Chapter 2261: Insect Sea Fierce Battle (Part 2)

Han Li was pondering inwardly when Bao Hua, who was at the center of the hall, suddenly raised her eyebrows and spoke:

“Fellow Daoists, be mindful. They are here.”

Bao Hua did not specify what “they” were, but the other Grand Ascension cultivators, who had been composed moments before, suddenly grew serious. Some of them immediately extended their divine sense outside the massive ark without a word.

Han Li, his heart tightening, did the same.

Just then, after a stir in the surrounding sea of insects, fiery, crimson strange beetles suddenly appeared, like raging fireballs.

These Sky-devouring Beetles were not overly large, only about ten feet in size, but their bodies were covered with faint golden spiritual runes. Their eyes were a vibrant emerald green, and faint five-colored light pulsed within them.

The moment these Sky-devouring Beetles appeared, the Grand Ascension stage experts positioned at the front and back of the massive ark immediately changed expression. Without hesitation, they each activated their spiritual treasures and magic arts.

Immediately, sword gleams, blade energies, fiery spheres, and dark mists all surged forth with formidable power.

The ordinary Sky-devouring Beetles nearby were instantly reduced to ashes by these fierce attacks.

However, when the crimson strange beetles were enveloped by these attacks, they merely vibrated their wings once. Their bodies blurred, and they instantly vanished from the path of the attacks.

The next moment, seven or eight crimson Sky-devouring Beetles flickered into existence, appearing directly in the vicinity of these Grand Ascension cultivators. With another sudden movement of their hind legs, they shot towards them.

The Grand Ascension cultivators were instantly alarmed. Some rapidly flicked their fingers, sending out countless intertwined piercing lights to strike, while others' bodies glowed with spiritual light as several protective treasures simultaneously manifested. One Grand Ascension stage expert from another realm even let out a low roar, reaching out to directly grab a beetle in front of him.

However, regardless of the attack or defense, these Sky-devouring Beetles simply blurred again, treating all obstructions as non-existent. They appeared directly beside the Grand Ascension cultivators, as if incorporeal. Then, their bodies erupted in a surge of red flames, emitting blinding light.

All the Grand Ascension cultivators paled, silently crying out, “Not good!” They could only prepare to rely on their robust physical bodies to withstand the immense power of these self-destructing creatures.

But just then, Bao Hua's clear, cold voice suddenly echoed from the nearby void:

“There’s no need to fear. Leave these things to me.”

No sooner had she spoken than a misty white pillar of light shot out from the main hall of the massive ark's cabin. After a flash, it split into several thin beams of light, striking the crimson Sky-devouring Beetles that were preparing to self-destruct. With a single hit, they were sent flying and rolling backwards, flung more than a dozen *zhang* away.

Following a series of thunderous roars, several crimson suns appeared out of thin air. Subsequently, the nearby void buzzed, and cracks began to form, as if the entire space could be torn apart at any moment.

The destructive power of these Sky-devouring Beetles after self-detonation was indeed formidable.

Witnessing this, the Grand Ascension cultivators felt a wave of shock.

These self-detonating Sky-devouring Beetles were indeed as powerful as rumored. If they had truly endured the full force of the explosions at such close range, even if they wouldn't have perished on the spot, severe injury would have been highly probable.

At this moment, the void above the massive ark rippled. After a gigantic pink flower illusion flickered, Bao Hua appeared high in the sky, her face expressionless.

The Grand Ascension cultivators at the front and back of the massive ark hadn't even had time to thank Bao Hua when they heard a whooshing sound in the air, and over a dozen more crimson Sky-devouring Beetles appeared.

These beetles also teleported, instantly appearing a few feet from Bao Hua in the void, completely surrounding her. They immediately flared with light and flames, preparing to self-destruct, seemingly intent on eradicating their formidable enemy, Bao Hua, with a single blow.

However, Bao Hua let out a cold laugh. Countless silver stars suddenly erupted from her body. With a mere blur, they transformed into an boundless galaxy, sweeping all the beetles into it.

With a few dull “boom” sounds, several brilliant suns flashed and extinguished within the galaxy like fireworks, causing no damage to the surrounding void.

After the numerous stars in the galaxy abruptly converged, they transformed into a ten-foot-long banner, its surface adorned with gleaming silver star patterns—it was the Falling Star Banner!

Meanwhile, streaks of light continuously flew out from the massive ark. More than a dozen other Grand Ascension cultivators, feeling uneasy, also shot out from the main hall of the cabin.

After one streak of green rainbow light vanished, a green figure appeared, which was none other than Han Li.

Han Li stood with his arms crossed, watching Bao Hua's actions with considerable interest, curious to see how she would use her two treasures to deal with the Sky-devouring Beetles.

The successive failures of the crimson Sky-devouring Beetles' self-detonations had clearly enraged the entire insect swarm. Moments later, after a commotion within the sea of beetles, more dense clusters of crimson light emerged, numbering nearly a thousand. The appearance of so many self-detonating beetles simultaneously caused even Bao Hua's serene face to tighten. Without a word, she unfurled the banner in her hand again, and it instantly transformed into a vast illusion of a starry river, shielding the entire massive ark along with Han Li and the others beneath it. At the same time, she pointed a jade finger towards the small mirror high in the sky.

