Although Mo Jianli knew that Han Li had just returned from the Demon Realm, he never truly considered the possibility that Han Li had actually entered the Spirit Cleansing Pool.
After all, over countless millennia, countless powerhouses from various realms had sought the Spirit Cleansing Pool and the Pure Spirit Lotus, yet only a handful had succeeded. While Han Li was undoubtedly a prodigy among the human and demon races, compared to the monstrous talents from other realms, he might not necessarily stand out.
However, what Mo Jianli never expected was that Han Li’s abilities far surpassed those of an ordinary late-stage Body Integration cultivator. His physical strength and spiritual sense alone were nearly on par with an average Sacred Ancestor, and with the activation of his Second Nirvana Transformation, he could even briefly contend with a Sacred Ancestor’s true form.
Moreover, when Han Li entered the Demon Realm, it coincided with the great calamity of the demon race. The high-ranking demons were in complete disarray, leaving them no time to deal with outsiders like Han Li. Otherwise, had even a few Sacred Ancestors paid serious attention to them, no matter how formidable Han Li and his companions were, they would never have made it to the Demon Source Sea.
“Excellent! This is indeed another tremendous piece of good news. With Fellow Daoist Han’s innate talent, combined with the marrow-cleansing and meridian-refining effects of the Spirit Cleansing Pool and the Pure Spirit Lotus—and if the two of us provide our full support—I estimate he has a thirty to forty percent chance of advancing to the Mahayana stage,” Mo Jianli said, his eyes gleaming.
“Hmph, he’s a human cultivator. Why should this venerable one also exhaust resources to assist him?” Ao Xiao the Venerable retorted coldly.
“The human and demon races are one in the Spirit Realm. If Fellow Daoist Han truly advances to Mahayana, he will naturally become a pillar for the demon race for tens of thousands of years. Why must Fellow Daoist Ao Xiao draw such distinctions? If someone from your demon race showed potential to reach Mahayana, I would spare no effort to assist them as well,” Mo Jianli replied dismissively.
“Old Monster Mo, are those words sincere?” Ao Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression half-smiling.
“Of course, my words come from the heart. What, does the demon race truly have someone with the potential to reach Mahayana?” Mo Jianli answered without hesitation, but then realization dawned on him.
“Heh, you’ve met my granddaughter many times, Old Ghost Mo. But did you know? She possesses the Seven-Star Moon Body. As long as she reaches the peak of late-stage Body Integration, her chances of advancing to Mahayana, though slightly lower than Fellow Daoist Han’s, won’t be far behind,” Ao Xiao declared proudly, gesturing to Silvermoon, who stood behind him with a calm expression.
“Linglong shares the same Seven-Star Moon Body as you? Old Monster Ao Xiao, you’ve kept this from me for so long! Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Did you not trust me?” Mo Jianli was shocked, his gaze sweeping over Silvermoon with astonishment.
“How could I distrust you, Brother Mo? When my granddaughter was born, she showed no signs of this constitution. It was only later that I discovered she possessed it. I had no intention of hiding it from you,” Ao Xiao explained calmly, waving his hand.
“Hmph, even so, you’ve never mentioned it in recent years. Bringing it up now, under the pretext of Fellow Daoist Han’s matter, surely means you have other plans,” Mo Jianli snorted, his expression returning to normal, though his tone still carried a hint of displeasure.
“Indeed, though my granddaughter has the Seven-Star Moon Body, she has encountered some difficulties in her cultivation. I fear I may need your assistance to resolve them,” Ao Xiao sighed.
“Whatever the trouble, as long as I can help, Fellow Daoist Ao Xiao, just say the word,” Mo Jianli readily agreed.
“The matter is this…” Ao Xiao nodded and began speaking, but after a few words, his lips moved without sound—he had switched to voice transmission.
Mo Jianli listened intently, his expression growing increasingly solemn as time passed.
“I understand. I’ll provide what you need. But in return, when Fellow Daoist Han attempts to break through the Mahayana bottleneck, we must both do our utmost to support him,” Mo Jianli declared after a moment of contemplation.
“Naturally. Whether it’s Fellow Daoist Han or Linglong, if either reaches Mahayana, they will become the foundation for our human and demon races in the Spirit Realm,” Ao Xiao replied, now smiling.
