Chapter 420: The Might of the Gold Devouring Beetles

First, I want to thank everyone for their opinions and thoughts on how we should overhaul completed novels. We've reviewed nearly 2000 comments across multiple platforms and forum, and while we haven't responded to everything I can promise I HAVE read it all. First, I'm going to briefly go into some of the things which were discussed which may or may not work, because I don't want people to think I ignored anything. I'm putting those in 'spoiler' tags so people who don't care can skip it. Then, we'll talk...

Chapter 420: The Might of the Gold Devouring Beetles

Han Li was startled when he saw the human skulls and was reminded of the Six Devil Dao Sect’s Ghost Spirit Sect.

The Ghost Spirit Sect disciples used human skull shaped magic tools to attack, but they were merely inanimate objects, unlike these black skulls that seemed to have a life of their own.

Han Li experienced an even greater shock when he saw that the three black banners were already flying towards the skull.

The cultivator surnamed Jian loudly shouted and pointed to his banners, causing them to shoot out a dense number of black threads. The threads then intertwined to form a huge net before rushing towards the incoming human skull.

The threads were extremely fine and glossy. They also carried a faint black Qi that was clearly unordinary.

Upon seeing the black threads release themselves, the skull’s eye sockets flashed with red light, and it erratically closed and opened its mouth before countless wisps of dark green fire surged out from its mouth.

Upon contact, the countless black threads instantly combusted as if they had met their nemesis, quickly turning into rising clouds of azure smoke.

The cultivator surnamed Jian greatly paled at the sight and hastily formed another incantation gesture, wanting to activate another divine ability of the black banners.

The black skulls suddenly swelled to the size of a carriage wheel before spouting out a streak of black light for a breath of time. The three black banners were then wrapped up by the streak of light and pulled into the skull’s mouth. Afterwards, the skull starting chomping down with force. After a few cracks and bangs, the black banners were entirely shattered. At this same moment, the cultivator surnamed Jian turned deathly pale from feeling his connection to the black banners sever.

“Demon! You dare to destroy my treasures?” The cultivator Jian shouted out in furious alarm, but his eyes betrayed a sliver of fear.

Although the others were unaware, he fully understood that the three black banners were desolate antiquities. It had previously dealt with many formidable opponents, but now, it had unexpectedly met its end in a freakish skull’s mouth.

At that same moment, Hu Yue’s thunderous lightning was drawn into the other skull’s mouth and was rendered completely ineffective.

Hu Yue and cultivator Jian took a mutual glance at each other and couldn’t help but feel an urge to retreat.

This had also left Han Li astonished, and he now realized why the eccentric dared to fight against a group of cultivators. He had much to rely on. Not only did he possess many magic treasures, but each of them possessed remarkable abilities. It seemed that if he did not lend them any assistance, they would suffer a great defeat and be forced to retreat.

Han Li didn’t wish for that development as he had spent several months of effort on breaking this great formation. He was unwilling to allow this outsider to spoil his efforts now that he was on the verge of success. Additionally, although Han Li didn’t want to risk making a clumsy display, he wanted to test the power of the Gold Devouring Beetles and see whether or not they deserved their ranking on the list of exotic insects. As the eccentric before him was an unordinary Core Formation cultivator, he seemed to make for an ideal test subject.

With that thought, Han Li took another glance at the fray.

Hu Yue and the others were flusteredly flying around in the sky, bombarding the two skulls that were chasing them with low grade magic techniques. They clearly understood that common magic treasures would have no effect on those demonic items and could only cease their offensive for the time being.

As for Jin Qing’s large white block seal, it hadn’t shown itself to be particularly powerful. It had found itself dragged into the flower basket after being wound around by the white Qi when he had least expected it, causing Jin Qing’s face to be laced with sweat.

As for Crooked Soul who was at his side and the Foundation Establishment Shi Die, they were only able to gaze on, incapable of providing any assistance.

After seeing this, Han Li took a deep glance at the eccentric before unhesitantly taking out a bulging spiritual beast pouch with a single hand.

Han Li’s action seemed to have caught the eccentric’s attention, possibly due to his powerful spiritual sense. He immediately focused his attention on Han Li and fished something out from his bosom with an ominous expression as if wanting to take out another magic treasure to deal with Han Li.

In response, Han Li decided to seize the initiative.

He lightly tossed the Spirit Beast Pouch into the air and quickly struck the pouch with an azure incantation seal cast from his other hand. With a tremble, the spirit beast pouch spouted out several tens of spheres sharply shooting towards the eccentric in streaks of light.

