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The faint fragrance of grass and wood immediately wafted toward Han Li. The interior of the wooden box was filled with shimmering green light, and there was a thumb-sized green bead that was sitting in the box amid the light.

Han Li swept his spiritual sense toward it to find that the bead wasnt made of stone nor wood, and he couldnt identify what kind of material this was.

As soon as the bead was revealed, rich wood-attribute spiritual Qi immediately filled the surrounding area. After taking a deep breath, Han Li felt as if he had been completely reinvigorated.

Han Li picked up the bead between his fingers and stared at it for a while before turning to Yan Yaner with a calm expression. This is indeed a Spirit Gathering Bead! Some of these beads appeared during ancient times and its unknown whether they were naturally-forming treasures or artificially-refined. Its been a long time since one of these has appeared in the cultivation world, I didnt think your sect would have one. Fair Yan, is your Ghost Spirit Sect really willing to give me such a valuable treasure? If a cultivator using a wood-attribute cultivation art were to carry this bead during their cultivation, they would be able to cultivate more than twice as fast as a normal cultivator.

This bead is indeed an extremely rare treasure in the human world, but our sect is still more important to us in comparison. Furthermore, as Im sure youre aware already, Brother Han, our Ghost Spirit Sect barely has any wood-attribute cultivation arts, so this treasure is not very useful to our sect. As such, its much wiser for us to offer it up in exchange for a chance at survival, Yan Yaner replied with a serious expression.

This Spirit Gathering Bead is indeed very useful to me. However, if you want me to step in and protect your sect, the Ghost Spirit Sect has to do something else for me as well. Otherwise… Han Li shook his head as his voice trailed off.

The yellow-robed mans eyes lit up as he asked urgently, What is it? As long as its within the capabilities of our sect, well be sure to do our best.

Han Li turned to the yellow-robed man, and elaborated, I dont care about anyone else from the Wang Family, but I dont want to see Wang Chan ever again. I have no interest in stepping in to save an enemy of mine. Do you understand what Im saying?

Elder Zhongs expression changed upon hearing this, and Yan Yaners features paled in response. The yellow-robed man had also fallen silent, but he didnt appear to be very surprised by this demand.

I understand what you mean, Brother Han. This is not an issue, what do you think, Senior Martial Brother Zhong? The yellow-robed man turned to the elderly man.

A conflicted look appeared on the elderly mans face, and he only heaved a faint sigh after a period of contemplation as he replied, If Brother Han insists, then Im sure Martial Nephew Wang Chan will be willing to give his all for the sake of the sect.

Seeing as Senior Martial Brother Zhong doesnt have any objections, then Ill agree to this request on behalf of the sect. The yellow-robed man nodded without any hesitation.

Throughout this entire process, he didnt ask for Yan Yaner opinion, nor even take so much as a single glance at her.

Yan Yaner face was quite pale, but she didnt state any objections.

Alright, Ill accept your presents, and Ill write a few letters in person to the Controlling Spirit Sect and the other sects. Han Li nodded in response.

The yellow-robed man was ecstatic upon hearing this. The trio from the Ghost Spirit Sect had achieved the objective for their trip, so they didnt wish to remain in the Drifting Cloud Sect any longer, and they rose to their feet before bidding farewell to Han Li.

Han Li made no effort to keep them, and merely looked on as the three of them departed. Yan Yaner was the last one to exit the hall, and her footsteps suddenly faltered as she reached the entrance of the hall. She turned to look at Han Li with a complex expression and opened her mouth, but didnt say anything in the end. A resigned sigh escaped her lips and she turned away again before exiting the hall.

Han Lis expression changed slightly upon seeing this, and he also fell silent as he turned his gaze toward the three treasures on the table.

After the three Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators left the Drifting Cloud Sect, they immediately rose into the air as streaks of light.

Not only after they had departed from the Dreamcloud Mountains, Elder Zhong heaved a faint sigh and turned to the yellow-robed man beside him as he asked, Junior Martial Brother Yan, do we really have to kill Martial Nephew Wang?

Senior Martial Brother Zhong, I dont want to have to do this, either, but Han Li is specifically requesting for his death, and we cant afford to hesitate here. Besides, hes not asking for us to eradicate the entire Wang Family, and Senior Martial Brother Wang has more than one son, so the Wang Family wont fall here. This is already a very lenient condition. After all, the Wang Family has wrong him greatly in the past, and I heard that Wang Chan had almost killed him back when he was yet to reach the Nascent Soul Stage. In that case, it really is no surprise that hes asking for Wang Chan to be killed. In my opinion, we should also banish all of our sect disciples from the Wang Family as a gesture to demonstrate our sincerity. Even though Han Li has promised to help us, it would be disastrous if he were to change his mind, the yellow-robed man replied.

A hesitant expression appeared on the elderly mans face upon hearing this.

The yellow-robed man then turned to Yan Yaner, who had remained silent this whole time, and said in an apologetic manner, Yaner, Im sorry that this has to happen, but Im sure you had already anticipated this back when you were engaged to Wang Chan. Thankfully, youve reached the Nascent Soul Stage now while Wang Chan has failed to do so, so he doesnt deserve you anyway. Furthermore, the Wang Family suddenly attacked our Yan Family back then, and all of the high-grade cultivators from our family, including you, had restrictions placed upon them. I was fortunate to have been exempt from this as I was cultivating in a secret area, but that doesnt change the fact that the Wang Family has betrayed our trust. Seeing as thats the case, theres no need for you to pay any heed to whether Wang Chan lives or dies.

I understand all that, Uncle, but hes still my Dao Companion, how could I bring myself to express approval toward this arrangement? Im going into seclusion for a century after we return to the sect, theres no need for you to inform me of what becomes of Wang Chan and the Wang Family during that time, Yan Yaner said in an indifferent voice before she accelerated through the air, leaving the yellow-robed man and the elderly man behind.

The yellow-robed man could only heave a resigned sigh upon seeing this, while the elderly man continued to remain silent. After a while, Elder Zhong finally conceded, If this arrangement is beneficial to our sect, then Ill let you do as you please with the Wang Family, Junior Martial Brother Yan.

Rest assured, Senior Martial Brother Zhong, Ill be sure to handle the situation appropriately. The yellow-robed man was ecstatic.

The elderly man merely shook his head without giving a reply, and he seemed to be in a rather dejected mood.

The yellow-robed man didnt pay any heed to this. He knew that Elder Zhong had known Wang Chan and his father for far longer than he had, so it was only natural for him to display such a reaction.

Following his initial rush of excitement, a wistful look appeared on the yellow-robed mans face as he murmured, I still think its quite a pity that we gave him the Spirit Gathering Bead, though. freeebnovel.com

In response, Elder Zhong chuckled coldly and said something that came as quite a surprise to the yellow-robed man. Do you really that Spirit Gathering Bead is something that belonged to our sect?

A bewildered look appeared on the yellow-robed mans face as he asked, What do you mean, Senior Martial Brother Zhong? Didnt you personally bring out this treasure from our sects treasure vault?

Hehe, Im not sure if this treasure initially belonged to our sect, but what I can tell you is that Old Devil Concord was the one who had who gave it to me, Elder Zhong chuckled.

Old Devil Concord? The yellow-robed man was even more bewildered upon hearing this.

Thats right. Not long ago, Old Devil Concord suddenly came to me and presented me with this bead, telling me that it was something that our sect had once lent to the Harmonious Bond Sect. He also implied to me that Grand Elder Han of the Drifting Cloud Sect was the only one who could save our sect, and that this would be the best present we could offer to him. Are you finding this difficult to believe, Junior Martial Brother Yan? the elderly man asked with a meaningful look. The yellow-robed mans expression immediately changed as he speculated, Even if this bead really did belong to our sect, theres no way Old Devil Concord would be generous enough to return it to us. Could it be that theres something wrong with that Spirit Gathering Bead?

Theres nothing wrong with the bead. Ive examined it many times, and its completely identical to the legendary Wood Spirit Bead in any way. Theres nothing amiss about the bead itself, either. Otherwise, I wouldnt have heeded his advice and offered it to Han Li. The elderly man shook his head with a serious expression.

But theres no way that Old Devil Concord would do something like this without harboring any ulterior motives. Senior Martial Brother Zhong, you shouldve discussed this matter with me first. If something goes wrong here, our entire sect would be doomed! The yellow-robed man was getting very flustered.

Hmph, how else were we going to recruit the assistance of the number one cultivator in the Heavenly South Region? As for discussing the matter with you in advance, would that have done us any good? What other course of action could we take to save our sect? If there was another way, we wouldnt have had to visit the Drifting Cloud Sect and put on such a pathetic display, Elder Zhong harrumphed coldly.

The elderly mans remained furrowed upon hearing this, but he was at a loss for a response.

After an extended period of silence, the yellow-robed man could only offer words of consolation to himself. In any case, weve already given him the bead, so its too late to do anything now. As long as theres nothing wrong with the bead itself, well be fine even if something were to happen.

Youre certainly correct about that, Junior Martial Brother Yan. The Spirit Gathering Bead was a vast renowned treasure even back in ancient times. After so many years, even if something were to happen, we could easily pin the blame on someone else. Besides, even the number one cultivator of the Heavenly South Region identified the bead to be authentic, so any future mishaps wont have anything to do with us, Elder Zhong chuckled coldly.

The yellow-robed man contemplated the situation for a while before heaving a resigned sigh as he said, We can only hope that thats the case. However, in order to be safe, I suggest that we close our sect for 100 years right after our relocation.

Thats a good idea, Junior Martial Brother Yan, well do as you say. Elder Zhong nodded in agreement.

After that, the two Ghost Spirit Sect elders werent interested in discussing anything else, and they immediately accelerated in pursuit of Yan Yaner.

Meanwhile, within a restricted area in the Harmonious Bond Sect, there was a humanoid figure sitting on a massive rock deep within the Heavenly Yang Pond. The entire area was enshrouded in thick grey mist, and the humanoid figure murmured to himself, Its about time that the treasure was delivered to that Han brat. With this Wood Spirit Bead, your rate of cultivation will be drastically enhanced, but when you reach the Deity Transformation Stage bottleneck, hehe…

A burst of eerie chuckling suddenly escaped from the humanoid figures mouth.

Mu Peiling was standing outside one of the dozen or so guest pavilions within the Drifting Cloud Sect, and she would occasionally glance up into the distant sky.

All of a sudden, azure light flashed from afar before flying through the air, descending before this pavilion in the blink of an eye.

As soon Han Li arrived in front of the pavilion, Mu Peiling made her way over to him, and whispered, Mu Peiling pays her respects to her Lord! The Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators are current resting within the pavilion, and the other two women are in that building over there.

Han Li glanced at the pavilion behind Mu Peiling, then at another nearby building, and he nodded with a calm expression as he said, Alright, you can go now.

Mu Peiling extended a respectful curtsey before flying away as a streak of white light.

Han Lis body swayed, and he appeared at the entrance to the pavilion. He swept his spiritual sense through the interior of the building before walking in in an unhurried manner.

Within the hall on the first floor of the pavilion, there were two men and a woman sitting together while discussing something. One of the men was a stickly thin yellow-robed man, while the other was an elderly man with abnormally pale features. Their female counterpart was a beautiful young woman who appeared to be around 20 years of age, she was none other than Yan Yaner.

The three of them were currently locked in a heated discussion, and the urgency in their eyes was quite apparent.

As Han Li stepped into the hall, all three of them immediately turned to him in unison. They then rose to their feet with expressions of surprise and elation to welcome Han Li.

Before the three of them had a chance to say anything, Han Li abruptly appeared on a wooden chair across from them. He waved a nonchalant hand, and said, Theres no need for formalities, Fellow Daoists. Lets all take a seat.

None of the three were able to identify how he had approached them so quickly.

The elderly mans heart jolted upon seeing this, but he quickly put on a smile as he nodded in response.

Thus, the three of them sat down again.

Han Li examined the young woman, who had become even more beautiful since their laster encounter, and a smile appeared on his face as he said, Long time no see, Fairy Yan, youve finally reached the Nascent Soul Stage. Well be able to refer to one another as equals now.

This woman was none other than the number one female cultivator among the younger generation in the State of Yue. She had also successfully reached the Nascent Soul Stage.

Thank you for your kind words, Fellow Daoist Han. Ive only recently reached the Nascent Soul Stage, yet youre already the number one cultivator in the Heavenly South Region, how can I possibly compare to you? Ive come here with a request for your help, Brother Han. Yan Yaner examined Han Li carefully as a complex expression appeared on her beautiful features.

Han Li smiled, yet gave no reply. He cast his gaze toward the other two Ghost Spirit Sect elders, and his eyes rested on the face of the elderly man in the end.

