Chapter 2353: Great Gate

After casually dispatching several waves of suicidal individuals as effortlessly as crushing ants, Han Li, accompanied by Xue Po, finally appeared above a massive basin two hours later.

The basin was surrounded by endless ranges of mountains, large and small, with its center covered in low shrubs.

From a pond almost entirely concealed by the shrubs, a dazzling five-colored light pillar, several hundred meters in diameter, shot straight into the heavens, resembling a colossal pillar connecting the earth to the sky.

At the basin’s edge, however, three groups had already arrived before Han Li and were coldly observing one another.

With a flash of cyan light, Han Li and Xue Po landed side by side in another direction.

Instantly, the gazes of all three groups turned toward them. The terrifying aura contained within those stares caused Xue Po’s delicate face to pale, and she instinctively took a step back.

At that moment, Han Li shifted slightly, shielding Xue Po behind him at an impossible angle while casually releasing a faint spiritual pressure.

With a soft *puff*, the overwhelming aura pressing toward them was effortlessly dispersed by Han Li’s own spiritual pressure. Xue Po relaxed slightly and discreetly glanced at the others.

Han Li first examined the astonishing five-colored light pillar above the pond before calmly surveying the other groups.

The smallest group consisted of a middle-aged couple. The man had thick eyebrows, dark skin, and a seemingly honest demeanor, while the woman was enchantingly beautiful, exuding an overwhelming allure.

Despite their stark differences, standing side by side, they gave off an eerie sense of harmony.

The woman emitted a clear Great Ascension-level spiritual pressure, while the man’s aura was unfathomable, his body faintly enveloped in an intangible fluctuation. Even Han Li couldn’t discern his cultivation level at a glance, indicating the presence of a treasure specifically designed to block spiritual detection.

Han Li was slightly surprised but soon shifted his gaze to another group—five young men dressed identically, their appearances and expressions eerily similar, as if cast from the same mold. Their eyes were icy, devoid of warmth, and all five were at the peak of the Body Integration stage.

When Han Li’s spiritual sense touched their auras, a thoughtful expression flickered across his face before he turned his attention to the final group.

This last group was the largest, numbering over a hundred, mostly at the Void Refinement stage with a few Body Integration cultivators among them. They had formed a mysterious array, encircling a stern-looking man in brocade robes.

The man’s eyes faintly glowed with bloody light, and his aura was dense and powerful—a true Great Ascension-stage ancestor.

Han Li glanced at the man before focusing on the array around him, seemingly intrigued by its formation.

The three groups naturally recognized Han Li as a Great Ascension cultivator and observed him with varying expressions, though none paid Xue Po any attention.

In their eyes, a mere Void Refinement cultivator like her was unworthy of notice.

However, Han Li, an unfamiliar Great Ascension cultivator with an elusive aura, immediately put all three groups on guard.

Now, the four factions occupied different positions around the basin, silently hovering in the air with no intention of initiating conversation.

Suddenly, spiritual light flashed at the horizon as two more groups arrived from different directions, their figures streaking toward the basin with piercing whistles.

When the sounds abruptly ceased, the two groups appeared near the basin, revealing their forms.

Upon recognizing one of the groups, Han Li’s expression flickered briefly before returning to normal.

The newcomers consisted of two men and a woman standing side by side.

One man wore a white mask covering his face, while the other two were a young Daoist priest and an elderly woman with white hair.

They were none other than Xiao Ming, Daoist Qingping, and Madam Wanhua—three Great Ascension cultivators arriving simultaneously.

The other group consisted of three gaunt, ugly old men.

Their expressions ranged from blank to excited, but their auras were exceptionally powerful—three more Great Ascension ancestors.

With the arrival of six Great Ascension cultivators, the other three groups (excluding Han Li) all stiffened in alarm.

Xiao Ming quickly scanned the crowd before spotting Han Li. His pupils contracted slightly before he chuckled and said,

“So, Fellow Daoist Han is also here. Had I known, we could have traveled together. Was the ‘urgent matter’ you mentioned earlier referring to the Heavenly Tripod Palace?”

