Upon hearing the words of the Ghost Spirit Sect’s leader, some cultivators were overjoyed, while others remained skeptical. After all, few truly knew the detailed circumstances of the Fallen Demon Valley.
“To put everyone at ease, I will have my son and Elder Zhong go first. After that, you may proceed as you wish,” Wang Tiansheng said, waving to Wang Chan and Yan Ruyan in the distance.
Wang Chan, wearing a silver mask, and Yan Ruyan silently walked from the edge of the formation to its center, accompanied by an expressionless mid-Nascent Soul elder.
At Wang Tiansheng’s command, the cultivators in the air simultaneously pointed their formation flags downward, releasing multicolored beams as thick as arms. These beams struck various parts of the formation, causing it to hum loudly as the spirit stones glowed brilliantly. Amidst a dazzling radiance, the three vanished from the center of the formation.
Witnessing this, the nearby cultivators stirred with excitement. Ignoring them, Wang Tiansheng then had Wang Tiangu lead seven or eight Core Formation cultivators through the teleportation in batches.
This time, the others realized that despite its massive size, the formation could only teleport three people at a time, forcing the Ghost Spirit Sect members to proceed in groups.
Seeing the Ghost Spirit Sect taking the lead, many cultivators at the valley entrance grew eager. However, being cautious and cunning, none dared to step forward recklessly, preferring to let others test the waters first. After all, the Ghost Spirit Sect’s reputation was far from stellar, and any mishap could be fatal.
Han Li stood atop a mound, showing no intention of descending.
Wang Tiansheng sneered, crossing his arms and gazing skyward, his figure motionless in the air. The atmosphere at the valley entrance grew tense and silent.
Amidst this awkward silence, the Mulan people acted. Over a dozen Mulan spellcasters, led by the Confucian-robed Zhong and the woman surnamed Yue, silently approached the massive formation.
A trace of dark energy flickered across Wang Tiansheng’s face before vanishing. Meanwhile, Wei Wuyi, who had been silently observing the sky, slowly lowered his head and calmly glanced at the approaching Confucian scholar.
Without a word, the scholar flicked his sleeve before entering the formation, releasing over a dozen green beams that shot into the sky.
Wang Tiansheng expressionlessly beckoned, and the beams condensed into tokens, landing in his hand.
“Correct, the count is exact. You may proceed,” Wang Tiansheng said, exhaling slightly. Though he had not participated in the border war, he had been informed of the scholar’s identity.
The Confucian scholar nodded, and the spellcasters behind him swiftly entered the formation. Under the Ghost Spirit Sect’s guidance, the Mulan people were teleported away in groups of three.
“This teleportation is random, isn’t it? If so, your sect’s members had best not cross paths with us,” the scholar remarked casually as he stepped into the formation, glancing at Wei Wuyi.
“Such coincidences are rare. If it happens, it must be fate,” the middle-aged cultivator replied, showing little fear despite facing a Mulan Divine Master.
“Fate? Heh, if you say so,” the scholar scoffed before vanishing in a flash of white light with his two companions.
Wang Tiansheng watched the empty formation, a cold smile playing on his lips.
Seeing the Mulan people teleport safely, other cultivators finally stepped forward, handing over their Fallen Demon Tokens and teleporting away with the Ghost Spirit Sect’s assistance. Soon, those holding tokens emerged from hiding.
Within half an hour, the formation had teleported over 300 people—nearly a quarter of those present. The high-grade spirit stone at its center had dimmed significantly, its energy nearly depleted.
From his vantage point, Han Li coldly observed everything, noting the noteworthy entrants for future reference.
Suddenly, his gaze sharpened as six green-robed cultivators approached the formation, led by Dongmentu, the Grand Elder of the Beast Taming Sect. Han Li had no fondness for this man, though they had never clashed directly. Due to past grievances involving Gu Shuangpu, Han Li had always been wary of him. Now, with his enhanced abilities, he no longer felt as threatened.
Yet, as the five green-robed cultivators accompanying Dongmentu turned sharply toward Han Li, his second nascent soul—still not fully assimilated—suddenly grew violently unstable. Had he not swiftly suppressed it with his divine sense, the Wood Spirit Nascent Soul might have escaped his body.
Scanning the five with his divine sense, Han Li was shocked to find they were all early-Nascent Soul cultivators. “The Five Elements Nascent Souls!” he realized, his pupils contracting.
Dongmentu noticed their odd behavior and turned, locking eyes with Han Li.
A flicker of surprise crossed Dongmentu’s face before he calmly turned away and entered the formation. Wang Tiangu, who had remained composed until now, paled at the sight of Dongmentu accompanied by five Nascent Soul cultivators.
Wei Wuyi studied the green-robed figures, deep in thought.
“Brother Dongmen, these fellow Daoists are unfamiliar. Would you introduce them?” Wang Tiansheng asked sternly.
“Of course. After the Fallen Demon Valley expedition, I shall gladly do so,” Dongmentu replied smoothly, evading the question.
Wang Tiansheng inwardly cursed the old fox but knew pressing further was futile. He ordered his disciples to teleport the six away in two batches. As Dongmentu vanished, he cast a fleeting, hostile glance at Han Li—one that Han Li caught clearly with his divine sense.
It seemed Dongmentu had sensed the nascent soul within him. With the Five Elements Nascent Souls at his side, Dongmentu had become a formidable threat. Han Li sighed; the Wood Spirit Nascent Soul was not yet fully assimilated. He would need to tread carefully in the valley.
After Dongmentu’s departure, three more cultivators approached. Han Li froze upon recognizing one—his senior brother, the silver-haired Elder Cheng. The other two were elderly men, their faces lined with age.
Han Li sighed as he watched them teleport away, then turned his attention to the dimming spirit stone in the formation.
His mind made up, Han Li soared into the air, enveloped in azure light, and landed before the formation, tossing his Fallen Demon Token to Wang Tiansheng.
“Brother Han, you’ve come after all. With your youth and boundless future, why take such risks?” Wei Wuyi appeared before Han Li in an instant, urging him to reconsider.
“Thank you for your concern, Brother Wei. But I have my reasons for entering the Fallen Demon Valley,” Han Li replied calmly.
Wei Wuyi frowned, studying Han Li’s face before his expression darkened. “If your mind is set, I shall say no more. I only hope our objectives do not clash,” he said before returning to his original position.
Wang Tiansheng, witnessing Wei Wuyi’s deference to Han Li, immediately recognized him. Though his face remained neutral, he was inwardly astonished.
Han Li’s name had reached him years ago, when the young cultivator had humiliated his son Wang Chan and escaped. Now, the same man stood before him as a Nascent Soul cultivator, his reputation soaring to rival the Three Great Cultivators. The Ghost Spirit Sect had unwittingly made a deadly enemy.
Wang Tiansheng scrutinized Han Li for weaknesses, but the latter stood motionless in the formation, eyes slightly closed, revealing nothing.
This only deepened Wang Tiansheng’s wariness. With a casual wave, he signaled his disciples to activate the formation. Amidst a resonant hum, Han Li vanished in a burst of light.
After the brief disorientation of teleportation, Han Li steadied himself and surveyed his surroundings.
He stood on a collapsed slope littered with rubble and overgrown with waist-high weeds. In the distance, rolling hills stretched in all directions, devoid of any human presence.
This was unsurprising—the Fallen Demon Valley spanned hundreds of thousands of miles, making random encounters unlikely. But when Han Li turned to look behind him, his expression froze in shock.
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