This fellow Daoist is Elder Zhong, right? I recall seeing you once from afar in the Devilfall Valley.

I didnt think that Brother Han would still remember someone like me. Im very flattered. The elderly man gave a slightly awkward chuckle upon hearing this.

The Ghost Spirit Sect seems to be in a very perilous situation at the moment. All three of you are important figures in the sect, so why have you come all this way to meet me rather than remain in the State of Yue to protect the sect? Han Li cut straight to the time.

Upon seeing Han Lis no-nonsense approach, Yan Yaner and the others looked at one another with hesitant expressions, as if they were unsure of how to proceed.

Han Lis brows furrowed slightly as a hint of displeasure appeared on his face.

Han Lis attention naturally didnt escape the notice of the trio, and the hearts of the two men jolted as they turned toward Yan Yaner in unison.

Yan Yaner hesitated momentarily before breaking the tense silence.

Fellow Daoist Han, weve come here to request assistance from your sect, no, from yourself. We hope that you can assist our Ghost Spirit Sect during this time of crisis. Otherwise, our sect will most likely cease to exist in the near future.

You want me to lend you my assistance? Han Li raised his eyebrows as a hint of a deriding sneer appeared on his face.

I know that our sect has wronged you in the past, Brother Han, but Sect Leader Wang was the one who was solely responsible for that incident, and he passed away in the Devilfall Valley long ago. The Ghost Spirit Sect is not being ruled over by the Wang Family anymore, the yellow-robed man hurriedly explained.

Is that so? I seem to have heard that Wang Chan is still thriving at your sect, is that correct? Han Li asked expressionlessly.

The expressions of both the elderly man and Yan Yaner changed slightly upon seeing this. The yellow-robed man was also quite surprised that Han Li was aware of this detail, but he still maintained his smile as he replied, Rest assured, Brother Han, Martial Nephew Wang Chan made a huge mistake a while ago, so hes been stripped of his role as an enforcement elder, and hes currently been held in our sects repentance cave to repent over his mistakes. He wont be released from there for at least another 100 years.

Repenting over his mistakes? I dont think Ive seen you before, but you seem to bear a resemblance to Fairy Yan, may I ask for your name, Fellow Daoist? Han Li was slightly surprised to hear this, but he cast his gaze toward Yan Yaner, then back at the yellow-robed man, and a thought seemed to have occurred to him as a faint smile appeared on his face.

The yellow-robed man hesitated momentarily before replying truthfully, You really do have a good eye, Brother Han. Im also from the Yan Family, Im one of Yaners uncles.

Yan Yaner also nodded to confirm this notion.

Han Li stroked his chin, and asked in a meaningful voice, Oh, so the Yan Family has two Nascent Soul cultivators now. In that case, the Yan Family must be ruling over the Ghost Spirit Sect at present, right?

The yellow-robed man glanced at Elder Zhong before replying hesitantly, Hehe, its not incorrect to say that, but that duty has only fallen to our Yan Family upon Senior Martial Brother Zhongs insistence.

Senior Martial Brother Wang and the others were clearly unfit to rule over the sect, so its only natural that the Yan Familly should rise to the occasion, the elderly man said with a wry smile.

Oh, is that so? Han Li said in an absentminded manner before he fell silent, and his eyes narrowed in contemplation.

The three cultivators from the Ghost Spirit Sect didnt dare to rush Han Li, so they could only sit in silence. Yan Yaner seemed to be contemplating something as well, while the two men were feeling extremely uneasy.

Han Li was currently the number one cultivator in the Heavenly South Region, and he had once had a vendetta against their Ghost Spirit Sect. The circumstances had changed since then, so it was very unlikely that Han Li would seek revenge against them, but they would definitely be lying if they said they werent concerned in the slightest about being in Han Lis presence. If it werent for the fact that the Ghost Spirit Sect had truly reached the end of the road, they wouldnt have mustered up the courage to visit the Drifting Cloud Sect.

The only person in the entire Heavenly South Region capable of saving them was Han Li. Their enemies were wary of the other great cultivators as well, but there was certainly no one more powerful and intimidating than Han Li in the Heavenly South Region.

Even if those past events had never taken place, what makes you think that Ill help your Ghost Spirit Sect? Han Li asked in a slightly cold voice.

Yan Yaner immediately turned to Han Li upon hearing this, while the two men with her were ecstatic.

The three of them could all hear a hint of possibility in Han Lis voice.

The yellow-robed man took a deep breath before replying, Brother Han, if youre willing to help our sect, our Ghost Spirit Sect will vacate the State of Yue and leave it to the other sects. All we want now is to ensure the survival of our sect. In return for your assistance, weve brought along a few presents. We hope that they would be of interest to you, Brother Han.

He then patted the storage pouch hanging from his waist, and a burst of white light radiated from within. Spiritual light swept toward the table before him, and three items appeared on the tabletop.

Han Li examined the three items with an indifferent expression to find that they were a crimson bracelet, a porcelain vial, and a green wooden box.

Han Li raised his hand and feigned a grabbing motion, upon which the three items flew through the air and landed in his grasp.

At this moment, Yan Yaners pleasant voice suddenly sounded.

The porcelain vial contains the sacred medicine of our sect, the Blood Limb Pill. The pill has no other effect aside from its incredible ability to replace lost limbs. Even if a limb is completely dismembered, an identical one can be regrown after taking these pills. Due to the fact that the medicinal ingredients for these pills are very difficult to find, our sect only has around a dozen of these pills, and three of them are in that vial. The red bracelet is a lesser-known devilish treasure and was something that was carried by all the past sect leaders. However, the treasure was withdrawn by Elder Zhong after Sect Leader Wang perished in the Devilfall Valley. This devilish treasure is quite unique in that its unable to directly attack the enemy, but you can nurture things like Yin spirits and blood ghosts within the bracelet. Those beings can become more powerful at a rapid rate through the help of the blood Qi absorbed by this bracelet, then be released to assist you in battle. As for the item in this wooden box, its the most precious among the three treasures here. At this point, Yan Yaner paused and looked at Han Li with a peculiar gleam in her eyes.

However, Han Lis expression remained completely unchanged, seemingly entirely disinterested in the two treasures placed before him.

Yan Yaner heaved a faint internal sigh, but she maintained a calm expression as she continued, I heard that youre using a wood-attribute cultivation art, Brother Han, the item in this box is a legendary Wood Spirit Bead, one of the five-elemental Spirit Gathering Beads!

Han Lis expressionless facade immediately crumbled as he exclaimed, Spirit Gathering Bead? Youre referring to the treasures that absorb a certain type of five-elemental spiritual Qi while also repelling other types of spiritual Qi?

Thats right. The Spirit Gathering Bead has a very similar name to the basic spirit gathering formation, and both of them serve a similar purpose. However, I trust that Brother Han is aware of the differences in their efficacy, so I wont elaborate on that subject. As for how this item compares with spirit well objects, as long as the cultivation art youre using is of the same attribute as this Spirit Gathering Bead, normal spirit well objects wont even be able to hold a candle to this bead, Yan Yaner said in a slow voice.

Han Lis lingered on the green wooden box for a while longer, but there was a yellow restriction talisman plastered over it, so he wasnt able to glean its contents.

All of a sudden, he opened his mouth and gently exhaled toward the wooden box.

A burst of azure light immediately swept over the surface of the box, and the restriction talisman was detached. At the same time, his hand shot forth like lightning, pointing a finger directly at the lid of the box.

The wooden lid flew off of its own accord.

The cultivation world of the Heavenly South Region was in an uproar once again.

Aside from those who were already aware of Han Lis relationship with Nangong Wan, all of the Nascent Soul cultivators who received the invitation were extremely surprised. However, with Han Lis current resounding reputation, no one dared to turn down his invitation. The three other great cultivators of the Heavenly South Region were unable to attend in person to the fact that they were all in seclusion, but they sent their disciples to offer precious congratulatory presents.

It was said in the few days leading up to the commencement of the ceremony, the entire sky above the Dreamcloud Mountains had been enshrouded under extremely exuberant five-colored light. Intricate buildings of light also appeared out of thin air on the mountains, and under the effect of the restriction, all of the plants on the entire mountain ranges were in full bloom, making the Dreamcloud Mountains appear as it were an ethereal immortal realm.

The three sects on the Dreamcloud Mountains as well as some nearby smaller sects that were trying to suck up to Han Li had worked tirelessly to prepare for this ceremony, making it an even grander and more illustrious occasion than the celebration ceremony held when Han Li became a great cultivator.

Aside from the cultivators of the major sects who had received invitations from the Drifting Cloud Sect, some cultivators from other smaller sects as well as many renowned vagrant cultivators attended the ceremony, offering presents of their own.

During the few days when the ceremony was held, around 5,000 to 6,000 cultivators outside of the Dreamcloud Mountains flocked to the scene, most of whom were high-grade cultivators. It was the most spectacular ceremony held in the Heavenly South Region for the past 1,000 years.

However, that was no surprise.

Back when Han Li had become a great cultivator, many people had attended the celebratory ceremony to congratulate him, but most of them harbored doubts in their hearts about the authenticity of his claim. Furthermore, there were still three other great cultivators in the Heavenly South Region as well. However, following the sparring match held during that celebratory ceremony, Han Li had well and truly cemented himself as the number one cultivator of the Heavenly South Region.

It was said that Han Li could face two great cultivators at once and still easily gain the upper hand, and this was quite a harrowing notion to all of the sects in the Heavenly South Region.

This indicated that if Han Li didnt have to worry about his own sect, he was powerful enough on his own to steamroll any cultivation sect in the entire region.

No sect in the Heavenly South Region could possess more than two great cultivators among their ranks, so there was no power in the entire region that could contend with Han Li.

As such, regardless of whether these sects had ties with the Drifting Cloud Sect or not in the past, all of them had sent people to the ceremony in an attempt to establish better relations with Han Lis sect. As for the high-grade vagrant cultivators, they wanted to make the acquaintance of this number one cultivator in the Heavenly South Region, hoping that Han Li would be kind enough to offer them some guidance in their cultivation.

As such, countless cultivators had arrived to attend the ceremony from the three sects, as well as outside of the Dreamcloud Mountains, making it truly a ceremony for the ages.

Han Li and Nangong Wan didnt appear at the ceremony for a very long time. The two of them merely delivered a grateful address to all of the cultivators gathered at the ceremony, then engaged in a formal exchange of cups of wine between bride and groom before departing from the scene.

Everything else thereafter was obviously left to L Luo, and he rose to the occasion, even though the two stars of the show werent present, he was still able to make the rest of the ceremony an extremely lively and bustling occasion.

The ceremony lasted a total of three to four days before finally drawing to the conclusion.

Most of the cultivators who had arrived to offer their congratulations began to depart, but there were a few among them who refrained from leaving.

…

Han Li and a white-robed Nangong Wan stood side by side on the summit of the main peak of the interconnected peaks. Neither of them said anything, but their silence was more meaningful than a 1,000 words.

After a long while, Nangong Wan tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear before turning to Han Li with a gorgeous smile.

Looks like every cloud really does have a silver lining, through cultivating the Youthful Celestial Moon, I was finally able to progress to the mid-Nascent Soul Stage. Of course, I have to thank you for your assistance as well. The Imperial Elixir that you fed me saved me at least a dozen years of arduous cultivation. Without it, I could still be trapped in that seal. Speaking of progression, Im very surprised that you were able to reach the late-Nascent Soul Stage so quickly. With your current powers, youll be invincible in the human world as long as you dont encounter those few Deity Transformation Stage old monsters, right?

Invincible? I wouldnt dare to say that. Perhaps there exists another Nascent Soul cultivator in the human world who stands above me. Han Li gave a modest smile in response.

Heehee, I dont believe that! What came as a quite a surprise to me was just how insidious this Soul Seal Curse was, I thought that the power within the inner core of the Ancient Flame Toad would be able to lift this curse, but who wouldve thought that there were a few additional restrictions lying dormant within my body this entire time? Thank heavens the true method to lift the curse was used in advance. Otherwise, I wouldve been in deep trouble. Nangong Wans eyes were shimmering with a seductive light.

Han Li turned to Nangong Wan with a smile, and replied, That was also a massive load taken off my shoulders. It appears that my trip to the Great Jin was worth it. After this, you should take the Nascent Cultivating Pill I gave you last time. With the assistance of that pill, it might be possible for you to progress to the late-Nascent Soul Stage as well.

Is that Nascent Cultivating Pill really that miraculous? It can even assist in a breakthrough to the late-Nascent Soul Stage? Nangong Wan seemed to be a little skeptical.

Hehe, quite a few mid-Nascent Soul cultivators in the Great Jin perished for this pill, do you think they would give their lives for a hoax? Han Li replied with a chuckle.

