Chapter 1198: Gathering Spirit Pearl

Outside the dozen or so guest pavilions of the Falling Cloud Sect, Mu Peiling stood before one of them, occasionally glancing up at the sky.

Suddenly, a flash of azure light appeared on the horizon, and a streak of rainbow shot toward them, arriving above the pavilion in the blink of an eye. After circling once, it descended.

“Greetings, Young Master! The Ghost Spirit Sect members are resting inside this pavilion, while the other two women are in Pavilion Bing,” Mu Peiling stepped forward and said softly as soon as Han Li appeared before the building.

“Understood. You may leave for now,” Han Li replied, glancing at the pavilion behind Mu Peiling and then at another one not far away before nodding impassively.

Upon hearing this, Mu Peiling bowed respectfully and transformed into a streak of white light, departing swiftly.

Han Li flickered and suddenly appeared at the entrance of the pavilion. After sweeping his spiritual sense inside, he strode in calmly.

In the main hall on the first floor, two men and a woman were seated, engaged in conversation. One man was a gaunt, yellow-robed giant, while the other was an elderly man with an unusually pale face. The woman was a stunningly beautiful young matron in her twenties—none other than Yan Ruyan.

Though the three were speaking, a faint trace of anxiety lingered in their expressions.

The moment Han Li appeared at the entrance, their gazes snapped toward him. Recognizing his face, they rose in delight to greet him.

“No need for formalities, fellow Daoists. Let us sit and talk,” Han Li said before they could speak, his figure flickering strangely as he appeared on a wooden chair opposite them, waving his hand dismissively.

Yan Ruyan and the others hadn’t even caught a glimpse of his movement.

“Then we shall not stand on ceremony,” the pale-faced elder replied with a forced smile, suppressing his unease.

The three promptly took their seats again.

“Fairy Yan, it has been many years. You’ve finally reached the Nascent Soul stage. Now we can address each other as equals,” Han Li remarked with a faint smile, eyeing the woman whose charm had only grown over the years.

Yan Ruyan, once the top female disciple among the younger generation of the Yue Kingdom, had successfully condensed her Nascent Soul and become a Nascent Soul cultivator.

“You jest, Fellow Daoist Han. I only recently broke through my bottleneck, while you are already the foremost cultivator of the South Sky. How could I compare? I’ve come here today to ask for your help,” Yan Ruyan replied, her expression complex as she studied Han Li.

Han Li smiled slightly but didn’t respond, shifting his gaze to the other two Ghost Spirit Sect elders before settling on the old man’s face.

“You must be Elder Zhong. I caught a glimpse of you in the Fallen Devil Valley years ago.”

“I’m flattered that you still remember me, Fellow Daoist Han,” the elder chuckled dryly.

“Given that the Ghost Spirit Sect is currently facing formidable enemies, and the three of you hold high positions within it, why have you come to my sect seeking me instead of dealing with the crisis in the Yue Kingdom?” Han Li cut straight to the point.

Seeing Han Li’s no-nonsense demeanor, Yan Ruyan and the others exchanged hesitant glances, seemingly unsure how to proceed.

Noticing this, Han Li frowned, his expression darkening slightly.

The moment his displeasure registered, the elder and the giant tensed, their eyes darting to Yan Ruyan.

After a brief hesitation, Yan Ruyan parted her lips and spoke:

“Fellow Daoist Han, we’ve come to seek your sect’s—no, your personal—assistance in helping our Ghost Spirit Sect survive this calamity. Otherwise, our sect may truly be wiped from existence.”

“Help your sect?” Han Li arched an eyebrow, a faint sneer curling his lips.

“I know our sect has wronged you greatly in the past, but those were the actions of the former Sect Master Wang and his son. Sect Master Wang perished long ago in the Fallen Devil Valley, and the Wang family no longer controls the Ghost Spirit Sect,” the yellow-robed giant hastily explained.

“No longer controlled by the Wang family? Yet I’ve heard Wang Chan still enjoys considerable freedom within your sect,” Han Li replied coolly, his expression unreadable.

At this, the elder and Yan Ruyan’s expressions flickered, while the giant maintained his smile and replied, “Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Han. Wang Chan recently committed a grave error and has been stripped of his position as Law Enforcement Elder. He is now confined to our sect’s Reflection Cave, repenting for his misdeeds. He won’t be involved in sect affairs for at least a century.”

