Chapter 442: Ghost Mist Remains

Although Han Li cultivated the path to immortality, he had no belief in the concept of destiny. For him, cultivating to become an immortal was merely a means to achieve eternal life. Even if a true immortal appeared before him, he would immediately feel immense awe, but he likely wouldn't be able to genuinely prostrate himself and obey every command.

After a moment of surprise, Fairy Ziling and Ge Li showed slight embarrassment at Han Li's blunt remarks. In truth, Han Li wasn't the only one who thought this way; most cultivators regarded the "Crying Soul" incident as just a legend. It was simply that, ordinarily, no one would express it as directly as Han Li did. After all, they still had reservations about discussing topics related to destiny and the Dao of Heaven.

By this time, the black-robed figure had already ventured deep into the ghostly mist with "Crying Soul," completely vanishing from sight. Han Li glanced at the mist, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Let's go too!" he said. "Since someone is willing to clear a path for us first, it would be rude to refuse such an offer."

"What do you mean, Fellow Daoist Han?" the elder, Master Ge, asked, as if he didn't quite understand. In fact, the elder naturally understood Han Li's intention. If Han Li hadn't agreed to cooperate, he would likely have done the same thing. However, having just dismissed the black-robed figure, he now had to rely on that person's efforts to navigate the ghostly mist. In front of Han Li and Fairy Ziling, he naturally felt a bit awkward. So he feigned ignorance, prompting Han Li to say it first.

Hearing the elder's words, Han Li gave him a half-smile, said nothing, and led the way in the direction where the black-robed figure had vanished. Fairy Ziling naturally followed without hesitation. Seeing this, Ge Li paused for a moment, then, blushing slightly, also caught up.

As soon as the grayish-white ghostly mist sensed living beings approaching, it began to seethe as if alive, swirling and surging towards the three. If ordinary mortals were enveloped by this grayish-white mist, their vital essence would be instantly drained, turning them into withered corpses. Their souls would then become part of the mist, trapped in the ghostly realm forever, unable to escape. But Han Li and his companions were cultivators, so they naturally had no fear of this mere ghostly mist.

As light shimmered around them, each of the three displayed their own method of defense. Ge Li raised his hand, releasing a small, reddish umbrella that slowly spun about ten feet above his head. A pillar of red light enveloped the elder. The moment the ghostly mist touched this red light, it emitted a sizzling sound, followed by strange green smoke and faint wails. The rest of the ghostly mist, witnessing this, merely bared its fangs and claws from beyond the red light, no longer daring to surge forward, as if possessing intelligence.

Fairy Ziling, on the other hand, released four fist-sized spherical artifacts that revolved around her, forming a moving barrier about ten feet wide. This barrier was pure white and crystalline, shaped like a square. It repelled all the ghostly mist, preventing it from coming even an inch close to Fairy Ziling. However, Han Li's protective method was the most unusual.

Han Li emitted only a soft, shimmering green light, using no artifacts or treasures. As the ghostly mist approached him, it was instantly vaporized by several inexplicable flashes of electric light, vanishing into thin air. This peculiar sight naturally surprised both Ge Li and Fairy Ziling. However, they were sensible enough not to ask directly. While perplexed, Fairy Ziling vaguely thought of the Sky-thunder Bamboo, though she wasn't entirely certain.

Han Li continued to lead the way, seemingly unfazed. This wasn't because he wanted to act like a hero. In a place where ghostly energy permeated all directions, there was little difference between walking at the front or the back. He figured it was better to be at the front to better assess any dangers.

As for the electric light, it was merely a portion of the sword energy from his Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords, spread over his protective shield. Only the body-protecting sword shield ability of the "Azure Essence Sword Arts" allowed him to directly use a part of his flying sword's power without needing to release the artifact itself. This was a casting method Han Li had only recently comprehended. And with the evil-repelling properties of the Golden Thunder Bamboo, these ghostly mists were naturally a trivial matter. Of course, Han Li didn't fully unleash the Golden Thunder Bamboo's power, so the electric light was only faint white, making it unlikely for others to recognize the bamboo.

However, his powerful divine sense, far surpassing that of ordinary cultivators, had been fully unleashed the moment he entered the ghostly mist. This was to prevent any surprise attacks from malevolent spirits without him knowing. After all, even with their cultivators' spiritual eyes, they couldn't see very far in the dense ghostly mist.

