However, before that, he must obtain the method to refine the Earth Fiend Yin Qi.
Additionally, the Blood Fang Rice must be acquired as soon as possible. He had already secured a contact through the Guangyuan House, so this matter shouldn’t be too difficult.
While urging his escape light at full speed, Han Li carefully considered his next steps.
Several days later, he finally returned to Blue Waterfall City without incident.
But at the inn where he was staying, Purple Spirit was already waiting for him.
“What happened? Why did you come in person?” Han Li was somewhat surprised and asked gravely.
According to their prior agreement, to avoid drawing unnecessary attention and trouble for Purple Spirit, any urgent matters were to be communicated via a message talisman delivered by her trusted subordinate. On the surface, they were to avoid meeting as much as possible.
Yet now, Purple Spirit had suddenly appeared in person and seemed to have been waiting for some time, which naturally surprised Han Li.
“I had no choice but to come. My master, Six Extremes, has arrived at Blue Waterfall Lake and recently summoned me to bring all my subordinates to meet her!” Purple Spirit wasted no time and immediately delivered news that made Han Li’s heart skip a beat.
“Six Extremes is here? Is it her true body?” Han Li instinctively asked.
“No, it’s only a late-stage Body Integration avatar. But even so, with her divine abilities and treasures, she’s not much weaker than an ordinary Sacred Ancestor,” Purple Spirit shook her head, speaking with great apprehension.
“Since it’s not her true body, I don’t need to worry too much. But why would Six Extremes come to this region? It shouldn’t be because of me—I don’t recall offending this Sacred Ancestor. If she truly wanted to deal with me, she wouldn’t have sent just an avatar. Purple Spirit, do you know her specific purpose for coming?” Han Li frowned slightly as he pondered.
“The orders given to me weren’t very detailed. It seems she wants me and my subordinates to help search for someone in the nearby area. Beyond that, the orders revealed nothing else. I also don’t think it’s because of you. But to be cautious, Brother Han, you should still be extra careful.” Purple Spirit spoke with deep concern.
“Understood. As a Sacred Ancestor of the demon world, Six Extremes is undoubtedly highly vigilant. During this time, Purple Spirit, you should avoid contacting me to prevent her from discovering anything that might harm you. I’ll also leave Blue Waterfall Lake soon and prepare to return to the Spirit Realm.” Han Li looked at Purple Spirit’s peerlessly beautiful face, feeling a surge of warmth in his heart, but his tone remained calm and composed.
“I understand. That means the next time we meet might be hundreds or even thousands of years later. Even with the boundary-breaking treasures provided by Sister Lan, you can’t casually return to the demon world.” A faint shadow of melancholy crossed Purple Spirit’s expression, revealing a trace of hidden sorrow.
“Not necessarily. I’ve recently encountered some opportunities that may allow me to bypass some arduous cultivation and break through the bottleneck to the Mahayana stage sooner. Once I succeed, I’ll immediately return to the demon world and rescue you from Six Extremes’ grasp. Until then, Purple Spirit, endure for now and focus on protecting yourself. If anything unexpected happens—if Six Extremes intends to refine you into an avatar—you can send word through Guangyuan House, and they’ll notify me. I’ll cross realms to see you without delay.” Han Li made this promise without hesitation.
Hearing his words, Purple Spirit gazed at Han Li with an unusual light in her eyes. After a long pause, she spoke softly:
“Thank you for your promise, Brother Han. I’m deeply grateful. With your unparalleled talent, I believe you’ll surely break through to the Mahayana stage and become one of the world’s supreme beings. I’ll pray for your success here. I shouldn’t linger any longer, so I’ll take my leave now.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly bowed to Han Li, then turned and left without hesitation.
Han Li watched her exquisite figure disappear beyond the door. His lips moved slightly, but in the end, he only sighed lightly, saying nothing more, his expression tinged with sorrow.
Two days later, atop a small hill near the lakeside outside Blue Waterfall City, Han Li stood on a boulder, silently gazing at the vast, boundless lake in the distance, his figure motionless.
It was early morning, the sky not yet fully bright. A thin mist hovered over the lake, making the air unusually damp.