Alright, then after I fortify my mid-Nascent Soul Stage cultivation base, Ill take the pill and attempt another breakthrough. Nangong Wan pursed her lips in a faint smile as a seductive yet exuberant light danced in her eyes.

Han Li looked at his Dao Companions exquisite features, then thought back to the intimacy they had shared during the past few days, and a scorching impulse suddenly welled up in the pit of his stomach. Just as he was about to say something, his expression suddenly changed as he turned and cast his gaze toward the distant sky. Nangong Wan faltered slightly before also turning her attention toward the same direction.

A few moments later, a streak of white light broke through the restriction in the distance before flying directly toward Han Lis duo.

Han Lis eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, seemingly having already identified who their visitor was.

The streak of white light circled around in the sky before descending onto the ground. The light then receded to reveal a gorgeous woman, it was none other than Mu Peiling.

Mu Peiling pays her respects to her lord and Big Sister Nangong! Mu Peiling extended a respectful salute toward the two of them.

Little Sister Peiling, why have you come here from the sect in such a hurry even though the ceremony is already over? Could it be that theres something Senior Martial Brother L couldnt take care of, so hes requesting our assistance? Nangong Wan asked.

Big Sister Nangong, there are some guests who still havent left following the conclusion of the ceremony. All of them proclaim that theyre acquaintances of my lord, and wish to see him. Senior Martial Brother L was unsure of whether my lord would like to entertain these guests, so he sent me here as a messenger. If my lord doesnt wish to see them, then hell ask them to leave, Mu Peiling explained.

Acquaintances of yours? Could they perhaps be a group of beautiful female cultivators? Nangong Wan took a glance at Han Li with an amused smile on her face.

Mu Peiling cast a surreptitious glance toward Han Li before biting down on her lower lip as she nodded. Indeed, Big Sister Nangong, the guests in question are all female.

Oh? Looks like your former lovers have come to find you. Nangong Wan rolled her eyes at Han Li.

Former lovers? Ahem, please dont make such jokes, Waner. Peiling, have you asked those guests for their names? Han Li cleared his throat with a rather awkward look before turning to Mu Peiling with an inquisitive glance.

I have. One of them is a woman Ghost Spirit Sect with the surname of Yan, and shes being accompanied by two Ghost Spirit Sect elders. The other two are a female cultivator from the Controlling Spirit Sect by the name of Han Yunzhi, and Dong Xuaner from the Harmonious Bond Sect, Mu Peiling replied.

Its them? Han Li faltered slightly upon hearing this.

Nangong Wan raised an eyebrow as she chuckled, Looks like they really are acquaintances of yours. You should go and meet them, itd be rude to keep them waiting for too long.

Han Li paused for a moment before nodding as he instructed, These are all acquaintances from well before I reached the Nascent Soul Stage, and I wouldnt mind meeting them. Peiling, go and inform Senior Martial Brother L that Ill be there soon. In the meantime, get them to wait for me in two different guest pavilions and Ill meet them separately.

Yes. Ill be taking my leave then. Mu Peiling extended a respectful bow before flying away as a streak of white light.

Meanwhile, Han Li looked on at her departing figure, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Nangong Wan noticed the minute changes in Han Lis expression, and she smiled as she asked, Why the long face? Are you displeased with Little Sister Peiling?

Han Li clasped his hands behind his back as he shook his head, and said, No, its just that I dont really understand why you decided to accept her as your sister. I originally intended for her to become your disciple.

Whats wrong with having Peiling as a sister? I only want to pursue the Great Dao with you, so Im not interested in taking any disciples. Also, her past is kind of similar to mine, and I quite like her. Instead of placing her in the awkward position of being my disciple, I thought it was a much better idea to make her my sister instead. That way, regardless of whether you want to make her your concubine or your disciple in the future, no one will be able to say anything about it, Nangong Wan explained in a warm manner.

Well do as you say, then. Im going to go and see my visitors now, Han Li replied nonchalantly.

Come back soon, Ill be waiting for you in my cave abode, Nangong Wan said with a faint smile.

A wry smile appeared on Han Lis face upon hearing this.

Waner, the Youthful Celestial Moon youre cultivating sure is quite interesting in that the power of the Yin moon is required to cultivate it. In that case, a special formation will need to be set up in order to gather this power. However, the power of the Yin moon is very detrimental to other cultivators, so no one can cultivate around you. Its a real pity that Im unable to cultivate in the same cave abode as you because of this.

At the time I was drawn to the power of this cultivation art, and I didnt anticipate that it would be so troublesome, Nangong Wan replied with an apologetic expression.

Im just a little disappointed, but thankfully, we only have to be apart when were cultivating. Besides, our two cave abodes are really close anyway, so we can share a cave abode whenever were not cultivating, it really doesnt make much of a difference. Alright, Ill have to go and entertain my guests now, Ill be back soon. Han Li offered some words of consolation before flying away from the main peak as a streak of azure light.

Han Li faltered upon hearing this. A hint of befuddlement flashed through his eyes, and he couldnt comprehend why the Endless Sky Beast was saying this.

This cultivation art originates from Buddhist origins, but its something that everyone uses in the Spirit Realm. Its even more popular than the basic cultivation arts of the five elements used by Qi Condensation cultivators, the small child explained.

Everyone uses this cultivation art? Could it be that youre also referring to… Han Li was starting to read between the lines, and a hint of surprise appeared on his face.

This Buddhist cultivation art can even be used by mortals in the Spirit Realm who possess no spiritual roots. If a mortal reaches the third layer or above in this cultivation art, then obtains some special weapons, theyll even be able to combat low-grade cultivators and demon beasts. If they can reach the fifth layer or above, hehe, even mid-grade cultivators and demon beasts wouldnt dare to mess with them for no good reason, then, the small child chuckled coldly.

Han Li was flabbergasted to hear this, and only after a long while did he respond in an incredulous manner, Surely you jest, Fellow Daoist Endless Sky! Youre telling me that mortals can combat us cultivators?

Hehe, you havent ascended to the Spirit Realm yet, so theres no point for me tell you too much about it, but this is something that I wouldnt mind disclosing to you, in the Spirit Realm, the mortals are an extremely important force in the human race. Furthermore, there were some exceptionally intellectually-endowed figures among the mortals who studied some basic cultivation arts used by cultivators and demon beasts, and managed to discover ways to refine their own bodies using the spiritual Qi from their environment without having to rely on spiritual roots. In the end, they managed to devise a unique set of cultivation principles. There are even some particularly outstanding warriors among the mortals who have slain high-grade cultivators and demon beasts, this is not something thats uncommon in the Spirit Realm. The cultivation art Im referring to is known as the Vajra Arts, and its one of the cultivation arts used most regularly among the mortals.

Even so, surely mortals still cant compare with cultivators. After all, the vast majority of cultivation arts and treasures are still unusable to them, Han Li countered with furrowed brows.

Of course. Mortals are still mortals in the end, and no matter how powerful they become, without spiritual roots, theyre still unable to pursue the Great Dao. Their lifespans reach a mere 100 years, and even if they can obtain some treasures or medicines that can extend their lifespans, itll only give them 100 more years to live at most, thats their maximal limit. However, in the Spirit Realm, the postnatal acquirement of spiritual roots is possible. Among the three human sovereigns, the Heavenly Yuan Holy Sovereign was once an extremely prominent and renowned mortal. Only after encountering a miraculous opportunity was he able to attain a spiritual root and become a cultivator, but in terms of power and abilities, hes not inferior to his other two counterparts at all. The small childs expression became rather solemn as he spoke.

Han Li stroked his chin and was at a loss for words.

Dont think too much about this matter. The mortals in the Spirit Realm are only able to achieve all of this dude to the fact that the spiritual Qi density in the Spirit Realm is far superior to that of lower realms. Your human world has endured a devilish tribulation long ago, and the spiritual Qi density here is far inferior compared to the other lower realms. Even if mortals were to obtain the cultivation arts from the Spirit Realm that I mentioned, they wouldnt be able to absorb the worlds origin Qi into their bodies anyway, so theres no way that theyd be able to cultivate, the small child explained.

Other lower realms? Does that mean there are more lower realms than just the human world? Han Li was very surprised to hear this.

A peculiar look appeared on the small childs face as he said, Of course! There are hundreds, if not over 1,000 lower realms beneath our Spirit Realm. All of the most exceptional cultivators from these lower realms would ascend to the Spirit Realm, and barely any have ascended from the human world in the past years. However, there have been many cultivators ascending from other lower realms that havent been invaded by elder devils. I decided to send my avatar to the human world, firstly, because the spiritual Qi is very sparse here. That makes it more difficult for my avatar to descend into this realm, but it makes it easier for me to avoid my great tribulation. Secondly, this is a realm dominated by the human race, so no one would suspect that I would send my avatar to this realm. Otherwise, if my enemies were to learn my backup plan and destroy this avatar of mine, all of my efforts wouldve been in vain.

Han Li was speechless once again.

He had always thought that the human world was a unique existence, which was why the Spirit Realm had gone to the effort of deploying cultivators into the human world to combat the invasion of the elder devils. However, after hearing the Endless Sky Beasts words, it was clear that there were other factors behind that decision.

Alright, thats enough about the Spirit Realm. It wont benefit you to learn too much about it for now. Lets talk about the Vajra Arts first. This cultivation art can be used even by mortals without spiritual roots, but its also renowned in the Spirit Realm for being extremely difficult to cultivate. There are very few people who can reach the third layer, let alone the fifth layer, most of the mortals in the Spirit Realm have only reached the first layer, which will somewhat enhance their bodies, but the effects wont be very useful. Reaching the second layer of the cultivation art requires the cleansing of the marrow, which is an excruciating process that not many people can withstand. However, there are many mortals within the Spirit Realm and reaching the second layer would allow one to become as powerful a low-grade demon beast, so there are always some who are willing and able to endure the painful process. Ive never heard of your Brightjade Arts, but Im sure its very much related to this cultivation art. After all, there are only a handful of Buddhist body refinement cultivation arts, and this is most likely the only one among those cultivation arts that can be used in the human world. The small child was very confident in his judgment.

Han Li also felt like that was a very plausible notion, and he nodded as he said, Perhaps thats true. Its indeed been rather difficult for me to cultivate the Brightjade Arts.

Give me a jade slip, Ill give you a copy of the Vajra Arts for you to examine. If its the same cultivation art as your Brightjade Arts, then it wont do you much good, but if theyre not the same thing, you can choose one between them to cultivate. The small child was suddenly being very generous.

Hehe, Ill have to thank you in advance then, Fellow Daoist Endless Sky. Han Li certainly wasnt going to decline such a tempting offer. A faint smile appeared on his face, and he flipped his hand over to produce a jade slip before tossing it to the small child.

The Endless Sky Beast caught the jade slip before slowly closing his eyes to replicate the cultivation art.

The smile on Han Lis face faded, and his brows furrowed as memories of a copper plate and another cultivation art surfaced in his mind.

They were none other than the Sacred Provenance Plate, as well as the Heavenbearing Devil Arts that he had obtained from Man Huzi.

There was nothing to be said about the Sacred Provenance Plate, he was already certain that this demonic cultivation art and the Brightjade Arts had both originated from the Elder Devil Realm. Furthermore, they were, respectively, the cultivation art required to unleash the technique, and the mandatory basic body refinement cultivation art. Unfortunately, there was a missing link in the middle, and that was the cultivation art for the transformation ability.

When he had obtained the Heavenbearing Devil Arts from Man Huzi, he had only inspected it briefly before ascertaining that this cultivation art was that missing link. He didnt know how it had become a top-grade devilish art, but that didnt really matter.

What was important was that he had somehow gathered the complete set of cultivation arts. Furthermore, the fact that the Nine Gale Transformations that Han Li wanted to cultivate required progression in the Brightjade Arts made him feel as if there were some kind of profound greater power at work, trying to make him cultivate the Sacred Provenance Plate.

A series of thoughts flashed through Han Lis mind and after about 10 minutes, the small child sitting atop the cauldron suddenly opened his eyes before raising a hand, sending a burst of yellow light flying toward Han Li.

Han Li immediately swept a sleeve through the air, catching the yellow light to reveal the jade slip within.

The cultivation art has been recorded in there, you can have a look at it first, the small child said in a calm voice.

Han Li nodded and immediately seeped his spiritual sense into the jade slip to examine the cultivation art within.

After just a short while, Han Li heaved a faint sigh and withdrew his spiritual sense.

The small childs expression remained unchanged as he asked in an indifferent manner, Is the same as your Brightjade Arts?

Han Li was silent for a moment before replying, It is. There are some additional spiritual Qi absorption methods detailed in the Vajra Arts, but everything else is completely identical.

