Автор: sergey

As soon as his gloved hand closed itself around the hilt of the Golden Luster Sword, the light shimmering from the sword receded, but it suddenly began to give off an even more dangerous and menacing aura.

Han Lis expression remained unchanged upon seeing this, but he truly was quite surprised.

After donning this glove, this mortal truly was able to use this so-called spirit tool. This was a completely mindblowing concept to him.

He had heard that the most exceptional mortal cultivators of the Spirit Realm could even combat cultivators in battle, but the demon beast hadnt told him about these spirit tools.

If these spirit tools really were comparable to the treasures of the human world, then it really was no surprise that mortals could slay low-grade cultivators in this world.

Just as Han Li was reeling internally from his bewilderment, Little Seven raised the Golden Luster Sword, and inched it toward Han Lis wrist again. On this occasion, he was clearly being a lot more careful and precise.

Han Lis brows furrowed as he slowly activated his cultivation arts.

The Brightjade Arts and the Vajra Arts were the same cultivation art, but one was cultivated using the spiritual power within ones body, while the other was cultivated by forcibly injecting spiritual power from the outside world into ones body.

In the past, Han Li had naturally cultivated the Brightjade Arts, but due to the fact that he was unable to muster up any magic power, he could only employ the use of the Vajra Arts instead. Furthermore, he had been lying when he told the middle-aged man that he had only mastered the third layer of the Brightjade Arts. With the assistance of the Bone Tempering Arts and the Dragon Scale Fruits, he had already mastered the fourth layer of the Brightjade Arts.

As such, if he didnt intentionally decrease the power output from his Vajra Arts, the Golden Luster Sword still wouldnt be able to inflict any damage upon him.

As the blade of the sword made contact with Han Lis wrist, the sword faltered slightly, but it was finally able to slice through his skin and draw blood in the end.

The knight hurriedly picked up Han Lis other hand, dipped his finger into his own blood, then used this finger to write a few peculiar runes onto the blood curse contract.

As soon as those runes took shape, they disappeared into the sheet of paper without a trace. The knight turned to Han Li with a smile, and said, All of you have to do now is think about the terms of the contract again, then express approval of the terms in your heart.

Han Li did as he was told.

As a result, brilliant crimson light suddenly erupted from the blood curse contract, and all of the runes seemed to have sprung to life. All of them flew up from the contact before disappearing into the bodies of Han Li and the knight.

Meanwhile, the blood curse contract self-combusted and was burned into nothingness within a ball of green flames.

Haha, Brother Han, you belong to our Heavenly East Enterprise from this day forth. Little Seven, carry Brother Han onto a carriage. Hes currently unable to move, so he wont be able to ride on a wolf beast. The middle-aged mans demeanor toward Han Li suddenly became a lot more benevolent.

Little Seven clambered onto his wolf steed before riding off toward the rear of the party in search of a carriage. Meanwhile, the middle-aged man began to chat with Han Li as he wore an amiable smile on his face.

Only then did Han Li discover that this man was named Zhang Kui, and he was the leader of the Heavenly East Enterprises first guard squad. They were passing through this Azure Sifting Desert as they were transporting some important cargo. The Azure Sifting Desert was quite a vast desert, and several months was required for their squad to get from one end of the desert to the other.

Just as the two of them were making small talk with one another, a colossal creature suddenly approached them from the distance. That Little Seven was riding on his wolf steed in front of the giant creature, seemingly leading the way.

Only after the creature drew closer did Han Li discover that it was a massive tortoise that was around 40 to 50 feet tall, and roughly 70 to 80 feet in length.

There was wooden carriage set up on the tortoises back as well as a seat toward the front end of its shell. There was a thin grey-robed elderly man sitting on that seat, and it appeared that he was the coach driver.

The massive turtle stopped in front of the group of knights, and the carriage door was opened from the inside. A slender figure emerged from within, revealing herself to be a young woman who appeared to be 15 to 16 years of age, wearing a green dress. She had a round face with a set of sweet and adorable facial features.

The young woman glanced at Han Li before smiling as asked, Is he the one, Uncle Zhang?

Xianger, this is Brother Han, and hes already one of us now. Its just that hes unable to move at the moment, and all of the other carriages contain cargo, so Ill have to trouble you to look after him. The middle-aged man was speaking to the young woman in a very polite and respectful manner.

I see. Im happy to look after one of our own. Get him onto the carriage, the young woman replied with a smile. Even though she was still quite youthful, she was already displaying a hint of seductive feminine charm.

The middle-aged man expressed his gratitude toward this Xianger before waving a hand toward his companions. Two knights immediately dismounted from their wolf steeds and dug Han Li out of the sand. One of them was carrying his legs while the other had his hands hooked under Han Lis armpits as they carried Han Li up the tortoise along a rope ladder.

The young woman entered the carriage first, following which the two knights also arrived at the entrance. Han Li glanced at his surroundings and took in the entire carriage.

The carriage was very spacious, able to house a dozen people with ease. Aside from Xianger, there were also three other young women sitting in the carriage, all of whom appeared to be between 12 to 17 years of age. All of them were quite pleasing to the eye, and they didnt appear to be ordinary people.

There was only a chair and a few benches in the carriage, all of which had been stabilized to the ground, so the carriage appeared rather empty.

It was no wonder that the middle-aged man would arrange for Han Li to stay here.

In the end, Han Li was laid down on of the long benches in the corner of the carriage. The yellow hide of some unknown beast had been spread over the bench, and it was quite warm and comfortable to lay down on.

Immediately thereafter, the two knights exited the carriage, not taking the opportunity to steal so much as a single glance at any one of the girls in the carriage.

Han Li was rather surprised to see this. However, he was naturally not going to delve any further into this observation. Instead, he merely gave the girls a smile before closing his eyes to rest and recuperate.

In reality, he didnt have a single trace of magic power within his body, and his meridians were yet to be fully healed, so there was no way for him to actually cultivate. However, he had stayed in this godforsaken desert for several months, getting baked during the day and freezing during the nights while his body was destroyed and repaired from the inside, so he really was feeling quite exhausted.

The four young women in the carriage were all looking at Han Li with curious expressions while discussing quietly among themselves.

Even though they were speaking in extremely low whispers, their conversation was naturally unable to escape Han Lis extraordinary sense of hearing.

Sister Xianger, what kind of injury has that man been afflicted with? How is he completely unable to move?

Who knows? Uncle Zhang told me that hell get a cultivator to come and have a look at him soon.

Tsk tsk, looks like Uncle Zhang holds this man in extremely high regard, its not easy to employ the services of those cultivators. Im not sure about the details, but Uncle Zhang tells me that this man is a rare talent with extremely strong potential. Otherwise, he wouldnt be letting him stay in this carriage with us.

A rare talent, is he? Why do I not get that feeling? He looks really ordinary.

Han Li pretended to not be able to hear their conversation as he lay on silently on the beasthide bench.

At this moment, the giant tortoise began to move again. Even though it was traveling quite quickly, it was doing so in a stable manner, and Han Li could only detect a few minor bumps here and there during their journey.

However, the giant tortoise came to an abrupt halt a short while later.

From the sounds of the commotion outside, it appeared that the tortoise had caught up to the rest of the squad.

The middle-aged man outside delivered a loud instruction, upon which the entire squad set off once again.

Even though Han Li was unable to witness the scenes outside the carriage for himself, he could tell that there were at least 200 to 300 people outside.

The four young women discussed among themselves for a while longer, but they eventually grew bored upon seeing the lack of reaction from Han Li. As such, they moved on to other conversation topics, and on this occasion, they made no effort to keep their voices down.

I heard that the cargo being delivered by the Heavenly East Enterprise this time is imperative for the safety of An Yuan City, thats why the city lord was willing to spend an absurd amount of spirit stones to hire us to deliver the cargo from so far away. Otherwise, we wouldnt normally accept orders from a secluded city like theirs.

But why has the mistress gone ahead to An Yuan City first without taking any one of us? Thats rather strange.

Heehee, let me leak some insider information to the three of you, the mistress is traveling to An Yuan City in person, firstly because the cargo that were delivering this time is very important, and secondly, shes heading there to welcome the fifth young master home.

The fifth young master? You mean the mistresss son that was sent away to cultivate more than 10 years ago? Didnt they say that the fifth young master possesses a spiritual root and was accepted as a disciple by a cultivator? Why would he be in An Yuan City? Xianger exclaimed.

Im not too sure about that. I heard this information from the mistress herself.

I heard that the mistress has always heavily favored the fifth young master because he possesses a spiritual root. In that case, its no wonder that the mistress was so eager to travel to An Yuan City.

The four young women were chatting spiritedly among themselves while Han Li lay silently on the bench, looking as if he had already fallen asleep.

All of a sudden, the eldest girl in the carriage, a young woman in a blue dress, suddenly adopted a serious expression as she exclaimed, Whos there?

The other three young womens expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

Right at this moment, a male voice sounded from outside the carriage.

Its me, Nan Qizi. I was sent here by Benefactor Zhang to inspect the condition of Benefactor Han.

The young womans expression eased slightly as she replied, Oh, my apologies for my rudeness. Liuer pays her respects to Daoist Priest Nan Qizi. Please come in.

She then cast a reflexive glance toward Han Li, upon which her expression abruptly stiffened. It turned out that Han Lis eyes were already open, and when she turned her gaze toward him, their eyes just so happened to meet, and there was a hint of a smile on his face.

At this moment, Xianger had already opened the carriage door to reveal a yellow-robed Daoist priest and a white-robed elderly man.

The Daoist priest appeared to be over 30 years of age and there was faint azure light shimmering on his face, which was a clear indication that his magic power had reached a certain level. In contrast, the white-robed elderly man had a head of grey hair and a face that was riddled with wrinkles, giving off the appearance of a frail geriatric.

Old Man Fu? Why did you come here as well? Xianger appeared to be quite surprised to see the elderly man.

A pillar of azure light with a diameter comparable to that of a large bowl shot forth from the round disk.

Han Lis expression remained calm as he allowed the light to shine on him.

On one hand, he lacked the ability to take evasive measures, and on the other hand, he could sense that this beam of light was for detection purposes rather than an attack unleashed against him.

The pillar of light receded, but the round disk itself suddenly began to glow with brilliant light. The young man looked down at the disk before suddenly yelling to the people behind him with a stunned expression.

His cry of surprise created a stir among the group behind him as well. The man middle-aged man with the scar on his face yelled a few questions at the young man before also turning to Han Li with a hint of surprise in his eyes after hearing the young mans answers.

The middle-aged man then made his way over to the young man beside atop his giant wolf steed. He then asked Han Li a few questions, but Han Li naturally had no idea what he was saying.

The middle-aged man stroked his chin before switching to another language. Han Li stirred slightly upon hearing this language. Even though it was still unintelligible to him, it sounded somewhat familiar, as if it were similar to a certain type of ancient language used in the human world.

The middle-aged man was ecstatic to the see the change in Han Lis expression, and he hurriedly switched to a few more languages, in response to which Han Li continued to shake his head with difficulty.

The middle-aged man was at a slight loss for what to do now. He hung his weapon down the side of his massive wolf steeds body before pulling out a yellow wooden box and removing its lid.

A thumb-sized yellow bead was revealed within, and it was shimmering with faint spiritual light.

