“So Fellow Daoist Han actually hails from the Southern Sky. Cultivators from your region are quite rare in our Great Jin. However, regardless of the reason, since you’ve slain a Yin Luo Sect elder and taken the Ghost Luo Banner, this grudge won’t be easily resolved.” Near the stone pavilion, Hua Tianqi spoke with evident surprise on his face.
Having just heard the general account from the elderly Fu, he was genuinely taken aback.
The others also stirred, casting peculiar glances at Han Li. To them, the Southern Sky was an exceedingly distant place. In the eyes of the Great Jin’s cultivation world, it was practically insignificant. That someone from such a place had provoked the Yin Luo Sect naturally piqued their curiosity.
“I acted purely in self-defense. Had the Yin Luo Sect elder not sought trouble with me, I would never have been involved in this matter,” Han Li replied indifferently.
“Enough! Regardless of the circumstances, the three of you have been here for some time. You must know what this mountain truly is,” the burly Nascent Soul cultivator interjected, showing no interest in the conflict between Han Li and Elder Qian. Instead, he pressed impatiently.
“We do know a little. This place is none other than the legendary Kunwu Immortal Mountain of your Great Jin,” Han Li answered calmly, his eyes flickering slightly.
“Kunwu Mountain!” The Nascent Soul cultivators were momentarily stunned before erupting in excitement. Even Elder Qian was inwardly startled.
The four elders of the Poison Saint Sect, already aware of this, merely exchanged glances.
“If that’s the case, someone has already beaten us here. It’s unclear how many cultivators are involved or which faction they belong to. But given that they’ve broken such a formidable seal, their strength must be extraordinary. Elder Qian, whatever grievances you have with Fellow Daoist Han and the others, now is not the time for conflict. Why don’t we join forces to drive these intruders out of the mountain? Afterward, we can each rely on our own fortune to divide the treasures of Kunwu. As for your feud with Fellow Daoist Han, settle it outside this mountain at another time,” Hua Tianqi suggested, stroking his chin before glancing at the white figures.
“Join forces?” The old demon fell silent at this proposal.
Meanwhile, the rogue cultivator Zheng Wei and the burly man’s group exchanged silent discussions through sound transmission.
Seeing this, Elder Fu and Bai Yaoyi breathed a sigh of relief. Though confident in their combined strength against Elder Qian, avoiding an unnecessary battle was preferable.
No one noticed the slight frown on Han Li’s brow as he sighed inwardly.
With the opportunity for action lost, his plan to obtain the Soul-Sealing Curse’s counter-spell would have to wait.
Raising his head, Han Li looked toward the spot where Hua Tianqi and the others had emerged from the light barrier and asked, “Fellow Daoist Hua, after the illusion array’s self-destruction, how badly was the seal’s exit damaged? Is passage still possible?”
“You might as well see for yourself. While I can’t speak for the long term, this passage is certainly unusable for now,” Hua Tianqi replied frankly with a sigh.
Han Li pursed his lips, hesitated briefly, then flew directly toward the light barrier without further ado.
In a flash, he vanished into the silver glow.
Concerned for their own safety, Elder Fu and Bai Yaoyi also turned their gazes.
Moments later, Han Li re-emerged from the silver light with a grim expression, shaking his head at the two.
“Indeed, passage is impossible. But it seems restoration won’t take too long. In the meantime, let’s explore this mountain,” Han Li said flatly.
What followed was straightforward.
Despite his arrogance, Elder Qian, upon learning this was the famed Kunwu Mountain, abandoned thoughts of immediate conflict. The chance to explore such a legendary site was too precious to waste. Reluctantly, he agreed to temporarily set aside his feud with Han Li.
After deliberation, the five temporary allies also consented without hesitation.
“With our combined strength, even if those ahead belong to one of the Ten Great Sects, we can hold our own. Let’s move quickly—we can’t let them claim the treasures first!” Once the alliance was settled, Hua Tianqi shouted, leading the Poison Saint Sect elders up the stone steps.
Elder Qian snorted coldly, his five white figures merging into a gray streak as they pursued.
Han Li and the others followed silently.
Meanwhile, the Ye Clan members had already arrived at the vast white jade plaza.
The plaza spanned a hundred acres, its floor paved with pristine white jade. Towering jade pillars, each ten zhang high, stood at its perimeter, intricately carved with lifelike depictions of rare spirit beasts and immortal birds.
