Seeing this, both the Zhu surnamed youth and the enchanting woman showed expressions of satisfaction, while the surrounding cultivators were also greatly pleased.
Although their cultivation levels made dealing with a mere swarm of Black Blood Ants akin to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, the smooth completion of the first step of their mission was naturally a good omen.
The Zhu surnamed youth raised his hand and beckoned toward the incense burner. The green sandalwood inside extinguished without warning, transforming into a ball of yellow light that landed in his palm. With a flip of his hand, it vanished without a trace. But immediately, a flash of light appeared again, replaced by a set of small silver flags.
Each flag was only a few inches long, imprinted with numerous purple runes and lightning patterns, giving off an extraordinarily mysterious aura!
“Now that the threat of the Black Blood Ants is gone, we will proceed into the mountain to the lair of the True Toad Beast. As for this set of Profound Sky Thunder Flags, each of you, come forward and take one,” the silver-haired youth said slowly, sweeping his gaze over a few of the cultivators.
After exchanging glances, the selected cultivators immediately stepped forward, each taking a flag from his hand—among them was the Liu surnamed elder.
“Good. Aside from Fellow Daoist Zhao and Fellow Daoist Xun, who will remain outside to keep watch, the rest of you follow me and my wife,” the youth instructed an elder and a middle-aged man before transforming into a streak of light alongside the enchanting woman, heading straight for the massive mountain.
The others did not hesitate either, activating their own escape lights and following closely.
Only the named elder and middle-aged man exchanged bitter smiles before forming hand seals and vanishing once more.
The remaining cultivators followed the Zhu surnamed youth and his wife into the mountain through a seemingly natural cave entrance.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Han Li and the others found themselves in a damp, dark underground passage.
The passage was filled with hanging stalactites, its walls dripping with water, the ground slippery and covered with inch-high nameless moss. The entire tunnel twisted and turned, sloping continuously downward.
Fortunately, the naturally formed passage was wide enough for the group to fly a few feet above the ground, sparing them the need to walk.
Han Li continuously scanned his surroundings. Occasionally, unusually large poisonous insects would fly toward him from crevices, only to be pierced by red threads shot from his fingers, instantly turning to ash.
Beside him was none other than the Xiao Fairy.
The woman wore an equally cautious expression, her body enveloped in a faint white light barrier. Any poisonous insect that touched it immediately froze into a crystalline block of ice and fell to the ground.
Not just Han Li and her, the other cultivators also employed various minor techniques to eliminate any insects daring to approach them.
Though these insects seemed insignificant, no one dared to let even one bite them.
After all, the wilderness was filled with countless bizarre creatures. Even seemingly harmless insects could potentially kill a high-level cultivator with a single bite.
Such incidents had indeed happened before.
The group descended quickly, and as they did, fewer and fewer people spoke. Eventually, the entire party fell silent, with only the occasional “puff” of a slain insect breaking the quiet.
The passage wasn’t entirely dark. The walls occasionally emitted faint glows from unknown stones, similar to the Moonlight Stones commonly used by human cultivators.
This made it easier for Han Li and the others to proceed.
After descending a bit further, Han Li’s expression suddenly shifted, and he glanced meaningfully toward the front of the group, as if he had noticed something.
At the same time, the silver-haired youth at the lead frowned and abruptly stopped alongside the enchanting woman.
A moment later, Han Li and the others heard the Zhu surnamed youth’s voice transmitted into their ears:
“Everyone, be careful. I sense two insect beasts ahead, close to the Nascent Soul stage, blocking our path. There may be others nearby, so I can’t risk extending my divine sense too far. Someone needs to go ahead and confirm what kind of beasts they are. Be cautious—don’t engage yet!”
The group was momentarily stunned, but soon, one person stepped forward and said, “Let me go. I may not have many other abilities, but I’m confident in my movement techniques. It’s just a matter of whether Senior Zhu trusts me.”
“Haha, Fellow Daoist You! Your Wind Escape Technique is superb—I couldn’t ask for a better volunteer,” the silver-haired youth said with a smile upon recognizing the speaker.
It was the straw-hatted elder who had spoken up in the ice hall before their departure.
The elder chuckled, and a light breeze swept past him as he vanished without a trace.
Truly, the miraculous Wind Escape Technique.
