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Three days later, Han Li departed from Deep Heaven City with Silvermoon, Daoist Xie, Zhu Guoer, and Li Rong, and the five of them traveled to the Xu Family.

Following the retreat of the devilish army, the Xu Family had returned to its former site of residence, so through the use of several teleportation formations, Han Li was able to arrive after just half a month of travel.

As soon as his arrival was announced, the entire Xu Family erupted into a frenzy.

Not only did Family Leader Xu Jiao and Xu Qianyu hurriedly come out to greet him, they were also accompanied by the elders of the family, including Xu Yan and Xu Huo, whom Han Li had met once in the past.

It seemed that the Xu Family had managed to preserve most of its powerful beings despite the devilish tribulation.

We pay our respects to Senior Han, your visit is truly a great honor for our entire family, Xu Jiao said as he extended a respectful bow, and all of the elders also followed suit.

As one of the major families of the human race, the Xu Family had been able to maintain a hint of pride in the face of Han Li back when he was only a Body Integration cultivator, but they certainly didnt dare to treat him with the same attitude now that he was at the Grand Ascension Stage.

Han Lis group was invited into the main guest hall, and after sitting down on the main seat, he turned to Xu Jiao, and said, Im sure you know why Im here. Fairy Xu has already informed me of the blood souls current situation, but I want you to give me a more detailed account to see if theres any additional useful information.

Yes, Senior. Senior Blood Soul suddenly returned to our family around seven months ago… Thus, Xu Jiao began a detailed recount.

Han Li listened carefully to his story, and after the recount was completed, a serious look appeared on his face as he said, So prior to falling unconscious, Fellow Daoist Blood Soul told you that Im the only one who would be able to awaken her.

Thats right, Senior Han. As a clone of our matriarch the blood soul is only at the Spatial Tempering Stage, but due to the semi-insubstantial nature of her body, its very difficult for her to sustain injuries. However, shes been afflicted by some type of condition where there is no visible damage to her body, but shes remained unconscious this entire time. Ive already tried everything to awaken her, but all to no avail. I hope you can do our matriarch a favor by saving her, Senior Han, Xu Jiao said in a careful manner.

Thats quite interesting. Let me see Fellow Daoist Blood Soul for myself first. If I can save her, Ill be sure to do so, Han Li said with a faint smile.

Xu Jiao was ecstatic to hear this. Thank you, Senior Han, Ill take you to see her right away.

Come with me, Brother Xie. Silvermoon, Guoer, Fellow Daoist Li, you can all stay here for now, Han Li instructed.

Alright, Ill wait here with Guoer and Fellow Daoist Li, Silvermoon replied in an obedient manner.

As for Li Rong and Zhu Guoer, neither of them dared to raise any objections, either.

The Xu Family cultivators had already noticed Silvermoon and the others, but the disparity between their cultivation bases was far too great for the Xu Family cultivators to be able to glean their true powers. As such, the Xu Family cultivators were treating them with a lot of respect as well.

After leaving several servants with Silvermoon and the others, Xu Jiao and the Xu Family elders led Han Li and Daoist Xie to the Xu Familys restricted area.

Thus, the group soon arrived in the deepest part of an underground stone hall, where a semi-transparent coffin was situated.

Within the coffin laid a white-robed woman with her eyes tightly shut, and a layer of black Qi enshrouding her entire body.

This was none other than Fairy Ice Souls blood soul clone.

Han Li approached the coffin, and as soon as he reached within 10 feet of it, he was immediately struck by a glacial sensation.

Is this Myriad Year Profound Ice? Han Li asked in an expressionless manner.

This is indeed a coffin constructed from Myriad Year Profound Ice, Senior, only this material can slow down the rate at which Senior Blood Souls aura is fading, Xu Jiao hurriedly explained.

Glacial power is quite effective for controlling most injuries, so its not a bad idea to place Fellow Daoist Ice Soul in a Myriad Year Profound Ice coffin while youre still unsure of exactly what condition shes been afflicted by, Han Li said with a slight nod.

He then turned his attention toward the blood soul to find that not only was there black Qi emanating from her entire body, there was also a peculiar crimson symbol on her glabella that was flashing faintly.

Han Lis brows immediately furrowed slightly at the sight of the crimson symbol, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him.

Senior Han, have you identified the root cause for Senior Blood Souls condition? Xu Jiao hurriedly asked.

I think so, but I cant be sure, Ill need to verify her condition, Han Li replied as he released his spiritual sense toward the coffin.

Moments later, Han Lis expression changed slightly, and he suddenly pointed a finger at his own glabella, upon which a third demonic eye appeared.

As soon as the demonic eye was opened, a translucent thread shot forth from within, then vanished into the body of the blood soul within the coffin.

In the next instant, the translucent thread returned with a thumb-sized crimson insect impaled on its front tip.

At the same time, the crimson symbol on the blood souls glabella instantly vanished.

The insect resembled a snail with eight feelers of different lengths on its head, and as soon as it emerged from the blood souls body, it immediately began to thrash and struggle frantically.

What is that thing? How did we fail to discover it in Senior Blood Souls body? Xu Jiao exclaimed as he stared at the snail-like insect with a flabbergasted expression.

Its no surprise that you failed to discover it, this is a Blood Curse Insect that has no detectable form and fuses with the hosts blood. If I hadnt forced it out with my spiritual sense thread, you wouldve most likely never discovered it, Han Li said in a calm manner.

A Blood Curse Insect? How have we never heard of such an insidious insect before? Xu Jiao asked in a hesitant manner.

Hehe, thats because this insect cant be found on our continent. Instead, it can only be found on the Blood Sky Continent, the most mysterious of the three continents in the Spirit Realm, Han Li replied.

The Blood Sky Continent? How could that be? Xu Jiao and the Xu Family elders were stunned to hear this.

Ive never been to the Blood Sky Continent, but I did travel through the Thunder Continent for a while, and I saw a description of this insect in a tome on the Thunder Continent, so theres no mistaking it, Han Li explained, and the spiritual sense thread he had released suddenly unleashed countless thread projections that abruptly wound themselves around the crimson insect.

The translucent thread vanished in a flash, and the crimson insect was also torn into countless shreds before raining down onto the ground as droplets of blood.

The Blood Curse Insect is extremely sinister and difficult to expel even for Body Integration Stage beings, but once its outside of its hosts body, it becomes completely vulnerable, Han Li said with a cold smile.

Thank you for the lesson, Senior Han. What will happen to Senior Blood Soul now? Xu Jiao asked in a concerned manner as he glanced at the blood soul, who was still unconscious.

Rest assured, now that the Blood Curse Insect has been expelled, shell wake up on her own eventually. However, I dont have that much time to wait for her, so Ill help her awaken a little earlier, Han Li replied after a brief moment of contemplation.

Thank you, Senior! Xu Jiao and the Xu Family elders were all ecstatic and extremely grateful to hear this.

Han Li withdrew his demonic eye, then approached the ice coffin before suddenly pointing a finger at the blood souls forehead.

A burst of immense spiritual power immediately erupted forth as a pillar of azure light, vanishing into the blood souls body in a flash. The spiritual power then surged through all of her meridians at Han Lis behest, clearing away all blockages in the process.

The blood soul gave a pained moan, and her brows furrowed slightly as she slowly opened her eyes.

Han Li then flicked a finger to release a streak of green light that flew into the blood souls mouth with unerring accuracy.

A faint smile appeared on Han Lis face upon seeing this, and he departed from the hall.

Bring Fellow Daoist Blood Soul to come and see me once she completely absorbs the power of the pill.

Yes, Senior Han. Xu Jiao and the others were completely overjoyed.

Daoist Xie remained as expressionless as ever as he followed Han Li out of the stone hall.

Around 15 minutes later, the awakened blood soul arrived before Han Li in the main guest hall.

How do you feel, Fellow Daoist Blood Soul? Han Li asked with a smile.

The blood soul was looking rather pale, but she still forced a smile onto her own face, and replied, Im fine now thanks to the Essence Replenishment Pill you just fed me, Senior Han.

A faint smile appeared on Han Lis face, and as the raucous cheers subsided a little, he waved a hand through the air, upon which countless azure threads converged beneath his feet to form the giant azure lotus flower above the pagoda again.

The unwelcome guest has already been dealt with! According to past conventions, I will be retelling my cultivation journey for seven days and seven nights from now on. As for how much you can benefit from my retelling, that will be up to you. However, in contrast with past ceremonies of this nature, I will be removing the restrictions so anyone can come to the mountain and listen if they wish to do so, Han Li said.

His voice wasnt very loud, but it spread in all directions and was audible throughout the entirety of Deep Heaven City.

All of the cultivators faltered initially upon hearing this, following which joyful cheers erupted once again.

Immediately thereafter, everyone began to converge toward the giant three-colored mountain in a frenzy, and even the armored guards responsible for maintaining order had abandoned their posts to rush toward the mountain themselves.

Meanwhile, Han Li had already sat down onto the azure lotus flower and begun to retell his experiences and insights starting from the Qi Condensation Stage.

All of the cultivators on the plaza immediately began to listen intently with solemn expressions.

A Dao retelling from a Grand Ascension Stage being was a massive opportunity for anyone, so everyone was listening with rapt focus, even though the retelling had commenced from such a low cultivation base.

As Han Li began his retelling, more and more cultivators flocked onto the mountain, and all of the space around the plaza was quickly packed to the rafters.

As such, the people that arrived thereafter could only gather elsewhere on the mountain.

Several hours later, the entire top half of the giant mountain was completely full, and there were still more people gathering on the bottom half.

Regardless of where one stood, as long as they were situated on the mountain, Han Lis voice would immediately become clearly audible to them.

Many people wanted to scale even further up the mountain, but they would often involuntarily stop in their tracks as they listened to Han Lis Dao retelling, falling into a special state of enlightenment.

A day and a night later, virtually every single inch of the mountain was occupied, and everyone was completely silent with only Han Lis voice ringing out audibly from the mountains summit…

Six days and six nights later, rainbow light suddenly appeared in the sky, and a flurry of flower petals rained down from above once again.

Han Lis voice drew to an abrupt halt, and all of the enraptured listeners were instantly brought back to reality.

Many people were immediately able to return to their senses, but they still appeared to be slightly disoriented, as if they had just awoken from a dream.

Moments later, Han Lis voice rang out once again.

Thank you for attending my Grand Ascension Stage celebratory ceremony. The ceremony has concluded, you may all go now.

