Han Li had just directed the seven golden blade fragments to engage the silver sword when he immediately sensed its overwhelming power.
With just that one massive sword artifact, the burly man effortlessly suppressed all the golden blades. The defensive net formed by the seven golden rays was utterly shattered under the fierce assault of the silver giant sword, unable to restrain it in the slightest. Instead, under the onslaught of the silver sword’s radiance, the glow on the golden blades rapidly dimmed—a clear sign they were on the verge of collapse. It seemed only a matter of time before they met the same fate as the young woman’s silk handkerchief!
None of this surprised Han Li, who had already witnessed the silver sword’s power. His “Golden Looper Mother and Son Blades” were, in terms of potency, rather ordinary among top-grade artifacts. It was expected that they would be no match for the opponent’s silver sword, so there was no reason for alarm. Thus, Han Li pointed toward the ongoing aerial battle, intending to divert two of the golden blades to attack the burly man directly—a test of the opponent’s defensive capabilities to see if there was any weakness to exploit. After all, if the wielder died, what use was a powerful artifact?
Just as the two golden rays, under Han Li’s control, turned to fly toward the barefooted man, the opponent’s giant sword suddenly blazed with silver light. It began spinning rapidly around its hilt, transforming into a massive silver disk in an instant. From the center of the disk, countless strands of suction force emanated, weighing down all the nearby golden blades as if burdened by a thousand pounds, rendering them completely immobile. The two blades attempting to break away were no exception.
Witnessing this, Han Li was stunned. When he regained his composure, he hurriedly glanced at the burly man across from him. Sure enough, the man was forming strange hand seals, his hands moving like wheels as he gestured mysteriously.
Without a second thought, Han Li slapped his storage pouch. A blue flying dagger and a golden cymbal shot out hastily, not lingering near him for even a moment before darting straight toward the burly man.
Though the barefooted man from the Giant Sword Sect kept his hands busy, he clearly saw Han Li’s actions. He sneered, suddenly changing his hand seals and freeing one hand to point twice toward the incoming flying dagger and golden cymbal from a distance.
Instantly, Han Li felt his connection to the two artifacts sever. With two soft “whooshes,” the top-grade artifacts were pulled through the air from nearly eight zhang away, forcibly drawn into the center of the silver disk formed by the giant sword.
Two “puff” sounds followed as the artifacts were caught in the vortex of the rapidly spinning silver sword. They lasted only a moment before exploding into fragments, like fireworks, scattering into a dazzling shower of sparkling debris—a beautiful yet deadly meteor shower.
Han Li’s mouth went dry. He never expected the opponent’s techniques and silver sword to be so extraordinary. Not only were his “Golden Looper Mother and Son Blades” trapped, but even his two top-grade artifacts were destroyed without achieving anything. This sent a chill down his spine.
Another “bang” echoed, and Han Li’s expression changed in alarm. He focused his gaze and saw that only six of the original seven golden blades remained. At the center of the silver disk, another brilliant shower of golden sparks appeared. Under the burly man’s control, the silver disk was systematically capturing and destroying the golden blades.
If the destruction of the top-grade artifacts had only startled Han Li, the loss of a golden blade now genuinely pained him. These were top-grade artifacts! And because they were a set, each blade lost significantly reduced their overall power.
Heart aching, Han Li hesitated no longer. With a flip of his right hand, the small mirror he had obtained from the Treasure-Bearing Woman appeared in his palm. Han Li channeled spiritual power into the mirror and aimed it at the sky. Instantly, a beam of blue light shot out from the mirror’s surface, forcing the silver disk back into its giant sword form and trapping both the sword and the remaining golden blades in a cyan radiance, suspending them motionless in mid-air.
The barefooted man’s initially triumphant and fervent expression vanished without a trace upon seeing Han Li’s mirror. His face paled, and he exclaimed in shock, “The Cyan Condensation Mirror! How is it in your hands? This is the protective artifact of the Moon Masking Twin Jewels! Did you kill one of them?”
The burly man stared at Han Li with disbelief, as if Han Li had committed some unimaginable atrocity, sending a shiver down Han Li’s spine.
From the man’s tone, it seemed that acquiring this top-grade artifact would bring serious trouble. Han Li temporarily halted his actions, wanting to hear what the man had to say.
“What do you mean? I didn’t kill that woman. I got it from the man who killed her, someone named Feng Yue! Is there a problem?” Han Li frowned, his expression uneasy.
