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After passing through a long corridor and going around in a wide arc, Han Li and the others skirted around the main hall of the shrine and went straight to the rear hall.

There was a discreet secret chamber inside the hall, which was a white stone staircase that led underground.

There were several more secret guards situated at the opening of the staircase in an alert manner, and Xu Jiao waved a hand to dismiss them, upon which they immediately bowed before stepping away.

Han Li and the others descended into the slightly dim staircase. The passageway was a little dark, and there were chilly winds occasionally blowing toward them from down below. There were first-sized moonlight stones embedded into the wall on either side at regular intervals, causing the brightness in the surrounding area to fluctuate as one progressed down the staircase, creating many overlapping shadows that were slightly eerie to behold.

Thankfully, the stone staircase wasnt very long, and everyone soon appeared in an intricately designed massive underground hall.

Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly as he cast his gaze around him, upon which he discovered that this was a hall that was around 3,000 to 4,000 feet in size, and it was entirely paved with a type of black jade. There were complex and mysterious white runes carved all over the walls and the ceiling, and these runes were releasing white spiritual light that made the interior of the hall as bright as day.

The most eye-catching thing in the hall was an extremely intricately-crafted tall platform at the center of the hall.

The platform was hexagonal in shape, and was surrounded by a massive formation.

At the center of the platform was a circular pond that was filled with some kind of vibrant red liquid. Despite its resemblance to blood, it didnt smell like blood at all. Instead, it was releasing a peculiar fragrance.

There were a dozen or so Xu Family cultivators within the formation with their eyes closed in seated meditation surrounding the hexagonal platform. Xu Yan and Xu Huo were among these cultivators.

We pay our respects to Senior Han. Thank you for extending your assistance to our Xu Family. Han Li had been accompanied to this place by Xu Yuan and Xu Jiao, so it was quite obvious what he had come here for. As such, Xu Yan and Xu Huo immediately rose to their feet in an elated manner before bowing to him in unison.

Dont be so quick to thank me, its yet to be seen whether Ill be of any assistance, Han Li said with a shake of his head.

Xu Jiao paid no heed to this and waved a hand toward all of the other Xu Family cultivators so they could also come and pay their respects to Han Li.

All of these cultivators were at the Deity Transformation Stage, so they were clearly the true core of the Xu Family.

Every single one of them was casting surreptitious glances at Han Li with awe and veneration in their eyes, clearly already aware of the fact that he was a Body Integration cultivator. After receiving an instruction from Xu Jiao, all of them immediately rose to their feet before extending a grand welcome toward him.

Han Li waved a hand in response before casting his gaze toward the pond with an intrigued look in his eyes.

We created this substance according to the method recorded in the Great Blood Soul Technique. The spirit liquid in this pond was created using the blood essence of the members of our Xu Family alongside many rare and precious spirit medicines. Not only is it mandatory for awakening the blood soul, we can also use the blood Qi in the pond to delay the dissipation of the blood soul, Xu Yuan explained.

I see. However, the most important element of this awakening ceremony is the item that lies under the spirit liquid, right? Without that item, no matter how much spirit liquid there is in the pond or how profound the formation is, itll be very difficult to unleash the blood soul secret technique, Han Li said as faint blue light flashed through his eyes.

Xu Yuans expression changed slightly upon hearing this, but he immediately recomposed himself before explaining, Indeed, Senior, it seems that youve figured it out already. The item under the spirit liquid is the most important treasure of our Xu Family, the Blood Crystal Coffin. Without this treasure, theres no way to manifest a blood body that a blood soul requires as a vessel.

Han Li swept his gaze over the massive formation several times before a thought suddenly seemed to have occurred to him. After a brief pause, he chuckled, Blood Crystal Coffin, eh? Hehe, I think I understand what this awakening ceremony is all about.

Is that so? Xu Yan and Xu Huo faltered slightly upon hearing this, clearly not entirely convinced by Han Lis claim.

The entire Xu Family had to pour all of their efforts into preparing this awakening ceremony, and they only just barely managed to arrange everything after working for over half a day.

Han Li may have been a Body Integration cultivator, but it was still very difficult for them to believe that he could glean the intricacies of this setup after taking just a few glances at it.

Xu Yuan and Xu Jiao were also quite surprised to hear this.

Theres no need to be perplexed, fellow Daoists, its just that this ceremony has a similar function to the cultivation art of a foreign race that I once saw, Han Li explained with a smile.

At the same time, his mind wandered back to a certain cultivation art that he had seen during his time in the Heavenly Cloud Races.

This foreign race wasnt all that renowned, but this particular cultivation art of theirs allowed one to split their soul into many segments. As long a single segment of their soul could enter a physical body that had been painstakingly prepared in advance, one would immediately be able to replicate an identical clone of oneself. rewebnol.cm

This cultivation art was quite extraordinary, and the cultivation mantras were rather similar to cultivation arts of the human race, so Han Li had felt as if he had stumbled upon a brilliant treasure and immediately replicated a copy for himself.

However, later on, he discovered that in order to use this cultivation art, one had to possess a certain hidden innate ability that that particular foreign race possessed. Otherwise, cultivating it would result in backlash.

As such, he could only wistfully give upon on that endeavor.

Of course, there were disparities between humans and the beings of that foreign race, and there were also massive differences between the details of the two secret techniques, but that cultivation art could certainly be used as reference here.

Han Li had originally estimated that he would only have a 30% to 40% chance of success, but with this newfound knowledge, he was confident that those chances would be increased to around 70% to 80%.

Of course, Han Li naturally wasnt going to disclose this situation to everyone present. He merely strode slowly around the pond and the formation while intently scrutinizing the spirit liquid in the pond. Meanwhile, all of the Xu Family cultivators were appraising him with different expressions on their faces.

After making several laps around the pond, Han Li said, Alright, perform the ceremony as usual, and Ill step in at the appropriate opportunity.

He then turned and strode over to a corner of the hall before sitting down with his legs crossed and his eyes closed.

Xu Jiaos brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this, and after a while, it really did appear as if Han Li was going to meditate here. He finally couldnt repress the urge to speak up any longer, yet just as he was about to say something, Xu Yuan suddenly transmitted his voice to him.

Even though the voice transmission was very brief, it still sent a stir running through Xu Jiaos heart, and after a brief hesitation, he decided not to say anything.

After that, they joined all of the other Xu Family cultivators and entered the formation before meditating around the platform.

Time slowly passed by, and day gradually transitioned into night.

As night fell, some of the Xu Family cultivators began to stir from their meditation.

Many of them looked up toward the platform at the center of the formation with peculiar looks in their eyes.

After a short while, Xu Yuan, Xu Jiao, and the others also opened their eyes before turning their attention toward the platform.

After an indeterminate period of time passed, bright light suddenly erupted from the ceiling of the massive hall. A series of white runes began to surge through the air above before forming several simple small formations in mere moments.

In the next instant, a loud buzzing sound rang out, and the small formations shuddered before releasing several pillars of white light that vanished into the pond on the hexagonal platform.

Han Lis expression stirred slightly as he abruptly opened his eyes, and almost at the exact same moment, the spirit liquid in the pond began to churn violently.

A vortex began to appear at the center of the pond before rapidly rotating, and a series of silver runes of different sizes appeared and flashed within the waves, creating quite an intriguing sight to behold.

Its time! Activate the formation! Xu Yuan yelled in a thunderous voice, sending slight tremors running through the entire hall.

All of the Xu Family cultivators answered in unison before making hand seals and chanting incantations.

A string of dull thumps rang out in quick succession, and spiritual light flashed from within the formation before 18 pillars of crimson light erupted from all over the formation.

Every single pillar of light was about as thick as a large bowl, and they erupted directly into the ceiling of the massive hall with no end in sight.

As the three Spatial Tempering cultivators present, Xu Yuan, Xu Huo, and Xu Yan naturally occupied the three most important points in the formation. As everyone was chanting incantations to activate the formation, they each flipped a hand over to produce a red flag that was several inches in length.

They blew on their respective flags, and the flags immediately began to rotate on the spot.

This was clearly a well-rehearsed procedure for the three Spatial Tempering cultivators already, and they immediately bit through the tips of their own tongues before opening their mouths to expel a ball of blood essence each.

As soon as the three balls of blood essence emerged, they exploded into blood mist amid a dull thump, and the blood mist instantly enshrouded the three flags.

A sharp noise began to erupt from small flags, following which each of them expelled a burst of light to completely absorb the blood mist around them.

Immediately thereafter, the three small flags began to expand drastically in size amid a flash of bright crimson light.

After just a few flashes, they had transformed into three massive flags that were emanating tremendous baleful Qi.

Crimson light erupted from the flags in a frenzy, constantly pouring into the entire formation, and fusing with the crimson light being released by the formation to encompass the entire pond.

The scent of blood and gore emerged alongside that peculiar fragrance before fusing as one to form a strange scent that struck those who inhaled it with a sense of drowsiness.

Right at this moment, a burst of rumbling suddenly rang out, following which a massive ball of light that resembled a crimson fireball slowly emerged from within the depths of the vortex in the pond.

There was a crystalline coffin that was shimmering with red spiritual light hovering peacefully within the crimson ball of light, and as soon as it appeared, all of the Xu Family cultivators adopted serious expressions.

Spiritual light of different colors revolved around them, and some of them had turned pale while their bodies began to tremble, clearly indicating that they were already releasing their magic power to their maximal extent.

After determining a plausible reason behind this occurrence, Han Lis expression reverted back to normal as he continued to appraise the mountain in the distance.

A short while later, the restrictions in the distance finally vanished, and he left the window with a contemplative look on his face, then sat back down onto the futon before closing his eyes.

During the next few days, aside from Xu Qianyus mandatory daily courtesy visits, none of the other members of the Xu Family came to disturb him.

However, from the hint of concern that was constantly in her eyes, it seemed that what the Xu Family had been doing hadnt progressed very smoothly.

Sure enough, the same fluctuations would erupt from that mountain every single night, and during Xu Qianyus next few mandatory daily visits, Han Li could tell that she wanted to say something to him, but always decided against it.

Han Li didnt display any reaction to this, but none of it had escaped his detection.

On the fifth morning, Han Li was in the process of inspecting his talisman when his expression suddenly changed slightly, and he abruptly flipped his hand over, upon which the talisman vanished in a flash.

He could clearly sense that Xu Qianyu wasnt the only one who had come to visit him this morning, she had also been accompanied by Xu Jiao and another man who was unfamiliar to him.

This man possessed a very powerful aura and was a late-Spatial Tempering cultivator.

A hint of surprise flashed through his eyes. Who wouldve thought that there would be such a powerful cultivator in the Xu Family? They sure had hidden him quite well.

Just as these thoughts were running through Han Lis mind, Xu Jiaos respectful voice rang out from down below.

Junior Xu Jiao pays his respects to Senior Han. May I have the honor of being granted an audience with you?

Of course. Theres no need to be so polite and formal, Fellow Daoist Xu, please wait in the hall for a moment, and Ill come down right away, Han Li replied before rising to his feet and making his way downstairs.

Moments later, Han Li appeared in the hall on the first floor, and he immediately turned his attention toward the late-Spatial Tempering cultivator whom he was unfamiliar with.

The one standing next to Xu Jiao was a young man in a set of slightly worn-out grey robes. He appeared to only be around 27 to 28 years of age, and he was also appraising Han Li with a respectful smile.

Upon closer inspection, Han Li could see that this man bore a resemblance to Xu Jiao, and judging from outward appearances alone, he looked like a junior of Xu Jiaos.

Xu Jiao immediately extended a bow toward Han Li before making an introduction. Senior Han, this is the grand elder of our Xu Family, Xu Yuan. He had reached a critical juncture in his cultivation a few days ago, so he was unable to come out of seclusion to greet you.

