Several cultivators who had been deeply annoyed by their companions' abrupt departure now found their complaints silenced entirely. After exchanging glances, they realized that although they had been in a most unfavorable position just moments before, they hadn't actually felt much concern—beyond some frustration. They all believed that even if they couldn't defeat these mechanical puppets, escaping into the air would surely be a straightforward matter! But now, the fate of the fleeing cultivator had instantly shattered their confidence. With so many protective spells and a defensive artifact in hand, he had still failed to withstand the slightest impact from the beam—how could they not be stunned by this? Moreover, the more seasoned cultivators, especially those who had reached the Foundation Stage, were truly terrified of death! After all, they had managed to live longer than ordinary people, and sometimes even longer—how could they bear to die so easily? Yet that beam—so thick and powerful—it was truly overwhelming. If the light beam had not been aimed directly at the fleeing cultivators, but instead at their protective shields, they would have truly been uncertain whether they could have held on. The more these cultivators thought about it, the more panicked they became, and the more they felt compelled to retreat. Yet now, even if they wished to withdraw, the opponents would not easily yield once they had gained the upper hand—leaving them caught between a rock and a hard place. High above, concealed within the cloud masses, Han Li was startled by the sheer power of the colossal light beam, his body shivering with cold, and he grew increasingly hesitant to make himself visible. Though he was not entirely eager to simply leave, he trusted that his newly acquired Shenfeng Boat, with its superior speed, would allow him to escape even if discovered. Thus, Han Li remained suspended in the air, observing the entire scene. Nevertheless, the vibrant, jade-red cloud formation that had manifested from his magical artifacts remained conspicuously visible above the cultivators and the puppets. Fortunately, when Han Li was flying the small boat, he had raised its altitude to an exceptionally high level, placing it over a hundred zhang above the ground. Thus, so far, no surrounded cultivator or the operator of the puppets within the forest had detected him. Han Li knew, however, that this could not be a sustainable strategy—should he simply dispel the cloud formation, he would become even more conspicuous in the sky. Moreover, the top-tier artifact "Qinghuo Zhan" crafted from the two dragon's eyes not only concealed his form, making it difficult for others to pinpoint his exact location, but also contained residual elixir from the Black Dragon mixed within the mist. This caused anyone who inadvertently came into contact with the mist to feel dizzy and gradually succumb to poisoning without realizing it. Such a dual-purpose artifact—both protective and capable of subtly undermining opponents—Han Li could not afford to overlook. In a moment of urgency, Han Li suddenly noticed a gray, low-lying cloud floating not far above him. At once, he felt a surge of joy and began to slowly move toward it. Finally, he simply slipped both himself and his protective cloud mist entirely into the opening. Now, Han Li's presence was completely concealed! With no worries behind him, he could finally focus on observing the combat unfolding on the ground. Clearly, that mighty light beam had instantly shattered the confidence of these several Jianji-level cultivators. Though they still deployed their various artifacts, appearing to fight vigorously, to Han Li's eyes, their power seemed significantly weaker than it had been at the beginning. It was plain that they now each harbored their own intentions and no longer wished to cooperate fully against the enemy. As Han Li was silently shaking his head, an older cultivator within the protective sphere suddenly realized the situation and shouted loudly toward the forest: "Are you truly determined to eliminate us all? We are disciples from several prominent sects of Yuanwu Nation. Should you kill us, you would simultaneously offend the entire cultivation community of Yuanwu Nation—and surely risk your own lives?" "Hmm! Risk of death? "If you'd said this before I had killed the cultivator who tried to flee, I might have considered it. But now that one has already perished, it makes no difference whether I offend one or many. Why not eliminate them all? Perhaps no one will even know of this at all!" "We have absolutely no ill will! As long as you are willing to lay down your arms and come to terms, we solemnly promise to keep this matter completely confidential!" The younger cultivator hurriedly swore his oath. "Hmph! Oaths? I don't believe a word of it! You've been shadowing me for so long, acting so secretive, yet claim to have no malice—do you expect me to invite you to dinner? Besides, I'm not originally from your Yuanwu Kingdom. Even if I offend your cultivation circles, what difference does it make? Do you intend to go back to the headquarters of the Thousand Bamboo