For many cultivators, Han Li had only just reached the critical juncture of his Dao retelling, so they were naturally very reluctant to leave, but in their eyes, Han Li was currently like a god, so they didnt dare to oppose his instructions.

Thus, everyone extended respectful bows toward the mountain summit before departing, and only then did the ceremony truly conclude.

Half a day later, the three-colored giant mountain vanished amid a rumbling boom, and the remaining armored guards near the plaza extended respectful bows once again before departing in an orderly fashion.

In the hall on the first floor of the stone pagoda, Han Li was already situated on the main seat.

On either side of the hall stood Qi Lingzi, Hai Yuetian, and the elders of Deep Heaven City.

Bai Guoer had also returned, and she was standing next to Zhu Guoer, who was of a similar age, and they really did look as if they were sisters.

Bai Guoer had managed to return just before the commencement of the ceremony, and she was currently at the mid-Deity Transformation Stage.

As for the elders of Deep Heaven City, the respectful expressions in their eyes had become far more genuine compared to prior to the ceremony, it was quite clear that they had been completely won over by Han Lis dismantling of the Black Owl Monarch.

Li Rong was also standing in front of Han Li in the hall, listening intently to his every word.

So youre saying that Senior Ao Xiao and Senior Mo Jianli have entered the Elder Devil Realm with the Grand Ascension Stage beings of the other races to help the devilish patriarchs transcend the tribulation of the Elder Devil Realm, Han Li said with furrowed brows.

Indeed. Not only have all of the Grand Ascension Stage beings of the neighboring races entered the Elder Devil Realm, many of the super races of the Spirit Realm have also sent Grand Ascension Stage beings to assist in the same endeavor. Thats why the devilish army was forced to abandon the territory they had claimed in our Spirit Realm and return to the Elder Devil Realm, Li Rong replied.

So in return, the Grand Ascension Stage beings of our races must enter the Elder Devil Realm with the Grand Ascension Stage beings of those super races to resolve the issue in the Elder Devil Realm. After all, if the Stemborer Queen were to destroy the Elder Devil Realm, perhaps our Spirit Realm would be next, Han Li sighed.

Indeed, Senior Han. If it werent for this agreement, the devilish army wouldnt have retreated, Li Rong said in a resigned manner.

I was wondering why no battle had erupted between our two races and the Shadow Tribe and Yaksha Race, so its because all of the Grand Ascension Stage beings have entered the Elder Devil Realm. The Yaksha Race mustve intentionally hidden the Black Owl Monarch as a trump card to usurp our two races. If I hadnt made a breakthrough to the Grand Ascension Stage at this juncture, our two races wouldve been in some trouble, Han Li mused in a contemplative manner.

Indeed. If you hadnt progressed to the Grand Ascension Stage, no Body Integration Stage being wouldve been able to oppose the Black Owl Monarch. Im sure that once word of what happened during the ceremony spreads, none of the foreign races would dare to plot against us again, Li Rong replied with a smile.

So the elders of the holy island would like to meet me to discuss how to deal with the other races, as well as to track down Senior Ao Xiao and Senior Mo Jianli, is that correct? Han Li asked.

Yes, Senior Han, Li Rong replied.

It was clear that she had already been completely won over by Han Lis scintillating display of power, and was telling him everything that she knew.

Alright, you can accompany me to the holy island later. Aside from discussing these matters with the fellow daoists on the holy island, Im also quite interested in the Heavenly Tome Library and Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll there, Han Li said.

Li Rong was ecstatic to hear this, and she immediately replied, Id be honored to accompany you to the island, Senior Han.

Han Li then turned to Elder Gu and the others, and said, Ill have to trouble you to look after my disciples again, Fellow Daoist Gu.

Rest assured, Senior Han, as long as they continue to remain in our city, well be sure to keep them safe, Elder Gu assured with a respectful bow, and all of the other elders also chimed in in agreement.

Theres no need to be overly concerned, Ill be taking Yuetian away from the city for now. In his absence, Im sure no one will cause any trouble for the city. Qi Lingzi, Zhu Guoer, you two can come with me as well, Han Li instructed with a smile.

Yes, Senior Han.

Yes, Master.

The two of them replied in unison.

Shortly thereafter, everyone departed from the hall, but right before Qi Lingzi left, Han Li delivered an instruction to him through voice transmission, and Qi Lingzi immediately gave an affirmative response before also departing.

Han Li remained in the hall with a contemplative look on his face, and shortly thereafter, footsteps rang out outside again, following which a slender figure appeared before him.

Xu Qianyu pays her respects to Senior Han.

No need for formalities. Im sure you know why I asked you to stay, right, Fellow Daoist Xu? Han Li asked.

Xu Qianyu didnt dare to look directly at Han Li, so her head was slightly bowed as she replied. Im guessing you want to ask me about the Heavenvoid Cauldron.

Thats right. If I recall correctly, the Heavenvoid Cauldron is an extremely important treasure to your Xu Family, why has it suddenly been offered to me as a present? Han Li asked.

Truth be told, I was instructed by the blood soul of our matriarch to present the Heavenvoid Cauldron to you as a congratulatory present, Senior Han, Xu Qianyu replied in a slightly uneasy manner.

Han Li faltered slightly upon hearing this before asking, The blood soul? Has Fellow Daoist Ice Souls blood soul already returned to the Xu Family?

She has. Around half a year ago, she suddenly returned with severe injuries, but not long after her return, she fell unconscious from those injuries. However, prior to this, she instructed us to present the Heavenvoid Cauldron to you in the hope that you would pay a visit to our Xu Family with the cauldron, Xu Qianyu replied.

I see, so Fellow Daoist Blood Soul asked you to present this cauldron to me after she was made aware that I had progressed to the Grand Ascension Stage, is that correct? Han Li asked as his brows furrowed slightly.

Thats right, Xu Qianyu replied.

Has your Xu Family not tried to treat Fellow Daoist Blood Soul? Han Li asked.

The seniors of our Xu Family have exhausted all available methods for treatment, but all to no avail. Prior to my departure, Senior Blood Soul was still in an unconscious state, Xu Qianyu replied.

Alright, I understand now. You can go back, Ill pay your Xu Family a visit in the next few days, Han Li said after a brief moment of contemplation.

Xu Qianyu was naturally ecstatic to hear this, and she hurriedly extended another grateful curtsey.

All of the cultivators were horrified to find that they had suddenly become completely immobilized, as if their bodies were being crushed under giant mountains.

In contrast, a cold smile appeared on Han Lis face as he swept his spiritual sense through this black and white world, following which the Provenance Golden Body rose up into the air as a streak of purplish-golden light, then surged into Han Lis body.

A resounding boom rang out as Han Li transformed into a giant purplish-golden ape with three heads and six arms.

The giant ape thumped its own chest violently with its six fists, then swelled drastically in size to around 8,000 feet tall as countless silver spirit patterns revolved around its body.

The silver spirit patterns then fused as one to form silver formations all over the giant apes body, as if they were a natural appendage.

The Black Owl Monarchs heart jolted upon seeing this, and he immediately drew a circle downward with his finger.

A resounding boom rang out within the black and white world, and a giant black and white ring with a diameter of around 10,000 feet appeared around the giant ape, then shrank to bind around the massive apes body like a torture device.

The giant ape looked down at the restrictive black and white ring with a cold expression, and a derisive sneer appeared on its three faces as all of its purplish-golden fur suddenly stood up on end.

Immediately thereafter, the silver patterns became extremely bright, and a burst of enormous invisible power surged forth in a frenzy, striking the massive ring with a devastating impact.

The black and white ring tremored violently before being forced open, following which the massive ape grabbed onto the ring with its six giant hands, then crushed it into countless fragments amid an explosive boom.

An unnatural flush immediately appeared on the Black Owl Monarchs face, and he couldnt help but throw up two mouthfuls of silver blood.

The Black Owl Monarch frantically attempted to repress the backlash from the power of laws in a panicked manner while considering how he was going to target Han Li next, but right at this moment, Han Li took the initiative to attack first.

He raised his six giant arms up into the air, and a dozen or so silver formations took shape on each of his fists, then instantly fused as one.

Scintillating light immediately erupted from his six massive fists, and he let loose a thunderous roar as he unleashed a barrage of countless fist projections upward.

The fist projections then transformed into countless silver threads of light that struck the inky-black sky with immense power, forcibly tearing it apart.

The entire black and white world flashed violently a few times before completely crumbling away, returning the plaza to its former state.

The immobilized cultivators down below immediately recovered their freedom, and they all looked up with elation in their eyes.

Right at this moment, all of the silver threads up above converged to form a massive silver hand that was over 1,000 feet in length, which lashed out violently toward the Black Owl Monarch down below.

A hint of fear flashed through the Black Owl Monarchs eyes upon seeing this, but he then made a grabbing motion to draw the jade fan into his grasp again before unleashing another burst of powerful seven-colored light.

At the same time, he opened his mouth to expel an inky-black treasure that was rectangular in shape, and it instantly swelled to become a giant brick that was several hundred feet in length.

The seven-colored light and massive black brick struck the giant hand almost at the exact same moment, and the entire sky tremored violently amid an earth-shattering boom.

The huge silver hand was able to pulverize the black brick with ease, and the seven-colored light was also instantly torn apart, following which the massive silver hand abruptly appeared right above the Black Owl Monarch before crushing downward without any hesitation.

The Black Owl Monarch was horrified by the sight of his two treasures being crushed so easily, and he immediately fled the scene, vanishing into thin air in a flash.

Han Li harrumphed coldly upon seeing this before lashing out viciously with a giant furry fist, and a silver fist projection instantly shot forth before disappearing in the blink of an eye.

In the next instant, the Black Owl Monarch re-emerged several hundred feet away, but almost at the exact same moment, the silver fist projection also appeared behind him amid a burst of spatial fluctuations.

The Black Owl Monarch was extremely alarmed by this, but it was already too late for him to evade.

A resounding boom rang out as his suit of black armor was shattered by the silver fist projection, and he was sent flying through the air. Due to the ferocious impact, he was no longer able to maintain his giant form, and reverted back to his original size in a flash.

Upon steadying himself, the Black Owl Monarch immediately threw up another mouthful of blood essence, and his aura was significantly debilitated.

His suit of black armor was a supreme defensive treasure that had been refined using 49 types of precious materials over the span of several centuries, yet it couldnt even withstand a single attack from Han Li!

