When Liu Jing and the other Yellow Maple Valley cultivators saw this, they had already learned from Han Li that these dark cultivators could undergo transformations, so they immediately understood what the enemy was about to do. Without any hesitation, they unleashed their magic tools and techniques all at once at the four cocoons of light. They knew full well that before the enemy could complete their transformations and break free, these Blood Servants were essentially stationary targets — and they naturally wouldn't let such an opportunity to gain the upper hand slip away.
Unfortunately, just as Han Li had said, these spheres of light were incredibly tough. After a storm-like barrage of attacks, they still stood firmly in place, completely unscathed.
Liu Jing and the others' expressions grew somewhat grim.
"Don't hold back, everyone! Use whatever trump cards you have! If you don't use them now, once they finish transforming and come out, it'll be too late!" Liu Jing shouted, his voice stern and resolute.
After saying this, he immediately withdrew his magic tool, solemnly produced a golden talisman, and pinched it between two fingers. He began murmuring an incantation, and under the mysterious chanting, the golden talisman gradually emitted a dazzling golden light.
Han Li's heart stirred with surprise upon seeing this. Although he didn't know what grade this talisman was, the fact that Liu Jing — a cultivator at the mid Foundation Establishment stage — needed to use an incantation to activate it told him this talisman was far from ordinary.
The others exchanged glances and then each began displaying their own abilities.
The most eye-catching among them were Chen Qiaojian's senior sister and Song Meng. Each of them produced a talisman treasure bearing the image of a magic treasure and immediately sat down, focusing their minds to activate them. Beams of blue and gray radiance emanated from their talisman treasures, making the rest of them quite envious.
Talisman treasures were not something every Foundation Establishment cultivator could easily possess. Owning such items was proof enough that these two either had powerful families backing them or were deeply favored by their sect elders. Otherwise, relying on their own efforts to collect the necessary resources, how could they ever have the opportunity or the wealth to obtain one?
Envious as the others were, they refused to show weakness. They either unleashed sharp magical techniques or summoned even more wondrous magic tools, launching the next wave of attacks in quick succession. In an instant, brilliant light surged toward the sky as magic tools danced wildly through the air.
Han Li, however, neither used his talisman treasure nor employed the "Giant Sword Technique" that had demonstrated such terrifying power earlier. He simply used the most effortless method available — with a gentle wave of both hands, several heavy thuds echoed as four beast puppets appeared before him.
The moment these puppets opened their cold, icy eyes, they spread their gaping maws and unleashed several beams of light that shot out like long white ribbons. Han Li stood behind them, seizing the chance to recover the Magical Power he had expended in the previous fight.
He hadn't even laid eyes on the Black Evil Sect Master yet, and he was unwilling to go all-out and drain his Magical Power prematurely.
Conerving his Magical Power as much as possible in case of emergencies — this was a decision Han Li had made before the battle began. If his Magical Power ran dry, no matter how many skills and tricks he had, he would have no way to use any of them.
The appearance of the beast puppets drew a few surprised glances from his fellow disciples, but they quickly returned to their own tasks.
After all, what techniques one practiced and what cultivation methods one cultivated were each person's private matters. No one would be rude enough to go around prying into such things.
Those who knew a little about the origins of "puppet techniques" assumed that Han Li had obtained the methods from Li Huayuan. Given Li Huayuan's level of cultivation, killing a few Thousand Bamboo Sect cultivators and acquiring some of their cultivation methods would hardly be remarkable.
So at most, the others were merely quite curious about Han Li's four beast puppets.
At that moment, Liu Jing's golden talisman was successfully activated. With a slight tremor, it transformed into a streak of golden light that shot toward the sky above the blood-colored cocoons.
Then with a muffled pop, the golden light burst apart, scattering into countless motes of light that drifted down like rain across the sky — a dreamlike, truly dazzling spectacle.
But hidden beneath this eerie, beautiful display was a lethal killing intent. After Liu Jing completed a dazzling flurry of hand seals, the motes of light throughout the sky underwent a bizarre transformation, gradually contracting and elongating into countless tiny golden swords. Though each was barely an inch long, they radiated a bone-piercing chill and were impossibly sharp.
"Thousand Blades Technique."
Only then did Liu Jing softly utter the name of this gold-attribute technique.
This scene left everyone except the two still channeling their talisman treasures momentarily stunned.
Gold-attribute spells were already among the rarest of the Five Elements techniques, and the majority were supplementary arts like "Golden Armor" or "Iron Skin." Now this talisman of Liu Jing's was not only an offensive gold-attribute spell, but a mid-tier or above area-attack technique at that. How could this not astonish everyone present, Han Li included? Their hands unconsciously slowed, each wanting to see what wonders this spell had to offer.
At that moment, thousands upon thousands of golden swords hung suspended above the luminous cocoon, glinting with brilliant light. The sight was nothing short of overwhelming.
Yet the instant Liu Jing chanted the incantation, the golden blades came plummeting down like a hailstorm, piercing straight toward the crimson sphere of light below.
What followed was a rapid series of muffled thuds reaching Han Li and the others' ears. Golden light and crimson light intertwined, sparks of radiance scattering in every direction like a flurry of fireworks.
The cocoon, which had shown not the slightest change under everyone else's bombardment, finally began to mutate under this ferocious assault. The crimson light surged wildly, as though recognizing the danger, and thickened of its own accord to meet the oncoming storm of swords with even fiercer collisions.
When Liu Jing saw this, he felt not anxiety but delight. If he had forced the cocoon into a change, that meant his attack was still working. As long as he increased the intensity of his assault further, he could still break through this barrier of blood-light.