The entire Heavenly Blossom Realm was affected by the anomaly of the blossom trees, with floating petal shadows multiplying nearly by half. As they swayed wildly, they coalesced into numerous palm-sized pink crystalline shields, forming a protective barrier behind which all the onlookers were safely sheltered. After taking a deep breath, Han Li's three-headed giant ape form emitted a resonant hum from the silver patterns on its body surface, and waves of vibrant five-colored light surged forth, flowing through its six arms and rushing into the Heavenly Sky-Soul Sword. The emerald-long sword resonated softly, with a row of silver characters glowing brilliantly, so intense that they nearly blinded onlookers. When all the light subsided, the sword had grown to over ten zhang in length, and the silver characters on its surface now twisted and pulsed dynamically, appearing almost alive. With a low command, Han Li's giant ape swiftly and clearly slashed through the air, and an emerald ring instantly radiated outward in silent, sweeping arcs. At the same moment, the white-boned soldiers surrounding them suddenly raised their arms, and all their bone spears were launched with force. A powerful rushing sound erupted throughout the area.
The bone spears launched carried swirling black mist, with a brilliant black glow at their tips, conveying an unmistakable sense of sharp, profound darkness. As soon as the bone spears were first released, a series of deep, thunderous cracks erupted across the white-boned soldiers' bodies, their supporting strength rapidly dissolving, and their forms instantly dispersing into fine powder. Immediately thereafter, the spears plunged directly into the rapidly expanding emerald-green giant ring. A tremendous roar erupted, black mist and green light intertwining, their laws of nature swirling violently in the void, causing the fundamental energies of heaven and earth to become thoroughly disordered. Despite the extraordinary power of Han Li's sword strike, he could not withstand the combined force of attacks equivalent to over a hundred large-stage cultivators' full-power strikes simultaneously. The jade-ring formed by the sword's energy only lasted for a brief moment before vanishing, joining the fate of most of the bone spears. The remaining dozen or so spears, now unimpeded, surged forward with a sound of wind and thunder, transforming into a dozen streaks of black light and vanishing silently into the wildly rotating floral domain.
Bao Hua's pupils narrowed slightly, and with a subtle bend of her jade finger within her sleeve, a faint ripple passed through and vanished instantly. At that moment, the swiftly rotating Flower Realm suddenly stabilized, then contracted slightly, and out of nowhere, dozens of dark luminous spheres appeared within it. These black spheres swelled rapidly, merging lightning-fast into one another, instantly dyeing a vast expanse of void—including the Flower Realm—deep black. Then, in a flash, they dissolved into a blurred, indistinct haze. The original, all-encompassing realm of the Insect Mother, as if having expended all its power, began to fade like a scroll, gradually revealing the deep-sea abyss beneath. Two massive, glowing flames—one green, one yellow—shone brightly in the water, radiating intense law-based fluctuations. Within them stood Bao Hua, Han Li, and the Crab Daoist. Bao Hua held a rusted ancient nail in one hand, while Han Li stood motionless, his sword held horizontally in the other.
Clearly, though both parties had relied on the treasures of Xuan Tian to remain unharmed, the Xuan Tian Flower Domain had been completely destroyed. As for the Crab Daoist, who had regained his human form at an unknown time, now stood closely beside Han Li, his body still subtly shimmering with lightning energy. Yet the vast gray net suspended in the air had vanished entirely—whether it had been dispersed by the impact of the clash of the laws of nature, or whether the Crab Daoist had employed some subtle technique to dissolve it directly, remained unclear. High above, facing the three of them, the massive form of the Mother of the Midge floated steadily within the water. However, the middle woman, her golden light flashing from her head and eyes, fixed her gaze steadily upon them, yet a subtle change in her pupils hinted at something unusual. "I never expected that merely three of you could possess two Xuan Tian treasures, and even have a basic understanding of the rudiments of the Xuan Tian Spiritual Domain. That explains why my earlier two incarnations were no match for you. As for the false immortal one, I'm certain you two must be among the most outstanding figures in the lower realm over the past ten thousand years."
"The Mother of the Rice Stem Borers spoke slowly, her tone finally carrying a touch of seriousness. "Thank you for your kind words—I am truly flattered! But had it not been for your still-recovering vitality, the power of the Xuan Tian Realm would have been greatly diminished. Even with the Xuan Tian artifacts at our disposal, we likely could not have shattered your spiritual domain. It seems you were forced to awaken prematurely, and your remaining cultivation has truly been quite depleted." After taking a steady breath, the young lady flashed a glance of frost in her eyes. "Ah, from the way you're speaking, it seems as though you believe you've gained the upper hand in our recent encounter?" The Mother of the Rice Stem Borers chuckled softly, her expression now one of disdain. "I may not know whether we truly gained the upper hand in the battle just now, but I can assure you that at this very moment, you are unable to unleash any great feats of power—this is indeed the case." After a brief pause, the young lady's face brightened fully and said with a gentle tone. "What do you mean by that...? What exactly is this thing?"
