amaotonovel Chapter 1404 The Power of Yin Fire Thunder
Chapter 1404 The Power of Yin Fire Thunder
Chapter 1404 The Power of Yin Fire Thunder
On the high platform, the chilling, bone-piercing azure ice flames and the deep, eerie Xuanhun Yin Fire were undergoing their final fusion under the guidance of the Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder.
A dark purple flame, exuding a chilling aura and possessing both extreme cold and soul-corroding power—the Asura Sacred Flame—slowly took shape above Qin Hao's palm. The light in its core area was as deep as an abyss, as if it wanted to devour the surrounding light and even divine sense.
Qin Hao was completely focused, his fingertips flashing with lightning speed as he used his pure magic power to create invisible threads, carefully guiding the last few stray strands of the Azure Ice Flame, attempting to perfectly integrate them into the nascent Asura Sacred Flame.
Han Li, standing to the side, had a slightly pale face and fine beads of sweat on his forehead. He was fully activating the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword, golden arcs leaping across its blade, and a continuous stream of Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder surging forth, precisely cutting into the gap where the two different flames were merging…
However, at that very moment, a thunderous roar, brimming with immense magical power, shattered the silence outside the platform:
"Who's lurking around in there? Break the silence!"
The sound was like a tangible sonic shockwave, causing the protective light barrier at the edge of the platform to shake violently. Han Li's heart sank, realizing something was wrong! He clearly sensed that the several high-level puppet beasts he had placed at the entrance of the platform as a warning were instantly crushed into dust by an immense force, like rotten wood, without even being able to offer any effective resistance.
The newcomer possessed such power with just a shout, indicating that his cultivation was at least at the Nascent Soul stage, and he was definitely not someone who had just entered the Nascent Soul stage!
"Junior Brother Han, concentrate! Don't get distracted!" Qin Hao's steady voice immediately rang in Han Li's ears: "I have set up several formations on the outer perimeter, and they won't be able to break through them for a while! The most urgent task is to help me collect this last wisp of Qianlan Ice Flame! It's not too late to deal with the villains outside after the Sacred Flame is fully formed!"
Upon hearing this, Han Li forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart, took a deep breath to calm his surging blood and qi, gritted his teeth, and poured all his magical power into the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword. The sword body was filled with golden lightning, and it tried its best to maintain the output intensity of the Evil-Repelling Divine Lightning to assist Qin Hao in the final fusion.
Outside the high platform, two powerful auras had already descended.
"Huh? What an exquisite defensive formation! The person who set it up must have a profound understanding of formations!" A slightly effeminate voice rang out; it was none other than Qingyi Jushi.
A beam of azure light flicked from his slender fingertips, striking the golden light screen that was inscribed with Sanskrit characters. The screen rippled, but remained perfectly still.
"Hmph! Whatever formation it is! Fellow Daoist Tian Wuzi, it seems there's something fishy about this person hiding inside. Without using some real skills, we won't be able to break through this tortoise shell!" Another voice boomed like a bell, carrying a hint of impatience and greed.
A sharp glint flashed in Qingyi Jushi's eyes: "Fellow Daoist Tianwuzi is absolutely right. This person has set up so many formations at this moment, it's definitely not for secluded cultivation. Could it be... that he's actually eyeing the Void Heaven Cauldron?!"
Upon hearing the words "Void Heaven Cauldron," both of them began to breathe heavily, their greed instantly overshadowing their fear of the formation's power.
"Do it!"
"Break it!"
Without any further hesitation, the two reached an agreement instantly.
Tian Wuzi roared, his magical power surging, his robes fluttering even without wind. He formed hand seals and chanted incantations, and behind him, the faint phantom of an ancient bronze bell appeared—the "Myriad Laws Soul-Suppressing Bell"! It was renowned for its sonic waves and suppressive power. "Clang!" A deep and resonant bell rang out, and visible blue sound waves, like tangible giant hammers, slammed into the golden light barrier.
The light screen vibrated violently, the Sanskrit characters flickered wildly, and it made a creaking sound as it struggled to bear the weight.
