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Golden seal text was different from beveled silver text, and there were most likely not more than 10 beings in total among the human and demon races who could interpret the former.

Those who were able to read this spirit text all regarded it as an extraordinary treasure, and kept it a secret from everyone else.

As such, even though it was clear that there were definitely people among the two races that could interpret golden seal text, it was quite difficult to identify just who these people were.

At the very least, the man in the crimson light most likely didnt understand this spirit text. Otherwise, he wouldnt have been completely stumped by it.

If Han Li hadnt learned this spirit text back in the Vast Glacial Realm, he would also be just as helpless in the face of this treasure.

Han Li stared at the golden runes for a moment before they vanished once again, and his brows furrowed slightly as he flicked several fingers toward the scroll in quick succession to release more streaks of azure sword Qi.

Upon being struck by the streaks of sword Qi, more golden runes appeared, and they were slightly different from the ones before.

Han Lis heart stirred slightly as he continued to release a relentless string of sword Qi, and the scroll was instantly inundated by azure light.

Balls of golden light erupted from the surface of the scroll, and the entire piece of golden seal text was revealed.

Blue light flashed through Han Lis eyes as he focused his gaze on these golden runes in an intent unblinking manner, and only after a long while did he cease releasing the relentless string of sword Qi.

The spiritual light shimmering from the scroll faded, as did the golden runes, and Han Li made a grabbing motion to draw the scroll back into his grasp as a contemplative look appeared on his face.

He had already memorized that entire piece of text and briefly analyzed it as well.

If he werent mistaken, this piece of spirit text was describing the setup method for a profound formation.

The wording was slightly ambiguous, but what was certain was that if he were to completely master the contents of this piece of text, he should be able to set up the entire formation.

The formation wasnt very big, but it was far more profound and intricate than the vast majority of formations Han Li had seen in the Spirit Realm in the past.

If it werent for the fact that he had been carefully studying the used talismans he had obtained from the Vast Glacial Realm, he wouldnt have been able to understand the contents of that piece of text at all.

After all, recognizing golden seal text runes and mastering a formation inscribed in golden seal text were two completely different matters altogether.

Furthermore, Han Li estimated that it would be impossible for him to completely master this formation unless he studied it diligently for several decades. Even though he was very interested in just what was sealed within the scroll, there was no way that he would waste so much time on it at such a crucial juncture.

Thus, he exhaled as he stowed the golden scroll away into his storage bracelet, and after that, he flipped a hand over to reveal a winding section of reddish-black wood that was around half a foot in length.

The piece of wood was completely devoid of any luster and was constantly expelling wisps of blood mist, it was none other than the Weeping Spirit Blood Wood he had secured at the auction!

After bringing out this item, the storage bracelet on Han Lis wrist continued to flash with spiritual light, and a series of materials appeared in rapid succession.

A faint smile appeared on Han Lis face at the sight of these items, and he suddenly tossed the piece of wood up into the air before opening his mouth to expel a ball of silver flames.

The flames instantly swept up the entire piece of wood and blood mist and silver flames intertwined amid a string of loud crackles and pops.

Han Li made a hand seal with one hand while reaching out with his other hand, and all of the materials on the ground instantly also rose up into the air before plunging into the silver flames. freeebnovel.com

Blue light flashed through his eyes as he stared intently on the silver flames in the air and focused the entirety of his attention on it.

He stayed in the secret chamber the entire day, and even his nightly cultivation lessons with Hai Yuetian and Qi Lingzi were conducted through voice transmission as they stood on the other side of the door of the secret chamber.

Seven days passed by, and Han Li finally emerged from the secret chamber.

As soon as he emerged, he accompanied Hai Yuetian and Qi Lingzi hundreds of thousands of kilometers away from Nine Immortal Mountain in the dead of night, then gave them some pills and treasures, and sent them on their way to Deep Heaven City.

He then returned to Nine Immortal Mountain himself, and a few days later, he was paid a visit by Daoist Master Myriad Bone.

Han Li conversed with the Daoist priest for a long time in the hall before the latter departed, and at the same time, a few other vagrant cultivators in the Immortal Welcome Palaces on Nine Immortal Mountain left at around the same time, then disappeared without a trace.

Half a day later, a group of Body Integration Stage vagrant cultivators, including Han Li, gathered at a certain place. Their meeting was quite a brief one and had been held in a secretive fashion, so no one noticed what they were doing.

During the rest of the Myriad Treasure Convention, Han Li frequently visited the markets, purchasing some materials from time to time. During the rest of the time, he met with some other Body Integration Stage fellow Daoists, and also visited some other secret exchange conventions, reaping some rewards during the process.

Daier would also come to find him once every several days, and even though she never had anything important or urgent to speak with him about, they would always have an enjoyable conversation before she departed in high spirits.

However, it was still slightly jarring to see Daiers appearance, which so closely mirrored that of Nangong Wan.

As the Myriad Treasure Convention was about to draw to a conclusion, Heavenly Yuan Holy Sovereign and Xuan Wu Tyrant Sovereign sent out people to recruit the vagrant Body Integration cultivators on Nine Immortal Mountain again, promising them extremely bountiful rewards for their services, and they really did manage to successfully recruit a few vagrant cultivators.

Of course, Han Li rejected the offer once more, and several days prior to the conclusion of the Myriad Treasure Convention, he departed from Nine Immortal Mountain, disappearing without a trace alongside Bai Guoer.

Following the conclusion of the Myriad Treasure Convention, the humans and demons gathered at Nine Immortal Mountain all departed as well, and around a month later, peace and quiet resumed on the mountain with the exception of the group of guards that remained there.

As time passed, all of the rumors that had spread from this edition of the Myriad Treasure Convention gradually faded from everyones memories as well.

…

Four years passed by in the blink of an eye.

On this day, a group of human cultivators suddenly flew from a certain direction toward a secretive and secluded mountain in the Tian Yuan Region. The group was comprised of cultivators of both genders and all age ranges, and they all wore different attire, but there was an azure Gu character embroidered on the sleeves of all of their clothing.

There was a clear majority of women in the group, all of whom were extremely beautiful, and this group of close to 100 cultivators descended onto the peak of the mountain.

Some of them immediately set up a simple protective formation, while the rest immediately sat down with their legs crossed on some relatively clean patches on the mountain before closing their eyes to meditate.

This group of cultivators was led by a yellow-haired elderly man, and a young woman in a blue palatial dress.

Both of them were at the late-Spatial Tempering Stage, and their lips were tremoring slightly as they conversed with one another through voice transmission.

The elderly man glanced up at the sky before transmitting his voice to the young woman. Family Leader Xiao Feng, this is the Turtle Watch Peak that you arranged to meet that man on, and the agreed time for our meeting is fast approaching, hes not going to go back on his word, is he?

Rest assured, Elder Xiao, with that mans current status, theres no way he would revoke his promise. On top of that, prior to this meeting, he voluntarily sent someone to us for confirmation, so Im sure hell turn up, the young woman replied without any hesitation.

Thats good to hear. Our grand elder was injured in the primordial world, and following her return, she had to immediately go into seclusion for 100 years, which has resulted in her missing this true spirit ceremony. Shes the only Body Integration cultivator of our Gu Family, so without her presence, our prospects in this ceremony wouldnt be very optimistic at all. Its a good thing that you had the foresight to recruit a Body Integration cultivator in advance. Otherwise, our Gu Family may as well spare ourselves the embarrassment and not participate in this ceremony at all, the elderly man sighed.

Indeed. The results of this true spirit ceremony will decide if and how many members of our family will be able to enter the Spirit Dwelling Cave, and itll also play a pivotal role in deciding whether well receive many other types of benefits, so we cant give up on it no matter what. Our grand elder secured a good ranking for our Gu Family during the last ceremony, and I had thought that with another Body Integration cultivator to assist us, wed be able to secure a higher ranking, but who wouldve thought that our grand elder would be forced to miss this edition of the ceremony? Under these circumstances, Ill be happy if we can retain our original ranking, the young woman said with a wry smile on her face.

Thats true. This Senior Han has only just progressed to the Body Integration Stage around 10 years ago, after all, so no matter how exceptional his aptitude is, theres no way he could compare with our grand elder, whos been at the Body Integration Stage for close to 10,000 years. On top of that, our grand elder possesses a true spirit bloodline, and if she were to activate that bloodline, the gap between the two would widen even further, the elderly man sighed as a wry smile also appeared on his face.

Its not ideal, but if we dont have any Body Integration cultivators among us, then our performance will be even more horrible during this true spirit ceremony, the young woman said with a dark expression.

Indeed, all of the top five true spirit families have Body Integration cultivators among their ranks, the elderly man said in a resigned manner.

Both of them fell silent thereafter, and it was as if they had lost the urge to further this conversation.

Time slowly passed by, and around four hours later, a streak of azure light appeared in the distant sky, and a hint of elation appeared in the young womans eyes upon seeing this. Hes here!

The elderly man peered carefully into the streak of oncoming azure light through narrowed eyes, but the light was very bright and piercing, and he could only just barely make out two humanoid figures within it, one of which was quite a bit taller than the other.

In the next instant, the streak of azure light arrived in the air above the mountain, following which the light faded to reveal an azure-robed young man, and an adorable little girl who appeared to be around 13 to 14 years of age.

You want to stay with me? Han Li seemed to be rather taken aback to hear this.

Im aware that Ill only weigh you down in my current state, but I possess some aptitude in formations and spatial abilities, so perhaps I can lend you some assistance. On top of that, I have a burst of Heavenly Phoenix Origin Yin Qi within my body that should be extremely effective in improving your chances of breaking through future bottlenecks. As long as I can return to my former cultivation base, Im willing to transfer this Origin Yin Qi to you, the silver-robed woman said with a faint blush on her face.

What? Are you saying…

Please dont misunderstand, Fellow Daoist Han, our Ice Phoenix Race had an inherited secret technique that can allow us to expel our Heavenly Phoenix Origin Yin Qi out of our bodies without having to engage in dual cultivation. Of course, the effect will be slightly less potent, but it should still provide some assistance to you, the silver-robed woman explained as her expression reverted back to normal.

A hint of surprise flashed through Han Lis eyes upon hearing this, and after some contemplation, he said in a serious manner, I see. In that case, I would indeed like your assistance when the time comes. In the meantime, you can stay with me, but there are some things that I have to make clear to you first so you dont regret your decision later on.

The silver-robed woman was elated to hear that Han Li was willing to consider her proposal, and she immediately prompted, Please go ahead, Brother Han.

Firstly, I cant guarantee that youll be absolutely safe by staying with me. Setting aside everything else, just the imminent devilish tribulation will be an extremely difficult hurdle for Body Integration cultivators like me to overcome. Even Im not fully confident in my ability to survive that ordeal. Secondly, I have some secrets that I dont want other people to know. If you want to stay with me, then you have to follow my instructions in your cultivation, as well as everything else. If you cant accept such limitations, then feel free to leave. Lastly, due to the fact that youre a demon, in the presence of others, youll most likely have to appear beside me as a concubine or servant, which may tarnish your reputation, Han Li said in a slow voice.

Devilish tribulation? I dont know much about that, but seeing as its something thatll impact both the human and demon races, Im sure I wouldnt be any safer anywhere else. If I were to seek refuge with a major power in my current state, I wouldnt most likely just be used as cannon fodder, so its much safer for me to stay with you. As for everything else, Ill naturally follow your lead. With your current status, countless Core Formation and Nascent Soul Stage female cultivators would flock to your side if you were to announce that you were searching for a servant or concubine, so such an arrangement doesnt bother me in the slightest, the silver-robed woman replied with a nonchalant smile.

