Li Rui returned to the position from nine seconds ago, when he was still confronting Xue Can at the prison gates.
But now, that swordsman was nowhere to be found, and the companions who arrived earlier showed no intention of collecting his remains, directly incinerating him with spells instead.
Li Rui saw two bald heads in front of him.
One was Gu Suixun, whose head was covered in tattoos, and the other was a Western Regions face, Oudira Gondor, who once battled Isa Eso and Simon at the summit of the Holy Mountain.
Besides them, there was a middle-aged woman draped in cathedral robes.
Li Rui pondered for a moment, recalling that she was also a notable figure, a bishop at the core of the Polar Cathedral, just half a step away from reaching level 70.
Since their meeting was accompanied by immediate combat, there was no exchange between the parties.
Li Rui also felt there was nothing worth discussing with Oudira Gondor, whose face screamed for a beating.
According to battle reports from around the world, this person was purely a psychopath, killing anyone he could and thoroughly enjoying the process.
Moreover, he was tricky to deal with; the mirror made of ice crystals was a sturdy shield, easily able to lock even the female bishop's spells, which was a testament to his defensive capabilities.
More troublesome was the mirror's ability to reflect spell attacks; casting skills recklessly might cause trouble for oneself.
This person was already a very challenging enemy, and Gu Suixun was right beside him.
After rebelling against the Buddhist sect to establish the Mola Sect, he adopted many nontraditional and esoteric practices, like the Four Symbols Seal, which itself was not a Buddhist technique.
Initially, people were curious about how he incorporated various divine powers, but now it's generally guessed to be from Zuo Qiutian's teachings.
It could be said that this man was half a disciple of Zuo Qiutian, inheriting not only unconventional methods, but also Buddhist defensive techniques.
"Be wary of that fake monk; he can use both hands at once and launch a surprise attack while you're unwary."
Song Yao shouted to Li Rui; he had faced Gu Suixun before being captured, and if not for this bald guy, he might have defeated the two before entering the Secret Realm.
Li Rui waved a hand behind him at the old man, then took the lead in launching an offensive.
Boom!
No one saw what happened, not even the two bald guys.
But within a second, they realized that the female bishop from the Polar Cathedral was done for.
Li Rui wielded a mythical skill.
The skill description was just one line: Immortal God Descends.
When starting long-term exploration tasks, the Superpower Division had provided intel.
Rumor had it that gathering five thunders could lead to ascension to the Upper Realm.
Li Rui, transformed into the true form of the Thunder God, was equivalent to an Upper Realm Immortal God, or at least in a state of divine possession.
Moreover, based on his numerous Upper Realm explorations, what was summoned wasn't anything like heavenly weapons; whatever it was, it wasn't from the usual celestial arsenal.
Now, in the Lower Realm, he was essentially invincible; aside from the very top few individuals, no one else could face him head-on alone, and any slight carelessness meant death.
Like the current female bishop.
She thought hiding behind Gu Suixun and Oudira would guarantee safety, focusing only on using powerful skills to bombard the target.
But this mindset demanded a price.
Li Rui slammed her into the ruins with the Yin Yang Umbrella; her strength and physique were inferior to Xue Can's, and while this strike might not kill her outright, it at least took her out of combat temporarily.
However, the two bald guys weren't ordinary; despite feeling shock similar to Xue Can's upon first encountering Li Rui, they quickly reacted.
Ice crystals surrounded Li Rui, preventing him from casting spells, while Gu Suixun unleashed his true force, striking out a palm on the spot.
The Buddhist spell, transformed by Zuo Qiutian, carried a full force of murderous aura; the overwhelming power surged out.
Li Rui, facing the straightforward attack, raised the Yin Yang Umbrella, and just before he made his move, several black chains emerged from the mirror to assault him.
These looked very much like the Sealing Skill used by Judges of Fengdu.
Clang!
Trapped in the confined space surrounded by the mirror, chains instantly bound his limbs.
Before striking with his right hand, Gu Suixun's left hand was already forming a seal, and black chains emerged from his palm, capable of coordinating with the mirror, appearing suddenly from the inside and restraining Li Rui.
Meanwhile, the palm wind unleashed afterward surged in, first destroying the mirror from the outside, then continuing to advance on Li Rui.
The Buddhist Vajra Palm was known for its toughness, but modified by the Blood Evil Sect, it carried sinister force.
What was particularly formidable was its application of collection techniques Song Yao mentioned; although the momentum was overwhelming, the coverage was just right around Li Rui, with almost no waste.
Gu Suixun held the chain with his left hand, not hurriedly popping champagne, knowing the person before him wasn't easy to deal with, thus maintained exerting force.
Before the palm wind hit, he remained utterly vigilant.
Yet events defied his expectations; Li Rui was seemingly controlled by the black chain, but his actions weren't limited at all, and he could even activate skills.
Bam!
One big swing sent the blackened Vajra Palm flying, crashing through another prison wall, even severing the highway outside.
Boom—
Gu Suixun's face was full of astonishment: "This is impossible, these are Fengdu's techniques, the Exorcism Institute....."
"Stop talking, Mr. Monk."
Oudira Gondor spoke in Dragon Country language, "He's now a Divine Realm person, he's ascending; your skills are mere half-baked Divine Realm spells; how could they possibly affect him?"
Sizzle.
Golden light seeped from Li Rui's body.
This wasn't Shenxiao Thunderbolt Heart Scripture; in the Thunder God form, he tapped into Divine Thunder, needing no reliance on skills.
Trailing golden light, he appeared before the two bald heads, delivering a massive swing to each.
Boom!
Oudira didn't dare to take it, summoned the mirror and dove in, then instantaneously relocated dozens of meters away, while Gu Suixun was like a mosquito, smashed into a puddle of blood.
Blood Exchange Rebirth Skill.
Li Rui didn't rush to deal with the person with several lives, turning instead to pursue the escaping Oudira.
Bam!
One slap and this guy's head flew off.
Li Rui frowned.
"A substitute?"
The fragmented Oudira dissolved into ice crystals, dissipating.
"Oh, a clone."
Li Rui understood; everyone encountered was merely a clone, the original hadn't shown up at all, surely hidden somewhere remote and discreet; there was no way to kill him here.
He then turned again, chasing after the freshly reborn Gu Suixun.
Bam!
Spurt.
Bam!
Spurt.
Li Rui didn't understand the intricacies of this sinister technique or how to break it, but he knew one thing.
He'll kill you repeatedly, eventually rendering you incapable.
Unless you're a perpetual motion machine!