Why couldn't Han Li's flying swords hurt the Grade 8 demons?

Because of the rigid cultivation world hierarchy: a Core Formation cultivator's raw power is inherently incapable of damaging a Transformation-stage demon's physical body without a specific high-level counter.

Why did the Wind Split Beast panic?

He panicked because Han Li started attacking the furnace's protective barrier, threatening to destroy the nearly-complete Wind Lightning Wings, a treasure the demon valued above his own allies.

Rising Wind Overseas

1,957 words

Chapter 559: Rising Wind Overseas / Utterly Helpless

The Flood Dragon let out an enraged roar as a bloody light flared around his body. He was about to launch himself at Han Li.

But at almost the same instant, the demon's expression changed dramatically. With a heavy thud, he fell to his knees, forced to watch helplessly as his own body swelled and distorted, equally unable to move or speak.

"Courting death!"

At this sight, Feng Xi's face flickered as he roared in anger.

His figure vanished from its spot, the next moment reappearing behind Han Li like a specter. He raised a single hand, and with a shush sound, it transformed into a black, razor-sharp claw, driving it down with lethal force.

His movements were faster than lightning. Han Li, despite being highly alert, could not keep up. He could only twist his body to the side in frantic desperation.

A clear, ringing clang was heard.

Han Li was sent flying backward as if struck by an immense force, tumbling over a hundred feet before stumbling to a halt.

Having been struck solidly by the claw of a Grade 9 demon beast, Han Li was not ripped open or pierced through on the spot.

The demonic cultivator Feng Xi was stunned for a moment. A fierce light flickered in his eyes as he locked his gaze on Han Li's torn back, where the fabric had been shredded.

Beneath it, some silvery-white scales were revealed. The majority of these scales were now broken and damaged from his previous strike, revealing a jet-black, gleaming inner garment beneath.

"An inner armor?" Feng Xi was greatly surprised. With a cold laugh, he transformed into a gust of wind once again without another word and vanished from sight.

That armor had managed to block a single blow from him; it was evidently a top-tier, extraordinary treasure. But the next time, that armor would not be able to save the insect's life.

Han Li, for his part, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

If that claw had struck his head instead, he would likely be a corpse by now.

This Emperor's Scale Armor from Man Brutal Beard was truly a strange treasure, to be able to withstand a blow from a Grade 9 demon beast.

Having bought this precious time, Han Li steadied himself. Without a second thought, azure light and golden lightning arcs surged out of his body simultaneously. The azure light was blinding, the golden arcs danced wildly, combining into the rather spectacular Azure Origin Sword Shield.

At the same time, he raised both hands, and over twenty azure sword-light projections shot forth from his body, instantly forming another line of defense within the shield.

He had just finished these preparations when Feng Xi's tall, gaunt figure appeared before him.

This demon's face was dark and gloomy. A cold light flashed in his eyes. He opened his mouth, and a dazzling white light could be seen gathering within.

Han Li's expression changed drastically. He silently cried out in alarm.

This old demon was actually going to attack directly with his demonic core. Han Li had absolutely no confidence in blocking that.

Just as Han Li's heart chilled, Fen Xi closed his mouth. Suddenly, his figure swayed a few times, his expression turning awful as he became unsteady on his feet.

Han Li was momentarily stunned, then immediately noticed that the demon's body was trembling slightly, and his abdomen was beginning to bulge and warp irregularly.

This old demon's cultivation was much deeper than the other two, but the medicine's power was finally starting to take effect as well.

Greatly delighted, Han Li didn't hesitate. With a point of his finger, over twenty Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords buzzed as one, shooting forward in a chaotic swarm, madly hacking and stabbing at the demon.

Moments later, the smile that had just appeared on Han Li's face began to freeze.

Although the Wind Split Beast was kneeling on one leg in agony, both hands clutching his lower abdomen, a faint layer of white light had emerged around his body. No matter how the sword swarm attacked, it could not breach this protective light in the slightest.

