Although the herd sensed that Han Li meant no harm, they still shielded their young and slowly retreated into the distance. Before long, the herd turned and bolted, disappearing behind a highland.
Han Li remained seated by the stream for a while longer, waiting until the nearby mist had completely dissipated before soaring into the sky, heading straight for higher altitudes.
By now, both his spiritual energy and vitality had fully recovered. When he attempted to extend his divine sense, he found that while it could slightly detach from his body, it was significantly suppressed, barely able to scan an area of about ten miles.
Given this limitation, he decided to ascend higher, intending to rely on his Brightsight Spirit Eyes to survey the surroundings. At the very least, he could clearly observe everything within a hundred-mile radius.
From a height of a thousand zhang, Han Li’s eyes shimmered with a blue glow as he swiftly scanned the area.
To the east and west, the horizon remained a blur of white, seemingly still rocky wastelands. Thirty miles to the south, however, a patch of green appeared—a sizable mountain range in the distance. To the north, a dense concentration of water-attribute spiritual energy suggested the presence of a large river or even an ocean.
After a moment’s hesitation, Han Li enveloped himself in a green aura and shot northward like a rainbow.
At his current speed, the distance was covered in mere moments.
His vision suddenly brightened as an endless expanse of ocean came into view. Strangely, the water was a deep crimson. Along the shore, thousands of giant turtles of varying sizes lounged on the sand. The larger ones measured three to four zhang, while the smaller ones were only a few chi long. They lay half-buried in the sand, appearing utterly lethargic.
Above the sea, a flock of crimson birds with sharp, elongated beaks circled in the air. Occasionally, a few would dive into the water, snatching fish about a chi long with their beaks or claws before tossing them high into the air. The other birds would then swarm in, devouring the fish in an instant.
Han Li observed this scene impassively. After a while, as if recalling something, he abruptly looked up at the sky.
Seven scorching suns still hung overhead, but Han Li’s expression shifted slightly.
For some reason, he felt that the suns appeared slightly smaller and dimmer than before, their outlines somewhat blurred.
It seemed the place he had been teleported to was indeed far from human territories—so far that even the suns in the sky had changed.
Fortunately, he had already anticipated this based on the discomfort he felt after the teleportation. Now, he wasn’t overly surprised. His gaze shifted downward, settling on the turtles.
Apart from the living turtles, the beach was littered with thousands of empty shells. Countless more were likely buried beneath the sand.
Narrowing his eyes, Han Li flipped his hand, producing a green turtle shell about a zhang in size.
Holding it in one hand, he compared it to the shells below.
After a moment, a hint of surprise flickered across his face.
At first glance, the shells below seemed similar to his, with some even being twice as large. But Han Li immediately noticed the difference.
Though his shell wasn’t particularly large, each of its patterns faintly shimmered with silver, whereas the shells below bore only ordinary white markings.
Tilting his head in thought, Han Li reached out toward one of the shells below. A two-zhang-long shell shot into the air.
With a casual strike from Han Li, the shell exploded with a thunderous boom, disintegrating into dust.
The noise startled the turtles. Many poked their dark heads out, glancing upward. But sensing no threat from Han Li, most retracted their heads, and the herd soon calmed.
“Indeed, these are ordinary shells. But mine must have originated here,” Han Li murmured, unfazed.
In a flash of green light, he descended slowly, closing his eyes and forcefully extending his divine sense to cover several miles, meticulously searching for something.
After a while, his eyes snapped open, gleaming with intensity. He shot forward like a green rainbow, circling the beach several times before returning, now accompanied by three additional large shells.
One measured four to five zhang, another was about a zhang, and the smallest was only a few chi long. All three bore silver patterns, though the shades varied.
The smallest shell’s patterns gleamed like pure silver, the medium-sized one matched Han Li’s, and the largest bore only faint traces of silver.
These shells had been buried deep beneath the sand, inaccessible without Han Li’s divine sense.
Pausing mid-air, Han Li beckoned, and the three shells aligned before him.
With a flick of his fingers, several green sword qi shot out, piercing the shells to varying depths—the largest was completely penetrated, the smallest only half a cun, and the medium-sized one about three to four cun.
Nodding in satisfaction, Han Li waved his sleeve, releasing a green mist that shrank the shells to palm-sized objects, which he then stored in his bracelet.
Just then, a cacophony of bird cries erupted from the sea. Startled, Han Li looked up to see a colossal creature, ten zhang long, emerging from the water.
Its upper half resembled a dark-skinned man wielding bone tridents, while its lower half was that of a giant squid, its massive tentacles undulating beneath the surface.
The creature spewed black mist, ensnaring hundreds of the crimson birds and swallowing them whole, as if enjoying a feast. The birds struggled futilely, rapidly disappearing into its maw.
Strangely, the turtles remained undisturbed on the beach, and the creature showed no interest in them.
Though puzzled, Han Li wasn’t alarmed—the creature was only an eighth-grade demon beast. He stood quietly, pondering its origins.
In the Spirit Realm, distinctions between demon beasts and ancient beasts were loose. Generally, ancient beasts were native to the realm, possessing innate powers without cultivation. Demon beasts, however, were descendants of ascended lower-realm beings, often capable of developing intelligence but with weaker innate abilities.
Some ancient beasts, upon gaining intelligence, might join demon clans or be tamed by cultivators, thus becoming demon beasts.
Thus, Han Li wasn’t surprised by the creature. He hovered calmly, arms crossed behind his back.
Soon, the creature finished its meal and noticed Han Li. To Han Li’s astonishment, it recoiled in fear, transforming into black mist and plunging into the sea.
Thick, ink-like fog erupted from the depths, obscuring miles of water. Han Li’s eyes glowed blue, piercing the fog to see the creature fleeing into the abyss.
As Han Li prepared to pursue, a thunderous roar echoed from the deep, accompanied by a formidable demonic aura rivaling that of a Deity Transformation cultivator.
Pausing, Han Li hesitated. Though unafraid of such a foe, he preferred not to provoke conflict in unfamiliar territory.
After a moment, he turned and sped southward.
Soon, a vast, verdant mountain range appeared before him. At its edge, his aura dissipated, revealing his figure.
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