"Xue Hong!"
A Senior Brother who appeared to be her dual cultivation companion cried out in extreme grief. Then, waving both hands, a dark light shot out and danced wildly around her corpse, trying to find the Ice Demon who had harmed her.
Speaking of which, this Senior Sister named "Xue Hong" died quite unjustly. If she hadn't momentarily gotten the urge to compete and used the Talisman Treasure, she might still be alive and well.
Because before using the Talisman Treasure, she had always had a light gauze defensive Magical Treasure floating beside her. But in order to shorten the time needed to activate the Talisman Treasure and save some spiritual energy, she carelessly put away the treasure. As a result, without protection...
However, saying that this woman had too little experience and made such a major mistake due to carelessness was actually somewhat unfair.
She had only dared to so confidently activate the Talisman Treasure because she saw that all the enemies opposite had turned into light cocoons and felt that she was surrounded by fellow disciples. But who could have predicted that the Ice Demon would break out of its cocoon in a half-demonic state and immediately turn invisible, targeting her?
At that time, the woman was at the final moment of activating the Talisman Treasure—she couldn't stop even if she wanted to—and that was why she met such a tragic end.
Speaking of which, when Song Meng activated that spear Talisman Treasure, he also didn't use any protective measures. It was just that his Talisman Treasure had less power and thus finished activating earlier. Otherwise, who knew which person the hidden Ice Demon would have sneak-attacked?
And not just the two of them—even Han Li and the others who had just attacked hadn't activated many protective treasures. After all, the light cocoons had just been targets that couldn't fight back. Of course, they didn't want to waste spiritual energy activating defensive Magical Treasures separately.
But now, seeing the tragic scene of the woman having her heart torn out, and hearing Han Li's warning, the others broke into cold sweat down their backs. Immediately, protective Magical Treasures and shields all appeared, fearing that this eerie and vicious enemy would launch another sneak attack.
But what made them exchange stunned glances even more was that no matter what invisible-detecting spells or treasures they used, they couldn't track the demon's whereabouts.
Even when they occasionally caught a glimpse of a trace, before they could even feel a moment of joy, the demon would mysteriously vanish again. It seemed to be moving at high speed. By now, the Ice Demon had become completely semi-transparent, occasionally appearing and disappearing around them. Not to mention the naked eye—even spiritually sharp Magical Treasures couldn't actively track it, being shaken off completely after just a few attempts.
At this, everyone became fearful for their own safety, constantly watching the surroundings with alarmed hearts. They were completely suppressed by the half-demonized Ice Demon alone, unable to move.
Only Han Li watched the scene in the field, a strange look flashing across his face.
Senior Brother Wang, who had fought alongside Han Li, had never seen such a bloody scene. His face was now deathly pale, revealing his fear.
For him, the "Senior Sister" who had been chatting and laughing with him just a short while ago had died so miserably—it was like a dream. This was completely different from his earlier expectation that their side would display great power and easily eliminate the enemy!
Thinking of this, he glanced at "Xue Hong's" dual cultivation companion, whose expression was like a madman, and his face became even uglier.
Perhaps the more one fears something, the more it comes!
Either his nervous expression was seen by the Ice Demon, or it felt he was weaker and easier to target.
Therefore, while he was hesitating and at a loss, a transparent icy claw materialized out of thin air behind him and fiercely clawed toward his heart.
Senior Brother Wang's protective Magical Treasure, a small bronze shield, was quite spirited. Before Wang even had time to actively control it, it moved on its own with a flash, just in time to block the strike.
With a crisp "clang," although the ice-like claw was knocked back, the small bronze shield was instantly covered in a thick layer of frost and fell straight to the ground, temporarily losing its spiritual properties.
Only then did Senior Brother Wang notice the shocking change behind him. His face drained of all color instantly, and he subconsciously turned around, looking around in panic.
Seeing no movement nearby, after hesitating for a moment, he suddenly bent down to pick up the small copper shield. He needed to defrost his Magical Treasure quickly so he could send it out again.
"Get out of the way!"
Liu Jing, who was nearby, saw his action and shouted at him in alarm and anger.
"What?" He was stunned for a moment and hadn't understood what was happening when the water-element protective shield behind him made an extremely crisp cracking sound. Then a bone-chilling cold wind blew straight toward his back.
