Chapter 1391: Escape

Clearly, these were all illusory shadows conjured by Han Li through his mystical abilities.

At the same moment, a black flash appeared above the giant’s head, and another green shadow emerged from the void, silently swooping downward.

However, the giant formed by the Wood Spirit seemed to have anticipated this. It abruptly raised its head and spat out a thick emerald-green beam from its mouth.

The beam was as wide as a water vat and incredibly swift. The green shadow had no time to dodge and was struck head-on.

A pained scream rang out as the green shadow was sent flying backward from the impact.

A cold smirk appeared on the giant’s face.

Just then, right behind the giant, a dazzling purple light erupted, and another figure materialized impossibly close. With a flick of its sleeve, hundreds of golden dots shot forth.

This green shadow was yet another “Han Li.”

At such close range, even if the giant immediately sensed the presence of the green shadow, it was too late to react.

A series of *thudding* sounds, like rain hitting a fence, echoed as the golden dots struck the giant’s back.

Enraged, the giant let out a low roar, and another massive green hand materialized above Han Li’s head, viciously grabbing downward.

Han Li remained calm. His wings unfurled behind him as he prepared to vanish into the void.

But the giant snorted coldly. Two fingers on the descending hand suddenly flicked, and two fingernails shot out before disappearing in a flash.

The next moment, two streaks of green light pierced through Han Li’s wings at an inconceivable speed, abruptly silencing the thunderous roar that had just begun.

Han Li’s expression finally turned grim. He tried to move again, but it was already too late.

The giant’s hand flared with spiritual light, and Han Li felt the air around him solidify like steel. Despite his immense strength, he was momentarily immobilized before barely managing to break free.

Yet, in that brief delay, the green hand seized him by the waist, gripping him tightly.

The giant’s strength was astonishingly formidable—no less than Han Li’s own.

With a sinister grin, the giant’s eyes gleamed with cruelty.

Its fingers tightened, and as green light surged through its hand, it sought to crush Han Li into pulp.

Han Li’s face paled. He muttered an incantation, and his body shimmered with cyan light. His form brightened, then shattered like paper under the pressure, dissolving into motes of spiritual light.

These motes coalesced in the air nearby, forming a cyan talisman that swiftly shot away into the distance.

The giant’s expression stiffened in surprise.

Several dozen feet away, space rippled as Han Li reappeared, his face slightly pale. With a wave of his hand, he retrieved the cyan talisman.

At the critical moment, he had activated the *Transformation Spirit Talisman’s* substitution technique, replacing his body with the talisman while his true form escaped to safety.

After years of refinement, the power of this talisman had far surpassed its original capabilities.

Meanwhile, the figure struck by the giant’s emerald beam in midair suddenly stirred and landed unsteadily near Han Li.

His robes were tattered, his face deathly pale, yet he turned his head and smirked eerily at the giant.

It was yet another “Han Li.”

The giant blinked, its expression shifting to bewilderment.

But then, this newly appeared Han Li flashed with black light and abruptly shrank, transforming into a sleek, half-foot-tall black monkey—the *Soul-Crying Beast*!

Unbeknownst to the giant, Han Li had secretly released this creature during his attack, disguising it as himself to join the assault.

The Silver-Rank Wood Spirit, momentarily distracted, had fallen for the ruse. Under the cover of illusions and the *Soul-Crying Beast*, Han Li had used the *Taiyi Ethereal Talisman* to stealthily close the distance.

Otherwise, given the giant’s formidable spiritual sense, Han Li would never have gotten so close.

The green giant vaguely sensed something amiss. Recalling the golden dots shot from Han Li’s sleeve, its expression darkened as it reached behind its back.

After merging with the tree, the Wood Spirit’s body had become incredibly resilient, but its physical senses had dulled. It had never believed Han Li could truly harm it.

Yet when it examined its palm, it found several inch-long golden beetles lying motionless.

“What is this?”

The giant frowned, then clenched and reopened its hand—the beetles remained unharmed.

Its face twisted in shock.

From afar, Han Li’s eyes flashed coldly as he mentally commanded something.

Suddenly, golden light erupted behind the giant as dozens of half-foot-long beetles materialized, swarming over half its body and voraciously devouring it.

Though Han Li’s expression remained impassive, his heart pounded.

While *Gold Devouring Beetles* were said to consume all things, records from the human realm suggested they were countered by wood and jade artifacts. The Wood Spirit’s fusion technique was bizarre—its body resembled a tree, but whether it truly counted as “wood” was uncertain. Han Li had gambled.

The next moment, the giant let out an agonized scream, its massive hands flailing wildly at its back. The enormous golden beetles tore through its crystalline body with ease, feasting relentlessly.

Under the onslaught of hundreds of beetles, even the sluggish giant instantly felt excruciating pain that tore at his heart and lungs.

Han Li, overjoyed, stowed the *Soul-Crying Beast* and transformed into a cyan streak, fleeing into the distance.

Even if the beetles could handle the giant, their master couldn’t withstand its desperate counterattack. Escape was the wisest choice.

“*Gold Devouring Beetles*—mature ones! You actually possess these demonic insects!” The giant’s terrified roar echoed, as if facing its worst nightmare.

Explosions followed as emerald light filled the sky.

Han Li didn’t look back, racing until he vanished beyond the horizon.

Shortly after, a colossal radiant sphere ascended from the battlefield, retreating in the opposite direction—a mutilated giant figure enveloped in emerald light, relentlessly pursued by a golden swarm.

Before long, the beetle swarm returned, now reduced to inch-long sizes and disorganized.

A thousand miles away, amidst scattered rocks, Han Li sat pale-faced, desperately summoning the beetles. His spiritual energy was nearly depleted.

When the golden swarm descended, he collapsed, clutching his head in agony.

After half an hour, he weakly sat up.

Driving the beetles had nearly drained his spirit. Though he’d escaped, his divine sense was damaged.

*Never chase enemies so far with the beetles again*, he resolved.

Yet if he hadn’t, the Wood Spirit might have realized the beetles’ limitations and pursued him.

Now, after this devastating encounter and its prior injuries, the Wood Spirit wouldn’t dare challenge him again.

Han Li touched the spirit beast pouch in his sleeve, exhaling deeply.

Miles away in a forest, the giant—now missing an arm and part of its torso—sat beneath a tree, absorbing green motes from nearby flora to regenerate.

Once healed, its eyes dimmed.

A pale green-skinned Wood Spirit emerged from the giant, which then dissolved back into a tree.

Gazing toward Han Li’s direction, the Wood Spirit muttered, “With hundreds of *Gold Devouring Beetles*… even at my peak, I’d hesitate. Now, wounded twice, my life-tree damaged—engaging him again would be suicide.”

Shaking his head, he transformed into silver light and fled toward Blackleaf Forest.

Meanwhile, Han Li, after minimal recovery, also departed—heading straight for the *Thread of Heaven*.

Two months later, above a desolate plateau, Han Li descended into a small hill, carving a chamber to rest.

After a month’s recuperation, his energy fully restored, he opened his eyes—sharp and vibrant once more.