Amid the violent tremors of the earth beneath their feet, a thin vertical crack split the small stone mountain from its peak to its base, emitting a soft white glow. It seemed as though the mountain was truly about to be cleaved in two.
Han Li and the others gasped, their hearts filled with dread at the sight of the mountain-splitting power displayed by Marquis Nanlong and his companion. Despite their shock, they maintained calm expressions, watching the scene unfold with feigned composure. What truly lay in their hearts, however, was anyone’s guess.
Among them, Wang Chan and Yan Ruyan, the least powerful of the group, stood pale-faced behind Wang Tiangu, silent and unmoving.
Han Li cast a cold glance at the two before withdrawing his gaze. It seemed there would be no opportunity to deal with Wang Chan before retrieving the treasure.
The incantations of Marquis Nanlong and the white-robed elder never ceased. Moments later, the stone mountain finally split apart, revealing a massive fissure about ten zhang wide. Within the crack, a set of bluestone stairs leading underground appeared before the group.
“Let’s go,” the white-robed elder said tersely, a flicker of excitement crossing his face as he took the lead. Surprisingly, Marquis Nanlong, the one who had initiated this venture, merely smiled and followed behind.
Seeing this, Han Li’s mind stirred. It seemed this white-robed elder was no ordinary figure—even Marquis Nanlong appeared to defer to him here.
The others seemed to notice as well, exchanging glances but saying nothing, their expressions unreadable as they followed inside.
The staircase was long, lined with white Moonlight Stones on either side. Yet, the deeper they descended, the colder and more oppressive the air became. Soon, they reached a depth of about a hundred zhang beneath the mountain. The light from the Moonlight Stones was no longer a soft white but had inexplicably shifted to an eerie green, casting the passage in a dim, unsettling glow.
Frowning at the sight, Han Li instinctively widened the distance between himself and the dark-faced cultivator ahead, ensuring he had time to react should anything unexpected occur. He wasn’t alone in this precaution—everyone except Marquis Nanlong and the white-robed elder had wisely done the same, stretching the group’s formation to over ten zhang in length.
Marquis Nanlong and the white-robed elder, fully aware of the others’ wariness, pretended not to notice and continued forward without the slightest hint of displeasure.
After walking for what felt like the time it took to finish a meal, Han Li and the others entered a mysterious hall. The hall was striking—its walls shimmered with a blue glow, the entire space crystalline as if carved from a massive piece of jade, dazzlingly resplendent.
Standing in this vast hall spanning dozens of zhang, everyone wore expressions of astonishment. Of course, these walls couldn’t truly be jade. When Han Li swept his spiritual sense across one, it rebounded instantly, unable to penetrate even slightly.
Unfazed, Han Li probed every corner of the hall with his spiritual sense, only to encounter the same result.
Muttering to himself, Han Li glanced at the others. Wang Tiangu, the surnamed You cultivator, and the rest were also frowning, clearly finding the situation just as troublesome as he did.
Could this be the place where the “Supreme Mystery Divine Restriction” was set? It seemed Marquis Nanlong hadn’t exaggerated. As Han Li pondered this, the entire hall suddenly shook violently, followed by a series of thunderous booms from behind.
The old woman and the others turned in alarm, only to find the entrance passage had vanished without a trace, replaced by the same shimmering blue walls.
The hall had become a sealed tomb.
“Marquis Nanlong, what is the meaning of this?” the dark-faced man demanded, his expression darkening. Wang Tiangu and the others also grew wary, their eyes flickering uncertainly as they stared at Marquis Nanlong and the white-robed elder.
“Fellow Daoists, you overthink this! This is merely the outer restriction activating, sealing the mountain again. The same happened when we came last time. If we remain in this hall for three full days, we can wait for the restriction’s power to weaken before splitting the mountain again. We won’t be trapped here. Moreover, with the outer restriction closed, we need not fear those spellcasters discovering us from outside,” Marquis Nanlong explained calmly, showing no surprise.
