Chapter 866: Sinister Plot

Chapter 866: Sinister Plot

Only after returning to his room in the ninth area did Han Li heave a faint sigh of relief.

After taking a moment to compose himself, he closed his eyes and began channeling the Wingform Ascension Arts to refine the Tiger Scaled Beast Core in his body.

There were many ways through which one could store the starpower in a beast core in their body for relatively long periods of time, but some of the starpower would inevitably fade away over time, and it was not an easy task to obtain fresh beast cores.

Even though he had ultimately managed to win this battle, the process had been far too close for comfort.

If he wanted to survive, then he would have to elevate his own powers as quickly as possible, and only by constantly growing stronger would he have a chance of leaving this place alive.

The Tiger Scaled Beast Core gradually melted into a ball of starpower in his body.

As a C tier scaled beast, the Tiger Scaled Beast's core contained a sizable amount of starpower, several times that of the Tarot Beast Cores that he had purchased. However, just like the Tarot Beast Cores, the starpower in the Tiger Scaled Beast Cores was also very chaotic, and it immediately began rampaging within his body.

However, even as the starpower began to seep out of his body, he remained completely unconcerned, and sure enough, it didn't take long before a burst of suction force emerged from the opening of the Heaven Controlling Vial to suck in the dissipating starpower again.

Having already consumed several Tarot Beast Cores, Han Li had discovered that the Heaven Controlling Vial's absorption and purification of starpower was rather similar to its absorption of moonlight, but the difference was that this process was taking place within his body, while its absorption of starlight took place outside his body.

It appeared that starpower and the energy in moonlight had to be similar in certain areas.

If it weren't for the Heaven Controlling Vial, Han Li estimated that he wouldn't even have been able to absorb 0.1% of the starpower in the Tarot Beast Cores, and he would perhaps have fared a little better with the Tiger Scaled Beast Core, but even then, he would've only been able to absorb 1% to 2% of its starpower at the very most.

In contrast, with the Heaven Controlling Vial, he was able to absorb close to all of the starpower in the beast cores, and the difference was night and day.

Perhaps this was why consuming scaled beast cores had a far more pronounced effect on him than for Shi Chuankong.

Han Li continued to channel his Wingform Ascension Arts, directing the starpower toward the third profound acupoint.

Several days later, another speck of bright starlight appeared on his calf, and this third acupoint also began to open with the tremendous influx of starpower.

Han Li's eyes remained shut as he continued to cultivate, and the rays of white starlight emanating from the white tree root up above were also shining down upon him.

Right at this moment, three tiny white insects descended from the white tree root.

The insects were as thin as strands of hair, and they had translucent white bodies, making them almost indiscernible from the white starlight around them.

The three insects remained completely still as they drifted toward Han Li, who was focused entirely on his cultivation at this moment, so he remained completely oblivious to the insects.

The three insects quickly descended onto his shoulder, and as soon as they came into contact with his skin, they immediately fused into his body.

Upon entering Han Li's body, the insects suddenly seemed to have come to life, and they began rapidly burrowing their way toward his heart.

At this moment, there were quite a few gladiators gathered in the cave, and Scarface was among them.

Everyone extended warm greetings to Han Li upon catching sight of him, while a slightly unnatural look flashed through Scarface's eyes as he turned his head to the side in silence.

Han Li returned everyone's greetings, then took a subtle glance at Scarface before making his way toward Chen Lin's room.

He knocked on the stone door of Chen Lin's room a few times, and shortly thereafter, the door swung open to reveal Chen Lin.

"Fellow Daoist Li? What brings you here today?" Chen Lin asked as a slightly surprised smile appeared on his face.

"Can I come in, Fellow Daoist Chen?" Han Li asked with a solemn expression.

"Of course," Chen Lin replied as he stepped to the side and made an inviting hand gesture.

After Han Li entered the room, the stone door swung shut again.

Chen Lin invited Han Li to take a seat at the stone table, then asked, "Did something happen, Fellow Daoist Li? You don't appear to be in a very good mood."

Han Li immediately gave Chen Lin a recount of what had just happened to him in his room.

After hearing Han Li's recount, Chen Lin sprang to his feet as he exclaimed in a stunned voice, "You managed to survive that? That's incredible!"

"Why do you say that, Fellow Daoist Chen?" Han Li asked.

"If I'm mistaken, the white insects that you just described are Heart Pitting Insects, creatures that can only be found in the Heart Devouring Valley. These things are sworn enemies of Black Tribulation Centipedes, and if they run into each other, a fight to the death is sure to ensue. If you had allowed them to reach your heart, then your fate would've been sealed," Chen Lin replied with tightly furrowed brows.

"It sounds like I was very fortunate to have survived then," Han Li mused with a wry smile.

"Was it Scarface?" Chen Lin asked.

"Who else could it have been?" Han Li sighed.

"Under normal circumstances, gladiators aren't permitted from leaving their respective areas, so he's the only one in our ninth area capable of getting his hands on Heart Pitting Insects," Chen Lin mused.

"Oh? Does he have some type of special privilege?" Han Li asked.

"I wouldn't quite go that far, it's just that he has a relative who's working as an administrator in the city lord's manor, and through that connection, he's able to bring in some things from outside the arena to trade with other gladiators. On top of that, as I mentioned last time, he's on very good terms with Toxic Dragon, so everyone generally stays out of his way, and that's why he's become more and more arrogant over time," Chen Lin explained.

Han Li nodded in response with a contemplative expression.

Prior to this, he hadn't seen Scarface as a threat, but it seemed that he would have to be on his guard.