Chapter 2364

In a small valley on the edge of the Wan Yue Mountain Range, over a hundred high-level cultivators in various attire had gathered together, performing some unknown great formation.

Beside them, a tall and imposing man in brocade robes watched everything with a blank expression.

……

In a strange swamp filled with countless poisonous insects, a light-blue stone platform stood, upon which a small cauldron emitting a green light was enshrined.

Near the stone platform, three extremely ugly old men sat cross-legged in different directions, their expressions solemn as they closed their eyes and cultivated something.

……

"The eight countries near the Qi Yun Mountain Range, including Yu Guang Guo and Chuan Yun Guo, have all been destroyed. How is this possible?"

In another giant city far, far away from Blood Crane City, an old man in green robes could not quite believe what he was seeing as he sternly shouted at a yellow-clothed man before him.

"Lady Bi Ying, my words are absolutely not false in the slightest. These eight countries, from top to bottom, whether officials or common folk, have all mysteriously disappeared a month ago, not a single survivor left to be found." The yellow-clothed man replied with repeated nods.

The old man in green robes was none other than Bi Ying, who had once crossed paths with Han Li.

"What about those great and small sects within the Qi Yun Mountain Range? With such an astonishing event occurring, surely the people within the sects would have noticed something?" Bi Ying asked, her face sinking like water.

"This subordinate has also specifically investigated this matter. Among the nineteen great and small sects in the Qi Yun Mountain Range, the same absence of people was found, as if they had met the same fate as those eight countries." The yellow-clothed man replied with a bitter smile.

"They all disappeared in the same way? Although these nineteen sects are nothing on the Blood Heaven Continent, united they form a force not to be underestimated. Even if the alliance took action, it would be impossible to silently wipe them all out without a sound. This matter is so strange—surely some clues must have been found?" Bi Ying's eyes flickered a few times before she slowly asked.

"Clues cannot be said to be completely absent. After discovering this, the alliance immediately sent people to investigate the eight countries and these sects. The result was that no traces of fierce resistance were found in either the cities of the eight countries or within the sects. This suggests either these people were voluntarily taken away, or the opposing side's strength is so strong as to be unbelievable, leaving the eight countries and over a dozen sects without even the qualification to resist." The yellow-clothed man replied, lowering his head slightly.

"Which possibility do you believe it to be?" Bi Ying countered.

"This subordinate believes it is very likely the second scenario." The yellow-clothed man replied without much thought.

"What?"

"As for the common folk of the eight countries, needless to say, it is absolutely impossible for the cultivators of those nineteen sects to have voluntarily left their sects. The alliance's investigators found traces of Blood Dao aura remaining in the Qi Yun Mountain Range. Lady Bi Ying, you also know that only Blood Dao cultivation methods possess the means to rapidly advance cultivation through blood sacrifice. If these people were truly taken away for this purpose, such a large-scale blood sacrifice would be extremely rare even on the Blood Heaven Continent.

Moreover, the Blood Dao aura remaining in the Qi Yun Mountain Range is absolutely terrifying, definitely left behind by Blood Dao powerhouses of the Mahayana ancestor level or higher. Only such vicious individuals would dare to commit such acts without restraint." The yellow-clothed man stated, analyzing point by point.

"What you say has some merit. It is very likely the owner of that Blood Dao aura who did this. This matter is no small affair, but now the alliance is fully preparing for the Strongers' War and cannot divert too much strength elsewhere. However, two of the eight countries belong to the alliance, so we cannot simply ignore them. In that case, you shall report the investigation results to the Ti Xue Men and Feng She Zu, the nearest forces to the Qi Yun Mountain Range. These two powers are the largest in the vicinity, both have Mahayana ancestors holding the fort, and also have significant interests in the Qi Yun Mountain Range, making it impossible for them to truly ignore this matter. Later, I will also ask Yan Yu Zhen Ren to make a trip and jointly investigate with the ancestors of these two great powers." Bi Ying finally spoke with a decision.

"Yes, this subordinate knows how to proceed and will arrange everything properly and thoroughly." The yellow-clothed man immediately bowed and obeyed the command.

……

The surface of a giant lake in the northern part of the Qi Yun Mountain Range shimmered with a lustrous green, and after the spring breeze blew over it, ripples spread across its surface, with some fish and shrimp swimming beneath, everything appearing perfectly normal.

However, above an unfathomably deep underwater canyon at the lake's bottom, layer upon layer of mysterious restrictions had been laid, tightly sealing what seemed to be an extraordinarily long canyon.

Within these restrictions, clusters of congealed, undissipated blood mist floated about, dyeing the entire canyon a vivid red, making it impossible to see anything inside clearly.

Yet beneath the blood mist flowed a foul-smelling black-red blood river, hundreds of zhang wide yet endless to the eye, winding extremely as it followed the canyon straight toward an immeasurably distant place.

On the surface of this gurgling blood river, a blurry human figure sat cross-legged.

This figure made hand seals with one hand while holding a gleaming object in the other, as strands of sticky blood water flew out from the river one after another, sinking into it.