In that case, Ill agree to let you stay with me. Here are some pills for you, prior to the conclusion of the Myriad Treasure Convention, stay in this secret chamber for now and cultivate. Once we return to my cave abode, Ill set up a separate place for you to cultivate, Han Li said as he swept a hand over his storage bracelet, producing several jade vials of different colors before tossing them toward the silver-robed woman.

The woman caught the vials one after another before removing their lids and inspecting their contents with her spiritual sense, upon which an elated look appeared on her face.

I didnt think you would have so many pills that can enhance ones magic power. In that case, Ill definitely be able to return to my former cultivation base very soon.

Hehe, rest assured, Fairy Phoenix, I have more than enough Core Formation and Nascent Soul Stage pills to satisfy your needs. If you require anything else, feel free to tell me. I presume that the higher your cultivation base is, the more efficacious your Heavenly Phoenix Origin Yin Qi will be for me. In order to transcend this devilish tribulation, Ill most likely have to borrow your Heavenly Phoenix Origin Yin Qi at some point during the next few centuries, Han Li said with a smile.

Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Han, Im not one to repay kindness with ingratitude. When the time comes, Ill be sure to do everything in my power to help you, the silver-robed woman said with a gorgeous smile that lit up her cold features, evoking imagery akin to that of countless flowers blooming through the winter snow, and even Han Li couldnt help but stare for a moment in a transfixed manner.

She seemed to have detected the entrancement in Han Lis eyes, and a faint blush appeared on her face as she extended another curtsey. Seeing as youve agreed to allow me to stay with you, Ill begin cultivating right away. The sooner I can recover my magic power, the sooner Ill be of assistance to you.

Alright, I have to examine the treasures Ive obtained from the convention, so you can cultivate in this secret chamber. A hint of clarity returned to Han Lis eyes, and he nodded before departing from the secret chamber.

Following Han Lis departure, the silver-robed woman stood on the spot with a peculiar look in her eyes for a long while before heaving a faint sigh. She then opened one of the medicine vials and tipped out a fiery red pill before swallowing it.

After that, she took a seat on the futon that Han Li had been sitting on before, and began to refine the power of the pill.

Meanwhile, Han Li had made his way to another secret chamber nearby that was of an identical size, and he was also seated on the ground, examining a near-transparent golden pill through narrowed eyes.

As expected of such a renowned pill, it really is different from everything Ive seen before. Hopefully, itll truly be as effective in assisting me in my breakthroughs as the legends claim, Han Li murmured to himself before carefully stowing the pill away again.

After that, spiritual light flashed from his hands again, and two items appeared at once, one of which was a golden scroll, while the other was a golden cloth pouch.

The scroll was one of the three treasures that Han Li had obtained from the man in the crimson light, while the golden pouch was the second treasure that he had secured from the Black Realm.

Han Li tossed the golden scroll up, and paid no further heed to it as it hovered in mid-air. He then focused his attention on the golden pouch and loosened its opening, releasing a string of azure light that shot forth from within the pouch amid a loud buzzing sound.

Green light flashed, and 12 green wooden rods that were each several inches in length appeared before him. The rods flew through the air in pursuit of one another as if they had already attained some spiritual nature.

Han Li made a hand seal upon seeing this before letting loose a low cry as he abruptly reached out with one hand.

Five bursts of azure light surged forth from his fingertips, then transformed into countless azure threads that dispersed through the air. The threads then intertwined to form a massive azure net that encompassed the entire secret chamber.

In the next instant, the 12 green wooden rods were caught like fish within a net. Despite the fact that they were constantly turning and twisting in an attempt to free themselves, they were completely trapped by the azure threads.

A faint smile appeared on Han Lis face, and he withdrew his outstretched hand. The azure net immediately tightened, and the 12 wooden rods were all dragged toward him, and he plucked one of them out of the net before inspecting it in a careful manner.

The surface of the wooden rod was a vibrant green color, and it was covered in a series of extremely profound silver runes. However, what was even more astonishing was the bursts of pure and viscous spiritual Qi emanating from these wooden rods.

So these really are the legendary Spirit Gathering Stakes! To think that Spiriteye Wood was used as the main material to refine as many as 12 embryos, what an extravagant project! I wonder if Ill be able to completely refine this set of treasures someday. With the assistance of the completed version of these treasures, Ill be able to absorb spiritual power from heaven and earth at a far faster rate, Han Li murmured to himself in a contemplative manner as he stroked the wooden rod in his hand.

After a short while, he shook his head before tossing the wooden rod into the azure net again. He then made a hand seal, and the entire net transformed into a burst of azure light that swept up the 12 rods before drawing them into the golden pouch again.

Han Li pointed a finger toward the pouch, and its opening was immediately sealed shut. After that, he stowed the pouch away in his storage bracelet, then cast his gaze toward the golden scroll that was hovering in mid-air.

He reached out and gently waved a hand, and the scroll was drawn into his grasp. It was slightly cool to the touch, but it had the texture of soft fabric.

Blue light flashed through Han Lis eyes as he carefully inspected the scroll inch by inch at close range, and after a while, his brows furrowed slightly.

This scroll appeared to have no openings at all to exploit, and even through the use of his Brightsight Spirit Eyes ability, he was only greeted by the sight of nothing more than golden light, and he was completely unable to see into it.

He took a deep breath before releasing his enormous spiritual sense, and a wisp of it instantly surged toward the scroll. However, in the next instant, he abruptly flicked his wrist, and the scroll was hurled around 10 feet away.

In the instant that his spiritual sense had made contact with the scroll, a burst of powerful suction force had erupted from it and devoured that wisp of spiritual sense in the blink of an eye. The suction force then attempted to move on to the rest of his spiritual sense, and if he hadnt reacted as quickly as he did, he wouldve most likely lost more than just the wisp of spiritual sense he had released.

Han Li stared at the golden scroll in the distance in a slightly alarmed manner, and after taking a moment to regain his composure, it dawned on him that this thing was going to be very difficult to crack. After a brief moment of contemplation, he suddenly pointed a finger toward the golden scroll, and an azure sword thread instantly shot forth.

The sword thread struck the scroll with a crisp clang, and golden light flashed from its surface. The sword thread was completely repelled and kept at bay, and it had failed to even leave the slightest trace on the scroll.

Han Lis expression changed drastically upon seeing this. With his current Body Integration Stage powers in addition to the sharpness of his Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords, there werent many things in the entire Spirit Realm that his sword threads would fail to slice through. However, this scroll had managed to remain completely unscathed, which suggested that at the very least, it had to have been constructed from some kind of extremely rare material.

It was no wonder that the man in the crimson light was so unwilling to part with this scroll even though he had no way of opening it. However, this item couldnt be infiltrated using spiritual sense, and it was clearly near indestructible, so it seemed that its seal truly couldnt be broken through brute force.

With that in mind, Han Li focused his gaze on the golden runes that had suddenly appeared on the surface of the scroll.

Those were none other than golden seal text runes! However, they had been hiding within the scroll initially, and had only suddenly appeared after being struck by that sword thread of his.

The entire exchange convention had taken almost a day and a night, and when Han Li returned to the Immortal Welcome Palace, it was noon the next day.

He summoned Hai Yuetian and Qi Lingzi to his room, and he was relieved upon hearing confirmation that nothing out of the ordinary had taken place during his absence.

After sending his two in-name disciples away, he entered the secret chamber before taking a seat on a futon.

He then flipped a hand over to produce a blue spirit beast bracelet, which he tossed up into the air.

A burst of blue light swept forth from the bracelet, and a translucent ice cage appeared before him.

Within the ice cage was the snowy white Ice Phoenix, and it clearly didnt expect to be released so soon. It hurriedly flapped its wings to release a silver halo of light that instantly concealed its body, then turned to Han Li with a cautious expression.

After catching sight of Han Li, a hint of disbelief immediately appeared in the Ice Phoenixs eyes, and it exclaimed, Its you? How could this be?

It had the pleasant voice of a young woman, but it was slightly cold and forbidding.

Long time no see, Fairy Phoenix. I didnt think that we would be reunited here, Han Li sighed as he appraised the Ice Phoenix.

This Ice Phoenix was naturally none other than the very same Ice Phoenix that had ventured with him into that spatial node back in the human world. In the end, they had been forcibly separated by spatial storms, only to be reunited now.

This Ice Phoenix had once stood at the very pinnacle of the human world, yet after just a few centuries, she had been reduced to a state where she was unable to even take on a human form, and had been sealed into a cage as a spirit beast. Han Li couldnt help but think to himself about how fate and fortune worked in such remarkable ways at times.

At the same time, he was filled with indescribable emotion at the sight of the Ice Phoenix that he had worked with to travel to the Spirit Realm.

She was the reason behind his decision to accept the exchange proposed at the convention.

So it really is you, Brother Han. That must mean you were the one who exchanged for me during the convention. Have you already reached the Spatial Tempering Stage? The Ice Phoenixs voice was still as cold as ever, but it was trembling slightly.

Thats right, it is indeed me. As for my cultivation base, thats something that youll find out soon enough. Never did I think that I would meet you during the Black Realm Exchange Conference, and under such remarkable circumstances, at that. It appears that fate has decided that its not yet time for us to completely sever our ties. Let me get you out of this cage first. Azure light flashed from one of Han Lis fingers as he spoke, and he tapped his fingertip onto the golden and silver talismans on the cage.

The talismans immediately drifted off the cage amid a bright flash of light, and the cage was also opened at the same time.

Thank you, Fellow Daoist Han.

The Ice Phoenix was still slightly bewildered, but she was naturally elated to see this, and she flapped her wings before flying out of the cage as a ball of white light.

Immediately thereafter, the Ice Phoenixs body swelled drastically to over five feet in length amid a flash of silver light. The feathers on her body were glittering and transparent, and it looked as if she had been carved out of profound ice.

The Ice Phoenix stretched her elegant body before shaking her head in a forlorn manner. Unfortunately, Im unable to metamorphosize, so Ill only be able to converse with you in this form. Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist.

Thats alright, with the foundation that youve built up in the past, it would be a simple task for you to return to the metamorphosis stage after the seal within your body is lifted, Han Li said with a smile.

I see youve identified the seal within my body, Brother Han. This restriction was planted by that Body Integration cultivator, and its quite troublesome. According to him, it seems that only other Body Integration cultivators will be able to undo the restriction. The Ice Phoenix had clearly assumed that Han Li was only at the Spatial Tempering Stage, so she didnt think that he would be able to do anything.

Hehe, is that so? Let me give this a try, Han Li chuckled before suddenly reaching out with a pristine white hand and laying it onto one of the Ice Phoenixs pristine white wings.

A burst of five-colored flames immediately surged forth, flooding into the Ice Phoenixs body in a frenzy.

The Ice Phoenix felt a burst of glacial power instantly flow through her meridians before crashing violently against the layers of restrictions within her body. The restrictions were quickly destroyed, and she was naturally ecstatic to see this, but also very astonished.

To think that he could undo these seals so easily, could it be that he was already at the Body Integration Stage? That was downright incredible!

It was somewhat plausible that Han Li had been able to progress to the Spatial Tempering Stage within a few centuries if he had encountered some miraculous opportunities during this time, but the Body Integration Stage was surely beyond his reach.

