Han Li was naturally quite frustrated. Under normal circumstances, with his abilities, he could have easily escaped the formation of the demon-trapping net in an instant.
However, he happened to be concealing his presence at the time. If he had hastily used his powers to evade the net, he would have immediately revealed his aura.
After a brief hesitation, he found himself trapped within the restriction.
Han Li’s eyelids twitched slightly, and he had no choice but to remain still for the time being. Yet, his mind raced as he pondered the information he had just obtained.
It seemed these Crimson Flame tribesmen must belong to another branch of the seventy-two clans of the Feiling Race. Somehow, they had learned that three members of the Skywing Clan would be returning with the Wood Bell Flower at this time, so they had set up an ambush along their route. The reason these Crimson Flame tribesmen dared to act so boldly was likely because a high-ranking figure of the Skywing Clan had perished, leaving the entire clan in a precarious situation.
But this meant his original plan might fall through. Should he abandon the Skywing Clan and try to infiltrate another Feiling Clan settlement?
That didn’t seem wise.
After all, aside from their wings, the Skywing Clan members bore an almost identical resemblance to humans. He wasn’t sure about the other branches of the Feiling Race, but judging by the ferocious appearance of the Crimson Flame tribesmen, finding another branch as easy to blend into as the Skywing Clan would be difficult.
Han Li’s thoughts flashed like lightning as he observed the fierce battle unfolding between the Skywing and Crimson Flame tribesmen not far away.
There, deafening explosions and roars filled the air. Countless arcs of silver lightning, thick as pythons, writhed and howled within a sea of flames. The three silver birds had nearly transformed into avatars of thunder, fighting valiantly with beak and talon. Yet, under the relentless assault of the firebirds, they were gradually being overwhelmed.
The firebirds were wreathed in flames, and even when struck by silver arcs, their injuries healed instantly, as if they possessed an undying body. Meanwhile, whenever the silver birds were engulfed in flames, their lightning flickered, and though they remained unharmed, the silver radiance they emitted visibly dimmed.
Above the battlefield, a crimson orb had appeared at some point, casting a red glow that enveloped the area below.
“Feng Xiao, even if you are of the same rank as me, with the Fire Dragon Pearl aiding me, how can you possibly be my match?” Amid the battle, a firebird significantly larger than the others let out a grating laugh.
A cold snort echoed as one of the silver birds suddenly lashed out with its claws, sending five streaks of white light shooting toward the orb at blinding speed. The next moment, they struck the pearl with a resounding boom.
A layer of red light shimmered over the Fire Dragon Pearl, effortlessly deflecting the claw strikes.
“Haha, Brother Feng Xiao, don’t hold onto false hope. The Fire Dragon Pearl has been enchanted by our clan’s elders. A mere high-ranking Feiling Master like you can’t damage it in the slightest,” the massive firebird cackled, flapping its wings and sending waves of flames surging forward.
Below, the three silver birds tried to escape the pearl’s range with their lightning speed, but the orb clung to them like a shadow, impossible to shake off. Distracted, the silver birds sustained more injuries, their flickering arcs of lightning growing weaker.
Seeing this, the firebirds intensified their frenzied attacks.
The three silver birds could only struggle to hold their ground in the sea of flames.
The bald man, now transformed into a firebird, flashed a cold smirk and let out a sharp cry.
The two-headed avian finally moved.
With a flap of its wings, both heads emitted eerie growls as its massive body blurred, transforming into a multicolored mist that surged toward the three silver birds in the flames.
Panicked, one of the silver birds shouted, “Quick, use Thunder Evasion! We can’t face this Crimson Howl Beast head-on!”
The moment the words left its mouth, the three silver birds erupted into arcs of lightning, fleeing the flames. Even as they escaped, they suffered several heavy blows.
But the moment they broke free, they vanished without a trace.
The multicolored mist swept through empty air before dissipating, revealing the two-headed avian once more, its heads swiveling left and right in search of prey.
The Fire Dragon Pearl spun in place, seemingly having lost track of its targets.
The firebirds were momentarily stunned. The largest among them folded its wings and, amid the raging flames, reverted to human form—none other than the bald man named Tian Ming.
