Chapter 1704: Obtaining the Mountain
The silver runes on the surface of the mountain were projected outward before rapidly forming several black holes around the mountain, each of which had a diameter of around 10 feet.
Grey light swirled inside those black holes as bursts of enormous suction force erupted from within.
All of the nearby grains of sand were swept up by the grey light, reverting back to their original form before surging into the black holes in a frenzy.
Thus, a vast expanse of empty space appeared around the mountain.
Meanwhile, the ancient characters on the giant badge flashed before unleashing a thick pillar of grey light.
The badge acted as a hilt while the pillar of Divine Essencefused Light formed a blade, and the two combined to create a massive sword of grey light that was around 70 to 80 feet in length.
The sword swept through the air, causing the nearby space to warp and twist, and destroying all of the fist-sized grains of sand in the surrounding area.
There were millions of these yellow grains of sand surging through the air, yet most of them were drawn away by the Extreme Essencefused Mountain while the rest were destroyed by the grey light sword.
Thus, the 10th restriction was finally broken, thereby revealing the final restriction. This was a giant piece of artwork formed by an azure light barrier.
The artwork depicted lush mountains and scenic forests with countless beasts and birds residing within them.
At the same time, spiritual light suddenly flashed from the tallest mountain in the artwork, and balls of spiritual light began to explode all over the image.
Bird projections of all colors sprang to life within the azure light, and some of them flapped their wings while others raised their head and let loose long cries. All of them then erupted from the artwork as if they were actual living creatures.
Some of the birds opened their beaks to blast forth balls of crimson flames, some flapped their wings to unleash white blades of wind, and some summoned arcs of silver lightning around their talons amid rumbling thunderclaps.
Attacks of different forms erupted like floodwaters through a shattered dam, and at the same time, the light flashing from the azure mountain transformed into projections that were untraceable to the naked eye before hurling toward the black mountain and the grey sword of light.
The amount of High Zenith Azure Light imbued within this layer of the restriction was far more than that in all of the previous layers combined!
As these projections struck the Extreme Essencefused Mountain and the grey light sword, the grey light emanating from the two treasures dimmed significantly as if they were being overwhelmed.
However, as opposed to being disheartened by this, Han Li was elated as he exclaimed, "That really is a High Zenith Azure Mountain!"
Han Li was almost immediately able to identify that the mountain within the artwork was the treasure that he'd been searching for.
However, the mountain had clearly been refined into this artwork as its main material, and its powers seemed to have been significantly enhanced by the entire artwork.
Just as he was thinking this, Shi Kun let loose a loud cry, and his grey light sword began to glow brightly again as it slashed through the air.
All of the oncoming fireballs, blades of wind, and arcs of lightning were immediately vanquished before a devastating streak of sword Qi crashed into the flock of birds that had emerged from the artwork.
Hundreds of bird projections were destroyed at once, but even more of them transformed into five-colored balls of fire that hurtled toward the light sword in a frenzy.
Resounding booms rang out in rapid succession as the initial barrage of five-colored fireballs were snuffed out by the grey light emanating from the giant sword, but as more and more fireballs flocked toward it, the massive sword was finally forced to revert back to its badge form, which was then swept up by the flames amid an anguished wail, then sent plummeting into the artwork down below.
Meanwhile, the rest of the five-colored flames continued to surge toward the black mountain up above.
Han Li's heart stirred upon seeing this, and he immediately made a hand seal before pointing a finger at the Extreme Essencefused Mountain.
A dull sound akin to the toll of a giant bell rang out from within the mountain, and it began to swell drastically once again amid a flash of silver light.
In the blink of an eye, it had expanded to several thousand feet in size, and countless silver runes had appeared over its surface, sending waves of grey light crashing downward with devastating might.
The giant grey sword that Shi Kun had unleashed was extremely powerful, but the amount of Divine Essencefused Light contained within it was completely incomparable to that of the Extreme Essencefused Mountain.
Thus, as the giant mountain began to descend from above, all of the five-colored flames sweeping up toward it were instantly snuffed out by the waves of grey light before they could even make contact with the mountain.
The massive mountain then continued to plummet downward, yet just as it was about to strike the artwork down below, a long cry rang out from the azure mountain, following which all of the other features on the piece of artwork, regardless of whether they were beasts or plants, transformed into azure spiritual light that surged into the mountain in a frenzy.
The mountain took on an extremely vibrant green hue as a result, and it slowly began to emerge from the artwork. At the same time, the entire mountain shuddered, and the azure light emanating from it manifested into a series of green threads.
The High Zenith Azure Light within the mountain had finally been revealed in its truest form, and the green threads intertwined to form layers of green nets that surged directly upward.
The grey waves and green net clashed in an instant, and a sharp screeching sound akin to that of metal grating on metal immediately rang out. The two mountains both shuddered at once, and an impasse ensued.
Han Li narrowed his eyes while rapidly circulating the spiritual power within his body upon seeing this, planning to inject the Extreme Essencefused Mountain with more power in order to enhance it.
However, right at this moment, a string of loud thunderclaps suddenly erupted high up in the air, following which bolts of grey light that were as thick as large bowls crashed down viciously onto the green net.
