“This… Since the master personally asks, Silvermoon will be bold. May I ask what plans the master has for the future? If there are no other arrangements, staying in the Falling Cloud Sect would be a good choice. Those two are both early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, so the master won’t be constrained by anyone within the sect. Moreover, the Falling Cloud Sect is a fairly large sect, capable of providing the master with considerable support. Of course, if the master has other plans, that’s also fine. A Nascent Soul cultivator, even if a rogue cultivator, would not be easily provoked by any sect,” Silvermoon said calmly.
“For now, I have no concrete plans. I need several years to solidify my Nascent Soul first. Additionally, I must eventually visit the Far West to obtain the final three layers of the Great Development Art. I also have to return to Yuanwu Country—I once promised someone to exterminate the Fu family there. I wonder if this family has any connection to the Fu family of the Hundred Crafts Academy,” Han Li said indifferently.
“If that’s the case, the master should stay in the Falling Cloud Sect for now. Being a rogue cultivator is somewhat isolating, and having guidance from Nascent Soul cultivators would greatly benefit the master’s cultivation,” Silvermoon suggested after some thought.
“Hmm, that makes sense. I’m a bit tired now. You may leave,” Han Li said without confirming whether he would follow the advice. He then stood and walked toward the bedroom.
The white fox tilted its head, watching Han Li’s retreating figure with a thoughtful expression before also leaving the hall.
Lying on the stone bed in the bedroom, Han Li stared blankly at the ceiling, his emotions turbulent, making it difficult to sleep. The process of forming his Nascent Soul had seemed straightforward, but the risks involved left him shuddering in retrospect.
The excruciating pain of his meridians twisting and reversing during the Core Shattering had nearly driven him to despair, but his deeper cultivation base compared to peers allowed him to endure it. The miraculous effects of the Nine-Curve Spirit Ginseng pill played the greatest role—without it, he suspected he might have lost consciousness on the spot.
As perilous as Core Shattering was, it paled in comparison to the subsequent demonic backlash.
Han Li had assumed that with treasures like the Soul-Nourishing Wood and the Brahman Pearl, along with the specially prepared Spirit-Calming Pill, overcoming the demonic tribulation would be relatively easier than for other Nascent Soul cultivators. Yet the demonic tribulation’s cunning and ferocity far exceeded his expectations.
It first subjected him to a series of his deepest fears—scenarios buried so deeply in his subconscious that he hadn’t even been aware of them. His hometown village being raided by bandits, his parents and younger sister slaughtered, his cultivation lost, reverting to a mortal, the secret of the small vial exposed, and being hunted by the entire cultivation world—each scene struck at his deepest vulnerabilities, appearing before him one after another. The illusions were so vivid that even his usual steadfastness nearly succumbed to rage and terror.
Fortunately, the Spirit-Calming Pill and other treasures lived up to their reputations, preserving a sliver of clarity in his mind at the critical moment, allowing him to break free from the illusions. Even so, he emerged drenched in cold sweat.
Before he could steady himself, the next wave of demonic tribulation struck. In a daze, he was plunged into blissful illusions—reuniting with his family, marrying Nangong Wan, and even scenes of multiple women like the Mo sisters and Chen Qiaoqian serving him. Though he briefly indulged, he soon shook off the allure.
Next came visions of his cultivation reaching unparalleled heights, dominating the Heavenly South cultivation world, ascending to the Spirit Realm, and even becoming an immortal with eternal life. Lost in these illusions for what felt like lifetimes, he eventually awakened by some stroke of fortune, breaking free and solidifying his Nascent Soul.
Lying in bed, Han Li recalled the moment his Nascent Soul first emerged. When it flew out from his crown, he felt as though the Nascent Soul was himself, yet he couldn’t control its actions, only watching as it played above his head like a carefree child. In that moment, he felt an unprecedented peace, as if returning to a state of primal innocence.
Later, he realized this was due to his Nascent Soul being newly formed and not yet fully synchronized with his consciousness. With time and further cultivation, such occurrences would cease.
Exhausted from the ordeal, he eventually drifted into a rare, sweet dream—running through the mountains with his siblings and sharing laughter with his parents. A truly wonderful dream.
When the two elders of the Falling Cloud Sect visited again, Han Li agreed without hesitation to join their sect. Overjoyed, they proposed a grand ceremony to announce his membership, but Han Li firmly declined, insisting on a low-key arrangement. The elders acquiesced, understanding his preference for discretion.
Soon after, Han Li met with the sect’s Core Formation disciples in the main hall of Six Wonders Peak. Many recognized him as the former “Qi Condensation” disciple, and though their thoughts were inscrutable, all behaved respectfully. Even his former “masters” now addressed him as “Uncle Han,” which amused him inwardly.
Noticing a flicker of hesitation in one female disciple—likely recalling her failed attempt to probe his mind in the past—Han Li paid it no heed. After the introductions, the elders granted him permission to choose any mountain in the eastern range for his cave, not limited to the sect’s main peaks.
After a day of searching, Han Li settled on a medium-sized mountain east of the sect. Though not the tallest or most spiritually rich, its unique mother-child peak formation—a main peak surrounded by three smaller ones—made it ideal for setting up arrays. Satisfied, he carved out his largest cave yet in half a day, then erected temporary arrays around the peaks, shrouding the area in mist.
Unimpressed with these rudimentary defenses, he planned to refine them later. Returning to his old cave to retrieve belongings, he found a familiar figure waiting in the herb garden below the stone mountain.
Upon seeing him, the woman bowed deeply and pleaded, “Mu Peiling was blind and has offended Senior Han in the past. I beg for your forgiveness. But I have a request—I hope Senior will take me as a disciple. I vow to serve you faithfully for life.” The usually proud and aloof woman stood with hands clasped, her eyes filled with hope and nervousness.
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