The originally palm-sized mirror buzzed, swaying in the wind and transforming into a cool, clear full moon. After a golden mist swirled within it, hundreds of light beams burst forth. They flashed and vanished, accurately piercing through the crimson Sky-devouring Beetles.

Immediately, after a mournful cry, hundreds of crimson Sky-devouring Beetles exploded in a flash of red light where they stood. Rolling red flames swept up large numbers of ordinary Sky-devouring Beetles nearby, turning them into ashes.

However, the remaining self-detonating beetles vibrated their wings, blurred, and instantly vanished via teleportation.

Bao Hua's eyes flickered, and she secretly activated her treasures.

The seemingly calm illusion of the starry river suddenly surged, countless stars swirling and shifting, and waves of spatial fluctuations continuously rippled out.

In this situation, red light flashed wildly in the void near the massive ark. The crimson Sky-devouring Beetles were forced to reappear, their movements becoming sluggish and stagnant, as if the void had suddenly become incredibly viscous.

A cold smile appeared on Bao Hua's lips. Her unfathomably deep magic power surged within her, pouring into the full moon high in the sky.

The next moment, the surface of the full moon emitted dazzling light, and golden beams continuously shot out. Each beam caused a trapped crimson Sky-devouring Beetle in the starry river to explode and perish, but also dimmed the moon itself slightly.

After a dense shower of golden light, like a torrential rain, had extinguished most of the crimson Sky-devouring Beetles, the last trace of spiritual light from the full moon also dissipated. With a clear sound, it transformed back into the small mirror and fell.

A figure flashed within the starry river. Bao Hua rushed out, snatched the small mirror, and after sweeping her gaze over the remaining beetles in the starry river illusion, she performed a specific incantation with one hand.

With a “boom”!

The starry river illusion violently reversed and swirled. Countless misty silver star illusions surged towards the center of the starry river and simultaneously exploded. In the violent tremors, they formed a misty silver gale filled with countless dense, flickering white cracks, appearing incredibly strange!

“A Spacetime Storm!”

Upon clearly seeing this scene, one Grand Ascension cultivator's face changed drastically as he involuntarily blurted out.

The other Grand Ascension cultivators also showed moved expressions.

Han Li's lips curved slightly, revealing a thoughtful expression.

The next moment, the crimson Sky-devouring Beetles caught within the silver gale spun rapidly and were then swallowed by the white cracks, disappearing without a trace.

Witnessing this, Bao Hua let out a soft breath and gestured downwards with one hand.

Immediately, the silver gale dispersed, and a silver banner emerged from within. With a slight movement, it flew directly into Bao Hua's hand.

Evidently, after employing that astonishing divine ability, the innate spirituality of the Falling Star Banner itself had been significantly damaged.

After all, a heaven-defying divine ability of the “Spacetime Storm” caliber is typically beyond the capability of replicated holy treasures. For the Falling Star Banner to manifest it, it must have utilized some self-damaging secret art.

After retrieving her two treasures, Bao Hua did not linger high in the sky. She merely stated faintly to the other Grand Ascension cultivators, “The self-detonating Sky-devouring Beetles have been cleared. Fellow Daoists, you no longer need to worry.” Then, her figure moved, and she slowly descended back into the massive ark.

Han Li and the other Grand Ascension cultivators exchanged glances, then, with various expressions, also flew back into the massive ark.

Back inside the massive ark, Bao Hua directly sat down cross-legged in a corner of the main hall, appearing disinclined to speak further.

The other Grand Ascension cultivators, however, engaged in hushed whispers, evidently discussing the scene where the two treasures had displayed their immense power. Han Li, meanwhile, gave a faint smile and returned to his original seat.

Without the obstruction of the self-detonating Sky-devouring Beetles and those high-level giant insects, the entire team sped forward without any further impediment.

After less than half a day, before insect swarms from other areas could arrive as reinforcements, they finally broke through the dense encirclement of the insect sea. In the distance, they could faintly see the Land of Primordial Seal.

However, after such a harrowing battle, the tens of thousands of elite demon cultivators had suffered heavy losses. Only about ten thousand demon cultivators remained, accompanying the massive ark, and they pressed on until they reached the Land of Primordial Seal.

At this point, Han Li and the other Grand Ascension cultivators finally exited the massive ark. Some of the experts from other realms, who had never been to this place before, curiously surveyed their surroundings.

The edge of the Land of Primordial Seal was an unusually desolate hilly region. Occasionally, among the hills, one could spot some pavilions and palaces, but they were silent and devoid of any human figures.

What was strange, however, was that the insect swarm, which had been relentlessly pursuing them, suddenly came to a halt just outside the hills, as if a tide had met a dam. It seemed as though something terrifying to them lay within the hills, making them willing to watch the demon cultivator team from afar but unwilling to advance a single step further.

“This is the power of the ancient seal,” Elder Tong Ya said coldly, after glancing towards the center of the hilly region. “It truly has a restraining effect on these Sky-devouring Beetles. If that’s the case, let the others stay here for now to observe the insect swarm, while we old fellows proceed immediately deeper into the Land of Primordial Seal.”

“Fellow Daoist Tong Ya is right; we indeed need to hurry,” Bao Hua said, nodding in agreement after hearing his words. “According to our original plan, Fellow Daoist Que and Brother Feng, you two will remain here with your disciples to repair some of the damaged restrictions along the outer edge. These restrictions are connected to the ancient seal, and repairing them will significantly aid the ancient seal in recovering its power.”