Chapter 1139: The Agreement

At that moment, the cultivator surnamed Tian also stepped out of the house and happened to hear Han Li’s words. His face similarly paled.

However, after taking a deep breath, he walked over and bowed deeply to Han Li, speaking earnestly, “This junior is not overly greedy. I only wish for my daughter to live a longer life—even if it’s just reaching Foundation Establishment would suffice. If my wife and I join forces, might we be able to suppress the backlash of yang energy in our daughter’s body and help Qin’er succeed in Foundation Establishment?”

“With your early-stage Core Formation cultivation, it’s absolutely impossible now. But if you advance to the late stage and are willing to sacrifice your own cultivation, you could attempt it.” Han Li glanced at the man and shook his head.

This left even the refined man silent.

As for asking Han Li for help, the two dared not speak of it.

After all, Han Li had already shown them immense kindness. No matter how much they loved their daughter, they weren’t so shameless as to push further.

Moreover, this wasn’t a problem that could be solved in one go. Keeping the girl by their side long-term would be a burden no high-level cultivator would willingly bear.

But to their great surprise, Han Li’s eyes flickered, and he spoke words that shocked them so deeply they almost doubted their ears.

“I have a book on formations here. Take it for your daughter to study. If, by the next time we meet, she can comprehend it to my satisfaction, I might consider taking her in. Naturally, I would then assist her in reaching Foundation Establishment—or even Core Formation. However, the degree to which she must satisfy me depends on her own fortune. Let me be clear: she must study this book alone. If you help her comprehend it and then teach her, I will know, and I will leave immediately.” Han Li’s voice was calm, but to Wen Siyue and her husband, it struck like thunder from the heavens.

“Senior Han, are you truly serious?” Wen Siyue murmured in disbelief.

Han Li smiled faintly, flicked his sleeve, and a jade box flew out, drifting slowly toward the woman.

“Inside is a book titled *Essentials of Formations*. The formations within are not overly complex, but they contain unique insights—perfect for testing your daughter’s aptitude in formations.” Han Li said impassively.

The “Essentials of Formations” in the jade box was one of the formation manuals Xin Ruyin had gifted him long ago, primarily containing her own insights and realizations.

Wen Siyue joyfully accepted the jade box and carefully stored it away.

“Many thanks for your great kindness, Senior! Qin’er has considerable talent in formations—she will not disappoint you! But… how long until you meet her again?” she asked urgently.

“That’s uncertain. If all goes smoothly, perhaps just over a year. If there are delays, it may take several years. During this time, she must not cultivate any techniques. If something goes wrong, she may not live to see me again. Ah, here’s a bottle of ‘Purple Yin Pills’—have her take one each month. This will suffice for the next few years without needing other elixirs.” Han Li suddenly recalled something else, patted his storage pouch, and produced a small green bottle, tossing it over.

This time, the refined man gratefully caught it, murmuring endless thanks.

“Very well. Once you’ve obtained the White Egret Fish Demon’s inner core, wait for me on Kuixing Island in a year. As long as you’re on that island, I’ll find you. I have other matters to attend to and won’t linger here.” With that, Han Li’s body shimmered with spiritual light, transforming into a dazzling azure streak that shot into the sky, leaving Wen Siyue and her husband no chance to bid him farewell.

The couple’s expressions shifted, but they dared not delay, quickly bowing toward the direction Han Li had departed.

Only when the streak of light had vanished beyond the horizon did they straighten, exchanging a glance filled with quiet relief.

Had they not encountered Han Li, their beloved daughter might have succumbed to the poison even if cured. Coupled with Han Li’s past kindness to Wen Siyue, the couple now felt immeasurable gratitude toward him.

They returned to the house to discuss how to find the White Egret Demon’s core and arrange for Tian Qin’er to study the formation manual.

Meanwhile, Han Li had already left the entirety of Silver Shark Island behind, his flight path abruptly shifting as he sped toward the depths of the sea.

With his current abilities, Han Li no longer feared ambushes or encirclements by high-level demon beasts. His flight light wasn’t recklessly blinding, but neither did he conceal his presence, maintaining a steady, unhurried pace.

Inside the streak of light, Han Li wore a pensive expression.

