A refreshing herbal fragrance wafted through the air as the wooden box revealed a verdant glow. Nestled within the light lay a thumb-sized emerald-green orb, resting quietly inside the box.
Han Li swept his spiritual sense over the orb and found it neither stone nor wood, its material eluding immediate recognition.
The moment the orb was exposed, the surrounding area became saturated with dense wood-attribute spiritual energy. Taking a deep breath, Han Li felt his spirits lift.
“Indeed, it is a Spirit Gathering Pearl! Though such pearls appeared occasionally in ancient times, it’s unclear whether they formed naturally or were artificially refined. They have long vanished from the cultivation world. I never expected your sect to possess one. However, Fairy Yan—are you truly willing to part with such a rare treasure? A cultivator practicing wood-attribute techniques could halve their cultivation time simply by carrying this.” Han Li pinched the orb between two fingers, examining it for a moment before lifting his gaze to the woman opposite him, his expression calm.
“This pearl is indeed a rare treasure in the mortal realm, but compared to our sect’s survival, we three know which holds greater weight. Moreover, Brother Han must be aware that our Ghost Spirit Sect’s techniques rarely involve wood attributes, making this pearl of little use to us. It is better to exchange it for our sect’s continued existence,” Yan Ruyan said solemnly.
“The first two items were acceptable, but this Spirit Gathering Pearl is truly valuable to me. However, for me to intervene and stop the Spirit Beast Sect and others, your Ghost Spirit Sect must do one more thing. Otherwise…” Han Li shook his head slightly.
“What is it? As long as it is within our power, we will not disappoint you,” the yellow-robed man asked eagerly, his eyes brightening.
“I care not for the rest of the Wang family, but Wang Chan—I never wish to see him again. Otherwise, I have no interest in aiding my enemies. Do you understand?” Han Li glanced at the man, his tone casual.
The Zhong Elder’s expression shifted, and Yan Ruyan’s face paled. The yellow-robed man, however, remained silent, showing little surprise.
“I understand Brother Han’s meaning. I believe this won’t be a problem. Elder Zhong, what do you think?” the man turned to ask the elder.
“If Brother Han insists, for the sake of our sect’s survival, I believe Disciple Wang Chan should be willing to make this sacrifice,” the elder sighed after a moment of hesitation.
“Since Elder Zhong has no objections, I, on behalf of our sect, agree to this condition,” the man nodded decisively to Han Li.
He never once glanced at Yan Ruyan or sought her opinion.
Yan Ruyan’s face remained pale, but she said nothing.
“Good. I accept these items. In a few days, I will send letters to the Spirit Beast Sect and others,” Han Li replied impassively.
The yellow-robed man was overjoyed.
With their objective achieved, the three Ghost Spirit Sect members had no desire to linger in the Falling Cloud Sect and promptly took their leave.
Han Li did not press them to stay, merely watching as they departed.
Yan Ruyan was the last to exit the hall. At the doorway, she paused, turning back with a complex expression.
Her lips parted slightly, but no words came forth. With a soft sigh, she turned away and left without looking back.
Han Li’s expression flickered slightly as he gazed at the three treasures on the table, lost in thought.
—
After leaving the Falling Cloud Sect, the three Ghost Spirit Sect members transformed into streaks of light, speeding homeward.
Shortly after exiting the Yunmeng Mountain Range, Elder Zhong sighed and asked the yellow-robed man, “Junior Brother Yan, must we truly act against Disciple Wang?”
“Elder Zhong, it is not that I wish to be ruthless, but this condition was explicitly stated by Han Li. There is no room for ambiguity. He did not demand the entire Wang family—only Wang Chan. Your lineage will not be extinguished, as you have other descendants. Given how severely the Wang family offended him in the past, and how Wang Chan nearly took his life when he was still weak, it’s no wonder he refuses to let this go. My suggestion is to use this opportunity to purge all Wang family disciples from our sect. Otherwise, if Han Li harbors lingering resentment, it would be a greater loss for us,” the yellow-robed man seized the moment to propose.