Not to be outdone, Qingyi Jushi had somehow acquired a jade ruler—the "Azure Sky Ruler"—in his hand. The jade ruler grew as it faced the wind, transforming into a ten-zhang-long emerald ribbon. Its shadows were numerous, and each strike precisely landed on the weak point of Tian Wuzi's sonic attack. The combined power of the two Nascent Soul stage cultivators amplified the attack's strength.
"Crack... Boom!"
In just a moment, with a deafening explosion, the tough golden light barrier was finally torn open, and violent energy turbulence scattered and impacted.
Tian Wuzi and Qingyi Jushi flashed through the gap in the formation and rushed into the high platform.
However, the sight that came into view caused the two knowledgeable Nascent Soul cultivators to instantly shrink their pupils and their faces to be filled with extreme shock, which was then replaced by ecstasy!
At the center of the high platform, where the Void Heaven Cauldron should have been hanging, was now completely empty! The number one secret treasure of the Chaotic Star Sea, which had suppressed this place for countless years, had indeed disappeared!
Immediately, their gazes locked onto Qin Hao, who was hovering not far from the center, and the terrifying black-purple flame emanating from his palm. What made their hearts skip a beat even more were the two enormous, blood-red spiders in front of Han Li—the legendary Blood Jade Spiders!
"Blood Jade Spider! And a Level 5 demonic beast at that! Fellow Daoist Zhang, you really kept this from us for a long time!" Tian Wuzi forced a smile, his eyes gleaming with greed that was almost tangible: "I never imagined you possessed such a strange beast. No wonder you were able to take the Void Heaven Cauldron so quietly!"
Qingyi Jushi and Tianwuzi quickly exchanged a glance. Without a word, they both understood what the other was thinking: to join forces to seize the treasure!
He turned to Qin Hao, his tone seemingly gentle but concealing murderous intent: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, the Void Heaven Cauldron is the number one secret treasure of the Chaotic Star Sea, and its implications are far-reaching. A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime! You alone cannot possibly swallow it."
“Fellow Daoist Tianwu is absolutely right!” Qingyi Jushi took over the conversation, completely ignoring Han Li, who was pale and breathing unsteadily, as if he were nothing but air: “Now that there are only the ‘three of us’ here, why don’t we… open our mouths and speak frankly? Let’s take out the Void Heaven Cauldron and divide the treasures inside equally, how about that? That way, everyone can get some benefits, and we can avoid hurting our feelings.”
Qin Hao maintained the incantation of fusing the last trace of the Azure Ice Flame, a cold and piercing smile slowly curving his lips, his eyes sweeping over the two like ancient ice: "You... dare to threaten me?" His tone was calm, yet it contained an arrogance and disdain that looked down upon the world.
The fake smile on Qingyi Jushi's face vanished instantly, replaced by a ferocious and ruthless expression: "Fellow Daoist Zhang! Don't think that just because you've killed the Extreme Yin Old Demon, you can act arrogantly in this Void Heaven Palace! The Extreme Yin Old Demon's strength lies in his bizarre cultivation techniques and corpse refining. In a direct confrontation, he might not be stronger than any of us! Do you really think you can fight two Nascent Soul cultivators alone?"
His body surged with azure magical power, and the jade ruler once again gleamed with a cold light.
"How will you know if you don't try?" Qin Hao's voice remained calm, even carrying a hint of sarcasm.
The instant Qin Hao finished speaking, Tian Wuzi and Qingyi Jushi launched their attacks almost simultaneously! These cunning old foxes had already discerned that Qin Hao was at a crucial moment in fusing with the strange fire and had no time to fight at full strength, while Han Li was at his last gasp. This was the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack!
"All laws return to their origin, suppress!" Tian Wuzi shouted, and the illusory image of the giant bronze bell behind him suddenly solidified, carrying a terrifying pressure that suppressed the soul, and descended upon Qin Hao! At the same time, he flicked his sleeve, and three dark lights shot out silently, aiming straight for Han Li's vital points. They were three "bone-corroding nails" coated with a deadly poison, extremely vicious.
