Staring at the familiar half-human, half-flood dragon demon before him, Han Li was taken aback, his mind racing with thoughts.
This was not the first time he had encountered such a creature.
Back in the chaotic Star Sea of the human realm, he had slain a shapeshifting Blood Flood Dragon that looked identical to the one before him. However, the Blood Flood Dragon before him was no mere eighth-grade demon beast—it was a terrifying high-level Void Refinement existence.
From their brief exchange earlier, Han Li could tell that this demon possessed extraordinary abilities, far surpassing those of an ordinary Void Refinement-level monster.
As his thoughts whirled, Han Li silently pondered how to deal with this formidable foe.
“A mere Spirit General-level being nearly injured me—how peculiar! No wonder my master warned me before I came,” the Blood Flood Dragon said coldly, its gaze fixed on Han Li.
“Master?” Han Li’s heart tightened at the word.
If this Blood Flood Dragon was already a high-level Void Refinement existence, then its master must be a Body Integration-level monstrosity. Why would such a being in the Abyss suddenly take an interest in him?
This was his first time here.
Though puzzled, Han Li’s expression darkened without a word.
“If you can withstand my next attack, I’ll turn and leave immediately, sparing you for now!” The Blood Flood Dragon’s eyes flashed with a strange light as it spoke with a mocking smile.
Without waiting for Han Li’s reaction, the demon formed a hand seal, and a surge of bloody light erupted from its body, spreading outward in a radiant mist.
The previously dispersed blood fog reappeared, churning slightly before engulfing the Blood Flood Dragon’s form.
Strange incantations echoed urgently from within the fog, and soon, a vast expanse of blood-red clouds materialized in the sky above.
Thunder roared within the clouds, and crimson lightning flickered ominously.
“What kind of technique is this?” Han Li was stunned, a sense of foreboding rising in his chest.
Though the lightning had yet to strike, an unsettling feeling already gripped him.
Without hesitation, he reached behind his head, summoning a wave of gray light that formed a protective canopy above him.
Then, a flash of cyan light burst from the crown of his head, revealing a small cyan cauldron that spewed countless threads of green light. These threads wove together into a massive cyan net beneath the gray barrier.
Still unsatisfied, Han Li spun in place, releasing seventy-two flying swords that transformed into a swirling storm of sword shadows around him.
His golden-and-silver thunder robe flew off his body, dispersing into countless floating runes. Meanwhile, a black mist roiled around him, coalescing into a suit of dark armor covering his body.
In an instant, Han Li had erected five layers of impenetrable defense.
Raising both hands, he summoned a foot-tall miniature mountain in one palm, while the fingers of his other hand flicked lightly, conjuring five white skeletal skulls that flickered in and out of existence, wreathed in multicolored flames.
Seeing this, the distant Blood Flood Dragon was shocked and wasted no more time. Channeling its essence blood, it pointed a finger at the blood-red clouds above.
A blinding crimson flash erupted from the clouds, and nine streaks of bloody lightning descended with terrifying speed, splitting into three waves as they reached Han Li’s position. Each wave contained more and thicker bolts than the last.
With three deafening thunderclaps, the first wave of two lightning bolts struck the gray barrier.
Despite the profound power of the Magnetic Divine Light, it shattered instantly upon contact with the bloody lightning, both forces vanishing into the void.
The second wave of three bolts followed immediately, tearing through the cyan net as if it were paper and striking the sword shadows below.
Something bizarre happened.
The seventy-two Emerald Swarm Swords, forming the protective barrier, seemed to offer no resistance at all—the lightning passed straight through them, striking the golden-and-silver runes from the thunder robe.
A thunderous explosion erupted as the runes transformed into crackling lightning, clashing fiercely with the bloody bolts.
The three crimson streaks writhed like serpents, struggling to break through, while the golden-and-silver lightning retaliated with deafening roars.
The bloody lightning proved slightly stronger, and after several violent flashes, the golden-and-silver lightning shattered into fragments. The now-thinner bolts descended once more, striking Han Li’s black armor with a muffled explosion that obliterated both forces.
In mere moments, all five of Han Li’s meticulously prepared defenses had been obliterated. And now, the final wave—four even thicker bolts of bloody lightning—descended with eerie crimson radiance.
Han Li’s expression darkened. Without any visible movement, a golden glow erupted from his body, forming the illusory silhouette of a three-headed, six-armed figure.
The six golden arms lashed out, meeting the four bloody bolts head-on.
