Han Li concealed himself within the sword array, observing this scene. Indeed, the opponent was no ordinary cultivator of the combined body stage—while immersed in the array, he could still communicate with and exert strong pressure on such vast amounts of celestial and primordial energies. However, this was largely due to the significant gap in their cultivation levels. If they were of comparable stages, Han Li could effortlessly disperse these gathered celestial and primordial energies simply by leveraging his own stage-based strength. After all, dispersing such energies is far easier than summoning them. This is precisely why cultivators at the Lingxu stage and beyond rarely directly invoke celestial and primordial energies to attack their opponents. Even when they do so, the energies painstakingly gathered often fall into the opponent's hands, especially when the stage gap is narrow, resulting in a loss of advantage. Occasionally, such invocations do occur, but typically only when the cultivator needs to activate a grand technique and their own internal energy reserves are insufficient, thus resorting to drawing upon celestial and primordial energies as supplementary support. Under these circumstances, either someone beside him provides support, or the divine technique he employs has a dedicated set of practices that can lock in the summoned heavenly and earthly qi, making it less susceptible to being seized by others. However, when someone truly commits themselves without reservation to mobilize celestial forces to attack their opponent, even those capable of drawing power over hundreds or even thousands of li typically only activate qi over a few dozen li, aiming to minimize casting time and ensure the stability of their control. Currently, seeing that Mr. Tu's cultivation level is significantly lower than his own, he feels free to deploy such a large volume of heavenly and earthly qi against the sword formation with such unrestrained vigor. This strategy naturally leaves Han Li deeply frustrated. Yet, back in the past, when Qingyuan Zi, at the Lingxu stage, could match and even overcome beings at the Héti stage, he had developed specific countermeasures against direct assaults on the celestial qi. After taking a deep breath, Han Li swiftly flicked his fingers, rapidly inscribing a series of hand seals that seemed to pour into the sword formation without any regard for the cost of spiritual energy. Meanwhile, under the combined pressure of the fiery pillars within and the external celestial and terrestrial energies, the jade-blue light screen of the Qing Jian Array flashed violently several times, and the sword lights on its outer edge, previously deeply embedded in the qi, suddenly vanished mid-flash. As the screen, compressed and stretched by the celestial and terrestrial qi, began to expand and contract, the lotus blossoms suddenly unfurled their petals and spun rapidly. In a moment, glowing, jade-green vortices emerged on the surface of the screen. The thick, viscous celestial and terrestrial qi poured into these vortices in a surge. Within an instant, the array absorbed one-tenth to one-fifteenth of the compressed qi. The screen, which had been trembling, instantly regained its thickness and stability. The elder within the array, who had been actively channeling wind and fire energies to surge across the screen, immediately sensed the sudden shift in the external celestial and terrestrial energies. He was startled, utterly surprised that the Qing Jian Array possessed such an extraordinary and subtle ability. Then, the celestial and terrestrial vital energies he gathered would only strengthen the sword formation's power. In rage, the elder didn't even think—just roared aloud. The sword formation trembled, its hums intensifying. The celestial and terrestrial vital energies gathered outside the formation surged with thunderous noise, then were instantly scattered by a strange, spontaneously emerging wind. With so many vital energies absorbed, the jade-green light curtain now shimmered almost emerald, thick and dense—far surpassing its former state. By gathering these energies himself, he had inadvertently bolstered his opponent's strength. How could such a ridiculous turn of events not make the other members of the clan laugh? In his fury, the elder coldly chuckled three times. Then, he raised his hand and lightly struck his own forehead, and a swirling beam of red, yellow, and white luminous light erupted, momentarily revealing a vast, indistinct silhouette. Before Han Li could fully examine the true form of this spectral figure, the figure lunged directly at the elder's body and instantly fused itself upon it. Tu Xing, the elderly man, let out a long, resonant roar. His previously refined features instantly turned ashen and monstrous under the flashing radiance. His frame suddenly expanded to six or seven zhang in height, with red tines sprouting from his brows and cheeks, growing to half a foot long. Crimson scales began to ripple across his skin. In an instant, the elder had transformed into a terrifying creature akin to a demon. He grinned fiercely, then flipped his hands. One hand produced a small, pale golden banner, its surface veiled in swirling mist of fire. The other hand revealed an odd, bluish-tinged satchel. Both objects were thrown into the air without hesitation, and immediately, a strange, incomprehensible incantation erupted from the elder's mouth. As the banner swayed, streams of pale golden flames burst forth from its surface. Meanwhile, the satchel inflated and then expelled a gust of bluish sand and dust. And as the elder spoke, a cloud of fresh, blood-red flame erupted from his mouth. When the three elements converged, they fused seamlessly with the fiery pillars wreaking havoc within the sword formation. In an instant, the red, blue, and golden lights intertwined, then transformed into a unified wind-fire power. This force erupted with a thunderous might that shook the very heavens. Seeing the situation growing dire, Han Li continuously activated various transformations of the Chunli Sword Formation, unleashing a series of powerful illusions. Yet no matter what forms he conjured, they were all