Han Li’s expression shifted slightly upon hearing Elder Ao Xiao’s question. His eyes narrowed imperceptibly as he gazed directly at the other man.
“Does Senior believe this junior has succeeded?” After a long pause, Han Li finally regained his composure and countered with a question.
“Though the Spirit Cleansing Pond and the Pure Spirit Lotus are renowned, and many powerful figures across realms have sought them, I’ve rarely heard of anyone actually achieving their goal. Logically, even if you managed to return safely from the demon realm, the odds of obtaining such an opportunity should still be slim. Yet, for some reason, the moment I laid eyes on you, I felt your chances might not be as low as I initially thought. You must have succeeded, haven’t you?” Elder Ao Xiao hesitated before speaking with a trace of gravity.
“If Senior believes this junior has succeeded, then let it be so—this junior has indeed entered the Spirit Cleansing Pond.” After swiftly turning the matter over in his mind, Han Li finally replied with a faint smile.
In the past, he would never have so casually revealed such information in front of a powerful figure.
But now, having cultivated the Nirvana Sacred Body to the second stage and gained access to the Profound Spirit Sword, coupled with Crab Daoist by his side, he possessed enough strength to contend with even an ordinary Mahayana cultivator. Thus, he no longer had as many reservations.
Moreover, Han Li was curious to see how this great Mahayana demon would react upon hearing his answer.
“Good, very good. Since you’ve entered the Spirit Cleansing Pond and consumed the Pure Spirit Lotus, there’s now a chance you may advance to the Mahayana stage in the future. But if that’s the case, then all the plans I made for Silvermoon were unnecessary—utterly superfluous. Had I known, I wouldn’t have stopped her from seeing you sooner or made her cultivate that technique.” Elder Ao Xiao’s expression turned peculiar upon hearing Han Li’s words, and a hint of regret seeped into his voice.
“Superfluous? That technique?”
Han Li frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over Silvermoon’s indifferent face. A vague realization settled in his heart, weighing it down.
“Choosing to cultivate the Heartless Art was my own decision. How could I blame Grandfather? Moreover, without this technique, how could I have mended the flaws in my state of mind and advanced to the Body Integration stage? And after cultivating it, I’ve come to understand that all love and hatred in this world are but superfluous distractions—only the Great Dao is the ultimate pursuit for cultivators like us. As long as I continue to train diligently, I will surely break through this bottleneck in time.” Silvermoon spoke with eerie calmness.
“The Heartless Art? A bottleneck? Senior, what exactly is going on? Has something gone wrong with Silvermoon’s cultivation?” Han Li could no longer hold back and asked directly.
“Even if you hadn’t asked, I would have explained in detail. However, this is not the place for lengthy discussions. My mission in infiltrating the demon territory is nearly complete. You and Fellow Daoist Crab should accompany me back to the allied forces’ camp. On the way, I’ll explain everything to you.” Elder Ao Xiao spoke slowly.
“Since Senior has invited me, this junior naturally complies.” Suppressing his doubts, Han Li considered briefly before agreeing immediately.
Silvermoon’s eyes flickered a few times, but she remained silent.
“Excellent! Attendants, serve tea and prepare to depart for ‘Cottonwood City’ at once. Fellow Daoists, please take your seats.” Elder Ao Xiao nodded in satisfaction before issuing orders to those outside the hall.
“Yes, Master!”
Several stiff voices responded from outside. The silver flying ship trembled slightly before emitting a hum and soaring into the sky.
Han Li and Crab Daoist took their seats as instructed.
Almost simultaneously, light footsteps approached from the hall’s entrance. Several silver-haired maids in gossamer robes entered, each carrying a tea tray. They respectfully served cups of emerald-green spirit tea to the group.
Preoccupied with thoughts of Silvermoon, Han Li had no mind to savor the extraordinary tea. Out of courtesy, he merely touched his lips to the cup before setting it aside and waiting for Elder Ao Xiao to speak.
Crab Daoist, however, surprised them all. After briefly inspecting his cup, he drained it in one gulp and said woodenly, “Not bad. The unique spiritual energy in this tea seems slightly beneficial to me. Fellow Daoist Ao, do you have more?”
“Haha, Fellow Daoist Crab is truly straightforward. Rest assured, though the Jade Dragon Tea is rare, I still have several catties of it. If you like it, I’ll gift some to you later.” Elder Ao Xiao’s eyes brightened as he replied without hesitation.
Clearly, he was eager to win over the golden crab.