A slightly reluctant look appeared on the middle-aged mans face as he looked down at Han Li again. He then turned his gaze back to the bead with an indecisive expression before finally gritting his teeth, seemingly having arrived at some kind of decision. Immediately thereafter, he flipped over a hand and a peculiar ring appeared over his palm. There were a few types of runes carved onto its surface, and a pea-sized green jewel had been embedded into the ring.

The man pressed the bead down onto the jewel, upon which scintillating light abruptly erupted from the bead.

The man then immediately tossed the jewel toward Han Li without any hesitation. As soon as this object came into contact with Han Li, it disappeared into his body without a trace.

Han Li faltered slightly upon seeing this, and his heart jolted as a burst of cold energy suddenly emerged from the bead, flowing directly toward his brain. If he still had his magic power, then he could naturally expel this object at a whim. However, that was not the case, and he was completely immobilized, so he was powerless to do anything.

Thankfully, this group of people didnt seem to bear any ill will toward him, and Han Li wasnt overly flustered by this development.

The burst of cold energy swirled through his brain before disappearing. However, Han Li was suddenly struck by a sharp headache as a vast stream of information tried to forcibly inject itself into his mind.

Even though Han Li was unable to release his spiritual sense out of his body, there was no doubting the fact that it was extremely powerful. As such, his expression only changed slightly before his spiritual sense absorbed all of this information, thereby instantly allowing him to master a foreign language.

This language was none other than one of the tongues spoken by the middle-aged man earlier.

The man was rather surprised to see Han Li absorb the bead with such ease, and he asked, You can understand what Im saying now, right? Who are you and why are you here? This place is really deep into the Azure Sifting Desert, no normal person would ever come here.

Azure Sifting Desert? Ive never heard of it. Truth be told, I ended up here due to an accident, and the method through which I arrived was rather special, so I dont know what this place is. Im only an ordinary mortal and I dont have any valuable information to offer. You may call me Han Li, Han Li replied with a wry smile.

A special method? Did you also come here through a spatial rift? Dont be alarmed, this is an area thats rife with spatial rifts, so its often the case that complete strangers would be swept here from vast distances away. The middle-aged man seemed to have already grown accustomed to such occurrences.

Han Li was a little speechless upon hearing this. He had devised an entire story to try and mislead these men, but it appeared that he wouldnt be able to use this story.

Hehe, you dont look like an ordinary mortal. In any case, as long as youre not the human form of some beastly being, your origins dont really matter to us. However, your situation is rather perilous at the moment. The scorpion tide season will be coming up in the Azure Sifting Desert in a few days, and if no one saves you before then, youll be dead no matter what tricks you have up your sleeve. How about signing a contract with our Heavenly East Enterprise? We can take you with us, but you have to serve our enterprise for 20 years in return. Youll only be able to leave after you serve your 10-year stint with us. A hint of a sinister smile appeared on the middle-aged mans face.

Han Li only hesitated momentarily before agreeing, 20 years? Alright, Ill do it.

Alright, then sign this blood curse contract. The man laughed heartily before gesturing toward one of his companions.

The knight pulled out a thick stack of paper and picked one at random, then bit open his finger and wrote some things onto the paper with his blood. He then jumped down from his giant wolf steed and made his way over to the middle-aged man.

The latter accepted the piece of paper before showing it to Han Li.

However, Han Lis brows furrowed as he stared at the sheet of paper, and he didnt say anything, even after a long while.

A thought suddenly occurred to the middle-aged man, and he asked, Have you not seen a blood curse contract before?

This is indeed the first time Ive seen one. Can you tell me what it does? Han Li replied truthfully.

From what he could see, this was not a contract, it was clearly a talisman.

He recognized all of the runes on the talisman as they were an ancient type of runes used in the human world. However, this was the first time he had seen these runes used in this combination, and it created a rather peculiar sight to him.

You havent even seen a blood curse contract before? Did you come over from the east? So be it, let me tell you about this thing. Its very simple, if you agree to the contract terms and willingly drip a drop of your blood essence onto the contract, then it will take effect. If you try to revoke the contract, the power of the blood curse would take away part of your soul, and youll wish that you were dead! Hehe, this contact was invented by the Blood Curse Sect, and unless you possess the abilities of a god, you wont be able to escape its power after you sign it, the middle-aged man explained patiently.

A contemplative look appeared on Han Lis face. He still hadnt figured out how this blood curse contract worked, but he could tell that the runes used werent very complex at all.

Even though he couldnt decipher them right away, he would definitely be able to do so once given some time. Furthermore, from the level of complexity of the runes, it appeared that this contact would only be able to bind Foundation Establishment cultivators. Cultivators at the Core Formation Stage above would be completely exempt from its effect.

Even though he couldnt muster up any magic power, the enormous energy within his Nascent Soul had been injected into his body, so there was no way that this blood curse could bind him, its power would most likely be dispelled as soon as it entered his body.

This item was rather similar to the Underworld River Page used by the elderly man with the Fu surname in the human world. Of course, there was no way that the two could be compared to one another.

The Underworld River Page could even bind Nascent Soul cultivators to a certain extent, whereas this blood curse contract was most likely something used between mere mortals. Furthermore, it sounded as if this was a commonly used item around these parts.

A series of thoughts flashed rapidly through Han Lis mind as he read through the contract terms. These people were indeed extending a helping hand toward him, but he had to work for them for 20 years.

I agree to the contract terms, but I cant move at the moment, Han Li replied, but he feigned a reluctant expression, making it appear as if he were scrambling for an excuse.

The middle-aged man chuckled coldly as he waved a hand toward the knight that had drafted the blood curse contract. Give him a hand, Little Seven.

The knight who had just been referred to as Little Seven placed the blood curse contract on Han Lis chest before grabbing onto one of his wrists. In his other hand, he held a sharp dagger that was several inches in length, and he slit Han Lis wrist without any hesitation.

However, a metallic clang rang out as the dagger struck Han Lis wrist, and his skin remained completely unscathed.

Everyone was shocked to see this. The knight who was holding the dagger was completely rooted to the spot.

The middle-aged man came to his senses before a serious look appeared on his face, and he asked, Did you cultivate the Profound Armor Technique or the Vajra Arts? Have you mastered the second layer already?

Ive cultivated the Vajra Arts, and Ive mastered the third layer already. Han Li gave a calm reply upon hearing this, but he was ecstatic internally.

He was finally able to verify that this was indeed the Spirit Realm as only a mortal of the Spirit Realm would be aware of the existence of the Vajra Arts. freewebnvel.cm

The middle-aged man exhaled to recompose himself before tossing a short sword toward Little Seven as he said, The third layer, eh? That means you can already fight low-grade demon beasts. Looks Ive really stumbled across a treasure. Its no wonder that Little Sevens mortal dagger cant hurt you, try my Golden Luster Sword. Even though its only a low-grade spirit tool, as long as you dont activate your Vajra Arts to try and defend yourself, it should still be able to draw blood.

A spirit tool? Han Lis expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

Little Seven caught the sword before drawing it from its scabbard, upon which a burst of golden light instantly erupted forth. Han Lis eyes narrowed upon seeing this.

It appeared that this so-called spirit tool was seemingly no different from an ordinary treasure. Could it be that even mortals of the Spirit Realm could use treasures?

However, upon closer inspection, Han Li finally noticed the only point of difference, there was a golden spirit stone embedded onto the hilt of the sword. This spirit stone was a mid-grade metal-attribute spirit stone, and it was around one fifth the size of a spirit stone in the human world.

Just as he was contemplating these thoughts, Little Seven pulled out a beasthide glove before slipping it onto his hand. Only then did he grab onto the hilt of the sword with his gloved hand. Runes flashed over the surface of the glove, and there were also pea-sized spirit stones of different colors embedded into the glove.

Han Li lay on the ground in a completely still manner, experiencing the uncomfortable heat rising up from the ground while calculating the time in his heart.

If he wasnt mistaken, he had already been lying here for three months based on the timing conventions of the human world.

There were currently three suns and four moons in the sky, and Han Li knew that during the night, all of those suns would also convert themselves into moons. When daytime arrived, all of those moons would then transform into scorching suns one by one, until there were seven suns hanging in the sky.

This meant that there were constantly seven celestial bodies of light hanging in the sky. The difference was that temperatures were unbearably hot during the day, and freezing cold during the night.

From his observations, it appeared that the days and nights in this place were extremely long, roughly three times the length of the days and the nights in the human world. The temperature difference between daytime and nighttime was also absolutely staggering, and he would most likely already be dead if not for his special constitution.

This place was naturally no longer part of the human world, but was it the Spirit Realm? Han Li couldnt be sure.

The spiritual Qi here wasnt very abundant, seemingly not too different from the amount of spiritual Qi produced by a normal spirit vein in the human world, and furthermore, he had arrived here completely by accident. As such, he had no idea whether he had actually reached the Spirit Realm. freewbnoel.com

Thinking back to the events that had taken place within the spatial node, an expression of lingering fear appeared in Han Lis eyes.

But then again, if it werent for the accident that had taken place on the final stretch of the journey, Han Li had no confidence at all in his ability to withstand the relentless waves of spatial storms that had appeared in the end. After all, most of his protective treasures had been destroyed, including even his Eight Spirit Ruler. If it werent for the fact that his Spiritform Talisman had activated in the nick of time, he wouldve most likely been reduced to nothingness in the spatial node already.

However, his current situation wasnt very optimistic, either.

When he had just exited the spatial node and appeared in this place, he had been forcibly separated from the Ice Phoenix, and the restrictions that they had set up in each others bodies were beginning to take effect. Thankfully, he had mastered a vast array of secret techniques, and one of them allowed him to forcibly repress this restriction. Otherwise, he would already be dead from magic power backlash.

Even so, the residual power of the restriction was still wreaking havoc within his body, relentlessly destroying his meridians and bodily structures. If it werent for the fact that the Wood Birth Beads immortal body ability was constantly repairing his bodily structures, his body wouldve been reduced to a pile of mush already.

At present, there was one burst of power constantly destroying his body while another burst of power was relentlessly repairing the damage that was being done. This was naturally an extremely painful process. During this time, not only was he unable to draw upon any magic power, he was also unable to move even in the slightest. Furthermore, the destructive power was inflicting damage at a slightly faster rate than the regenerative power.

As such, his body would still be destroyed eventually if things continued like this.

In this dire situation, Han Li was forced to expel all of his treasures and store them into a storage pouch, then use a secret technique to dispel his Nascent Soul. In doing so, the enormous amount of power created by the dissipating Nascent Soul would inject itself into his body, thereby enhancing his regenerative ability.

However, the price he had to pay for this was that he wouldnt have so much as a single shred of magic power within his body for over 100 years, and nor would he be able to use any spiritual power or spiritual sense.

Even if a cultivator of a higher caliber than Han Li were to make a rough examination of his body using their spiritual sense, they would only regard him as a mere mortal, and they wouldnt be able to detect that anything was amiss unless they conducted a more thorough examination.

The consequences were quite dire, but the effects of unleashing this secret technique were also very potent.

During the past three months, the remaining power of the restriction had finally completely disappeared, and most of his meridians had been healed.

According to his estimation, it would only take him a month or so before he would be able to walk again.

With that in mind, he turned his head to the side with great difficulty, only to be greeted by the sight of a vast expanse of barren grey sand stretching as far as the eyes could see, with not even a single blade of grass in sight.

He was currently situated in a bleak desert, and most of his body had been covered by this strange type of sand, making him appear as if he were a deceased corpse.

