Chapter 1252: The Treasure of Xuantian

Upon receiving this news from the humanoid puppet, Han Li’s mind was momentarily shaken.

To think that before his seclusion, he had, as if guided by some inexplicable impulse, poured a few drops of the Sun-Returning Water onto the Xuantian Immortal Vine. At the time, it had been nothing more than a desperate attempt—a last-ditch effort. Now, faced with the reality of the vine’s revival, he found it almost unbelievable.

Without hesitation, Han Li moved swiftly toward the medicinal garden.

The Xuantian Immortal Vine had been planted alongside the Nine-Curve Spirit Ginseng and several other precious spiritual herbs.

When he arrived and saw the current state of the vine, despite some mental preparation, he was still taken aback.

The withered branch, which had previously shown only a faint green hue after being watered with the mysterious green liquid, had now transformed into a sprawling mass of vines, covering several nearby white jade pillars in lush, verdant foliage. The aura of vitality emanating from the vine far surpassed that of any other herb in the garden. Even the white rabbit transformed from the Nine-Curve Spirit Ginseng lay curled at the base of the vine, fast asleep.

As Han Li approached, the rabbit’s long ears twitched, and its crimson eyes cracked open slightly. Recognizing Han Li, it paid him no further mind and promptly closed its eyes again, resuming its slumber.

After centuries of coexistence, the spirit creature born from the Nine-Curve Spirit Ginseng had come to regard Han Li’s medicinal garden as its home. Under Han Li’s protection, it had encountered no danger whatsoever over the years, and thus had long since abandoned any wariness, treating Han Li as if he were invisible.

Han Li sighed inwardly but chose not to disturb it. Instead, he stepped closer to the vine and examined it carefully.

At first glance, the revived Xuantian Immortal Vine appeared no different from an ordinary vine, save for the astonishing spiritual energy it exuded. However, upon closer inspection, its extraordinary nature became apparent.

The vine was an exceptionally vibrant green, with a metallic sheen deep within its hue. The patterns on its leaves were intricate and profound, each one unique and vaguely familiar.

Han Li stared at the leaves in silence, then suddenly had an epiphany.

The patterns bore a resemblance to the silver-script characters on the Golden Jade Book, though they were not identical—more like incomplete or partially written versions.

Frowning, he studied over a dozen leaves before uncovering their secret.

The leaf patterns were all fragments of the silver-script characters—some half-written, others barely begun.

Han Li was stunned for a long moment before reaching out to pinch a leaf between his fingers.

The leaf was cool and smooth to the touch, as if carved from fine jade.

He stroked his chin, released the leaf, and fell into deep thought.

Though he was tempted to summon the child transformed from the Heavenly Luan Beast to inquire about the Xuantian Spirit Wood, he ultimately decided against it.

The child was likely still inside the Void Heaven Cauldron, engrossed in solitary cultivation and completely unaware of the current situation.

This was because, upon returning to his cave, Han Li would use the power of the Void Heaven Cauldron to sever all connections between the beast and the outside world. Only during his own secluded cultivation would he release it again, ensuring none of his secrets were exposed.

Thus, the beast remained oblivious to the mysteries of the small vial.

Han Li had long studied the legends surrounding the Xuantian Immortal Vine.

It was said that only spiritual plants born during the primordial chaos of a world’s creation could bear the title “Xuantian.” Whether vine or tree, their blossoms and fruits possessed unimaginable powers that defied the natural laws of their world—true treasures of defiance against heaven itself.

Yet even in ancient times, such things were mere legends, with no records of anyone ever witnessing them firsthand.

Some ancient texts suggested that no more than four or five of these transcendent entities could exist in a single world. Each had its own unique growth cycle, spanning hundreds of thousands or even millions of years. However, once they flowered and bore fruit, their decline was swift—lasting only days, or even mere hours.

With such prolonged cycles and such fleeting moments of maturity, obtaining their blossoms or fruits was nearly impossible.

Moreover, only the blossoms and fruits of these Xuantian plants held their heaven-defying powers. The vines or wood themselves were merely ordinary materials for crafting artifacts, with little inherent value.

Han Li had never even informed the child of the small Xuantian vine root in his possession. Now that the Sun-Returning Water had truly revived it, he had even less reason to reveal it.