Grand elder, eh? I can see that Fellow Daoist Xu Yuan has already reached the pinnacle of the Spatial Tempering Stage and can most likely attempt a breakthrough to the Body Integration Stage at any time now. Should you succeed, you and I will be equals, Han Li said with a smile as he examined the young man.

Your discerning eye is truly unmatched, Senior. However, my chances of making a successful breakthrough are very slim, the young man sighed after also extending a respectful bow toward Han Li.

Han Li smiled upon hearing this, but didnt say anything in response. He sat down in the main seat, then motioned for everyone else to take a seat as well.

Xu Jiao and the others immediately expressed their gratitude before taking a seat on either side of Han Li.

Have you decided to pay me a visit because youd discovered news about Fairy Ice Soul, Family Leader Xu? Han Li cut straight to the chase.

Xu Jiao was surprised by how straightforward Han Li was, and his lips twitched as a wry smile appeared on his face.

If you had asked me this yesterday, then I wouldnt have been able to give you a conclusive answer, but I did indeed come to visit you for this matter, and I have a favor to ask of you.

A favor? Han Li raised an eyebrow in a slightly surprised manner.

Truth be told, the two items that you passed on to us will indeed allow us to track down Fairy Ice Soul, but our powers are insufficient to make use of those items, and well require your power as well, Senior, Xu Jiao explained in a concise manner.

Indeed. All three of our Xu Familys Spatial Tempering cultivators have made attempts, but ultimately failed as our magic power was lacking. Hence, we can only request for your help, Senior, Xu Yuan chimed in with a serious look on his face.

I see. Would you two be able to explain the situation in greater detail first? Han Li asked in a calm manner. With his current status and powers, he naturally wasnt going to be making any quick promises.

Of course. Even if you hadnt asked, I wouldve disclosed the nature of the situation.

Xu Jiao paused momentarily to gather his thoughts, then continued, Its actually not all that complex. Have you heard of the Great Blood Soul Technique, Senior?

Han Lis brows furrowed slightly before he quickly recalled the relevant information, and his expression changed slightly as he said, Great Blood Soul Technique? It does sound rather familiar. Hmm? Could this be the very same Great Blood Soul Technique that was cultivated by that Daoist Master Blood Crystal tens of thousands of years ago?

As expected, you really have heard of this cultivation art. This Daoist Master Blood Crystal was an extremely rare prodigy among our human race. Not only did he invent this Great Blood Soul Technique, he had even used it to slay foreign beings of the same cultivation base as him in the past. Truth be told, Daoist Master Blood Crystal has long since perished, but Fairy Ice Soul discovered what he had left behind many years ago.

Even though this cultivation art was close to a devilish art, and there was no way that our matriarch would go to the trouble of completely altering the cultivation art to make it accessible to her, she was still able to cultivate some of the life-saving secret techniques in the cultivation art, and also refined several types of related life-saving treasures. Among the items that you passed on to us is a Blood Soul Vial, which our matriarch refined in the past, and the vial contains a wisp of her blood soul. All we need to do to track down our matriarch is to awaken this blood soul. As Xu Jiao was speaking, he was keeping an eye on Han Lis reaction this entire time.

However, aside from the slightest reaction that Han Li had displayed upon hearing about the Blood Soul Vial, he remained completely expressionless.

The phenomenon thats been taking place these past few nights have arisen from your attempts to awaken the blood soul, right? Han Li suddenly asked after a brief pause.

Indeed, Senior. We didnt dare to delay and gathered everyone on the same night as you arrived to perform the awakening ceremony. Unfortunately… Xu Jiaos voice trailed off here as a resigned look appeared on his face.

Xu Yuan sighed before continuing where Xu Jiao left off. Unfortunately, weve failed the awakening ceremony several times in succession. Perhaps this is because the blood soul has been contained in the vial for too long or because our bloodlines arent pure enough. In any case, the talisman sealing the blood soul has already been removed, so if we cant awaken the blood soul in two more days, its going to completely dissipate.

You want me to join in on the awakening ceremony? Han Li asked in a calm manner.

Indeed, Senior. Weve tried everything during the past few days, all to no avail, so I can only turn to you now, Senior. Xu Jiao rose to his feet as he spoke before extending another earnest bow toward Han Li.

Han Li stroked his chin in contemplation, and only after a while did he reply, If it really is just a lack of magic power, then I can certainly give you a hand, but if the blood soul or the awakening ceremony is fundamentally flawed, then I wont be able to do anything.

Xu Jiao immediately nodded in an elated manner in response. Of course. Those issues are beyond our control, and if the issue truly lies in one of those areas, then we can only concede to our ill fortune.

Xu Yuan and Xu Qianyu were also ecstatic to hear this.

Seeing as Han Li had decided to agree to this matter, he wasnt going to sit around any longer. He immediately rose to his feet, and said, Lets not delay this any longer. Ill go with you to see Fellow Daoist Ice Souls blood soul right away and prepare the awakening ceremony with all of you.

Xu Jiao processed this request for a brief moment before deciding that there werent any issues, and he nodded in response. Alright. Even though this ceremony can only be performed at night, it would be a good idea for you to familiarize yourself with the blood soul first.

If they could truly track down Fairy Ice Soul, then the Xu Family would immediately be elevated to become a super family in the human race.

As such, Xu Jiao and the Xu Family elders were keen to do everything in their power to awaken this wisp of blood soul.

Thus, Han Li departed from his pavilion with the Xu Family trio, and the four of them flew directly toward the mountain where the fluctuations had erupted from during the past few nights.

Such a short distance was naturally covered in the blink of an eye, and they soon arrived at the mountain, which appeared to be quite ordinary in itself, but was surrounded by balls of spiritual light of different colors to form a restriction.

Between these balls of spiritual light were a series of azure-armored guards.

Han Li swept his spiritual sense over the area, and he discovered that most of these guards were at the Nascent Soul Stage, and there were over 100 of them.

This wouldnt be considered to be a formidable force in Deep Heaven City, but it was quite a force to be reckoned with for a single family.

These guards were all concealed within the restriction in a very discreet manner, and none of them made a single sound nor any false moves to blow their covers, clearly indicating that they had been very well-trained. This was even rarer to see in a family.

Xu Jiao seemed to have noticed Han Lis intrigue, and he explained, These are our Xu Familys secret guards, and theyre the most elite forces at our Xu Familys disposal. Im sure they arent anything special in your eyes, but if they were to join forces in groups of three or four, they would be able to combat even Deity Transformation cultivators.

Oh? So these guards must be adept in combination secret techniques, Han Li remarked in an intrigued manner.

Hehe, that is indeed the case. It would be very bad if the awakening ceremony were to be disrupted, so all of our familys secret guards have been gathered here as a safety precaution, Xu Jiao explained.

Han Li merely nodded in response and didnt offer a reply on this occasion.

Xu Jiao summoned a formation plate to part the restriction first, and the four of them landed in front of a massive building that resembled a shrine, situated halfway up the mountain.

Above the gate of the shrine was a large plaque with a single Xu character inscribed upon it in ancient silver text.

There were eight more secret guards standing near the gate in an expressionless manner.

What was rather strange was that the gate was tightly shut, and the only way to access the shrine was through a side entrance that could only allow a single person through at a time.

Han Lis expression changed slightly upon seeing this.

Please forgive me, Senior. This is our Xu Familys ancestral shrine, so we can only enter the underground secret hall through the side entrance, Xu Yuan said in an apologetic manner.

Its alright, I understand. Han Li waved a hand in a nonchalant manner.

Both Xu Yuan and Xu Jiao heaved an internal sigh of relief upon hearing this.

If Han Li really did become displeased due to this small detail, then that would naturally be rather bad for them.

Thus, the four of them entered the ancestral shrine through the side entrance one after another.

Xu Huo and the burly man were also ecstatic to see this.

Xu Jiao repressed his own excitement and replicated the same procedure to remove the talisman on the jade box as well.

After glancing hesitantly at the two items for a brief moment, he reached out and grabbed the blue jade slip, then gently pressed it against his forehead before closing his eyes.

Time slowly passed, and the white-robed mans initially calm expression gradually became tinged with a hint of confusion, then slowly transitioned toward astonishment.

Xu Huo and the elderly man glanced at one another upon seeing this, and they couldnt help but grow a little nervous.

Around 10 minutes later, Xu Jiao finally exhaled before removing the jade slip from his forehead in a rather forlorn manner.

What does it say? Xu Huo immediately asked.

An urgent look also appeared on the burly mans face.

Xu Jiao returned to his senses before tossing the jade slip over to Xu Huo, seemingly unwilling to say anything. You should take a look for yourself, Granduncle Huo.

Xu Huo was naturally slightly bewildered as he caught the jade slip, but after a brief hesitation, he also injected his spiritual sense into it.

Meanwhile, Xu Jiaos gaze fell upon the jade box, and after a brief pause, he swept his sleeve over it, upon which the lid of the box flew off on its own.

A swath of black light was swirling within the jade box, and it contained a small red vial that was several inches tall.

There was a strange pattern on the surface of the vial, and it was releasing a faint odor of blood and gore.

Upon catching sight of the red vial, a hint of surprise appeared on the burly mans face, and he seemed to have been able to identify it. Hmm? That seems to be our familys…

Indeed, this is the Blood Soul Vial that has been passed down in our Xu Family for generations. There was originally a pair of these treasures, but one of them was taken away by Fairy Ice Soul. I didnt think that the two treasures would have a chance to reunite someday, Xu Jiao said in a brooding manner.

So it really is that treasure, the burly man murmured to himself.

Xu Jiao instructed, Take my badge and mobilize all of the secret guards in our family right away. Surround the mountain that our ancestral shrine is situated on, and activate all of the nearby restrictions, make sure that not even a single fly is allowed to leave. After that, rouse our eldest granduncle from his seclusion and ask him to wait in the ancestral shrine for now.

What? Mobilize the secret guards and rouse our eldest granduncle from seclusion? The burly man was stunned to hear this.

The white-robed man gritted his teeth as if he were making a difficult decision, then confirmed in an implacable manner, Thats right. This is an extremely important matter that concerns our matriarch, so even if our eldest granduncle is at a critical juncture in his cultivation, hell have to come out of seclusion to address this.

Have you really found the whereabouts of our matriarch? Ill go right away! The burly man was ecstatic to hear this, and he immediately rushed out of the secret chamber.

Following his departure, Xu Jiaos gaze returned to the small red vial, and a contemplative look appeared on his face.

Not long after that, Xu Huo exhaled as he finally finished reading the contents of the jade slip before also opening his eyes.

I see. So our matriarch really did venture into the primordial world, and she even went to a foreign continent. However, something seems to have happened to her, and only a wisp of the blood soul that she refined was sent back to us, Xu Huo murmured with furrowed brows.

Aside from that blood soul secret technique enclosed in the jade slip, all of the other information is very vague. Well have to use the blood crystal to reawaken the wisp of blood soul before we can figure out what happened. Its a good thing that Fairy Ice Soul refined that Blood Soul Coffin and the pair of Blood Soul Vials prior to her disappearance. Otherwise, we would be at a complete loss right now, Xu Jiao said in a grim manner.

Indeed. However, the jade slip says that once the talismans are removed, the awakening ceremony must be held within a few days. Otherwise, even the wisp of blood soul in the Blood Soul Vial will dissipate. After all, this blood soul has been sealed in the vial for far too long. A concerned look appeared on Xu Huos face.

Rest assured, the ceremony will be arranged tonight, the white-robed man said.

Looks like well have to do that. By the way, what are we going to tell that Senior Han? According to Yuer, he seems to have some kind of connection with our matriarch, and delivered her blood soul back to us, so he most likely doesnt harbor any ill will toward our Xu Family, Xu Huo analyzed.

