Chapter 1358: Mission

In a crimson forest filled with twisted, grotesque trees, five young men and women stood silently in a secluded clearing, each separated by several yards as they faced off against one another.

A man in his thirties, clad in ornate robes, had snow-white eyebrows and eyes that flashed like lightning.

A slender woman in a black dress, with arched brows and a cold, murderous expression.

A handsome and refined purple-robed man in his late twenties, with a blood-red mole near his mouth, smiling faintly.

A white-robed girl, about sixteen or seventeen, with delicate features and a hint of youthful innocence.

And lastly, a man in his early twenties, dressed in a blue robe, his face expressionless—none other than Han Li, who had recently left Tianyuan City.

Though they all appeared young, their cultivation levels were at least at the Nascent Soul stage. Apart from Han Li and the youngest white-robed girl, who were at the mid-stage, the other three had reached the peak of late-stage Nascent Soul.

The black-robed woman was none other than the Xiao woman from the Black Phoenix Clan whom Han Li had encountered after the beast tide.

Her cold gaze lingered on Han Li, her eyes filled with suspicion despite her silence.

“Truly unexpected. Among the three cultivators your human race has dispatched, two are only at the mid-stage. Does your clan intend to sabotage this mission?” The white-browed man in brocade robes spoke coldly. Though his voice was soft, it reverberated in everyone’s ears.

At these words, the man with the blood mole twitched his brows slightly, his smile fading a little. Han Li, however, remained unperturbed, merely lowering his head to toy with a milky-white jade slip.

The white-robed girl merely blinked her dark eyes and smiled without a word.

None of the three responded.

Seeing their indifference, the white-browed man’s anger flared, his face darkening as he prepared to speak again. But before he could, the Xiao woman interjected, “This mission may concern the fate of Tianyuan City—even the safety of our two races. If we do not cooperate sincerely, forget completing the task; even reaching our destination will be uncertain. Remember, the journey alone will take half a year. Since your clan has sent the three of you, you must be extraordinary. But since we will be traveling together for so long, we should introduce ourselves. I am Xiao Hong of the Black Phoenix Clan, and this is Fellow Daoist Li of the Mystic Eagle Clan.”

Her tone was neither humble nor arrogant.

The man with the blood mole chuckled lightly. “I am Long Dong. Judging by the intense fire aura around you, Fairy must have mastered the Black Phoenix Clan’s innate flames to an extraordinary degree.”

“You’re from the Long Family?” The woman’s expression shifted slightly.

“I didn’t expect Fairy to know of my family.” Long Dong flashed a bright smile, revealing gleaming white teeth.

“My name is Ye Ying,” the white-robed girl said cheerfully, her voice as clear as a lark’s.

“Han Li,” Han Li stated flatly before falling silent again.

“Han Li? So it really is you. No wonder you possessed the Heavenly Immortal Pearl back then. You were a high-level cultivator all along. That means you practice both body and magic cultivation, doesn’t it?” Xiao Hong’s voice turned icy as she addressed him.

At the mention of dual cultivation, Long Dong and the white-browed man were visibly startled, while Ye Ying also looked surprised.

“If you say so. It’s been years—how is Dai’er?” Han Li replied indifferently.

“Leaving with me was the wisest choice for her. She has progressed rapidly and has already formed her Golden Core. Catching up to us is only a matter of time.” Xiao Hong’s tone was cold as she spoke of Dai’er.

“Is that so? Then I can rest easy.” Han Li sighed softly.

“Oh? Does Sister Xiao know Brother Han?” Ye Ying’s eyes darted between the two, her smile playful.

“Know him? Hmph. You could say we’re old acquaintances.” Xiao Hong sneered.

Long Dong glanced their way, his gaze lingering briefly on Ye Ying before shifting away as if by accident.

A flicker of greed flashed deep in his pupils, unnoticed by anyone.

“Though we haven’t yet entered the depths of the wilderness, the fact that all of you arrived here alone proves your abilities. But the road ahead won’t be as easy. If we don’t work together, reaching Blackleaf Forest safely will be difficult. The dangers we’ll face will be far greater than before.” Xiao Hong warned.

