The big-headed man took a deep breath and, with a flick of his palm, suddenly produced three pale-white jade boxes from his robes. Each box was sealed with several crimson talismans, faintly shimmering with floating runes.
“These boxes contain items of utmost importance to our Thirteen Cloud Races. If the three of you can deliver them to our Ancient Spirit Clan, you will receive unimaginable rewards. However, if you are pursued by the Horned Race, it’s best to destroy the boxes before capture. Falling into their hands would only bring soul-rending torment.” With a flick of his wrist, the three jade boxes shot toward Han Li and the other two.
The green-skinned man and Han Li instinctively caught the boxes.
“Brother Yuan, what exactly is inside that requires such caution?” The foreigner in the red light examined the jade box in his hand and asked hesitantly.
“I cannot disclose the contents, but I assure you this: with these items, you can exchange them with our Ancient Spirit Clan elders for a sentient-grade puppet or treasures of equivalent value.” The big-headed man inhaled deeply, his expression grave.
“What? A sentient-grade puppet!” The green-skinned man gasped in shock.
Han Li, hearing this for the first time, remained expressionless. The foreigner in the red light, however, flickered his gaze a few times.
“Brother Yuan, you must be joking. Such treasures can be exchanged for these? If I request the ‘Myriad Miraculous Pill’ in exchange, would your clan agree?” Lady Lü asked excitedly.
“The Myriad Miraculous Pill is rarer than a sentient puppet. I cannot guarantee the elders will agree, but there’s a seventy to eighty percent chance.” The big-headed man hesitated before replying cautiously.
Hearing this, the green-skinned man grew more convinced. He tightened his grip on the box, his eyes darting around.
Meanwhile, Han Li had already attempted to probe the box with his spiritual sense, only to be repelled by a sealing force. The talismans on the box clearly blocked spiritual detection.
“I advise the three of you not to attempt opening the boxes mid-journey. If anything happens, don’t blame me for not warning you.” The big-headed man seemed to read their thoughts and added a reminder.
“Hmph, so there are more traps inside?” The green-skinned man snorted.
“The contents are vital to our Thirteen Cloud Races. The seals are naturally more than just these talismans. Of course, if you escape pursuit and believe you can break my seals, feel free to open them.” The big-headed man chuckled darkly.
“How do we know your clan will honor the exchange? What if your elders take the items and renege?” Han Li asked coolly.
At this, the foreigner in the red light and the green-skinned man exchanged glances, their faces mirroring the same concern.
The big-headed man frowned, hesitating before reluctantly replying, “If you distrust our Ancient Spirit Clan, you may deliver the boxes to any of the Thirteen Cloud Races. They will offer rewards, though lesser than ours. The Myriad Miraculous Pill, for instance, would be out of the question.”
His words left the green-skinned man and the foreigner deep in thought. Han Li stroked his chin, now intensely curious about the box’s contents.
“If these items are so important, why not deliver them yourself?” the foreigner in the red light asked.
“I only recently acquired them, and shortly after, the Horned Race attacked Greenlight City—a minor trading hub unlikely to be targeted so soon. I suspect they caught wind of these items. Carrying them myself would be too risky.” The big-headed man explained frankly.
“You mean the Horned Race army is after these boxes?” The green-skinned man gasped, disbelief written across his face.
Han Li’s eyes flickered with shock.
“This is merely speculation. I entrust you three as a precaution.” The big-headed man’s tone softened.
“Very well. I’ll safeguard this for now.” The foreigner in the red light stowed the box away with a flash of white light.
The green-skinned man, after a moment of hesitation, tossed his box into the air. His translucent green tongue lashed out, swallowing it whole.
Only Han Li remained, holding his box with a contemplative gaze.
“Brother Han, any reservations?” the big-headed man asked, turning to him.
“You entrusted this to me without knowing my origins. Aren’t you worried about misplaced trust?” Han Li smirked, eyeing the box.
“Heh, while I can’t pinpoint your race, I’m certain you’re not of the Horned Race. Given your cultivation level and survival in the perilous outer seas, your abilities are undoubtedly formidable.” The big-headed man laughed.
“Since you trust me, and earlier guided me through the secret passage, I’ll assist.” After a moment’s thought, Han Li nodded and stored the box in his storage bracelet.
Though unfamiliar with “sentient puppets” and the “Myriad Miraculous Pill,” their value was evident from the reactions of these Void Refinement cultivators. The box’s contents, exchangeable with the Thirteen Cloud Races, must be even more precious. Such an opportunity was not to be missed. Given the low likelihood of facing Soul Formation pursuers, the risk was manageable. Whether to exchange the items later could be decided then.
“Excellent! Since all three have agreed, we’ll part ways now. The pursuers are likely chasing others, making this the perfect time to slip away. I’ll take my leave first.” Delighted, the big-headed man produced a black, top-like object. With a spell, it expanded to over ten feet, and he vanished inside in a flash of yellow light.
“One more thing—to counter the Horned Race, most of our Thirteen Cloud Races’ elders have gathered in ‘Cloud City.’ Our Ancient Spirit Clan and several others have even sent grand elders to oversee matters. I hope to see you all there in a few months.” His muffled voice echoed from the top before it spun into a cone-shaped black light and burrowed underground.
“Cloud City?” The green-skinned man and the foreigner exchanged glances.
Han Li also pondered. He recalled the name from Qing Xiao but couldn’t place it. No matter—he had an ancient map of the region, which would suffice.
“Take care, gentlemen. I bid you farewell.” The green-skinned man, wary of pursuit, bowed slightly and vanished into transparency, his form blending into the air.
“What kind of escape technique is this?” Han Li’s pupils glowed blue as he strained to track the nearly invisible figure leaping into the distance.
“That’s the unique concealment art of the Darkgreen Clan. Unless one’s cultivation surpasses his or possesses special techniques, detection is impossible. The drawback is the inability to fly, making it rather slow.” The foreigner in the red light chuckled behind him.
“Fascinating technique,” Han Li remarked, turning back.
Though grounded, the green-skinned man had already disappeared into a distant forest.
“Brother Han, planning to leave? Before you go, might I offer a suggestion?” The foreigner clasped his hands behind his back.
“What suggestion?” Han Li replied coolly.
“You’re not from the Thirteen Cloud Races, are you? Why risk delivering these items? Hand over your box to me instead.” The foreigner’s tone was casual, almost indifferent.
“You want the jade box?” Han Li’s expression turned peculiar, his eyes narrowing.
“Indeed. Since I’ll be delivering mine anyway, why not let me handle yours as well?” The foreigner’s voice dropped ominously.
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