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--- Chapter 377 ---
"I'm truly sorry, too, seniors!"
If there is one element that Han Yuan wasn't very afraid of, besides the lightning, even at the divine level, then it would be the wind element.
The reason is straightforward because his other self in the Dou Qi Plane specialized in it.
Therefore, facing the Storm Phoenix Lord, rather than other Phoenix Lords, was the best decision Han Yuan could make.
The Storm Phoenix Lord was, of course, confused by Han Yuan's decision to confront him. He thought this young man was looking down on him, which was somewhat true.
"Brat, Ah Lei might underestimate you and face karma because of it, but I am different!" huffed the Storm Phoenix Lord in displeasure. "Thousand Sky Demon Blue Nail!"
A mass of wind energy in the air transformed into countless spinning nails that charged at Han Yuan at extreme speed. The nails weren't just fast, as they also spun with powerful rotation.
Each of these nails could easily injure a Limit Douluo fatally, if not killing them instantly.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Like heavy hail, the nails rained down upon Han Yuan.
Meanwhile, Han Yuan calmly observed this, and his silver eyes flashed with a purple-gold hue, causing the world to slow down in his vision.
This phenomenon, known as "bullet time," can be triggered easily when one's mastery of spiritual power and the five senses reaches the Spirit Saint Realm.
Of course, Han Yuan had long surpassed that—he was at the level of Title Douluos and even Demi-Gods.
"A total of 9,997 wind needles... They cover almost every direction, leaving only the paths to the other Phoenix Lords open." Han Yuan's mind worked at lightning speed. "If I confront these nails directly, I will get injured. If I dodge, the other Phoenix Lords will come after me. What a scheme..."
"However, I am least worried about injury in a fight."
Han Yuan knew he couldn't be totally unscathed when facing nine Divine Powerhouses, even if they couldn't use their full power.
That would be too much, even for his current level of strength.
As the Storm Phoenix Lord stated, while Han Yuan could catch the Purple Phoenix Lord off guard, he could not do the same with him. There was no element of surprise anymore—or so everyone thought.
"Mass, speed, shape, energy level..." Han Yuan muttered to himself as he made a decision.
He pushed his right hand forward and summoned a game-changing spirit bone, "Fallen Dragon's Twilight Shield!"
The 'Twilight Shield' is a weapon-summoning spirit skill from Han Yuan's right-hand external spirit bone.
However, he could also manipulate this spirit skill to summon the 'Twilight Shield' as an energy form instead of a physical one.
In return, Han Yuan can't use the Twilight Shield against physical attacks anymore.
Then again, from the very beginning, the 'Twilight Shield' is primarily used to defend, absorb, refine, and counter elemental attacks. Perfect. Exactly what was needed for this scenario.
The Phoenix Lords watched in confusion as a dark silver shield suddenly appeared out of thin air.
The White-Eyed Phoenix Lord used her innate ability to analyze all things in creation and soon discovered something baffling. "Everyone, quick, disperse!"
The others also used their divine senses to analyze the dark silver shield, but it was too late.
Unfortunately for the White-Eyed Phoenix Lord and other Phoenix Lords, Han Yuan wouldn't let them run either.
He activated the Sixth Spirit Skill of the Purple Silver Grass, the Heavenly Silver Authority, to create a disturbance in the space around him.
At that moment, a 200-meter area surrounding Han Yuan became like a mud, stagnant.
"The space is stagnant! This kid has a spirit skill that can disturb space!" the Chaos Phoenix Lord exclaimed in awe.
Han Yuan manipulated the 'Twilight Shield,' letting it spread before him as he charged forward, kicking the air a few times.
The wind needles struck the shield, charging it with elemental energy, but the physical impact still struck Han Yuan. The dark silver shield glowed with an eerie azure light, causing the Phoenix Lords to grimace.
"Fallen Dragon's Reflection."
Han Yuan reached the Storm Phoenix Lord in an instant.
"Damn it, what an annoying ability..." The Storm Phoenix Lord could only watch as the Twilight Shield unleashed an immense burst of elemental energy toward his face.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!
"Ah Feng!"
"Cough, cough, I am fine..." The Storm Phoenix Lord appeared disheveled and groaned in pain. Right when the Fallen Dragon's Reflection hit him, he used a life-saving ability to turn into an intangible wind.
Of course, it doesn't mean becoming elemental energy makes the Storm Phoenix Lord invincible. He still suffered the violent energy burst from the Fallen Dragon's reflection, which weakened him slightly, but it was much better than being hit when tangible.
At the same time, the space stagnation didn't last long, allowing the other Phoenix Lords to regain their movement.
