Upon hearing this, Hai Dashao immediately realized that Han Li intended to shoulder all the related pressures alone. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he bowed deeply to Han Li twice more and naturally raised no objections.
Han Li nodded, signaling for Hai Dashao to stand aside, then pointed to Silvermoon and Crab Daoist nearby and addressed his disciples calmly, “This is your Aunt Silvermoon and Senior Crab. From now on, you must regard them with the same respect as you do me. Come and greet them properly.”
“Greetings, Aunt Silvermoon and Senior Crab!”
“Paying respects to Grand Aunt Silvermoon and Senior Crab!”
Qilingzi had already noticed the presence of Silvermoon and Crab Daoist. Upon hearing Han Li’s words, he immediately led the disciples forward to bow respectfully.
Silvermoon smiled faintly and waved her hand, while Crab Daoist gave a slight nod without expression.
“This girl is Zhu Guo’er. Haha, her name differs from your Junior Sister Bai by just one character. When I first heard it, I was quite surprised too. However, she truly has no relation to your Junior Sister Bai and hails from a rare and little-known secret land. I will explain more to you all later, but for now, she will stay by my side. Treat her as a fellow junior sister,” Han Li introduced solemnly, gesturing toward Zhu Guo’er.
“So it’s Junior Sister Zhu. If Junior Sister Bai were here, she would surely be delighted,” Qilingzi said with a smile, though a flicker of curiosity crossed his face as he clasped his hands toward Zhu Guo’er.
“Guo’er will be staying with Senior Han for a while. If I commit any discourtesies, I hope both Senior Brothers will forgive me,” Zhu Guo’er said sweetly, performing a graceful bow toward Qilingzi and the others.
Qilingzi and the others quickly responded with humble assurances.
Next, Han Li inquired in detail about the events that had occurred during his seclusion.
Regarding the sudden withdrawal of the demonic forces from the Spirit Realm, Han Li pressed for particularly thorough answers. Unfortunately, Qilingzi and Hai Dashao were equally unclear about the matter.
They only knew that one day, the Elder Council of Tianyuan City suddenly announced a temporary ceasefire with the demons. Shortly afterward, the demonic armies that had occupied human territories retreated like a tide through the spatial passages back to the Demon Realm.
Afterward, the human and demon races easily reclaimed all lost territories, with only a few stubborn demon remnants refusing to leave.
During this period, the major efforts of the human and demon factions were focused on recovering from the losses caused by the demonic calamity and exterminating these remaining demons. Remarkably, a thriving atmosphere emerged in the wake of the disaster.
Han Li listened attentively to Qilingzi’s account, his expression calm, revealing nothing of his thoughts.
Once Qilingzi finished, Han Li pondered for a moment before asking with a flash in his eyes, “So, Venerable Mo Jianli and Venerable Ao Xiao disappeared without a trace shortly after the demonic calamity ended?”
“Yes, Master. Though our cultivation is low, we maintain some connections with the disciples of Tianyuan City’s elders. Thus, we learned of this as soon as it happened. The Sacred Island’s audacity in openly pressuring Tianyuan City to hand over Junior Brother likely has something to do with the disappearance of the two Venerables. Otherwise, given their prestige, the Sacred Island would never dare act so brazenly without considering their relationship with you,” Qilingzi replied firmly after a moment’s thought.
“Hmm, I will inevitably visit the Sacred Island. Additionally, I have a task for you,” Han Li said with a cold laugh.
“Please instruct me, Master. I will ensure it is done properly,” Qilingzi responded promptly, bowing his head.
“Here is a list. Have our disciples gather intelligence and locate these items for me. These are rare treasures even in the entire Spirit Realm. If you cannot obtain them, at least confirm their exact whereabouts. I will handle the rest,” Han Li said gravely.
“As you command, Master,” Qilingzi agreed without hesitation.
Nearby, Crab Daoist’s expression flickered slightly at their conversation, but he remained silent.
“Good. You two may leave now. I need to discuss some matters with Aunt Silvermoon,” Han Li said with a nod.
Qilingzi and Hai Dashao voiced no objections and withdrew with the disciples.
Without needing instruction, Zhu Guo’er tactfully followed them out of the hall.