This was extremely astonishing to the Black Owl Monarch, and he immediately realized that he was no match for Han Li.

As such, he rose up into the air without any hesitation to flee into the distance as a streak of black light, covering a distance of several thousand feet in the span of just a single breath.

You think you can just come and go from my ceremony as you please? Sword Observation Art, slash! Han Li roared, and as soon as his voice trailed off, his three glabellas split open in unison, revealing three inky-black vertical eyes.

Each of the vertical demonic eyes released a pillar of black light, which instantly transformed into three small translucent swords that vanished into thin air.

In the next instant, the Black Owl Monarch was just about to unleash a secret technique to speed up in his escape when his expression changed drastically, and he immediately took evasive measures.

Right at this moment, three streaks of translucent sword Qi shot forth out of the nearby space like lightning.

The Black Owl Monarch was able to evade two of them, but his body was sliced cleanly in half by the last one.

A howl of anguish rang out as silver blood rained down from above, but what wouldve surely been a lethal wound for a normal cultivator wasnt enough to kill a Grand Ascension Stage being like the Black Owl Monarch.

A black shadow flew out of the top half of his body, then transformed into a miniature humanoid figure that was completely identical to the Black Owl Monarch.

The miniature figure released a gust of black wind to sweep up the two halves of the body, then continued to flee into the distance.

Ill remember this! Next time, Im going to repay you a hundredfold! The Black Owl Monarchs enraged voice rang out from the distance.

Next time? Lets see if you can escape my spirit insects first. Han Li reverted back to his human form amid a flash of purplish-golden light, then swept a sleeve through the air to release three golden flowers, which transformed into three massive golden beetles with sinister purple patterns all over their bodies.

As soon as they appeared, the three giant beetles flew away like three golden shooting stars, and it seemed that their speed wasnt inferior in the slightest compared to that of the Black Owl Monarch.

These three faux Gold Devouring Beetles Monarchs possessed late-Body Integration Stage power and virtually indestructible bodies, as well as stamina that struck fear into the hearts of even Grand Ascension Stage beings, so they were perfect for hunting down the severely wounded Black Owl Monarch.

Han Li was confident that even if the Black Owl Monarch could escape, he would definitely sustain even further wounds, rendering him unable to regenerate during his return journey.

As such, even in the best-case scenario for the Black Owl Monarch, he would have to rest for centuries to recover to his former level of power.

All of the cultivators on the plaza were stunned by Han Lis extraordinary display of power, and now that the Black Owl Monarch had been forced to flee in such an embarrassing manner, everyone immediately erupted into a frenzy.

Senior Hans powers are truly unmatched! Countless human and demon cultivators were yelling at the top of their lungs with fervent looks in their eyes.

Han Li had only just progressed to the Grand Ascension Stage, yet he had just defeated a veteran Grand Ascension Stage being with ease, and this extraordinary display filled the human and demon cultivators present with immense confidence that he would lead the two races to greater heights.

Raucous cheers erupted into the heavens, piercing through the restrictions to be audible throughout the entire city.

Those who were ineligible to attend the ceremony had no idea what had happened, but the excited and fervent cheers were contagious, and they all erupted into cheers as well.

Thus, the entire Deep Heaven City was instantly transformed into a sea of excitement and celebration.

In contrast, the foreign representatives present at the ceremony were both in awe and feeling extremely wary after witnessing the battle that had just taken place.

The emergence of such a powerful Grand Ascension cultivator in the human race was not necessarily a good thing for the neighboring races, and the foreign envoys had decided that the first thing they were going to do following their return was to report this matter to their higher-ups as soon as possible.

Both the five-colored streaks of light and the lightning crashing down from above were instantly destroyed by the black soundwaves, and the Black Owl Monarch let loose a loud cry as he made a grabbing motion downward.

The black soundwaves immediately converged toward his hand, then transformed into a black Kirin projection that pounced forward violently.

Gusts of glacial Yin winds were swept up around the projection, causing the air to warp and blur as if it were about to be frozen solid.

Han Lis expression remained unchanged, and he merely pointed a finger upward.

A burst of silver flames flew out of his fingertip, then transformed into a giant Fire Raven that opened its beak to release a pillar of crimson light directly upward.

A huge hole was instantly punched into the Kirin projections body by the pillar of light, and the projection disintegrated into nothingness along with the glacial winds.

The silver Fire Raven then unleashed another pillar of crimson light directly toward the Black Owl Monarch, and it traveled extraordinarily quickly, reaching the Black Owl Monarch in the blink of an eye.

However, the Black Owl Monarch merely opened his mouth to devour the pillar of light, then smacked his lips as he praised, Not bad!

All of the cultivators down below were stunned to see this, but a smile appeared on Han Lis face as he said, Were both Grand Ascension Stage beings, so lets do away with these little tricks, lets use our true powers to decide this battle.

My thoughts exactly!

The Black Owl Monarch was infuriated by Han Lis condescending attitude, and he opened his mouth to release a green jade fan that landed in his grasp. At the same time, his body swelled drastically to several thousand feet tall amid bursts of swirling black light.

The jade fan in his hand had also expanded to around 1,000 feet in length, and its surface was riddled with countless golden and silver runes.

On top of that, the fan was enshrouded within seven layers of light, creating quite a mystical sight to behold.

The Black Owl Monarchs muscular arm bulged as he swept the giant fan through the air, sending a vast expanse of seven-colored light crashing down toward Han Li and the people on the plaza.

The cultivators on the plaza immediately adopted defensive measures in a horrified manner, and thus, countless treasures rose up into the air in retaliation.

A cold smile appeared on the Black Owl Monarch upon seeing this, and he pointed a finger at the jade fan, upon which a burst of black Qi shot out of his fingertip before vanishing into the fan.

As a result, the seven-colored light it had unleashed swelled even further, and the attacks from all of the opposing treasures were instantly nullified.

In the next instant, many of the weaker cultivators present threw up mouthfuls of blood essence, both from magic power backlash and due to the enormous spiritual pressure of the giant fan weighing down upon them from above.

The more powerful cultivators were able to just barely repress the effects of the backlash, but their blood and magic power were also churning violently, rendering them unable to unleash any further attacks.

The Black Owl Monarch had crushed all of the cultivators on the entire plaza, and even though it was only for a short while, this was still an extraordinary feat.

The Black Owl Monarch was very pleased with himself, yet just as he was about to burst into hearty laughter, his gaze fell upon Han Li, following which his expression immediately stiffened.

Han Li was standing atop his giant azure lotus with azure flames rising up over 1,000 feet from his body to keep the seven-colored light at bay with ease. He was currently appraising the Black Owl Monarch with a hint of a smile on his face, completely unaffected by his attack.

The Black Owl Monarch was further incensed upon seeing this, and the seven-colored light focused most of its power on Han Li at his behest.

Immediately thereafter, a giant ball of seven-colored light took shape above Han Li, and Han Lis smile faded at the sight of the ball of light, but he then immediately harrumphed coldly, Know your place!

As soon as his voice trailed off, he made a hand seal, and a purplish-golden projection with three heads and six arms emerged behind him amid a flash of golden light.

Not only was the projection completely enshrouded in purplish-golden light, there were silver spirit patterns all over its body, and it instantly transformed into the substantial Provenance Golden Body.

As soon as the golden body appeared, it thrust all six of its shimmering golden palms upward in unison.

A resounding boom immediately rang out up above as six bursts of enormous power erupted upward, forcibly keeping the ball of seven-colored light at bay.

The Black Owl Monarch expression changed slightly upon seeing this, and he rubbed his hands together before raising them, sending a torrential barrage of incantation seals flying into the giant fan.

Even so, the giant fan was still unable to descend any further.

The Black Owl Monarch was truly astonished to see this, yet before he had a chance to do anything, Han Li swept a sleeve toward the massive azure lotus flower below him, and it immediately exploded as 72 streaks of azure sword Qi rose up into the in unison.

The streaks of sword Qi then combined to form a giant azure sword projection, which came crashing down toward the Black Owl Monarch at an incredible speed.

The Black Owl Monarch harrumphed coldly upon seeing this, and he raised a mountainous hand to catch the oncoming sword projection before tightening his grip, upon which the sword projection immediately exploded, unable to withstand the crushing force of his grip.

The Black Owl Monarch immediately burst into raucous laughter upon seeing this, but in the next instant, the azure light that had exploded through the air shot forth as a translucent thread that revolved around his wrist in the blink of an eye.

A geyser of blood erupted over 100 feet up into the air, and the giant hand was completely detached.

The Black Owl Monarch howled with agony as he hurriedly tossed his giant fan aside before reaching for his detached hand.

However, right at this moment, Han Li suddenly vanished on the spot, then reappeared beside the detached hand amid a burst of spatial fluctuations.

As soon as he emerged, he raised a hand to lay a finger on the massive hand without any hesitation, upon which it instantly exploded into a cloud of blood mist.

Im going to tear you to pieces! The Black Owl Monarchs eyed reddened with fury upon seeing this, and he let loose a thunderous roar as five silver claws sprang out of his fingertips, each of which was several feet in length.

The claws were then slashed downward like five sharp blades, in response to which Han Li casually lashed out again as a faint smile appeared on his face.

Countless silver patterns instantly surfaced over his body alongside a purplish-golden light barrier, and as soon as the five sharp claws struck his body, they were immediately snapped like twigs bursts of piercing purplish-golden light.

Argh!

The Black Owl Monarch could hardly believe what he was seeing!

Yaksha beings were renowned for their powerful physical bodies, and having just unleashed a secret technique, his Grand Ascension Stage body was naturally powerful to the extreme. On top of that, his five claws had been specially refined, making them as powerful as spirit treasures, but they had been snapped by Han Lis physical body alone!

The Black Owl Monarch was immediately struck by a sense of foreboding, but it was already too late for him to withdraw his hand.

Han Lis arm extended by several feet amid an explosive boom, and he lashed out with a seemingly gentle punch to strike the opposing mountainous hand.

A burst of scintillating light erupted alongside another thunderous roar of fury, and Han Li merely chuckled as he casually flew back to several hundred feet away, then steadied himself as a mocking smile appeared on his face.

At the same time, the scintillating light faded, revealing an extremely encouraging scene to all of the cultivators on the plaza.

As it turned out, most of the Black Owl Monarchs arm had disappeared, and what remained of it was nothing more than a mangled mass of broken flesh and bones.