Qingyi Jushi then clapped the jade ruler in his hand, and the "Azure Sky Ruler" transformed into a long, emerald-green rainbow, carrying a sharp edge that cut through space, piercing straight into Qin Hao's heart.
With his left hand, he flicked his fingers repeatedly, sending several emerald green "Yi Wood Divine Needles" like leeches clinging to bones, striking Han Li's dantian and sea of qi, intending to cripple his cultivation and interrupt his assistance to Qin Hao!
The two worked in perfect harmony, combining offense and defense seamlessly. One focused on attacking Qin Hao's physical body, forcing him to concentrate on defense and preventing him from completing the fusion of the different flames; the other ruthlessly targeted Han Li's "weak point." If Han Li died or lost his fighting ability, Qin Hao's fusion of the different flames would inevitably be interrupted, and he might even suffer a backlash! This move was extremely insidious and vicious.
Facing the combined onslaught of two Nascent Soul cultivators, Qin Hao's eyes flashed with a cold light. His right hand maintained the fusion incantation, the flames of the Asura Sacred Flame leaping in his palm, seemingly on the verge of spiraling out of control. His left hand flashed forward with lightning speed, instantly unfurling the radiant "Myriad Talisman Record." Countless runes swirled, and a golden shield composed of countless tiny golden runes formed instantly, barely managing to block the attack.
"clang--!"
The phantom of the giant bronze bell slammed into the runic light shield with a deafening roar. The light shield shook violently, and the golden runes flickered, clearly under immense pressure.
At the same time, Qingyi Jushi's emerald green ruler also pierced through, striking the same spot on the light shield like a venomous snake, producing a piercing friction sound.
On the other side, Han Li was terrified as he faced the incoming Bone-Corroding Nails and Wood-Binding Needles. His magical power was almost exhausted, and most of his mind was still focused on maintaining the Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder, leaving him utterly powerless to resist. He could only barely activate the spiritual light of a small cyan shield and a protective inner armor, attempting to withstand the attacks head-on.
But everyone knows that in his current state, his defenses are as flimsy as paper against a sneak attack from a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Both Tianwuzi and Qingyi Jushi revealed a sinister smile, as if they could already see Han Li being crippled and Qin Hao suffering a backlash.
However, in that split second, at the critical moment of life and death, a strange, almost mocking smile suddenly flashed in Qin Hao's cold eyes. This smile sent a chill down the spines of Tian Wuzi and Qingyi Jushi.
Having already received the telepathic signal, Han Li almost instantly abandoned all defensive stances without hesitation, and with his last bit of magic power, he suddenly raised both hands forward!
Two tiny beads, no bigger than pigeon eggs, black and red in color, and covered with mysterious silver lightning patterns, shot towards Tian Wuzi and Qing Yi Jushi with unparalleled precision, like two inconspicuous streaks of light! The trajectories of the beads were extremely tricky, precisely at the subtle moment when the two had just exhausted their old strength and had not yet generated new strength, and their minds were slightly relaxed due to the impending success!
"Hmm? Yin Thunder Pearl?" Tian Wuzi, who considered himself knowledgeable, recognized the item at a glance, and a hint of disdain flashed across his face. What could a mere Core Formation cultivator's Yin Thunder Pearl, even if of superior quality, possibly do against the protective aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator?
Qingyi Jushi had the same idea. He was too lazy to activate more magic power for defense and simply relied on his protective spiritual light to withstand the attack.
However, the instant the two small black and red beads touched their protective spiritual treasure—
"Om-!"
A terrifying wave, suffocating and seemingly capable of annihilating all life, suddenly erupted!
The black and red light expanded instantly, transforming into two spheres of destructive light, each about ten feet in diameter! This light was not a simple explosion, but contained the ultimate Yin Sha Corpse Qi and the violent power of the Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder!
The malevolent corpse energy frantically eroded and corrupted the magical artifact's spiritual light, while the exorcising divine thunder, like the sharpest drill, tore through the eroded defenses.
