Upon seeing this scene, the burly man and his companions’ expressions shifted slightly. The four of them quickly huddled together, whispering among themselves.
At the same time, Han Li heard the voice of the elderly Fu transmitted into his ear: “It seems that once this formation is broken, our temporary alliance will dissolve. Brother Han, what are your plans next?”
Han Li glanced at the old man nearby, pondered for a moment, and then replied via voice transmission, lips barely moving.
“There are so many paths leading from here. I plan to proceed alone. As long as I avoid the more conspicuous routes, there shouldn’t be much danger.”
“I see! But I dare not venture alone. If that silver-winged yaksha or the lion-hawk beast ambushes me, I’d have no means to defend myself. I’ll choose the same path as Fellow Daoist Bai. Whether we gain anything will depend on our own luck.” The old man replied with a bitter smile after a brief silence.
This elder from the Nine Serenities Sect harbored no resentment. With so many people exploring, it was indeed impractical for multiple individuals to search the same area. Otherwise, conflicts would inevitably arise if rare treasures were discovered.
Given that Han Li’s abilities far surpassed his and Bai Yaoyi’s, it was better to part ways here.
“Brother Fu, Fellow Daoist Han! We’ll take our leave first.” The burly man and his group seemed to have finished their discussion. With a quick greeting, they split into two pairs, each choosing a different stone staircase after briefly inspecting the stone tablets. Soon, their figures vanished into the distant mist.
After exchanging a few more words with Bai Yaoyi via voice transmission, the elderly Fu bid Han Li farewell. The two then selected an untouched staircase and swiftly departed using their movement techniques.
In mere moments, the vast plaza was left with only Han Li standing alone.
Surveying the empty surroundings, a faint sneer crossed Han Li’s face as his gaze swept over the stone tablets.
Aside from the routes taken by the previous groups—such as “Kunwu Hall” and “Demon-Suppressing Tower,” which were clearly key locations—the remaining destinations were ambiguous and hard to discern.
“Huiming Pavilion, Xiangyun Hall, Gouyu Pond… Forging Spirit Hall. Could this be related to artifact refinement?” Han Li’s eyes paused on one particular tablet.
Though he knew places like Kunwu Hall and Lingbao Pavilion were more likely to hold treasures, they would also attract many cultivators. He had no interest in risking his life for such gains.
Having already obtained the Spirit Nurturing Pill, his primary goal was to leave this place safely.
After some thought, Han Li concluded that the Forging Spirit Hall was unlikely to have been visited by others, and it piqued his interest. With a flicker of movement, he stepped onto the staircase behind the tablet and ascended the mountain.
Shortly after Han Li disappeared, a yellow glow flashed at the center of the plaza. The silver-winged yaksha, the ugly woman, and the lion-hawk beast emerged simultaneously from the light.
“Earth Escape Technique can only take us this far. Any further, and we’d trigger the underground restrictions,” the silver-winged yaksha said, retracting the glow and turning to gaze at the staircase leading to Kunwu Hall.
“The residual spiritual energy here is strong. It seems the human cultivators just broke the formations,” the ugly woman remarked, hands on her hips.
At that moment, the lion-hawk beast let out a low growl, spread its wings, and flew low over several stone tablets before returning.
“People have already taken these paths! Heh, Brother Lion-Hawk’s sense of smell is truly remarkable,” the silver-winged yaksha said, initially surprised but then laughing.
“Good. With the humans scattered, seizing the Lifebound Plaque will be easier. But if those heading to Kunwu Hall lack the power to break its restrictions, we might have trouble,” the ugly woman frowned in concern.
“No matter. If the humans fail, we’ll assist them from the shadows. As long as we avoid the restrictions that counter us, we can handle the rest,” the silver-winged yaksha said confidently.
“Then let’s go. First, let’s see who took this staircase. Brother Yaksha, your concealment skills are the best among us. Cover our presence,” the ugly woman said brusquely.
“Understood,” the silver-winged yaksha replied casually.
With a flick of its silver wings, a radiant silver mist enveloped the group, and they vanished from sight.
Meanwhile, at a stone pavilion halfway up Kunwu Mountain, a five-colored peacock had just emerged halfway from a shimmering barrier…
Unaware of all this, Han Li continued his ascent. His feet barely touched the ground as he glided effortlessly, covering several yards with each step. After a few turns, the white jade plaza was long out of sight.
The staircase was flanked by towering spirit trees—some familiar, others entirely new to him. He glanced at them with mild interest.
These trees, having grown on Kunwu Mountain for tens of thousands of years, had transformed even ordinary spirit wood into premium materials for artifact refinement.
But Han Li had no intention of slowing down for such things. After about fifteen minutes, the path brightened, revealing a cluster of buildings in the distance.
A hint of joy flashed across Han Li’s face as he quickened his pace. Soon, he reached the end of the staircase but abruptly halted.
A translucent white barrier blocked his path. Beyond it stood a massive blue wall, over twenty feet high, sealing off the area. A grand archway marked the entrance, with the words “Forging Spirit Hall” inscribed in silver atop it.
Han Li scanned the surroundings. The barrier enveloped the entire hall-like complex, leaving no gaps for entry.
It seemed the ancient cultivators who sealed the mountain had activated all restrictions before leaving, protecting everything within. Perhaps they hoped to return one day.
With a cold thought, Han Li acted without hesitation. He flicked his sleeve, sending a golden streak slashing into the barrier.
A crisp *snap* echoed as the golden sword, sharp as ever, cleaved a foot into the barrier before stalling. The barrier glowed white, already beginning to mend.
Frowning, Han Li recalled the sword with a gesture. The barrier sealed itself once more.
Judging its thickness to be over ten feet, he estimated that even his Greatsword Technique would be ineffective. Barrier-type restrictions like this could regenerate almost instantly unless destroyed in one strike.
Of course, he could deploy his Gold Devouring Beetles to slowly erode the barrier’s energy, but that would take days—time he didn’t have.
After brief consideration, he made his decision. Slapping his storage pouch, he summoned a fist-sized orb of light that resolved into an ancient-looking feather fan, shimmering with gold, silver, and red hues.
With a beckoning motion, the fan emitted a phoenix cry and landed in his hand.
He expanded it to several feet in length with a rub of his palms, then coldly eyed the barrier.
With a slight wave, a trio-colored flame erupted from the fan—this time not forming a phoenix but directly striking the barrier.
Where the flames touched, the barrier melted like snow under the sun, rapidly dissolving to form a gaping hole.
Han Li stowed the fan and shot through as a green streak, materializing inside the archway.
Turning back, he watched the barrier begin to mend. A wry smile touched his lips—exiting would require similar effort.
Checking his mana reserves, he noted that even with restrained use, the fan had drained nearly a third of his energy.
Shaking his head, he turned and strode toward the buildings beyond the wall.
The first few structures were identical two-story pavilions. Entering the nearest one, Han Li found it barren save for a few tables and chairs—likely a resting area.
Any personal items had long been removed by the ancient cultivators.
Though unsurprised, he sighed inwardly. His hopes for the other buildings dwindled.
True to expectation, the remaining pavilions and storage-like stone huts yielded nothing—no materials, no artifacts, just empty shelves and chests.
Exiting the last hut, Han Li found himself before a crimson stone hall, its surface shimmering as if aflame.
“Hall of Spirit Refinement,” he murmured, reading the fiery plaque above the entrance.
Even outside, waves of heat pulsed from within. Intrigued, he stepped inside—only to be met with a thunderous roar that made his eyes narrow sharply.
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