These spheres were about a foot large and consisted of the colors of both silver and gold. As soon as the eccentric saw them, he revealed an expression of disdain and took out a jet-black dharma wheel[1. An eight-spoked wheel that holds much significance in Buddhism(dharmachakra).], thoughtlessly throwing it out with a cold laugh.

As the object whistled, it grew several times in size and spun towards the incoming spheres.

With a succession of pengs, the spheres turned into specks of gold and silver light upon colliding with the wheel, as they were being shattered.

“Ha, ha...” The eccentric roared with laughter and pointed towards Han Li, ordering it to slice towards him.

But at that moment, a burst of buzzing appeared, growing increasingly louder. In an instant, the sound had become ear-piercing, causing everyone to look in the sound’s direction with astonishment. The eccentric had also replaced his mad laughter with bewilderment.

The fragments from the spheres had become alive and turned into several thousands of thumb-sized gold-silver beetles, densely scattered nearby the wheel. The sharp buzz produced from their flapping wings had inspired great apprehension.

Han Li didn’t give the eccentric any idle time to think and used his spiritual sense to order the beetles to fly towards the wheel without any regard for their lives. In an instant, the magic treasure had been stained with the colors of gold and silver.

“You’re courting death!” The eccentric recovered from his surprise and formed an incantation gesture with his hands, causing his wheel to release clouds of black as it spun, intending to eliminate the exotic insects.

However, the following scene had left the eccentric stunned. As soon as the pitch-black mist appeared, the beetles opened their mouth and cleanly gobbled it away, leaving not a single speck behind.

As for the wheel’s high speed rotations, it only managed to throw off a small portion of the Gold Devouring beetles. A majority of them had closely stuck onto it and fearlessly ripped it to shreds.

Han Li inwardly rejoiced at the eccentric’s aghast expression.

In the blink of an eye, the wheel shrank at a visible pace until there was nothing left. After the wheel was cleanly devoured, the buzzing grew louder once more.

The eccentric’s complexion had now turned slightly green!

Han Li bluntly pointed to the swarm of Gold Devouring Beetles and had them turn into a large gold-silver cloud before flocking towards the eccentric.

Now knowing the ferociousness of the beetles, the eccentric’s face revealed panic and he quickly beckoned towards the black skulls chasing after the sweat drenched members. With several flickers, they flew back to the eccentric and sinisterly blocked his front.

Finally able to gasp for air, Hu Yue and cultivator Jian let out a large sigh of relief and stopped in the distance, staring at the scene with slight amazement.

The eccentric appeared ill at ease. He summoned a short dagger into his hand with a flash of light. After a short moment of hesitation, he chopped down with a fierce expression, severing another two of his fingers.

The two skulls immediately flew to each eat one. Soon after, they release a strange howl as if they were extremely delighted.

With widened eyes, the eccentric soon opened his mouth, shooting out two black lights at the skull’s forehead. The two skulls then let out a series of painful groans and started to undergo a strange change.

With audible cracks, two strange horns similar to a mountain goats sprouted from the tops of their skulls, and their fierce sharp teeth grew by several inches, becoming even sharper in the process. And over the span of a few breathes, their hair turned blood-red, completely changing the skulls into ghost heads.

“Go!” With the skulls’ transformation complete, the eccentric let out a breath of relief and painfully used his finger stump to command them towards the insect swarm.

The ghost heads’ eyes flashed with a queer green light before obediently charging off towards the insect swarm with a long whistle.

When the Gold Devouring Beetles saw the ghost heads shooting towards them, they separated into two swarms under Han Li’s command, each flying to meet one of the ghost heads.

The transformed ghost heads widely opened their mouths and spat out wisps of dark green flame that were several times thicker than before. Upon impact, a series of explosions pushed the swarms of Gold Devouring Beetle back about ten meters.

The beetle swarms were in disorder.

The eccentric revealed a trace of joy, but that had lasted for only a short moment.

The wisps of fire released towards the Gold Devouring Swarm had done nothing but send a couple of beetles tumbling. But afterwards, they continued to fly forward as if they had not suffered any damage in the slightest.

The eccentric now wore a face of disbelief.

The will-o-wisps his ghost heads spat out were more powerful than Core Flame. How were they incapable of frying a few insects?

But despite not being able to deal with the Gold Devouring Beetles with his ghost heads, the flame wisps still kept the beetles at bay. It appeared they were stuck in a deadlock.

The eccentric frowned and started to ponder about a countermeasure.

At that moment, a buzzing sound occurred in a volume several times louder than before. When the eccentric raised his head, his face turned deathly pale as if it were devoid of blood.

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