The suns in the sky were gradually reduced from three to two, then to one, and it finally appeared as if dusk was approaching.

However, as opposed to closing his eyes and settling in for another freezing night, Han Lis eyes abruptly widened as a faint blue light flashed through his pupils.

A short while later, a series of sharp cries suddenly erupted from the sky above. Immediately thereafter, one black spot after another appeared in the air, amounting to a total of over 20 dark shadows, all of which came swooping down rapidly toward Han Li.

Even though Han Li was unable to inject any magic power into his eyes, he was still able to clearly make out the appearances of these black spots with his astonishing eyesight.

They were a group of strange black birds with falcon heads and bat bodies. Each and every one of them was around four to five feet in size. They all had a pair of sharp claws growing from their respective abdomens, and their black fleshy wings were fully spread to create a sinister sight to behold.

These birds flew extremely quickly, and had plummeted to an altitude of just over 300 feet in the blink of an eye. It appeared they were targeting Han Li as prey for their next meal.

A cold light flashed through Han Lis eyes and his four limbs remained completely still, but he suddenly turned his head and inhaled sharply.

A small clump of grey sand abruptly materialized into a ball before flying toward Han Li.

Just as the ball of sand was about to fly into his mouth, Han Li blew out a gentle gust of wind, upon which the ball of sand began to hover beside his mouth as if it were completley weightless, rotating on the spot without traveling any further downward.

At this moment, the flock of birds was only just over 100 feet away, and Han Li felt as if he could already catch a whiff of the putrid nauseating scent of rotten blood and gore wafting out from within their beaks.

Han Lis face remained expressionless, but his depressed chest suddenly bulged as he blasted out a gust of strong wind into the ball of sand.

The ball of sand was immediately dispersed into countless specks of azure light that shot forth into the air, striking the first few birds among the flock amid a series of dull thumps.

The birds that had been struck let loose shrill cries of agony before fleeing away into the distance. However, they only managed to fly for about 100 feet before collapsing to the ground with blood gushing from their bodies, clearly having been severely wounded by Han Lis innovative attack.

An incredible turn of events then unfolded.

Upon catching sight of their wounded companions, the rest of the birds completely lost interest in Han Li, flying toward their injured companions instead before tearing them into shreds in the blink of an eye. After that, all of them flew away in contentment with a chunk of their companions flesh caught between their beaks.

Thus, Han Li was all alone in this vast desert once again.

His expression remained unchanged, as if he were already accustomed to such occurrences. However, the contemplative look in his eyes suggested that he was in deep thought about something.

A while later, the final sun in the sky also gradually darkened as it transformed into a moon.

Han Li had witnessed this spectacle countless times already, yet he was still struck by a sense of awe and wonder at the sight of the seven moons in the sky.

All of a sudden, a slightly bewildered look appeared on Han Lis face, but unfortunately, he was unable to do anything aside from turning his head slightly to the side.

After a short while, a faint rumbling intermingled with the sound of thundering horse hooves erupted in the distance. It appeared that there seemed to be a large group of travelers approaching.

Han Lis brows furrowed, and a hesitant look appeared on his face as he tried to decide whether he should act to intentionally catch their attention.

If he didnt make a sound, it wouldnt be easy for them to discover him, given the fact that most of his body was obscured by the sand of the desert.

However, Han Li didnt have to grapple with this dilemma for very long as a crimson fist-sized bird had appeared about three hundred to four hundred feet above Han Li, letting loose a clear cry that was audible for several kilometers.

It was clearly sending a message to the group of travelers.

Han Li heaved a faint sigh upon seeing this. The bird was at too high of an altitude for him to try and replicate his sand attack, so he could only wait in silence.

As expected, only a short while had passed before the ground beneath him began to tremor, seemingly as if something were traveling toward him.

Following a burst of low roars, a few knights riding on a type of strange beast stopped far away from Han Li, looking at him from afar with cold expressions.

Han Li turned his gaze toward these people.

They were dressed in a rather strange way, but they definitely were humans.

Han Li was quite relieved to see this.

The group of knights was comprised entirely of men who appeared to be between 20 to 40 years of age. Some of them wore full suits of shiny armor while others were wearing nothing aside from a few faintly shimmering slabs of bones that covered their vital regions. However, all of them were holding an extremely heavy-looking club-like weapon each. These weapons were much thicker on the end than they were in the hilts, and there were many sharp spikes protruding from them, giving them a very sinister and dangerous appearance.

What was even more intriguing to Han Li was that all of these men were riding massive azure wolves as steeds. Each and everyone one of these wolves had a single straight black horn growing on their heads, and were clad in thick slabs of armor. They were each over 20 feet tall with burly musclebound bodies, putting on a very intimidating display even in stillness.

As Han Li appraised this group of people, the knights on their monstrous steeds also seemed to have arrived at the conclusion that Han Li posed no threat to them. As such, their expressions eased, yet they still showed no intention of approaching him.

One of the men, who appeared to be over 40 years old with a deep scar on his face, suddenly turned to a young man beside him and said something. The young man immediately pulled out a round white disk before spurring on his wolf steed to approach Han Li.

The young man stopped several tens of feet away from Han Li and said something that was completely unintelligible to him. The lack of reaction from Han Li brought a frown to the young mans face, and he gently waved the round disk in his hand toward Han Li.

Han Li stood below the ball of light, looking up with a solemn. Nangong Wan stood beside him in silence.

Everyone else was also completely silent, and they seemed to be waiting for something. Among this group of people were Tian Qiner, as well as Shi Jian, who had already become the Thousand Bamboo Sect Master.

After a long while, Tian Qiner couldnt help but ask, Master, will Senior Phoenix Really come here today? Itll be quite troublesome if we can only lift the seal after noon.

Dont worry, Fellow Daoist Phoenix sent me a message a month ago, so shell definitely arrive today, Han Li replied without even turning his head.

Tian Qiner fell silent again and continued to wait upon hearing this.

A short while later, Han Li abruptly turned his gaze toward a certain patch of mist.

Everyone else also turned their attention in the same direction.

A heavenly cry soon rang out from that direction, following which the mist tumbled and surged before revealing a snowy white Ice Phoenix that was several tens of feet in length.

The phoenix only flapped its wings several times before reaching Han Li and the others, upon which it transformed into a silver-robed woman amid a brilliant flash of spiritual light.

The woman turned to Han Li with an indifferent expression, and asked, Im not late, am I?

Of course not. You can lift the seal now, Qiner. Fellow Daoist Phoenix, we can set up each others restrictions now. Han Li issued an instruction to Tian Qiner before turning to the Ice Phoenix with a smile. He then disappeared into the mist as a streak of azure light.

The silver-robed woman raised an eyebrow before following him as a streak of silver light. Nangong Wan remained standing on the spot, looking at the direction that the two had disappeared in with a hint of concern in her eyes.

At this moment, Tian Qiner and a dozen or so other cultivators rose into the air, where they assembled in a strange formation directly beneath the massive ball of light. After that, spiritual light flashed as they produced a series of formation plates, formation flags, and various other types of treasures.

Following an instruction from Tian Qiner, all of these cultivators raised their formation tools in unison. Scintillating light radiated forth as the formation tools released either pillars or wisps of light, all of which disappeared into the ball of light up above.

Tian Qiner and the group of cultivators then set about lifting the restriction around the spatial node.

Time slowly passed and as the restriction was gradually loosened, the ball of light that had previously been quite blurry and indistinct became clearer and more dazzling. Furthermore, its color also transformed from a dull grey into a scorching white, making it appear as if a new sun had surfaced over the misty seas. In the face of such piercing light, even a great cultivator like Nangong Wan was forced to narrow her eyes and look away.

Meanwhile, Tian Qiners group of cultivators had already closed their eyes and were manipulating their formation tools through the use of their spiritual sense alone. Right this moment, a large hand suddenly appeared on Nangong Wans shoulder. At the same time, a warm male voice sounded beside her ear. Are you still worried?

Nangong Wans body stiffened before relaxing as she put on a rather forced smile and turned around. Han Li was standing behind her, appraising her with a smile on his face.

I definitely am still worried, but were defying the natural order by pursuing the Great Dao anyway, so there are bound to be hazards involved. Have you and Fellow Daoist Phoenix already finished setting up restrictions? Nangong Wan asked in a gentle voice after heaving a faint sigh.

Yes. Both restrictions are very secure and cannot be lifted by anyone aside from their respective casters. Looks like we wont have to worry about the other person plotting against one another now, Han Li replied with a wry smile. Hmph, as long as you dont try anything, I have no reason to plot against you. White light flashed behind Han Li, and the silver-robed woman emerged from a spatial rift. Fellow Daoist Phoenix, Id advise you not to use your spatial abilities now, you should conserve your magic power so we can better deal with the hazards present within the spatial node. Han Lis brows furrowed.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that both of them had set restrictions on one another, but the Ice Phoenixs enmity toward Han Li seemed to have been curbed slightly, and she replied in a slightly more amicable manner, Rest assured, I know what Im doing.

Han Li smiled and didnt offer a response. He stepped forward and stood beside Nangong Wan as they both looked up at the seal being lifted overhead. The silver-robed woman had also fallen silent.

Around 15 minutes later, when the ball of light in the sky had reached its most dazzling point, a dull thunderclap suddenly erupted. The white light receded and the ball of light in the sky suddenly transformed into an inky-black hole. It was like the bottomless gullet of a giant beast with not even a single hint of light to be seen within. Han Li and the silver-robed woman both stirred upon seeing this, and she said, Lets go, Fellow Daoist Han.

Silver light then surfaced around her body as she slowly hovered toward the black hole.

Han Lis lips twitched as he patted a storage pouch hanging from his waist. Silver light immediately flashed from within as a second Han Li emerged. It was none other than the humanoid puppet. Han Li raised his hand and imprinted his palm onto the humanoid puppets head like lightning. An inky black Nascent Soul emerged from the humanoid puppets head before disappearing into Han Lis body.

Han Li then pointed toward the puppet, and brilliant silver light abruptly erupted from its body. The puppet shrank rapidly amid the silver light, reducing itself to a tiny little wooden puppet in the blink of an eye.

Almost at the exact same moment, Han Li whipped his other sleeve through the air, and two tiny blue cauldrons emerged along with a ball of three-colored flames. Waner, these treasures wont be very useful to me after I pass through the spatial node. Youll most likely have to face many more tribulations here in this human world, and I can only leave these items behind to assist you, so please accept them. Han Li swept a sleeve through the air as he spoke, sending a burst of azure light sweeping forth, which pushed those four treasures toward Nangong Wan.

After that, Han Li rose into the air and flew toward the Ice Phoenix as a streak of azure light.

Nangong Wan gritted her teeth and waved a slender hand through the air, drawing the four treasures into her grasp. She then stood on the spot and looked up at Han Lis departing figure with a set of slightly pale features.

At this moment, the Ice Phoenix stopped in front of the unfathomably deep black hole. After Han Li caught up to her, she asked, Arent you going to speak with Fellow Daoist Nangong for a while longer? Im not in a hurry to enter this spatial node, so you can spend some more time with her if you want.

The Ice Phoenix was putting on a rare display of thoughtfulness.

Han Li took a deep breath before replying in a calm voice, That wont be necessary. Waner and I have already said everything that needs to be said long before this. We just need to focus on passing through the spatial node now.

