Winds Stir Beyond the Seas – An Unexpected Discovery

Chapter 485: Winds Stir Beyond the Seas – An Unexpected Discovery

Just as Han Li stored away the two slightly deformed bronze halberds, he faintly sensed Extreme Yin cast an extra glance at them, though the look was quickly masked.

The gesture was subtle, yet Han Li’s heart tightened.

He knew those short halberds were likely valuable items. But since Extreme Yin still needed him to retrieve treasures, he would not make an issue of it now out of petty greed.

Still, this gave Extreme Yin yet another reason to strike him down later.

A wry smile flickered beneath Han Li’s lowered face. By the time he looked up, his expression had returned to calm neutrality.

With three Nascent Soul cultivators working together, the puppets and restrictions on this level, treacherous as they were, were passed without a scratch.

Another teleportation took them to the third floor.

…

Half a day later, on the fifth floor of the giant pagoda, three figures were discussing something in low voices. It was Wan Tianming and his righteous-path companions.

Not far ahead of them stood a massive structure: an imposing stone platform.

The platform was over a hundred zhang wide and thirty zhang tall. A flight of several hundred stone steps led from its front to the top.

The entire platform was built from ordinary gray stone, encased in a white light barrier that covered even the steps.

Strange to say, the barrier glowed with an azure light that grew brighter toward the platform’s center, pulsing and flowing until it was blinding. What lay there was impossible to see.

At the edges of the platform, thick frost had gathered, crystal-clear and glittering, casting the structure in a strangely beautiful light.

“Have you recovered your magic power? If so, let’s begin. We borrowed the Creation Device from the Heavenly Mechanisms Sect to bypass the puppet guards, but our time is limited. Man Brutal Beard’s Heaven-Devouring Devil Arts are remarkably effective against those puppets. They might take a little longer on the fourth floor, but that’s it.” Wan Tianming spoke gravely before the platform.

“You’re right, Brother Wan. Let’s retrieve the treasure,” Tian Wuzi agreed, a hint of excitement in his old Daoist eyes.

The gaunt, dark-skinned elder who looked like an old farmer nodded silently, saying nothing.

Wan Tianming was unconcerned. He knew the dark elder was a man of few words, but his “Jade Elixir Art” was a formidable technique. In true combat power, he might even surpass Tian Wuzi.

The man was a recluse by nature, even among the righteous path, and had cultivated alone for so long that he had grown cold and distant.

Wan Tianming smiled faintly, then led the two toward the light barrier.

A dense purple light flashed once. With a crisp rip, Wan Tianming casually tore open a gap a zhang high in the white barrier with a single sleeve. The three slipped through.

Soon, they disappeared into the azure glow atop the platform.

The breach in the barrier healed itself, and the steps fell silent once more.

Time passed. Wan Tianming and his companions did not emerge.

Then, Man Brutal Beard and Extreme Yin appeared at the foot of the platform. Han Li and Profound Bone followed obediently behind.

“We finally made it to this damned place. That golden-furred puppet on the fourth floor was ferociously powerful. If the three of us hadn’t used our signature techniques, we’d have been tangled up much longer.” The Confucian-robed elder stared at the platform, eyes gleaming.

“Hmph. The puppet was one thing. The restriction we encountered on the third floor was far more troublesome. It cost us too much time. We should have arrived earlier.” Extreme Yin’s face was dark, his tone carrying a hint of irritation.

“We’re here. What’s the point of complaining? Let’s see if Wan Tianming has already gone in to retrieve the treasure.” Man Brutal Beard frowned, speaking brashly with undisguised impatience.

Extreme Yin’s expression soured at the words, but he held his tongue.

The Confucian-robed elder, however, chuckled lightly as if nothing were amiss:

“Rest assured, Brother Man. According to the detection secret arts my Brother Wu and I used, Wan Tianming and his group entered several hours ago and haven’t come out. Let’s wait here. These steps are the only way in and out of the Cold Pearl Platform.”