“Repenting?” Han Li’s gaze shifted between Yan Ruyan and the giant, a hint of realization dawning. “You seem unfamiliar to me. May I ask your name? You bear some resemblance to Fairy Yan.”

“Your insight is as sharp as ever, Fellow Daoist Han. I share the Yan surname—I am Ruyan’s uncle,” the giant admitted after a brief hesitation.

Yan Ruyan nodded slightly in confirmation.

“Ah, so the Yan family now boasts two Nascent Soul cultivators. It seems the Ghost Spirit Sect is now under Yan family control,” Han Li mused, stroking his chin meaningfully.

“Well, it wouldn’t be wrong to say our Yan family leads the sect, though it was only possible due to Elder Zhong’s gracious concession,” the giant said, glancing at the elder.

“With the Wang family’s poor leadership, it was only natural for the Yan family to take over. I hardly played a role in it,” the elder said with a bitter smile.

“Is that so?”

Han Li murmured before falling silent, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The three Ghost Spirit Sect members dared not press him, sitting quietly instead. Yan Ruyan’s eyes flickered with unreadable thoughts, while the giant and the elder grew increasingly uneasy.

The man before them was the foremost cultivator of the South Sky, and their sect had once been his bitter enemy. Though they had come under the pretense of congratulations, ensuring he wouldn’t retaliate, their hearts weren’t entirely at ease. Only the dire threat of annihilation at the hands of allied sects had driven them to seek Han Li’s help.

After all, only Han Li possessed the influence to deter multiple sects with a single word. Other great cultivators might command respect, but none could guarantee such an outcome.

“Even setting aside past grievances, why should I help your Ghost Spirit Sect?” Han Li finally spoke, his voice turning cold.

At this, Yan Ruyan’s eyes gleamed, while the giant and the elder brightened.

They sensed a sliver of possibility in his words.

“If you are willing to mediate on our behalf, the Ghost Spirit Sect is prepared to cede the Yue Kingdom to the other sects, asking only to preserve our lineage. As compensation for your assistance, we’ve brought gifts. We hope you won’t find them lacking,” Yan Ruyan said, taking a deep breath.

With a flick of her hand, a white mist sprayed from her storage pouch, coalescing into three items on the table before her.

Han Li glanced at them indifferently.

A blood-red bracelet, a porcelain vial, and a pale green wooden box.

Without a word, Han Li reached out, and the three items flew into his grasp.

Yan Ruyan’s voice, clear as jade beads, whispered into his ear:

“The vial contains our sect’s sacred medicine, the ‘Limb-Restoring Pill.’ It has no other use but can miraculously regenerate severed limbs if taken promptly. Due to the rarity of its ingredients, our sect possesses only a dozen or so. This vial holds three.

“The Blood Soul Bracelet is a little-known demonic artifact, traditionally carried by the Ghost Spirit Sect’s leaders. After Sect Master Wang’s death in the Fallen Devil Valley, Elder Zhong reclaimed it. Unlike ordinary demonic tools, it cannot be used directly in battle. Instead, it houses and nurtures spectral entities, feeding them blood energy to rapidly enhance their strength before unleashing them against enemies.

“As for the wooden box, its contents are the most precious of the three.”

Here, Yan Ruyan paused, her luminous eyes studying Han Li.

Yet his expression remained unchanged, as though the first two items held no appeal.

Suppressing a sigh, she continued calmly:

“We’ve heard you cultivate a wood-attribute technique. This box contains the legendary Wood Spirit Pearl, one of the Five Elements Spirit Gathering Pearls.”

“A Spirit Gathering Pearl? The treasure said to absorb a single element’s spiritual energy while repelling all others?” Han Li’s composed demeanor shattered, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“Indeed. Though its name resembles the basic ‘Spirit Gathering Array,’ their functions differ vastly. Compared to spiritual eye treasures, if one’s cultivation aligns with the pearl’s attribute, its benefits far surpass ordinary spiritual eyes,” Yan Ruyan explained slowly.

Han Li stared at the green wooden box in his hand, its surface sealed by a pale yellow talisman, blocking any glimpse inside.

Suddenly, he exhaled lightly toward it.

A wisp of azure mist swept over the box, and the talisman fluttered away. His other hand darted out, tapping the lid.

With a soft click, the box opened.