He then laid a hand over the top of his own head, and azure light flashed as a miniature azure cauldron emerged. He then gently stomped a foot into the air down below, and green light flashed as a green ruler abruptly appeared amid the projection of a silver lotus flower.

Following a nonchalant flap of his sleeve, a silver talisman shot forth and transformed into a tight-fitting suit of three-colored armor that settled over his body. Immediately thereafter, 72 small golden swords short forth from various parts of his body, transforming into fragments of golden light that revolved around him.

At the same time, Han Li flipped his hands over to produce a shiny golden ring and a small jade umbrella that was around several inches in size.

A hint of surprise flashed through the silver-robed womans eyes upon seeing this before she shrugged her shoulders in an unhurried manner, sending a dozen or so streaks of white light flying through the air, which transformed into a series of long translucent feathers.

The feathers swirled through the air before descending to form a white barrier that shielded the Ice Phoenix within. At the same time, silver spiritual light revolved around her body, manifesting a mystical image of countless birds revering a single phoenix. What was most surprising was that she then opened her mouth to expel a semi-transparent ice ark.

The ark was already several inches in size as soon as it emerged from her mouth, and it swelled drastically thereafter, reaching a length of over 100 feet.

The silver-robed womans body swayed as she drifted onto the ice ark before turning to Han Li as she said, This Heaven Puncturing Ark is a top-grade defensive treasure that finally took shape within my body after being nurtured by my glacial essence for over 10,000 years. It should be able to protect us and save us a lot of inconvenience during the initial phase of our journey.

Han Li didnt waste any time with formalities as he also immediately strode onto the ark. He stood beside the silver-robed woman with a calm expression, and said, Seeing as you have such a potent treasure, allow me to give you a hand.

A large swath of grey light immediately surfaced from Han Lis body as he spoke, following which a dark shadow flashed, and a completely mundane and nondescript miniature mountain appeared.

The miniature mountain was only around 10 feet in size, and before the Ice Phoenix was able to figure out what it was, it had already emerged from the expanse of grey light and landed securely on the ice ark.

Immediately thereafter, Han Li made a hand seal, and a vast expanse of grey light erupted from the mountain, enclosing the entire ice ark within.

The silver-robed woman didnt know what this grey light was, but she could tell that it possessed extraordinary properties. As such, she summoned a silver light barrier from the ice ark which combined with and fortified the grey light emanating from the miniature mountain.

The ark then shot forth into the black hole, and disappeared in a flash. Everyone down below looked on with wide eyes, staring intently up at the spatial node with unblinking gazes.

However, everyone was soon disappointed. Following Han Li and the Ice Phoenixs entry into the spatial node, the condition of the black hole remained completely unchanged, as if nothing had ever happened. Nangong Wan finally withdrew her gaze as she issued a calm instruction to Tian Qiner. Qiner, station a couple of disciples here, and get everyone else to go back. Theres no point in having too many people remain here.

Yes! Tian Qiner extended a respectful salute and organized for two Core Formation disciples to remain here before returning to the island with Nangong Wan and the others.

After a month, no changes to the entrance of the spatial node were observed, and Nangong Wan instructed Tian Qiner to seal the entrance with a formation spell again. She then left several disciples behind to guard the entrance while everyone else returned to the Scattered Star Seas with her.

Han Li didnt leave a soul lamp for everyone, so no one knew whether Han Li had already passed through the spatial node and emerged on the other side, or had followed in the footsteps of Xiang Zhili and the others, perishing to spatial storm and the power of the boundary between realms present within the spatial node.

This was exactly why Han Li was unwilling to leave a soul lamp behind. After all, it was always better to have some hope rather than be plunged into complete despair.

Theres no need for him to enter the spatial node with me, is there? the silver-robed woman asked in an indifferent voice as she sat down in a chair.

Nangong Wan was completely unfazed by the silver-robed womans aloof response as she continued, Surely you jest, Fellow Daoist Phoenix. The spatial node is extremely perilous and entering it alone would be akin to suicide. Im sure youve seen how unstable this spatial node has been in the past few decades, and its most likely close to collapsing.

Its not impossible for me to enter the spatial node with him. However, I have a condition that he must agree to before I can work together with him. The silver-robed woman glanced at Han Li with a peculiar look in her eyes.

Whats your condition? Han Li was rather curious now.

I still dont fully trust you, so if I were to enter the spatial node with you, we have to set restrictions on each other prior to entry. In that case, if one of us falls into trouble, the other side must assist them with all their might. Otherwise, neither of us will be able to leave the spatial node alive. Ill only agree to join forces with you if you agree to that condition, the Ice Phoenix replied.

Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Han Lis face as he immediately agreed, I have no objections to this condition. In fact, it also puts me at ease.

In contrast, the silver-robed woman was rather taken aback by Han Lis quick response, and she aimed a cold glance at Han Li before continuing, In that case, I have to leave this place for a while to make some preparations. This spatial node can last at least three more decades, so Ill come back to meet you here in exactly 30 years. I hope you wont change your mind by then.

The silver-robed woman departed as soon as she finished her sentence, not giving Han Li any time to state his opinion.

Han Lis brows furrowed, but he didnt say anything. It was instead Nangong Wan who rose to her feet to accompany the Ice Phoenix out of the pavilion. It appeared that Nangong Wan had something to say to her alone.

After the two women exited the hall, Han Li fell into deep thought, seemingly contemplating the suggestion the Ice Phoenix had just raised.

After a short while, he raised his head just as Nangong Wan returned to the room.

Looks like youll really be departing in 30 years. A hint of dejection appeared in Nangong Wans beautiful eyes.

My main concern now is that this spatial node will collapse soon, and you wont be able to reach the Spirit Realm even if you progress to the Deity Transformation Stage, Han Li sighed with furrowed brows.

Thats not a problem. This isnt the only spatial node in this world and Ive already taken the Returning Sun Water. If I can reach the Deity Transformation Stage, my lifespan would be far lengthier than that of the average Deity Transformation cultivator. Im sure Ill be able to find another spatial node in the human world during that time, Nangong Wan replied in a gentle voice.

She then made her way over to Han Li and slowly lowered herself into Han Lis arms.

Han Li wound his arms around her exquisite body, and was slightly entranced as he inhaled her faint fragrant scent. frewbovel.cm

Neither of them wanted to say anything as they basked in each others warmth. The light spilling in from the window cast their shadow onto the ground, and it appeared from that shadow that they had already combined as one.

After a long while, Han Li asked in a gentle voice, By the way, Waner whats that defensive treasure you were talking about earlier?

Nangong Wan reluctantly freed herself from Han Lis embrace as she smoothed down her palatial dress, and asked, Do you recall the golden box I found in that underground cave during the Trial by Blood and Fire?

Golden box? Oh, yes, I do recall that box.

The bloody restricted area was actually the hidden abode of an ancient cultivator, and that golden box contained the restriction badge that would grant one access into the tallest tower at the center of the restricted area. Even with that badge, one would still have to at least be at the late-Nascent Soul Stage to enter that area and be unaffected by the strange restrictions there. Once I reached the late-Nascent Soul Stage, I immediately traveled to the State of Yue to venture into this tower and obtained the inheritance of this ancient cultivator. Aside from that, I also discovered the remains of a cultivator within a certain restriction in the tower. He had clearly ventured into the tower without a restriction badge, and had fallen there as a result. The treasures that he was carrying were all quite extraordinary, so he mustve been quite a powerful cultivator in his heyday. One of those treasures would most likely be very helpful to you, so I brought it along with me, Nangong carefully explained. As she spoke, she patted a storage pouch hanging from her waist to produce a ball of shimmering six-colored light, within which a silver talisman could be seen.

This talisman is what you were referring to? Han Li was struck by a sense of familiarity when he saw this item, but he was unable to put his finger on where he had seen it before.

Im not sure who refined this talisman, but let me show you its ability first. Nangong Wan smiled as she tossed the silver talisman into the air, then made a hand seal as she chanted in her beautiful voice.

An incredible scene ensued.

The silver talisman suddenly transformed into a burst of silver light as it flew toward Nangong Wan, enshrouding her entire body under a silver light barrier.

Silver light was flashing violently on the barrier, and the barrier itself was rumbling incessantly.

Han Li didnt pay any heed to this initially, but as the rumbling became more and more pronounced and relentless, he discovered that it was drawing more spiritual Qi into the hall, thereby increasing the spiritual Qi density in the surrounding area.

Han Li stirred as he narrowed his eyes upon seeing this.

Right at this moment, a wisp of colorful spiritual light surfaced within the hall before surging toward Nangong Wan in a frenzy, disappearing into the light barrier in the blink of an eye.

The silver light barrier began to flash erratically as layers of barriers began to materialize around Nangong Wan, each of which was a different dazzling color.

A few moments later, six layers of light barriers had taken shape.

A thought suddenly occurred to Han Li upon seeing this, and he exclaimed, Thats the Six Divine Talisman!

The Six Divine Talisman? Is that what its called? Do you recognize this talisman? Nangong Wan was slightly taken aback by Han Lis reaction, but she continued to make hand seals.

The six layers of light barriers instantly transformed into a six-colored suit of armor that adhered tightly to her body. Exuberant spiritual light was shimmering over the surface of this suit of armor, creating quite a spectacular sight to behold.

I think I do. Even though I havent seen this talisman in person, Ive seen descriptions of it in a tome from one of the Great Jins sects. The Six Divine Talisman is a kind of talisman than draws upon the worlds origin Qi in the surrounding environment rather than drawing power from the cultivators magic power, Han Li replied with bright eyes.

This was one of the three secret talismans of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, and he had been trying to get his hands on the refinement method for this talisman for a long time. However, he has been unable to find any leads on it, so he could only give up. Could it be that the remains that Nangong Wan had found belonged to that elder of the Heavenly Talisman Sect? Was that also the reason why Xiang Zhili had entered the bloody restricted area?

A string of thoughts flashed through Han Lis mind, but he found them to be rather implausible in the end.

He didnt delve on these thoughts for much longer as he made his way over to Nangong Wan and began to carefully inspect the suit of six-colored arms she had donned.

Aside from her limbs and head, the suit of armor had covered virtually Nangong Wans entire body. Furthermore, its surface was quite smooth, and the fainty shimmering runes on the armor lent it a sense of mystery and intrigue.

At Han Lis current cultivation base, he was able to easily detect the fearsome spiritual power imbued within the suit of armor.

This is most definitely the Six Divine Talisman, but according to the description I saw on that tome, this shouldnt be the extent of the talismans power, you havent unleashed its full power yet, have you, Waner? Han Li asked.

Youre right, Ive only unleashed a tenth of its power, Nangong Wan replied with a smile.

Good. This talisman will indeed be very useful for my venture into the spatial node. By the way, did you find the refinement method for this talisman on the remains of the cultivator you discovered in the tower? Han Li asked.

No, I only managed to find this talisman, Nangong Wan replied with a shake of her head.

Han Li was slightly disappointed to hear this, but after thinking about it, he shook his head and chuckled, Forget it, I was too greedy there. Its already very fortunate that you were able to discover this talisman.

Nangong Wan gave Han Li a warm smile before patting the suit of armor around her body, following which it reverted back into its talisman form.

She then opened her mouth and expelled a burst of red light, which enveloped the talisman before sending it flying toward Han Li.

Han Li accepted the talisman without any objections.

During the coming days, Han Li stayed on the island and cherished his remaining time with Nangong Wan.

