Chapter 1643: Golden Crow True Fire

The leading demonic bird, observing the situation, simultaneously moved its four eyes. After scanning Han Li, who remained motionless in the distance, it vaguely sensed that something was amiss.

After a slight hesitation, it suddenly let out a sharp cry, intending to call its four subordinates back.

However, that brief delay had already proven too late.

Han Li’s sword formation spanned over a hundred *zhang*. The four demonic birds, swift in their flight, plunged directly into the Spring Dawn Sword Formation after just a few flaps of their wings.

With a flash of green light, a light screen suddenly appeared, enveloping all four demonic birds behind it.

Greatly startled, the four demonic birds circled before striking at the light screen with claws radiating a cold glow.

However, as soon as their claws struck the light barrier, there was a series of crisp sounds.

The light screen shattered instantly, as if made of glass.

The four demonic birds were overjoyed, but immediately thereafter, they were dumbfounded.

For beyond the light screen lay not the space they had originally flown from, as they expected, but an unsettling realm filled with countless blue lotus flowers.

These blue lotuses, though only thumb-sized, densely obstructed their path.

The four demonic birds exchanged glances. One of them suddenly opened its mouth, unleashing a milky-white beam of light.

The beam of light flashed, then solidly struck several blue lotuses.

However, after a muffled "thump," those blue lotuses did not dissipate. Instead, they pulsed and swelled several times their original size, becoming fist-sized.

This sight greatly startled the demonic birds.

Under this attack, the entire Spring Dawn Sword Formation was activated, its power now fully unleashed.

Not only the area directly before them, but also the light screens in other directions spontaneously shattered and vanished, revealing countless blue lotuses.

As these lotuses spun, unusual lights began to emanate from them.

The four demonic birds felt the scene before them briefly blur, then darkness enveloped them, and they found themselves in a forest of colossal blue trees.

Each tree stood over a hundred *zhang* tall, their colossal heights disappearing beyond sight, and their dense branches and leaves almost completely obscured the sky.

The four demonic birds found themselves at the very bottom of these enormous trees.

At this, the demonic birds were profoundly alarmed.

It is known that flying creatures like these most fear being confined in spaces such as forests or rivers, as their mobility becomes restricted. Once their movement is limited, even their greatest abilities are significantly diminished.

Instantly, the four demonic birds almost simultaneously flapped their wings.

Immediately, four raging white-hot flames erupted from their bodies, then burst with several "puffs," transforming into hundreds of palm-sized white fire butterflies that flew towards the surrounding colossal trees.

These white flames were the demonic birds' ultimate secret techniques. They had assumed these enormous trees would be instantly swept away, as effortlessly as withered leaves.

However, as the fire butterflies struck these blue trees, they merely blurred slightly, then passed through as if nothing were there, having absolutely no effect.

"An illusion."

These demonic birds possessed cultivation at the early Void Refinement stage. Although their intelligence wasn't as high as their leader's, it was still considerable, and they quickly realized what was happening.

One of them, rather impatient, immediately lunged at one of the colossal trees without a moment's hesitation.

However, the creations of the Spring Dawn Sword Formation were far beyond ordinary illusions, blending reality and illusion, where the ethereal contained substance and substance held emptiness.

With a loud crash, the demonic bird collided with the colossal tree and was immediately bounced back, tumbling.

The colossal tree was as hard as refined steel, utterly impervious to damage.

Despite its formidable physical body, the demonic bird, after shaking its head to regain its balance, felt a splitting headache and saw stars.

The other three demonic birds were left dumbfounded by this sight.

Outside the formation, the pure white demonic bird watched as its four subordinates suddenly vanished, separated by the light screen. It was naturally both surprised and enraged.

It let out a loud cry, then suddenly spread its wings. With a "whoosh," a circle of white light abruptly emanated from its body.

Instantly, its snow-white feathers transformed into raging flames.

Unlike the four black-and-white demonic birds, these white flames subtly contained swirling and flashing silver runes. The surrounding space’s temperature instantly soared by over ten degrees, permeated with unbelievable heat.

Under this intense heat, the Spring Dawn Sword Formation, originally concealed, was forced to shimmer and reappear as a hazy light screen.

"Brother Han, be careful! That's Golden Crow True Flame. Do not let it get close to you. This demonic bird might possess some bloodline of the true spirit Golden Crow." Xian Xian, who had initially been pleased that Han Li had trapped the four demonic birds, saw the strange white flames unleashed by the leading demonic bird, and her expression changed dramatically as she telepathically warned him.

"Golden Crow True Flame," Han Li thought, his expression unwavering, though he was secretly overjoyed.

At that moment, the opposing demonic bird fully transformed into a colossal firebird, aggressively hurtling towards Han Li.

Even before it reached him, a wave of fire surged forth. Han Li felt tiny red specks of light in the air around him, and countless bean-sized crimson flames materialized out of thin air.

With Han Li at the center, it seemed as though the space spanning dozens of *zhang* had been completely set ablaze.

Observing this, Han Li remained unfazed by the strange phenomenon. He simply took a deep breath, then suddenly opened his mouth and unleashed a spray.

