Published: August 16, 2025
Chapter 167: Fierce Battle (Part 1)
Since he had already been exposed, hiding here any longer was pointless.
Han Li took a deep breath, standing firm beneath the dazzling light shield. With a magical artifact in each hand, he stepped out from behind the rock.
"It's you."
After recognizing Han Li’s face, “Senior Brother Lu” exclaimed in surprise. He had actually recognized Han Li.
But Han Li’s heart sank slightly at the other’s exclamation.
On that day on the small mountain, Senior Brother Lu had only met Han Li once, and that was amid chaotic fighting. Yet now, after several months had passed, he could still recognize Han Li at a glance. This meant that the man either had an incredible memory, able to remember faces perfectly, or was exceptionally shrewd and calculating.
Either way, this was not good news for Han Li.
In fact, Han Li had already sensed that in certain ways, this "Senior Brother Lu" was similar to him—a person who skillfully used cunning strategies and struck ruthlessly.
Especially that arrogant demeanor he showed in front of others was definitely a smokescreen, just like Han Li’s low profile. Han Li avoided attracting attention, whereas Senior Brother Lu deliberately invited underestimation to hide his true nature.
However, Han Li believed he couldn’t be as shameless, ruthless, or cruel as this man. He had always adhered to a moderate path of self-preservation.
Just as a solemn feeling settled in Han Li’s heart, Senior Brother Lu’s expression also turned serious. It seemed he had made an association of some sort, his eyes flashing with murderous intent without the slightest concealment.
Han Li sighed. He had originally wanted to exchange a few words, to see if he could bluff his way out, but judging from the other’s expression and cunning, there was no room for maneuver. Only one of them could survive this encounter. There was no point in wasting words. It was better to strike first.
With that thought, Han Li wasted no time. Raising his left hand, a steel ring emitted an eerie whistle as it shot straight toward Senior Brother Lu. At the same time, his right hand lit up, and a blue-black gourd appeared. From its spout, five or six black spheres shot out, following closely behind the steel ring.
Han Li did not stop there. His left hand moved slightly in the air, conjuring several red fireballs that he wrapped in his sleeve with a subtle motion. Then, with a sudden flick and a low command of “Go,” the fiery orbs scattered in all directions toward Senior Brother Lu, accompanied by a surge of heat.
This barrage used almost every offensive technique Han Li had mastered without relying on talisman treasures, especially the rapid multiple-shot fireball attack, a skill he had painstakingly learned from Wu Feng. His goal was to catch his opponent off guard and strike a decisive, lightning-fast blow.
If he wasn’t still unfamiliar with the new magical artifacts, unsure if he could use them effectively, Han Li would have unleashed everything without hesitation. After all, the new artifacts were much more powerful than the old ones.
But almost as Han Li launched his attack, Senior Brother Lu was not idle. His hands moved swiftly, and a large azure banner about ten feet long appeared. The banner shimmered with blue light, embroidered with a fierce Azure Flood Dragon, teeth bared and claws ready.
At this moment, Senior Brother Lu fully saw the onslaught Han Li had unleashed and was extremely vexed.
He had intended to reveal his most powerful artifact—the Azure Flood Dragon Banner—first, hoping to finish Han Li off with a deadly strike.
But unexpectedly, Han Li had not uttered a single word since appearing, yet immediately launched a furious and merciless assault with the determination to kill or be killed.
With no other choice, Senior Brother Lu ceased attacking and held the banner in his right hand. His left hand reached to his waist and pulled out a yellow talisman from his storage pouch.
He cast a reluctant glance at the high-level talisman, then bit his lip and lightly tossed it forward, chanting rapidly.