Chapter 479: Peeping

"The others are naturally busy with other matters, so there's no need for Fellow Daoist Feng to worry," Xiao Jinhan said indifferently.

"It seems Palace Master Xiao has encountered a rare opportunity and reaped a bountiful harvest. But you, who are usually surrounded by attendants, are now alone—I find it somewhat unaccustomed," Feng Tiandu said slowly.

"Actually, I prefer to come and go alone. Sometimes, with fewer burdens, it's easier to act freely. Don't you think so, Fellow Daoist Feng?" Xiao Jinhan said coldly.

"Heh, I'm not as carefree as Xiao Jinhan. I still think having more people makes things more convenient," Feng Tiandu said with a smile.

"Your sect indeed has a large force. It seems Fellow Daoist Feng intends to claim the Taiyi Hall as territory of the Fuling Sect?" Xiao Jinhan glanced at the Nanli tribe and Hu Yan Daoist in the distance, changing the subject.

"Palace Master Xiao is mistaken. The Taiyi Hall has always been masterless land, so naturally anyone can come. Especially with Palace Master Xiao's arrival, I feel much more at ease," Feng Tiandu shook his head upon hearing this.

Xiao Jinhan smiled faintly, glanced at the few people behind Feng Tiandu, then turned his gaze to the white jade wall. Suddenly, he raised his hand.

With a "crack" sound!

A white light shot out from his palm, forming a crystal-clear arrow that struck the light barrier.

With a "snap" sound!

The crystal arrow shattered on impact. The light barrier flickered briefly on the surface before immediately returning to its original state.

"A sturdy restriction," Xiao Jinhan said, his eyes flickering.

"Palace Master, those Fuling Sect members have already attacked this restriction together, but it remains as solid as iron. It seems opening the entrance is no easy task," Ouyang Kuishan said in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinhan's expression remained unchanged; he merely nodded slightly noncommittally.

"Palace Master need not worry. From my observation, the white light barrier restriction on this stone wall was originally twice as thick as it is now. For some reason, it has been slowly thinning. After some time, I believe it will become even thinner or even disappear, and then we might be able to break it open," Ouyang Kuishan said.

"Oh, is that so?" Xiao Jinhan's expression shifted slightly.

"I would never dare to lie. Palace Master has keen eyes; a brief observation will confirm it," Ouyang Kuishan quickly said.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinhan gave Ouyang Kuishan a deep look. Seeing the other lower his head hastily, he averted his gaze, walked to a large rock nearby, flicked his robe, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest.

Seeing this, Feng Tiandu's pupils contracted slightly before he looked away. The Fuling Sect members behind him exchanged glances and then also sat cross-legged on the ground.

The others present, seeing this, silently sat down where they were.

The scene was utterly silent, the atmosphere somewhat eerie.

Time passed little by little, and half an hour went by in the blink of an eye.

White light flickered in Xiao Jinhan's eyes as he slowly nodded.

The light barrier restriction on the stone wall had indeed become slightly thinner than before.

...

At this very moment, in a hidden cave far away in the valley, two figures, one tall and one short, stood side by side, motionless. They were none other than Han Li and the Gold Devouring Beetle.

The two had employed some secret technique, and not a trace of their aura leaked out. If anyone swept their spiritual sense over this place, it would seem as empty as nothing.

Han Li peered through the gap between two large rocks toward the crowd in the distance, blue light flickering in his eyes.

When the astonishing phenomenon occurred on the distant stone wall, he had actually been nearby. In fact, he had arrived very early, only a little later than Ouyang Kuishan and the others.

However, upon seeing Ouyang Kuishan and the other two, he immediately took the Gold Devouring Beetle and hid using a secret technique.

"More and more people are gathering. From what they just said, this is an entrance to a place called the Taiyi Hall. What is the Taiyi Hall? It can actually provoke such scheming and contention from people like Xiao Jinhan and Feng Tiandu. Could it be..." Han Li wondered inwardly.

Moreover, Hu Yan Daoist and Yun Ni had also arrived, which put him somewhat at ease.

After all, Hu Yan Daoist was both a friend and a mentor to him. He had been quite worried about him all this time, and seeing him safe now relieved him somewhat.

The Gold Devouring Beetle stood nearby, somewhat bored. Suddenly, it opened its mouth and tossed something into it, making a "crunch" sound. Though not loud, it startled Han Li.

"Be careful. Don't make a sound. If those people discover us, we'll be in trouble," Han Li said, his expression changing slightly as he transmitted his voice.

Fortunately, they had prepared in advance, masking their sound and aura. Moreover, the distance was great enough, and Xiao Jinhan and the others were all focused on the stone wall, so no matter how strong their spiritual sense, they couldn't notice this place.

"Hiding here all the time is so boring. Uncle, how long do we have to hide?" the Gold Devouring Beetle pouted and transmitted.

"Be patient a little longer," Han Li said without turning his head.

"Are those people your enemies?" the Gold Devouring Beetle frowned slightly and transmitted.

"A few, I suppose." Han Li said noncommittally.

