“I never expected the Mulan people to be so cautious. Although we eliminated these spellcasters, it seems we haven’t dealt them a significant blow. Now we’ll have to face them head-on. Brother Ma, you just used the Concealing Sky Banner to cover half the mountaintop—can your magic power still hold up?” The bald-browed man sighed lightly before turning to the elder with concern.
“I deliberately conserved some of my magic power. While it might not be enough to defeat the enemy, it should suffice to hold off one of the Mulan’s Great Masters,” the elder replied nonchalantly, stroking his beard.
“That’s good. The rest of the enemies will be left to me and Fellow Daoist Han. Fellow Daoist Bu should have recovered some strength by now. I’ve already instructed our subordinates to summon him from his recuperation if the situation becomes dire,” the bald-browed man said gravely.
“That’s all we can do. However, that giant beast might be troublesome. None of us can afford to divert our attention, and Core Formation cultivators likely won’t be able to handle it,” the elder said hesitantly, sensing the massive creature outside the formation with his spiritual sense.
“Ahem! There’s no helping it. With our limited manpower, we’ll have to rely on the Rong brothers to restrain it using the restriction formation. Their lightning-based techniques are among the most lethal among Core Formation cultivators. Even if the beast is thick-skinned, it should still have some effect,” the bald-browed man said, though he didn’t sound entirely confident, given the terrifying accounts of the beast from retreating cultivators.
“For now, that’s the only option,” the elder nodded worriedly, agreeing to the plan.
At that moment, a streak of green light shot out from the mist, circling briefly before spotting the two men and flying toward them.
“Fellow Daoists, it seems the Mulan are truly about to attack. Have you prepared a strategy to repel them?” As the green radiance dissipated, Han Li’s figure emerged, smiling at the two.
“Brother Han, you’ve arrived just in time. We were just discussing our plan…” The bald-browed man repeated their earlier conversation with a smile.
“A giant beast? That thing is indeed troublesome. It’s an ancient variant—I wonder where the Mulan found it. Let’s proceed as Fellow Daoist Lu suggested,” Han Li said, frowning briefly before relaxing.
“We’ll be relying heavily on your abilities in this battle, Brother Han,” the bald-browed man chuckled, his tone respectful.
“This concerns the safety of the entire Tiannan region. I’ll do my best. But I fear the enemy’s strength may exceed my capabilities,” Han Li replied calmly, no longer downplaying his abilities now that his true power had been revealed.
“If even Brother Han can’t handle them, then it’s no fault of ours. The alliance surely won’t blame us,” the elder surnamed Ma flattered with a smile.
“Brother Ma overestimates me. My abilities aren’t as profound as you imagine—don’t set your expectations too high,” Han Li said, his lips curling into a faint smirk as he glanced at the elder.
“Regardless, Brother Han is no ordinary early-stage cultivator. Your abilities far surpass mine and Fellow Daoist Ma’s. As for this battle—ah, the Mulan are attacking!” The bald-browed man had been trying to build rapport with Han Li but suddenly cut himself off, his expression shifting as he turned his gaze into the distance.
Han Li and the elder followed his gaze.
In the direction of the Mulan army, a faint red glow appeared, spreading across the distant sky like fiery clouds. Within the red mist, dozens of sun-like fireballs were forming and coalescing.
“What is this?” The elder surnamed Ma asked in astonishment, seeing this for the first time.
“It’s the Mulan’s Spiritual Art Formation. Many spellcasters replace formation flags and disks to quickly set up a spell array, though it usually requires a high-ranking spellcaster to lead it. Given the size of these fireballs, it’s likely the fire-attribute spellcaster from yesterday is in charge,” the bald-browed man explained grimly.
“Spiritual Art Formation…” the elder murmured, still visibly surprised. Though he wanted to ask more, he knew this wasn’t the time and fell silent.
“Let’s enter the formation and act as the situation demands. Before engaging their Nascent Soul cultivators, we should eliminate as many low-ranking spellcasters as possible,” Han Li said calmly, retracting his gaze.
“Agreed!” The elder and the bald-browed man had no objections.