Both of them knew that regardless of whether Han Li would be able to successfully ascend to the Spirit Realm, this would most likely be the only remaining time they had together. In the future, it was quite possible that they would be separated forever, and the chances of them reuniting were quite infinitesimal.

As such, both of them cast aside all inhibitions and enjoyed their time with one another to the fullest.

However, three years later, Han Li and Nangong Wan were enjoying some tea on a scenic mountain when Han Lis expression suddenly changed.

He rustled his sleeve, and a jade talisman emerged before landing in his hand.

It was none other than a Myriad Distance Talisman.

Han Li immediately cast his gaze toward the talisman in his hand.

Even though the message on the talisman was quite brief, it was enough to bring an elated expression onto Han Lis face.

The message had been sent to him by the humanoid puppet, informing him that the Profound Goddesss Palm had finally borne fruit.

One year later, a streak of azure light flashed into an obscure ravine within the Devilfall Valleys inner valley.

Han Li stayed within the ravine for several months before departing once again.

Time flew by and 30 years flashed past, seemingly in the blink of an eye. Within the misty seas, a group of cultivators in different attire gathered below a massive ball of light.

During these past few decades, Han Li would consume Dragon Scale Fruits, which he had prepared in his storage pouch in advance, at regular intervals. As such his strength had exceeded the upper limit of human cultivators a long time ago.

He had planted the Dragon Scale Fruit in the Devilfall Valley, and it was among the spirit medicines that the humanoid puppet had begun to deliver to the spatial pocket.

However, Han Li was didnt consume one of these fruits every single day. Instead, he had one every half a month. The medicinal effect of the fruit wasnt very strong, but if he didnt absorb the medicinal effect in time, it would slowly build up within his body. If this trend were to continue for several decades, his body wouldnt be able to handle the backlash, even though he had mastered the third layer of Brightjade Arts.

The Golden Wyrm King was only able to consume one Dragon Scale Fruit per day as wyrms possessed far more powerful bodies than normal demon beasts.

Due to the fact that Han Li had spent most of his time in seclusion preparing for a breakthrough to the Deity Transformation Stage, he wasnt able to dedicate much time to refining this fruit, only around a dozen years or so. After that, he stopped and began to focus wholeheartedly on cultivating his Azure Essence Sword Art instead.

Prior to arriving at the Five Dragon Seas on this occasion, Han Li had deliberately filled an entire storage pouch with ripe Dragon Scale Fruits.

As such, he had a steady supply of this fruit during his journey throughout the human world in the past few decades, and he was able to cultivate the Bone Tempering Art that he had unintentionally obtained, thereby allowing him to refine the medicinal effect of these fruits.

As a result, Han Li was astonished to find that the Dragon Scale Fruits and the Bone Tempering Art created an extraordinarily effective combination. The Bone Tempering Art had initially to be quite difficult to cultivate, but with the assistance of the Dragon Scale Fruits, Han Li was able to make rapid progress, mastering several layers during the short span of a few decades.

If he were to inspect his internal condition now, he would find that not only had his bones become noticeably thicker, they had also taken on a faint golden hue, similar to the color of his skin when he activated his Brightjade Arts.

In terms of strength, he was now able to easily lift massive rocks that weighed several tons without using any magic power.

What came as even more of a pleasant surprise to Han Li was that consumption of Dragon Scale Fruits also seemed to be quite conducive to the cultivation of the Brightjade Art. As such, as he was cultivating the Bone Tempering Art, he mastered the fourth layer of the Brightjade Art as well.

Due to this observation, he speculated that the Bone Tempering Art most likely really was somehow related to the Sacred Provenance Plate, perhaps it had even been created based on the Brightjade Art.

Otherwise, this cultivation art wouldnt act in such a complementary manner with the Brightjade Art.

After mastering the fourth layer of the Brightjade Art, he was able to cultivate several of its accompanying Buddhist secret techniques. When used in conjunction with the Brightjade Art, these secret techniques were extraordinarily powerful, and further contributed to enhancing his combat prowess.

While consuming the Dragon Scale Fruits, he would always conceal the Heavenvoid Cauldron temporarily to prevent the Endless Sky Beast from discovering this secret.

Otherwise, it would be very suspicious if he were able to bring out Dragon Scale Fruits on a regular basis.

So once full mastery of the Divine Essencefused Light is achieved, it becomes grey. Thats rather strange. I thought that it would become five-colored light. Now that youve achieved full mastery of the Divine Essencefused Light, I can use its five-elemental power to subdue five-elemental treasures. As your cultivation base continues to improve, as will the power of your Divine Essencefused Light, so there wont be any need to specifically cultivate it. This is quite a rare ability and even cultivators of a higher level will find it quite difficult to handle this power, the small child suddenly remarked.

I didnt think that the Divine Essencefused Light would turn into such a monotonous color, either. While I was cultivating it in the past, it did indeed produce five-colored light, and it only changed into this color after I reached full mastery. Han Li was also stroking his chin with a rather perplexed look on his face.

He had been wondering about this for a long time, yet never articulated this internal query. Now that the small child was raising this question, his own confusion also rose to the surface.

Hehe, this cultivation method was created by a cultivator of this world, so its not really surprising that it can undergo some strange transformations, the small child said with a nonchalant chuckle.

Thats true. As long as the power of this Divine Esencefused Light isnt hampered in any way, it doesnt really matter that its color has changed. Han Li nodded with a smile in agreement.

Hehe, thats the best way to think about it. Looks like youre really planning to ascend to the Spirit Realm soon, Brother Han. In that case, I wont be returning to the Five Dragon Seas with you. Lets part ways here. As soon as the small childs voice trailed off, a ball of azure light shot forth from within Han Lis sleeve, revealing itself to be none other than his Heavenvoid Cauldron.

A crisp ringing sound erupted from the cauldron, following which the lid was lifted slightly. A burst of grey Qi flew out, transforming into a small child that was several feet tall.

You can already leave the Heavenvoid Cauldron? I thought youd still require some more time. Han Li was rather surprised to see this.

Ive been working on the restriction thats bound me this entire time as well, so the remnants of the restriction is no longer enough to confine me, the small child replied.

Han Li recomposed his surprised expression before asking, I see. Are you planning to stay here, Fellow Daoist Endless Sky? Why dont you go back to the Heaventide Prairies or go somewhere else? This continent is actually nothing more than a massive island, so it really cant compare to other places with cultivation foundations.

Im just an avatar of my true body in the Spirit Realm, so theres no need for me to cultivate too quickly, cultivation resources are completely pointless to me right now. Ive decided to stay here on this continent because Ive discovered the aura of one of my brethren recently. Even though their bloodline isnt very pure, Ive still decided to grace them with my presence, the small child explained calmly.

Han Li faltered slightly upon hearing this before a smile appeared on his face, and he said, I see. I must congratulate you then, Fellow Daoist.

Haha, I didnt think that I would encounter one of my brethren here in this human world. In this case, I wont accompany you on your journey any longer, Fellow Daoist Han. Ill be taking my leave now.The small child cupped his fist in a salute before transforming into a burst of greyish-white Qi and disappearing into the distance.

He had left without so much a single trace of hesitation.

Han Li was rooted to the spot for a long while as he gazed into distance in the direction that the demonic Qi had disappeared in.

After a long while, Han Li murmured to himself, With this demon beast here, this continents peaceful days are most likely over. That doesnt have anything to do with me, though.

After that, he also disappeared into the distance as a streak of azure light.

Two years later, a streak of azure light flew over the misty seas of the Five Dragon Seas, disappearing into the mist in the blink of an eye.

When Han Li appeared in the sky above the island, around a dozen or so cultivators immediately emerged to meet him.

Han Li faltered slightly as a cold light flashed through his eyes, but his expression immediately eased at the sight of a familiar lithe and graceful figure.

Youve finally come back, Han Li. The alluring figure flew toward Han Li, reaching him in the blink of an eye as she appraised him with a smile so beautiful that everything in this world paled in comparison.

Why are you here on this island, Waner? I wasnt planning to make a trip to the Scattered Star Seas soon.

This person was none other than his Dao Companion, Nangong Wan.

I was concerned about the spatial node, so I came to have a look. Ive been waiting here for several decades now! Nangong Wan replied with a smile.

Several decades? Sounds like you arrived not long after I left, Han Li chuckled.

That does appear to be the case. I also met Fellow Daoist Phoenix. Nangong Wan also chuckled with an amused expression.

You met her already? Han Li was rather surprised to hear this.

Of course I have. Not only that, but weve become really close friends in the past few decades, Nangong Wan replied with a cunning smile.

Han Li was a little speechless upon hearing this.

Nangong Wan glanced around them before suggesting, Lets go and talk on the island.

Han Li naturally wouldnt object to this and he nodded in response. Thus, they flew toward a pavilion on the island along with the group of cultivators that had emerged to greet him.

As soon as the two of them took a seat in the hall of the pavilion, Nangong Wan dismissed all of the other cultivators, allowing only Tian Qiner to remain behind.

Qiner, how is your Dragon Cry Physique? Han Li asked.

Thank you for your guidance for these past years, Master. Fellow Daoist Phoenix bestowed a few drops of glacial essence upon me, so my physique has been completely cured. Im now preparing to progress to the Nascent Soul Stage, Tian Qiner replied with a grateful expression.

Thats good to hear. Looks like the efforts I expended wont be in vain, after all. A joyful smile appeared on Han Lis face in response.

Qiner, go and invite Fellow Daoist Phoenix here. Tell her that your master has returned, and that we have pressing matters to discuss with her, Nangong Wan instructed in a warm voice.

Yes! Tian Qiner immediately nodded before departing from the pavilion.

A hint of surprise flashed through Han Lis eyes, and even though he didnt say anything, he immediately aimed an inquisitive glance toward Nangong Wan following Tian Qiners departure.

I heard that youve been searching for ways to minimize the hazards involved in entering the spatial node, have you found anything? Nangong Wan suddenly asked. freewbnoel.com

My search wasnt entirely fruitless, but the items that I found are rather disappointing. Han Li shook his head with a slightly dejected look.

Nangong Wans brows furrowed slightly as she said, Looks like youll have to join forces with Fellow Daoist Phoenix to ensure the best chance of success, then. Theres no need for you to be overly concerned. After all, you possess two Divine Spirit Treasures and youve achieved full mastery of the Divine Essencefused Light. No ordinary cultivator can compare to you. I also have a treasure with powerful defensive properties with me here for you to take on your journey.

What kind of treasure could this be? A rather peculiar look appeared on Han Lis face.

Nangong Wan smiled and was just about to say something when she suddenly closed her mouth.

Moments later, the sound of footsteps rang out from outside the hall, following which a silver-robed woman strode in.

She was none other than that Ice Phoenix!

Nangong Wan immediately rose to her feet upon seeing her, and a faint smile appeared on her face as she said, Please take a seat, Fellow Daoist Phoenix. My Dao Companion and I were just discussing your joint venture into the spatial node.

After opening the wooden box, Han Li discovered that it contained the half-page that he had requested. He then injected his spiritual sense into the green jade slip, and even though there was no way for him to immediately master its contents, it didnt appear to be fake.

Han Li stowed away the two items before turning to the small child with a smile, and he said, Youve upheld your promise, so I naturally wont go back on my word, either. Ill begin using a secret technique right away to slowly sever your avatar from the Heavenvoid Cauldron. However, this process will most likely take several decades, so youll have to exercise some patience, Fellow Daoist Endless Sky.