A ball of silver flame shot forth. In just a few blinks, it transformed into a silver firebird about a foot long.

The moment this firebird appeared, its silver flames flickered, and the newly materialized red flames rushed towards it like moths drawn to a fire.

They all vanished, absorbed into the firebird’s body.

The previously unbearable heat instantly vanished without a trace.

Subsequently, the silver firebird’s volume surged by a considerable margin. With a subtle movement, it advanced to meet the demonic bird, which was wreathed in rolling white flames.

Although the demonic bird had also transformed into a firebird, its body was seven to eight times larger than the silver one. Yet, the silver firebird displayed no hint of fear.

The demonic bird’s expression instantly turned peculiar the moment the silver firebird appeared.

It showed both fear and surprise, but more dominantly, undisguised greed.

As it watched the coiling flames approach, the demonic bird’s four eyes flickered with a hint of hesitation, but in the next instant, its gaze became filled with frenzied determination.

It immediately let out two futile cries, and the flames on its body surged several feet higher. Then, without hesitation, it lunged towards the incoming Spirit Devouring Firebird.

With a thunderous "boom," the two collided in the very next moment.

Instantly, white and silver flames intertwined as the two firebirds engaged in combat.

Both the white and silver flames erupted with strange crackling sounds upon contact, continuously bursting as if water and fire were inherently incompatible.

Despite the silver firebird's small stature, it held its own against the demonic bird's colossal body in their collision.

As the two types of flames intertwined, they continuously devoured each other.

At times, the silver flames continuously consumed the white flames they contacted, while at other times, the white flames completely enveloped the silver flames.

However, after observing for only a moment, Han Li's pupils contracted slightly.

He could tell that even though the Spirit Devouring Heavenly Flame was more powerful than its opponent, its limited quantity meant it would likely be consumed by the other flame within moments.

He would, of course, not let that happen.

He suddenly formed a hand seal with both hands, then pointed a finger towards the distant void.

With a "poof-poof" sound, finger-thick beams of green light shot forth. In a flash, they merged into the body of the silver firebird engaged in combat.

These light beams were as dense as night, their color an extraordinary teal. They were, in fact, all manifestations of Han Li’s pure True Essence.

Something astonishing then occurred.

The silver firebird began to grow significantly in size.

Two feet, four feet, half a *zhang*, one *zhang*…

In the span of just a few breaths, the silver firebird actually transformed into a three to four *zhang* long creature, its colossal size now exceeding that of the enlarged demonic bird.

Consequently, the white flames were instantly at a significant disadvantage, engulfed by the counter-envelopment of the silver flames.

The white flames were gradually being consumed by the silver flames.

Upon witnessing this, the demonic firebird’s face instantly contorted with fear and dread. Its four eyes flickered, and then it suddenly opened its mouth, spitting out a milky-white spherical pearl.

It was flawlessly white, emitting a dazzling white glow.

This was precisely the demonic core that the bird had cultivated for untold years. Seeing the dire situation, it immediately expelled it.

The demonic core was only fist-sized, but upon being expelled, its white glow instantly transformed into thousands of fine needles. With a flicker, it spontaneously divided into two parts.

One portion instantly shot towards the Spirit Devouring Firebird, piercing the silver firebird’s body, leaving it riddled with countless holes.

The other portion sped directly towards Han Li, and after a flicker, it struck the green light screen.

It was unknown what incredible power these fine needles possessed, as they effortlessly pierced the green light screen. With another flicker, they suddenly materialized before Han Li, raining down upon his entire body.

Han Li’s eyebrow twitched slightly, his body remaining still, but the crystal shield floating before him suddenly blazed with brilliant crystalline light.

As the fine needles struck it, they vibrated, changed trajectory, and slid past the shield’s sides, shooting into the void.

Almost simultaneously, Han Li, without turning his head, reached one arm back.

His five white bone fingers flashed with an illusory form, and five streaks of variously colored light erupted, coalescing into a five-colored flame that swept in the needles that had missed their target.

With a surge of the flame, these fine needles abruptly vanished without a trace.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Spirit Devouring Firebird was continuously being pierced by hundreds of the same fine needles.

Although the silver flames on its body flickered and its form was restored, it was impossible for it to be truly unharmed, and its power was naturally greatly diminished.

The demonic bird’s Golden Crow True Flame and the silver flames were once again locked in a stalemate.

Upon witnessing this, Han Li’s expression subtly shifted. He suddenly formed a hand seal with both hands, then abruptly rolled his body onto the ground.

In that instant, a burst of five-colored light erupted, followed by a phoenix cry that soared to the heavens. A five-colored phoenix, two *zhang* in length, appeared where Han Li had just stood.

The phoenix abruptly swept one wing forward, and a white line materialized in the void. This line then twisted slightly in the air, revealing a hazy white rift.

The colorful phoenix flapped its wings, and half of its body vanished into the rift.

Simultaneously, a similar white line mysteriously appeared above the struggling demonic and Spirit Devouring Firebirds.

As this line silently expanded, the upper half of the colorful phoenix’s body extended out.