The thought sent a chill down his spine.
He stopped and carefully sensed the divine intent flowing into his body.
The power was gentle and soothing. After seeping into his Sea of Consciousness, it merged with his seven great divine intents without anything unusual happening.
Yet it was precisely that lack of anything unusual that made him uneasy.
Everything came far too easily.
What ordinary warrior had ever comprehended divine intent without tempering themselves between life and death, without groping their way through countless failures?
But here, divine intent was as readily available as air, flowing into his body on its own. How could anything in this world be so convenient?
He recalled the white-robed souls along the mountain path.
They guarded this region, preventing anyone from venturing deeper.
But if the region itself was a trap, what exactly were they guarding?
Were they keeping outsiders from coming in, or keeping those inside from getting out?
Li Bufan shook his head and suppressed those distracting thoughts.
Whether this place was a sacred land or a prison, he was already inside.
His Golden Core had shattered, and his cultivation was gone. He had no path of retreat to begin with.
Rather than jumping at shadows here, he might as well seize every opportunity to improve his strength.
He continued upward.
This place truly deserved the name Upside-Down Mountain. The higher he climbed, the wider the mountain path became, while the shrubs and moss on either side gave way to ancient trees and vines.
As he walked, his steps suddenly faltered.
A figure had appeared on the mountain path ahead.
The figure sat cross-legged with his back to him on a flat slab of blue stone. His body was hunched, and he wore a tattered gray robe, looking even more destitute than