But when Han Li quickly glanced over his shoulder, a cold smile appeared on his face. The gray ghost shadow behind him had already been largely devoured, its remaining third-size body now barely clinging to life. Even if it managed to escape now, it would surely be severely weakened and unable to participate in the battle any longer. Indeed, the Golden-Feeding Insect truly lives up to its ranking on the Unusual Insects List—not only does it consume spiritual energy, but it also readily feeds on the ghostly, fierce essences of the spirits, proving exceptionally fierce. Though the process is slightly slower than expected. As Han Li pondered, the tiger-like monster across from him, with its human-faced, tiger-headed form, first looked at Han Li, then at the other ghost shadow behind him, and finally at its own body, before emitting a most unpleasant, guttural series of laughter. The laughter began softly and grew steadily louder, continuous and unceasing, as if endless, shaking the nearby ghost mist into阵阵 waves of turbulence. At first, Han Li didn't take much notice, merely observing the tiger monster's movements with a calm, detached gaze. But within a short while, his face began to grow pale, and his expression grew serious. For the tiger spirit's laughter, instead of gradually fading as expected, grew stronger and more resonant, its tone deeper and more powerful. Even as Han Li employed the Dàyǎn Decision, tightly guarding his mind and spirit, he felt a dizzying sensation—like walking alone through a wilderness, with thunderous roars echoing constantly in his ears. Unfavorable! As Han Li carefully watched the tiger monster, a sudden thought struck him, and his face instantly turned pale. He quickly turned around, his heart sinking. To his astonishment, the gray spectral figure behind him had vanished completely. Meanwhile, the tens of thousands of golden-devouring insects lay scattered on the ground, weak and lifeless, occasionally trembling their wings, no longer displaying the vigorous energy they had shown earlier. As Han Li grew frustrated, he swiftly summoned several spirit-beast bags and swiftly collected the nearly lifeless insects into them. Only after enduring the deafening, bizarre laughter could he lift his head and glance briefly at the other combat group. What he saw there surprised him momentarily, then reassured him. The Purple Spirit Maiden and the cloaked figure were engaged in a lively struggle against the spectral creatures. Though the cloaked figure's cultivation level far surpassed that of the ghosts, his specific technique prevented him from gaining a decisive advantage. As for the Purple Spirit Maiden, she had merely concealed herself within the radiance of a single rectangular stone tablet, merely seeking to preserve her own safety. Their demeanor suggested they were completely unaffected by the laughter. This did indeed puzzle Han Li. Yet after a brief reflection, he found the reason clear: evidently, the dual-headed spirit creature attaching itself to the figures had confined the power of the laughter to a limited area, thus producing such remarkable impact. Even the golden insect that was immune to magical artifacts could not withstand the shock, falling off the ghostly figure in droves. This was due to both the fact that these spiritual insects had not yet fully advanced, and also demonstrated the remarkable power of the strange laughter. Had it not been for the extraordinary effect of the Dàyǎn Sect's technique in stabilizing his mind and soul, he would surely have lost his strength, his bones loose and muscles weak, and been helpless under the onslaught of the laughter! The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became. Now, Han Li was certain that even without reaching the Yuan'ing stage, this creature was at least as strong as, if not stronger than, a late-stage Jiadian cultivator. Could this indeed be the so-called Ghost King? Han Li found himself wondering. At that moment, seeing Han Li standing steadily and unmoved amidst the strange laughter, with an air of calm and composure, the monster finally ceased its laughter. Its four eerie eyes fixed upon him simultaneously. Han Li felt an uncomfortable sensation all over his body, yet he half-closed his eyes and met the gaze of the creature without hesitation. At that moment, a fragmented gray spectral figure burst forth from behind the opposing monster and shot straight toward the two-headed creature without pausing. Han Li was momentarily stunned, his gaze flickering. This spectral figure, now so damaged, had not only come back but also returned to face the two-headed monster—what could this mean? As Han Li pondered this, an unexpected development unfolded. The two-headed tiger demon flashed a sudden gleam in its eyes, then seized the gray spectral figure with one paw. With its black tiger head opening like a blood-filled maw, it swallowed the figure whole in just a few swift movements. Han Li watched in utter astonishment. But what followed quickly clarified his doubts. The monster roared loudly, and as its neck swelled with a sudden bulge, a second gray tiger head emerged from the other side of the human-faced head. This new tiger head bore the same human face, though the face was that of an ordinary, unremarkable woman. Han Li was momentarily stunned, but soon regained his composure. When the gray tiger-headed figure first appeared, her eyes were closed and her face pale, as though she had sustained serious injuries. However, not long after, she opened her eyes—blood-red and filled with intense malice—fixing her gaze on Han Li with such venom that it sent shivers down his spine and left him slightly chilled. At that moment, the man's head in the center roared fiercely and then strode steadily and proudly toward Han Li. With each step, a flash of black light surged from its body, causing it to grow larger by several inches. After just a dozen or so steps, the creature had expanded several times its original size, towering like a two- or three-story pavilion, which left Han Li visibly alarmed. Without further thought, Han Li raised both hands, and a hundred large ape puppets materialized around him. Then, simultaneously, each of the giant apes extended both arms, sending out dense, slender beams of light that poured across the sky in a continuous, shimmering cascade. Then Han Li pointed again at the great jade sword floating in the air. The sword, woven into the beam of light, surged forward as a long, dazzling arc of brilliant iridescence, cutting with such powerful momentum that it seemed determined to sever the tiger demon into several pieces. In a flash, it broke through the barriers of ghost flames and light spheres, advancing with unstoppable momentum, protected by numerous puppeted giant apes. A spiraling motion centered on the creature's waist was then poised to crush it to death as the light flickered once more. Yet Han Li was left stunned. For at that very moment, all three of the monster's heads roared simultaneously. Then, with a speed imperceptible to the human eye, two tiger-like paws, broad as fans, swiftly swept forward and caught the great sword in mid-air—grasping it entirely with bare hands. These furry tiger paws seemed utterly unafraid of the sword's sharp, brilliant light. Watching the great sword tremble and struggle constantly between the monster's massive hands, yet unable to free itself, Han Li almost thought he had gone blind. Though the green bamboo-honeyed swords had only been refined for a short time and still hadn't fully revealed their might, to simply hold them in their hands with two palms seemed utterly incredible. Could it be that the other two claws have been enchanted with divine artifacts? Han Li found himself thinking this strangely. The monster, having secured Han Li's flying sword, now displayed three stern and fierce faces. The central head, in particular, grinned with a grim expression, then opened its mouth to unleash a thick, dark, black qi stream—wide enough to fill a large bowl—that struck directly at the struggling sword, gradually eroding its vibrant green luminescence. Seeing this, Han Li's heart plummeted. These three monsters were so resolute and powerful, their cultivation depth seemingly incalculable. If he continued to engage them, he would surely suffer a defeat. He had to take risks and resolve this swiftly. With this thought, Han Li turned his gaze back toward the other battlefield. The black-robed figure and Zi Ling were fully absorbed in their struggle against the spectral ghosts, leaving no room to attend to this area. Upon observing this, a flicker of surprise passed through Han Li's eyes, and he slowly turned back to face the scene. The monster's two side heads were still vigorously engaging its puppet giant ape, while the middle head desperately spewed out black mist, attempting to soil his green bamboo honey-silk sword. Han Li's murderous intent surged! Upon silently exclaiming, "You're dead," he immediately pressed both hands into an unusual sword gesture and pointed firmly at the flying sword, aiming it straight into the void.