“Yes, Master. In that case, I will act the same as last time and stay hidden as I bide my time for an appropriate time to act.”

Han Li nodded. “That will do. Last time you acted at a very decisive moment, to much effect.”

“Many thanks for Master’s praise. This servant shall strive her hardest.” After placing away the two treasures, she smiled and disappeared from sight in a flash of silver light.

Han Li then turned to look at the distance, a stern expression appearing on his face. In a burst of azure light, he flew deep into the mist.

Not long after the spell warriors entered the mist, the remnant restrictions within it began to stir, repeatedly endangering them. Fortunately for a majority of the spell warriors, the giant rhino was clearing a path, brushing aside the restrictions without care.

Regardless whether they be fireballs, lightning, ice spikes, or boulders of earth, they didn’t harm the huge beast in the slightest. Its jet-black armor easily brushed off any of the attacks.

Paying no heed to any of the attacks, the huge rhino straightforwardly lowered its head and rushed forward. Any restrictions or obstructions that barred its path were struck through as if the beast’s body carried the momentum of a shooting star. Its destructive force cleared the mist of an area of over a hundred meters around it. As for the many spell warriors following after it, not a single one of them were harmed.

However, it was quite baffling that within the group of spell warriors, those with the greatest cultivation were the four at Core Formation stage. There wasn’t a single Nascent Soul-stage sage amongst them. It was unknown where the three Nascent Soul sages went after they entered the green mist, nor what strange plot they had in store.

When these spell warriors saw that the area was clear of the mist, they sighed with relief. The Core Formation-stage spell warriors even gathered together to discuss their next course of action. But at that moment, two sparkling silver halberds suddenly shot out of the mist, leaving thunder in their wake as they arced with lightning.

Shocked with alarm, two of the Core Formation-stage spell warriors acted first. They immediately raised their hands and released a blue and red streak of light directly towards the halberds in an attempt to block them. But who could’ve thought that instead of directly confronting the spell warrior’s magic treasures, they changed direction and quickly shot towards the giant rhino’s head.

Although this had greatly surprised the Core Formation spell warriors, they soon grew relieved. The giant rhino’s defenses weren’t something that could be penetrated with ordinary magic treasures.

But soon, an astonishing scene had occurred before them. The two silver halberds didn’t directly strike at the giant rhino, but instead, they flew above the beast and began to strike each other without warning. Then a huge roll of thunder sounded out as a dense bolt of lightning shot from the two halberds towards the head of the huge beast.

A blue light barrier shined from the beast’s body, but it was completely scattered by the bolt of silver lightning and directly struck the jet-black armor. With a loud rumble and a flash of lightning, the giant rhino stood in place unscathed. However, the beast was enraged by the attack and loudly roared to the skies before opening its mouth and shooting out a three-meter-long spike of ice towards the silver halberds above it.

Making no attempt to stand their ground, the halberds dodged away from the ice spike before releasing another silver bolt of lightning and flying back into the mist. When the huge beast saw this, its eyes grew crimson and it chased them down without a further thought.

The Core Formation spell warriors were alarmed and hastily called out to the other spell warriors behind them, each of them intending to give chase to the huge rhino. But before they took action, various colored lights appeared from the mist, revealing over a hundred cultivators that had emerged from concealment. Then, they launched a massive assault against the Moulan spell warriors as they released their magic tools into the air.

In furious alarm, the Moulan spell warriors also sent out their magic tools and unleashed their spirit techniques, sowing chaos amongst the cultivators. With that delay, the giant rhino had already disappeared into the mist.

The Core Formation-stage spell warriors were unable to deal with this as they were locked into battle against many cultivators at a similar cultivation.

In their rage, they thought to call to the spell warriors behind them to assist them and completely wipe out the cultivations, but suddenly, the cultivators had recalled their magic tools and flew back into the mist. When the spell warriors saw this, they glanced at each other with dismay and hesitation, not knowing what they should do next.

A late Core Formation-stage old man, the leader of the bunch, pondered for a moment before calmly commanding, “We will split our vast numbers and take action separately. A majority of the restrictions nearby should’ve already been destroyed. So long as we are careful, it shouldn’t pose much of a problem. Since they’re using guerilla tactics, they shouldn’t be able to withstand a full fledge pursuit and will be smoothly exterminated.” 

As for the giant rhino, the Core Formation cultivators shouldn’t be able to harm it. We will find the beast after we kill them.”

