Dark clouds appeared in the sky, rolling and mixing together. Soon, they covered most of the sky. Arcs of lightning darted through the rolling dark clouds, appearing and disappearing from time to time, producing deafening thunderous sounds.
Boundless thunder and lightning spiritual energy converged and merged into the dark clouds.
Daoist Xie made a hand seal as he chanted something, and lightning flashed all over his body before spreading into the surrounding area to form a massive lightning formation that was several tens of acres in radius.
This lightning array formation was quite strange. It was thin and long, and countless lightning runes were floating in the array formation.
Daoist Xie abruptly opened his eyes before casting an incantation seal into the sky.
Rumble!
Bolts of lightning fell from the lightning clouds, disappearing into the lightning formation around Daoist Xie's body, causing it to glow with scintillating light. It began to operate at a rapid rate, and rumbling booms rang out as it became even more dazzling.
Han Li stood in mid-air with a calm expression, but his heart was not at ease at all.
Even though the clash between Daoist Xie and the young man hadn't lasted for very long, it had still caused quite a stir, and there was no way that Daoist Xie's attack would've been able to escape detection from the White Jade Peak, which was situated tens of thousands of kilometers away.
However, an epic battle was also taking place there, so there was no need for him to be concerned about this place.
Right at this moment, Daoist Xie let loose a low cry, and the lightning formation abruptly rose up into the air before rapidly shrinking at a rate that was discernible to the naked eye.
In just a few breaths, the lightning formation had shrunk down to a ball of lightning that was around 200 to 300 feet in size, and the surface of the ball was giving off dazzling lightning that made it impossible for one to look directly at it.
"Go!"
Daoist Xie abruptly rose to his feet before making a hand seal.
The thunderball suddenly turned into a white light and fiercely smashed into the yellow mist barrier with lightning speed. Then, it started to roll crazily.
Rumble!
An earth-shattering boom erupted, and the mountain ranges within a radius of 500 kilometers tremored violently. A series of rifts appeared on the ground, and some of the smaller mountain ranges even collapsed on the spot. It was as if doomsday had arrived.
The yellow mist restriction was also rolling violently, and the mist was rolling up and down like waves.
Incomparably thick bolts of lightning shot out from the ball of lightning, spreading out in all directions around the yellow mist, tearing it apart layer by layer. However, the yellow mist in the surroundings was like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, endlessly surging towards it.
The two of them were in a deadlock!
"Fellow Daoist Han, lend me a hand!" Daoist Xie suddenly said.
Hearing this, Han Li rose into the air without hesitation. After a few flashes of green light, he appeared in the air less than a thousand feet away from the yellow mist restriction.
As he flicked his sleeves, 72 golden lights gushed out. After hovering in front of him for a while, they instantly condensed into a giant golden sword that was hundreds of feet long. The surface of the sword was surrounded by golden lightning.
As Han Li activated the sword art in his hand, the giant sword swung forward in a flash.
In the blink of an eye, a 300-meter-long sword light surrounded by golden lightning slashed down, fiercely chopping at the depression in the yellow fog amidst the sound of wind and thunder.
"Boom!" A loud sound rang out!
The area was able to recover on its own after being torn apart by Daoist Xie's ball of lightning, but Han Li's sword strike was like the straw that broke the camel's back. After tearing through the surrounding yellow mist like paper, its recovery speed was drastically reduced.
"Explode!"
Daoist Xie let loose a loud roar as he made a hand seal, upon which the ball of lightning exploded to reveal a scorching sun. Bursts of shockwaves that were visible to the naked eye swept forth in all directions, and a house-sized hole was finally punctured into the yellow mist.
After that attack, the lightning around Daoist Xie's body dimmed, and he looked a little exhausted.
"Go!"
Han Li yelled as he cast a hand seal through the air. Yellow light flashed from the wall of mist, and hundreds of bean soldiers flew back into the gourd. A burst of azure light then swept forth from Han Li's body to envelop Daoist Xie and the gourd, then flew out of the hole.
Just as he was about to fly out, the yellow mist on the barrier behind him surged, and the big hole that had been created quickly closed up. In the blink of an eye, it was as good as new.
The yellow mist nearby fluctuated for a while, but it quickly returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
Han Li let out a long breath as he looked at the blue sky and white clouds outside. He felt like he had just survived a calamity. He then looked at Daoist Xie and asked,
"Fellow Daoist Xie, are you alright?"
"This restriction is far more powerful than I had imagined. Fortunately, Friend Han grasped the best opportunity to strike, so we didn't fall short of success.
I'm going to rest for a while now, "Daoist Xie said.
Han Li nodded. With a wave of his hand, 12 Lightning-Restrain Trees shot out and hovered around him while he chanted.
Golden lightning appeared on the surface, quickly forming a lightning array. Countless lightning runes surged and flashed, causing the surrounding space to fluctuate and distort.
Han Li closed his eyes to sense for a while, and when he reopened them, he nodded and withdrew his hand seal.
