Chapter 1393: Gathering

Han Li tossed the crystalline wings into the air, exhaled a stream of azure mist, and swallowed them in one gulp.

In the following days, Han Li retrieved the damaged Emerald Swarm Swords and began refining them one by one, gradually restoring their spiritual essence…

A year later, a faint azure light flickered through the low skies above an unnamed mountain range in the wilderness.

Within the light, a composed young man stood with his hands behind his back—it was Han Li himself, who had left his earthen mountain hideout months prior.

Once he finished repairing the flying swords, he wasted no time lingering and immediately set off toward this destination.

Traveling alone, Han Li remained exceptionally cautious throughout his journey. Though he had flown for half a year, he arrived unscathed.

This unnamed mountain range appeared somewhat unusual.

Whether on the peaks or in the valleys, all the trees were notably stunted, resembling tall shrubs. Flying even slightly lower, one could feel thick, damp air rushing against their face.

The lowlands of this mountain range were dotted with lakes of all sizes—some spanning thousands of miles, others no larger than a pond.

Yet, Han Li dared not let his guard down while flying over these lakes.

Who knew what ancient beasts or foreign beings might lurk beneath the waters?

Since entering this mountain range, he had already slain over a dozen creatures that had lunged at his light. Among them was an eel-like lake monster, nearly as powerful as a Deity Transformation cultivator, whose formidable water-based abilities had given him quite a challenge.

After flying for another half-day, the terrain shifted, revealing two towering peaks, each a thousand zhang tall.

At the sight of these mountains, Han Li’s eyes brightened, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

In terms of size, these two peaks were unremarkable. However, one was entirely silver-white, its slopes encased in crystalline ice, exuding an intense chill. The other shimmered in deep violet, covered in maple-like trees with leaves glowing an eerie purple.

The two peaks stood only a dozen or so miles apart. Aside from the purple trees and ice, their shapes and contours were nearly identical—almost mirror images of each other.

“If these two peaks truly exist here, then their words weren’t false after all,” Han Li murmured before his light flashed, darting straight toward the icy mountain.

As he approached, a biting gale swept over him, sharp as blades.

Han Li’s expression flickered, but a layer of azure light enveloped him, and he pressed forward without hesitation.

Yet before he could enter the mountain, two streaks of light shot from its thickest ice-covered region, stopping just thirty zhang away from him in a few flashes.

Han Li paused, dispersing his light to reveal himself.

“Hah! So it’s Fellow Daoist Han! I knew that with your abilities, a mere task like this would be nothing!” A voice rang out as two men emerged from the light. One of them, a green-faced elder with white hair, recognized Han Li immediately and greeted him warmly.

This was none other than Elder Liu, whom Han Li had met in the Flying Spirit Hall when he first arrived in Tian Yuan City.

Beside him stood a sickly-looking scholar, equally amiable.

“So it’s Brother Liu and Brother Ouyang! You two arrived even earlier than I did. It seems your missions went smoother than mine,” Han Li chuckled, making no mention of his near-death encounter with the Wood Tribe.

“Our tasks were nothing compared to yours, Fellow Daoist Han! I merely followed a few Golden Guards to raid some minor outposts of foreign races. As long as one is careful, there’s little risk,” Elder Liu shook his head.

“Aside from you two, have any other fellow Daoists arrived?” Han Li asked, shifting the topic.

“Of course. We’ve gathered most of the necessary hands for this venture. Though we anticipated that half might not make it, the current turnout is quite satisfactory. Let me introduce you,” Elder Liu said with a smile.

“Then I’ll trouble you,” Han Li clasped his hands and followed without objection.

Under their guidance, Han Li flew toward the icy mountain as an azure streak.

After a short distance, Elder Liu retrieved a jade token and waved it before the empty air.

A beam of white light shot forth, and where it passed, white lotuses bloomed, shimmering with spiritual energy.

Elder Liu urged his light forward, vanishing into the lotuses.