“Heh, you can save those words for the grandmother of the Moon Masking Twin Jewels! Do you think a Core Formation cultivator and elder of the Moon Masking Sect would listen to the explanation of a mere Qi Condensation disciple like you?” The barefooted man sneered, his tone full of mockery.
Han Li’s heart sank. If what the man said was true, there was no way to clear his name. He had no evidence to prove he wasn’t the killer—on the contrary, the vicious woman’s artifact was in his possession. Under these circumstances, the Moon Masking Sect elder would likely never let him, the “murderer,” go.
“This is a real problem!” The thought of a Core Formation expert constantly targeting his life made Han Li’s mouth go bitter, and he felt so frustrated he could vomit blood.
Truth be told, he was utterly wronged! Not only did he not kill the woman, but he had also avenged her by killing Feng Yue! Yet now he faced pursuit by a Core Formation cultivator—there was no reasoning with this!
After all, to such a powerful figure, eliminating a Qi Condensation disciple was like crushing an ant. Why would they bother listening to his explanations? And his own sect, the Yellow Maple Valley, would likely not offend a Moon Masking Sect elder for the sake of an insignificant disciple like him.
The more Han Li thought about it, the grimmer his future seemed. Would he have to flee far away and live under a false name in another country immediately after leaving the forbidden area? He truly couldn’t decide.
The burly man clearly saw Han Li’s gloomy expression and laughed heartily, reveling in his misfortune.
Just as the barefooted man’s laughter grew louder and Han Li’s expression darkened further, a timid voice spoke up from the side.
“If we all keep it a secret and don’t tell anyone, wouldn’t that solve it?” The green-robed young woman, who had been listening nearby, hesitantly interjected.
“Keep it a secret?” Both Han Li and the burly man were momentarily stunned. They exchanged strange glances and suddenly fell silent.
The young woman, intimidated by their odd behavior, swallowed the rest of her words, her dark eyes darting around nervously as she didn’t dare speak further.
In the silence, Han Li suddenly clasped his hands behind his back and began pacing slowly nearby. The burly man watched his every move intently, his expression solemn.
This tense silence lasted for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before the barefooted man, with a grave expression, broke it.
“Never thought the two of us would be reminded by a little girl! It seems the saying ‘those involved are blinded, while spectators see clearly’ is true! Now, you’re planning to silence me for good, aren’t you?”
“Indeed. If there were another way, I would never have considered killing you. Your sword control technique is truly marvelous, and I deeply admired it!” Han Li sighed, finally stopping his pacing and facing the burly man with resignation.
“It seems even a sworn oath wouldn’t convince you,” the man said after a moment of silence, his eyes suddenly sharp and aggressive.
“Correct. I only believe the dead can keep secrets,” Han Li replied coldly, his voice icy.
“Fine! In that case, let’s not waste words. Let us decide life and death here and now!” The barefooted man raised his eyebrows, his tone suddenly filled with heroic fervor.
“Decide life and death? No, it should be said that you are certain to die!” Han Li responded with a strange smile, shaking his head lightly.
“Nonsense! You think just because you temporarily trapped my Silver Radiance Sword, you’ve won this fight? You haven’t seen all my techniques!” the man retorted angrily. He raised his arm, and his hand suddenly gleamed with silver light, resembling the sword radiance of the silver sword in the sky.
“Haven’t you noticed? The distance between us is already within ten zhang,” Han Li said, looking at the man with a peculiar expression and sighing. Then his figure blurred, and he vanished into the air.
“Anyone within ten zhang of me, without protective spells, has their life and death in my hands.” Han Li’s voice still echoed in the void as he suddenly reappeared right behind the panicked burly man, the last word barely leaving his lips.
“And you… are already dead.” Han Li slowly retracted the thread he had just swung, murmuring softly.
The burly man stared blankly ahead, motionless. A thin red line suddenly appeared on his neck, followed by his head rolling cleanly off his shoulders—he was truly and utterly dead.
Han Li turned around, looking at the headless corpse with a flicker of pity. This man’s strength was undoubtedly on par with Feng Yue’s, but he had been careless, allowing Han Li to get so close. His death was not unjust.
“Are you going to kill me to silence me too?” A weak voice filled with vigilance, doubt, and fear suddenly reached Han Li’s ears.
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