At the mention of Blackleaf Forest, the others’ expressions shifted.

“Is this mission really just about scouting the Wood Spirit Clan’s movements and retrieving intelligence from our spies? It doesn’t sound too difficult,” Ye Ying remarked with a smile.

“That’s hard to say. Whether it’s easy or not depends on our luck. If all goes smoothly, it might be simpler than other missions. But if we run into trouble—especially if we’re discovered by a Silver-tier Wood Spirit—total annihilation wouldn’t be surprising. Still, this mission is crucial for both our races. We must take the risk.” Long Dong sighed.

“If it’s so important, why send Nascent Soul cultivators? Wouldn’t a Void Refinement expert be more reliable?” The white-browed man frowned skeptically.

“Judging by your question, it seems Fairy Xiao is in charge of your side’s operations,” Long Dong replied with a faint smile, glancing at the black-robed woman.

“Since Brother Long knows this, I assume you lead the human delegation,” Xiao Hong replied calmly.

“Indeed, I do know a bit more.” Long Dong’s blood mole twitched slightly as he admitted it.

Ye Ying’s lips curled, but she quickly glanced at Han Li, who remained expressionless, as if oblivious to the exchange.

This surprised her.

“The reason only Nascent Soul cultivators were sent is that Blackleaf Forest is under the influence of the Wood Spirit Clan’s Heavenly Dream Veil. Any cultivator above Nascent Soul would be detected immediately upon entering,” Xiao Hong explained to the white-browed man.

“I see. But even so, Fellow Daoist Long is one thing—these two are only at mid-stage Nascent Soul. Isn’t their cultivation lacking?” The white-browed man narrowed his eyes at Han Li and Ye Ying.

“Rest assured, Brother Li. The elders wouldn’t have sent Fellow Daoist Han and Fairy Ye if they weren’t confident in their abilities. I vouch for them,” Long Dong said with a chuckle.

“If you vouch for them, fine. But if they become dead weight later, don’t blame me for abandoning them,” the white-browed man said darkly.

“Hmph. You’re only one minor realm above me, yet you act like a Void Refinement expert,” Ye Ying retorted, her delicate face hardening.

“At our level, even a single realm’s difference means a vast gap in power,” the white-browed man sneered arrogantly.

Just as Ye Ying was about to argue further, Han Li interjected.

“Since Fellow Daoists Long and Xiao know more about the mission, perhaps you could brief us in detail. When I accepted the task, I only knew the basics and didn’t expect it to require a team. Had I known, I likely wouldn’t have taken it.” His tone was flat, but inwardly, he was displeased.

When he learned in Tianyuan City that the mission required multiple participants, he had sensed complications and considered withdrawing. But he was told the mission was too critical—once accepted, backing out would bar him from other missions for a decade and confine him to the city.

With urgent matters requiring him to leave Tianyuan City within a few years, he had no choice but to proceed.

After a month’s journey to the rendezvous point, he found himself not among fellow ascendants but native Spirit Realm cultivators and demons.

This mission was clearly far more perilous than he had anticipated.

Hadn’t Zhao Wugui and the others said such tasks were usually assigned to ascendants? Had he taken the wrong one by mistake?

Yet before departure, he had been supplied with enough Dust Dispelling Pills and promised freedom from Tianyuan City upon completion—exactly as Zhao Wugui had described.

This left Han Li deeply unsettled.

“I’ll explain the details on the way. Time is tight—we should set off now. I can share more as we travel,” Long Dong suggested with a smile.

“Brother Long is right. We’re pressed for time. Let’s move. I can also disclose some information en route,” Xiao Hong agreed.

The white-browed man and Ye Ying offered no objections.

After a moment’s thought, Han Li nodded slowly.

“Very well. There will be time to ask questions later.”

“In that case, for safety’s sake, let’s take my Spirit Cloud Boat. It conserves our energy, requiring only spirit stones, and excels in stealth, minimizing disturbances along the way,” Long Dong proposed amiably, his enthusiasm apparent.