The azure roc shadow fixed its gaze on Zhuyinzi in the distance and lightly flapped its wings.
Instantly, four wind pillars exploded, and countless azure wind blades formed abruptly within the gale before shooting outward.
In an instant, the entire barrier was filled with the sharp whistling of slicing air as countless azure streaks blotted the sky.
Seeing Han Li unleash such a formidable attack right from the start, Zhuyinzi’s expression also turned grave.
However, as a renowned figure among the Flying Spirit Tribe’s Holy Sons, he was no ordinary opponent. Taking a deep breath, his wings suddenly expanded several times in size, and he flapped them fiercely.
A surge of crimson light erupted, and dense clusters of sparks materialized around him.
With a wave of his hands, these sparks transformed into countless scarlet fire arrows, which shot forth with equal ferocity.
In terms of sheer momentum, they were no less imposing than the opposing wind blades.
In the blink of an eye, the sky seemed split in two—one half dominated by azure streaks and flickering wind blades, the other ablaze with crimson light and rolling flames.
Where the two forces collided, thunderous explosions erupted as azure and crimson intertwined, detonating in rapid succession.
For a moment, the battle reached a stalemate, with neither side gaining the upper hand.
Han Li remained expressionless, but his hand seals shifted subtly. A faint rumble of thunder emanated from his sleeves, and with two sharp cracks, two golden arcs as thick as bowls shot out.
The arcs merged midair, forming an even thicker golden lightning flood dragon.
With a mere thought from Han Li, the lightning flood dragon flicked its tail and traversed dozens of feet in an instant, appearing before Zhuyinzi as if teleporting.
The speed of the lightning flood dragon was so swift that even Zhuyinzi was startled.
Without hesitation, he spat out a streak of crimson light—a fiery red orb.
With a deafening boom, the orb collided with the lightning flood dragon, erupting into a dazzling explosion.
A towering pillar of fire, nearly ten feet in diameter, surged skyward, its flames laced with golden threads and continuous thunderclaps. A scorching wind swept outward in all directions.
Under the force of the blast, Zhuyinzi instinctively staggered back a few steps before swiftly turning his gaze toward his opponent.
His expression darkened instantly.
Han Li was no longer there. Instead, he had already taken Lei Lan and was gently descending toward the ground, nearly outside the barrier.
Enraged, Zhuyinzi raised a hand and pointed at Han Li.
A crimson thread shot forth with a sharp hiss.
Han Li, however, had anticipated this. With a flick of his finger, a red thread of his own—a Fire Spirit Thread—streaked out to intercept.
A crisp snap echoed as the two threads collided midair.
Han Li’s thread rebounded, its tip slightly diminished, while Zhuyinzi’s thread dissipated entirely.
In that brief moment, Han Li and Lei Lan flashed several times, reappearing among the crowd outside the barrier.
Nearby Flying Spirit tribesmen stepped back in surprise, staring at the two in bewilderment.
“Brother Han, fleeing without a fight—aren’t you afraid of tarnishing your clan’s reputation?” Zhuyinzi bellowed, unable to stop Han Li’s departure.
“Both of us know that a decisive outcome in such a short time is impossible. I have pressing matters to attend to, so let’s consider this sparring session concluded,” Han Li replied calmly, glancing back at Zhuyinzi.
With that, he spread his wings and soared into the sky, swiftly departing.
Lei Lan hesitated for a moment before finally following suit.
Watching Han Li leave so decisively, Zhuyinzi’s face darkened further.
“Senior Brother Zhu, should we pursue them?” Hongsha asked hesitantly.
“Pursue? Outside the arena, combat is forbidden. I didn’t expect him to retreat so readily after just two exchanges. Still, we’ve learned that he excels in wind and lightning techniques. And that miniature mountain treasure—it blocked my Scarlet Flame Claw. We’ll need to find a way to counter it,” Zhuyinzi muttered coldly.
Hongsha nodded obediently.
The two descended, rejoined Chitian, who had been hiding in the crowd, and left as well.
