The yellow-robed man's face immediately paled after Han Li identified him, and he stuttered unsteadily, “I wasn't aware of your true identity during our previous encounter, so please forgive me if I offended you in any way, Grand Elder Han!"
The Core Formation Stage woman was quite surprised to see this.
This Senior Martial Brother Kui of hers was normally a very smooth talker, so why was it that he had been reduced to such a stuttering mess?
Furthermore, it sounded as if he had been acquainted with the grand elder since a long time ago.
The woman's heart was filled with confusion, but she didn't dare to ask any questions.
A hint of a smile appeared on Han Li's face.
"It's not your fault. I concealed my cultivation base back then for my own purposes, so I certainly don't plan to blame you for anything. However, I really am rather surprised that you were able to progress to the Core Formation Stage. How are your other martial brothers doing?"
This yellow-robed cultivator was none other than Kui Huan, the Drifting Cloud Sect cultivator who had invited Han Li to hunt for Snowcloud Foxes with him many years ago. The aptitude of his spiritual roots was very average, yet he had managed to progress all the way from the Qi Condensation Stage to the Core Formation Stage. As such, Han Li was naturally quite surprised to see this.
Han Li clearly recalled everything that had happened all those years ago, and a wry smile appeared on Kui Huan's face upon seeing this as he replied, "Senior Martial Brother Wang and the others weren't as lucky as I am; they were unable to even progress to the Foundation Establishment Stage, and passed away many years ago."
"I see. Their aptitude was quite mediocre, so it's no surprise that they were unable to progress to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Looks like you encountered some brilliant opportunities, Martial Nephew Kui," Han Li sighed.
"Over 100 years ago, I unintentionally consumed an unknown spirit herb, and my cultivation base progressed at a phenomenal rate thereafter," Kui Huan explained with a slightly sheepish smile.
"Hehe, you're quite a lucky man, Martial Nephew Kui. However, I'm not here to catch up and reminisce about old times today; I have some questions to ask you all!" Han Li suddenly adopted a serious expression.
"We'll be sure to tell you everything we know, Grand Elder Han," the woman replied obediently.
Even if Han Li wasn't the grand elder of the Drifting Cloud Sect, he was still the number one cultivator in the Heavenly South Region, so he had to be treated with the utmost respect.
"I just wanted as if any of you have noticed any abnormalities with the devilish abyss seal on the Seven Spirit Islands," Han Li inquired.
The woman faltered momentarily before replying, "The seal? It seems to be fine. Our patrol teams from the seven islands guard the seal in shifts, and no abnormalities have been reported to us. What do you mean by this, Martial Uncle Han?"
Han Li's brows furrowed upon hearing this.
"The seal is guarded in shifts? Doesn't that mean you won't know if something's amiss when patrol teams from other islands are on duty?" Han asked with a dark expression.
Kui Huan and the woman glanced at each other, and the former could only muster up his courage as he admitted, "Unless the other islands go to the trouble of reporting these matters to us, I'm afraid that this is indeed the case."
However, to their surprise, Han Li wasn't enraged upon hearing this. Instead, a hint of light flashed through his eyes as he suddenly patted the storage pouch hanging from his waist, producing a set of formation plates and formation flags of different colors.
"Take 36 disciples with you and head to the entrance of the abyss straight away, then set up this Malevolent Heavenly Formation. I'm going to be making a trip to the abyss. If anything tries to come out, make sure to trap it with this formation. I don't expect you to kill it; just make sure it doesn't get away," Han Li instructed calmly.
Kui Huan and the woman were very surprised to hear this, but they still immediately agreed.
"There's no time to waste! Pick your disciples quickly, then set up the formation as soon as you can. I'm going ahead to the abyss first. Hehe, hopefully, this is just a false alarm." Han Li delivered a final set of instructions before tossing the formation tools toward the two Core Formation cultivators and rising into the air.
Before the two of them had a chance to reply, azure light appeared over his body as he shot forth into the distance, heading directly for the seal on the devilish abyss.
The woman and Kui Huan hurriedly bowed in his direction before immediately pulling out their voice transmission talismans, instructing all of the disciples on the island to immediately assemble.
A short while later, 36 cultivators were picked out and the two Core Formation cultivators led them toward the abyss while carrying the formation tools.
As this was an instruction from Han Li, they didn't dare to delay in the slightest.
At this moment, Han Li had already reached the entrance of the abyss.
The massive vortex of the past had now been reduced to only around 500 to 600 feet wide. Furthermore, there were a dozen or so massive stone pillars distributed around the vortex. The pillars were constructed from an unknown material that was like metal, but also like wood, and were able to float in a completely stationary manner in the surrounding seawater.
Beams of white spiritual light were radiating from the stone pillars, creating a white light barrier that completely sealed the vortex within.
Han Li hovered above the light barrier and examined it with narrowed eyes.
There were seven or eight cultivators standing behind Han Li, one of which was a red-robed Core Formation cultivator, who asked tentatively, "Senior Han, as you can see, the seal is completely unscathed. Could it be that the information you received was perhaps incorrect? The cultivators from our seven islands have been constantly keeping an eye on this place, and we've never let our guards drop."
The remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators were standing even further away, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
"Hmph, I know at least half a dozen methods to infiltrate this seal without damaging it. It's not a difficult task to get past you guys," Han Li replied coldly without even turning his head.
The red-robed cultivator could only give a wry smile in response.
"Disciples from my Drifting Cloud Sect are going to arrive to set a formation soon in order to fortify the entrance. All you have to do is cooperate with them. There won't be any issues, will there?" Han Li asked coldly.
"Not at all! Senior, are you really going to enter through the seal?" the red-robed cultivator asked in a hesitant manner.
Han Li looked up into the sky, and replied without any hesitation, "Of course I'm going to be making a trip into the abyss. Otherwise, why would I come here in person? Now's the time when the devilish Qi is at its most feeble state, so it's the best time for me to enter the abyss."
The time was at exactly noon, and the scorching sun had reached its highest point in the sky.
The red-robed cultivator also looked up at the dazzling sun, and an enlightened expression appeared on his face.
"Alright, all of you can go back to what you were doing; I'm going to enter the abyss now." Han Li didn't wish to delay any longer. His sleeve rustled and a ball of three-colored flames appeared in his hand, transforming into the Triflame Fan.
Han Li then waved the fan gently through the air and runes began to appear on the fan as three-colored flames appeared over its surface.
Han Li's body swayed and he shot forth directly toward the light barrier as a streak of azure light. At the same time, he waved his Triflame Fan toward the light barrier, and the fan had seemingly transformed into a peerlessly sharp blade of fire amid a resounding boom. The blade of fire was able to easily tear a rift that was around 10 feet wide into the light barrier, and inky-black devilish Qi erupted from within before attempting to permeate through the air.
The red-robed cultivator's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, while all of the Foundation Establishment cultivators let loos involuntary cries of surprise.
However, Han Li was prepared well in advance as he vicious swatted his other sleeve downward.
A burst of azure light was immediately sent sweeping downward, instantly repressing the leaking devilish Qi with his immense spiritual pressure.
Immediately thereafter, a burst of azure light flashed as Han Li flew into the abyss. The white light barrier quickly sealed over again, and not even so much as a single wisp of devilish Qi managed to escape.
The red-robed cultivator heaved an internal sigh of relief and at the same time, a self-deprecating smile appeared on his face.
With the number one great cultivator of the Heavenly South Region present, there was no need for him to be so nervous.
Right at this moment, one of the Foundation Establishment cultivators standing behind him suddenly yelled, "Martial Uncle, look!"
The red-robed cultivator faltered upon hearing this before turning toward the direction that the disciple was pointing toward.
There in the distance, several tens of streaks of light were hurtling toward them.
"They're Drifting Cloud Sect cultivators! Looks like Senior Han is quite serious about this. Could it be that there really has been some powerful devil that has snuck into the abyss?" the red-robed cultivator murmured with a complex expression on his face.
Amid the vast expanse of pitch-black devilish Qi within the abyss, Han Li had already summoned his Divine Devilbane Lightning to shield himself.
At this moment, he was advancing toward the deepest point in the abyss amid a series of rumbling thunderclaps.
The golden arcs of lightning around his body intertwined incessantly with the devilish Qi in the air, and the latter was constantly being eradicated in Han Li's wake.
Han Li paid this no heed as he made a series of hand seals over and over again, unleashing a secret technique from the Profound Nascent Formation Arts.
10,000 feet, 20,000 feet, 30,000 feet…
Han Li maintained the output of the secret technique without pause, but he detected nothing within his spiritual sense. As he delved deeper and deeper into the abyss, his expression gradually darkened.
After reaching depths of around 70,000 to 80,000 feet, even he was beginning to doubt his own judgment.
Could it be that his prediction had been incorrect? Could it be that the second Nascent Soul had never come here, and had instead gone elsewhere to cultivate?
Just as these thoughts were flashing through Han Li's mind, his expression suddenly changed as he came to an abrupt halt.
A grave expression appeared on his face as he made an alternate hand seal. At the same time, he began to chant something in a low voice, and he looked directly stared directly up ahead with an unblinking gaze and a blue light shimmering in his eyes.
All of a sudden, a peculiar look appeared on his face, and he appeared to be rather uncertain.
After a brief hesitation, he sprang into action again.
However, on this occasion, Han Li seemed to be very clear on where his target was, and his movements were a lot more decisive and purposeful.
He descended a further 3,000 to 4,000 feet, upon he heard a low feral snarl.
He pursed his lips and slowed down significantly in his descent. At the same time, he tightened his grip around his Triflame Fan.
The blue light shimmering within Han Li's eyes became even more dazzling as he stared intently into the devilish Qi down below with an unblinking gaze.
At Han Li's current cultivation base, if he were to unleash his Brightsight Spirit Eyes with all his might, he would already be able to see up to 1,000 feet away in the Myriad Depth Devilish Abyss.
However, things became rather blurry at a distance of more than 500 feet away.
Around 1,000 feet below Han Li, there was a tall and broad black figure that was unleashing an almighty roar.
Han Li looked down with his spirit eyes, and stared directly into the black figure's vicious crimson eyes.
