Chapter 1077: The Sixth Floor

"That's all I know about the Tai Sui Immortal Mansion. You already know the purpose of my and Hu San's visit here. What do you think, Fellow Daoist Han, about the alliance I just proposed?" Shi Qinghou asked after waiting a moment, seeing that Han Li had not spoken.

"Alright. I can agree to join forces with you two, and even help you seize the life-bound soul tablet later. But if I encounter difficulties and need assistance, I hope you two won't refuse." Han Li said slowly, his mind turning.

"Deal!" Hu San and Shi Qinghou both beamed with joy and said immediately.

Jiao San saw this, a thoughtful look flashing in her beautiful eyes, but she said nothing.

"In that case, let's set off now." Shi Qinghou said, glancing at the green-robed middle-aged man beside him.

"Follow me. Don't look around on the way, don't touch anything, and don't ask me any questions."

The green-robed middle-aged man said indifferently, then urged his mount, the Liqima, forward. Lan Yan and the others under his control followed closely behind, like walking corpses.

Han Li and the other two also followed.

And so they traveled for an entire day and night.

The middle-aged man led Han Li away from the gourd-shaped mountain, soon left the Gobi Desert, then passed through a vast swamp, followed by a stretch of rolling hills...

Along the way, Han Li occasionally saw strange things: a hundred-zhang-tall ice sculpture standing in the desert, exuding a chill even from afar; huge whirlpools in the swamp constantly spinning and bubbling; muffled roars from beneath the hills, as if someone was pounding something; and in a giant forest, blood-colored chains connecting nearly a thousand trees into a strange shape.

Because of the middle-aged man's earlier warning and his apparent unwillingness to talk, everyone traveled in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Han Li found no opportunity to investigate and had to give up.

After much detouring, the group finally arrived at another black hall located on a grassland.

This hall was larger, but the light inside was dim, so braziers were lit in various places to illuminate the space.

At the far end of the black hall stood a dark red light gate, flickering with a dark red glow.

"This is the spatial gate to the sixth floor. Go ahead." The green-robed middle-aged man said, turning to leave.

"Senior, we don't know what dangers lie on the sixth and seventh floors. Although we are quite strong, it won't be easy to get through. Could you spare these companions of mine? With them along, we can save some effort." Hu San suddenly called out to the green-robed middle-aged man, then glanced at Lan Yan and the others.

"These people are not weak and can be useful. You shouldn't lack these few illusion slaves." Shi Qinghou also said.

"Very well." The green-robed middle-aged man frowned slightly, then relaxed, and made a hand seal, pointing forward.

Seven gray-white beams shot from his hand, entering the bodies of Lan Yan and the others.

Lan Yan and the others immediately glowed with gray-white light, and gray-white crystal threads flew out from their bodies, merging into the green-robed middle-aged man.

Han Li watched the gray-white crystal threads, his pupils contracting slightly.

"Boy, if you encounter my life-bound soul tablet on the seventh floor, remember to take it too. I'll reward you then." At that moment, an extremely faint voice suddenly appeared in Han Li's mind—it was the Liqima.

His heart stirred, and he looked toward the Liqima.

The horse obediently carried the green-robed middle-aged man, staring straight ahead.

"Let's go." The green-robed middle-aged man said indifferently after finishing.

The Liqima moved its four hooves, a flash of white light, and both figures vanished without a trace, leaving no residual aura, as if they had never been there.

With the crystal threads gone, the gray-white light in Lan Yan and the others' eyes began to fade rapidly.

Seeing this, Han Li made a hand seal, and a red light flashed over his body, transforming him back to his previous appearance.

Hu San and Jiao San also made hand seals, restoring their original appearances. Hu San put away his Tianhu Blood Transformation Blade.

Just as the three finished, the gray-white light in the eyes of Lan Yan, Lei Yuce, and others completely dissipated, and their eyes regained clarity.

"Where is this? I remember being invaded by gray-white crystal threads from the treasure..." Lei Yuce, Su Qianxi, and the other four looked around in some panic.

Seeing this, Han Li thought to himself that those controlled by the gray-white crystal threads seemed to retain no memories.

Lan Yan and the others were the same, quite panicked, only remembering the memories before being controlled by the green-robed middle-aged man.

"Everyone, don't worry. The enemy has left, and we are safe now." Hu San said slowly.

"Do you know what happened?" Lei Yuce looked over.

"A little. Senior Lei, it's like this..." Hu San coughed lightly and fabricated a story, saying that Han Li had displayed great power, repelled the enemy, and saved everyone.

Hu San was naturally eloquent, and his skill at fabricating stories was even greater. He considered all aspects thoroughly, leaving no loopholes.