The remaining Flying Spirit tribesmen buzzed with discussions about the brief clash and Han Li’s sudden retreat.
—
“What happened? Didn’t I repeatedly warn you not to act alone outside our territory? Why did you go to the arena and provoke the Chiron Tribe?” Jin Yue glared at the silver-robed woman standing before her, her voice icy.
The Great Elder of the Tianpeng Tribe sat in the hall of Han Li’s pavilion, her expression frosty.
Elder Shi sat nearby, his eyes flickering with displeasure.
The chastised woman paled.
Bai Bi and Han Li stood to the side—Bai Bi kept his head lowered, uneasy, while Han Li remained composed.
Shortly after Han Li returned with Lei Lan, Jin Yue and Elder Shi had learned of the incident and rushed over to reprimand the two Holy Sons.
Though Lei Lan was primarily at fault, Bai Bi had failed to stop her and thus shared the blame.
“Great Elder, that Chiron tribeswoman Hongsha had a Thunderstar Stone. If I could obtain it, my chances of advancing to Spirit Commander would increase by at least thirty percent. I acted recklessly in the heat of the moment…” Lei Lan murmured.
“A Thunderstar Stone! No wonder you were tempted. But that doesn’t excuse your actions. The fate of our entire tribe outweighs your personal cultivation. Do you realize how many resources the clan has poured into nurturing you two? Without them, even with your talents, you’d never have reached Spirit General so quickly,” Jin Yue scolded sternly.
Lei Lan fell silent, shame flickering across her face.
As she opened her mouth to speak again, Elder Shi interjected with a faint smile.
“Enough, Elder Jin. Though Lei Lan acted rashly, Brother Han intervened before any real harm was done. Speaking of which, Brother Han, what do you make of this?”
“Nothing much. The Chiron Tribe likely suspected me and wanted to test my abilities,” Han Li replied lightly.
“Indeed. I heard you held your own against Zhuyinzi and wisely disengaged. A prudent move,” Elder Shi praised.
“I understand the stakes,” Han Li said with a smile.
“From today onward, none of you are to leave this pavilion until the trial begins. Leave everything else to us,” Jin Yue declared firmly.
“Yes, Great Elder!” Bai Bi and Lei Lan bowed in unison.
Han Li clasped his hands without objection.
Han Li’s position in the Tianpeng Tribe was peculiar—nominally a Holy Son, but practically a guest elder. Given the tribe’s reliance on him, even Jin Yue treated him with deference.
After the elders left, Han Li and the others secluded themselves in cultivation, venturing out no further.
Over the next ten days, Jin Yue and the other Flying Spirit elders convened daily at the Jade Emperor Summit, discussing matters unknown.
—
Two months later, above a desolate loess plateau, a massive flock of giant birds and insects soared through the sky.
Mounted on these creatures were winged figures—the Flying Spirit Tribe en route to the Abyssal Depths.
The Tianpeng contingent, including Han Li, rode several white giant birds in the center of the formation.
Despite the size of the group, the long journey had left most silent.
Han Li sat cross-legged on his mount, quietly observing the surroundings. The entrance to the Abyssal Depths was far more distant than he’d imagined.
Suddenly, murmurs and exclamations rippled through the front ranks, and the entire procession slowed.
Han Li’s eyes flickered as his spiritual sense swept ahead.
A massive wall, three to four hundred feet tall and stretching endlessly to either side, loomed in the distance.
At intervals along the wall stood pristine white jade pillars, each inscribed with intricate glyphs.
Beside the wall stood thousands of cylindrical towers, and above them hovered tens of thousands of Flying Spirit tribesmen, awaiting their arrival.
As the group approached, they came to a halt.
“Greetings, Elders!” A middle-aged man in azure armor flew forward, clasping his hands in salute.
“Brother Jin Feng! What a coincidence you’re on duty this year. I trust you’ve received our message?” replied one of the three co-chair elders—a white-haired man, a cane-bearing elder, and a tattooed old man.
The three spoke with unusual courtesy to the armored figure.
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