Chapter 2302: True Immortal Descends Fuling Mountain

The population of the Spirit Race was already exceptionally sparse compared to the neighboring Human and Monster races. Furthermore, as Han Li and his companions intentionally piloted their flying boat along unusually remote routes, they naturally encountered even fewer members of the Spirit Race. These Spirit Race members harbored no suspicion whatsoever towards the transformed Ink Spirit Saint Boat and the demonic crystal puppets standing outside. In fact, a few Artifact Spirit Race members specifically greeted these "fellow tribesmen," who possessed considerable cultivation, with a few words of salutation. At Han Li's signal, the transformed puppets easily handled these "tribesmen."

Two months later, the flying boat finally reached Cuiyan City, the largest city in the central region of the Spirit Race territory. Approximately one hundred thousand li from this city lay Spiritfall Mountain, the sacred land of the entire Spirit Race. This mountain was home to the Spirit King, who commanded unparalleled prestige within the Spirit Race, as well as Sacred Guards who had sworn never to leave the mountain throughout their lives. According to the Spirit Race's prohibitions, the area within 30,000 li of this mountain was designated a restricted zone, and Spirit Race members below the Integration Stage were strictly forbidden from approaching. Beings above the Integration Stage were not permitted to enter the upper half of Spiritfall Mountain without a personal decree from the Spirit King, and could only stay for brief periods in the lower sections of the mountainside.

In recent years, the Spirit King, who had regularly summoned newly-ascended Saint Spirits to the sacred mountain, suddenly announced his intention to enter secluded cultivation for a mysterious technique. After entrusting tribal affairs to a few trusted Saint Spirits, he completely sealed off the entire sacred land and stopped meeting anyone from outside. This sealing of the mountain was unprecedented and naturally caused a considerable stir among the Spirit Race. However, the Saint Spirits were highly respected figures, and under their combined efforts, no major chaos truly erupted within the Spirit Race, though rumors naturally circulated in secret. During this period, an unsettling undercurrent of peculiar atmosphere pervaded the entire Spirit Race.

On their journey, Han Li, Mo Jianli, and their companions had thoroughly gathered all relevant information. While surprised by the unexpected developments within the Spirit Race, they did not alter their plan to meet the Spirit King. After all, given that the Spirit King had recently traded a Heavenly Thunder Talisman with a Grand Ascension Stage cultivator from another race, he was clearly not truly in secluded cultivation but secretly plotting something else. Regardless of this Spirit Race Grand Ascension Stage cultivator's undisclosed plans, Han Li and Mo Jianli, who were determined to acquire the Heavenly Thunder Talisman, naturally had no intention of retreating.

After a discussion, they moored the Ink Spirit Saint Boat near Cuiyan City, leaving Yin Yue and the demonic crystal puppets behind. The two then flew together towards Spiritfall Mountain. With this arrangement, if anything went wrong during their encounter with the Spirit King, their Grand Ascension Stage cultivation would be more than sufficient for self-preservation without any encumbrances.

Half a day later, Han Li and Mo Jianli arrived unnoticed near the Spirit Race's sacred mountain. Han Li looked up. As far as his gaze could reach, vibrant rainbows arced across the high sky, and beneath these shimmering bridges, a verdant mountain peak, over ten thousand zhang tall, faintly glittered with crystalline light. Even with his body concealed by a secret technique, Han Li’s pupils involuntarily contracted. Given his current strength, he could clearly discern that this legendary "Sacred Mountain" of the Spirit Race possessed an extraordinarily terrifying invisible spiritual pressure, as if it were an exotic treasure of immense power, by no means inferior to his own Extreme Mountains.

"How intriguing! This Spirit King is willing to let the Sacred Mountain reveal its true power just to completely seal off this place. It seems there's indeed something suspicious at play." Mo Jianli, whose body had also turned transparent, remarked with a click of his tongue. Clearly, this Human Race Grand Ascension cultivator had also instantly perceived some of the mountain's profound mysteries.

"Brother Mo, it appears the Spirit King has indeed set up extremely formidable restrictions here. Should we still proceed?" Han Li asked calmly.

"Why wouldn't we? Even if this mountain is extraordinary, how could it truly stop the two of us when we combine our strength? Besides, if we don't demonstrate some of our abilities first, Lord Spirit King might not be willing to reveal himself and meet with us. Daoist Han, you wouldn't suddenly change your mind at the eleventh hour, would you?" Mo Jianli said with a chuckle.

"Since Brother Mo has a plan, how could I possibly retreat? I will naturally see this through to the very end," Han Li said with a laugh, showing no surprise. After a brief further discussion, the two immediately decided to act separately.

Mo Jianli formed a hand seal with one hand and began chanting a spell. A bizarre sight unfolded! The transparent body of the Human Race Grand Ascension cultivator began to emit a milky white halo amidst the incantation. He then seemed to melt, collapsing into an inconspicuous transparent liquid mass, which then strangely burrowed underground and vanished without a trace. Han Li's eyes flickered with a hint of surprise at this sight, but he quickly regained his composure and immediately flicked his sleeve.

