Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 966

As soon as the eagles entered the sword formation, a light flashed, and a blue barrier appeared, trapping the four demonic birds. Startled, the demonic birds frantically changed direction, trying to claw at the light barrier with their sharp talons.

*Clang!*

The sound of glass breaking echoed, and the light barrier shattered. However, behind the broken barrier, a bizarre space covered in blue lotus flowers appeared. The demonic birds exchanged glances and then spewed out pillars of light from their mouths.

*Swoosh- Bang!*

Instead of disappearing when hit by the light pillars, the lotus flowers exploded, growing even larger. The demonic birds were taken aback, and the Spring Dawn Sword Formation began to exert even more power.

Outside of where the demonic birds attacked, the light barrier shattered and vanished, replaced by blue lotus flowers. As the lotus flowers spun and the surrounding scenery blurred, the demonic birds found themselves in a forest of tall blue trees.

Each tree stretched so high that its top was hidden from view, and the leaves were so dense that even the sky was obscured. The demonic birds were horrified.

What avian demonic beasts feared most was being trapped in such dense thickets or falling into rivers. It was difficult for them to fully utilize their excellent flying abilities and unique divine powers.

The four demonic birds spread their wings simultaneously.

Then, scorching white flames burst out, transforming into over a hundred fire moths that flew towards the surrounding tall trees.

The white flames were their trump card. Real trees would not have been able to withstand them, but the blue trees allowed the white flames to pass through without any effect.

‘An illusion!’

The early-stage Void Refinement [a cultivation stage] demonic birds were not as intelligent as their leader, but they were not completely stupid either. One of them, with a quick temper, charged at a tall tree. However, the terror of the Spring Dawn Sword Formation was that, unlike ordinary illusions, the real was hidden within the illusion.

*Thud!*

The demonic bird that collided with the tree bounced back and shook its head. The other three eagles were dumbfounded.

* * *

The pure white demonic bird outside the formation was startled when all its subordinates disappeared into the light barrier. But soon, it spread its wings in anger, summoning a white aura.

*Whoosh!*

In an instant, the pure white feathers transformed into blazing flames. Unlike the other black and white feathered demonic beasts, the leader’s flames had faint silver spell characters flickering within them.

As a result, the surrounding temperature soared instantly, revealing the hidden Spring Dawn Sword Formation. A light flashed, and a blue barrier rose.

‘Senior Han, you must not touch the Golden Bird True Fire. I believe the demonic birds inherited the blood of the True Spirit Golden Bird,’

Seomseom quickly sent a telepathic message after seeing the strange flames unleashed by the leader demonic bird.

‘Golden Bird True Fire!’

Han Li did not show any reaction on the outside, but he was greatly pleased on the inside. At that moment, the demonic bird transformed into a giant firebird and flew towards him with great momentum.

Even before the firebird arrived, the temperature rose rapidly, and tiny red sparks floated in the air. The space around him was burning.

Han Li remained unfazed by the bizarre phenomenon and opened his mouth, spitting out a silver fire bead. The fire bead flashed and flew up as a silver firebird. As the silver firebird appeared, the surrounding red sparks surged towards it like fire moths.

As the firebird silently absorbed the sparks, the surrounding temperature instantly returned to normal. The silver firebird grew in size and looked at the white firebird rushing towards it. Despite the white firebird, transformed from the demonic bird, being much larger, it showed no sign of fear.

The demonic bird’s expression changed at the appearance of the silver firebird. A mix of fear and delight crossed its face, and its eyes gleamed with undisguised greed.

As the silver firebird flew towards it, the demonic bird’s four eyes flashed, and it increased its speed.

*Bang!*

When the firebirds collided, white flames and silver fire blazed. They did not mix like water and oil, but burned with strange sounds.

The two flames were busy devouring each other. The power of the Spirit Devouring Heavenly Flame was slightly superior, but the demonic bird was not to be underestimated, and it might be devoured if it dragged on.

So, Han Li formed a hand seal, and a thin blue pillar of light extended from his finger and was absorbed into the fighting silver firebird. The deep navy blue pillars of light were Han Li’s pure true essence [cultivation energy].