“The only way? Really? What if the righteous bastards slipped out somewhere else while we wait like idiots?” Man Brutal Beard glanced sideways at the elder, unconvinced.

“Heh. I’m certain of it. This white light barrier is no ordinary shield. It’s a famed ancient restriction called the ‘Heavenly Barrier.’ Apart from the specially opened entrance at these steps, there is no way to pass through it quickly. Let’s rest here for a while, then enter and assess the situation.” The elder stroked his beard with composure.

“Fine.” Man Brutal Beard nodded indifferently and sat cross-legged on the steps nearby.

Extreme Yin and the Confucian-robed elder huddled together, speaking in low voices.

Han Li watched it all, a cold laugh rising in his heart, though his face betrayed nothing.

These demonic old monsters thought they had a good plan, but Wan Tianming was clearly a man of deep schemes. By not entering now, they might be playing right into the righteous path’s hands.

With that thought, he glanced around and spotted Profound Bone standing alone not far from the platform, staring at the white barrier as if lost in thought.

Han Li’s mind stirred. This could be a chance to renegotiate with him.

But then he reconsidered. The old demon had latched onto Man Brutal Beard, which diminished Han Li’s value to him. Profound Bone was likely thinking the same thing as Extreme Yin: using Han Li’s Blood Jade Spider to retrieve the treasure.

Otherwise, why would he choose to deal with Extreme Yin only after the treasure was secured?

If Han Li approached him now, it would only reveal his own desperation. Things would only get worse.

It seemed he would have to plan his own escape.

With this conclusion, Han Li’s gaze toward Profound Bone turned cold. Profound Bone, sensing the stare, turned and met Han Li’s eyes.

Han Li cursed inwardly, quickly shifting to a calm expression and walking away as if nothing had happened.

Profound Bone stared at Han Li’s retreating back, a flicker of doubt crossing his face.

Han Li began circling the giant platform at a leisurely pace, staying outside the light barrier.

Extreme Yin and the others were confident that a mere early Core Formation cultivator like Han Li could not possibly escape on his own on the fifth floor, so they let him roam freely.

Before long, Han Li had slipped alone to the back of the platform. Here, facing the light barrier, stood a tall wall of green stone.

The wall was carved with ancient monster murals and runes, nothing unusual.

Han Li had seen many such walls in the inner halls and knew they were reinforced with powerful restrictions.

Even Nascent Soul cultivators like Extreme Yin could not break through them.

Even though he knew the outside world might be just behind that wall, there was nothing he could do.

Cursing the ancient cultivators who had built this inner hall as sturdy as a turtle shell, Han Li irritably slapped a palm against the stone wall and turned to leave.

Thud.

The dull sound froze his retreating figure mid-step.

Slowly turning around, his face was filled with disbelief.

An ordinary cultivator might have dismissed the sound and walked away. It sounded perfectly normal.

But Han Li had grown up in the martial world of the Jianghu. He had studied hidden chambers and secret doors extensively in his youth.

The moment the sound reached his ear, he knew that piece of green stone was hollow.

Han Li could hardly believe it.

In an ancient cultivator’s abode filled with high-level restrictions, the existence of a hidden cavity was almost unthinkable. He doubted his own judgment.

Of course, he wouldn’t simply walk away.

After a moment’s hesitation, he nimbly returned to the wall and used two fingers to tap the stones around the spot he had slapped.

When his finger struck the third stone, his heart stirred. He fixed his gaze on it.

The stone was carved with a blood-red demon eye belonging to a winged beast.

The carving was not exceptionally detailed, but it was vivid, capturing the beast’s狂暴 bloodlust with terrifying clarity.

Han Li glanced briefly at the design, then tapped the stone again.

His face lit up with surprised joy.

He was certain now. This green stone was a hollow cavity, and something was hidden inside it.