The pitch-black blade radiance indeed sliced through several layers of protective barriers as effortlessly as cutting vegetables, instantly reducing them to scattered points of spiritual light amidst explosive sounds. After the demonic soul slashed once and saw the three fleeing in different directions, its gaze swept over their escaping lights before a mocking expression appeared on its face.
At that moment, thousands of ice spikes densely covered the sky above, trapping it within.
The demonic soul slightly swayed its hands, causing the black giant blade in its grasp to shimmer and transform back into a dazzling radiant mass. With another motion, the black radiance elongated and thinned, instantly morphing into two black light spears, each about two zhang long. With a forceful swing of its arms, one spear shot toward the elder while the other was hurled back toward the silver-haired elder. Meanwhile, the demonic soul itself stomped its foot, transforming into a streak of black light that shot straight toward Tianjing Zhenren.
A sharp screech echoed as the two black spears vanished en route in a bizarre manner. The demonic soul flickered a few times, appearing ghost-like over twenty zhang away, instantly escaping the range of the ice spikes.
The fleeing Nascent Soul elder, hearing the sharp screech behind him, instinctively threw out an object he had been clutching. An eight-sided silver plaque shot forth, forming a silver-white barrier around him.
Feeling slightly reassured, the elder hastily turned to look behind him, only to find nothing there.
Before he could comprehend the situation, the screech sounded right beside him. A black flash appeared as the spear materialized demonically a zhang away, piercing through the silver barrier with lightning speed. Under the elder’s horrified gaze, black and silver lights intertwined. As the spear twisted violently, the barrier shattered like paper, and the spear plunged into the elder’s abdomen before exploding.
The elder didn’t even have time to scream before his body was torn apart, scattering in all directions. A Nascent Soul enveloped in silver light appeared in place, its face blank with disbelief at the destruction of its body.
In that brief moment of hesitation, the scattered black radiance reformed into a large net, instantly trapping the Nascent Soul. Only then did the Nascent Soul realize its peril, frantically forming hand seals. Its body flashed with silver light before vanishing, attempting to teleport away.
However, as the silver light flickered, the Nascent Soul reappeared within the net. The black threads mercilessly tightened, quickly compressing the Nascent Soul into a large glowing orb suspended motionless in the air.
Meanwhile, the other black spear, aimed at the silver-haired elder, similarly teleported behind him.
The silver-haired elder, already weakened before entering the valley, was even less capable of reacting to such an eerie attack. He could only inwardly curse his misfortune and prepare to release his Nascent Soul to escape.
But just then, intense spatial fluctuations erupted behind him, followed by the appearance of a blood-red sword light, about a zhang long, in front of the black spear. The sword radiance, crimson as blood and exuding overwhelming evil energy, slashed ruthlessly at the spear.
After the clash of black and red lights, an explosion sounded, and both vanished without a trace.
Overjoyed, the silver-haired elder glanced toward Han Li, who was pale-faced as he slowly lowered the blood sword in his hand, offering a strained smile.
“Senior Brother Cheng” was immensely grateful to his junior brother Han Li. Channeling all his spiritual power, he instantly flew to Han Li’s side.
Tianjing Zhenren, however, was far less fortunate. Witnessing the destruction of the elder’s body and the capture of his Nascent Soul nearby, his face turned deathly pale, and his escaping light surged even faster.
At that moment, a shadow flickered before him, revealing the bizarre, two-headed, four-armed figure.
Tianjing Zhenren’s heart trembled. He halted abruptly and, without hesitation, spat out a crystal-like small sword. Under his incantation, the sword transformed into dozens of blazing white sword lights that slashed wildly.
The demonic soul remained silent, twisting unnaturally before vanishing, causing all the sword lights to miss.
Tianjing Zhenren’s heart sank. His body glowed as he attempted to ascend, but as soon as he moved, his protective barrier violently shook. A series of dull thuds followed, and his spiritual power abruptly scattered, leaving him momentarily paralyzed.
“Not good!” Tianjing Zhenren’s face paled in horror. The sound of his barrier shattering echoed as a pitch-black demonic claw, accompanied by a piercing sound, burst through his abdomen, seizing his Nascent Soul just as it tried to escape.
With a yank, Tianjing Zhenren’s body went limp, losing all mobility. Black flames erupted, instantly reducing his remains to ashes.
Just as his Nascent Soul was terrified beyond measure, the demonic fingers loosened, granting it sudden freedom.