Then, an amazing thing happened. The silver firebird began to grow rapidly. The silver firebird quickly overwhelmed the size of the white firebird, and the silver flames began to devour the white flames little by little.

The demonic bird, frightened, spat out a white bead from its mouth. The flawless bead emitted a dazzling light. It was the demonic core that the demonic bird had nurtured for a long time.

The light emitted by the demonic core transformed into thousands of white needles, and the needles shot out in two directions. Some shot towards the Spirit Devouring Firebird, piercing the silver firebird’s body mercilessly, and the rest surged towards Han Li, colliding with the blue barrier.

The thin needles seemed to have special abilities, passing through the blue barrier and reaching right in front of Han Li’s nose. However, Han Li did not move, and a crystal shield appeared in front of him, emitting light.

The thin needles trembled and then slipped past the shield on both sides. At the same time, he moved one arm, and five skull heads appeared, spewing out five-colored flames from their mouths, engulfing all the falling needles.

The thin needles disappeared silently within the five-colored flames.

Meanwhile, the Spirit Devouring Firebird, which had been pierced with hundreds of holes, flickered and returned to its original state, but its power had decreased sharply. As a result, the demonic bird’s white Golden Bird True Fire and the silver flames were once again in a tense standoff.

‘If that’s the case…’

Seeing this, Han Li suddenly formed a hand seal and transformed into a five-colored phoenix. Five-colored light spread, and the cry of a phoenix echoed. As the phoenix slashed forward with its wings, a white line appeared in the air, and space was distorted, creating a spatial rift.

The phoenix spread its wings and disappeared into the gap.

*Whoosh.*

At that moment, a white line appeared in the sky above where the demonic bird and the Spirit Devouring Firebird were fighting. And the upper body of the phoenix suddenly emerged from it.

The phoenix that Han Li had transformed into had used spatial divine powers to appear above where the Spirit Devouring Firebird and the demonic bird were fighting.

The demonic bird had been carefully watching him after the thin needles failed to work, and of course, it had clearly seen him transform into a phoenix. The demonic bird was terrified.

The True Spirit Heavenly Phoenix was known as the king of birds, and even the True Spirit Golden Bird would have difficulty exerting its power when facing a Heavenly Phoenix.

The phoenix that Han Li had transformed into using the Awakening of Insects Incantation [a cultivation technique] was not comparable to a true Heavenly Phoenix, but it still possessed the bloodline of the Heavenly Phoenix.

The aura of the bloodline within the phoenix made the demonic bird shrink back, and unexpectedly, the Spirit Devouring Firebird began to devour the Golden Bird True Fire, putting the demonic bird in a very disadvantageous situation.

*Kee-ruk!*

The demonic bird cried out sharply, spewing out a milky white pillar of light to retract the white flames and try to escape. But there was no way Han Li would let it go.

As he moved his consciousness, the silver firebird emitted golden and silver threads from its mouth. It was the Spirit Devouring Heavenly Flame that had refined the Spirit Immortal Thread Light [a type of energy]. The pillar of light and the thin golden and silver threads collided, and the pillar of light was reflected.

The demonic bird was flustered when its attack came back at it, and it flapped its two wings to split the pillar of light. At that moment, thin golden and silver threads flashed and appeared.

The demonic bird had seen the strange power of the golden and silver threads, so it tried to avoid them. But the cry of a phoenix was heard from above, and a blue aura descended. The phoenix had completely emerged from the spatial rift and flapped its wings.

At that moment, the silver flames that had been fighting the Golden Bird True Fire suddenly solidified, changed direction, and exerted a strange power. The moment it flinched, a blue light descended, and the demonic bird’s body, which had been blazing with white flames, melted away in the blue light as if it were snow. It was definitely a divine power that was the opposite of the Golden Bird True Fire.

The demonic bird was greatly shocked. It was not because it was bound by the blue light, but because of the golden and silver threads flying between its eyebrows. It was the result of a perfect collaboration between Han Li and the Spirit Devouring Firebird.

The demonic bird had no choice but to open its mouth and suck something in. Then, the white demonic core that had been floating nearby moved in front of it. It was planning to use the demonic core to escape the crisis.

