Chapter 1554: Strange Moth

“This is…”

Han Li’s eyes flickered with a mix of shock and suspicion. Without hesitation, he swiftly formed hand seals, golden light flashing repeatedly across his body as he activated the Vajra Arts of the True Devil.

Moments later, relying on the power of his cultivation technique, he forcibly suppressed the strange blood within his body.

However, before his condition could fully stabilize, a scorching pain erupted across his back, as if his skin were being seared by flames.

Frowning, Han Li tore off his robe, baring his upper body. With a flick of his wrist, a golden light shot from his palm, transforming into a small, radiant golden mirror.

The mirror spun briefly before hovering above his head. As its surface shimmered with spiritual light, it clearly reflected the situation on his back—revealing four exceptionally vivid tattoo-like patterns.

A resplendent phoenix, a massive azure roc, a five-clawed golden dragon, and a multicolored peacock.

These were none other than the four True Spirit bloodlines Han Li had once absorbed, now manifesting visibly on his skin.

At this moment, the four patterns glowed brightly, writhing as if alive. Were it not for the suppression of the Vajra Arts of the True Devil, the condensed True Spirit blood would have burst forth from his body.

Han Li’s shock was indescribable.

He had believed that, through the Twelve Earthly Branches Transformation, he had fully refined the four True Spirit bloodlines. How could such an eerie phenomenon occur? And all of this had been triggered by a single distant roar.

Before he could ponder further, another roar echoed from afar. The True Spirit patterns on his back flared with an eerie radiance, shifting restlessly as if searching for an exit through his skin.

With a cold snort, Han Li formed another seal, and his body erupted with golden light.

The True Spirit patterns immediately stilled.

Taking a deep breath, Han Li raised a hand and summoned the golden mirror back. With a soft *pop*, it shattered into motes of golden light and vanished.

In a flash of azure radiance, Han Li transformed into a streak of light, streaking toward the depths of the icy island where the roar had originated.

The roar was so bizarre that it could disrupt the True Spirit blood he had refined. Without understanding its origin, he could not rest easy.

Of course, this confidence stemmed from his recent advancements in power. Unless facing a Body Integration-level being, ordinary dangers no longer concerned him.

Had this occurred before his breakthrough to the Void Refinement stage, he might have hesitated before acting.

After several flashes, the azure streak disappeared beyond the horizon.

Though the roar had seemed close, Han Li had already traversed thirty to forty miles without encountering its source.

Strangely, the island seemed enveloped in a natural magnetic force, weakening his spiritual sense and limiting its range to barely ten miles.

However, after flying a short distance further, Han Li suddenly halted, sensing something.

Moments later, seven or eight streaks of multicolored light shot toward him from the sky ahead.

Narrowing his eyes, Han Li clearly discerned the figures within the streaks—men and women, all at the Nascent Soul stage, their faces twisted in terror as they fled desperately, as if pursued by demons.

Scanning behind them, he found nothing.

Just as he prepared to call out to them, another thunderous roar rolled in from the distance, followed by a continuous series of roars.

A horrifying scene unfolded.

Under the roar’s influence, the fleeing cultivators’ spiritual lights flickered wildly, their skin turning crimson.

With agonized screams, their bodies and Nascent Souls exploded simultaneously, dissolving into bloody mist before vanishing without a trace.

Han Li’s heart sank.

Then, two more streaks of light appeared on the horizon.

Focusing, Han Li recognized one of them—Qing Xiao, dressed in palace robes. The other was a black-robed woman of equal beauty. Both bore the same crimson skin and terror as the previous victims, but their spiritual lights flickered without exploding.

Clearly, their mid-stage Spirit Transformation cultivation granted them greater resilience.

Still, their speed was severely hampered, reduced to less than half their usual pace.

As Han Li prepared to intercept them, his expression abruptly changed.

A vast, hazy gray shadow, spanning hundreds of yards, emerged several miles behind the women, closing in rapidly.

The roars were emanating from this shadow.

Even with the Vajra Arts of the True Devil active, Han Li could feel the True Spirit blood stirring in his back.

If even he was affected, the two women—weaker and closer to the shadow—stood little chance.

Their movements slowed further, as if trapped in an invisible barrier.

Within moments, the gray shadow closed the distance.

Forced to retaliate, the women turned and attacked.

One drew a large bow, unleashing a storm of radiant arrows. The other hurled several white streaks that transformed into lightning serpents.

Their combined assault was formidable, but before it could reach the shadow, an invisible ripple surged forth, detonating the arrows and serpents mid-air.

Seizing the opportunity, the shadow closed to within a mile.

The women paled. At this proximity, the roars would soon overwhelm them.

“Ah! Senior Han! Save us!” Qing Xiao cried, spotting Han Li and pleading desperately.

The other woman, startled, glanced at Han Li as well.

But Han Li’s eyes blazed with blue light, fixed unwaveringly on the gray shadow, his expression grave.

Through his spiritual vision, he discerned the monster within—a colossal moth-like creature with a wingspan of a hundred yards and two grotesque heads.

The upper head resembled a lion’s, with shaggy fur and emerald eyes—the source of the roars. The lower head was a dark green serpent’s, its eyes closed but its tongue flickering menacingly.

“What kind of monster is this? I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

Despite his vast experience, Han Li inhaled sharply. Fortunately, the creature’s aura suggested it was only at the late Void Refinement stage.

As Qing Xiao’s plea reached him, Han Li flicked his sleeves, releasing seventy-two small azure swords.

In a flash, they transformed into countless azure threads, streaking toward the shadow with piercing whistles.

The attack was so swift that the monster had no time to react. The threads pierced through the gray shadow, riddling the giant moth’s body with holes.

With another sweep, the threads sliced the creature into countless fragments.

Yet Han Li showed no joy, his eyes narrowing warily.

The two women, seizing the momentary reprieve, raced toward Han Li.

“Be careful, Fellow Daoist!” Qing Xiao shouted. “This monster seems immortal—ordinary attacks won’t kill it!”

“Immortal?” Han Li frowned.

At that moment, the gray shadow convulsed.

The moth’s shredded remains coalesced, and in a flash of gray light, it reformed completely.

Han Li’s expression darkened. With a thought, the scattered swords reformed into threads, lashing toward the monster again.

But the enraged creature roared, its wings fanning out an invisible ripple that engulfed the threads.

The threads froze, reverting to tiny swords before exploding into bursts of azure light.