Chapter 186: The Sacrifice Begins, Battle of the Soul Bones
"Should we start now?" Guang Ling asked after seeing Han Li deep in thought. When Han Li snapped back to reality, Guang Ling finally spoke.
"No, there's still some preparation to do. Tianmeng, enjoy your last moments as an ice silkworm." Han Li shook his head, then turned to Tianmeng with a teasing remark.
Tianmeng was momentarily stunned, then lowered its head to examine its plump, round body.
For the longest time, it had despised its own lineage. Because it was born an ice silkworm, even with its heaven defying luck, even as the first million year soul beast, its combat power remained pitifully weak.
But now, when it truly had to abandon this identity, a sense of nostalgia arose.
However, it quickly made up its mind. Changing species was necessary. Even after the transformation, it would still be Tianmeng. It would always remember that it was once an ice silkworm. This change was simply to survive better.
With the situation with Tianmeng settled, Han Li had the three women leave the stone chamber, while he returned to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, sitting cross legged atop the water's surface.
He had already spent a full month inside the well, during which the Divine Realm had been unable to monitor his activities.
He needed to speed things up. While time flowed differently, leaving that side in the dark for too long might prompt unexpected actions.
Ignoring Tianmeng, which was still boasting despite being warily watched by the others, Han Li sank his mind into his spiritual space, rapidly discussing contingency plans with the will of the plane.
For the next two days, aside from occasionally emerging to eat, Han Li appeared to be in deep cultivation. He frequently dove into the depths of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, seemingly engaged in some unknown activity.
It wasn't until the morning of the third day that Han Li finally emerged from the well, stepping onto solid ground once more.
"All set?" Guang Ling handed him some food, though his question was more rhetorical than anything.
"Yeah, we'll begin shortly." Han Li quickly devoured his meal, looking satisfied.
"Anything we can do to help?" Guang Ling handed him another bowl.
"Once we start, you should all move as far away as possible. The commotion won't be small. Do everything you can to prevent any energy from leaking out." Han Li slowed his eating and turned to his master.
"Got it."
Guang Ling nodded, then leaned in and whispered, sealing off the surroundings with soul power to ensure Tianmeng couldn't hear. "If anything goes wrong, abandon it immediately. I'll call your granduncle, and together, we'll help you acquire a soul ring from another ferocious beast."
Han Li couldn't help but chuckle at his master's words. Truly, he was just as protective as ever.
"Relax, I'm more afraid of dying than you are."
Guang Ling laughed at Han Li's response. "Alright then, I'll make sure no one disturbs you."
After everyone finished breakfast, Han Li repeated the instructions to the others. Finally, he turned his gaze to Tianmeng, who was happily munching away.
"You'll stay here and wait for my signal. Begin the sacrifice the moment I give the word."
Apart from this instruction, Han Li gave no other orders. He had already prepared his soul power and spiritual energy; he didn't need Tianmeng's cooperation in that regard he still didn't fully trust it.
Tianmeng nodded in understanding but glanced at its own body again before slowly resuming its meal.
"Alright, that's that. You all should leave now."
Han Li stood up, with Tianmeng following closely behind as they approached the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, while the others departed.
Once Han Li sensed they had exited the poison mist, he submerged himself into the well, leaving Tianmeng alone at the water's edge, staring blankly.
Beneath the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Han Li activated his Yin Yang Domain to shield himself as he sank deeper, fully merging into the dual colored waters.
The pool wasn't particularly deep, and within seconds, his feet touched the bottom, where two massive skeletal remains lay.
This wasn't his first time coming down here, but previously, he had only observed them without touching. Despite their immense allure, he had refrained from getting too close.
A flash of light flickered, and the Ice Fire Dragon Bow manifested in Han Li's hands.
This time, he didn't resist the pull of the remains. Instead, he let his martial soul fly toward them, drawing in the lingering energy above the bones.
As the two forces began to interact, the Ice Fire Dragon Bow trembled violently. Simultaneously, the waters of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well began to boil, and in an instant, the entire basin was shrouded in thick, white mist.
Now that the connection was established, Han Li wasted no time.
He stepped forward, placing both hands each emanating a different elemental energy on the skeletal remains.
Pain. Unbearable pain.
The moment he made contact, agony surged through him like corrosive fire, forcing him onto one knee.
Not only that, his spiritual space was also under siege.
Resentment. Hatred. Unwillingness.
Countless negative emotions stormed his mind, echoing with the roars of dragons, screaming for vengeance. Under this assault, Han Li's very consciousness wavered.
"If you're already dead, then stay dead! Plane Will, gather all the power of faith and cleanse them for me!"
The overwhelming pain twisted Han Li's expression, and for once, he even cursed.