“Indeed. I hadn’t realized Fellow Daoist Xiao’s objective aligned with mine. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have spoken as I did that day,” Han Li replied calmly, showing no surprise.

“I trust someone of your status wouldn’t deceive me with empty words. Still, it’s a pity. I felt an instant connection with you and had hoped to deepen our acquaintance,” the masked man sighed, sounding genuinely regretful.

“Tsk, tsk. Since when has the infamous Mad Demon of the Blood Bone Sect become so sentimental? Did decades of seclusion soften your temperament?” The enchanting woman from the couple suddenly laughed.

“So, it’s Fellow Daoist Wugou and Fairy Huaxi. I heard Wugou once battled a wicked flood dragon and returned injured. Have you recovered fully?” Xiao Ming turned to the couple with a smile.

“Thank you for your concern, Fellow Daoist Xiao. My husband not only recovered but also gained new opportunities, making him stronger than before,” Fairy Huaxi replied before her husband could speak.

The “Wugou Ancestor” merely grinned foolishly, showing no intention of responding.

Xiao Ming frowned slightly, studying the famous Great Ascension couple from the Blood Sky Continent before shifting his attention to the brocade-robed man.

“Patriarch Feng, I never expected the founder of your sect to personally take such risks. Bringing so many disciples—aren’t you afraid of losing them all and rendering your sect a fleeting existence?” Xiao Ming’s tone turned cold, revealing clear hostility.

“Hmph. If you can come, why can’t I? Unless the Heavenly Tripod Master was from your Blood Bone Sect? Besides, my sect was founded on array formations. Naturally, I’d bring enough disciples to set one up. Whether my sect thrives or falls is none of your concern,” the brocade-robed man retorted sharply, surrounded by his followers.

Xiao Ming’s eyes flashed with anger, but he said nothing further and turned to the five identical youths.

“Blood Harmony Quintuplets, greetings, Fellow Daoist Xiao,” the five youths spoke in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized.

“Your reputation precedes you, Fellow Daoist Blood Harmony. To willingly split your Nascent Soul into five, cultivate five avatars, and attempt simultaneous Great Ascension—your determination is beyond mine,” Xiao Ming said, unusually respectful despite their Body Integration cultivation.

“We did this out of desperation, nothing more. The Mad Demon’s fame, however, has long thundered in our ears,” the five replied coldly, as if devoid of emotion.

Just as Xiao Ming was about to respond, his expression suddenly changed as he stared at the five-colored light pillar.

The next moment, the already massive pillar trembled violently, its diameter expanding rapidly in all directions.

In a flash, the pillar transformed into a blinding five-colored curtain, enveloping the entire basin.

Without needing a warning, Han Li, Xiao Ming, and the others had already retreated beyond the basin’s edge, watching solemnly.

A deafening roar erupted from within the curtain as the space above the ten-mile radius distorted violently, splitting open to reveal a milky-white fissure.

Inside the fissure, the faint outlines of exquisitely crafted towers and palaces could be seen.

The rumbling ceased abruptly as the five-colored curtain shattered into countless beams of light, sealing the fissure’s entrance.

Then, the basin’s sky trembled once more, revealing a towering gate ten thousand feet high, shimmering in five colors and covered in countless gold and silver runes—as if not of this world.

Han Li’s pupils contracted slightly at the sight of the runes.

They were none other than the Golden Script and Silver Talisman scripts—exclusive to the Immortal Realm.

The Heavenly Tripod Master truly lived up to his reputation as an ascended immortal, mastering even these divine scripts.

“This is the gate to the Heavenly Tripod Palace. Those who can open it and enter may use their keys to break the subsequent seals,” Fairy Huaxi murmured, her eyes fixated on the gate with intoxicated fascination.

“Hmph. Now that the gate has appeared, others will arrive soon. Since that’s the case, I’ll take the lead,” the brocade-robed man declared, greed flashing across his face.