The immense shadow of a turtle's body with a serpent's head carried the Seven Seas Tower on its back. Huang Sihai stood within, staring at the Golden Copper Coin Talisman.

Strangely enough... there was no sense of threat from that location.

Instead, it was the other directions that gave rise to a feeling of unease within him.

"Something's not right! Could it be an Illusion Technique?!"

Huang Sihai initially thought Jia Ren had mastered powerful illusion techniques. When the Silver Moon Yaksha appeared, he believed it to be the instigator of the illusion. Now, it seemed everything had come full circle. This person's illusion techniques were extraordinary; even he couldn't see through them.

"A Fourth-Rank Illusion-Breaking Pearl!"

The illusions shattered under the power of the Illusion-Breaking Pearl, revealing the true appearance of this place. The figure holding the Magical Treasure, trapped in the Four Seas Domain, vanished without a trace.

Jia Ren had appeared high in the sky at some point, wings flapping behind him. One hundred and eight Luo Yu, each wrapped around a black pill, descended at an astonishing speed. Having done all this, he flapped his wings and rapidly flew far away.

This is…

The black pills exploded with a BANG, turning into crimson flames and azure-blue lightning. To the left were six hundred and forty-eight basin-sized crimson flares of Departing Flame, and to the right, six hundred and forty-eight fist-sized azure bolts of Azure Firmament Thunder. The light of thunder and flame mingled, erupting with sudden force.

"Third-Rank Departing Flame Talismans and Azure Firmament Thunder Talismans?"

With only three or five, a Nascent Soul Cultivator naturally wouldn't pay them much mind, as protective Spells and Magical Treasures could easily fend them off.

But the power of 1,296 Third-Rank Talismans was not something he could withstand...

Using an escape technique wouldn't allow him to flee in time either; it was already too late.

"Guard!"

The Seven Seas Tower, along with the shadow of the turtle's body and serpent's head, swiftly shrank. The smaller the defense, the stronger its protective ability. A Profound Black Great Shield rose to guard him, forming a second line of defense.

Before Huang Sihai could take further action, the 1,296 Third-Rank Talismans exploded thunderously. The world became an ocean of azure-blue lightning and crimson flame.

Qi Chunan, Li Qiantang, and the Silver Moon Yaksha immediately noticed something was wrong and hastily retreated, but they could not entirely escape the terrifying aftershocks. Thunder and fire resounded; the only sound in the world was their explosive collision. The ground shook as if an Earth Dragon were turning over. Even Lingyuan City, thousands of miles away, could feel the destructive aura.

Such a terrifying aura! Could a Divine Transformation Cultivator have made a move?!

The Insect External Incarnation was struck by the blast wave of the explosion and flung away, looking utterly disheveled. Jia Ren had already switched places with the Insect External Incarnation. His true body was hidden in a safe location, with three Yakshas concealed in the shadows. In plain view, the Insect External Incarnation bore all the risks.

The Insect External Incarnation had used the Wings of Annihilation and the Bizarre Mirror's copied Fu Wans to unleash the previous spectacle. After throwing the Third-Rank Talisman Pills, the incarnation fled immediately but was still affected by the explosion. Fortunately, it was only the aftershock of the explosion, its main force having been borne by Huang Sihai.

"A pity, the power was much less…"

The Bizarre Mirror's copying ability had a limit: the more copies made, the more the power would decrease. Copying Second-Rank Talisman Pills reduced their power by half. With Third-Rank Talisman Pills, the decrease was even more significant, to roughly one-third to one-quarter of their original potency. Even so, the power of a Third-Rank Talisman Pill was terrifying. No signs of life could be sensed from Huang Sihai's location.

Both Qi Chunan and Li Qiantang were affected. Struck by the aftershocks of the thunder and fire explosion, their Magical Treasures were damaged, leaving them looking grimy and disheveled.

The treasures that Divine Transformation Cultivator gave him are just too many, aren't they?!

Is he really willing to detonate more than a thousand Third-Rank Talismans simultaneously?

This is purely burning Spirit Stones!

Is Huang Sihai going to be smashed to death by Spirit Stones?

