On the opposite light screen, as the electric arcs sensed Han Li’s approach, a thunderous roar erupted, and a dense barrage of silver lightning bolts shot down simultaneously.
Han Li let out a low whistle, and the golden electric flood dragon behind him lunged upward, exploding with a deafening boom.
A massive golden net instantly materialized in midair, shielding Han Li beneath it.
All the silver arcs struck the golden net, dissipating without a sound.
“Han Li, it’s you!”
“Elder Han!”
As Han Li retracted his escape light and revealed himself, Qian Laomo and the middle-aged cultivator exclaimed almost simultaneously—one in fury, the other in shock.
Han Li was momentarily taken aback and turned to glance at the square-faced middle-aged cultivator, whose expression was one of astonishment. However, Han Li didn’t recognize him.
Though puzzled, his hands never stopped moving. With a phoenix cry, the Three Flames Fan unleashed a three-colored fireball, instantly blasting a large hole in the light screen. Han Li then flickered and appeared outside the barrier.
Only then did he relax slightly and turn back for another look.
On the other side of the screen, the young man surnamed Xu and Lin Yinping had just emerged onto the platform. Seeing Han Li already on the opposite side of the restriction, their expressions darkened.
Han Li responded with a cold chuckle.
“Since so many have gathered, I might as well give you all something to do. It wouldn’t do for you to remain idle,” Han Li said eerily before flicking his finger. A golden arc shot out with a crack of thunder.
The moment it touched the other silver arcs on the screen, the golden arc vanished into them. But in the next instant, it reappeared on the opposite side of the barrier.
With a resounding boom, the golden arc struck an inconspicuous stone pillar at the edge of the platform.
A muffled groan followed, revealing the Silver-Winged Nightfiend, the Lion Hawk, and a grotesquely obese woman with a waist as thick as a barrel.
“The Lion Hawk!” The young man surnamed Xu recognized the most distinctive of the three demonic creatures and blurted out in alarm.
Lin Yinping and the others tensed immediately, assuming defensive stances.
“Great Elder!”
Meanwhile, Ge Tianhao and his group, who had just arrived, spotted the Five Devils in the light screen and couldn’t help but rejoice.
The three demons, forced out of hiding, were furious. The Silver-Winged Nightfiend, in particular, recognized Han Li—the man who had nearly killed him—and inwardly cursed him for ruining their plans. He was also baffled as to how Han Li had repeatedly seen through his concealment technique, leaving him so vulnerable.
Now, under the young man surnamed Xu’s icy gaze, the three demons found themselves in a dilemma.
They weren’t truly afraid of these human cultivators but had hoped to use them to break a crucial restriction later. However, with their presence exposed, they were unsure how to proceed.
The young man surnamed Xu, after scanning the Silver-Winged Nightfiend and the ugly woman, felt a surge of dread.
The demonic aura radiating from these two transformed creatures was astonishing, seemingly no weaker than the Lion Hawk’s. Assessing the situation, he realized their strength was formidable and dared not act rashly.
Inside the light screen, Qian Laomo and the Ye family elder, witnessing this sudden turn of events, wanted to stop fighting. However, the two bronze lions continued their relentless pursuit, forcing them to maintain their defenses while warily distancing themselves from each other.
Thus, the standoff continued, with all parties wary of one another.
Han Li, however, ignored the chaotic situation and dashed toward the rear. With this golden opportunity to seize the treasure first, he saw no reason to hold back.
In a few leaps, he arrived before a mountain gate entirely constructed of exquisite green jade.
The gate was peculiar—flanked only by two rows of towering, unknown trees, with nothing else in sight. The surroundings were eerily empty.
Beyond the wide-open gate, a pristine white stone path stretched over a thousand zhang, leading to a distant, ancient palace that loomed majestically.
“So this must be the Kunwu Hall,” Han Li murmured, hesitating briefly before scanning the area once more, his gaze settling on the giant trees.
Each tree stood twenty to thirty zhang tall, their branches and trunks a withered yellow, yet exuding an inexplicable vitality that struck Han Li as odd.
