Chapter 1286: The Bizarre Grand Formation

"Ghost Witch, this Ghostly Marsh before us seems calm for now, but it probably isn't a good place either?" Han Li said, ignoring the Golden Child.

"Hehe, what good places are there in the Netherworld? This scene before us is already decent. The miasma in the Ghostly Marsh is thick and persistent, and after years of steaming, it has formed five-colored poison clouds in the sky. However, with your Da Luo bodies, as long as you don't fly too high and enter the poison clouds directly, you'll be fine," Ghost Witch replied with a chuckle.

"That's no problem, but where exactly is the so-called Palace of Yama?" Han Li asked.

"Not far now, we're almost there," Ghost Witch said.

"You've said that at least five or six times already. Is the Palace of Yama really in this swamp?" Ti Hun glanced at Ghost Witch and frowned.

"I always feel this place is desolate; it doesn't look like there are any buildings. You're not tricking us, are you?" The Golden Child also looked suspicious.

"How would I dare deceive you! The Palace of Yama is actually on an isolated island in the middle of the marsh, but it's surrounded by a bizarre law formation that no one has ever been able to enter... As for how bizarre it is, you'll understand when you see it," Ghost Witch said hastily.

"In that case, please lead the way, Fellow Daoist Ghost Witch. Let's go take a look," Han Li said.

"From this peninsula, head west for about three hundred thousand li, and you'll see a forest with rather peculiar trees... Let's go there first..." Ghost Witch said.

As soon as he finished speaking, Han Li and the other two flew into the air, skimming low just over a hundred zhang above the marsh waters.

After a moment, at the edge of their vision, a black withered tree several hundred zhang tall appeared.

The tree's trunk was quite thick, but it was entirely black and shriveled, as if burned to charcoal, devoid of any vitality. Its branches spread out without leaves, like ferocious ghost claws reaching in all directions.

Vines hung down from the branches like weeping willows, thousands of strands, densely covered with countless rotting corpses. At first glance, they varied in shape, sending chills down one's spine.

Behind this withered tree, amidst the mist and haze, similar withered trees could be faintly seen at intervals, densely stretching to the horizon.

Just as Han Li and the others were about to approach, Ghost Witch suddenly warned:

"Those trees are Corpse-Hanging Ghost Vines, quite troublesome. Don't get too close. We'll use this area as a landmark, head north for about one million seven hundred thousand li, find a marsh floating rock shaped like a ghost, then go west another eight hundred thousand li from there to reach the island where the Palace of Yama is located."

Hearing this, Han Li and the other two stopped and flew northward.

...

Thus, under Ghost Witch's guidance, Han Li and the others made several detours and traveled for over three more days before finally reaching the isolated island in the marsh.

Still over a thousand li from the island, the surroundings seemed wrapped in a barrier, keeping all miasma and poison clouds out, making the island area clear and bright, like a pure land beyond the world.

However, Han Li soon sensed something unusual: the barrier contained powerful time law force.

The three flew over and hovered outside the barrier, looking at the island inside. They saw that time inside the barrier seemed to have stopped.

The trees on the island were lush green, as if just swaying in the breeze before being frozen in that instant. Even the birds flying past the treetops remained with wings outstretched, suspended in midair.

"Is this the Palace of Yama?" Ti Hun glanced around and said.

"Yes, this is it," Ghost Witch said.

"Hey, what's going on inside?" The Golden Child asked in surprise.

"This barrier is filled with time law force, sealing the time inside. Everything remains as it was when sealed. Over the long years, no one has ever been able to enter, let alone set foot on the island," Ghost Witch said.

After a brief inspection, Han Li said with some confusion:

"The sealing barrier here indeed contains rich time law force, but it's not a lethal killing formation or an indestructible defensive formation. Why hasn't it been broken?"

"Well... Fellow Daoist Han, you can try it yourself and find out," Ghost Witch said hesitantly.

"Hmph! Playing tricks. Uncle, wait, let me try first," the Golden Child said with a pout.

With that, her body flashed with golden light, and before Han Li could stop her, she charged toward the barrier.

"Wait..."

Han Li only had time to shout those two words before he saw in amazement that the Golden Child, who had rushed into the barrier with brute force, was wrapped in golden light and instantly returned to outside the barrier.

