As the several giant ape puppets scattered and fled in different directions, the three hidden figures — Han Li, Marquis Nanlong, and Elder Lu — couldn't help but hold their breath.
Though Han Li's reasoning had sounded thoroughly convincing, whether it would actually work was another matter entirely.
In truth, even Han Li himself wasn't entirely confident. After all, everything he knew about the Ten Absolute Poisons had come from ancient texts. He had never personally conducted any similar tests.
But after a short while, any lingering doubts the three harbored vanished without a trace.
The moment those giant ape puppets had flown out several dozen zhang from the hilltop, several shrill, grating cries suddenly erupted from the previously silent summit.
The instant those cries pierced his ears, Han Li felt the blood and qi within his body churn violently, his head went heavy, and he nearly plummeted from the sky.
Alarmed, he immediately circulated spiritual energy throughout his body, stabilizing himself. Tilting his head slightly, he used his Spirit Eye ability to look at Marquis Nanlong and Elder Lu beside him.
They were faring no better — their bodies swayed several times before they managed to regain composure.
Han Li's brow furrowed, inwardly shocked.
This strange cry's attack didn't target spiritual sense at all. It struck directly at the true essence within the body. No matter how powerful one's spiritual sense might be, it was utterly useless against such a bizarre assault.
These Purple-Striped Scorpions actually possessed such an odd innate ability — it was truly unexpected.
It seemed the records in the ancient texts really couldn't cover every detail.
Just as Han Li was silently musing, thirteen or fourteen streaks of dark purple light shot out from the hilltop, vanishing almost instantly as they pursued the fleeing giant apes. Han Li hurriedly sent a command through his spiritual sense, and the divided spirits within each ape puppet immediately pushed them to their maximum speed, transforming into several streaks of white light that shot away into the distance.
Even though it was only for the span of a single breath, Han Li — relying on his formidable spiritual sense — managed to get a rough look at what those purple streaks contained.
Aside from being terrifyingly large — each roughly a zhang in size — with bodies that gleamed dark purple and a pair of transparent wings, they were otherwise identical to ordinary scorpions.
But the flying scorpion leading the group was far larger than the rest, reaching a full two zhang in length. It appeared to be the leader of this swarm.
Watching its hideous, ferocious form as it spat out billowing yellow mist, even Han Li's pupils contracted slightly.
The giant apes' flight speed was clearly far inferior to those purple streaks, but in the chase between hunter and prey, they managed to draw the Purple-Striped Scorpions well away from the hilltop for the time being.
In the blink of an eye, the puppets had dwindled to a few tiny black dots in the distance.
A moment later, a voice rang out from high above: "Go! One of the puppets has triggered some kind of restriction — it's been caught!"
The words had barely left his mouth when spiritual light flashed around Han Li's body, his concealment technique dissolving instantly, and he shot forward toward the hilltop in a streak of light.
The other two followed suit, transforming into golden and white beams of light that streaked toward the summit.
All three understood that these Purple-Striped Scorpions moved as swift as the wind. If they didn't seize this opportunity to pass over the hilltop ahead, the trouble they'd face would be far worse.
Fortunately, all three of them moved at considerable speed. And even without activating his Wind Thunder Wings, Han Li — relying on his profound cultivation that far surpassed cultivators of the same rank — crossed the hilltop in the span of a single breath.
At that moment, he felt the connections to all of his giant ape puppets simultaneously sever. His heart lurched with alarm, and he didn't dare pause for even a heartbeat, flying a full ten li beyond the Purple-Striped Scorpions' nest without stopping for air.
When they finally came to a temporary halt atop another hilltop, only then did the three of them truly allow themselves to relax.