Then taking the lead, the old man flew into the mist pursuing a Core Formation cultivator that had fled in that direction. Soon, the other spell warriors obeyed and chaotically scattered into the mist in their own groups.

The thick mist roiled for a moment before soon growing calm, with not a single person in sight. But a short moment later, a silhouette walked out of the green mist with a calm expression and with his hands held behind his back. He was Old Man Ma. Though his complexion was somewhat pale, his eyes shined spiritedly as if he were in peak condition.

He walked out to the center of the empty area and he glanced around before suddenly revealing an odd expression. He then stared at an empty location and calmly said, “Since I’ve already come out, there is no need for Fellow Daoist to continue hiding. Your techniques won’t be able to hide you from me.” 

With a cold snort, the black light flashed to reveal the tall shriveled spell warrior. “I didn’t expect that your spiritual sense would still be so strong. I originally planned on giving you a pleasant surprise, but it seems things don’t always go as planned.”

As soon as he appeared, he twisted his hands and raised them towards Old Man Ma. In the following instant, several tens of thumb-thick black streaks shot out in a barrage towards the old man.

...

About a kilometer away from Old Man Ma and the shriveled spell warrior, the bald man was expressionlessly staring at a man across from him, Ku Yao, who was enveloped in a ball of roasting flame.

The blaze emitting from his body was so fierce that it turned the nearby mist to ash, creating clear air for a hundred meters around him.

Ku Yao originally planned on ambushing Old Man Ma from behind and attacking him together with the shriveled spell warrior. However, he didn’t expect that he would be blocked by the bald man along the way, much to his fury. He snorted and said, “You think that you’ll be able to save your companion by blocking me? Sage Wen’s spirit techniques are ferocious beyond your imagination.”

The bald man remained still as he narrowed his eyes, “Rather than paying attention on others, wouldn’t it be better if you were focusing on preserving your own life? While Fellow Daoist Ma didn’t recover his strength from yesterday’s battle, you must’ve exhausted much of your power as well. And with the addition of the great amount of strength needed to direct the spirit technique formation, you are in rather poor shape. Unless you have a heaven-defying treasure to assist you...” 

He then opened his mouth and spat out a short white rod. It circled once around his body before suddenly emitting a blinding white light with a tremble. When Ku Yao saw this, his face revealed disdain. But just as he thought to launch his own attack, his expression vastly changed.

The color of the light had suddenly changed, and the white light gradually turned golden. At that same moment, a huge golden ape began to form above the short rod.

Although its stature wasn’t as excessive as the giant rhino, it was twenty meters tall. Under closer inspection, the ape had four hairy ears and appeared extremely ugly and fiendish. As soon as it had appeared it thumped its chest and howled to the sky before glaring at Ku Yao across from it.

“Artifact spirit! Your magic treasure has an artifact spirit!” When Ku Yao saw this, he cried out in alarm.

Killing intent leaking from his face, the bald man formed an incantation gesture with his hand. “Hehe! You are the first to witness my Four-Eared Golden Ape artifact spirit. You shouldn’t feel too wronged to meet your end by this.”

The huge ape’s body became more distinct and soon, the short rod grew to a hundred meters in length. Now appearing as a true demon bast, it grabbed onto the extended rod and fiercely pouched towards Ku Yao with golden light emitting from its body.

...

The green-robed woman was neither together with the shriveled spell warrior or Ku Yao. Her objective was quite simple. Using her own abilities, she would directly approach the heart of the grand formation and shatter it. With the crux of the formation shattered, the rest would soon follow. Of course, she planned to dispose of a certain cultivator along the way.

Ever since she entered the mist, she clearly sensed a faint sliver of spiritual sense coil around her. Even with her vastly powerful spiritual sense, she was unable to block it. While this did cause the woman’s heart to tremble, her desire to slay the Nascent Soul youth only grew stronger.

If she didn’t eliminate this vastly skilled cultivator, it was quite possible that he could cause great mishaps in the future. Fortunately, this cultivator seemed rather confident of his abilities and didn’t conceal himself in the slightest, wishing to draw her in, a mid Nascent Soul-stage spell warrior. She met the challenge with a sneer and directly flew towards him.

When she sensed the youth was only three hundred meters within range, the green-robed woman’s body ceased emitting white light and her flight speed slowed before coming to a full stop. Although she was confident in her own abilities, she wasn’t clear whether or not she was walking into a trap. She then slapped her storage pouch and summoned a fist-sized azure pearl into her hand.