You progressed to the Grand Ascension Stage while primarily using a body refinement secret technique! the Black Owl Monarch exclaimed with incredulity as a hint of wariness appeared in his eyes for the first time.

I guess you can say that. Seeing as youve already come here, why dont you stay for a few days in our human race before you go, Fellow Daoist Black Owl, Han Li replied with an ambiguous smile.

Hmph, dont think that these trivial injuries will hinder me, the show has only just begun. I was only caught off guard by your attack, theres no way a rookie Grand Ascension Stage being like you could be a match for me, the Black Owl Monarch said in a vicious manner as bursts of black Qi surged out of his body to instantly inundate the entirety of his massive frame.

A string of loud cracks and pops rang out incessantly from within the black Qi, and a hint of surprise appeared on Han Lis face upon seeing this.

In the next instant, the black Qi dissipated, and it was revealed that the Black Owl Monarch had fully regenerated from all of his injuries.

So youve cultivated an immortal body, its no wonder that you dare to fight me directly with your physical body, Han Li mused as he appraised the Black Owl Monarch.

Hmph, Ill concede that your physical body is more powerful than mine, but how about this? Reversing Heaven and Earth! The Black Owl Monarchs body expanded even further in size, and it swept an arm through the air, sending a burst of indescribable energy fluctuations spreading in all directions.

Youre using the power of laws! Han Li murmured to himself as his pupils contracted slightly.

Thats right, theres no way a rookie Grand Ascension Stage being like you could have much of an understanding of the laws of heaven and earth, the Black Owl Monarch guffawed as a thin black line suddenly appeared in the air before him.

Immediately thereafter, the line blurred, and heaven and earth suddenly flipped as the sky became inky-black, while the earth abruptly became bright and clear.

The term devilish patriarch immediately sent a massive stir running through the crowd, and everyones expressions changed drastically.

Having just endured the devilish tribulation, they were naturally extremely fearful of the most powerful trio among all devilish beings.

The Spirit beings expression also changed slightly upon hearing this, but he also didnt seem to be surprised by this answer. After heaving a long sigh, he extended another respectful salute.

Thank you for your response, Senior, please forgive me if Ive caused you any offense, and Ill be sure to relay your answers to our Spirit Monarch.

Han Li merely nodded in response.

After the Spirit being sat down again, the other representatives of the foreign race also began to offer their congratulatory presents and good wishes, among which were several Wood Tribe representatives from the factions that had already become subsidiaries to the other races.

Han Li offered his gratitude to these foreign representatives, and after that, a beauty in a yellow hooded cloak stood up from a corner of the plaza.

After removing her cloak, an exquisitely beautiful set of facial features that resembled an artistic masterpiece was revealed.

Impossible! Its Fairy Rong!

It really is Fairy Rong! Didnt the holy island declare that no news of her has surfaced since she ventured into the primordial world over 3,000 years ago?

A stir immediately ran through the crowd among those who were familiar with this woman, and all of them were incredulous to see her.

It seemed that she was also quite a renowned figure.

Han Lis heart stirred slightly upon seeing this, and he cast his gaze toward her to find that she was only at the mid-Body Integration Stage, but her aura was very peculiar, and there was faint light emanating from her skin, further accentuating her stunning beauty.

It was clear that this woman was no ordinary Body Integration cultivator and was using very special cultivation arts.

May I ask your name? Han Li asked.

I am Li Rong, and Im here on behalf of the holy island to congratulate you on becoming our human races second Grand Ascension cultivator. I bring with me a top-grade flying ark, 10 exceptional female servants, 100 top-grade spirit beasts, and 1,000 armored warrior puppets, Li Rong said as she extended a salute with a sweet smile, and her voice was as pleasant to the ears as heavenly music.

I see. I must thank the holy island for these precious gifts, and Ill be sure to pay the island a visit after the ceremony, Han Li replied with a nod.

We would certainly be honored to have you on our island, Senior Han, my fellow daoists on the holy island have some very important things to discuss with you, Li Rong said with a smile.

Han Li merely nodded in an ambiguous manner in response.

Theres also something else Id…

Whos sneaking around back there?

Just as Li Rong was about to say something else, Han Lis expression suddenly darkened, and he abruptly swept a sleeve toward the distance.

A burst of invisible force passed through the restrictions around the giant mountain, then struck something with a heavy impact several kilometers away.

A ball of black light abruptly exploded, and a burly black-armored man appeared out of thin air.

The man wore a surprised expression, clearly not expecting to have been discovered by Han Li from so far away, but he then burst into nonchalant laughter.

Haha… I came of my own accord without an invitation, but Im sure Im still welcome here, right?

The burly man then cupped his fist in a salute from afar before covering a distance of several kilometers with a single stride, appearing right above the three-colored mountain, then descended in a nonchalant manner.

The light barriers formed by the restrictions around the mountain were instantly torn apart by the burly mans body, and he arrived right above the plaza, looking on at Han Li from afar with his arms crossed.

All of the cultivators present faltered initially upon seeing this, following which some of the more short-tempered human cultivators immediately began to hurl verbal insults at the intruder.

Even some of the more steadfast individuals present were quite dismayed by the burly mans rude intrusion.

Its the Black Owl Monarch of the Yaksha Race! Li Rong immediately drew a sharp breath upon identifying the burly man.

Black Owl Monarch? Han Lis brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this.

Those who were insulting the burly man had clearly all heard of this name, and their voices abruptly cut off as horrified looks appeared on their faces.

Oh? Youve seen me before? the burly man asked in a surprised manner as he turned toward Li Rong.

Li Rongs face was slightly pale as she hurriedly replied in a fearful manner, I once saw you several thousand years ago with Master Mo, Senior.

So youre the little girl who was following Old Man Mo around, youve done quite well to have reached the Body Integration Stage in such a short time. There was undisguised lust in the Black Owl Monarchs eyes as he spoke, and Li Rongs heart immediately sank as the urge to flee surfaced in her mind.

Thankfully, they were still in Deep Heaven City, and there was a new Grand Ascension Stage human being present, so she was able to repress her own fear and cast her eyes downward to avoid the Black Owl Monarchs sinister gaze.

Welcome, Fellow Daoist Black Owl, Im truly honored to have you here. Han Li finally spoke, and his expression was completely calm, making it impossible to glean his thoughts.

Hehe, you are the second Grand Ascension Stage being of the human race, and the only new Grand Ascension Stage being in all of our races for close to 10,000 years, of course I had to pay you a visit and gather some experience from you, the Black Owl Monarch chuckled in response.

I see. Unfortunately, Ive only just progressed to the Grand Ascension Stage, so I dont have any experience to offer. Prepare a seat for Fellow Daoist Black Owl, Han Li instructed.

Yes, Master, Qi Lingzi immediately replied.

However, the Black Owl Monarch waved an impatient hand, and said, Theres no need for that, I only have some things to speak to you about before I leave.

Oh? What would you like to discuss with me, Fellow Daoist Black Owl? Han Li asked calmly.

The primary reason I came here was to witness your powers for myself, and you certainly havent disappointed me, considering you were able to detect me from so far away. Secondly, I want to borrow someone from you. Actually, I changed my mind, I want to borrow two people now, the Black Owl Monarch said as a sinister look appeared on his face.

Which two people are you referring to? Han Lis eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing this.

I heard that one of your disciples possesses a recessive lightning spiritual root, Id like to employ his services to help me transcend my next heavenly tribulation. As for the second person, that would be this fine celestial maiden here. Shes caught my eye, and Id like her to be my servant, the Black Owl Monarch said in a rumbling voice, much to the astonishment of all of the cultivators present.

What? He wants to take Senior Hans disciple?

And he wants Fairy Rong to be his servant? How dare he!

Many of the cultivators present immediately flared up with rage, but they didnt dare to actively oppose a Grand Ascension Stage being, so they could only look on with fury burning in their eyes.

Li Rongs expression became extremely strained upon hearing this, and she said in a cold voice, How dare you, Black Owl Monarch! Have you forgotten Master Mos warning to you?

Master Mo? Haha, you humans sure do like to deceive yourselves. Do you really think that I dont know that Old Man Mo and Old Man Ao have disappeared from your races? If I hadnt known that, do you think I wouldve dared to come here? The Black Owl Monarch burst into raucous laughter, and everyones expressions changed drastically upon hearing this.

Whats happened to Senior Mo and Senior Ao?

He must be lying! How could something happen to those two seniors?

Having said that, there really has been no news about those two seniors for the past several decades.

……

Everyone on the plaza had become extremely panicked upon hearing this, while the foreign representatives all displayed differing reactions.

Fellow Daoist Han, youre not going to bring disaster to your race over those two people, right? Youve only just reached the Grand Ascension Stage, and it would take you at least several centuries to fully master your newfound power, so youre no match for me, the Black Owl Monarch threatened in a cold voice.

I see, so youre here to cause trouble rather than actually attend my celebratory ceremony, Han Li chuckled in response.

Cause trouble? I guess you can say that, Fellow Daoist Han. The Black Owl Monarch had done away with all semblance of pleasantries.

Alright, in that case, itll be my duty to kick out an unwelcome guest like you and teach you a lesson, Han Li said as a cold look appeared in his eyes.

As soon as his voice trailed off, he made a hand seal, and countless streaks of five-colored light erupted from all parts of the plaza, sweeping directly toward the Black Owl Monarch.

At the same time, golden and silver lighting flashed in the air above the plaza, then came crashing down with devastating power.

Han Li had unleashed the restrictions around the giant mountain without any hesitation.

You dare to attack me? What an insolent fool! In that case, everything I do from here onward will be justified self-defense, the Black Owl Monarch guffawed with glee.

Immediately thereafter, he clenched his fists before smashing them together, and black soundwaves instantly erupted forth in a frenzy.

Han Li waved a sleeve through the air as he sat on his azure lotus platform, and said, Please take a seat, fellow daoists. Thank you for traveling from afar to attend my Grand Ascension Stage celebratory ceremony. I havent prepared too much, I can only offer you some tea to quench your thirst from your long journeys.

As soon as Han Lis voice trailed off, Qi Lingzi immediately clapped his hands together twice in succession, and groups of beautiful white-robed women immediately strode into the plaza from all directions.

Each of them was holding a platter, atop which sat cups of tea that they offered to the cultivators present.

The spirit tea being offered was extremely exceptional, but it wasnt all that noteworthy considering Han Lis status as a Grand Ascension Stage being.