These thoughts flashed rapidly through the Ice Phoenixs mind, and after the restrictions within her body were undone, she opened her beak to say something, but in the next instant, her heart stirred slightly, and she reflexively swallowed her words.

After breaking the restrictions, the burst of glacial power within her meridians didnt leave her body right away. Instead, it converged toward her dantian and surged into her demon core.

The Ice Phoenix was slightly bewildered by this, but Han Lis enormous true essence was far too powerful for her to resist, so she could only passively accept this injection of glacial power.

Moments later, her aura spiked drastically, and she reached a certain bottleneck in the blink of an eye.

A dull thump rang out, and a ball of piercing white light erupted forth, inundating her entire body.

Only then did Han Li withdraw his hand with a faint smile on his face.

The scintillating white light swirled before fading away, and a silver-robed woman appeared before his eyes.

The Ice Phoenix had managed to adopt her human form.

The silver-robed womans eyes were filled with excitement, and she examined her own body in an elated manner before extending a grateful curtsey toward Han Li. I must thank you once again, Fellow Daoist Han.

Theres no need to be so polite and formal. If we hadnt worked together several centuries ago, I definitely wouldnt have been able to come to the Spirit Realm on my own. Besides, the burst of true essence that I injected into your body is only enough to temporarily boost you to the metamorphosis stage. If you want to be able to permanently maintain this form, then you have to go into seclusion right away. Otherwise, once this burst of true essence fades away, youll be forced to revert back to your original form, Han Li reminded.

Of course. With the assistance of this burst of true essence, Im sure Ill be able to return to the Deity Transformation Stage far faster than I would otherwise be able to. It seems that you really have progressed to the Body Integration Stage, Fellow Daoist Han. It looks like Ill have to refer to you as Senior Han from now on, the silver-robed woman sighed with a peculiar look on her face.

I was only able to reach this cultivation base through enormous turns of fortune. With your aptitude as an Ice Phoenix, itll only be a matter of time before you reach the Body Integration Stage as well. You are my only acquaintance from the human world here in the Spirit Realm, so please refer to me as an equal. Otherwise, I would feel rather uncomfortable, Han Li said in a nonchalant manner.

The silver-robed woman could tell that Han Li was being genuine, and said, In that case, then please pardon me, Brother Han.

How were you captured and reduced to such a pitiful state, Fellow Daoist Phoenix? Han Li couldnt help but ask.

Now that you mention it, you are partially to blame for my misfortune, the silver-robed woman replied with a wry smile.

Han Li faltered momentarily before an enlightened look appeared on his face. Oh? Could it be that the restrictions I planted in your body back then activated after we were separated?

Indeed. You sure planted some extremely profound restrictions within my body, Brother Han. It took me close to 100 years to just barely refine them, but I was severely debilitated as a result and was targeted by a bunch of cowards. I managed to escape through the use of a secret technique, but my cultivation base plummeted thereafter, and I ended up in this current state. Come to think of it, if that Body Integration cultivator hadnt stepped in to save me, I would most likely be dead by now. However, after he discovered that I was unable to metamorphosize, he merely treated me like a spirit beast and was preparing to make me his bonded spirit beast. I naturally refused to accept such an arrangement, so I was locked up in this cage, the silver-robed woman explained.

Han Li nodded in response before asking, Oh? Do you know who this Body Integration cultivator is?

The silver-robed woman considered this question momentarily before replying, Im afraid not. That man is very proficient in illusionary techniques, and would often change his appearance and location, making it impossible for me to glean his true appearance. The only thing that Im sure of is that hes a Devil Dao cultivator of your human race and not part of the demon race.

A devilish cultivator? There are only a few renowned Devil Dao Body Integration cultivators in our human race, he should be one of them, Han Li said with a contemplative nod.

Regardless of who he is, he did save my life. Then again, he did try to force me to become his spirit beast thereafter, so I guess were even now. The silver-robed woman didnt seem to harbor any resentment toward her Body Integration Stage captor, and it was impossible to tell whether she actually thought this or whether she had no choice but to say this as she couldnt exact vengeance on a Body Integration cultivator anyway.

Han Li smiled in response before changing the subject. Now that youre free, what are your future plans? Are you planning to return to the demon race? The Black Phoenix Race has also inherited the bloodline of the Heavenly Phoenix, so Im sure youll be treated quite well there.

The silver-robed womans composure immediately cracked upon hearing mention of the Black Phoenix Race, and she gritted her teeth in a resentful manner as she said, The Black Phoenix Race? Hmph, the cowards who targeted me and dealt those debilitating injuries upon me were none other than members of the Black Phoenix Race. If I go to them in my current state, I may as well serve my own head up on a silver platter!

Han Li was quite surprised to hear this, and after a brief pause, he continued, The ones who injured you were members of the Black Phoenix Race? That makes things quite troublesome. What are your plans, then, Fairy Phoenix?

The silver-robed woman contemplated this question for a long while before finally replying in a hesitant manner, I want to stay with you before I recover my magic power, is that alright? As a Body Integration cultivator, Im sure youll be more than capable of protecting me. Im simply far too weak in my current state, and the fact that Im an Ice Phoenix is bound to attract endless problems for me. No matter where I hide, someone will track me down, and I could end up in an even worse situation than before.

The golden-masked figure also immediately rose to his feet upon witnessing the actions of the man in the crimson light.

As one of the organizers of this convention, he naturally couldnt just stand by idly if someone were to start trouble in the Black Realm.

Please dont misunderstand, Fellow Daoist, I bear no ill will. Its just that this Sinful Cloud is indeed extremely important to me, so I implore you to wait for a while longer. Give me some time to try and secure a treasure that fits your requirements, and if that doesnt work, then I definitely wont press the issue any further, the figure in the crimson light explained in an urgent manner as he held up his hands as a display of his pure intentions.

The figure within the black Qi hesitated momentarily before nodding in response. You want me to wait some more? Alright, I can tell that you really do want this Sinful Cloud, so Ill give you 10 more minutes. If you still cant get what I want by then, I wont waste any more time here.

It was quite clear that the man in the crimson light was desperate to secure this Sinful Cloud, and the man in the black Qi was also very eager to get his hands on a Divine Spirit Treasure. Neither of them wanted to give up, even if there were only the slightest sliver of an opportunity for them.

The man in the crimson light heaved a faint sigh of relief upon securing agreement from the owner of the Sinful Cloud, and after a brief pause for contemplation, he waved a hand over his storage bracelet in an extremely reluctant manner to produce a shimmering golden scroll.

I once ventured into a set of ancient ruins, within which I almost met my demise on several occasions, and I found this scroll in there. This scroll is extremely mysterious, and I have no way of opening it without damaging it, so Ive kept it in its original condition for all this time. However, Im sure that this scroll contains astonishing secrets as the seal of this scroll is inscribed in golden seal text. Im willing to exchange my Clear Cleansing Pill and this scroll for an offensive Divine Spirit Treasure on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll, the man in the crimson light announced in a loud voice.

Golden seal text?

Could it be that this is something from the True Immortal Realm?

This announcement naturally created another stir and attracted a lot of interest. They werent concerned that the man in the crimson light could be deceiving them as it was a simple matter to see if a seal had been undone before.

Unfortunately, even though many people were tempted by these conditions, they simply didnt have the required treasure, and could only look on in a resigned manner.

Han Li focused his gaze on the golden scroll, and he seemed to be quite tempted, but he remained seated firmly in his chair.

As time passed and no one stepped forward to accept this offer, the man in the black Qi grew more and more disappointed, and the agitation of the man in the crimson light was growing by the second.

If he were to miss out on this extraordinary Sinful Cloud during this Black Realm Exchange Convention, there would be no way that such an item would appear in another auction. freewebnove.com

The owner of the Sinful Cloud would definitely hide it in an extremely secretive manner after leaving this place, so if this exchange couldnt take place, then there would be no way for him to track down the item again.

This Sinful Cloud was extremely important to him as it was a vital decisive factor on whether he would be able to transcend his next major heavenly tribulation. Without this Sinful Cloud, there was a very slim chance that he would be able to transcend that tribulation, so it could be said that this Sinful Cloud was virtually as important as his life.

Could it be that there really was no one present who possessed an offensive Divine Spirit Treasure?

As the time afforded to him by the man in the black Qi dwindled, the man in the crimson light became more and more desperate, and he gritted his teeth before abruptly patting a blue cloth pouch that was hanging from his waist.

A burst of blue light immediately surged forth, following which a translucent blue ice cage appeared in his hand.

The cage was only around a foot tall, and there were several golden and silver talismans plastered to the surface. Within the cage was a snowy white spirit bird that was standing proudly atop a horizontal artificial branch crafted from some kind of shimmering silver wood, and it was appraising everything in the surrounding area in a completely expressionless manner.

This is an Ice Phoenix that has inherited some of the Heavenly Phoenixs bloodline. It may only be at the Core Formation Stage right now, but thats only due to a debilitating injury. With some care and nurturing, it could easily return to the former height of its powers in just a few centuries, and I can assure you that after reaching the metamorphosis stage, this Ice Phoenix has an extremely beautiful human form. On top of that, it possesses the Origin Yin Physique, and both those factors make it an exceptional dual cultivation partner. Im sure you all know the benefits of integrating yin and yang by absorbing her Heavenly Phoenix Origin Yin Qi, so I wont elaborate on that. Even if that doesnt have as potent an effect as a Clear Cleansing Pill when assisting one in breaking through a bottleneck, it definitely wont be far off.

Even if you dont take her Origin Yin Qi and can somehow tame her, she would still be a spirit beast with limitless potential, Im sure she wont disappoint you. I came into possession of this Ice Phoenix by chance, and Im willing to offer her along with the other two items for an offensive Divine Spirit Treasure. This is already everything that I have, if you miss out on this opportunity, something like this wont ever come around again. The desperation was really beginning to show in the mans voice now, and he resembled a beast that had been driven into a corner.

This wasnt an overreaction at all. The thing that could save his life was right before his eyes, yet he couldnt obtain it, anyone would be just as desperate if they were in his shoes.

However, there was still no reaction from anyone in the hall.

In his desperation, the man in the crimson light turned toward the man in the black Qi again. Fellow Daoist, if I were to offer these three items to you…

The man in the black Qi cut him off without any hesitation. Ive already made myself very clear, I wont accept anything aside from an offensive Divine Spirit Treasure on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll.

The man in the crimson light was plunged into complete despair upon hearing this.

However, right at this moment, a male voice suddenly rang out, and it was like heavenly music to his ears.

Alright, Ill take you up on that trade.

The man in the crimson light was initially in complete disbelief, but after a brief stunned stupor, an ecstatic look appeared on his face. Are you serious? Please join me on the platform!

At the same time, he immediately focused his gaze on the pavilion where the voice had come from.

The man in the black Qi was clearly also very excited to hear this.

The one who had spoken was naturally none other than Han Li.

Ever since the man in crimson light had brought out that Ice Phoenix, he had been appraising it with a peculiar expression, and after a brief moment of contemplation, he made his decision.

Many other people also cast astonished glances toward Han Li upon hearing this. However, he paid no heed to them and shot forth as a streak of azure light, appearing on the platform after just a single flash.

Even now, the man in the crimson light was still in disbelief, and he asked in a slightly trembling voice, Do you really possess a Divine Spirit Treasure?

Han Li smiled and took a glance at the snowy white Ice Phoenix in the cage first, then replied in a calm manner, I do indeed possess quite a powerful offensive Divine Spirit Treasure, but Im not completely sure whether its on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll, so Ill need you two to confirm it for me.

