“Two hours from now will be the moment of the day when yin energy is at its peak. That’s when I’ll begin the Soul Return Technique. The entire process will likely take two to three days. During this time, I’ll have to trouble Brother Han with everything.” Yuanyao glanced at the sky before turning her delicate face back to Han Li, speaking with sincerity.
Han Li nodded, then frowned as he surveyed the valley. “Apart from an illusion array, there don’t seem to be any other defensive formations set up here. If a powerful enemy arrives and I’m unable to divide my attention, wouldn’t you be in danger?”
“Of course I know that! But I don’t have any high-quality formation tools on hand, and there’s no time for thorough preparations. I have no choice but to take the risk.” Yuanyao bit her red lips, her jade-like face showing a trace of helplessness.
“In that case, leave the formations to me. I happen to have a few decent formation tools. While they’re not exceptionally powerful, they should still be useful—better than having no protection at all.” Han Li crossed his arms and stroked his chin as he spoke.
He might as well see this good deed through to the end.
“Brother Han is also skilled in formations? If that’s truly the case, I’ll feel much more at ease while performing the technique. Then I’ll trouble you with this!” Yuanyao’s beautiful eyes flashed with delight upon hearing this.
Han Li simply smiled without further comment, then soared into the air to survey the terrain around the valley.
After a short while, he had a plan in mind and descended slowly. “There isn’t much time left. I’ll start setting up the formations now.”
With that, he waved both hands, summoning over a dozen towering ape puppets to his sides. He retrieved several sets of formation tools from his storage pouch and distributed them among the puppets. Standing in place, he used his spiritual sense to direct the giant apes as they began arranging the formations around the valley.
Yuanyao watched the ape puppets curiously for a moment before shifting her attention to her own preparations.
The Soul Return Technique was no trivial matter! She needed to make meticulous preparations beforehand and test the massive formation beneath her feet to ensure there were no mistakes.
Meanwhile, with the help of the dozen or so ape puppets, Han Li completed setting up four or five moderately powerful formations in just over an hour. While they wouldn’t stop a Core Formation cultivator, Foundation Establishment cultivators would find it difficult to breach them.
At the center of the valley, Yuanyao was also nearing the end of her preparations. After placing spirit stones around the formation, she cast a spell onto the formation’s core, activating it. The formation emitted a low hum as dark light flickered, and eerie wisps of black energy suddenly appeared around it, converging toward the icy jade coffin at the center.
Seeing this, Yuanyao’s face showed satisfaction, and she quickly cast another spell to deactivate the formation.
“No issues—everything is functioning normally,” she said to Han Li as she stepped out of the formation, her expression pleased.
“Fellow Daoist Yuan, are you truly certain about this? Once your golden core is shattered, your path of cultivation will be effectively sealed. It will be nearly impossible for you to reach Core Formation again.” Han Li studied her smiling face as he spoke slowly.
At his words, Yuanyao’s smile faded, and she fell silent.
“If it’s sealed, then so be it. The fact that I’ve lived this long was already a stroke of luck,” she replied calmly.
“Brother Han wouldn’t understand the bond between my senior sister and me, which is why you’d say such things. Senior Sister Yanli and I grew up together, entered the sect together, and lived side by side for decades. Even blood sisters couldn’t be closer. And when we killed the Young Master of the Qingyang Sect, it was she who took the backlash for me. Otherwise, the one suffering within the Soulwood now would be me. As long as I can prevent Senior Sister Yanli’s soul from dispersing and restore her to a physical form, shattering my golden core means nothing.” She lifted a delicate hand to brush aside a strand of hair, her expression serene.
Hearing this, a flicker of surprise crossed Han Li’s face. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded slightly and refrained from further attempts to dissuade her.
Yuanyao returned to the formation, sitting cross-legged before the icy jade coffin as she awaited the optimal moment.
For a while, silence lingered between them. But before long, she glanced at the sky and rose to her feet.
