Instantly, the sword began to dissolve, transforming in the blink of an eye into a stream of deep crimson essence blood that vanished along his palm.
He exhaled a long breath, his face first flushing a deep red before turning deathly pale, as though he had lost far too much blood.
Hurriedly retrieving a crimson pill bottle from his storage bracelet, he tipped out a scarlet pill and swallowed it. Not daring to linger, Long Dong activated his escape light and soared away into the distance, tearing through the sky.
In another part of the desert, a white-robed young woman stood delicately atop a sand dune. Nearby, within a few zhang, four cold corpses lay sprawled across the sand.
The bodies bore not a single wound, yet they lay there in silence, every trace of their vital essence completely drained.
The young woman gently caressed a milky-white long-necked jade bottle with one hand, a mysterious, coquettish smile playing across her lips. Suddenly, her figure shifted, and she transformed into a beam of golden light that shot into the sky. After just a few flickers, she vanished from the surrounding air without a trace.
Over a hundred thousand li away, a blue-white arc of lightning flickered in and out of visibility as it raced through the high sky. Several li behind it, a mass of black qi drifted along in pursuit. It appeared sluggish, yet through some unknown technique it managed to keep pace, refusing to be shaken off in the slightest.
The two chased each other — one ahead, one behind — covering hundreds of li in the span of a heartbeat. Suddenly, the black qi trembled, vanished from where it had been, and the next instant reappeared in the void over a li away, continuing its relentless pursuit.
Immediately, the blue-white lightning ahead likewise snapped forward, transforming into a thin white thread that crossed a li in an instant, once again widening the gap.
The two continued their chase like this, one behind the other.
Within the blue-white lightning, a winged figure flickered in and out of view — it was none other than
His brow was tightly furrowed, his gaze dark and grim.
Ever since he had detected the old Daoist within the black qi closing in from behind some time ago, he had immediately combined his Wind Thunder Wings with the Nine Wind Transformations movement technique, pushing his escape speed to its absolute limit.
Yet that mass of black qi — he had no idea what it was made of — was not only astonishingly fast but also possessed the power of instantaneous teleportation.
After chasing each other for such an immense distance, he still hadn't managed to widen the gap in the slightest.
Though this desert was vast, it was a region where other races frequently ventured. If this pursuit continued, alerting yet more hostile races would only make matters far worse.
As for the Blood Shadow Escape — a technique that severely damaged one's vital essence — he had just used it not long ago. Unless absolutely desperate, he had no intention of employing it again so soon. This desert was riddled with dangers, and before long he would need to enter One-Thread Sky. He could not afford to excessively deplete his own essence.
It seemed his only option was to confront the Shadow Clan figure behind him head-on.
The fact that it could possess a mid-stage Deity Transformation cultivator proved that its status within the Shadow Clan was far from insignificant. It was most likely a Red Shadow — the rank corresponding to the Deity Transformation stage.
Such a high-level opponent might have given Han Li serious pause if it belonged to any other race. But against the Shadow Clan, he was confident that several of the techniques he had mastered could restrain this species. He felt he had a genuine chance in a direct confrontation.
Moreover, since arriving at Celestial Immortal City, he had cultivated several treasures and newly completed techniques that he had never truly revealed to anyone before. Just how powerful they were, even he wasn't entirely certain — only that their might should be extraordinary. Using this Red Shadow as a test subject would be perfect.
His thoughts racing like lightning, Han Li completed one final teleportation, then flicked the wings on his back and abruptly came to a dead stop.
The mass of black qi, moving with the speed of wind and lightning, closed to within a hundred zhang behind him in an instant, showing no sign of halting — it looked ready to charge straight into him.
This was not at all surprising!
The Shadow Clan's most fearsome innate ability was forcibly devouring the primordial spirits and souls of other races, directly seizing control of their physical bodies while gaining access to most of their powers.
But Han Li would never truly allow such a being to approach. Without a word, he simply pressed his palms together and thrust them outward.
A heaven-shaking crack of thunder erupted, and a bolt of golden lightning as thick as a bowl burst forth from between his hands, striking at the black qi with devastating surprise.
A soft exclamation of surprise sounded from within the black qi. It flickered suddenly and vanished into the nearby void.
Han Li let out a cold snort. Between his brow, a crimson gash split open, revealing the Destruction Eye. It immediately fired a beam of black light that similarly vanished in a flash.
A deafening explosion ripped through the air, and dozens of zhang away, violent ripples surged through the void. The old Daoist, still wrapped in black qi, flickered back into view. An involuntary cry of surprise escaped his lips:
"The Destruction Eye — you've actually cultivated this ability!"
The corner of Han Li's mouth twitched, but he said nothing. Silently, he channeled a surge of magical power, and the thick golden lightning bolt made a sudden turn, materializing behind the old Daoist without warning before slashing down with savage force.
The old Daoist cursed inwardly, just about to dodge, but from a distance Han Li's eyes blazed with brilliant blue light, and he released a sharp shout.
The voice was not loud, yet the moment it reached the old Daoist's ears, it struck like a massive bell. His ears buzzed, and a tearing agony lanced through his brain, leaving his body momentarily frozen in place.
With a crack of thunder, the golden lightning slammed into the black qi. Countless fine golden sparks danced and interwove as the black qi churned and boiled violently.
At the same time, a tremendous frog-like croak — brimming with agony — suddenly burst forth from within the black qi.
The black qi whirled rapidly, gathering beneath the old Daoist's feet, where it coalesced into a bizarre two-headed monster, half serpent and half frog. Its four blood-red eyes were fixed on Han Li, brimming with murderous rage.