Chapter 286: On the Verge of Conflict

"Just in time."

Lu Ji said indifferently, flicking the silver sword in his hand. He took a step in the void, and his figure flickered, vanishing from the spot.

Immediately after, at the distant snow lotus shadow flying over, countless fine sword lights and petals clashed against each other. In an instant, there were thousands of collisions, producing sharp sounds that pierced the eardrums and caused the nearby void to tremble violently.

"Brother Xuehan, let's meet on the island!" said the scorched-faced man named Chongluan, twisting his neck slightly, from the high-altitude warship.

With that, he flicked his wrist, and a black long blade appeared in his palm. He leaped straight down from the warship, heading toward the nearest island puppet below.

"Heh, it shouldn't take too long."

The scar-faced man murmured, waving his hand. A golden light flashed from his sleeve, and a palm-sized golden ring flew out, rapidly enlarging in midair into a massive golden ring a hundred zhang in diameter, hovering in the void.

After he chanted softly for a moment, dense runes emerged on the golden ring. Within the ring, a wisp of earthy yellow light appeared, seemingly both real and illusory, emitting a series of law fluctuations that made one's heart tremble.

Within the area directly below the ring, the void resounded with a series of "puff puff" noises, as if an invisible pressure was isolating this place from its surroundings, violently compressing the air below.

On the colored light curtain below, a region corresponding to the ring quickly sank into a round pit, with light flowing and trembling incessantly, accompanied by a continuous "sizzling" sound.

"Break for me!"

The scar-faced man shouted, pressing down heavily with his hand forming a seal. Long narrow cracks appeared on the colored light curtain, threatening to collapse.

Just then, a swift blue light shot up from the lower left, arriving with a piercing sound, and struck the ring in the high sky with a "clang."

The golden ring trembled violently from the blue light's impact, and the earthy yellow light it emitted also shook, becoming extremely unstable. As a result, the pressure on the colored light curtain below suddenly decreased, and it returned to its original state.

The scar-faced man's gaze darkened as he looked down. He saw a strikingly beautiful woman in palace attire, holding a blue immortal sword, flying through the air.

Beside her was a young Taoist in gray-white robes, accompanying her.

He had a silver gourd at his waist, a golden whisk in his hand, a tall and straight figure, and handsome features. He appeared no different from an ordinary person, but in fact, he was a lifelike high-level puppet.

"Heh, a pseudo-immortal puppet," the scar-faced man said with a strange laugh, licking his lips.

With that, he waved his hand, recalling the golden ring and slipping it onto his wrist. He turned and flew straight toward the palace woman and the young Taoist.

Meanwhile, the Shifang Tower members, without needing orders, had already dispersed. Instead of charging at the colored light curtain, they flew toward the outer edges of the island.

They had also discovered that the colored light curtain was connected to the giant puppets scattered around. If they could destroy these puppets, they could naturally break into the central island.

However, the cultivators of the Holy Puppet Sect would not let them succeed. They had already rushed out from the main island and split into several battle groups to confront the Shifang Tower members.

In midair, escape lights rose everywhere, and the sounds of battle cries were incessant.

Most of the Shifang Tower cultivators were rogue cultivators from various sects, and their methods were bizarre and varied.

To the northwest, someone opened a spirit beast pouch, releasing dozens of ferocious and grotesque exotic beasts, each nearly a hundred zhang in size. Like an unstoppable torrent, they charged into the puppet army controlled by the Holy Puppet Sect members, engaging in fierce combat.

To the southeast, someone directly offered a black ancient banner over two hundred zhang in size, from which gusts of pitch-black bone-eroding yin wind blew, instantly reducing many low-cultivation Holy Puppet Sect disciples to white bones.

To the southwest, someone opened a white bone box, releasing countless black-striped golden bees, stabbing their venomous stingers at the Holy Puppet Sect cultivators...

Although the Holy Puppet Sect cultivators were not as fierce, skilled, and resourceful as the Shifang Tower members, they excelled in their unwavering determination to protect the sect, fearing no death. Moreover, with the assistance of numerous puppets, they far outnumbered the Shifang Tower members, thus gaining the upper hand to some extent.

High in the sky, the black spirit boats that had originally formed a formation scattered, their golden patterns shining brightly. From the huge holes beneath the hulls, thick golden spears over ten zhang in diameter shot down with piercing whistles.

Hundreds of mechanical flying boats that had already risen into the air simultaneously lit up with spiritual patterns. At the circular formation at the bow of each boat, red light flickered violently, and flames continuously spewed out. Millstone-sized crimson fireballs flew out one after another, gathering in midair into a dense meteor shower, meeting the golden spears raining down from the sky.

Deafening roars echoed one after another!

Golden spears and crimson fireballs collided, causing golden light to explode and fireballs to scatter everywhere in midair, plunging the scene into chaos.

