“You’ve long since detected my presence, Fellow Daoist.”
A faint ripple emerged from behind the giant tree, followed by a melodious voice.
Then, with a flicker, a stunning woman in a yellow robe stepped out from behind the tree, though her expression was guarded as she looked at Han Li.
At the sight of the woman’s face, which was nearly identical to Xue Po’s, Han Li smiled faintly. But as his divine sense swept over her body, a trace of peculiarity flickered across his face.
“Fellow Daoist Bing Po, I presume? I didn’t expect to meet you so soon after entering this place. Moreover, you’ve already advanced to the Mahayana realm,” Han Li said unhurriedly.
The woman before him, identical to Xue Po, unmistakably exuded the spiritual pressure of a Mahayana cultivator, though it seemed she had only broken through a few years prior, as her aura still carried a faint instability.
“How do you recognize me, sir? This is our first meeting, isn’t it?” The yellow-robed woman was startled but did not deny her identity, instead responding with cautious wariness.
Though she was also a Mahayana cultivator, she was well aware that her cultivation was not yet stable and could not compare to others of the same rank. Moreover, being in a secret location like the Heavenly Tripod Palace, she naturally grew even more vigilant.
“There’s no need for concern, Fellow Daoist. I was invited by your Blood Spirit incarnation and am also a human cultivator. As for how I recognized you, it was naturally due to the resonance of this item.” Han Li spoke indifferently before raising a hand and making a grasping motion in the air. A small crystalline vial emitting a faint bloody glow appeared in his palm, which he then tossed directly to the woman.
“Fellow Daoist Han is a human Mahayana cultivator and even carries the essence blood of my Blood Spirit incarnation. No wonder I sensed something strangely familiar about you the moment we met.” The yellow-robed woman—Bing Po—caught the vial and, after briefly inspecting the essence blood inside, finally showed a mix of shock and delight.
“Have you been trapped here all this time? In all these years, have you never sought a way to leave?” Han Li took the opportunity to glance around once more before asking thoughtfully.
“How could I not have thought of escape? But this place is the core of the Heavenly Tripod Palace, an independent space painstakingly arranged by Heavenly Tripod Zhenren. Apart from the teleportation formation you used, there is no other path in or out. When I and several other Fellow Daoists first broke in, all the others perished, and the external formation was unexpectedly destroyed as well. At the time, my cultivation was not high enough, so I was left helplessly trapped here. Fortunately, I managed to inherit some of Heavenly Tripod Zhenren’s legacy techniques and, after years of dedicated cultivation, finally managed to advance to the Mahayana realm a few years ago. By the way, where is my Blood Spirit incarnation? Since you teleported in, I’ve vaguely sensed that she should still be within the Heavenly Tripod Palace.” Bing Po sighed before explaining.
“For you to advance to Mahayana in such a short time, Heavenly Tripod Zhenren’s legacy must indeed be extraordinary—no wonder he ascended to the immortal realm in his time. As for Fellow Daoist Xue Po, she should still be searching for you in the outer regions. It’s fortunate you left her as a contingency; otherwise, even if I had the will to help, I might not have had the means.” Han Li chuckled in response.
“Xue Po must have had a hard time, but for her to enlist the aid of a mighty figure like you from our race is beyond my expectations. Originally, I left her outside to seek help from a few non-human friends I once knew.” Bing Po smiled sweetly.
“Heh, perhaps Xue Po thought I stood a better chance of success,” Han Li said, rubbing his chin with a smirk.
“Given your Mahayana status, it’s only natural for her to think so. When I left the human race, there were only two Mahayana seniors—Ao Xiao and Mo Jianli. Fellow Daoist Han must have advanced not long ago. As for the renowned Body Integration cultivators of our race, I knew a few back then. But your face is entirely unfamiliar—could you be a hidden ascetic?” Bing Po’s expression turned slightly puzzled as she recalled something.
“It’s true I haven’t been a Mahayana cultivator for long, so it’s no surprise you find me unfamiliar. In fact, I hail from the same human realm as you and only ascended to the Spirit Realm after your disappearance. To be honest, we share quite a connection—I once entered the Void Heaven Palace and obtained the Void Heaven Cauldron and other benefits you left behind.” Han Li replied with a faintly amused expression.
“What? You obtained the Void Heaven Cauldron I left in the human realm? If you ascended after my disappearance, then you advanced from Nascent Soul to Mahayana in just a few thousand years?” Bing Po’s beautiful eyes widened in shock, utterly stunned.
This was hardly surprising! Given Han Li’s heaven-defying cultivation speed, even Heavenly Tripod Zhenren—who ascended to the immortal realm—would have been dumbfounded.
“I had some fortuitous encounters that allowed me to advance so quickly. It’s fortunate I obtained the Void Heaven Cauldron back then—without it, Xue Po and I would have had a much harder time entering the Heavenly Tripod Palace. Also, I’m not the only Mahayana cultivator who entered this place. We should leave as soon as possible. Though I tampered with the formation outside, I can’t guarantee others won’t discover it. If you have any lingering questions, Fellow Daoist Bing Po, you can clarify them with Xue Po after we leave.” Han Li glanced at the sky before speaking seriously.
“Leave now…?” Contrary to Han Li’s expectations, Bing Po hesitated.
“What is it? Is there unfinished business here?” Han Li, sharp as ever, quickly grasped the situation.
“Since Fellow Daoist Han is also a Mahayana cultivator of our race and shares a connection with me, I won’t hide anything. Though I discovered Heavenly Tripod Zhenren’s legacy techniques and retrieved many treasures, there remains one final vault I’ve been unable to open—where several of his most important artifacts are stored. These treasures complement his techniques and are of great importance to me.” After a moment of hesitation, Bing Po gritted her teeth and confessed.
Though such matters were best kept secret, leaving now would mean abandoning these treasures forever.
“Where is this vault? If it won’t take too long, I’ll take a look. If it’s within my power, I’ll help you retrieve them.” Han Li replied nonchalantly.
“Don’t worry, Fellow Daoist Han—the vault is nearby. If you can help me break the restrictions, I’ll only take the artifacts related to the techniques and leave the majority of the treasures to you.” Bing Po was overjoyed.
Han Li smiled faintly but said nothing more.
Under her guidance, the two descended from the mountaintop and, after a few flashes, arrived before a section of stone wall at the edge.
Bing Po pressed her jade-like hand against a specific spot on the wall.
A flash of light later, a hazy hole appeared in the stone wall.
The two stepped inside without a sound.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Han Li and Bing Po appeared in a pale-gray hall.
The hall was constructed entirely of white stone, exuding an ancient and mysterious aura.
At its center stood another statue of Heavenly Tripod Zhenren, this one emitting a faint silver glow.
Like the previous statue, this one carried a sword on its back, but in its hands was a dazzling golden miniature pagoda.
The final treasures of the Heavenly Tripod Zhenren are all within that pagoda. Unfortunately, my abilities are limited, and despite staying here for so long, I have been unable to break its restrictions. Be cautious, Fellow Daoist Han—the restrictions possess a terrifying rebound effect.
(Note: The original text contained an excessive repetition of “反弹” (rebound), which appears to be a formatting or input error. The translation has been condensed to convey the intended meaning clearly and concisely.)
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