"Mother, this is Hongmeng Mountain!"
Outside Hongmeng Mountain, two slender figures stood in the air. They were none other than the mother and daughter, Cui Ranqing and Yu Hongyan.
When Yu Hongyan had left Hongmeng Mountain last time, she had taken the precaution of deliberately leaving a marker nearby. Yet when she followed that marker back, all she saw was a mountain that could not have been more ordinary.
Cui Ranqing looked at the place, her eyes full of bewilderment. Even with her cultivation realm, she could see nothing unusual about this mountain. There was not even much spiritual power surrounding it, and it was somewhat barren.
Primordial Hall stood atop Hongmeng Mountain. Now they had found "Hongmeng Mountain," yet no matter how they looked, they could not find Primordial Hall.
Yu Hongyan had noticed this as well, and her eyes held an indescribable bewilderment.
"It was clearly right here when I came last time." Yu Hongyan looked at the ordinary mountain range with a puzzled expression.
After a moment's thought, Cui Ranqing understood. She said calmly, "Such a situation is possible. For one thing, the more powerful and mysterious a place is, the harder its location is to discover."
"The Valley of Devouring and Saint King Yunteng's Tomb have remained hidden from the world for years, and even now, little has been discovered," Cui Ranqing continued.
"Mother, what should we do, then?" Yu Hongyan asked with some anxiety.
At the thought that she might never find Primordial Hall or see Lin Yu again, Yu Hongyan's feelings became indescribably complicated.
Cui Ranqing merely assumed Yu Hongyan was worried about the Heavenly Dao and her fortuitous opportunity, and felt somewhat helpless herself. But the allure of attaining sainthood was simply too great. Even with her temperament, Cui Ranqing was unwilling to return empty-handed like this.
"Let's go into the mountain and take a look first," Cui Ranqing said.
With no other options at present, Yu Hongyan nodded and headed into Hongmeng Mountain with Cui Ranqing.
Although her probing had indicated that this so-called Hongmeng Mountain was nothing more than an utterly ordinary mountain, Cui Ranqing still feared something unexpected might happen and deliberately kept Yu Hongyan protected behind her.
Yet the instant they entered the airspace above Hongmeng Mountain, Cui Ranqing and Yu Hongyan both felt an irresistible pressure. Almost simultaneously, the two fell downward, utterly beyond their control.
Yu Hongyan was one thing, but Cui Ranqing had not experienced such terrifying pressure in a very long time.
Only at this moment did she truly believe in the terrifying strength of Primordial Hall's master!
As the mother and daughter plunged downward together, countless dark clouds suddenly gathered in what had just been a clear sky stretching for ten thousand miles.
The sky darkened, and lightning flickered faintly among the clouds.
"This is bad!" Cui Ranqing shouted, raising a shield with her own spiritual power and sheltering Yu Hongyan behind her.
Boom!
Myriad bolts of lightning struck at once, several landing squarely on Cui Ranqing's shield.
Cui Ranqing felt the hand sustaining her shield tremble violently, as though those myriad bolts of lightning were about to crush it outright!
"This is at least the Peak Saint Ascension realm! Such strength is simply unimaginable... Why would a senior like this remain here?" Cui Ranqing could not fathom it, no matter how she thought. However she looked, she could see nothing special about Hongmeng Mountain.
"Hollow Cicada Shield!"
Cui Ranqing changed her hand seals, and a gigantic cicada phantom appeared behind her. Its wings were crystal clear, while its body was a translucent purple, making it look incomparably sacred.
Boom!
As soon as the cicada phantom appeared, brilliant purple light erupted around Cui Ranqing. Yet had this scene been viewed from outside, it would have been clear just how feeble that purple light was...
Against those myriad lightning bolts, the purple light was like a mayfly trying to shake a tree. With a single strike, the lightning completely shattered Cui Ranqing's defensive spell.
The Hollow Cicada phantom shattered, and Cui Ranqing herself suffered grievous injuries along with it, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
When had Yu Hongyan ever seen her mother so weak? Seeing Cui Ranqing's face turn as pale as paper while the lightning's onslaught showed no sign of stopping, she feared that if this continued, the two of them would be battered to death.
"Hall Master! This junior, Yu Hongyan, pays her respects to you together with her mother! Please, Hall Master, don't kill us!"
Another bolt of lightning descended, heading straight for Yu Hongyan and Cui Ranqing. Yet at the critical instant just before it touched their bodies, it abruptly stopped.
The lightning was extremely close to Yu Hongyan, only a few finger-widths away. Had it not stopped in time, she feared that she and her mother would already have vanished like smoke and clouds.
Fortunately, the myriad lightning bolts had dissipated, and the sky had returned to its original state.
Then Lin Yu's unhurried yet solemn voice came from the distant sky. "If you wish to ascend Hongmeng Mountain, you must go through the mountain gate. If you insist on forcing your way in, you bear the consequences."
"Yes, this junior understands! Thank you for lending your aid, Senior!" Yu Hongyan hastily called out, her heart filled with boundless gratitude for Lin Yu's intervention.
"Just this once. There will be no next time," Lin Yu added.
Ever since Primordial Hall's last upgrade, Lin Yu had changed Hongmeng Mountain's external structure.
Anyone other than him who wished to ascend Hongmeng Mountain could only take the sole mountain path. If they forced their way in as Yu Hongyan and Cui Ranqing had, they would trigger the saint-grade formation, and the destruction of their souls would be the only outcome.
"Thank you for lending your aid, Hall Master. We have greatly offended you this time. Please forgive us." Cui Ranqing's face was still pale as she forced herself upright and spoke, her voice carrying indescribable fear.
From that brief encounter alone, Cui Ranqing already understood that the other party's strength was unfathomable. Even if Night Moon Palace committed all its power, it might not even be able to break through this formation!
Faced with such an enormous disparity in strength, Cui Ranqing felt only fear!
Yet if word of Cui Ranqing's humble demeanor spread to the outside world, it would likely shake the entire cultivation world. Although Night Moon Palace was a covert sect, both of Yu Hongyan's parents were renowned figures in the Eastern Wasteland.
In her youth, Cui Ranqing had been an influential figure in the Eastern Wasteland, her beauty enough to topple cities and kingdoms. Among the young people of his generation back then, there had been almost no one who did not like him.
With Lin Yu's warning, neither Cui Ranqing nor Yu Hongyan used spells anymore, traveling on foot instead. This undoubtedly cost them a great deal of time.
Only after roughly two hours did the mother and daughter finally find the mountain gate.
Two primordial guards were diligently standing watch before it.
Although she could not travel through the air, Cui Ranqing still had her cultivation. With just one glance, she sensed how unfathomable they were.
The primordial guards' strength was utterly unfathomable, yet they were merely guarding the mountain gate. Just what sort of terrifying existence was that so-called Hall Master...?