The two clashed violently, sending devastating shockwaves proliferating outward in all directions, causing the entire heavens to tremor and quake.
Both Han Li and the burly man shuddered as they took several involuntary steps backward. As opposed to being alarmed by this, the excitement on the burly man's face only grew more pronounced, and he let loose a loud roar as he abruptly tossed his mace up into the air, then made a rapid string of hand seals before pointing a finger up at the weapon.
The devilish flames on the surface of the mace instantly reared up before transforming into eight green fiery wyrms that pounced directly toward Han Li. Each wyrm was over 300 feet in length with a single purple horn on each of their heads and green flames surging out of their mouths.
Han Li immediately made a hand seal upon seeing this, and the azure sword projections around him converged to form a massive sword at his behest before sweeping through the air.
A resounding thunderclap rang out as countless golden arcs of lightning erupted out of the giant sword in a frenzy. The eight fiery wyrms were instantly sliced in half by the massive sword, then reduced to devilish flames again by the formidable golden lightning.
In the next instant, the giant azure sword vanished into thin air before instantly reappearing directly above the burly man's head amid a burst of spatial fluctuations.
The sword was over 1,000 feet in length with golden lightning revolving all over its surface, and as it crashed down from above, a burst of enormous invisible pressure began to descend upon the burly man.
In response, the burly man's expression darkened slightly as brilliant crimson light suddenly appeared over one of his arms, and he swept the arm upward to conjure up a dazzling crimson sun. The giant azure sword was instantly destroyed amid a resounding boom, and it seemed that this crimson light was imbued with some kind of incredible power.
Han Li's eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing this, and he suddenly made a grabbing motion with both hands. Azure light flashed within his grasp, and two azure sword projections appeared before combining to form a giant azure sword again.
He flicked his wrists, and the massive sword in his hands split up into 72 small swords once again before revolving around his body.
The burly man chuckled coldly, and the dazzling crimson light on his arm faded as a piece of strange crimson armor appeared over his entire arm.
The piece of armor had intricate patterns on its surface that were identical to the crimson patterns previously seen on his arm, as if the armor had been manifested from those patterns in the first place.
It was quite alarming to Han Li that such a nondescript-looking piece of armor was able to destroy the giant sword projection he had unleashed so easily.
All of a sudden, the burly man pointed a finger forward once again, and the green devilish flames surged before transforming into a giant eight-headed devilish wyrm projection. The massive projection encompassed virtually the entire sky, and it pounced directly toward Han Li, aiming to tear his body into shreds.
In the face of such a ferocious counterattack, Han Li remained completely expressionless and didn't even move in the slightest. However, a golden pillar of light suddenly erupted into the air behind him, and within the pillar of light was a projection with three heads and six arms.
The projection swung its six arms through the air, and a series of golden fist projections immediately hurtled through the air, completely destroying the oncoming devilish wyrm.
The golden light then faded, and the devilish projection gained a substantial form as it hovered high above Han Li's head, appraising the burly man up ahead in a completely expressionless manner.
The burly man faltered initially upon seeing this before a hint of bloodlust flashed through his eyes. "Oh? This golden body seems to be related to the cultivation arts of our holy race. Looks like I really will be able to enjoy a good battle here!"
As soon as his voice trailed off, countless balls of inky-black devilish Qi surfaced all over his body, and the crimson patterns on his skin instantly began to glow.
After the black Qi dispersed, a full suit of crimson armor had appeared over the burly man's body.
He threw his head back and guffawed as he slammed his own fists together in front of himself, and a devilish projection that was around 100 feet tall appeared behind him as well.
Immediately thereafter, the burly man abruptly vanished amid a gust of fierce winds, and Han Li's pupils instantly contracted upon seeing this as a pair of translucent wings appeared on his back amid a loud thunderclap.
He flapped the wings gently, and countless silver arcs of lightning sprang forth, following which he and the Provenance Golden Body vanished into thin air as well.
In the next instant, two humanoid figures emerged nearby, and one of them had fearsome lightning crackling all over his body, while the other was enveloped in a cloud of formidable devilish Qi.
Both of them were simultaneous cultivators with immense confidence in their own physical bodies, and a string of violent clashes ensued.
Not only were Han Li and the burly man engaged in a physical brawl, they were also attacking one another with different treasures and abilities, and they seemed to be evenly matched.
The white-robed elderly man and Buddhist Monk Jin Yue were both stunned and ecstatic to see this.
They already had a very high opinion of Han Li, but they didn't think that he would actually have the power to contend with this burly devilish man.
In contrast with the elation in their eyes, the Xue Guang clone's expression darkened even further, and a vicious light flashed through his eyes as he suddenly raised a hand to release something.
However, right at this moment, a white light formation abruptly emerged beneath him before immediately releasing a burst of spatial fluctuations.
"Crap!"
The Xue Guang clone had the knowledge and experience of a Grand Ascension Stage powerful being, and it immediately tried to rush out of the formation, but it was already too late.
