Several cultivators who had initially been furious over their companion’s abrupt departure found their curses dying on their lips. They exchanged glances, each seeing a trace of fear mirrored in the others’ eyes.
Though they had been in an extremely disadvantageous position earlier, aside from some frustration, they hadn’t truly been worried. They all believed that even if they couldn’t defeat these mechanical puppets, escaping through the air would be effortless!
But now, the fate of that fleeing cultivator had jolted them awake from their delusion! Despite having so many protective spells and even a defensive magical instrument in hand, he hadn’t been able to withstand the light beam in the slightest. How could this not terrify them?
Moreover, the more advanced cultivators like them, who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, were often the most afraid of death! Having finally achieved a lifespan longer than that of ordinary people, with the potential to live even longer, how could they be willing to die so easily?
However, that terrifyingly thick light beam was simply too powerful!
If it had been aimed at their protective barrier instead of the fleeing cultivator, none of them were confident they could have withstood it.
The more these cultivators thought about it, the more panicked they became. They couldn’t help but feel a strong urge to retreat.
But now, even if they wanted to withdraw, their opponent, who held the upper hand, wouldn’t let them off easily. They were trapped between a rock and a hard place.
High above them, hidden within the clouds, Han Li felt a chill run down his spine at the power of that super light beam. He grew even more reluctant to reveal himself lightly.
Yet, he wasn’t willing to leave just like that.
Confident in the exceptional speed of his newly acquired Divine Wind Boat, which would allow him to escape even if discovered, Han Li remained in the air, observing everything below.
However, the cyan-red cloud formed by Han Li’s magical instrument was quite conspicuous hovering above the cultivators and puppets. Fortunately, Han Li had flown his boat extremely high, about a hundred zhang above the ground.
Thus, he had yet to be discovered by the surrounded cultivators or the person controlling the puppets in the forest.
Still, Han Li knew this couldn’t last forever. But if he were to retract the cloud, he would be even more exposed.
Moreover, the top-grade magical instrument “Green Fire Mist,” crafted from the flood dragon’s eyes, not only concealed his form, making it impossible for others to pinpoint his exact location, but the cyan-red mist also contained remnants of the flood dragon’s core liquid. Those who inadvertently came into contact with this mist would experience dizziness and slowly poison themselves without even realizing it!
How could Han Li easily abandon such a unique magical instrument that served both defensive and insidious purposes?
In his desperation, Han Li suddenly noticed a gray, low-hanging cloud not far above him. Overjoyed, he slowly maneuvered toward it and eventually slipped into it along with his protective mist barrier.
Now, his traces were completely concealed!
Free from worries about being discovered, he could comfortably continue watching the battle below.
Clearly, that super light beam had shattered the confidence of these Foundation Establishment cultivators. Though they were still employing various magical instruments and seemed to be putting up a decent fight, in Han Li’s eyes, their power was far weaker than at the beginning.
This was clearly a sign that each of them had their own ulterior motives and were no longer willing to unite against the enemy.
Just as Han Li was inwardly shaking his head, an older cultivator within the barrier seemed to realize the precarious situation and suddenly shouted toward the forest, “Are you really determined to wipe us all out? We are disciples of several sects from the Yuan Wu Kingdom. Killing us would mean offending the entire cultivation world of Yuan Wu. Aren’t you afraid of bringing about your own doom?”
“Heh! Doom?”
“If you had said this before I killed that cultivator who tried to flee, I might have considered it. But since one is already dead, offending one is the same as offending all. I might as well kill you all to ensure no one ever finds out about this!”
“We mean no harm! If you are willing to cease hostilities and make peace, we swear to keep this matter absolutely confidential!” another, noticeably younger cultivator hurriedly vowed.
“Hmph! Swear? I don’t believe in that! You’ve been sneaking after me for so long, yet claim to mean no harm? Were you planning to invite me to a meal? Besides, I’m not from your Yuan Wu Kingdom. So what if I offend your cultivation world? Do you plan to follow me back to the Thousand Bamboo Sect’s main altar to seek justice? If that’s the case, I’d truly admire the courage of your elders!”
