Chapter 1057: No Room to Retreat

At this moment, Han Li also produced twelve blue flying knives, which transformed into twelve enormous blade glows in midair, emitting a strong yin and baleful aura.

Wherever the flying knives passed, a layer of frost formed in the void, accompanied by a piercing howl as they slashed toward the Fire Year Insect King.

These twelve Blue Evil Flying Knives were found in Dongfang Bai's storage artifact; they were quite powerful, so over the years he had refined them and taken them into his body.

A flicker of mockery flashed in the Fire Year Insect King's eyes. A flash of crimson fire appeared on its body, and with a whoosh, a vast expanse of red flame shot out from within it—the Flame of Time. It spun swiftly, instantly forming a sea of red fire around it.

Seeing this, the others' expressions shifted slightly. They tried to form hand seals to recall their immortal artifacts, but it was too late.

The various immortal artifacts slashed into the sea of red fire and vanished like clay oxen entering the sea, with no further sign of them.

The next moment, the mental connection between the group and their immortal artifacts was severed simultaneously, causing their expressions to change.

Su Qianxi and Jin Liu exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of retreat in the other's eyes.

Although the three beehives were extremely valuable, they were useless for their own cultivation; even if obtained, they would only be sold to others in exchange for a considerable amount of resources and wealth.

To fight to the death with this extremely formidable Fire Year Insect King for that, even if they could win, they would likely pay a heavy price, possibly even losing their lives—it was hardly a wise move.

The others thought the same, except for Han Li and the loose cultivator with the golden hair who held the Treasure Sun Divine Wood Tablet; they seemed somewhat resolute.

But at that moment, the sea of red fire suddenly churned violently, rapidly shrinking into a house-sized ball of red fire, then shot out like a meteor.

Han Li saw this, shifted his gaze, and a hint of understanding appeared in his eyes, but he did nothing.

The others were startled, somewhat baffled.

Several figures in front of the fireball hastily dodged aside, and the red fireball flashed and landed at the entrance of the passage above the lava.

"No! It's going to seal the passage!" Su Qianxi's pretty face changed as she exclaimed in shock.

Before her words faded, the red fireball transformed into a curtain of red fire, sealing the passage entrance.

Although there was another passage behind the cave, countless Fire Year Fireflies were fluttering inside it, so going there would also lead to certain death.

The Fire Year Insect King's eyes flickered slightly, seeming to look at the group with a hint of mockery, like a cat toying with mice.

The expressions of those present changed drastically; some timid ones turned pale.

"Hmph! Trying to catch us all in one net? That depends on whether you have the ability! Everyone, with so many of us, are we afraid of a mere insect?" the bearded man roared, his whole body blazing with yellow light as he stomped heavily.

With a "buzz,"

a yellow domain suddenly expanded from his body, enveloping the entire cave space.

A tremendous gravitational force emanated from the domain, pulling at the Fire Year Insect King, whose body immediately sank, its claws bending slightly.

"Right, with all of us working together and our laws叠加, I refuse to believe we can't kill this Time Insect King!" Jin Liu also shouted.

As he spoke, his body blazed with blue light, and he also opened a blue domain, enveloping the Fire Year Insect King.

The Flame of Time around the Fire Year Insect King immediately fluctuated; it was unclear what effect Jin Liu's domain had on it.

Seeing this, the others' spirits lifted, and they each deployed their domain abilities.

For a moment, over a dozen domains enveloped the Fire Year Insect King.

The mockery in the Fire Year Insect King's eyes vanished, replaced by an angry glare.

The red flames on its body flared brightly, and it shot out, turning into a red shadow pouncing at the bearded man.

Despite the influence of so many domains, the Fire Year Insect King's speed, though still very fast, had slowed considerably, losing its ghostly menace.

"Sand Cage!" the bearded man hastily retreated while grabbing at the air with both hands.

With a crack, the ground in various parts of the cave split open, and countless gravel and sand shot out, swiftly wrapping around the Fire Year Insect King, forming a sand cage that encased it.

Almost simultaneously, with a series of sharp whistles, several immortal artifacts shot over, passing through the gaps in the sand cage and striking the Fire Year Insect King.

With a few clangs, the immortal artifacts were deflected, leaving no trace on the Fire Year Insect King's body, startling the group once more.

At that moment, a blue light flashed, and a human-head-sized blue paper crane appeared before the sand cage. Its beak passed through the cage's gaps and pecked at the Fire Year Insect King like lightning.

In the distance, Su Qianxi chanted incantations, her hands forming a strange seal, as one blue paper crane after another shot out and circled around her.

With a "pop," a bloody hole was pecked into the Fire Year Insect King's body, and crimson blood gushed out.

The Fire Year Insect King let out an angry screech, its eyes blazing with blood-red light. A bloody glow spread across its carapace, and its size suddenly swelled somewhat.

It swung its claws, and several crescent-shaped beams shot out, twice as large as before, slashing in all directions.

The sand cage around it was easily cut through like tofu.

