After seeing that everyone had crushed their jade slips, Martial Uncle Huang revealed an expression of satisfaction.
His hands then flashed with yellow light, and a small foot-long banner appeared in his hand. The banner was white and glowed with a yellow radiance, rendering its embroidery difficult to discern.
“I will use the Cloud-Wind Banner to mask the traces of your presence. When the enemy arrives, launch your ambush when they are most vulnerable.”
Martial Uncle Huang then lightly shook the small flag in his hands, releasing countless strands of milky-white vapor from his flag. In the blink of an eye, a huge, hundred-meter-wide cloud had appeared, concealing Han Li and company within.
Han Li and the other Foundation Establishment cultivators were pleasantly surprised by the sudden concealment! This cloud was exceptionally thick, but for some unknown reason, their vision wasn’t obstructed in the least. It would serve as exceptionally good cover!Martial Uncle Huang continued his casting, causing the cloud to further expand. Soon after, they could no longer see anything outside of the cloud.
Han Li was left speechless!
Although his magic tool “Azurefire Miasma” could also turn into a thick cloud, it was incomparable to the Cloud-Wind Banner. Not only was the scope of his Azurefire Miasma smaller, he could only use it on himself; anyone else within it would be poisoned.
With that thought, Han Li couldn’t help but glance at Martial Uncle Huang.
He was sitting down cross-legged with his eyes shut in the cloud. Two Foundation Establishment cultivators were attentively standing behind him. It seemed that they were his bodyguards.
Han Li stared blankly for a moment. But soon after, he came to the realization that Martial Uncle Huang was using his spiritual sense to scout for enemies. As a Core Formation cultivator’s spiritual sense was great and could detect movements within a radius of a hundred kilometers, he should be capable of detecting them.
Having seen this, Han Li sat on his Divine Wind Boat and rested. The upcoming fight would be incredibly dangerous. Crooked Soul remained motionless behind him, appearing steadfast.After two hours, Martial Uncle Huang spoke, “The enemy has arrived. We’re about a kilometer away from them. We need to intercept their advance.” He then took off without another word, bringing the cloud with him.
Everyone within the cloud naturally didn’t dare to leave its cover and hurriedly followed after Martial Uncle Huang on their magic tools.
Han Li wrinkled his brow and took out his huge silver sword as he flew, giving it to Crooked Soul. Although he didn’t know how useful it would be, it was still better to try to increase one’s fighting capabilities.
“We are here. The enemy will soon arrive. Everyone, prepare yourselves!” Martial Uncle Huang commanded. After a short moment, the cloud had arrived in the enemy’s path.
Suddenly, everyone’s magic tools started shining, and they began to apply defensive magic techniques to their bodies. Sparkles of light flashed from within the cloud.
Han Li took out two azure-red spheres and lightly bumped them together. With a muffled thump, a concentrated azure-red mist was released from the two spheres, quickly enveloping Han Li. In the blink of an eye, a huge, twenty-meter-wide azure-red cloud completely concealed Han Li.
Han Li had unexpectedly used the Azurefire Miasma to form a cloud as a defense while still within Martial Uncle Huang’s cloud. The nearby cultivators were stunned, not understanding Han Li’s intentions.
Han Li didn’t pay attention to his fellow sect members. He grabbed his tortoise shell with one hand and held an common blue throwing knife in the other hand instead of taking out his Black Dragon Claws.
Han Li clearly understood what he was doing. In his mind, the more low-profile the magic tool, the better. Only then would he avoid any troublesome attention during the raid and easily make his escape.
Everyone waited attentively, and in the blink of an eye, ten minutes had passed. However, not a single enemy was found.
A majority of the waiting cultivators grew anxious and impatient. They couldn’t help but look at Martial Uncle Huang with doubt.
The valiant Martial Uncle Huang now also appeared doubtful, but after a moment of thought, he unhurriedly said, “Everyone, do not worry. I will launch a search with my spiritual sense.”
As he sat down, a deafening series of booms suddenly sounded out from the sky before he could even start. The sounds increased in intensity and occurrence until they appeared to be coming from all directions.
Alarmed by the sudden noise, the cultivators quickly turned their heads to the sky. What they saw left their faces pale.
The sky had turned red at an unknown time, and all of the clouds had turned into fiery-red ash clouds as if they were made of boiling lava. The huge rumbling sounds came from bursting pockets of lava within the clouds.