Furthermore, this demonic cultivator could still lift his head with great effort to glare venomously at Han Li. Even though he couldn't speak, his eyes were filled with malice.

Upon seeing this, Han Li's heart skipped a beat. After a moment of thought, he concluded that this demon must possess some sort of protective treasure.

Otherwise, given the degree of hatred the demon bore for him, if he could channel even a sliver of magic power, he would surely have killed Han Li first to vent his fury.

With this thought, Han Li calmed down slightly. He rapidly made a hand seal, and all twenty-four flying swords immediately rose into the air.

In the blink of an eye, two balls of blinding azure light exploded in the sky, revealing two giant azure swords, each several zhang long, glistening with a cold, chilling sheen.

A strange light flashed in Han Li's eyes. Without a word, he opened his mouth, and two puffs of azure qi shot out, each landing on the giant swords.

Upon contact with the azure qi, the giant swords shone even brighter in the air. With a pair of clear humming sounds, they descended one after the other, rushing towards the Wind Split Beast within the white light with overwhelming force.

Two thunderous booms echoed.

The giant swords struck the white light heavily. Azure light and white light intertwined, but the two swords only managed to press the white light down by a few inches before they were mercilessly repelled.

Seeing this, Han Li stood frozen on the spot.

A hint of mockery appeared on Feng Xi's face.

Seeing the demon's expression, Han Li couldn't help but feel a chill. Only then did he realize that although the demon still seemed to be in great pain, unable to move, his abdomen was expanding and contracting, but his limbs and head had not undergone the abnormal changes they should have.

It seemed this demon was forcefully suppressing the power of the spirit liquid.

Han Li's expression changed. As if suddenly remembering something, he hurriedly turned to look at the other two demons.

What he saw made a chill run down his spine.

The bodies of the Flood Dragon and the Turtle Demon, both Grade 8 demons, were still swelling, but their heads and limbs had shrunk somewhat compared to when the process began. Given the frantic aura of spiritual power emanating from their bodies, they were also engaged in suppressing the medicine's power. It was just that their cultivation was far from being as profound as the Wind Split Beast's, so the effects were slower.

Without time to overthink, Han Li pointed at the two giant swords. Instantly, they transformed into two azure rainbows, shooting towards the two demons respectively.

Since these swords couldn't harm the Wind Split Beast, it would be better to eliminate these two first!

Then, with a hardened heart, Han Li slapped his spirit beast pouch. Countless Gold Devourer Beetles swarmed out. At Han Li's low command, they descended upon the white light in a sky-blotting torrent.

A flicker of surprise passed through Feng Xi's eyes at the sight of so many Gold Devourer Beetles.

But the next moment, the countless insects wrapped the white light in layer after layer, beginning to gnaw at it.

Meanwhile, the two giant swords had already struck the Giant Turtle and the Flood Dragon respectively.

The two demons' expressions changed, but unable to move at all, they could only watch the azure sword light as it reached them.

A series of loud clangs rang out. After a storm of heavy blows from the giant swords, the two demons remained completely unharmed.

Han Li stared, dumbfounded.

"How is this possible? That Wind Split Beast has a protective treasure, so it makes sense he can withstand the flying swords. But these two... the flying swords landed squarely on their bodies, yet they cannot be harmed either! Are the physical bodies of Grade 8 demon beasts really this tough?"

After recovering from his shock, Han Li certainly wasn't about to give up.

He pointed at the two giant swords. Two golden arcs of lightning as thick as an arm shot out, striking the demons' bodies solidly.

The Flood Dragon and the Turtle Demon showed pained expressions at being hit by such massive bolts of Evil-Repelling Divine Lightning, but they were otherwise unharmed. However, the looks they shot at Han Li became even more ferocious.

The moment they could move again, they would surely tear him to shreds.

Han Li was truly getting a bit unnerved.

