Chapter 1222: The Power of the Five Elements

When Ling Yuling’s expression returned to normal, she gracefully stepped through the jade door.

Han Li followed at a leisurely pace.

Beyond the door lay an astonishingly vast cavern, nearly a thousand zhang in width and over a hundred zhang in height. The walls were made of an unknown bluish stone, embedded with moonstones that emitted a milky white glow.

Yet none of this caught Han Li’s attention. His gaze was entirely fixed on a “small hill” at the center.

To be precise, it was not so much a hill as an enormous boulder, standing fifty to sixty zhang tall, pointed at the top and broad at the base. From a distance, it resembled a miniature mountain, scaled down many times.

The hill was pitch-black and unremarkable, bearing no resemblance to the legendary Magnetic Mountain. It looked more like a massive chunk of iron ore.

“Is this the Magnetic Mountain?” Han Li stopped just inside the jade door, narrowing his eyes as he examined the “hill.”

“Indeed! Originally, this mountain was grayish-white, but after my parents refined a portion of it, it inexplicably turned into its current appearance.” Ling Yuling had only taken a few steps forward before halting as well.

Han Li remained still for a long while before finally stepping past Ling Yuling and slowly approaching the mountain.

Ling Yuling tactfully stayed where she was.

As he drew closer, Han Li sensed the increasingly potent Five Elements energy radiating from the mountain, stirring the spiritual power within his body once more.

However, having prepared for this, Han Li was unaffected. After cycling his incantation a few times, he stabilized his condition without issue.

In the blink of an eye, he stood before the black hill.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Han Li circled the mountain, his narrowed eyes flickering with blue light as if trying to peer through its very essence.

Yet his normally effective Brightsight Spirit Eyes failed him this time.

Even after channeling all his spiritual power into his vision, all he saw was an impenetrable blackness. His sight could not penetrate the mountain’s body, let alone discern its structure.

Attempting to scan it with his divine sense proved equally futile—before it could even approach the mountain, the Five Elements energy distorted and blocked it entirely.

Han Li slowed his steps, his expression thoughtful. Suddenly, he stepped forward and placed a hand on the black surface.

To his surprise, the stone felt cool and smooth like jade, completely at odds with its rough appearance.

A trace of astonishment flickered across his face.

“What? Does Brother Han suspect it’s a fake?” Ling Yuling chuckled from behind.

“Hmph, anything capable of disrupting a Nascent Soul cultivator’s spiritual power—even if it isn’t the so-called Magnetic Mountain—must be a treasure of comparable value. Why bother with deception?” Han Li withdrew his hand and smiled faintly.

“I’m relieved Brother Han thinks so. If you truly intend to cultivate the Magnetic Divine Light, how do you plan to handle this mountain? Unless one has already mastered the technique, moving it alone is excruciatingly slow. If you wish to take it with you, even with your profound cultivation, long-distance travel would be impossible. My father only managed to transport it back to Star Palace from the outer seas with the help of disciples after mastering the first few layers of the Magnetic Divine Light—and even then, it took over a decade. Perhaps Brother Han should first spend a few years at Star Palace cultivating the technique before attempting to relocate the mountain.” Ling Yuling’s eyes shimmered with suggestion as she spoke.

“So, without first cultivating the Magnetic Divine Light, taking this mountain is impossible? Is it truly so troublesome?” Han Li’s tone was noncommittal.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that for certain. Brother Han’s abilities already rival my father’s. Perhaps you possess some secret method to subdue the mountain. Otherwise, you may indeed need to reconsider.” Ling Yuling smiled sweetly, leaving room for doubt.

“I’ll test it first.” After a moment of contemplation, Han Li raised his hands and cast a green incantation toward the black hill.

The green light flashed, but just before it could touch the mountain, it twisted violently and exploded with a *bang*, scattering into nothingness.

Frowning, Han Li rapidly formed a series of hand seals, launching incantations of various colors one after another.

Yet the result was the same—each incantation detonated before reaching the mountain.

His expression grave, Han Li pressed his palm against the stone once more.

This time, he did not withdraw it immediately. Instead, he murmured an incantation, and spiritual light flickered around his hand as he attempted to force a spell into the mountain.

