Han Li pondered the information he had just learned, silently wondering if he should really wade into this muddy water.
Although he didn’t know what lay ahead, this bizarre floating palace clearly resembled the “Bloody Trial” in Yue Country—all constructed by ancient cultivators from the primordial era. While it undoubtedly held many treasures, it was equally certain to be fraught with danger.
Moreover, the inexplicable expression on Patriarch Ji Yin’s face had sent a chill down his spine. What sinister scheme was the other party plotting? Perhaps the wisest course would be to withdraw immediately and avoid this place altogether!
However, according to these old monsters, this place could only be entered once every three hundred years. If he retreated now, he might never have such an opportunity again.
This made Han Li hesitate once more.
Just as he was struggling to make a decision, the voice of Profound Bone Sage reached his ears.
“Kid, do you possess something that Ji Yin absolutely must obtain? Otherwise, why would he show such an expression toward you? If I’m not mistaken, you’re probably in for a world of trouble!” Though Profound Bone’s tone was flat, it was clearly laced with mockery.
Hearing this, Han Li snorted coldly inwardly and immediately retorted, “If Island Master Ji Yin knew that you were here, I suspect he would be even more delighted. He’d likely want to have a heartfelt chat with you about your master-disciple relationship.”
“You dare threaten me?” Profound Bone’s voice turned sinister upon hearing Han Li’s words.
“Not at all! How would I dare, given your status and methods? However, it would be best if you refrained from gloating. If my life were in jeopardy, I might accidentally say something careless and drag you into this.” Han Li spoke expressionlessly.
Profound Bone fell silent for a long while.
Just as Han Li thought the other party was too enraged to bother him further, an icy sentence suddenly reached his ears. Its content first stunned him, then filled him with delight.
“Do you want to form a Nascent Soul?”
“Senior, what do you mean by that?” Han Li suppressed his excitement and asked calmly.
“Heh, what do I mean? It’s simple. I know of something that can double your chances of forming a Nascent Soul. This item is right here in the Void Palace. There’s no other way to obtain it. If you’re willing to join forces with me and take this opportunity to eliminate that traitor Ji Yin, I’ll show you where it is and tell you exactly how to obtain it. How about that? You should know that if I weren’t practicing demonic ghost techniques and had no use for this item, I would never give it to you. Even if you refuse to cooperate, Ji Yin will likely come after you anyway. When that happens, heh…” Profound Bone spoke slowly, mixing temptation with threat, not bothering to hide his murderous intent toward Patriarch Ji Yin.
After listening, Han Li neither agreed nor refused immediately. Instead, he sat there silently, his brows slightly furrowed in deep contemplation.
The youth incarnated by Profound Bone Sage remained perfectly composed, showing no impatience. He believed that no Core Formation cultivator could resist such a tremendous temptation. He merely needed to wait quietly for Han Li’s response.
Meanwhile, Patriarch Ji Yin and Wu Chou flew to an empty pillar next to the elderly scholar and engaged in sporadic conversation with him, occasionally throwing a word or two toward the beautiful Madame Wen.
However, after cleaning her sword, the woman sheathed it and closed her eyes to meditate, not even lifting an eyelid, clearly uninterested in engaging.
Despite such cold treatment, Patriarch Ji Yin showed no anger or embarrassment, continuing to converse with a smile. His composure ran deep.
Han Li glanced at this scene from the corner of his eye, growing increasingly wary of Patriarch Ji Yin. Not only was the man highly skilled, but his cunning seemed far beyond ordinary. Otherwise, how could the old demon Profound Bone have fallen into his hands, forced to practice ghost techniques and completely blocked from reincarnation? It was no wonder Profound Bone wanted to grind his bones to dust!
Regardless of the grudges between the old demon Profound Bone and Ji Yin, Han Li was now in the latter’s sights. This was terrible news for him!
While it wasn’t entirely impossible for him to escape from a Nascent Soul cultivator, the chances of successfully fleeing in a direct confrontation were pitifully low.