The elation in the heart of the man in the crimson light immediately dimmed significantly upon hearing this, but he still prompted in a hopeful manner, Oh, I see. Please bring it out then, Fellow Daoist.

As for the man in the black Qi, he remained completely silent, and merely looked on as the interaction took place.

Han Li naturally had no intention of delaying any further, and he immediately summoned a giant black blade that was taller than an adult human. The blade was extremely antiquated in design and gave off a primordial aura.

This was none other than the giant blade that Han Li had obtained after slaying that powerful Rong being in the Vast Glacial Realm. It was no less powerful than his Chaotic Origin Ruler, and both of those items should be on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll.

Before the man in the crimson light even had a chance to react, the man in the black Qi exclaimed in an elated manner, Thats the Profound Light Blade!

The hope in the heart of the man in the crimson light was immediately reignited upon hearing this, and he hurriedly asked, Do you recognize this blade, Fellow Daoist?

The man in the black Qi forcibly repressed the excitement in his heart, and said in a serious manner, Of course I do. This is one of the last few Divine Spirit Treasures on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll, but it fits my criteria nonetheless. Ive been searching for such a treasure for a long time, so how could I not have done my research beforehand? Having said that, I must examine this item first to verify its authenticity.

Of course! Fellow Daoist, would you be able to… The man in the crimson light immediately became extremely polite toward Han Li.

I naturally have no objections, but shouldnt you let me examine the items youre offering as well? Han Li asked with a smile as he flicked his wrist and tossed the giant blade toward the man in the black Qi.

Of course, please go right ahead, Fellow Daoist. The man in the crimson light was ecstatic to see things progressing so smoothly, and he immediately tossed the medicine vial, scroll, and ice cage toward Han Li.

Blue light immediately flashed through Han Lis eyes, and he also released his spiritual sense to conduct a thorough examination.

At this moment, the man in the crimson light had naturally also taken the Sinful Cloud for examination to verify whether there really were 10,000,000 beastly souls contained within it.

The three of them all completed their examinations quite quickly. The man in the black Qi merely injected his spiritual power into the giant blade, then performed a practice swing with it before nodding in a pleased manner and stowing it away into his storage bracelet.

Haha, this Sinful Cloud is indeed everything you proclaim it to be, Fellow Daoist, the man in the crimson light chortled after completing his examination of the Sinful Cloud, and he flew through the white light barrier as a streak of black light, returning to his stone pavilion without saying anything further to Han Li and the man in the black Qi.

Han Li merely smiled upon seeing this, and he stowed away the golden scroll and medicine vial before taking a glance at the Ice Phoenix. Yall know who it is LOL

A hint of humanized sorrow flashed through the Ice Phoenixs eyes, but it was quickly replaced by its normal cold expression.

Han Li released a spirit beast bracelet before drawing the Ice Phoenix and the cage into the bracelet together. After that, he cupped his fist in a salute toward the man in the black Qi before flying back to his stone pavilion as well.

The man in the black Qi chuckled before following suit, departing from the stone platform as a gust of black wind.

Thus, the next group of people immediately rushed onto the stone platform, and the exchanges continued.

Han Li leaned back against his chair and closed his eyes, looking quite calm and collected, but his tumultuous emotions belied his calm exterior.

Close to half a day later, the golden-masked man finally announced the conclusion of the exchange convention.

Han Li and the other Body Integration cultivators all euphemistically refused the golden-masked mans offer to stay behind for a feast, and they departed from the Black Realm, led by a guidance envoy. They then emerged at another completely alien exit before flying back toward Nine Immortal Mountain.

Han Li looked on through narrowed eyes as one precious item was presented after another. Those who completed successful exchanges were elated, and those who failed were naturally very disappointed as they returned to their stone pavilions empty-handed.

The majority of items presented were successfully exchanged, but it was quite clear that compared to the previous editions of the convention, there were far more complete treasures being exchanged compared to materials.

This was a clear sign that everyone was preparing for the upcoming devilish tribulation, getting rid of what they didnt need in exchange for complete treasures that would enhance their powers.

After all, no matter how precious certain materials were, they were useless if they couldnt be refined into treasures prior to the devilish tribulation.

For those who were able to participate in this convention, normal treasures naturally were of no interest to them, yet the powerful treasures that could catch their eye generally could only be refined using several tens or even over 100 types of precious materials.

Setting aside the fact that there was a chance of failure during the refinement process, it would take hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years just to gather so many materials. Otherwise, precious materials wouldve been far more prevalent during this convention than completed treasures.

After over half a day had passed, most of the people offering items for exchanges had taken the stage. Han Li had been very tempted by many of the powerful treasures being presented, but all of these people demanded other treasures of the same caliber in exchange, so he could only pass up on those opportunities. feewebnove.co

However, that didnt mean that this entire process had been a completely fruitless one for him. Not only did he use one of the spirit medicines he had secured from the Vast Glacial Realm to exchange for several sets of extremely powerful formation flags, he had also exchanged a flagon of Red Silk Immortal Wine for a dozen or so spirit medicine seeds that he didnt yet have from an avid wine enthusiast.

He had also taken the stage himself not long ago and offered some myriad-year spirit medicines for the demon beast materials that he was still yet to collect. As a result, he was able to easily secure those materials from a few demonic cultivators, and that came as quite a relief to him.

After securing those materials, he would be able to begin refining his second extreme mountain following the conclusion of the Myriad Treasure Convention, and should he be successful, his powers would be significantly enhanced again.

Just as Han Li laid back in his chair, thinking that the rest of the convention wouldnt have much to do with him, a person enshrouded under a layer of dense black Qi flew onto the stage, then slowly pulled a black round bowl out of his sleeve.

This is a Sinful Cloud manifested from 10,000,000 beast souls. I can guarantee that all of the souls used belonged to ferocious beasts, and 100,000 of them belonged to low-grade demon beasts. I want to exchange this Sinful Cloud for an offensive Divine Spirit Treasure on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll. As soon as this announcement was made, everyones expressions, including Han Lis, changed drastically, and they all turned to stare at him in an astonished manner.

The golden-masked man who was standing at the corner of the golden formation was also stunned to hear this, and his smile immediately faded as he stared intently at the man who had just spoken with a bewildered look in his eyes.

In spite of the intense scrutiny he was receiving, the mysterious figure within the black Qi remained completely unfazed and raised the round bowl with one hand, then removed the lid of the bowl with his other hand.

A burst of ghastly howling immediately rang out, and inky-black dark clouds swept forth alongside strong winds from within the round bowl in a frenzy. The dark clouds dispersed and spread to cover an area of several acres.

Blue light flashed within Han Lis eyes, and he was able to instantly discern these dark clouds as countless black projections. Among them were familiar beastly figures like wolves, tigers, and lions, but also some strange types of beasts that he had never seen before.

All of these beastly projections were constantly transforming and tearing at one another. At times, their bodies would crumble away into nothingness, and other times, they would reappear in their original forms.

These beastly projections were none other than the aforementioned beastly souls. A Sinful Cloud that was manifested by tens or even hundreds of these beastly souls werent particularly valuable, but their value spiked dramatically once that number increased to the tens of thousands.

This was because a Sinful Clouds power directly correlated with the number of souls it had been manifested from, the more souls that were used, the more difficult it would be to successfully manifest a Sinful Cloud.

A Sinful Cloud manifested from over 100,000 souls would be extremely alluring to those using Devil Dao cultivation arts, and one that was manifested from over 1,000,000 souls would be enough to drive even Body Integration Stage Devil Dao cultivators into a frenzy.

As for Sinful Clouds manifested from over 10,000,000 souls, there didnt seem to be that many even in the entire history of the two races.

Needless to say, the enhancements it would bring to those using the relevant cultivation arts would be almost unimaginable, regardless of whether this Sinful Cloud was used in cultivation, or as a material to refine a ghostly treasure.

However, setting aside the fact that very few people knew of the method to manifest a Sinful Cloud of this caliber, just the task of collecting 10,000,000 souls was virtually an impossible one.

After all, slaughtering 10,000,000 living beings would result in such severe baleful Qi backlash that even a Body Integration cultivator wouldnt be able to withstand it on their own.

Due to the heinous nature of the process required to manifest Sinful Clouds, refinement of such treasures had been strictly prohibited in the two races since ancient times, and it was said that heavenly phenomena would take place whenever a Sinful Cloud consisting of more than 10,000 souls was refined. The phenomena triggered by Sinful Clouds manifested from over 1,000,000 souls would be even more difficult to keep out of the public eye, and such items existed almost only in myths and legends. As such, this Sinful Cloud, which the man claimed to have been manifested from 10,000,000 beastly souls, was naturally quite an astonishing notion.

If this item had been revealed in the outside world, everyone would most likely be fighting over it already.

10,000,000 beastly souls? Is that true, Fellow Daoist? It doesnt really look like it. A dry voice rang out, and it was tinged with a hint of astonishment and skepticism.

Thats because I only released 1% of all of the beastly souls within this Sinful Cloud. If I were to release them all at once, this tiny hall wouldnt have anywhere near enough capacity for them. However, anyone whos interested can come and see for themselves just how many beastly souls there are in here, the man on the platform said in an unhurried manner.

You want an offensive Divine Spirit Treasure on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll for this? Arent you asking for a bit too much? How about this? Ill give you two, no, three top-grade spirit treasures for that Sinful Cloud, someone offered in a slightly urgent manner.

I wont accept anything other than an offensive Divine Spirit Treasure, the man within the black Qi refused without any hesitation.

Dont be so quick to jump to decisions, Fellow Daoist, how about you take a look at what Im offering first? Another elderly voice suddenly sounded at this moment, following which a streak of crimson light shot forth toward the platform.

A tall and thin humanoid figure that was enshrouded within a layer of crimson light then appeared above the white light barrier before tossing forward a jade vial.

The jade vial passed through the light barrier without any impediment, and the figure within the black Qi caught it in a slightly reluctant manner. He removed the lid of the vial and took a look inside, upon which he immediately shuddered as if he had been struck by lightning.

How about it? Im sure you know what that pill entails, right? If it wasnt for the fact that this Sinful Cloud will be quite useful to me, I definitely wouldnt be offering this pill for exchange, the figure within the crimson said as he looked at the vial in a wistful manner.

After a long hesitation, the man within the black Qi shook his head before tossing the vial back to its owner. No, I still wont accept this over a Divine Spirit Treasure.

The figure within the crimson light faltered momentarily in disbelief before exclaiming, Do you not recognize what this is, Fellow Daoist? This is a Clear Cleansing Pill that can increase a Body Integration cultivators chances of breaking through bottlenecks!

Clear Cleansing Pill?

Fellow Daoist, would you be willing to exchange that Clear Cleansing Pill for any other treasure?

All of the Body Integration Stage beings present immediately erupted into a frenzy upon hearing the name of this pill, and several of them began to yell offers directly at the man within the crimson light.

This pill was clearly more popular than the Sinful Cloud, and that made sense. A Sinful Cloud manifested from 10,000,000 souls was most definitely a legendary item, but it was only useful to devilish and ghostly cultivators.

In contrast, Clear Cleansing Pills were extraordinary pills that were universally useful for all Body Integration cultivators, and it was especially alluring to those whose cultivation bases had stagnated for many years.