Of course. Im happy with any arrangement as long as you can free me before your ascend. The small child seemed to be quite content with Han Lis promise, and the projection slowly disappeared.

A short while later, Han Li opened his mouth to expel a burst of green light, which swept toward the small cauldron.

The cauldron rapidly shrank within the azure light before being swallowed into his mouth.

Almost at the exact same moment, the Nascent Soul that was meditating within Han Lis body abruptly opened its eyes and waved its little hand, upon which the tiny azure cauldron appeared before it.

The cauldron was then tossed into the air, following which the Nascent Soul made a hand seal. Azure light immediately radiated from its body, enshrouding both the cauldron and the Nascent Soul within, creating a murky expanse of light that made it impossible to see what was going on inside.

Meanwhile, Han Lis expression remained unchanged as he accelerated slightly, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.

After a while, a mysterious cultivator appeared at various cultivation sites all over the human world, and he specialized in collecting rare treasures, secret techniques, and cultivation arts. These items were either related to spatial abilities or possessed extremely powerful defensive properties.

However, this mysterious cultivator had a set of extremely lofty standards, and there were very few items of that nature that actually appealed to him. Furthermore, he came and left extremely quickly, altering his appearance and attire as he traveled from one place to the next. If he set his sights on an item, he would either forcibly purchase it or bypass any restriction guarding the item before disappearing without a trace.

The extent of everyones knowledge about this mysterious cultivator was that he was unfathomably powerful, and even Nascent Soul cultivators were like powerless infants in the face of his astounding might. Thankfully, this mysterious cultivator was only interested in collecting treasures, and refrained from attacking people unless it was unavoidable.

As such, even though the sects and powers that had lost those items were extremely unwilling to part with them, they could only concede to their bad luck, and none of them dared to try and track down this unfathomably powerful being.

In contrast, normal cultivators were completely oblivious to the existence of this mysterious cultivator.

Thus, one year flew by after another.

One day, 70 years later, on the peak of a nameless mountain, a mysterious cultivator stood with a blank expression while two elderly men glowered at him from the air above.

The mysterious cultivator was a middle-aged scholar dressed in a set of inky-black robes.

The two elderly men facing him were an early-Nascent Soul cultivator and a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator respectively.

I dont care who you are, but if you dont want to get hurt, then you better hand over the Shimmering Golden Ring that you stole. For you to be able to steal the ring despite all the restrictions we set around it indicates that youre at least a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, why would you stoop to such a lowly act of thievery, an elderly man with bushy eyebrows interrogated in a cold voice.

The mysterious cultivator hadnt been traveling very quickly, so they were able to chase him down with ease. However, they were quite perplexed to find that they were unable to glean this mans cultivation base. As such, they refrained from attacking immediately, hoping to test him with their words first.

In response, the mysterious cultivator merely raised a hand and sent something flying toward the elderly man who had just spoken.

The latter faltered slightly before reflexively catching the object, only to find that it was a storage pouch.

A perplexed look appeared on his face.

The Shimmering Golden Ring is very useful to me, so Im willing to pay for it with the spirit stones in that pouch, the mysterious cultivator said in a flat and slightly coarse voice.

The elderly man was initially started by the immense number of spirit stones in the pouch, but a furious look then appeared on his face as he roared, Nonsense! The Shimmering Golden Ring is the most important treasure of our sect! We wont sell it to you no matter how many spirit stones you offer!

In that case, Im afraid I cant help you any further. I wont be returning this treasure, the mysterious cultivator continued in an indifferent voice.

Hmph, then Ill just have to take back our treasure along with your life! the other elderly man with a pair of slanted eyes harrumphed coldly. He then opened his mouth and blasted forth a streak of red light, which hurtled toward the mysterious cultivators head at an alarming speed.

The man was clearly unwilling to return the treasure, so the mid-Nascent Soul cultivator was planning to take it back by force.

However, an incredible turn of events unfolded!

The mysterious cultivator didnt summon any treasures, he merely waved a hand through the air, and a burst of grey light swept up into the air.

As soon as the red light was struck by the grey light, the former immediately receded to reveal its true form, which was a small crimson sword that was several inches in length and shimmering with a cold light.

This sword was currently trapped within the grey light, seemingly having lost the ability to move.

The elderly man who had unleashed the flying sword was both shocked and enraged to discover that he had completley lost his connection with the sword. The elderly man beside him could see that something was amiss, and he immediately swept a sleeve through the air, letting loose a loud cry as a golden rectangular object was hurled forth.

The object swelled drastically in size, transforming into a massive golden brick that came crashing down viciously like a small mountain.

The mysterious cultivator seemed to be quite intrigued by the sight of this golden brick, and he slowly raised his other hand toward it.

An even larger burst of grey light swept forth, crashing directly into the golden brick.

The grey light had only just washed over the surface of the brick, upon which its spiritual light faded, and it rapidly shrank, having also lost the ability to move.

The mysterious cultivator then waved a hand through the air again, and both the crimson sword and the golden brick descended toward him.

The mid-Nascent Soul Stage elderly man was truly getting quite flustered now, and he immediately made a grabbing motion toward the mysterious cultivator.

A massive white hand abruptly appeared above the black-robed scholar before crashing down with devastating might. He was clearly trying to put an end to this mysterious cultivators life!

However, the cultivator down below merely flicked a finger toward the massive white hand.

Golden light flashed, and a burst of sword Qi swept through the white palm, slicing it cleanly in half and reducing it to specks of white light that disintegrated into nothingness.

The mid-Nascent Soul Stage elderly mans face paled upon seeing this.

Meanwhile, the mysterious cultivator brandished the two treasures in his hands before looking up at the two elderly men with a cold expression.

If you think Im offering too many spirit stones, then Ill take these two treasures as well. Are you willing to make the exchange now?

The elderly mens hearts sank in unison. It was completely incredible to them that this mysterious cultivator could take their treasures from them as if he were merely taking candy from a baby. Just what was that unfathomable grey light?

Neither of the elderly men dared to give a reply.

The mysterious cultivator chuckled upon seeing this before tossing the two treasures into the air and flying away as a streak of azure light.

The two elderly men faltered upon seeing this before hurriedly recovering their lost treasures. They then glanced at the streak of azure light in the distance before turning to look at one another.

After a while, the elderly man with bushy eyebrows hesitantly asked, Senior Martial Brother, should we give chase?

Give chase? Do you want to die? Hes clearly just spared our lives. If we continue to pester him, he might change his mind, the other elderly man heaved a resigned sigh.

But the Shimmering Golden Ring is our sects most important treasure! What are we going to tell the rest of the sect if we cant recover it? The elderly man with bushy eyebrows was still unwilling to give up.

Well just tell the truth, we encountered someone far too powerful for us to oppose, so we had to let him go. This is the nature of the cultivation world. The strong can impose their will upon the weak as they please, and nothing can be done about it. Come to think of it, the Shimmering Golden Ring didnt always belong to our sect, either, our martial forefathers plundered it from another sect. We can only concede our bad luck now that its been taken away from us as well. Lets go back. The sect still needs us, so we cant throw away our lives likes this. The mid-Nascent Soul Stage elderly man gave a wry smile before departing back the way they had come from.

The bushy-browed elderly man was rooted to the spot for a long while before heaving a resigned sigh as he also departed from the scene.

High up in the air a long distance away, the mysterious cultivator suddenly stopped after flying for tens of thousands of kilometers.

A series of crackles and pops erupted throughout his joints as he grew taller by around an inch. At the same time, azure spiritual light surfaced over his face, warping his appearance into that of a young man with a set of ordinary features.

This man was none other than Han Li.

He rustled a sleeve and a golden ring abruptly appeared his hand. He gently waved the golden ring, and countless projections were summoned.

Not bad. In terms of defensive ability alone, this treasure ranks among the top three that Ive collected during these past years. A pleased smile appeared on Han Lis face.

Its about time you went back, Fellow Daoist Han. Otherwise, youll be in complete despair if the spatial node suddenly collapses before you get back, the voice of a small child chuckled from within his sleeve.

Theres no need to remind me of that, Fellow Daoist Endless Sky, I was just preparing to make a trip back to the island. Ive obtained some treasures and secret techniques during these past years, but there are only about four of five that are actually useful. Most of them are very renowned, but they certainly dont live up their reputations, theyll be next to useless once I enter the spatial node. Han Lis expression darkened slightly as he spoke.

Thats rather overly critical of you, Fellow Daoist Han. Youre comparing the normal ancient treasures of your human world to spirit treasures like your Eight Spirit Ruler, so theyll naturally be quite lackluster in contrast. In any case, theyre better than nothing. Besides, during your travels, youve managed to derive more insights from that half-page of the Golden Jade Tome as well. Perhaps these things will be able to save your life in your time of need, the small child disagreed.

Perhaps. Han Li gave an absentminded reply as he clenched the fingers on the hand hidden up one of his sleeves before releasing them again.

Unbeknownst to the Endless Sky Beast, the most significant acquisition he had made during the past years wasnt one of the treasures or secret techniques he had obtained, and nor was it the insights he had derived from the Golden Jade Tome. Instead, it was something else…

Why are you here? Have you reached the Deity Transformation Stage as well? This silver-robed woman was naturally none other than the tenth grade phoenix Han Li had encountered many years ago, and she wore a rather strained look on her face.

She had personally witnessed Han Li progress from the mid-Nascent Soul Stage to the late-Nascent Soul Stage, and he was now at the Deity Transformation Stage. Wasnts he progressing a little too quickly?

After all, there were over 100 late-Nascent Soul cultivators in this realm, but only a handful of Deity Transformation cultivators in total.

Hehe, youve also reached the Deity Transformation Stage, havent you? I dont know how you found out about this place, but you must be here for the spatial node as well. In that case, I think we should work together. After all, its not our first time helping out one another, Han Li chuckled as he transmitted his voice to her.

Just as his voice trailed off, the lightning and fire that was violently bombarding the gel-force winds abruptly vanished, and the restriction nearby seemed to have deactivated of its own accord. The four Core Formation cultivators down below had naturally also heard Han Lis voice transmission, and their faces immediately paled in unison after learning the fact that this woman was a Deity Transformation Stage demon beast. All of them hurriedly stood off to the side and adopted respectful demeanors, as if they had come here with the sole purpose of welcoming the silver-robed woman.

The Ice Phoenix was silent for a moment before suddenly raising her eyebrows and shooting a glance at the four Core Formation cultivators. She then transformed into a ball of silver light and flew toward the island down below.

Han Lis four subordinates heaved internal sighs of relief in unison as they hurriedly flew along behind her, following her to the largest pavilion on the island.

The woman looked into the distance to find an azure-robed young man standing at the entrance to the pavilion, looking at her with a smile on his face.

He was none other than that detestable human cultivator whom she had last met over a century ago.

The silver-robed woman wore an unfriendly expression as she stopped over 100 feet away from Han Li, and interrogated, You sure are fast to have reached this island before me, Fellow Daoist Han. Wheres the spatial node?

Han Li smiled before waving a dismissive hand toward the four Core Formation cultivators, and all of them immediately departed from the scene.

Only then did he slowly reply, Youre already here, so why are you in such a hurry? The spatial node isnt very far away from here. How about I lead you to it after we have a quick chat?