The space around him warped, and the surrounding environment changed drastically as he found himself in a strange space that was filled with faint white mist.
Within the same space, the white-robed elderly man and Buddhist Monk Jin Yue were appraising him with grim expressions.
"Hmph, you two dare to try and stop me? So be it, I'll take care of both of you, then go after that Han brat," the Xue Guang clone said as a hint of killing intent flashed through his cold eyes.
The white-robed elderly man turned to Buddhist Monk Jin Yue with a calm expression, and said, "Looks like we'll really have to give it our all here, Fellow Daoist Jin. If you have any abilities or treasures that you've been hiding, now would be the time to bring them out. Either he dies in here, or we die!"
"Of course. I'm going to keep this devil here even if I have to give my life to do so!" Buddhist Monk Jin Yue said with a determined look in his eyes.
"Haha, that's all I needed to hear," the white-robed elderly man chortled as he suddenly flipped his hands over to reveal a pair of treasures.
One of them was a fan refined from seven-colored feathers that was glowing with red light, while the other was a string of five shimmering silver interconnected rings.
"Sevenflame Fan and Unbroken Rings! You really are hiding some powerful spirit treasures, Brother Gu!" Buddhist Monk Jin Yue's eyes immediately lit up with elation at the sight of these two treasures.
Immediately thereafter, he swept his own kasaya through the air to release a torrent of countless Buddhist runes, which then transformed into 18 golden Buddha projections.
Chapter 2003: Devastating Strike
Initially, these Buddha projections were only just barely visible, but mere moments later, all of them attained substantial forms amid a flash of golden light.
"Golden bodies! No, those are only crude replicas." The Xue Guang clone was initially quite alarmed to see these Buddha projections, but a derisive smile then quickly appeared on his face.
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"Even if they're only golden body replicas, 18 of them is more than enough to vanquish a devil like you!" Buddhist Monk Jin Yue said as he abruptly made a hand seal, and a seven-colored halo that was several tens of feet in size appeared behind his head.
The seven-colored halo swept over the 18 golden Buddha projections, and all of them opened their eyes as if they had sprung to life.
Xue Guang's expression darkened upon seeing this, and he laid a hand onto the back of his own head without any hesitation, upon which a giant crimson skull emerged amid a sharp ringing sound.
The skull was around 50 to 60 feet in size, and there were countless wisps of grey Qi revolving around it. As soon as it appeared, it let loose a ferocious roar and released an astonishing baleful aura.
The white-robed elderly man immediately flapped his Sevenflame Fan toward the distance and also tossed the five shimmering Unbroken Rings forward at the same time.
The Sevenflame Fan was the spirit treasure that inspired the creation of the replica Triflame Fan, which Han Li had used back in the human world.
That spirit treasure replica had helped him overcome countless powerful enemies in the past, and the spirit treasure itself was naturally even more formidable.
A rumbling boom rang out as countless crimson runes swept forth from the surface of the fan, then transformed into a crimson fiery bird that was around 100 feet in size.
The fiery bird flapped its wings, and seven-colored flames surged forth from its body, filling the entire heavens with a scorching aura as the flames swept toward the Xue Guang clone.
As for the five silver rings, in the instant that they were tossed forward, they transformed into five giant rings that were arranged into a line next to one another. It was as if five silver full moons had appeared in the sky, and they descended in unison.
Meanwhile, Buddhist Monk Jin Yue had also sprung into action, chanting a profound incantation that caused the 18 golden Buddha projections to vanish in a flash.
In the next instant, golden light flashed around the Xue Guang clone, and the Buddha projections re-emerged in a completely silent manner. Even though they weren't doing anything, bursts of tremendous invisible force were converging toward Xue Guang from all sides.
Xue Guang harrumphed coldly as a crimson devilish cloud emerged from his body, and he swept his sleeves through the air, sending countless balls of crimson light flying in all directions. At the same time, the crimson skull behind him blurred before hurtling directly toward the fiery bird as a projection.
Thus, a fierce battle ensued between the Xue Guang clone and the pair of Body Integration Stage elders.
......
A rumbling boom akin to an explosive thunderclap rang out, and Han Li's mountains were wrenched out of his grasp while his body was forced back for over 100 feet before he managed to just barely steady himself. A slightly abnormal flush appeared on his face, then disappeared in a flash, and at the same time, the burly devilish man had also been forced back for over 100 feet.
Meanwhile, Han Li's golden body was engaged in a ferocious battle against a mountainous inky-black monster.
Golden light intertwined with black Qi amid a string of rumbling explosions, but both the Provenance Golden Body and the mountainous black monster were able to shrug off each other's attacks with ease. At most, they would be forced back for a short distance before immediately pouncing toward their opponent again, and it was as if they both possessed indestructible bodies.
"Not bad! This is the first time I've encountered someone who's able to match the power of my physical body. However, if this is the extent of your power, then there's no point in continuing this," the burly man said as he flexed his faintly throbbing wrists. The insanity on his face had already disappeared and had been replaced by a frosty expression.