The Sinful Cloud seemed to be extremely important to the figure in the crimson light, and after taking a resentful glance at the man within the black Qi, he said, Hmph, if you want my Clear Cleansing Pill, then help me exchange for this Sinful Cloud, and Ill gladly hand over this pill.

The entire hall fell silent upon hearing this. Generally speaking, all of the Body Integration cultivators present should have a few spirit treasures up their sleeves, but even in the entirety of the human and demon races, there were definitely no more than 10 Divine Spirit Treasure that were on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll. As for offensive treasures for this caliber, there were perhaps only two or three. Even if such a treasure did exist in the human or demon race, its owner might not be present at this Black Realm Exchange Convention.

On top of that, Divine Spirit Treasures on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll were no less valuable than Clear Cleansing Pills, so whether someone would be willing to accept this exchange was another matter altogether.

Han Li stared at the medicine vial containing the Clear Cleansing Pill, and a contemplative look appeared on his face.

Seeing as no one had accepted this exchange offer after such a long time, the figure in the black Qi knew that there was no chance of such a trade taking place. Thus, he shook his head in a slightly disappointed manner, then made a hand seal to withdraw the black cloud before turning to leave the platform.

Please wait, Fellow Daoist! The figure within the crimson light immediately rushed toward the figure in the black Qi before blocking his way.

What is the meaning of this? Are you trying to force me into a trade? The man within the black Qi immediately flared up with rage, and a frosty aura erupted from his body.

After that, the golden-masked man brought out some items that were produced in the Wood Tribe and Spirit Race, and all of these items had special uses. As such, they were very attractive to the convention-goers present, and they clambered to offer the items required by the Black Realm for exchange.

A few more major treasures were brought out by the golden-masked man thereafter, all of which were vastly renowned and possessed abilities that werent inferior to the Heavenmatch Bell and the antiquated yellow flag.

Furthermore, these treasures either had astonishing defensive abilities or extraordinary offensive capabilities, so they were a lot more pragmatic than the two aforementioned treasures, and they definitely provided a fantastic shortcut to enhance ones powers.

As such, the entire hall was stirred up into a near frenzy as everyone competed for these treasures.

The final treasure was a Sea-parting Fan, which was ranked slightly above the middle of the pack on the Chaotic Myriad Spirit Roll. It was said to be able to move mountains and part oceans, possessing unimaginably enormous power.

Over 20 cultivators pulled out all types of materials in heaps and piles in a bid to secure this treasure, and in the end, the golden-masked man chose the one who had offered the most materials, and exchanged the Sea-parting Fan in exchange for those materials, as well as a few more powerful treasures.

Han Li was also interested, but unfortunately, the treasure was being exchanged for some precious legendary crystals rather than spirit medicines, and Han Li didnt possess any of those crystals.

Following that transaction, all of the items that the Black Realm had prepared had been exchanged, and none of them had to be auctioned off for spirit stones. This was a clear indication that the Black Realm had done their homework beforehand and were well aware of what everyone wanted.

The golden-masked figure was clearly very pleased with the proceedings thus far, and he announced, Everything our Black Realm had to offer has been exchanged, its now time for the free exchange segment of the convention. If you have any items that would be of interest to our Black Realm, Id like to ask you to consider offering them to us for exchange. As for the rules, theyre the same as always, only a maximum of three people at a time will be allowed onto the stage to display the items theyd like to offer for exchange, and itll be up to you to negotiate all of the terms. Our Black Realm wont intervene at all during this segment. Alright, I hereby announce the commencement of the free exchange segment!

Hehe, in that case, allow me to go first.

As soon as the golden-masked figures voice trailed off, a sinister voice abruptly sounded. Immediately thereafter, a streak of black light shot forth from one of the stone pavilions, and after just a few flashes, it appeared in the air above the white light barrier.

This was a grey-robed man with his entire body enshrouded within peculiar wisps of black light.

Hmph, you sure seem like youre in a hurry, Fellow Daoist!

Ill also be taking the stage with you!

……

Several more streaks of light shot forth from other hovering pavilions almost in complete unison, but seeing as someone had arrived on the platform first, one of the streaks of light immediately brightened significantly before vanishing on the spot, then reappearing within the light barrier in the next instant as if via instant teleportation.

This was an elegant figure enshrouded within a layer of five-colored light. It was a female cultivator.

A sharp cry rang out from another streak of light, and it blurred slightly before doubling in speed, arriving on the stone platform ahead of its competition.

A hint of surprise appeared on Han Lis face upon catching sight of this third person, who had an extremely peculiar figure. He was around 10 feet tall, and about just as many feet wide, resembling a massive meatball as he stood on the platform.

However, on this meatball was the head of a normal man, which was currently etched with a concerned expression, and completely unconcealed.

Everyone else was too slow, and they were rebounded by the white light barrier, preventing them from descending onto the platform.

Please go back for now, fellow Daoists, you can come back in the next round, the golden-masked man said as he cupped his fist in a polite salute.

The people outside the light barrier were naturally quite reluctant to leave, but they could only depart in a disgruntled manner.

The grey-robed man who had descended onto the platform first let loose a burst of delighted laughter. It was naturally quite a privilege to be able to present their items in the first round. Otherwise, if something they needed were taken by someone else before they could take the stage, that would naturally be quite infuriating.

The golden-masked man glanced at the human meatball before chuckling, Im glad you came to participate in our exchange conference again, Brother Zhu. On top of that, you seem to be very eager, Im sure the memory of missing out on that treasure during the last convention still haunts you to this day.

We both had Hundred Segment Beads, but mine was clearly of a higher caliber. If he hadnt taken the stage before me, how would the treasure have ended up in his hands? I really hate participating in this exchange convention as my figure makes me stick out like a sore thumb no matter how I try to disguise myself, but I hardly have any choice, the meatball sighed as the concern in his eyes was exacerbated even further.

Hehe, the cultivation art youre using has been vastly renowned since ancient times. You may not be able to manipulate your own body as you please, but countless people would gladly accept this disadvantage for your immense powers.

This meatball seemed to be quite an important and powerful figure, as evidenced by the fact that the golden-masked man was speaking to him in an extremely polite manner.

Hehe, I know youre only saying that to make me feel better, but my mood has been buoyed nonetheless. I hope I can reap some worthwhile rewards during this exchange convention. Despite what he was saying, the meatball was still looking quite unenthusiastic and forlorn.

The golden-masked man smiled before taking over 10 steps backward, standing in silence on one corner of the golden formation.

The grey-robed man was clearly also quite wary toward this meatball, and after a brief pause, he cupped his fist in a salute, and said, Seeing as Brother Zhu is so eager to present his treasure, I would be happy to let you go first.

The female cultivator enshrouded under five-colored light didnt say anything, but she also nodded to accept this arrangement.

In that case, you have my thanks, fellow Daoists. The meatball returned the grey-robed mans salute before abruptly patting his own bulging belly, then opened his mouth to expel a shimmering white small vial that landed in his hand.

There are three balls of Golden Crow True Flames in here, and Ill only exchange them for a myriad-year Golden Bone Zoysia or False Meridian Herb, with one fireball exchanged for each spirit plant, the meatball announced.

Golden Crow True Flames? Is that true? How did you manage to get your hands on such true spirit flames?

If hes the one offering them, then the flames are most likely real. Having said that, Im quite surprised that hes willing to part with such flames.

……

The announcement immediately created a stir throughout the entire hall, and after a brief moment of surprise, Han Li stroked his chin as a contemplative look appeared on his face.

His Spirit Engulfing Heavenly Flames had absorbed a wisp of this true spirit flame from the demonic birds in the Golden Demon Mountain Ranges, and that had significantly enhanced their power. If this demonic cultivator really did possess this type of true spirit flame, and he had as many as three balls of such flames, then that would allow the Spirit Engulfing Heavenly Flames to become significantly more powerful.

Unfortunately, he sounded extremely determined to accept only the two types of spirit medicines that he had stated, and Han Li had neither of them, so he was feeling slightly frustrated.

At this moment, the meatball carefully removed the lid of the small vial, then patted the bottom of the vial with his hand, and three scorching white fireballs flew out from within. The three fireballs then transformed into a trio of white Fire Ravens that flew around him.

The three Fire Ravens were completely pristine white in color, and there were faint silver runes swirling around their bodies.

Scorching heat immediately filled the entire light barrier, causing it to tremor slightly in an unsteady manner.

Those really are Golden Crow True Flames!

If someone using a fire-attribute cultivation art were to refine these flames, they would benefit immensely.

More chatter rang out from all directions, and a series of envious and greedy eyes fell upon the three white Fire Ravens.

Everyones spiritual sense had been severely restricted, but all of the convention-goers present naturally had extremely sharp discerning eyes, and even from this far away, they could determine with relative certainty that these were indeed Golden Crow True Flames.

Blue light flashed through Han Lis eyes, allowing him to glean the true appearance of the Golden Crow True Flames within those three white Fire Ravens, and a peculiar look appeared on his face as he murmured to himself, Hmm? These are diluted Golden Crow True Flames!

His voice was so faint that even Number 11 failed to hear what he had just said. After making this observation, the frustration in Han Lis eyes faded, and he looked on with a cold expression.

Meanwhile, the grey-robed man had also brought out a three-colored lotus-shaped treasure that was of the ice attribute. He declared that it could release three types of glacial flames, and would be extremely powerful when wielded by someone using an ice-attribute cultivation art. In exchange for this treasure, he would only accept a fire-attribute treasure of the same caliber.

As for the female cultivator enshrouded within the five-colored light, she had brought out a head-sized crimson ball, which was the egg of a Bloodflame Falcon. This was a type of primordial beast that was renowned for its ferocity, and after reaching full maturity, Bloodflame Falcons had an average wingspan of over 100 feet.

On top of that, they were adept in abilities that were of the extremely rare blood attribute, and depending on what innate ability they developed, they could potentially ultimately attain Spatial Tempering Stage or even early-Body Integration Stage power.

The woman proclaimed that she had secured this egg from a nest owned by a pair of Body Integration Stage Bloodflame Falcons, and she was only willing to accept a spirit treasure for it.

These two items naturally garnered much interest from those using ice-attribute cultivation arts and those who were adept in taming spirit beasts. Moments later, someone began to offer treasures in exchange for those two items.

As for the two items requested by the meatball, they were clearly extremely precious, and even though there were many people interested in his Golden Crow True Flames, no one offered the spirit medicines he had requested.

The grey-robed man and the female cutivators items were both exchanged for satisfactory items, and the meatballs concerned look only deepened upon seeing this.

After a short while, there was still no one making offers for his flames, and he heaved a forlorn sigh before stowing the three Fire Ravens away, then flew back to his own stone pavilion, choosing to abandon this exchange.

His decision naturally drew a lot of intrigue from the onlooking convention-goers. However, everyones attention was soon redirected toward the next three cultivators who had flown onto the platform.

If I dont get to choose, then Id rather keep this spirit herb for the next round of exchanges, Han Li replied with furrowed brows.

Youre naturally well within your right to do that, but I must caution you that different materials will be required to exchange for the next few treasures well be offering. These treasures have all been contributed by different elders of our Black Realm, and all of them have different needs. Hence, theres no guarantee that youll be able to exchange for two treasures even with this spirit herb of yours if you pass up this Heavenmatch Bell, the golden-masked figure said.

Are you saying the next few treasures will be even more precious than this Heavenmatch Bell? Han Lis heart stirred upon hearing this.

Hehe, thatll depend on what you perceive to be of value, the golden-masked man replied in an ambiguous manner, not disclosing any further information to Han Li.

