Li Bufan did not hesitate. The instant the manifestation trapped the Black Soul Body, he leaped up, a moon wheel spinning over his fist as silver light surged.
Wind-thunder true meaning wreathed his body, blue-white wind vortices intertwining with purple-white arcs of lightning around his legs.
"Silver Phoenix Descends from Nine Heavens-go!"
The moon wheel burst apart, transforming into a phoenix of pure silver.
The silver phoenix spread its wings and gave a clear cry, diving toward the Black Soul Body with a soul-shaking force.
At the same time, Li Bufan rode the momentum of his fist technique through the air. Like a silver meteor, he swept over the Black Soul Body's head and shot straight toward the exit of the dense forest.
The Black Soul Body faltered under the silver phoenix's impact. Those two points of dark red light suddenly flared, and he hurled a punch.
His pitch-black fist struck the silver phoenix. With a mournful cry, it exploded into silver fragments that filled the sky. But that instant of delay was enough.
Li Bufan strode through the air, reaching the forest's exit in just a few bounds.
He glanced back. The Black Soul Body had already torn the silver phoenix's remaining power to shreds and was pursuing him.
Fast as he was, he was still a step too late.
Li Bufan waved at him, the corners of his mouth curling upward. "Bye-bye."
Then he stepped out of the forest and returned to the hillside.
A soundless shriek came from the Black Soul Body behind him, but his figure stopped abruptly at the forest's boundary, as though he had struck an invisible wall. White Soul Bodies crowded densely behind him, yet not one could cross the boundary either.
Li Bufan watched the pitch-black figure pace along the boundary for