"Sizzle—click!"
The ancient treasure "Mysterious Tortoise Shield" of Tian Wuzi, known for its sturdiness, dimmed rapidly on the surface of the black and red light sphere the moment it came into contact with it. Then, the shield made a cracking sound as it could not bear the weight, and a clear crack spread out!
The violent energy of the Yin Lightning instantly pierced through the crack and slammed into him! He groaned, his protective aura fluctuated violently, a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, his face turned deathly pale, and his eyes were filled with disbelief and horror.
Qingyi Jushi's fate was even worse! His "Soul-Suppressing Jade Pendant," which was quite effective in defending against soul attacks, could only withstand the double impact of Yin Sha Death Qi and Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder for less than half a breath before letting out a mournful cry. Its spiritual light completely dissipated, and its body turned into a puff of blue powder with a "poof"! The violent energy bombarded his chest without any hindrance!
"puff--!"
As if struck by a heavy hammer, Qingyi Jushi spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing hard into the wall at the edge of the platform. His aura instantly weakened to the extreme.
The three "Yin Fire Thunder" were Qin Hao's trump cards that he left for Han Li in advance to protect himself!
It had an unexpected effect.
Just as the Yin Fire Thunder exploded, injuring Tian Wuzi and severely wounding Qingyi Jushi, the black-purple Asura Sacred Flame in Qin Hao's palm suddenly shone brightly! The last stubborn trace of the Azure Ice Flame was finally completely devoured and merged!
A more profound and domineering aura of terrifying flames suddenly erupted!
The Sacred Flame of Asura, perfected!
At the same time, although Tian Wuzi was spitting blood and breathing erratically, his eyes were filled with resentment and his hands were frantically forming hand seals. Seeing that the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire could not be extinguished in time, he decisively abandoned his physical body!
"Nascent Soul Teleportation!" Qin Hao sneered and unhesitatingly summoned the Condensing Light Mirror!
An ancient bronze mirror floated in the air, its surface shimmering. A hazy white beam of light shot out instantly, precisely enveloping the terrified blue nascent soul that had just fled from the crown of the Qingyi Hermit's head!
"Ah! No—!" Qingyi Jushi's nascent soul only had time to let out a shrill and desperate scream before it was firmly fixed in mid-air by the white light of the Condensing Light Mirror, like a mosquito in amber, unable to move, with only endless fear on its face.
However, just as the Condensing Light Mirror froze Qingyi Jushi's nascent soul, Tian Wuzi on the other side also completed his secret technique. He glared venomously at Qin Hao's escape light, and his entire body suddenly exploded into a cloud of blood mist!
"Zhang Tie! Han Li! This is an irreconcilable feud! I will fight you to the death!"
Accompanied by this roar filled with endless hatred, a nascent soul, identical in appearance to Tian Wuzi and enveloped in a thin layer of azure light, vanished from its spot with a "whoosh" at a speed beyond divine sense, leaving only a faint wisp of nascent soul fluctuation.
Although the Condensing Light Mirror was wondrous, it could only lock onto one target at a time. Ultimately, it was a step too slow, allowing Tian Wuzi's nascent soul to successfully use the teleportation technique to escape!
Qin Hao sighed inwardly in regret, but knew that now was not the time to pursue the Nascent Soul cultivator. He casually destroyed Qingyi Jushi's Nascent Soul, then grabbed Han Li, and the speed of his golden escape light increased by another three points, instantly disappearing into the end of the deep passage.
Less than half a cup of tea's time had passed since Qin Hao and Han Li's escape lights disappeared, and two beams of light, radiating terrifying pressure, crashed one after the other onto the broken platform like meteorites!
The leader, dressed in the robes of the Wanfa Sect, had a frighteningly ashen face—it was none other than Wan Tianming, who had returned! Behind him stood a bearded man with a bulging physique, his body shimmering with golden light, resembling a ferocious humanoid beast. Finally arriving was a Nascent Soul cultivator, no bigger than a fist, radiating a faint blue light, his face filled with venomous resentment—it was none other than Tian Wuzi, who had just escaped!
