The entire sky and earth seemed to darken in an instant. Countless snowflakes swirling in the air were abruptly yanked by an immense force, funneling toward the Spirit-Severing Sword like a whirlpool before vanishing into the blade as primal qi of heaven and earth.
A line of faint silver runes flickered across the dark green sword’s surface, and a verdant sword light erupted, slashing squarely onto the golden barrier.
With a muffled *thud*, the sword light blazed brilliantly, transforming into a blinding emerald radiance akin to the scorching sun, engulfing the entire barrier.
The barrier’s surface buzzed violently as five-colored runes flashed into existence, swirling frantically before dissolving and disintegrating under the verdant brilliance.
Finally, with a resounding *boom*, the entire barrier vanished without a trace.
Han Li’s face paled slightly as his wrist flicked, causing the sword in his hand to disappear in a flash. His figure blurred once more, and in the next instant, he reappeared atop the stone platform’s teleportation array.
With a single finger pointed toward the edge of the formation, a white incantation shot forth, vanishing into the void.
A low hum of teleportation resonated from the formation as a swirl of white light enveloped its center, and Han Li’s figure blurred before disappearing entirely.
The next moment, when Han Li emerged from the faint white light, he found himself in a vast, grayish void, facing a towering stone stele that seemed to pierce the heavens.
The stele was so colossal that its peak was invisible from the base, its surface a translucent crimson, adorned with faintly visible massive silver inscriptions, exuding an air of profound mystery.
Han Li gazed at the stone tower, then surveyed the gray void around him, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
No matter how he looked at it, this place bore no resemblance to the halls and pavilions he had glimpsed beyond the barrier earlier.
It seemed he had been teleported directly from the previous restricted zone into an entirely unfamiliar area.
At the same time, Xiao Ming and his two companions, who had finally broken free from the icy forbidden zone, stared at the golden halls resembling a celestial paradise and the rows of silver pavilions in the distance, their expressions darkening.
“This isn’t right. This isn’t the core of the Heavenly Tripod Palace. According to the records in my inherited texts, the teleportation array we found earlier should have taken us directly to the central zone. How did we end up here?” Qingping Daoist muttered in disbelief.
“Your records couldn’t be wrong, Daoist Qingping. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have made it this far. This discrepancy must be due to unforeseen changes in the previous zone’s restrictions,” Xiao Ming remarked calmly, stroking his chin.
“Unforeseen changes? Are you suggesting these restrictions can mutate on their own?” Lady Wanhua snapped, her patience wearing thin.
“Hard to say. The Heavenly Tripod Master’s mastery of formations far exceeds my expectations. Given how long the Heavenly Tripod Palace has existed, it’s not entirely surprising if its restrictions have altered. But for only the core’s entrance to change while the rest remain intact is too coincidental. I suspect someone tampered with the restrictions in that zone,” Xiao Ming said, his eyes glinting.
“Tampered? Impossible! Aside from that human brat, no one entered that zone before us. And even if someone did, altering such a complex grand restriction in such a short time would require power beyond even a Golden Immortal,” Lady Wanhua retorted, shaking her head vehemently.
“Ah, but you seem to have forgotten those who entered during the last opening of the Heavenly Tripod Palace. While their cultivation wasn’t particularly high, a few among them possessed genuine original keys. When the palace closed last time, hardly any of them were seen teleporting out alive,” Xiao Ming said slowly, his gaze sharp.
“Are you suggesting that some from the last group survived and altered the restrictions?” Qingping Daoist’s expression shifted once more.
“That seems the only plausible explanation,” Xiao Ming replied, glancing at the golden halls ahead.
“Generally, such a thing shouldn’t be possible. When the Heavenly Tripod Palace closes, everyone is forcibly teleported out. Those who resist are obliterated by the palace’s restrictions—unless their power surpasses even the Heavenly Tripod Master’s in his prime, enabling them to defy these forces. Alternatively, if someone has already reached the core and inherited the master’s legacy, they could remain unharmed and even alter the exits at will. But for us, that would be the worst possible news,” Qingping Daoist mused, his voice tinged with worry.
“The Heavenly Tripod Palace was built just before the master’s ascension. For someone to surpass his power is unthinkable. But if this person has indeed taken control of the core or inherited the master’s legacy, it’s equally unlikely. Otherwise, the palace wouldn’t have reappeared as scheduled—it would’ve been hidden away long ago,” Xiao Ming sneered.
“Then the person remaining here must only have partial control over the palace’s restrictions, not full mastery of the core or the master’s treasures and techniques,” Lady Wanhua deduced, her eyes lighting up.
“Most likely,” Xiao Ming affirmed.
“In that case, we still have a chance. But since the teleportation exit in my records is unreliable now, our only way to the core is to breach the barrier on the other side of this zone and force our way in. The core should be a massive tower-like stele,” Qingping Daoist added, revealing a hint of optimism.
“But the previous restrictions were so formidable. It took us ages to break through. If we have to do it again, will we have enough time?” Lady Wanhua hesitated.
“Now that we’re familiar with the restrictions, a second attempt should be quicker. If necessary, the three of us can expend some true essence to expedite the process,” Xiao Ming assured.
Seeing the logic in his words, Qingping Daoist and Lady Wanhua nodded in agreement.
With that, the trio soared toward the distant barrier, ignoring the golden halls and silver pavilions nearby.
Meanwhile, Han Li circled the colossal stele once before returning to his starting point, frowning slightly. He flicked his sleeve, releasing a ball of white light that materialized into a translucent vial.
The vial’s surface was smooth, its walls nearly transparent, with a pulsating crimson glow inside.
“So Fellow Daoist Bingpo’s true form is trapped here. Had it not reacted faintly outside the previous zone, I might have missed it entirely,” Han Li murmured.
Clutching the vial, he began circling the stele again, spiraling upward.
After several rounds, the drop of spiritual blood inside the vial emitted a slightly brighter glow—a change imperceptible to most but not to Han Li.
His expression shifted as he flew toward the stele, stopping before a cluster of peculiar silver inscriptions, each about a foot long.
“Silver Tadpole Script. Troublesome for others, but for me…”
After scrutinizing the inscriptions, Han Li smiled and raised a finger, tapping the air before them.
The inscriptions shimmered and rearranged themselves, merging into a larger, rotating silver rune.
The stele’s surface rippled with light, revealing a dark passage.
Han Li slipped inside, and the entrance sealed silently behind him.
His feet touched the smooth floor as he summoned a milky-white orb, illuminating the dim passage like daylight.
The semi-circular passage was lined with ordinary bluestone slabs, inscribed with bizarre, twisting crimson patterns that exuded a faint bloody scent.
Han Li pressed a finger to his brow, releasing his formidable spiritual sense, only to sigh moments later.
As expected, his spiritual sense was even more suppressed here, and the anti-flight restrictions were so potent that even he could barely hover, draining his energy far faster than usual.
The Heavenly Tripod Master, having ascended successfully, had indeed left behind extraordinary restrictions.
After a brief pause, Han Li strode forward. Given his physical prowess, his full-speed sprint rivaled an average cultivator’s flight.
But with no immediate danger, there was no need for haste.
Soon, the passage began ascending, growing steeper until he reached a height of over a hundred zhang.
A glimmer of light ahead signaled the exit.
Han Li narrowed his eyes but pressed on without pause.
Emerging into a vast hall, he scanned his surroundings—and froze in astonishment.
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