Chapter 1724: Climbing Difficulties

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Volume Nine: Spirit Realm Hundred

The woman clearly understood her predicament, and her heart was naturally filled with profound shock. Although none of the three uttered a word, it was evident that whoever reached the palace first would naturally have the advantage in claiming the treasure. Given this, the woman privately acknowledged that her chances were slim compared to Shi Kun's.

However, even in this situation, Liu Shuir was not without options. After a moment's thought, she flipped her hand, revealing several talismans of varying colors between her fingers. One was golden, one shimmered with silver light, and another was crimson. With three soft "thuds," the three talismans instantly slapped onto the woman's body, erupting in three distinct bursts of light that swiftly vanished into her. Immediately, streams of yellow, silver, and red spiritual light cascaded around Liu Shuir, emitting astonishing spiritual pressure. These three talismans could simultaneously enhance the user's physical strength from various aspects, including brute force and meridian flow. With the augmentation of these three mystical arts, the woman no longer hesitated and began to ascend the mountain.

Han Li observed this scene without any change in expression. While auxiliary talismans were indeed miraculous, for high-level cultivators like them, they were quite useless. Ordinary cultivators who primarily focused on magic power naturally had no interest in talismans that strengthened the body, nor could they use them as assistance in typical combat. For those who primarily specialized in body refinement, such talismans were virtually superfluous compared to their already powerful physical bodies. After all, body refiners had already extensively stimulated their physical potential; even using high-level auxiliary talismans, it was impossible for a single talisman to increase their physical strength by several times. However, even rare, high-level auxiliary talismans that could enhance a body refiner's strength by one or two tenths were considered a rare advantage. Therefore, even if ordinary cultivators affixed many auxiliary talismans, the augmented effect would still be far inferior to the inherent strength of a body refiner's physical body. Han Li himself was proficient in the Way of Talismans, so he naturally understood all this perfectly. Thus, he paid no attention to it, continuing his unhurried ascent, step by step.

The three continued their ascent towards the mountaintop, one after another, maintaining some distance from each other. Initially, even as the restrictive force emanating from the stone steps grew heavier, Liu Shuir and Shi Kun, knowing that pausing for a moment could significantly reduce or offset the pulling force, both continued forward without hesitation. In the time it took to draw a single breath, the three had already completed one-third of the mountain path.

However, at this point, Han Li and the others were in vastly different states. Shi Kun, who was in the lead, maintained a steady lower body and continued to advance, but his chest showed a slight rise and fall, and faint traces of sweat began to appear on his forehead. Han Li, in the middle, had skin that began to turn a light golden color, yet his expression remained calm, showing no signs of strain. As for the cloaked woman at the very end, though her face was completely obscured, her steps were visibly slowing, and with each stride, her legs would tremble slightly. The three-colored spiritual light bolstering her flickered, dimming and brightening, as if it could dissipate at any moment. Clearly, even with the spiritual talismans on her, this woman would not be able to sustain it for much longer. Liu Shuir herself was well aware of this, and a helpless expression continuously flickered in her beautiful eyes. Finally, after ascending another two or three hundred steps, the woman sighed softly and stopped in place, her delicate feet planted firmly.

Han Li did not look back, his spiritual sense having perceived everything. His expression subtly shifted, but his feet showed no intention of stopping. Subsequently, Shi Kun and Han Li advanced another thousand-plus steps, finally reaching the midpoint of the entire mountain path. Hot sweat began to stream down Shi Kun's face. Every step he took onto the next stair caused the ground to shake slightly, and the yellow light around him flickered continuously; his expression was no longer relaxed. This burly man of the Stone Cocoon Clan had also been observing Han Li behind him with his spiritual sense. At this moment, apart from the golden light on Han Li appearing a bit more solidified, his expression and movements were exactly the same as when he started ascending the mountain, as if he were completely unaffected by the restrictive force beneath his feet. "Could this person also be a high-level body refiner, and his physical strength even surpasses mine?" Shi Kun began to feel astounded.

Liu Shuir, who had fallen behind, rested for a while, took some stamina-restoring pills, and then resumed her ascent. The big man's thoughts raced. He felt his steps slowing down, the pulling force beneath his feet becoming as heavy as Mount Tai, and his bones faintly creaking with "crackling" sounds, showing the immense burden on his body. As Shi Kun's speed significantly decreased, Han Li's pace remained consistent. Finally, after the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, he caught up with the big man and walked alongside him. Han Li turned his head, gave a faint smile to the profusely sweating Shi Kun, and then, without slowing down at all, effortlessly overtook him. After a few seemingly easy steps, he widened the distance from the big man.