He turned his head to look at his swarm of Gold Devourer Beetles. With a thought, all the insects lifted into the air, revealing the Wind Split Beast beneath.

Although the white light had dimmed somewhat, the demon was still safe and sound within it. This white light was so troublesome that even tens of thousands of Gold Devourer Beetles devouring it en masse seemed to weaken it only slightly.

This demon's protective treasure was unbelievably formidable.

Just as Han Li was hesitating over whether to have the Gold Devourer Beetles continue gnawing, the Wind Split Beast, Feng Xi, was actually able to speak.

"Human! Do you really think a mere Core Formation-stage cultivator can do anything to us, Transformation-stage demon race? Wait a little longer, and I will make you thoroughly taste the agony of wanting to die but being unable to." The demon spoke slowly, with great effort, his face full of ferocity. His voice was eerily calm, but the intent of his threat was unmistakable.

"Hmph! Is that so?" Han Li, upon hearing the demon's harsh words, unexpectedly calmed down.

He no longer hesitated. Pointing at the swarm in the air, the chirping of thousands of Gold Devourer Beetles grew loud, and they changed direction, diving towards the other two demons.

The two giant swords, meanwhile, flew straight towards the light barrier above, hacking at it with all their might.

"Stop! What foolish thing are you doing? Do you want to be hunted by the entire Flood Dragon clan of the sea for the rest of your life? The Wind Lightning Wings have not finished being refined! Taking them out now would ruin all the work. Besides, this spiritual wing can only be driven by the power of wind and lightning; what use would it be to you?" The demon cultivator Feng Xi finally panicked upon seeing Han Li's actions. His expression changed as he roared with authority.

Han Li laughed coldly, showing no intention of stopping. In a flash, the insect swarm landed on the two demons, and the light barrier was on the verge of collapse under the fierce assault of the two giant swords. After all, this barrier was only for the purpose of refining tools, so its defensive capability wasn't particularly strong.

Upon seeing this, the Wind Split Beast's originally green eyes turned bloodshot, but he was constrained by the foreign object within his body and had no choice.

In no time, the Flood Dragon let out a heartrending shriek.

Then, a mass of fresh, bloody light exploded amidst the insect swarm. As soon as the numerous Gold Devourer Beetles touched this blood-colored light, yellow smoke rose from them, and they dissolved into pools of black liquid.

This light was astoundingly toxic.

(I'm truly sorry! My condition isn't great today, a bit tired. There's only this one chapter for tonight. I'll rest a bit and continue writing the next one tomorrow. Haha, everyone, get some sleep too!)

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Reading Guide Decoding

The Crushing Weight of the Food Chain

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

This chapter puts a fine point on the Cultivation Hierarchy. In western fantasy, a clever hero can often talk or trick their way out of a fight with a dragon. In the Mortal Stream logic of A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality, the gap between a Core Formation cultivator and a Transformation-stage demon beast is not a gap; it's a canyon. Core Formation is about consolidating your power into a 'core' (Jiedan stage), while Transformation-stage (化形, Huaxing) means the demon beast has condensed their power into a humanoid form, gaining access to a whole new tier of intelligence, magical techniques, and physical resilience. The text explicitly states that Han Li's flying swords cannot scratch the Grade 8 demons' hides, which is a direct statement of tier-based immunity. This isn't a case of "the enemy has more hit points"; it's a systemic "your weapon is not meant to hurt this kind of being."

This reinforces the core Mortal Stream principle of risk-reward calculation. Han Li's entire strategy is predicated on the assumption that his trump cards (the Azure Origin Sword formation, the Gold Devourer Beetles, the Emperor's Scale Armor) are enough. When they prove insufficient, his primary emotion is not despair but a cold, analytical shock that forces a recalculation. He immediately pivots from a "kill them all" strategy to a "destroy the treasure they are protecting" strategy, using a psychological attack instead of a physical one. This pragmatic shift, even in the face of imminent death, is the hallmark of a survivor in this universe, not a hero.

