Han Li formed a series of hand seals, and a dozen or so formation flags facing the crystal wall began to drift and rearrange themselves.
After a brief moment, these flags settled into an unusual configuration — seemingly chaotic, yet brimming with hidden intricacy.
It was at that point that a low, cryptic incantation escaped Han Li's lips, followed by a dozen streaks of spiritual light shot from his hands, each one striking a flag with perfect precision.
The flags quivered in unison, erupting with multicolored radiance as beams of light shot out from each one, linking them all together into an arcane formation.
Wang Tiangu and the Marquis of Nanlong, both well-versed in formation arrays, furrowed their brows at the sight.
The formation struck them as vaguely familiar, yet none had ever actually seen one like it before. They silently studied it, trying to discern its secrets.
But Han Li seemed unwilling to let the other cultivators examine the arrangement for too long. With a low shout, blinding white light erupted from his body without warning.
The others, their eyes fixed on the formation, were caught off guard and forced to squeeze their eyes shut against the glare.
These old monsters reacted instantly, channeling spiritual energy into their eyes to shield them, and snapped their gazes back open almost at once.
What they saw left expressions of astonishment on every face.
The formation of flags on the crystal wall's surface had, at some indeterminate moment, embedded itself flawlessly into the crystal itself, as though it had always been part of the wall.
This sight filled the Marquis of Nanlong and the white-robed elder with elation. Their confidence in Han Li surged.
Wang Tiangu's expression shifted slightly before returning to normal. Behind him, Wang Chan's eyes — visible through his mask — betrayed a complex mixture of shock, and he stood there in a daze. Yan Ruyuan, however, merely knitted her slender brows, glanced at the formation within the crystal wall, blinked her lovely eyes, and a trace of doubt appeared on her porcelain features.
At that moment, Han Li walked up to the crystal wall in a few strides and pressed both palms flat against its surface. A pale green luminescence spilled from his fingertips.
Simultaneously, as if answering his call, the formation embedded in the crystal wall erupted with a five-colored radiance at its center. The glow grew ever brighter, gradually flooding the entire wall with a dazzling, extraordinary brilliance.
Just as everyone present was watching in rapt attention, Han Li withdrew his palms from the wall, flickered forward, and appeared before another crystal wall.
He studied it for a moment, then produced another set of formation flags and laid down a configuration identical to the first. Once again, a flash of white light from his body sealed the formation instantly into the crystal.
This time, prepared for the glare, the Marquis of Nanlong and the others — protected by spiritual energy in their eyes — watched the entire process of Han Li driving the flags into the crystal wall with perfect clarity.
They marveled at how effortlessly Han Li had cracked the crystal barrier.
All four walls were treated in the same manner, one after another. The process naturally took some time — a full half-hour, in fact.
None of the other cultivators showed the slightest impatience.
Everyone knew that breaking through such a wondrous ancient restriction would take time. This was to be expected.
Of course, it also had much to do with Han Li's unhurried composure, which had instilled considerable confidence in the group. Otherwise, the Marquis of Nanlong and the white-robed elder might not have been so willing to let him take his time.
Once the arrangements were complete, Han Li walked to the center of the great hall.
With a flip of his hand, he produced a jade-green formation disc.
Without a moment's hesitation, he sent a series of complex seals into the disc. The disc and the four crystal walls began to pulse in unison — the five-colored radiance swelling and contracting in rhythm. What had started as a chaotic flicker gradually synchronized until every glow brightened and dimmed together as one.
"Break."
Han Li paid no heed to the surrounding radiance. He lowered his head slightly and uttered the single word in a deep, resonant voice.
The instant the word left his mouth, the radiance surged violently and emitted a piercing hum — a sound that grew louder and louder, like ten thousand birds crying at once.
A thunderous boom shook the air, and the radiance shattered apart, plunging the entire hall into sudden darkness.
Only then did the Marquis of Nanlong and the others realize that the crystal walls surrounding them had vanished without a trace, replaced by ordinary blue stone walls. Set into one of them was a stone door roughly seven or eight zhang high and three to four zhang wide.
"I never expected Fellow Daoist Han to possess such profound mastery of formation arts — to truly break through this restriction! Ha ha! Excellent. Fellow Daoist Yun and I will naturally honor our word. Once the two of us have each selected one item, you may take first pick of any treasure you desire." The Marquis of Nanlong's eyes gleamed with delight as he spoke, his tone betraying barely contained excitement.
The white-robed elder broke into a broad smile the moment he saw the stone door, his gaze burning with fervor.
"Marquis Nanlong, why don't we see what treasures lie within! I hope there aren't any more restrictions inside!" the cultivator surnamed You said, his eagerness tempered by a note of worry.