“This…” The elder hesitated.
“Ruyan, I know this is difficult for you. But when the marriage alliance with the Wang family was arranged, you must have foreseen this possibility. Now that you’ve reached the Nascent Soul stage while Wang Chan failed, he was never worthy of you. Moreover, when the Wang family suddenly turned on our Yan family, nearly all our high-ranking cultivators were enslaved—including you. Since Wang Chan showed no marital loyalty, why should you spare him?” The man turned to Yan Ruyan apologetically.
“Uncle, I understand. But he was once my husband. How could I openly agree to his death? After returning, I will enter seclusion for a century and take no further part in sect affairs. Whatever you decide regarding the Wang family and Wang Chan, there is no need to inform me,” Yan Ruyan replied indifferently.
Her speed suddenly increased, leaving the two men far behind.
The yellow-robed man sighed helplessly.
“I will say no more. If this truly benefits our sect, then handle the Wang family as you see fit,” Elder Zhong conceded after a long silence.
“Rest assured, Elder Zhong. I will act with discretion,” the man said, relieved.
The elder merely shook his head, his mood somber.
The man understood—his senior brother had known Wang Chan and his father far longer than he had known him. Such reluctance was natural.
“Still, giving away the Spirit Gathering Pearl is a great pity,” the man lamented.
“Pity? Do you truly believe that pearl belonged to our sect?” Elder Zhong sneered.
“What do you mean? Didn’t you retrieve it from our treasury?” the man asked, startled.
“Whether it was originally ours, I cannot say. But this treasure was delivered to me personally by the Joyous Union Demon,” the elder revealed with a dark chuckle.
“The Joyous Union Demon?” The man was stunned.
“Indeed. Not long ago, he sought me out, claiming this pearl was something our sect once lent to the Joyous Union Sect. He hinted that only Han Li of the Falling Cloud Sect could resolve our crisis and that this pearl would be the perfect gift to secure his aid. Does this surprise you, Junior Brother Yan?” the elder said meaningfully.
“Even if the pearl was ours, why would the Joyous Union Demon return it out of goodwill? Could there be something wrong with it?” The man paled as realization struck.
“I examined it thoroughly—its properties and appearance match the legendary Wood Spirit Pearl perfectly. There is no forgery, nor any hidden flaws. Otherwise, I would never have acted on his suggestion,” the elder said gravely.
“But the demon would never act without ulterior motives. You should have consulted us first! If this leads to disaster, our sect could be annihilated!” the man exclaimed, his earlier composure gone.
“Had we not followed his advice, what other treasure could move the number one cultivator of the South Sky? And what use would discussing it have been? Did we have any other choice? If we did, we wouldn’t have come begging to the Falling Cloud Sect,” Elder Zhong retorted coldly.
The man fell silent, his brow still furrowed.
“Enough. The pearl has already been given. Even if we regret it now, it’s too late. As long as the pearl itself is genuine, any consequences won’t fall on us,” the man muttered, trying to reassure himself.
“Precisely. The Spirit Gathering Pearl is a legendary treasure from ancient times. After so many years, even if something goes wrong, we can easily deny responsibility. Besides, even the South Sky’s top cultivator confirmed its authenticity. How could it reflect poorly on us?” Elder Zhong smirked.
“Very well. Since it’s done, we can only accept it. But to be safe, once our sect survives this crisis and relocates, we should seal our mountain and close our gates for a century,” the man said resignedly.
“A wise suggestion. I agree,” the elder nodded.
With that, the two Ghost Spirit Sect elders accelerated, chasing after Yan Ruyan’s distant figure.
—
At the same time, deep within the forbidden grounds of the Joyous Union Sect, shrouded in thick gray mist, a figure sat cross-legged on a boulder, murmuring to himself:
“By my calculations, that treasure should soon be in Han Li’s hands. Hmph, the Wood Spirit Pearl! With it, his cultivation will indeed speed up. But when he attempts to break through to the Deity Transformation bottleneck… heh heh…”
The figure let out a sinister chuckle.
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