228: Three levels

After a dizzying spin and a strong sense of spatial distortion, Han Li's feet found no purchase, and he landed heavily on a cold, stone ground.

He immediately shivered, his entire body's Magic Power instantly rising to its peak as he vigilantly scanned his surroundings.

This was a boundless grey wasteland, with a lead-grey sky devoid of sun, moon, or stars.

A bone-chilling cold permeated the air, and countless distorted, translucent shadows roamed in the distance, emitting piercing shrieks that were soul-stirring.

“Spirit Abyss Land.”

Han Li recalled the words Old Ancestor Extreme Yin had hastily told him in the plaza.

“This is the first stage of the Void Heaven Palace, filled with countless Yin souls and ghostly creatures that will attack all living beings with flesh and blood.”

He composed himself, his Divine Sense cautiously spreading out, confirming that within a ten-mile radius, there were no other Cultivators' auras.

It seemed the Void Heaven Palace's teleportation Restriction indeed separated everyone.

For him, this was actually a good thing.

...

At the same time, in another part of the Spirit Abyss Land.

The space merely rippled slightly, and the figures of Lin Feng, Ling Yuling, and Purple Spirit quietly appeared, landing silently, as if they had simply walked from one courtyard into another.

“This...” A ripple appeared in Ling Yuling's beautiful eyes. “To be able to ignore the Void Heaven Palace's teleportation rules and bring the three of us directly to one place, Green Brother, is this the means of a Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator?”

She had originally thought that even with Lin Feng present, they would inevitably be separated and then have to find a way to regroup.

“Just a small trick,” Lin Feng said with a faint smile, completely unconcerned.

“Let's go. This place is defiled. We'll wait for them in the plaza after the third stage.”

As his voice fell, without any visible action, an invisible shield enveloped the three of them.

Those Yin souls, originally attracted by the scent of flesh and blood and eager to move, would, upon approaching within three feet of the shield, let out silent wails and dissipate into green smoke, like ice and snow encountering a scorching sun.

Lin Feng led the two women, strolling leisurely through this Spirit Abyss Land, which would have been a near-fatal ordeal for Core Formation Cultivators.

Soon, they arrived at the second stage, the Ice Fire Path.

Below was a churning crimson desert, with scorching heatwaves distorting the air; even ordinary Magic Treasures would lose much of their spirituality here.

Lin Feng merely waved his sleeve, and a green auspicious cloud formed beneath their feet, carrying them steadily across.

The terrifying high temperature, capable of melting metal and refining iron, couldn't even cause a single wrinkle on their clothes.

Next was the third stage, the Extreme Marvelous Illusion.

Countless illusions, capable of stirring Heart Demons and causing eternal damnation, had just arisen when, with a faint, almost imperceptible cold snort from Lin Feng, they shattered like reflections in a mirror.

The entire process was smooth and flowing, taking only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

While the Nascent Soul Old Ancestors of the Righteous and Demonic Paths were still displaying their Divine Abilities in the first stage, Lin Feng and the two women were already leisurely standing in the final plaza after the three stages, leading to the inner hall.

“Alright, let's just watch the show here.”

Lin Feng stopped, and with a flick of his sleeve, the air in front of him rippled like water.

Several perfectly clear water screens appeared out of thin air, each displaying a different scene.

There was Wan Tianming of the Myriad Laws Sect, waving his whisk, radiating auspicious energy.

There was Barbarian Hu of the Demonic Path, sweeping across with his Physical Body, utterly domineering.

And countless Core Formation Cultivators, either in groups of three or five, or alone, struggled under the siege of Yin souls, their Magic Treasure lights flickering erratically.

“Green Brother, what kind of Divine Ability is this? To be able to observe the entire Void Heaven Palace?” Purple Spirit's eyes widened with curiosity, and she leaned closer, her small face filled with astonishment.

Ling Yuling also cast an inquiring gaze.

Lin Feng smiled mysteriously, and with a flip of his hand, several small golden insects, crystal clear all over and with double wings on their backs, appeared in his palm.

“Han Winged Golden Cicadas.”

“I placed dozens of these insects in each stage, attaching them silently to those people,” he explained. “By using the Divine Sense attached to the insects, and then employing this 'Water Mirror Profound Light Technique,' I can observe their movements.”

Looking at the envious expressions of the two women, he smiled and said, “If you like them, I'll find some highly ranked young insects from the Strange Insect List for you later. However, whether you can cultivate and evolve them will depend on your own Opportunity.”

“Thank you, Green Brother!” Purple Spirit cheered joyfully.

Ling Yuling's eyes also sparkled, and a captivating curve appeared on her lips.

The three of them leisurely commented on the scenes in the water mirrors, as if watching a play in their own backyard.

“Wan Tianming of the Myriad Laws Sect, his Dao techniques are indeed balanced and peaceful, with a solid Foundation.”

“That Barbarian Hu's Heaven-Expanding Demonic Technique is truly powerful; he can withstand a Ghost King with just his Physical Body.”

“It's a pity; these several Loose Cultivators have unstable willpower and have been corrupted by Yin souls. I'm afraid they won't survive.”