“Thank you for your kindness, Seniors. However, I have little confidence in advancing to Mahayana. If I fail, I fear I’ll disappoint you both,” Han Li, who had been silently listening, finally spoke up with a light cough.
“No one can guarantee success in reaching Mahayana. When I advanced, luck played a significant role. Among my peers, some were even more talented than me, yet I was the only one who succeeded. Fellow Daoist Han, don’t pressure yourself,” Mo Jianli said, stroking his beard.
“Indeed, the reason we’re willing to support your cultivation is twofold: first, no one in our races shows greater potential than you two, and second, this has long been our tradition. When a Mahayana cultivator nears the end of their lifespan, the races pool their resources to nurture promising successors. This isn’t just our doing—the Sacred Island has also been training other candidates. It was one of the island’s founding purposes. However, compared to those on the island, we currently favor you two. That said, had your circumstances not been unique, you might have been summoned there long ago. Fellow Daoist Han, would you like to cultivate on the Sacred Island? If so, we can arrange it,” Ao Xiao added with a chuckle.
“I wasn’t aware of the Sacred Island’s role. In that case, I won’t decline your kindness. However, I’m accustomed to solitary cultivation. Perhaps I’ll visit the island another time,” Han Li replied after a brief moment of thought.
“Very well. Since you’ve made your decision, we won’t press you. But I have another question: did the Long Family’s Patriarch and the Ye Family’s girl, who entered the Demon Realm with you, truly perish?” Mo Jianli asked solemnly.
“Brother Long and the others did meet their end in the Demon Realm,” Han Li answered truthfully.
“A pity! Among the True Spirit Clans, the Long and Ye Families were the strongest. Their loss will weaken the True Spirit Clans and our human race. But with Brother Crab’s assistance, the situation may yet change,” Mo Jianli sighed, though his spirits lifted when his gaze fell on Crab Daoist.
“Those True Spirit Clans of yours may produce high-ranking cultivators stronger than their peers, but their emergence is far rarer than among ordinary humans. I don’t see them as particularly significant,” Ao Xiao remarked dismissively.
“That’s not entirely true. The True Spirit Clans share lineage with ancient True Spirits. A single Body Integration cultivator from their ranks can become a major asset to our race. They’re still worth some attention,” Mo Jianli countered.
“In my eyes, they pale in comparison to the demon race’s royal families. Our royal lineages have consistently produced Body Integration cultivators at a much higher rate,” Ao Xiao sneered.
“Your royal families are indeed prolific in talent, far surpassing the True Spirit Clans. But this discussion is pointless now. I had hoped others besides Fellow Daoist Han might return from the Demon Realm, but it seems that won’t happen,” Mo Jianli said with a frown.
“What’s the matter? Are you short on manpower? Is the allied forces planning another major move?” Ao Xiao’s expression darkened.
“The Wood Tribe has proposed a counterattack against the demons, backed by the Yaksha Tribe’s Elder Sang. They hope to reclaim all lost territory in one decisive battle,” Mo Jianli explained slowly.
“Are they mad? If reclaiming lost land were so easy, why have we been locked in stalemate with the demons for so long? The Wood Tribe aside, has Elder Sang lost his mind? Did you not oppose this?” Ao Xiao’s face twisted with anger.
“Ao Xiao, you’ve been away from the allied forces for half a year, so you’re unaware of recent developments. Three months ago, our races, along with the Yaksha and Spirit Tribes, received urgent news. The demons have dispatched large reinforcements into our territories, launching fierce attacks. Without Mahayana cultivators to defend them, our positions have become precarious. We must resolve the Wood Tribe’s matter swiftly—we can’t wait for the realms to separate,” Mo Jianli said gravely.
“What? The demons have sent more troops into the Spirit Realm? Has this been verified, or is it a bluff?” Ao Xiao’s expression turned grim.
“I’ve confirmed it through special channels. Not only is it true, but among the new demon reinforcements are avatars of the Three Demon Ancestors. Whether their true forms have entered the Spirit Realm remains unknown,” Mo Jianli said with a bitter smile, his words causing even Han Li’s expression to shift.
“Impossible! Ordinary Sacred Ancestors are one thing, but the Three Demon Ancestors’ true forms cannot enter the Spirit Realm so easily. The measures we painstakingly established were precisely to prevent this!” Ao Xiao flatly denied.
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