“Hmph! Nonsense! There’s nothing wrong with this woman, and she does have some connection with me. However, it’s best to quietly erase some of her memories from today. Otherwise, if any word leaks out unintentionally, not only will I be in trouble, but she herself might invite fatal consequences.” Han Li snorted coldly and spoke with a displeased tone.
Without further ado, a faint green aura flashed across his face as he pressed his open palm onto the woman’s head. He began performing a secret technique recorded in the Profound Yin Scripture called the “Dream Guidance Art,” sealing and altering certain memories. This made the woman believe she had merely encountered a generous senior cultivator today, who had kindly bestowed upon her Foundation Establishment Pills and other elixirs. All memories related to Han Li were completely sealed away.
This technique of altering another’s consciousness was far superior to the “Mind Control Art” or the previous Forgetfulness Needles and Dustless Pills. Unless a cultivator far surpassing Han Li in cultivation personally undid the spell, there was no way to reverse it.
However, this technique could only be safely performed when the gap in cultivation between the two parties was vast. Otherwise, the subject might suffer damage to their consciousness. Han Li only felt confident using it because the woman’s cultivation was far too low.
After a full quarter-hour, Han Li finally finished. The woman remained unconscious.
Placing her gently back on the chair, Han Li took the opportunity to visit the pavilion housing the memorial tablets of Xin Ruyin and Qi Xiaoyao. He paid his respects to them, reduced the head of the Fu Family Patriarch to ashes, and then quietly departed.
—
“Master, what exactly is in that jade slip? You seem to place great importance on it,” Silvermoon, having reverted to her spirit form, asked curiously within Han Li’s mind.
“It’s a tome of ancient formation techniques from the primordial era, containing several profound grand formations from antiquity. With my current knowledge of formations, I can’t comprehend them in a short time. But aside from formations, it also records a very peculiar secret technique at the end, which I found quite intriguing,” Han Li replied leisurely as he flew through the sky.
“A secret technique? With your current expertise and the complete Profound Yin Scripture, what kind of technique could still pique your interest?” Silvermoon giggled, her curiosity growing stronger.
“Have you heard of the renowned divine ability, ‘One Qi Transforms Three Pure Ones’?” Han Li smiled faintly, speaking unhurriedly.
“What? Does it record that foremost mystical technique of the Daoist sects?” Silvermoon’s laughter abruptly ceased, her voice trembling with excitement.
“Of course not,” Han Li flatly denied.
“Ah? Then why mention it? Were you teasing me, Master? I thought it unlikely for such an overpowering technique to be leaked by the Daoist sects—even they might not know if it’s been lost!” Silvermoon deflated.
“Though the technique recorded in the jade slip isn’t ‘One Qi Transforms Three Pure Ones,’ it is a similar demonic path ability called the ‘Profound Womb Infant Transformation Art,'” Han Li explained, his usual calm demeanor tinged with a strange excitement.
“Profound Womb Infant Transformation Art? What kind of technique is that? I’ve never heard of it,” Silvermoon said, puzzled.
“Neither have I. But it’s a genuine method for nurturing a second primordial spirit—even capable of fostering a second Nascent Soul,” Han Li replied solemnly.
“A second Nascent Soul! Really? If this technique can achieve that, even if it’s not on par with ‘One Qi Transforms Three Pure Ones,’ it’s still a divine ability of similar magnitude!” Silvermoon exclaimed, reinvigorated. The stronger Han Li’s abilities, the closer she was to her own goals.
“Whether it’s real remains to be seen. I’ll need to study it carefully back at Falling Cloud Sect. However, the formations recorded earlier in the jade slip are undoubtedly genuine ancient grand formations. Since they’re copied on the same slip, the technique is likely authentic as well,” Han Li said, his voice regaining its usual calm after a brief surge of excitement.