What was much more astonishing to everyone was that even though all of these white-robed women were very beautiful, they were all completely expressionless, and their movements were rather stiff, clearly indicating that they were all humanoid puppets.

The arrival of several hundred humanoid puppets that were so life-like filled most of the guests with amazement, and after the spirit tea had been presented, a burly man who was seated in the inner circle suddenly stood up before extending a deep bow toward Han Li.

I am the envoy of the Heavenly Radiance Sect. As a congratulatory present, our sect offers you a pair of Longlife Insect shells, both of which are over 10,000 years old. We hope that youll reach the summit of the mountain of immortality, and that your powers will rival the might of the heavens.

The burly man summoned a yellow wooden box as he spoke, then removed the lid to reveal a pair of fist-sized insect exoskeletons, both of which were translucent and strikingly crimson, as if there were balls of fire burning within them.

Han Li smiled, and replied, Your Heavenly Radiance Sect is one of our human races three major sects, and Ive heard much about your grand elder, Ill be sure to pay your sect a visit should the opportunity arise.

The Heavenly Radiance Sect was extremely renowned in the human race, and not only did it have over 10 human cities under its direct jurisdictive power, the sect also had several Body Integration cultivators among their ranks.

As for the grand elder of the sect, he also had a resounding reputation in the human race and had once slain two Body Integration Stage foreign beings in battle. Unfortunately, he had failed several times thus far in his attempts to progress to the Grand Ascension Stage.

Im sure our grand elder would be extremely honored to know that hes in your thoughts, Senior Han. Hes currently at a critical juncture in his seclusion, so hes unable to attend the ceremony in person, but he was the one who chose this pair of Longlife Insect shells as our sects congratulatory present, the burly man said as he hurriedly extended another bow with an elated expression.

These shells are one of the main ingredients for refining Spirit Settling Liquid, which is something required by all new Grand Ascension Stage beings, so this is clearly a very thoughtful gift, Han Li continued with a smile.

The elation on the burly mans face grew even more pronounced upon hearing this, and he handed over the wooden box to a white-robed servant with both hands, then extended another bow before sitting down again.

An armored young man seated on the outskirts of the inner circle stood up, and said in a respectful manner, On behalf of Cloud Guard City, I offer 15 tons of golden essence and five tons of Profound Yin Sand as a congratulatory present.

Your present is much appreciated.

Cloud Guard City was only a medium-sized city on the border of the human and demon territories, so Han Li naturally wasnt going to treat the representative with as much enthusiasm, and merely gave him an indifferent nod.

Even so, a hint of excitement flashed through the young mans eyes, and he hurriedly extended a deep bow before taking a seat again.

After that, two green-skinned demonic cultivators with red hair presented a jade box in a respectful manner. We are the envoys of Thousand Domain Mountain, and on behalf of our mountain master, we offer Senior Han our heartfelt congratulations, as well as three pieces of Profound Phoenix Wood, three Spirit Enchanting Beads…

Thus, one representative after another began to offer their congratulatory presents to Han Li, and it didnt take long for dozens of sets of presents to have been offered.

The representatives were all of different cultivation bases, but they encompassed all of the important powers among the human and demon races. All of them were extremely respectful toward Han Li, and they either offered extremely precious presents or presents of staggering quantities, clearly doing their best to leave a good first impression with Han Li.

As for the vagrant cultivators in attendance, it was also quite an eye-opening experience for them to witness so many rare and precious items that they had only ever heard of in the past.

Of course, as long as they werent mentally handicapped, no one would dare to try and steal these presents from right under Han Lis nose.

In the face of all of these offerings, Han Li maintained a faint smile and reciprocated with brief words of thanks.

However, as a woman in a white dress rose to her feet, Han Li initiated a conversation for the first time.

So youve also come to attend my ceremony, Fairy Xu. Are you here on behalf of the Xu Family?

The woman was none other than Xu Qianyu, and everyone was quite surprised to see this.

After all, her cultivation base wasnt anything special, so it was very unexpected for Han Li to be so hospitable toward her.

Xu Qianyu had been feeling quite nervous, but Han Lis benevolent display eased her anxiety significantly, and she replied, I am indeed here on behalf of our Xu Family, Senior Han. Ive brought with me one stick of East Sea Purple Flame Bamboo, three Boundless Spirit Fruits, and a Heavenvoid Cauldron, our Xu Family wishes you luck in your journey to immortality, Senior Han.

A hint of enlightenment appeared in Han Lis eyes upon hearing this, and he said, Heavenvoid Cauldron, eh? I understand. You and I are old acquaintances, so why dont you stay and explore this mountain for a while, perhaps youll encounter some opportunities.

Thank you for your kindness, Senior Han! Xu Qianyu replied in an elated manner before taking a seat again, and many of the other cultivators present immediately turned toward her with envy in their eyes.

It was quite clear that Han Li was implying that he was going to give her something, and that naturally evoked a lot of envy in everyones hearts.

After that, the representatives of the true spirit families presented themselves. Among them, the Gu Family had sent Fairy Xiao Feng, while Ye Ying was the representative of the Ye Family.

Both of them were also old acquaintances of Han Lis, and witnessing this astonishing scenario made them feel as if they were in a dream.

If they hadnt sensed the unfathomable aura being released by Han Lis for themselves, they wouldnt have even dared to believe that he had actually already become a Grand Ascension cultivator.

As these two offered their congratulatory presents, Han Li also chatted with them, and that drew another round of envy from all of the other cultivators.

This didnt appear to be anything important, but at the very least, it was clear that the two women really were acquaintances of Han Lis. As such, if anyone wanted to plot against them or their families in the future, theyd have to take Han Lis indirect intimidation into consideration.

Of course, the Long Family had also sent someone, and it was their new grand elder.

This grand elder was a Body Integration cultivator who had remained hidden in the Long Family this entire time, and he treated Han Li with the utmost respect, thanking him openly for informing the Long Family of the death of their patriarch.

Back when Han Li was still on Wood Tribe territory, he had already sent messengers to inform the Long Family and Ye Family of what had happened.

He didnt know what their reactions to this news had been, but now that Han Li had progressed to the Grand Ascension Stage, neither of the families dared to voice their suspicions, assuming they had any in the first place.

What came as a slight surprise to Han Li was that the Black Phoenix Race had sent a Body Integration Stage elder as opposed to Daier.

It seemed that she really was still in seclusion. Otherwise, there was no way that Black Phoenix Monarch wouldnt have sent Daier as their representative to establish closer ties with him.

I am Ben Yue of the Spirit Race, and on behalf of the Spirit Monarch, I offer one each of the five-elemental spirit cores, three balls of Heavenly Light Spirit Flames, 10 top-grade treasures, 100 pieces of Azure Lock Wall, and five tons of Deepsea Purple Crystal Iron, a humanoid figure who was enshrouded in purple light said as he extended a respectful salute.

Welcome! Ive heard much about the Spirit Monarch, and Im truly honored to receive such lavish presents from him, Han Li said as he rose to his feet before returning the salute.

The figure within the purple light didnt dare to accept Han Lis salute, and he stepped aside slightly as he continued, Aside from offering his congratulations, our Spirit Monarch also instructed me to ask you some things, Senior Han.

All of the cultivators on the plaza faltered slightly upon hearing this, but Han Li didnt seem to be surprised at all as he prompted, Go ahead.

Our Spirit Monarch has instructed me to ask you about two things, and replies to both questions are optional, the Spirit being explained in a cautious manner.

Id be happy to answer the Spirit Monarchs questions, but Ill only permit you to ask me those two questions, no more than that, do you understand? Han Li said in a calm voice.

The Spirit beings heart jolted slightly upon hearing this, and he hurriedly replied, I understand, I definitely wont harass you with unnecessary questions, Senior Han.

Alright, then go ahead, Han Li replied with a nod.

The first question pertains to Holy Maiden Thousand Autumns, is she still alive? the Spirit being asked.

No, Han Li replied without any hesitation.

The Spirit being wasnt surprised to hear this, and he continued, Who was she killed by?

A devilish patriarch, Han Li replied as his eyes narrowed slightly.

Within the flashing lights, a gargantuan mountain that was close to 100,000 feet tall appeared high up in the air.

Just the base of the gigantic mountain was close to 50 kilometers in size, and the shadow that it case encompassed the entire central area of Deep Heaven City.

Such a massive commotion naturally drew the attention of everyone around the plaza, and they all looked up with stunned expressions, only to be greeted by the sight of the enormous underside of the mountain.

It wasnt the case that no one had seen such a massive mountain before, but no one had ever seen a mountain of this stature hovering in mid-air.

What made this situation even more astonishing was that there had been nothing in the air just a moment ago.

Even further in the distance, there were more people rushing over to attend the ceremony, and they were able to glean the entirety of the three-colored mountain, which filled them with a sense of awe and veneration as well.

At the same time, the approaching cultivators discovered that the top half of the mountain was littered with countless pavilions, while the summit of the mountain was enshrouded within a layer of thin white mist, seemingly obscuring something from view.

Some of the more curious cultivators ignored the guards on the plaza down below and flew directly toward the giant mountain.

At this moment, the silver light finally faded, and the three-colored mountain ceased in its expansion.

A faint smile appeared on Han Lis face at the sight of the cultivators flying toward the massive mountain, and he made a hand seal in a nonchalant manner.

Countless runes immediately flashed on the surface of the three-colored mountain, conjuring up a transparent restriction that encompassed all of the space within several kilometers of the mountain.

All of the cultivators that reached this area were instantly repelled and kept at bay by an invisible light barrier.

After steadying themselves, the cultivators exchanged a few glances, but no one dared to try and barge their way through any further.

It was clear that this giant mountain was somehow related to Han Li, and if they were to irk this new Grand Ascension Stage patriarch, it would be akin to committing suicide.

All of a sudden, a casual male voice rang out from the peak of the mountain.

I am truly honored to have so many fellow daoists attend my celebratory ceremony. Those who are eligible to attend the ceremony can enter through the teleportation formations down below, I will be awaiting your arrival on the Grand Ascension Immortal Platform at the mountains summit.

The voice belonged to none other than Han Li, and he had used some type of ability to make it clearly audible to all of the people attending the ceremony.

Senior Han!

Thats Patriarch Hans voice!

A stir immediately ran through the nearby cultivators upon hearing this voice, and they all descended toward the plaza down below.

At the same time, some of the attendees had already been arranged into orderly lines by the armored guards in front of the dozen or so teleportation formations on the platform, and they were teleported away in groups.