After scanning the direction where the silver arcs had disappeared, he sneered.
“Don’t think hiding with thunder will save you. Besides the Fire Dragon Pearl, I’ve also brought spirit-tracking bees. They’ve been imprinted with the essence of your Skywing Clan. No matter how refined your Thunder Evasion is, you won’t escape them.”
With that, the bald man opened his mouth and spat out a red gourd.
The gourd spun briefly before tipping downward, releasing several yellow wasps, each several inches long and glowing faintly with spiritual light.
The man uttered strange cries and pointed toward where the silver birds had vanished.
The wasps buzzed and shot off in pursuit.
With a sinister grin, the man gestured behind him.
The other Crimson Flame tribesmen, still in firebird form, spread their wings and followed the wasps.
The two-headed avian slowly approached as well.
But the next moment, the man’s smirk froze.
The wasps circled briefly before converging on a single spot, hovering intently.
Only one Skywing tribesman?
The Crimson Flame tribesmen were baffled.
Yet the bald man reacted swiftly. “Attack!” he barked.
Before the firebirds could pounce, a sigh echoed from where the wasps had gathered.
A surge of gray light erupted, sweeping through the air and instantly dissolving the wasps.
The firebirds recoiled, instinctively spewing thick columns of fire.
But then, something bizarre happened.
The gray light flickered, and the flames disintegrated upon contact, vanishing without a trace.
The firebirds halted mid-charge, their aggressive momentum cut short as they stared warily at the gray mist, from which emerged the figure of an unfamiliar man.
Clad in a blue robe, his features were unremarkable, but a pair of white wings sprouted from his back—clearly another Feiling tribesman, yet not one of the three Skywing members from before.
“Who are you?” the bald man demanded, his aura flaring menacingly.
“Who do you think?” the blue-robed man replied calmly. It was none other than Han Li, whose cover had been unexpectedly blown.
Outwardly composed, Han Li inwardly cursed.
Why had these foreigners dragged him into their conflict? He wasn’t a Skywing tribesman—why had those wasps targeted him?
He suspected it might be related to the Kun Peng feather he had fused into his Wind Thunder Wings.
Fortunately, upon revealing himself, he had altered the wings’ color and reshaped them to resemble those of a Skywing tribesman, leaving no obvious flaws.
“A Skywing tribesman?” The bald man’s gaze swept over Han Li’s face and wings, his expression darkening.
Han Li merely smiled without answering.
“No matter how you got here, since you’ve crossed my path, you’re as good as dead. Kill him!” the bald man ordered coldly.
The firebirds surged forward, their wings and claws unleashing a barrage of strikes amid rolling flames, all aimed at Han Li.
At the same time, the Fire Dragon Pearl flashed, teleporting dozens of feet to appear directly above Han Li’s head.
A red barrier descended.
Han Li’s brow twitched. Without any visible movement, he flicked a dark hand forward, and the gray light before him flared, doubling in intensity. The claw strikes and flames froze upon contact before shattering into nothingness.
Simultaneously, thunder rumbled from his wings as his figure blurred, vanishing in a flash of golden lightning. The next instant, he reappeared beside the red orb high above, his hand darting out to seize it.
The Fire Dragon Pearl erupted with a fiery barrier and conjured a crimson serpent several yards long, which lunged at Han Li’s arm with gaping jaws.
A metallic clang rang out as golden scales shimmered over his arm, effortlessly deflecting the serpent’s bite.
His fingers tightened around the pearl, and with a crisp crack, the barrier shattered. The pearl itself crumbled under his immense strength.
He ground the fragments between his palms before scattering them to the wind.
From effortlessly neutralizing their attacks to teleporting midair and crushing the Fire Dragon Pearl barehanded, it had all happened in the blink of an eye.
The Crimson Flame tribesmen below gaped in shock.
“You destroyed our clan’s treasure!” the bald man roared, torn between fury and terror at the consequences.
With a shrill cry, he transformed back into a massive firebird and charged. The two-headed avian surged forward as a swirling mass of colored light.
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