Chapter 366: Transmission

Soon after, Han Li emerged from the tree hollow and set off, using his magical artifact.

This time, however, Han Li was even more cautious on his return journey. He almost constantly kept his spiritual sense fully extended, immediately concealing himself the moment he sensed any disturbance. After all, given his current cultivation level, encountering any immortal cultivator would likely be extremely dangerous. Consequently, Han Li was on high alert throughout his journey, taking nearly half the time longer than his outward trip before finally returning to the underground cave.

Only when he stepped inside the "Inverted Five Elements Formation" did he truly breathe a sigh of relief. Qu Hun, meanwhile, remained dutifully seated by the teleportation array, unmoving, his posture identical to when Han Li had left. Seeing this, Han Li couldn't help but smile.

Han Li knew that restoring his cultivation would not be accomplished in just three or four years, so he was in no hurry to take pills or meditate. Instead, in the following days, he wholeheartedly continued repairing the ancient teleportation array. Given his current condition, traveling long distances to other countries in the chaotic cultivation world carried too great a risk. He could only hope that the ancient teleportation array would truly be usable once repaired.

Although Han Li's cultivation had significantly decreased, it did not hinder his repair work. After six or seven sleepless nights, all the repairs were complete. Staring at the fully restored ancient teleportation array, even Han Li, a person usually so composed, couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

What he needed to do next was the most crucial step, determining success or failure. He had to test whether the corresponding teleportation array on the other side still safely existed. If the array on the other end was also damaged or had long ceased to exist, then this ancient teleportation array would naturally remain unusable. In that case, he would have no choice but to abandon the idea of teleportation and seek another way out.

Thinking this, Han Li placed several low-grade spirit stones one by one around the teleportation array. When the last spirit stone was installed, Han Li hurriedly stepped back a few paces, involuntarily holding his breath. He watched as this ancient array, built countless years ago, suddenly emitted a buzzing sound. A yellow glow flashed across it, but it vanished instantly, like a fleeting epiphyllum, and stillness returned.

Han Li's heart sank. Had the other end of the ancient teleportation array truly been abandoned? Wouldn't everything he had done beforehand be in vain? Han Li's face filled with disappointment. Still unwilling to give up, he clasped his hands behind his back and began circling the teleportation array, a thoughtful expression occasionally appearing on his face.

Suddenly, he stopped, his brows furrowed tightly, as if he had remembered something. Then he bent down and pulled out one of the low-grade spirit stones he had just placed in the array. Upon seeing it, Han Li gasped. The spirit stone was dull white, completely devoid of spiritual energy.

Han Li revealed a thoughtful expression, which was soon replaced by a hint of joy. Without hesitation, he retrieved several gleaming mid-grade spirit stones from his storage pouch and proceeded to replace the low-grade ones. If he wasn't mistaken, it wasn't that the teleportation array was unusable, but rather that the low-grade spirit stones lacked sufficient spiritual energy to power this ancient formation.

When the last spirit stone was replaced, the teleportation array immediately emitted another muffled buzzing sound, followed by a powerful surge of spiritual energy. A dazzling yellow glow shot out from the center of the formation, piercing through the cave roof. The restrictions of the "Inverted Five Elements Formation" were unable to block it in the slightest.

Seeing this, Han Li was startled at first, but immediately remembered something, and his face instantly turned ashen. Almost simultaneously, a thunderous roar came from above the cave. Even with the grand formation's protection, Han Li felt the ground tremble.

Han Li's expression grew tenser. He quickly beckoned to Qu Hun, who was nearby, and moved to the edge of the teleportation array. At this moment, however, he hesitated. He truly didn't know what lay on the other side of the teleportation array. He had originally intended to first ascertain the other end's location and any potential dangers before deciding whether to actually stay there. But now the ancient teleportation array had been exposed. His departure was sure to be a one-way trip.

As Han Li hesitated, a startling "boom" sounded close by, causing him to look up in alarm. He saw that the entire cave roof had been completely torn open by some magical artifact. Dazzling sunlight poured down unceremoniously, illuminating the inside of the cave with perfect clarity. Outside the exposed cave, a large group of demonic cultivators floated in the air, equally surprised as they stared at Han Li and the ancient teleportation array glowing with yellow light.

"It's you again?" a voice of surprise and anger, came from among the demonic cultivators. Then the crowd shifted, and three figures flew out from within. The one in the middle, wearing a silver mask, was none other than Wang Chan, the Young Master of Ghost Spirit Sect. Behind him were two peculiar figures, one old and one young. The old one had white hair and a face full of wrinkles, while the young one had white teeth, red lips, and the appearance of a child. These were the Li brothers, who had previously appeared at Yanling Fort.