“Then I thank you.” Crab Daoist nodded once before falling silent.
Knowing the other’s identity as a pseudo-immortal puppet, Elder Ao Xiao wasn’t offended. Instead, he turned to Silvermoon with a look of affection. “Ling’er, you’ve only recently begun cultivating the Heartless Art, and your mental state isn’t yet stable. Return to your chamber to meditate. Don’t risk any mishaps. I’ll entertain our guests.”
“Since it’s Grandfather’s command, Ling’er obeys.” After a brief pause, Silvermoon acquiesced.
She bowed slightly to Han Li and Crab Daoist before calmly exiting the hall, her expression as serene as ever—as if Han Li were no different from any other acquaintance.
Han Li watched her retreating figure, his lips twitching slightly, but no words escaped him.
Elder Ao Xiao observed their reactions with a bitter smile. Only after Silvermoon had truly left did he speak again. “Fellow Daoist Han, you must have already learned some of Linglong’s origins and her past before meeting you through others, correct?”
“I’ve heard some things, yes. But after returning to the Spirit Realm, she seems to have remained by your side.” Han Li replied.
“Indeed. When she first returned from the human realm, she didn’t go back to her clan. Instead, she sought out my secluded cultivation site and knelt outside the formation for seven days and nights. I still remember clearly how emaciated she looked when I finally relented and let her in…” Elder Ao Xiao sighed before beginning his tale in a somber tone.
Han Li listened quietly, a faint light flickering in his eyes.
Time passed slowly as Elder Ao Xiao recounted events at a measured pace.
Sometimes, even the most mundane matters concerning Silvermoon were described in excruciating detail. Yet Han Li sensed something deeper beneath the words, stirring complex emotions within him—though none showed on his face.
“By the time I realized something was wrong, it was too late. Ling’er had already cultivated the Heartless Art to minor mastery. Though she was far from severing all emotions, I no longer dared let her leave my side. That’s why, even for a dangerous mission like infiltrating the demon realm, I had to bring her along. Little did I expect that you, Fellow Daoist Han, would return alive from the demon realm and cross paths with me by chance. It seems there truly is a thread of fate at work.” After nearly half an hour, Elder Ao Xiao finally concluded his account with another sigh before falling silent.
Han Li’s expression darkened. After a long moment of contemplation, he asked slowly,
“So, Fellow Daoist Linglong’s coldness toward me is entirely due to the Heartless Art. And after using it to reach the Body Integration stage, you discovered her constitution was ill-suited for it—that mastering it completely would lead to backlash, stripping her of all cultivation. And since the Heartless Art is a technique that regresses if not continuously cultivated, even if Silvermoon abandons it now, the consequences would be dire—her cultivation would stagnate indefinitely.”
“Not just that. Due to the clash between her constitution and the technique, the Heartless Art’s effects on her aren’t as controlled as I’d hoped. Currently, she can barely maintain her original self for a third of each day. The rest of the time, she’s entirely under the art’s influence—just as you saw earlier. And as she progresses further, the time she retains her true self will only shorten until it vanishes entirely.” After a pause, Elder Ao Xiao revealed another startling fact.
“What? So you’re saying Silvermoon still has periods where she reverts to her old self? No wonder when she first appeared during the confrontation with Yuan Cha, her demeanor was completely different from later—like two separate people.” Han Li’s spirits lifted slightly.
“Fellow Daoist Han, do you think drastic daily shifts in one’s emotions and mental state are a good thing? For someone with slightly weaker willpower, maintaining normal cultivation would be impossible—they’d likely go mad from fractured consciousness in no time. As it is, I have to perform a Soul-Calming Art on her every few days to forcibly mend the damage to her divine sense. That’s another reason I dare not let her leave my side.” Elder Ao Xiao shook his head.
“If you prepared the Heartless Art for Linglong, surely there must be a way to undo it? As a Mahayana cultivator, your powers are beyond measure. This shouldn’t be beyond your capabilities.” Han Li’s expression shifted as he pressed urgently.
“Linglong is my direct descendant. If there were a way, I would have used it long ago. But the truth is, had she not awakened her innate Seven-Star Moon Body constitution, I might have found a solution even after she cultivated the Heartless Art.
But now, the technique and her constitution have become inseparably intertwined—mutually opposing yet sustaining each other. Even with all my abilities, I’m powerless to change it.” Elder Ao Xiao’s eyelids twitched. After a moment of hesitation, he divulged a secret he’d intended to keep hidden.
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