“Fellow Daoist is truly astute. This is indeed the Luoyun Sect of the Heavenly Dao Alliance. Please hurry, my master is waiting!” Silvermoon’s eyes flickered as she subtly urged.
“Very well! I would also like to meet this senior. Please lead the way, Fellow Daoist.” The woman in white was no ordinary cultivator and quickly regained her composure.
Silvermoon smiled faintly and gracefully stepped out of the meditation chamber, with the woman in white following silently behind. Moments later, the two arrived in the main hall.
Han Li sat on a stone chair, his clear gaze fixed on a massive glowing barrier in the center of the hall. Inside, a spirit beast was violently ramming its head against the barrier, but the earth-attribute restriction remained unshaken, its deep yellow surface as solid as bedrock.
Upon closer inspection, Liu Yu saw that the beast resembled a blue ox, with scaled armor on its back and pale silver hooves—a rare Iron Rhinoceros.
Though not an ancient variant, this spirit beast was still a rare treasure in the cultivation world. The recently annihilated Yuanwu Fu Clan had once possessed a similar ancestral rhinoceros, said to rival a mid-Core Formation cultivator without faltering. Could this be the same beast?
If so, then the man before her must have slaughtered the entire Fu Clan and seized this spirit beast.
Liu Yu’s heart trembled at Han Li’s ruthlessness. Falling into the hands of a Nascent Soul cultivator like him was perilous indeed!
Yet, she was also puzzled by Han Li’s youthful appearance. Male cultivators rarely practiced techniques that preserved youth, and by the Nascent Soul stage, most appeared middle-aged—though for cultivators, “middle-aged” could span centuries. In the cultivation world, it was not uncommon for elders to address middle-aged cultivators as “Uncle” or “Ancestor.”
At this moment, Silvermoon stood before Han Li and said solemnly, “Master, I have brought the Fellow Daoist from the Beast Taming Sect.”
“Good. You may leave,” Han Li replied casually.
“As you command, Master!” Silvermoon, aware her transformation was temporary, smiled and withdrew.
Liu Yu stepped forward uneasily, offering a graceful bow before standing meekly to the side, her delicate demeanor exuding vulnerability.
Yet Han Li merely cast her a cold glance before turning back to the Iron Rhinoceros. With a flick of his finger, a slender arc of lightning shot forth, piercing the barrier and striking the beast.
The rhinoceros convulsed, let out a mournful cry, and collapsed, its limbs twitching uncontrollably.
Seeing Han Li effortlessly subdue such a powerful spirit beast, Liu Yu’s expression flickered, though she quickly masked her shock. Han Li’s keen senses, however, detected the slight acceleration of her heartbeat.
His gaze returned to her, and he asked calmly, “What is your name, and why did you follow me? While it’s understandable for Ghost Spirit Sect or Demon Flame Sect cultivators to seek me out, I’ve had no dealings with your Beast Taming Sect.”
Liu Yu hesitated, biting her lip before replying softly, “Senior, you’ve imprisoned our sect’s Wood Spirit Infant. I was ordered to track you down. If I’ve offended you, I beg your forgiveness—I was merely following orders.” She knew lying was futile; a Nascent Soul cultivator could easily extract the truth through soul-searching techniques. She had no desire to suffer mental damage and be reduced to an idiot.
“Wood Spirit Infant? That green demonic infant?” Han Li frowned, recalling the eerie little creature he had captured.
“Yes, that’s the one. Our sect spent countless effort refining it, and it’s of great importance to us. Unfortunately, it escaped due to an accident and was later captured by you,” Liu Yu explained with a bitter smile.
“Refined? I thought it was some kind of demonic spirit. Still, it was quite troublesome. Few cultivators could have subdued it,” Han Li remarked coldly.
Liu Yu’s face flushed with embarrassment, unsure how to respond.
Han Li studied her flawless complexion thoughtfully before asking, “But how did you know I captured it and track me so quickly? Did you place some kind of mark on it? If so, I should have detected it.”
“Senior, I didn’t place any tracking restrictions on the infant. Instead, another senior sister and I cultivated a special technique that allows us to sense its general location from afar. That’s why our sect elders sent me after you. Of course, this sensing has its limits—beyond a certain distance, say a hundred thousand miles, we’d lose track.” Liu Yu seemed utterly transparent, even volunteering additional details.
Han Li nodded slightly, satisfied with her cooperation, regardless of its sincerity.
Then he posed a question that made Liu Yu’s expression change drastically.
“If your sect went to such lengths to refine this infant, it must serve a significant purpose. Care to enlighten me?” Han Li’s eyes narrowed, glinting with a cold light as he awaited her answer.
Liu Yu hesitated, but a single glance at Han Li’s icy gaze sent a shiver down her spine. She answered without delay, “The Wood Spirit Infant is extraordinary. It can merge with a wood-attribute spiritual root cultivator who has practiced a specific technique, allowing them to bypass the need to form their own Nascent Soul and directly attain Nascent Soul-level cultivation and abilities.”
Though she knew revealing this secret would bring severe consequences upon her return, she had no choice. This youthful-looking Nascent Soul cultivator showed no mercy—survival came first.
“Directly entering the Nascent Soul stage? If true, your sect should have dominated the demonic path long ago. Why remain subordinate to the Joyful Union Sect? Are there limitations?” Han Li was startled but quickly pinpointed the flaw.
“Senior is perceptive. These infants cannot be mass-produced. The technique was devised long ago, but refining them is incredibly difficult. Not only are the materials exceedingly rare, but it also requires the cooperation of elders nearing the end of their lifespans. Their dissipated Nascent Souls upon death are essential. Even then, success is rare—perhaps one in dozens of attempts. Moreover, the fusion ritual requires five infants of different attributes. Missing even one disrupts the elemental balance, rendering it futile. Our sect has only amassed six or seven over the years, lacking the rarest—the metal-attribute infant—until a few decades ago. Ten Core Formation disciples, including myself, were selected to cultivate the necessary techniques, awaiting the day five of us would undergo the fusion.”
Han Li listened impassively, though inwardly intrigued. After a long silence, he remarked, “Such a shortcut must come with drawbacks. How do these pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivators differ from genuine ones?”
The method reminded him of the Fiend Core cultivators—another shortcut with severe limitations.
“Senior is correct. While specifics are unknown to me, the fused cultivators do not gain the extended lifespan of true Nascent Soul cultivators—they retain their Core Formation longevity. Moreover, the technique severs any chance of forming a genuine Nascent Soul, forever halting further advancement. The trade-offs are significant.” Having revealed so much, Liu Yu saw no point in holding back.
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