The black-skinned man’s face was filled with disbelief as he let out a roar and suddenly grabbed the arm in front of his chest with both hands.
Han Li’s eyes flashed coldly as his arm erupted with golden light, and a several-foot-long flying sword faintly materialized from it.
A clear chime rang out! A sword light flashed!
Not only were the black-skinned man’s hands cleanly severed, but his entire body was also split in half by the sword light. A crystalline core and a mass of green flame within his body were instantly shredded by the sword’s radiance, leaving no chance for his soul to escape.
The remaining six black-skinned tribesmen were horrified. Their leader had been a high-ranking spirit general, unmatched in cultivation and abilities among them. Yet, he had been slain in a single strike.
Four of them roared in fury, transforming into four massive black birds that charged at Han Li with ferocity. The other two exchanged a glance, retracted their feather ornaments, and immediately fled as two streaks of black light.
Han Li’s lips curled slightly as thunder rumbled behind him, and he vanished in a flash of lightning.
The black birds hesitated mid-flight, sensing danger.
In that brief moment, a green light flickered, and a winged shadowy figure eerily appeared beneath one of the black birds.
Before the bird could react, the figure below seemed to move its arm slightly, and a blinding golden light flashed before disappearing.
The black bird shuddered as its body split in two, its remains plummeting from the sky in a rain of blood.
The shadowy figure vanished again, reappearing near another black bird and unleashing another golden sword light.
Like tofu, the bird was cleaved in two, its supposedly steel-hard feathers offering no resistance.
Han Li’s figure flickered through the air four or five times before finally stabilizing mid-air. All four transformed black birds had been utterly annihilated.
Unwilling to stop, Han Li coldly gazed at the two fleeing black-skinned men in the distance. His wings flapped, and he shot forth as a cyan-white streak.
A piercing shriek tore through the sky!
The streak blurred after flying a dozen feet, transforming into a thin cyan-white thread.
The thread twisted strangely and vanished into the void.
Behind one fleeing black-skinned man, space rippled as the thread reappeared.
With a flash, it pierced through his body, then coiled around him in a blur. A golden glint flickered, and the man was sliced into seven or eight pieces before the thread vanished again.
Moments later, above the last black-skinned man, cyan-white light flared as the thread reappeared. It blurred, revealing Han Li’s full figure. Without hesitation, he raised a hand, summoning a small golden sword that transformed into a massive blade and slashed downward.
Golden light flashed as the sword reached the man’s head.
Terrified, the black-skinned man instinctively flapped his wings upward and slapped his own skull.
His wings emitted black light as their feathers turned into countless arrows, shooting skyward in a dense volley. Simultaneously, a black wooden shield emerged from his forehead, transforming into a dark cloud to block the descending sword.
Yet, no matter how powerful the shield was, it stood no chance against the Emerald Swarm Sword’s sharpness.
A golden flash split the dark cloud in two, cleaving the man in half as well.
The black arrows, upon reaching Han Li, were halted by a gray mist.
With a sweep of gray light, all the arrows vanished without a trace, utterly harmless to Han Li.
Gazing at the falling corpse, Han Li’s brow twitched as if recalling something. He reached out, and with a whoosh, a foot-long black feather was pulled from the remains into his hand.
Han Li examined the feather, his eyes flickering.
The feather was glossy black with faint golden streaks. When slightly shaken, black runes surfaced, transforming into clusters of dark flames that radiated scorching heat.
Intrigued, Han Li stored the feather away with a black flash.
The corpse was then reduced to ashes by a fireball.
A cyan streak circled low, collecting all the black feathers from the remains, which Han Li unceremoniously claimed for himself.
When the streak reappeared beside Bai Bi and the others, Han Li materialized once more.
“Let’s move on,” he said calmly, as if nothing had happened.
Lei Lan and the other two were pale-faced but nodded repeatedly.
—
Half a day later, Han Li and his group arrived above an unfamiliar terrain. Ahead lay a dense grove of short trees, most no taller than ten feet, their leaves pale yellow and emitting a faintly pungent odor.