Yet the Ye Clan paid no heed to these pillars, instead gathering at the plaza’s far end.
There, before each stone stairway leading away from the plaza, stood tall jade steles inscribed with names like “Gold Stone Pavilion,” “Auspicious Cloud Hall,” and “Mystical Spirit Courtyard,” leaving the Ye Clan members frowning in speculation.
“The Gold Stone Pavilion is undoubtedly a repository for materials. The Auspicious Cloud Hall sounds ethereal—likely a meditation site or something trivial. The Mystical Spirit Courtyard is clearly…” one Ye Clan cultivator analyzed slowly.
The others nodded, finding his reasoning sound.
“Thus, the most probable locations for the Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure are these three: the central Kunwu Hall, the adjacent Spirit Treasure Pavilion, and the peripheral Demon-Suppressing Tower,” the cultivator concluded.
The Confucian scholar and the large-headed oddity remained silent, pondering the validity of his assessment.
“The Kunwu Hall is undoubtedly the mountain’s core. The Spirit Treasure Pavilion, by name alone, must house ancient cultivators’ treasures—fitting for a Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure. As for the Demon-Suppressing Tower, it was likely used to imprison demons. Given this mountain’s sealed state, placing the treasure there to suppress a powerful entity aligns with ancient practices,” the cultivator elaborated.
“Your points are valid. I, too, believe the treasure lies in one of these three places. But with our numbers, we can’t cover all three—at best, two,” the Confucian scholar finally spoke.
“Two paths? Which do you propose?” the oddity asked hesitantly.
“The Spirit Treasure Pavilion and the Demon-Suppressing Tower,” the scholar replied after a pause.
“Those two? I’d argue the Kunwu Hall is more likely than the Demon-Suppressing Tower,” the oddity countered, shaking his large head.
“The Spirit Treasure Pavilion is obvious—even without the Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasure, other treasures would make the trip worthwhile. The Kunwu Hall is too conspicuous. Given this mountain’s sealed state and the deliberate placement of two Heaven-reaching Spirit Treasures, it’s unlikely they’d be left as mere decorations. Using them to suppress demons seems far more plausible,” the scholar reasoned calmly.
“While your logic isn’t unsound, I still believe the Kunwu Hall, as the mountain’s core, must be investigated,” the oddity conceded partially.
“Uncle Seven, I understand. But with our limited numbers, splitting into two teams is already stretching it. Dividing further would leave us too vulnerable,” the scholar said with a wry smile.
The other Ye Clan members debated, some siding with the scholar’s caution, others with the oddity’s insistence. No consensus emerged.
The oddity’s expression flickered before he proposed, “Here’s an idea: we have nine members. You and I will each lead three to investigate the Spirit Treasure Pavilion and the Demon-Suppressing Tower. The remaining member—someone agile and skilled in evasion—will scout the Kunwu Hall. If the defenses prove insurmountable alone, they can retreat immediately. This way, we’ll have a clearer picture. Depending on progress, one team might even have time to check the Kunwu Hall afterward.”
The oddity’s suggestion was unconventional.
“Very well, let’s proceed as Uncle Seven suggests. But the lone scout must be cautious of the Lion Hawk Beast and the Silver-Winged Corpse. Equip them with the Heaven-Concealing Bracelet,” the scholar agreed after brief consideration, adding his conditions.
“The Heaven-Concealing Bracelet? With that, they should be safe even in danger,” the oddity nodded approvingly.
The Ye Clan swiftly divided into two groups, the ancient demon silently aligning with the oddity. The square-faced middle-aged man volunteered to scout the Kunwu Hall, being the strongest aside from the oddity and the scholar.
After a moment’s hesitation, the scholar handed him a bracelet crafted from bone.
“The Heaven-Concealing Bracelet requires a drop of essence blood with each activation. Use it only as a last resort,” the scholar warned gravely.
“Understood,” the square-faced man replied solemnly, accepting the artifact.
“Legends say the Demon-Suppressing Tower imprisons the most vicious demons and ghosts. I’ve long been curious about its contents. I’ll take that path,” the oddity declared casually.
“Uncle Seven and I share the same thought. I, too, was drawn to the Demon-Suppressing Tower. But since you’ve claimed it, I’ll lead the others to the Spirit Treasure Pavilion,” the scholar chuckled, readily conceding.
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