Elder Linghu’s expression changed abruptly. Without a second thought, he tapped his jade scepter, instantly reinforcing the protective barrier by threefold. Simultaneously, he opened his mouth and spat out a small square seal, which transformed into a ball of green light amidst radiant hues, directly confronting the attack.
With a thunderous *boom*, “Marquis Nanlong” sneered coldly and, without hesitation, punched the jade seal. Black and green lights intertwined, but with a single contraction and expansion of the black mist, the radiant glow was shattered into pieces.
The jade seal whistled as it was sent flying sideways, now hurtling back toward Elder Linghu with terrifying force. Startled, the elder hurriedly formed hand seals and unleashed a series of spells, barely managing to halt the seal just before it struck his barrier.
Yet, in that brief moment of delay, a pitch-black fist eerily materialized right before the barrier and struck down with brutal force.
The barrier trembled violently, and Elder Linghu felt an immense power surge through him, sending both him and his protective shield flying backward. However, being a nearly thousand-year-old veteran of countless battles, he reacted swiftly. Just before being sent flying, he flicked his sleeve, releasing a blazing red flying dagger that shot straight toward the newly revealed “Marquis Nanlong.”
The black mist-covered face of “Marquis Nanlong” twisted into a sinister grin. As the dagger transformed into a crimson streak and slashed toward his head, he made no move to dodge. Instead, he inhaled sharply and spat out a stream of black-red demonic flames directly at the incoming blade.
The moment the dagger entered the flames, it was instantly ensnared and wrapped in the demonic fire. The red spiritual light on the blade flickered weakly a few times before being completely devoured. The dagger lost all its spiritual essence, turning into an ordinary piece of metal that plummeted to the ground.
Elder Linghu was horrified. This dagger, though seemingly ordinary, was actually a renowned anti-evil treasure in the southern cultivation world—a rare artifact he had painstakingly obtained. It was specifically designed to counter demonic and evil spirits.
The current “Marquis Nanlong” was clearly possessed by some powerful evil spirit, which was why he had suddenly unleashed this weapon. Though he hadn’t expected it to easily slay the enemy, seeing it so effortlessly destroyed left him deeply shaken.
Before Elder Linghu could recover from his shock, the demonized “Marquis Nanlong” didn’t wait for him to regain his footing. With a sudden lurch, his body elongated like a serpent, his upper half stretching unnaturally forward. In an instant, he was right in front of the elder, delivering another devastating punch.
Elder Linghu was sent flying once more. “Marquis Nanlong” moved again, appearing beneath him with eerie speed, striking yet another identical blow…
Within moments, Elder Linghu was being pummeled like a sandbag, unable to mount any defense.
The jade scepter was indeed a top-tier ancient defensive treasure. Despite the relentless barrage of attacks, the emerald barrier flickered but held firm, surprising even “Marquis Nanlong,” who let out a soft exclamation of surprise. Yet, his assault never ceased—fist after fist, without pause.
Elder Linghu was now gripped by terror. Like Lu Weiying before him, each punch dispersed the spiritual power he had just gathered, leaving him powerless to retaliate despite his formidable abilities.
After a dozen or so thunderous blows, the barrier finally began to warp and flicker under the relentless assault. Elder Linghu’s heart sank.
Seeing this, “Marquis Nanlong” flashed a sinister smile. With a swift movement, he continued hammering the barrier with one fist while his other hand transformed into a blade, poised to deliver a fatal strike the moment the shield shattered.
Elder Linghu’s face turned ashen. As cracks spread across the barrier, he gritted his teeth and reached into his robes, gripping something tightly. He was prepared to fight to the death.
But just then, a five-colored beam of light descended from the sky without warning, enveloping the unsuspecting “Marquis Nanlong.” Initially indifferent, the demon suddenly felt his body grow heavy, his movements slowing drastically.
“Hmm?” “Marquis Nanlong” glanced sideways toward the source of the light.
The white-robed woman stood in the distance, holding an ancient mirror aloft, from which the five-colored beam emanated. His eyes flashed with fury at the sight.
Seizing this lifeline, Elder Linghu released his grip on the object in his robes. Taking advantage of the slowed assault, he mustered his remaining spiritual power and transformed into a streak of light, fleeing to the white-robed woman’s side.