After all, the gap between early Core Formation and Nascent Soul was vast. Even with his powerful treasures and Gold Devouring Beetles, he would likely be easily killed.
After pondering for a while, Han Li finally transmitted a message to Profound Bone: “Tell me a bit more about this thing you mentioned. I can’t just take your word and immediately oppose a Nascent Soul cultivator, can I?” Han Li murmured softly.
“Of course. If you’re willing to join forces, I would have disclosed this even if you hadn’t asked.” A hint of joy flickered across Profound Bone’s face before he secretly transmitted his reply.
Hearing this, Han Li said nothing more. He simply sat there, lightly closed his eyes, and pretended to cultivate.
“That item is called the Nine-Curve Spirit Ginseng, a manifestation of heaven and earth’s spiritual energy. Though its true form is merely a spiritual plant, it is highly sentient. From the moment of its birth, it can shapeshift into various animals or insects, move on its own, and excels at burrowing into earth or wood. Many years ago, I saw it here in the Void Palace. But at the time, my cultivation was too low, and I lacked suitable tools to capture it, so I had to give up. By the time I came a second time, I had already formed my Nascent Soul and naturally didn’t bother with it. Now, it might as well benefit you.” Profound Bone spoke with a tinge of reluctance.
“Nine-Curve Spirit Ginseng?” Han Li gasped in astonishment.
He had long heard of this legendary immortal herb! Although he had seen its name in many spiritual plant texts, Han Li always assumed that even if it had truly appeared in the mortal world, it would have been during primordial times. Could the Void Palace really still hold such a treasure?
Then again, discovering one or two such immortal herbs in these ancient cultivator ruins wasn’t entirely impossible.
But this was the first time he had heard about the Nine-Curve Spirit Ginseng’s significant use in forming a Nascent Soul. The books he had read were vague about its specific purposes and never mentioned this application.
Was the old demon lying to trick him into an alliance? Han Li grew suspicious.
Perhaps sensing Han Li’s doubts, Profound Bone continued, “Don’t worry! When we break through the barriers later, at the second level, I will help you capture it first. After we deal with that traitor, I will give you a secret medicinal recipe. Follow the steps, and you can fully utilize this item to significantly increase your chances of forming a Nascent Soul. However, I also have something I must obtain in this Void Palace—it’s crucial for my future cultivation. When the time comes, I’ll need your assistance. With your help, my chances of success will be much higher.” Profound Bone proactively addressed Han Li’s suspicions and then proposed a moderate condition, alleviating most of Han Li’s doubts.
“Alright! If you’re confident about killing Ji Yin, I can assist you.” Han Li finally agreed, temporarily forming an alliance with Profound Bone.
However, this alliance was extremely fragile, and it was hard to say how long it would last. Likely, once Patriarch Ji Yin was eliminated, their partnership would shatter.
Still, Han Li inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Judging from the old demon Profound Bone’s tone, he had been to the Void Palace more than once. Having such a well-acquainted ally was far better than being completely in the dark. At the very least, he could learn some basic information about the Void Palace from the other party. And before dealing with Patriarch Ji Yin, the other party could still be trusted.
Thus, after settling on a verbal agreement, Han Li began subtly probing for general information about the Void Palace.
After secretly discussing with the old demon Profound Bone for a long time, Han Li’s expression turned grim. It seemed opportunity and danger always went hand in hand. This trip to the Void Palace was truly perilous.
He couldn’t help but sigh softly before truly calming his mind and beginning to cultivate.
In this hall, Han Li didn’t need to worry about sudden ambushes. He had already tested it—aside from minor spells like levitation, attempting to use a certain amount of magical power would immediately cause it to leak out, making spellcasting impossible. Even the treasures within his body were like dead objects here, completely unusable.
The restrictions here were truly marvelous!
Over the next five or six days, more and more cultivators gathered in the hall, eventually numbering over a hundred.
The tops of the jade pillars were long occupied, so latecomers had to find random spots on the hall’s floor to rest temporarily.
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