Nevertheless, the path left by the black-robed figure was easy to find in the thick mist. A channel about ten feet wide, significantly lighter than the surrounding fog, was clearly visible to the naked eye. Han Li and his companions simply needed to follow this trail. It was unclear whether this was due to the black-robed figure's cultivation technique or the peculiar nature of "Crying Soul." But to Han Li, it didn't matter; he wasn't bothered to ponder it. The more powerful "Crying Soul" was, the more advantageous it would naturally be for those who followed behind them.

With an impassive expression, he observed his surroundings while walking slowly, his steps uneven due to the terrain. The ground beneath their feet was uneven and felt damp, suggesting high humidity. They continued for an unknown duration, with nothing happening along the way. Unknowingly, they had followed the black-robed figure deep into the ghostly mist. Furthermore, the color of the mist had begun to change from its original grayish-white to a gradually darkening black.

However, as time passed, Han Li's expression gradually grew solemn, and he furrowed his brows tightly. With a crisp "crack," Han Li suddenly stopped and looked down. Fairy Ziling and the elder behind him, seeing this, also gathered around curiously.

Han Li's eyes narrowed slightly, then returned to normal, and he moved one foot away from its spot. Beneath his foot was merely a pile of white bones, wrapped in shimmering green robes that didn't seem to be ordinary attire. Nearby lay the fragments of a broken sword, shattered into several pieces. Its texture was clear and crystalline, appearing to retain some spiritual essence. It seemed this was an unfortunate cultivator who had met their end here.

A strange light flickered in Han Li's eyes, but he then shook his head. Given that the artifact fragments still retained their spiritual essence after so many years, this person must have been a cultivator of considerable power in life. Yet, after dying here, their bones weren't even collected. This was a stark and tragic contrast to their former glory. It showed that a single misstep on the path of cultivation could lead to irreversible catastrophe, with an end even more tragic than that of an ordinary person. This cultivator's soul must now be part of the ghostly mist, or perhaps transformed into a malevolent spirit, making it difficult to ever re-enter the cycle of reincarnation.

As Han Li sighed inwardly, he inadvertently glanced at the other two. Fairy Ziling's face was slightly pale; seeing Han Li look at her, she offered a strained smile. Master Ge's expression, however, was rather peculiar. He stared intently at the green robes for a moment, then flicked his finger, sending an egg-sized flame towards them. However, before it could even touch the robes, the flame flickered and died out instantly.

"Ah! It really is him!" Ge Li murmured, raising his head, his face darkening.

"Oh? Fellow Daoist Ge, do you know him?" Han Li asked calmly, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the bones.

Fairy Ziling also showed curiosity.

"This person should be True Immortal Yu, with whom I had a few encounters," Ge Li said with several long sighs. "He formed his Core much earlier than I did, and the Fire-Repelling Treasure Robe he wore was refined from hundred-year-old ice silkworm threads, making it impervious to ordinary flames. It was quite a well-known treasure. When the Void Celestial Temple opened last time, I heard he went, but he never returned. I didn't expect him to truly be trapped here, and to not even have passed the first trial. What a tragedy!"

Han Li fell silent after hearing this, but a moment later, he suddenly asked a question that startled the elder.

"How were this True Immortal Yu's cultivation and the power of his artifacts? Were they much more profound than yours, Fellow Daoist?" Han Li asked calmly.

Hearing this, Ge Li seemed to grasp Han Li's implication. He stroked the beard on his chin slightly, then affirmed:

"Although True Immortal Yu was at the early Foundation Establishment stage, just like me currently, at that time, it was said he was on the verge of breaking through to the mid-Core Formation stage. His magical power should have been significantly more profound than mine. Furthermore, he possessed the extremely rare ice-attribute spiritual root, and I was far inferior in cultivating ice-elemental techniques. As for his artifacts, I never saw him in combat, so I can't really judge. But they shouldn't have been worse than mine, right?" As the elder spoke, his complexion grew increasingly grim.

"In that case, there must be a formidable entity nearby," Han Li said, his expression equally serious. "I found it strange from the start; even with the Crying Soul Beast clearing the way, we haven't encountered any wild ghosts or wandering souls along the entire journey, apart from this ghostly mist. The black-robed figure couldn't possibly have cleared out all the local specters and demons for us, could they?"