“What’s going on?!” Someone to the side of Han Li shouted in horror.
“Everyone, be careful! This is the intermediate high-grade “Heavenfire” magic technique. Lava will begin dripping from above, with each drop equivalent to a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s strike! If you do not block it, you will turn into ashes.” As Senior Uncle Huang said this, his face became extremely unsightly.
It was clear that the ambushers had now become the ambushed.
“Then let's quickly escape! I have no intention of trying to block this!” Someone said with panic. He was prepared to fly off immediately.
“It is already too late! The magic technique is complete, and we are now trapped within it. Everyone, gather together and form a defensive barrier!”Martial Uncle Huang’s eyes flashed with coldness as he gave his commands with fierce resolution.
Having heard his orders, the others suddenly understood the situation and hastily acted together. With a flash of blue light, they erected a huge light barrier.
In nearly the same instant that the barrier was formed, the intermediate high-grade magic technique started to wreak devastation from the sky. It struck down upon Han Li and company, but the barrier they had just erected managed to easily repel the attacks.
However, that was only the beginning of the rain of lava. Although the majority of the attacks missed, a significant amount of damage had been inflicted upon the light barrier, causing it to spark with red and blue light.
Initially, the group felt that they had energy to spare, but the lava soon began dropping at an increased rate and in larger quantities. In turn, the group’s spiritual power expenditure also quickly increased. At this rate, they wouldn’t be able to last for long.
The barrier of blue light gradually weakened from the assault.
Fortunately, this formidable magic technique ended as quickly as it began. Just as the barrier was on the verge of collapse, the Heavenfire Technique reached its end, and the clouds of lava disappeared without a trace, causing the Yellow Maple Valley cultivators to feel relieved.
However, their happy expressions immediately froze a moment later.
At some point during the attack, they had been silently surrounded by nearly a hundred cultivators. From their attire, they appeared to be from the Devil Dao. They were all looking down at the Yellow Maple Valley cultivators with a trace of ridicule.
The Yellow Maple Valley cultivators were both furious and frightened! However, the surrounding cultivators were only Foundation Establishment disciples. Not a single Core Formation cultivator was amongst them, causing the Yellow Maple Valley cultivators to sigh in relief. Although they had consumed much of their magic power, they still had a Core Formation cultivator among them. There should be no need to be afraid.
“How did you know we were here? My Cloud-Wind Banner should’ve concealed us from your spiritual sense!” Martial Uncle Huang asked with a sunken expression.
“I can answer that!” A slurred, coquettish voice came from above, causing Martial Uncle Huang’s heart to tremble in fear. He hastily looked toward the sky and saw a man and woman floating down from above.
The man had a head full of white hair and was shriveled to the bone, appearing as if the slightest breeze could knock him over. The woman was seductively attractive with a slender waist and generous bottom. Every one of her movements tugged at the heart.
Han Li silently cursed. The two in the air were actually Core Formation cultivators. Their appearance brought greater trouble.
“Fair Rouge and Skeleton?” Upon seeing the two, Martial Uncle Huang’s pupils shrank.
Without waiting for their reply, he suddenly waved his Cloud-Wind banner and caused the white mist to completely disappear, revealing Han Li and company. While facing such powerful enemies, he naturally couldn’t afford to look after Han Li and his other martial nephews.
“Heehee, I truly didn’t expect that Fellow Daoist would recognize this couple! This isn’t fair! You recognized us husband and wife, but we are rather unfamiliar with Fellow Daoist. However, I have heard of an ice-cold fellow from Yellow Maple Valley that had a very interesting magic treasure called the Cloud-Wind Banner. Could your esteemed self be him?” The seductive woman chuckled as if she didn’t possess the slightest hostility.
But upon seeing the woman’s delicate, charming smile, Martial Uncle Huang’s expression only grew colder. He continued to stare at her in silence.
The woman faintly smiled in response to his silence, before suddenly shouting, “How utterly boring. Kill them!”
“Alright. Since Junior Martial Sister wants his life, I will naturally obey!” The shriveled ‘Skeleton’ chuckled and sinisterly said.
At that moment, Han Li and company heard their Martial Uncle’s voice transmission in their ears, “Once I act, immediately break through their enclosure. Run away as far as you can.”
Martial Uncle Huang’s voice was completely devoid of emotion.