Wan Tianming's gaze swept over everything, finally fixing on the spot where the Void Heaven Cauldron had disappeared. He gritted his teeth and forced out a chilling voice: "Hmph! What a clever trick of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind! I, Wan, have roamed the Chaotic Star Sea for nearly a thousand years, and today I have actually fallen for the trick of a mere Nascent Soul stage junior! What a skill! Truly a skill!"
The barbarian was even more enraged. He stomped a nearby boulder into dust and roared in a booming voice, "What nonsense! Chase after them! You think you can take the Void Heaven Cauldron right under my nose? Dream on!"
Three streaks of light shot wildly toward the direction Qin Hao and Han Li had fled! Their speed was so great that they created ear-piercing sonic booms within the passage!
Deep within the passage, Qin Hao carried Han Li as they flew away at breakneck speed. The three terrifying pressures, like colossal prehistoric beasts, rapidly approached from behind, pressing down on Han Li's heart like tangible boulders, making his scalp tingle and his blood feel as if it were freezing. The power of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator was far beyond that of an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator! Especially two of them!
"Junior Brother Han, don't panic!" Qin Hao's calm voice rang in Han Li's mind again: "There's a fork in the road ahead. We'll split up! I'll lure Wan Tianming and Man Huzi away! If Tian Wuzi's Nascent Soul dares to chase you alone, I'll use the last Yin Fire Thunder to send him to his grave! Remember, survival is paramount. The Void Heaven Palace is about to close. Just hold out until then!"
Han Li knew this was the only way out. In this life-or-death situation, there was no room for sentimentality!
"Senior brother... take care!" Han Li replied heavily, his voice filled with determination. As the golden light flew to a three-way intersection, Han Li gritted his teeth, his remaining magical power burning wildly. A barely perceptible azure light flashed across his body, and he shot off like an arrow towards the relatively narrow passage on the right!
The three streaks of light that were pursuing them arrived in an instant.
"Separated? Hmph! A mere trick!" Wan Tianming swept his divine sense across the area and instantly detected the spiritual energy trajectories of the two as they parted ways.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, his powerful divine sense locked onto the more solidified golden light in the left passage. His speed increased rather than decreased as he gave chase! The Void Heaven Cauldron was his ultimate goal!
The bearded man let out a disdainful laugh: "Haha, trying to run? Stay here!"
His domineering golden light followed Wan Tianming without hesitation, its target also being Qin Hao on the left! In his eyes, Han Li, that mere Core Formation stage cultivator, was utterly insignificant. As long as he captured Qin Hao and seized the Void Heaven Cauldron, everything else would be no problem.
Tian Wuzi's nascent soul, which was lagging behind, was about to catch up with the two's escape light.
"Tian Wuzi!" Wan Tianming's icy voice carried an unquestionable command: "Go after that Core Formation stage brat! Prevent that Zhang kid from using a diversionary tactic to secretly move the Void Heaven Cauldron! If you find anything, send a message immediately!"
The bearded man roared in a deep voice, "That's right! That slippery little bug is yours!"
Tian Wuzi's Nascent Soul face instantly turned a deep purplish-red, his heart filled with extreme resentment. He, a dignified Nascent Soul cultivator, had his physical body destroyed and was reduced to chasing after a Core Formation junior! Moreover, he was being ordered around by two peers of the same level! But he knew even more clearly that now that he had lost his physical body and his strength had plummeted, how could he dare to have any room for bargaining when facing two fierce-looking mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators?
"Sect Master Wan, Fellow Daoist Man, you must capture that brat surnamed Zhang to avenge me!" Tian Wuzi's Nascent Soul gritted his teeth, squeezing out a few words with resentment and unwillingness. He turned around, transforming into a faint blue light, and chased after the right passage where Han Li had escaped.
He thought fiercely: "You brat surnamed Han, I will make you pay back a hundredfold for the humiliation I suffered today!"
