When Han Li silently appeared on the ground, his gaze swept around, and he found himself halfway up a barren rocky mountain.
It was strange to find such a lifeless place atop a spiritual vein.
When Han Li had previously surveyed the area from the air, he had noticed the peculiarity of this spot and had curiously descended to search the vicinity.
At the time, he found nothing unusual. Preoccupied with establishing his cave abode, he didn’t linger, assuming the mountain was naturally deficient in spiritual energy.
Though such occurrences on a spiritual vein were rare, they weren’t unheard of. This left Han Li with an inexplicable sense of doubt about the place. He had intended to return for a thorough investigation when he had the time.
Now, seeing these individuals lingering nearby, it was clear something was amiss.
Frowning slightly as he recalled the information brought back by his divine sense, Han Li’s figure blurred as he floated effortlessly toward the mountaintop.
In his ethereal form, his movement was weightless. Moments later, he reached the summit and hovered motionlessly in the low air.
His gaze swept downward, but all he saw were ordinary rocks, seemingly unchanged from his previous visit.
Yet, as his divine sense expanded, he still detected nothing unusual.
After a brief pause, he suddenly formed a hand seal, channeling his spiritual power into his eyes.
A piercing blue light flashed deep within his pupils as his *Ming Qing Spirit Eyes* reached their peak. Things invisible to the naked eye now appeared clearly before him.
This time, he quickly made a discovery.
Eight faint pillars of light rose from the ground around the mountaintop, forming a peculiar square formation that enveloped the entire peak.
These pillars, transformed from some unknown treasure, created an invisible, colorless barrier that emitted no spiritual fluctuations whatsoever.
No wonder even his formidable divine sense had failed to detect them.
This temporary restriction must have been set up by those four individuals. Had Han Li not been monitoring their movements, he would never have found this place or the formation.
Though the restrictions were well-hidden, their primary function was concealment rather than obstruction.
With his mastery of formations, Han Li quickly assessed their nature. Without hesitation, he formed another hand seal and fearlessly descended into the mountain.
An incredible sight unfolded.
The faint formation showed no reaction as his ethereal body passed through it effortlessly, allowing him to penetrate the barrier and vanish into the mountain.
Clearly, in his current state, ordinary restrictions were no obstacle to him.
After descending about twenty zhang underground, Han Li spotted a faint blue light sphere, about the size of a human head, slowly rotating with a faint seven-colored vortex swirling inside.
A chill ran down his spine. He paused, intending to observe before approaching.
But what happened next took him completely by surprise.
The moment he stopped, the vortex within the blue sphere seemed to sense his presence. Suddenly, it flared brightly, releasing a burst of seven-colored radiance that instantly engulfed his ethereal form.
“Ah!”
Caught off guard, even Han Li was startled. He struggled briefly, but an immense force clamped around him, rendering him unable to break free.
Before he could employ any countermeasures, his surroundings blurred, and he found himself teleported to an unfamiliar place.
At the same time, his ethereal form was forcibly dispelled, revealing his true body. A purple talisman flickered into existence on his chest.
His expression darkened. Without hesitation, he grabbed the talisman with one hand.
With a flash of spiritual light, the *Taiyi Transformation Talisman* vanished.
Not far ahead, two figures stood to his left and right.
Startled by Han Li’s sudden appearance, they quickly recognized him. One of them—the man with drooping eyebrows—exclaimed in shock, “You! How did you find this place?”
The other, a portly man with a suspicious expression, was none other than Jin the Fat.
Unbeknownst to Han Li, had he not used the *Taiyi Transformation Talisman* to etherealize his body, the seven-colored radiance would have severely injured him, despite his mastery of the *Vajra Arts*.
This radiance, though resembling Buddhist light, had a different origin. Ordinary cultivators caught in it would find their spiritual power sealed and their bodies crushed under immense pressure.
Even the drooping-browed man’s master had spent three days and nights breaking through this restriction to enter the space.
Seeing these two, Han Li felt a sense of relief.
With no Void Refinement cultivators present, he was confident in handling them both. Though his concealment had been broken, he chuckled and spoke calmly, “So it was you two who set up the restrictions outside. What brings you here? If I recall correctly, one of Tianyuan City’s laws prohibits outsiders from trespassing on another’s spiritual land without permission. Violators face the lash—unless, of course, they’ve obtained the owner’s consent.”
His tone grew colder toward the end, laced with clear hostility.
At the mention of the lash, even these Nascent Soul cultivators paled slightly.
Jin the Fat, however, quickly forced a smile. “Brother Han, don’t misunderstand. My friend and I were merely passing through your land. While resting on this mountain, we accidentally triggered a restriction and were transported here. We’re just as confused as you are.”
“Oh? Do you really expect me to believe that?” Han Li crossed his arms, his expression mocking. “By the way, if I’m not mistaken, there should be two more of you here.”
He had already surveyed his surroundings.
He stood in a mysterious space about a hundred zhang high and a li in radius. The sky and walls shimmered with seven-colored radiance.
Most astonishingly, seven massive light orbs—resembling miniature suns—floated in the air, emitting a cool, milky-white glow.
At the center of these orbs was a seven-colored gate, its interior obscured by swirling light.
Hearing Han Li’s words, the two men exchanged uneasy glances.
“How do you know our numbers?” Jin the Fat’s voice turned icy, while the drooping-browed man’s face darkened with killing intent.
“Planning to attack me?” Han Li smirked. “I forgot to mention—before coming here, I left several message talismans under a restriction. If anything happens to me, they’ll soon reach my friends and Senior Zhao Wugui. Trespassing and assaulting a fellow guard should interest the Enforcement Squad. That’s a major crime, punishable by the Ice Prison and Blade Mountain. Besides, are you certain you can kill me?”
“You know Senior Zhao?” The drooping-browed man’s heart skipped a beat, though suspicion lingered.
Jin the Fat was equally stunned.
“Senior Zhao personally introduced me to Tianyuan City. What do you think?” Han Li replied leisurely, as if everything had been prearranged.
His demeanor left the two men at a loss.
“Fine,” the drooping-browed man finally said coldly. “Since you already know, I’ll tell you. Our master is here, delving deeper into the restrictions. We’re guarding this place. Do you, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator, truly think you can stop us? Tianyuan City’s laws only matter when someone enforces them. Who would offend two Void Refinement cultivators for your sake? Even if you know Senior Zhao, it’s likely a superficial acquaintance.”
“Care to test that theory?” Han Li chuckled. “My message talismans mention your name. I assume you’re not afraid of the Enforcement Squad’s soul-searching techniques?”
If these men truly feared no consequences, they wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to seize his land or sneak in secretly.
The drooping-browed man’s face twisted with rage. Jin the Fat also hesitated.
If the drooping-browed man was implicated, he wouldn’t escape either.
Some things could be done in secret, but once exposed, they risked challenging the authority of the city’s elders.
“Brother Han,” Jin the Fat said with a forced laugh, “I’ve heard of your extraordinary talents and bright future. Surely you wouldn’t do something so mutually destructive. But honestly, we’re not in charge here. If you have demands, why not wait for our master to return and discuss them directly?”
“You think I’d hesitate to stay?” Han Li smiled faintly. “Very well. I’d like to meet your esteemed master.”
With that, his figure blurred, reappearing at a corner of the space. He sat cross-legged, as if truly prepared to wait.
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