While the sky was a scene of fierce battle, the sea below was not calm either.

Apart from those engaged in the melee, many Shifang Tower members, led by True Immortal cultivators, had already rushed toward the eight giant puppets, attempting to destroy them and dismantle the formation.

On the warrior puppet southwest of the island, the hundred or so cultivators originally stationed around the round tower now tightly held golden or silver talismans in their hands, staring nervously at the sky.

This was precisely where Han Li and Lin Jiu were stationed.

"They're coming, about two hundred people. Among them, there seem to be three True Immortal cultivators; the rest are mostly below the Mahayana stage," Lin Jiu said slowly, gazing into the distance.

"Those three True Immortals, we two will handle. As for the others, let the Holy Puppet Sect deal with them themselves." Han Li's eyes flickered as he spoke.

"Just what I had in mind." Lin Jiu nodded.

The moment the words fell, both Han Li and Lin Jiu shot upward simultaneously, heading straight for the Shifang Tower cultivators.

Accompanied by a dense chorus of incantations, talismans flew from above the warrior puppets' heads into the high sky, blazing with light as puppets covered in spirit patterns and of various forms flew out.

The Holy Puppet Sect members followed closely behind, charging forward.

Among the three leading True Immortals of Shifang Tower, the one in the center was a tall, robust man in his prime. To his left was a man a head shorter, thin and gaunt, with a half-exposed cheek covered in wrinkles—an old man.

To his right was a woman with a plump, curvaceous figure, the kind that Hu Yandao would describe as having big breasts and a big backside.

The old man among the three, catching sight of Han Li and Lin Jiu approaching, first frowned, then couldn't help but let out a soft "pfft."

"What's wrong?" the burly man asked, his brow furrowed.

"To run into fellow members of the Wuchang Alliance, and with cyan masks at that—what rotten luck..." the gaunt old man said, feeling greatly annoyed.

"I've heard of your Wuchang Alliance's rules before. Those who wear cyan masks are no ordinary folk. Looks like a fierce battle is unavoidable." the burly man said.

"Hearing you say that makes me a bit scared... In any case, don't leave me to face one of them alone." the plump woman said with a light laugh.

"That ox-head seems weaker; I'll take him alone. Leave the deer-head to you two." the burly man quickly decided.

"Good, as you say, fellow Daoist." the gaunt old man immediately agreed.

The plump woman also curved her brows and nodded with a charming smile.

When the two sides closed to within a thousand zhang, the cultivators below the True Immortal realm consciously dispersed, avoiding the areas where their respective True Immortals were, and descended to fight near the sea surface.

The burly man took the lead, flying straight toward Han Li's direction.

The gaunt old man and the plump woman, with a flicker of their forms, charged at Lin Jiu from left and right.

Lin Jiu gave a cold snort, his figure suddenly rising, putting some distance between himself and Han Li, and charged toward the two first.

When they were a few hundred zhang apart, the burly man's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He suddenly flicked his wrist, and a black light shot from his palm straight at Han Li.

The black light flashed and instantly magnified a hundredfold, turning into a mountain-like black giant axe that cleaved down toward Han Li's head.

Before the axe blade arrived, a tremendous, violent wind pressure howled in, forcing the air currents on both sides to retreat, making space unstable, as if it were about to tear apart.

Han Li's figure paused slightly, as if he hadn't expected the opponent to unleash such a fierce killing move right from the start.

The next moment, golden scales rose on his arm. With a fierce roar, golden light overflowed from his fist, condensing into a huge golden fist gauntlet that smashed onto the axe blade.

A thunderous explosion erupted, stirring up a fierce wind that swept in all directions.

Han Li's figure dropped, sinking over a hundred zhang before he stomped hard on the void and steadied himself.

The giant axe, its black light dimmed, flew back, shrinking to its normal size as the burly man caught it in his hand.

Dragged by the force of the axe's recoil, the man couldn't help but stagger back several steps, exclaiming, "I didn't expect you to be a Mystic Immortal."

Han Li paid him no heed, forming a hand seal and softly chanting an incantation.

Before him, a black light flickered, and a hollow treasure wheel gleaming with dark light materialized, emanating a strong aura of water—it was the Heavy Water True Wheel.

"Go!"

He let out a low shout.

In midair, a buzzing sound like a shaken bamboo tube grew loud.

The Heavy Water True Wheel spun rapidly, its hollow patterns blurring, and shot toward the burly man.

The black light was incredibly fast; in a flash, it was before the man.

The latter's heart tightened. He gripped the axe handle firmly with both hands and swung it like a giant shield to block in front of him.

This axe was forged from various rare ores mixed with multiple earth-attributed materials, and was inscribed with reinforcing runes. It was itself a treasure of great power, and its toughness was in no way inferior to top-grade defensive treasures.

He was confident that blocking this strike would be no problem!