Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 1005

The Sea King Clan woman hadn’t recognized his treasure as the Heavenly Essence Fruit, but rather as a fragment of a damaged Heavenly Treasure. How could a true Heavenly Treasure be sensed by a Heavenly magic tool within a woman’s body?

At that moment, Han Li was slowly traversing the grasslands with his companions.

“It’s unexpected that you’d suggest we rest here for a few days. Is it really necessary? Now that we’ve escaped the Dark Beast Forest, we could slowly travel while recovering our magic power with spirit stones,” Liu Shui’er said, looking at Han Li with a surprised expression.

“What you say makes sense, Fellow Daoist Liu, but I feel that the Gwanghan Realm is more dangerous than I anticipated. We barely managed to escape the Dark Beast Forest, and who knows what else might happen? It would be better to recover our strength as soon as possible and prepare for any dangers in the best condition. Besides, you don’t seem to be in the best shape,” Han Li replied with a meaningful smile.

“I can’t deceive your eyes, Brother Han. Still, if we delay too long…”

“Fellow Daoist Liu, let’s do as Brother Han says. Rather than recklessly moving while our bodies are in such poor condition, let’s find a safe place nearby and rest for a few days,” Shi Kun interjected as Liu Shui’er hesitated.

With Han Li and Shi Kun’s successive persuasion, Liu Shui’er had no choice but to agree. However, they couldn’t rest immediately since they hadn’t moved far from where they encountered the Sea King Clan.

It would be dangerous if they harbored ill intentions and lured beasts or other races to attack them.

Han Li’s group flew for another half-day before finding a small mountain with lush greenery and dense spiritual energy. They spread their senses. Since it was a small mountain, there were no significant threats except for a few gray wolf demon beasts with low cultivation.

They descended the mountain, killed all the wolf demon beasts, and found a cave where the beasts had been dwelling in the mountainside. It was a natural cave, deeply dug in an inconspicuous location. Although it smelled of beasts, Liu Shui’er used her water-attribute magic to clean the interior, making it spotless.

They settled in the cave and sat cross-legged.

Three days later, Han Li, who had been circulating his magic power, opened his eyes. Coincidentally, Liu Shui’er also opened her eyes and looked at him. Her eyes were clear, and she seemed more energetic than a few days ago.

“Congratulations on your recovery,” Han Li said with a relaxed smile.

“Ah, I’m just embarrassed that you had to rest because of me.”

“Don’t say that. If you hadn’t held off those four high-level Dark Beasts in the Dark Beast Forest, how could Shi Fellow Daoist and I have escaped unscathed?”

“Haha, I can’t agree with that. With Brother Han’s skills, I feel like you could have entered the Dark Beast Forest alone and still come out unharmed! It’s fortunate that Fellow Daoist Liu and I only suffered minor injuries and escaped safely.”

Shi Kun, who had been sitting against one of the cave walls, suddenly opened his eyes and joined the conversation.

“You flatter me too much. It’s true that I’ve mastered a few powerful divine abilities, but most of them are for delivering fatal blows. If the Dark Beasts attacked in a swarm, I wouldn’t be able to survive. Rather, Fellow Daoist Shi, with your powerful physique, would be more suitable for breaking through the Dark Beast encirclement.”

Han Li scratched his chin and smiled at him.

“Perhaps. Now that Fellow Daoist Liu has recovered her magic power, let’s depart. I’ll feel more at ease once we find the forbidden ruins as soon as possible.”

Shi Kun chuckled softly and stood up. At Shi Kun’s words, they immediately transformed into three streaks of light and exited the cave.

* * *

Six days after leaving the cave, Han Li’s group was surrounded by four-winged monstrous birds, blocking the wind blades they were emitting.

Every time they used various treasures and divine abilities, blood splattered everywhere. After a short while, they had killed all the monstrous birds.

* * *

Fifteen days later, Han Li’s group transformed into faint afterimages, slowly flying across the vast lake in the grasslands. They were concealing their energy as they moved.

In the lake, huge monsters that resembled both horses and fish floated idly.

The mountain-sized monsters playfully shot thick pillars of water from their mouths, attacking each other. The water pillars that touched their bodies left a navy blue glow before dissipating.

However, when the water pillars occasionally fell outside the lake, a thunderous roar would echo, and a huge crater would form. Fortunately, the giant monsters were too busy playing with each other to pay attention to their surroundings, allowing them to safely pass through the giant lake.

* * *

One month later, Han Li’s group was confronted by four members of another race, surrounded by dark energy, in a desolate field.

The blue sword energies around Han Li severed the rope-like treasures that two of the opposing race members were wielding. However, the black ropes absorbed the hand seals of the other race members and immediately returned to their original form, transforming into rope illusions that flew fiercely towards them.

Meanwhile, Liu Shui’er covered herself with a mysterious navy blue liquid and manipulated a silver loom, scattering starlight-like projectiles at the other race members. However, the opposing race members were also formidable. Black flame birds emerged from their dark energy, flying towards the loom.

Surprisingly, Shi Kun had transformed into a giant enveloped in yellow light. His skin was covered in grayish-white stone, with sharp thorns protruding from it. Every time he swung his massive fists, stone spikes shot out, cornering the last member of the other race.

However, the other race member continuously extended both hands, creating a shield of dark energy around him to block the attacks.

“Brother Han, Fellow Daoist Shi! We need to hurry. The Night Race’s strength increases significantly at night, just like the Dark Beasts,” Liu Shui’er warned, her voice filled with anxiety as the battle dragged on. Hearing Liu Shui’er’s words, Han Li’s expression changed for a moment, and he glanced at the sky.

Darkness was gradually descending.

“Hehehe! You’re only realizing that now? Isn’t it too late? Just wait a little longer, and this old one will show you the bitter taste of defeat,” one of the two Night Race members Han Li was fighting muttered ominously.