In the scenes, Core Formation Cultivators constantly ran out of Magic Power, were engulfed by swarming Yin souls, and before they could even scream, turned into white bones.

Some also had thoughts of retreating and returned the way they came.

Out of a hundred Core Formation Cultivators, nearly thirty percent were lost in just half a day.

Just then, Purple Spirit suddenly pointed at one of the water mirrors and let out a surprised cry.

“Oh? Green Brother, it's that Loose Cultivator named Han!”

Lin Feng and Ling Yuling's gazes simultaneously turned to it.

In the water mirror, it was Han Li, all alone.

At this moment, he was surrounded by several ghostly creatures comparable to those in the Late Stage of Core Formation.

He calmly and unhurriedly patted his Storage Pouch.

Thirty-six Flying Swords, shimmering with faint green light, emerged one after another, circling and dancing around him, their sword lights intertwining into a green sword curtain.

Wherever the sword light passed, golden electric arcs crackled. Those fierce Yin souls and ghostly creatures, once they touched the sword light, were like struck by lightning and instantly dispersed.

He actually relied on this set of Flying Swords to forcefully carve out a path through the ghost tide, appearing to be at ease.

“These... these Flying Swords are all refined from gold thunder bamboo!” Purple Spirit's tone was filled with disbelief.

As the Sect Leader of the Myriad Sound Sect, she naturally recognized this supreme treasure, one of the three great divine woods.

This person in front of her actually had a full thirty-six gold thunder bamboo Flying Swords!

“No wonder... no wonder Green Brother paid so much attention to this person,” Purple Spirit murmured to herself, looking at Lin Feng with an expression of sudden realization.

Lin Feng simply smiled as he watched Han Li, who was wreaking havoc with his Azure Bamboo Cloud Swarm Swords in the water mirror.

“This person is not as simple as he appears on the surface.”

He turned to the two women, his tone becoming meaningful, “This person carries great Luck and is destined to Ascend to the Spirit Realm in the future.”

“Although we don't need to deliberately befriend him, we must remember not to become too hostile with him.”

Ascend to the Spirit Realm!

These four words, like a clap of thunder, exploded in the hearts of Ling Yuling and Purple Spirit.

They looked at the ordinary-looking, even somewhat unremarkable young man in the water mirror, and nodded thoughtfully.

...

At the plaza in front of the Lava Path, the second stage.

Barbarian Hu and Qing Yi Hermit had long since grown impatient.

Only Old Ancestor Extreme Yin stood with his hands behind his back in front of the light gate, unmoving, his face, shrouded in black Qi, showing no discernible expression.

But the occasional twitch of his eye still betrayed his inner anxiety.

That young man named Han, he couldn't have really died in the first stage, could he?

If so, his Blood Jade Spider... wouldn't his scheme for the void sky cauldron this time be ruined?

Qing Yi Hermit fanned himself with his feather fan and spoke with a half-smile.

“Old Ghost Extreme Yin, you've certainly taken a good Disciple. Thinking back, I never saw you care this much about your own grandson, Wu Chou.”

“Hmph!” Old Ancestor Extreme Yin snorted, just about to retort.

Barbarian Hu, who was beside him, impatiently stomped his foot, letting out a dull “thud.”

“That kid took so many treasures from us three old fellows. If he can't even pass the first stage, then he's useless even if he dies!”

“I'm not waiting any longer!”

With that, his burly figure transformed into a purple light and was the first to rush into the light gate of the second stage.

Qing Yi Hermit shrugged helplessly at Old Ancestor Extreme Yin, then also fanned himself and slowly followed.

In the blink of an eye, the vast plaza was left with only Old Ancestor Extreme Yin.

His face, shrouded in black Qi, grew even more gloomy.

Just as his patience was about to run out, the light gate in front finally lit up.

A slightly disheveled figure stumbled out, it was Han Li.

“Revered Master!”

Upon seeing Old Ancestor Extreme Yin, Han Li immediately bowed respectfully, his face appropriately showing the relief and exhaustion of surviving a disaster.

“Good! Good! Good!”

Seeing Han Li safe and sound, the heavy stone in Old Ancestor Extreme Yin's heart finally dropped, and he uttered three “good”s in a row.

He walked forward, patted Han Li's shoulder, his tone even carrying a hint of genuine concern.

“It's alright. It's not easy to come out safely the first time you venture into this Spirit Abyss Land. Quickly, sit down and meditate, restore your Magic Power to Perfection.”

Han Li sat down cross-legged as instructed, swallowed a Medicinal Pill, and silently began to recover.

Old Ancestor Extreme Yin stood guard beside him, truly acting like a benevolent Revered Master, protecting his Disciple.

Once Han Li's Magic Power had recovered by seventy to eighty percent, Old Ancestor Extreme Yin cleared his throat and began to explain in detail the secrets of the Lava Path, the second stage.

“My Disciple, look, this Ice Fire Path seems to have no way through, but in reality, it holds profound mysteries. You only need to remember the footwork I teach you...”

He explained it incredibly thoroughly, even demonstrating it himself, his expression focused, his tone gentle.

That image of a kind Revered Master and a filial Disciple would make anyone who saw it exclaim in admiration that Jiyin Island had a successor.