Han Li stood upon a stone terrace partway up the slope of Wu Jun Mountain. The terrace, paved with mountain stone and several dozen zhang wide, terminated at its far end in a colossal cave dwelling completely concealed behind layers of formation arrays—Yuelu Hall.
Yuelu Hall served as Yellow Maple Valley's central repository for magical treasure formulas, pill recipes, texts on obscure arts, and related secret techniques. It also provided various tools and common raw materials for pill refinement and artifact forging. In short, it was among the most critical locations in the entire sect. For this reason, it was protected not only by numerous stacked restrictions and formations but also by a permanent garrison of over a hundred disciples on patrol. Rumor even held that a Core Formation grand-uncle maintained perpetual seclusion within the hall, standing guard against any intruder powerful enough to breach its defenses.
Han Li reviewed the intelligence he had gathered in his mind, then walked forward with a composed expression.
The moment he had landed, he had sensed several probing gazes from hidden observers, sizing him up from the shadows. But upon detecting his unremarkable level of spiritual power, they quickly withdrew. Even so, the experience sharpened his caution. The fact that he could not pinpoint their locations meant they either possessed superior concealment treasures or boasted cultivation levels well above his own—elite disciples at the twelfth layer or beyond.
He advanced several more paces before stopping. Murmuring a short incantation, he raised his hand and sent a streak of red light shooting toward what appeared to be empty air before him.
A ripple of spatial distortion, and a barrier of shimmering red light materialized in his path. Behind it, two disciples clad in crimson robes appeared as if summoned from thin air.
"You're the one who triggered the restriction?" One of the red-robed disciples spoke in a cold tone.
"I am Han Li, and I—"
"We don't care who you are. Since you haven't reached Foundation Establishment, you must have a guarantor. Present the guarantor's token." The disciple cut him off without ceremony.
Han Li did not take offense at the curt treatment. With a steady expression, he produced a jade token from his robes and placed it on the ground before the barrier.
The cold-voiced disciple extended a finger and touched the barrier. A palm-sized circular aperture opened in the red light without warning.
The other red-robed disciple, who had not yet spoken, beckoned lightly with his hand. Han Li's jade token floated through the aperture of its own accord and into the man's palm.
"Senior Brother Ma is your guarantor?" The disciple examined the token, then spoke with a note of surprise.
"Indeed, it was given to me by Senior Brother Ma." Han Li replied honestly. But inwardly, he was shaken. These two red-robed disciples were young in appearance, yet both possessed cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage—a fact that startled him considerably.
In the cultivation sects, seniority was not determined by the order of one's admission but by the depth of one's cultivation. After all, the path of immortality honored the capable above all else.
"Would that be the Senior Brother Ma who is forever obsessed with pill refinement?" The other disciple expressed his own surprise.
"The very one. He agreed to serve as someone's guarantor? That is truly unexpected. Are you perhaps his personal disciple, or a relative of some kind?" The disciple holding the jade token, having verified it several times over, grew curious.
"No, I merely tend his herb garden. But in exchange for this token, I've agreed to work the garden for free for an entire year." Han Li replied with careful deference, though his face wore a rueful expression.
Every word of this was true.
In truth, when Han Li had first begun considering pill recipes, his thoughts had turned immediately to Senior Brother Ma. The old man cultivated such a vast array of medicinal herbs that he must surely possess extensive knowledge of pill refinement—and the recipes in his collection could only be plentiful. So several months ago, when the old man came to collect herbs, Han Li had probed the matter obliquely, dropping a carefully worded hint.
The result left Han Li dumbfounded. The old man had shaken his head so vigorously it seemed ready to detach, rejecting the idea outright. According to Senior Brother Ma, the recipes he held were the product of countless personal experiments and failures—each one painstakingly refined through decades of trial. How could he simply hand them over? Out of the question, utterly.
But when Han Li persisted, explaining earnestly that he only wished for the original, unmodified recipes, the old man had rolled his eyes in exasperation and snapped that Han Li should just go to Yuelu Hall and find them himself—why bother pestering him? And so Han Li had spent a year of unpaid labor in exchange for the old man's guarantor token, making today's visit to Yuelu Hall possible.
"Haha! So that's how it is. I thought the famously stubborn Senior Brother Ma had suddenly changed his ways." The two red-robed disciples exchanged a knowing laugh. The one holding the token grinned openly.
"Very well, you may enter."
Both disciples struck a combined seal into the barrier, and the red light parted to form a passage roughly one zhang wide—just enough for a single person to pass through.
Han Li did not hesitate. He stepped through at once.
But what lay beyond the barrier took him aback.
From outside, the red barrier had obscured the interior entirely. Now, upon entering, he found himself before a barren mountain face—devoid of any structure save a small, circular formation array. There was nothing else. No building, no hall—nothing at all. Han Li was thoroughly perplexed.
"Keep this token safe. Each time you visit, a routine inspection will still be required. Those are the rules." After withdrawing the seals from the barrier, the disciple who had checked the token returned it to Han Li.
"Thank you both, Senior Brothers." Han Li withdrew his appraising gaze, striving to appear respectful and courteous, hoping to leave a favorable impression. He would need to come here often in the future.
"Mm. Follow me."
Han Li's tact had not gone unnoticed. The two disciples' expressions warmed perceptibly. After all, most who came here were their peers, and few showed this level of courtesy. It earned Han Li a measure of goodwill.
"But Nephew Han—what brings you to Yuelu Hall? Whether refining pills or forging treasures, one really needs Foundation Establishment cultivation to do it properly. Isn't it a bit early for you?" One of the red-robed disciples asked casually as they led Han Li toward the circular formation array.
"I've been exposed to a great deal of pill-refinement knowledge during my time at Senior Brother Ma's garden, and I've also accumulated some raw materials from my work. I thought I might try my luck—see if I can find a suitable recipe and refine some pills to advance my cultivation. After all, my aptitude is poor, and I have no choice but to rely on external aids." Han Li's response was a careful blend of truth and omission. He deliberately walked half a step behind the two.
"Is that so? Well, Nephew Han, I wouldn't hold out too much hope. Once you're inside, you'll understand what I mean." The other disciple shook his head lightly, not favoring Han Li's chances.
By now the three had reached the circular formation. One disciple indicated that Han Li should stand at its center, while he and his companion took positions on either side.
"Normally, use of the teleportation array requires one low-grade spirit stone. But since this is your first visit, we'll waive the fee. Next time, however, the rules will be observed strictly." One of them said with a faint smile.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than both disciples struck the formation with practiced efficiency, sending twin beams of red light into its surface. Several embedded spirit stones flared to life.
Before Han Li could even express his thanks, the world spun violently around him. The scenery blurred, and a flash of brilliant light seared his vision. When it cleared, he found himself standing in a vast, unfamiliar hall—beneath his feet, a formation array identical to the one he had just left.
So this was the legendary teleportation array. Remarkable. Han Li marveled inwardly, waiting for the disorientation to fade before turning to survey the enormous hall.