His spiritual sense swept over the trees, detecting nothing unusual—they were ordinary in every way, devoid of any fluctuations.
Frowning slightly, Han Li finally averted his gaze.
After another sweep of the entire gate area confirmed no hidden restrictions, he stepped through without further hesitation, heading straight for the distant Kunwu Hall.
But the moment his feet touched the white stone path, a chilling sensation surged through his body, and an eerie feeling enveloped him.
“Not good!” Han Li thought, immediately trying to retreat. But it was too late. Before he could leap back, an immense pressure bore down on his shoulders, forcing him to his knees on the white stone.
With a shout, he activated his protective spiritual light, encasing himself in a cyan glow. Though he managed to avoid collapsing completely, he remained kneeling on one knee, trembling violently.
His bones creaked under the pressure, as if they might shatter at any moment.
Han Li was stunned.
His protective light had barely mitigated the force. Though slightly better off than before, he could barely remain upright, as if ten thousand jin weighed upon him.
Had he not trained in the King Ming Art and consumed the Corpse Pearl, his body would have been crushed instantly, leaving him immobile.
Yet he had thoroughly inspected the area earlier—there were no signs of any formation. How had he fallen into such a powerful restriction?
Gritting his teeth, Han Li began chanting incantations. With his fingers immobilized, spells were his only recourse.
In a flash, crackling thunder echoed within the cyan light as a golden electric robe materialized around him. Straining against the pressure, he attempted to rise.
But halfway up, the gravity intensified, slamming him back down.
This time, Han Li’s expression turned grave.
Meanwhile, at the foot of the mountain, Qian Laomo and the others, blocked by the light screen and the elevated gate, could only see Han Li vanish into the hall complex, unaware of his plight.
This naturally agitated those desperate for the treasure.
“Beast! If you seek death, I’ll oblige!” Qian Laomo’s furious voice boomed from within the light screen.
The five white shadows inside the restriction suddenly merged into a single towering figure. Instead of attacking the square-faced Ye family elder, the giant white figure swung its arm backward.
A white serpent shot out from its arm, swallowing one of the bronze lions whole before coiling into a massive orb, trapping the creature inside.
Despite the lion’s frantic struggles and energy beams, it couldn’t break free.
Meanwhile, the square-faced elder tapped the giant bone ring on his body.
The ring radiated countless yellow ring illusions, which vanished under his incantation, only to reappear above the other bronze lion. The rings descended, ensnaring the beast and flipping it onto its back.
Ignoring the subdued lion, the elder glared at the white giant.
“Hmph! The Boundless Bracelet lives up to its reputation. Rumor has it this treasure is a replica of the ancient spirit treasure ‘Moon Reflection Ring,’ though that’s never been confirmed. Even if it’s merely an imitation of a Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure, it’s not far off,” Qian Laomo’s voice echoed coldly from the white giant.
“Without this treasure, I’d have long fallen to your hands. But while you waste time with me, aren’t you worried that boy has already taken all the treasures?” the elder retorted, deliberately glancing toward the mountain gate.
“Oh? If the Kunwu Hall’s restrictions were so easily broken, you’d have already claimed its treasures, wouldn’t you? Instead, you’re stuck here with me. By the way, you called that man ‘Elder Han.’ Is he one of your Ye family’s?” Qian Laomo’s tone turned icy.
“Haha, my mistake. I don’t know him,” the elder replied ambiguously, his eyes shifting.
Qian Laomo fell silent, weighing the man’s words. After a moment, he spoke again, coldly:
“Whether he’s connected to your family or not, as an outsider from the South, your Ye clan wouldn’t truly trust him. You went to such lengths to unseal Kunwu Mountain—do you really intend to let an outsider take the treasures? Since neither of us can gain the upper hand, why not join forces to break this restriction first? Once we reach the Kunwu Hall, we can compete fairly.”
“Fair competition? Agreed!”
To Qian Laomo’s surprise, the elder accepted without hesitation.
This unexpected compliance gave the old demon pause.
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