The lightning array immediately ceased operating, and the dazzling lightning flowed back into the Lightning-Restrain Trees.
The teleportation lightning array was operating normally, and there were no more spatial restrictions up ahead.
"Even the Immortal Palace couldn't have set up this restriction; there's no way that there would be a second restriction with a larger scope," Daoist Xie said.
"Even so, the White Jade Peak could change at any time.
Let's get out of here first. "
Han Li turned toward the yellow mist before making a hand seal, and countless bolts of golden lightning appeared around him to form a smaller lightning array.
Daoist Xie transformed into a ball of golden light before flying into Han Li's hand.
Dazzling golden lightning flashed, and Han Li disappeared without a trace.
......
Two hours later.
The void above the Crimson Afterglow Peak flickered, and bolts of golden lightning emerged, forming a lightning array.
A humanoid figure flashed, and Han Li emerged with a slightly pale complexion.
He had spared no Immortal Essence Stones to teleport himself here in the shortest time possible, and the immortal spiritual force in his body had long been depleted.
After taking a deep breath, Han Li descended from the sky.
The rumbling of lightning in the air had already attracted the attention of the cave abode's servants, and they all hurriedly came to greet him.
Many servants from the various mountains had gone to attend the dao lecture, and the same was true for the Crimson Afterglow Peak. There were only three servants left to guard the mountain. After all, such a large mountain could not be left unguarded.
The three of them were about to bow, but Han Li stopped them with a wave of his hand.
"There's no need to be so polite. Wait here, I have something to tell you."
After saying that, Han Li flew into the cave abode and arrived at the Spirit Medicine Nursery within the cave abode.
He was used to carrying important things with him, but it was inconvenient to deal with these elixirs. Now that Fire Dragon Taoist Path was in trouble, he took the risk to return because of this matter.
After all, over the years, he had collected a lot of elixirs for refining elixirs and even Daoist elixirs at all costs. He could not bear to just abandon them.
Han Li waved his hand, and a green light shrouded the entire Spirit Medicine Garden in an instant.
In the next instant, one spirit herb after another rose up from the ground along with the spirit soil in the surrounding area before flying toward Han Li. He stowed them into suitable containers in an extremely familiar manner before carefully stowing them away into his storage bracelet.
After a while, the entire Crimson Afterglow Peak cave abode rumbled, and all the enchantments around the cave abode dissipated. Sets of array tools flew up from everywhere and went into the cave abode.
Outside the cave abode, the three servants, including Meng Xiong, couldn't help but look at each other when they saw the scene in front of them.
"What happened?
Elder Li is going to … "A square-faced Youth who looked to be in his twenties murmured.
"I don't know. Judging from Elder Li's expression, something big must have happened. It might be related to the huge earthquake not long ago …" Meng Xiong shook his head and said.
At this moment, a green light flashed in front of the three of them, and Han Li's figure appeared without a sound.
Before the three of them could greet him, Han Li had already said,
"Time is of the essence, so I won't say anything more.
The sect has encountered internal strife, and it even involved the Northern Frost Immortal Palace. I'm afraid there will be a lot of turmoil in the sect in the future.
I plan to leave this troublesome place. Now, you have two choices. Leave with me, or stay and fend for yourselves.
Those who stay will be acquainted with me. After all, I'll also give you some benefits. "
When the three of them heard this, their expressions changed.
Obviously, Han Li's words were too sudden for them, and they didn't know what to do for a moment.
"I'll give you ten breaths of time to think about it," Han Li said slowly as he stood with his hands behind his back.
However, just as he finished speaking, a slightly broad figure stepped forward. It was the round-faced fatty, Meng Xiong.
"Elder Li, my aptitude is ordinary. If I didn't have the elder's support, it would be an extravagant hope for me to reach my current realm, let alone improve further in the future.
I'm willing to continue to follow you, "he said respectfully as he cupped his hands.
Han Li nodded and motioned for him to stand beside him.
Following this, the square-faced Youth also stepped forward and indicated that he was willing to follow.
This person was called Meng Guang, and he was usually a man of few words.
In the end, the person lowered his head and stood where he was. He didn't say anything, but his meaning was obvious.
Han Li also didn't say anything. He flipped his hand and took out a storage bag and threw it to the person.
"Thank you, Elder Li." The person caught the storage bag and hurriedly bowed.
"Let's go," Han Li said as he waved his hand without hesitation. He wrapped Meng Xiong and Meng Guang in it and flew out.
Not long after, on the peak of another mountain not far from the Crimson Afterglow Peak, a dozen or so Lightning-Capture Trees surrounded Han Li and the others.
Then, Han Li made a hand seal.
Rumble!
Dazzling golden lightning appeared and condensed into a large lightning formation that enveloped the three of them.
As the golden lightning moved, the void also began to fluctuate. Water-like ripples appeared and spread out in all directions.
This scene caused Meng Xiong and Meng Guang, who were inside the formation, to be greatly shocked. They couldn't help but close their eyes.