Guanggui City was located in the southernmost part of Lan Province. Though not large, with a population of only a few hundred thousand—just one-fifth the size of the province’s largest city, Jiayuan City—it was surrounded by mountains on three sides and bordered a lake on the fourth. Its beautiful scenery made it a popular leisure destination for the wealthy. Additionally, the area was known for producing several rare and unique fruits not found elsewhere, which added to the city’s fame.
Not far west of Guanggui City stood Mount Tai Nan, a towering peak over 3,000 meters high, perpetually shrouded in mist. It was the fourth tallest mountain in Lan Province. At its summit stood a modest temple, Tai Nan Temple, renowned for its incredibly accurate fortune-telling and divination. Every year, numerous dignitaries and nobles would make the arduous journey to offer incense, make wishes, and donate large sums of money, ensuring the temple’s continuous incense flow and widespread reputation.
At the foot of Mount Tai Nan, in a secluded grove, a young man sat cross-legged under the dense canopy of a giant tree. In his hands, he held a faintly glowing red object, which he rolled back and forth against his dantian.
Suddenly, his body shuddered, and he let out a muffled groan. The red glow in his hands dimmed, revealing the object’s true form—a pristine piece of green jade. Not only was the jade flawless, but deep within it, faint red streaks could be seen, indicating its extraordinary value and rarity.
The young man slowly moved the jade away from his abdomen and looked up at the sky, revealing an ordinary face. It was Han Li, who had disappeared from Jiayuan City.
Lowering his head, Han Li looked at the jade in his hand, a smile of satisfaction spreading across his face.
Since obtaining the Warm Sun Jade, he had been tirelessly working to eliminate the cold poison within him. After half a month of effort, he had finally succeeded today. The process had been arduous, with bone-deep itching and discomfort that had pushed him to his limits. Even now, the memory sent shivers down his spine.
Yet, the Warm Sun Jade was truly a remarkable treasure. It could absorb his spiritual energy, making the detoxification process twice as effective and far easier. Without this discovery, it would have taken him another ten days to completely rid himself of the poison.
With this thought, Han Li carefully placed the jade into a wooden box and stored it securely on his person.
He then stood up, stretching his stiff limbs, and reflected on the events of the past two months.
After making all necessary arrangements, Han Li had gone to the Mo Mansion the next day. There, Lady Yan provided him with information about the Dominating Dragon Manor and Ouyang Feitian. Riding a fine horse supplied by the Mo family, he traveled day and night, reaching the manor within ten days.
After several days of reconnaissance and stealthy infiltration, Han Li seized an opportunity when Ouyang Feitian was alone admiring the moon. Taking him by surprise, Han Li unleashed his talisman sword, decapitating him in one swift strike.
The entire process had been surprisingly smooth and effortless, almost making Han Li doubt whether he had killed an imposter. However, after verifying unique scars and birthmarks on the body, he confirmed it was indeed Ouyang Feitian. With a sigh, Han Li took the head and returned to Jiayuan City.
Back at the Mo Mansion, after presenting Ouyang Feitian’s head to Lady Yan for verification, Han Li learned that Ouyang Feitian had mastered one of the most formidable hard martial arts, the “Tyrant’s Armor,” which made his body impervious to blades. Even the sharpest weapons could not harm him. Yet, Han Li had taken his head with a single strike.
Realizing that Ouyang Feitian must have mistaken the talisman sword for a hidden weapon and thus did not evade it, Han Li understood why the kill had been so effortless.
The rest was simple. After Lady Yan confirmed the head’s identity, she immediately handed over the Warm Sun Jade in exchange for the antidote. Once Han Li obtained the jade, he declined Lady Yan’s earnest attempts to persuade him to stay. Unwilling to engage further with the Mo family, he left Jiayuan City once again and headed straight for Mount Tai Nan.
Along the way, Han Li focused on detoxification while contemplating how to meet and befriend the cultivators of Tai Nan Valley.
Uncertain whether these cultivators were righteous or evil, Han Li had no intention of recklessly approaching them. If they turned out to be wicked, he would be walking straight into a trap, likely to be devoured without a second thought.