In moments, only Han Li, Crab Daoist, and Silvermoon remained.
“Silvermoon, before you left your grandfather, did Venerable Ao Xiao mention anything related to his disappearance?” Han Li asked solemnly.
“No. If there were any life-threatening matters, as his only direct descendant, he would never have kept me completely in the dark. When I left, Grandfather showed no signs of abnormality,” Silvermoon replied firmly, though her expression darkened.
“In that case, it seems their disappearance is indeed linked to the demons. Tianyuan City likely knows no more. Only the Sacred Island might have further details. It seems I must pay them a visit,” Han Li mused, stroking his chin.
“Brother Han, there’s no need to worry excessively about Grandfather. We share the same bloodline. If anything had happened, I would surely sense it. If Grandfather is unharmed, Venerable Mo Jianli should be fine as well,” Silvermoon said, raising an eyebrow.
“Venerable Ao Xiao and Mo Jianli are both Mahayana cultivators. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t face such dangers easily. I only fear they may have fallen into a demonic trap and become trapped somewhere difficult to escape. After all, confining two Mahayana cultivators is easier than killing them outright,” Han Li replied with a frown.
“Grandfather and Venerable Mo are both extremely meticulous. Such a scenario is unlikely,” Silvermoon said, though her expression wavered slightly.
“Perhaps I’m overthinking. Tomorrow, I’ll question Tianyuan City’s elders further. Maybe they know something more,” Han Li said, his expression easing.
Silvermoon nodded, though her face remained unsettled.
Turning to Crab Daoist, Han Li asked, “Brother Crab, I’ve instructed my disciples to seek the items you require. Until they are gathered, I hope you will continue to assist me.”
“Before you pass the trial, I have no intention of leaving your side,” Crab Daoist replied impassively.
Han Li nodded in satisfaction.
For the rest of the day, Han Li and Silvermoon carefully discussed the demonic retreat and the disappearance of the two Mahayana cultivators, but no conclusions were reached.
They set the matter aside for the time being and retired to their respective chambers to meditate.
Early the next morning, Elder Gu, Zen Master Jinyue, and the other Tianyuan City elders gathered outside Han Li’s stone tower, submitting their visiting cards at dawn.
Upon receiving Qilingzi’s report, Han Li smiled faintly. Clearly, none of the elders had slept that night, given their early arrival.
With a command, Han Li had Qilingzi usher them into the hall where he received them alone.
Their discussion was highly confidential, lasting from morning until noon before the elders emerged with varied expressions.
Soon after, news of Han Li’s ascension to Mahayana spread throughout Tianyuan City.
Initially met with disbelief, the revelation soon sparked wild celebrations among the human and demon populace, who flooded the streets in jubilation.
With a newly ascended Mahayana cultivator like Han Li, the two races could secure their foothold in the Spirit Realm for tens of thousands of years.
Moreover, Han Li had already earned great renown during his Body Integration stage and had resided in Tianyuan City for a considerable time, filling its inhabitants with pride.
The news spread rapidly through the city’s network of informants, reaching other territories of the human and demon races at an astonishing speed.
Accompanying the announcement was the revelation that Han Li would hold a Mahayana celebration in Tianyuan City a year later.
Every faction that received the news reacted with shock, swiftly dispatching envoys to verify its authenticity.
Once confirmed, they promptly declared their intention to attend the ceremony in person.
Distant regions began preparing gifts and selecting suitable envoys without delay.
Within two to three months, nearly every corner of the human and demon territories buzzed with excitement over the newly ascended Mahayana cultivator and the upcoming grand celebration.
Even neighboring races like the Spirit Tribe and Yakshas sent messages expressing their intent to send representatives.
The only anomaly was the Sacred Island’s lukewarm response, showing no active promotion of the event.
Beyond the major factions and neighboring races, many renowned human and demon rogue cultivators and solitary great demons emerged from seclusion, preparing to journey to Tianyuan City.
Traditionally, newly ascended Mahayana cultivators would share their insights and experiences during the celebration—a rare opportunity for those struggling with bottlenecks or seeking breakthroughs.
Past celebrations had indeed seen breakthroughs inspired by such revelations.
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