Chapter 1447: Crisis

Upon hearing this, Lei Lan and Bai Bi’s expressions changed, and they hurriedly flew back into the carriage.

Instantly, the spirit carriage transformed into a milky-white glow and shot away into the sky.

Almost simultaneously, from a pitch-black area in the third layer of the Abyss, a surprised exclamation echoed.

An unusually pale arm stretched out from the darkness, holding a yellowed wooden plaque engraved with a ghostly face.

“What happened? The soul flame of the Eight-Faced Beast has… Hmph, that useless Eight-Faced Beast couldn’t even handle such a simple task! It seems whoever ruined my plans has some skill. No matter, I’ll deal with this later. As long as these people haven’t left the Abyss, I’ll find them eventually.” The woman snorted coldly, her voice brimming with confidence before silence reclaimed the darkness.

Two days later, in the first layer of the Abyss.

A faint white shadow drifted over a black grassland when suddenly, over a dozen dark figures shot out from the waist-high grass, lunging toward the low-flying figure.

They were enormous, ferocious-looking mantises with emerald-green eyes, standing three feet tall, their bodies as black as iron.

A thunderous roar erupted from the carriage as over a dozen silver arcs burst forth, striking each of the insectoid beasts with unerring precision.

Without a sound, the giant mantises disintegrated into ash, vanishing without a trace.

Four days later, in a dense stone forest, a spirit carriage raced boldly through the air while below, several rock-like creatures composed of shattered stones leaped from pillar to pillar, chasing relentlessly.

A sharp whistling sound filled the air as countless golden threads shot out from the carriage, piercing the stone creatures before tightening violently.

A brilliant golden flash later, the stone creatures shattered into countless fragments, utterly destroyed.

Seven days later, above a vast valley shrouded in swirling gray-white mist, Han Li and his two companions hovered at the entrance, carefully surveying the area.

Lei Lan and Bai Bi couldn’t hide the excitement in their eyes.

The flying carriage beneath their feet was nowhere to be seen—whether destroyed by the monsters they encountered or stored away by Han Li remained unknown.

“This place seems safe enough. Let’s proceed. Following this path, we’ll reach the second layer in a day. Given how remote this area is, the exit should be relatively secure, unlikely to have any ambushes,” Han Li declared before flapping his wings and diving into the mist.

At this point, the two Skywing Clan Saints had no intention of retreating and followed solemnly behind.

The gray mist wasn’t overly dense, allowing them to vaguely see about ten zhang ahead even as they ventured deeper.

Occasionally, winged serpents about a foot long would emerge from the fog, attempting to attack, but all were swiftly dispatched by the trio.

An hour later, they finally emerged from the mist, arriving at the end of the valley.

At one side of the valley’s massive cliff, a colossal fissure had seemingly split the rock face open, winding downward into the depths of the earth.

Seeing this fissure, Han Li smiled and, without hesitation, led the other two inside.

Three glowing orbs flew deeper into the crevice, disappearing after several turns.

A day and night later, near a downward-leading fissure, a strange rumbling sound erupted.

A fierce black gale surged from the opening, instantly freezing the surrounding walls into dark ice, radiating extreme cold.

Seizing the opportunity, three differently colored orbs shot out from the wind, appearing dozens of zhang away before solidifying into three distinct figures—Han Li and his companions.

“The Abyssal Winds in that passage were far more brutal than expected. I barely made it through. Why wasn’t this mentioned in the intelligence reports?” Bai Li looked back at the fissure, his face pale.

“If the reports didn’t mention it, this wind must have appeared only recently. Otherwise, our predecessors would have warned us,” Lei Lan remarked, her face also showing signs of exhaustion before she glanced at Han Li.

Han Li stood with his arms crossed, scanning their surroundings with an unreadable expression, showing no signs of fatigue.

“Could the difference between an early-stage Spirit General and a high-stage Spirit General really be this vast?” Lei Lan thought bitterly, recalling how she had nearly failed to escape the fissure and had only survived thanks to Han Li’s intervention.

“We’ve already wasted too much time in the first layer. Let’s not linger in the second searching for Netherflame Fruits—we’ll head straight for the third,” Han Li declared in a tone that brooked no argument.

