An ordinary person would undoubtedly question the origin of this radiant light aura.
A mere moment of hesitation from Li Banfeng would have allowed him to land several more blows, concluding the battle swiftly.
However, He Haiqin was no ordinary individual; this man had endured countless skirmishes and been forged in the crucible of the Inner State. At this juncture, the aura's source was of no concern; his sole focus was on formulating a response.
The Food Cultivator could endure the pain. Despite the searing agony, He Haiqin lunged forward, intending to seize Li Banfeng and engulfing his head within his massive maw.
Firmly ensnared by He Haiqin's grip, Li Banfeng found himself unable to evade, forced to watch as the cavernous mouth descended towards him.
Just a fraction closer, merely a bit more...
Had He Haiqin succeeded in swallowing his head, no stratagem would have availed Li Banfeng against such a dire fate.
Fortunately, at the precipice of disaster, Li Banfeng managed to extricate his hands. With one hand gripping He Haiqin's upper jaw and the other his lower, a surge of power dislocated the Food Cultivator's jaw.
He Haiqin recoiled in shock. How could this Traveling Cultivator, Li Qi, possess such formidable strength?
This was the Ninth Layer Technique of Home Cultivation, known as 'Expand Territory and Open Borders.'
Li Banfeng had not yet achieved perfect mastery of this technique, yet within the protective embrace of his light aura, it felt as though he stood within his own domain. His speed and strength were elevated to an entirely different echelon.
He Haiqin violently wrenched himself free from Li Banfeng's grasp, reset his dislocated jaw with his left hand, and with a flick of his right, produced a back scratcher from his sleeve.
The artifact shot towards Li Banfeng's face. As Li Banfeng expertly dodged, the back scratcher executed an automatic maneuver, extending its five inch-long, sharpened claws, aiming to seize Li Banfeng's head.
He Haiqin had set a cunning trap. If Li Banfeng continued to evade, he would inevitably fall into the Food Cultivator's clutches.
With remarkable alacrity, the Tang Sword sprang from Li Banfeng's waistband, intercepting the back scratcher. Then, perceiving He Haiqin's advance, it swung with lethal intent towards his forehead.
He Haiqin narrowly avoided the Tang Sword's deadly arc, while the back scratcher, from behind, clamped onto the sword's blade.
The back scratcher's metallic fingers tightened their grip, applying immense pressure in an attempt to shatter the Tang Sword, which remained helplessly ensnared for a crucial moment.
The Clock Pendulum intervened, striking the handle of the back scratcher with a decisive blow, causing it to lose its purchase and release its constricting force.
A fierce duel commenced between the Clock Pendulum and the back scratcher. Having recently been imbued with Golden Beads, the pendulum's speed had dramatically increased, and it engaged the back scratcher in a rapid exchange. Seizing this vital opening, the Tang Sword darted in from the side and bisected the back scratcher.
He Haiqin found himself in a precarious position, with Li Banfeng before him and the debilitating light aura behind. To cross the aura would inflict grievous harm, yet to engage Li Banfeng within its confines promised only suffering.
Unlike previous adversaries who had faltered within the light aura, He Haiqin exhibited no hesitation. He willfully sacrificed a layer of flesh, hurtling himself directly out of the aura's boundary.
Li Banfeng inwardly commended He Haiqin's decisive action.
His escape from the aura was but a temporary reprieve; the pursuit would continue.
Li Banfeng’s speed surpassed He Haiqin’s. As the shimmering aura once again flowed beneath their feet, He Haiqin hastily retrieved a stone from the ground and ingested it.
*Gulp!*
The stone lodged in his stomach, rendering He Haiqin's body as tough and resilient as rock, barely registering the aura's passage.
Having consumed the stone, He Haiqin pivoted and charged directly at Li Banfeng. This seemingly simple counterattack was, in reality, an exertion of his full power, its sheer speed rendering evasion nearly impossible.
Li Banfeng braced himself with the 'Benevolent and Righteous' technique, yet was still visibly staggered by He Haiqin's forceful impact. Capitalizing on Li Banfeng's momentary disorientation, He Haiqin swiftly scooped up the discarded back scratcher from the ground and swallowed it.
He extended his arms, his nails elongating into fearsome claws, aimed directly at Li Banfeng's vulnerable head.
Li Banfeng narrowly evaded the deadly swipe, gripping He Haiqin from behind and activating his 'Arrow Homing Skill.'
Within the light aura, equivalent to being inside his own home, Li Banfeng already possessed a significant advantage in strength. Combined with the 'Arrow Homing Skill,' He Haiqin proved unable to resist and was violently dragged towards the open doorway.
He Haiqin had no idea where he was being pulled, but he knew with absolute certainty that crossing that threshold was unthinkable.
He struck a match, consumed the flame, igniting himself in a blazing inferno from head to toe.
Li Banfeng's clothes and hair caught fire as he continued to drag the immolated He Haiqin into the dwelling.
He Haiqin desperately clutched the doorframe, a defiant refusal to enter.
The Phonograph then spoke, its voice echoing,
The Food Cultivator's combat prowess diminished considerably with this expulsion, and the fiery aura enveloping him was promptly extinguished.
With a surge of strength, Li Banfeng pulled He Haiqin inside the dwelling, decisively sealing the door.
He Haiqin instantly rose, turning to confront a humanoid entity whose visage resembled a sharpened blade, and a gaping maw opened as if to devour.
Hong Ying moved swiftly, delivering a powerful kick to He Haiqin, sending him sprawling onto the floor.
"What an extraordinary treasure!" He Haiqin exclaimed, his voice filled with awe.
Hong Ying delivered another kick. "And who do you perceive as a treasure, pray tell?"
The impact shattered He Haiqin's chest bones. Clasping his wounded chest, he surveyed his surroundings.
This was indeed a house.
Recollecting Li Qi's practiced maneuvers, he noticed a subtle aura emanating from the floor, which amplified combat power within its confines. It was unmistakably the hallmark of Home Cultivation techniques.
He Haiqin arrived at a deduction that seemed contradictory yet held a singular, undeniable logic: "Li Qi, are you perhaps engaged in Dual Cultivation, blending both Home and Traveling paths?"
Li Banfeng offered no response, maintaining his silence.
He Haiqin then shifted his gaze to Hong Ying. "You're not a treasure yourself; you must be his House Spirit!"
Hong Ying had intended to deliver another kick to He Haiqin, but upon hearing his words, she found them surprisingly pleasing and decided to spare him.
He Haiqin was utterly astonished. The existence of such a phenomenon was mind-boggling. The path of Home Traveling could indeed be pursued through Dual Cultivation. No wonder Li Qi proved so formidable, and no wonder there were so many ruthless individuals in his wake...