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Chapter 695: Making a Move

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The old woman pointed a finger at the faint light and shadow in the air. Instantly, a flash of red and white light erupted, and the Thunder-Fire Lance arrived at the blue crystalline wall before her, striking it with unwavering force. A deep, resonant boom echoed, and the electric arcs and blazing flames burst outward, completely engulfing the surface of the wall, obscuring what lay within. Seeing this, Han Li's eyes narrowed slightly. Though he had not personally felt the power of the Thunder-Fire Lance, the current flow of spiritual energy clearly indicated that its strength was truly extraordinary. That explained why Dai Lady had been so confident in proposing this trial. "Yet, against the Supreme Divine Seal, merely this kind of skill might still be insufficient..." Before Han Li could finish his thought, the power of the Thunder-Fire Lance had already dissipated. The lance gently hovered a few inches in front of the wall, yet the crystalline surface remained undisturbed, showing not a single crack. At the southern Lu侯's face, a hint of disappointment appeared, yet he smiled and said, "Though this treasure's power is considerable, it still falls short of breaking the Tai Miao Divine Seal. Thank you, Daoist Tai! Now, let's see what other Daoists possess that might be able to dispel this seal." "Hmph! What did I say earlier? Isn't this precisely the true power of this treasure? I merely tested it with a preliminary strike. It seems we truly have to fully activate it to make any headway." The elder woman seemed slightly embarrassed, and gave a dismissive sigh. "Oh! If Daoist Tai has any further means at her disposal, please go ahead and demonstrate!" The southern Lu侯's eyes brightened, and a pleased expression spread across his face. Upon hearing this, the elder woman said nothing further. Immediately, she pressed her palms together in a series of gestures, and the previously floating and motionless lightning-fire spear suddenly transformed into a concentrated beam, re-launching itself toward her own head. Then, under the impetus of the woman's command, the lightning and flame began to spin into the air, accelerating rapidly, with the lightning and flames gradually intertwining and emitting a strange, low humming sound. Seeing this, everyone else became more alert, fixing their gaze without blinking. Soon, the electric arcs and red flames of the lightning-flame spear seemed truly fused into a single entity, transforming into an eerie, crimson electric arc that continuously leapt and flashed across the already blurred, ethereal surface of the spear, appearing most unusual. At this sight, Han Li felt a sudden inspiration, his expression growing thoughtful as a faint connection formed in his mind. The others, too, were visibly astonished, significantly raising their estimates of the spear's power. At that moment, the woman with the surname Tai uttered the character "pò." The sound of "Zi la" tore through the air, shattering the nearly invisible cone of thunder and flame spinning with such intensity that it appeared almost impossible to see. Carrying an odd, crimson arc of electricity, it vanished upon movement and reappeared, striking the same crystalline wall once more. This time, there was no burst of thunder and flame—only a soft "pffft" sound. With the aid of its high-speed rotation and the crimson electrical arcs, the cone encountered only slight resistance from the crystal wall's surface before truly plunging into it. Once inside, though its speed diminished significantly, it continued to spin vigorously under the old woman's spell and advanced steadily. Both the white-robed elder and Nanlong Marquis expressed clear surprise. Meanwhile, Wang Tiangu and the Yuan-family cultivator, among others, had their eyes flashing with anticipation and tension—uncertain whether they hoped the old woman would succeed in breaking the seal or whether they feared a complete failure. Upon seeing this, Han Li silently chuckled, slightly lifting the corner of his mouth, a subtle hint of contempt barely visible. Han Li's expression had gone unnoticed by others, yet was caught by Yan Ru Yan's casual glance. At that moment, the young woman was momentarily startled, a hint of bewilderment flickering in her bright eyes. The lightning spear, which had penetrated the crystal wall by a few feet, finally met its end. Though the wall had appeared unchanged and seemingly stable, it suddenly burst forth with a brilliant blue glow. Then, to everyone's astonishment, countless fine, glowing white filaments emerged from within the wall, swiftly ensnaring the advancing spear with numerous strands. As these filaments flashed and tightened, they exerted a powerful pull. A tremendous roar echoed—crackling and exploding—the spear shattered instantly, its light fading and vanishing in a flash, leaving the wall once again serene. The old woman gasped, her face turning pale, then her expression turned one of shock and intense anger. This lightning spear had been a rare treasure, painstakingly secured by her—how could it be destroyed so easily? How could she not feel profound sorrow and