With a flash of black light, the black-robed figure eerily appeared before the five individuals. Without uttering a word, he began to drift forward slowly on his own.
Han Li had just begun to feel puzzled when he suddenly sensed a dark glow enveloping him. An invisible force seized his body, pulling him along involuntarily. The same happened to the other four.
Han Li was momentarily stunned before letting out a silent chuckle.
This “Escort Envoy” truly lived up to his name—literally dragging them along.
However, there seemed to be something peculiar about the black light surrounding them. The dark currents they encountered along the way dissipated and avoided them as they passed, allowing the group to traverse several miles in mere moments.
Suddenly, Han Li’s gaze sharpened as he peered into a vast expanse of black mist ahead. A faint blue glimmer flickered in his pupils.
His senses detected a colossal presence hidden within the mist—a creature of the same kind as the unknown beasts in the distance, yet hundreds of times more powerful. Even as a Body Integration cultivator, he felt an unmistakable threat.
The black mist in the air was no ordinary phenomenon either. Despite his spiritual vision, he could only vaguely discern the outline of a mountain-sized beast lurking within, resembling a monstrous flood dragon.
Just as Han Li tensed, the other four also noticed the creature ahead. As they slowly approached, their wariness grew.
At that moment, the Escort Envoy abruptly descended, pulling the group downward with him and avoiding the unknown beast.
Han Li relaxed slightly, sparing the creature one last glance before dismissing it from his mind.
Yet, moments later, his expression shifted again.
Under the Escort Envoy’s guidance, they had already plunged tens of thousands of feet downward—yet there was still no end in sight. The void around them, thick with black mist, seemed like a bottomless abyss.
Had it not been for the fact that the other four showed no signs of distress within the black light, Han Li might have seriously considered resisting this forced journey.
Fortunately, after descending another ten thousand feet, the black mist finally dispersed, revealing a bizarre azure world below.
Pale blue light illuminated the sprawling structures and towering black pillars resembling petrified forests. The glow emanated from over a dozen massive blue orbs suspended in the air, each over ten feet in diameter, casting a cold, unyielding radiance.
With a dull thud, the black light encasing Han Li and the others trembled before dissipating completely, releasing them from its pull.
“I must retrieve others. Proceed to the Black Domain Hall below—someone will receive you there,” the black-robed man said coldly before vanishing back into the black mist above.
Han Li was momentarily speechless.
However, the Ten Thousand Bones True Man beside him seemed unfazed. With a low chuckle, he activated his flight technique and descended alone.
The figure shrouded in golden light laughed before transforming into a golden streak and shooting downward.
Exchanging glances with the remaining two, Han Li followed suit.
The structures below were numerous but starkly different from those of the outside world. Each building was constructed from rough black stone, towering and rugged, exuding an ancient, primal aura.
The Black Domain Hall was impossible to miss—a mountainous black edifice stretching thousands of feet high and spanning miles in width.
As the five landed on a plaza before the hall, two rows of women draped in sheer black veils awaited them.
Though their faces were obscured, their figures were alluring, their eyes enchanting, and their Yin energy potent—each possessing at least Core Formation cultivation. They were, without exception, the finest of dual cultivation partners.
The moment Han Li and the others landed, the five leading women stepped forward gracefully.
“Esteemed seniors, we humbly greet you. From this moment onward, we shall serve you exclusively. Any questions or requests you may have, we shall fulfill to the best of our abilities. The exchange conference has yet to begin—would you prefer to rest in a private chamber?” A tall, fair-skinned woman curtsied, her eyes brimming with seductive charm.
“Hmph. The Black Domain still indulges in these depraved practices. I require no escort—take me directly to the main hall,” the figure wreathed in ethereal green smoke suddenly spoke, her voice cold yet melodious—revealing her to be a female cultivator.
“If the senior does not wish for our service, we shall not impose. Number Nine, escort this senior to the main hall,” the lead veiled attendant replied with a smile, turning to a slightly shorter woman among them.
The designated attendant stepped forward and bowed.
“Senior, please follow me.”
With that, she gracefully led the way toward the hall’s entrance. The green-shrouded woman cast a cold glance at her before silently following.
“*Hehe*, this old man also has no need for rest. I shall join the others in the main hall,” the figure enveloped in green light chuckled, his voice aged and hoarse.
The lead attendant readily agreed, assigning another woman to guide him inside.
In moments, only Han Li and two others remained on the plaza.
“*Tsk tsk*, refusing such an opportunity! I, for one, won’t play the righteous gentleman. Fellow Daoists, I shall take my leave first,” the Ten Thousand Bones True Man laughed sharply, his tone now drastically different. Without waiting for a response, he strode forward, wrapping an arm around the most voluptuous attendant before swaggering off.
“*Hehe*, this one shares my tastes—though I wonder if he’s an acquaintance of mine. Very well, since you are their leader, you must be the finest. I choose you,” the golden-cloaked figure declared, his gaze lingering on the lead attendant before chuckling.
“To be chosen by the senior is this humble one’s honor. Number Eleven, attend to the remaining senior with utmost care,” the lead attendant replied without hesitation, stepping forward to press herself against the golden figure before departing.
Han Li blinked, glancing at the remaining rows of veiled women before eyeing the sole attendant before him. Stroking his chin, he deliberately deepened his voice.
“You are Number Eleven? Have so few arrived before us?”
“Senior misunderstands. Though my number is Eleven, those who attended earlier seniors may bear higher numbers. We are not assigned in sequence,” the petite attendant explained in a sweet, pleading tone, as if fearing Han Li might dismiss her as well.
“I see. No need for a resting chamber—accompany me to the main hall. I have questions for you,” Han Li ordered indifferently.
“As you command, Senior,” Number Eleven replied obediently, pressing herself against him.
Han Li swept a glance over her before unceremoniously wrapping an arm around her slender waist and striding toward the hall.
Not long after Han Li’s group departed, four more figures descended from the sky, each cloaked in various spiritual lights. Four veiled attendants greeted them with smiles.
—
A short while later, Han Li reclined lazily in a spacious chair within what appeared to be a black stone pavilion floating in the void.
Number Eleven nestled against him, her gaze fixed on his face—now obscured by a layer of cyan light. His entire form was similarly veiled in azure radiance. Unbeknownst to others, he had altered his concealment technique, rendering even the Ten Thousand Bones True Man incapable of recognizing him.
The pavilion was furnished with tables, chairs, and tea, along with rare spiritual fruits laid out before him. Scattered across the void were hundreds of identical structures, dozens of which were occupied by similarly veiled figures—each accompanied by a black-veiled attendant.
Yet Han Li’s attention was fixed on the center of the floating pavilions, where a milky-white barrier spanned hundreds of feet in diameter. Within it stood a pristine white platform adorned with four red-and-blue pillars and a golden array at its center. Two peculiar stone tables—one black, one white—rested side by side atop the array.
At present, the platform stood empty.
“So, when the exchange begins, the Black Domain will first offer rare treasures for trade?” Han Li withdrew his gaze and spoke calmly to the woman in his arms.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage