“You haven’t taken the Dust Cleansing Pill to wash away the foreign aura from the lower realm. The once-in-three-hundred-years minor heavenly tribulation will manifest as a dual-colored lightning tribulation. No matter how extraordinary your abilities are, you won’t survive it. This time, we helped you disperse this tribulation, but the next one will arrive sooner as a result. In just over a hundred years, your second minor heavenly tribulation will strike. Only by taking one Dust Cleansing Pill each year can your aura merge with that of the Spirit Realm, preventing the dual-colored lightning tribulation from appearing. In our Sky Abyss City, every ascended cultivator is given one Dust Cleansing Pill annually. The next dual-colored lightning tribulation will be even more severe than this one,” the older cultivator added.
“From what you’re saying, Senior, it seems I must stay in Sky Abyss City for the rest of my life,” Han Li’s eyes flickered as he asked.
“Of course not. Once you’ve taken the Dust Cleansing Pill for three hundred years, your lower realm aura will be completely cleansed, and you’ll be free to leave Sky Abyss City,” the pale-faced cultivator replied calmly.
“Sky Abyss City gathers ascended cultivators like us. Surely you don’t give out the Dust Cleansing Pills for free. What do you require from us?” Han Li, unwilling to beat around the bush, cut straight to the point.
“Fellow Daoist is indeed sharp. While the Dust Cleansing Pill is only useful for ascended cultivators like you, the materials required to refine it are extremely rare. Many can only be found in the untamed wilderness. Naturally, obtaining these pills comes at a cost. However, we can discuss the details once we reach Sky Abyss City. For now, please board the flying vessel. Of course, if you refuse, we won’t force you. But you must be well aware of the consequences,” the older cultivator stroked his goatee and smiled.
Han Li’s expression darkened slightly upon hearing this.
After a moment of contemplation, he glanced up at the now cloudless sky and then at the golden vessel beneath the two men. With a flicker of movement, he appeared on the vessel.
The two golden-armored cultivators exchanged faint smiles, unsurprised. Anyone who had witnessed the terror of the dual-colored lightning tribulation would have no choice but to comply. Moreover, the man before them was only at the early Nascent Soul stage—it was already a miracle he had survived long enough for them to arrive.
Once aboard the golden vessel, Han Li scanned his surroundings and noticed a small formation inscribed at its center.
As he examined it, the two golden-armored cultivators stepped onto the formation and motioned for Han Li to join them.
After a brief hesitation, Han Li stepped inside as well.
The two cultivators each cast a spell, causing the formation beneath them to hum as a thick light barrier enveloped all three.
The older cultivator then flipped his hand, revealing a golden disk inscribed with silver runes. He slapped the disk, and it erupted in golden light while the silver runes shone brilliantly.
Simultaneously, the golden vessel trembled as milky-white rays of light surged from its base, swirling beneath it before coalescing into the same white formation Han Li had seen earlier.
With a final burst of light, the vessel vanished, and the formation shattered into nothingness.
In the distance, Elder Huo and several Core Formation cultivators had been watching the scene unfold. Ever since the golden-armored cultivators appeared, they had fallen silent, not daring to breathe. Only after the vessel disappeared did they exhale in relief, exchanging glances filled with a mix of awe and relief.
“Elder Huo, the Sky Abyss Guards don’t seem as terrifying as the rumors suggest. Perhaps the stories are exaggerated?” the yellow-robed youth ventured cautiously.
“What do you know? Among the Three Realms and Seven Lands, Sky Abyss City is the only place not under the rule of the Three Sacred Emperors or the Seven Demon Kings. The golden-armored Sky Abyss Guards are high-ranking figures within the city, granted unrestricted freedom to travel across all regions and the authority to eliminate any threats to the human and demon races. Even the Three Emperors tread carefully around them. During wars with other races, even the Three Emperors and Seven Demon Kings must nominally obey the orders of Sky Abyss City’s Elder Council,” Elder Huo hesitated before revealing some of the secrets he knew.
