“However, the space here was previously very stable, with no signs of eruption at all. How could a spatial storm suddenly appear here? Who are the cultivators residing nearby?” The female cultivator frowned slightly and asked another question.
“What’s so strange about that? Micro spatial fluctuations are inherently difficult to predict in advance. Even the Qiankun Disk, as miraculous as it is, cannot foresee everything. Such incidents are not uncommon. As for this place, it seems to have just been allocated for use by a Spirit Transformation cultivator. The owner here should be a member of the Azure Guard,” the man stroked his beard and replied calmly.
“The Alien Spirit Disk hasn’t detected any traces of foreign races. It seems no outsiders have taken advantage of the situation to infiltrate. Should we summon this nearby Azure Guard and inquire more carefully? See if he knows anything about the spatial storm?” The female cultivator raised her hand and summoned a glowing Dharma Disk. After performing a few techniques, she frowned and suggested.
“Why bother with such trouble? As long as no foreign races have infiltrated, even if there’s something peculiar about this spatial storm, it has little to do with us. Don’t forget, we’re not exactly idle—we have another place to inspect. That’s where the Qiankun Disk predicts a large spatial storm is likely to erupt.” The long-bearded cultivator shook his head, his expression turning grave.
“Brother Ma makes a valid point. I was being a bit too persistent. Let’s go.” The female cultivator hesitated slightly, as if recalling something, then smiled and agreed.
The long-bearded Taoist seemed pleased with her response. He nodded slightly and immediately transformed into a yellow streak of light, flying back to the Golden Court Ship.
The female cultivator glanced around once more before also returning to the ship without lingering.
Moments later, the Golden Court Ship shimmered within the light array and vanished into thin air. The teleportation array below also dissipated and disappeared.
Han Li, secluded in his cave abode, was unaware that two Heaven Guards of the Void Refinement level had come to investigate in such a short time. They hadn’t even bothered with the routine of summoning him for questioning before hastily departing.
But to be cautious, as soon as he returned to his cave, he shut down all formations and temporarily halted the surveillance of the Myriad Eye Pearls to prevent any high-level experts from detecting anything amiss.
He then immediately retreated into his secret chamber to study the newly acquired skeletal hand.
Although the skeletal hand itself was peculiar, seemingly refined through some never-before-seen artifact-forging technique, Han Li wasn’t particularly interested in it.
Without hesitation, he opened his mouth and spat out a small golden sword several inches long. With a flick, the sword transformed into a slender golden thread that swiftly encircled the skeletal hand. The thumb of the skeletal hand was silently sliced into two pieces.
A jade token about an inch long was revealed inside. It trembled as if sentient and attempted to fly away.
Han Li, however, had anticipated this. With a backhanded grab, an invisible restraint materialized around it, immobilizing the jade token completely.
Holding the milky-white jade token in his hand, Han Li’s eyes flashed with blue light as he scrutinized it carefully.
The silver Kho script on the token recorded an artifact-forging method he had never encountered before. The concepts it elucidated were so revolutionary that they overturned much of Han Li’s previous understanding of artifact forging, instantly captivating him.
However, the silver Kho script was vastly different from ordinary ancient texts. Had he not painstakingly studied another fragment before, he likely wouldn’t have been able to comprehend a single word upon first contact with this True Spirit script.
Even so, Han Li spent three days and nights in the secret chamber studying this newly acquired jade book before he finally grasped the general content recorded on it.
Apart from the introduction to artifact-forging techniques, the main content surprisingly documented a divine ability called the “Hundred Meridians Treasure Refinement Art.”
This technique was based on the human body’s meridians, flesh, and bones, refining each part into different types of magical treasures—an unimaginable secret art.
Had Han Li not read the preceding artifact-forging techniques, he would have dismissed this method as pure nonsense.
But the new artifact-forging principles elucidated earlier had opened his mind, making him believe most of it.
Moreover, the skeletal hand he had acquired was clearly a product of this technique. Otherwise, how could a mere skeletal hand escape a spatial storm and develop sentience on its own?
According to the jade book, practitioners of this technique could either refine their entire body into treasures at once or do so gradually over time. Regardless of the approach, the ultimate goal was to cultivate the body to a state akin to the indestructible Vajra Body of Buddhist teachings, reaching a realm comparable to that of immortals and buddhas.
Once this secret art was mastered, regardless of one’s cultivation level, the physical body alone would possess earth-shaking divine abilities, becoming nearly indestructible.
Although the jade book’s description of the technique’s full mastery was brief and simple, the implications hidden within its words made Han Li gasp in awe.