The others remained in place, waiting quietly. Many were secretly intrigued by the sudden appearance of the blocking insect beasts.
After the time it took to eat a meal, the elder reappeared in a gust of wind, standing exactly where he had vanished. Had the cultivators not been watching intently, they might have thought he had never left.
As soon as he fully materialized, the elder bowed to the Zhu surnamed youth and his wife and said, “I’ve checked. There are two Profound Vortex Beasts ahead. This might be troublesome.”
“Profound Vortex Beasts!” The passage erupted in murmurs.
Many wore expressions of surprise, and even the Zhu surnamed youth couldn’t help but frown.
Han Li immediately recalled information about these creatures.
Profound Vortex Beasts were a type of insect beast. While not particularly fearsome, their presence here was problematic.
These beasts had no special abilities except for their innate mastery of water and thunder escape techniques. Moreover, they were extremely timid, fleeing at the slightest disturbance. Worse, they were also known as “Drumming Beasts” because when they detected enemies, their bodies emitted loud, drum-like cries that could carry for hundreds of miles.
Because of this, some major sects and powerful figures of the human and demon races had tamed them to serve as sentinels in critical locations.
Unless killed in a single strike, they would alert every insect beast in the mountain, and the consequences would be unpredictable.
“This is indeed troublesome. Though I’m a Void Refinement cultivator, my techniques aren’t suited for stealth. Profound Vortex Beasts have keen senses and divine sense. My wife’s movement techniques are excellent, so she can handle one. But we’ll need another fellow Daoist to take care of the second,” the Zhu surnamed youth said after a long moment of thought, his gaze eventually settling on the You surnamed elder.
“I’m afraid I can’t. My Wind Escape Technique can get me close, but Profound Vortex Beasts have thick hides. My techniques aren’t strong enough to kill one instantly—I’d risk ruining everything,” the elder said, shaking his hands dismissively.
The silver-haired youth sighed and turned to the other late-Nascent Soul cultivators.
They, too, frowned, none seeming confident. With the entire plan at stake, no one dared take responsibility without absolute certainty. Mastering both stealth and a one-hit kill technique was indeed a tall order.
The Zhu surnamed youth’s expression darkened.
Had years of planning come to this—foiled by a single insect beast?
“Can’t we just use Earth Escape to bypass them?” one cultivator asked, confused.
“If that were possible, I wouldn’t be so troubled. This mountain has a massive Spirit Magnetic Vein somewhere. Anyone using Earth Escape would have their spiritual power forcibly drained. As long as we avoid Earth Escape, we’re fine.”
“Spirit Magnetic Vein!” Many gasped, their faces paling.
The questioner’s expression turned particularly grim.
For a moment, no one dared speak.
“Senior Zhu, if I can take care of the other beast, does that mean I’ll get an extra share of the True Toad’s blood?” A lazy voice suddenly rang out from among the cultivators.
The speaker was none other than Han Li, standing at the rear of the group. The delicate woman beside him looked startled.
“Oh? Fellow Daoist Han, you’re confident you can handle it? If you succeed, an extra share of the True Toad’s blood isn’t out of the question. But if you fail…” The Zhu surnamed youth was clearly surprised and hesitant, not placing much faith in a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator like Han Li.
“Don’t worry, Senior. If I fail, I’ll compensate for any losses,” Han Li replied with a faint smile.
“Fellow Daoist Han seems truly confident. Very well, the second beast is yours,” the Zhu surnamed youth said decisively after a brief pause.
The other cultivators whispered among themselves, eyeing Han Li with mixed expressions—some even openly skeptical.
“Just to be safe, Fellow Daoist You, go with him and provide support,” the Zhu surnamed youth added, turning to the straw-hatted elder.
“Understood. I’ll handle that,” the elder agreed readily this time.
After exchanging a few silent words with the enchanting woman, the Zhu surnamed youth watched as she formed hand seals, her body enveloped in red mist before vanishing.
Han Li, meanwhile, slapped a purple talisman onto himself, silver runes swirling around him as he, too, disappeared.
The elder once again employed his Wind Escape Technique, vanishing with the breeze.
Guided by the elder, Han Li and the enchanting woman arrived at their destination after a short flight.
In a much wider section of the passage ahead, two plump, white insects clung to the stone walls, gnawing on an unknown type of moss.
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