One shone with a brilliant blue light, while the other emitted a hazy white glow. They were unmistakably a blue orb and a white jade box.
The two objects hovered motionlessly in mid-air.
Han Li raised his hand and drew the blue orb into his palm.
The surface of the orb was crystal clear, exceptionally smooth, resembling glass, yet it exuded an extraordinarily pure water-attribute spiritual energy. It seemed to be a purely water-based spiritual treasure.
Pinching it between two fingers, Han Li inspected it repeatedly with his spiritual sense and blue light. After a moment, he fell into deep thought.
After an indeterminate amount of time, a flash of insight struck him, and his expression turned peculiar.
“Could this be that legendary item?” Han Li murmured, his face flickering with doubt.
Immediately, a green light flashed from his fingers as a surge of pure spiritual energy was injected into the orb.
With a *boom*, the orb’s surface shimmered, and a wave of blue water-light sprayed out, transforming into an incredibly thin crystalline water curtain that completely enveloped Han Li.
His expression shifted, and without hesitation, he opened his mouth and spat out a streak of green light. It flashed and struck the water curtain.
A metallic clang echoed as the green light was deflected, reverting to a small, gleaming green sword a few inches long.
The flying sword had struck as if hitting tempered steel, utterly failing to pierce the water curtain. Given the sharpness of the Emerald Swarm Sword, this was an astonishing outcome.
“Skyglass Water Essence! This must be the Glasswater Pearl!” Han Li exclaimed, his face filled with disbelief.
But the next moment, his shock subsided slightly. After a brief consideration, he inhaled the green sword back into his body and pointed a finger at the water curtain.
A red light flashed, and an egg-sized crimson fireball appeared at his fingertip before shooting toward the water curtain.
Silently, the fireball vanished upon contact, its power completely nullified.
Han Li raised an eyebrow and flicked his sleeve toward the water curtain. A clear cry rang out as a silver-white firebird—the Spirit Devouring Firebird—emerged and circled him before darting toward the curtain.
With a muffled *crack*, the silver flames and blue light clashed briefly before recoiling. Even the Spirit Devouring Heavenly Flames seemed powerless against the water curtain.
“No mistake, this is indeed Skyglass Water Essence!” Han Li muttered, withdrawing the firebird with another flick of his sleeve. His gaze upon the orb in his hand burned with fervor.
But soon, the heat in his eyes cooled.
“What a pity! I don’t cultivate water-attribute techniques, so this treasure can only serve as a common artifact. Otherwise, refining and absorbing its essence could have transformed my constitution into the legendary Glasswater Body.” Han Li sighed, his expression tinged with deep regret.
A Glasswater Body would have granted him unparalleled efficiency in water-attribute cultivation and even the potential to comprehend water-based laws of heaven and earth—a prospect enticing even to Body Integration-stage beings.
With a shake of his hand, the blue light on the orb dimmed, and the surrounding water curtain dissolved into a mist before being reabsorbed.
Holding the orb, Han Li’s eyes flickered with thought.
Suddenly, a gleam of realization flashed in his eyes. With a hand seal, a blurry white shadow shot from his waist, circling once before materializing into a foot-long white serpent—his sentient puppet, “Doll.”
Since the puppet only possessed early-stage Void Refinement abilities, Han Li had refrained from summoning it during the battles in Demon Mountain Range, not wanting to risk damaging its potential for growth.
Now, he chanted an incantation and pointed at the puppet.
The white serpent shimmered and transformed into a striking, cold-faced woman.
She floated down gracefully, her icy eyes fixed on Han Li, her body radiating a chilling aura as if carved from glacial ice.
Sensing the intense cold emanating from her and glancing at the blue orb, Han Li hesitated.
“Since ice attributes are derived from water, perhaps long-term exposure to the Glasswater Pearl could benefit this ice-attribute puppet.”
After a long pause, he made his decision and tossed the orb toward “Doll.”
The Glasswater Pearl flew toward her as a streak of blue light, enveloping her in dense water-attribute spiritual energy before arrival.
Strangely, upon contact, Doll’s previously blank face twitched slightly, and her gaze shifted from Han Li to the approaching orb.
Suddenly, she opened her mouth and exhaled a white mist, which coiled around the pearl and drew it into her.
A blue flush briefly colored her pale face, her brows furrowing slightly before smoothing out as if nothing had happened.
Han Li observed her closely but showed no disappointment.
Even if there were benefits, they wouldn’t manifest immediately. Instead of recalling her, he gestured toward the stone door and commanded, “I will continue seclusion. You may roam the cave freely and tend to the herb garden.”
Though the puppet’s intelligence was limited, it understood simple orders. Moreover, allowing it more activity could nurture its sentience—much like raising a spirit beast.
Doll nodded silently and vanished like a ghost through the door, bypassing the restrictions effortlessly.
Han Li blinked in surprise, his expectations for the puppet rising.
His gaze then settled on the floating jade box, its surface sealed with faintly glowing talismans.
Frowning slightly, he flicked a spell at it.
The talismans drifted off soundlessly, and the lid opened on its own.
A streak of silver light shot out, darting toward the horizon, but Han Li was prepared. His other hand glowed green as he made a grasping motion.
With a *whoosh*, the silver light was yanked back by an invisible force, materializing into a milky-white jade slip inscribed with shimmering silver characters—another outer page of the Golden Jade Book from the Bloodbed of the Demon Ape.
This slip recorded the “Profound Heaven Artifact Refining Technique,” methods so extraordinary they seemed beyond Han Li’s current comprehension.
Previously pressed for time, he had only skimmed it. Now, he intended to study it thoroughly for further insights.
Pressing the slip to his forehead, Han Li closed his eyes, immersing his consciousness into it, his body still as stone.
Time passed slowly, his meditation unusually prolonged.
Only after most of the day did he stir, opening his eyes with lingering astonishment.
“‘Five-Element Mountain’—a method to fuse five supreme-grade Heavenly Spirit Treasures into one! Unbelievable! If feasible, with enough resources and time, one could forge a man-made Profound Heaven Treasure in the Spirit Realm. Though, even an entire race’s wealth might not suffice. Still, even a single ‘Polar Mountain’ component could overturn mountains and seas. Fusing five may be impossible, but combining two would yield unimaginable power.”
The latter part of the jade slip detailed several methods for crafting artificial Profound Heaven Treasures. Most required materials like refined stars—unattainable in the Spirit Realm—or unheard-of items.
Only the ‘Five-Element Mountain’ seemed remotely achievable.
Its refinement required at least Body Integration-stage cultivation, and its materials were literal mountains—not ordinary ones, but peaks with rare attributes. The Magnetic Divine Mountain was listed among them.
Though his current Magnetic Mountain paled in comparison to the slip’s description, infusing it with rare materials and prolonged refinement could elevate its power manifold.
At the very least, he already possessed one of the five primary materials—a fact that stirred his excitement.
Among the remaining four, the North Polar Mountain, rich in Arctic Aurora Light, was also listed.
Han Li held the slip, lost in thought once more.
Logically, having both a Profound Heaven Treasure and a damaged one should have lessened his interest in artificial ones.
Yet, the ‘Five-Element Mountain’ boasted an unparalleled function—when activated, it could weaken heavenly tribulation by nearly half.
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