Indeed. This Senior Han has only just reached the Body Integration Stage, but he seems to be quite powerful and is very knowledgeable in ancient formations, perhaps he can become a powerful backer for our Xu Family in the future. We have to convince him to stay for a few days no matter what. After we awaken the blood soul through the ceremony, well have to find a way to befriend him, Xu Jiao decided after a brief pause for contemplation.

Alright, then Ill go and make some preparations. Xu Huo nodded before turning to depart on his own.

However, the white-robed man faltered momentarily before stopping him. Wait, Ill come out with you as a show of our sincerity.

Xu Huo thought about this for a moment before nodding in agreement. That would be good. We certainly cant be too careful in our treatment of a Body Integration Stage being.

Thus, Xu Jiao carefully packed up the jade box containing the small red vial before exiting the secret chamber with Xu Huo.

Around two hours later, Han Li found himself seated atop a futon on the top floor of an extremely lavish and intricate pavilion. His brows were slightly furrowed, and he was rather bemused by this situation.

He had originally intended to leave the Xu Family after delivering the two items, but Xu Jiao had been extremely hospitable and insisted on asking him to stay for some time. Seeing as he was still determined to leave, he had even implied to Han Li that the items contained potential leads pertaining to Fairy Ice Souls whereabouts, and that her current location could be revealed if he were to stay for a few more days.

This made Han Li rather hesitant. It was naturally impossible to say that he didnt care about Fairy Ice Soul at all.

Regardless of whether it was the Celestial Blue flames he had absorbed, his risky venture into the Heavenvoid Palace, the Heavenvoid Cauldron he had obtained, or his run-in with the North Night Palace in the Great Jin, all of this had something to do with Fairy Ice Soul.

As such, there were a few questions surrounding Fairy Ice Soul in his heart that he also really wanted to have answered. Thus, he certainly wouldnt mind staying for half a month or so if it meant that those mysteries could be resolved.

After all, with his current powers, he didnt have to worry that the Xu Family would try to plot against him. Aside from the legendary Grand Ascension cultivators, no one in the human and demon races could pose a threat to him.

Seeing as Xu Jiao and the other Xu Family cultivators were so eager to keep him, he decided to comply in the end.

However, he had decided that he would stay at the Xu Family for a month at most. If no news of Fairy Ice Soul arose even after a month had passed, then he would still leave anyway.

Of course, even if he did receive news of Fairy Ice Souls whereabouts, it was still yet to be decided what he was going to do and whether he was going to spend the time to find her. Everything would have to depend on the information that comes to light.

All of a sudden, Han Li raised a hand, and spiritual light flashed, upon which a silver talisman appeared over his palm.

This talisman was none other than one of the True Immortal Realm talismans he had obtained from the ruins in the Vast Glacial Realm.

He still didnt have the ingredients required to refine the Body Integration Stage pills he desired, so he wasnt in a hurry to cultivate. Instead, he had focused most of his attention on studying these talismans.

These talismans were completely spent and devoid of spiritual power, but they were all written in beveled silver text, so they would naturally correspond greatly with the pages of the Golden Jade Tome that he had obtained in the past.

As such, studying them had proved to be very enlightening to Han Li, and he was even beginning to comprehend the Heavenly Halberd Talisman, which he had never managed to make any progress on in the past.

This talisman was the final beveled silver text talisman on that incomplete page of the Golden Jade Tome, and it was also the only offensive talisman on that incomplete page.

Setting aside how powerful the talisman was, just its complexity was far more extreme than other beveled silver text talismans like the High Zenith Invisibility Talisman.

Even though Han Li had progressed to the Body Integration Stage and had attained some insight regarding the laws of heaven and earth, he was still unable to completely comprehend this talisman, and that suggested that it was definitely something to look forward to.

Han Li stared intently at the silver talisman in his hand while constantly scribbling something in the air with the index finger of his other hand.

Most of the time, nothing resulted from this, but occasionally, a few silver runes of different sizes would emerge from his fingertip. These runes would either instantly explode, or linger in the air and shimmering erratically for a while before dissipating, creating quite a mystical sight to behold.

Time passed by slowly, and several pristine full moons soon appeared in the night sky over the mountain range that the Xu Family was situated on.

Han Li was still constantly scribbling with his finger when a peculiar look suddenly appeared on his face.

In the next instant, he rose to his feet before arriving in front of the window in a flash, then cast his gaze toward a certain mountain in the distance with a puzzled look in his eyes.

Whats going on? These restriction fluctuations are so strange. Theyre like… All of a sudden, a thought seemed to have occurred to him, and he raised his head to look upward, only to be greeted by quite a startling sight.

The pristine white moons up above had turned into a crimson color, and presented a very unsettling sight to behold.

Han Li exhaled as he withdrew his gaze, then turned his attention toward the same mountain, scrutinizing it through narrowed eyes.

Blue light flashed incessantly within his pupils, and under the effect of his spirit eye ability, he was able to identify that a layer of crimson light had appeared over the seemingly ordinary mountain.

This crimson light surrounded the mountain and expanded and contracted in an erratic manner. The fluctuations that had alerted him were coming directly from that mountain.

He could clearly see that a certain type of profound restriction had already been set up around the mountain. However, that crimson light was truly quite abnormal, and there was some spiritual pressure that could puncture directly through the restriction.

Only after a long while did the blue light vanish from within his eyes, and a contemplative look appeared on his face as he murmured to himself, Could it be that the Xu Family is holding some kind of blood sacrificial ceremony? But why would they choose to do this when an outsider is present? Could this have something to do with the items I passed on to them today?

As intelligent as he was, he was able to roughly guess the truth after some quick deliberation.

Xu Jiao paused momentarily before replying, Treasures? Prior to her disappearance, Fairy Ice Soul took all of her treasures with her and didnt leave any behind for her descendants. As for cultivation arts, our Xu Family does have a few secret techniques that our matriarch had once used during her days of dominance in the human race. However, the conditions required to cultivate these secret techniques are extremely stringent, and only several people in our family have been able to cultivate them. Thankfully, my granduncle, Xu Yan, is one of them. Granduncle, please demonstrate some of your abilities to Senior Han. frewbnovel.com

The elderly man hesitated momentarily before nodding in response. In that case, Ill display some of my abilities as proof.

He then raised an arm to reach a thin and wrinkled hand out of his sleeve, then spread his five fingers slightly before turning his palm upward.

All of a sudden, a ball of blue flames appeared over the center of his palm before transforming into a translucent blue lotus flower. The lotus flower was extremely life-like, and it was as if a real flower had blossomed in his hand.

Celestial Blue flames! Han Li murmured to himself.

Indeed, Senior. This glacial flame was our matriarchs signature ability, and full mastery of it would allow one to seal a vast area in ice within mere moments. Of course, Im still far from reaching that level, Xu Yan said with a smile on his face. The blue ice lotus revolved within his hand before suddenly surging forward as a burst of blue light, and the space in its wake instantly began to twist and warp, as well as shimmer with blue light.

At this moment, Xu Huo tossed his teacup through the air, and it instantly flew into the shimmering blue space

As soon as the teacup came into contact with the blue light, it was transformed into an ice sculpture that hung within the light in a completely still manner.

Han Lis pupils contracted upon seeing this, and his expression remained unchanged, but a hint of surprise had surfaced in his eyes.

He didnt think that the Celestial Blue flames would possess such an ability. However, upon closer consideration, he decided that this made sense.

The Celestial Blue Flames he had obtained from the Heavenvoid Cauldron hadnt been cultivated by him. As such, the powers of those flames hadnt improved through his cultivation.

In contrast, Xu Yans glacial flames had been developed purely through cultivation, and he also had the relevant cultivation art, so he would naturally be able to improve the power of these flames over time.

Both of these methods had their own sets of advantages and disadvantages.

Absorbing glacial flames that already existed allowed one to directly attain that ability without having to spend time to cultivate it. However, if they wanted to make the ability more powerful in the future, then theyd only be able to rely on the powers of external items or fuse other glacial flames into the existing one.

In the examples of Xu Yan and Fairy Ice Soul, who had attained these flames through cultivation, the process had taken them a very long time, but as long as they continued to cultivate according to the cultivation art, they would be able to eventually maximize the powers of these flames.

The Celestial Blue flames that Han Li had absorbed had been found by him back in the human world. The Celestial Blue flames that Fairy Ice Soul had left behind at the time were only at the Deity Transformation Stage at most, so they naturally couldnt compare with Xu Yans glacial flames.

After quickly pondering the situation, Han Li understood everything, and the surprise in his eyes faded.

However, the blue light in front of Xu Yan only lingered for the span of a few breaths before shattering like glass, and the teacup that was suspended in mid-air began to fall.

Xu Huo was already prepared for this, and he immediately waved a hand to draw the frozen teacup back into his grasp.

At the same time, crimson light flashed from his hand, and the layer of blue ice around the teacup instantly melted away, returning it back to its original condition.

What do you think, Senior Han? Does my granduncles demonstration prove that were direct lineal descendants of Fairy Ice Soul? the white-robed man asked with a smile.

Those are indeed Celestial Blue flames, and Fellow Daoist Xu Yan has mastered them to an exceptional degree. His ability to control the glacial power without allowing any of it to seep out is truly remarkable, Han Li replied with a smile and a nod.

Xu Jiao was quite pleased to hear this. Then…

Hehe, rest assured, Fellow Daoist, seeing as you are indeed a directly lineal descendant of Fellow Daoist Ice Soul, Ill naturally hand the items over to you, Han Li chuckled before sweeping a sleeve over the table beside him, and azure light flashed, following which two items appeared on the table.

They consisted of a faint blue jade slip, and a pristine white jade box.

Both of the items were sealed tightly with a shimmering golden talisman each, and that was sufficient proof that Han Li hadnt examined these items at all.

The white-robed man glanced at the two items with a serious expression, but instead of reaching out for them right away, he asked in a cautious manner, Would you be able to tell us who entrusted you with these items now, Senior?

Its not that Im unwilling to tell you, its just that even if I were to tell you, you wouldnt know who he is. All I can tell you is that this senior isnt from our human or demon race, and his powers are far beyond my own, Han Li said with slightly furrowed brows.

So hes a foreign being with powers that far surpass even yours? It was quite apparent that this reply came as quite a revelation to the members of the Xu Family present.

Bewildered looks appeared on all of their faces, and Han Li wasnt surprised by their reactions.

A contemplative look appeared in Xu Jiaos eyes, and he said, Prior to Fairy Ice Souls departure, she had only just progressed to the Body Integration Stage, so its possible that she ventured into the primordial world to explore the entire Tian Yuan Continent. In that case, it certainly wouldnt be implausible for her to acquaint herself with a few seniors from foreign races. Could it be that these two items contain information regarding her whereabouts?

Xu Yan and Xu Huo exchanged an elated glance, and they said, almost in unison, Its certainly possible.

Xu Qianyu and the burly man were also quite excited at this prospect.

The white-robed man took a deep breath before drawing the two items on the table into his hands, then said, Im only making baseless assumptions here, so dont get too excited. Please wait here for a moment, Senior, Ill be back soon. In the meantime, Ill get Granduncle Yan and Yuer to keep company.

Go ahead, Fellow Daoist Xu, Han Li replied with a nod.

Thus, Xu Jiao departed with Xu Huo and the burly man while carrying the two items, leaving only Han Li, Xu Qianyu, and Xu Yan in the hall.

After chatting with Han Li for a while, Xu Yan cupped his fist in a salute, and said, Senior Han, I heard from Yuer that it was only thanks to your guidance back in Deep Heaven City that she was able to progress to the Deity Transformation Stage so quickly. I must thank you on behalf of Yuer as a senior of hers.

