Chapter 481: A Well-Played Act

Seeing his own shield immortal artifact frozen by the opponent, Feng Tiandu's expression changed. He quickly formed hand seals with both hands, and a faint black light swirled in his eyes.

Suddenly, a strong black light burst forth from his entire body, accelerating the invasion of the golden cage. The seven golden nails also emerged from his body at a speed several times faster than before.

"Palace Master Xiao, hurry! We can't hold him much longer!" Qi Tianxiao shot two beams of black light into the golden chains in his hands.

At this moment, cold sweat dripped from his forehead, his face was flushed red, and his hands trembled slightly. He was clearly exerting all his strength, but it was still to no avail.

The other three were in the same situation.

Feng Tiandu's strength clearly exceeded their previous expectations.

A trace of hesitation flickered in Xiao Jinhan's brows, but seeing Feng Tiandu in such a state, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. Without another word, he charged forward, snowflakes swirling all around him as he passed.

He moved with his sword, stabbing four times in quick succession.

Then, with a sound of piercing air, four streams of white energy shot toward Feng Tiandu like four white snakes.

But at that moment, a ripple of void appeared behind Xiao Jinhan, and a pitch-black hand silently materialized, emitting wisps of black mist. It struck down fiercely at Xiao Jinhan's head like lightning.

Startled, Xiao Jinhan, who was midair, immediately radiated a brilliant white light and swiftly sidestepped.

However, due to the hand's sudden appearance and his full concentration on delivering a fatal blow to Feng Tiandu, he failed to dodge in time and was grazed on his left shoulder by the black hand.

A crisp sound of bone cracking rang out!

Xiao Jinhan staggered and steadied himself not far away, but his left shoulder was visibly twisted. A conspicuous black palm print appeared on his back, emitting a foul odor.

The fabric on his back quickly disintegrated and turned yellow, as if corroded. The skin at the black palm print hissed like a snake's tongue, rapidly rotting and spreading outward.

Xiao Jinhan took a light breath, formed a hand seal with his other hand, and white light flickered on his body. The falling snowflakes around him turned into a white whirlwind, converging on his wound. In an instant, they formed a layer of white frost covering the black palm print, halting its spread.

At the same time, he spun around like lightning to look at the attacker and was momentarily stunned.

The attacker was none other than Qi Tianxiao!

Qi Tianxiao now wore a smile, completely free of his earlier strained expression.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

In the blink of an eye while Xiao Jinhan was distracted, eight black chains materialized around him and, with a blur, reached him.

These were the Separation Yuan Law Chains.

Xiao Jinhan's pupils contracted. He quickly opened his mouth and spat out a snow-white jade bowl. It spun rapidly, and countless gold and silver runes flew out, forming a net of interwoven gold and silver light that enveloped him.

A bizarre scene unfolded!

The eight black chains blurred and, as if passing through nothing, directly penetrated the gold and silver net, instantly sinking into his body.

Xiao Jinhan's body stiffened, the white light on his surface quickly dissipated, and his aura rapidly declined.

Then, the void behind him flickered, and a gaunt figure emerged—Feng Tiandu.

The seven golden nails on his body were now gone, and his complexion had recovered. Black light swirled around his palms, faintly revealing eight black chains about a foot long, their other ends vanishing into the void.

Clearly, the Separation Yuan Law Chains attacking Xiao Jinhan had been shot from his hands.

"You..."

Xiao Jinhan roared, and the white light on his body flared brightly, forming a layer of white crystalline film on his skin.

The black chains halted, their penetration speed greatly reduced.

At that moment, a golden light flashed, and four golden chains shot through the air, instantly wrapping around Xiao Jinhan's body. These were the same chains used earlier to bind Feng Tiandu.

The black runes on the golden chains had completely disappeared, now radiating dazzling golden light and powerful binding laws.

The four golden chains quickly coiled, forming a golden cage identical to the previous one, trapping Xiao Jinhan inside.

Qi Tianxiao and the other three Vast Spirit Sect Golden Immortals appeared around Xiao Jinhan, rapidly forming hand seals and casting spells.

In the distant cave, Han Li watched the sudden turn of events, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

"Ah, what's going on with these people? Weren't they all fighting the old zombie just now? How in the blink of an eye are they all attacking the silver-bearded one?" Gold Boy transmitted to Han Li in surprise.

"Everything before was an act. In reality, they were all trying to kill the silver-bearded one. He was betrayed by his own companions." Han Li's gaze swept over Feng Tiandu, Qi Tianxiao, and the others, a look of understanding dawning on his face as he spoke.

"So it seems the silver-bearded one is kind of pitiful." Gold Boy frowned slightly and transmitted with some confusion.

"Gold Boy, remember this: when you're out in the world, never be without caution, and never trust anyone." Han Li smiled slightly and transmitted back.

"Can't I even trust you, Uncle?" Gold Boy blinked at Han Li and said.

"...I'm naturally an exception." Han Li was taken aback and said somewhat speechlessly.

...

"You dare betray me? You're asking for death!" Xiao Jinhan swept his gaze over Qi Tianxiao and the other three, snorted coldly, and quickly formed a hand seal.