Han Lis lips twitched slightly upon hearing this.

The golden-masked man thought that he was interested in the Heavenmatch Bell, when in reality, he only wanted the accompanying foreign body refinement art, as for whether he could secure the bell or not, that was completely inconsequential to him.

With that in mind, Han Li asked, How will I know that this second treasure is one of the most precious treasures on offer for exchange as you proclaim? What if you find a random treasure to swindle me with?

The golden-masked man was clearly very confident in this second treasure, and he replied in a proud manner, Hehe, you dont have to worry about that, Fellow Daoist, Im sure that a cultivator of your caliber will be able to identify a precious treasure from a dud. If youre not satisfied with the second treasure, you can always refuse to make the exchange.

After a brief pause for contemplation, Han Li agreed to this arrangement. In that case, you have to let me see the second treasure first, right? If its indeed useful to me, then Ill accept the exchange.

The golden-masked mans confident display made him quite curious about just what this second treasure was.

Sure, please wait a moment, Fellow Daoist. The golden-masked figure smiled as spiritual light flashed from his hand, and a golden cloth pouch appeared before being tossed into the air.

White light flashed, and the white snake sprang forth like lightning, swallowing the pouch before flying out of the light barrier and heading back to Han Li. freewebnvel.co

Han Li extended a hand, and the golden pouch fell into his grasp.

He raised an eyebrow as he immediately loosened the opening of the pouch, then swept his spiritual sense into it, following which a stunned look abruptly appeared on his face.

As soon as he opened the pouch, bright azure light erupted forth, accompanied by a burst of buzzing. Immediately thereafter, something attempted to fly out of the pouch, and Han Li immediately placed a hand over the pouchs opening, sealing it amid a flash of golden spiritual light.

The azure light and the strange buzzing sound both vanished after that flash of golden light.

What is the meaning of this? Han Li stared blankly at the pouch for a long while before abruptly turning to the golden-masked man and transmitting his voice toward him again.

Im offering that item and the Heavenmatch Bell for your Yin Phoenix Herb, the golden-masked figure replied with a confident smile.

Hmph, if this item were completely refined, then it would naturally be an extraordinary treasure, but youre trying to exchange for my Yin Phoenix Herb with just an embryo? You sure are a shrewd businessman! Han Li harrumphed coldly.

Do you think wed be offering this item if it were completely refined? In that case, even without the Heavenmatch Bell, just this item alone would be worth seven or eight Yin Phoenix Herbs of the same age, the golden-masked figure replied in an unyielding manner.

Thats true. This item would indeed be indispensable to any cultivator after being fully refined. However, an embryo is still an embryo, its still far from being completely refined. Who knows if itll be worth exchanging such a precious spirit herb for something thatll be completely useless during the upcoming devilish tribulation? Han Li sighed after a brief pause.

Hehe, thatll be up to your luck, Fellow Daoist. If you can survive the devilish tribulation, then find a way to refine this item, then youll have earned yourself an extraordinary asset. Truth be told, this is something that one of our Black Realm elders was refining, and he only decided to offer it for exchange as he knew that he wouldnt be able to completely refine it, the golden-masked man revealed in a truthful manner.

Han Li stroked his chin and fell into silent contemplation.

The item in the pouch was a legendary treasure among the human and demon races, and once successfully refined, it could assist a cultivator significantly in their cultivation. It was said that only a tiny handful of people possessed this type of treasure in the entirety of the two races. At present, it was only a semi-finished product, but if it werent for the imminent devilish tribulation, Han Li would exchange it for his Yin Phoenix Herb almost without any hesitation, let alone the fact that the Heavenmatch Bell was also being thrown into the deal. However, this treasure was a spirit item that was born from heaven and earth. Not only was it extremely difficult to form its embryo, completing its refinement was virtually an impossible task. Otherwise, such a valuable treasure wouldnt be so exceedingly rare among the two races.

Even so, the miraculous effects of this treasure in its fully refined form still posed quite a tempting prospect to Han Li, and it was no wonder that the golden-masked man was so confident that he would agree to this exchange.

At the same time, it also showed just how determined he was to secure this Yin Phoenix Herb.

Through the interaction between Han Li and the golden-masked man, the other people in the nearby stone pavilions had also deduced that there was a good chance that this exchange would be a successful one.

As such, many people were naturally curious about just what was in the jade box that Han Li had offered, and what was in the cloth pouch that the golden-masked man had offered in exchange. However, with the powerful spiritual sense restrictions in this place, they were naturally unable to ascertain any of those details.

Alright, I agree to this exchange! Han Li officially agreed after just a brief moment of contemplation.

Youve definitely made the right decision, Fellow Daoist! the golden-masked man said with an elated look in his eyes.

He then swept his sleeve toward the Heavenmatch Bell to send a burst of golden light surging toward it, and the giant bell rapidly shrank down to around the size of a human palm in the blink of an eye, then hovered in mid-air within the golden light.

The purple club had also shrunk down to around the thickness of a finger, and was drawn into his hand as a streak of purple light.

The rest of the process was very simple. The golden-masked man placed these two items into a wooden box before making a hand seal, and a giant black crow abruptly appeared in the air above the platform. The crow caught the black box between its beak before delivering it to Han Li, while the golden-masked figure carefully stowed away the jade box containing the Yin Phoenix Herb.

Han Li also stowed away the Heavenmatch Bell and golden pouch before laying back in his seat and closing his eyes again. Thus, the exchange had been completed.

Number 11 immediately resumed her gentle massage.

Alright, the first treasure has been successfully exchanged. Ill now be bringing out some tool and pill refinement materials that are extremely rare in the outside world, Im sure theyll pique the interest of many of the fellow Daoists present. These materials arent extremely precious, but theyre all very pragmatic items that are in severe shortage. Due to the vast amount of these materials, well be exchanging them in three separate batches. Please pay attention, Ill now be displaying a new list of items that were looking for in exchange for these materials. If more than one person sets their eyes on a single batch of materials, then Ill be the one to decide which exchange is more favorable for our Black Realm, the golden-masked man announced.

At the same time, two jade slips appeared in his hands, and he waved them through the air in unison.

The ancient characters hovering in the air began to change, with some of the original items vanishing, while many new items were added to the list, as well.

At the same time, another light screen appeared beside the existing one, and that screen displayed the three batches of materials that the Black Realm was offering for exchange, of which there was an absolutely staggering amount.

It was quite clear that these materials were extremely popular, and as soon as they were displayed, many people immediately began to offer exchanges, and the silent atmosphere in the hall was immediately set alight.

As for Han Li, he merely looked on and displayed no intention of making any offers.

The three batches of materials were quickly exchanged, and the next item that the golden-masked man presented came as quite a surprise to Han Li.

This was a group of seven exquisitely beautiful human women, each of which were at the Foundation Establishment Stage or above, and they all had special constitutions that made them extremely viable dual cultivation partners.

They were all quite young, and only minimal nurturing would be required to develop them into exceptional concubines or dual cultivation partners, so there was naturally a lot of interest displayed toward them as well.

After much competition, a mysterious purple-robed man secured this item with a piece of Profound Light Iron in exchange.

After that, the Black Realm brought out their second major treasure for exchange, which was a peculiar antiquated yellow flag.

It was an extremely powerful treasure left behind by a mighty figure back when the human race first established itself in the Spirit Realm. Even to this day, that mighty figure was still vastly renowned, and it was said that this treasure possessed extraordinary powers. On top of that, it was very versatile and could be used as the core of a super formation, or simply used as a weapon against enemies in battle.

Even Han Li was tempted by these treasures, but unfortunately, the golden-masked man presented a list of only three other treasures in exchange for this item, each of which was no less precious than this flag, and that naturally proved to be a significant hurdle for those who were interested in the treasure.

Coincidentally, one of the people present really did have one of the three stipulated treasures, and not only did he secure the yellow flag, after some bartering, they also secured an additional large sum of spirit stones in exchange as well.

This was a mysterious individual enshrouded under a cloud of blood mist, and Han Li couldnt help but turn toward them with an intrigued expression.

Not only was Han Li stunned by the items on the list, many of the other people present were also quite astonished by what was being shown.

All of these items were extremely difficult to find in the Spirit Realm, and even those of the Black Realm couldnt be sure that the convention-goers would have these items, so they had listed alternative options, such as using large amounts of spirit stones and spirit medicines to substitute for those items.

Of course, it was quite possible that there were people who possessed items on this list but simply wouldnt want to exchange them for such a circumstantial treasure.

After all, this Heavenmatch Bell would only be useful for those who were part of large powers.

Han Li sat in his chair and appraised the list of items with a contemplative look in his eyes.

I dont have a 30-feet-long section of Snowspirit Wood, but I do have a section thats 10 feet in length, would I be able to make up the rest with spirit stones? the same woman from before asked. It was quite clear that she really did want this treasure.

Im afraid not. The size of the Snowspirit Wood is very important to us, and we wont be able to use it even if its just a single inch too short, the golden-masked man replied without any hesitation.

Thats rather disappointing. I really want this Heavenmatch Bell, but Ill have to give up on it, the woman sighed before falling silent.

If I dont have any of the things on this list, can I offer other items for exchange? A completely emotionless voice rang out from a stone pavilion in a secluded corner of the hall.

Theoretically, yes, but we will only take materials that we require, and they have to be of the same caliber as the ones weve listed, the golden-masked man replied with a smile.

The man who had spoken seemingly hesitated momentarily before speaking again. In that case, take a look at this and tell me what you think.

As soon as his voice trailed off, the pleasant cry of a crane rang out from that stone pavilion, and a snowy white crane with a black wooden box held between its beak flew out of the pavilion. With a single flap of its wings, it reached the white light barrier in a graceful manner, then passed through it without any impediment, presumably as the golden-masked figure had done something to grant it passage.

The golden-masked figure raised his hand, and the crane immediately opened its mouth, releasing the wooden box and allowing it to fly into the mans grasp.

After that, the crane continued to circle around in the air above the stone platform, refraining from landing, but also displaying no intention to return right away.

Meanwhile, the golden-masked man had already opened the black wooden box, and a burst of green light flashed from within it. His pupils contracted slightly at the sight of the item in the box, and a serious look appeared on his face.

He didnt reach into the box to touch the item, but light flashed through his eyes as he examined the item intently for a long while.

The owner of the white crane knew that the item was being carefully appraised, and he waited patiently for the verdict.

All of the other people present were naturally curious about what was inside the wooden box, and they were also waiting for the response.

If that item failed to satisfy the golden-masked man, then they would still have chances to secure this Heavenmatch Bell.

After a while, the light in the golden-masked mans eyes finally faded, and he heaved a long wistful sigh.

Are you not satisfied with this item, Fellow Daoist? The owner of the crane seemed to be quite taken aback.

Normally, the value of this item would indeed match that of many of the materials on my list, but if I want to truly make use of it, Ill have to nurture it for at least 10,000 years. The tribulation is about to befall us within 1,000 years, so I would rather take more pragmatic things such as spirit stones and materials that can be used right away, the golden-masked man replied in a euphemistic manner.

He then placed the lid over the wooden box again before tossing it into the air. The white crane let loose a sharp cry before swooping down to catch the box between its beak again, and it then flew out of the light barrier and headed back to its master.

After a brief silence, the owner of the white crane heaved a slightly forlorn sigh. Thats quite a pity.