I didnt do much, Fellow Daoist Qianyus outstanding aptitude is the main reason behind the speed of her progression. I merely looked out for her from time to time, Han Li replied in a calm manner.

Speaking of which, I heard from Quer that you seem to have some kind of connection with our matriarch, is that true, Senior? Xu Yan asked in a curious manner.

I havent ever seen Fairy Ice Soul before, but there is indeed a connection between us. Otherwise, that elder wouldnt have entrusted these items to me. If you still have some doubts, then Im sure this will dispel them. Han Li pointed a finger upward as he spoke, and a burst of blue flames erupted from his fingertip, then transformed into a blue ice flower.

Celestial Blue flames! the elderly man exclaimed as he stared intently at the blue ice flower with astonishment in his eyes.

Xu Qianyu was also quite stunned to see this, and she murmured, Could it be that youre also…

Its not what you think, I merely came across some of the glacial flames that your matriarch left in a lower realm, Han Li explained with a smile.

I see! An enlightened look appeared on Xu Yans face, and there was still a slight hint of suspicion in his eyes, but it wouldnt be appropriate for him to ask any further questions.

After all, Han Li was a Body Integration cultivator, and was not someone to be interrogated by a Spatial Tempering cultivator like him.

Meanwhile, Xu Jiao, the burly man, and Xu Huo were situated in a secret chamber behind the hall. The secret chamber had many layers of restrictions around it, and all three of them were intently scrutinizing the two items on the stone table inside the chamber.

These talismans truly are very profound, even with our powers, were unable to force them to peel off. It seems that these items really have been passed onto Senior Han by a foreign Grand Ascension Stage being. Xu Huo seemed to have already attempted to remove the talismans, but the resigned look on his face clearly indicated that he had failed.

If these really are talismans from a Grand Ascension Stage being, then it only makes sense that were unable to remove them by force. If we use the power of certain treasures to forcibly destroy these two talismans, well most likely damage the two items as well. There has to be another way to do this, Xu Jiao mused as he stroked his chin with a contemplative look on his face.

If you have an idea, then why not give it a try? We can just try something else if it doesnt work, Xu Huo urged. He was clearly quite eager to access the two items.

Only after a long while did Xu Jiao nod in response in a solemn manner. Youre right, Granduncle. Let me give this a try, then.

He then suddenly raised an arm before opening his mouth to expel a burst of white light.

The white light quickly revolved around his wrist before returning into his mouth in a flash.

However, in the next instant, a faint gash appeared around his wrist, and several drops of blood essence slowly dripped down onto the talisman that sealed the jade slip.

Crimson light flashed momentarily, and the blood essence almost instantly seeped into the talisman.

Immediately thereafter, bright golden light suddenly erupted from the talisman, following which golden runes of different sizes surged forth in a frenzy.

However, all of these golden runes then vanished in an instant. At the same time, the astonishing spiritual Qi erupting from the talisman receded, and the spiritual light also faded.

Xu Jiao was ecstatic to see this, and he knew that he had most likely guessed correctly. Sure enough, only those who had the inherited Fairy Ice Souls bloodline could safely remove these talismans.

He took a deep breath before gently blowing on the jade slip, and the golden talisman shuddered before silently drifting off the jade slip.

Weve arrived, Senior. Let me notify the members of my family so my father can greet you, Xu Qianyu said as the flying carriage circled around in the air near the mountain range.

Han Li swept his spiritual sense over the mountain range, and his expression changed slightly as he nodded in response. So this is the Xu Family. As expected, youve really found a good place. Alright, then, Ill wait here for you.

Due to the fact that he had made no attempt to conceal his flying carriage, the Xu Family cultivators on guard duty had already noticed their presence, and a burst of restriction fluctuations erupted as a dozen or so streaks of light flew out of the mountain range down below, and they certainly didnt seem to be approaching with friendly intentions.

After securing permission from Han Li, Xu Qianyu flew toward the cultivators of her family as a streak of white light, and she reached them after just a few flashes.

All of those cultivators clearly recognized the daughter of their family leader, and the lights around them all faded to reveal a series of cultivators, all of whom had elated looks on their faces.

Xu Qianyu merely said something to them with a smile on her face, then descended with them toward the mountain range down below.

Meanwhile, Han Li patiently waited on his flying carriage, and a short while later, delightful music began to play within the mountain range.

Two groups of young women in white and red palatial dresses flew out of one of the mountains, and even though they were all only at the Core Formation and Foundation Establishment Stages, all of them were very beautiful and wore respectful expressions.

Behind these women were three people, one of which was none other than Xu Qianyu. The one at the center of the trio was a scholarly white-robed man, while the final person to complete the trio was a massive burly man with an unruly beard and a pair of large menacing intimidating eyes.

The two groups of women stopped several hundred feet away from the flying carriage, while the trio continued onward and only stopped after reaching Han Li.

Junior Xu Jiao pays his respects to Senior Han. Please forgive me for not coming out to greet you sooner.

The white-robed man appeared to be around 30 years of age and had a set of ordinary facial features. However, he was at the late-Deity Transformation Stage, so he wasnt weak by any means. In the presence of Han Li, he hurriedly extended a deep bow with a respectful look on his face.

Junior Xu Lu also pays his respects to Senior Han. The burly man was at the mid-Deity Transformation Stage, and he also extended a respectful bow.

Are you the leader of the Xu Family, Fellow Daoist Xu Jiao? Han Li asked in an indifferent manner as he appraised the white-robed man.

Indeed. Ive been the Xu Family Leader for around 1,000 years now, the white-robed man replied in a truthful manner.

Han Li nodded, and asked, Im sure Fellow Daoist Qianyu has informed you of the purpose of my visit, right?

She did, indeed. We are truly grateful that youve graced us with a visit for the sake of our matriarch. However, this is not a suitable place to talk, please follow me and well discuss these matters inside, the white-robed man said in a respectful manner.

Han Li nodded in response. Alright, lead the way.

Thus, Han Li withdrew his flying carriage, and drifted down from the sky.

The white-robed man and burly man accompanied Han Li on either side, while Xu Qianyu followed along a half step behind them.

After arriving in the air above the mountain range, Xu Jiao flipped a hand over to summon a green badge before gently sweeping it through the air.

A burst of violent spatial fluctuations suddenly erupted over the entire mountain range, and the dozen or so mountains twisted and warped like mirages before vanishing into nothingness.

The mountains were still the same mountains, but they were now in completely different locations to where they were situated before.

The dozen or so mountains had all shifted several kilometers in location, so presumably, if someone had tried to directly attack the Xu Family using a powerful ability, then they would completely miss all of the mountains and buildings.

Han Lis eyes narrowed slightly, and he suddenly remarked, This is a mirage illusionary realm! I didnt think that youd have access to such a legendary ancient restriction.

Hehe, Im sure its nothing much in your eyes, Senior. Around 10,000 years ago, our Xu Family enlisted the service of an extremely talented formation master, and it took him his entire life to restore most of this ancient illusionary formation. Its a pity that his cultivation base was rather lackluster. Otherwise, if he had lived for some time longer, then perhaps he wouldve been able to completely restore the formation, Xu Jiao chuckled in response, seemingly also quite proud of this formation.

Indeed, with this formation, the Xu Family will be very safe and secure, Han Li said with a faint smile before falling silent.

Xu Jiao was slightly disappointed to see this.

It was quite rare for a Body Integration cultivator to assess their formation, so he naturally hoped that Han Li would offer some more in-depth analysis.

Senior, do you think this formation would be able to withstand a Body Integration cultivators attack? the burly man asked in a careful manner.

A Body Integration cultivators attack? Hehe… A hint of a smile appeared on Han Lis face as he glanced at the burly man, but he didnt offer a direct response.

Are you saying that this formation will be ineffective against a Body Integration cultivator, Senior? the white-robed man asked in a hesitant manner.

After a brief pause, Han Li replied in a calm manner, I dont know whether it would be effective or not, but there are indeed a few fallacies in the formation, presumably because it hasnt been completely restored. If a cultivator with lackluster prowess in the art of formations were to encounter this restriction, then they would certainly have some trouble trying to circumvent it. However, in the face of a Body Integration cultivator whos adept in the art of formations, this incomplete mirage illusionary realm really wont do much for you. He then casually pointed out the points on the mountain range where the restriction had been set up.

You can identify the fallacies in this formation, Senior? The white-robed man was quite surprised to hear this.

Xu Qianyu and the burly man exchanged a glance, and they could see their own astonishment mirrored in one anothers eyes.

I once read a tome with information regarding this formation, so Im naturally able to identify the fallacies in this incomplete formation, Han Li said in a nonchalant manner.

This was indeed true. Even though this type of ancient formation had already been lost in the human race for countless years, he discovered a bunch of ancient formation tomes in a market while passing through the territory of a foreign race on his way back to Deep Heaven City.

These tomes had all been written in ancient human text, and that particular foreign race had very little interest in formations, so the tomes were being sold like trash among a bunch of miscellaneous items.

Han Li couldnt help but wonder which powerful human being had taken these ancient tomes out of the human race, only for them to end up on the territory of that foreign race.

Han Li naturally wasnt going to pass up this opportunity, and he purchased all of those ancient formation tomes for next to nothing.

During his journey over the territories of the other foreign races, Han Li had encountered many similar situations, so he didnt pay much heed to it.

However, he was now able to compare this incomplete formation with the complete version on the tome, which naturally allowed him to instantly identify its fallacies.

Xu Jiao was naturally unaware of this chapter of Han Lis past, but he was quite stunned to hear that Han Li had the complete method for setting up this mirage illusionary formation.

He didnt know how this Senior Han had gotten his hands on such an ancient formation tome that had been lost for so many years, but if that really were true, then wouldnt the formation guarding the Xu Family be as good as nonexistent in his eyes?

Furthermore, he was only making a few points about the formation, but all of them were extremely valid and applicable, so he certainly didnt seem to be lying.

Thus, the white-robed man still maintained a smile, but it had become slightly forced.

Han Li paid no heed to this and merely continued onward in an unhurried manner.

Han Lis group was led by the two groups of young beauties to a massive hall at the center of the mountain range. reeebnvel.com

There was a pair of elderly men who bore a strong resemblance to one another waiting for them there.

Senior Han, let me introduce to you my two grand-uncles. They were originally in seclusion, but they came out to greet you upon hearing about your arrival, Xu Jiao immediately introduced to Han Li.

Juniors Xu Huo and Xu Yan pay their respects to Senior Han! The pair of elderly men hurriedly extended respectful salutes toward Han Li. One of them was at the early-Spatial Tempering Stage, while the other was at the mid-Spatial Tempering Stage, and it was quite astonishing to see two beings of this caliber in a normal family of cultivators.

After all, some of the smaller cultivation families could be established even with just a single Deity Transformation cultivator among their ranks.

It seemed that Xu Qianyu hadnt been exaggerating when she said that her Xu Family was relatively renowned in the Tian Yuan Region.

Theres no need for such formalities, fellow Daoists, Im only here to fulfill a request assigned to me. Han Li waved a hand in response and was quite benevolent toward these two powerful Xu Family cultivators.

They then briefly exchanged some pleasantries before the two elderly men led Han Li into the massive hall.

After everyone had taken a seat, a group of Qi Condensation Stage servants immediately offered cups of spirit tea to everyone present.

Xu Jiao said, Due to the time constraints, my daughter only briefly disclosed to me the purpose of your visit. I heard that Senior Han has something that needs to be passed on to Fairy Ice Soul or her descendants, is that correct?

Indeed. I agreed to run this errand as I owe someone a favor. However, I heard from Fellow Daoist Qianyu that Fairy Ice Souls descendants arent just limited to this branch alone. Hence, Ill need to verify your connection to Fairy Ice Soul before I hand over the items, Han Li said in a straightforward manner.