The air was damp, and the scent of decaying vegetation filled the surroundings—they were hovering above a swamp-like area.

Having witnessed Han Li’s overwhelming power, the two Skywing Saints naturally raised no objections. However, Lei Lan hesitated before voicing a concern:

“Going to the third layer isn’t an issue, but Brother Han, there are only three entrances from the second to the third. No matter which we take, we might encounter other factions. If we run into those with ill intentions…” Though she left the rest unsaid, her meaning was clear.

“It’s not a matter of ‘if’—those factions will surely have people stationed at all three entrances. Their targets likely aren’t just us; the weaker branches are probably all on their list,” Bai Bi sighed.

Han Li smirked. “If we encounter them, we fight. This hurdle is unavoidable. But I suspect even a major faction like the Scorching Sun Clan wouldn’t deploy all their forces at the entrances. The Abyss Trials occur once every three hundred years—they’re just as important to them. They’d likely leave only half, or even fewer, behind. If that’s the case, defeating them outright might be hard, but breaking through their blockade isn’t impossible.”

“If it’s as Brother Han says, we might still have a chance,” Bai Bi and Lei Lan perked up slightly.

“No one can guarantee the exact situation. We’ll only know once we try,” Han Li replied calmly.

“But which entrance should we take? Two are safer, one is dangerous,” Lei Lan frowned.

“Since all three likely have ambushes, we’ll take the closest one,” Han Li answered without hesitation.

“In that case, our only option is the Ten-Thousand Vines Path,” Bai Bi mused.

“The Ten-Thousand Vines Path—the entrance connected by ancient vines between the second and third layers?” Han Li’s eyes flickered with recognition.

“Exactly. Aside from some insectoid monsters, this path is relatively safe. If all goes smoothly, we can reach it in half a month,” Bai Bi confirmed.

“Sounds acceptable. We’ll take this route,” Han Li decided firmly.

Seeing his resolve, Lei Lan and Bai Bi nodded in agreement.

Han Li flipped his hand, producing a blue-glowing compass. After a quick glance to confirm their direction, he led the way forward.

Not long after they departed, a pitch-black figure silently emerged from the murky, bubbling swamp, its crimson eyes fixed on the distant figures of Han Li and his companions.

With a soft *pop*, the shadow burst like a bubble, vanishing without a trace.

As Han Li flew ahead, an inexplicable chill crawled up his spine. He halted abruptly and glanced back.

“Brother Han, what’s wrong?” Bai Bi, now deeply respectful of Han Li, stopped as well.

“Nothing. Probably just my imagination,” Han Li muttered, his eyes flashing blue as he scrutinized the terrain behind them.

The strange sensation had already faded, as if it had never existed.

For someone with senses as sharp as Han Li’s, occasional false alarms weren’t uncommon. But in such a perilous environment, the incident left an uneasy shadow in his mind.

Still, unless the creature’s cultivation far surpassed his own, it shouldn’t have escaped his spiritual sight. Perhaps it truly was just a misperception.

After a moment’s contemplation, Han Li could only dismiss the thought. With a wave, he signaled Bai Bi and Lei Lan to follow, though his expression had darkened considerably.

Unbeknownst to Han Li, deep within the Abyss, inside a mountain cavern, a figure shrouded in a blood-red robe lounged on a dark wooden chair. Beside them, a massive bronze mirror displayed a slightly blurred image—Han Li and his companions flying away over the swamp.

“Interesting. To sense even my mud puppet… His spiritual sense far exceeds his cultivation. Pity I’m not Six-Legs of the first layer—I’ve no interest in refining wraiths,” the blood-robed figure chuckled before waving a sleeve at the mirror.

Then, pausing, they murmured, “Ah, I nearly forgot. That old hag’s been collecting souls with strong spiritual power. This one might make a fine gift—perhaps worth a Bloodfish in trade.”

The figure sat up, eyes gleaming with excitement at the sudden inspiration.

With a flick of their sleeve, a crystalline orb shot out, hovering before them. A red light flashed into the orb, which then spun rapidly, radiating a bloody glow.