The mother of the stem-borer first gave a slight disdain, but at the next moment her expression changed abruptly—she suddenly raised one of her front limbs, her face now filled with shock and fury. Upon closer inspection, a slender, pale-yellow needle had been inserted into her front limb at an unknown time, most of it now embedded within her body, glowing with a soft, gentle light. At this moment, Bao Hua smiled with a strangely serene expression, gently holding the Earth Sovereign Nail in her hands—she merely shook it slightly toward the opposite side.
When exactly did you move your hands on my body... I've just remembered—when the celestial laws clashed, I felt a subtle discomfort unconsciously, and yet you had quietly summoned this item at that very moment. Even though the Mother of the Midge, by nature deeply reserved, was startled at this unexpected turn, she immediately strengthened her inner qi, only to find that half of her true essence suddenly became rigid and immobile, unable to be summoned. Her expression darkened noticeably. "Heh, the third of the Xuan Tian Treasures? That's incorrect—this Earth Sovereign Nail was originally a pair. Only when the two unite do they fully unleash its power." As the Flower of the Treasure chanted, she flicked her wrist, and the yellow giant nail she held instantly reappeared, flashing into a sharp, piercing beam that vanished in an instant. At the very next moment, ripples surged above the Mother of the Midge's head, a yellow glow appeared, and the second Earth Sovereign Nail shot forth as a shimmering phantom.
Though the insect mother possessed great prowess, if caught simultaneously by two Earth Sovereign Pins, she would likely be unable to stir even a single strand of her true power.
Faced with the unexpected assault from the precious bloom, the insect mother merely snorted, her first anterior limb barely making a blur.
With a sharp "thud," the second Earth Sovereign Pin flew off like a mere straw, failing to draw near the insect mother at all.
A second rushing sound echoed.
Her other arm-like anterior limb merely lifted it with effortless grace, gently probing and then seizing the yellow ancient pin that had launched forth, returning it with ease.
"Indeed," she said, surveying the ancient pin now struggling in her grasp, "I've always wondered why the power of the heavenly treasures in your hands seems so modest. Now I understand—it's a pair. Well, just as I've returned to the scene, I find myself lacking several protective artifacts. For now, I'll make do with these two Earth Sovereign Pins."
Though her eyes were now filled with quiet scorn, her tone remained calm and composed.
"It's impossible! Your true energy has already been largely sealed, yet you've managed to accomplish this?" Bo Hua stared intently at the Mother of the Midge, her mouth agape, nearly unable to believe what she was seeing. She had deliberately concealed the second Earth Emperor Nail from the beginning, treating it as her decisive weapon. Yet, after all her careful planning, it now stood transformed into such a disheartening situation. This news sank her confidence to its lowest point, leaving her with no belief in her ability to triumph.
"The mother of the stem-borer clutched the twisting ancient nail tightly, lazily saying one sentence. The initially terrifying aura that radiated from her had completely vanished, yet a new, intangible power now extended far and wide, enveloping the precious flower Han Li and the others, making all three hesitate to move. Each word she spoke fell into Han Li's ears, causing his complexion to grow paler and his expression to grow slightly uncertain. "You're so confident—do you rely on this powerful body of yours?" Han Li glanced at him, asking gently. "You're quite perceptive. Finally, you've noticed this point. Did you really think I've been trapped here merely recovering my cultivation and working to break through the seal? Ha! I'll tell you the truth. If I truly wanted to break free from this seal, I could have done so effortlessly over ten thousand years ago."
I have willingly remained here, confined by this ancient seal, merely to harness its subtle power to refine my jade-fleshed body, aiming to reconstruct my true, supreme form. Now that my true form has been forged, even if you continue to attack me with all your treasures while I remain motionless, not a single strand of my flesh will be harmed. With this true supreme body, I shall command all realms, reigning supreme alone." The Mother of the Lesser Insects laughed heartily, her pride and satisfaction radiating.
As soon as she finished speaking, a sudden, sharp stroke swept through all her limbs in the air. A series of sharp crackling sounds erupted before her, revealing countless white streaks that instantly transformed into fine, delicate fissures.
The moment these fissures appeared, a powerful suction force surged, drawing in the yellow glyphs and laws of force that had been enveloping her body, all of which were neatly rolled into the cracks. After a resonant hum, the fissures seamlessly closed, returning to their original state.
Then, with a single gentle touch from a human-sized palm extending from her giant insect's forelimb, she effortlessly pulled out the ancient spikes that had been deeply embedded within.
"It's impossible. My good friend has refined this earth sovereign nail for countless ages. How could it have been thus simply pulled out?" The precious flower murmured, her face as pale as paper.