Indeed, it matched Han Li's earlier expectations. Once these two Level-Transcendent-level puppets unleashed their full power, the nearby soldiers and the dual-headed eagles could hardly stand against them—many were reduced to several severed segments of corpses. These two puppets, seemingly crafted from some unique material, exhibited remarkable resilience: whether subjected to the claws of the giant eagles or struck by various beams of light, the impacts consistently bounced off. Even when several Immortal-level figures deployed their precious artifacts, the effects were merely superficial, leaving only shallow marks. Yet the Jiaochi people appeared well-prepared for this development, showing no signs of panic. Instead, many soldiers suddenly struck their waists, unleashing cascades of five-colored light halos that spiraled toward the long-haired foreigner. Before the soldiers even reached him, these halos transformed into expansive nets, rushing headlong to envelop him. The Jiaochi people evidently had the foreigner firmly in their sights, aiming for a capture. Han Li, observing this scene, was deeply astonished. But at that moment, the long-haired foreigner emitted a cold sigh, suddenly stepping on one foot of the flying vessel beneath him. Instantly, the precious artifact flashed with light, and a thick yellow glow instantly enveloped it. Then, with a series of hand gestures, as if activating a specific technique, the light shield began to resonate. Cracking sounds erupted across the shield, and delicate white electric arcs emerged. As soon as the great nets descended, they were violently repelled by these arcs and burst into scattered streams of luminous light. Before the infantry could react, the long-haired foreigner flipped his hands, producing two golden, disc-like magical devices resembling shields, which he then hurled into the air. The two devices shot forth with a roaring sound. The infantry stationed around were startled, carefully observing them. After a graceful spiral, the two golden devices turned and shot back toward the foreigner. Everyone was momentarily stunned. A deep rumble followed, and the two shields collided directly upon the long-haired foreigner’s body, exploding into a brilliant golden radiance. With the figures of the foreign beings suddenly vanishing, a golden sphere of about one zhang in diameter appeared in their place. The sphere shone with a brilliant, lustrous light, as if forged entirely of pure gold, its surface etched with dense, intricate runes that gave an eerie impression. A strange creaking sound followed, and suddenly, numerous blades of a zhang's length emerged from the sphere's surface, sharp and evenly spaced. As the sphere moved, it rolled into the crowd, leaving a series of trailing shadows. Though it seemed unremarkable in appearance, anyone struck by or brushing against the armored soldiers instantly shattered into four or five pieces, unable to withstand the impact at all. Even attacks that landed directly on the sphere were deflected and sent flying due to its rapid rotation. In a moment, the golden sphere joined forces with the horse-shaped automaton, both moving in the same direction. As for the initial monstrous lion automaton, it followed closely behind, continuously spewing fiery balls from its mouth, most of them aimed directly at the higher-positioned double-headed eagle, preventing them from descending. Together, their attacks were exceptionally sharp. In the blink of an eye, nearly a hundred infantry and giant eagles were eliminated around them, pushing the trio to the edge of the battlefield where they seemed poised to break free and escape the encirclement. Suddenly, one of the Angel-Crane clan's cultivators at the Divine Form level roared with fierce intensity. The infantry originally surrounding the long-haired foreigners and the puppets immediately halted, then retreated in all directions. The twin-headed giant eagles circling above also seemed driven by an unseen force, scattering in a sudden commotion. A vast expanse of nearly a hundred zhang opened up immediately around the golden sphere and the two puppets. The long-haired foreigner concealed within the golden sphere was momentarily stunned. At that very moment, the two war vessels overhead began to move. Hundreds of crystal pillars beneath the war vessels simultaneously brightened, and a dense stream of milky-white light columns erupted in unison. Instantly, the entire open area was enveloped in brilliant white light, accompanied by deafening bursts of explosions. At that moment, the golden sphere and the two puppets caught in the assault were all submerged in the white light. Seizing the opportunity, the infantrymen and giant eagles repositioned their formations around the area, completely encircling it. The attacks from the two war vessels could not last long and soon ceased. After the white glow within the encirclement faded and the scene became clear once again, Han Li also narrowed his eyes and focused his attention. He observed that at the very center of the encircling formation, a massive blue umbrella had appeared—over ten tens of zhang in diameter, shimmering with luminous energy. Below the umbrella, a half-body of a tall, hair-covered foreigner had emerged from the golden sphere. The foreigner frowned, his gaze constantly scanning the surroundings, a subtle sense of anxiety visible on his brow. The other two puppets, closely adjacent to the golden sphere, remained completely undamaged. This time, the hair-covered foreigner seemed determined to act without further delay. With a low command, he raised his hand and gestured toward the sky. The massive umbrella suddenly shrunk dramatically, flashing with brilliant light, and reduced to a few inches in size, settling into the warrior's palm. Then, as his body twisted, the