The long-bearded man waved his hand again, and the sea beast army behind him surged forward in a chaotic swarm.
But at that moment, a ripple suddenly appeared in the nearby void, and a streak of crystalline light shot out without warning. In a flash, it teleported right in front of the long-bearded man, transforming into a misty sword light that swept toward him.
The long-bearded man was startled but quickly regained his composure. He opened his mouth and spat out a ball of purple light, which expanded in the wind, turning into a massive shield covered in intricate purple patterns.
At the same time, he formed a hand seal, and with a *whoosh*, a layer of watery blue light enveloped his body, completely submerging him within it.
*Thud! Thud!*
The giant shield and the watery barrier shattered like paper upon contact with the crystalline light. The light coiled around the long-bearded man like lightning, slicing him in half at the waist before he could even react.
*Bang!*
The moment his severed body split apart, it burst into countless illusory bubbles, scattering in all directions.
At that instant, the crystalline light condensed, revealing a golden figure about a foot tall. With a flick of its finger, an invisible sword Qi shot out, wrapping around one of the bubbles.
The bubble spun rapidly, transforming into a miniature version of the long-bearded man. Despite the extraordinary treasures protecting him, the relentless sword Qi shredded them all. With a final scream, the tiny figure vanished in a flash of light.
From the appearance of the crystalline light to the annihilation of the long-bearded man, it all happened in the blink of an eye.
The giant tortoise beneath him and the sea beast army behind had no time to react. By the time they realized what had happened, they were filled with shock and fury.
A dozen of the most powerful sea beasts roared, stirring towering waves as countless attacks rained down upon the golden figure.
The golden figure’s eyes flashed coldly. Its form blurred, and suddenly, countless afterimages filled the sky. A storm of invisible sword Qi descended, effortlessly deflecting the attacks before mercilessly cutting through the sea beast army.
The sword Qi was so sharp that even a typical Mahayana cultivator wouldn’t dare face it head-on, let alone ordinary sea beasts.
Huge swaths of the army were bisected, blood and dismembered limbs floating on the sea’s surface.
Terror finally gripped the remaining sea beasts. With a shrill cry, they scattered in all directions, fleeing for their lives.
The countless afterimages merged back into the golden figure, which coldly watched the retreating beasts before reaching out toward the sea. A storage bracelet flew from where the long-bearded man had fallen, landing in its tiny hand.
After a brief glance, the figure blurred and vanished.
At the same time, at the bow of the *Ink Spirit Holy Vessel*, Han Li withdrew the blue light from his eyes and murmured to himself,
“Good. The uninvited guests have been dealt with. Now we can wait in peace.”
Zhu Guo’er, standing behind him, blinked her large dark eyes, still somewhat confused.
Han Li closed his eyes again, meditating quietly.
Half a day later, as the sunlight dimmed, a talisman suddenly flew out of the sea.
Han Li’s eyes snapped open. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the talisman into his grasp.
*Bang!*
The talisman burst into a crimson fireball, and a stream of information flooded Han Li’s consciousness, bringing a faint smile to his face.
“Senior, could it be…?” Zhu Guo’er couldn’t help but ask.
“Indeed. We’ve finally found a possible entrance. Let’s head there directly,” Han Li said with a laugh, rising to his feet.
Zhu Guo’er beamed with joy.
Under Han Li’s command, the massive ship emitted a black barrier and slowly descended into the sea.
Half an hour later, in a hidden part of the seabed covered in colorful marine plants, hundreds of puppets stood in orderly formation before a crimson boulder.
Hua Shi and Tu Yao stood at the front, pointing at the boulder and discussing something.
Suddenly, the water surged as the black ship roared toward them like a sea demon. When it hovered above the boulder, Han Li formed a hand seal, and the black barrier expanded violently, pushing back the surrounding seawater.
“Master Han!”
“Fellow Daoist Han!”
Hua Shi and Tu Yao immediately approached to greet him.
Han Li’s figure blurred as he teleported directly before the crimson boulder, examining it closely.
“Is this the location you found?”
“Yes. After repeated calculations, we’re certain. We also detected spatial fluctuations here,” Hua Shi replied respectfully.
“Brother Tu?”
“I’m about seventy to eighty percent confident this is the entrance you seek,” Tu Yao said confidently.
“Good. Then I’ll investigate first. Guo’er, come with me.”
Zhu Guo’er hurried down from the ship.
“Follow me inside. If this is indeed the entrance to the Minor Spirit Realm, Hua Shi will bring the ship and puppets after us.”
“Yes, Senior!”
“Yes, Master!”
Tu Yao hesitated but said nothing, recalling Han Li’s immense power.
Han Li wrapped Zhu Guo’er in a golden light and shot toward the boulder. The surface rippled as they phased through it.
Inside, their movement slowed drastically as spatial fluctuations intensified. A swirling seven-colored halo appeared ahead.
Han Li’s divine sense swept over it, and his expression brightened. With a roar, his body swelled into a golden-furred giant ape.
Grabbing Zhu Guo’er, he strode into the halo and vanished.
In another realm, deep within a forest, a thunderous explosion erupted.
A towering pine tree shattered into splinters, leaving a massive crater. Above it, a seven-colored halo spun as two figures emerged—Han Li and Zhu Guo’er.
Han Li frowned. “The spiritual energy here is slightly weaker than the Spirit Realm. Guo’er, is this the Minor Spirit Realm?”
“Senior, let me confirm.”
Zhu Guo’er took out a silk handkerchief and cast a spell, revealing a detailed map.
“It is! But we’re in the Green Sea, the territory of the Green Spirit Tribe—our mortal enemies!”
Han Li nodded. “Stay here. I’ll fetch Hua Shi. The passage is harder to traverse than expected.”
Soon, the black ship emerged from the halo, expanding to its full size with Han Li and Hua Shi aboard.
“Now, tell me about the Green Sea and where you originally lived. I need to speak with your mother,” Han Li said.
“The Green Sea is home to the Green Spirit Tribe, the strongest non-human race here and our sworn enemies. My home is on the opposite side of the Minor Spirit Realm, extremely far from here,” Zhu Guo’er replied, somewhat frustrated.
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