Only after completing all these tasks did Han Li feel at ease. He then withdrew the gray small sword scroll artifact and settled into a meditative posture, beginning to cast spells with the intention of activating the artifact as swiftly as possible to launch an attack on his opponent. At that moment, the "Senior Lu" on the other side finally gathered sufficient spiritual energy on the Qing Jiao banner and launched a relentless barrage of attacks. He stopped waving the banner and suddenly pointed its tip directly at Han Li. Instantly, several dozen crescent-shaped blue wind blades surged forth from the tip, rushing toward Han Li with a whistling sound. These wind blades were moving at such speed that they had just been at the "Senior Lu's" side a moment ago, yet in the blink of an eye, they had already reached Han Li's position. Indeed, wind-based spells were no ordinary affair—these attacks moved significantly faster than spells of other elemental types. Had Han Li not prepared adequate defensive measures in advance, he would have had no time to react and would have been sliced into a dozen pieces by these blades. Just as Han Li was astonished, the wind blades collided fiercely with the outer layer of the steel ring, emitting a continuous flash of bright green and yellow light and a series of sharp "pffft!" sounds. When the light finally faded, dozens of intersecting grooves, each several cun long, had appeared on the previously smooth outer surface of the steel ring, rendering the artifact visibly damaged and fragmented. Fortunately, the artifact had been continuously rotating during the attack, which prevented the wind blades from striking the same area repeatedly—otherwise, it would have been completely shattered. This outcome came as a surprise to both Han Li and his senior, Lu. Han Li had expected that although the steel ring artifact wasn't specifically designed for defense, it was genuinely a top-tier piece, with exceptional material quality. Yet, mere wind blades had managed to slice it into pieces, nearly destroying it entirely, leaving him deeply concerned about whether he could withstand the opponent's subsequent assaults. Lu, however, was even more stunned. The Azure Serpent Banner is no ordinary artifact among the top-tier items—it was painstakingly obtained through countless efforts and sacrifices, specifically tailored to complement the master's spiritual essence. This artifact doesn't merely effortlessly cast simple spells like wind blades; it absorbs ambient qi, thereby amplifying every wind-based attack emanating from the banner. Thus, although the wind blades displayed during the attack appeared to be mere basic, lower-tier spells, each one actually possessed the power equivalent to a mid-tier spell. In other words, what seemed like a straightforward assault was in fact a concentrated barrage of over a dozen mid-tier spells—yet even so, it failed to breach the outermost giant ring. How could the "Lu senior" fail to feel deeply alarmed and grow even more wary of Han Li! While both Han Li and the "Lu senior" had sensed each other's formidable strength, their subsequent actions diverged significantly. Han Li, still striving to maintain the power of his spiritual artifact and unwilling to give up midway, knew that the incoming assault would undoubtedly be sharp and precise, yet he could only grit his teeth and persevere. Even more astute was Lu, who, upon observing Han Li's steady posture—from the initial defensive stance to the current offensive conclusion—realized that the latter was clearly preparing a decisive move, either a high-level spell or a powerful artifact. Thus, without hesitation, Lu poured a surge of spiritual energy into the great banner in his hands, sharply striking its tip toward Han Li and launching a continuous stream of slender, jade-green wind blades toward the opponent. Though these blades were smaller in size, their relentless continuity created a long, flowing surge of jade-green energy. The powerful momentum surged forward, causing renewed and intense collisions between the jade and yellow light. This time, the steel ring before Han Li only lasted for a brief moment before suddenly emitting a deep, resonant boom. The golden light dispersed, and the superior-grade steel ring finally succumbed, shattered into fragments by the dense stream of wind blades. Without the obstruction of the ring, the wind blades surged forward unimpeded, only to be met and halted by another top-tier artifact—the Xuanyi Shield, which had been waiting patiently. A renewed clash of dark and azure light then erupted. The Xuanyi Shield differed significantly from the steel ring. First, in rank, it was one level above—the shield belonged to the same elite tier as the Qingjiao Flag, a rare artifact not possessed by many in the immortal realm. The steel ring, though superior, was merely a first-tier