Chapter 1706: The Difficulty of Ascending the Mountain

It was clear that the woman had also realized her predicament, and she was naturally both shocked and furious.

Though none of the three had spoken a word, it was obvious that whoever reached the palace first would naturally have the advantage in seizing the treasures.

Given this, the woman knew that compared to Shi Kun and Han Li, her chances were slim. However, even in such a situation, Liu Shuier wasn’t entirely without options.

After a brief moment of thought, she flipped her palm, revealing several talismans of varying colors—one yellow, one shimmering silver, and another fiery red.

With three soft *pops*, the talismans were instantly slapped onto her delicate figure, bursting into three differently colored glows that vanished into her body. Immediately, yellow, silver, and red spiritual light rippled across Liu Shuier’s form, releasing an astonishing spiritual pressure.

These three talismans were auxiliary types, each enhancing her physical strength in different ways—through muscle, meridians, and more. Empowered by these divine abilities, the woman no longer hesitated and began ascending the mountain.

Han Li observed this without showing any particular reaction.

Though auxiliary talismans were indeed miraculous, for high-level cultivators like them, they were largely redundant.

Ordinary cultivators who focused on refining spiritual power naturally had little interest in talismans that strengthened the body, as they were rarely useful in combat.

For those who specialized in body refinement, talismans like the *Vajra Talisman* had negligible effects compared to their already formidable physiques.

After all, body refiners had already pushed their physical potential to the limit. Even the highest-grade auxiliary talismans couldn’t suddenly multiply their strength severalfold.

Even rare high-level talismans that could enhance a body refiner’s strength by 10-20% were considered a rare boon.

Thus, no matter how many auxiliary talismans an ordinary cultivator used, the enhanced effects would still pale in comparison to a true body refiner’s innate power.

Han Li himself was well-versed in talisman techniques and understood this perfectly, so he remained unfazed, continuing his steady ascent up the steps.

The three of them moved forward in this manner, each maintaining some distance from the others as they climbed toward the summit.

At first, even as the restraining force from the steps grew heavier, Liu Shuier and Shi Kun pressed on without hesitation, knowing that stopping even briefly would lessen the suction force.

In a single breath, they had already covered a third of the mountain path. However, their conditions soon diverged.

Shi Kun, at the front, strode upward with steady, powerful legs, but his chest rose and fell slightly, and beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.

Han Li, in the middle, had his skin gradually take on a faint golden hue, yet his expression remained calm, showing no signs of strain.

As for the cloaked woman at the rear, though her face remained hidden, her steps grew increasingly sluggish, her body trembling slightly with each movement. The three-colored spiritual light around her flickered erratically, as if on the verge of collapsing.

Clearly, even with the talismans’ aid, she couldn’t hold out much longer. Liu Shuier herself was well aware of this, her beautiful eyes flashing with resignation.

After climbing another two to three hundred steps, she let out a soft sigh and came to a stop.

Han Li didn’t turn around, but his spiritual sense detected this. His expression flickered slightly, yet he didn’t pause in the slightest.

Shi Kun and Han Li pressed onward, eventually reaching the midpoint of the mountain path after another thousand steps.

By now, sweat poured down Shi Kun’s face, and each step he took caused the ground to tremble faintly. His body flickered with yellow light, and his expression was no longer relaxed.

The burly man from the Stone Cocoon Clan had been observing Han Li with his spiritual sense all along.

To his shock, Han Li—apart from the golden light around him growing slightly denser—showed no change in demeanor or movement, as if entirely unaffected by the restraining force beneath his feet.

*Could it be that this man is also a high-level body refiner, with a physique even stronger than mine?* Shi Kun’s heart pounded with alarm.

Meanwhile, Liu Shuier, after resting briefly and taking some restorative pills, resumed her climb.

Shi Kun’s thoughts raced as his legs grew heavier, the suction beneath his feet now as oppressive as a mountain. His bones creaked ominously under the immense strain.

As his pace slowed drastically, Han Li maintained his steady stride and soon caught up, walking side by side with the giant.

Han Li turned his head slightly, offering a faint smile to the drenched Shi Kun before effortlessly overtaking him, quickly widening the gap between them.

Gritting his teeth, Shi Kun suddenly halted, planting his feet firmly on the ground. His eyes fixed on Han Li’s retreating back, his expression dark and uncertain.

Watching Han Li ascend another hundred steps without the slightest sign of slowing, Shi Kun’s face turned ashen.

He glanced up at the purple palace atop the peak, then used his spiritual sense to check Liu Shuier’s slow progress behind him. After a moment of hesitation, he pulled out a small crimson vial from his robes.

The vial was translucent and blood-red, its surface covered with several miniature talismans, giving it an eerie aura.

Without further delay, Shi Kun blew a stream of yellow mist onto the vial, causing the talismans to peel away and dissolve into wisps of spiritual flame.

As soon as the talismans vanished, the vial’s lid flew open, releasing a burst of bloody light that enveloped a crimson pill.

Shi Kun inhaled sharply, drawing the pill into his mouth and swallowing it. The pill dissolved instantly, flooding his dantian and meridians with scorching energy.

Han Li, though ahead, naturally noticed this. His interest piqued.

Moments later, Shi Kun’s face flushed an unnatural red, his grayish skin turning a vivid crimson. His body radiated intense heat, and the spiritual light around him shifted from yellow to a bizarre mix of red and yellow.

With a low roar, veins bulged on Shi Kun’s forehead, his neck thickening as his body swelled to a towering height of fifteen feet.

Without hesitation, the enlarged Shi Kun took a massive step, crossing two steps at once with a thunderous *boom*.

Now moving even faster than before, he charged after Han Li with renewed vigor.

Han Li’s eyes gleamed with realization. *He must be using a secret technique that damages his vitality. Otherwise, he would have used it from the start.*

Not daring to delay, Han Li took a deep breath and formed a hand seal. The golden light around him intensified, and golden scales emerged across his skin. Then, he reached behind his head and made a grasping motion.

With a *whoosh*, a golden radiance erupted from his back, coalescing into a three-headed, six-armed golden phantom.

The phantom instantly merged with Han Li’s body, causing his face to flash with a golden-red hue. The scales on his skin shimmered, forming a faint but sturdy golden armor that clung tightly to his frame.

Now moving 30% faster, Han Li maintained his lead over the pursuing Shi Kun.

Both Shi Kun and Liu Shuier were stunned, but they had already exhausted their means and could only press onward at their own pace.

Encased in the golden armor formed from his Dharma Form, Han Li’s physical strength reached an unbelievable level. Though not quite flying, his steps became effortless, gliding from one step to the next.

Despite Shi Kun’s desperation, he could only watch as Han Li steadily pulled ahead, the gap between them widening.

After the time it took to eat a meal, Han Li had surged four to five hundred steps ahead. Shi Kun, unable to sustain his speed, slowed once more.

This time, sweat poured not just from Shi Kun’s face but his entire body, steam rising from him like a furnace—a truly terrifying sight.

Yet even Han Li, now only two to three hundred steps from the summit, found himself struggling. The suction force had grown exponentially, making each step a battle.

Despite his physique, which surpassed even that of ordinary Sacred Race members, he could barely endure.

After another hundred steps, his pace slowed to a crawl, each movement requiring immense effort to stabilize before taking the next.

By now, Shi Kun and Liu Shuier had stopped again, watching helplessly as Han Li inched toward the peak.

When Han Li reached the final dozen steps, the suction became so overwhelming that even his golden armor trembled violently, threatening to shatter at any moment.

With no other choice, Han Li was forced to halt—mere steps away from the summit.