“What!? Could it be!?” Han Li’s expression underwent a massive change. He immediately threw the gold threaded net from his waist into the distance.
But just as the Bone Sage finished speaking, the golden net turned pitch-black with a flash. It quickly shot towards Han Li as a fine thread of black Qi and hastily bound him. As for the rabbit that was within it, it was discarded to the side without regard. It remained motionless as if it were unconscious.
With this sudden entrapment, Han Li was unable to conceal the abrupt shock on his face.
“Youngster, how do you like the feeling of ghost threads? Are you still able to use any of the magic power in your body?” The Bone Sage’s proud laughter came from the cloud above.
When Han Li heard this, he hastily felt for his magic power, but his face soon turned ashen.
Chapter 452: Thunderous Strike
Han Li was incapable of drawing on any of the magic power in his body, feeling as if it were frozen. It was clear that those ghost threads had restricted his true essence.
Han Li was overwhelmed with shock for a moment. He hastily turned his gaze to examine the black threads. The black threads densely coiling around his body were glossy and emitted a faint Yin Qi. Its baneful nature was clear at a glance.
Han Li’s face unconsciously twitched. It wasn’t that he didn’t suspect that it had been tampered with, but that after careful examination, he had been unable to find anything strange.
As he didn’t carry any pure gold magic tools on hand, he had no choice to be use that item. After he used the item to capture the spirit ginseng’s avatar, his suspicions about the item had been thrown to the back on his mind for the time being. It was beyond his imagination that just as they turned hostile that his magic power and true essence would be completely restrained.
However, his expression of shock only existed for a short moment before his calm was restored. That was because he immediately recalled that he still had the formation spell protecting him. He would have enough time to break free of the restrains before they could further act against him.
Han Li scoffed and thought to call out to his Gold Devouring beetles when he heard a puff from behind him.
The sound was barely discernable. If Han Li hadn’t earlier covered the area of the formation spell with his spiritual sense, he feared he wouldn’t had discovered it. Feeling a chill run down his spine, Han Li sharply whistled and instantly rolled his body over. At that same time, the Gold Devouring Beetles filled the skies as they swarmed behind him.
Upon hearing a loud explosion from behind him, Han Li’s face grew gloomy.
Han Li saw the swarm of Gold Devouring Beetles blocking the path of a strange dark green silhouette of light and doing their utmost to attack it.
The green light silhouette appeared blurred from having its body covered in ghost Qi. Its arms had transformed into two huge, dark green pythons. They were wildly lashing out at any of the Gold Devouring Beetles that attempted to approach. As none of the beetles were able to approach him, the Gold Devouring Beetles were at a complete standstill.
But what Han Li found even more inconceivable was that the formation spell was still completely intact. Just how was it able to appear behind him without triggering any of the restrictions?
But before Han Li could recover from his shock, the green silhouette loudly cursed, “These damned insects are actually capable of consuming my incorporeal body. How menacing!” It was the same unfamiliar voice he had heard before, but now, it was quite flustered.
Han Li had finally noticed that in the instant the beetles were flung away, they had taken bites out of green pythons and had swallowed specks of green light. It was no wonder why he was so perturbed.
In the mere time after it had just recently spoke from within the cloud, it had managed to conceal itself behind him and launch a sneak attack. Han Li was completely perplexed by this but the question soon faded from his mind. Now was not to the time to think of it.
He had no mind to chat with the silhouette and whistled once more. A small portion of the Gold Devouring Beetles separated themselves from the group and shot towards him. They were crawling all over his body, tearing away at the black threads.
Because his magic power was restricted, Han Li was only able to barely control the Gold Devouring Beetles by use of sound. He needed to set himself free before the enemy figured out a way to deal with his Gold Devouring Beetles. After all, the memory of the beetles’ Origin Qi being greatly damaged by the ghostly roars were still fresh in his mind. If such a thing were to occur again, it would be terrible.