Suddenly, Han Li’s brows twitched, and without turning his head, he spoke:
“Since our esteemed guest has arrived, why bother hiding? As a quasi-local, surely you don’t fear any ambush from me?”
“Heh, with such a large deal at stake, caution never hurts.” A ripple appeared in the air above, and a gray-robed figure wearing a bamboo hat emerged, chuckling before replying in a sharp voice.
“Caution is naturally at your discretion. But have you brought the Blood Fang Rice I requested?” Han Li finally turned around, speaking calmly to the figure in the air.
“The Blood Fang Rice is here, but the quantity you asked for is astonishing. It took considerable effort to gather enough, so the price will have to increase by twenty percent.” The gray-robed man’s eyes gleamed beneath his hat as he spoke.
“Twenty percent more? I’ve never heard of prices being raised mid-deal.” Han Li’s expression darkened slightly.
“If you insist on the original price, we can only provide one-third of the requested amount. Surely you don’t expect us to take a loss on this deal?” The gray-robed man laughed sharply, unfazed.
“Hmph, as if you’d take a loss. Fine, I have other matters to attend to and no time to haggle. I’ll accept the twenty percent increase, but the quality must be flawless, and the quantity exact.” Han Li snorted, his expression shifting before he finally relented.
“Haha, rest assured, fellow Daoist. This batch of Blood Fang Rice is of the highest grade, and not a single grain will be missing.” The gray-robed man laughed heartily.
“We’ll see. Let’s proceed with the trade.” Han Li remained noncommittal, flicking his sleeve to send a black ring flying toward the gray-robed man.
“You’re quite trusting to hand over the demon stones first.” The gray-robed man seemed slightly surprised but didn’t hesitate to catch the ring and scan it with his spiritual sense.
Han Li smirked but said nothing.
After a moment, the gray-robed man nodded in satisfaction beneath his hat.
“It seems you truly have significant backing to produce so many demon stones at once. Since you’ve honored your word, I won’t renege either. Brother Fang, you can reveal yourself and bring out the Blood Fang Rice.” The gray-robed man stored the ring and clapped his hands cheerfully.
As soon as he spoke, a green light flickered higher in the sky, and a shadowy green figure materialized like a ghost.
With a flick of its arm, a piercing sound rang out—
A jade-green storage bracelet shot forth, circling once before flying steadily toward Han Li.
Han Li’s expression shifted slightly, but with a sweep of his sleeve, he caught the bracelet and pressed it to his forehead, carefully inspecting its contents.
His examination was far more meticulous than the gray-robed man’s.
After the time it takes to finish a meal, he finally lowered his arm and spoke calmly:
“Though the price is steep, the goods are indeed satisfactory.”
“Naturally. To be frank, gathering this batch of premium Blood Fang Rice delayed several other transactions. Hence, the price adjustment.” The gray-robed man chuckled sharply.
“Since the trade is complete, I’ll take my leave.” Han Li stored the green bracelet and clasped his hands in farewell.
With a surge of cyan light, he transformed into a streak of green light and shot into the distance, vanishing beyond the horizon in a few flashes.
“To move so effortlessly despite the flight restrictions… It seems his abilities exceed our initial estimates.” The gray-robed man stared at the sky for a long while before muttering, his voice now deep and solemn.
“Since he wasn’t a viable target, treating this as a simple trade was the right move. Lately, most buyers of Blood Fang Rice in the city have been formidable. We’ve had few opportunities to act.” The green figure in the sky spoke coldly.
“The Sacred Ancestor isn’t willing to provoke major factions, so our targets are limited to minor powers or lone wanderers. This man not only has considerable strength but also openly purchased large quantities of Strange Demon Gold upon entering the city—likely affiliated with a significant faction. It’s best not to antagonize him. Extracting extra demon stones is already a gain.” The gray-robed man chuckled, seemingly content.
“This man’s origins are mysterious, and with our limited time, we couldn’t uncover his true identity. Since we’ve received the Sacred Ancestor’s summons and must leave the city soon, avoiding complications is wise.” The green figure replied emotionlessly before vanishing into the void with a flash of light.
“Wise indeed! I have a feeling that if we had confronted him, we might have regretted it.” The gray-robed man murmured almost inaudibly, narrowing his eyes at the spot where the green figure had disappeared.
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