The group halted at the grove’s edge, with Han Li standing at the forefront, silently observing the woods in contemplation.
Bai Bi and the others, whether intentionally or not, stood several paces behind Han Li, clearly unwilling to stand beside him. Their gazes now carried a trace of reverence.
After witnessing Han Li effortlessly slay seven black-skinned tribesmen, Lei Lan and the others had finally grasped the true extent of his power.
Even the famed Ao Qing of the Qiyue Clan or Fei Ye of the Nanlong Clan might not possess such terrifying abilities.
Thus, in the following journey, Lei Lan and Bai Bi unconsciously addressed Han Li with deference, as if speaking to an elder of their clan, abandoning any other thoughts.
With Han Li as their ally, this trial seemed assured of success.
“If I’m not mistaken, these are decay-leaf trees, formed from condensed dark miasma. This place must be one of the most concentrated spots of second-layer miasma. We’re fortunate to have stumbled upon it. Though the chances are slim, Netherflame Fruits might appear here. Do you wish to spend time searching, or should we proceed directly to the Ten-Thousand Vine Path?” Han Li finally spoke, his tone unhurried.
“Brother Han, this grove isn’t too large. Even with our spiritual senses suppressed, a half-day search should suffice,” Bai Bi replied respectfully after exchanging hesitant glances with the others.
“I see your point. Half a day is negligible. Let’s stay and investigate,” Han Li agreed casually.
Hearing this, Lei Lan and the others brightened.
Finding Netherflame Fruits here would spare them the dangers of the third layer.
After a brief discussion, Qin Xiao flicked her sleeve, releasing over a dozen lizard puppets that scurried into the grove.
Lei Lan and Bai Bi also made their preparations.
Lei Lan summoned a white jade box, chanting as its lid flew open, releasing dozens of inch-long silver-winged ants that buzzed toward another section of the grove.
Bai Bi, meanwhile, shook his wings, releasing over a dozen golden snakes the thickness of a thumb. They slithered into the ground and vanished.
The three then sat cross-legged in the air, using secret techniques to guide their puppets and spirit beasts in a meticulous search of the grove.
Han Li remained aloft, showing no intention of intervening.
Time passed slowly.
After several hours, Lei Lan and the others had scoured most of the grove without success. The prolonged mental exertion left them visibly fatigued.
Suddenly, Han Li frowned, his gaze snapping toward a distant horizon as a flicker of suspicion crossed his face.
For a fleeting moment, he had sensed an overwhelmingly powerful presence in that direction, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. He wondered if his senses had deceived him again.
As he pondered whether to investigate further, Lei Lan let out an ecstatic cry.
“What? You found Netherflame Fruits?” Han Li turned, surprised.
“Yes! I found Netherflame Trees—six of them clustered together, all bearing fruit, most of which seem ripe!” Lei Lan exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.
“Are you certain, Junior Sister Lei? Are they truly Netherflame Fruits?” Bai Bi asked, his voice trembling slightly as he abandoned his spirit snakes.
“Indeed, the Abyss has many fruits resembling Netherflame Fruits. You must be certain, Sister Lei,” Qin Xiao added, her voice equally unsteady as she disregarded her puppets.
“There’s no mistake. Though I’ve never seen them in person, the trees and fruits match the records perfectly,” Lei Lan affirmed firmly.
“Good. Let’s verify their authenticity first. If they’re genuine, we needn’t venture to the third layer,” Han Li said calmly.
The second layer had always held a slim chance of yielding Netherflame Fruits. Discovering them here wasn’t entirely unexpected.
“Understood. I’ll lead the way,” Lei Lan replied eagerly, rising to her feet.
Bai Bi and Qin Xiao also stood, their excitement barely concealed despite their attempts at composure.
Guided by Lei Lan, the group flew swiftly, arriving deep within the grove in just a quarter-hour. Above a damp, gray-misted clearing, Lei Lan pointed downward.
“Here. There’s a pond nearby, and the Netherflame Trees grow beside it,” she declared confidently.
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