At that moment, the barrier seemed to be rammed by a heavy object. After flickering with yellow light, the light barrier started to blur.
Han Li then indifferently glanced over. He saw the Bone Sage in midair, releasing his own attacks in coordination with the green silhouette’s attack.
The dark cloud continuously struck the light barrier with three-meter-wide masses of black Qi. It appeared that the barrier wouldn’t last for much longer.
A strange light stirred in Han Li’s eyes. He no longer paid attention to the Bone Sage’s assault and turned his gaze to the Gold Devouring Beetles that were blocking the flourishing green silhouette over forty meters away.
The Yin ghost threads on his body had already been torn nearly halfway through in that instant. Han Li could already feel his true essence and magic power slowly stir, causing him to involuntarily reveal a trace of joy.
Once his magic power returned to normal, he had many methods he could make use of.
At that moment, the green silhouette released a soft roar and started spinning its body. In a second, it had turned into a huge top spinning at great speed. It charged into the swarm of beetles and slowly inched closer to Han Li.
The ten thousand Gold Devouring Beetles continued to chase after it. Although a majority were quickly swatted away by the huge top, a small portion of them managed to cling onto it and slow it down.
When the other beetles saw this, they swarmed around it. A short moment later, the green silhouette had Gold Devouring Beetles crawling over its body and was no longer capable of spinning. It looked just like when they had devoured the grey ghost shadow previously.
Han Li was astonished. The green ghost’s suicidal action not only caused him to feel joy, but also great apprehension. What happened afterwards verified his suspicions.
In a breath’s time, the green shadow’s body that was being held down by the Gold Devouring Beetles started to inflate into a large sphere and glow with dazzling green radiance.
‘Not good!’ Han Li wanted to recall the Gold Devouring Beetles, but it was too late. The green sphere emitted a deafening bang and released an extremely cold aura that submerged all of the beetles.
The center of this explosion was shining with dazzling green radiance. Under it as cover, a fine wisp of green smoke shot out, quickly shooting towards the still bound Han Li.
“Your body will be mine!” With roaring laughter, the green thread flashed, transforming into a meter wide malevolent ghost head as it continued to charge towards him.
As the Bone Sage saw this from up above, he wore a slight smile. He immediately stopped his attacks, despite being only a few strikes away from breaking through it.
Han Li stared at the ghost head as it approached him with an icy, piercing gaze. When it arrived about three meters away from him, a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes and his body suddenly released a violent, baleful aura.
This violent, baleful aura appeared nearly tangible, and unexpectedly stopped the approaching ghost head from shock.
Han Li suddenly opened his mouth and shot a dense bolt of golden lightning, penetrating through the ghost head at point blank. The ghost head wailed in anguish and immediately turned into a ball of green Qi after being struck by the golden lightning. Furiously shrieking, it fled for its life.
Han Li wasn’t about to allow it to so easily escape. At that moment, his entire body was wildly re
leasing arcs of faint lightning. In an instant, the black threads had been thoroughly dispersed.
His body blurred without delay. After leaving behind several afterimages, he had chased down the green Qi.
Han Li expressionlessly raised his right hand and fiercely clutched the ball of Qi. Faint gold lightning sparked from his fingers and instantly erased the green Qi from existence, leaving a dark green crystal pearl in his grasp. It flickered with a strange brilliance as if it were alive.
Han Li indifferently looked at it for a moment before tightly closing his hand. The crystal pearl was then turned to ash from an arc of lightning.
Without a corporeal body, even the ghost king grade green shadow was destroyed in an instant by Han Li’s unrestrained use of the Divine Devilbane Lightning. Even Han Li himself was surprised by how easy it had been.
Then, Han Li raised his head and looked at the Bone Sage with an unphased expression, “Hand over the Ninecurl Spirit Ginseng to me and I will pretend as if nothing happened, and we will continue our cooperation. Otherwise, one of us will have to die!” Although Han Li’s tone was serene, the cold intent of his words caused the Bone Sage to wear a grotesque grimace.