Overjoyed, the Nascent Soul didn’t hesitate. In a flash of white light, it teleported over ten zhang away.
But before it could teleport again, the distant demonic soul sneered, opening its mouth slightly. A purple shadow lashed out, piercing the Nascent Soul’s body with a long purple tongue before retracting, dragging it into the demonic soul’s gaping maw.
After a few chews, the demonic soul’s ghostly face flickered with black light, revealing satisfaction. It then beckoned to the glowing orb containing the other Nascent Soul, which shot over and was similarly devoured. Having consumed two Nascent Souls, the demonic soul felt its soul power surge significantly before leisurely turning to face the only remaining escapees—the silver-haired elder and Han Li. Its tongue flicked against its upper palate before retracting, its grotesque face displaying an insatiable hunger.
From afar, the silver-haired elder watched as Tianjing Zhenren and his companion’s Nascent Souls were devoured. Though not terrified, his expression was grim. He knew that had he not fled toward Han Li and received assistance, his fate would have been no different.
The Nascent Soul cultivators, revered and envied by the valley’s other cultivators, couldn’t even withstand a single round against this demonic entity—an unbelievable reality. That Han Li could hold his own against such a foe, albeit at a slight disadvantage, spoke volumes of his extraordinary abilities. Recruiting him had indeed been a wise decision.
With these thoughts weighing heavily, the elder couldn’t help but glance at Han Li beside him.
Han Li’s face was dark, but his eyes remained calm and composed. Having already deployed the Great Geng Sword Formation, he felt confident in his ability to fight, bolstering his resolve. His gaze briefly flickered toward another battle hundreds of zhang away.
There, the other ancient demon seemed intent on a steady approach, surrounding Wei Wuyan’s green cloud with vast swathes of black demonic flames, relentlessly burning and weakening it.
The once sprawling green toxic cloud had shrunk to a fraction of its size, teetering on the verge of collapse.
Linghu Lao and the white-robed woman, sheltered within the cloud, were temporarily safe but had to exert all their strength to resist the demonic flames’ onslaught.
Han Li sighed inwardly, knowing Wei Wuyan and the others wouldn’t last much longer. But he could spare no further thought for them, focusing solely on the demonic soul before him, hoping the Great Geng Sword Formation could eliminate it first.
At that moment, the distant demonic soul leisurely flew toward Han Li.
Han Li narrowed his eyes and, without a word, raised his hand, launching a jade talisman. A pitch-black ghostly hand materialized, lunging at the demonic soul. Simultaneously, he flicked his sleeve, releasing dozens of azure flying swords that soared into the sky. With a resonant hum, they merged into a colossal azure sword, its aura awe-inspiring.
Han Li formed hand seals and pointed lightly at the demonic soul. The giant sword vanished mid-air, reappearing above the demonic soul in the next instant, slashing down mercilessly.
The demonic soul let out a strange laugh, rubbing its hands together to summon another black giant blade, which it raised to meet the descending azure sword.
The demon recognized the azure swords as one of Han Li’s lifebound treasures and relished the thought of severing it to inflict spiritual damage.
As for the ghostly hand lunging toward it, the demon disdainfully raised an arm, spewing black demonic energy that morphed into a black tentacle, ensnaring and immobilizing the hand.
The ghostly hand tore desperately at the demonic energy, but it was futile—the energy reformed endlessly, impossible to shake off.
Meanwhile, the clash between the black giant blade and the azure sword produced a deafening explosion.
Black and azure radiances intertwined, the space between them distorting as shockwaves rippled outward. Though the azure sword was forced back, it remained intact, its glow undiminished.
The demonic soul’s two heads jerked up in surprise, both faces registering astonishment.
Unbeknownst to it, Han Li’s Emerald Swarm Swords, though not yet refined for long or infused with Geng essence, had been reforged with Refined Crystal early on, rendering them far harder than ordinary treasures. In this realm, few things could sever them instantly.
While the demonic soul’s blade, formed from highly condensed demonic energy, was sharp enough to rival the finest human cultivators’ weapons, it lacked the power to instantly cleave through dozens of Emerald Swarm Swords combined into one.
In that moment of the demonic soul’s hesitation, thunder roared from the azure sword as countless golden lightning arcs erupted from its surface. The black giant blade, upon contact with the golden arcs, disintegrated instantly with a sizzling sound.
Unimpeded, the azure sword, now wreathed in thick golden lightning, descended ruthlessly upon the demonic soul’s head.
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