Hearing this, the dark-faced man and the others were half-convinced, their expressions easing. As long as Marquis Nanlong and the white-robed elder were also inside the hall, they had little reason to fear any traps or ill intentions.
“In that case, I spoke out of turn earlier,” the dark-faced man said, clasping his hands in apology.
“No matter. Let us focus on breaking the restriction. This is where Brother Yun and I were forced to retreat last time. The Supreme Mystery Divine Restriction is no easy barrier to overcome,” Marquis Nanlong replied with a laugh, brushing it off.
“Is the restriction truly so difficult to break? This old woman recently acquired a treasure specifically designed to counter various restrictions and barriers. Perhaps there’s no need for such trouble—this treasure alone might suffice to dismantle it,” the old woman said unexpectedly, her wrinkled face breaking into a smile.
“Oh? If Lady Tai possesses such a rare treasure, by all means, give it a try. Our method of using spiritual sense to unravel the restriction isn’t foolproof either,” the white-robed elder replied without hesitation, a glint of delight in his eyes.
“Indeed, Brother Yun, feel free to proceed. We won’t interfere,” Marquis Nanlong added, equally pleased.
“Since both of you agree, this old woman won’t stand on ceremony. However, if this treasure does manage to break the restriction, may I join the two of you in selecting treasures first?” The old woman chuckled, her originally dull eyes flashing with shrewdness as she revealed her true motive.
At these words, the cold-faced cultivator and Wang Tiangu’s expressions shifted slightly, but they waited to see how Marquis Nanlong and the white-robed elder would respond.
Marquis Nanlong looked momentarily surprised but, after exchanging a glance with the white-robed elder, addressed the entire hall: “Whether it’s Lady Tai or any other fellow Daoist, whoever breaks the restriction here may select one treasure after the two of us have made our choices. How does that sound?” He then deliberately observed the reactions of Han Li and the others.
Han Li and Wang Tiangu appeared indifferent, while the dark-faced man and the surnamed You cultivator looked displeased but voiced no objections, tacitly accepting the proposal.
With a smile, Marquis Nanlong turned decisively to the old woman. “Since no one objects, Lady Tai, you may proceed.”
“Very well, this old woman will give it a try.” The old woman concealed her delight. She had great confidence in her treasure—unless the restriction was an intangible illusion array, she felt her chances were high. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have risked angering the others by proposing this.
Lady Tai reached into her wide sleeve and retrieved an object a few inches in size. It was pointed at the front and broad at the back, entirely fiery red, resembling a sharp awl.
Ignoring the others, she opened her mouth and spat out a dazzling beam of light onto the awl. Instantly, the object flashed red, and a wave of scorching heat radiated from it, filling the entire hall in an instant.
Even the well-traveled Marquis Nanlong and the white-robed elder, recognizing the extraordinary nature of the treasure, couldn’t help but step back and scrutinize the awl.
Wang Chan and Yan Ruyan, however, recoiled in horror upon contact with the heat, hastily activating a blood-red barrier to shield themselves. Despite their late Core Formation cultivation, the mere touch of the heat left them parched and burning, unable to endure it for even a moment.
A white flash and a faint crackling sound emanated from the awl.
Han Li and the others stared intently, only then noticing faint white arcs of lightning dancing within the fiery glow of the awl.
This treasure was a dual-attribute ancient artifact of thunder and fire! Instantly, gazes of varying intensity fixed upon the old woman.
Unfazed, she took a deep look at the blue wall before her, flicked her wrist, and hurled the Thunderfire Awl forward. With a burst of flames and a low rumble, the awl spun rapidly above her head, soon transforming into a streak of light almost too fast to see.
Only a faint red-and-white blur could be seen darting through the hall at breakneck speed, its movements so swift and elusive that everyone present paled.
Han Li was particularly stunned. He had never seen an ancient treasure with such incredible speed. In battle, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would struggle to evade it. Without his Wind and Thunder Wings, he’d have no way to defend against it.
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