"Oh no!" Senior Brother Wang realized what was happening at almost the same moment. The invisible Ice Demon hadn't left after one strike—it had turned to his back to launch a fatal blow.
In that instant, Senior Brother Wang's mind went blank. The only image that emerged was the tragic death of "Senior Sister Xue Hong."
"Who would have thought it would be my turn so soon!"
That was the only thought Senior Brother Wang could muster.
But at that moment, his vision blurred, and then his body felt light. He flew out as if riding clouds and mist. Below him came a series of rumbling wind and thunder sounds, along with someone's alarmed and furious roars.
Then his feet touched the solid ground, and he stood steadily.
"Senior Brother Wang, are you all right?"
Just as he was completely confused, not knowing whether he was dead or alive, a deeply concerned voice came.
Hearing this familiar voice, he somewhat blankly turned his head. Liu Jing was looking at him with a worried expression.
Seeing this face, Senior Brother Wang realized he was truly alive and unharmed. Overjoyed, he said with deep gratitude:
"Senior Brother Liu, did you save me?"
As soon as these words left his mouth, he himself was startled by how hoarse his voice was—it showed just how terrified he had been.
Hearing this, Liu Jing showed a somewhat embarrassed expression and said apologetically:
"I'm ashamed, Junior Brother. You being alive isn't my doing. It was Junior Brother Han who just saved you, and he's still fighting that demon now! *Cough*, I used to doubt what you all said about Junior Brother Han being so young yet having killed over a dozen Foundation Establishment stage cultivators. Now I've truly seen it with my own eyes. Junior Brother Han's strength is truly unfathomable!"
"Junior Brother Han?" Senior Brother Wang was stunned upon hearing this.
He clearly remembered that Han Li had been five or six zhang away from him at the time—how could he have made it in time to act?
Thinking this, Senior Brother Wang hurriedly turned to look toward where the fighting sounds were coming from. What he saw left him dumbfounded.
At the spot where he had been attacked, there was clearly no one visible, yet the sounds of fierce fighting and someone's low roars and shouts could be heard. Moreover, several beams of sharp light and sword energy-like things were flying out for no apparent reason, cutting countless grooves of varying depths into the nearby ground.
It took Senior Brother Wang a long while to come back to his senses.
Just as he was about to ask in great surprise, a sudden gust of wind swept across the open ground. Then a white, semi-transparent figure materialized out of thin air, flying backward in a strange, rapid trajectory that startled Senior Brother Wang.
This figure was the half-demonized Blood Servant who had attacked him. But now the demon looked even more eerie—his entire body was like crystal, completely transparent.
"Impossible! How can you see through my invisibility and keep up with my speed!"
The demon's crystalline face showed a look of furious shock, even with a hint of fear.
But as soon as these words left his mouth, he let out a bestial roar and lunged forward fiercely, disappearing once again.
Then came Han Li's cold snort, and the halted fighting resumed, even more intense than before. And it was no longer confined to one spot—it began spreading outward in all directions. Liu Jing and the others, who could only hear the sounds but not see the combatants, turned pale and continuously retreated.
Even the dual cultivation companion of the dead female cultivator, eager for revenge, had no choice but to back away, fearing he might accidentally be caught in the crossfire between Han Li and the demon and die without knowing what happened.
They all knew they couldn't intervene in this invisible battle for the time being.
"Look at the ground!" Song Meng exclaimed.
The others looked down upon hearing this, and everyone felt a chill in their hearts.
On the ground ahead, at some unknown time, a thick layer of crystal ice had formed. It sparkled under the moonlight, appearing incredibly smooth.
"This demon is so cunning—it turned the ground into this. This is disadvantageous for Junior Brother Han!" Song Meng said with an anxious look.
"Not necessarily. Although I don't know what Escaping Arts Junior Brother Han is using that makes us unable to detect him either, from the sounds of it, Junior Brother Han hasn't gained the upper hand. Obviously, this icy ground isn't much of an obstacle for him. However, the strangeness of these demons after their transformation is truly beyond our expectations. To think a fellow disciple lost their life here—I truly cannot absolve myself of responsibility!" Liu Jing said slowly after a moment of silence.
Hearing this and seeing Liu Jing's grave expression, the others didn't know how to comfort him.
What they didn't know was that the "Junior Brother Han" they were speaking of—Han Li—was cursing inwardly even as he fought fiercely with the Ice Demon.