“Such a thing exists? My master only mentioned the Sky Abyss Guards in passing, warning me never to offend them. It’s said that long ago, they once exterminated over a hundred cultivation sects in a single month. But no one knows the reason, and even the Three Emperors turned a blind eye,” the yellow-robed cultivator widened his eyes in shock.
“Exactly. I don’t know much about Sky Abyss City either, but its cultivators rarely appear in the territories of the human and demon races. They’re primarily tasked with dealing with external threats. Even when they do appear within our lands, it’s always these golden-armored Sky Abyss Guards,” Elder Huo frowned deeply.
The other Core Formation cultivators, though somewhat familiar with the Sky Abyss Guards, were stunned by the depth of the discussion, exchanging uneasy glances.
Meanwhile, Han Li’s golden vessel had already reappeared in a concealed teleportation formation within an unnamed city.
One of the golden-armored cultivators disembarked, replaced several glowing spirit stones in the formation, and then returned to the vessel to activate it again.
Han Li’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the stones—each was a high-grade spirit stone worth over ten thousand. Before he could ponder further, the vessel was engulfed in white light and teleported away.
This time, they emerged in an underground cavern, standing atop another similar teleportation formation.
The same process repeated—replacing spirit stones, activating the formation—and the vessel vanished once more.
Under Han Li’s cold gaze, the vessel teleported over twenty times.
Back when Han Li had teleported to the Chaotic Star Sea, he had only used a single mid-grade spirit stone for a one-way trip from the South Heaven Region. Now, this vessel was using high-grade spirit stones for multiple teleportations, covering a distance Han Li couldn’t even fathom.
With a final “whoosh,” the vessel reappeared in another formation.
This time, Han Li’s gaze sharpened as he realized they had finally arrived at the so-called Sky Abyss City. The teleportation formation was built atop a towering altar-like platform, and at its base stood four cultivators clad in black armor.
Their armor was simpler in design compared to the golden armor of Han Li’s escorts, but it was similarly inscribed with silver runes.
The hall was vast, spanning a hundred zhang in width and over ten zhang in height. Aside from the massive platform, the space was empty.
The moment the golden vessel appeared, the four black-armored cultivators tensed, but upon recognizing the golden-armored figures, they relaxed and floated up to the platform.
A green-eyed man stepped forward and bowed deeply. “Greetings, Sky Guards!”
Han Li scanned them—all four were Nascent Soul cultivators: one at the late stage, one at the mid-stage, and two at the early stage.
“Rise. This is a newly ascended cultivator. I recall your squad is short one Azure Guard. He might just become your captain. Take him to the Flying Spirit Hall to rest for the night. After we report to the elders, we’ll summon him again,” the older golden-armored cultivator instructed indifferently.
“Yes!” The green-eyed man had already noticed Han Li’s Nascent Soul-level presence and showed no surprise, merely bowing slightly in acknowledgment.
“Rest for tonight. We’ll discuss matters tomorrow,” the pale-faced cultivator said to Han Li.
Han Li nodded without objection.
The three descended the platform and headed for the hall’s exit. Han Li noted that only the green-eyed man followed them, while the other three remained guarding the platform.
Clearly, the teleportation formation and the golden vessel were of great importance, warranting four Nascent Soul guards.
Beyond the hall stretched a wide, arched corridor about four to five zhang across.
The walls were lined with silver runes at regular intervals, lending an air of mystery.
The corridor curved gently downward.
Before Han Li could ponder further, the golden-armored cultivators ascended while the black-armored man led him downward.
Every few hundred zhang, they passed identical hall doors—some shut, others wide open.
Through the open doors, Han Li glimpsed similar platforms, teleportation formations, and golden vessels, each guarded by Nascent Soul cultivators. A few chambers were empty.
The closed doors resisted his spiritual sense, their silver-rune-inscribed walls impenetrable.
Along the way, they encountered other cultivators—mostly black-armored Nascent Souls, but also three or four in azure armor. These were clearly the “Azure Guards,” all at the Nascent Soul stage.
Though they cast curious glances at Han Li, none approached or questioned him, all moving with disciplined haste.
Han Li frowned inwardly at the sight.
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