Upon arriving at Mount Tai Nan, Han Li began inquiring with villagers in nearby settlements about strange tales and unusual occurrences related to the mountain. His efforts soon yielded results.
The villagers spoke of a mysteriously foggy slope on the northern side of Mount Tai Nan, perpetually enveloped in a thick, impenetrable white mist.
While mist was common on the mountain, the density and persistence of the fog on this particular slope were beyond ordinary understanding.
Some brave villagers had ventured into the mist multiple times. Strangely, each time they entered, they would lose their sense of direction but soon find themselves exiting the mist, returning to their starting point without any harm.
Intrigued by the slope’s peculiar nature and the lack of danger, more villagers ventured in, eager to unravel the mystery. However, it seemed the mist took offense to these intrusions. From a certain day onward, those who entered the slope were no longer able to exit immediately. Instead, they would be trapped for two or three days, emerging weak and famished.
After this, few dared to challenge the strange slope. Eventually, the villagers grew accustomed to its presence and largely ignored it.
Learning of these events, Han Li was overjoyed.
He was certain that this strange slope was the place he sought. Even if it wasn’t Tai Nan Valley, it was undoubtedly the dwelling of other cultivators.
What pleased Han Li most was that, based on the villagers’ accounts, the master of this place did not seem particularly malicious or extreme. This suggested that the cultivators here were not the type to kill on sight, leaving room for potential interaction.
Even so, Han Li decided not to approach immediately. Instead, he stayed in the grove, intending to fully eliminate the lingering poison within him before visiting. This way, he would be in optimal condition to face any potential dangers and have a better chance of escape if things went awry.
With this plan in mind, Han Li decided to return to the village where he was staying for a meal and a night’s rest. The next day, he would formally explore the strange slope.
As he walked out of the grove and headed toward the nearby village, he noticed a young man dressed in white, about fifteen or sixteen years old, standing at the village entrance, animatedly talking to a few villagers.
Han Li paused. The presence of an outsider here likely meant this person was no ordinary individual. He instinctively used his Heavenly Eye Technique to observe the young man.
To his delight, the young man was indeed enveloped in a faint spiritual glow, only slightly dimmer than his own. This youth was undoubtedly a cultivator.
The young man in the distance seemed to sense Han Li’s gaze. He turned around, and upon seeing Han Li, his face lit up with joy. He hurried over, panting slightly.
“Brother, are you also heading to Tai Nan Valley? I’m Wan Xiaoshan from the Wan Family of Mount Kuya. Shall we go together?” the young man asked eagerly, barely catching his breath.
Han Li took a closer look at the youth. He had delicate features, fair skin, and the refined appearance of a young master from a well-off family.
“Of course,” Han Li replied calmly. “But do you know where Tai Nan Valley is?”
“Hehe! I only heard from my family that Tai Nan Valley is on the northern side of Mount Tai Nan, with its entrance perpetually locked in mist. I don’t know the exact location. I asked the villagers, but they didn’t know either. But surely you must know, right?” The young man scratched his head sheepishly, looking at Han Li with hopeful eyes.
“Is this your first time traveling far from home?” Han Li asked, suppressing a smile.
“You can tell? This is indeed the first time I’ve been so far from home,” the young man admitted shyly.
“Alright, follow me. I’ll take you there,” Han Li said. Though he hadn’t been entirely sure earlier, the young man’s words now confirmed that the strange slope was indeed Tai Nan Valley.
“Great! I can’t wait to see it!” the young man exclaimed excitedly.
Han Li smiled faintly. This was a perfect opportunity to gather information about cultivators from the young man.
“What do you hope to see or experience in Tai Nan Valley?” Han Li asked as he led the way toward the strange slope, a location he had already scouted multiple times.
“So many things! I want to see the spells and secret techniques of other families and schools, and maybe exchange some items I like with others,” the young man replied casually.
“Oh,” Han Li responded softly. But inwardly, he felt a twinge of unease. From the young man’s tone, it seemed there were many cultivators gathered at Tai Nan Valley. Was some significant event about to take place?
Han Li grew slightly apprehensive.
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