swiftly extinguished beneath the sweeping force of the tri-color wind-fire energy. The strength of the Chunli Sword Formation simply could not withstand this onslaught. The azure light shield, under relentless assaults from the wind-fire energy, began flickering between light and darkness. Han Li drew in a sharp breath of astonishment. While part of his alarm stemmed from the tri-color wind-fire power, the other half arose from the blue cloth bag that the elder, after transforming, had drawn forth. This treasure seemed remarkably familiar to him, as if it were the legendary divine artifact known as the "Heavenly Bag of Chaos," mentioned in the annals of the Chaotic Immortal Rankings. Though it ranked mid-tier among the many divine artifacts on that list, it possessed several extraordinary powers not found in other treasures, earning it a solid reputation. Years ago, it once came into the hands of a powerful human cultivator, only to vanish mysteriously after that cultivator's unexpected demise. At the time, many high-level cultivators had thoroughly searched both human and elven realms, yet found not a single trace. How could it now have ended up in the hands of the Jiao Chi clan of the Lei Ming continent? Han Li found himself deeply puzzled. Yet, after a moment's thought, he suddenly exhaled softly, his expression turning once again to one of surprise and doubt. According to the accounts, the Heavenly Bag of Chaos was far more powerful than the mere capabilities demonstrated in the sword formation. Could it be merely a replica? Or had he misjudged it—perhaps it was a similar, though distinct, kind of divine artifact? Han Li couldn't be certain which judgment was correct, but this was not a moment for detailed reflection. As the sword formation began to falter, Han Li narrowed his eyes and a streak of cold light flashed. It was said that Qingyuan Zi could use this sword formation to counter beings at the Consolidated Stage—this was likely true. However, it probably stemmed from the fact that Qingyuan Zi had long specialized in refining the higher layers of the Qingyuan Sword Technique, allowing him to harness twelve-tenths of the formation's full power. Han Li himself possessed a refined version of the Qingzhun Fengyun Sword, yet his cultivation techniques were not specifically tailored for this sword formation. As a result, several of his most potent techniques, which could have been decisive, remained inoperable. Thus, after securing the elder before him, the sword formation now clearly showed signs of being overwhelmed. Nevertheless, having absorbed so much celestial and primordial qi, the formation seemed to possess a powerful technique—something that could now be勉强 brought to bear. Han Li's eyes sparkled, and suddenly a thought came to him. This technique was exceptionally potent; once activated, whether or not it proved effective, the sword formation Yet, under the current circumstances, there seemed little choice but to give it a try. Should this prove ineffective, he would have to resort to several of Jingze's Twelve Transformations, engaging the elder in a full-scale battle. Should that still fail, he still held several scrolls and the Gold-Eating Insects as backup reserves. Thus, despite having fought the elder—a Consolidation Stage initial—since the beginning, he remained remarkably composed. At that very moment, Han Li began muttering to himself. Suddenly, an astonishing scene unfolded within the sword formation. High above, the azure light screen briefly blurred, then suddenly sprouted a vine-like plant that plunged straight into the screen, hanging downward. When it first appeared, the vine was only a few inches long, but within moments, it rapidly expanded to several zhang in length, growing at a speed clearly visible to the eye. As the vines swiftly curved and spiraled, they soon bloomed and bore fruit, forming a small, dewy green gourd right before the elder’s astonished gaze. The gourd was only palm-sized, appearing quite ordinary at first sight. But at that moment, the Qinglian on the light screen trembled simultaneously, spewing out countless sword-like shadows each a few inches long. In a flash, they densely vanished into the gourd. Suddenly, a clear green sword seal emerged on the surface of the gourd. Initially faint and nearly invisible, it became remarkably distinct and shimmered with vibrant five-toned light as large amounts of five-colored light glimmers flowed into the gourd through the vines. Though the elderly man named Tu did not know the nature of this miraculous ability, the gourd's unusual appearance naturally stirred deep concern within him. Without hesitation, he extended one large hand and reached out, palm to the empty space before the gourd. Instantly, a surge of tri-colored wind and fire energy from the sword array rolled and transformed into a tri-colored hand, charging boldly toward the gourd. If the gourd had been merely ordinary, the formidable strength previously displayed by the tri-colored wind and fire energy would have likely obliterated the gourd's vines without direct contact, simply by the force of its reach. But at that very instant, a faint character "Cut" suddenly resonated from the heavens, spoken by Han Li. The gourd spun smoothly, then abruptly reversed; as its light rippled and flowed, it suddenly expelled a blade of light, about a foot long. The blade shimmered with five hues, and various symbols and characters floated and flickered around it. At the same time, the gourd and the vines dissolved into scattered points of luminous light and vanished. The blade flashed once, then expanded into a massive blade, stretching over a zhang in length. This great blade then moved through the air, making a mere incision with its three-colored hands—silent and unobtrusive, as though it had no force at all. Yet, without any prior sign, the three-colored hands instantly split into two and exploded with a thunderous "boom." The great blade then gently shifted its direction, precisely aiming at the elder who had transformed nearby. The elder with the surname Tu gasped, his face instantly turning pale! ------------ The moon is now halfway through—please help me reach the next month's support!