The big man gritted his teeth, his body suddenly paused, and his feet were firmly planted on the spot. He then stared at Han Li's retreating back, his expression dark and uncertain. He watched as Han Li covered another hundred-plus stone steps in a short time, his figure showing no signs of slowing down. Shi Kun's face turned somewhat pale. He looked up at the purple palace at the summit, then used his spiritual sense to perceive Liu Shuir slowly catching up from below. After his eyelids twitched twice, he suddenly pulled out a small, blood-red bottle from his robe. The bottle was entirely clear and blood-red, with several inch-long miniature talismans affixed to its surface, making it appear exceptionally mysterious.

Without hesitation, Shi Kun opened his mouth and blew on the object in his hand. Instantly, a surge of yellow mist sprayed out, swirling around the blood-red bottle, and the few talismans detached themselves. With several muffled "thuds," these talismans transformed into several clusters of spiritual flames and vanished into the void. As soon as the talismans were removed, the bottle's lid immediately flew off, and a gush of blood-red fiery light sprayed out from the bottle, faintly enveloping a blood-red pill within. Shi Kun had anticipated this. With a forceful inhale, a suction force materialized out of thin air, drawing the pill into his mouth, and he swallowed it down his throat into his stomach. The pill dissolved almost instantly, transforming into a fervent heat that rushed directly to his Dantian and through various meridians.

Although Han Li was walking quickly ahead, he naturally noticed Shi Kun's actions, and his heart stirred. As a result, moments after the big man consumed the pill, a strange blood-red color appeared on his face. Then, his previously grayish-white skin turned a vibrant, almost dripping red, and began to emit an unusual high temperature. The spiritual light emanating from him also changed from yellow to an eerie red and yellow mix. Following this, Shi Kun let out a low roar. Veins suddenly bulged on his forehead, and his neck thickened to more than twice its original size. Then, his body rapidly expanded, growing to a height of four or five zhang. The now colossal Shi Kun, without hesitation, took a mighty stride. With a dull "boom," he directly crossed two steps at once. In this way, Shi Kun actually pursued Han Li with a pace slightly faster than his initial speed. Han Li saw this, and a keen light flickered in his eyes. Clearly, Shi Kun had resorted to a secret technique that harmed his vital essence; otherwise, if he possessed such a divine ability, he would have used it from the start, not waited until now. Thinking this, he dared not slacken. He immediately took a deep breath, performed a single-handed incantation, and the golden light on his body instantly intensified. Then, fast-forming golden scales appeared on the surface of his skin. Finally, Han Li raised a hand and touched the back of his head. With a "puchi" sound, a shimmering golden aura burst forth from his back, soaring upwards, and then condensed, transforming into a three-headed, six-armed golden phantom. As soon as the golden phantom appeared, it flashed with light and lunged onto Han Li's main body. Immediately, a reddish-golden hue flashed across his face and vanished. The golden scales on his body shimmered with an unusual light, unexpectedly forming a somewhat blurred set of golden luminous armor that tightly covered his body. Subsequently, Han Li's feet moved, and his movements were also one-third faster than before. He still maintained the current distance from the giantized Shi Kun behind him.

Seeing this, the two behind were naturally astonished. However, both Shi Kun and Liu Shuir, who was furthest back, had already used all their abilities, and could only continue ascending the mountain step by step at their own pace. Once Han Li was covered by the golden armor formed by his own Dharma Idol, his physical body was clearly augmented to an incredible speed. While it couldn't be described as moving like a flying bird, a slight movement of his toes would effortlessly carry him to the next stone step. Even though Shi Kun was in a great hurry behind, he could only watch Han Li's figure gradually move farther away, the distance between them widening.

After a short while, Han Li's figure was directly four or five hundred steps ahead of Shi Kun. Shi Kun, however, could not maintain his current speed, and his pace had to slow down again. This time, not only was Shi Kun's face drenched in sweat, but plumes of white mist also rose from his body, as if his entire being had become a massive furnace, looking truly astonishing. However, not only did Shi Kun's pace slow down again, but Han Li, who was ahead, also furrowed his brows and finally began to feel the immense pulling force. His steps also slowed. At this point, Han Li was only two or three hundred steps from the summit, but he frustratingly discovered that with every step he climbed, the increased pulling force far exceeded the previous rate of increment. Even someone like him, possessing a terrifying physical body that surpassed even ordinary Holy Race members, was starting to find it unbearable. After ascending another hundred or so steps, his body paused, and his pace became incredibly slow. He could barely take one step; each stride required him to visibly steady himself before he could lift his leg to continue upwards.

By this time, Shi Kun and Liu Shuir behind him had long since stopped again, able only to watch eagerly as Han Li approached the summit step by step. When Han Li finally reached the last ten-plus steps, the immense pulling force from the ground made him tremble with fear. The golden armor covering him also shook incessantly, appearing as if it could disintegrate at any moment. Out of helplessness, Han Li had no choice but to stop, just a stone's throw from the end of the mountain path.

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