……
At the same time, Qin Hao's escape light, like a golden meteor, rapidly traversed the labyrinthine passages of the Void Heaven Palace. Behind him, the auras of Wan Tianming and Barbarian Beard clung to him like leeches, drawing ever closer.
Finally, after a series of twists and turns, a seemingly dead-end corner appeared ahead. Qin Hao's eyes flashed with a sharp light. Instead of slowing down, he suddenly activated his magic power, and his golden escape light plunged into the seemingly hopeless corner like a moth to a flame!
"Hahaha! Kid, you're panicking and running for your life! Leave me the Void Heaven Cauldron!" The bearded man laughed wildly, and his golden escape light followed closely behind, even faster. Almost the instant Qin Hao rushed into the dead end, he rushed in as well.
Wan Tianming's azure escape light was only one body length behind Man Huzi, and he was about to rush into it.
However, the moment the bearded man charged into the dead end, the look of ecstasy on his face suddenly froze, replaced by astonishment and rage!
Because he saw that Qin Hao, who was rushing ahead, was enveloped by a soft yet exceptionally stable white halo that suddenly lit up just before his body was about to crash into the cold stone wall. Then, his whole body rippled like water and disappeared without a trace!
"Damn it! How can there be a teleportation array here?!" The barbarian's roar, filled with shock and anger, echoed throughout the corner.
He instantly understood that this was not a dead end at all, but a teleportation point concealed by an extremely sophisticated illusion array! This was an escape route prepared in advance by the other party!
"You scoundrel, don't run!" The barbarian reacted swiftly. Though shocked and furious, his movements were anything but slow. His entire body burst forth with golden light, and his already imposing frame seemed to expand even further. He transformed into a golden lightning bolt of condensed perfection, hurtling towards the spot where Qin Hao had disappeared at a speed far exceeding his previous speed—there, a circular rune array emitting faint spatial fluctuations was slowly lighting up.
"Om-!"
The teleportation array was activated by the barbarian's powerful force, and a white light instantly engulfed his burly body!
"Not good!" Wan Tianming, who was following closely behind, saw this scene and shouted sharply, "Barbarian! Wait!"
His fingertips were almost touching the layer of white light that was transmitting the light!
However, at the spot where Qin Hao had disappeared, the space distorted very slightly, and a black and red, inconspicuous bead appeared out of thin air without warning, right in front of Wan Tianming who was about to enter the teleportation array!
Another Shadowfire Thunder!
"What...?" Wan Tianming's pupils instantly shrank to pinpoints!
"burst!"
As Qin Hao slightly moved his divine sense on the other side of the teleportation array, the golden lightning patterns on the Yin Fire Thunder suddenly lit up with a dazzling light!
"Do not--!!!"
Wan Tianming let out a shrill roar! The rage contained in that voice was enough to change the very fabric of the world!
Boom——! ! !
An indescribable, terrifying explosion erupted in the narrow, dead-end corner of the passage! The black and red sphere of destruction instantly expanded, completely engulfing Wan Tianming and the space in front of him! The raging Yin Sha death energy and the power of the Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder intertwined and raged, like countless invisible blades, frantically cutting and eroding everything!
"Crack... Boom!"
The violent energy shockwave slammed into the teleportation array, which was not yet fully shut down! The spatial runes, which had become unstable due to the barbarian's forced teleportation, shattered like fragile glass under the impact of this destructive force!
The teleportation array's light instantly went out, and the precious materials that formed the array's base were blasted into countless pieces, completely destroying the entire teleportation point! Immediately afterward, a violent torrent of energy slammed into the several layers of protective light that Wan Tianming had hastily erected!
Puff puff!
The spiritual light on his robe vanished instantly, and an ancient jade pendant that automatically protected its owner shattered with a mournful cry after only half a breath! Wan Tianming was struck as if by a heavy hammer, his protective spiritual light was forcibly torn apart, and he was blown away like a broken sack! Blood gushed out, and his body was covered with charred wounds eroded by the power of Yin lightning. His robe was torn, and he was in a sorry state.
