Gazing at the mist below, Han Li's pupils flashed with a blue glow, and his gaze instantly pierced through the gray haze. With a simple flick of his sleeve, a strong wind surged forth from the sleeve, sweeping the mist into turbulent rolls and finally clearing half of it. The scene below soon became visible. Indeed, there was a small pond there, covering only about a hundred paces in area. A few dozen low, uneven trees stood scattered not far—no more than ten paces—away from the pond, most of which differed from the surrounding decaying leaf trees. Several of these trees were uniformly dark green, each bearing a peculiar, dark, fist-sized fruit at the tips of their branches. The fruit's surface was extremely rough, with countless fine fissures opening up, and within, a subtle flow of dark energy seemed to pulse in and out. Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly and recalled the details. Indeed, the description in the ancient texts matched the fruits perfectly. Not only Han Li, but everyone else had also noticed these fruits, and each of them smiled in satisfaction. "Lei Shishi didn't miss a thing—indeed, it is the Mingyan Fruit," Bai Bi said, beaming with delight. "Harvest the ripe ones. It seems sufficient for us." Han Li gazed at the scene once more, then spoke slowly and calmly, his demeanor neither hurried nor anxious. "If the people of Chirong Clan intend to ambush us on the third floor, let them wait!" Lei Lan added with a light, teasing tone. Clearly, she was in high spirits. Qin Xiao was equally delighted. Just as the three were about to descend and begin harvesting, Han Li suddenly grew serious. Without turning around, he raised his arm and pressed firmly against a spot of emptiness behind him. A sharp crack echoed! Suddenly, a massive, five-colored hand materialized in mid-air, reaching down and grasping with unwavering force. An astonishing scene unfolded! The empty space enveloped by the five-colored hand flashed with blood, and instantly, a blood-colored hand emerged, facing it directly and advancing in opposition. "Boom!" The five fingers collided, and amidst the mingling of bloodlight and five-colored flame, they flashed and then instantly dispersed. "Hmm." "Interesting!" Two distinct, soft exclamations were uttered simultaneously. The one who uttered "Hmm" was Han Li, who had turned his head to witness the scene. The one who spoke was a cluster of blood mist that appeared at the site where the blood-covered hand had manifested. Within the mist, a tall human silhouette was faintly visible. "Who are you, and why do you appear so hesitant?" Han Li stared intently at the mist, speaking each word with a crisp, stern tone. "A灵将-level being can detect me—this indeed seems to be a matter of concern," the figure in the mist murmured, chuckling softly as if to himself. "Send the three of you down to retrieve the Yin-Yan Fruit. Hand over the others to me." Han Li's gaze shifted, and with a firm gesture, he issued his command to the three slightly hesitant members of the Lei Lan group. "Yes!" "Understood!" "Brother Han, be careful!" Though they could not discern the strength of the figures within the blood mist, upon seeing Han Li's serious demeanor, their hearts suddenly tightened, and they quickly replied. Then, together, the three of them activated their flight spells and descended toward the冥焰 fruit located at the lower end. "Now that you're interested in those fruit below," said the figure in the blood mist, scanning swiftly over Lei Lan, Bai Bi, and the others, "they may not be particularly valuable, but they're far from easy to obtain." Han Li was struck by this remark, and immediately summoned his spiritual awareness to speak to Bai Bi and the others—only to find that it was too late. A tremendous roar followed by a sudden surge of water waves erupted from below, and then several pink tentacles broke through the ripples, sweeping outward, while countless water arrows shot forth in dense succession. When Bai Bi and the others had just landed at the edge of the pond, they were startled by this sudden display. The冥焰 fruit, situated behind them, could not afford to move easily. Faced with this situation, the three of them had no choice but to summon their respective powers and endure the onslaught. One figure rubbed his hands together, releasing several thick silver arcs; another emitted countless golden threads interweaving from before him, while Qin Xiao simply opened his mouth, spewing out a broad expanse of green light. The three divine powers converged, immediately colliding with the tendrils and water arrows. A thunderous roar followed, shaking Li Lan and her companions, who were forced to step back several paces. Under the onslaught of so many attacks, several tendrils turned blackened and others tore apart, their flesh splattered and flying in all directions. A deep, painful roar echoed from the pond, and then the waves surged upward, revealing a large brown creature resembling an octopus rising from the depths. Its green, strange eyes fixed on the shore, while several tendrils, each towering ten li high, surged out from the water, waving and extending with powerful strength, making the onlookers feel intimidated. Dense clusters of blue down covered the creature's massive head. With each movement of its tendrils, a sharp, space-shattering sound resonated. What made Lei Lan and the others even more exasperated was that the injured tentacles, after a flash of blue light, instantly healed and fused together, returning to their original condition. This creature showed no intention of stopping. Having long claimed the area around the pond as its own, it now raised its head and roared with a fierce, almost mad intensity. With several tentacles sweeping out, it suddenly released sheets of blue light that surged directly toward the three of them. To secure the Mingyan fruit, Lei Lan and his companions