After Huan Shan departed, a rider in half-faced golden armor charged straight towards Yunlan Mountain, followed by three more riders in the same armor and over a dozen pure black horses, galloping mightily through the streets and alleys.
Under the twilight, the sound of hooves rang through the skies, and pedestrians tens of meters away hurriedly avoided the path upon hearing the noise. On both sides, pedestrians stopped in their tracks, staring dumbfoundedly at the galloping horses—four riders in half-faced golden armor racing through the streets and alleys was truly terrifying!
Eventually, the horses stopped at the foot of Yunlan Mountain, and Huan Cheng, along with over a dozen others, stepped towards the mountain top.
By this time, night had fallen, and stars began to twinkle in the sky. On the pitch-black Thousand Layers, a flame flickered.
Han Zhiyu held a firestick, sprinting swiftly up the stone steps, the wind howling past his ears. Yet, the more he ran, the worse his expression became. Because these stone steps seemed to have no end.
Going down, still infinite.
He tried leaving the stone steps, entering the dense forest beside them, but the path into the forest was still infinite.
Though it looked only five or six steps away, no matter how he sprinted, it still remained five or six steps distant. The most terrifying thing was, the longer he ran, the broader the distance became.
At that moment, Han Zhiyu heard footsteps behind him and a glimmer of delight appeared on his face.
Huan Cheng, upon seeing Han Zhiyu and his two companions, immediately became alert, especially sensing that two of them were at the Body Refining Thirteenth Layer, and the other was unfathomable, his hand reaching for the knife at his waist.
He glanced at Li Jiang, who nodded knowingly.
Huan Cheng slowly drew his knife and then slowed his steps, as the people ahead were from Extreme Realm Mountain.
Huan Cheng asked, "Are you friends from Extreme Realm Mountain?"
Han Zhiyu did not answer but instead asked back, "Who are you?"
"I am the City Lord of Cangwu City, Huan Cheng. May I know your name?"
Han Zhiyu chuckled softly, a sly smile appearing on his face, then said, "Nameless and surname-less. If City Lord Huan is eager to ascend, I can make way for you."
With that, Han Zhiyu gestured to Li Jiang and the other, who immediately stepped aside, vacating the center of the stone steps.
Upon hearing this, Huan Cheng stood motionless, gripping his knife tighter. After standing for a while in silence, only Han Zhiyu stood there with a smile and a gesture inviting them forward. Huan Cheng pondered for a moment, then strode ahead.
He ordered his subordinates behind him, giving them a glance to signal caution.
Huan Cheng initially thought there would be some sort of trick from the people ahead, but as he passed them, nothing happened. Feeling doubtful, he continued to walk a bit further and still, nothing occurred.
But recalling the smile of the person who spoke to him, Huan Cheng felt uneasy and hurriedly headed towards the summit of Yunlan Mountain.
At this point, seeing Huan Cheng moving unhindered all the way up, Han Zhiyu laughed and said to Li Jiang and the other, "The stone steps are back to normal. Hurry up and follow!"
The Li Jiang brothers rejoiced, then followed, racing to the mountain top, stepping six stair layers in one go, sprinting swiftly!
"The summit is getting closer!"
Seeing this, the two rejoiced, making Han Zhiyu happy as well.
But soon after, their expressions froze immediately, for they could see the silhouettes of Huan Cheng’s group, which seemed to disappear. All three looked up towards the summit, which appeared quite near, just like when they chased Huan Cheng earlier!
This meant they were trapped in place again.
Seeing this scene, Li Jiang deflated instantly.
"Here it goes again!"
After walking a certain distance, Huan Cheng looked back, unable to see the figures of the three from Extreme Realm Mountain, feeling somewhat puzzled. While contemplating, he had already reached the top of Yunlan Mountain, standing at the edge of the plaza.
Quiet and still, the summit of Yunlan Mountain was also peaceful, with insect chirps accompanied by the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind, as if telling Huan Cheng that nothing had happened here.
The Mountain Dog came running over, circling around him, then he saw Wen Ping standing behind the Mountain Dog.
Seeing this scene, Huan Cheng finally relaxed, slowly sheathing his knife and then walking over to Wen Ping, asking in a fatherly manner, "Boy, are you alright?"
Wen Ping replied, "Uncle, why are you here? I’m fine, just finished digesting my dinner, was about to go back to sleep."
Huan Cheng heard Wen Ping’s response and smiled helplessly inwardly, thinking: this boy is just the same as before, carefree.
Even with people from Extreme Realm Mountain showing up, he still had the leisure to stroll at night, does he really think those people wouldn’t dare to kill?
But seeing Wen Ping unaware of what happened, he refrained from pointing it out, and simply asked again, "Nothing happened for you, did it?"
Huan Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, signaling his subordinates behind him to sheath their knives too, before casting his gaze upon Li Jiang.
Because Li Jiang told him that two people from the Thirteenth Layer had ascended Yunlan Mountain three or four hours ago, and half an hour ago another unfathomable expert had ascended.
Being stared at , Li Jiang awkwardly smiled, wanting to explain but not knowing how to.
He squatted at the mountain base for two hours and from the City Lord’s Mansion back and forth it took half an hour. During this time, something should have occurred, shouldn’t it? But now, Yunlan Mountain appeared harmonious.
Instead, those three from Extreme Realm Mountain stood on the stone steps doing who knows what.
Then Li Jiang hurriedly asked Wen Ping, "Sect Leader Wen, no strangers have come to Yunlan Mountain?"
Inwardly, Wen Ping thought: finally asking the right question.
After pondering, Wen Ping revealed the three men including Han Zhiyu, but spun a different tale, "Yes, three elders came up here asking to borrow our Immortal Sect’s Thousand Layers for running practice, leg strengthening, and even gave me several hundred gold. They might not have left yet, you should have seen them on your way up, right?"
"Leg strengthening practice?"
"Yeah. Actually, the thought of those three elders gave me some inspiration, running up and down the Thousand Layers might be a good cultivation method too." After saying this, Wen Ping showed an innocent smile.
On hearing Wen Ping’s explanation, Li Jiang’s face twitched, feeling deeply embarrassed. His one comment had brought all the high officials of the City Lord’s Mansion here, only for it to end up as a big misunderstanding.
Without much thought, Li Jiang immediately kneeled on one knee before Huan Cheng, bowing his head, "Sir, I admit my mistake."
Huan Cheng said, "Stand up, this matter is not your fault. Investigate thoroughly before reporting next time. Don’t be so jumpy, if a similar situation arises again, you will be sternly punished."
Li Jiang responded, "I will make sure such a thing never happens again."