While the Xuantian Immortal Vine might be a useless relic in others’ hands—impossible to cultivate to fruition—it could still attract unwanted trouble. With his mysterious vial capable of accelerating growth, Han Li could dedicate most of the green liquid to nurturing the vine. Given two or three centuries, he stood a real chance of obtaining its blossoms or fruits. He would not let this heaven-sent opportunity slip away.

If the child were to learn of this, there was no telling whether it could relay the information to its true form in the Spirit Realm. If it harbored ulterior motives, Han Li would be inviting disaster.

Thus, despite knowing the Heavenly Luan Beast likely possessed far more knowledge about Xuantian Spirit Wood, Han Li ultimately dismissed the idea of summoning it.

Having made his decision, he exhaled slowly and carefully set up several intricate restrictions around the Xuantian Immortal Vine before calmly leaving the garden.

Three days later, Han Li left the humanoid puppet in his cave, informed Elder Lü Luo and other sect elders, and departed the Cloud Dream Mountains without fanfare.

His figure reappeared on a nameless island in the Chaotic Star Sea before transforming into a streak of azure light that vanished into the horizon.

Months later, on a quiet night atop the Star Palace’s sacred mountain in Heavenly Star City, a beautiful woman in a white palace gown sat cross-legged on a meditation mat in a secluded chamber. Her eyes were closed, her body bathed in swirling white light as she formed hand seals, seemingly practicing some secret technique.

As the spiritual light flickered, a trace of pain crossed her delicate features.

When the white light around her began to fluctuate uncontrollably, she abruptly ceased her incantations and stopped her cultivation.

The light dissipated, and she let out a sigh before opening her eyes and instinctively scanning her surroundings.

Her expression abruptly changed.

In a corner of the chamber, a faint figure had appeared without her notice—a man standing with arms crossed, watching her with an amused smile.

“Brother Han, it’s you,” the woman said, her tension easing as she recognized him. A charming smile bloomed on her lips, though a flicker of fear lingered deep in her eyes.

This was a heavily guarded sanctum of the Star Palace, layered with no fewer than twenty or thirty restrictions. How had he infiltrated without alerting her?

“Sister Ling, it’s been years. You remain as radiant as ever. Though, the cultivation method you’re practicing seems… problematic,” said Han Li, who had traveled all the way to Heavenly Star City.

“You noticed,” Ling Yuling admitted with a light laugh. “I have indeed encountered some minor issues in my cultivation. I was just thinking of seeking guidance from an expert. Now that you’re here, I naturally entrust this matter to you.”

“Guidance is too strong a word. Tell me your troubles, and I’ll see if I can offer advice. But first, I must retrieve the Magnetic Divine Mountain,” Han Li replied with a low chuckle.

“The mountain was originally left here by you, so taking it back is only natural. But… do you truly have a way to move it?” Ling Yuling asked, puzzled.

“I have a method, though I can’t guarantee it will work. I’ll have to try,” Han Li said calmly.

“In that case, I’ll personally escort you,” Ling Yuling said, a glint of curiosity in her eyes.

“Then I’ll trouble you, Sister Ling,” Han Li nodded, pleased.

An hour later, the two stood before the jade gate in the mountain’s underground passage.

After Ling Yuling dispelled the gate’s restrictions with her token, it slowly swung open.

Han Li took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Ling Yuling hesitated briefly before following.

The scene from years ago repeated itself.

The moment Han Li crossed the threshold, the power of the five elements surged toward him, threatening to drain his spiritual energy.

But now, at the peak of late-stage cultivation, his refined and dense spiritual power resisted the pull. With a swift circulation of his technique, he stabilized the turmoil within and formed a series of hand seals before pressing his palms together at his chest.

A five-colored orb the size of an egg materialized, its radiant light weakening the surrounding elemental forces by a third.

“Congratulations, Brother Han, on mastering the first layer of the Magnetic Divine Light,” Ling Yuling said from behind him, sensing the shift in energy.

“Without some mastery of this light, how could I hope to move the mountain?” Han Li chuckled.

“Even one or two layers of the Magnetic Divine Light would suffice to shift it. But carrying it away won’t be easy. If your method fails, why not leave it here? I assure you, no one will disturb your cultivation, and the palace’s resources will be at your disposal,” Ling Yuling urged.

“Sister Ling, let’s not revisit this. Had I wished to join your palace, I would have done so long ago. As for whether my method works, we’ll know soon enough,” Han Li replied coolly, meeting her gaze.