were determined not to retreat, and each of them responded with a strong cry, summoning their own powers to meet the assault. The resulting thunderclaps rang continuously, plunging the three and the creature into a fierce struggle. Meanwhile, Han Li drew his gaze back, maintaining a calm expression, showing no sign of concern. Though the creature was formidable, given enough time, it would surely not be a match for Lei Lan and the other three holy princes. This particular one, however, clearly posed a serious threat and required careful attention. "What is your relationship with the blood puppet that appeared earlier?" Han Li stared at his opponent and suddenly asked, "Heh, blood puppet! So the old blood monster has already sent someone over. They should have been defeated by you, right? Well, well! It seems worth my trip after all." A cold laugh echoed through the blood shadow, yet he didn't answer Han Li's question at all. Han Li frowned, and the various flying swords within him stirred with eager anticipation. But at that moment, a sharp, piercing sound suddenly rang out from the other side, making Han Li's ears ache momentarily. Han Li was startled, still trying to make sense of what was happening, when a sudden gust of cold wind swept past his face. A blood-thin needle, no thicker than a hair, shot forth from the space just inches away and struck precisely at his brow. At such close range, Han Li had absolutely no time to react. The needle flashed through the air and, like a ghost, embedded itself into his face. The figure in the blood mist moved slightly at the corner of her mouth, a grim smile forming. This skill—this move—had allowed her to defeat countless strong opponents without ever failing. A sharp metallic clink rang out as the fine needle struck the steel plate, bouncing off with a swift, lively motion, as if impaled. Han Li's face paled; with a slight blur in his arm, he reached forward and caught the needle in his hand. Yet, just as the figure's smile began to emerge from the blood mist, it froze. "Can your body withstand my Blood River Meditative Needle?" the figure in the mist seemed still incredulous. Han Li said nothing, merely slowly releasing five needles before him. The needle danced and quivered in his palm, as though alive. Yet patches of vibrant five-colored flames bloomed on his palm, holding the needle firmly in place, preventing it from moving even an inch. Han Li's face grew grim, even turning pale; an intense cold swirled continuously within him. This unexpected assault had truly brought him close to the brink of death—only to return him safely. Had it not been for his immensely strong physical form, surpassing even his peers among the immortal beasts, with his skin and bones more resilient than ordinary artifacts, any human cultivator in his place would have perished instantly. Even so, it still left him drenched in cold sweat. The sensation of narrowly escaping death—so close to the edge of life—hadn't occurred to him in many years. The figure within the blood mist was no less stunned than Han Li. He had never encountered so many opponents with such formidable physical strength, and now he began to doubt whether Han Li was truly a Flying Spirit race being, rather than a powerful beast transformed into human form. His own expression likewise fluctuated between calm and uneasy. At that very moment, Han Li slowly raised his hand, and as a flash of unusual light passed through his eyes, he suddenly emitted a sharp, cold exhalation. The figure in the blood mist felt as though his mind had been struck by a sharp spike, a sudden, intense pain piercing through him. Though this creature's spirit and form were powerful, surpassing those of ordinary beasts of the same rank, it still could not help but stagger, its body trembling with pain, nearly bowing down immediately. At the very same moment, the faint clarity remaining in its consciousness sensed a gentle breeze brushing against its back, followed by a sudden, piercing cold that surged toward its waist. Startled, the creature tried to evade, but its spirit was searingly painful, rendering its limbs sluggish and uncoordinated—there was no time to react. It could only emit a low cry, and suddenly a brilliant surge of blood radiated from its body, forming a uniquely shaped, silvery-scale armor that instantly enveloped it completely, shielding it from wind and rain. At the very moment he launched his stunning piercing strike, he simultaneously activated the power of Wind and Thunder Wings, using the technique of Wind Style to instantly materialize as a gentle breeze and arrive at this spot, then swiftly delivering a sword strike toward the blood mist. Unexpectedly, the opponent remained alert enough to deploy an odd, scaled armor that successfully withstood the sharpness of the Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword. What kind of armor is this—so remarkably resilient? Han Li was genuinely astonished. "You're dead!" In that instant, the figure within the blood mist fully recovered from the piercing strike. Han Li's own sword had left it equally shaken, and in a state of shock and fury, it turned around and, with a sudden opening of its mouth, unleashed a surge of blood-colored light. Yet Han Li did not intend to absorb this blow directly; instead, he merely shook his wings behind him, vanishing into the pale electric glow. A moment later, a thunderous rumble echoed where Han Li had stood, and he reappeared precisely at that spot. His expression remained calm and composed, as if he had never left the place at all. At that moment, a low cry echoed from across, and the blood mist swirled and gradually settled, revealing the true form of the figure across. It turned out to be a crimson immortal creature with a dragon's head and human body! "Blood Dragon!" Han Li's eyes narrowed. (Second update) ------------ Need your monthly vote!