The small child seemed to have expected this result, and he waved the aged hide book in his hand as he said, Thats settled, then, if you want to cultivate the Nine Gale Transformations, youll have to progress to the third layer of the Brightjade Arts first. During that time, Ill alter the Nine Gale Transformations so it becomes suitable for you to use. The Thunderstorm Wings are only a pair of treasures, and not real wings, after all, so some adjustments to the cultivation art will be required. Dont forget that you promised to lend me the Golden Jade Tome after this.

Han Li smiled and pointed to the three container treasures before him as he said, Rest assure, Fellow Daoist Endless Sky, I wont go back on my word. Before we begin, are you not going to consume any more of this Imperial Elixir?

The small child glanced at the treasures before shaking his head as he replied, The Imperial Elixir is indeed a fantastic medicine, it can help demon beasts develop intelligence, and is of the utmost importance for demon beasts going through metamorphosis to attain a human form. For human cultivators, consumption of the Imperial Elixir can also expand the meridians and greatly enhance the body. However, its not advisable to consume too much of it at once, and it cant be stored for more than a month, so its currently useless to me. Seeing as youre planning to cultivate the Brightjade Arts, this will be quite useful for you.

If thats the case, then Ill be taking these for myself. Han Li smiled as he swept a sleeve through the air, uopn which the bowl and the jade vial disappeared in unison, leaving only the gourd remaining on the ground.

He then made a hand seal and a faint light shimmered in his eyes. All of a sudden, silver light flashed from beside one of the walls of the secret chamber, and another Han Li appeared out of thin air.

As soon a this Han Li appeared in the secret chamber, it immediately feigned a grabbing motion toward the gourd lying on the ground. The treasure was instantly sucked into his grasp, and silver light flashed again as Han Li disappeared into the wall.

A hint of surprise appeared on the small childs face upon seeing this, but he didnt say anything. Instead, he merely cupped his fist toward Han Li as a salute before also vanishing into the cauldron.

Han Li took a glance at the jade slip in his hand before joining his palms, upon which the jade slip disappeared.

He then slowly closed his eyes and began to meditate in a seated position.

Almost at the exact same moment, a streak of silver light shot forth from the main peak that Han Lis cave abode was situated on. Following a few flashes, the silver streak of light had already disappeared into a certain restricted area within the Drifting Cloud Sect. Not long after that, the streak of silver light flew out from within the restricted area again and returned to the interconnected peaks.

Han Li continued to remain in the secret chamber, yet during this time, a streak of silver light would occasionally fly out from his cave abode before disappearing into the distance. However, the streak of silver light would always return to the interconnected peaks following intervals of several days to around a month, and no one knew what it was up to.

Time passed in a flash, and two years flew by in the blink of an eye.

The final two waves of lightning strikes progressed as Han Li had expected, after nullifying most of their power with his silver shield, the Endless Sky Beasts demon core was able to take care of the rest, albeit with a certain degree of difficulty.

Following the conclusion of the final wave of lightning tribulation, the dark clouds in the sky disappeared just as quickly as they had first materialized, and the light of the sun came seeping through in the blink of an eye. Before long, there was not a single cloud to be seen in the sky.

At this moment, the Endless Sky Beasts was situated at the center of the formation, enshrouded within layers of greyish-white demonic Qi. It was as if the demon beast had been encapsulated within a massive cocoon, and the surface of the cocoon was squirming and writhing gently.

Han Li was not surprised to see this at all.

After withstanding the lightning tribulation, the Endless Sky Beast was reconstructing its body and adopting a human form. Generally speaking, this transformation was outside of the demon beasts control. It was just like the birth of a human, no one could determine their looks from birth as that was predetermined by genetics.

However, the appearance of a demon beasts human form was somewhat dependent on their true form. For example, demon beasts like demonic foxes would usually undergo metamorphosis to become handsome men and beautiful women, while demon beasts with hideous forms to begin with usually had ugly human forms as well. A thought suddenly occurred to Han Li, and he cast his gave toward the distance. There, the carcass of the mutated Narwhal Worm had been completely engulfed into nothingness by the Gold Devouring Beetles. At this moment, the swarm of beetles was buzzing incessantly as they hovered in mid-air.

Han Li let loose a long cry, and the golden swarm of beetles immediately flew toward him before being stored away in his spirit beast pouch.

He then sat down with his legs crossed and closed his eyes as he awaited the conclusion of the Endless Sky Beasts metamorphosis.

A day and a night passed.

When Han Li opened his eyes again, a dull thump suddenly erupted from within the gigantic cocoon. A fair and tender arm punched through the surface of the cocoon, and the familiar voice of a small child sounded from within. Ive finally succeeded. Thank you for your efforts, Fellow Daoist Han.

Han Li smiled upon hearing this before slowly rising to his feet…

Several days later, Han Li returned to the interconnected peaks on the Dreamcloud Mountains. At present, he was situated within the secret chamber of his cave abode, holding the shimmering golden horn in his hand with the three container treasures placed before him. A large azure cauldron that was around 10 feet in size was hovering in the air before him, and a small child in yellow robes was sitting atop the cauldron. The small child was currently reading an aged hide book in his hands that it was holding in its hands.

This child was naturally none other than the Endless Sky Beast in its human form. It wasnt exactly identical to the projection that it had manifested in the past, but it bore a strong resemblance to that projection.

That made sense, seeing as the demon beasts true body in the Spirit Realm had already undergone metamorphosis once, so it would naturally have a rough idea of what its human form would look like. That was why it was able to manifest a projection with roughly the same appearance.

Han Li stroked the bumpy patterns on the surface of the golden horn with his finger, and after a while, he suddenly said, After some experimentation, Ive discovered that this horn can absorb almost all types of spiritual power, and also release it. The only flaws are that its only able to absorb a limited amount of spiritual power at once, and the rate of absorption is also rather slow.

The small child put down the book in his hands and turned to Han Li with a vibrant smile as he said, As expected of a material from a mutated demon beast, spiritual absorption is a very rare ability. There are countless cultivators even in the Spirit Realm who are dying for a material with such an extraordinary ability. Its the ideal material for refining defensive-type treasures, and many renowned defensive-type spirit treasures have incorporated this type of material.

Defensive-type treasures? Can this be used to refine battle armor? Han Li asked.

Hehe, you really are very smart, Fellow Daoist Han. You should be able to use this horn and your Fire Spirit Threads to refine a powerful suit of battle armor. Even if it wont be a spirit treasure, it wont be too far away from that level, either. However, my advice is that you should refrain from doing that, the small child said with a serious expression.

Whys that? Im in need of a suit of battle armor at the moment. A hint of confusion flashed through Han Lis eyes.

If you want to spend the rest of your life here in this human world and regard safety as your number one priority, then refining a suit of battle armor is naturally your best option. However, if you want to sneak into the Spirit Realm through a spatial node, hehe, its best to keep this item to refine another type of treasure, the small child explained.

What other types of treasure can be refined using this thing? Han Li asked.

The Realm Transcending Bead, of course. That treasure will assist you greatly in your attempt to pass through a spatial node, the small child replied.

A Realm Transcending Bead? If I recall correctly, you seemed to have used something known as a Realm Transcending Stone when your avatar descended into the human world. What is the relationship between those two treasures? Are they the same thing? Han Li asked with a hint of surprise in his voice.

The small child thought about this question carefully before replying, Their names are very similar, and they are indeed related. The Realm Transcending Stone is a disposable naturally-occurring treasure that is only found in the Spirit Realm, whereas a Realm Transcending Bead is a refined treasure that can be used more than once. The two serve a similar purpose, but the difference in their levels of potency is like that of night and day. Ill put it this way for you, a Realm Transcending Bead only has about one percent of a Realm Transcending Stones power.

One percent? Han Li was slightly speechless upon hearing this.

Dont look down on the Realm Transcending Bead just because of that, Fellow Daoist Han. You have to realize that Realm Transcending Stones are exceedingly rare, even in the Spirit Realm, and it ranks alongside the Star Defying Plate as one of the three most sought-after realm transcending treasures. The Realm Transcending Bead obviously cant compare to those two treasures, but its still very renowned for its ability to break through some spatial restrictions. The fact that it requires a spiritual absorption material to refine makes it just as rare. Driven by my curiosity, I entered a spatial node in the Spirit Realm once, and even though I immediately returned, Im still struck by a lingering sense of fear whenever I recall the fearsome power of the spatial storm and the boundary between realms within that spatial node. Even if you can cultivate your Law Destruction Eye to its maximal extent, theres still only an infinitesimal chance that youll be able to pass through a spatial node. Otherwise, there would be countless cultivators in the Spirit Realm who have snuck over from lower realms. Dont even try to pass through a spatial node without a Realm Transcending Bead, itll be the last thing you ever do. I was going to wait until you reached the Deity Transformation Stage before I warned you about this, but seeing as you have a spiritual absorption material now, this is something that you should be made aware of, the small child warned

Looks like I have no choice but to refine this Realm Transcending Bead, then. A wry smile appeared on Han Lis face.

Hehe, if it werent for the fact that you already have the Law Destruction Eye, I wouldnt even bother mentioning this treasure to you. Only with both on your side would you have the slightest sliver of a chance to pass through a spatial node. Ill give you the refinement method for this bead in return for the Glacial Quintessence you gave me, the small child chuckled. Han Li suddenly changed the subject, and said, You sure dont like to owe people favors. By the way, I wanted to ask you something, I witnessed the tribulation transcendence of an eighth grade demonic tortoise in the past, but its lightning tribulation was very different compared to yours. Your lightning tribulation seemed to have been far more powerful than the one I witnessed.

Thats not anything to be surprised about. Different demon beasts naturally have to withstand different lightning tribulations. The more powerful a demon beast is, the more formidable their lightning tribulation becomes. Its rumored that heavenly spirit beasts like dragon and phoenixes have to withstand 13 waves of lightning strikes during their metamorphosis stage lightning tribulations. Im already quite lucky that I only had to withstand 11 waves, the small child revealed.

I see! Han Li was enlightened upon hearing this.

The small child held up the aged hide book with a hint of a smile on his face, and asked, This demon cultivation art, the Nine Gale Transformations, is rather interesting, but why are you showing it to me? Could it be that youre interested in cultivation arts from our demon race?

It turned out that the book the small child was reading was none other than the aged hide book that Han Li had obtained from Xiao Cuier. Within the book, there was a nameless aura concealment technique, as well as a demonic cultivation art written in demon script. Only after learning the demon script did Han Li discover that this was a cultivation art known as the Nine Gale Transformations. It was a very powerful cultivation art, but it had been designed exclusively for demon beasts. Unless one was born with a pair of wings and possessed the powerful body of a demon beast, they wouldnt be able to use this cultivation art. However, he was now giving it to the small child for examination for some reason.

This Nine Gale Transformations is quite a powerful cultivation art, and I just so happen to be missing a cultivation art that corresponds with my Thunderstorm Wings. It would be a waste to discard such a powerful technique, so I was hoping to modify this cultivation art so that it can be used by me. Youre a demon beast, Fellow Daoist Endless Sky, so it shouldnt be too difficult for you to modify this cultivation art for my usage, right? In return, I can lend you that half-page of the Golden Jade Tome for examination and research. The page may be a prized treasure, but its too profound for me comprehend for now, Han Li proposed.

This cultivation art is indeed quite difficult to come by for the demon beasts of your human world, and it does correspond nicely with your Thunderstorm Wings. However, theres a major problem here, one that Im sure youre aware of already, in order to unleash this technique, you must possess the powerful body of a demon beast. Youve cultivated in a body refinement art before, so your body is far more powerful than that of the average human cultivator, but its still not enough if your goal is to use this cultivation art, the small child mused with furrowed brows.

Han Li contemplated the issue for a while before replying, As long as the gap I have to bridge isnt too large, this shouldnt be an unreachable goal for me. I have a Buddhist cultivation art known as the Brightjade Arts, and with each layer I reach in that cultivation art, my body becomes a lot powerful than it was before. Ive already reached the second layer now and once I get to the third layer, I should be able to satisfy the conditions required to cultivate the Nine Gale Transformations.The small child faltered slightly before a surprised look appeared on his face. The Brightjade Arts? a Buddhist cultivation art?

What is it? Is there something wrong with this cultivation art? Han Li asked with furrowed brows.

The small child replied with a question of his own. How many layers is your cultivation art split into?

Han Li was rather perplexed by this line of questioning, but he still replied truthfully, Seven.

A peculiar smile appeared on the small childs face as he exclaimed, What a coincidence! I also have a Buddhist body refinement art thats split up into seven layers!

Han Li took a deep breath upon seeing this, and the Thunderstorm Wings on his back flapped gently as he abruptly disappeared on the spot.