The Fire Year Insect King immediately broke free, spread its wings, and instantly turned into a blood-red afterimage, its speed even faster than before at its peak. It seemed the influence of the surrounding domains had suddenly vanished as it shot toward Su Qianxi like lightning.

Su Qianxi's expression changed, and she hastily retreated backward. At the same time, the blue paper cranes around her all shot out, turning into blue shadows pouncing at the Fire Year Insect King.

Although these blue paper cranes were fast, they were far inferior to the Fire Year Insect King. The insect king dodged them easily with a few flashes, appearing before Su Qianxi in an instant, its front claws about to swing down.

In that instant, the void beside the Fire Year Insect King rippled, and a golden fist shadow materialized, striking it like a meteor.

With a muffled thud,

the Fire Year Insect King's body was sent flying, tumbling forward.

Not far away, Han Li silently withdrew his fist.

"Thank you!"

Su Qianxi, her pretty face pale, sent a voice transmission of thanks to Han Li, then quickly flashed away, recalling the blue paper cranes to circle around her.

The Fire Year Insect King steadied itself with a flash of blood light on its body, glaring angrily at Han Li. It spread its wings and turned into a blood shadow, charging at him.

Han Li did not deploy his domain, nor did he dodge or retreat. Dense points of light from his acupoints appeared on his body, and his fists blazed with golden light as he prepared to engage.

But at that moment, the Fire Year Insect King let out an angry screech and abruptly changed direction, shooting toward the three beehives.

Two cultivators, taking advantage of the Fire Year Insect King being occupied by Han Li and the others, had sneaked up to the beehives to collect them. They were the golden-haired youth holding the Treasure Sun Divine Wood Tablet and another loose cultivator Golden Immortal.

Seeing the Fire Year Insect King flying toward them, the two's expressions changed drastically, and they hastily retreated.

But the Fire Year Insect King seemed utterly enraged by their attempt to steal the beehives. Its carapace instantly turned completely blood-red, and the Flame of Time on its body also turned blood-red.

Its speed increased again, and with a blur, it shot between the golden-haired youth and the other cultivator, its front claws slashing like lightning.

Two flashes of blood-red light passed, and with two pops, the other loose cultivator Golden Immortal was sliced in half from head to toe, his soul and nascent soul unable to escape.

The golden-haired youth blocked with the Treasure Sun Divine Wood Tablet, but with a crack, the tablet was cut in two.

The youth's heart ached, but he used that split-second gap to retreat in time, avoiding being split in half. However, the residual force struck his chest, leaving a huge wound from which blood gushed, causing his retreating figure to stumble.

The Fire Year Insect King spat out a stream of blood-red flame, and taking advantage of the youth's momentary delay, it pierced through his chest with a hiss.

The golden-haired youth's body burst into flames with a boom, turning into a ball of blood-red fire that blazed fiercely, reducing him to ashes in an instant.

Just as the Fire Year Insect King killed the two, a dazzling blue light suddenly appeared above it. Taking advantage of the brief moment when the insect king was occupied, it descended rapidly, enveloping the Fire Year Insect King.

With a clatter,

three thick chains extended from the blue light, binding the Fire Year Insect King.

Although all three chains were blue, they emitted distinctly different laws, yet they complemented each other perfectly. Even the Fire Year Insect King was firmly locked in place, unable to break free.

In the distance, the three members of the Tianshui Sect stood in a triangular formation, forming a Three Talisman Array, chanting incantations in unison as they remotely controlled the three blue chains.

The Fire Year Insect King let out an angry hiss, and the Flame of Time on its body flared intensely, fiercely burning and striking the three chains.

The three chains soon became pitted and scarred from the burning, but the surrounding blue domain flickered, and streams of law power flowed in, quickly restoring the chains, maintaining a balance with the Flame of Time.

"Kill it quickly! We can't hold on much longer!" Su Qianxi and the other two, though suppressing the Fire Year Insect King, were trembling as they formed hand seals, speaking urgently.

The others, hearing this, hastily unleashed various attacks, raining down on the Fire Year Insect King.

A flicker of panic appeared in the Fire Year Insect King's eyes. The Flame of Time on its body flared, enveloping its entire body, and it suddenly let out a screech.

The Fire Year Fireflies outside the cave seemed to receive a command and immediately flew into the cave.

But at that moment, a figure flickered before the cave entrance—Han Li appeared, waving his hands.

A blue light shot from his hand—a blue jade slab—which rapidly expanded into a blue stone door, blocking the entrance perfectly.

This was an immortal artifact made from Kun Blue Crystal Jade, also obtained from Dongfang Bai's storage artifact, of excellent quality.

The Fire Year Fireflies outside slammed into the blue stone door, causing it to buzz and tremble.

Seeing this, Han Li's expression darkened. He immediately pressed both hands against the stone slab, and a layer of golden light appeared on it.

Even so, the blue stone slab continued to tremble violently. The Fire Year Fireflies outside surged like a tidal wave, and the moment he relaxed his grip slightly, the slab showed signs of being shaken open.