Within his spiritual space, Han Li controlled his spiritual power, transforming it into a barrage of countless arrows that relentlessly hunted down the dragon shaped resentful spirits darting around.
As his shout echoed, a surge of radiant golden energy burst forth from his body, forcefully pressing down on the gray resentment that enveloped him.
Meanwhile, at the location of the Ice Fire Dragon Bow, a massive vortex had formed with it at the center. It continuously devoured the energy lingering on the skeletal remains while simultaneously extracting power from the pool water, radiating a dazzling glow.
Han Li's arms were no longer touching the bones but instead hung limply at his sides, glowing with alternating red and white hues, as if weighed down by an immense burden.
"Rise!"
At some unknown moment, Han Li had entered his full power state all his soul rings and soul bones were fully activated.
As he roared, his third soul ring shone brightly, and the Evil God Hook instantly straightened, stabbing fiercely toward the bottom of the pool. At the same time, his green Wind Thunder Wings flapped wildly.
Using this force, his body shot upward like an arrow. As he ascended, the Ice Fire Dragon Bow carried the swirling vortex upward toward the surface with him.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion erupted from the water. Han Li and the Ice Fire Dragon Bow simultaneously broke through the surface, with a massive waterspout surging beneath him, as if he had trampled it underfoot a spectacular sight.
Unfortunately, the only spectator at the scene had no time to admire this grand display and was instead rolling on the ground in agony.
Tianmeng was miserable.
It never expected that even after agreeing to the sacrifice, it would still have to suffer so much.
It had been standing peacefully by the pool when Han Li suddenly shot out, making such a huge commotion. The result? It got drenched by an entire cascade of pool water. Though it wasn't as lethal as before, the sheer volume alone was unbearable.
"Sacrifice!"
Amid Tianmeng's agonized thrashing, Han Li's voice reached its ears.
Forcing itself to endure the pain, Tianmeng lifted its head and saw Han Li hovering mid air, eyes locked onto it with a murderous aura. His right eye in particular glowed red, carrying an eerie intensity if Tianmeng hesitated for even a moment, it seemed Han Li would attack immediately.
Tianmeng's body trembled, not daring to delay. It wriggled slightly, then mobilized all of its energy to begin the sacrifice ritual.
A colossal crimson pillar of light shot into the sky, shattering the energy barrier surrounding the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well and breaking the seal that the Plane Will had maintained over this place for so long.
For an instant, the entire Ice Fire Yin Yang Well seemed frozen in time. The wind stopped, and even the leaves that had been floating mid air remained suspended, motionless.
A second later, violent energy began surging toward Han Li.
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's body shrank at an astonishing rate as three energy clusters were forcibly extracted from it. These masses of energy passed through the crimson six pointed star of sacrificial law above Han Li's head before being absorbed into his body.
Meanwhile, the injuries Tianmeng had sustained from the pool water rapidly healed. This was the power of the rules during the sacrificial process, the sacrificer would not suffer harm, and any previous injuries would not carry over.
A gentle force cradled Tianmeng, transporting it into the stone chamber that had been prepared earlier. Along with it, a pristine white bone had been forcibly inserted into its body before the sacrifice concluded.
Tianmeng fell unconscious instantly, while the bone began rapidly repairing its fragile body.
Above the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well
As Tianmeng's three energy clusters merged with Han Li, his condition finally stabilized.
The energy that had once belonged to Tianmeng did not resist in the slightest, seamlessly integrating into Han Li's body. At the same time, using the power of faith to shield himself from the wrath of the broken dragon souls, Han Li focused entirely on manipulating the energies within himself.
Massive amounts of soul power and spiritual energy surged into his four external soul bones, rapidly enhancing and increasing their age.
Seventy thousand years.
Eighty thousand years.
One hundred thousand years.
Once all four external soul bones reached the hundred thousand year threshold, they subtly established a connection with one another and began attacking Han Li's hundred thousand year old right leg bone.
After a brief resistance, the Blue Silver Emperor Leg Bone's defenses were breached. Torrential energy flooded into it, rapidly reshaping it and linking it to the other soul bones.
Meanwhile, the million year mental skull bone that Tianmeng had contributed had now completely merged with Han Li. Its original jade white color had been tainted with a faint red hue, transforming it into the dominant leader of the soul bone network.
"Now, you're the only ones left."
A ruthless glint flashed across Han Li's eyes. Without hesitation, he gathered all his soul power and spiritual energy, slamming them into his arms, carrying with them his entire core essence and the remnants of lingering resentment. He expelled everything outward.
A massive, absurdly large energy sphere materialized in front of Han Li. Hovering above it, the Ice Fire Dragon Bow floated silently, exerting pressure upon the sphere, forcing it toward a solid state transformation.
Meanwhile, above Han Li's head, a platinum colored halo quietly emerged.
(End of Chapter)
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