The giant net formed by the High Zenith Azure Light immediately began to tremor violently as a result.
Han Li was quite elated to see this, and he looked around to find that the bolts of grey lightning were erupting from the flag in front of Liu Shui'er.
Seeing as Han Li and Shi Kun's treasures weren't able to easily break through the final restriction, she had finally unleashed her own treasures to lend them her assistance.
However, the azure mountain really was immensely powerful; it was quite clear that the High Zenith Azure Light it was releasing wasn't powerful enough to withstand the combined attacks of the Extreme Essececfused Mountain and the bolts of grey lightning, but green threads were pouring forth relentlessly from the mountain, constantly replenishing the areas of the net that had been damaged.
As such, even though the green net was firmly on the back foot, it wasn't immediately vanquished.
In contrast, Han Li's trio had gained a significant advantage, but they weren't able to break through the 11th restriction with immediate effect.
If they were to be delayed until all of the previous restrictions they'd destroyed fully recovered again, then they'd be in big trouble.
Han Li and Liu Shui'er were naturally both aware of this, so they were injecting their power into their respective treasures with all their might.
However, even in the face of the devastating waves of light and bolts of grey lighting, the green net displayed extraordinary resilience, constantly bringing itself back from the brink of destruction
Han Li and Liu Shui'er's expressions both changed slightly upon seeing this.
Thankfully, right at this moment, Shi Kun suddenly sprang into action again.
He took a deep breath, and his body immediately swelled to several tens of feet tall. He slammed his fists together in front of his chest, upon which brilliant grey light erupted from his body.
Immediately thereafter, he swung his arms through the air, and countless fist projections were conjured up around him all of which then came crashing down violently as balls of grey light.
These balls of Divine Essencefused Light proved to be the final straw that broke the green net's back.
The green net was already struggling to hold itself together in the face of the Extreme Essencefused Mountain and the barrage of grey lightning, and with the addition of Shi Kun's attacks, it was finally shattered into specks of spiritual light amid a dull thump.
Thus, grey waves of light, bolts of lightning, and balls of light all struck the azure mountain at once.
The entire artwork flashed with azure light before shattering amid a rapid string of successive explosions, then also vanishing on the spot.
The final restriction had been destroyed!
After the artwork was destroyed, a gaping hole with a radius in excess of 100 feet was left in its wake. The hole hovered motionlessly in mid-air, and its edges were emanating faint white light.
This was clearly an entrance leading to somewhere.
Shi Kun and Liu Shui'er were both staring intently at the hole with scorching looks in their eyes, but Han Li had cast his gaze elsewhere.
His attention was focused on none other than the small azure mountain that was hovering above the hole.
Without the enhancement of the artwork it had been attached to, the High Zenith Azure Mountain had been reduced to only around 10 feet tall, and the azure light shimmering around it had also become extremely faint, making it appear as if it were about to collapse at any moment.
Han Li's expression changed slightly as he suddenly raised an arm to point at the Extreme Essencefused Mountain down below.
The black mountain swayed before suddenly vanishing on the spot at his behest.
In the next instant, spatial fluctuations erupted in the air above the small azure mountain, following which the enormous Extreme Essencefused Mountain reappeared.
Grey light then swept forth from the underside of the mountain, completely enshrouding the small azure mountain down below.
The High Zenith Azure Mountain let loose an anguished wail as azure light flashed feebly around it in a desperate attempt to keep the Divine Essencefused Light at bay.
However, the small mountain had clearly already been severely debilitated, so it was no match for the power of Han Li's Extreme Essencefused Mountain.
A series of silver runes abruptly emerged within the grey light, and they revolved around the azure mountain before adhering to it like glue.
Following a final resigned wail, the High Zenith Azure Mountain was forcibly drawn to the underside of the Extreme Essencefused Mountain by the countless runes around it. In the end, it was drawn into the Extreme Essencefused Mountain and vanished in a flash of azure light.
A hint of elation appeared on Han Li's face, and he waved a hand through the air, upon which the Extreme Essencefused Mountain rapidly shrank down to its miniature form amid a flash of grey light.
The miniature black mountain then vanished up Han Li's sleeve, and the entire process had been extremely quick, to the extent that by the time Liu Shui'er and Shi Kun had reacted to what he was doing, the High Zenith Azure Mountain had already been secured.
Liu Shui'er and Shi Kun both faltered slightly upon seeing this before exchanging a glance with one another.
The two of them had naturally also identified the High Zenith Azure Mountain, and it was naturally impossible to say that they didn't want this treasure.
However, they didn't expect Han Li to act so quickly, taking the mountain without any hesitation almost as soon as the final restriction was broken.
Peculiar looks appeared on both of their faces in response to this situation.
"This mountain is quite useful to me, and I'm sure there are many more precious treasures down there, so you wouldn't mind me taking this, would you?" Han Li asked with a smile.
"Hehe, if that treasure is useful to you, then feel free to take it; I have no objections," Liu Shui'er replied as a smile appeared on her face.
Shi Kun's expression changed a few times before a wry smile appeared on his face, and he conceded, "I'm also rather interested in that treasure, but seeing as you've obtained it first, I have nothing to say."