Feng Xi swept his gaze across the scene, and a chill of utter despair froze him to the core.
Setting aside Han Li striking at him again, the dozen-odd Six-Winged Frost Centipedes that had sprouted a second pair of wings were more than enough to overwhelm him.
Having made his decision, Feng Xi wasted no time. He formed a string of hand seals with both hands, and the bare skin of his upper torso flushed a deep, blood-red. Then, with a sharp hissing sound, countless threads of bloodshot red burst from his skin and dissolved into billowing clouds of blood mist, threatening to swallow his entire form within moments.
At the same time, the pair of wings on his back rapidly absorbed a portion of the blood mist, transforming them both a vivid crimson.
Feng Xi drew a deep breath and spread his wings, preparing to activate a secret technique and flee at full speed. But at that very instant, an enchanting cascade of sacred chanting rose from beneath his feet, and a tremendous suction force descended upon him without warning.
His body seized tight — he could not move a single inch. The Magical Power within him congealed just as abruptly, slipping entirely beyond his control.
Only then did Feng Xi discover, in mounting terror, that a silver lotus the size of a foot had appeared beneath him at some unknown point, slowly unfurling its petals. A radiant halo of seven-colored Buddhist light shone directly down upon him, pinning him in place.
Panic seized him, and he frantically circulated his incantations, desperately trying to break free.
But the twelve snow-white centipedes that had been lying in wait seized the opportunity without hesitation, charging forward in unison and spewing jets of freezing breath.
A vast curtain of white frost crashed down over him, engulfing the blood mist entirely. From within, Feng Xi's screams soon echoed.
In the distance, Han Li toyed idly with the Eight Spirit Ruler in his hand, his expression placid, not even sparing a glance in that direction.
Everything was proceeding exactly as he had planned.
Just then, the Golden Flood Dragon King's voice from the sea of flames on the other side abruptly cut off.
Han Li's brows rose slightly, and he could not help but lift his gaze.
From the heart of the inferno came a thunderous explosion that shook heaven and earth. Flames scattered in every direction, and amid the billowing tongues of fire, something shot out with a piercing whistle — impossibly fast.
Han Li's face darkened. A roll of thunder sounded behind him, and he vanished from the spot.
An instant later, when the fleeing object paused mid-flight and revealed its true form, a bolt of blue-white lightning flashed overhead, and Han Li materialized in the same eerie fashion, gazing down with an expressionless face.
What flew below was none other than a miniature flood dragon reduced to nothing but its skeletal frame — barely a foot in length, yet gleaming a brilliant gold throughout, as if forged from solid crimson gold.
Clutched in its jaws was a thumb-sized golden orb, and within its empty eye sockets flickered an eerie green flame.
Behind it came a chorus of wailing as five ghost heads — the Five Demons — burst from the sea of flames, their faces twisted with fury. They were covered in soot and bore signs of minor injuries.
The golden skeletal dragon spotted the Five Demons and wasted not a heartbeat. Its body shot forward in a streak of golden light, then plunged headlong into the void ahead and vanished without a trace.
High above, Han Li let out a cold snort. Between his brows, a flash of black light flickered, and his third eye — a dark aperture — materialized. A beam of black radiance lanced forth, vanishing into the void in the same instant.
A muffled detonation echoed from ahead. In the empty sky, golden light and black radiance intertwined in a brief, violent flash, and the miniature skeletal dragon was blasted back out, tumbling helplessly through the air several times over.
The Golden Flood Dragon King, now reduced to this bony form, sensed the dire situation. The moment it steadied itself, it made to flee once more without the slightest hesitation.
But that brief delay had already cost it everything.
Nearby, a flash of emerald light erupted, and a net of fine green threads materialized from the void mere inches away. Caught completely off guard, the skeletal dragon was entangled so thoroughly it could not move a fraction of an inch.
Almost simultaneously, a streak of golden light roughly ten feet long shot down from the heavens. With a single brilliant flash, it cleaved the skeletal dragon cleanly in two.
A wisp of green flame burst from the severed remains, fleeing in a panicked dash.
But Han Li had long been prepared. He extended one hand toward it from a distance, and a massive green palm materialized from thin air, snatching the green flame before it could escape.
Then, with a flash of light, Han Li appeared beside it. He flicked his sleeve, and a small green bottle flew forth.
The artifact inverted itself in midair, and from its mouth spewed a stream of dark, iridescent mist.
The green palm released its fingers, and the mist swept the green flame up, drawing it into the bottle.
Han Li caught the green bottle in his hand and swept it with his spiritual sense. A look of satisfaction crossed his face.
The spiritual essence of a Tier Ten demonic beast — a thing virtually impossible to find in this world.
He stored the bottle safely away, then turned his gaze to the golden orb and the skeletal dragon's remains. Without a moment's hesitation, he drew both items toward him with a wave of his hand.