The first batch of cultivators to enter the teleportation formations arrived within a hall on the giant three-colored mountain, and as soon as they emerged, they began to inspect their surroundings in a curious manner.

There was already a group of white-robed servants waiting for them, and after extending slight bows toward these cultivators, one of the servants stepped forward as he said, Please follow me, seniors, Ill take you to the top of the mountain.

These servants were mostly at the Core Formation Stage and Nascent Soul Stage, so the cultivators that had arrived didnt pay much heed to them, they merely nodded in response and allowed themselves to be led out of the hall, onto a winding path that led to the mountain summit.

Some of these white-robed servants were Qi Lingzis disciples, while the rest had been temporarily borrowed by Han Li from the elders of the city.

Their cultivation bases werent all that advanced, but they were certainly fit for such a simple task, and they had been teleported into the hall in the instant that the giant three-colored mountain had taken shape.

More and more people began to pour out of the teleportation formations in the hall, and once the hall was crowded to a certain extent, a servant would guide everyone up to the mountain summit.

As the cultivators walked upward along the mountain path, they were greeted by the sight of a series of beautiful buildings, as well as strange and exotic plants and flowers. There were also some spirit beasts and spirit birds roaming their scenic surroundings, and there was no lack of rare and legendary beasts among them.

Some of the cultivators became very curious upon seeing this, and they wanted to take a closer look, but as soon as they strayed off them mountain path, they would find themselves in a space that filled with white mist, and the ground beneath their feet would also disappear, leaving them feeling as if they were hovering in mid-air.

These people were all quite alarmed by this, and some of them stood still on the spot, not daring to move, while others unleashing different incantation seals to try and break out of the restriction.

However, regardless of what they did, none of the measures that they had taken proved to be effective.

In the eyes of those who were still on the mountain, it appeared that the cultivators who strayed off the path suddenly stiffened and became completely still, as if they had been turned into puppets.

Theyve fallen into an illusionary technique!

Those who were more adept in the art of formations immediately identified what was going on.

The white-robed servant that was leading the group remained calm as he raised a hand to summon a silver badge, which he swept through the air to release a burst of five-colored light.

The light swept up all of the cultivators who had fallen prey to the illusionary technique and dragged them back onto the mountain path, upon which they were immediately brought back into the real world.

Before these cultivators had a chance to react, the white-robed servant extended a bow toward them, and said, This mountain is a treasure created by Patriarch Han, and aside from the mountain path were currently walking on, there are restrictions everywhere else, so please follow along closely behind me, seniors. Otherwise, if I fail to intervene and save you in time, something bad could happen.

Everyone exchanged a few glances upon hearing this, then nodded with wry smiles on their faces.

An illusionary restriction set up by a Grand Ascension cultivator was unfathomable to them, but one thing was for sure, it definitely wasnt something that they could contend with.

The rest of the people to emerge from the hall were also issued the same warning by the white-robed servants, and aside from a very rare selection of reckless individuals, no one tried to oppose the restriction.

As the first batch of people arrived on the mountain summit, the thin veil of mist there had already dissipated.

A massive plaza that was paved with white jade bricks was revealed to everyone, and atop the plaza was placed countless futons of different colors.

At the center of the plaza was a translucent pagoda with seven levels and was several hundred feet tall. There were countless green spirit patterns engraved on the surface of each and every level, and at the top of the pagoda was a giant azure lotus flower that was around an acre in size.

The azure lotus was in a half-bloomed state, and at its center sat an azure-robed young man, who had his eyes closed with a faint smile on his face.

This man was naturally none other than Han Li.

The Leopard Kirin Beast was lying beside him, and it was appraising the approaching cultivators in a lazy manner.

Even though Han Li didnt pay any heed to the cultivators who had entered the plaza, all of them extended respectful bows toward him from afar, and only then did they dare to allow themselves to be led to a corner of the plaza, where they took a seat on the provided futons.

The ceremony-goers who arrived thereafter also paid their respects to Han Li before sitting down on the plaza as well.

Among them were individuals of both genders and all ages, and there were even some demonic beings with animalistic appendages and features.

After these people had taken a seat, they immediately closed their eyes to meditate, not even daring to chat with those around them. Thus, the entire platform was completely silent.

The plaza that Han Li had set up on the mountain summit was very massive, but it still only had a maximum capacity of around 40,000 people. Shortly thereafter, almost all of the futons on the entire plaza were occupied, yet there were still close to 1,000,000 people ineligible for entry stuck outside the teleportation formations.

After that, the representatives of the different powers also began to arrive on the platform.

These people were guided by the white-robed servants to the inner circle that was quite close to Han Li, and these representatives also came from a variety of different races.

After another hour, the entire plaza had reached full capacity, and the elders of Deep Heaven City had also arrived at the entrance to the plaza.

At this point, it was noon sharp, and there were seven scintillating suns hanging up in the sky.

Qi Lingzi appeared at the foot of the pagoda amid a burst of spatial fluctuations, then extended a salute toward everyone before announcing in a serious voice, Its time, let the ceremony begin!

As soon as his voice trailed off, the Heaven Shaking Bell tolled several more times, and five-colored light flashed in the sky as a series of beautiful figures began to dance up above amid bursts of heavenly music.

Countless five-colored petals fell out of the sky from these beautiful figures, filling the entire plaza with a fragrant aroma.

As soon as these cultivators breathed in this scent, they were immediately struck by a sense of great comfort and improved focus.

This is Grasswood Essence refined from the essence collected from 81 types of rare spirit plants and flowers! someone immediately exclaimed before falling silent just as quickly, realizing that their sudden outburst had been rather inappropriate. Expressions of ecstasy instantly appeared on many peoples faces, and they began to absorb the fragrance in the air with all their might.

However, right at this moment, Qi Lingzi suddenly said, You may now pay your respects.

All of the human cultivators immediately rose to their feet upon hearing this, then extended respectful bows toward Han Li in unison.

Congratulations on reaching the Grand Ascension Stage, Senior Han.

The envoys from the other races didnt say anything, but they also extended respectful bows toward Han Li.

The congratulatory words were amplified by special restrictions, and they reverberated incessantly throughout the entire city.

To a mortal, a year was a period of time that could be referred to as neither short or long, but to some cultivators who were constantly in seclusion, a year was akin to the blink of an eye.

Ever since news of Han Lis Grand Ascension Stage celebratory ceremony was announced, cultivators in the nearby area had immediately begun to flock to Deep Heaven City.

As time passed, more and more cultivators arrived in the city, including powerful demonic beings who had come from afar.

Some of these cultivators entered the Deep Heaven City, while others created temporary lodging for themselves in the mountain ranges near the city.

In the final month leading up to the ceremony, even more cultivators rushed to the city, with over 100,000 new arrivals almost every day, and the city became extremely lively and bustling as a result.

Some of the cultivators took advantage of this opportunity to seek out others and establish relationships, or set up all types of small markets to exchange for the resources they required.

As for Deep Heaven City itself, it would hold an official auction almost once every week.

During these auctions, all types of rare items were frequently being presented, and even the elders of the city benefited immensely from these auctions, securing many spirit medicines and other exotic items that they wouldve otherwise been unable to.

Several days prior to the commencement of the ceremony, the cultivators residing in the nearby mountain ranges also began to enter the city en masse.

Deep Heaven City was extremely massive, but with such a huge influx of new arrivals, it was becoming quite crowded.

Overpopulation had suddenly become an issue, and there were even some cultivators who couldnt find any places to stay.

The panel of elders of Deep Heaven City immediately addressed this issue by opening up some stone pagodas inhabited by the city guards, as well as some underground secret chambers, as extra lodging. On top of that, they also built several temporary pavilions for the new arrivals to stay in a few secluded corners of the city, and only then were they able to just barely resolve the issue of insufficient lodging.

Of course, due to the enormous and spontaneous increase in population, all types of trouble and unrest began to arise in the city, but the panel of elders was very proactive and quickly resolved all of these problems one after another.

Everyone knew that there was no way that they would all be permitted to attend the ceremony. In fact, it was most likely the case that only less than 1% of everyone present would be able to attend.

As such, most of them had arrived in the city to find opportunities for themselves as such a massive gathering of high-grade cultivators most likely wouldnt arise again for thousands of years.

As long as one remained vigilant, perhaps they could find a powerful master, or join a renowned sect, or exchange for an item that theyd been searching for for many years…

In any case, this was a situation that presented countless opportunities.

On this day, while it was still very early in the morning, a pristine white platform that was over 100 feet tall had appeared on a boundless plaza at the center of Deep Heaven City.

There was an unknown object that was around 30 feet tall on the platform, concealed under a piece of golden fabric, and there was a half-naked musclebound man standing expressionlessly next to it.

The area near the platform was surrounded by tens of thousands of guards wearing armor of different colors, and even the elders of Deep Heaven City were among these guards.

Everyone was looking up at the sky, where the sun had just begun to rise, with solemn looks on their faces.

Shortly thereafter, the first ray of sunlight finally appeared in the distance.

Its time! Strike the bell! Elder Gu instructed as he turned toward the musclebound man on the platform.

Yes!

The musclebound man gave an affirmative response before stepping forward and tearing the piece of golden fabric away, revealing a luxurious and mysterious giant silver bell with countless five-colored spirit runes etched all over its surface.

The man then made a grabbing motion with his other hand, and a long golden hammer that was around 10 feet in length emerged in his grasp amid a flash of golden light.

He grabbed onto the shaft of the hammer with both hands, then abruptly struck the giant bell with the golden hammer.

A series of silver halos immediately erupted from the head of the golden hammer, spreading in all directions.

Within the silver light, the five-colored spirit runes on the giant bell seemed to have sprung to life, flying off the bell and dancing around the entire jade platform.

Initially, the chime of the bell wasnt very loud, but the further the soundwaves traveled, the louder they became, so the further away one stood, the more deafening the sound was.

Thus, the chime of the bell instantly became clearly audible in every single corner of the city.

Initially, people didnt pay this sound any heed. However, as one chime rang out after another, everyones expressions began to change, and there were even some who directly exclaimed, The Heaven Shaking Bell is being struck! The ceremony has commenced!

Many people immediately rushed out onto the streets, calling upon some acquaintances before flocking toward the place where the bell chimes had originated from. freewenvel.com

However, most of the cultivators who had arrived in the city didnt possess advanced cultivation bases, and they remained in their places of residence with disappointed expressions.