"Hmph! Playing tricks. Uncle, wait, let me try first," the Golden Child pouted again and charged forward with golden light.

But an instant later, she returned to her original spot, saying, "Hmph! Playing tricks. Uncle, wait, let me try first," and crashed into the barrier with golden light protecting her. Her expression was exactly the same as before, seemingly unaware of her repeated actions.

After another instant teleportation back, just as the Golden Child was about to hit the barrier again, Han Li grabbed her with a hand covered in golden light.

"Uncle, what are you doing? Let me try first," the Golden Child said, shaking off Han Li's hand.

"You've already tried several times. It's useless," Han Li said.

"Uncle, are your eyes blurry? I haven't tried even once yet... Ti Hun, don't you think Uncle is confused?" the Golden Child said, full of doubt.

"Master isn't lying. You really have tried many times," Ti Hun said.

"Really? How come I don't know?" The Golden Child looked bewildered.

Han Li fell silent in thought, finally understanding why Ghost Witch had said it was bizarre earlier.

"This barrier has the effect of sealing time. Anyone who enters it will be affected by the time law, forever remaining in the state they were in before entering. Without someone to stop them, they would continue indefinitely," Han Li explained after a moment's consideration.

"I think I didn't quite understand," the Golden Child scratched her head, puzzled.

Ti Hun also looked confused.

"In other words, even if you try a million times, it's useless. You'll just be teleported out again and again, and you won't even notice," Han Li added.

"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Han, as a cultivator of time law, your insight is sharp. You saw through the barrier's effect in just a few tries... However, this repetition doesn't go on forever. After a certain number of attempts, the intruder's physical body will be decomposed by the time law, and their immortal spiritual power will flow into the formation to nourish it," Ghost Witch's voice rang out.

Hearing this, Ti Hun and the Golden Child were startled, but Han Li showed no surprise, only his eyes kept scanning the formation's surface, as if considering something.

"Old thing, why didn't you say so earlier? You wanted to kill me!" the Golden Child shouted.

"You only tried seven or eight times; it's fine. To reach the level I mentioned, it would take at least ten thousand times. But for the person involved, unless someone else intervenes, they wouldn't notice at all. In other words, from the moment they act, their fate is sealed," Ghost Witch said.

"Fellow Daoist Ghost Witch, do you know how to break this restriction?" Han Li asked.

"Hehe, you're joking again, aren't you? If I knew that, wouldn't the Palace of Yama already be in my pocket?" Ghost Witch chuckled dryly.

Han Li knew he was telling the truth.

"But the one who tied the bell must untie it. Since this barrier was forged from time law, to break it, one must start with time law," Ghost Witch reminded.

Han Li seemed to understand. He formed hand seals and began to chant softly.

A fluctuation of time law emanated from him, golden light blazed behind him, and five time law manifestations emerged, surrounding him.

Han Li silently activated the "Great Five Elements Illusory World Art." With a wave of his hand, the five time law manifestations glowed with golden light, flew out, and landed on the barrier's light screen, occupying the five elemental positions.

Five ripples of time law spread across the barrier's light screen, expanding from front, back, left, right, and above. Wherever they passed, the barrier's surface rippled slightly, like the surface of a lake or sea.

Han Li raised a finger and gently poked the barrier, producing a soft "pop."

The light screen shattered like a bubble.

Instantly, spiritual qi, turbid qi, and miasma from all directions surged toward the isolated island.

A fierce wind seemed to blow on the island; all the trees, after countless years, swayed again. The poor birds that had been suspended in midair were overwhelmed by the sudden miasma and fell instantly.

"So fast..." Ghost Witch said incredulously.

Han Li didn't explain, only said, "Let's go," and flew onto the island first, followed by Ti Hun and the Golden Child.

The isolated island was desolate, with only dense ancient trees in sight, few exposed rocks, and no pavilions or immortal mansions.

However, after landing, Han Li faintly sensed a faint fluctuation of time law coming from the center of the island, drawing him toward it.

The island was densely forested with wild grass and shrubs, without even a mountain path. Han Li and the others had to blaze a trail through the grass, advancing slowly.

As they climbed higher, the terrain rose, and the trees became less dense. By the time they reached the mountaintop, only low shrubs and thatch remained.

Han Li saw at a glance half of a broken stele standing in a clump of wild grass.