The green sword shadow appeared quite ordinary at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one could see that the entire blade was composed of countless emerald runes, each roughly an inch in size.
These runes were vastly different from ordinary ones — every single one dripped with vivid green, faint golden and silver threads tracing across their surfaces, and as they flickered softly, the surrounding void began to warp and blur.
The vast heaven-and-earth energy centered on Han Li surged into the runes like water down a funnel.
The originally hazy sword shadow rapidly grew clearer and more tangible, at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"That's impossible — it's a Profound Heaven Treasure!"
It wasn't Bao who spoke, but the black-robed young man beside her, who cried out in shock, his face full of disbelief.
"Judging by its aura, it truly is a Profound Heaven item — its power seems even greater than your Black Demon Dagger. During my awakening in the Spirit Realm, I heard that a new Profound Heaven treasure had appeared there, ranked third: the Profound Heaven Spirit-Severing Sword. No race in the Spirit Realm has ever managed to locate it. It seems this is the one! It seems we've both gravely underestimated the human race." After Bao's gaze flickered several times, a solemn expression settled onto her jade-like features for the first time.
"That doesn't make sense. If the human race truly obtained a Profound Heaven treasure, why would they hand it to a Body Integration stage cultivator? Without at least Mahayana cultivation, one cannot even activate a Profound Heaven Treasure." Yuan Yan Sovereign shook his head repeatedly.
"Cannot even activate it? Then what is that phenomenon in his hand, and how did it block my Merciful Finger?" After a brief pause, Bao Sovereign let out a cold laugh.
"Perhaps he's merely borrowing a trace of the Profound Heaven item's aura to put on a show." Yuan Yan Sovereign narrowed his eyes, his tone lacking conviction.
"That is possible — I have my own suspicions as well. Fellow Daoist Yuan Yan, would you care to test him?" Bao Sovereign asked with a sudden smile.
"Heh heh, this is Fellow Daoist Bao looking to pick a fight with this person — what does it have to do with me? If you want to determine whether it's real or fake, go right ahead. I've lost interest in making a move." The black-robed young man chuckled and refused without hesitation.
"Judging by your words, you've given up any notion of attacking this person. Fellow Daoist Yuan Yan — you won't have any other plans once I make my move, will you?" Bao gave a soft hum and countered.
"Rest assured — since Fellow Daoist Bao has come specifically for this person, I absolutely will not interfere in the slightest." Yuan Yan Sovereign let out an odd laugh and replied firmly.
"Good. I trust you won't go back on your word. Then I shall test whether this person can truly activate the Profound Heaven Treasure he carries!" Bao Sovereign's eyes shimmered as she slowly nodded.
The next moment, she rubbed her palms together. The pink flower between them flickered and vanished, but pink radiance churned between her hands once more, condensing into a slender pink branch.
The branch was only about two feet long, yet it was crystal clear throughout, its surface densely covered with tiny pink runes.
Bao seized the branch with one hand, and it instantly appeared between her fingers. She then waved it slowly toward Han Li in the distance.
In an instant, the winds and clouds within a radius of several li shifted dramatically. Countless pink petals erupted from the void, flickered wildly, and vanished without a trace.
In the distance, Han Li's expression changed. Pink light flashed through the nearby air, and countless petals materialized eerily, each one transforming into a crystal-clear small sword that shot toward him at blistering speed.
The sound of splitting air rose to a deafening roar. The sky blazed with frenzied flashes of razor-sharp pink light.
At the center of it all, Han Li witnessed this terrifying spectacle. His gaze hardened slightly, but rather than showing fear, he drew a deep breath and suddenly uttered several cryptic incantations.
The green sword shadow in his palm emitted a resonant hum. With a flash, it shrank back into his hand like lightning.
Immediately after, an indescribable, colossal sword intent erupted from Han Li's body. Dark-green light blazed wildly, and a phantom of a titanic sword over a hundred zhang long shot skyward from his arm.
Han Li's figure was instantly enveloped beneath a curtain of dark-green sword light.
Countless pink sword-lights drove into the sword curtain, producing deep, unceasing booms — but they dissolved into the azure radiance like snow melting in spring, utterly powerless against the shimmering green barrier.
The white-clad woman watched this without the slightest hint of surprise. Instead, she calmly gave the crystal branch in her hand two gentle shakes.
Immediately, the pink sword-lights above the pool surged like a torrential downpour. Tens of thousands of small swords converged into a storm of blades that hammered against the green curtain.
The green sword curtain contained inconceivable power, yet every one of those crystal-clear small swords forged from petals was far from an ordinary flying sword.
After a barrage of deafening detonations and blinding flashes, even though the green sword curtain was a manifestation of heaven and earth power driven by a Profound Heaven treasure, it trembled ever so slightly.