Chapter Overview

Alright, buckle up, fellow Daoists, because this chapter is a white-knuckle ride where our favorite paranoid mortal gets thrown into a soul-crushing power disparity. Han Li, the cockroach of the cultivation world, faces three Transformation-stage demon beasts, and his bag of tricks—from Emperor's Scale Armor to Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords—suddenly feels like peashooters. The chapter is a masterclass in the Mortal Stream's core tension: when all your clever plans and secret weapons meet a wall of sheer, incomprehensible biological superiority, what do you do? You don't panic. You don't rage. You calculate. Even as a Grade 9 Wind Split Beast is about to rip him open, Han Li's survival instinct isn't to scream, but to pivot. This is the Mortal Stream at its most brutal and thrilling—a chess match where your opponent can flick the board into the sun. Get ready for a reality check on the food chain.

Key Plot Points

The chapter opens with a cascade of failures for Han Li. The poison he successfully administered is being suppressed by the demonic cultivators through sheer willpower and cultivation base. His desperate counterattack with the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords, both as a swarm and as giant composite blades, fails utterly against the Wind Split Beast's mysterious white light. Even more chillingly, his swords can't wound the Grade 8 Flood Dragon and Turtle Demon even when they land solid hits. Han Li is forced to realize the qualitative chasm between a Core Formation cultivator and a Transformation-stage demon; his best attacks are mere annoyances.

In a tactical pivot, he gambles on a two-pronged attack: the Gold Devourer Beetles are sent to devour the other two demons, while he uses the giant swords to attack the furnace's protective barrier, threatening to destroy the Wind Lightning Wings. This move reveals a crucial weakness for the Wind Split Beast, who cares more about the fledgling treasure than the safety of his subordinates. However, this desperate gambit also backfires when the Flood Dragon's final, desperate struggle and subsequent explosion unleashes a "bloody light" of unparalleled toxicity, instantly killing hundreds or thousands of Han Li's precious beetles. The chapter ends with the demonic cultivator Feng Xi, though immobilized, starting to speak, promising a terrible end for Han Li the moment he can move again. The power balance is shattered, and Han Li is facing a failure cascade.

Reading Guide

Pay close attention to the feeling of this chapter. The author, Wang Yu, is famous for his "plain sketch" style, but here he uses that monotone to create a devastating sense of helplessness. Your sword hits... and nothing happens. Your bugs swarm... and only a few manage to dim the light. You dodge one claw... and know the next one won't miss. The horror isn't in the gore; it's in the flat, clinical realization that you, the protagonist, have miscalculated. The true threat isn't the enemy's power, but the fact that your own power is now a rounding error in the equation.

Also, note the introduction of the Wind Lightning Wings (风雷翅) as a motive. Feng Xi's panic at their potential destruction is his one vulnerability. This is a classic Mortal Stream trope: the most powerful opponent has a single, exploitable anchor of greed or ambition. Han Li, even when completely outgunned, can still threaten the enemy's "bottom line." The chapter's final horror is the Flood Dragon's self-destruction. This isn't a last stand; it's a final, desperate act of spite that takes a chunk of Han Li's assets with it. In this world, even your victories are pyrrhic, and the costs are paid in blood and resources you can never get back. Read this chapter to feel the pressure of a cold, uncaring cosmos where the only rule is that the bigger fish is always just around the corner.

Quick Q&A

Lore recap (TL;DR) drawn from this chapter's Cultural / Xianxia Notes — same text as the FAQ structured data on this page.

Why couldn't Han Li's flying swords hurt the Grade 8 demons?: Because of the rigid cultivation world hierarchy: a Core Formation cultivator's raw power is inherently incapable of damaging a Transformation-stage demon's physical body without a specific high-level counter.
Why did the Wind Split Beast panic?: He panicked because Han Li started attacking the furnace's protective barrier, threatening to destroy the nearly-complete Wind Lightning Wings, a treasure the demon valued above his own allies.