Only after a total of 81 bell chimes had rung out did the sound draw to an abrupt halt, and at this point, some of the cultivators living near the plaza had already arrived.

A faint smile appeared on Elder Gus face upon seeing this, and his lips tremored as he seemingly transmitted his voice to someone.

A series of white light formations immediately lit up around the plaza, and even more armored guards emerged to surround the entire plaza, temporarily keeping out the cultivators who were arriving on the scene.

The presence of so many armored guards effectively prevented anyone from trying to barge their way forward, and at the same time, the armored guards near the platform changed their formation to open up around a dozen patches of empty land.

Around a dozen temporary teleportation formations appeared at the center of these patches of land, and some of the cultivators arriving on the scene were enlightened upon seeing this, while others were still as confused as ever.

Senior Han should be ready soon, right? Could it be that hes been unable to complete that thing in time? If so, the ceremony will have to be delayed, Fairy Silver Light said in a slightly uneasy manner as more and more people began to gather around the plaza.

The power of a Grand Ascension cultivator is unfathomable to the likes of us, Senior Han instructed us to wait for him here a year ago, and Im sure he wont be late, Elder Gu replied with a smile.

Such a trivial matter naturally wont be able to stump a Grand Ascension Stage being like Senior Han, but prior to his departure, Senior Han took close to a third of our citys supplies. Even though he only took very ordinary tool refinement materials, its still a staggering amount, Elder Yan said with a wry smile.

Hehe, that may be the case, but just like you said, theyre only ordinary materials, so well be able to gather more over time. If we can leave Senior Han with a good impression of our city, then those materials would be an entirely insignificant price to pay, Elder Gu chuckled in response.

Indeed, Brother Gu. It looks like youre still the one with the most foresight among all of us, Buddhist Monk Jin Yue said with a smile.

Within a certain stone pagoda, Han Li was currently seated with his eyes, but his body was entirely enshrouded within a layer of purplish-golden flames.

Following the conclusion of the 81 bell chimes, Han Lis expression changed slightly, and he finally opened his eyes as a smile appeared on his face.

I made it just in time, that item has just been completely refined, and can be used during the ceremony.

As soon as his voice trailed off, Han Li made a hand seal, and the purplish-golden flames around his body faded.

At the same time, he opened his mouth to expel a ball of silver flames, within which was an indistinct miniature three-colored mountain that didnt appear to be a substantial object.

Han Li quickly appraised the miniature mountain, and a pleased look appeared on his face as he pointed a finger at the object.

Dazzling light immediately erupted from the miniature mountain, and it abruptly vanished into thin air.

In the next instant, spatial fluctuations erupted tens of thousands of feet above the plaza at the center of Deep Heaven City, following which a tiny three-colored mountain that was only several inches in size emerged.

Countless arcs of golden lightning then erupted over the mountains surface, and it began to rapidly expand, swelling to over 1,000 feet in size in just a few flashes, while emitting a terrifying aura.

Immediately thereafter, spatial fluctuations erupted near the mountain, and Han Li suddenly appeared.

He looked down at the masses of people gathered around the plaza, and a mysterious smile appeared on his face.

He then cast his gaze toward the three-colored mountain up ahead before opening his mouth to expel a burst of azure light, which vanished into the mountain in a flash.

The giant three-colored mountain began to rotate on the spot, and the three-colored runes on its surface surged forth in a frenzy while releasing a formidable aura.

All of a sudden, a resounding boom akin to a rumbling thunderclap rang out, and all of the worlds origin Qi in the entire sky surged violently before converging toward the plaza as streams of five-colored light.

Brilliant silver light radiated from the surface of the three-colored mountain, absorbing all of the worlds origin Qi, upon which it swelled drastically in size once again.

Hai Yuetian immediately understood that Han Li was preparing to handle all of the pressure of the situation on his own, and he was extremely grateful as he kowtowed to Han Li twice in succession.

After that, Han Li pointed at Silvermoon and Daoist Xie, and said, These Fellow Daoist Silvermoon and Fellow Daoist Xie, they are to be treated with the same respect as you treat me. Come and pay your respects to them.

We pay our respects to Senior Silvermoon and Senior Xie.

Qi Lingzi had already noticed Silvermoon and Daoist Xie, and he immediately offered his respects to them alongside his disciples at Han Lis behest.

Silvermoon waved a hand with a smile, while Daoist Xie nodded in an expressionless manner.

This here is Zhu Guoer. Hehe, her name is only one character different from Bai Guoer, I was quite surprised as well when I first heard her name. However, she has no relation to Bai Guoer. Instead, she comes from a secret place that very few people know about. Ill tell you about the specifics later, but for now, all you have to know is that shell be by my side for some time, so just treat her like a normal junior martial sister, Han Li introduced. frewebnoel.o

Greetings, Junior Martial Sister Zhu, Im sure Junior Martial Sister Bai would be very pleased to meet you, Qi Lingzi said as he cupped his fist in a smiling salute.

Ill most likely have to stay with Senior Han for a while, I hope well get along well, senior martial brothers, Zhu Guoer said as she extended a curtsey toward Qi Lingzi and Hai Yuetian.

After that, Han Li was filled in by Qi Lingzi and the others on the events that had taken place during his seclusion, and he was particularly interested in why the devilish army had suddenly retreated from the Spirit Realm.

Unfortunately, Qi Lingzi and Hai Yuetian were just as perplexed about this matter as he was.

All he knew was that a truce was suddenly arranged between the devilish army and the panel of elders of Deep Heaven City, following which the devilish army returned to the Elder Devil Realm shortly thereafter.

Subsequently, the human and demon races were able to recover their lost territory very easily, and only very few devilish beings still remained behind, unwilling to leave.

During this period of time, the human and demon races had focused their efforts primarily on repairing the damage caused by the devilish tribulation, as well as to eradicate the remaining devilish beings, and everything was progressing in a positive direction.

Han Li listened carefully to Qi Lingzis description with a calm expression, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

After Qi Lingzi concluded his recount, Han Li paused momentarily in contemplation before asking, So youre saying that the two Grand Ascension Stage beings of our two races suddenly vanished not long after the conclusion of the devilish tribulation.

Thats right, Master. Our cultivation bases are quite lackluster, but we have some ties with the disciples of some of the elders, so we were made aware of the situation as soon as it unfolded. The disappearance of the two seniors is most likely also why the holy island dared to force Deep Heaven City to handle Junior Martial Brother Hai in such a blatant manner. Otherwise, theres no way they would be so brazen and completely disregard the relationship between Master and the two seniors, Qi Lingzi replied.

A cold smile appeared on Han Lis face as he said, Ill be making a trip to the holy island sooner or later. By the way, theres something else I need you to do.

What is it, Master? Ill be sure to give it my best effort, Qi Lingzi immediately replied.

Heres a list of items for you to track down. These items are extremely rare even in the entire Spirit Realm, so even if you cant obtain them, find out their specific whereabouts, and Ill get them myself, Han Li said.

Yes, Master, Qi Lingzi agreed without any hesitation.

Daoist Xies expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but he didnt say anything.

Alright, the two of you can go now, I have some things to discuss with Fellow Daoist Silvermoon, Han Li instructed.

Qi Lingzi and Hai Yuetian naturally had no objections, and they immediately departed from the room.

Zhu Guoer also left the hall in a display of thoughtfulness even though Han Li hadnt asked her to leave.

Thus, Han Li, Daoist Xie, and Silvermoon were the only ones left in the hall.

Silvermoon, did you hear Senior Ao Xiao mention that he was going anywhere prior to your departure? Han Li asked with a solemn expression.

I did not. I am Grandfathers only direct lineal descendant, so if his life is under threat for some reason, then hed definitely tell me. On top of that, there was also nothing strange about Grandfathers behavior prior to my departure, Silvermoon replied, and her expression had also become slightly grim.

In that case, it looks like your grandfather and Senior Mos disappearance must be related to the devilish beings. Deep Heaven City most likely doesnt know any more specific details, either, perhaps only the holy island will know something about this. It looks like I really will have to make a trip to the holy island, Han Li said in a contemplative manner.

Theres no need to be overly concerned about my grandfather, Brother Han, my grandfather and I share the same bloodline, so Ill definitely sense it if something happens to him. If hes fine, then Id presume Senior Mo Jianli also isnt in any danger, Silvermoon said.

Your grandfather and Senior Mo are both Grand Ascension Stage beings, so it certainly wouldnt be easy for them to fall into peril under normal circumstances, Im just concerned that they may have fallen into a devilish trap and are stuck somewhere, unable to escape. After all, trapping a pair of Grand Ascension Stage beings is easier than killing them, Han Li said with a concerned expression.

Silvermoons expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but she was still quite optimistic. Grandfather and Senior Mo are both very wise and cautious, so Im sure that wouldnt have happened.

Perhaps Im overthinking things. Ill ask the elders of Deep Heaven City about this tomorrow, perhaps theyll have some additional information for me, Han Li said as his expression eased slightly, to which Silvermoon nodded in response.

After that, Han Li turned to Daoist Xie, and said, Brother Xie, Ive already asked my disciples to track down the items you asked for, but before I gather them, I hope youll continue to assist me.

Ill remain by your side until you satisfy my conditions or until it becomes apparent that you wont be able to, Daoist Xie replied in an expressionless manner, and Han Li was very pleased to hear this.

Han Li and Silvermoon then discussed some other possible reasons behind the disappearance of the two Grand Ascension Stage beings, but all to no avail in the end, so they could only set this matter aside for now and retire to their respective secret chambers.

The next morning, Elder Gu, Buddhist Monk Jin Yue, and almost all of the other Deep Heaven City elders arrived outside the stone pagoda that Han Li was residing in.

Upon being notified of their arrival by Qi Lingzi, a faint smile appeared on Han Lis face.

It seemed that these elders had all had sleepless nights. Otherwise, they wouldnt have arrived so early.

Qi Lingzi invited all of the elders into the hall at Han Lis behest, and a meeting between the elders and Han Li commenced.

A rather obscure conversation took place between early morning to noon, and only then did the elders depart with differing expressions.

Shortly thereafter, news of Han Lis progression to the Grand Ascension Stage was finally officially announced within Deep Heaven City.

The human and demon beings in the city were initially in disbelief upon hearing this, but this was immediately followed by ecstasy, and many of them were unable to contain their excitement as they poured out onto the streets to celebrate.