upper half of his form vanished instantly, retracted back into the golden sphere. At the same time, the horse-shaped and lion-like puppet figures moved swiftly, charging forth once more. The battle erupted anew—almost identical to the previous scene. The surrounding infantry and giant eagles still struggled to withstand the relentless charges of the two puppets and the golden sphere. In short order, nearly half of them fell. It seemed once again that the long-haired foreigners would break through the encirclement. Yet suddenly, the lion puppet's fire ball paused mid-way, failing to erupt. Its body flashed with red light several times, and all seven of its heads bowed simultaneously, then remained motionless in place. The nearby soldiers were first startled, then quickly filled with joy. Immediately, several of them raised their hands, and a radiant glow swept past, instantly forming several large nets that completely enclosed the lion puppet beneath them. Then several infantry soldiers pulled together and forcibly captured the entire puppet. Without the shield of the strange lion puppet, the great eagles in the sky lost all hesitation, descending in a rush, their wings flapping wildly. Thick gusts of wind, slicing through the air with sharp crackling sounds, shot down toward the golden sphere, causing its golden glow to tremble and its rolling speed to slow noticeably. As a result, the long-haired foreign warrior found himself once again encircled, losing his chance to escape. Worse still, the horse-bodied puppet, though having held out just a little longer than the previous ones, suddenly lost its ability to move and was swiftly seized by the Jiaochi people. In a matter of moments, despite its remarkable defensive strength, the golden sphere, now surrounded by the various blade attacks and wind-blade strikes from the infantry and the eagles, began to dim in radiance, showing signs of weakening. Han Li watched this, and sighed softly. The long-haired outsider could command spirit-beasts whose cultivation levels were several stages higher than his own, and had managed to endure so long under such heavy encirclement—clearly someone of considerable standing. However, given the current situation, it seemed he had truly nowhere to go; capture was only a matter of time. Though he didn't understand why the Jiaochi clan members seemed determined to seize him alive, he had no intention of exposing himself or drawing unnecessary complications. At once, he moved his body subtly, preparing to slip away quietly. Though he did not know how the outsiders could have detected his presence, such an open and direct revelation of his whereabouts surely suggested no good intentions. And indeed, the events unfolded exactly as he had anticipated. Upon hearing the words, one of the leading angle-chi people suddenly raised his hand, and immediately several armored soldiers, each accompanied by over a dozen double-headed giant eagles, set off toward the small mountain where he had taken refuge. These people had no clear method or means, yet in an instant they had located him near the great tree. The angle-chi people and the giant eagles, hovering in the sky, looked around in growing confusion. With a slight twitch of his lips, Han Li felt his body becoming increasingly difficult to conceal, though he remained undaunted. With their relatively low levels of cultivation, how could these angle-chi people and their giant eagles pose any real threat to him? The only real concern was the two war vessels. Nevertheless, despite this, being so openly exposed by the long-haired outsiders, he naturally felt a sense of irritation. After a flash of stern expression, suddenly his sleeve trembled, launching dozens of small swords, each a few inches long, in a burst. Instantly, these swords vanished—transforming into strands of emerald silk that dissolved into the void. At the same moment, a series of sharp "shush" sounds erupted. Strands of silk materialized above the armored soldiers of the Jiaochi tribe and near the giant eagles, glowing briefly. In an instant, the armored soldiers and the two-headed giant eagles shattered into fragments, their bodies turning into a downpour of blood. Then, Han Li stepped into view beneath the great tree, a thunderclap echoing behind him as a pair of feathered wings unfolded. With a single flap of his wings, Han Li vanished into the wind. A moment later, within the midst of the Jiaochi armored soldiers encircling the long-haired foreigner, another thunderclap resonated. As flashes of pale-blue lightning danced, Han Li suddenly materialized in an odd, unexpected manner. He pressed his palms together in a series of gestures, and seventy-two strands of silk shot forth from various parts of his body. Then, with another set of hand gestures, all the strands In an instant, the sky shimmered with jade-like glimmers, and the sound of rushing air echoed throughout a hundred paces. Among the thirty-some armored soldiers and the dual-headed giant eagle in this area, cries of agony rang on and on, and within just a few breaths, they all fell from the sky one after another. No one could withstand a single strike from Han Li's sword filaments. After a brief moment, there were no enemies left within Han Li's immediate vicinity. The other armored soldiers of the Jiao Chi people only then regained their composure, their faces filled with astonishment, and instinctively retreated further away. Yet Han Li showed no intention of stopping. With a flick of his sleeve, two dark shadows shot out from his mouth simultaneously. After a flash of golden and black light, a small beast resembling a leopard and a black monkey about a foot tall appeared in the sky nearby. "Engage them! Eliminate every last one! None to be spared!" Han Li roared, his face blazing with fierce determination.