The Bone Sage directly stared at Han Li for a long while before saying, “Good! Good! Good!”
Han Li unconsciously narrowed his eyes as he rigidly stared at him.
“Since he was unable to take over your body, his skill was insufficient. I will naturally cooperate with the victor. Take good care of the Ninecurl Spirit Ginseng.” The dark cloud concealing the Bone Sage disappeared to reveal his true body. He then flung a golden box at Han Li.
Chapter 453: Zenith Yin’s Intrusion
Han Li expressionlessly watched the box rebound off of the light barrier and fall to the ground outside. He didn’t have the slightest intention of releasing the restrictions. He only solemnly stared at the gold box in complete silence.
With his hands behind his back, the Bone Sage serenely spoke, “What? You fear that that the box is under the effect of ghost thread alterations? Relax. This old ghost has already given up. I can no longer act against you as I only have you left to assist me with Zenith Yin. The large number of Gold Lightning Bamboo magic treasures that are contained within your body were particularly outside of my expectations. They will prove to be extremely effective when dealing with Zenith Yin’s Profound Yin Arts. Harming you at this point would be harming myself.”
Han Li focused his sights on the Bone Sage. If he plotted against him once, he would naturally be willing to do it again for reasons still unknown. Although his words and actions were agreeable, it was best for him to remain vigilant.
With that thought, Han Li raised his arm and shot a slim arc of faint gold lightning, striking the gold box with shock. After swaying several times, no odd transformations had occurred.
Han Li let out a sigh of relief. If the box was transformed from something demonic, it would’ve undoubtedly shown a reaction.
With his heart at ease, he beckoned to the box and the gold case shot towards him. At that same moment, the light barrier flickered, allowing the gold box to pass through the in that instant.
Han Li saw that the Bone Sage still had yet to move with his spiritual sense and had somewhat relaxed. He then lowered his head to look at the gold box.
With a cold glint shining from his eyes, Han Li stared at the box in his hands, contemplating about something.
When the Bone Sage saw Han Li’s cautious appearance, he scoffed and leisurely watched from above without any intention of urging him.
Han Li then looked down at the avatar of the spirit ginseng, the white rabbit. It was motionlessly lying on the ground as if it were unconscious.
Han Li muttered to himself for a moment. Then without any further hesitation, he gently flipped the cover of the gold box, revealing a sudden azure light shining from the box. The box then fully opened the rest of the way by itself and revealed what was inside.
Han Li hastily focused his gaze on the small item before him. It was half a foot long and an earthy yellow with dry, wrinkled skin appearing like one would commonly expect from the roots of an old tree.
Han Li was speechless.
While Han Li was doubting whether this truly was the Ninecurl Spirit Ginseng or whether the Bone Sage had replaced some unknown item to dupe him with, the motionless rabbit that was lying on the ground suddenly leapt towards him as an orb of white light, shooting towards the roots in the golden box.
Han Li was initially surprised but he soon revealed joy.
The Ninecurl Spirit Ginseng’s white rabbit avatar’s sudden actions clearly revealed that this item was truly the Ninecurl Spirit Ginseng, causing him to feel assured.
However, Han Li wasn’t about to just ignore this avatar and allow it to fuse with its main body. He flicked his finger, striking the rabbit’s head with a streak an azure swordlight. It tumbled off a distance away.
But with its true body before its eyes, it leapt forward again with the entirety of its strength, completely unwilling to give up.
Han Li grew somewhat impatient. He immediately shot off an arc of lightning, thoroughly knocking out the white rabbit. A large patch of its fur had turned black.
Afterwards, Han Li reached in the direction of the white rabbit, causing it to fly into his hand. After taking a look at it, he decided to place it into the golden box.
Once the white rabbit avatar touched the body of the Ninecurl Spirit Ginseng, it merged into the ginseng with a flash of white light. Han Li then closed the lid and placed a minor restriction on it to prevent it from fleeing.