I have nothing to chat with you about. Do you really think you can intimidate me just because youve reached the Deity Transformation Stage as well? The womans expression cooled even further and despite what she was saying, her voice really was tinged with a hint of wariness.

Youre looking for the spatial node, which means youre also trying to ascend to the Spirit Realm, just like me. I think we can work together, Han Li proposed with a calm expression.

You want me to work together with a human cultivator like you? A deriding sneer appeared on the Ice Phoenixs face.

Im sure you already know about what happened to Fellow Daoist Xiang and the others. Otherwise, you wouldnt have appeared here. You possess spatial abilities that allow you to tear open and traverse through spatial rifts as you please. Those abilities will be very useful in the face of the power of the boundary between realms in the spatial node. Youve also witnessed my abilities, and I trust that youll agree that my abilities are not inferior to yours. I also possess two Divine Spirit Treasures, so theres no way that Ill drag you down. If we join forces, it will be much safer than either one of us entering the spatial node on our own. Otherwise, you saw what happened to Fellow Daoist Xiang and the others. I heard that Old Devil Che entered another spatial node, he didnt leave behind a soul lamp, so we dont know what happened to him, but the spatial node that he accessed is even more chaotic than this one, so Im not too optimistic about his chances of survival, either… Han Li persuaded in an unhurried voice.

A cold light flashed through the silver-robed womans eyes as she retorted, After reaching the Deity Transformation Stage, my lifespan has increased by more than twofold. I can remain in the human world for tens of thousands of years without any concerns. Why would I be in such a hurry to ascend to the Spirit Realm?

That may be true, but do you think that the spatial node will wait for you for tens of thousands of years? If you miss out on this one, do you think youll be able to easily find another in the future? Han Li stroked his chin as a hint of a smile appeared on his face.

What are you trying to say? The silver-robed womans expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

Nothing, really. I only wanted to inform you of the fact that this spatial node will only be able to maintain itself for about 100 years before it collapses and disappears. If youre confident in your ability to find a more suitable spatial node through which you can access the Spirit Realm, then just pretend like I didnt say anything, Han Li chuckled.

The silver-robed woman faltered slightly before a skeptical look appeared on her face. How can there be such a convenient coincidence? Youre not lying to me, are you?

Han Li wasnt in a hurry to force the issue. Instead, he changed the subject, and said, Youll know whether I speak the truth or not if you stay here and observe this spatial node for a few days. I have to leave for now and search for some methods to ward off the power of the boundary between realms. Ill be leaving one of my female disciples here, so you can speak to her if you have any instructions. Of course, if you can instruct my disciple in my stead while Im away, then I must thank you wholeheartedly on behalf of my disciple.

Youre going to leave this island? It appears that you really are planning to access this spatial node soon. So be it, seeing as your offer does sound sincere, Ill stay here for a while. However, if I find out that youve been lying to me, Ill leave immediately! The Ice Phoenix was slightly taken aback to hear this, and she only nodded reluctantly after a long period of contemplation.

Han Li was naturally ecstatic that she had agreed to cooperate with him. Thus, he immediately raised a hand to send a streak of fiery light flying into the air, which disappeared in a flash.

It was a voice transmission talisman.

After that, he began to make some small talk with the silver-robed woman. However, she didnt seem to be keen on making conversation with Han Li, and she merely gave a few clipped replies before falling silent.

Han Li remained unfazed by her aloof demeanor, but he had also relinquished further attempts to strike up a conversation.

After a short while, a streak of white light approached from the direction that the spatial node was in before descending beside Han Li. The white light faded to reveal a slender yellow-robed woman with a set of gorgeous features. She was none other than Tian Qiner.

Tian Qiner pays her respects to her master! Tian Qiner extended a respectful bow before standing off to the side.

So thats your disciple? Eh? Is that… the Dragon Cry Physique? The silver-robed woman turned her gaze toward Tian Qiner, upon which a surprised look appeared on her face.

Han Li smiled as he said, It is, indeed. My disciple is female, yet she possesses a physique that should be unique to men, and its truly a curse rather than a blessing for her. I had heard the glacial essence cultivated by the Ice Phoenix race extremely useful for cleansing ones essence as well as to balance the energies of Yin and Yang within ones body. I was hoping that you would be able to bestow a few drops of this essence upon my disciple so she can lift the curse of her own physique and restore her potential to pursue the Great Dao.

He hadnt mentioned Tian Qiners Dragon Cry Physique much, but behind the scenes, he had spent a vast amount of time researching this physique, and this was the only potential method of rectification he had discovered. As such, he was naturally unwilling to give up on this rare opportunity.

Hmph, a few drops? You sure dare to dream! Our races glacial essence is extremely valuable, how could be I possibly give a few drops to a human on a whim? Maybe Ill consider it when Im in a good mood someday, the silver-robed woman scoffed.

Instead of reacting in an angry manner, Han Li gave a hearty laugh instead before turning to Tian Qiner with a meaningful expression. Of course. Qiner, make sure to listen to this senior. Fellow Daoist Phoenix will be staying here on this island for a while, and youll be responsible for catering to her needs during that time.

After hearing that a potential cure for her Dragon Cry Physique had been found, Tian Qiners eyes immediately lit up, and she hurriedly agreed to look after the silver-robed woman to the best of her abilities.

The Ice Phoenix glared coldly at Han Li, but didnt say anything.

The rest of the process was quite simple.

Han Li let the Ice Phoenix to the spatial node in person, then remained on the island for a further half a month. After verifying that the silver-robed woman harbored no ill will toward Tian Qiner, he left the small island and flew into the distance as a streak of azure light.

Mid-flight, a small azure cauldron emerged from his sleeve. Fellow Daoist Han, are you really planning to join forces with this Ice Phoenix? The projection of a small child abruptly materialized atop the cauldron.

Han Li turned to the small child with a rather surprised look. During recent years, the small child very rarely emerged unless if he were requesting for some materials or pills from Han Li. As such, Han Li was quite taken aback by his sudden emergence.

Thats the plan. She possesses extremely powerful spatial abilities that will be very useful once we enter the spatial node, Han Li replied.

Thats true. The Ice Phoenix race hasnt inherited the bloodline of the true phoenix, but they have inherited its spatial aptitude. With her assistance, itll make the journey slightly safer. However, shouldnt you free me from the Heavenvoid Cauldron first before you leave the human world? Have you forgotten about that? the small child asked.

Of course not. Speaking of which, its been many years since I gave you that half-page of the Golden Jade Tome. Isnt it about time that you gave me your observations? Han Lis expression remained unchanged as he diverted the conversation to another topic.

Ive indeed managed to glean some of the contents of that half-page. I cant guarantee whether that information is correct or not, and Im unable to put it into practice in the human world. After all, if anyone were to attempt to craft an immortal talisman in a world with such scarce origin Qi, they would be completely sucked dry long before the talisman could be successfully crafted. Are you sure you want to see my observations? the small child asked with furrowed brows.

Of course. I also plan to take back the half-page as Ill be studying it once I get to the Spirit Realm as well, Han Li replied in an indifferent voice.

If thats the case, then here it is. The small child stomped a foot onto the lid of the cauldron without any hesitation. The lid lifted itself slightly to release two balls of spiritual light, one of which was yellow while the other was green, and both were caught by Han Li at once.

They were a yellow wooden box and a green jade slip.

After flying for five kilometers, the three remained silent. Han Li swept his spiritual sense in the space in front of him and he increased his speed as if he detected something.

After flying for a moment more, the party eventually came to a stop.

Han Li narrowed his eyes and he saw a giant ball of grey light in the air. He felt a chill spread throughout his body.

The ball of light appeared to be mostly round and half a kilometer in diameter. Although it appeared dim and vague, it also appeared unfathomably deep. A halo of light slowly turned within it

Although Han Li already knew the answer, he took a quick breath and asked, So this must be the spatial node?

This time, the woman from the trio answered, Yes, Senior! This is the spatial node that the master and the others entered. In order to maintain the stability of the entrance, the master and the others spent much strength to place a peculiar seal on it temporarily. This way, not only will the spatial nodes stability be preserved, but it will also minimize its spatial fluctuations, preventing the cultivators from the Five Dragon Seas from noticing.

When she mentioned Xiang Zhili, her face turned somewhat sad. The three clearly understood what it meant for Xiang Zhilis primal soul lantern to be extinguished.

So it was like that. I was wondering why the spatial fluctuations of this area were so weak. Fellow Daoist Xiang and the others have sealed it. Han Li couldnt help but sigh when he looked at the ball of light in the air.

But when the three Core Formation cultivators saw this, they glanced at one another as if signalling to one another.

There was something that I wish to tell you, Senior. A male cultivator hesitantly said.

What is it? Surprised, Han Li looked at him.

We protected this place for over two hundred years. Although Master Xiang sealed the spatial node, it began to fluctuate for small amounts of time since a hundred years ago. Each time, the intervals between fluctuations became increasingly shorter. Since several years ago, it had already begun to fluctuate once a year, each time lasting half a month.

Alarmed, Han Lis expression faintly changed, So it was like that! You mean that saw the seal on the spatial node wont last much longer.

The other man of the trio explained in a solemn tone, Im afraid it is so. According to the trend, after a hundred more years, the spatial node will become unstable, given that it doesnt disappear. I fear that Senior wont be able to enter the node as easily as Master Xiang and the others did.

In a hundred years? That quickly? Han Lis expression became unsightly.

This was merely something we concluded after some thought. Perhaps it is unfounded. The female cultivator quickly added with a smile.

Han Li mulled over his thoughts and slowly said, I can only stay here for a few years and find out for myself. I had better properly investigate the spatial node. I wont be leaving for some time.

Xiang Zhilis disciples naturally didnt raise any opposition to the matter and repeatedly called out to him.

Soon after, Han Li waved his hand and had the three first return to the island so that he could stay there alone.

In the blink of an eye, only Han Li remained in front of the huge ball of light.

His expression grew varied as he continued to stare at it. The words the trio had said left him deeply worried.

As Han Li pondered, his face grew sullen, If those three were right, then I would have to enter the spatial node within a hundred years. It will be rushed and the danger of failing will certainly be higher. But if I dont take this opportunity, I may never find another way to enter the Spirit Realm, even if I had another thousand years. The old eccentrics have been searching for one for a long while and didnt hesitate to enter one as soon as they found one. I had already given them most of the information I had on spatial nodes. They didnt have much hope of finding another spatial node they could use.

Han Li remained underneath the huge ball of light for nearly a whole day before returning to the island.

When Han Li returned, the three disciples had already cleaned out the largest of the buildings for Senior Hans use.

When Han Li saw this, he was very pleased. With the addition of their service of guarding the spatial node, he presented to them each a magic treasure and several bottles of medicine pills.

The Core Formation cultivators were overjoyed and expressed their ranks.

Soon after, Han Li used the Myriad Distance Talisman to tell Nangong Wan and the others to dispatch several reliable Core Formation cultivators to the island, also requesting Tian Qiner to accompany them.

With Tian Qiner cultivating with the aid of Han Lis medicine pills, she now spent most of his time researching spell formation and restrictions. She was already astonishingly talented in the field and now that she spent even more time, she has made significant gains. Her mastery over spell formations was now far beyond that of Han Lis.

He feared he would need the womans spell formation knowledge for his journey into the spatial node.

Afterwards, Han Li kept watch over the huge ball of light almost every day for some time. Then he would return to the island and contemplate over the changes he observed.