In the next instant, he appeared on the border of where the formation once was, then immediately waved a hand toward the three container treasures on the ground below.

The gourd, jade vial, and round bowl immediately flew into the air before circling in the air above Han Lis head.

Right at this moment, the full moon in the sky tilted slightly, and a burst of peculiar silver light shone down directly upon the Endless Sky Beast from the moon.

The fragrant scent in the air became even more pronounced as a layer of rippling watery light suddenly appeared o the surface of the moon. It was as if something were about to drip down from the moon.

Han Lis body immediately swayed without hesitation as he rose up into the sky as a streak of azure light with his three container treasures in accompaniment. freewbnove.com

At this moment, a fist-sized ball of white liquid finally came dripping down from the moon. However, as soon as it detached itself from the moons surface, it transformed into specks of white light, which slowly flowed toward the Endless Sky Beast along the ray of silver light. What was peculiar was that those specks of light could only exist within the ray of silver light, as soon as they left that area and drifted into the outside world, they would instantly cease to exist.

The white spots of light immediately disappeared one by one after coming into contact with the demon beasts body.

The Endless Sky Beast was in a rather feeble state from withstanding the lightning tribulation, but as soon as it absorbed a few spots of white light, it was immediately completely reinvigorated. A burst of demonic Qi was expelled from its mouth, catching all of the specks of white light falling from above before sucking them into its mouth. This process seemed to be providing some form of stimulus for the demon beast as its body was expanding drastically once again.

The light over the surface of the moon rippled, and another ball of liquid slowly dripped down before also transforming into countless specks of white light.

At this moment, a streak of azure light hurtled toward the full moon within the dark clouds. However, when it was still over 1,000 feet away, the silver light in the surrounding air suddenly flashed, and countless arcs of silver lightning abruptly appeared within the clouds amid a burst of loud rumbling. The silver lightning arcs flashed wildly as they came crashing down toward Han Li in unison.

All of a sudden, it was as if countless silver snakes were throwing themselves at Han Li at once, creating quite a formidable sight to behold.

Despite all of the tumultuous storms that Han Li had weathered in the past, he was still given a fright by the scenes unfolding before his eyes.

Thankfully, the Endless Sky Beast had mentioned such a phenomenon during its voice transmission, so even though he was rather surprised by the ferocity of the attacks being directed at him, he was prepared well in advance. He flipped a hand over and a shimmering green object appeared over his palm, it was none other than his spirit treasure, the Eight Spirit Ruler!

Just as the countless arcs of silver lightning were about to strike him, Han Li waved his wooden ruler through the air.

Silver lotus flowers began to appear all around him, each of which was roughly the size of a palm, creating a watertight barrier around him.

The silver arcs of lightning struck the lotus flowers amid booming thunderclaps as countless thin arcs of electricity flashed over the surface of the barrier.

The lotus flowers were vanquished in quick succession by the vast number of lightning arcs, but another barrier of silver lotus flowers immediately surged forth in its place. It was as if there was no end to these lotus flowers, and they really were able to keep the fearsome lightning strikes at bay.

The azure streak of light flashed through the air, and was only over 100 feet away from the full moon.

As the second ball of white liquid dripped down from the moon, Han Li suddenly faltered for an instant, as if he had abruptly found himself in a restricted area, and countless lightning arcs came surging toward him from all directions.

This wave of lightning strikes seemed to be even more concentrated than the previous one.

However, Han Lis entire body was enshrouded by countless silver lotus flowers, and he paid the lightning arcs no heed as he pointed toward the three container treasures before him.

The gourd, the jade vial, and the bowl immediately flew toward the silver moon as three balls of spiritual light.

As soon as they shot forth through the air, countless arcs of lightning surrounded Han Li.

On this occasion, the lightning strikes were even more ferocious and as they exploded around him, Han Li was like a small raft caught within a turbulent sea. Despite the seemingly limitless supply of lotus flowers being churned out by the Eight Spirit Ruler, the barrier surrounding Han Lis body was struggling to keep the fierce barrage at bay.

The area that the lotus flowers encapsulated was quickly shrinking while countless arcs of silver lightning were rapidly converging toward Han Li.

However, he paid his perilous situation no heed as he focused his attention entirely on his three container treasures and flew slowly toward the full moon.

Thats right, he was flying slowly toward the moon!

For some reason, as soon as the three container treasures reached a distance within 30 feet away from the moon, all of them became impossibly heavy, as if they had triggered some kind of restriction. As such, they could approach the moon at an agonizing snails pace.

At this point, the full moon had already secreted its second drop of liquid, yet it was slowly becoming blurry and indistinct, as if it were about to disappear at any moment.

At the same time, the dark clouds in the sky began to tumble and surge again as a burst of spiritual pressure that was quite astonishing, even to Han Li, was slowly taking shape. This was clearly a precursor for the ninth wave of lightning strikes.

The container treasures were still several feet away from the full moon, yet they were still moving as if they were trudging through a swamp, and Han Li knew that he had to do something.

He suddenly let loose a loud cry as he gathered his spiritual sense, and abruptly unleashed a Spirit Stun Thorn toward the full moon.

A burst of enormous power swept toward the full moon, carving a rift into the watery light shimmering over its surface. The three container treasures just so happened to pass through the rift, and immediately sped up appreciably.

Han Li opened his mouth without any hesitation upon seeing this, expelling a mouthful of blood essence, then flicking his 10 fingers toward the blood essence in quick succession.

The blood essence instantly transformed into a cloud of blood mist before disappearing in a flash.

A peculiar scene then ensued!

The three container treasures were originally of different colors, yet as soon as the blood mist disappeared, all three began to emit a crimson glow.

They tremored and broke through the restriction in unison, disappearing into the full moon in a flash.

Almost at the exact same moment, the indistinct moon completely vanished, leaving only the three container treasures hovering in mid-air.

Even Han Li wasnt sure whether the treasures had managed to store something from the moon or were still empty.

A booming thunderclap erupted, and all of the lightning arcs that were attacking Han Li in a maddened frenzy disappeared into the dark clouds in a flash.

As opposed to becoming more relaxed and relieved upon seeing this, Han Li adopted a grim expression instead.

He waved a hand through the air and the three container treasures immediately flew back toward him. Azure light radiated from Han Lis body, and the treasures appeared before him the blink of an eye. His hand shot forth like lightning as he grabbed onto the yellow gourd hovering in the air. He took a glance inside the gourd before flipping his hand over, upon which the gourd abruptly disappeared.

As for the other two treasures, he didnt even inspect them before stowing them away into his storage pouch.

Throughout this entire process, Han Lis expression remained completely unchanged. However, the faint fragrance emanating from within the container treasures indicated that his efforts had not been in vain.

The Endless Sky Beast paid no heed to what Han Li was doing. At this moment, its attention was entirely focused on the lightning tribulation in the air above. The erratic arcs of lightning in the sky had completely disappeared, but the demon beast could sense immensely powerful fluctuations proliferating from the spot in the dark clouds directly above it, and it didnt dare to let its focus waver in the slightest.

The silver demonic Qi around its body had completely disappeared, leaving it standing at the center of the formation in a completely vulnerable manner. It wasnt even emitting any more of its original greyish-white demonic Qi as it seemed to be certain that none of this would help it in the slightest in the face of the upcoming lightning tribulation.

A smile appeared on Han Lis face, and he was just about to say something to the demon beast when an extremely dull thunderclap rang out from above.

A gigantic arc of silver lightning as thick as a water tank surfaced beneath the dark clouds. The arc of lightning was over 200 feet in length and following several flashes of silver light in quick succession, it came crashing down violently toward the Endless Sky Beast like a massive silver wyrm. The incandescent silver light radiating from the giant wyrms body had virtually illuminated the entire sky, and it was descending with truly astonishing might.

The Endless Sky Beasts expression changed drastically upon seeing this, and it opened its mouth without any hesitation. A grey bead shot forth from within before rotating incessantly above the demon beasts head. That bead was none other than its demon core!

However, before the silver wyrm managed to strike the demon beast, Han Li finally sprang into action.

He raised a hand, and a small silver shield flew through the air before transforming into a silver barrier of light that encapsulated the Endless Sky Beast within. Han Li then looked on from down below with a calm smile on his face.

The Endless Sky Beast immediately heaved a long sigh of relief upon seeing this.

The silver wyrm crashed into the silver light barrier amid a burst of thunderous rumbling as piercing silver light radiated in all directions. However, the silver light barrier beneath it merely tremored erratically before settling again, as if nothing had happened.

The silver lightning wyrms attack had been thwarted, yet it didnt immediately dissipate. Instead, it began to circle around the light barrier.

Rumbling thunderclaps erupted over and over again, yet with each passing strike, the silver wyrms body would shrink a little. Following a dozen or so consecutive attacks, the silver wyrm had been reduced to around half of its original size.

Thats enough, Fellow Daoist Han. You can withdraw your treasure, I can handle this on my own now, the Endless Sky Beast suddenly yelled.

Han Li pointed a finger toward the center of the formation upon hearing this, and the silver light barrier disappeared in a flash.

Prior to coming here, the Endless Sky Beast had told Han Li that external assistance could be recruited by a demon beast during their metamorphosis stage lightning tribulation, and they could even request for help in partially nullifying the power of the lightning tribulation. However, they still had to withstand close to half of the power of each wave of lightning tribulation on their own.

Otherwise, the waves of lightning strikes would continue to repeat themselves. As such, the Endless Sky Beast was only asking Han Li to nullify most of the power from the final three waves of lightning tribulation.

As such, Han Li wasnt surprised by the demon beasts request, and immediately withdrew his silver shield.

Without the protection of the silver light barrier, the lightning wyrm immediately pounced toward the Endless Sky Beast, only to be kept at bay again by that greyish-white demon core.

The enormous arc of lightning struck the core, causing it to tremor slightly, but it remained firm and resolute, easily withstanding most of the power from the lightning strike.

After that, no matter which angle the silver wyrm attempted to attack the Endless Sky Beast from, the demon core was always one step ahead. Thus, the silver wyrm continued to be whittled down following a string of loud explosions.

Han Li stroked up his chin as he looked on from below.

It appeared that it would be no issue for him to buffer the remaining two waves of lightning tribulation. After all, this was only the tribulation for an eighth grade demon beast, and no matter how fearsome it was to the demon beast itself, the tribulation ultimately wasnt all that formidable in his eyes. The key would lie in whether the demon beast would be able to withstand the remaining might of the lightning strikes.

A thunderous boom erupted as an arc of lightning descended from the dark cloud like a gargantuan sword, directly striking the apex of the demonic hurricane.

Silver light flashed, and the greyish-white hurricane tremored violently before it was sliced apart down the middle.

The lightning and the hurricane disappeared in unison, and the demon beasts figure was revealed again.

At this moment, it had coiled its body up into a ball, and its appearance was also slightly different from before as it had grown a pair of purple fleshy wings and muscular green arms on the sides of the body.

Han Li stared at it for a long while, but was still unable to draw any connection with this beast and any of the legendary heavenly spirit beasts.

The Endless Sky Beast looked up at the thick bolts of lightning in the sky as it gently flapped its new purple wings. With each and every flap of its wings, a ball of demonic Qi would appear around it, and its body was completely enshrouded within grey Qi in the blink of an eye.

The bolts of lightning in the sky seemed to have finally reached a point where there was no going back, and arcs of lightning that were each over a foot in size descended from above amid deafening thunderclaps. The lightning fell in dense waves, enshrouding the entire area in a radius of over five kilometers. Even the spectating Han Li wasnt exempt from the scope of the lightning strikes.

Han Li exhaled lightly as he made a hand seal. A dull thunderclap erupted as a golden net of lightning appeared. The net then expanded drastically, transforming into a massive golden net that shielded Han Lis entire body beneath it.

An arc of lightning struck the golden next from above, upon which golden and silver light flashed before instantly vanishing. In the aftermath of that lightning strike, the golden net tremored gently, but remained completely unscathed.

Han Li paid no heed to this as he continued to look up at the ball of greyish white demonic Qi through narrowed eyes.

Even though he had been swept up in the scope of the lightning strike, the majority of the lightning arcs were still crashing down toward the Han Li. The demon beast was at the very center of the blast area, and the bolts of lightning striking down upon it was many times that of the lightning that Han Li had to deal with.

With Han Lis spirit eyes, he was able to see that the cloud of greyish-white Qi had been completely inundated by silver light. The arcs of lightning were falling like rain, and there was simply no way to evade them.

Han Lis face remained expressionless, but he was quite surprised internally.

