Over half a month later, atop Mount Huanglong near Lizhou in the Yu Kingdom, amidst a cluster of splendid pavilions, a bald-browed man in his forties paced restlessly in a grand hall, his face betraying a hint of anxiety.
After a short while, the man plopped down onto a rattan chair, took a sip of tea from a cup on the table, and had just begun to calm his troubled mind when suddenly a streak of red light shot into the hall, swirling and dancing near the ceiling. The man’s expression changed, and he reached out toward the red light. Instantly, it descended into his palm, transforming into a blazing flame.
The man immersed his consciousness into the flame, but his face quickly darkened. After a moment of silence, his expression turned grim, and he suddenly reached into his robe, pulling out a small green bell. Without hesitation, he tapped it with a stubby finger.
A clear, melodious chime reverberated throughout the hall, its echoes spreading far and wide. Soon, similar chimes rang out across the entire summit of Mount Huanglong. From the pavilions, beams of multicolored light rose into the sky as cultivators in various robes hurriedly emerged, dispersing in all directions with practiced efficiency. Before long, thick green mist enveloped the entire mountain, transforming the surrounding dozens of miles into an eerie, emerald sea of fog.
By this time, several more cultivators had appeared in the hall—three men and one woman, all at the Core Formation stage. Two of the men, identical in appearance, were clearly twin brothers. Another wore a Daoist robe and held a horsetail whisk, marking him as a middle-aged Daoist. The sole female cultivator was petite, with delicate and beautiful features.
The four stood on either side of the bald-browed man, their expressions grave.
“Senior Lu, has the army of spellcasters truly arrived so soon? The last report said the group heading this way was still held back by Senior Bu! Could the ‘Heavenly Wind Profound Wave Formation’ he was guarding really have been breached in just seven or eight days? Could there be some mistake?” the female cultivator asked hesitantly, her face filled with disbelief.
“A mistake? I wish it were. But this message talisman was sent by Bu Tuozi himself, and he’s severely injured. The routed cultivators and their pursuers will soon reach Mount Huanglong. We can’t afford to hope for luck. We won’t wait for reinforcements—we’ll have to face the enemy alone.” The bald-browed man let out a cold laugh, his voice dark.
Hearing this, the four Core Formation cultivators exchanged glances, forced smiles on their faces as they murmured their assent.
Just as the bald-browed man issued several commands, instructing the four to prepare for the impending battle, another streak of red light shot into the hall, startling everyone present.
The man hesitated for only a moment before snatching the message talisman from the air. As the flames flickered in his palm, he listened intently, his expression shifting to one of extreme peculiarity.
“Senior Lu, what’s happened? Have the spellcasters reached us already?” the female cultivator couldn’t help but ask. The other three tensed, their expressions grave.
“No! Our reinforcements have arrived—three fellow Daoists at the Nascent Soul stage are just outside the formation. Hong Ling, you four go out and welcome them, then bring them here.” The bald-browed man forced a smile, suppressing his excitement as he spoke slowly.
The four Core Formation cultivators were overjoyed. After bowing to the man, they hurried out of the hall to greet the three Nascent Soul cultivators.
Meanwhile, outside the green mist, three figures hovered in mid-air, scrutinizing the formation before them. These were none other than Han Li and the two other Nascent Soul cultivators, who had traveled day and night to arrive.
Since they would soon rely on this formation to contend with the Mulan spellcasters, the three remained silent, studying the sea of mist for any hidden intricacies.
Regardless of the formation’s actual power, the seemingly boundless expanse of fog exuded an imposing aura. Han Li stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes flickering with blue light as he observed the scene, a thoughtful expression on his face.
They didn’t have to wait long. The green mist suddenly emitted a white glow, churning before parting to reveal a clear path.
The old man surnamed Ma and Gu Shuangpu acted as if they hadn’t noticed—one gazing silently at the sky, the other still fixated on the mist, as if searching for something. Only Han Li wore a faint smile, calmly watching the entrance of the path.
Moments later, four streaks of light shot out from the depths of the path. As the radiance faded, three men and a woman appeared before Han Li and the others.
“This junior pays respects to the three Seniors. May I ask for your esteemed names?” The dignified middle-aged Daoist stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
“I am Elder Han of the Falling Cloud Sect. These two are Fellow Daoist Ma of the Noble Sky Pavilion and Fellow Daoist Gu of the Beast Taming Sect. There are seven or eight Core Formation fellow Daoists behind us, but we three came ahead to avoid delay. Now that the formation has been opened, does this mean the Mulan are close?” Seeing that the other two remained silent, Han Li smiled slightly and took the initiative to ask.
“So it’s Senior Han. This junior is Chong Yunzi of the Clear Void Sect. These two are the Murong brothers of the Yellow Maple Valley and Lady Li of the Blade Transformation Cottage.” The middle-aged Daoist quickly introduced the twin brothers and the young, beautiful female cultivator to Han Li.
“The Murong brothers?” Han Li’s gaze swept over the twins’ faces, a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips.
“How is Fellow Daoist Nie?” Han Li asked lightly.
“Senior knows Senior Sister Nie? The two of us have been guarding this formation for years and haven’t seen our fellow disciples.” The Murong brothers’ faces lit up with surprise.
“She’s doing well. I saw her not long ago. But it seems you two truly don’t recognize me. That’s understandable—we only met briefly back then, so it’s natural you wouldn’t remember.” Han Li studied the nearly identical twins, his lips curving into an amused smile. Though they had changed greatly, he could still see traces of their former selves.
Hearing this, the Murong brothers were startled. This “Senior” seemed to be an old acquaintance, yet they had no recollection of him. But upon closer inspection, they did feel a vague sense of familiarity, exchanging puzzled glances.
“Well, if the two of you don’t remember for now, we can discuss it later. Shall we proceed inside?” Han Li glanced at the old man surnamed Ma and Gu Shuangpu before speaking nonchalantly.
“Of course. Seniors, please follow me. Senior Lu is waiting in the hall.” Chong Yunzi, still confused by Han Li’s apparent familiarity with the Murong brothers, quickly composed himself and led the way.
The four guided Han Li and the others as they leisurely flew into the sea of mist. The path closed behind them as the green fog churned and merged once more.
Soon, Han Li and the others met the bald-browed man in the hall.
“Welcome, all three of you, for coming to aid our alliance. Aren’t these two Fellow Daoist Ma and Gu? But this young Daoist—I don’t believe we’ve met. Might you introduce him to me?” The bald-browed man’s fierce face broke into a smile as he greeted them, immediately recognizing Ma and Gu. But he eyed Han Li with curiosity.
“Haha! It’s no surprise you don’t know him, Brother Lu. Fellow Daoist Han only recently formed his Nascent Soul—his future is boundless!” The old man surnamed Ma chuckled, showing no surprise at the bald-browed man’s presence.
“Ah, a newly advanced fellow Daoist! No wonder I’ve never seen you before. Regardless, I must thank all three of you for your assistance. Without reinforcements, I had little confidence in holding out much longer!” The man surnamed Lu’s face briefly flickered with disappointment upon learning Han Li was a newly ascended Nascent Soul cultivator, but he quickly masked it with effusive gratitude.
This subtle shift didn’t escape Han Li’s notice, but he merely smiled faintly, betraying no displeasure.
The bald-browed man exchanged a few more words with Gu Shuangpu about the past before turning serious, addressing the dire situation at hand.
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