Han Li heard this and smiled wryly to himself, but said nothing.

"So, Fellow Daoist Shi has saved us again. We are deeply grateful. When we leave the Tai Sui Immortal Mansion, you must visit our Tianshui Sect so we can host you and express our gratitude." Su Qianxi said gratefully.

Xiong Shan, Lan Yan, and Lan Yuanzi also thanked Han Li, but the Lan siblings looked at Han Li with more wariness and caution.

Additionally, Lei Yuce, Jin Liu, and Wen Zhong seemed somewhat dejected.

They had worked hard to break the restrictions but ended up with nothing. Especially Jin Liu, whose insect nest had been taken by Han Li, and now he was saved by Han Li in a daze—how could he not be frustrated?

"You're too kind. Although I temporarily scared off the enemy, they could return at any time. This is not a place to stay. Let's hurry and enter the sixth floor." Han Li waved his hand and said.

"Right, there's no time to lose." Su Qianxi nodded.

Lei Yuce and the others reluctantly pulled themselves together and began to break the restrictions on the spatial gate.

The restrictions on each spatial gate were similar, and the group was already familiar with them. They quickly broke the restrictions on the light gate and entered one after another.

Han Li's vision blurred, and his figure passed through the light gate, arriving at a vast, boundless golden desert.

He looked into the distance, but all he saw was endless yellow sand, and the air was filled with a dry smell.

At that moment, lights flashed beside him, and the figures of Jiao San and the others appeared one by one.

As soon as they appeared, without a word, they naturally split into two groups.

Hu San and Jiao San naturally stood closer to Han Li, while the two from Tianshui Sect stood closer to Lei Yuce and Wen Zhong, with Lan Yuanzi and his sister following behind them.

Strangely, Xiong Shan also stood on Han Li's side for some reason.

After everyone stood still, they looked around at the scenery.

After a moment, their eyes flickered slightly, and strange expressions appeared on their faces.

Jiao San bent down, grabbed a handful of sand, rubbed it gently, and frowned: "It's gold sand..."

"Not gold sand, but bone powder from a large number of demon beasts." Han Li shook his head and said.

"How is that possible?" Jiao San said incredulously.

"It is indeed bone powder." Lei Yuce suddenly spoke.

Saying so, he pointed to a crescent-shaped object protruding high on the horizon dozens of miles away.

The group followed his direction and flew over, only to find it was a horn of some huge exotic beast's remains. It was golden all over and covered with mottled traces of wind and sand erosion.

Jiao San frowned and reached out to pinch the horn.

But as soon as she touched it, a soft "poof" sound came.

Then, the protruding golden horn shattered with the sound, turning into golden dust and dispersing. The golden sand all around was indeed bone powder.

"This vast desert, which direction should we take?" Hu San asked helplessly.

Saying so, his gaze rose from the distance and finally fixed on the sky, where a pale white sun hung, looking like it was drawn on white paper, emitting no heat.

Lei Yuce was about to speak when Han Li suddenly pointed in a direction and said, "That way..."

Everyone followed his finger and looked, but saw only a vast sea of sand, nothing at all.

After entering this sixth floor, everyone's spiritual sense was suppressed more obviously, and beyond a hundred miles, they could sense nothing.

"What's there?" Su Qianxi asked curiously.

"Hard to say. Spiritual sense is heavily suppressed; I can only faintly feel a special aura... Anyway, let's go take a look first." Han Li said after a moment's thought.

Jiao San glanced at Hu San, and both seemed hesitant.

"Fellow Daoist Shi, it hasn't been easy to get here. You know how many people have died along the way. I think it's best not to act rashly. Let's discuss and find a safer route, wouldn't that be better?" Lei Yuce hesitated and said.

"Yes, the higher we go in this tower, the more dangerous it gets. Even if you are skilled and bold, you shouldn't underestimate the enemy." Before Su Qianxi could speak, Jin Liu chimed in.

Su Qianxi opened her mouth as if to say something, but hesitated and ultimately said nothing.

"Thank you both for your concern. Actually, you can go wherever you like. Since we've reached the sixth floor, everyone has their own considerations. I'll go alone." Han Li cupped his hands slightly and said with a smile.

With that, he was about to leave first.

"Fellow Daoist Shi, I'll go with you." Xiong Shan said with a smile.

Han Li frowned slightly at this, neither agreeing nor refusing. A遁光 rose around him, and he flew off in that direction. Xiong Shan followed without hesitation.

"Let's go with Fellow Daoist Shi and take a look."

Jiao San thought for a moment, then called out, and with Hu San, their遁光s merged, and they also chased after Han Li and the other.