Its demonic core was so hard that it would remain intact even if attacked by most top-grade treasures. However, the golden and silver threads passed through the demonic core without any problem.

*Pfft!*

A small hole was pierced between the demonic bird’s four eyes. As the demonic bird screamed and struggled, the white flames on its body doubled in size, and when it flapped its wings, the surrounding blue light could not withstand it and burst out.

As a result, the demonic bird boldly cut off the white flames that had been fighting the silver flames. Then, a white pillar of light soared high into the sky from its body, turning the surroundings into a white sea of fire.

Within the white sea of fire, a huge phantom of a strange bird emerged, centered around the demonic core. The strange bird, with a faint golden body and pitch-black eyes, had three claws.

‘Golden Bird Dharma Form [a manifestation of power]! It truly inherited the blood of a True Spirit!’

Han Li, having returned to his human form, muttered.

*Kee-ree-ruk!*

The demonic bird in the sea of fire cried out loudly, and the surrounding white flames madly rushed into the phantom of the Golden Bird Dharma Form. The phantom, having absorbed the Golden Bird True Fire, shone brilliantly in gold and became even clearer.

The demonic bird distorted its face and glared at Han Li. It seemed ready to use the Golden Bird Dharma Form to attack. However, Han Li turned his gaze away from the Golden Bird Dharma Form, chuckled, pointed at the demonic bird with one hand, and quietly whispered.

‘Fall down.’

The demonic bird was startled and tried to do something, but suddenly its body trembled.

*Kee-ruk!*

The demonic bird suddenly let out a final scream and fell. The demonic bird’s body, which was falling powerlessly, had already turned a dark purple color, and it smelled fishy as it turned into a liquid. Its nascent soul had no chance to escape.

It was because of the deadly poison contained in the Spirit Immortal Thread Light. The poison could not be detected until it caused a seizure after being poisoned.

The demonic bird seemed to have less resistance to the poison than the monster moth he had dealt with before, and it was finished in one seizure. Only then did Han Li breathe a sigh of relief, and the silver firebird, excited, tried to swallow the poisonous water where the demonic bird’s body had melted.

Han Li hesitated for a moment but did not stop it.

The Golden Bird bloodline was precious, but there was no Golden Bird transformation technique among the twelve Awakening of Insects Incantations. So, it was not a bad idea to let the Spirit Devouring Firebird swallow it and observe the changes afterward.

‘It might help the firebird, which already has a spirit, to evolve.’

The firebird did not return immediately after swallowing the poisonous water but flew high into the sky. However, the giant Golden Bird Dharma Form remained, even though the demonic bird had died. It was like a puppet that had lost its light.

The silver firebird burrowed into the body of the giant golden dharma form and began to devour everything in sight. And after putting the last white flame into its belly, it reduced its size and returned to Han Li.

As the firebird disappeared into his body, all that remained in the air were the white demonic core emitting a dazzling light and the thin needles.

Han Li collected the demonic core and hundreds of needles with a blue aura. Then, he turned his head and looked at the blue barrier created by the Spring Dawn Sword Formation and formed a hand seal.

*Whoosh!*

As he formed the hand seal, the light barrier shattered, and 72 flying swords appeared in the place where the blue lotus flowers had disappeared. In the center of the flying swords, dozens of fragmented corpses of demonic birds were floating.

The early-stage Void Refinement demonic birds had been slaughtered by the power of the Spring Dawn Sword Formation. Han Li nonchalantly sent out a blue light and stored all the remains of the demonic birds in his storage pouch.

The Golden Bird bloodline that the demonic birds possessed was extremely small, but the Spirit Devouring Firebird would like it if he gave it to it later. In the Spirit World, the blood of a True Spirit was very precious, so he could not waste even a little.

Han Li flashed and returned to Seomseom and Woljong.

‘I’ve taken care of it, let’s go.’

Woljong had been unable to close his mouth since earlier. In his eyes, Han Li was far superior to even a ninth-level Ascendant [a cultivation stage].

‘What just happened? A seventh-level Ascendant cultivator slaughtered so many high-level demonic beasts in the blink of an eye?’

The leader of the demonic birds was a ninth-level Ascendant and a mutated demonic beast with the blood of a True Spirit. It would have been hard to believe if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes.