“Treasures? When our ancestor disappeared, they took all their personal treasures with them, leaving nothing for us descendants. As for cultivation techniques, our Xu family has indeed preserved several secret arts that once made our ancestor renowned among humans. However, due to their stringent cultivation requirements, only a handful of people have ever qualified to practice them. Fortunately, Elder Yan is one of them. Elder, could you demonstrate a bit for our esteemed guest?” Xu Jiao pondered briefly before turning to the elderly man beside him.
“Since the esteemed guest wishes to see, this junior will make a fool of himself,” the elder hesitated slightly before nodding in agreement.
He then raised his arm, extending a withered hand from his sleeve, fingers slightly spread as he flipped his palm upward.
In an instant, a cluster of blue flames emerged in his palm, swirling with spiritual light before transforming into an exquisitely crystalline blue lotus. The ice lotus was so delicate it seemed naturally formed.
“Qianlan Iceflame!” Han Li’s eyes flickered, and he couldn’t help but murmur.
“Your discernment is impeccable, esteemed guest. This cold flame is our ancestor’s signature divine ability. When cultivated to its peak, it can freeze a thousand miles and chill the void itself. Of course, this junior is far from reaching such a level,” Xu Yan said with a faint smile. The blue ice lotus in his hand spun rapidly before suddenly dispersing into a blue mist that surged into the void before him.
Where the blue mist passed, the void shimmered with blue light, instantly becoming blurred and distorted.
At that moment, another Xu family elder abruptly tossed a teacup into the air, which vanished into the distorted void.
A bizarre scene unfolded.
The teacup not only instantly turned into an ice sculpture but also froze mid-air, suspended motionlessly.
Han Li’s pupils contracted slightly. Though his expression remained unchanged, a trace of surprise flickered at the corner of his lips.
The Qianlan Iceflame, when cultivated to higher levels, could indeed manifest such divine abilities—something he hadn’t anticipated.
Upon reflection, however, this made sense.
The Qianlan Iceflame he had obtained from the Void Cauldron back in the human realm wasn’t something he had cultivated himself but rather absorbed and refined. Its power had never been able to grow on its own.
In contrast, Xu Yan’s cold flame was the result of dedicated cultivation, supplemented by subsequent mantras and techniques, allowing its power to be refined and enhanced step by step.
Both approaches had their pros and cons.
Absorbing a pre-existing cold flame saved time and effort, granting immediate divine abilities. However, further enhancing its power would require external aids or fusion with other extreme cold flames.
On the other hand, self-cultivation, as practiced by the elder and the Ice Soul Fairy, was time-consuming but ensured the flame could be perfected through diligent practice of the techniques.
The Qianlan Iceflame Han Li had absorbed was from his time in the human realm, where the Ice Soul Fairy’s legacy was at most a divine ability of the Deity Transformation stage—far inferior to the current Void Refining stage elder’s prowess.
After swiftly processing these thoughts, Han Li understood the underlying principles, and the surprise on his face vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
However, the blue hue in the void before the elder lasted only a few breaths before shattering like glass.
The teacup, previously frozen in the void, immediately plummeted toward the ground.
Another elder, Xu Huo, was prepared. With a wave of his hand, he retrieved the ice-encased teacup.
A flash of crimson light later, the layer of blue ice melted away, revealing the teacup completely unharmed.
“What does the esteemed guest think? Does Elder Yan’s divine ability prove our Xu family’s direct lineage to our ancestor?” the white-robed man asked with a smile.
“It is indeed the Qianlan Iceflame, and Elder Xu Yan has mastered it to perfection. Controlling such extreme cold without the slightest leakage is truly remarkable,” Han Li replied with a nod.
“Then the esteemed guest’s intention is…?” Xu Jiao’s spirits lifted.
“Rest assured, fellow Daoist. Since the Xu family are the direct descendants of the Ice Soul Fairy, I will naturally hand over the items entrusted to me,” Han Li chuckled softly before flicking his sleeve toward a nearby table.
A flash of azure light later, two objects materialized on the table: a pale blue jade slip and a pristine white jade box.
Both were tightly sealed with golden talismans, clearly untouched by Han Li.
The white-robed man’s expression turned solemn as he glanced at the items, but he refrained from taking them immediately. Instead, he cautiously asked, “Might the esteemed guest now reveal who entrusted these items to you?”
“It’s not that I refuse to say, but even if I did, none of you would recognize the name. I can only tell you that this individual is not from our human or demon races, and their cultivation far surpasses mine,” Han Li replied slowly, frowning slightly.
“What? A foreign race?”
“Even the esteemed guest admits inferiority? Could it be…?”
The Xu family members gasped in shock, clearly taken aback by this revelation.
Xu Qianyu and the elders exchanged bewildered glances.
Han Li, however, remained unfazed by their reaction.
Xu Jiao’s eyes gleamed thoughtfully as he mused, “When our ancestor departed, they had just broken through to the Body Integration stage. It’s possible they ventured into the wildlands to explore the entire Wind Yuan Continent. If so, befriending one or two foreign elders wouldn’t be unusual. Could these items hold clues to our ancestor’s disappearance?”
“That is indeed plausible,” Xu Yan and the other elder exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with joy as they spoke in unison.
Xu Qianyu and the burly man also couldn’t hide their excitement.
“This is mere speculation for now. Esteemed guest, please wait a moment. I shall return shortly. Elder Yan, Qianyu, please keep our guest company,” Xu Jiao said after taking a deep breath. Without further delay, he retrieved the two items from the table and bowed apologetically to Han Li.
“Take your time, Fellow Daoist Xu,” Han Li replied indifferently.
With that, Xu Jiao rose, holding the items, and departed with the other elder and the burly man.
In the blink of an eye, only Han Li, Xu Qianyu, and Xu Yan remained in the hall.
“Esteemed Han, I once heard from Qianyu that during her time in Tianyuan City, she benefited greatly from your guidance. Without it, she might not have broken through to the Deity Transformation stage so swiftly. As her elder, I must express my deepest gratitude,” Xu Yan said after a few pleasantries, clasping his hands respectfully.
“It was nothing. Qianyu’s innate talent is exceptional. I merely offered minor assistance,” Han Li replied dismissively.
“Speaking of which, Qianyu mentioned that you share some connection with our ancestor. Is this true?” Xu Yan asked curiously.
“Though I never met the Ice Soul Fairy, there is indeed a connection. Otherwise, that esteemed individual wouldn’t have entrusted me with these items. If you harbor doubts, perhaps this will clarify matters,” Han Li said, glancing at the elder before raising a finger.
With a soft *puff*, a blue flame burst forth at his fingertip, swirling into a delicate blue ice flower.
“Qianlan Iceflame!” Xu Yan exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at the flower.
“Could it be that the esteemed guest is also…?” Xu Qianyu murmured in shock.
“Not as you imagine. I merely absorbed some of your ancestor’s cold flame remnants from the lower realm,” Han Li explained with a faint smile.
“I see!” Xu Yan nodded, though a trace of doubt lingered in his eyes. However, he refrained from pressing further, given Han Li’s status as a Body Integration cultivator—far beyond his own Void Refining stage.
Meanwhile, in a heavily warded chamber at the rear of the estate, Xu Jiao, the burly man, and Elder Xu Huo were scrutinizing the two items placed on a stone table.
“These talismans are formidable. Despite our cultivation, we can’t forcibly remove them with magic power. It seems the esteemed Han was right—these were entrusted by a foreign race’s Great Ascension cultivator,” Xu Huo said, having already attempted to peel off the talismans without success.
“If they truly are the work of a Great Ascension cultivator, the talismans’ potency is no surprise. Forcibly destroying them with artifacts risks damaging the contents. There must be a specific method,” Xu Jiao mused, stroking his smooth chin.
“If the clan leader has an idea, why not try it? If it fails, we can consider alternatives,” Xu Huo urged impatiently.
“Very well, Uncle. I shall attempt it,” Xu Jiao agreed after a moment of contemplation.
He raised his arm and spat out a streak of white light, which circled his wrist before returning to his mouth.
A few drops of crimson blood welled up and dripped onto the talisman sealing the jade slip.
The blood vanished into the talisman with a faint glow.
Instantly, the talisman erupted in golden light, covered in shimmering golden runes of varying sizes.
The runes flickered briefly before dissipating, and the talisman’s spiritual energy faded entirely.
Xu Jiao’s eyes lit up with joy—his guess had been correct. Only bloodline descendants of the Ice Soul Fairy could safely remove the talisman.
Taking a deep breath, he blew gently on the jade slip.
The golden talisman trembled before silently peeling away.
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