How would you like us to prove this to you, Senior? All of the other nearby families are aware that we are descendants of Fairy Ice Soul, Xu Huo said after clearing his throat in a slightly stumped manner.

That shouldnt be too difficult. Anything left behind by Fellow Daoist Ice Soul, such as cultivation arts or treasures that belonged to her, will be sufficient proof of her connection with the Xu Family, Han Li replied in a calm manner.

The purple-haired man was a human cultivator, but he also seemed to know about this, and he said in a slightly surprised manner. Fairy Ling Long? Is that the concubine that returned with Divine Wolf Celestial Kui from the lower realm? I heard that not only is this Fellow Daoist Ling Long a direct lineal descendant of Senior Ao Xiaos, shes also extremely adored by Divine Wolf Celestial Kui.

Thats right. Back when Fellow Daoist Ling Long returned from the lower realm, she was only at the late-Deity Transformation Stage, yet last time we met, she had already reached the pinnacle of the mid-Spatial Tempering Stage and seems to be about to progress to the late-Spatial Tempering Stage soon. Perhaps shell also be able to make a breakthrough before the devilish tribulation arrives. After all, that womans aptitude was vastly renowned even in the Silvermoon Wolf Race. If it hadnt been for the fact that she had been trapped in the lower realm for so long, perhaps she would be one of us already, the masked woman sighed.

No matter how outstanding her aptitude is, the fact that she was able to improve so drastically by staying by Senior Ao Xiaos side for just a few centuries is testament to Senior Ao Xiaos extraordinary powers. However, if shes the divine wolfs concubine, then why is she staying with Senior Ao Xiao? Does Senior Ao Xiao have some plans for her? the purple-haired man asked in an intrigued manner.

The masked woman hesitated momentarily before speculating, Im not particularly sure about the details there. However, I heard from others in my race that some strain seems to have appeared in Fairy Ling Longs relationship with Fellow Daoist Celestial Kui after she emerged from the lower realm. Apparently, it was Senior Ao Xiao who stepped in to take her away. Perhaps its because theyre both displeased by how Divine Wolf Celestial Kui had left her in the lower realm for so many years.

Alright, the important thing is that Senior Ao Xiao is alive and well, theres no need for us to speculate about others. Next, we should discuss the imminent arrival of the envoys from the Yaksha Tribe and the Wood Tribe. Those two tribes have most likely sent envoys to us with the devilish tribulation in their consideration. The white-robed elderly man suddenly moved on to another topic.

Everyone elses expressions stirred slightly, and they all began to listen with intent focus.

Thus, time slowly passed by, and the meeting between the elders of Deep Heaven City lasted for over half a day before it was adjourned.

Two days later, a certain teleportation formation within Deep Heaven City suddenly lit up, and two humanoid figures vanished from the center of the formation.

At the same time, a loud buzzing sound suddenly rang out from a certain formation within a large city that was far away from Deep Heaven City.

Bright white light suddenly erupted from a carefully guarded teleportation formation, and the chatting guards were all startled by this before immediately turning their attention to the teleportation formation.

This teleportation formation was deemed to be extremely important by the mid and high-grade cultivators in the city, and it was regularly maintained and tightly guarded. However, due to the astronomical teleportation fee required to use it, very few people actually make use of it at all. The teleportation formation would only be used a handful of times per year at most, and its users were naturally all powerful cultivators.

Thus, as two humanoid figures began to appear at the center of the formation, the Core Formation guards immediately stood up straight and put on respectful expressions.

A young man emerged from the teleportation formation first, and he looked around before asking one of the armored guards, Is this Maple Forest City?

This is indeed Maple Forest City, Senior. We welcome you to our city! the armored guard replied in a respectful manner.

The guards had already assessed these two with their spiritual sense, but were completely unable to ascertain their cultivation bases, so they naturally didnt dare to display any rudeness to the two of them.

Good. The young man smiled before striding out of the hall with another woman with skin as fair as jade, who had just emerged from the formation as well.

These two were naturally none other than Han Li and Fairy Xu, who had just teleported here from Deep Heaven City.

Even though the Xu Family wasnt actually in Maple Forest City, this was the closest city to the one the Xu Family was in that was still accessible via teleportation.

After passing through several lines of guards, the two of them finally emerged from the hall, and they found themselves on a massive bluestone plaza.

The plaza was very plain and simple, and was constructed from massive azure tiles with no other eye-catching embellishments. However, there were some pavilions surrounding the plaza.

Aside from the several groups of armored guards patrolling the area, there were no other cultivators around.

Han Li spread his spiritual sense into the distance, and his expression changed ever so slightly.

The plaza was situated halfway up a mountain that was over 10,000 feet tall, and there were many buildings, as well as rows of orderly streets, surrounding the foot of the mountain.

Han Li turned toward the summit of the mountain to find that there was a small palace up there. Not only was the exterior of the palace quite lavish and grandiose, there were several auras within it that were of the Spatial Tempering Stage.

It seemed that those were the high-grade cultivators who were responsible for overseeing the city.

Han Li withdrew his spiritual sense before waving a sleeve through the air in an expressionless manner. A burst of azure light swept forth from his body, enveloping himself along with Fairy Xu, and the two of them instantly departed as a streak of azure light.

Within a certain room in the palace at the mountain summit, there were three Spatial Tempering cultivators sitting around a table that was filled with delicious dishes, and they seemed to be enjoying a very pleasant conversation.

All of a sudden, they abruptly fell silent before exchanging a few astonished glances with one another.

What was that? That burst of spiritual sense was so powerful, could it be that a Body Integration Stage Senior suddenly came to our city? an elderly man in a brocade robe murmured.

Judging from how powerful that spiritual sense was, it seems that it really is a Body Integration cultivator. I wonder if its one of the sovereigns or one of the elders of Deep Heaven City, a middle-aged man in a suit of white armor said in a bewildered manner.

The third cultivator was a young man wearing a shimmering golden headband, and he said, From what Ive heard, the sovereigns are all busy preparing for a major event in Deep Heaven City, so theres no way that they would have the spare time to come here, it should be one of the Deep Heaven City elders.

Oh, if its an elder of Deep Heaven City, then he must be merely passing through the city. He seems to be in quite a hurry, so theres no need for us to go and greet him. The brocade-robed elderly man heaved a sigh of relief as his expression eased slightly.

That may be the case, but our Maple Forest City is quite a secluded place in the Tian Yan Region, whats an elder of Deep Heaven City doing here? The white-armored middle-aged man was still a little concerned.

Hehe, who knows? Those Body Integration Stage beings have always been mysterious and unpredictable anyway. As long as hes not here for us, why should we care what hes up to? Im glad hes not sticking around in our city, the young man said as a slightly twisted look appeared on his face.

The elderly man was clearly quite careful and cautious, and after a brief pause for contemplation, he said in a solemn manner, Thats true. However, we should still tell all of our subordinates to be more careful during this time so they dont cause any trouble for us.

Indeed. Our city isnt under the jurisdiction of Deep Heaven City, but that was still a Body Integration Stage being, so it cant hurt to be more careful, the white-armored man replied with a nod.

The conversation between the three of them seemed to suggest that they were trying to hide something deplorable they had done.

Unbeknownst to Han Li, his arrival had struck the three city lords with a strong sense of unease.

Under Xu Qianyus guidance, they flew out of Maple Forest City before continuing southbound.

According to her, this was the nearest city to the Xu Family that was inhabited by cultivators, but it was still around a months travel away from where the Xu Family was situated.

Thus, not long after this, Han Li released a flying carriage, and the two of them got on the carriage to continue in their journey.

This place was clearly quite secluded, and after flying a few hundred thousand kilometers away from Maple Forest City, there were barely any humans that could be seen on the ground below.

Even the occasional small towns they passed by were inhabited by both mortals and cultivators.

However, around half a month later, they had entered a hilly region, and there were no traces of any living beings other than some beasts that roamed the valleys.

What was rather surprising to Han Li was that although this hilly area wasnt completely devoid of spiritual Qi, the spiritual Qi here was clearly far more sparse than it was in other places.

As for spirit veins, that was something that they hadnt encountered a single one of even after flying for so many days.

Why did your Xu Family decide to settle in a place like this? Han Li couldnt help but ask.

Please allow me to not answer that question for now, Senior. Youll find out the reason for yourself soon, Xu Qianyu said as a mysterious smile appeared on her face.

Oh? That sounds very intriguing. Han Li truly was growing a little curious, but his expression remained unchanged.

After flying for another half a month or so, the yellow and green hills down below suddenly began to take on a red tinge. Regardless of whether it was the mountains, the soil, or the plains, all of them had become slightly red.

In the beginning, Han Li hadnt paid much heed to this. However, after flying for a few more days, the entire ground down below had completely turned into a reddish-yellow color, and he couldnt ignore this phenomenon any longer.

After carefully sweeping his spiritual sense over the ground a few times, a contemplative look appeared on his face.

Looks like youve finally figured it out, Senior, Xu Qianyu chuckled.

I see. So theres a large copper essence mine here, no wonder your family decided to settle here despite the lack of spiritual Qi in the area, Han Li said with a smile.

Indeed. The seniors of our family had engaged in some heated arguments about whether the family should settle here when they first arrived in this place over 10,000 years ago. In the end, they decided to settle here, and our family has become quite wealthy as a result, but the cultivation of the members of our family has indeed been hampered. Its hard to say whether the benefits or the downsides outweigh the other, Xu Qianyu sighed in a slightly resigned manner.

Han Li nodded upon hearing this, but didnt say anything in response. Xu Qianyu also fell silent and left Han Li to his thoughts.

Several days later, a hint of lush greenery finally appeared in the sky in the distance, and the spiritual Qi surging toward them struck Han Li with a sense of reinvigoration. He knew that they were finally about to reach the Xu Family.

Sure enough, not long after that, a small lush mountain range appeared before his eyes. There was only an ordinary spirit vein in this mountain range, but the spiritual Qi here was still vastly more abundant than it was in the surrounding area.

There were all types of buildings on the dozen or so mountains in the mountain range, and there were some profound fluctuations between the mountains, clearly indicating that some powerful formations and restrictions had been set up.

Seeing as you have no objections, Ill be sure to meet you at the center of the city at the agreed time. Also, my real name is Xu Qianyu, and you can refer to me as such, Senior. I wouldnt dare to refer to myself as fairy in your presence, Xu Qianyu said as she lowered her head in a respectful manner.

Han Li faltered slightly upon hearing this before shaking his head with a smile. Haha, theres no need to be so subdued, Fellow Daoist Qianyu.

Not long after that, Xu Qianyu took her leave and departed. Even though she had two days and her cave abode was quite close to Deep Heaven City, the return trip would still be quite time-consuming, so she didnt dare to delay.

Han Li paid a visit to the scholarly man and the others again, and gave them another list, this time with the materials he had already purchased removed.

After that, he returned to the Immortal Gathering Pavilion and didnt go anywhere else.

Almost at the exact same time, there were five or six cultivators gathered within a mysterious hall, and they seemed to be discussing an extremely important and confidential matter.

A white-robed elderly man with a head of silver hair sat with his brows furrowed, and said, So youre saying theres no chance at all that hell join our Deep Heaven City.

Ive already done my best, Elder Gu. However, this Fellow Daoist Han is solely dedicated to pursuing the Heavenly Dao and has no intention of joining any power, an old monk in a golden kasaya sighed in response.

It was none other than that Buddhist Monk Jin Yue!

Everyone gathered here possessed very powerful auras, and they were clearly all Body Integration cultivators as well.

These people were naturally none other than the elders of Deep Heaven City.