Even if the claims were somewhat exaggerated, the power of this technique was undoubtedly formidable.
Of course, this method of refining the body into treasures placed nearly inconceivable demands on the practitioner’s physical strength.
With his current mastery of the Vajra Art, Han Li’s body was barely strong enough to begin practicing this technique. To further refine his body and unlock the immense powers described in the jade book, he would need to progressively enhance his physical form.
Otherwise, if his body couldn’t withstand the refinement process, he would collapse and perish.
After all, refining the body into various treasures was an extraordinary, almost heaven-defying endeavor.
Han Li silently stroked the jade token for a long time before finally speaking.
“It seems I no longer need to search for other techniques. I must choose a dual cultivation method for both spiritual and physical power,” Han Li sighed softly and murmured to himself.
The emergence of the Hundred Meridians Treasure Refinement Art was the final straw that tipped the scales.
It resolved his earlier indecision about which cultivation method to choose, leading him to decide on the dual cultivation technique jointly modified by humans and demons.
He suddenly stored the jade slip away, affixed a restriction talisman to it, and placed it back into his storage bracelet. Then, he retrieved a pale-red jade slip.
After obtaining the incantation of the Heaven-Supporting Devil Art from Barbarian Beard, Han Li had transcribed all of it onto this jade slip to ensure none of it would be forgotten over time.
“Since this technique is divided into three parts, each so unique, I might as well call it the Brahma Sacred True Devil Art,” Han Li muttered as he scanned the jade slip. He then pressed it to his forehead, closed his eyes, and began earnestly studying the technique.
Previously, in the stone tower of Tianyuan City, he had attempted to practice a small portion of this devil art. However, without the aid of pills, the results were negligible.
Over the next few months, Han Li spent most of his time in the secret chamber. Occasionally, he would take breaks to refine Jade Clarity Pills once some of the spiritual herbs had matured.
True to its reputation as a Spirit Transformation-level pill, even after using an astonishing quantity of spiritual herbs, Han Li only managed to produce two or three bottles of Jade Clarity Pills.
But he wasn’t concerned about this.
For him, the more he refined, the more skilled he would become. Given enough time, his success rate would naturally improve.
For now, the pills he had refined were sufficient for his immediate cultivation needs.
While practicing the Tuo Tian Devil Art, Han Li also took time to study the Hundred Meridians Treasure Refinement Art.
Thus, the period of rest and cultivation passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, no one disturbed Han Li’s secluded cultivation. It seemed that without conflicting interests, the likes of Elder Ming and Old Monster Jin couldn’t be bothered with him.
Han Li was naturally pleased by this.
A few days before the half-year deadline, a streak of azure light shot out from the exceptionally vibrant miasma, circled the area once, and then streaked toward Tianyuan City.
He had to complete a two-to-three-month patrol mission before he could return to his cave and resume cultivation.
Three months later, Han Li returned unscathed.
Upon arriving, he immediately entered the secret chamber and began another round of secluded cultivation.
He only left again when the next half-year deadline approached…
Thus, time passed bit by bit, and before he knew it, sixty years had gone by.
For cultivators, this span of time was negligible. However, during this period, the Spirit World had become turbulent beneath the surface. The higher echelons of various races frequently gathered, as if brewing something significant. Those with well-informed sources among the races almost universally sensed the immense danger preceding a storm and began making preparations accordingly.
As the frontline between the human race and other races, Tianyuan City naturally detected some anomalies. At the very least, the patrolling cultivators outside noticed significant changes.
On this day, a team of cultivators flew slowly at low altitude over the Floating Marsh.
Ten cultivators wore pitch-black armor, while a short-bearded elder in the center donned an ancient-looking azure armor—he was the Spirit Transformation-level Azure Guard leading the team.
Both the ten Black Iron Guards and the elder leading them wore solemn expressions, holding Alien Spirit Disks while constantly scanning their surroundings, as if expecting something terrifying to emerge from below at any moment.
The team flew cautiously for an hour without speaking when suddenly, one of the Black Iron Guards’ Dharma Disks emitted a series of buzzing sounds.
Though the sound was faint, it caused everyone to turn pale and look over.
“Another alien race? This is getting too frequent! What are these outsiders playing at, sending scouts into our territory as if their lives are worthless? Our squad just lost two members last time,” a particularly fierce-looking man couldn’t help but curse after seeing the white alarm light flashing on his companion’s Alien Spirit Disk.
“Hmph, this is still manageable. I heard Squad Four encountered the rare Void Cave Clan half a year ago and lost over half their members, including their captain,” a middle-aged female cultivator retorted coldly, her expression equally grim.
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