He had witnessed a metamorphosis stage lightning tribulation once before in the Scattered Star Seas, which was when that demonic tortoise that he had slain was transcending its tribulation. However, the commotion from that tribulation couldnt even compare to this one and at the time, the demonic tortoise had already reached the final stages of its tribulation transcendence, whereas the Endless Sky Beast was only just getting started. It was difficult to imagine just how insane this tribulation would become in its final stages.

Could it be that different demon beasts were afflicted by completely different levels of lightning tribulations?

When Han Li thought about the subject, he realized that there really werent many books or tomes in the human world that described demon beast tribulations. On the rare instances that this topic was mentioned, the descriptions were always very brief and revealed very little information. Metamorphosis stage lightning tribulations were exclusive to demon beasts and had nothing to do with human cultivators, so it was no surprise that there were barely any records on the subject.

Even if there were human cultivators who were curious about this topic, it was an extremely rare opportunity to be able to witness the tribulation transcendence of a high-grade demon beast. After all, demon beasts were in their most feeble state right after their tribulation transcendence, so there was no way that they would allow a human cultivator to spectate from nearby.

Even though Han Li was rather perplexed, but he didnt think much of this matter. After all, at his current power level, this lightning tribulation wasnt a big deal to him.

Following a sustained assault from the arcs of lightning for a short period of time, the thunderclaps in the sky temporarily subsided.

Han Li looked on from below to find that the greyish-white demonic Qi within the formation was already in tatters, and only an extremely thin layer of it remained. The Endless Sky Beast took advantage of this temporary respite to make a series of hand seals as its fleshy wings flapped rapidly. At the same time, it opened its massive mouth and also blasted forth bursts of grey demonic Qi.

Thus, a ball of demonic Qi that was several times denser than the one before took shape in the blink of an eye, encapsulating the demon beast within again.

The Endless Sky Beasts expression remained quite calm and it wasnt flustered in the slightest, appearing as if it had already anticipated the ferocity of this lightning tribulation.

A faint smile appeared on Han Lis face upon seeing this. freewebnvel.com

It appeared that the demon beast would be able to withstand the earlier stages of the lightning tribulation, so he wouldnt have to step in anytime soon.

However, the opportunity that it had disclosed to him earlier was quite important, so he had to focus and make sure he didnt miss out on it.

With that in mind, Han Li patted the storage pouch hanging from his waist, and several treasures of different colors immediately shot forth, landing on the ground before Han Li in a single horizontal line.

The treasures consisted of a yellow gourd, a pristine white bow, and an azure jade vial, all of which were container treasures.

At this moment, loud thunderclaps erupted in the air again as the second wave of lightning came crashing down from above.

On this occasion, the wave of lightning was clearly far denser than the last wave, and the individual arcs of lightning were also a lot larger, thereby creating an even more formidable sight to behold.

After summoning those container treasures from his storage pouch, Han Li no longer paid any heed to the Endless Sky Beast. Instead, he sat down with his legs folded and his eyes closed, seemingly priming himself for an important upcoming task.

Two hours passed, and the Endless Sky Beast endured six successive waves of lightning strikes, each of which was more fearsome than the previous wave. When the third wave arrived, the arcs of lightning had grown to five feet in size, and were cascading down like a silver river of light. Even the restriction that Han Li had set up earlier had been damaged in many places by that wave of lightning.

In contrast, the net materialized from Han Lis Divine Devilbane Lightning remained completely unscathed, and shielded him securely within.

Meanwhile, the Endless Sky Beast was unable to withstand the assault commencing from the fourth wave of lightning strikes, and it was forced to unleash another technique to further expand its body, taking it to over 100 feet in size.

The demonic Qi erupting from its mouth had also changed from its original greyish-white color into a silvery-white hue that was similar to the color of the lightning.

What was peculiar about this demonic Qi was that as it came into contact with the lightning crashing down from above, the sound of clashing metal rang out. Most of the arcs of lightning were repelled as a result of the clashes, so the demonic Qi only had to withstand less than half of the lightning being directed toward it.

Han Li was originally sitting down on the ground below with his eyes closed, yet even he couldnt help but open his eyes and look on in surprise

Only then did he discover that this silvery-white demonic Qi was shimmering with a piercing light and was giving off an extremely frosty appearance.

Hmm? That seems to have something to do with the Glacial Quintessence I gave it. Could it be that its already refined the Glacial Quintessence in such a short time? Han Li thought to himself.

After expelling this peculiar demonic Qi, the pressure on the Endless Sky Beast was eased significantly, and it was able to withstand another wave of lightning strikes.

However, as soon as the seventh wave of lightning strikes commenced, the demon beasts expression became extremely grave and tense.

The dark clouds in the sky also began to surge and roared violently, and all of the massive nets of lightning in the sky began to plummet in unison. All of a sudden, the entire sky was illuminated by silver light, and the deafening thunderclaps drowned out all sounds in the surrounding area.

It was as if there was nothing else in this world aside from the dazzling arcs of silver lightning.

Right at this moment, the Endless Sky Beast transmitted his voice to Han Li. Fellow Daoist Han, the lightning tribulation in the human world seems to be more powerful than I expected, Im only going to be able to withstand two more waves of lightning strikes on my own, so Ill need your help to transcend the final three waves.

Dont worry, Fellow Daoist Endless Sky, Ill lend you my assistance when the time comes.

Thank you, Fellow Daoist Han, I wont forget what youve done for me. The Endless Sky Beast was very relieved to hear Han Lis promise.

After all, with a great cultivator assisting it, it should be able to transcend this lightning tribulation no matter how powerful it was.

The silver nets of lightning enshrouded the demon beast down below one after the other, and countless arcs of lightning erupted from the nets in unison, striking at the silver demonic Qi with all their might. Even though most of the lightning had been repelled by the demonic Qi, the remaining arcs that snuck through were still an astonishing number of lightning arcs that managed to sneak through.

The silver demonic Qi was being whittled down by the arcs of lighting at a rate that was perceptible to the naked eye and following the seventh wave of lightning strikes, half of it had been eradicated.

However, there seemed to be no end to this demonic Qi as the Endless Sky Beast merely blasted more silvery-white demonic Qi out of its mouth following the conclusion of the seventh wave.

At this moment, the eighth wave of lightning strikes arrived.

Nets of lightning that were twice the size of the ones in the seventh wave began to descend with devastating force.

Earthshattering booms erupted, and the surface of the demonic Qi was immediately tinged golden as the surrounding earth began to tremor.

Han Lis brows furrowed slightly at the sight of such fearsome lightning, but his expression quickly reverted back normal.

However, he slowly stood up and began to survey the sky as if he were looking for something.

All of a sudden, Han Lis expression changed as he abruptly lowered his head. He cast his gaze toward a certain spot in the distance, and a peculiar look appeared in his eyes.

Thats interesting, I didnt think such a creature existed in the Heavenly South Region, Han Li murmured to himself before abruptly flicking his 10 fingers toward the ground in quick succession. Ten thin red threads short forth before disappearing into the ground in a flash.

Han Li looked down at the ground below him, and a cold smile appeared on his face.

All of a sudden, the earth tremored violently, and a bloodcurdling howl erupted as large clumps of soil exploded into the sky.

Within the yellow soil and sand, a gargantuan creature emerged from the ground. The upper half of its massive body had been bound by a thin thread that was emanating crimson flames. The thread had wound itself around its body seven or eight times, charring its skin and making it howl with agony.

Han Li was able to take this opportunity to catch a clear glimpse of this creatures appearance.

It was a huge yellow creature that appeared to be a gargantuan worm, yet there were countless fleshy feelers of different sizes growing all over the upper half of its body, all of which were thrashing about violently. However, its most eye-catching feature was the massive golden horn on its head, which was shimmering with a dazzling light.

What was even more astonishing was that when the nets of lightning in the sky descended and landed near this creature, the horn on its head would flash erratically, and all of the lightning would be sucked toward the horn before disappearing into it.

Its a Narwhal Worm! By how could it be so big? And if I recall correctly, the horns of these demon beasts should be white in color. A perplexed look appeared in Han Lis eyes as he looked at the enraged colossus before him.

Half a month later, the stone door of the secret chamber opened by itself, and Han Li emerged from within with a tranquil expression.

Silver light flashed outside the door, and the humanoid puppet, which was now completely identical to Han Li, appeared before him.

Han Li glanced at the puppet, and a smile appeared on his face. He stroked his own forehead, upon which the second Nascent Soul immediately appeared.

The Nascent Soul wore a completely blank expression as its body swayed before flying through the air as a streak of black light, disappearing into the humanoid puppets body.

Moments later, the puppet suddenly blinked its dead eyes, and it was suddenly filled with vitality, as if it were an actual living person.

Han Li rubbed his hands together with a smile upon seeing this. Not bad. This is exactly how I envisioned this go. Using the secret technique on the Great Development Treasure Scriptures to inject the second Nascent Soul into the humanoid puppets body allows it to control the puppet. From now on, I wont have to worry about being unable to control the puppet due to distance constraints. As long as I dont go on excessively lengthy journeys in the future, the humanoid puppet can remain in this cave abode along with the second Nascent Soul.

This is indeed a very creative masterstroke, Fellow Daoist Han, but arent you worried that mishaps could occur if the second Nascent Soul develops sentient will again? In that case, it would possess a late-Nascent Soul Stage vessel in the form of this humanoid puppet. Itll be extremely difficult for you to recover the second Nascent Soul again after that, the unimpressed voice of a small child suddenly sounded from within Han Lis sleeve.

Im well aware of that potential risk, Fellow Daoist, which is why on this occasion, Ill be using a few restriction secret techniques that I recently mastered as a late-Nascent Soul cultivator on the second Nascent Soul, and Ill also be tinkering with the humanoid puppet a bit as well. Unless the second Nascent Souls spiritual sense really becomes more powerful than that of my main Nascent Soul, Ill be able to completely immobilize at any time I want, Han Li replied confidently.

Hehe, looks like youve planned things out well in advance, Fellow Daoist Han. It appears that my concerns were unwarranted, the small child chuckled.

Regardless, I must still thank you for your kind intentions. Now then, would you like to transcend your lightning tribulation here on the interconnected peaks or go somewhere else during this process? Han Li asked.

The small child hesitated momentarily before suggesting in a euphemistic manner, These interconnected peaks most likely wont be a good place for tribulation transcendence. After all, even the restriction here wont be able to conceal the metamorphosis stage lightning tribulation. I have full trust in your abilities, but I think its best to find a more secluded place.

Alright, Ill go and see Waner first, then take you somewhere else. Han Li had no intention of arguing with the Endless Sky Beast on this manner.

He then exited the cave abode and traveled to the Drifting Cloud Sect to visit Nangong Wan in order to check on her cultivation progress.

A day later, Han Li left the Drifting Cloud Sect again, and flew toward the west as a streak of azure light.

Five days later, Han Li appeared above an extremely barren and desolate set of plains.

There was not a single blade of grass growing on this land, and there were only yellow soil as well as greyish-white rocks of different sizes stretching as far as the eye could see in all directions.

Han Li unleashed his spiritual sense to survey the area in a radius of tens of thousands of kilometers, upon which he discovered that there wasnt so much as a single cultivator or mortal around.

Han Li swept a sleeve through the air, and a small cauldron enshrouded in a ball of azure light shot forth from within. He then said, How about this place? This is a vast expanse of dead land on the border between our State of Xi and the State of Huayu. Theres no one around for hundreds of thousands of kilometers, so itll be a lot safer for you to transcend your metamorphosis stage lightning tribulation here.

The small child inside the cauldron gave an elated reply, This is indeed a good place for tribulation transcendence! Please release my true body from the cauldron and let me meditate for three days. After that, Ill be ready for the tribulation transcendence.

No problem! Han Li nodded before flicking a finger toward the small cauldron in the air.

A light thud rang out as the cauldron lid flew into the air of its own accord. The small cauldron then tipped itself over, and a burst of azure light swept forth, revealing a demon beast that was about half a foot in size with the head of a cow and the body of a wyrm.

Upon emerging from the azure light, the demon beasts body instantly swelled drastically to several tens of feet in size, and its entire body was shimmering with azure light.

Ill have to trouble you to protect me for a while here, Fellow Daoist, the demon beast said in the voice of a small child. Its wyrm body then coiled up, and it descended onto a large white rock down below, where it sat in a completely stationary manner.

Han Li didnt say anything as he looked on from above. However, his body then swayed, and he also descended onto a nearby rock, where he sat with his eyes closed and his legs crossed.

Thus, the two of them sat for three days and three nights.

Just as the sun began to rise on the fourth day, both of them opened their eyes in unison.

The magic power within my body is now in its most optimal state, so I have at least a 60%to 70% chance of being able to successfully transcend this lightning tribulation. You dont have to help me in the initial phase, if I encounter any difficulty, it should be in the later phases. If you can defend me from the final three waves of lightning strikes, Id be extremely grateful to you, the Endless Sky Beast said with a serious expression.

