Han Li and Qu Hun hurriedly flew off Small Huant Island, but after traveling barely ten li from the shore on their Divine Wind Vessel, Han Li's expression darkened and he brought the vessel to a halt.
"Come out — stop hiding," he said, gazing ahead with a calm expression.
"Oh?" A voice of surprise came from the empty sky ahead.
Immediately after, flashes of multicolored light erupted, and seven or eight Foundation Establishment cultivators materialized not far ahead.
"Han Li, your crime of murdering Martial Brother Mao and several other cultivators under the Wei Star Island Master for the sake of a Dust-Settling Pill has been exposed! We, the enforcement cultivators, act under Island Master Mu's orders. Surrender yourself, and we'll hand you over to Island Master Zhantai for judgment. You'd best give up right now!" Among them, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator stepped forward and shouted imperiously at Han Li the moment he appeared.
Han Li and Qu Hun had been suppressing their true cultivation levels all along to avoid drawing attention, which led these people to misjudge their strength — hence their brazen attitude.
They were somewhat surprised that Han Li had detected their ambush early enough to ruin their setup.
But with their numbers and cultivation levels, dealing with one Qi Refining cultivator and one Foundation Establishment cultivator should have been child's play!
So they didn't think much of it and decided to simply attack head-on.
Han Li swept his gaze over them coolly, then spoke in a flat tone:
"You're cultivators from Kui Star Island? You say I killed other cultivators — where's your proof?"
The white-haired elder who had been speaking froze for a moment, then let out a cold laugh.
"What, with Elder Miao of the Six Linked Hall as a witness, you still want to argue? Don't even think about getting lucky! Island Master Mu has already issued his decree — you two uncle and nephew are cunning and dangerous. Upon sighting, your cultivation is to be abolished on the spot."
At these words, a subtle change passed over Han Li's face, and a layer of frost settled over his features.
"Abolish our cultivation? Island Master Mu won't even give us a chance to explain ourselves?"
"Heh heh! You fled in guilt for years — the evidence is airtight. What is there to explain? Everyone, attack — take them down and collect your rewards!" The white-haired elder glared and impatiently turned to order the others.
Without another word, the group of cultivators struck simultaneously. A barrage of various magic treasures soared into the air, their multicolored radiance hurtling toward Han Li with menacing force.
Han Li's eyelids twitched.
This wasn't the look of people merely trying to subdue and strip his cultivation. The murderous gleam in their eyes made it perfectly clear — they intended to kill.
Though he didn't know whether there was some hidden agenda behind this, Han Li felt killing intent stir within him.
"Qu Hun — kill them all. Let no one escape." Han Li's voice was quiet, but cold as ice.
Qu Hun, who had been standing silently behind him, stepped forward without a word. Terrifying blood-colored light erupted from his body, instantly transforming him into a dazzling orb of crimson radiance.
With a low roar, a flash of yellow light blazed beneath Qu Hun's feet as he surged straight into the storm of magic treasures.
He flickered several times and vanished amid the swirling glow of the various treasures — but then the blood-colored light blazed outward in an immense dome some twenty or thirty zhang across, engulfing every single weapon within. The treasures sluggish and sluggish, their movements grinding to a crawl.
Qu Hun's figure appeared at the center of the blood-light. His expressionless face showed nothing as he formed hand seals with both palms and uttered a single syllable: "Bind."
Instantly, every treasure drifted obediently toward Qu Hun as though pushed by some invisible hand. With a wave of his sleeve, they all vanished into thin air — absorbed as if they had never existed.
Then Qu Hun turned his blank gaze toward the group of enforcement cultivators. They were already struck dumb by what they had just witnessed.
"Core Formation — he's a Core Formation cultivator!"
Someone had finally realized Qu Hun's true power with his full cultivation released, and his face turned the color of earth.
The other cultivators panicked just as badly. Two of the quicker-witted ones immediately spun around and fled at full speed on their flying treasures.
The white-haired elder who had led the group had lost every trace of his earlier arrogance. All that remained on his face was stunned disbelief.
Now that Qu Hun had received Han Li's orders, how could he let any of them escape?
His eyes abruptly blazed red as fresh blood. He glanced without a hint of emotion at the two fleeing figures, raised both hands without a word, and two blazing pillars of crimson blood-light erupted from his palms at terrifying speed — flashing once and vanishing, already reaching the backs of the two cultivators who had fled several dozen zhang away.