Before this, the White-Eyed Phoenix Lord already sent a massive spiritual attack at Han Yuan, hoping to stun him from attacking Storm Phoenix Lord.
Yet, to her surprise, Han Yuan only paused for a moment before shaking his head.
'I knew this youth's spiritual power was high, but not this high!' She was speechless.
Fortunately, the split-second window she created was actually fatal in this fight, as the Chaos Phoenix Lord used his ability to traverse space and swung his wing at Han Yuan.
"Space-Rending Wing Slash!"
Han Yuan clicked his tongue, realizing, "Using the intangibility to lessen the damage of Fallen Dragon's Reflection. Stunning me with spiritual shock."
"They even know that the Twilight Shield won't work against spatial attributes because it wasn't a pure elemental attribute, but more of a conceptual one."
"As expected of genuine Divine-level Powerhouses, they adapted so quickly..."
"But this is indeed troublesome."
'Do you need my help?' Di Yating's voice suddenly echoed.
'No, it's okay. I am still doing fine.' Han Yuan responded calmly.
At the same time, he used the Heavenly Silver Authority again, distorting the space and making it unstable this time.
Slash!
The spatial cut produced by the Chaos Phoenix Lord weakened, but it still struck Han Yuan on the shoulder, creating a shallow cut that healed instantly due to his extreme life energy.
"Gosh, he's just as annoying as Ah Qing!" The Chaos Phoenix Lord saw the injury inflicted by his spatial cut healed instantly and cursed on the spot.
Then, the Holy Spirit Phoenix Lord and Dark Phoenix Lord also made their moves.
"Sun's Piercer!"
"Dark Star!"
"Hmm..." Han Yuan felt the surrounding light elements and dark elements boil around him. The light turned into a mighty holy spear, while the darkness turned into a cluster of orbs.
The former rushed toward him, and the latter restrained him like sticky substances.
Han Yuan wanted the Twilight Shield again, but the Ice Phoenix Lord froze it midway. The shield awkwardly floated a few meters away from him.
"I can stop you from moving, too." The Ice Phoenix Lord said coldly.
'Quick, use your Atomic Dismantling!' Di Yating's panicked voice warned immediately.
Han Yuan responded helplessly, 'I want to, but I can't.'
'What do you mean you can't?!' Di Yating felt like pulling her hair when hearing this reply. Her frustration is discernible.
Han Yuan smiled wryly. Well, it's not exactly that he couldn't use Atomic Dismantling. It's more like the situation didn't allow him.
Atomic Dismantling is truly an overpowered, cheat-like ability Han Yuan comprehended. Yet, there is no such thing as a 'perfect' ability in this world.
To use Atomic Dismantling, Han Yuan must be in a state of complete focus, akin to a zen-like state.
He also needs to be in perfect harmony with heaven and earth, thus allowing him to manipulate atomic matters.
Nevertheless, these two conditions are very 'difficult' to complete, especially right now.
Unlike when Han Yuan fights Di Tian one-on-one, he must fight nine, well, seven Phoenix Lords simultaneously. He was keeping tabs on them all in this intense fight.
No, let alone entering a zen-like state, the latter is even more difficult as the Phoenix Lords dominate the very concepts they are good at, making in tune with nature near impossible.
'What should we do then?' Di Yating asked worriedly.
Han Yuan laughed, 'I am not out of options, Yating.'
'Do you think I have been fighting them seriously?'
'Have you seen me using any of my Divine Arts? Come on, you should know me better.'
'Don't tell me you...' Di Yating gasped as she realized something. Inside Han Yuan's spiritual world, she covered her mouth in disbelief.
'You have been testing them all this time?!'
Han Yuan didn't say anything and merely let the Holy Spirit Phoenix Lord's attack hit him. Even then, his lips curved slightly.
CLANK!
BOOOOOOOM!!
A massive burst of light energy illuminated the sky.
"Huh, that sounds... Something wasn't right." The Holy Spirit Phoenix Lord was stunned by what he heard, and so were the other Phoenix Lords.
Light particles gradually dissipated, revealing Han Yuan wearing a pair of dark-gold gauntlets and silver-gold greaves.
"Divine..."
"Tool?"
"This kid actually has one!" The Phoenix Lords glanced at each other in bewilderment and didn't know what to say to this.
Well, there is no rule prohibiting anyone from using one.
But they did not expect Han Yuan to pull one here.
Han Yuan clenched his hands, feeling the draconic powers gathered on the gauntlets and greaves. "I finally used them..."
"I must thank Beta later."
Yes, it's exactly what you thought.
Han Yuan finally used the Divine Artifacts he borrowed from his other self, they got it from the World Mission's rewards, and it is none other than the Howling Dragon Arms!