With a new Grand Ascension Stage being among their ranks, the two races would be able to establish themselves within the Spirit Realm for tens of thousands of years into the future.

On top of that, Han Li had already earned a resounding reputation for himself back when he was at the Body Integration Stage, and he had lived in Deep Heaven City for quite some time, and this made the inhabitants of Deep Heaven City even more elated for his success, as if his success were their success as well.

This piece of news spread like wildfire toward the rest of the human and demon territories, and of course, it was also revealed that the Grand Ascension Stage celebratory ceremony would be held at Deep Heaven City in a year.

Everyone who received this information was extremely astonished, and they quickly scrambled to verify its authenticity.

Upon ensuring that this was all indeed true, messengers were immediately sent by all powers to Deep Heaven City, expressing confirmation that they would be attending the ceremony.

As for some powers situated too far away from Deep Heaven City, they had already begun preparing congratulatory presents and selecting suitable representatives to send to the ceremony.

Thus, within the short span of only a couple months, almost everyone in the human and demon races had been made aware of this new Grand Ascension cultivator, as well as the celebratory ceremony that was about to be held soon.

Even the nearby races, including the Spirit Race and Yaksha Race, confirmed that they would also be sending envoys to attend the ceremony.

The only reaction that was rather peculiar came from the holy island, they seemed to be a little indifferent to the event and didnt make an effort to promote it.

Aside from the various powers and nearby foreign races, many of the vastly renowned vagrant cultivators of the human and demon races had also come out of seclusion in preparation to head to Deep Heaven City.

It was a common convention that all new Grand Ascension Stage beings would hold a lecture during their celebratory ceremonies, disclosing their thoughts and experiences while progressing to the Grand Ascension Stage.

This was naturally an extremely rare opportunity for those preparing for the Grand Ascension Stage breakthrough, or had been stumped by the bottleneck for countless years.

Perhaps listening to Han Lis experience would provide them with the final catalyst required to make the breakthrough. After all, similar things had happened during some past Grand Ascension Stage celebratory ceremonies.

Han Li merely waved a nonchalant hand, and said, I havent informed anyone of my breakthrough, so none of you are to blame.

Elder Gu and the others were very relieved to hear this, and only then did they dare to stand up straight again. Thank you for your kindness, Senior Han.

In contrast, the yellow-haired man and hideous womans faces were completely devoid of color, and they looked as if they had just seen a ghost.

It was no wonder that they were displaying such a reaction. After all, they had just offended a new Grand Ascension cultivator, and one who was likely to be the only guiding force for the human and demon races for tens of thousands of years to come.

At this moment, the purplish-golden hand within the light barrier silently dissipated, and Du Yu collapsed onto the platform, lacking the energy to muster up even a single word.

Han Li took a glance at Du Yu, then turned to the yellow-haired man, and said, Take Fellow Daoist Du away, and tell the elders of the holy island that my disciples are not to be used as cannon fodder. However, if they require my services for anything, I would be happy to help.

Well be sure to relay the message, Senior Han. Well be taking our leave now, the yellow-haired man hurriedly said as he extended another deep bow.

The hideous woman also quickly chimed in in agreement.

Han Li nodded in response before waving a dismissive hand, and only then did the two of them dare to fly onto the platform.

They then helped Du Yu to his feet before hurriedly departing from the sparring hall.

As for the two treasures of Du Yus that Han Li had taken, they didnt even dare to mention it.

Following the departure of the holy island envoys, Han Li turned to the elders with a smile, and said, Please excuse me, fellow daoists, Ive been away for quite some time and must go back to check on my disciples. If theres anything youd like to discuss with me, please visit me tomorrow.

Of course. It mustve been a long journey for you to return to the city, so its only right that we give you some time to rest and visit you later, Senior Han.

Indeed, I hope you wont refuse an audience with us when the time comes.

A faint smile appeared on Han Lis face at the sight of Elder Gu and Buddhist Monk Jin Yues respectful displays, and he merely extended a parting salute before departing with Silvermoon and the others.

Fairy Silver Light looked on with a blank expression for a long while before murmuring to herself in a barely audible voice, So he really did manage to progress to the Grand Ascension Stage, looks like Sister Silvermoon really has chosen the right person this time.

Her voice was filled with elation, but also a hint of wistfulness.

As for all of the elders who had supported handing over Hai Yuetian to the holy island, all of them were feeling very fearful now that it had been determined that Han Li was a Grand Ascension cultivator. If Han Li were to hear about the stance they had taken and decided to take revenge on them for it, then they would definitely be in a world of trouble.

Meanwhile, as Han Lis group emerged outside the hall, Silvermoon suddenly smiled, and asked, Are you going to let the holy island envoys go this easily, Brother Han? Arent you worried that theyll harbor resentment and plot against you?

With my current status, theyll be thanking their lucky stars if I dont harbor any resentment toward them, theres no way theyd dare to plot against me, Han Li replied in a nonchalant manner.

That Du Yu was able to manifest a holy projection, so hes clearly no ordinary late-Body Integration cultivator, arent you afraid that hell also progress to the Grand Ascension Stage in the future? Silvermoon chuckled. freewebnvel.co

Setting aside whether hell be able to advance to the Grand Ascension Stage, even if he does succeed, itll only be a minor inconvenience for me at most, Han Li replied with a confident smile.

Even back at the late-Body Integration Stage, he could ensure self-preservation against Grand Ascension Stage beings, now that he had progressed to the Grand Ascension Stage himself, he naturally wasnt going to fear other beings of the same caliber.

Thats true. Most importantly, with your current status, it would be unbefitting of you to stoop to plotting against a group of Body Integration cultivators, Silvermoon chuckled.

Hehe, thats true as well, Han Li replied, but he knew that if those holy island envoys actually posed a threat to him, he would kill them without any hesitation, even if doing so would be unbefitting of someone of his status.

……

Several hours later, Han Li sat down on the main seat of the hall situated on the top floor of the pagoda he was residing in.

Hai Yuetian and Qi Lingzi were knelt before him alongside around a dozen of their disciples, and all of them were extremely excited.

No need for formalities. I can see that you two havent slacked off, both of you have made good progress in your cultivation, Han Li said as he swept a sleeve through the air to help everyone to their feet.

Congratulations on progressing to the Grand Ascension Stage, Master. Not only is this a massive blessing to all of us disciples, its also a huge stroke of fortune for the entire human race, Qi Lingzi said in a respectful manner.

They had been living in constant apprehension due to the imminent arrival of the holy island envoys, but not only did the dreaded envoys not arrive, their master returned instead, and immediately told them that he had already progressed to the Grand Ascension Stage.

Such a massive contrast naturally filled the hearts of Qi Lingzi and Hai Yuetian with elation.

During Han Lis absence, Qi Lingzi had already progressed to the late-Deity Transformation Stage, while Hai Yuetian had also recently advanced to the Deity Transformation Stage.

The two of them were able to make such fast progress partly due to their exceptional cultivation aptitude, but also thanks to the huge amount of pills left to them by Han Li prior to his departure.

With Han Lis enormous wealth, he was able to easily leave his two disciples sufficient pills both for their cultivation, as well as for their breakthroughs. Otherwise, they wouldnt have been able to progress to this point so easily.

A faint smile appeared on Han Lis face, and he said, I was quite fortunate to have managed to break through to the Grand Ascension Stage. If it isnt for the customary celebratory ceremonies held by each race whenever a new Grand Ascension Stage being emerges among their ranks, Id be inclined to keep this a secret. Theres no need for you two to do anything prior to the official announcement, just send some people to deliver messages to the important figures in our human race so that all fellow daoists will have enough time to ensure their attendance. The ceremony will be held a year from now in Deep Heaven City.

Yes, Master, Qi Lingzi and Hai Yuetian answered in unison.

By the way, where are Fellow Daoist Ice Phoenix and Bai Guoer? Why arent they here? Han Li suddenly asked.

Bai Guoer returned following the conclusion of the devilish tribulation, but she went on a journey with some friends several years ago, and she occasionally sends some letters back to us. As for Senior Ice Phoenix, she ventured into the primordial world on her own several decades ago, and we havent received any news from her yet. However, she left us with a soul lamp prior to her departure, and it shows that shes still alive and well, Qi Lingzi replied.

The primordial world is a massive place, so its not uncommon even for someone to remain there for several centuries. Fellow Daoist Ice Phoenix must have her own reasons for embarking on this journey, so theres no need for any concern. In contrast, Bai Guoer is being a little reckless here, her Ice Essence Bodys true essence will be extremely beneficial to those who are also using glacial cultivation arts, so she could easily find herself being targeted by sinister individuals. Send her a message right away to get her to return, Han Li instructed as his brows furrowed slightly.

Forgive me for not considering this myself, Master, Ill get that done right away, Qi Lingzi hurriedly replied.

Immediately thereafter, he issued an instruction to one of his own disciples. The disciple extended a respectful bow toward Han Li, then immediately departed from the hall.

All of a sudden, a hint of a smile appeared on Han Lis face as he cast his gaze toward Hai Yuetian. Tell me about whats been happening with you recently, Yuetian. In particular, tell me about how you disclosed the existence of your recessive lightning spiritual root.

An awkward look appeared on Hai Yuetians face upon hearing this, and he replied, Lets not go into detail about that, I know what I did wrong, Master.

Hmph, what did I tell you before I left? Your recessive lightning spiritual root could get you killed, so you have to be careful not to reveal its existence to anyone. What did you do? You go and tell everyone in a drunken rant! If I hadnt returned in time, you wouldve brought disaster upon yourself and perhaps even your senior martial brother as well, Han Li said as a cold look appeared on his face.

I wont do it again, Master, Hai Yuetian hurriedly replied as he fell to his knees again.

Now that Im at the Grand Ascension Stage, I was able to easily turn down the holy island envoys, but your recessive lightning spiritual root is one of very few things that can weaken lightning tribulations, if a powerful Grand Ascension Stage being from a foreign race comes to me asking for you, what am I supposed to do? Han Li continued in a cold voice.

Hai Yuetians face paled slightly upon hearing this, and he didnt even dare to raise his head as he replied, This is all my fault, Master. If that day comes, then just hand me over, I deserve to reap what I sow.

Hand you over? Dont even think about it! My reputation would be swept to the ground if I were to do that! After this celebratory ceremony, adopt a different name and leave this place for now, only return to me after everything subsides and youre no longer under any scrutiny, Han Li said after a brief moment of contemplation.