Chapter 52

Hanyun Mountain is the southern gateway to the Ice Abyss. To reach the Ice Abyss, one must either take an ancient war chariot or an ironclad spacecraft, or cross Hanyun Mountain from the south.

Hanyun Mountain is flanked by swamps on both sides, where venomous insects and toxic mists are rampant. Even Soul Pond Realm warriors dare not venture in recklessly. For someone at Lu Li's level, entering would mean certain death.

Therefore, Lu Li could only rush towards Hanyun Mountain. The journey was relatively safe, and he only encountered a few stray low-level mystic beasts, which he easily dealt with.

After a long day of travel, Lu Li finally arrived near Hanyun Mountain in the afternoon. He did not dare to get too close and found a cave to rest for an hour. He only quietly approached Hanyun Mountain at dusk.

He sneaked into a forest and continued to move closer to the base of Hanyun Mountain. After walking for several miles, he climbed a giant tree and used the dark red leaves to cover himself as he looked towards Hanyun Mountain.

"Someone!"

Hanyun Mountain is very steep, with only one main path leading up. At the entrance, Lu Li saw several black dots, and there was even a tent nearby.

"Damn!"

Lu Li quietly climbed down, cursing under his breath. It was clear that Zhao Rui was waiting for him at the entrance. To go up the mountain, he would have to fight them, unless he decided not to go up at all.

In Zhao Rui's mind, Lu Li, acting alone, would definitely not be a match for Di Huo and his group and would have to flee northward in a sorry state. Even if he managed to escape Di Huo and his group, they could easily kill him once he reached this area. So Zhao Rui had even set up a tent, showing that he was not taking Lu Li seriously.

Lu Li climbed down from the tree, munching on some dry rations while deep in thought. The path up Hanyun Mountain was too steep. Apart from this mountain path, the only other way was to climb the steep cliffs on either side.

Climbing was not the problem, but Zhao Rui and that scar-faced uncle were both at the Divine Sea Realm. Any slight movement would be detected. If he were discovered while climbing the cliff, the consequences would be dire.

"Should I use my bloodline divine skill to force my way through?"

Lu Li's heart stirred, but he immediately rejected the idea. Using his bloodline divine skill, he had no confidence in killing a Divine Sea Realm warrior. His bloodline divine skill could only last for half an incense stick, and after that, he would be too weak to open his eyes, leading to certain death.

Time passed, and it was about to get dark. Climbing the cliff after dark would be even more difficult, and a single misstep could send him plummeting down the steep cliff.

Rustle, rustle, rustle!

At this moment, a faint sound came from a distance, and Lu Li became alert, looking towards the northwest. After a while, his eyes lit up.

From a hole in the ground on the west side, a group of giant ants emerged. These ants were entirely golden, each as big as a fist, with golden fangs at the corners of their mouths, reflecting cold light.

Golden Ants!

These were common mystic beasts in the mountains, also classified as first-grade mystic beasts. They had strong defenses, moved like the wind, and always appeared in large groups, numbering in the hundreds or thousands.

A thought flashed through Lu Li's mind. He approached the golden ants and called out Xiao Bai. The golden ants, originally charging at Lu Li in a frenzy, cowered in fear and did not dare to move when Xiao Bai's aura was released.

More and more golden ants emerged from the hole, all suppressed by Xiao Bai. By the time it started to get dark, there were already over a thousand golden ants.

"Alright, Xiao Bai, control them to charge down that mountain path and attack any humans they encounter!"

Lu Li gave the order to Xiao Bai, who let out a few strange cries. The golden ants charged towards Hanyun Mountain like an army, a sea of gold stretching far into the distance, a spectacular sight.

Lu Li did not move immediately but climbed a large tree to observe. The golden ants moved quickly, rushing out of the forest and down the mountain path. In just two incense sticks' time, they had already entered the mountain path and were charging towards the few people in the distance.

"Master Rui, there are mystic beasts!"

"Uncle Scar, so many golden ants..."

Lu Li could faintly hear them calling out to Master Rui and Uncle Scar. His eyes turned cold, confirming that Zhao Rui was indeed leading people to intercept him.

The battle broke out quickly. With two Divine Sea Realm warriors, the thousands of golden ants were no match. It was only a matter of time before they were all killed.

"Go~"

Lu Li seized the opportunity and quickly moved to the left, taking a detour. With the golden ants distracting Zhao Rui and his group, he should have enough time to climb up the steep cliff on the side.

He moved quickly, taking a ten-mile detour and then quietly returned towards Hanyun Mountain, looking for a relatively easier spot to climb. He took a few deep breaths and began to climb like a monkey.

The steep cliff was at least several thousand meters high. With the dim light, Lu Li did not dare to climb too quickly or make too much noise. Zhao Rui and his group were only about half a mile away, and it would be easy to alert them. If he were discovered, they could send someone to the top of the cliff, and he would be caught between two forces.

Fortunately, the golden ants were attacking, and no one was paying attention to this side. The strange cries of the golden ants and the roars of the warriors were continuous, so any small noise he made would likely go unnoticed.

Lu Li did not use his mystic power, relying solely on his physical strength, which was more than enough to climb several thousand meters, let alone several tens of thousands.

He scanned the area, looking for footholds, and occasionally leaped up to land on protruding rocks, climbing swiftly like a nimble monkey.

One thousand meters, two thousand meters, three thousand meters!

Lu Li panted heavily on a large rock, looking up. There was less than a thousand meters left. The battle on the other side was still ongoing, and he felt a bit relieved. As long as he climbed up Hanyun Mountain, the complex terrain inside would make it almost impossible to find him.

He took a quick glance at the other side, faintly seeing the glow of mystic power and the surging, roaring golden ants. Lu Li took a few deep breaths and continued climbing. He found a good path and, if nothing went wrong, he could easily reach the top in two incense sticks' time.

"Chirp, chirp~"

Just as he had climbed for one incense stick and was only a few hundred meters from the top, a large green eagle flew over from a distance. Seeing Lu Li, it swooped down, apparently intending to make him its dinner.

Lu Li cursed under his breath. With his hands gripping the rock, he had no chance to draw his knife. He was several thousand meters above the ground and did not dare to call out Xiao Bai, for fear of accidentally falling to his death.

"Quick, quick, quick!"

He gritted his teeth and climbed for his life, trying to reach the top before the green eagle got too close. He used all his strength to climb as fast as possible, but then another unexpected event occurred...

"Boom!"

A protruding rock suddenly loosened, and Lu Li almost fell. At the critical moment, he grabbed a nearby rock pine with his other hand. However, the rock rolled down, making a loud noise.

"What was that? Someone over there!"

A roar echoed, followed by a deep male voice: "It sounds like Lu Li? Quick, chase him, don't worry about the golden ants."

"Damn!"

Lu Li cursed, the green eagle already flying over. He flipped to the side, standing on a large rock, and drew the Tian Lin Dao from his back, slashing heavily at the eagle's beak.

"Chirp~"

The green eagle let out a mournful cry, its massive body being thrown back, blood staining the sky. Lu Li, confirming that the green eagle was no longer a threat, did not dare to stay and climbed up as fast as he could.

"Such bad luck!"

Reaching the top of the cliff, Lu Li saw several figures in the distance, running frantically with looks of frustration. He had almost successfully bypassed Zhao Rui and his group and entered the mountains, but now his efforts were in vain. Two Divine Sea Realm warriors were chasing him, and if he wasn't careful, he would end up buried on Hanyun Mountain.