But the moment the incantation left his palm, an immense, invisible force surged through it.

The spiritual power he had suppressed within his body erupted uncontrollably, pouring into the mountain.

Han Li’s face darkened. With a low shout, his protective barrier flared with golden light, and he struck his own arm with his other hand, forcefully breaking free from the mountain’s pull.

Staggering back, he steadied himself and took a deep breath, his expression easing slightly.

Had it been any other early or mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, that single moment would have drained a significant portion of their spiritual power.

“Brother Han, are you alright?” Ling Yuling asked, startled.

“I’m fine. This mountain is indeed peculiar. Ordinary methods of containment seem useless against it. I’ll stay here for a while and see if I can devise another way to subdue it. If not, I’ll reconsider.” Han Li shook his head, his voice firm.

“Of course! However, even with your profound cultivation, staying here too long without mastering the Magnetic Divine Light could harm your spiritual power. I estimate three or four days at most. Any longer, and you may suffer damage. I’ll return in three days to check on you.” Ling Yuling offered no objection, even offering a reminder.

Han Li nodded in acknowledgment.

Ling Yuling handed him the jade token, bowed slightly, and took her leave.

Once she vanished beyond the jade door, Han Li waved the token at it, channeling spiritual power. A stream of runes flew from the token and merged with the door, which closed with a hum.

With that done, Han Li did not immediately turn his attention to the mountain. Instead, he swept the cavern with his divine sense, ensuring no surveillance arrays were present.

Satisfied, he retrieved a set of formation flags from his storage pouch and tossed them into the corners. Beams of light sank into the ground, and soon, yellow mist rose, shrouding the entire cavern.

Only then did Han Li relax, turning his gaze back to the hill.

He had encountered mountain-shaped treasures before, such as the ancient treasure “Thousandfold Mountain,” which had considerable power. But that had merely resembled a peak in form, functioning like any other treasure. This black hill, however, was far more troublesome—like a hedgehog, leaving him no clear way to handle it.

*”Heh, that girl seems quite eager for you to cultivate the Magnetic Divine Light,”* a voice suddenly remarked. A wisp of green light flew from Han Li’s sleeve, coalescing into the form of a child—the human manifestation of the Heavenly Spirit Beast.

“I’ve noticed as well. Palace Master Ling seems very keen on me starting the cultivation immediately. If I recall correctly, mastering the Magnetic Divine Light is notoriously difficult. Despite its long history in the Chaotic Star Seas, only the Twin Saints of Star Palace succeeded after obtaining this mountain. If I begin now, I’ll likely need the mountain’s assistance—binding my spiritual power to its Five Elements energy, just as they did, and becoming unable to leave its vicinity.” Han Li’s tone was calm.

*”Oh? So she’s trying to trap you?”* the child asked casually.

“Not exactly a trap, but I’d likely be confined to Star Palace indefinitely, forced to join them. Otherwise, do you think the Twin Saints would so generously offer me a method to break through to the Deity Transformation stage just for three vague promises? Among the methods they provided, only the Magnetic Divine Light seems feasible. It’s clearly a setup.” Han Li’s eyes remained fixed on the black hill, his voice laced with cold amusement.

*”And they aren’t afraid you’ll see through it and retaliate?”*

“If I’m desperate to reach the Deity Transformation stage, I’d have no choice but to walk into their trap. The Twin Saints are using an open scheme—they know I’ll take the bait. But if I can find a way to take this mountain *before* cultivating the technique, their plan collapses. They must be confident in the mountain’s power. After all, they’ve been bound to it for centuries, trying every method imaginable. I doubt I’ll fare better.” Han Li sighed, stroking his chin.

*”Why not follow their example? Cultivate the Magnetic Divine Light without the mountain’s aid first. Once you’ve made progress, you won’t be bound to it, and you can slowly transport it back to the Great Jin.”*

Han Li shook his head. “The Twin Saints likely tried that. If it were possible, they wouldn’t have remained trapped here. No, the only way is to find a method to move the mountain *before* cultivation.”

He fell silent, deep in thought.

The child shrugged. *”Well, good luck with that.”*

Han Li ignored the remark, his mind racing through possibilities.

The cavern remained still, the black hill looming silently before him.