the size of a fist, dazzlingly bright, swirling rapidly around him.
Seeing yet another mysterious artifact emerge, Han Li sighed inwardly, frustration and irritation simmering.
He was well aware that while his own collection of treasures was exceptional among peers, it paled in comparison to Wen Tianren’s. As the young master of the Inverse Star Alliance and heir to the foremost figure of the demonic path, acquiring rare treasures was trivial for him.
Han Li couldn’t afford to engage in a prolonged battle of treasures. He needed a strategy—either to trap Wen Tianren or deliver a decisive blow.
Unbeknownst to him, Wen Tianren harbored the exact same thought. He, too, was growing wary of Han Li’s seemingly endless tricks. Thus, he abandoned further treasure exchanges and unleashed his ultimate trump card—the eight golden flames.
Now, their brilliance dimmed, revealing eight palm-sized mirrors forged of pure gold. One side was smooth as water, faint golden light flowing across its surface, while the other was rugged and uneven, grotesquely ugly.
A flicker of recognition passed through Han Li’s eyes—these mirrors seemed familiar, yet he couldn’t immediately place them.
“Eight Gates Golden Light Mirrors!” A startled cry rang out from behind Wen Tianren, followed by a sharp gasp as the voice abruptly cut off.
Han Li’s gaze darted to the source—the stunning maiden, her delicate hand covering her lips, her face a mask of shock as she stared at the golden mirrors.
“Eight Gates Golden Light Mirrors?” Han Li mulled over the vaguely familiar name before suddenly recalling their terrifying reputation. His heart sank like a stone.
“Since my companion has revealed these mirrors’ origins, you must now understand their power,” Wen Tianren said coldly, casting a meaningful glance at Fairy Violet Spirit before turning back. “Now, you may die without regrets.”
The golden horn on his forehead flashed, and a slender beam of golden light shot out, striking the nearest mirror before ricocheting to the next. In the blink of an eye, it had rebounded eight times, growing thicker with each reflection. By the time it leaped from the final mirror, the beam was as thick as an infant’s arm.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage