At the critical moment, Chen Han could no longer worry about anything else. He summoned the Copper Coin Artifact before him as a shield and charged straight at Li Hai.
Remaining locked in a standoff with Li Hai meant waiting to die. Ling Xiaohu's life hung by a thread, and if he fell, Chen Han would be next.
Chen Han saw the battle's course as clearly as fire. He was the only one who could break this deadlock. Only by killing Li Hai first could he seize a sliver of hope, so he disregarded the drain on his spiritual power and charged.
"Heh. Just what I'd expect from a brainless Body Cultivator. Ridiculous!"
Li Hai gave a cold laugh and spread his hand. A needle-sharp ray of light formed before his palm.
"Die!"
Whoosh! The ray shot out and struck Chen Han's Copper Coin Artifact head-on. Their collision unleashed an ear-piercing shriek.
Not good!
The ray's force was concentrated at a single point, giving it terrifying piercing power. Even the copper coin let out a strained whine, as though it might shatter at any moment.
Left with no choice, Chen Han abandoned his attack and retreated again.
Before he could steady himself, he heard a heart-rending scream.
Chen Han looked toward the sound and saw that Ling Xiaohu had become a man engulfed in flames. He crawled and rolled across the ground in a frenzy, howling in agony.
But within two seconds, his cries stopped abruptly. His flame-covered body went still.
Then it collapsed into a heap of ash.
The first friend Chen Han had made in the cultivation world had died horribly before his eyes. His face darkened, and a tangle of emotions churned within him.
But he knew this was no time for grief. He turned his hand,