In that case, well still be unable to fill our quota of 10 members on the panel of elders, which will severely compromise the power of our city. Prior to the battle against the foreign races, not long did our panel of elders have 10 members, we even had Fellow Daoist Silver Light, the backup elder that no outsiders know about. In the citys current situation, once the devilish disaster strikes, well be in an extremely dire situation. Its not like this hasnt happened in the past, a burly man in a black leather robe said in a cold voice. reewebovel.com

Its no use. Theres no way that the Tyrant Sovereign, Holy Sovereign, and the seven demon monarchs would release any of their Body Integration cultivators to join Deep Heaven City. Everyone knows that the devil realms arrival is inevitable, and perhaps itll happen within the next 1,000 years. Everyones gathering forces to try and protect themselves. After all, the last devilish tribulation only lasted just over 100 years, but during that time, almost half of all of the three sovereigns and seven demon monarchs at the time perished. No one wants to suffer the same fate as them, Buddhist Monk Jin Yue said in a resigned manner.

Are you sure that the devil realm and the Spirit Realm will overlap once again within 1,000 years, Fellow Daoist Jin Yue? a woman wearing a silver mask suddenly asked in a voice that was very pleasing to the ears.

Im absolutely sure thats the case. Not only have warning signs arisen on the holy island, Master Mo Jianli took a risk and used the star disc to make a trip to the Elder Devil Realm. There, he discovered that the elder devils of the devil realm are currently mobilizing troops on a widespread basis to prepare for battle, and its clear that theyre preparing to invade our Spirit Realm. Unfortunately, before Senior Mo had a chance to conduct any further investigation, he was discovered by a Sacred Ancestor of the devil realm and was forced to return to the Spirit Realm.

From the current situation, it seems extremely likely that the devil realm will descend upon us, perhaps in only several hundred years. Our human and demon territories, as well as the territories of the neighboring few races, all constitute one of the regions where the devil realm will fuse into our spirit realm, so a massive tribulation is unavoidable, Buddhist Monk Jin Yue replied in a grim manner.

If both the holy island and Master Mo have verified this, then it has to be true. In that case, the three sovereigns and seven demon monarchs, as well as the other major powers mustve also received this information, so theres no way theyll be willing to replenish our panel of elders, the white-robed elderly man mused as he stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes.

Indeed. At the same time, the neighboring foreign races will also be compressing their forces in anticipation for the upcoming devilish tribulation, so they definitely wont be attacking us during this time. The three sovereigns and seven demon monarchs were actually first established as a countermeasure to these devilish tribulations. In reality, not only have no Body Integration Stage elders joined our city since the attack from the foreign races, we havent even managed to replenish many Spatial Tempering Stage and Deity Transformation Stage guards, and that was even after our panel of elders made a concerted recruitment effort, the masked woman said in a calm manner.

Our Deep Heaven City suffered extensively at the hands of the foreign races during the previous battle. If we cant replenish our members, then well only be able to focus on self-preservation during the upcoming devilish tribulation, instead of sending people to actively slay the invading devilish beings like we did during the last tribulation, a man with a head of hair that resembled purple flames said with furrowed brows.

Theres not much we can do. These devilish tribulations are truly horrific ordeals for cultivators like us. Its a good thing that the devilish beings arent interested in mortals without any spiritual power. They focus solely on plundering the resources of our Spirit Realm and slaughtering us cultivators, and they very rarely target mortals and ordinary beasts. Otherwise, our human and demon races wouldve most likely been wiped off the face of the Spirit Realm by these past devilish tribulations already, the white-robed elderly man said with a dark expression.

Hmph, thats not because those devilish beings are kindhearted philanthropists, theyre intentionally leaving the mortals behind like livestock so more cultivators like us can emerge from them, thereby giving them more targets to slaughter when they invade next. After all, the demon cores and Nascent Souls of cultivators like us are the best delicacies for devilish beings, Buddhist Monk Jin Yue said as a cold light flashed through his eyes.

Furthermore, there are some resources that our two races cant relinquish. Otherwise, we could minimize casualties by gathering in one place and holding the fort until the devil realm separates from the Spirit Realm, the purple-haired man sighed in a resigned manner.

Seeing as all of the other powers have already made other arrangements in anticipation for the upcoming devilish tribulation, we wont be able to force them to do anything. All we can do is protect Deep Heaven City as best as we can. From this day forth, lets withdraw the restrictions between this city and the neighboring cities so we can transfer the nearby normal people into Deep Heaven City en masse. On top of that, well send out some cultivators who are adept in earth-attribute cultivation arts to construct a few empty cities. All we can do is protect the mortals from the nearby area, the white-robed elderly man concluded.

We still have some time before the devilish tribulation strikes, but its a good idea to make some preparations in advance. Even though we have formations and restrictions to rely on, it would still be best to recruit as many high-grade cultivators as possible. After all, the most difficult parts of this ordeal to overcome will be the first few waves of attacks, which will be the most ferocious. If we can keep the devilish beings at bay, theyll most likely be forced to ease off to limit their casualties as well, thereby resulting in an impasse.

It wont be possible for any beings of our human race to progress to the Body Integration Stage in the next few centuries, but Ive heard that there are some beings in your demon race who are recently making breakthrough attempts to the Body Integration Stage, so Ill have to ask you to keep an eye on them, Fellow Daoist Bao, the white-robed elderly man suddenly said to the black-robed man.

Ill be sure to do so. There are indeed a few exceptionally talented juniors who have recently appeared in our demon race, and theres a decent chance that one or more of them will be able to progress to the Body Integration Stage, the black-robed man replied with a nod.

Following a brief hesitation, the white-robed elderly man then turned to the masked woman. Speaking of the demon race, theres something I would like to ask Fellow Daoist Silver Light, but Im not sure if I should.

Weve been acquaintances for so many years, you can feel free to ask me anything, Brother Gu, the masked woman said in a rather curious manner.

In that case, Ill go right ahead. Is Senior Ao Xiao of your demon race still alive and well? the white-robed elderly man asked.

The masked woman faltered slightly before taking a glance at the black-robed man before chuckling, Oh, so thats what you wanted to ask? Thats certainly not a taboo topic. However, Im not the only demonic elder here, why did you decide to ask me?

Why ask a question you already know the answer to, Fairy Silver Light? You may not be from the Silvermoon Wolf Race, but you possess part of the Silvermoon Wolf bloodline, and you had once stayed with Senior Ao Xiao for over 1,000 years. If anyone here were to know anything about Senior Ao Xiaos recent situation, then it can only be you, the black-robed man countered as he raised an eyebrow.

That is indeed true. Senior Ao Xiao was sighted once on the Giant Cloud Mountain over 3,000 years ago, but no news of him has emerged since. Senior Ao Xiao is one of the two Grand Ascension Stage beings among our human and demon races, so were naturally very eager to hear how hes doing in the face of the imminent devilish tribulation, the white-robed elderly man said in a solemn manner.

Everyone also turned to appraise the masked woman with concerned expressions upon hearing this.

A hint of hesitation flashed through the womans eyes, and only after a long pause did she reply in a resigned manner, Im naturally aware of your concerns. Indeed, ever since our human and demon races were established in the Spirit Realm, no one has been able to transcend more than 20 major heavenly tribulations, and Senior Ao Xiao was approaching his 21st major heavenly tribulation all those years ago, so many fellow Daoists were quite concerned for him. After all, Senior Ao Xiao and Senior Mo are the two pillars who have ensured the safety of our two races for countless years. Rest assured, Patriarch Ao Xiao didnt perish during his last major heavenly tribulation. However, he had expended a lot of energy during the ordeal, so hes been in seclusion this entire time.

Is that true? An elated look immediately appeared on the black-robed mans face upon hearing this.

As a demonic elder, he was naturally more concerned than the human elders present about this Grand Ascension Stage patriarch of the demon race.

The white-robed elderly man and the others also heaved a collective sigh of relief.

Several hundred years ago, I met Fairy Ling Long, who has been by the patriarchs side all these years, and according to her, the patriarchs recovery is going very smoothly, so he should be able to emerge from seclusion in full health soon, the masked woman assured.

If you and I were both on the panel of elders, Im sure well be able to drastically improve the conditions for many ascended cultivators here, Buddhist Monk Jin Yue said in a solemn manner.

A solemn look also appeared on Han Lis face upon hearing this, but after a brief hesitation, he still shook his head in response. As an ascended cultivator myself, Im naturally aware of the circumstances surrounding us ascended cultivators. However, this is not something that you and I can change on our own. Even if I were to join the panel of elders, it wouldnt make much of a difference, and I would be swept up in undesirable conflicts. Ever since I embarked on my path of cultivation, Ive been determined to walk this path to the point of immortality. Even though Ive reached the Body Integration Stage, Im still far from being able to ascend to the True Immortal Realm, so I cant divert my attention to other matters.

Buddhist Monk Jin Yue could tell that Han Li had made up his mind, and he heaved a faint sight as he said, I am truly in awe and admiration of your ambition, Fellow Daoist. In that case, I wont try to persuade you any further. Do you have any important matters that you need to attend to here in Deep Heaven City? Perhaps I can lend you my assistance in some matters.

Thank you for your kind offer, but Im only here to complete some menial tasks such as purchasing some materials, Han Li replied in a polite manner.

Hehe, I see. If you do need any help with anything, you can come and find me. Im sure Ill be able to help you out with most things here in Deep Heaven City, Buddhist Monk Jin Yue said.

Han Li naturally extended his gratitude upon hearing this.

After that, Han Li and this Buddhist Monk Jin Yue began to discuss some cultivation experiences, which was something that almost all Body Integration cultivators who were on good terms with one another did.

After all, this was the limit for most cultivators, and as for the legendary Grand Ascension Stage and Tribulation Transcendence Stage, those were virtually completely out of reach, and even the most powerful races in the Spirit Realm only had one or two such beings on average.

Hence, without anyone else available to offer them guidance, Body Integration cultivators could only attempt to resolve their own cultivation issues by communicating with others.

This Buddhist Monk Jin Yue was already a mid-Body Integration cultivator and was only one step away from reaching the late-Body Integration Stage, so he had a far greater wealth of cultivation experience than that early-Body Integration Stage Elder Qi.

In contrast, Han Li possessed several powerful abilities and was also using the Provenance True Devil Arts, which was a simultaneous cultivation art that no one had ever used before, so he naturally had many unique cultivation insights to offer as well.

Thus, both of them benefited greatly from their discussion, and they conversed for an entire day and night. Only on the next morning did Buddhist Monk Jin Yue depart in an elated manner.

After that, Han Li returned to the top floor and continued to meditate.

No more Body Integration cultivators came to visit him after that, so they had to be either busy or had already learned from Buddhist Monk Jin Yue that there was no way he would join the panel of elders.

Six days passed in a flash, and on the seventh day, the one that he was waiting for finally arrived.

Before the servants on the lower floors even had a chance to alert him, he abruptly rose to his feet from his futon and descended from the top floor.

The servants were chatting with one another in a bored manner, and they were all given a fright by Han Lis sudden emergence. They hurriedly approached him before extending respectful curtseys, in response to which Han Li waved a hand and said, You can all wait outside for now. The one that Im waiting for has already arrived, so you can invite her in.

The Foundation Establishment Stage servants all faltered momentarily upon hearing this before immediately doing as they were told.

Meanwhile, Han Li himself sat down in the main seat, and moments later, a woman with a complexion that was as fair as jade was led into the room by one of the servants.

This woman was tall and slender and wore a blue palatial dress, it was none other than Fairy Xue, who had already progressed to the Deity Transformation Stage.

It really is you, Senior Han, and you really have progressed to the Body Integration Stage.

Han Lis appearance was almost identical to how it had been several centuries ago, so the woman was immediately able to identify him and hurriedly extended a respectful curtsey.

