Han Li's expression stirred at the sight of the gate, yet he moved without hesitation. In the next instant, a shimmer of green light flashed before the gate, and Han Li had already stepped through. The massive ape automaton shifted slightly and followed right after. Almost as soon as the automaton vanished within the gate, the floating black-blue orb suspended in the air emitted a low hum, its surface shimmering with dynamic light before bursting into a brilliant, radiant flare. The vast silk net that had previously enveloped the entire plaza shattered silently, fragmenting into scattered streaks of luminous energy. Then, the great gate, flashing with white light, began to warp and blur in the surrounding space, and vanished entirely. Everything on the plaza remained exactly as it had been before. Yet Han Li and the giant ape automaton were completely gone, as if they had never arrived at all. At the same time, Shi Shikun had reached within a few hundred steps of the summit, and could now clearly see the grand hall doors opening wide. Liu Shui'er had also arrived at a distance of several hundred steps. Both of them, now aware that Han Li had entered the palace, were calm and composed, their expressions steady. Otherwise, perhaps something meaningful could be gleaned from these ancient texts. While mentally pondering this, Han Li glanced at the closed main gate and then summoned his spirit to the nearby giant ape. The puppet stepped forward, crossing several stone steps and reaching the main hall's gate, where it raised both hands to press upon the door, ready to push it open as it had done previously when opening the palace gate. Yet this time, Han Li's plan clearly fell short. It came to nothing. As soon as the giant ape's hands made contact with the seemingly ordinary hall gate, several deep rumbling thunderclaps erupted from the door, followed by a continuous series of booming sounds. A force of destruction so immense radiated from the gate that it seemed capable of leveling the heavens and the earth. "Unfortunate!" Though standing nearly fifteen zhang away from the gate, Han Li felt the sudden commotion and instinctively summoned a thunderous crack across his body, instantly forming a layer of pale, azure lightning armor to shield him. He then twisted his upper body slightly, while his lower body remained still, and with a quick shift of his feet, slid smoothly to the side. The movements were silent and ghostly. At nearly the same instant, the main hall's grand doors shimmered with a brilliant purple glow, and strange purple electric arcs emerged, flashing out and instantly transforming into dozens of purple serpents that shot forth from the door. The colossal stone ape, mere steps away, was instantly engulfed in the electric light and vanished into a mist of vapor. Yet these purple arcs showed no intention of stopping. With a single surge, they darted and scattered, each one rushing toward Han Li, as if endowed with their own spirit. Han Li's face paled in alarm. If there were no spatial barriers preventing him from ascending, he could easily employ various refined flight techniques to evade them. But now, unable to rise above, even with his most agile body, he could not possibly avoid the sudden bolt of lightning. In a flash of thought, he raised his hand and swiftly deployed a translucent, shimmering shield before him. The light flashed once, and the shield instantly expanded to the size of a zhang. Then, a surge of black energy rippled over Han Li, revealing a monstrous magical armor—restored and complete—enveloping his body tightly within the glow of pale and bright electric arcs. The purple electric beams descended, and dozens of purple serpents struck headlong against the foremost colossal shield. This crystal shield had previously demonstrated remarkable agility, often twisting and deflecting attacks, and had proven itself many times over in Han Li’s hands. Yet this time, the situation was entirely different. The purple arcs clearly differed from ordinary lightning; despite the shield’s delicate magic, it could only split one-third of the arcs in two, forcing them apart along its sides. The remaining majority of the attack struck the shield with full force. Under the explosive burst of purple light, an intense, scorching aura surged forth, swiftly engulfing the shield. To Han Li’s astonishment, the shield began to dissolve rapidly within the purple arcs, transforming into a transparent, liquid crystal, and then vanishing into the ground. Han Li was stunned. Without hesitation, he pressed a hand seal, and his robe of lightning instantly surged into a broad, silvery-white grid, which unfurled and intertwined with the purple lightning arcs. The lightning arcs formed by Han Li were condensed from the thunder clouds above, possessing power far beyond ordinary lightning or flame. However, after the two colors of arcs flashed and interwove several times, the silvery-white hue quickly diminished and vanished, completely absorbed by the powerful purple arcs, which then surged brilliantly. Han Li paled, and immediately waved his sleeves forward, sending a renewed thunderous sound as a thick golden arc of lightning prepared to burst forth. Yet this move came too late—the