“Tsk tsk, to think someone would deliver such a technique right to you, Master. Your luck truly is remarkable. However, demonic path techniques, though powerful and easier to cultivate than Daoist arts, often come with hidden flaws—the more formidable the ability, the more pronounced they are. Be sure to scrutinize it thoroughly for any drawbacks,” Silvermoon cautioned.
“I’m aware. I’ll proceed with caution. If there are any issues, I won’t practice it,” Han Li replied with clear-headed resolve.
Reassured, Silvermoon then asked curiously, “Master, the direction we’re flying doesn’t seem to be toward the State of Xi. Aren’t we returning to Falling Cloud Sect?”
“Not yet. Since we’re already here, I plan to visit the State of Yue. After all, it’s my homeland. There are some worldly ties I need to sever, or they’ll linger in my heart, hindering my future cultivation progress,” Han Li admitted with a sigh.
“That’s wise. At your level, only by completely cutting off mortal attachments can one truly pursue the supreme Dao,” Silvermoon agreed after a moment of silence.
“Enough talk. I must focus on traveling now,” Han Li said curtly, ending the conversation. His figure abruptly transformed into a green streak, shooting through the sky at several times his previous speed, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Unbeknownst to Han Li, thousands of miles away, several green-robed cultivators were gathered in a forest, whispering anxiously among themselves.
“What do we do? Another few days have passed, and there’s still no trace of the Spirit Infant. If we don’t recover it within three months, the sect will surely send the Enforcers,” a burly man fretted.
“Hmph! The three-month ultimatum was likely just the Ancestor venting his anger. Everyone knows that once the Wood Spirit Infant breaks free from its restraints, it’s beyond the control of mere Foundation Establishment cultivators like us. But if we can’t even find a single clue about its whereabouts, we’re truly doomed,” a cold-faced scholar added grimly.
“But the Spirit Infant’s escape wasn’t our fault! It was Elder Ning, who was supposed to guard it, who dismissed us and tried to merge with it against orders. He died from the backlash, and by the time we arrived, the infant was long gone. Even with the restraining and tracking artifacts, we couldn’t catch up—it was too fast. And now that it’s been sealed, we’ve lost all traces of it,” a plain-looking woman protested fearfully.
“Save your excuses for the Enforcers. Thankfully, Elders Han and Liu are coming to assist us. With their Wood Spirit Roots and cultivation, they should be able to locate the infant even if it’s sealed. Though I am curious—how could someone suppress the Wood Spirit Infant without specialized artifacts? It’s unheard of,” the scholar mused.
“Regardless of who did it, our priority is finding them. Didn’t the message say Ancestor Kuang will intervene personally?” an elderly man with yellowish brows interjected coldly.
“Second Brother is right. Survival is all that matters now. But with the midway teleportation array damaged, the two elders will have to fly for two days to reach the next sect-controlled array before coming here. They should arrive within a day or two. What if the person who sealed the infant leaves Yuan Wu Country by then? We don’t even know their nationality,” the burly man worried.
“Heh. What you don’t know is that Elders Han and Liu were the designated candidates to merge with the Spirit Infant. They’ve trained for years in a secret technique specifically for this purpose—they can sense the infant’s direction no matter how far. The one who sealed it won’t escape their detection,” the elderly man said confidently.
Hearing this, the others relaxed slightly. However, the scholar frowned. “But could the person who sealed the infant also be the one who exterminated the Fu Family? It’s too coincidental—the infant vanished near their estate, and days later, the family was wiped out, ruining our plans to use their resources. What if the killer targeted them because of their ties to us?”
“Ninth Brother, you’re overthinking. How could they possibly know about our sect’s connection to the Fu Family? It’s likely just coincidence. Though, it is odd for two Nascent Soul cultivators to appear in the same area—they might indeed be the same person,” the woman conceded hesitantly.
“Oh? The same person? Do enlighten us,” a soft, youthful female voice drawled lazily from behind a large tree. Two graceful figures in white robes emerged side by side before the group.
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