Zhang Pengpeng's situation was somewhat better. Before the Insect External Incarnation triggered the Fu Wans, she had already made a swift escape. Relying on Wind Escape, she fled the fastest. Combined with the Yaksha's powerful physique, she was the least injured person there.

"I still feel it's not safe enough."

Jia Ren couldn't sense Huang Sihai's aura. There was a significant chance the Third-Rank Talisman Pills had killed him.

The Proficiency Level of the Talismans within the Third-Rank Talisman Pills wasn't high, and they hadn't reached their most perfect state. Otherwise, even a Nascent Soul Late-stage Cultivator would struggle to withstand the strongest version of a Fu Wan bombardment.

The Fu Wans copied by the Bizarre Mirror were much weaker and couldn't guarantee killing a Mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator.

After that last bombardment, Jia Ren no longer held any extravagant hopes for spoils of war. To be safe…

"Let's do it one more time!"

These were, after all, products copied by the Bizarre Mirror; not using them would be wasteful. All four Bizarre Mirrors had copied Fu Wans, and it would be a waste not to use them.

The Insect External Incarnation took a Third Turn Resurrection Pill to heal its injuries. Then, flapping its wings, it sent one hundred and eight Luo Yu, each carrying a Fu Wan, descending once more.

"Again?! When will this end?!"

"How can you have so many Talismans?!"

Qi Chunan's face turned green; he thought this wave of Fu Wans was targeting him. He hastily swallowed a healing Elixir, his arms transformed into crane wings, and he spat out a mouthful of blood essence, fleeing at his top speed.

Li Qiantang turned pale and quickly shouted, "We're on the same side! Don't hit me by mistake..."

He had barely endured the aftershocks; another direct hit and he'd be dead! Was he supposed to block it with his life?!

Initially, I thought a Golden Core Cultivator would just be a burden in a Nascent Soul-level battle.

Challenging the Mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator Huang Sihai was an act of utter madness.

First, there was the Deity Transformation-Level Talisman, then a massive bombardment of high-rank Talismans.

Even though he's only a Golden Core Cultivator, he's more terrifying than a Nascent Soul Cultivator!

From the lingering dust cloud in the distance, a blackened and ragged figure was seen fleeing rapidly. That person was the Mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator, Huang Sihai.

Facing the dreadful power of nearly 1,300 Third-Rank Talismans exploding simultaneously, Huang Sihai was still alive... To survive, he had truly given it his all. His Life-bound Magic Treasure, the Seven Seas Tower, and his protective Ancient Treasure, the Flying Profound Shield, had both vanished into nothingness. Even the Divine Skill Xuan Turtle's Likeness hadn't protected him, leaving him gravely injured. Though he had narrowly survived, his injuries were incredibly severe.

Huang Sihai had not expected to be bested by a Golden Core Cultivator. Gravely wounded, he dared not show himself, wary of any further ploys from the Divine Transformation elder presumably backing Jia Ren. He employed a feigned-death technique, playing dead.

If I let my guard down, I'll be vulnerable to a sneak attack.

If Jia Ren concentrates his firepower on Qi Chunan, I can use the opportunity to heal and recover some strength.

But I never imagined… this person wouldn't play by the rules!

He's not even confirming if I'm dead before launching another barrage of Fu Wans!

Don't these many Talismans cost a fortune?!

The destructive power of 1,300 Third-Rank Talismans exploding simultaneously... I can't withstand a second wave...

"Let's talk this through! I don't want the Profound Realm Key anymore!" Huang Sihai fled for his life, so furious he nearly coughed up blood.

Unfortunately, the destructive light of lightning and fire exploded, swallowing him in an instant.

Before his death, Huang Sihai had one question he never got to ask: How can you possess so many high-rank Talismans?

A single Fu Wan barrage is enough to drain the resources of a fairly strong Sect…

It's truly great to have a Divine Transformation Cultivator backing you!!!

BOOM!

Huang Sihai, offering no resistance, was obliterated by the light of lightning and fire. Huang Sihai, a Mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator, was successfully killed by this money-burning tactic. Not even his bones remained.

Qi Chunan and Li Qiantang, fleeing in different directions, still couldn't avoid the aftershocks of the second Fu Wan explosion. They were thrown violently outwards like two black shadows. Qi Chunan felt like a small boat in a raging storm, about to capsize at any moment. Having lived for over seven hundred years, he had never witnessed such an extravagant, money-burning method of combat; he couldn't help but feel inadequate.

"I refuse to accept this!"

His life-protecting Heavenly Feather Treasure Garment, having endured the aftershocks of two Fu Wan bombardments, was utterly destroyed. Several other backup defensive Magical Treasures had also sustained heavy damage.

"COUGH!"

Qi Chunan had barely struggled to his feet and hadn't fled far. Then, he saw Jia Ren sitting at a stone table in the distance, seemingly having waited for a long time. Qi Chunan couldn't help but look back. In the distant sky, a figure with flapping black wings was rapidly closing in.

Two Jia Rens?!

An Illusion Technique?!

Without the slightest hesitation, Qi Chunan decisively threw out a Fourth-Rank Illusion-Breaking Pearl. Jia Ren was still sitting at the stone table, and the pursuer in the sky didn't disappear.

Not an Illusion Technique?

Could it be... a clone?!

"Mirror Flower New Moon!"

It wasn't an Illusion Technique before, but it is now.

Having tricked him into using a Fourth-Rank Illusion-Breaking Pearl, Jia Ren promptly activated Mirror Flower New Moon, pointing a finger at Qi Chunan from afar. A silver thread, bright as snow, circled Qi Chunan's neck, and his head flew into the air.

Is he dead?

Not at all!

This was a death suggestion from the Illusion Technique—if he believed his head had been severed and he had died from beheading, then his real body would also manifest the same state of death.

Nascent Soul Cultivators possessed strong wills; they wouldn't easily consider themselves dead.

"Divine Skill: Phoenix Feather Form!"

Qi Chunan's severed neck healed instantly. The burnt skin peeled away, revealing crimson feathers beneath his fair complexion. The Divine Skill Phoenix Feather Form possessed a pseudo-phoenix flame and an ability akin to rebirth from fire.

BOOM!

Flames erupted from Qi Chunan's entire body, from the inside out. Soon, he was burned to a charred corpse.

"A pity, I haven't mastered Phoenix Feather Form…"

He was dead, killed by the backlash from his Divine Skill.

The illusion vanished. Jia Ren, now holding Qi Chunan's Storage Bag, had quietly taken it while employing Mirror Flower New Moon, thus preventing its destruction by the flames. After all, the Profound Realm Key he wanted was in that Storage Bag.

Two are dealt with. How should I handle the last one?

Li Qiantang is different from Huang Sihai and Qi Chunan. He didn't attack me and even severed one of Qi Chunan's arms. I could spare his life.

After repeatedly confirming that both Qi Chunan and Huang Sihai were dead, Jia Ren swiftly departed.

The Insect External Incarnation stopped its Escape Light and looked towards Li Qiantang in the distance.

"Thank you for your assistance, fellow Daoist."

Li Qiantang looked disheveled. He was only slightly better off than Qi Chunan, his defensive Magical Treasures having been destroyed while protecting himself.

If those Fu Wans hadn't been aimed specifically at me, I absolutely wouldn't have survived.

"I don't want the spot to enter the Mysterious Realm. I have but one presumptuous request: could your esteemed self ask the Divine Transformation Cultivator to do something for me?"

Ask a Divine Transformation Cultivator for help?

In the next moment, the legs of the Insect External Incarnation began to turn to gold, the transformation quickly spreading up its body. Countless golden chains wrapped around it, binding it firmly in place.

"Ask him to help me annihilate Wuji Hall!"

Wuji Hall also has a Divine Transformation Cultivator. The one backing Jia Ren would certainly not agree to this request.

So, I have to take a hostage.

Jia Ren is so important to that Divine Transformation Cultivator. With Jia Ren's weakness—this incarnation—in my hands, the cultivator will have no choice!

BOOM!

Three Yakshas burst forth from the ground, instantly tearing the completely unguarded Li Qiantang to shreds.

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