His sudden decision to give the girl named “Tian Qin’er” a chance and arrange another meeting was largely motivated by his desire to uncover her true origins. The girl’s “Dragon’s Cry Physique” and the peculiar aura she carried made it difficult to dismiss their connection as mere coincidence.

If she also displayed extraordinary talent in formations and could easily grasp the *Essentials of Formations*, he would be more inclined to believe she might truly be Xin Ruyin’s reincarnation—or at least share some inexplicable connection with her.

In truth, while rare, cases of cultivators retaining traces of their past lives—including fragments of memory—were not unheard of in the cultivation world.

However, these cases lacked definitive proof, leaving listeners half-convinced. Over time, legends of the Netherworld had spread, becoming as mysterious and elusive as the Spirit Realm.

Some claimed the Netherworld was an independent realm; others insisted it was a hidden part of the human world. Still, others dismissed it as pure myth.

Han Li himself remained skeptical about reincarnation and the Netherworld.

To him, matters that could neither be proven nor disproven were not worth dwelling on.

That said, he had once counted Qi Xiaoyao and Xin Ruyin as friends, particularly admiring Xin Ruyin’s unyielding spirit. Now that his powers had reached great heights, if Tian Qin’er truly was Xin Ruyin’s reincarnation, he wouldn’t mind lending her a hand.

Moreover, Xin Ruyin had been merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet she had assisted Qi Xiaoyao in developing low-level formation tools. With a longer lifespan, access to more formation manuals, and broader experience, her achievements in formations could have been limitless.

As Han Li focused on advancing to Deity Transformation, he wouldn’t have time to delve deeply into formations. Taking on a disciple with such talent and nurturing her into a formation master could prove immensely useful.

After turning these thoughts over in his mind, Han Li sighed softly and set the matter aside for now. Instead, he flipped his hand, producing a pale white jade slip.

His divine sense swept into the slip, revealing a vast sea map—the very one given to him by the Star Palace cultivators guarding the teleportation formation, detailing the waters around Silver Shark Island.

Before arriving, he had learned that the island where the high-grade spirit stone vein had been discovered was originally unnamed but had since been dubbed “Jade Spirit Island.”

Rumors held that most of the spirit stones found were of the wood attribute, hence the name.

According to the map, Jade Spirit Island lay at the northernmost edge of Silver Shark Island’s waters. Even a Core Formation cultivator flying nonstop would take months to reach it—nearly the farthest point an ordinary cultivator could travel. This explained why the spirit stone vein had remained undiscovered for so long.

The island was said to be unusually large, originally inhabited by demon beasts. The veins were scattered beneath the island, eventually divided among sea demons, the Star Palace, and the Inverse Star Alliance.

The extraction of vast quantities of mid-to-high-grade spirit stones had spurred prosperity in nearby islands, attracting other factions and rogue cultivators. Temporary settlements and markets had sprung up, gradually turning the area into another hub for human cultivators in the outer sea.

Moreover, both the Star Palace and the Inverse Star Alliance were rumored to be planning new outer-sea teleportation formations nearby.

Han Li reviewed what he knew of Jade Spirit Island, ensuring he’d missed nothing, then stored the jade slip and doubled his speed, streaking into the distance.

He estimated that even at this pace, reaching Jade Spirit Island would take three months.

The sea remained monotonous—nothing but endless blue below.

Han Li flew without pause for over a month, stopping only occasionally on deserted islands to restore his energy. The journey was largely uneventful, though he did encounter a few groups of cultivators, whom he ignored.

Most were at the Foundation Establishment or Core Formation level, and none dared provoke him after seeing the speed of his flight.

Once, a nameless sixth-grade sea demon burst from the waves, attempting to swallow him whole.

Han Li easily dodged, sliced it in half with a single sword strike, and pocketed its demon core.

Had the beast been weaker, he wouldn’t have bothered.

One day, he spotted a small island of dark reefs, barren save for seaweed. Without hesitation, he landed, settling onto a flat boulder to meditate.

As dusk fell and the crimson sun sank into the sea, the wind turned icy.

Han Li paid it no mind, a faint azure barrier shielding him.

But when the last rays of sunlight vanished, plunging the sea into darkness, the island suddenly trembled violently.

A deep, thunderous roar erupted from the ocean depths—like a mix of a bull’s bellow and a tiger’s growl!