Chapter 1722: Armored Warrior

Seeing this, Liu Shui’er revealed a faint smile in her eyes and, with a wave of her hand, released an emerald-green ring.

The ring buzzed and immediately transformed into a streak of emerald light, shooting toward the other side of the hall. With a flash, it also absorbed the weapons and armor in an instant.

Thus, aside from a solitary screen, the grand hall was now completely empty.

After a quick sweep with their spiritual senses and finding no other hidden items, the two hesitated no longer and hurriedly exited the hall.

For them, Han Li being trapped in an unfamiliar space might actually be advantageous. After all, there might not be any treasures inside, and he could even be temporarily hindered or trapped by some formidable restriction. With no competition for the treasures in the other side halls and the vast array of pavilions, they were bound to reap great rewards.

With this thought in mind, Shi Kun calmed down. After a brief discussion with Liu Shui’er outside the hall, they changed direction, each heading toward a different side hall.

…

Inside the nameless space behind the screen, Han Li had already approached the massive gate. With both hands raised, a surge of five-colored cold flames and a misty gray radiance erupted from his palms, relentlessly assaulting the door.

The golden and silver runes on the gate had transformed into a dazzling glow, steadfastly resisting the attacks of the two divine abilities.

Under the flickering gray light and cold flames, the glow was repeatedly pierced and dissolved layer by layer. Yet, the runes emerging from the gate seemed endless, immediately replenishing the glow in greater numbers.

After channeling the two divine abilities for a while with no effect on the gate’s restrictions, Han Li frowned deeply and withdrew his spiritual power, ceasing the attacks.

Then, with a clap of his hands and a thrust forward, two golden arcs as thick as bowls shot from his palms, vanishing in a flash before striking the glow on the gate.

A deafening explosion erupted as the arcs shattered, engulfing most of the gate in a blinding burst of lightning.

Moments later, the golden lightning dissipated, revealing the gate still intact, its glow flickering as before. The devastating attack had left no visible impact, and Han Li’s expression darkened.

Before entering this place, when he had circled behind the screen, the Destruction Dharma Eye within him had suddenly stirred uncontrollably.

Were it not for this, he might not have noticed the spatial restriction entrance on the screen.

Acting on instinct, he activated the Destruction Dharma Eye to strike the screen, unexpectedly breaking the restriction and easily entering this space.

Though he didn’t know where this place was or whether there were any treasures behind the gate, the mere existence of this miniature cosmos was already an exceedingly rare treasure in the Spirit Realm. It was likely that the immortals who used this place to store items or conceal secrets had left behind something extraordinary.

Thus, despite knowing the gate’s restrictions were highly unusual and that Liu Shui’er and Shi Kun outside might be acting independently, Han Li remained determined to stay, with no intention of leaving.

Yet, after successively deploying the Magnetic Divine Light, Five Extremes Cold Flames, and the Evil-Slaying Divine Thunder—all to no avail—he was greatly frustrated.

After some thought, he finally opened his mouth and spat out a silver flame. The flame twisted and transformed into the Spirit Devouring Firebird amidst a silver glow.

Han Li formed hand seals and fired over a dozen incantations into the firebird. As the spells vanished into its body, the bird let out a clear cry, its body swelling to a massive size.

With a flap of its silver wings, the colossal bird charged fiercely toward the gate.

Before even colliding, countless crystalline fire feathers shot from its body like a storm, striking the golden and silver glow on the gate and causing it to tremble violently.

With a thunderous crash, the giant silver bird plunged into the glow, its flames surging.

Where the Spirit Devouring Flames touched the golden and silver radiance, it boiled like water, dissolving the glow wherever it spread.

Despite the endless stream of runes from the gate, the glow visibly thinned, unable to keep up.

Han Li’s face lit up with joy, but then he let out a low shout. Black light swirled around his body as he expanded several times in size, his skin sprouting golden fur, transforming into a towering golden ape with exposed fangs—his recently mastered ape transformation.

With a flip of his hand, the Magnetic Divine Mountain appeared in his massive palm.

Blue light flashed in the ape’s eyes as he swung his arm, hurling the small mountain with a deafening roar. A hurricane formed in its wake, howling through the air.

Given the mountain’s immense weight and the ape’s tremendous strength, the force of this throw was unimaginable.

The thin layer of glow was instantly torn apart as the mountain smashed squarely into the black gate.

A tremor shook the earth as a black halo erupted from the gate, distorting the surrounding space into visible ripples before being swallowed by the darkness.

Even Han Li, witnessing the sheer power of this strike, instinctively retreated several steps. Black energy swirled around him as a fearsome suit of black armor materialized on the ape’s body—the Heavenly Devil Armor.

As the black halo dissipated, Han Li recalled the Magnetic Divine Mountain and narrowed his eyes to inspect the gate.

To his astonishment, the center of the black gate was deeply dented, as if struck by a massive force, yet it remained unbroken. Under the flickering golden and silver runes, it slowly began to restore its original shape.

The material of this gate was unimaginably resilient.

It seemed only one option remained. Han Li sighed inwardly, a bitter smile crossing his face.

Without hesitation, black light shimmered around him as he reverted to human form. Then, with a hand seal, golden light erupted from his body, his skin covered in crimson-gold scales, his face obscured by a golden haze.

A hand reached behind his head, and a golden shadow emerged—a three-headed, six-armed golden Dharma Form.

The Dharma Form’s six arms moved in unison, its body solidifying into a golden entity.

One of its arms reached into the void, and a broken golden blade materialized—the Profound Heaven Blade Fragment.

As Han Li chanted, strange symbols flowed across the golden body, converging into the blade.

The fragment shimmered, its missing half momentarily restored, becoming indistinguishable from the rest.

With a light flick of the blade, a golden wave rippled outward, sweeping across the surrounding space.

Where the golden light passed, the ambient spiritual energy roiled violently.

Countless five-colored specks emerged from the air, swarming toward the blade like moths to a flame, vanishing into it with a melodious chime.

“Slash!” Han Li abruptly ceased his chant, his voice filled with killing intent.

The golden Dharma Form swung the blade horizontally, bringing it down upon the distant gate.

A blinding golden arc shot forth, initially only a foot long but expanding to several yards in an instant.

Like a dreamlike golden moon, the arc silently cleaved through the black gate.

The seemingly indestructible gate split cleanly in two without resistance, collapsing inward.

Overjoyed, Han Li immediately recalled the Dharma Form and darted forward.

In a blur, he passed through the ruined gate and entered the space beyond.

As soon as he appeared, his gaze swept the area, his vast spiritual sense expanding outward. His expression quickly turned to shock.

The world beyond the gate was a small square plaza, its ceiling shimmering with blue light, its walls entirely gray. Aside from the ruined gate, there were no other exits.

The plaza was mostly empty, save for a peculiar circular platform at its center, upon which something indistinct lay.

Retracting his spiritual sense, Han Li’s pupils contracted slightly as he strode toward the platform. Moments later, he stood at its edge, scanning its surface.

The platform was sizable, spanning over thirty yards. Its floor was engraved with an intricate pattern of stars and celestial bodies, so lifelike they seemed to cover the entire surface.

At the center of the pattern sat an exquisite emerald-green throne, exuding grandeur.

Additionally, nine silver figures stood motionless at the platform’s edge—each a fully armored warrior wielding a halberd.

Clad from head to toe, their only visible features were their pitch-black eyes, making them resemble either puppets or statues.

Yet their postures were peculiar: one hand formed a seal at their chests, while the other gripped the halberds’ shafts, pointing them straight upward. All nine stood identically.