A dazzling white light bloomed from his hand, within which faint white runes appeared, flashing rapidly three times.

Qi Tianxiao and the other three's bodies suddenly trembled, and a layer of white light appeared at their dantian. Then, a large patch of snowflakes materialized above their heads, and their expressions instantly became dazed.

A cruel smile appeared on Xiao Jinhan's face as he formed a hand seal, about to activate it.

But at that moment, a black light emerged at the dantian of Qi Tianxiao and the others, within which the faint shadow of a black chain appeared, yanking sharply.

Crack!

The white light at their dantian shattered like an egg, disappearing along with the falling snowflakes.

"How is that possible..." Xiao Jinhan's face stiffened.

"A mere infant soul restriction dares to be used on us Vast Spirit Sect cultivators? Don't you know that my 'Separation Yuan Yin Demon Art' specializes in dealing with infant souls?" Feng Tiandu sneered.

Xiao Jinhan's expression darkened, and he was about to do something.

At that moment, figures flickered, and several figures appeared nearby—Hu Yan Daoist, Yun Ni, and the two Southern Li Clan Golden Immortals.

Their eyes gleamed with sharp light, filled with murderous intent, and they all shouted simultaneously.

A crimson flying sword, a blue flying wheel, and two golden staffs shot out, transforming into four beams of different colors, slashing down at Xiao Jinhan.

Xiao Jinhan's expression changed again, but he showed no panic. A white light shone in his eyes.

A mass of white light appeared before him, drawing the swirling snowflakes around him. In an instant, it formed a semi-transparent white ice wall, emitting a faint glow. Countless white runes danced on its surface, and indistinct white light flowed within.

With four loud booms!

The immortal artifacts of Hu Yan Daoist and the others struck the ice wall, which trembled violently. Cracks appeared on its surface, and then it shattered simultaneously into a shower of ice shards.

But the four immortal artifacts were also repelled.

Xiao Jinhan rapidly chanted incantations. White light blazed around him, and the countless snowflakes instantly converged, forming a white ice ball over ten zhang in size, freezing himself and the golden cage inside.

Frozen within the ice ball, the golden light of the cage solidified, and the black chains also froze in place, motionless.

Feng Tiandu frowned and immediately pointed a finger.

A pitch-black flying sword shot out, transforming into a giant black sword rainbow dozens of zhang long, slashing fiercely at the ice ball.

A loud boom resounded!

The ice ball shook violently, and a scar over ten zhang long was cut on its surface, but it was not deep.

However, the black sword rainbow was also repelled. The rainbow light dissipated, reverting to a black serpent-shaped flying sword, spinning rapidly above Feng Tiandu's head.

Some white ice crystals appeared on the sword's surface, and the black sword light was somewhat scattered, as if its spirituality was slightly damaged.

Seeing this, Feng Tiandu's expression darkened. He waved his hand, sending a black light into the flying sword.

The black flying sword twisted like a spirit snake, buzzing and trembling, quickly shaking off the white ice crystals and returning to normal.

Figures flickered as Feng Tiandu, Qi Tianxiao, Hu Yan Daoist, and the others, along with the True Immortals present, all flew over, surrounding Xiao Jinhan.

Ouyang Kuishan and the other two showed no surprise at the scene or at Xiao Jinhan's entrapment, nor did they intend to help. They flew into the air and looked around, as if on guard.

"Very good, very good! Besides you people, is the Cangliu Palace involved as well? Luo Qinghai found an excuse to divert my men on the way here—it seems this was premeditated. Why not call them all out?" From within the ice ball, Xiao Jinhan looked at the surrounding Golden Immortals without any fear, speaking calmly.

Everyone was taken aback by his words.

"Heh, Palace Master Xiao seems to have misunderstood. Actually, this was a spur-of-the-moment decision on our part, and we didn't have time to consult with Palace Master Luo of Cangliu Palace. But it seems fate was on our side; Palace Master Luo inadvertently helped divert your supporters, which saved us a lot of trouble." Qi Tianxiao chuckled.

"Xiao Jinhan, ever since you took control of the North Cold Immortal Palace, you've acted against the natural order, arbitrarily mobilizing the palace's forces to persecute the major powers for your own selfish desires. You persecuted the Candle Dragon Dao, and now you want to dismantle our Vast Spirit Sect. Truly ambitious and ruthless. Today, this place will be your death ground." Feng Tiandu's eyes turned icy cold as he spoke slowly.

The others all harbored murderous intent, staring fixedly at Xiao Jinhan.

"Hmph! I am the Palace Master of the North Cold Immortal Palace, appointed by the Heavenly Court. If you dare harm me, the Heavenly Court will never let you off. They will send inspection envoys, and none of you will escape." Seeing this, Xiao Jinhan couldn't help but frown slightly and said in a deep voice.

"Indeed, in the North Cold Immortal Domain, we wouldn't dare touch you; we could only swallow our anger. But this is the Minghan Immortal Mansion. If we kill you here and destroy the evidence, who would know?" Hu Yan Daoist, in the form of the black-bearded old man, sneered.