However, after Li Jiang had been running on the stone stairs for the duration of one incense stick, he looked back at the mountaintop again and was struck with a sense of numbness.
Because during this time, he felt as if he hadn’t moved at all.
The mountaintop was always so near.
The foot of the mountain was always so far.
Li He, who realized this late, wiped his sweat, stood beside Li Jiang, and his face gradually showed a look of fear. He asked, "Brother, what should we do?"
"Crush the Sensing Stone, let Second Uncle come up to save us. This Immortal Sect is too sinister; it’s not suitable to stay long!"
Unable to get out after three hours, Li Jiang was truly scared.
After speaking, he immediately took out the Sensing Stone from his bosom and crushed it forcefully. After crushing it, he sat on the stone stairs as if exhausted, and his eyes slowly started to turn red with visible veins.
At the foot of the mountain.
As dusk began to fall, the sunset above almost disappeared, causing Han Zhiyu to curse his two unreliable nephews in his heart a few times. Just as he was about to head up the mountain himself, he felt the Sensing Stone in his arms suddenly tremble.
Taking it out and looking at it, the black, dense thin lines on it were now curled up into a ball.
Seeing this scene, Han Zhiyu smiled knowingly.
After putting the Sensing Stone back in his arms, Han Zhiyu stepped quickly towards Yunlan Mountain, moving at such speed that one only felt a gust of wind suddenly pass by.
However, after walking not far along the stone stairs, Han Zhiyu stopped, and suspiciously looked at Li Jiang and Li He who were just tens of meters ahead. The two of them stood together back to back, with their eyes filled with fear as they looked around.
"What’s going on?" This scene was completely different from what he imagined.
Didn’t crushing the Sensing Stone supposed to draw out the people behind the Immortal Sect?
But why were they still standing on the stone stairs, with no blood-stained knives or unveiled spears!
Han Zhiyu reprimanded coldly: "Li Jiang, Li He, what kind of trickery are you up to?"
Upon hearing Han Zhiyu’s voice, Li Jiang and Li He simultaneously turned their heads toward him. Seeing Han Zhiyu, the two looked as though they saw a beacon in the darkness, and their faces, swept away of gloom, managed to squeeze out some smiles.
"Second Uncle, save us!"
"Second Uncle, help!"
The two shouted loudly.
Han Zhiyu took large steps, reaching Li Jiang and Li He in just a few strides, but upon seeing their cowardly appearance, an anger involuntarily rose within him, glaring at the two fiercely.
However, at this moment, Li Jiang and Li He were already too delighted to care about Han Zhiyu’s glare. If it was usual times, being glared at , they wouldn’t dare speak another word.
Han Zhiyu, suppressing his anger, asked, "How did things go?"
Li Jiang hurriedly replied, "I’m sorry, Second Uncle. We didn’t do it on purpose; we just couldn’t get up the mountain. Li He and I have been running on this path for over two hours. But we always can’t get to the top, the distance is still so far and always unable to leave; no matter how much we run, it feels like we’re staying in the same place."
Hearing this, Han Zhiyu immediately cursed, "You mean, I’ve been waiting at the foot of the mountain for three hours while you’ve been running aimlessly all those hours? Trapped by a flight of stone stairs? And you still want to concoct something?"
Fearing Han Zhiyu’s misunderstanding and punishment, Li Jiang hastily explained, "Second Uncle, we are really not talking nonsense. Look at our sweat; it’s not fake. I swear, Li He and I have really been running on this path for hours, but couldn’t get out."
Han Zhiyu snorted coldly, evidently not believing such absurd claims.
A flight of stone stairs trapping two Body Refining Thirteenth Layer cultivators? Could these stairs have become a demon?
Not to mention whether stones can become demons, even if they could, how could they contend against two Body Refining Thirteenth Layer cultivators?
"Useless and incompetent fools, follow me up the mountain!"
Having said this, Han Zhiyu immediately started walking towards the top of Yunlan Mountain.
Li Jiang and Li He hesitated a moment, looked up at the mountain top, and then exchanged glances for several breaths before finally deciding to follow due to the fear of Han Zhiyu’s reproach.
As they walked, Han Zhiyu scolded Li Jiang and Li He: "You can’t even handle such a small matter, yet you found ridiculous excuses to shirk responsibility. Does this stone staircase have ghosts? I got up here in a mere dozen breaths, and you say you’ve been circling for several hours?"
Li Jiang and Li He smiled bitterly, looking up at the mountaintop.
In fact, when Han Zhiyu ascended Yunlan Mountain, he completely overlooked what was happening behind him.
Maybe it was because his mind was preoccupied with the Immortal Sect, which led him to miss the burly middle-aged man standing on a rooftop behind him after he left.
After glancing at the path Han Zhiyu took up the mountain, the middle-aged man leaped down, landed steadily, and, like a gust of wind, disappeared. Half an hour later, he appeared in the City Lord’s Mansion.
In the study room of the City Lord’s Mansion, he knelt on one knee before Huan Cheng. Under the flickering candlelight from the candlestick, his stern face was illuminated.
Huan Cheng put down the book in his hand and asked, "Leng Bai, weren’t you told to keep an eye on the Immortal Sect? What brings you here in such a hurry, what exactly happened?"
Leng Bai slowly lifted his lowered head, and in a deep voice answered, "My Lord, the Hundred Sects Alliance hasn’t made any moves, but someone from Extreme Realm Mountain sought out the Immortal Sect. Just now, someone stronger than Body Refining Thirteenth Layer entered the Immortal Sect."
Huan Cheng abruptly stood up from the desk, his expression filled with unexpected shock.
Then, Huan Cheng murmured a few words to himself, "How could a Profound Realm visit?"
Leng Bai was silent for several breaths, then said, "My Lord, perhaps not a Profound Realm. When I spied on him, I didn’t dare release the slightest perception, so I couldn’t accurately determine his power. But it’s certain that he is stronger than any Body Refining cultivator I have seen."
Upon hearing Leng Bai’s words, Huan Cheng’s face remained stern. He asked, "Was he alone?"
"All are Body Refining Thirteenth Layer?"
"Yes. And two of them entered the Immortal Sect three hours ago, not sure of the situation now."
"Then why didn’t you report earlier?"
"I couldn’t act rashly, my Lord. I was just a few tens of meters away behind the strong figure from Extreme Realm Mountain. If there was even a slight disturbance, he would immediately discover my hideout."
Having finished speaking, Leng Bai lowered his head again.
Beside him, Huan Shan asked, "Father, should we go help?"
Huan Cheng reluctantly took a deep breath and nodded, though his words were full of helplessness, "It involves both the Hundred Sects Alliance and the Extreme Realm Mountain. How did Wen Ping attract so many big figures? Now, I only hope there isn’t a Profound Realm among those who went to the Immortal Sect. Otherwise, even the City Lord’s Mansion can’t help him."
Huan Shan asked, "Father, shall I mobilize the Divine Strategy Camp?"
Huan Cheng responded, "Three Body Refining Thirteenth Layer cultivators; to deal with them, the Divine Strategy Camp must be mobilized. Go, bring out everyone above Body Refining Twelfth Layer. Cold White and I will first go to the Immortal Sect to see the situation; you get there quickly with the Divine Strategy Camp."
Huan Shan responded and immediately ran out of the study room.