Han Li’s eyes gleamed as he and the scholar followed.

A hidden illusion formation—one he hadn’t detected at first glance. It must be quite profound!

This way, ordinary ancient beasts passing by would never notice the activity atop the mountain.

After a few more flashes, the trio circled the snow-capped peak and landed before a crystalline ice pavilion.

Nearby stood a cluster of ice houses in various styles. Inside the pavilion, a man and two women were deep in conversation. The moment the trio appeared, all eyes turned to Han Li.

The man was a burly, gray-robed figure with a thick beard and an imposing demeanor.

The women included a plain-faced, middle-aged woman in a green dress and a younger one in an emerald robe, her face veiled.

Han Li’s gaze lingered on the veiled woman, and he let out a soft exclamation.

“Fairy Ying, what a surprise to see you here!” he greeted in astonishment.

“I knew you would come, Fellow Daoist Han. I am, after all, one of the organizers of this venture,” the veiled woman replied with a radiant smile.

She was none other than Fairy Ying, who had once invited Han Li to join a mission during the Ascendant cultivators’ gathering.

“An organizer? That’s unexpected,” Han Li chuckled.

Though she hadn’t been among those who initially invited him, he saw no reason for her to lie.

As for who exactly had spearheaded this gathering, he didn’t particularly care.

Han Li’s gaze swept over the other two.

Their faces were familiar—likely attendees of the Ascendant gathering—though he’d never interacted with them.

All three were at least mid-Deity Transformation cultivators, with the woman even at the late stage.

Han Li gave them a slight nod.

The burly man and the woman returned the gesture respectfully.

Fairy Ying then invited Han Li to join them in the pavilion, but after a brief consideration, he declined with a smile.

“I sustained minor injuries during my mission and expended some energy rushing here. I’d prefer to rest first. If I recall correctly, we still have half a month before the agreed departure time.”

“Ah, our oversight. Of course, Fellow Daoist Han should recuperate first. The leftmost ice houses are unoccupied—feel free to choose one. Or, if you prefer, you may construct your own,” Elder Liu stroked his beard amiably.

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony,” Han Li said with a light laugh. After bidding them farewell, he strode toward one of the ice houses and vanished inside.

The group in the pavilion watched his retreating figure in silence for a moment.

“Could Fellow Daoist Han be severely injured, given his urgency to rest?” the middle-aged woman frowned.

“Unlikely. His aura seems stable—probably just drained of energy,” the burly man countered.

“Not necessarily. If he possesses concealment techniques, we wouldn’t detect anything amiss. But regardless, his timely arrival speaks volumes. Even if he’s slightly wounded, it shouldn’t hinder our plans. Fellow Daoists Yuan and Master Jingyuan also retreated to rest immediately upon arrival,” Fairy Ying said coolly, her confidence in Han Li evident.

“Fairy Ying speaks wisely. Though Fellow Daoist Han is only mid-Deity Transformation, I’d wager his abilities rank among the top three here,” the sickly scholar added with a smile.

“Brother Ouyang, isn’t that an exaggeration? Fellow Daoist Han is unmistakably mid-Deity Transformation,” the woman protested.

“Sister Zhao, you’ve been secluded in Tian Yuan City, rarely attending our gatherings. It’s no surprise you’re unaware of Fellow Daoist Han’s reputation. He has slain and captured numerous peers among foreign races, earning quite a name among us newly ascended cultivators. His techniques are particularly effective against the Shadow Tribe—hence our insistence on his participation,” Fairy Ying explained leisurely.

“So you mean to deploy him against the Shadow Insects?” the woman grasped.

“Precisely. Those creatures are troublesome. If they drain our energy or worse, scare off our true quarry, it would be disastrous,” Elder Liu added.

The woman, surnamed Zhao, nodded and fell silent.

The group resumed their idle chatter in the pavilion, while Han Li sat cross-legged inside the ice house, eyes closed, motionless.