"Which one is your enemy?" The Golden Boy rubbed his hands together and took a step as if to charge out.

"Wait a moment. They outnumber us; if we fight, we might not be their match. Besides, those people seem to be scheming against each other. Once the restriction is broken, they might start fighting among themselves." Han Li quickly grabbed the Golden Boy and transmitted his voice. It seemed that the Golden Boy, having been with Qu Ling for so long, had become even more domineering.

"Right, right."

The Golden Boy was delighted at first, but after thinking for a moment, he suddenly said, "If they don't fight among themselves, we'll wait until they separate, then we'll chase after them. Isn't this fairy clever?"

"The Golden Boy is truly clever." Han Li patted the Golden Boy on the head and said.

"Alright, I'll reluctantly be patient and wait a little longer." The Golden Boy clapped his hands, sat down, and rested his head on his arms.

Han Li let out a soft breath and continued to gaze into the distance.

In the blink of an eye, several more hours passed, and the Golden Boy had unknowingly fallen asleep.

The light shield restriction on the stone wall flickered with white light, now only a thin layer remained.

During this time, no one else had arrived, and everyone, including Xiao Jinhan and Feng Tiandu, was now standing, their eyes fixed intently on the white stone wall.

The white light shield on the stone wall flickered gently, still thinning bit by bit.

Many began to show signs of nervousness, channeling their immortal spiritual power internally, ready to unleash a thunderous strike the moment the light shield restriction weakened to its lowest point.

While preparing, everyone present was also on guard against each other.

"Senior Brother, the restriction has become very thin. If we combine all our strength, we should be able to break it. Should we strike now?" Beside Feng Tiandu, Qi Tianxiao's lips moved slightly as he transmitted his voice.

"Wait a little longer, until the restriction is at its weakest. And we must not only focus on the restriction but also be wary of Xiao Jinhan." Feng Tiandu said in a deep voice through transmission.

"Yes, Senior Brother, rest assured." A sharp glint flashed in Qi Tianxiao's eyes as he nodded slowly.

Inside the distant cave, Han Li's eyes also glittered as he stared at the white stone wall. A blue light flickered in his eyes, and his gaze suddenly shifted.

At that moment, the white light shield, now as thin as a sheet of paper, suddenly flickered. Countless fine white light filaments appeared on its surface, dancing wildly, and the white light shield began to thicken.

Seeing this, everyone's expressions changed drastically, and they struck out simultaneously without prior agreement.

Xiao Jinhan waved his hand, and a blinding white light shot out from his hand, appearing to be an awl-shaped immortal artifact.

White lightning bolts danced on the awl-shaped immortal artifact, emitting harsh, eerie howls and thunderous roars as it stabbed fiercely at the white light shield.

Ouyang Kuishan and the other two shouted loudly and each sacrificed a golden flying sword. The sword hilt had a beast-head mouth, neither dragon nor beast.

On one side of the blade were engraved landscapes, and on the other side, a vast starry sky.

The three flying swords formed a triangular formation, radiating dazzling sword light that converged and slashed at the white light shield.

The ancient elder and the white-haired old woman of the Nanli tribe raised their hands, and the two golden staffs in their hands shot out instantly.

A terrifying golden light burst forth from the two staffs, transforming in a flash into two golden dragons several tens of feet long. Their entire bodies shone brightly as if cast from gold, exuding an extremely sharp aura as they struck the white light shield.

Hu Yan Daoren and Yun Ni also sacrificed their immortal artifacts—a crimson flying sword and a blue flying wheel. Their grades seemed average, but they also emitted soaring light, expanding several times in size as they slashed fiercely at the light shield.

However, among everyone present, the attack launched by the Fuling Sect was the most awe-inspiring.

All members of the Fuling Sect stood in a circle at this moment. Although they were sparse and disorderly, the formation held a subtle mystery, resembling a spell formation.

Black light burst forth from everyone's bodies, then condensed into thick black beams, like giant black pythons, connecting with each other and finally converging entirely onto Feng Tiandu.

Feng Tiandu's body suddenly swelled several times, his flesh bulging, and thick blue veins appeared on his surface, writhing like earthworms.

The aura he emitted surged, instantly overshadowing everyone present, causing even Xiao Jinhan's expression to change slightly.

After taking a deep breath, he rapidly chanted incantations under his breath. His body began to change swiftly—his skin turned greenish-black and withered, his hair became dry and yellow, and in an instant, he transformed into a dried corpse.

"Clatter, clatter"

A series of loud clanking sounds came from within Feng Tiandu's body. Then, black light flashed repeatedly in the void before him, and dozens of thick black chains materialized, densely packed like tentacles, coiling up and down.

On each chain, countless rice-sized black runes swirled, emitting waves of awe-inspiring grand law fluctuations as they flickered.

Inside the distant cave, Han Li's pupils contracted slightly.

Although far away, he could still clearly sense the aura emitted by the black chains summoned by Feng Tiandu, which was exactly the same as the two Severing Soul Chains in his hand.

"Could this person be..." He murmured to himself, a glint flashing in his eyes, and he already understood in his heart.