I see. Ill do as you say. I suggest you take a drop of this before you transcend your tribulation. Han Li suddenly flipped his hand over to summon a small profound ice vial that was emanating bursts of glacial Qi, and he tossed the vial to the demon beast before him.

Whats this? The demon beast caught the vial with a slightly bewildered expression, then opened the lid on the vial and assessed its contents with its spiritual sense.

Glacial Quintessence? I didnt think you would have something like this, Fellow Daoist, the Endless Sky Beast exclaimed with shock and elation.

I happened to obtain some during my time in the Great Jin. Seeing as you taught me the beveled silver text, I can offer a drop of this Glacial Quintessence to you. I hope thats enough for you, Han Li said as he stroked his chin.

Haha, its definitely enough! Glacial Quintessence is something thats extremely rare, even in the Spirit Realm. Some would occasionally be discovered, but they would quickly be taken by my demon race brethren. The Endless Sky Beast was very excited as he turned to Han Li, and said, Just a single drop of this is enough for me. Ill remember this and be sure to repay you handsomely for this in the future.

The demon beasts final sentence was very earnest.

Han Li smiled upon hearing this, but didnt reply. Instead, he patted the storage pouch hanging from his waist, and a stack of formation flags and formation plates abruptly appeared in his hand.

He then began setting up a relatively complex restriction formation in the surrounding area.

Around 10 minutes, Han Lis body swayed, and he returned to his original spot. Layers of white mist had appeared nearby, concealing the entire area.

Han Li turned to the demon beast, and said, This formation should be able to prevent any unforeseen mishaps from taking place. Ill be assisting you from outside the formation, and Ill leave the initial waves of lightning tribulation to you, Fellow Daoist.

Of course. Metamorphosis stage tribulation lightning is true heavenly lightning, so theres no way that a normal restriction in the human world would be able to keep it at bay. By the way, my lightning tribulation can perhaps benefit you as well. A thought seemed to have suddenly occurred to the demon beast, and a peculiar light flashed through its eyes.

Your lightning tribulation can benefit me? Han Li was quite surprised to hear this.

Indeed. This is a little-known fact in the human world, but something that is common knowledge in the Spirit Realm. The Endless Sky Beast chuckled before its lips tremored, and it began to transmit its voice to Han Li.

Han Li listened within a hint of bewilderment on his face, which was gradually replaced by excitement.

If that really is true, then this is indeed a rare opportunity. I just so happen to be carrying a treasure that fits this description, so I can give it a try, Han Li said with a nod.

Haha, I wouldnt lie to you about something like this, Fellow Daoist. However, make sure you strike only when the moment is right. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, it could harm you rather than benefit you, the demon beast cautioned.

Rest assured, Fellow Daoist, I wont act recklessly, Han Li replied with a smile.

I can see that youre not a rash individual, Fellow Daoist Han. Now then, Im going to draw the heavenly lightning to me and prepare to transcend my tribulation. If it werent for the fact that Im proficient in some concealment secret techniques, the lightning tribulation wouldve descended from the moment that I emerged from the cauldron. The Endless Sky Beast heaved a faint sigh before slowly hovering up into the air.

Han Lis heart stirred upon hearing this, and he immediately flew out of the formation he had just set up as a streak of azure light.

Blue light then flashed within his eyes as he stared intently at the demon beast through the layers of dense white mist.

After rising to an altitude of over 300 feet, the demon beast stopped and looked up into the sky. All of a sudden, a dull sound rang out from its nostrils, and azure light began to flash violently all over its body. At the same time, gusts of grey demonic winds were swept up around it, concealing its body within.

Han Lis expression changed slightly upon seeing this.

An earth-shattering roar then erupted from within the gusts of demonic wings, and a burst of powerful demonic Qi erupted into the heavens. The Endless Sky Beast seemed to have unleashed some type of secret technique that had made its body swell drastically to several times its original size.

It was putting its demonic Qi as an eighth grade demon beast on full display.

Within the span of a breath, a clap of thunder suddenly exploded in the cloudless sky. Immediately thereafter, gale-force winds were swept up in a radius of thousands of kilometers as dark clouds appeared from thin air, giving the sky an extremely dark and sinister appearance. At the same time, rain began to pelt down amid the rumbling thunderclaps.

Han Li couldnt help but click his tongue in wonder upon seeing this.

As far as he was aware, this barren land was known as the dead land as it had always been an extremely dry place. It was often the case that this land would experience no rainfall for stretches of several decades. However, as soon a the Endless Sky Beast had unleashed its demonic Qi, the climate here had been completely transformed. It appeared that its metamorphosis stage lightning tribulation really wasnt something to be scoffed at.

The dark clouds in the air before tumble and surged drastically as arcs of lightning as thick as human arms surfaced within the dark clouds. Each and every flash of lightning was followed by an astonishing clap of thunder. A series of massive lightning nets gradually took shape.

Han Li pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes as he looked on from below.

Right at this moment, the demon beast within the formation let loose an almighty roar.

As a result, the grey demonic winds became several times more powerful, transforming into a greyish-white hurricane that rose straight up into the sky, as if it were threatening to plunge into the dark clouds and eradicate the lightning within.

Even with a vast quantity of pills at ones disposal, it was still not a simple matter to reach the Nascent Soul Stage. There really wasnt a good chance for Mu Peiling to reach the Nascent Soul Stage.

Upon hearing Han Lis words, Mu Peiling faltered slightly before she opened her mouth to say something again.

However, Han Li raised her hand to cut her off as he said, Thats enough. Im not asking you to make a decision immediately, you can mull this over for a few years. I also have to go into seclusion now and during this time, Ill give you some pills for you to attempt a breakthrough to the late-Core Formation Stage. Also, Ill have to trouble you to guide Qiner in her cultivation in my stead.

Yes, my Lord! Mu Peiling was unwilling to settle for this result, but she could only accept this arrangement in a resigned manner at the sight of Han Lis stern expression.

Han Li nodded and gave her a few pills, then spoke with Tian Qiner for a while before also sending the two of them on their way.

Thus, Han Li was the only one left within the cave abode, and he slowly closed his eyes as he heaved a long sigh. It seemed that there was more turmoil in his heart than he had let on.

He sat in silence for a full 15 minutes, and when he opened his eyes again, an expression of tranquility had reappeared on his face. It appeared that he had been able to settle his internal conflict.

He suddenly patted the storage pouch hanging from his waist, and a flash of silver light immediately appeared before him. The humanoid puppet emerged, and stood in front of him in a completely stationary manner.

Han Li examined the humanoid puppet for a while, and a layer of silver light suddenly surfaced over the humanoid puppets face at his behest. Its middle-aged features blurred and when they regained clarity again, those facial features had become completely identical to Han Lis, making it appear as if the puppet were none other than Han Li himself.

Almost at the exact same moment, the humanoid puppets body tremored, and it suddenly grew a few inches, making it identical to Han Li in height as well.

Han Li examined the puppet again before nodding with a content expression, and waving a hand toward it.

The humanoid puppets expressionless figure swayed, and it immediately disappeared amid a flash of silver light.

Han Li lowered his head in contemplation for a while before exiting the hall of the cave abode, heading directly for the secret chamber.

Along the way, he suddenly said without any premonition, My second Nascent Soul hasnt been causing any trouble for you in the cauldron, has it, Fellow Daoist?

The voice of a small child replied from within the Heavenvoid Cauldron in Han Lis sleeve, Hehe, its just a mid-Nascent Soul without a body, how will it pose any trouble to me? Its just that with this guy in here, the cauldron is feeling a little cramped.

Please bear with it for a while longer, Fellow Daoist Endless Sky. Ill assimilate this second Nascent Soul right away, then withdraw it from the cauldron so you wont be troubled by its presence any longer. After that, Ill assist you during your metamorphosis stage lightning tribulation so you can manifest a human form. Do you have any objections to this arrangement, Fellow Daoist?

Of course not. Im glad that you still remember this, Fellow Daoist Han. The Endless Sky Beast was elated upon hearing Han Lis words.

Han Li smiled and didnt converse with the Endless Sky Beast any further as he made his way into the secret chamber in a flash.

The stone door behind him closed soundlessly.

Han Li slowly made his way over to the center of the secret chamber before waving his sleeve through the air.

A bust of azure light shot forth before spinning in the air, then transforming into a small azure cauldron that hovered before him.

Azure light flashed over the surface of the cauldron as the indistinct figure of a small child appeared. The small child was sitting on the lid of the cauldron with his legs crossed, wearing an expectant smile on his face, as if he were preparing to watch an enthralling show.

Han Lis expression remained unchanged, and he completely disregarded the small child as he patted his storage pouch to summon a stack of formation flags.

He raised a hand and a dozen or so formation flags flew toward all directions within the secret chamber in a flash. A faint yellow light barrier then appeared, enshrouding the entire secret chamber within.

Han Li made a hand seal expressionlessly before pointing a finger gently at the Heavenvoid Cauldron.

The cauldron lid immediately flew into the air at his behest.

However, the small child had reacted in advance, flying off to the side while continuing to appraise the small cauldron with a smile on his face.

A burst of rumbling erupted from within the cauldron, but nothing else happened aside from that.

Han Lis expression darkened as he chanted something and cast an incantation seal onto the cauldron.

The Heavenvoid Cauldron immediately tremored slightly as something emerged from within. It was an azure cocoon around half a foot in length, constructed from countless azure threads.

Break! Han Li let loose a low cry.

A peculiar scene unfolded.

All of the azure threads that the cocoon was comprised of snapped before dissipating into the specks of light in the blink of an eye.

The second Nascent Soul was immediately revealed.

It current had its eyes tightly shut and was hovering in the air in a completely still manner, seemingly yet to regain consciousness.

Han Lis eyes narrowed upon seeing this, and he immediately feigned a grabbing motion without any hesitation.

Several shiny silver needles abruptly appeared between his fingertips, and he aimed a cold glance at the Nascent Soul in the air before sweeping his hand through the air.

Black light suddenly flashed around the seemingly unconscious Nascent Soul, upon which it disappeared into thin air.

The silver needles naturally struck empty space as a result.

Han Li was not startled by this turn of events. Instead, a cold smile appeared on his face as he pointed toward the Heavenvoid Cauldron, upon which a clump of azure threads suddenly shot forth from a corner of the secret chamber.

Brilliant azure light erupted, enshrouding a certain patch of space.

A muffled groan rang out as the second Nascent Soul appeared once again within the flashing azure threads. At this point, its neck and limbs had already been tightly bound by the azure threads, rendering it completely immobile.

At this moment, the dozen or so silver needles that had missed their target earlier flashed through the air again.

The silver needles shot forth at a rapid speed, embedding themselves into various parts of the Nascent Souls body in the blink of an eye. The Nascent Souls body tremored, and it immediately lost its ability to summon any magic power.

A look of despair appeared on its little face.

You wont be getting away. All of your thought processes are replicas of mine, so how are you going to fool me with your tricks? I dont plan to destroy you, I merely intend to assimilate you again, so why do you continue to resist? Han Li asked in a gentle voice, as if he were conversing with a close friend.

The second Nascent Soul knew that there was no way for it to escape, so it relinquished any efforts to resist as it roared in a resentful manner, You wont destroy me? After losing my sentient will, will I still be me? Whats the difference?

Thats true! However, youre supposed to be my second Nascent Soul, so you shouldnt have sentient will of your own to begin with. You have nothing to complain about as Im merely taking away a privilege from you, not a right. You can only blame yourself for manifesting something that shouldnt exist. Han Li gave a cold reply, and he didnt want to waste any more time with words. As such, he made a hand seal, and brilliant azure light erupted from the threads that were binding the second Nascent Soul. The second Nascent Soul felt its vision go dark before it fell truly unconscious.

Only then did Han Lis expression ease slightly. However, a thought then suddenly occurred to him as he turned his gaze toward the small child beside him.

In response to Han Lis cold glare, the small child obediently dissipated into nothingness without a word.

Han Li nodded to himself upon seeing this before pointing a finger at the cauldron hovering in the air.

Azure light flashed over the surface of the cauldron before the lid was replaced.

Almost at the exact same moment, Han Li opened his mouth to blast forth a burst of azure light, which swept the small cauldron up within. The cauldron then rapidly shrank within the azure light, flashing a few times before being swallowed by Han Li.

Han Li heaved a faint sigh before sitting down with his legs crossed. At the same time, he feigned a grabbing motion toward the second Nascent Soul in what seemed to a casual manner.

The Nascent Soul was immediately drawn to him by an immense suction force, and it was forced to hover around 10 feet in front of Han Li.

