After listening to the words of Zhao Wugui and the other man, most of the cultivators in the hall gasped in shock, their expressions shifting unpredictably.
A fifty percent chance of perishing—this mission was far too perilous. Staying in Tianyuan City, on the other hand, only carried a sixty percent risk of facing an invasion by the alien races. And if it were just a single alien race attacking, many still had confidence in surviving the ordeal.
Considering this, accepting the mission seemed to carry even greater risks.
Of course, matters concerning one’s own life could not be weighed so simply. Everyone naturally had their own considerations and hesitations.
For a moment, the hall fell into complete silence.
“Fellow Daoists, there’s no need to make an immediate decision. These missions will be released over the course of a year or so. Moreover, they will be specially marked—once you accept a mission, those with official duties can relinquish their posts and transfer them to others. So even those with fixed responsibilities need not worry,” the cultivator surnamed Wen added a few final words.
“Senior Wen, even if we can complete the mission, what about the issue of the Dust-Cleansing Pills? Without them, even if we succeed, we will perish in the subsequent Two-Colored Heavenly Tribulation,” Han Li spoke up for the first time.
“Ah, it’s Nephew Han. There’s no need to worry about that. Assigning you such dangerous missions is already a desperate gamble. Naturally, we will provide you with the full quota of Dust-Cleansing Pills before departure. However, these pills will be enchanted with restrictions. Unless you truly complete the mission, the pills will self-destruct. So, don’t entertain any thoughts of abandoning the mission midway and fleeing alone. The consequences of such actions are something you all understand well,” Zhao Wugui interjected calmly.
“I see. Thank you for the clarification, Senior,” Han Li nodded and sat back down without showing any emotion.
Several people in the hall showed no outward reaction to Zhao Wugui’s words, but inwardly, they all sighed in resignation.
The last shred of hope in their hearts was utterly extinguished.
“That’s all we have to say. The first wave of missions will be released in half a month. If you truly wish to accept them, it’s best to prepare early. Although these missions were specially arranged by Elder Leiluo for you, if other cultivators take them first, there’s nothing we can do. Alright, this gathering is now concluded. Everyone, go back and carefully weigh the pros and cons,” the cultivator surnamed Wen concluded with a smile before announcing the end of the meeting.
With that, he and Zhao Wugui stood up first and exited the hall.
After a brief silence, the others in the hall began to leave one by one. Most wore deep frowns, their minds clearly preoccupied.
Han Li was in no hurry to leave. He remained seated quietly, lost in thought.
Soon, only a handful of people remained in the hall.
“What’s the matter, Brother Han? Are you tempted by these missions?” someone suddenly approached and asked with a smile.
Han Li’s expression shifted slightly. Recognizing the person, he smiled and replied, “Ah, it’s Fairy Xuan. Indeed, I am somewhat tempted. The choices arranged by the Seniors are indeed a viable path to self-preservation, though the risks are considerable.”
The speaker was a female cultivator dressed in a green palace robe, her cultivation at the mid-Nascent Soul stage.
Han Li had encountered her at several previous gatherings and exchanged words with her a few times, making her somewhat familiar to him.
“I heard that during a recent patrol mission, Brother Han single-handedly captured a Green Shadow. It seems your abilities surpass even those of ordinary late-Nascent Soul cultivators. If you were to accept one of these missions, your chances of success would surely be much higher than most. How about we team up and take on one together?” Fairy Xuan suggested with a charming smile.
Though her face was veiled by a green gauze, the exposed skin and her captivating eyes hinted at extraordinary beauty.
Han Li was momentarily taken aback by her proposal. After studying her face for a moment, he slowly shook his head.
“You flatter me too much. I’ve only recently advanced to the mid-stage and cannot compare to you and others. As for whether I’ll accept the mission, I haven’t made up my mind yet. It’s too early to decide now.”
Though his words were polite, his refusal was implicit.
A flicker of disappointment passed through Fairy Xuan’s eyes, but she did not press further. After exchanging a few more casual remarks, she bid farewell and left.
Only after watching her figure disappear through the hall’s entrance did Han Li withdraw his gaze, his thoughts turning inward.
Though this woman’s cultivation was not weak—she practiced a formidable technique called “Three Thousand Verdant”—he was accustomed to acting alone. Moreover, he carried treasures he did not wish others to discover. Even if he were to accept a mission, he would never consider partnering with anyone. Besides, he was currently tied up with an important matter. Even if an alien invasion were to erupt tomorrow, he could not leave immediately.
