Chapter 866: Secret Frame-Up

After returning to his room number 332 in the Ninth District and sitting down, Han Li let out a light breath.

He steadied his mind, stopped thinking about other matters, closed his eyes, and began to circulate the Feather Ascension Art, refining the Tiger Scale Beast core within his body.

Although there were many methods here to preserve the star power contained in the beast core for a longer period, it was ultimately not as good as fresh ones. However, in reality, obtaining fresh beast cores was no easy task.

This first participation in the Xuan Battle had been eventful but safe, and it also made him more deeply aware of his current predicament—it was not good.

To survive, he must quickly enhance his physical strength, and only by continuously improving his physical strength could he have a chance to leave this place.

As he pondered, the Tiger Scale Beast core gradually dissolved within his body, turning into a mass of star power.

The Tiger Scale Beast was indeed worthy of being a Xuan-grade scaled beast; the star power contained in its core was considerable, several times that of the Taluo beast cores he had purchased before. However, like the star power in the Taluo beast cores, it was quite chaotic and turbulent, rampaging through his body with a tendency to leak out.

"Is the star power in this Tiger Scale Beast core inherently so chaotic, or are all scaled beast cores of a certain age like this?" Han Li mused, ignoring the overflowing star power.

As expected, before long, the mouth of the Vial within his body emitted a suction force, drawing back the overflowing star power.

Having previously experimented with Taluo beast cores, Han Li had gradually discerned some patterns: the Vial's absorption and purification of chaotic star power was somewhat similar to its absorption of light spots under moonlight.

The difference was that previously it happened outside the body, now it was inside.

This star power must share some particular similarity with the celestial spiritual energy contained in moonlight.

If not for this, ordinary people who directly devoured Taluo beast cores would probably absorb less than one-thousandth of the star power, and even with this Tiger Scale Beast core, at most one or two percent.

But with the Vial, he could absorb nearly all the star power contained in the beast core—the difference was enormous.

Perhaps this was also why his absorption of scaled beast cores was significantly more effective than Shi Kongkong's.

Han Li continued to circulate the Feather Ascension Art, absorbing this star power to impact the third Xuan aperture.

A few days later, a bright starlight appeared again on his calf. Under the impact of the vast star power, the third Xuan aperture showed signs of opening.

Han Li did not open his eyes and continued to circulate the technique.

At that moment, the white tree roots above emitted streaks of white starlight, shining upon him, and the star power within them was also absorbed into his body.

At that moment, a faint glimmer flickered atop the white tree roots, and three tiny white worms silently shot down from them.

These worms were as thin as strands of hair, their bodies pure white and translucent, blending into the surrounding white starlight, nearly impossible to discern.

The white worms remained motionless, drifting with the flow of starlight around them, floating toward Han Li's body.

Han Li was deeply engrossed in cultivation and had not extended his spiritual sense to probe his surroundings, so he was completely unaware of the anomaly above his head.

The three worms soon landed on his shoulder. The moment they touched his skin, they swiftly merged into his body like raindrops falling onto parched soil.

Once inside Han Li's body, the originally still white worms suddenly came to life, wriggling left and right as they rapidly burrowed toward his heart.

"What is that!" Han Li sensed it the instant the white worms touched his body. He abruptly opened his eyes and ceased his cultivation.

At that very moment, the Black Calamity Worm attached to his heart stirred slightly, its fine claws trembling, and a faint black light flickered in its eyes, as if it had awakened.

Han Li's heart tightened.

The Black Calamity Worm was now inextricably linked to his own life, and he could not afford any mishap with it.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. His arms suddenly shook violently, and the muscles and bones of his entire body buzzed and trembled, sending out waves of vibrating force that spread throughout his body.

The three small worms, enveloped by this vibrating force, immediately slowed their forward burrowing, but they still continued to drill toward Han Li's heart.

Seeing that the vibrating force was ineffective, Han Li's right hand blurred in an instant, and two fingers flashed like lightning, tapping three times in quick succession above his chest.

Three sharp finger forces penetrated his body, accurately striking the three white worms.

The worms' bodies immediately curved inward, stretched taut.

But these three white worms were truly extraordinary; their bodies remained taut without breaking, and they continued to burrow forward.

After all, finger force was an intangible thing and could not last long; it soon disappeared without a trace.

The three white worms' bodies sprang back, immediately returning to normal, and advanced at an even faster speed. In the blink of an eye, they had burrowed to a place not far from his heart.

Meanwhile, the Black Calamity Worm, due to the proximity of the white worms, trembled even more violently, and from its mouth came a chirping sound.

Han Li grew greatly alarmed. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and a brilliant crystal light burst forth from between his brows.

Three small crystal swords flew out from within, flashed with a swish, and struck above his chest, sinking into it.