The bald-browed man summoned several Core Formation cultivators, including Ying Ning, and gave them instructions before leading them into the mist. Han Li, after a few discreet words of caution, vanished into the fog.
Outside the mist, groups of Mulan spellcasters had formed dozens of small teams, arranged in intricate formations. They held red-glowing fire-attribute artifacts high above their heads, channeling nearby fire-attribute spiritual energy.
A hundred feet above them, dozens of massive fireballs churned and took shape, radiating scorching heat that left the spellcasters beneath them parched, dizzy, and drenched in sweat as they struggled to maintain the spell.
At the center of these formations, Ku Yao sat cross-legged, his hair disheveled, his hands forming strange seals. Six massive red banners slowly revolved around him, while a fiery serpent coiled above his head, its crimson glow illuminating rolling clouds of flame.
Nearby, the green-robed woman had dismounted the giant beast and was coldly observing Ku Yao’s actions. Behind her, the tall, thin spellcaster watched intently.
“Go!” Ku Yao suddenly opened his eyes wide and barked. The six banners trembled violently, emitting six crimson beams that shot into six fully formed fireballs, each over thirty feet in diameter.
The fireballs shuddered, their flames leaping higher before roaring like meteors toward the mist, aligned in a straight line as if to carve a path through it.
The combined might of so many spellcasters was formidable. Even the mist formation, meticulously arranged by the Nine Nations Alliance’s formation masters, couldn’t withstand the impact. Earth-shattering explosions erupted as towering pillars of fire erupted from the mist, dispersing the fog in an instant.
Though green and yellow restriction lights flickered in resistance, they were utterly overwhelmed. From above, six massive, barren circles now marred the mist sea.
The green-robed woman’s eyes flashed coldly as she flipped her hand, summoning a golden ring. With a flick, it shot toward the giant rhinoceros beast waiting at the mist’s edge.
A clear chime rang out as the ring clamped onto the beast’s blue horn, its golden light flaring brilliantly. Whether stimulated by the light or the woman’s unseen command, the beast’s eyes turned blood-red. With a thunderous roar, it charged into the mist on a blue cloud.
Soon, bestial roars and flashes of yellow and green light filled the mist.
“Advance! Master Ku will continue disrupting their restrictions with fire arts. Today, we break this formation!” The woman’s icy voice echoed across the sky. The waiting Mulan army cheered and surged into the mist in groups.
“Let’s go. Master Ku will join us once he finishes his spellwork,” the woman said flatly, transforming into a white streak of light. The tall spellcaster followed as a black shadow.
Soon, only the formation-maintaining spellcasters remained outside the mist.
Under Ku Yao’s guidance, the remaining fireballs plummeted into the mist, reinforcing the initial breach. Dozens of fire pillars erupted, obliterating the restrictions along the line.
With a hearty laugh, Ku Yao sprang to his feet and, with a wave, transformed into a blazing inferno charging into the mist. The other spellcasters followed en masse.
Within moments, over a thousand Mulan spellcasters had flooded the mist, joined by hundreds more manipulating the restrictions from the shadows.
Deep within the mist, Han Li hovered motionless, clad in his tri-colored Gold Devouring Beetle armor, standing atop a massive azure sword. Above him, a golden swarm of insects seethed silently, their eyes gleaming with predatory hunger.
Han Li’s eyelids fluttered open, revealing a trace of surprise.
“So there really is a mid-Nascent Soul spellcaster among them… and a woman at that,” he murmured. After a moment’s thought, he retrieved a set of formation tools from his storage pouch and swiftly arranged the most powerful temporary formation he carried.
“Silvermoon, come out,” Han Li commanded, flicking his sleeve to release a small fox.
“Take the Purple Lightning Net and the Flower Basket ancient treasure. This opponent may be even more troublesome than Senior Sister Wan’er—be cautious! If she proves too formidable, lure her here. We’ll use the mist restrictions and my formation to gain an advantage. If that fails, we’ll withdraw. No need to risk our lives,” Han Li instructed calmly.
He then produced the Purple Lightning Net and Flower Basket, tossing them to the fox.
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