Though the Sacred Demon Dharma Form was still only an illusion, its power was beyond imagination. The six arms blurred into golden streaks as they struck.
The four lightning bolts collided with the golden light in eerie silence.
Two of the bolts vanished along with the golden light, while the remaining two continued unimpeded, hurtling toward Han Li’s head.
Han Li swayed slightly, then clenched his fists—one gray, the other wreathed in multicolored flames—and punched upward at the lightning.
Before his fists even made contact, they expanded into massive phantom punches, one gray and misty, the other ablaze with five-colored flames. The spiraling pressure they generated seemed to compress the surrounding air into a single point.
Two deafening explosions followed, accompanied by blinding light. The sleeves of Han Li’s robe disintegrated instantly, revealing arms covered in shimmering golden scales. The phantom punches and lightning bolts annihilated each other in the blast.
Han Li staggered and fell from the air but quickly righted himself, glaring coldly at the distant Blood Flood Dragon as if completely unharmed.
The Blood Flood Dragon gasped in shock, unable to hide its astonishment.
Above, the blood-red clouds, having expended their energy, dissipated moments later.
“You actually survived my full-powered Heavenly Blood Lightning! But this technique isn’t yet perfected. Once I refine it further, I’ll be able to unleash four waves at once. There’s no way you could withstand that,” the Blood Flood Dragon growled, though its voice betrayed lingering disbelief.
Han Li’s eyes flashed with blue light, but he remained silent. Suddenly, his figure blurred and vanished in a gust of wind.
The next moment, a fierce gale erupted above the blood fog, and Han Li reappeared, unleashing a storm of golden sword beams that rained down like a tempest.
The sword energy crisscrossed the air, filling the space with a deafening hum as white streaks crisscrossed the sky, engulfing the entire blood fog in a maelstrom of slashing force.
The indistinct figure within was instantly shredded into countless pieces, yet when the fog dispersed, there was no trace of the Blood Flood Dragon’s corpse.
Han Li frowned, but before he could scan the area, the Blood Flood Dragon’s mocking laughter echoed from a hundred zhang away:
“Since you survived the Heavenly Blood Lightning, I won’t risk further combat. But once I report this to my master, he’ll be very interested in you. I doubt our next meeting will be long in coming!”
Han Li looked up just in time to see a faint blood-red shadow flicker into existence before transforming into a streak of crimson light that shot into the distance.
The Blood Flood Dragon employed some bizarre movement technique—its crimson streak seemed to teleport with each flash, covering a hundred zhang in an instant. Within moments, it vanished beyond the horizon.
Even if Han Li pushed his Wind Lightning Wings to their limit, he could barely match such speed.
A flicker of surprise crossed Han Li’s face, but he remained hovering in the air, making no move to pursue.
After a long pause, he raised his hands before his eyes.
His once-pristine palms were now tinged with black, emitting a faint charred odor.
Han Li’s gaze darkened in silence.
This Blood Flood Dragon was undoubtedly the strongest opponent he had ever faced below the Body Integration stage.
If they fought to the death, even with his trump card—the Gold Devouring Beetles—his chances of victory would be no higher than seventy percent.
The so-called “Heavenly Blood Lightning” technique was terrifyingly powerful, and physical treasures seemed utterly ineffective against it—hence why his Emerald Swarm Swords had failed to block it.
And according to the demon, this technique wasn’t even fully mastered yet. The thought sent Han Li’s mind into turmoil.
But what unsettled him most was the Blood Flood Dragon’s mention of its “master.” Such an existence was far beyond his current ability to oppose.
Though Han Li couldn’t fathom why such a terrifying enemy had targeted him, he had no time to dwell on it. He needed to return to the surface immediately.
Only there, under the protection of the Flying Spirit Tribe elders, would he be safe from this foe.
His mind made up, Han Li turned his gaze toward Lei Lan and the others, still locked in battle with the giant “octopus.” A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he transformed into a golden streak and shot downward.
Lei Lan and her companions, barely holding their own against the octopus demon, saw a flash of gold before countless sword beams rained down like a storm.
The monstrous octopus and its massive tentacles were instantly diced into countless pieces, filling the air with the stench of blood.
As the golden light faded, Han Li appeared above the carnage. His icy gaze swept over Lei Lan and the others as he spoke emotionlessly:
“You have thirty breaths to collect the Netherflame Fruits. Then we return to the surface immediately. If you exceed the time limit, I won’t wait for any of you.”
His tone brooked no argument.
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