……

Half a month later, as Han Li sat in meditation with closed eyes in the courtyard, his body suddenly emitted a series of clear ringing sounds.

Han Li's expression stirred, and he instantly opened his eyes. With a flick of his sleeve, a golden light shot out from within.

It was precisely a pale gold talisman.

After Han Li narrowed his eyes and looked at the gold talisman for a moment, he pointed with one hand to put it away, then his form blurred once, and he directly vanished from within the room.

Several hours later, Han Li departed Blood Crane City with the Flower Stone Old Ancestor and Blood Soul, transforming into several streaks of escape light that shot straight toward the nearby Wan Yue Mountain Range.

Not long after, in the palace at the center of Blood Crane City, the masked man suddenly lost his voice and exclaimed:

"What, that human Mahayana has already left the city and is heading toward the Wan Yue Mountain Range?"

"Indeed, disciple followed the instructions of the Grand Elder Lao Tuo, and as soon as there was news of Senior Han leaving the city, I immediately came to report." A mid-stage Body Integration cultivator, extremely respectful, stood before Xiao Ming and reported.

"Well done, you may withdraw." Xiao Ming's expression shifted between cloudy and clear for a moment, then he broke into a slight smile and waved his hand.

That Body Integration cultivator immediately understood and withdrew from the main hall.

"Han Li actually went to the Wan Yue Mountain Range as well; with his abilities, this could prove troublesome." Xiao Ming's side rippled, and two faint illusions flashed into view—none other than Wan Hua Fu Ren and Qing Ping Dao Ren.

The speaker was precisely Wan Hua Fu Ren, her words filled with wariness toward Han Li, clearly still haunted by their previous encounter.

"Could it not be a coincidence? Han Dao You previously mentioned having other matters in the surrounding area. Moreover, it is not yet the day the Tian Ding Palace manifests; if he truly came for this, setting out now would be premature." Xiao Ming finally spoke.

"At such a time, entering the Wan Yue Mountain Range cannot be easily dismissed as mere 'coincidence.' As for not yet reaching the opening time, those who go to the mountain range to wait in advance are certainly not limited to this Han Dao You alone. Now, the Wan Yue Mountain Range has likely already gathered many who wait like hunters, and adding one more person is hardly remarkable." Qing Ping Dao Ren said calmly.

"It seems you both believe this Han Dao You also came from the Tian Ding Palace." Xiao Ming appeared thoughtful.

"Though it cannot be said to be a hundred percent certain, ten out of ten is not far off. Now that such a great enemy has appeared, Xiao Xiong, do you have any good strategies?" Qing Ping Dao Ren countered.

"What need is there for any strategy? Even if his strength is unmatched, without the key, he cannot enter the Tian Ding Palace at all. Even if we retreat a step and say he truly managed to seize the key from others, the Tian Ding Palace's restrictions are layered heavily. With your inheritance as the Tian Ding True Person lineage, plus my attainments in the art of formations, would we truly fear this person?" Xiao Ming replied with a hehe laugh.

"That is also true; I have been somewhat muddle-headed. This person, even with heaven-defying abilities, but as long as we find the core of the great formation in the palace one step ahead of him, then even if other great enemies join forces, we need not take him to heart at all." Qing Ping Dao Ren stared for a moment, then suddenly broke into a foolish smile.

Upon hearing this, Wan Hua Fu Ren also relaxed greatly.

Xiao Ming, however, rubbed his chin, a hint of something thought-provoking flashing in his gaze.

……

Seven days later, within the belly of a certain tall mountain peak in the Wan Yue Mountain Range, in a temporarily opened cave dwelling, Han Li sat on a stone chair in the main hall of the cave dwelling, his expression calm as he listened to Blood Soul recounting some matters.

"... just like that, to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, before entering the Tian Ding Palace with a true key, I deliberately used a special secret technique to leave this incarnation and the Xu Tian Ding outside. If, after a period of time, I do not return on schedule, this incarnation of mine will automatically activate and seal most related memories. And according to the main body's prior calculations, the time for the Tian Ding Palace's second manifestation has arrived again, and to rescue the main body, one must re-enter it. The Xu Tian Ding is precisely a counterfeit key forged using the Jin Que Yu Shu secret technique for entering the Tian Ding Palace. Although it is only a counterfeit key, its effect is only about half that of the original, and rashly storming the main gate of the Tian Ding Palace would be too dangerous. But I discovered a flaw in the Tian Ding Palace's great formation earlier; even with only this counterfeit key, there is still a chance to sneak in..."

Blood Soul recounted for the length of a meal before finally finishing her account of what happened to Bing Po back then.

"So you say, Blood Soul Dao You has finally recovered all her memories. This is truly a cause for celebration. Back then, when your Xu Tian Ding came to trade with Han Li, although due to the memory seal you did not know the specifics of the Tian Ding True Person and the Tian Ding Palace, you only knew this cauldron was a super-secret treasure whose key would stir even Mahayana beings, but you never said it was merely a counterfeit, not the true opening object. This point differs somewhat from our original agreement." Han Li's face showed no trace of abnormality as he spoke lightly.