With a "bang," a talisman shot out, bursting into countless purple runes that engulfed Han Li’s body before transforming into swirling mist. When the mist dispersed, the spot was empty; Han Li had vanished into thin air. That talisman was precisely a Taiyi Purifying Talisman, which Han Li had recently re-refined. Although this talisman had been rarely used since Han Li entered the Integration Stage, it didn't mean that the Taiyi Purifying Talisman was truly of little use to him now. On the contrary, because this talisman was refined using secret Immortal Realm techniques, its power continuously increased with every increment of Han Li's cultivation. Unfortunately, several materials required for its refinement were extremely scarce, and the few talismans he had previously refined had long been depleted. Even after his cultivation significantly increased, he could barely re-refine more than a few, thus he naturally wouldn't use them lightly under normal circumstances. Furthermore, given Han Li's current divine abilities, opportunities that compel him to conceal his form are truly rare. However, now that he needed to infiltrate Spiritfall Mountain and secretly meet the mysterious Spirit King—whose intentions were unknown—it was indeed an opportune moment to use it.

Feeling his body transform into a void state, Han Li subtly moved his feet, and his entire being drifted lightly towards the nearby mountain peak. The moment his etherealized body entered Spiritfall Mountain, he distinctly felt several layers of unusual fluctuations sweep over him, only for them to pass by again immediately, as if he simply didn't exist. Han Li smiled faintly at this. He clearly sensed that these fluctuations were far beyond what ordinary restrictions could produce, yet they showed no sign of detecting his presence. This demonstrated that after his advancement to the Grand Ascension Stage, the Taiyi Purifying Talisman had become even more miraculously effective. Han Li no longer hesitated and flew directly upwards.

As he ascended, through a faint spiritual connection in his divine consciousness, he clearly sensed that Mo Jianli had also infiltrated the mountain by unknown means, quietly traversing the rocks unimpeded not far below him. The two, one above and one below, ascended silently in perfect coordination. Along the way, Spirit Race guards periodically appeared in patrolling teams. They wore armored suits of various colors, or were enveloped in strange light, or possessed appearances as grotesque as demons. Yet, each exuded a formidable aura, most being at the Deity Transformation or Spatial Tempering stages. Such cultivation, high-ranking even within the Spirit Race, was considered merely that of an ordinary guard in this place. It seemed this Sacred Mountain was truly heavily guarded and impenetrable for ordinary beings, yet it was questionable whether it could truly deter Grand Ascension Stage cultivators like Han Li and Mo Jianli.

Han Li flew unhesitatingly along a mountain path, soon reaching the mountainside where he spotted a colossal purplish-red archway towering in the distance. Below the archway, on either side, sat a white-robed middle-aged man in a meditative posture. Of the two, one had no hair on his head but possessed a handsome and refined appearance. The other's face was deeply pitted and extraordinarily ugly, but a red light pulsated ceaselessly on his head, where a mass of crimson flames fiercely burned, resembling fiery red hair. What truly caught Han Li's attention, however, was not their appearances. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, he easily discerned that both were Integration Stage cultivators. One appeared to be in the mid-Integration Stage, and the other in the late-Integration Stage. Could these two be among the Saint Spirits rumored to be in charge of all affairs on the Sacred Mountain?

A thought crossed Han Li's mind, and he naturally considered this possibility. Yet, his body did not pause; with a flicker, he phased through the archway and reappeared dozens of zhang beyond it. The two Integration Stage Spirit Race members remained motionless, eyes tightly shut, seemingly completely unaware of his passage. Han Li smiled inwardly. Just as he was about to proceed indifferently, the archway suddenly erupted in a brilliant purple light, accompanied by a loud humming sound.

"How audacious!"

"Who is stealthily hiding below!"

The two Spirit Race members, who had previously seemed like clay statues, simultaneously opened their eyes, each letting out a loud shout before striking, one after the other. Behind the bald Spirit Race man, a dazzling colorful glow flashed, revealing a ten-foot-tall, four-armed Buddha statue. It shone brilliantly and held a seven-colored token with clasped hands, which it suddenly swung towards the ground. With a "whoosh," a seven-colored light beam erupted, piercing directly into the ground. The other Spirit Race man, with a "bang," caused the crimson flames above his head to suddenly surge, condensing into a crimson silk net. It then coiled and descended to cover the area where the seven-colored light beam had struck.

The seven-colored light beam merely flickered, instantly reaching hundreds of zhang deep underground. An unexpected sweep by the beam revealed a transparent shadow, which suddenly materialized into its true human form. It was none other than Mo Jianli, the Human Race Grand Ascension Stage cultivator. Before an astonished expression could appear on his face, the crimson silk net, ignoring the distance of over a hundred zhang, instantly arrived above his head. With a "boom," it transformed into rolling flames that swept downwards.

Mo Jianli’s expression darkened at this sight. With a cold snort, he abruptly flicked his sleeve upwards, and a surge of white mist instantly gushed out. Upon contact, the fierce flames were completely absorbed as if clay oxen plunging into the sea, unable to approach him in the slightest. Just as a hint of a sneer flickered across Mo Jianli’s face, with a "hiss," a crimson talisman suddenly shot out from the flames. With a flash, it instantly dispersed into countless crimson threads. The next moment, without the slightest warning, a red light abruptly appeared on Mo Jianli’s body, and a crimson fire chain instantly materialized, coiling around him and binding him tightly.