Han Li used his spiritual sense to carefully examine the Nascent Souls condition, and after verifying that its spiritual sense was indeed far inferior to his, he closed his eyes in a content manner before patting the top of his own head.

Azure light immediately flashed over the top of his head as an azure Nascent Soul that was only a few inches in size silently emerged. The Nascent Soul was standing on a small azure cauldron and carrying a green wooden ruler in both hands. There was a white bead circling above its head, and a ball of indistinct black Qi on its glabella, as well as several tens of miniature golden swords flying around its body.

This was none other than the main Nascent Soul that Han Li had been arduously cultivating for over a century.

The Nascent Soul wore a completely neutral expression as it glanced toward the second Nascent Soul in a calm manner. Azure light flashed from the small cauldron beneath its feet, carrying it directly over to the second Nascent Soul.

When it was only about a foot away from the second Nascent Soul, Han Lis Nascent Soul suddenly halted in its flight. It glanced at the azure threads around its counterparts body, and suddenly stamped its little foot gently onto the small cauldron.

The small cauldron emitted a ringing sound, and the azure threads around the second Nascent Souls body disappeared in a flash, leaving only the Nascent Soul itself hovering in mid-air.

The Heavenvoid Cauldron beneath Han Lis Nascent Soul suddenly began to slowly expand. The Nascent Soul sat atop the cauldron with its little legs crossed in a calm and collected manner. It then tossed its green ruler into the air, then made a hand seal and chanted something in an unintelligibly quiet voice.

Brilliant azure light erupted from the body of Han Lis Nascent Soul, and it slowly closed its eyes. However, the ball of black Qi on its glabella suddenly materialized to form a third inky-black eye. The eye was shimmering with an unsettling light, and it stared intently at the second Nascent Soul with an unblinking gaze.

Right at this moment, Han Lis Nascent Soul suddenly stopped its chanting as a burst of black light suddenly shot forth from its third eye, directly striking the second Nascent Souls body. freewenvel.com

The second Nascent Soul shuddered as it opened its eyes, but its pupils were completely blank, as if it were delirious.

Right at this moment, Han Lis Nascent Soul also opened its eyes. Two pillars of azure light erupted from its pupils, shooting directly into the eyes of the second Nascent Soul, as if it were forcibly injecting something into the second Nascent Souls body.

The second Nascent Souls limbs hung limply by his sides, yet its body was trembling uncontrollably. At the same time, an expression of excruciating pain suddenly appeared on its blank face, as if it wanted to cry out, but was unable to do so.

Han Lis Nascent Soul remained completely expressionless throughout this entire process. It merely continued to blast the azure pillars of light out of its eyes, and completely ignored the second Nascent Souls suffering.

A short while later, Han Li sat on the main seat within the hall of his cave abode, and he was surrounded by four beauties, all of whom wore extremely respectful expressions and didnt dare to many a single sound.

Only after Mu Peilings trio returned to the cave abode did they learn that not only had Han Li progressed to the late-Nascent Soul Stage, he was also the undisputed number one cultivator of the Heavenly South Region. The three women were quite shocked to hear these, and their awe and veneration toward Han Li were only compounded as a result.

Han Li wore a cold expression on his face, and was scolding Mu Peilings trio. Theres no need to worry about the second Nascent Soul, its already been captured, and Im going to erase its sentient will soon, then refine it into my second Nascent Soul again. However, the three of you sure are quite brave, dont you know that the inner valley is an extremely dangerous place even for Nascent Soul cultivators?

Martial Uncle Han, we only took the risk to venture into the inner valley as the Illusionary Spirit Herb was of the utmost importance to us. We wont do something so reckless ever again, Song Yu explained with her hands clasped behind her back. Han Li had been acquainted with Song Yu even prior to reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, so he couldnt bring himself to scold her any further. Instead, his brows furrowed as he asked, Illusionary Spirit Herb? Are you trying to refine the Illusionary Destruction Pill to assist in a breakthrough?

Indeed, Master, that was our objective, Liu Yu replied in a truthful manner.

If thats the case, you dont need to go searching for the Illusionary Spirit Herb anymore. I just so happen to have a vial of Illusionary Destruction Pills with me. Excessive consumption of pills during breakthroughs isnt advisable, so two pills for each of you will be enough. Han Li patted the storage pouch hanging from his waist, and a small green vial appeared in his hand, which he casually tossed toward Liu Yu.

This vial of pills was something that he had obtained from a certain Nascent Soul cultivator he had slain in the past. They served no use for him, so he decided to sell the three women a favor by giving it to them.

Only after Liu Yu had reflexively caught the vial did Han Lis words register in her mind, and she immediately extended a gesture of gratitude toward Han Li in a shocked and elated manner.

Song Yu and Mu Peiling were also ecstatic as they extended grateful salutes.

Theres no need for formalities, its just a vial of pills. I called all of you here because I have a few things to tell you, Han Li said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Well be sure to listen carefully, Martial Uncle Han, Song Yu replied in a respectful voice.

The other two women also adopted serious expressions in preparation to hear what Han Li had to say.

The three of you should know that Ive never liked to meddle in the sects affairs. However, as the grand elder of the sect now, it wouldnt be appropriate for me to continue in this manner. Ive left all of the troublesome matters for our Martial Uncle L to take care of, but Ill need a disciple to correspond with and assist him in overseeing the matters within the sect during my periods of seclusion. Liu Yu, would you be willing to take care of some matters within the sect in my place? Of course, I wont ask you to do this for me free of charge. Ill teach you some secret technique mantras and also reward you with a few treasures, all of which will make you one of the most powerful cultivators at your cultivation base. Hehe, even though you were forced to become an in-name disciple of mine in the beginning, if you agree to undertake this duty, I can officially make you my disciple, Han Li offered with a meaningful look in his eyes.

Is that true, Master? Liu Yu blurted out as her eyes lit up.

Han Li smiled and answered her question with one of his own. Would I lie to you at my current status?

If thats the case, then I would be honored to accept this task! Liu Yu replied without any hesitation.

Perhaps it was the prospect of attaining more power and influence within the Drifting Cloud Sect that was alluring to her, or perhaps it was the idea of officially becoming Han Lis disciple that was that appealed to her. Maybe it was a combination of those two factors that prompted her to so readily agree to this arrangement. In any case, Han Li had achieved his first objective, and he nodded with a content expression.

He waved his sleeve through the air, and a white jade slip appeared in his hand. He then pulled out a pair of green bracelets, a fiery ruler, and a shiny golden flying sword from his storage pouch, and bestowed all of those items upon her.

Liu Yu accepted the jade slip and the treasures with both hands, and she bowed over and over again to express her gratitude with an overjoyed expression on her face.

She didnt know that techniques were recorded within the jade slip, but just these ancient treasures alone were unimaginable treasures to her, and were more than enough to satisfy her.

Go and pay a visit to Senior Martial Brother L. Ill inform him of this arrangement right away through a voice transmission, Han Li instructed.

Liu Yu immediately nodded before departing following a final respectful salute.

After she had left, Han Li flipped over his palm, and a voice transmission talisman appeared in his hand.

He spoke a few words into the talisman before sending it on its way, and it disappeared into the distance in a flash as a streak of light. Everyone else looked on in silence, and no one dared to disrupt Han Li during this process.

Martial Niece Song, I also have something for you to do, Han Li said as he slowly turned to Song Yu.

Please enlighten me, Martial Uncle Han, Song Yu immediately replied.

Han Li paused for a moment before continuing, Its not actually an extremely important matter, I was only hoping that youd be able to keep an eye out for cultivators with inherently powerful spiritual sense from birth among the disciples recruited by the sect during the next few years. I want to take one as my disciple and instruct them in person.

An inherently powerful spiritual sense from birth? Disciples of that nature are extremely rare so I cant make any guarantees, but Ill do my best. Song Yu was a little hesitant after hearing this request.

Its alright, this is not an urgent matter. Its just something for you to keep in the back of your mind. I can see that youve already reached the peak of the mid-Core Formation Stage. In that case, your chances of making a breakthrough by taking the Illusionary Destruction Pill alone wont be very high. I also have a vial of Yin Essence Pills here, which arent as renowned, but theyre extremely potent for female cultivators. You can try taking a few when attempting your breakthrough, Martial Niece Song. Han Li raised a hand as he spoke, and a small black vial appeared in his hand amid a flash of azure light, then flew soundlessly toward Song Yu.

As expected, Song Yu had never heard of this obscure Yin Essence Pill, but she certainly wasnt going to ignore a recommendation from a great cultivator like Han Li.

Thus, an elated look appeared on her face, and she accepted the jade vial with words of gratitude.

Han Li spoke with Song Yu for a bit longer before sending her on her way. He then turned his gaze toward Mu Peiling.

Mu Peilings body stiffened slightly in response, and she reflexively lowered her head as a faint blush appeared on porcelain-like skin.

A complex expression appeared in Han Lis eyes as he asked in a gentle voice, Youve been my concubine for over a century now, right?

Mu Peiling raised her head in the end, and quietly replied, Thats right, my Lord. Back when you first accepted me as your concubine, you had only just reached the Nascent Soul Stage, but youre already a late-Nascent Soul great cultivator now.

Back when I had accepted you as my concubine, I had planned to use your virgin body to cultivate the Copulation Essence Arts in order to assist me in my breakthroughs. However, Ive since progressed at a rate that has been extraordinary, even to me, reaching the mid-Nascent Soul Stage, then the late-Nascent Soul Stage through alternative avenues, yet the Copulation Essence Arts are only effective during Nascent Soul Stage breakthroughs. My Lord, are you banishing me from the interconnected peaks? Mu Peilings features immediately paled.

Banish you? Of course not. However, you chose to become my concubine in the beginning mostly because you were forced to do so by your family. Youre already a Core Formation cultivator now, so no one will be able to force you to do anything against your will. I also dont want to keep you by my side in such an ambiguous manner any longer. On one hand, it would be a waste of the best years of your life, on the other hand, Waner is about to break free from the ice wall in the next few years, and I have to be able to give her a proper explanation of whats going on between us. Han Lis words faltered here.

So what do you plan on doing with me, my Lord? Mu Peiling asked as she bit down on her lower lip.

Its quite simple, Ill give you two options, just like I did back then, and you can choose one of them. The first option is that Ill give you a materialistic reward for your efforts in cultivating the Copulation Essence Arts for these past years. Ill then release you from the interconnected peaks, and youll be completely free to marry anyone you like. In that case, we would be cutting all ties with one another!

My Lord, with your current reputation, even if you were to release me and vouch for my purity in person, which cultivator in the Heavenly South Region would dare to marry me? Mu Peiling murmured with a wry smile on her face.

Han Lis brows also furrowed upon hearing this, but he continued, The second option is quite simple as well, if youre truly serious about cultivation and would be willing to dedicate your life to it, I can allow you to continue to stay on the interconnected peaks. Officially, youll still be known as my concubine, but I can treat you as a disciple and provide you some guidance in your cultivation path. Of course, your cultivation aptitude is actually quite good, so I can also get Waner to make you an official disciple of hers. After all, Waners cultivation art is more suitable for female cultivators anyway, so perhaps youll benefit more from her guidance.

Han Li looked at Mu Peiling with a calm expression, and concluded, Of course, there may still be some negative rumors spread about you, but this course of action will keep that to a minimum.

Mu Peiling fell silent after hearing the options presented by Han Li.

Han Li didnt try to hurry her, either, and merely waited patiently for her decision.

After a prolonged silence, she suddenly asked, Can I choose neither of those options?

What do you mean by that? Han Lis brows furrowed slightly.

Following another brief silence, a decisive look appeared on Mu Peilings face as she said, I want to become a true concubine of yours, my Lord! I want to stay with you for the rest of my life!

You want to become my concubine? That wont work. Han Lis expression changed slightly as he shook his head.

Why? Do you despise me for my lowly cultivation base or find me unsightly to look at, my Lord? Mu Peilings face paled even further.

Thats not the case. You already possess a mid-Core Formation Stage cultivation base, which isnt lowly by any means. Your beauty also ranks in the top 10 among all female cultivators that Ive ever seen, Han Li sighed.

Then why are you rejecting me? Are you afraid that Elder Nangong wont agree to this arrangement? Mu Peiling asked.

After a brief silence, Han Li heaved a resigned sigh, and said, Thats only one factor of consideration. The most concerning thing to me is that Im completely dedicated to my pursuit of the Great Dao, and going into seclusion for several decades at a time will be a regular occurrence for me in the future. It would be fine if you could reach the Nascent Soul Stage and attain a lifespan of over 1,000 years, but if you cant, then youll most likely only be able to see me a few times in between my bouts of seclusion before you pass away. That would be a waste of your life, and I dont want to see that.