“The time has come. I’m about to begin the technique! Regardless of whether the Soul Return Technique succeeds, I am eternally grateful for Brother Han’s protection. Please accept my bow of thanks!” She gracefully bowed to Han Li before resolutely forming hand seals to activate the formation beneath her.
Seeing this, Han Li sighed and slowly made his way out of the valley. Soon, the area would be flooded with yin energy, and even with his cultivation, he had no desire to remain too close.
He stopped not far from the valley’s entrance and glanced back at the scene within.
A fierce yin wind had already begun swirling around the formation, and a dim black light shrouded the entire area. Faint ghostly wails could be heard emanating from within. The Soul Return Technique indeed appeared extraordinary.
Han Li sat cross-legged at the valley’s entrance, his expression unreadable as he slowly expanded his spiritual sense to monitor the entire island and the nearby sea. Though he remained motionless, his brow furrowed slightly, and a faint, bitter smile touched his lips.
Only now did he understand why Yuanyao had insisted on his protection. The commotion caused by the Soul Return Technique wasn’t just significant—it was enough to shake heaven and earth!
With a headache, he turned to look back at the valley. The yin wind had already engulfed most of it, whipping up dust and debris in a gray haze. The air was filled with mournful ghostly cries and piercing shrieks. Near the formation’s center, blinding black light flickered, and the density of the yin energy was enough to make one’s heart race.
But what truly left Han Li speechless was the massive dark cloud that had formed above the island, spanning over ten miles in diameter. Within it, yin energy churned, and thunder rumbled ominously as it gradually took on a funnel shape, its lower end pointing directly toward the valley.
Such a conspicuous celestial phenomenon would undoubtedly attract the attention of any cultivators in the vicinity. After all, such phenomena usually signaled either the emergence of a treasure or someone performing a heaven-defying technique. They would surely come to investigate.
The only question was whether any formidable figures would be drawn here as well.
As Han Li turned back, lost in thought, his eyes suddenly flickered, and he raised his head to gaze toward a distant direction.
From the southwest of the island, seven or eight streaks of multicolored light came flying. In the blink of an eye, they halted in the sky about ten miles from the island. The lights faded, revealing a group of male and female cultivators. Aside from the gray-haired Foundation Establishment elder at the forefront, the rest were young men and women in their twenties, all at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Condensation.
Their matching blue silk robes indicated they belonged to the same sect.
The elder stood at the front, his expression shifting between doubt and unease as he observed the astonishing celestial phenomenon above the island.
“Elder Zhao, let’s hurry to the island! It might be a treasure manifesting!” A young woman in her early twenties urged impatiently when the elder remained silent.
“Girl Huiling, you’re too hasty. Judging by these signs, even if it is a treasure, it’s more likely to be a demonic or cursed artifact. Moreover, it could be a senior cultivator refining something or performing a demonic technique. Charging in recklessly would be suicide.” The elder shot her a sidelong glance, reprimanding her in a condescending tone.
Though the young woman looked displeased, she lowered her head and held her tongue.
“Elder, should we just wait here, then?” An older male disciple asked hesitantly after studying the dark clouds over the island.
“Don’t worry. With such a spectacle, others are bound to arrive soon. We’ll assess the situation and act accordingly. Remember, the reason our Taiyang Sect has endured this long is because our disciples exercise caution and avoid unnecessary trouble. Even if an unimaginable opportunity presents itself, we must first consider whether we have the life to enjoy it!” The elder seemed to be leading his juniors on a training excursion, using the moment to impart wisdom while keeping an eye on the island.
The young disciples behind him nodded repeatedly in agreement.
True to the elder’s words, it wasn’t long before two more streaks of light—one yellow, one green—streaked toward the island from another direction. Noticing the Taiyang Sect group, they stopped about a hundred zhang away.
“So it’s Fellow Daoist Zhao of the Taiyang Sect. Do you know what’s happening on this island? Why has such a celestial phenomenon appeared?” A sweet female voice rang out from within the lights before they dispersed, revealing a man and a woman.
The man appeared to be in his forties, clad in black robes, his face stiff and lifeless. The woman, in her late twenties, was elegant and dignified as she addressed the elder warmly.
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