purple arcs suddenly coalesced into several thick, bowl-sized streams, flashing swiftly and striking hard against Han Li’s celestial magic armor. A tremendous, earth-shaking roar erupted, and Han Li staggered, his entire body enveloped by a cascade of vibrant purple lightning. But he suddenly roared in surprise and anger, and his magical armor instantly swelled out, the black patterns on its surface coming to life as if animated, forming a dense network of black runes that collided with the purple electric arcs. These seemingly ordinary runes proved far more powerful than expected—upon contact with the arcs, they both burst into splendor, transforming into swirling gusts of intense black-purple heat that danced and circled around Han Li in a lively frenzy. When Han Li finally steadied his feet and straightened his posture, the purple electric arcs vanished into thin air, and the gusts of wind suddenly dispersed. Han Li exhaled deeply, glanced at his celestial-magical armor, and silently breathed a sigh of relief. Had it not been for his prior repair of this armor, even if the attack hadn't killed him outright, he would have certainly sustained serious injuries. Nevertheless, despite this, he still looked pale and disheveled, truly appearing rather awkward. Han Li sighed, glanced at the shimmering liquid on the ground, and felt even more regret. The crystal shield had been reduced to such a state that it could no longer be restored. He looked at the main hall's grand doors, now once again calm, and his eyes flickered with hesitation. Such a powerful seal must have been set upon the doors—there surely remained something of great value, cherished by ancient immortals inside. Yet the messenger's seal was so formidable that even if Han Li succeeded in breaking it, it would take far more than a moment or two. And with such a prolonged stay here, waiting for Shi Kun and his companions to arrive, he might end up being the one who was left behind, making things worse rather than better. Indeed, it would be a clear loss. With his thoughts settled, Han Li no longer hesitated. He turned and swiftly moved along a nearby stone path, heading toward the nearest pavilion. He believed that even if that pavilion held some seal, it would surely not be as imposing as the one here—and thus, there was a good chance of gaining entry. Certainly, as he moved swiftly, his sleeve trembled and a cluster of emerald light shot out, releasing a second giant ape puppet. Drawing from past experience, this one nearly touched the ground as it emerged, settling steadily upon it. Under Han Li's urging, the second puppet also took steady steps toward a side pavilion. Han Li followed without expression. Proceeding along the stone path ahead, no further surprises arose, and he reached the side pavilion smoothly. Though the pavilion appeared only one-third the size of the main hall, both in layout and materials, it matched the main hall perfectly—its doors were merely slightly smaller, bearing a plaque inscribed with golden seal script, just as the main hall's did. Gazing at the seemingly simple and ancient entrance, Han Li's eyes flickered slightly. After a brief thought, he stepped back, pausing only when he had reached forty zhang from the pavilion. Then, with a single hand motion, several unusual符箓 appeared in his hand and were swiftly pressed against his body. Instantly, multiple protective shields of varying colors emerged in succession. Meanwhile,韩立 subtly pressed his fingers together in a series of gestures within his sleeve, and a deep, resonant hum echoed out, causing golden electric arcs to shimmer faintly. After making preparations for any unforeseen events,韩立 grew serious and gently urged his puppet forward. The giant ape immediately moved forward, raising both thick arms and pressing his palms directly against the doors.韩立 held his breath. With a creaking sound, the two massive doors slowly opened—remarkably, there was no magical seal in place. Seeing this,韩立 was naturally overjoyed. Yet, for caution, he did not immediately act, but instead continued to guide the puppet to enter first. Only after confirming that the giant ape puppet entered the hall unharmed did韩立 finally feel at ease. At once, a flash of spiritual light surged through his body, causing the protective shield formed by the several scrolls to instantly collapse and dissipate. As he quickly clenched his fists, the golden electric arcs hidden within his sleeves vanished silently. He then strode forward, heading straight toward the main gate of the side pavilion. When Han Li truly stepped inside, the giant statue of a monkey remained stationed on one side of the entrance, motionless and vigilant. With a swift glance across the hall, he had nearly taken in every detail of the room, his face now expressing a touch of surprise. To his sight, directly in front of the hall stood a vast, pristine white altar, resembling jade. Upon it, a shrine shimmered with purple light, its inner glow pulsing gently, revealing a faint, indistinct image of a deity. Facing the shrine, numerous yellow cushions were arranged in hundreds, and at each of the four corners of the hall stood a blue incense burner. A delicate aroma of sandalwood filled the entire pavilion.