Chapter 764: Backs Against the Wall

"Well done!" Liu Qi chortled with glee as an unmatched aura erupted out of his body, causing the entire hall to tremble violently.

Yin Chengquan's expression darkened even further as he aimed a vicious glare at Ha nLi's group, following which he thrust both palms through the air in unison, and a dull thump rang out as four giant gray palm projections appeared above the white fox projection's head at once.

The four giant palm projections fused as one to form an enormous palm projection that was several thousand feet in size, and it came crashing down like a massive mountain.

"Do you still think this spiritual sense avatar of yours is a match for me now that two chains have already been severed?" Liu Qi chortled as he stood up from the wooden cross, but he was still bound by the silver and golden chains.

A burst of bright translucent light emerged over his glabella, and the white fox projection swelled drastically in size, then rose up onto its hind legs before sweeping both of its front paws through the air.

An earth-shattering boom rang out as the giant gray palm projection exploded, and Yin Chengquan shuddered violently as he stumbled back several steps in retreat.

The fox projection was also sent tumbling down from the sky as the white light emanating from its body flickered in a slightly unsteady fashion, but it then instantly righted itself before pouncing at Yin Chengquan.

......

At the conference venue in the Fallen Lake Area.

All of the regional monarchs had begun expressing their opinions, and the former lively and bustling atmosphere of the conference had been restored.

Yin Chengquan was seated with a smile on his face, occasionally communicating with the regional monarchs around him, and Huang Fuyu was a little disappointed to see him looking so calm and composed.

Right at this moment, Wyrm 3's voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

"Palace Master Huang, our people have learned that something has indeed happened in the Soul Cleansing Area, but it's not some incident concerning their treasure refinement facilities, as Yin Chengquan proclaimed. Instead, some people have snuck deep into Asura City and caused a great deal of trouble there. Right now, all of the forces within Asura City are converging there."

"Oh? To think that someone would sneak into Asura City at a time like this," Huang Fuyu mused as he raised an eyebrow.

"Should I instruct our people to keep gathering more information, Palace Master Huang?" Wyrm 3 asked.

"Yes, and while they're at it, get them to cause some trouble as well, but make sure they don't get caught by any of the Infernal Region's forces," Huang Fuyu immediately replied.

Wyrm 3's eyes immediately lit up slightly upon hearing this, and she gave an affirmative response.

Yin Chengquan was discussing something with a regional monarch next to him when he shot a glance in Huang Fuyu's direction, and a peculiar look flashed through his eyes.

Right at this moment, his finger tightened once again as the purple mark on his ring also faded, and his smile instantly stiffened slightly.

......

Inside the restricted area.

Han Li's complexion was looking a little pale, and he stowed the Heavenly Fox Bloodform Saber before taking a pill.

Fox 3 and Shi Chuankong also took some pills to replenish their immortal spiritual power, while the light emanating from Daoist Xie's body had dimmed significantly.

Almost all of the immortal spiritual power in the Immortal Origin Stones in Daoist Xie's body had been sucked dry just now, rendering it barely even able to move.

Han Li took a glance at Daoist Xie, then swept a sleeve through the air to release a burst of azure light that drew it into the Flower Branch domain.

He had left a large supply of Immortal Origin Stones in the Flower Branch space, and that would be enough for Daoist Xie to replenish its energy.

Fox 3 was ecstatic to see that the fox projection up above was beginning to gain the upper hand over Yin Chengquan, and he turned to Han Li and Shi Chuankong with an elated expression as he said, "Please take a quick rest, then we'll sever the remaining two chains. Once Patriarch Liu Qi is freed, he'll be able to lend you his protection so you can enter the third lightning pond."

"We can't do that," Han Li refused with a shake of his head.

"Why not? We're currently in a very perilous situation right now. Enemy reinforcements could come at any second, and without Patriarch Liu Qi's protection, there's no way you'll be able to enter the third lightning pond!" Fox 3 said with a slightly displeased expression.

"Please don't misunderstand, Fellow Daoist Fox 3. These Lightning Entrapment Chains are no ordinary restrictions, and Senior Liu Qi already spoke of the potential of suffering backlash from these chains earlier. The two of you haven't ever been in direct contact with these chains, so you wouldn't have felt it, but with each chain that was severed, both Senior Liu Qi and I were struck by backlash from the power that they contained.

“The lightning power imbued within these chains is extremely fearsome, and if I hadn't been baptized in the corresponding lightning ponds, thereby injecting a hint of their essential aura into my own body, there's no way I would've been able to withstand the backlash.