The tens of thousands of Gold Devouring Beetles he had been feeding with Rainbow Skirt Grass had finally met all the conditions for maturation a year ago. Using a secret maturation technique obtained from the Heavenly Lasso Saintess, he had begun refining and accelerating their growth.
In a matter of months to a year, these spirit insects would complete their transformation into fully mature forms. How could he bear to interrupt their evolution now and risk their failure?
Feeling somewhat unsettled, Han Li sighed softly and finally stood up to leave.
A streak of azure light rose from the small valley, heading toward the city district.
He had no intention of missing the lecture at the Tian Guang Hall in ten days.
Upon returning to his stone tower residence, Han Li immediately entered his meditation chamber and activated the restrictions. Sitting cross-legged on a cushion, he flipped his palm to reveal a yellow jade vial. From it, he poured out a thumb-sized green pill and swallowed it without hesitation.
A faint azure glow immediately enveloped his body.
His eyes gleaming sharply, Han Li extended his arms, fingers slightly apart, and slowly closed his eyes.
With a soft “puff,” a two-inch-tall Nascent Soul emerged from the crown of his head.
The Nascent Soul stood atop a small cauldron, surrounded by dozens of golden needle-like flying swords swirling around it, exuding an imposing aura.
The Nascent Soul lowered its head to gaze at the two outstretched palms of the body below. Blinking its clear black-and-white eyes, it revealed an innocent smile.
Opening its mouth, it spat out a silver fireball that shot toward one palm. With a “bang,” the fireball exploded, enveloping the hand in silvery flames.
A bizarre scene unfolded!
The seemingly ordinary palm suddenly flashed with black light, and five white bone rings appeared on each finger. Each ring bore an exquisitely carved skull.
Within the silver flames, the skulls twisted their expressions as if coming to life—some appearing ecstatic, others agonized, and still others blank and wooden.
Regardless of their expressions, the bone rings continuously expanded and contracted within the flames. Even more astonishingly, the hand itself began to swell and shrink in sync with the rings, its skin gradually turning translucent and milky white, as if made of jade rather than flesh.
The Nascent Soul tilted its head and spat out another fireball, striking the other palm.
Silver light flared as the eerie flames engulfed the second hand.
But unlike the first, this hand did not turn jade-like. Instead, it darkened to pitch-black. After a moment of burning, a miniature mountain pattern appeared on both the palm and the back of the hand, pulsing with mysterious gray light.
As these wondrous transformations occurred, the Nascent Soul that had spat the silver flames flickered and vanished back into Han Li’s head.
Almost simultaneously, the azure glow around Han Li’s body shifted to a faint gold, and a golden humanoid shadow materialized behind him.
Though indistinct, the shadow appeared to have three heads and six arms.
Meanwhile, square-shaped crimson-gold runes emerged on Han Li’s exposed wrists and cheeks, slowly rotating across his skin. From a distance, they resembled golden scales.
Bathed in golden light, Han Li looked as mysterious and majestic as a divine Buddha.
…
Over ten days later, Han Li emerged from his seclusion with a calm expression. After attending the three-day lecture at the Tian Guang Hall, he left the Tianyuan City district satisfied and returned to his cave.
A mere month after his return, the Tianyuan City Elder Council suddenly released a batch of highly dangerous but heavily rewarded missions. Most of these missions involved the alien races and required cultivators at the Nascent Soul level.
This immediately caused a stir in the city.
However, due to the extreme risks, very few actually stepped forward to accept them.
It was during this time that several uninvited guests appeared at Han Li’s spiritual residence and sought an audience with him, the master of the place.
Inside his cave, they held a lengthy secret discussion that lasted most of the day before quietly departing. Left behind, Han Li’s expression shifted between gloom and contemplation. After several days of deep thought in his chamber, he finally reached a decision.
Four months later, the majority of the Gold Devouring Beetles—over six to seven thousand—successfully matured into their true forms.
Without delay, Han Li collected the spirit insects and his belongings, accepted a mysterious mission at a secret location in Tianyuan City, and vanished from the city.
Soon after, his former squad received orders from above, appointing another Nascent Soul cultivator as their new captain.
Mysterious disappearances like Han Li’s were not uncommon in Tianyuan City. Those who vanished included ascended cultivators, ordinary rogue cultivators, and even secretive disciples from hidden clans.
The only commonality among them was that they were all Nascent Soul cultivators—and among the most exceptional at that.
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