After a year, Tian Qiner and three Core Formation cultivators had finally arrived at the island.

Han Li immediately released the three Core Formation cultivators originally guarding the island and assumed direct control of the area.

Although Tian Qiner was struck at late-Core Formation stage, Han Li specifically gave a bottle of the Returning Sun water, allowing her more opportunities to condense a Nascent Soul.

When Han Li saw she finally arrived, he immediately brought her to look at the spatial node and see whether or not the seal could be strengthened, giving him more time to prepare.

Unfortunately, despite her inconceivable mastery over spell formation, she hadnt touched upon the subjects involving spatial power. After several months of strenuous research, she eventually found a method to gradually strengthen the seal.

However, this method only had a thirty percent chance of success in stopping the entrance from collapsing.

Although the odds werent very high, he had no other options and could only give the method a try.

As for the rare materials it would require, Han Li could only journey throughout the Five Dragon Seas to find them.

This took him about six years with his abilities.

In this time, he discovered that the situation was exactly as Xiang Zhilis disciples had described. The spatial node would fluctuate every year with each interval in between decreasing and each successive fluctuations becoming increasingly violent.

As a result, Han Lis original joy from entering Deity Transformation had completely disappeared.

When Tian Qiner finished her extremely complex spell formation and added another layer of seals on the spatial node, he began to ponder whether or not he should use the opportunity to scour the mortal realm of particular defensive treasures and techniques in preparation to enter the spatial node.

But several days prior from when he planned to leave, a sudden flash of light occurred from outside the sea mist and it arrived at the edge of the mist in an instant.

The light faded to reveal a silver-robed woman of peerless beauty. She appeared in her twenties with a fine brow and an exquisite nose. Her eyes shined brilliantly with silver light faintly stirring inside them.

She examined the mist in front of her a moment and flipped her hand, producing a jade slip. She read through it with her spiritual sense and wore a smile.

This should be the spatial node that the Heavenly Devil Sect juniors mentioned.

The woman muttered to herself. Knowing where the spatial node was, her body moved and flew towards in a streak of silver light.

The sea mist roiled and it completely concealed her from sight.

Currently, the island in the mist was no longer guarded as the day Han Li arrived. While Tian Qiner was placing down the seal on the spatial node, she had also placed several profound spell formation nearby the small island. They possessed more than enough power to trap a Nascent Soul cultivator for a time.

As a result, the silver-robed woman was caught off guard and ran into the formations as soon as she arrived at the island.

When the restrictions were activated the countless lightning birds appeared in the nearby air and swooped down towards the woman. At the same time, a dense barrage of wind blades and ice spikes shot at her.

The silver-robed woman was startled, but she soon let out a cold snort and raised her hand.

An icy white wind suddenly blew out from her body, soon violently expanding in size until the winds blew all around her, creating a violent storm of awesome momentum.

Rolls of thunder erupted from the sky and the storm completely swept away all of the attacks, completely shattering them before they could touch her.

Such loud movements drew the attention of the four Core Formation cultivators stationed on the island, and in their alarm, they flew up from the island to figure out what was happening.

The silver-robed woman looked at all the cultivators that flew up from the island and couldnt help but show her hostility.

She raised her hand to the four cultivators as if she were about to launch something at them.

At that moment, the woman suddenly heard Han Lis voice at her ear, Fairy Feng, please show mercy! My subordinates were only following my orders. I hope you dont take offense.

Its you? When the silver-robed woman heard this, her face greatly changed, but she was slow to lower her hand.

Amuse myself with you? Over a trifling grade-six demon core? Han Li raised his brow and wore a mysterious smile.

Humph, if it were the core of a common grade-six demon, it wouldnt be worthy of our attention, but the demon core of a Lightning whale is an exception. Furthermore, you discredited Brother Fans demon core as soon as you appeared. I feel this deserves some consideration. The cultivator surnamed Sun finally broke his silence with a cold tone. He was an old man with a fierce expression.

Han Li chuckled and calmly said, You took a long time before you managed to kill that Thunder Whale. It had exhausted most of its demonic power before you managed to kill it. Unless its demon core had its power replenished, it doesnt have much intrinsic quality. It seems you two havent killed many high-grade demon beasts, otherwise you would have known about this.

When he heard this, Cultivator Fan and Sun exchanged a glance. They couldnt help but wear a hesitant expression.

The white-haired old man cautiously said, Even if the matter about the demon core is true, why have you come here? Fellow Daoist Fan clearly used an illusion technique to conceal this place. Has your esteemed self come here specifically for us?

A trifling illusion formation is beneath my notice. As for you, this is the first time Ive come to this sea, so there is no way I came for you specifically. My mood is quite good today, so Ive been polite. But if you ask any more questions, I wont be interested in answering them. My previous conditions still remain. Are you willing to trade a map with me? I dont plan on staying here any longer. When Han Li finished speaking, his face stiffened.

Han Lis tone wasnt loud, but it heavily shook the hearts of the cultivators in the pavilion.

When they realized Han Li was such a mysterious character, his bold tone inspired fear in them and none of them replied. The beautiful green-clothed woman examined Han Li for a moment before suddenly asking, From your tone, it seems you arent a cultivator from our Five Dragon Seas. Did your esteemed self come from the Great Jin? Do you know Senior Xiang?

You know Fellow Daoist Xiang? Han Li stared at the woman and narrowed his eyes. He did feel somewhat surprised.

When she heard this, an odd look appeared in her eye. She stood up, curtsied to him, and spoke to him with a most respectful tone, Senior Xiang has visited my island for a time. He had given me cultivation guidance that has greatly benefited me. If you two are acquainted with each other, could you also be a Deity Transformation-stage Senior?

A Deity Transformation-stage cultivator?

The others that heard this, each jumped up in a start.

Cultivator Fan and the harsh old man both wore a trace of terror from the words they said before.

Han Li seemingly ignored the action of the other cultivators. Rather, he turned his attention to the woman and frowned, Since youve recognized this, I wont keep it hidden. When did you last see Fellow Daoist Xiang?

The woman smiled and answered, This junior had last seen him two hundred years ago. I had yet to condense my Nascent Soul. If it werent for his guidance, I fear I would still be lingering at Core Formation stage.

Two hundred years ago was around when Xiang Zhili and the others discovered the spatial node.

Han Lis thoughts quickly churned and in the blink of an eye, he determined her words to be true. With an eased expression, he said, Since you know Fellow Daoist Xiang, that is good. Take this demon core and give me a map.

Han Li raised his hand and tossed the rare demon core in his hand over to her.

In her joy, the woman raised her arm and summoned the core into her hand. She bowed in thanks and immediately took out a faint green jade slip before sending it over to Han Li.

Han Li caught it and promptly read through it with his spiritual sense. After he compared it with the information Xiang Zhili left behind, he instantly found the location of the spatial node. It wasnt too far from this place. He should arrive within a months time.

Very good, he nodded with satisfaction. Then using a tone of unquestionable authority, he commanded, Now, I have a few questions for you. Listen well.

As of current, he has achieved the highest state of existence in the mortal realm. There was nothing in this world that scared him apart from an encroaching lifespan.

The green-robed woman naturally agreed.

In the following moments, his mouth moved, but he seemingly uttered not a word. The womans beautiful eyes quickly stirred, and when Han Li ceased his voice transmissions, she immediately responded to them in kind.

When Han Li heard this, he stroked his chin and lowered his head in contemplation.

The other cultivators didnt dare to even breathe in this stifling atmosphere and remained still in place. They feared if they disturbed this Deity Transformation-stage senior, they would be provoking a huge problem.

As if something came to mind, Han Li raised his head and chuckled, I have things to attend to, so Ill be taking my leave. Go ahead and continue. Then, he waved his sleeve and in a flash of azure light, he suddenly disappeared.

Once Han Li vanished, the cultivators remained motionless, still in awe of Han Lis presence. Eventually, the cultivators let out a huge sigh and looked at the Thunder Whales demon core in the womans hand with envy.

It was rather good luck to be able to acquire a Thunder Whales demon core with a map and a few words.

The green-robed woman noticed their gazes and calmly put away the demon core. Then with a chuckle, she said, Fellow Daoists, since the Senior has departed, let us continue!

The scholarly man let out a sigh and wore a wry smile, Fairy Bi, there is no need to hurry! Rather, I didnt think that you had previously befriended a Deity Transformation-stage cultivator. It seems weve been disrespectful!

The woman shook her head and answered with a faint smile, That was something that happened long ago when I was still a Core Formation cultivator. How could I dare say I befriended him. Senior Xiang had only given me a few pointers at the time.

Even if it was only a few pointers, you had something of a relationship to a Deity Transformation cultivator. It is something that people could only dream of. Cultivator Fan spoke with a tone of admiration, but then he frowned and bewilderedly asked, But oddly enough, why would these pinnacle existences from the Great Jin come to our Five Dragon Seas? Could it be that something great has occurred?

The old man chuckled and said, That is possible. However, since a Deity Transformation cultivators are involving themselves, how would we hope to participate. If were not careful, they could end us with a flip of their hand. Itd be best not to make any careless inquiries. If we were to anger a Deity Transformation cultivator, hehe.

When that was said, the others expressions changed and they nodded.

As for what they truly thought, only the heavens could know.

As these cultivators made guesses about Han Lis objective, he had already flown thousands of kilometers away in an azure streak.

The green-robed womans answers had given him a rough understanding of the Five Dragon Seas. There were no Deity Transformation-stage cultivators in the area, so the last of his worries were extinguished.

With Han Lis current cultivator, he could fly at inconceivable speeds if he were to use all his power but that would stir up the worldly essence Qi and cause his lifespan to slowly decrease. As such, Han Li flew an ordinary speed rather than hurrying.

A month later, He arrived in front of a foggy sea area without any complications.

He looked at the white mist in front of him and he frowned, deciding to fly into it without any hesitation.

After flying through it for almost two hours, he came to a sudden stop.

He looked around him and held his hands in an incantation gesture and raised them, uttering Break.

Two dense bolts of lightning flashed and struck at the air, releasing resounding booms of thunder. The nearby mist warped and twisted before eventually scattering and releasing a clear area several kilometers wide.

There was a small island below him with a few buildings on it.

When Han Li saw this, joy lit up on his face and he muttered, Old Eccentric Xiang and the others werent lying. They clearly left behind disciples to watch over the spatial node. If I had taken another two hundred years of time, there mightve not been anyone here.

As he was talking to himself, three streaks of light flew up from the small mountain and directly towards Han Li.

Han Li remained calm, waiting in the air with his hands held behind his back.

The light faded away to reveal three middle-aged cultivators, one woman and two men.

They were all at Core Formation-stage.

The three took a look at Han Lis face and they all greeted him with a smile.

We pay our respects to Senior Han! Under orders of Martial Ancestor Xiang, weve been awaiting your arrival for a long time!

You are disciples of Fellow Daoist Xiang? Youve seen me before? Han Lis expression stirred.

We are indeed his disciples. Our master left behind a portrait of your likeness. That is how we recognized you. One of them respectfully answered.

Han Li nodded and smiled, Yes, these past years mustve been hard on you. I wont treat you unfairly. In the future, Ill have my own disciples guard this place on your behalf. You dont need to be trapped here.

When the three heard this, they were overjoyed. They soon invited Han Li down to a building below, but Han Li shook his head, wanting to first take a look at the spatial node.

The three immediately agreed and brought him off to the side of the island.