“Senior Liu Qi must've already been aware of this in advance, and that must be why he wanted us to enter the Baleful Cleansing Ponds before severing the chains," Han Li said as he lifted a hand, and a layer of purple light re-emerged over his body to demonstrate his point.

An enlightened look appeared on Fox 3's face upon hearing this, and he said, "I see, but right now, Patriarch Liu Qi won't be able to offer you his protection, so how will you be able to endure the remaining two lightning ponds?"

"Just as you said earlier, we're still in an extremely perilous situation right now, and life-threatening danger could descend upon us at any time. If I don't take a risk now, then perhaps I won't even get a chance to later. I must hold my fate in my own hands."

He flew over to the silver lightning pond as he spoke, then peered into it to discover that the arcs of lightning in this pond were far thinner than the ones in the previous two ponds, and they were giving off a forbidding sound that resembled the high-pitched calls of countless birds.

He took a deep breath, then gritted his teeth tightly as he jumped into the pond, upon which countless arcs of silver lightning instantly converged upon him in all directions.

The arcs of silver lightning were able to slice through his body with ease, and every single one of them was like a silver flying sword.

Han Li couldn't help but give a muffled groan as a hint of astonishment flashed through his eyes.

The silver lightning was several times more fearsome than the purple lightning, and his tremendous physical constitution was almost unable to protect him at all.

In the blink of an eye, his body had been shredded into ribbons.

At the same time, the silver lightning surged through his entire body, tearing his flesh and meridians into shreds, and blood was gushing out of all parts of his body, presenting a harrowing sight to behold.

The true spirit projections reappeared around him, having become significantly clearer once again, and they began to revolve around his body.

His muscles involuntarily bulged as he began to take on physical traits from all of the true spirit beings, and his true spirit bloodlines in his body were threatening to tear their way out, thereby further exacerbating his injuries.

An urgent look appeared in his eyes upon seeing this, and he knew that his body wouldn't be able to last at this rate.

However, if he wanted his baleful qi to be cleansed, then he couldn't keep out the silver lightning.

He gritted his teeth as he channeled his Great Universe Origin Arts once again, protecting only his internal organs as he allowed the arcs of silver lightning to wreak havoc throughout the rest of his body.

His baleful decay was also activated once again, but at this point, the impact that the baleful decay had on him was rather minimal, and the only real cause for concern was whether his body would be able to last.

The arcs of silver lightning were actively burrowing into the immortal acupoints that were contaminated by baleful qi as if they had a mind of their own, and more plumes of dense black qi began to rise up out of Han Li's body.

The rate of outflow of baleful qi was far faster than in the previous two lightning ponds, and with the expulsion of this baleful qi, Han Li felt as if his body were being liberated from a heavy load.

All of a sudden, a thought occurred to him, and he flipped a hand over to summon a silver pill.

It was none other than his final High Zenith Pill, and he swallowed it before immediately closing his eyes.

Meanwhile, Shi Chuankong was also staring into the silver lightning pond with tightly furrowed brows.

"Are you considering entering the pond as well, Brother Shi? Fellow Daoist Li has no choice, but you can wait until our patriarch is freed before you enter the pond," Fox 3 said.

"That may be true, but who knows if I can afford to wait that long? I've already taken so many risks to get here, how can I back down at the last second?" Shi Chuankong asked as a faint smile appeared on his face.

Fox 3 was just about to say something further when a black array suddenly appeared at the edge of the hall without any warning, following which a figure emerged within the array.

"Yin Gua!" Shi Chuankong exclaimed as he swung around with an alarmed expression.

Indeed, the person who had just arrived was none other than Yin Gua, the Great Encompassment Stage Gray Immortal from the Hundred Treasure Area.

As soon as Yin Gua appeared, he took a glance at Shi Chuankong and Fox 3, then immediately looked up into the air, where Yin Chengquan's spiritual sense avatar and the giant fox projection were facing each other from several thousand feet away.

Liu Qi took a glance at Yin Gua, then looked back at Yin Chengquan's spiritual sense avatar, and a cold sneer appeared on his face.

A hint of fear flashed through Yin Gua's eyes at the sight of Yin Chengquan, who turned to him before asking in a cold voice, "What are you doing here, Elder Yin Gua? Do you not know what this place is?"

"Please forgive me, Regional Monarch. You Luo betrayed our Infernal Tribe and freed those outsiders from the infernal prison, then led them here to free the Kun Hou. I had no choice but to pursue them to this point," Yin Gua hurriedly explained in a trembling voice as he extended an apologetic bow.