Almost simultaneously, a flash of azure lightning arc appeared above the jade carriage, and Han Li materialized out of thin air. Without a single word, he gave his sleeve a sharp shake. Dozens of small golden swords shot out like a school of fish, transforming into streaks of golden radiance that rained down upon the carriage in a dense shower, enveloping it entirely.
"Break!" The middle-aged Daoist's expression changed drastically. He bellowed and pointed a finger at the Eight Trigrams Mirror above his head, activating the treasure.
Immediately, a pillar of black-and-white light erupted from the mirror's surface. In a flicker, it dissolved into a dense web of fine threads that shot straight toward the golden radiance.
The two forces collided just outside the azure light barrier, and a rapid succession of muffled pops filled the air!
The small swords, their golden glow flickering, sliced through every thread of light as effortlessly as cutting through rotten wood.
The Daoist was horrified by this sight. Before he could even react, the flying swords slammed into the azure sphere of light in the next instant.
The same scene played out — the azure light offered barely any resistance before being pierced through one after another, and the streaks of golden radiance shot straight at the two figures inside.
This time, both Old Man Long and the Daoist were utterly terrified out of their wits.
The two of them activated their escape light simultaneously, abandoning the jade boat beneath their feet and transforming into twin streaks — one azure, one white — that shot off in opposite directions. In the blink of an eye they had crossed over ten zhang, narrowly escaping the lethal sweep of the golden swords.
At the same time the middle-aged Daoist shot away, he slapped a spirit beast pouch at his waist. A clear cry rang out from within, and a snow-white spirit bird roughly a foot tall spiraled out of the pouch.
The bird had emerald-green eyes, a crimson beak, and a pair of jet-black talons.
Seeing the bird appear, the Daoist's heart finally eased somewhat. He reached into his sleeve again and produced a crimson token, its surface shimmering with red light as dense runes seemed to emerge and ripple across it.
But before he could activate the token, a spatial fluctuation stirred above his head. Han Li materialized once more amid a flash of azure lightning.
He glanced down at the Daoist and let out a cold snort, while the blue light in both his eyes blazed to life.
Daoist Hua was badly alarmed and tried to activate the treasure in his hand, but suddenly he felt something as sharp as a spike stab viciously into his spiritual sense. An excruciating pain, as if his skull were being torn apart, ripped through his head. He screamed in agony, and thin threads of blood seeped from his ears and nose. The token in his hand trembled violently and nearly dropped to the ground.
Han Li seized the opening. With one hand, five fingers danced in rapid succession, and five crimson threads shot out and vanished in a flash. With the other hand, green light flickered and a green wooden ruler materialized. He waved it gently toward the snow-white spirit bird.
Under a burst of crimson firelight, the crimson threads pierced straight through the immobilized Daoist's body. They coiled around him and transformed into five thick fire-cords that bound him tightly!
By now the Daoist had forced himself back to a brief moment of clarity through the searing pain in his mind. Seeing his predicament, his face drained of all color. Unable to move even a fraction, he frantically urged his spirit bird with his spiritual sense, hoping it would come to his rescue — but there was no response whatsoever.
Daoist Hua grew frantic. His eyes darted to the side, and only then did he notice that above the spirit bird, an unknown silver lotus had appeared at some point.
From the lotus radiated seven-colored Buddhist light that enveloped the bird, freezing it rigid in midair, seemingly bound as well.
The Daoist was equal parts horrified and furious. Before he could even think of what to do next, a light breeze stirred above his head, and a bolt of golden light slashed out from the wind like lightning.
The Daoist let out one final cry as the golden light swept past his neck. His head tumbled away.
Han Li's figure materialized from the breeze. Without a word, both hands rose simultaneously. The roar of thunder erupted as a vast web of golden lightning arcs interwove and danced outward, instantly forming a golden net that shrouded the headless corpse. The net crackled with golden light, its momentum awe-inspiring.
Then Han Li murmured an incantation. The fire-cords wrapped around the remains suddenly blazed with intense flame. Tongues of crimson fire surged forth, reducing the corpse to flying ash in an instant.
But almost at the same moment, a sphere of white light containing the Daoist's Nascent Soul shot out of the flames, waving a white ruyi scepter, desperately trying to escape.
It slammed headlong into the golden net.
After several rolls of thunder, the electrified net bounced the Nascent Soul back. Then the golden light blazed to its peak, lightning arcs danced, and the golden net detonated completely.
The Nascent Soul was instantly obliterated amid the blinding electrical discharge, dissipating into nothingness.
Han Li exhaled softly, then turned his cold gaze to the other side.
Old Man Long had already reached a distance of over forty zhang. He had just pulled a pair of green cymbals from his waist and was hesitating whether to join the fight against Han Li — only to witness the Daoist's death in the blink of an eye.
His heart plummeted, and a chill seized his entire body.
When Han Li's gaze swept toward him, the old man suddenly waved one hand. A flash of green light appeared, and he used the sharp edge of one cymbal to sever his own arm.
The severed arm burst apart on its own with a muffled bang, and a cloud of blood mist enveloped the old man. Then a piercing shriek erupted!
The blood mist engulfed Old Man Long and transformed into a faint blood shadow that shot away at tremendous speed. In just a few flickers, the blood shadow had fled over a hundred zhang into the distance — so fast that even Han Li was greatly taken aback.