The golden-masked mans brows furrowed slightly in response to the lukewarm reception that the Heavenmatch Bell was receiving, and after a while, he heaved a resigned sigh. Are there other fellow Daoists wishing to offer items for exchange? If not, then Ill have to auction off the item for top-grade spirit stones or spirit medicines.

Everyone remained silent, and no further offers were made.

In that case, lets commence the auc… A wry smile appeared on the golden-masked mans face, yet just as he was about to commence the auction, a coarse male voice suddenly rang out. rewebnol.cm

Please wait, I have something that your Black Realm wants. No, to put it more accurately, its something even more precious. Would you like to see it, Fellow Daoist?

A hint of surprise flashed through Number 11s eyes, and her massaging hands faltered slightly. The man who had just spoken was naturally none other than Han Li.

At this point, he had already flipped a hand over to produce a yellow jade box.

Of course, I would be more than happy to see it. If you really do have something of exceptional value, then Ill definitely offer an exchange thats worth your while. The golden-masked man was elated to hear this.

Han Li merely remained silent as he swept a sleeve through the air, and a white snake flew forth before swallowing the jade box, then shot forth as a streak of white light.

Hmm?

The golden-masked figure glanced at the snake right as it flew into the white light barrier and slowly descended beside him, and a hint of surprise appeared on his face. He had clearly identified that this was no ordinary puppet.

After landing beside the golden-masked man, the white snake opened its mouth to expel that yellow jade box. Compared to the special properties of this puppet, the golden-masked man was naturally more interested in what lay in this jade box, and he carefully caught the box before removing the lid.

A ball of black light was hovering within it, and within that ball of light was a shimmering silver spirit herb that was several inches tall.

This is a Yin Phoenix Herb! the golden-masked man exclaimed in an ecstatic manner.

Right at this moment, Han Lis voice transmission sounded beside his ears. That is indeed a Yin Phoenix Herb, and its been growing for hundreds of thousands of years, so its far more precious than the 70,000-year-old Yin Phoenix Herb that your Black Realm is searching for.

Its been growing for hundreds of thousands of years? The golden-masked figure drew a sharp breath upon hearing this before hurriedly releasing his spiritual sense to encompass the entire herb and commencing a thorough appraisal.

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

He had obtained this spirit herb from that medicine garden in the Vast Glacial Realm, and he had given most of them to the Body Integration cultivators of the Heavenly Cloud Races, leaving only one for himself so he could secure the spirit herbs seeds.

After returning to Deep Heaven City, he had already used a special secret technique to secure those seeds, so he had a superfluous Yin Phoenix Herb that wasnt really useful to him. Of course, he also had a few other spirit herbs that were no less rare and precious than this Yin Phoenix Herb, and he had secured seeds from all of them as well.

Han Li hadnt originally intended to exchange for that Heavenmatch Bell, so if Yin Phoenix Herb hadnt been on the list that the golden-masked figure had presented, then he wouldve merely passed up this treasure.

However, seeing as they were actively searching for this spirit herb and he didnt have much use for it, he was naturally going to maximize its value by exchanging it here.

On top of that, he really was quite interested in the foreign body refinement art enclosed with this Heavenmatch Bell, so he finally decided to speak up after some careful contemplation.

This appraisal was clearly more thorough than the last one, and it also took a lot longer.

Finally, the golden-masked figure exhaled as he concluded his appraisal, and his lips tremored as he transmitted his voice to Han Li. Where did you obtain this Yin Phoenix Herb from, Fellow Daoist? I was unable to determine its exact age, but its at least been growing for 200,000 years. Can you verify its exact age?

The golden-masked mans voice was filled with unbridled excitement.

Im afraid Im unable to verify its age, either. The only way to ascertain its age would be to refine it into pills, then examine the effects of those pills. However, I can indeed confirm that this spirit herb has been growing for far longer than 200,000 years. Are you interested? Han Li replied with a voice transmission of his own.

We are most definitely interested, but a small portion of this spirit herb seems to be missing. As such, its value will be discounted, the golden-masked figure said in a slow voice.

Ive taken the seeds for this spirit medicine for myself. As Im sure youre aware, the seeds of this Yin Phoenix Herb arent worth much at all, so even if the value is to be discounted, it shouldnt be by much. As such, I definitely wont be willing to exchange it just for this Heavenmatch Bell alone. If you want this spirit herb, then show me some sincerity. Didnt you say that the Black Realm has some other precious treasures to put up for exchange? If youre unwilling to negotiate, then I would rather keep this Yin Phoenix Herb to exchange with the other fellow Daoists present. Han Lis eyes narrowed as he transmitted his voice in a cold manner.

This is quite an important matter, so Ill have to discuss it with some other people before I give you a response, the golden-masked figure replied in a solemn manner after a brief hesitation.

Of course, go ahead, Han Li replied.

After that, the golden-masked man raised his head to look up into the sky, and his lips tremored incessantly as he held a discussion with his hidden colleagues.

Everyone could only wait while the discussion took place. Thankfully, the discussion ended quite quickly, and not long after that, the golden-masked man transmitted his voice to Han Li again. Aside from this Heavenmatch Bell, were willing to offer you another one of the most precious treasures that we have for exchange. However, you dont get to choose what that second treasure is. Of course, if youre not happy with the second treasure and decide to pass up on it, well compensate you with a huge sum of spirit stones.

Han Li wasnt the only one to experience this, after their initial alarm, all of the other cultivators present also discovered the changes in their magic power.

For Body Integration cultivators, this improvement was very minor and only equated to around several months of arduous cultivation at most. In contrast, Spatial Tempering cultivators received a much more significant boost in magic power that was the equivalent of over 10 years of arduous cultivation, which was naturally fantastic news for them.

All of the Body Integration cultivators were quite bewildered by this occurrence, and they immediately turned to appraise the giant black bell with intense unblinking eyes. Expressions like greed and ecstasy flashed over their faces, and it was as if they would like nothing better than to rush onto the platform and grab the treasure for themselves.

Just the chime of this bell alone could enhance ones cultivation base, how astonishing was that?

Using the treasure seemed to have caused significant backlash that left the green-skinned man a shell of his former self, but even so, this was definitely a supreme treasure that defied the natural order!

Could this be a legendary Profound Heavenly Treasure?

Han Li also had the same suspicion as he appraised the black bell in an astonished manner. Unfortunately, spiritual sense was greatly restricted here in the Black Realm, thereby preventing him from assessing the black bell in the distance with his spiritual sense. Otherwise, the fact that he owned the Profound Heavenly Fruit would make him more able than others to determine whether this was indeed a Profound Heavenly Treasure.

At this moment, the frail old man on the platform suddenly placed the purple club in his hands down onto the black stone table before him in a respectful manner. Spiritual light then flashed from beneath his feet, and he instantly vanished on the spot.

In the next instant, he was replaced by another humanoid figure, who appeared on the other side of the bell.

This humanoid figure wore a set of silver brocade robes and a golden wyrm-head mask. His eyes were of a bright green color, and he didnt seem to be a human, either.

His emergence on the platform naturally instantly drew everyones attention, and he looked around briefly at all of the surrounding hovering pavilions before speaking. Hehe, Im sure all of you have just experienced the miraculous power of this Heavenmatch Bell. That bell chime was a small gift from our Black Realm to all of you. This Heavenmatch Bell is one of the most precious treasures we have to offer during this convention, and were bringing it out as the first item for exchange to liven up the atmosphere. Im sure this treasure wont disappoint the lucky fellow Daoist who manages to secure it.

What? This treasure really is being offered for exchange? Even though most people had already guessed this to be the case, it still came as a shock to some after receiving verbal confirmation from the golden-masked figure.

As long as you can offer a treasure that Im satisfied with, why wouldnt I exchange this Heavenmatch Bell? the golden-masked figure chuckled.

Thats rather strange. Ive attended this Black Realm Exchange Convention on many past occasions, and the treasures that have been offered for exchange are certainly nowhere near mundane, but very few treasures of this caliber have appeared, and never has one been brought out as the first exchange item. Could it be that your Black Realm is also preparing for the upcoming tribulation? An elderly voice rang out, reverberating throughout the entire hall, thereby making it impossible to deduce exactly which stone pavilion it had originated from.

Han Lis heart stirred slightly upon hearing this. The tribulation that was being referred to here had to be the upcoming devilish tribulation. It was quite clear that all of the convention-goers present were aware of the devilish tribulation.

Thus, no one was surprised by the question that was being asked, and everyone turned to appraise the golden-masked figure, awaiting his answer.

Indeed, Fellow Daoist. The devilish tribulation will befall both the human and demon races, and as a part of the two races, our Black Realm certainly isnt exempt from this, so it would only be normal for us to make some preparations in advance. However, I have to correct you on one thing, this Heavenmatch Bell is indeed quite an extraordinary treasure, but not as extraordinary as you think, and it possesses some flaws. Compared to the treasures brought out in the past Black Realm Exchange Conventions, it actually is inferior to a few of them, the golden-masked figure said with a smile.

Flaws? Can you elaborate on that, Fellow Daoist? Is this not a Profound Heavenly Treasure? A cold voice rang out from another stone pavilion, and it was clearly tinged with a hint of disappointment.

Profound Heavenly Treasure? Hehe, you think far too highly of our Black Realm, Fellow Daoist, we may be quite powerful, but theres no way we could get our hands on such a treasure. Theres no way that even the three sovereigns and seven monarchs, or even the two Grand Ascension cultivators in our two races would possess Profound Heavenly Treasures. Even if such a treasure were to fall into the hands of our two races, it would bring genocidal disaster upon us. Otherwise, why would that united foreign race army have attacked Deep Heaven City several centuries ago? the golden-masked figure said in a meaningful voice. He was intentionally being slightly ambiguous with his words, but many of the Body Integration cultivators present were clearly aware of what he was referring to.

The golden-masked figure paused momentarily before continuing, However, seeing as our Black Realm is willing to offer this Heavenmatch Bell for exchange, we naturally have an obligation to disclose this treasures origins to everyone. In a sense, this treasure has also been imbued with a hint of the laws of heaven and earth, so it does indeed possess some incredible abilities akin to those of Profound Heavenly Treasures. The treasure was discovered within a secret region on the territory of an extinct foreign race, and it was quite damaged when we found it, so its nowhere near as powerful as it otherwise could be. According to the textual annotations found in that secret region, this treasure should be part of a pair of treasures, which comprised of the most powerful treasures of that extinct race.

Aside from this Heavenmatch Bell, theres also a Heavenquake Mallet, and the two of them should be used together. Unfortunately, we searched through that entire secret region, but were unable to find that Heavenquake Mallet. As such, we could only commission a tool refinement master to refine a replica Heavenquake Mallet using precious materials such as Deepsea Purple Copper, and the process took a vast amount of time and resources. This replica wasnt exactly a resounding success, and it can only achieve 10% of the effect that the original treasure would be capable of at most. As for repairing the Heavenmatch Bell, that would require extremely special materials that cant be found in this realm, so we could only leave it in its current form.

Otherwise, if we could have the complete Heavenmatch Bell and the original Heavenquake Mallet to accompany it, the powers of the two treasures wouldnt be inferior by much, even compared to a Profound Heavenly Treasure. Of course, if we had been able to accomplish this, then theres no way that we would be bringing out this treasure as the first item for exchange during this convention.

Right at this moment, an indifferent female voice suddenly rang out. I dont really care if this is a Profound Heavenly Treasure or not, I just want to know its exact abilities and flaws.