The crystalline little sword was actually a tangible object, and three wounds several inches long were cut into Han Li's skin, with blood gushing out.

He paid no attention to the wounds on his body at all, and with his divine sense he controlled the three small swords to break through flesh and blood, slashing at the three small white worms.

Although the white worms had tough bodies, these three small swords were condensed by Han Li using the Mind Sword Art and were extremely sharp.

With three soft 'puff' sounds, the bodies of the three worms were easily cut in two, and the two halves twitched a few times before becoming still.

As soon as the white worms died, the Black Calamity Worms immediately stopped moving and returned to calm.

Han Li felt this and finally relaxed.

At that moment, his brow suddenly furrowed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, coughing softly a few times.

Although he had killed the white worm, the crystalline small sword had also caused considerable damage to his body.

However, Han Li ignored this, formed hand seals, and crystalline light appeared again at his glabella. Three crystalline chains shot out, drilled into the wound, and pulled out the six segments of the insect's body.

With this, the wound on his chest widened somewhat, and blood gushed out.

Han Li did not even glance at the wounds on his body, silently circulating the Great Cycle Stellar Origin Art.

As dense white starlight converged, the three wounds on his chest healed rapidly, soon forming three blood scabs.

But Han Li's gaze was now fixed on the six segments of white insect bodies before him, his eyes gleaming with cold light.

If he hadn't reacted quickly and decisively killed these three small insects with the Mind Sword Art, they would have likely drilled into his heart.

He just didn't know what would happen if the Black Calamity Insects reacted to these white insects.

These white insects were so peculiar that they certainly couldn't be native to the Xuan Dou Arena. Could someone be trying to harm him?

The face of Scarface flashed through Han Li's mind, but he quickly shook his head.

He took a deep breath, his expression soon returning to calm. After tidying the bloodstains on his clothes, he pulled open the door.

In the open cave space at the entrance, many Xuan Dou warriors had gathered, chatting and laughing, seemingly discussing a match that had just taken place. Scarface was among them.

When these people saw Han Li appear, they greeted him with smiles. Only Scarface showed a hint of unnaturalness, turning his head away without speaking.

Han Li nodded slightly to the others, cast a deliberate glance at Scarface, and then strode toward Chen Lin's room.

"Tap, tap..."

Arriving outside Chen Lin's door, Han Li raised his hand and lightly knocked twice on the stone door.

After a moment, a white light flickered at the gap beneath the stone door, flashed once, and then vanished.

Immediately after, a grating sound came, and the stone door slowly opened.

"Brother Li, it's you? Haha, it's been a while." Chen Lin stood behind the stone door, looking at Han Li outside, first showing a hint of surprise, then said with a smile.

"Brother Chen, may I come in for a chat?" Han Li cupped his hands and said.

"Of course, come in." Chen Lin stepped aside and made a gesture of invitation.

Han Li stepped into the room, and the door rumbled shut again.

"Brother Li, from your expression, has something happened?" After inviting Han Li to sit at the stone table, Chen Lin raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Indeed, there are some things I'd like to ask..." Han Li's eyes flickered, and he immediately recounted the incident of being attacked by the white thread-like insect while cultivating in his room earlier.

"Such a thing happened? Brother Li, it's incredible that you survived under these circumstances." Chen Lin stood up directly after hearing this, his face full of surprise.

"Brother Chen, why do you say that?" Han Li's heart stirred, puzzled.

"You don't know what that white thread-like insect is, do you? That's the infamous Heart-Eroding Worm, a strange insect that can only be produced in that hellish place, the Heart-Eating Valley. This little creature is a mortal enemy of the Black Calamity Worm; once they meet, it's a fight to the death. If they devour each other inside your body, no matter how strong your physique, you will surely die." Chen Lin frowned deeply.

"So that's it. It seems my fate wasn't sealed." Han Li rubbed his nose and gave a wry smile.

"Was it Scarface?" Chen Lin's brow twitched as he asked tentatively.

"Who else could it be?" Han Li sighed and said.

"Under normal circumstances, Xuan Fighters are not allowed to leave this place, so in this Ninth District, besides him, no one else could get the Heart-Eroding Worm." Chen Lin said thoughtfully.

"Oh, so this person has some special background?" Han Li asked in confusion.

"It's not exactly a special background, otherwise he wouldn't have ended up here. But although he's not strong, he has some kinship with a minor steward in the city lord's mansion. And it's precisely this trivial connection that allows him to get things from outside that aren't available in the Xuan Fight Arena, to trade with other Xuan Fighters. Plus, he's on good terms with Poison Dragon, the boss, so generally no one wants to provoke him, which is why he's become increasingly arrogant." Chen Lin explained slowly.

Han Li listened and nodded noncommittally.

This Scarface, he hadn't taken him seriously before, but now it seemed he had been a bit too careless.