With that done, Han Li released a breath of true relief.
The Bone Sage’s inaction caused Han Li to feel relaxed, but it had increased his wariness as well.
After placing the golden box into his storage pouch, he calmly asked, “After Senior gave the Ninecurl Spirit Ginseng to this Junior, did he not fear that Junior would take it and run?”
The Bone Sage’s wandering gaze focused on Han Li. He unhurriedly said, “Run? Even with the ginseng, what would you think to do without the formula to refine it?”
Han Li frowned and thought about what else he should say.
The Bone Sage sneered and couldn’t help but explain, “Zenith Yin has already acted on your body. You can either be pursued to the ends of the earth or cooperate with me. Even if you left the Heavenvoid Hall with the spirit ginseng, Zenith Yin would later... hehe!”
“Acted on me?” Han Li’s expression momentarily changed. He didn’t believe that his body could be affected by something without his knowledge, given his immense spiritual sense.
The Bone Sage naturally guessed that Han Li doubted this and immediately smirked. But just as he was about to offer evidence, his expression abruptly changed, and he turned his gaze to the distance.
Han Li was baffled by this, but he immediately felt alarm swell in his mind. He couldn’t help but believe the old devil had sought to trick him.
But for some unknown reason, the Bone Sage hastily turned back around and said something that caused Han Li to immediately tense.
“Zenith Yin is coming. Most likely for you. You’re on your own! I am going to conceal myself.” The Bone Sage then turned into a dark cloud and flew off, disappearing in an instant.
Han Li was dumbstruck!
Just as he was pondering whether or not the Bone Sage spoke truthfully, he heard booming, ghostly wails from the horizon. A huge sea of dense black clouds imposingly covered the skies. It appeared that they were heading in this direction!
Han Li’s heart dropped!
This dark cloud possessed the astonishing pressure of the Profound Yin Arts. It was most likely that the person who was coming was Grandmaster Zenith Yin. Could it be true that Zenith Yin had schemed against him without his detection? How else could Grandmaster Zenith Yin have flown such a far distance towards him with complete accuracy.
At that moment, Han Li inwardly rained profanities at the Bone Sage. Wasn’t
he going on about wanting to cooperate with him to deal with Zenith Yin?! Now, he was left behind, abandoned with great speed. This caused Han Li to be beyond gloomy.
Now that he had hid, it was too late for Han Li. He could only brace himself to cope with this directly.
As Han Li remained inside the formations spell, the black clouds arrived above the forest in the blink of an eye and came to a sudden stop.
With this, Han Li no longer had any choice. He could only silently stare at the dark clouds with a tense heart. He believed that Zenith Yin wouldn’t kill him on sight and would be given a proper explanation of why Grandmaster Zenith Yin was so intent on pursuing him. After a long while of strenuous thinking, Han Li couldn’t figure out why he was being chased, much to his annoyance!
With that thought, Han Li recovered his calm state of mind and he attentively gazed at the black clouds, waiting for Zenith Yin to speak.
But contrary to his expectations, a cold snort came from the dark clouds and shot out a jet-black light beam towards the magic formation at a speed greater than lightning.
With a flash of yellow light, the light barrier was thoroughly destroyed with a deafening rupture. It was unable to hold for even a second.
Completely unobstructed, the black light beam directly struck at Han Li. Han Li’s face became deathly pale in an instant. His body blurred several times out of instinct and he dodged out of the way, appearing over a hundred meters away with an expression of furious alarm.
Han Li waved his arms without any further hesitation. Over a hundred huge ape puppets appeared around him. He then twirled several spirit beast pouches around him, having them lightly sway in front of him.
Han Li’s gaze grew ice-cold. Although he knew his chances of victory were pathetically small, if Zenith Yin truly wished to kill him, he still had to try his utmost! He was unwilling to resign himself to death!
At that same time, nine Bamboo Cloudswarm swords that were sealed in his body’s true essence began to stir.
Chapter 454: Enticement
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 246