Seeing as she was a descendant of Fairy Ice Soul, Han Li had been quite benevolent toward her and occasionally gave her some guidance in cultivation, so her respect toward Han Li was also intermingled with gratitude.

As such, as soon as she returned to Deep Heaven City and heard that Han Li had reappeared in the city, she immediately came to the Immortal Gathering Pavilion to find him.

Upon hearing about how he had progressed to the Body Integration Stage, she had been just as astonished as the elderly man with the Yue surname.

However, this was simply too far-fetched, and even on her way here, she had still been rather skeptical.

Now that she was in Han Lis presence and could sense his powerful aura, she naturally had no further suspicions and was both surprised, but also elated for his progress.

No need for formalities. You and I are old acquaintances, so take a seat, Han Li said with a smile.

Thank you, Senior. Fairy Xu hesitated momentarily before doing as she was told and taking a seat beside Han Li.

At this moment, a servant strode in with a platter, upon which sat two cups of fragrant spirit tea.

You can all go now. Dont come in unless I tell you to, Han Li instructed.

Yes! the servant replied before exiting the room.

Only then did Han Li sweep a sleeve toward the door, and it immediately swung shut on its own.

At the same time, a layer of blue light flashed, and the pavilions built-in restriction was activated to isolate the entire hall.

Fairy Xus heart stirred slightly upon seeing this, and a slightly solemn look appeared on her face. Han Li clearly wouldnt be doing this unless he had a secretive topic to discuss with her.

Fairy Xu, I wanted to see you as I wanted to verify one thing. Youre a descendant of Fairy Ice Soul, is that correct? Han Li asked in a serious manner.

Fairy Xue faltered momentarily before replying, Fairy Ice Soul is indeed an ancestor of mine, I wouldnt dare to lie to you about this, Senior.

Alright, in that case, do you know where Fairy Ice Soul is? I would like to meet her, Han Li said in a slow voice.

You want to meet her? Fairy Xu was slightly stumped by this request.

Do you not know where she is, either? Han Li asked with furrowed brows.

I am indeed a descendant of Fairy Ice Soul, but by the time I was born, she had already been missing for tens of thousands of years. However, I heard from the seniors of my family that at the time, she had also just reached the Body Integration Stage and had been invited to join Deep Heaven City. However, she seemed to have something to do at the time and turned down the offer. After that, she left the city and was never seen again, Fairy Xu replied with a wry smile.

I see. Looks like theres no way to meet her, then. Aside from yourself, are there any other descendants of Fairy Ice Soul? Han Li asked.

Han Li seemed to have some ties with Fairy Ice Soul, so after a brief pause for contemplation, Fairy Xu decided to give a truthful reply. Truth be told, after so many years, Fairy Ice Souls descendants have already split up into a dozen or so branches of different sizes. Some of them have even used the cultivation arts left behind my Fairy Ice Soul to found two small sects. However, from a bloodline perspective, our Xu Family is definitely the most direct lineal descendant branch of Fairy Ice Soul. Even our surname is the same as Fairy Ice Souls.

Who is the current leader of your Xu Family? Is it you, Fellow Daoist? Han Li asked with a smile.

Surely you jest, Senior. Our Xu Family may not be one of the legendary true spirit families, but were still quite a renowned family in this region. The current leader of the family is my father, and there are also a few important seniors in our family as well, Fairy Xu replied after a brief hesitation.

Han Li stroked his chin with a smile before asking, In that case, you wouldnt mind if I paid your father a visit, would you?

The woman was quite taken aback to hear this, and she said in a hesitant manner, It would naturally be an honor for our Xu Family to be graced with your esteemed presence, but would you be able to reveal the reason behind this, Senior Han?

Hehe, theres no need for you to worry. I was simply given a request to deliver an item to Fairy Ice Soul or one of her direct lineal descendants. Seeing as your Xu Family is the most direct lineal branch of Fairy Ice Souls bloodline, then Ill just deliver this item to your father, Han Li explained in a truthful manner.

I see. Would you be able to tell me who is asking for this item to be delivered? Would it happen to be someone I know of? Fairy Xu asked in a rather surprised manner.

Hehe, Im pretty sure you wouldnt know this person. As for whether anyone else in your Xu Family knows of him, thats not something that Im aware of, Han Li replied with a shake of his head.

A hesitant look appeared on Fairy Xus face upon hearing this, and only after a long while did she finally make a decision. In that case, allow me to accompany you back to our Xu Family. I just returned from a patrol mission, so I have a six-month break. Our Xu Family is in the Tian Yuan Region, so the teleportation formations in the city should be able to take us there.

Hehe, it would naturally be best if you could accompany me in person, Fairy Xu, Han Li said with a smile.

Alright, then allow me to return to my cave abode to prepare for the trip. If its alright with you, we can leave in two days. Fairy Xu rose to her feet as she spoke.

I dont have to make any preparations, so I can go at any time. Departing in two days will be fine for me as well, Han Li agreed with a nod after a brief pause for contemplation.

In that case, the seeds I have may not be up to your standards, the demonic woman sighed as the excitement in her eyes faded.

Theres no need to be disheartened, Fellow Daoist, Im not here just to exchange for medicine seeds this time. If you can gather some materials for me, Ill still be willing to trade myriad-year spirit medicines for them, Han Li said with a smile.

Materials?

Thats right. I have a list here, please track down as many items on the list as you can from your demon territory, Han Li said as he swept a sleeve through the air to toss her a white jade slip.

A fair white hand emerged from within the black Qi to catch the jade slip. After briefly injecting her spiritual sense into the jade slip, she immediately exclaimed, A lot of these materials are spirit bones and inner cores of us demonic beings, you sure are quite bold to request for such things, Fellow Daoist. Are you planning to refine some treasures?

I am indeed planning to refine a few treasures. As for spirit bones and inner cores, arent demonic beings like yourself often sourcing them as well? Han Li countered.

Hmph, that may be true, but even if we have to use spirit bones and inner cores to refine something, we make sure to use materials from other races and never turn on members of our own race. In contrast, such requests from a human like you are considered to be quite taboo in our demon race, the woman harrumphed coldly.

If you ask me, it doesnt seem like you care too much about this. Otherwise, you wouldnt be telling me all this, Han Li chuckled in a nonchalant manner.

The woman hesitated momentarily upon hearing this before replying, It doesnt matter to me as long as you dont request any materials secured from beings of our race. However, even in our demon territory, the items youve listed in your jade slip are very rare. As such, Ill only be able to gather most of the items on the list, and theyll all be quite expensive.

Thats alright, as long as the items are to my liking, Ill definitely offer you satisfactory myriad-year spirit medicines as compensation, Han Li replied in an elated manner.

Alright, thats all I needed to hear. However, it wont be very convenient for me to take these items to Deep Heaven City to trade with you. If youre really interested, then lets trade on the Myriad Treasure Convention to be held several years from now. Thats a large exchange convention thats held by our human and demon races once every 1,000 years, and the venue for this edition of the convention has already been decided, itll be held on the Nine Immortals Mountain between the Xuan Wu Region and the Heavenly Fox Territory, the woman said.

The Myriad Treasure Convention? I have heard about this. In that case, it looks like Ill be attending this convention in a few years. Han Li contemplated this offer momentarily before nodding in response.

Alright, then its decided. Ill bring out the spirit medicine seeds I have, and you can see if any of them catch your eye. After that, we can exchange items that we can use to identify one another so we dont have to waste time searching for each other during the convention. The woman smiled, and a hint of seduction had crept into her gentle and pleasant voice.

Han Li had no objection to this and agreed to that arrangement.

After a while, Han Li emerged from the hall with a faint smile on his face.

This trip to the market had reaped him many unexpected rewards.

The materials on the list enclosed in that jade slip that Han Li had given to that woman werent just for pill and tool refinement, many of them were items he required to refine the High Zenith Azure Mountain. The refinement of this mountain was going to be far more troublesome than that of the Extreme Essencefused Mountain.

Not only did it require far more materials, many of those materials were extremely rare and difficult to find in the Spirit Realm. Thankfully, there were many other substitute materials listed in the refinement method, and many of these materials were spirit bones and demon cores.

There naturally werent many materials of this nature to be found on human territory, so he didnt even bother giving this list to the four cultivators.

However, after encountering that demonic woman in the hall, he naturally decided to give her a list of those materials.

The demon race wasnt all that powerful, but it encompassed countless types of different beasts, and it had existed in the Spirit Realm for so many years, so they had to have a massive supply of materials such as spirit bones and inner cores.

If that woman could source most of those materials for him, she would be doing him a huge favor. If he were lucky, perhaps he would be able to track down even more of those materials during that Myriad Treasure Convention.

As for the rest, he would just have to slowly search for them over time.

With that in mind, Han Li returned to the first shop that he had visited in an unhurried manner. The shopkeeper had already prepared a storage bracelet and was respectfully awaiting his return.

Han Li took the storage bracelet and briefly examined its contents, upon which his brows furrowed slightly.

As he had expected, there werent many materials in the storage bracelet, it seemed that he would have to rely quite heavily on the four cultivators to gather the rest of what he needed.

After issuing the spirit stones for the materials, Han Li departed from the shop and didnt go anywhere else. Instead, he rose up into the air as a streak of azure light and headed straight for the Immortal Gathering Pavilion, which was a place that was designated for high-grade cultivators to stay in Deep Heaven City.

Even though it was referred to as a pavilion, the Immortal Gathering Pavilion was actually a cluster of a dozen or so pavilions.

Each pavilion was 13 levels tall, and all of them had been extremely intricately crafted. Every one of them was separated by over 10,000 feet, and there were formations and restrictions that isolated them from one another.

Not only was this place extremely expensive to live in, one didnt even have the right to live here unless they were at the Spatial Tempering Stage or above.

Of course, this Immortal Gather Pavilion mostly provided lodging for Spatial Tempering cultivators. There had been Body Integration cultivators who had lived here before, but they were extremely rare, and perhaps only one or two of them would turn up every several hundred years.

Thus, Han Li made no effort to conceal his Body Integration Stage aura and directly revealed it to the owner of the Immortal Gathering Pavilion.

The Deity Transformation Stage owner was naturally given a massive fright, and immediately chose the pavilion in the best location for Han Li, and also sent the most beautiful servants to his pavilion.

Han Li wasnt planning to stay here for too long anyway, so he accepted these arrangements.

After asking the servants to clean up the pavilion, he went to the top floor and began to meditate.

The next morning, Han Li was meditating atop a futon when he suddenly opened his eyes, and murmured to himself, Looks like someone decided to come, after all. However, this aura is a little unfamiliar, and its mid-Body Integration cultivator, so it looks like its not Elder Qi from last time.

This was rather surprising to him, and moments later, the sound of gentle footsteps rang out from downstairs, following which the nervous voice of one of the servants sounded from down below.

Esteemed senior, Buddhist Monk Jin Yue of our city has come to visit.

Han Lis heart stirred slightly upon hearing this name, and he replied, Alright, Ill come down right away.

He wasnt overly familiar with the other elders of Deep Heaven City, but this Buddhist Monk Jin Yue was one of the two ascended Body Integration cultivators of Deep Heaven City, and Han Li had heard much about him.

However, it was said that this elder was constantly in seclusion within a secret area of the city, and almost no one ever got a chance to see him aside from members of the panel of elders.

It was no wonder that the servants of the pavilion were so nervous now that such an important figure had suddenly come to visit.

However, he had expected this visit as he had revealed his cultivation base to those two Dark Azure Guards, so even if this Buddhist Monk Jin Yue hadnt come to visit him, another elder of Deep Heaven City wouldve most likely been sent here in his stead anyway.

With that in mind, Han Li made a hand seal, and spiritual light flashed around him, following which his body suddenly became blurry and indistinct.