regret? At that moment, the old woman felt a sudden warmth in her chest, as if she were about to expel a whole cup of blood. Everyone else stared in astonishment, their hearts pounding with awe. Among them, Yan Ruqian glanced at Han Li again, her eyes flashing with surprise, her face now showing a thoughtful expression. Fortunately, the old woman was no ordinary person. After several red-and-white flushes across her deeply wrinkled face, she managed to draw a deep breath and calm the surging surge of energy within her. "This truly has been a source of embarrassment for our esteemed guests. The Too-Majestic Divine Seal truly ranks among the Ten Ancient Seals. I must admit, I am unable to break it. However, given the vast powers of the other guests, perhaps there is another way to overcome this seal!" She turned slightly, offering a wry smile as she spoke. After saying this, she stepped back a few paces, clearly signaling her resignation. The southern land governor had long since lost his initial joy. Upon hearing this, he could only sigh, saying, "Tai's efforts have fallen short—what a pity. Is there any other guest willing to attempt it?" "After saying this, Nanlong Marquis deliberately glanced at Wang Tiangu and the others. After all, Wang Tiangu's reputation as a master of array techniques was truly well-established within the immortal realm. Yet, following the sight of the woman's precious artifacts being destroyed, the initial enthusiasm of the others had completely faded. Who would dare to risk their treasures in such a perilous endeavor, when there was already a living example right before them? Wang Tiangu stood quietly in one corner of the hall, silent and composed. He knew well that although he had some understanding of ancient array techniques, he had never encountered or even heard of such a high-level restriction as the Ten Ancient Seals—let alone the methods to dissolve them. Thus, he naturally felt no need to step forward and appear unimpressive. But at that moment, the one who had remained silent throughout—Han Li—spoke calmly. 'As for me, I may not be particularly skilled,' Han Li said casually, 'but I would like to give it a try. I wonder if my two esteemed colleagues would be willing to join me?' The moment he spoke, both Wang Tiangu and the elderly man with the cloud surname were taken aback. Nanlong Hou was visibly surprised, yet spoke with full conviction, "Of course! Master Han, go ahead and try!" Han didn't hesitate, stepping forward several paces and positioning himself directly in front of the crystalline wall that the old woman had failed to breach. Wang Chan, standing behind Wang Tiangu, was stunned, her eyes beneath the mask flashing a cold glance and a hint of scorn. Suddenly, she murmured a few words to Yan Ruxian beside her. Yan Ruxian listened attentively but made no outward reaction—her expression remained calm and indifferent, as though unconcerned. As for Wang Tiangu, though his demeanor remained composed, he had no faith in Han's ability to break through this seal. Standing before the crystal wall, Han did not immediately act. Instead, he raised his hand and extended a single finger. With a subtle adjustment of his inner qi, a slender streak of jade-green light sprang forth from his fingertip. The light flashed once, sweeping across the surface of the crystal wall—but it made no difference at all. The blue jade wall remained as intact as ever. Han Li did not lose heart; instead, he enveloped the entire palm in a layer of emerald spiritual energy. Then, he gently spread his fingers apart and pressed the palm against the crystalline wall. He remained completely still, as if sensing something profound. Han Li's unusual actions puzzled the cultivators behind him, who had been intently observing him, now growing increasingly curious. Yet no one approached to interrupt him. Unaware of this, Han Li, facing away from them, had subtle blue glimmers dancing in his pupils, gazing deep into the crystal wall as though struggling to discern something hidden. This focused examination lasted for half a minute—though no one on the other side showed impatience, nor did any of them speak to urge him on. At that moment, Han Li exhaled deeply, and the blue light in his eyes faded away. Without hesitation, he struck his waist pouch with a single hand, then flipped his palm, bringing out a large pile of items. Upon seeing this, everyone was taken aback—there stood over a dozen array flags of varying colors. What was this for? "Master Han, it seems you are also well-versed in the art of arrays—perhaps you intend to use one array to break another? Have you, perhaps, always recognized the subtleties of the Tai Miao Shen Jin?" the robed elder, after a moment of pause, asked with growing earnestness. "Far from being particularly insightful into its intricacies—though I have indeed studied several ancient array formations in the past. Let us just give it a try!" Han replied calmly. Yet, as soon as he opened his mouth, he exhaled a stream of clear, refined qi from his hands. A flash of light caused all the array flags to rise from his grasp, and with a mere mental command, their tips were precisely aligned with the surface of the crystalline wall, hovering motionless in the air.