"What should we do now?" they turned to each other to see if anyone has an idea on how they should proceed after this.
"Follow me." Duan Li beckoned as he flew up past the canopy of the forest while the rest followed suit.
"Its even more thicker and larger than I imagined it to be..." Duan Li furrowed his brows once they were high up in the sky.
Looking downwards, the Forest of Slumber covered the entire land for as far as the eyes can see, and the thick canopy completely covered the ground surfaces to the point that nothing could be seen below except for the leaves from the trees itself!
Even when using his Tetra Soul Sense to scan the forest, it wasn't clear due to being disrupted by the thick canopy!
"What a perfect hiding spot for a bunch of bandits and evildoers..."
As for you little forest, since you denied me of access and wanted to devour us instead, I will have to respond in kind!
"Everyone, I need your help!" Duan Li said and explained to them of what he was going to do. When he was finished, no one could utter a single word and just stared at him in shock.
Are we hearing him right?
"H-Hey Duan Li, I know that you are a few notches stronger than me, but you can't be serious right?" Shen Murong swallowed his saliva.
"Y-Yeah! You have to be kidding! Even if spiritual Qi transfer could work, there is no way we could cover the entire area of this forest!" Wei Shang added, and the rest nodded to him.
"Your Excellency, we are aware of your invincible might, but even for you, this might be a bit too much..." Elder Cheng Chao also voiced her opinion.
Hearing this, Duan Li waved his hand lightly to dismiss their concerns, "I understand everyone's concern, but you guys need not to worry. It's not like I'm doing this alone!" he replied and chuckled.
Wengg!!
A teleportation portal appeared beside him, and from it, came out an identical figure to Duan Li, wearing the exact same white robe and donning a plain white mask!
It's his clone!
"Even the spiritual Qi and disposition are similar.. this is crazy..." Duan Li's followers were struck into awe and stared at Duan Li's clone with extreme interest.
"Impudent! How dare you lot try to inspect me as if an artifact!" Utmost Being felt the urge to slap everyone in the face in his agitation.
Do these people have no manners? I am the Imperial Overseer right now dammit!
Seeing this, Duan Li could not help but to laugh for a while, "Hahahaha! Now now, there is no need to get excited about some meager things like these. You have to be calm and collected like me, otherwise, people might be able to tell that you are my clone!" Duan Li said.
Pu!
Choking on himself, Utmost Being lashed out, "Who wants to be like you? A lazy ass, irresponsible host who left his clone to do all his work while he ran around everywhere! I Utmost Being, would prefer to be eaten by insects rather than choosing to become like you! Hmph!"
"..." the crowd found the scene of two identical person arguing with each other bizarre. But now, it was obvious that Duan Li's clone whom called himself as Utmost Being, was a hot headed person and more prideful in nature compared to his original.
"Anyway, you will have to control the runic formations for me!" Duan Li instructed his clone.
"Hmph! A simple task." Utmost Being replied with a snort before he sat cross-legged in the air and concentrated on his breathing.
Wengg!!
Duan Li opened up a teleportation portal and beckoned for Shen Murong to come to him. Then, they teleported somewhere, leaving the rest of them with Utmost Being.
...
Wengg!!
"Hmm.. this position should be fine!" Duan Li nodded as they stepped out from the teleportation portal.
"So, I just need to sit in a lotus position here and do nothing right?" Shen Murong asked as he looked around. It seems that they have jumped a massive distance from their original spot, and from the horizon, he could see the boundary where the forest stops growing!
It seems that I'm near the end of the forest...
"That's right!" Duan Li answered. "Don't move from this position at all cost. The enemies won't be able to harm you the least with my protection." he continued.
Tap!
Tapping his index finger onto the chest plate of Shen Murong's wooden armor, a complex-looking runic formation appeared in a bright red color on it!
"Alright, I'm going to send the rest to their position as well."
Wengg!!
...
Just like that, Duan Li teleported each and everyone that followed him to different corners of the Forest of Slumber, forming a complete perimeter around it!
"Hey, you sure about this? What if there are innocent people down there? You know, like kidnapped people?" Utmost Being asked Duan Li.
"It will be fine. I reckoned that the bandits would have locked them up inside a cave or something. Besides, since we are connected with the rest through the runic formation, my senses could reach out to most of the forest by then. If anyone needs help, I'll quickly teleport them away!" replied Duan Li non-chalantly.
"Hmph. Suit yourself then. If anything bad happens, it will be your responsibility anyway." Utmost Being then created a series of hand gesture before joining his palm together!
Supreme Spatial Imprisonment Formation!
Wengg!!
Several spots across the distance where each of the people that Duan Li transferred to began to give out a burst of red light into the sky before converging on Utmost Being as the center!
"Seal!" Utmost Being bellowed into the sky, and the entire area of the Forest of Slumber were enveloped inside a crimson barrier!
"Hehehe! Now let's see how you guys are planning to escape from me!" Duan Li's eyes flashed as he went into a stance.
"Zhulong, get ready!" Duan Li summoned the Fire Elemental Origin Spirit dragon to his side.
"Roger that Master! Hahahaha it's time for some carnage!" Zhulong laughed out loud in ecstatic. The last time he was this excited was back during Duan Li's last trial in the second region of the Eternal Maze where he burned an entire village to the ground!
To think that such an opportunity would come again so soon! Master is the best!
"Nine Fists Shattering Meteor!!"
...
"Are you seriously asking us to gather here because you missed us? Zeng Jiangshi, did you take us for a fool?" Chi Pisao stared at Zeng Jiangshi with a clear murderous intent.
"It's obvious that you called us for something else! Speak, or you shall become another collection to my human puppet!" Muou Da bellowed angrily.
Hearing their threats, Zeng Jiangshi could not help but to chuckle.
"Relax everyone hehehe! I do really meant what I said just now. Chi Pisao, that beautiful pair of hands you have for stabbing people and taking their hearts out, I bet you could knead a few fine dough with those soft hands!" Zeng Jiangshi replied.
"And you Muou Da, have you finished my order? I specifically asked a pair of puppets that look like your parents so I can command them like the slave they were! Hahahahahaha!" Zeng Jiangshi laughed in a high pitch.
"Bastard! You are looking to die!" Chi Pisao and Muou Da were thoroughly enraged. They were now sure that Zeng Jiangshi called them out here for some ulterior motive, and while they don't know what that was, they don't want to care anymore!
Just as they were about to make their move and butcher Zeng Jiangshi into many pieces, the fourth person that was silent all these while suddenly spoke;
"Hold." Huan Jue said.
All three of them stopped and furrowed their brows. On a first glance, it might look like they were heeding the other party's words as if Huan Jue was their leader, but that was not the case!
It was only because they were extremely wary of Huan Jue that they instinctively had to pay attention to every action he made!
After all, it was not only his eyes that was fearsome, but another known fact that anyone that entered a certain radius away from him would be plunged into the illusion world as well!
Even Zeng Jiangshi's vampiric aura, that could compel his opponents to enter his illusion world could not compare!
"The sky is changing." Huan Jue said as he raised his head to look at the sky.
"What?" the three arguing Dark Sect members also looked towards the sky and saw that it was slowly turning crimson in color!
Spatial Imprisonment Formation! And a massive one at that!
"Sh*t!! Zeng Jiangshi! What the hell are you planning! Have you betrayed the Dark Sect?!" Muou Da and Chi Pisao bellowed in rage.
Meanwhile, Zeng Jiangshi's countenance turned grim and serious, paying no attention to their complaints at all while looking at the red sky.
"This is beyond my expectation.." he clenched his fists tight, and sweat began to trickle down his forehead.
...