An extremely stiff voice came from the forest, sounding very familiar to Han Li.
“It’s him?” Han Li thought, surprised.
There was no mistake—it was the burly man who had bought the puppet beast at the auction! From their conversation, it was clear that these cultivators had secretly followed him after the auction ended, hoping to use some underhanded method to uncover the secrets of the puppet beast. Little did they know that this Thousand Bamboo Sect disciple had long been aware of their presence and had set a trap, trapping them here.
“Everyone, fight with all your might! This guy clearly intends to silence us!” The cultivator who had spoken first wasn’t foolish and immediately rallied the others, urging them to fight to the death.
“Fight with all your might? Do you even have the right? You can’t even defeat my puppet subordinates, yet you talk about fighting to the death! I’ve had enough fun with you all. It’s time to send you on your way!” The burly man’s voice remained stiff, but the killing intent in his words was unmistakable.
As his voice faded, a loud rumble shook the ground from within the forest. Then, heavy, thunderous footsteps echoed step by step from the forest outward, causing both the cultivators inside the barrier and Han Li in the air to exchange bewildered glances, unsure of what was happening.
Though the footsteps were heavy, they moved quickly. In the blink of an eye, they reached the edge of the forest, allowing everyone to see clearly: a giant puppet tiger, about five to six zhang tall, emerged from the forest. The burly man, still wearing his hood, sat atop the giant tiger’s head.
At the sight of such a massive puppet tiger, the cultivators’ hearts sank, and they couldn’t help but think of the giant light beam they had seen earlier. It seemed this beast had been the one to fire it!
Without wasting a word, the burly man patted the tiger’s head.
Immediately, the puppet tiger beneath him slowly opened its lower jaw, and points of white light began gathering in its massive mouth. Meanwhile, the other puppets attacking the barrier halted their assault and retreated several steps in unison.
The cultivators knew things were taking a turn for the worse. Almost simultaneously, they pressed their hands against the barrier—their only hope for survival. As for flying away outside the barrier, everyone had considered it, but with the earlier example fresh in their minds, no one dared to act recklessly.
The massive white light beam reappeared! This time, with their combined efforts, the cultivators managed to withstand the impact using the barrier, resulting in a temporary stalemate!
Though Han Li was high in the air, his exceptional eyesight allowed him to see clearly that the cultivators’ faces showed no signs of relief at having blocked the attack. Instead, after channeling vast amounts of spiritual power into the barrier, their complexions grew increasingly pale.
However, Han Li believed such a powerful attack couldn’t be sustained for long and would soon pass. The cultivators inside the barrier clearly understood this as well, which was why they gritted their teeth and held on stubbornly.
Sure enough, after a brief moment, the light beam gradually thinned and vanished from the tiger’s mouth.
The cultivators, having narrowly escaped death, finally showed relief and withdrew their hands from the barrier, heaving sighs of relief.
But upon seeing this, the burly man sneered. He suddenly opened a hidden compartment on the tiger’s head and tossed a mid-grade fire-attribute spirit stone inside. The white light in the tiger’s mouth, which had just faded, reignited, leaving the cultivators opposite him utterly stunned.
Han Li clicked his tongue in amazement at this extravagant act—using a mid-grade spirit stone for each full-powered attack from the puppet tiger. He was speechless! This wasn’t a battle of magic; it was literally crushing these cultivators with piles of spirit stones. It seemed the distant Thousand Bamboo Sect was incredibly wealthy, with spirit stones to spare!
As Han Li lost himself in these thoughts, the cultivators, who had initially cooperated, finally scattered under the immense threat.
Their remaining spiritual power was limited, and holding out longer would only delay the inevitable. It was more reliable to each trust their fate and flee in separate directions!
Sure enough, the burly man directed the giant tiger to fire two beams in quick succession, striking down two of the fleeing cultivators. Their fate was similar to the first—equally gruesome and charred black.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage