It was unclear whether it was a coincidence or if the golden-horned youth had truly noticed something, but as soon as the woman finished speaking, the previously motionless young man in the air suddenly raised his head and glanced upward. With a flick of his hand, a pitch-black bowl shot out, hovering in mid-air after a brief spin.
The Jiao Chi youth then began chanting incantations, his fingers flicking toward the bowl one after another. Streaks of multicolored spell sigils shot out and vanished into the bowl in flashes.
With a long hum, the bowl suddenly erupted with black light and rapidly expanded, transforming in the blink of an eye into a massive object over a hundred feet wide, floating like a house in the sky.
Then, its lid flew open, and countless inky-black fumes surged out from within, spreading wildly in all directions.
A black curtain unfurled, covering most of the sky.
Han Li and Liu Shui’er’s crystal screen instantly turned pitch-black, obscuring everything from view.
Both of their expressions changed, but before either could speak, the crystal flashed with black light and instantly restored itself, revealing the scene once more.
Everything in the image appeared nearly identical to before, even the distant white clouds remained unchanged. However, the Jiao Chi tribesmen and the golden-horned youth who had been floating in the air were now nowhere to be seen.
Liu Shui’er’s eyes flickered, and she pointed a slender finger at the crystal. With a flash of light, the image shifted, now reflecting the scenery below.
Yet, in the reappearing yellow sandstorm, there was still no trace of the Jiao Chi tribesmen.
“It seems they’ve cast an illusion to conceal their movements. Unless we forcibly project the shadow crystal into the restriction, we won’t be able to see them. But doing so would undoubtedly expose our presence, which isn’t worth the risk,” Liu Shui’er sighed softly.
She then waved her sleeve over the crystal, causing it to emit a glow as wisps of milky-white mist surfaced. The image dissipated like a mirage, and the crystal reverted to an ordinary-looking milky-white stone, which she tucked into her sleeve.
“Never mind. Since these Jiao Chi people are being so cautious, we shouldn’t alert them. But this suggests their plans are significant. I wonder if it will affect our own affairs,” Han Li murmured thoughtfully.
“Tens of thousands of miles is but a moment’s journey for us, so we must remain vigilant. Brother Han, do you have any strategies?” Liu Shui’er asked cautiously.
“They outnumber us, and their abilities are no weaker than ours. There’s no perfect solution, but we can set up multiple layers of formations to mask the fluctuations when we break the restriction. Additionally, though the Jiao Chi people have concealed their movements with illusions, we can still plant some tricks near their illusion array—sending puppets or spirit beasts to monitor them covertly. If they make any major moves, we can at least prepare,” Han Li replied after a brief consideration.
“That’s all we can do for now,” Liu Shui’er agreed after a moment of contemplation.
“Since you don’t object, let’s begin preparations immediately. This isn’t a place to linger—we should head to the restricted area as soon as possible,” Han Li said decisively.
“Of course. I just hope Fellow Daoist Shi arrives safely. I hope nothing unexpected happens on his way,” Liu Shui’er nodded gravely, her voice tinged with concern.
“Since we made it here without trouble, Shi Kun’s abilities should ensure his safety as well. Besides, it’s only been two months. If his route was longer, a slight delay would be understandable,” Han Li chuckled, seemingly confident in Shi Kun’s capabilities.
“I hope so,” the cloaked woman said, unwilling to voice further worries after Han Li’s reassurance.
Han Li smiled faintly and flicked his sleeve, releasing a white figure that circled once before materializing into an expressionless white-robed woman—the sentient puppet, “Doll.”
“Go. Keep an eye on those Jiao Chi people. Don’t engage them—just observe from a distance,” Han Li instructed calmly.
Doll’s eyes flickered, and she bowed slightly before preparing to take off. But Han Li suddenly called her back.
“Wait. Take these with you—prioritize remaining undetected,” Han Li said, producing a piece of black gauze and a talisman in a flash of light.
The talisman shimmered with purple light—it was the Taiyi Huaqing Talisman.
Though Doll’s expression remained blank, she obediently grabbed the items and vanished into the sky as a streak of white light.
“Brother Han, you truly cherish that puppet. Though it’s no surprise—such a high-grade sentient puppet is something even I envy,” Liu Shui’er remarked with a smile.
“You flatter me, Fairy. With your resources, acquiring a sentient puppet would be no trouble. That said, such puppets are often more flashy than practical—usually inferior to a spirit beast of the same tier. This one was a gift,” Han Li replied nonchalantly.
“True. The cost of top-tier spirit stones to power such puppets in battle is headache-inducing. Since you’ve dispatched your puppet, I’ll release a spirit beast to assist in monitoring the Jiao Chi people,” Liu Shui’er said, tactfully changing the subject.
She pressed a hand to her waist, and a five-colored rainbow shot out like lightning, vanishing instantly.
Even with his sharp eyes, Han Li only caught a fleeting glimpse of what seemed to be a winged marten-like creature radiating five-colored light.
Startled by the creature’s bizarre speed, Han Li shot a meaningful glance at the cloaked woman. But Liu Shui’er stood and said, “Let’s go. We’ll wait for Fellow Daoist Shi near the restricted area.”
Han Li had no objections, and the two soared into the sky as faint streaks of light, swiftly departing from the Jiao Chi people’s vicinity.
The landscape below remained monotonous—yellow sandstorms and the occasional ruins peeking through the haze.
Han Li had already surveyed this ancient site days earlier.
The area spanned two to three million miles, with many zones still under dangerous restrictions.
Fortunately, Han Li had been warned by Cai Liuying and others to avoid these regions, or else he might have encountered more ancient constructs like the Thunder Roc puppet.
The restricted site that Cai Liuying and the others coveted was one of the most perilous spots in the area.
After flying cautiously for tens of thousands of miles, the two finally halted.
Han Li narrowed his eyes, gazing ahead. In the distance, a hundred-foot-wide sphere of white light slowly rotated amidst the sandstorm, unaffected by the raging winds.
Wherever the sand touched the light, it vanished as if swallowed.
More chillingly, the ground around the light was littered with piles of beast bones—some half-buried in yellow sand, others charred black or yellowed with age, while a few appeared freshly white, clearly from recently deceased creatures.
Liu Shui’er now held a peculiar array disk the size of a palm, studying it intently.
“Yes, this is it. This is the restricted area Master and Senior Duan spoke of,” she murmured after a long moment.
“It does look treacherous. But since the two seniors went to such lengths to gather the three of us here, they must have some confidence in breaking this restriction,” Han Li remarked calmly, scanning the bones.
“I hope so. According to Master, this restriction was formed from the ‘Taiyi Qingguang’—a force comparable to the primordial magnetic light in ancient times. To break it, only primordial magnetic light can counteract it. With the three of us possessing primordial magnetic bodies, we should be able to dismantle it,” Liu Shui’er explained, clearly more knowledgeable about the restriction than Han Li.
“Taiyi Qingguang!” Han Li couldn’t help but exclaim, a flicker of excitement crossing his face.
“Oh? Brother Han is interested in this rare light as well?” Liu Shui’er noticed his reaction.
“Since I possess primordial magnetic treasures, I’ve naturally studied its counterparts. I’ve heard the Taiyi Qingguang is called the ‘Phantom Blade’—exceptionally sharp. Once unleashed, its power rivals that of perfected formless sword energy, capable of slaying foes unseen. Is it truly that miraculous?” Han Li asked, his tone casual.
“It seems you know quite a bit about it. From what Master said, while the light is formidable, it’s not as terrifying as the rumors suggest. However, the restriction formed by it is indeed indestructible and impossible to guard against. Otherwise, Master would have risked breaking it long ago to retrieve the treasures within. Moreover, Taiyi Qingguang cannot be cultivated—it can only form naturally through the world’s innate forces. In our Spirit Realm, it’s even rarer than primordial magnetic light. Practitioners of the latter are occasionally heard of, but those who wield Taiyi Qingguang haven’t been seen since ancient times,” Liu Shui’er explained.
“So, within this restriction, there must be either a treasure capable of wielding Taiyi Qingguang or an object imbued with it?” Han Li’s eyes twitched slightly as he posed the question.
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