“Is there a need to wait? You’ll be dead before that,” Han Li replied calmly, extending his hand from his sleeve, which had turned black, and generating a gray aura. At the same time, Liu Shui’er formed hand seals with both hands and released a gray wheel, while Shi Kun raised his head and howled, flicking his ten fingers fiercely.

Soon, countless magic characters flickered in the air above where Han Li’s group and the Night Race members were fighting, and a large gray orb appeared.

The gray orb exploded, sweeping through the area. In the thunderous explosion that shook the sky, the Night Race members, enveloped in dark energy, turned into dust and scattered.

Han Li, Liu Shui’er, and Shi Kun withdrew their nascent soul light and smiled.

* * *

Three months later, Han Li’s group was rapidly traversing a mountain range, followed by over a thousand demon beasts.

Behind Han Li’s group and the thousand-plus demon beasts, a silver cloud surged like a tide, sweeping away the mountain range’s vegetation and all the demon beasts that were roaming nearby.

The mountain range was transformed into a barren landscape, devoid of even a single blade of grass. The few surviving creatures of the mountain range screamed as they fled from the silver cloud.

“What should we do? If we keep running like this, we’ll eventually be caught by the Silver Tide Insects. They’re terrifying ancient ferocious insects comparable to the Gold Devouring Insects. Once they start hunting, they never give up. I never imagined there would be so many of them in the Gwanghan Realm,” Shi Kun said, looking troubled, and sent a telepathic message to Han Li and Liu Shui’er.

“It’s said that the Silver Tide Insects have great stamina and can chase their prey for months without tiring. Even the ancient ferocious beasts give way when the Silver Tide Insects swarm in a silver cloud, so that says it all,” Liu Shui’er added, looking flustered. Anyone would be out of their mind after being chased by tens of thousands of insects for three days and nights.

“The only solution is to lure the Silver Tide Insects to a place where there are ancient ferocious beasts and divert their attention,” Han Li said calmly, his expression darkening.

“But according to the map, the nearest ferocious beast habitat is a month away. Weren’t we deliberately choosing a route with fewer ferocious beast habitats?” Shi Kun said with a wry smile.

Everyone was at a loss for words when suddenly a buzzing sound was heard, and a green light began to spread across the sky.

In the distance, hundreds of green clouds were rising and flying towards them. Han Li was startled and activated his Brightsight Spirit Eyes to discern the true nature of the green clouds.

They were surprisingly ferocious-looking green butterflies the size of fists.

“Blood Transformation Butterflies! Finally, an opportunity to escape has arrived,” Han Li said, recognizing the green butterflies immediately, and his face lit up with joy.

“They really are Blood Transformation Butterflies. That’s great. I heard that the Silver Tide Insects and these are natural enemies, and once they meet, they fight each other to the death,” Liu Shui’er said, also using a secret technique to confirm the green butterflies and smiled brightly.

“It’s a good opportunity, but we need to be careful. If we get caught in their fight, we’ll suffer terribly,” Shi Kun warned, snapping back to his senses.

“It’s easy to attract attention if we stick together at a time like this. We’re not far from the ruins, and we all have the map memorized, so let’s scatter and flee. How about we meet at the ruins in two months?”

“That makes sense, Brother Han! We need to be inconspicuous to survive, especially at times like this. Let’s each find our own way to live,” Shi Kun boldly agreed with Han Li’s suggestion, and Liu Shui’er hesitated but had no choice but to nod, given the surrounding circumstances. They instantly scattered in different directions.

At that moment, the green clouds had already reached the vicinity, and their forms could be seen with the naked eye. Most of the ferocious-looking butterflies rushed towards the silver tide, and only a few swarmed towards Han Li and the other demon beasts nearby.

Also, the silver tide behind them did not retreat and charged towards the green clouds, while the rest began to chase other prey.

The demon beasts that had been fleeing from the Silver Tide Insects also sensed that a way to survive had opened up, just like Han Li’s group, and scattered like the wind.

‘Let’s go!’

A small thunderclap echoed behind Han Li, and the Wind Lightning Wings unfolded. He flapped his wings, transforming into a streak of blue-white light that cut through the air. Liu Shui’er and Shi Kun also silently activated their escape techniques and disappeared in different directions.

Han Li’s speed, with the Wind Lightning Wings activated at full power, was among the top three fastest among the thousands of various demon beasts. He quickly outpaced the demon beasts and glanced back.

A gruesome slaughter was taking place. The hundreds of demon beasts that were slow were caught in the fight between the two ferocious insects and died without even leaving behind their bones.

The green butterflies flapped their wings, creating a strange green wind, and with a crackling sound, countless winged silver insects fell from the sky.

The butterflies in the green clouds flew over and devoured the falling silver insects in the blink of an eye.

Han Li watched with a navy blue glow in his eyes. The green butterflies that had gone out to eat the Silver Tide Insects had red spots here and there.

However, no matter how powerful the poisonous wind released by the Blood Transformation Butterflies was, the number of silver insects was so great that some of them were able to withstand the poison. After the poisonous wind passed, about ten thousand silver insects jumped into the green butterfly swarm and clashed.

The sound of flapping wings and the sound of the insects’ bodies melting in the poisonous wind mixed together, and green butterflies and silver insects rained down like a storm.

However, the falling insects were cleanly devoured by the surrounding green clouds and silver tides, so not even corpses piled up on the ground.

The power of the silver insects was stronger than that of the green butterflies, but the poison in the green wind was so potent that it did not seem like the battle would be decided in a short time. However, the insects that had begun to chase other prey did not implicitly pursue the targets that other insects were aiming for.

The beasts that were caught by the insects screamed and died, and the sky was covered in tens of thousands of insects.