"Hahahaha! Wan Tianming, the Void Heaven Cauldron is mine now!" The arrogant laughter of the barbarian bearded man, full of mockery and ecstatic joy, clearly reached Wan Tianming's ears through the spatial fluctuations left by the recently collapsed teleportation array.
"puff--!"
Already furious, Wan Tianming was enraged by this blatant mockery. Overwhelmed by anger, he coughed up another mouthful of blood, his vision blurred, and he nearly fainted from sheer rage!
He stared intently at the location of the completely destroyed teleportation array, his eyes bloodshot and filled with overwhelming killing intent, letting out a low roar:
"Zhang! Tie! Man! Hu! Zi! Even if I turn the entire Chaotic Star Sea upside down! Dig three feet into the ground! I will never let you go! I swear Wan Tianming I will not rest until I avenge this!!!"
……
Meanwhile, deep within the Void Heaven Palace, in a hidden chamber.
A soft white light flashed, and the burly, imposing figure of the bearded man appeared in the center of the secret chamber. He first scanned his surroundings warily, his powerful divine sense spreading out like a tide, and only relaxed after confirming that there were no ambushes or traps.
Immediately afterwards, a pure and refreshing spiritual energy rushed towards him, instantly invigorating his spirit.
The secret room was small and simply furnished. The most eye-catching feature was a small spring formed from natural white jade in the center of the room.
The spring was only about a foot in diameter, its water crystal clear, with wisps of milky-white mist rising visible to the naked eye. This mist condensed and gathered about a foot above the spring, forming a small, constantly swirling cloud of spiritual mist. Just one breath was enough to invigorate one's magical power and clear one's mind.
"The Spring of Spiritual Eyes?! Hiss... Such pure and rich spiritual energy! I never imagined there would be such a treasure trove within this Void Heaven Palace!" Even the well-traveled and knowledgeable Barbarian Beard couldn't help but gasp, his eyes blazing with intense light.
His gaze lingered greedily on the spring for a moment before turning to Qin Hao, who stood not far from it, his face calm and expressionless.
The bearded man grinned, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth, his face plastered with an undisguised smile of cruelty and greed. He brazenly stretched out his hand towards Qin Hao, as if demanding something insignificant:
"Boy, not bad, you even had this backup plan. However, you're now at your wit's end! This secret chamber is good, but it's a death trap! While I'm still in a relatively good mood, if you know what's good for you, hand over the Void Heaven Cauldron and all the ancient treasures you possess! Perhaps I'll take pity on you and spare your primordial spirit, giving you a chance for reincarnation! Otherwise..." He clenched his fist, which was as big as a sand pot, his knuckles cracking: "...don't blame me for being ruthless and making sure your soul is scattered and you're never reincarnated!"
Faced with the barbarian's blatant threat and overwhelming pressure, Qin Hao's expression remained unchanged. He even tilted his head slightly, a playful, slightly mocking smile slowly curving his lips, his eyes as calm and still as a deep pool: "Fellow Daoist Barbarian... do you think you've got me cornered?"
"Hmm?" The bearded man frowned, his sneer widening as he looked at a rabbit struggling under a tiger's claws. "What? Do you have some kind of ambush here? Hmph! Kid, don't try to stall for time! There's still at least one day before the Void Heaven Palace is forcibly closed! One day is enough for me to crush your bones one by one and extract your nascent soul to burn as a celestial lamp!"
The golden light on his body became even more solid, as if he were wearing a layer of golden armor, which was the ultimate manifestation of his famous "Heaven-Supporting Demon Art".
"Oh? Is that so?" Qin Hao's smile vanished abruptly, his eyes instantly turning sharp as knives, a chilling killing intent spreading across his face: "Then... let's give it a try!"
"Om-!"
The Myriad Talismans Treasure Record unfolded in mid-air, radiating golden light. Countless profound runes danced out like golden butterflies, instantly condensing into an enormous golden halberd with a sharp whistle, which slammed fiercely towards the barbarian bearded man!