The moment the stone door rumbled open, Daoist Crab sensed it immediately. In a flicker, he appeared before Han Li, his silver-gleaming eyes sweeping up and down as he sized him up.
Daoist Crab had long since recovered his Mahayana-stage strength. With a single sweep of his gaze, the look in his eyes was as sharp as a blade.
Han Li couldn't help but feel a slight prickle of unease the moment their eyes met.
"You intend to attempt the breakthrough to Mahayana," Daoist Crab said. This puppet of quasi-immortal grade, who so rarely spoke of his own accord, had evidently perceived something from Han Li's bearing and slowly offered the observation unprompted.
"Brother Crab has seen through it. I do indeed intend to take this step," Han Li replied. He felt no surprise at all, only solemnity in his voice.
"Your vital energy and body are both in an exceptional state. If you attempt the Mahayana bottleneck now, you should have better than a fifty percent chance of success. Such odds are exceedingly rare, even in the Immortal World." Daoist Crab's eyes flashed with an odd light several times before he finally spoke.
"Having Brother Crab's reassurance puts me much more at ease. However, the disturbance from the breakthrough will be considerable. I'm afraid it may attract unwanted attention, and I'd like to ask you to serve as my Protector when the time comes." Han Li's face brightened with delight, and he cupped his fists in request.
"Since you ask, I will naturally ensure your safety. But any expenditure on my part during that time will be deducted from the offerings you supply." Daoist Crab nodded, his expression returning to its usual placid indifference.
"Of course. I'll be counting on you then." Han Li offered a faint smile and agreed without hesitation.
Just as he was about to leave, the door of another nearby sealed chamber also groaned open, and from within stepped a woman with a graceful silhouette.
It was Silver Moon, who had been in seclusion cultivation nearby as well.
Her complexion was a shade paler than usual, but the moment she emerged, her beautiful eyes fixed on Han Li with a peculiar light. She gave a slight nod and asked softly:
"Congratulations, Brother Han, on your great advancement in cultivation. But to attempt the Mahayana bottleneck now — isn't it a bit premature? Why not spend a few more years consolidating your realm?"
It was clear that Silver Moon was not currently under the influence of the Emotionless Technique.
"Silver Moon, it's been a while, and your cultivation has advanced as well. It seems Senior Ao Xiao's technique truly is effective. My state of mind and vital energy are both in a wondrous equilibrium at this moment. If I can't break through to Mahayana now, then even granting me another hundred or a thousand years, I doubt I'd succeed." Han Li sent a sweep of spiritual sense over Silver Moon and answered with a smile.
"Brother Han surpasses me in both cultivation and insight. Since you say so, there must be good reason. Then I'll serve alongside Brother Crab as your Protector as well, to prevent any petty troublemakers from disrupting your breakthrough." Silver Moon thought for a moment, then declared with resolve.
"If you're willing to serve as well, I couldn't ask for more. Oh — where is Guo'er? She doesn't seem to be in the cave dwelling." Han Li thanked her with undisguised pleasure, but after sending his spiritual sense sweeping through the entire dwelling, he asked with some surprise.
"Guo'er has hit a bottleneck in her cultivation technique recently. She needs to absorb the essence of the rising sun each day in order to break through, so she moved out of the cave dwelling a few years ago. She's been cultivating alone on a nearby mountain peak." Silver Moon was intimately familiar with the matter and explained briefly.
"So that's how it is. The Womanhood Reincarnation Art truly is different from ordinary techniques. She has her own path of cultivation, so there's no need for us to interfere." Han Li nodded, reassured.
And so, the three of them flew out of the cave dwelling, transforming into three streaks of light that circled once in the sky nearby before shooting off in a particular direction.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the three lights descended in a basin several tens of thousands of miles from Han Li's original dwelling, and three figures materialized.
Han Li surveyed the vast, empty surroundings and the distant mountain peaks barely visible on the horizon. Only then did he nod with satisfaction.
"This is the place. You two wait nearby while I set up several large-scale spell formations and make the necessary preparations. These external aids won't be able to block much of the Heavenly Tribulation directly, but they can mask some of the celestial phenomena during the breakthrough and delay anyone from finding this location."
Silver Moon and Daoist Crab naturally had no objections. They nodded and each transformed into a streak of light, shooting toward two separate peaks nearby. With a flicker, they landed on them respectively.
The two each found a flat boulder to sit on, watching Han Li's every move from afar.
Han Li drew a deep breath, then gave his wide sleeves a shake. Over a dozen orbs of white light shot forth, each one materializing into a giant ape puppet that stood before him, cradling stacks of formation flags, formation discs, and various other array-arranging tools in their hands.
"Go," Han Li commanded.
All the puppets sprang into motion, rising into the air and fanning out in every direction. Moments later, they began carefully deploying their tools across the ground and through the surrounding void.
Han Li himself circled along the rim of the basin, flipping his palm to produce chunks of crystalline, flawless-grade spirit stones, which he rained down upon the ground like a downpour.
Before long, layer upon layer of spell formations began to take shape within the basin.
Han Li flickered back to the center and produced treasure after treasure — each one shimmering with a lustrous glow — tossing them to various points within the formations.
Most of these treasures had been obtained from the numerous demon clan Venerables and Holy Ancestor avatars Han Li had slain. Every single one was extraordinary, steeped in provenance. If any ordinary Body Integration cultivator were to lay eyes on even one of them, they would have been driven to wild elation,treasuring it as a priceless heirloom.