artifact; while not common, it was not something only the wealthy could afford, and thus was somewhat less rare. Secondly, although this iron shield possesses no offensive capabilities, it is a specialized defensive artifact, and its defensive power far surpasses that of the steel rings—neither vague nor mediocre. Not only is it thick and solid, but it also bears several specialized defensive spells upon its surface, greatly enhancing its defensive strength. As a result, the seemingly frantic streams of dozens or even hundreds of wind blades, which appeared to be a relentless assault, were effortlessly intercepted by the iron shield hovering before Han Li, much like a rock standing firm in a rushing current. Emitting a steady, cold, dark glow, the shield remained motionless and unyielding, exuding an air of ample confidence and resilience. With such vast spiritual power supporting it, the azure light on the Qingshui Banner became even more brilliant, as if a bright azure sun had risen in the night, so radiant that it could not be gazed upon directly. As for "Master Lu," having lost a tremendous amount of inner energy, his face was pale, yet his expression remained fiercely determined. It was clear he understood that time was on his side and was now preparing to unleash his final, decisive move. With a low roar, Master Lu pressed his hands firmly, launching the Qingshui Banner skyward with a "whoosh," then swiftly flicked his fingers, forming seals, and with a quick point of his finger at the banner, he roared, "Jiao Hua!" Instantly, the banner radiated brilliant light, its azure glow shimmering, transforming into a massive azure dragon several dozen zhang long, vividly lifelike, with its jaws open and limbs outstretched, perfectly matching the dragon embroidered upon the banner itself. "Go!" Land师兄 showed no hesitation, merely waving his hand. The azure dragon immediately opened its massive maw and charged straight at Han Li. A thunderous clash rang out—"clang!"—the dragon's head drove squarely into the iron shield. The azure and black light flared simultaneously, seeming evenly matched. Yet soon, the black glow on the shield began to fade rapidly, dimming visibly until it grew faint. As the shield seemed destined to meet the same fate as the previous enchanted artifact, a clear, cool voice emerged from behind it. "Retreat!" Instantly, the shield shrank and swiftly receded. With this, the dragon's momentum surged, tailing closely behind and pressing relentlessly, determined to engulf Han Li and the shield entirely. At that moment, however, a luminous, hazy glow of several dozen feet in length suddenly rose from Han Li, who had been seated in meditation, forming a great sword-like shape. This beam held firm, meeting the dragon's head with equal strength, and the two began to intertwine in a fierce contest. In the air, the emerald glow alternately suppressed the gray radiance, and then the gray radiance in turn overpowered the emerald glow, creating a deadlock for a moment. The iron shield, having returned to its original palm-sized form, fell into Han Li's hands and was instantly stored in his storage pouch. At that point, he had to draw upon all his inner energy to command and direct the magical artifacts for attacks, leaving no strength to summon the shield again. This time, the gray radiance manifested by the artifact was clearly far more powerful than when it had first defeated the yellow-robed figure—its sword-like brilliance alone revealed a strength at least three or four times greater. Indeed, when the artifact was in the hands of the golden-robed figure, it only extended to a length of a few feet. When Han Li first practiced manipulating it, it grew to several feet long. But upon refining his own cultivation and successfully defeating the yellow-robed figure, the artifact once again expanded to a length of one zhang. Now, Han Li's spiritual power has reached eleven layers. When he activates this seal artifact, not only does it expand in length—now stretching to two or three zhang—but its form also subtly takes on the shape of a great sword, radiating brilliant light and shimmering crystal glimmers, exuding an impressive and awe-inspiring presence. Without such a transformation, the artifact might not have been able to withstand the fierce assaults of the malevolent jiao dragon formed from the Qing Jiao Flag. This demonstrates that the power of a seal artifact depends not only on the strength of the divine artifact it contains, but also significantly on the depth of the cultivator's spiritual mastery. The more profound one's spiritual power, the more fully the artifact's potential can be realized. Han Li, while commanding the gray light and the Qing Jiao dragon in combat, suddenly found himself distracted, wondering: when he finally achieves foundation cultivation, what form will this artifact take upon activation?