"An ancient teleportation array!" The moment the Li brothers saw the object within the yellow glow, they exchanged a glance, then simultaneously cried out in surprise and delight.

Wang Chan was startled at first upon hearing this, but immediately asked with wild joy: "Elders, you haven't mistaken it, have you? Is it truly that thing?" Wang Chan's voice trembled slightly. He knew perfectly well what a fully functional ancient teleportation array meant for a sect.

The elder of the Li brothers chuckled, just as he was about to say something, when his expression suddenly changed, and he sharply cried out: "No good! This brat is going to use the teleportation array! Seize him quickly!" Having said this, the elder opened his mouth, and a black streak of light shot directly towards Han Li. He knew that there was a certain delay from the moment the teleportation array activated until it officially transported someone away. This amount of time was enough for him to kill the young man several times over.

However, the moment his magical treasure flew into the cave, it erupted with a burst of light. A five-colored light barrier actually blocked the black light. Seeing this, the elder was momentarily stunned, but immediately roared with a ferocious expression: "Everyone attack together! This brat has set up a formation; we must break it immediately, or it will be too late!"

Hearing the elder's words, the demonic cultivators behind them suddenly awoke from their daze. All sorts of magical artifacts were immediately unleashed in unison. Even the youthful Li brother and Wang Chan, not idle, released their magical artifacts and treasures, fiercely striking downwards.

Han Li's "Inverted Five Elements Formation" was merely a simplified, temporary grand array. After a joint onslaught by two Core Formation cultivators and so many others, the five-colored light barrier immediately began to flicker and waver, showing signs of collapsing.

By this time, Han Li had already pulled Qu Hun to the center of the teleportation array. He held a token-shaped magical artifact in his hand, his eyes tightly shut, muttering incantations, completely disregarding the attacks from the demonic cultivators.

"A Grand Displacement Token! This brat really has this artifact?" After clearly seeing the shape of the token in Han Li's hand, the elder roared in exasperation. Then he abruptly clasped his hands together, and a large swath of black light threads surged out from them, shooting towards the light barrier below.

After the grand formation emitted several mournful cries, it finally collapsed under the immense pressure of this last straw. The five-colored light barrier shattered! With nothing to block them, various brilliant lights swept towards Han Li without pause, with an overwhelming momentum!

At this moment, Han Li's tightly shut eyes opened, and he uttered two extremely cold words: "Teleport."

Instantly, the yellow light intensified dramatically, and Han Li and Qu Hun's figures vanished abruptly within the yellow glow. All the attacks struck empty air.

Above the cave, the demonic cultivators were dumbfounded. Wang Chan and the Li brothers were even more livid. None of them possessed a Grand Displacement Token, so they naturally couldn't pursue Han Li. A moment later, the yellow light on the teleportation array flickered and then vanished.

Witnessing this, Wang Chan and the others who had been waiting nearby were furious! They naturally knew that Han Li, having just teleported away, must have destroyed the teleportation array on the other end. This meant that even if they found another Grand Displacement Token, they would no longer be able to use this ancient teleportation array.

But Wang Chan, harboring resentment, was still somewhat unwilling to give up. Using his authority as Young Master, he dispatched several cultivators to guard the spot day and night, fearing that the escaped Han Li might repair the array and teleport back. By then, he would surely capture Han Li alive and properly repay the "great kindness" of the other party repeatedly ruining his plans.

However, not long after, as the demonic cultivators resumed their expansion, the Young Master of Ghost Spirit Sect began his career of conquests once more and soon forgot about this matter.

Meanwhile, the Southern Heavenly Cultivation World, without Han Li, remained in prolonged chaos. Because one or two years later, to counter the growing power of the Demonic Dao and the Orthodox Alliance, the remaining states finally united to form the "Heavenly Dao Alliance," creating a three-way standoff. All three factions were roughly equal in strength, naturally leading to endless conflicts. It seemed unlikely that a decisive victor would emerge anytime soon.

As for the cultivators from the Six Sects who had fled to other countries, they finally settled down in the Nine-State Alliance. However, due to matters of spiritual veins, spirit mines, and other resources, they reignited conflicts with some local sects to secure territories for their survival. Of course, if the Mulan Tribe's spellcasters invaded the Nine States, they would naturally have to contribute their strength and personnel, no longer able to live as freely and carefree as they had in the State of Yue.

As a result, many Foundation Establishment cultivators and even Core Formation masters from the Six Sects died in battles against the "spellcasters." Han Li's master, Li Huayuan, also died on the spot in a fierce battle more than a decade later. However, a new generation of cultivators within the Six Sects also rapidly grew. Even among Foundation Establishment cultivators, some finally managed to enter the Core Formation stage...