Sect to seek redress? If so, I must truly admire the courage of your senior monks and masters!" A stiff, unmistakably familiar voice echoed from deep within the forest, one that resonated strangely with Han Li. "Is it him?" Han Li was somewhat surprised, thinking to himself. The voice matched perfectly—indeed, it was the tall man who had purchased the puppet mechanical beasts at the auction! From their conversation, it was clear that these several individuals had quietly followed him since the auction concluded, hoping to uncover the secrets of the puppet beasts through less-than-honorable means. Who would have thought that this man from the Qianzhen Sect had already sensed their intentions and had cleverly set a trap, effectively trapping them all here alive. "You all have fought hard," the first speaker remarked, clearly not a dull mind, and immediately rallied the others to fight to the death against this man. "But do you have the right to fight me? You can't even defeat my puppet subordinates—what's the point of fighting at all? I've had enough of playing games with you all. Let's just send you off now!" Though the tall man's voice remained stiff, the undercurrent of deadly intent in his words was unmistakable. As soon as the man spoke, a sudden rumble of the ground echoed from within the forest, followed by a series of heavy, resonant footsteps that gradually approached from the forest outward, causing the cultivators inside the barrier and韩立 in the sky to exchange puzzled glances, unsure of what had happened. Though the footsteps were heavy, they moved with remarkable speed, and in a moment's time, they reached the edge of the forest—now everyone could see clearly. A colossal puppet tiger, standing about five to six zhang tall, emerged from between the trees. Sitting atop the massive tiger's head was a broad-shouldered man still wearing his cloak. Upon seeing this immense creature, several cultivators were quietly astonished, immediately recalling the towering light column they had just witnessed—clearly the breath or exhalation of this beast. As soon as the man appeared, he said nothing, simply giving a firm clap on the tiger's head. Instantly, the puppet tiger slowly opened its jaws, and white light points began to gather and form within its massive mouth. Meanwhile, the other puppets attacking the barrier immediately halted, retreating in perfect unison several steps! The cultivators naturally sensed that things were not going well and, almost simultaneously, extended their hands, pressing firmly against the barrier—the very thing that had saved their lives! While everyone had the intention of breaking free and flying away, the precedent set here made no one dare to act prematurely. A massive white light column reappeared. This time, through the combined efforts of several cultivators, the super column managed to withstand the impact, pushing against the barrier and establishing a tense standoff. Though Han Li was high above, his exceptional observation allowed him to clearly see that the cultivators' faces did not light up with joy upon successfully withstanding the assault. Instead, as their vital spiritual energies flowed into the barrier, their faces grew increasingly pale. Nevertheless, Han Li was confident that such a powerful attack could not last long—it would surely pass soon. These cultivators within the protective dome clearly understood this principle, hence they all gritted their teeth and struggled desperately! Indeed, the light column only lasted for a brief moment before gradually thinning out and vanishing into the tiger's maw! Only then did the survivors of the ordeal exhale in relief, lifting their hands from the dome and finally relaxing. Yet, the sturdy man saw this and sneered. He suddenly opened a hidden door on the tiger's skull, then raised his hand, throwing in a mid-tier fire-type spiritual stone. Instantly, the previously extinguished white light within the tiger's mouth flared back up. The cultivators on the opposite side were utterly stunned by this sight. Han Li, in particular, could hardly believe his eyes, deeply impressed by this seemingly wasteful move—where the puppet tiger seemed to consume a mid-tier spiritual stone with every full-force strike. Han Li had no words to offer. This wasn't a battle at all—it was simply a relentless barrage of spiritual stones being thrown at these cultivators. Clearly, the Qianzhu Sect from afar was truly prosperous, with an abundance of spiritual stones! While Han Li was deep in thought, the several cultivators who had previously been united and coordinated finally scattered in disarray under the overwhelming threat. With their remaining spiritual energies dwindling, they could only prolong their lives a little longer—either early or late death—so it was more reliable to each follow their own fate and flee separately. Indeed, the sturdy man directed his giant tiger, having it advance and retreat in turn, and used powerful beams of light to sweep down two of them at once. Their fates were much the same as the first—one equally tragic and utterly blackened. (Finally corrected—here it is, ready to send out!)