"Don't you think you're spewing too much manure out of that big mouth of yours?" Han Li countered in an expressionless manner as he circulated his own enormous spiritual power, and the slight discomfort he was experiencing was instantly alleviated.
"Hmph, I was trying to allow you to live for a bit longer; seeing as you're uninterested in accepting my generosity, I'll send you on your way!" the burly man guffawed as the devilish projection behind him instantly adopted a substantial form, revealing itself to be a massive three-headed devilish lion.
As soon as the projection attained a substantial body, its aura was significantly enhanced, and a layer of crimson flames instantly appeared over the surface of the burly man's suit of armor.
The burly man then chuckled coldly as he slowly raised his hands before pointing his fingers toward Han Li and slowly closing his eyes.
Meanwhile, the three heads of the devilish lion slowly opened their eyes, casting their gaze toward Han Li in a completely emotionless manner.
Han Li was immediately struck by a bone-chilling sensation upon seeing this, and he hurriedly made a hand seal, upon which the Provenance Golden Body that was locked in combat with the black monster in the distance abruptly vanished. At the same time, his body swelled drastically in size, and he instantly transformed into a giant golden ape that was over 100 feet tall.
Golden light flashed behind the giant ape, and the golden body appeared before combining as one with the golden ape. As a result, the golden ape's aura was significantly enhanced, and two mountains, one black and one azure, also appeared beside it.
Right at this moment, crimson light flashed from the hands of the burly man, and two extremely dense pillars of crimson light erupted forth. The devilish lion behind him also opened its three mouths to expel three pillars of light, which were azure, black, and white in color.
After just a single flash, the five pillars of light combined as one mid-flight to form an even thicker pillar of four-colored light.
The pillar of light wasn't releasing any sound at all, but the terrifying power imbued within it made even Han Li shudder with apprehension. He immediately placed his hands onto the two mountains beside him, then injected his magic power into them in a frenzy.
The pair of mountains swayed before swelling to several thousand feet in size, forming a massive barricade in front of Han Li.
In the next instant, the four-colored pillar of light struck the pair of mountains with tremendous force, and an earth-shattering boom rang out as a burst of four-colored light rose to over 10,000 feet tall, then completely inundated both of the mountains in its path, as well as the giant ape behind the mountains.
Within the four-colored light, the two extreme mountains rapidly shrank as their surfaces warped and twisted, and they both vanished within the span of just a few breaths.
Without the barricade formed by the two extreme mountains, the fearsome four-colored light was free to surge directly toward Han Li.
The giant golden ape immediately let loose a thunderous roar as a suit of black devilish armor appeared over its body, and the suit of armor released countless black runes, which formed a giant black light barrier that kept the torrent of four-colored light at bay.
A string of resounding booms rang out as the black light barrier strained and groaned, looking as if it could collapse at any moment.
The golden ape let loose another ferocious roar as golden light swirled over its body, and it swelled to over 10 times its original size. At the same time, two more heads and four additional arms appeared on its body amid a flash of golden light, transforming it into a colossal ape with three heads and six arms. As soon as the transformation was complete, Han Li made a grabbing motion upward with all six of his hands, and six balls of piercing golden light emerged in unison before combining as one to form a golden vortex that was around an acre in size.
The golden vortex rotated on the spot, releasing a burst of tremendous power that clashed in a vicious manner with the sea of four-colored light.
Another deafening boom rang out, and powerful shockwaves swept forth in all directions, causing the nearby space to twist and warp, as if it were about to be torn apart.
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nbsp; The burly man's expression changed slightly upon seeing this, and he immediately withdrew the pillars of crimson light being released by his hands.
Furthermore, his face had paled slightly in the wake of that attack, seemingly indicating that he had expended a lot of energy to unleash it.
At the same time, the three-headed devilish lion also closed all three of its mouths to cease its attacks, and the light in its six eyes had dimmed significantly as well.
However, after the dazzling lights faded to reveal what lay in the distance, a look of astonishment appeared on the burly man's face for the first time.
The giant golden ape was still standing, making a series of hand seals with its six hands. Not only had the massive golden vortex in front of it not disappeared, it had swelled to over 10 times its original size, and golden halos were being released from its center.
"That attack I just unleashed was about as powerful as a casual strike from a Grand Ascension Stage being; it seems I really did underestimate you," the burly man said with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
"It would be rude not to reciprocate, so why don't you take one of my attacks as well?" Han Li said in a cold voice as he made a grabbing motion with all six of his hands, and the giant vortex was rapidly compressed into a head-sized ball of golden light.
Han Li then abruptly stepped forward, and his enormous body instantly vanished alongside the golden ball of light.
The burly man's pupils contracted upon seeing this, and he immediately looked up, just in time to see Han Li reappear above him amid a flash of golden light before hurling the golden ball of light viciously downward from above.
Chapter 2004: Black Sun
The golden ball of light wasn't very large, but as soon as it was hurled through the air, it instantly reverted back into a giant vortex that came crashing down toward the burly man.
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 1156