When Elder Fu and Bai Yaoyi flew out of that impossibly long passage, Han Li was already hovering in the sky outside, gazing toward the top of the canyon walls and listening intently to something.
Only then did the two of them realize that once outside, the faint rumbling they had heard was actually growing weaker. Had they not been Nascent Soul cultivators with senses far beyond those of ordinary people, the sound would have seemed no more than a passing breeze.
"It seems to be coming from above, and from very far away. If this place weren't sealed by restrictions into a closed space, the echo would be far too great. We wouldn't have been able to hear it at all," Elder Fu said after listening for a moment, frowning.
"Since none of us are familiar with this place, we might as well go take a look. It's better than wandering around blindly. Of course, we should use concealment techniques while traveling — try not to let anyone spot us first." Han Li turned his head and glanced at the pair, offering his suggestion.
Elder Fu and Bai Yaoyi naturally had no objections. The two of them readily agreed.
Elder Fu formed a series of hand seals, and a vast expanse of green light suddenly surged from his body before condensing and dimming. His figure blurred along with it, ultimately dissolving into a faint green silhouette. Unless someone were right in front of him looking closely, they would have a very hard time noticing his presence.
Of course, this was partly due to the mountain's suppression of spiritual sense. Outside this mountain, this concealment technique would be far less effective against cultivators of the same rank.
Bai Yaoyi, meanwhile, raised one slender hand, and with a flash of cold light between her fingers, produced a crystalline token that looked as though it were forged from ice.
Holding the token aloft with one hand, she murmured an enchanting incantation, and a sheet of silver mist sprayed forth from the token. In moments, it enveloped her graceful figure entirely.
Then the light flickered, and Bai Yaoyi's form vanished into thin air.
Seeing the two of them use their techniques in succession to mask their presence, Han Li smiled faintly. Without any visible action, the spiritual light on his body flashed briefly, and his aura vanished completely.
Even though Elder Fu and Bai Yaoyi were standing right in front of Han Li, relying on spiritual sense alone, they would have almost believed the space before them was empty.
Both of them were startled.
Only then did Han Li unhurriedly produce a concealment talisman and slap it onto his body. Instantly, his figure became indistinct, flickering in and out of visibility.
"Let's move," Han Li murmured, and the three of them rose into the air.
In this mysterious, unfamiliar place, none of them flew particularly fast — moving at barely more than the speed of a lightness technique — as they followed the rumbling sound deeper into the unknown.
The three fled onward through landscape after landscape of lush, verdant growth brimming with spiritual energy. Virtually every spot they passed could have been considered a supreme cultivation site in the mortal world. Out there, countless sects would have fought tooth and nail over a single one of these locations.
But here, they were as common as blades of grass.
Half an hour passed. Han Li and the other two had encountered nothing unexpected, nor did they show any sign of relief.
The lifeless, dead-silent scenery — not a single living creature in sight — kept them on edge, filling them with a heavy sense of oppression.
"Brother Han, have you noticed? The spiritual energy here is so rich, yet after flying this entire distance, we haven't seen a single spirit herb or spirit tree — only ordinary plants and grass. Something doesn't seem right about that." Bai Yaoyi spoke up, her voice hesitant.
"I noticed it too. The spiritual energy here is quite good, but it grows denser the higher you go. That's the same as with spirit mountains in the outside world. The cultivators who originally lived on this mountain probably felt that growing spirit herbs at higher elevations would be more effective. They likely arranged it that way on purpose." Han Li, however, showed no surprise — he merely spoke in a relaxed, unhurried tone.
"Even richer spiritual energy than here!" Bai Yaoyi was taken aback.
After all, the spiritual energy in this place already struck her as an extraordinary cultivation site.
"Brother Han, if the top of this mountain truly has an even better cultivation sanctuary, there may be no rush for us to leave. Why not cultivate here for a time?" Elder Fu said, somewhat tempted by Han Li's words.
"Brother Fu, surely you don't actually think this is just an ordinary spirit mountain? If a place this rich in spiritual energy were safe for cultivation, the original inhabitants would never have abandoned it. Moreover, the entire mountain is enclosed by restrictions — that alone shows how unusual it is. If there's a way out, I for one will not be staying." Han Li let out a cold chuckle.
Hearing this, Elder Fu's expression shifted several times before he finally gave a bitter smile.
"Brother Han speaks reason. This is indeed no place for quiet cultivation. I was simply greedy for the spiritual energy here for a moment — I'd let my judgment get clouded."
"There's no blame in thinking that way, Brother Fu. It wasn't just you who was tempted — I had the same thought just now. After all, a cultivation site like this could save us a great deal of meditation time." Bai Yaoyi echoed with a note of regret.
Han Li smiled faintly and was about to say something more when his gaze swept absently to one side. His expression changed slightly, and he instantly halted his flight.
His pupils glimmered with blue light as he stared fixedly to one side.
Elder Fu and Bai Yaoyi looked over in puzzlement, following Han Li's gaze.
In the near distance, white mist curled and drifted, making things blurry and indistinct. But the three of them had already encountered this kind of fog-shrouded scenery many times along the way and thought nothing of it. It wasn't as though they could plunge into the fog every single time to investigate.