Without wasting time on gratitude, he rubbed his hands together and flung out over a dozen crimson talismans toward “Marquis Nanlong,” still trapped in the five-colored beam.
The talismans exploded above the demon’s head, unleashing a torrent of scarlet thunder and fire that crashed down upon him. “Marquis Nanlong” barely managed to summon a protective black mist before being engulfed in the inferno.
Elder Linghu knew this wouldn’t be enough to kill the demon. He swiftly summoned a gleaming white trident, which fluctuated in size as it launched another assault.
The white-robed woman, meanwhile, intensified the beam’s restraining power with one hand while flicking her other wrist, sending out two flying swords—one black, one white—streaking toward the enemy.
Earlier, Senior Sister Nangong Wan and Elder Linghu had already fought “Marquis Nanlong” once. Now, thunder roared and spiritual lights flashed beneath the five-colored beam as the battle raged anew.
—
“Is the thing possessing ‘Marquis Nanlong’ the ancient demon you mentioned?” While Elder Linghu and the others fought desperately in the sky, Han Li stood not far below, frowning as he conversed with the Great Divination Sage.
“Aside from those ancient demons, what else in this realm could be so powerful? Yet, even possessing a mere body, it’s overwhelming two Nascent Soul cultivators. This demon must be a high-ranking one from the ancient demon world. Even if you faced it alone, your chances of winning would be slim,” the Great Divination Sage said with a hint of schadenfreude.
Han Li chuckled dryly. “You not urging me to flee immediately is already high praise. As for facing this thing alone—I have no such inclination. Who would’ve thought ‘Marquis Nanlong’ would meet such an end? Truly unpredictable.”
“Humph! In terms of raw power, even three or four of you wouldn’t stand a chance. But you’ve got plenty of tricks up your sleeve, not to mention your Evil-Warding Divine Lightning. While you can’t defeat it, escaping shouldn’t be a problem,” the Great Divination Sage remarked with a strange tone.
Han Li smiled faintly, about to reply, when Violet Spirit’s voice interrupted. “Brother Han, what should we do now? Are you planning to intervene?”
Violet Spirit had been silent in shock since the demonized “Marquis Nanlong” appeared. Seeing Han Li’s odd expression, she finally spoke up. The sheer ferocity of “Marquis Nanlong” had left her terrified.
Han Li turned to answer, but his expression suddenly changed. With a swift motion, he unleashed a wave of azure light, enveloping Violet Spirit and yanking her into his arms before shooting into the sky as a streak of green light.
As the light dissipated, Han Li, still holding Violet Spirit, reappeared midair, his gaze fixed solemnly below. Violet Spirit, blushing, quickly extricated herself and looked down in alarm.
Where they had stood moments ago, a shadowy figure now stood, coldly staring up at them—it was “Marquis Nanlong,” who had somehow slipped past their notice!
He had attempted a sneak attack, but Han Li’s Brightsight Spirit Eyes had detected him just in time. Violet Spirit gasped, then glanced toward the battlefield.
Beneath the five-colored beam, a wisp of black mist still flickered amidst the thunder and fire, with a shadowy figure inside—another “Marquis Nanlong.”
Elder Linghu, spotting Han Li and a stunningly beautiful woman suddenly appearing nearby, was first startled, then overjoyed. But upon seeing the second “Marquis Nanlong,” his expression turned to horror. He urgently signaled the white-robed woman to ease their assault.
The “Marquis Nanlong” beneath the beam glanced at them indifferently before dissolving into black mist—revealing itself as nothing more than a temporary clone.
Elder Linghu and the white-robed woman exchanged fearful glances. Creating a clone was one thing, but evading the detection of two Nascent Soul cultivators was terrifying. Had the demon targeted them instead of Han Li, one of them might already be dead.
“Fellow Daoist Han! What a pleasant surprise to find you here! This demon is formidable—the three of us must join forces to survive!” Elder Linghu shouted.
Han Li inwardly sighed. He had believed his concealment technique flawless, even against late-Nascent Soul cultivators, which was why he had stayed hidden, planning to slip away later. Yet this ancient demon had not only detected him but nearly ambushed him successfully.
It seemed there was no choice but to fight.
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