Of course, I was just getting to that. Im sure all of you have already experienced this bells ability to enhance ones magic power. However, this ability is only effective for cultivators at or above the Deity Transformation Stage. A chime of this bell can enhance a Deity Transformation cultivators magic power by a degree equivalent to 30 years of arduous cultivation, which is reduced to around 10 years for Spatial Tempering cultivators, and for Body Integration Stage fellow Daoists, the effect is quite minimal. However, the bell only works three times for each person. After that, no matter how many chimes of this bell one listens to, it wont do anything for them. On top of that, if the number of people listening to the chime of the bell on a single occasion exceeds a certain threshold, the magic power enhancement effect would be significantly hampered… As the golden-masked figure continued in his introduction, the scorching looks in everyones eyes faded significantly.

Most people were shaking their heads and giving up what they perceived as a lost cause. frewbnovel.com

Not only that, but not just any cultivator can make this bell chime. A body refinement warrior must be selected, and they must reach a certain level of mastery in a foreign cultivation art that we secured from the same secret region. Due to the fact that this Heavenmatch Bell is damaged, the one who strikes the bell will suffer backlash from the power of laws within this treasure, depleting them of their true essence, and leading to their death not long after the event. Hence, if you want to use this bell, then you have to nurture a group of specialized body refinement warriors who are willing to die for this cause, which may be quite troublesome. However, if it were to be used appropriately, this Heavenmatch Bell can still be quite useful, especially to those who are part of large families or sects. The golden-masked figure finally completed his introduction.

After hearing all of this, Han Lis brows furrowed slightly, and he returned to his seat. It was quite clear that this Heavenmatch Bell wasnt going to be of much use to him.

In contrast, he was rather interested in that foreign body refinement art that the golden-masked man had mentioned.

Like Han Li, many of the other people present had also lost interest in this treasure after hearing this lengthy introduction.

The entire hall was silent for a while before someone finally asked, What would you like for this treasure? Im sure normal items wouldnt be able to catch the attention of your Black Realm.

Hehe, not necessarily. Ill state a few items that Im willing to exchange this treasure for, and if any of you possess one of those items and are willing to offer it for exchange, this treasure is yours. If none of you possess any of those items, then were willing to exchange this treasure for top-grade spirit stones or spirit medicines over 1,000 years old, as well, but that will naturally require an unimaginable sum, the golden-masked figure said, and everyone was quite surprised to hear this.

Are you serious? The same unknown female cultivator seemed to be very interested in this Heavenmatch Bell, and she was very excited to hear this.

Of course, I wouldnt make jokes on such an occasion. On top of that, our Black Realm naturally has more items wed like to offer for exchange than just this Heavenmatch Bell. Here is a list of items that were searching for in exchange for our treasures. The golden-masked man flipped a hand over as he spoke to reveal a white jade slip.

Immediately thereafter, spiritual light flashed, and a pillar of white light erupted from the jade slip before dispersing into a series of ancient silver characters in mid-air.

These characters depicted the names of over 100 types of items.

Over three kilograms of Earthyin Crystals, a 30-feet-long section of Snowspirit Wood, Greenblood Fruits that are over 100,000 years old… Han Li looked at the list of items and was quite stunned by what he saw.

Of course. Our Black Realm wouldnt dare to proclaim itself as the wealthiest power among the two races, but were definitely comparable in that respect to the likes of the three sovereigns and seven monarchs. There are some precious items that we purchased from other foreign races in the primordial world, and Im sure you wont be disappointed by them, Senior, the black-veiled woman said with a smile.

At this point, she had already removed the black veil over her face, revealing a set of exquisitely beautiful facial features that were extremely alluring to behold.

It was quite clear that she was using some kind of special captivation cultivation art. Otherwise, there was no way that she could give off such an astonishing level of allure.

However, Han Li was completely unaffected by her attempts at seduction and merely nodded in a calm manner before asking, Its quite an investment for the Black Realm to acquire and nurture a group of women like you. Im curious, with your looks, theres no way that you wouldnt be recognized if you were to appear in the outside world. Could it be…

As you suspect, Senior, my sisters and I have been living in the Black Realm for as long as we can remember and have never ventured into the outside world. How about you take me as your concubine, Senior? Ill finally be able to see the light of day, then. Number 11 put on a pitiable expression that would set the average cultivators heart aflutter, and they could easily be tempted into agreeing to her request. However, Han Li possessed immense spiritual sense and willpower, and he easily brushed her off with an excuse that he preferred solitude.

This Number 11 clearly knew her boundaries, and seeing as Han Li had no intention of taking her, she made no further mention of this and merely sidled up against Han Lis body.

Han Li reflexively tightened her arm around her waist, basking in the sensation of intimate contact with such an exquisite beauty.

After that, he asked her some more questions about the Black Realm Exchange Convention, all of which were answered to a very satisfactory degree, and Han Li was quite pleased with her service. At this moment, more and more people began to appear in the surrounding hovering pavilions.

All of a sudden, a resounding boom rang out from down below, causing the entire space to tremor slightly.

Han Lis expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and blue light flashed through his eyes as his gaze instantly pierced through the dark space before him, allowing him to see the source of the commotion.

At the entrance to the hall down below, there was a 100-feet-tall giant that was enshrouded in a layer of scorching flames, putting on a violent and menacing display.

There was a black-veiled woman beside the giant, explaining something in an urgent and panicked manner.

However, the fiery giant seemed to be too angry to listen to her explanations, and it let loose a thunderous roar before a massive hand emerged from the flames, hurtling downward to crush the woman into mincemeat.

Right at this moment, spatial fluctuations suddenly erupted nearby, and a streak of golden light appeared before slashing directly toward the giant without holding back in the slightest!

The fiery giant let loose another infuriated roar and was forced to turn its attention away from the black-veiled woman, reaching out toward the golden sword projection instead.

A screeching metallic clang rang out as the flames and sword projection intertwined, and the giant stumbled back several steps in succession. At the same time, spatial fluctuations erupted above it, and a grey-robed humanoid figure was also forced to emerge in the air above.

Han Li focused his gaze on the grey-robed figure to find that his robes were made from some kind of unknown materials that gave them an illusionary quality. On top of that, he was wearing a sinister ghostly mask and appraising the fiery giant down below with an intense gaze.

What has gotten you so worked up that youre attacking a junior, Fellow Daoist? Number 37, how did you offend our esteemed guest? Hurry up and apologize! Much to everyones surprise, even though the grey-robed figure hadnt held back at all in his attack, he was now scolding the black-veiled woman.

My sincerest apologies for my transgressions in serving you, Senior, please forgive me! Number 37s face was extremely pale, clearly still reeling from that near-death ordeal, but after hearing the order issued by the grey-robed figure, she immediately extended a respectful bow toward the fiery giant with a pitiable look on her face.

The fiery giant seemed to have regained much of its composure after being struck by that sword strike, and the fury in its eyes gradually faded, but it still harrumphed coldly, Ill let you off the hook this time, but if you do something thats considered taboo in our race again, Ill swallow you alive!

In the next instant, the flames around the giants body receded, and it shrank down to become a normal human-sized red-robed figure with a pair of crimson horns. However, the red-robed figures facial features had been completely concealed by a layer of red light.

The grey-robed figure turned to Number 37 before transmitting his voice toward her to ask a few questions, then nodded to end their conversation before turning to the red-robed figure in a slightly apologetic manner. I see, so youre from that race. Number 37 did indeed cross the line here, but please forgive her, she wouldve had no way of knowing your origins, Fellow Daoist. Ill immediately order for another better replacement to serve you.

Hmph, you can do whatever you want, I just want this convention to get started as quickly as possible. I dont have a lot of time to waste in this Black Realm, the red-robed demonic cultivator harrumphed coldly before flying toward a certain empty stone pavilion on his own as a massive fireball.

The grey-robed figure down below shook his head in a resigned manner upon seeing this, then waved a hand toward Number 37. Immediately thereafter, his body swayed, and he vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

Only then did Number 37 rise to her feet and take her leave. frewebnovel.com

Han Li was quite intrigued by the reason behind the red-robed demonic cultivators furious outburst, but seeing as the matter had been addressed in a relatively peaceful fashion, he withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes again to continue to rest.

Meanwhile, Number 11 stood up before quietly making her way behind him before using her fair delicate hands to gently massage his shoulders, serving her much like a mortal servant would.

With Han Lis immensely powerful body, he naturally didnt require any such services to relieve fatigue, but it was still quite an enjoyable experience to receive this gentle massage while breathing in the fragrant scent wafting from her body.

He lay still on his chair, and it seemed that he had truly fallen half-asleep. Thus, time slowly passed, and more and more of the stone pavilions were filled.

After about six to eight hours had passed, almost all of the stone pavilions had been taken. Even so, there were only a total of around 400 to 500 people present, but considering the fact that there were several tens of Body Integration cultivators among them while most of the rest were Spatial Tempering cultivators carrying extremely valuable treasures, this was indeed an extremely formidable gathering.

Despite the growing number of convention-goers, all of the human and demonic cultivators in the stone pavilions kept to themselves, either sitting in silence or sipping on spirit wine or spirit tea on their own without displaying any intention to communicate with others.

Thus, an extremely silent atmosphere had settled over the entire hall.

After around another hour had passed, a ball of piercing golden light suddenly erupted in the air above the pristine white platform, following which a giant black bell and a green humanoid figure emerged at one corner of the golden formation.

The huge bell was about as tall as a person and was completely black in color, with a few traces of rust visible along its edges. At the center of the bell was a diagram depicting a black wyrm with a single eye that was giving off an unsettling red light.

The green figure that had emerged alongside the black bell had a small purple club in his hand, and his upper body was completely bare, revealing a burly and strong physique.

His skin was of a light green color, indicating that he wasnt a human, but there was no demonic Qi emanating from his body, either, thereby making it quite difficult to determine just what kind of being he was.

However, there was a faint golden metallic luster intermingled with the green of his skin, so it was quite clear that he had cultivated some kind of special body refinement art, and definitely possessed an immensely powerful body.

All of the cultivators in the stone pavilions naturally cast their eyes toward the black bell in unison, waiting for what was going to happen next.

The burly green-skinned figure was completely unfazed by the scrutiny from so many powerful beings. He merely took a deep breath, and green light swirled around him, upon which his body expanded to over twice its original size, taking him to around 30 feet tall.

His arms also expanded significantly as bulging veins began to squirm like worms beneath his skin, and he tightened both of his hands around the purple copper club before swinging it toward the giant black in a slow and extremely careful manner.

The bell chimed, and a purple halo of light proliferated forth from the center of the giant bell, rippling through the air before vanishing in a flash.

Han Li faltered slightly upon seeing this, and before he could react, the burly green-skinned mans body suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon. In the blink of an eye, he had been reduced to a frail and emaciated elderly man with white hair and a white beard, looking as if he were close to his deathbed.

That strike of the bell seemed to have exhausted all of his energy and a vast amount of his lifespan, an occurrence that came as quite a shock to all of the observers present.

Han Lis pupils also contracted upon seeing this, but the bell chime just now was quite ordinary and didnt seem to be special in any way.

However, in the next instant, the spiritual power within his body suddenly began to churn, and his blood essence also began to flow at several times its normal speed before becoming extremely hot within his body.

Han Li was quite alarmed by this, and he immediately rose to his feet. He circulated his own powerful true essence to forcibly quell these physical reactions, and almost at the same time, he discovered that his magic power seemed to have increased slightly after hearing that bell chime.