Han Li glanced at the retreating figure and noticed that Silvermoon, who had transformed to look exactly like him, also perfectly mimicked his aura. He couldn’t help but sigh softly—it seemed her illusion techniques had advanced yet again.
“Senior, do you think Silvermoon’s illusions can deceive those two behind us? Even if I were to examine her up close, I’d have an eighty or ninety percent chance of failing to see through it,” Han Li suddenly asked.
“Your artifact spirit is no ordinary being! Not just you—even I find her illusions difficult to penetrate. It’s as if they adapt, growing stronger or weaker depending on the observer. Unless those two juniors have some trick from that sacred beast, they won’t be able to discern the truth anytime soon,” the Great Divination Sage replied ambiguously.
Han Li fell silent—this answer did little to reassure him. Changing direction, he swiftly fled in the opposite direction of Silvermoon.
Unbeknownst to him, his decision to have Silvermoon carry a portion of the Gold Devouring Beetles was an unexpectedly effective tactic.
Seeing the figure ahead suddenly split into two and flee in opposite directions, the purple-haired beauty and the silver-robed woman, dozens of miles away, exchanged glances and halted their pursuit.
“What is this? A doppelgänger technique? Even their auras and spiritual energy are identical. This brat has quite a few tricks up his sleeve,” the purple-haired woman remarked, brushing aside a strand of hair in amazement.
“From this distance, my spiritual sense can’t distinguish the real one. Let me have the sacred beast check,” the Heavenly Lasso Saintess said, frowning in frustration.
She murmured a few ancient words to the beast beneath her. Immediately, the creature’s body shimmered with green light, its ox-like horns turning transparent and crystalline. Moments later, a series of low growls echoed, and the silver-robed woman’s expression shifted.
“Trouble. They must know we’re tracking them through the Gold Devouring Beetles—both of them carry the insects. He must have split the swarm in two, and even the sacred beast can’t tell the difference now.”
“So neither can be ignored,” the purple-haired woman said, arching an eyebrow.
“No matter. We’ll each pursue one. Since we’re already this close, his little trick won’t work again. If he’s trying to divide our forces, we’ll play along—it’d be a shame to waste his efforts,” the silver-robed woman replied with a cold laugh.
“Fair enough. But I’ve heard his cultivation is only at mid-Nascent Soul stage, yet his abilities rival late-stage cultivators. Still, he’s injured. Even if you encounter the real one, you should be fine. I’ll chase the other. As long as he doesn’t use that ghostly escape technique again, I’ll regroup with you shortly,” the purple-haired woman cautioned.
“Rest assured, Immortal Sun. That blood-light escape technique is bizarre, but it clearly comes at a cost. Otherwise, he’d have shaken us off long ago. He must be at his limit. Besides, I have the sacred cauldron for protection—there’s no danger,” the silver-robed woman said confidently, smiling faintly.
“Very well, then I’ll take my leave first,” the beauty replied with a light chuckle before transforming into a streak of purple light, chasing after one “Han Li.”
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Lasso Saintess glanced at the other Han Li, her eyes flashing coldly, and urged her sacred beast to pursue.
“They really split up. Han boy, your diversion tactic worked. It seems the sacred beast is only a projection in this realm—nothing to fear yet. But if you don’t kill it quickly, once the seal’s time limit expires and those two Immortal Masters return, you’ll be cornered. And that Heavenly Lasso Saintess won’t be easy to deal with,” the Great Divination Sage remarked, unusually concerned.
“I know. I’m not aiming to kill her—just the sacred beast. It won’t take long,” Han Li replied gravely, monitoring the silver-robed woman’s approach with his spiritual sense.
“Oh? Then I’ll watch with interest,” the Great Divination Sage said, his tone turning indifferent again.
Han Li said nothing more, silently calculating the timing. His escape light circled once before he abruptly turned and slapped his spirit beast pouch. Thousands of remaining Gold Devouring Beetles swarmed out, buzzing as they formed a golden cloud overhead.
At the same time, dozens of golden flying swords shot from his sleeves. With a spell, they multiplied into hundreds of dazzling sword beams, swirling around him.
“Merge!” he commanded, forming hand seals. The sword beams trembled before shooting skyward, coalescing into a colossal golden sword nearly seventy feet long.
Han Li then spat out a fist-sized purple flame, which transformed into a fiery bird a foot long before plunging into the giant sword.
With a soft *puff*, the bird exploded, engulfing the sword in violet flames. Countless arcs of lightning crackled within the blaze, creating a thunderous spectacle.
Frowning, Han Li exhaled a wisp of azure energy that struck the sword. Golden arcs danced across its surface, but the thunder instantly silenced. Satisfied, he willed the sword to shoot into a dark cloud above, vanishing without a trace.
By then, a distant speck of light signaled the Heavenly Lasso Saintess’s approach.
Han Li’s pupils contracted. He flicked his sleeves—one releasing a set of azure flying swords, the other summoning a small blue shield before him.
Simultaneously, his hands moved. One gripped the ancient purple mirror he’d obtained from the Fallen Demon Valley but never used, while the other clutched the remaining Spirit Subduing Talisman. With his current unsealed cultivation, activating it would grant even greater power than before.
He waited calmly as his foe arrived.
Despite its low cultivation, the ox-headed flood dragon sacred beast was astonishingly fast. In mere breaths, it closed the distance, stopping a hundred yards away.
Han Li studied it coldly. Aside from its bizarre appearance, the beast seemed unremarkable—its massive ox head even appeared somewhat dull.
In contrast, the Heavenly Lasso Saintess atop it was striking. Her peerless beauty and formidable cultivation left no room for carelessness.
Upon spotting Han Li, she briefly registered surprise at his youthful appearance before her gaze locked onto the golden insect cloud overhead, her eyes alight with excitement.
“You—” she began hesitantly.
But Han Li, wary of her detecting the hidden sword and pressed for time, wasted no words. He pointed at the insect cloud, sending it buzzing toward her, while his azure swords transformed into a storm of blades.
“You seek death!” Enraged by his ruthlessness, the saintess flicked her wrist, sending a jade bracelet flying. It expanded into a massive ring that intercepted the sword barrage.
With her other hand, she tossed a spirit beast pouch into the air. Golden light flashed as a dozen enormous golden beetles—mature Gold Devouring Beetles—emerged, charging toward Han Li’s swarm.
Unnoticed by her, the dark cloud above drifted closer.
The jade ring, an ancient treasure of considerable power, spun rapidly, ensnaring the sword beams. Han Li felt his control over them waver, his expression tightening.
Meanwhile, his swarm, though numerous, couldn’t pierce the mature beetles’ shells. Instead, they were being devoured one by one.
His face darkened. Without hesitation, he slapped the Spirit Subduing Talisman onto his chest. A crimson flood dragon phantom materialized, merging with him. Bloodlight shimmered as scales covered his body, horns sprouted from his head, and he became a half-dragon, half-human hybrid. A terrifying aura erupted from him.
“What kind of technique is this?!” the saintess exclaimed, startled but unshaken.
She spat out a handkerchief-like treasure, which unfurled into a massive tapestry depicting a silver silkworm.
As Han Li puzzled over its function, the image glowed, and the silkworm seemed to come alive, spewing forth a net of silver threads that filled the air with a sinister hiss.
The hundred-yard gap between them was instantly crisscrossed with deadly filaments.
Startled, Han Li willed his blue shield to expand into a protective barrier while spitting out a burst of purple flame. The frigid energy crystallized into a towering wall of violet ice before him.
*Crack!* The ice stood resplendent, shielding him from the onslaught.
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