In the hall on the first floor of the pavilion, there was a monk with a golden kasaya draped over his body inspecting a piece of antique artwork hanging on the wall. There were several beautiful servants beside him who wore extremely excited expressions, and all of a sudden, the monk abruptly turned toward an empty corner of the hall.

In the next instant, azure light flashed in that corner, and a humanoid figure appeared. It was none other than Han Li.

I hope you dont mind my unannounced visit, Fellow Daoist Han, the monk said as he extended a salute toward Han Li.

Not at all. Ive heard much about you, esteemed Buddhist monk. Han Li hurriedly cupped his fist to return the salute before focusing his gaze on the monk before him.

This was an elderly monk with a white beard that was around half a foot in length. His face resembled a pile of wrinkles, and his eyes were nothing more than narrow slits, it was as if he were so old that he couldnt even open his eyes properly.

Hehe, I was made aware by you through a letter that Elder Qi sent to me not long ago. I heard that youve progressed from the Deity Transformation Stage to the Body Integration Stage in just a few hundred years, and youre also an ascended cultivator. On top of that, youve also been a Dark Azure Guard, is that all correct? Buddhist Monk Jin Yue smiled as he cut straight to the chase.

Han Li faltered momentarily before smiling as he replied, You sure are a straightforward man, Fellow Daoist Jin Yue. Indeed, that is all correct. I encountered many vastly fortunate opportunities during the past several centuries. Otherwise, theres no way Id be at my current cultivation base.

Hehe, all those who have reached our level have encountered their fair share of miraculous opportunities. However, even if your rate of progression isnt completely unheard of, there are definitely very few humans in history to have achieved what you have, the monk said in a benevolent manner.

Han Li naturally offered a modest response.

I heard from Elder Qi that you have no intention of joining our Deep Heaven City. Thats a real pity, if you had agreed, then I wouldnt be the only ascended cultivator left on the panel of elders, the monk said in a disappointed manner.

The only ascended cultivator left? If I recall correctly, isnt Daoist Master Lei Luo on the panel of elders as well? Could it be… Han Lis voice trailed off here.

Fellow Daoist Lei Luo perished back when the foreign races attacked our city, the monk sighed as a wry smile appeared on his face.

Thats very unfortunate. I had only been aware that two elders had passed away, but I didnt think that Fellow Daoist Lei Luo would be one of them, Han Li replied in a surprised manner.

The monk uttered a few solemn Buddhist mantras before continuing, Even though youve already declined Elder Qis invitation, as a fellow ascended cultivator, I would still like to extend another invitation for you to join our citys panel of elders. As Im sure youre aware, us ascended cultivators are different from native cultivators, and the vast majority of ascended human cultivators have gathered in Deep Heaven City.

The Dark Azure Guard was left rooted to the spot upon hearing this, just as the elderly man had been a moment ago.

After departing from the stone tower, Han Li paused momentarily before flying toward the market. Even though he had assigned the four cultivators with the task of purchasing the spirit medicines he required, it certainly couldnt hurt to visit the market and purchase all of the ingredients that he could first.

Han Li had already made several trips to the Deep Heaven City market, and he went to the same shop as last time before asking the shopkeeper to source as many items on his list as he could.

After that, he departed from the shop and headed straight toward the giant hall at the center of the market.

There were people helping him on human territory, so he didnt have to concern himself with the matters here, but it was quite likely that there were going to be ingredients that he needed on demon territory as well.

Thus, he decided to take a trip there to see if he could reap any rewards. However, he was forced to visit the market on his own just to purchase some materials and ingredients, and that was one of the downsides of not being a part of a major power.

If he had joined one of those major powers, he could easily assign such menial tasks to someone else. Of course, the benefits that he would derive from this still couldnt outweigh the fact that his freedom would be restricted to a certain extent.

With his current abilities, he could easily establish his own power, but doing so would require a lot of time and effort that would severely hinder his own cultivation, so it simply wasnt worth it.

As such, it was a rather appealing option to become one of the spirit sovereigns. After all, the powers commanded by the three sovereigns were different from other sects and families and most of their powers arose from their status. Anyone who became one of the three sovereigns would immediately become a vastly influential figure in the human race.

As these thoughts ran through Han Lis mind, he arrived in front of the massive hall that facilitated exchanges between human and demon vendors.

…

Just as Han Li issued the spirit stones for the entrance fee and was about to step into the hall, a loud buzzing sound suddenly rang out from a certain massive formation that was quite far away from human territory. This formation was situated within a certain obscure underground cave, and it was being guarded by a dozen or so armored puppet warriors. All of a sudden, spiritual light of different colors began to flash from the formation, and red light immediately flashed from the eyes of the previously stationary puppets as they slowly pointed their giant blades toward the formation.

Almost at the exact same moment, spiritual light flashed at the entrance to the cave, and a blurry humanoid figure that was shimmering with silver light appeared.

In the next instant, two humanoid figures emerged in the teleportation formation amid a flash of scintillating white light.

After the spiritual light faded, the two humanoid figures were revealed to be a tall and broad black-robed man and a graceful white-robed woman.

The man appeared to be in his thirties and had a dark complexion with a set of hideous and ferocious facial features.

In contrast, the womans complexion was as fair as snow, and her eyes were as black as night.

Who are you? You two arent Silver beings, why are you able to use our Silver Races teleportation formation? the humanoid figure enshrouded within silver light screeched in an astonished manner.

Hmm? Theres a Silver being guarding this place. Please let me eat him, Sacred Ancestor. The black-robed man turned to the silver figure with yearning in his eyes.

That Silver being is no less powerful than you, you might chip a tooth if you try to eat him, the white-robed woman said in a calm manner.

Hehe, a mere holy-grade Silver being wont be able to do anything in your presence, Sacred Ancestor, the black-robed man said with a fawning smile.

How dare you! The silver figure could naturally tell from their conversation that these were enemies, and he immediately let loose a screech of fury.

At the same time, the surrounding puppets slashed their giant blades toward the center of the formation in unison, and a dozen or so streaks of silver light flashed through the air.

What a pitiful attack! the black-robed man chuckled coldly before sweeping a sleeve through the air to conjure up a black light barrier.

A string of loud explosions rang out in rapid succession, and all of the streaks of silver light exploded in a flash upon striking the black light as if they had struck an impregnable fortress.

The black-robed man then did something that made the Silver being even more astonished.

He opened his mouth to expel a swath of black light, which swept up all of the silver light and drew it into his mouth.

A huge black shadow then abruptly appeared behind the man before lashing out, and a string of resounding booms rang out once again. All of the surroundings puppets were pulverized by the sweeping black shadow without being able to offer any resistance.

The Silver being was quite alarmed to see this, and he hurriedly focused his gaze on the black shadow, upon which he discovered that it was a massive black tail that was covered in thick and heavy scales.

The tail was over 100 feet in length and coiled around the man several times.

Right at this moment, the black-robed man chuckled in a sinister manner, and black light flashed from his body, upon which an enormous holy-grade aura erupted forth.

The silver figure was stunned by his power. He wasnt confident in his ability to defeat this black-robed man on his own, and the white-robed woman beside him seemed to be even more powerful.

The Silver being immediately concluded that he was no match for these two, and silver light swirled around him as his body gradually began to blur.

Youre not going anywhere!

A vicious light flashed through the black-robed mans eyes, and the huge black tail around him shot forth like a giant python, crossing a distance of over 100 feet in a flash before instantly puncturing the silver figure.

However, the silver light then dissipated, and the blurry humanoid figure had vanished into thin air.

The Silver being had managed to escape before he was struck by the black-robed man.

However, right at this moment, a faint smile suddenly appeared on the white-robed womans face, and she pointed a finger forward.

A pink spirit flower suddenly blossomed on her fingertip, then transformed into a massive projection in a flash that encompassed the entire cave.

Everything within a radius of several hundred feet was instantly basked in pink light and a peculiar fragrance.

All of a sudden, a silver thread of light emerged out of thin air without any warning amid a dull thump. It was none other than the Silver being who had just escaped.

Impossible! the Silver being yelled in shock and horror, and spiritual light flashed from his body as he attempted to escape again.

The white-robed womans brows furrowed slightly upon seeing this, and in the next instant, spatial fluctuations erupted from beneath the silver figures feet, following which a massive pink flower silently emerged.

The silver figures body tightened, and he was completely immobilized.

His face was instantly drained of all color as the black-robed man burst into raucous laughter. Black Qi suddenly began to swirl around his body, and he pounced directly toward the Silver being.

Within the black Qi, a massive mouth that was around 10 feet in size spread open, and the overwhelming stench of blood and gore wafted forth from within.

The white-robed woman seemed to have lost interest in all of this, and she withdrew her gaze while summoning another pink spirit flower in her hand. She brought the flower to her nose before taking a slight whiff, and a hint of sorrow appeared in her eyes.

Meanwhile, the black Qi that the black-robed man had transformed into had already completely enshrouded the Silver being, and bloodcurdling cries could be heard.

…

Within a palace on a certain section of the seabed between the Tian Yuan Continent and Thunder Continent, there was a secret chamber that was enveloped by layers of black Qi. Within the secret chamber was a huge crimson cocoon-like object that was hanging in mid-air.

The surface of the cocoon was flashing incessantly with crimson light, and it was constantly fluctuating in size by minute degrees. It seemed that something was being nurtured within the cocoon.

Below the cocoon were 12 massive shadowy beasts. One of them had two heads and six eyes, one had four wings and three paws, and there was even a golden wyrm that possessed nine thin tails that were extremely eye-catching.

However, all of these beasts were currently lying on the ground in a completely stationary manner, and were completely devoid of any aura.

From the crimson light that was flashing above, one could see that the 12 beasts were all completely shriveled up as if all of their blood had been sucked away, and their bodies had shrunk significantly as a result.

Otherwise, with the original statures of these 12 beasts, there was no way that this secret chamber wouldve been able to contain them.

There were 12 ancient lamps situated in a corner of the secret chamber, but the flames on those lamps had already been snuffed out.

On the other side of the secret chamber was a short green jade table, atop which sat a fist-sized crystal ball that was flashing with faint spiritual light.

There was a clear image on the surface of the object, depicting an extremely life-like silver lotus pod that was shimmering with silver light.

…

In the exchange hall of Deep Heaven City, Han Li was appraising a demonic woman enshrouded in black Qi with a surprised look on his face.

I didnt think I would encounter you again here, Fellow Daoist. reewebove.com

Hehe, I also didnt think that I would ever see you again, Fellow Daoist Han. I had thought that you had already fled the city back when the foreign races had attacked. It seems that I underestimated your resourcefulness. The demonic woman within the black Qi was none other than the one whom Han Li had traded with many years ago, and she was appraising him with a faint smile.

Furthermore, she also seemed to be rather excited to see Han Li. Due to the restriction in this hall, Han Li was unable to identify whether this womans cultivation base had improved or not, but he had given her many myriad-year spirit medicines back when they had last met, so theoretically, she shouldve become a lot more powerful.

Of course, the woman was completely oblivious to Han Lis extraordinary progression as well.

Thus, Han Li smiled, and said, I actually didnt manage to escape in time. If it werent for some fortuitous events that swung my way, I might not be standing here right now. I had thought that you would go into seclusion and cultivate for a long time after you obtained that batch of myriad-year spirit medicines from me.

That wouldve naturally been ideal, but even though I obtained a lot of myriad-year spirit medicines from you, I couldnt use it on myself alone, and Ive exhausted that supply a long time ago. However, I did obtain another batch of precious medicine seeds during these years, are you willing to continue trading with me? the demonic woman sighed before asking in a hopeful manner.

I certainly wont turn down any seeds that I currently dont have. However, during these years, Ive gathered a lot of medicine seeds myself, so there most likely wont be much that I dont already have, Han Li replied.