Regarding the conditions set by Marquis Nanlong and his companion, Wang Tiangu and the other cultivators had no objections. After all, given their cultivation levels and their status as the initiators, it was only natural for them to claim more treasures.
To avoid complications, the group immediately agreed to set off in two days, without waiting for the trade fair to conclude. Only after everyone swore a Heart Demon Oath not to disclose the matter did they leave the place one by one.
However, Han Li noticed that Marquis Nanlong and his companion appeared extremely confident, seemingly unafraid of any underhanded schemes from others. This made sense—since they alone held the location and the method to break the restrictions, with their cunning and abilities, it would indeed be difficult for anyone else to plot against them.
As for Han Li’s decision to join this expedition, he had his own considerations.
Since reaching the Nascent Soul stage, the progress of his “Azure Essence Sword Art” had slowed to a snail’s pace due to the lack of suitable elixirs. Han Li estimated that if he relied solely on secluded cultivation, it would take at least two to three hundred years to reach the peak of the early Nascent Soul stage. Whether he could advance to the mid-stage afterward would depend on fate and fortune, as innate talent was no longer the most critical factor—any cultivator who reached this stage was already exceptionally gifted.
Originally, Han Li had planned to go into seclusion for over a hundred years after the trade fair, refining his techniques before venturing out to explore ancient ruins and rare treasures. Only by doing so could he hope to find an opportunity to advance to the next stage sooner. Now, with the chance to obtain the famed treasures of the Fallen Demon Valley, how could he pass it up? Perhaps this was the opportunity he had been waiting for!
The others likely harbored similar thoughts.
These old Nascent Soul monsters had been stuck at the early stage for who knew how long and would never let slip any chance to break through. Moreover, the demonic cultivators who perished in the Fallen Demon Valley were no ordinary ancient cultivators—they were said to be among the most powerful of their time. The techniques or elixirs they left behind must be extraordinary. This alone was enough to tempt Han Li and the others.
However, since the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect would also be joining the expedition, Han Li would not hesitate to eliminate him if the opportunity arose. As long as he wasn’t caught red-handed by Wang Tiangu, what could the Ghost Spirit Sect really do to him? After all, the demonic path and his current Heavenly Dao Alliance were already sworn enemies.
With these murderous thoughts in mind, Han Li walked down a bluestone street toward his residence.
Unbeknownst to him, in an alley several streets away, Wang Tiangu walked unhurriedly ahead, followed silently by Wang Chan and Yan Ruyan.
“Once we return, tell me in detail about your grudge with that man. From the look of it, his hatred for you hasn’t faded. From now on, you two should not stray too far from me to avoid being ambushed,” Wang Tiangu instructed leisurely.
“Yes, Uncle. I never imagined that a single misjudgment back then would lead to such a formidable enemy. For him to break through both the Core Formation and Nascent Soul bottlenecks in such a short time is truly shocking!” Wang Chan replied respectfully, though the thought of Han Li being a Nascent Soul cultivator weighed heavily on him, filling him with frustration.
“Hmph! There’s no need to be too disheartened. With the supreme power of the Blood Spirit Art, the two of you working together may not truly fear that brat. Once you break through the seventh layer of the Blood Spirit Art, both you and Ruyan can form Nascent Souls. Then, it’s hard to say who will be the one causing trouble for whom! Still, during this trip to the Mulan Grassland, you two must be extra cautious. Even if I have to leave you for some reason, do not separate. Together, you should be able to protect yourselves,” Wang Tiangu said coldly.
“Thank you for your guidance, Uncle!” Wang Chan felt somewhat reassured and quickly expressed his gratitude.
“Heh! Among your brothers, I’ve always favored you the most. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought you alone to this trade fair. However, that brat was originally a disciple of the Yellow Maple Valley, and the old fox Linghu seems to have personally attended this trade fair as well. Could there still be some connection between him and that old ghost?” Wang Tiangu muttered, his voice lowering as if he were deeply wary of Elder Linghu.
Hearing this, Wang Chan and Yan Ruyan exchanged a glance, their expressions uneasy.
Han Li returned to his residence, slept through the night, and spent the next day hastily purchasing the remaining materials he needed. He then instructed Mu Peiling and arranged for Lü Luo to escort her back.
When Lü Luo heard that Han Li planned to leave before the trade fair ended, he was naturally surprised. However, seeing that Han Li had no intention of explaining further, he didn’t press for details and readily agreed. This greatly increased Han Li’s goodwill toward his senior brother.
The following day, Han Li stayed in his pavilion, meditating and refining his qi the entire time.
At the appointed hour, Han Li calmly left the pavilion and headed alone toward a small mountain a thousand miles south of Tiannan City. There, Marquis Nanlong and the white-robed elder waited without any subordinates. Notably, Marquis Nanlong had even changed out of his purple robe and jade crown, now dressed as a plain yellow-robed scholar.
Over the next few hours, the others arrived one by one, with Wang Tiangu and his two companions from the Ghost Spirit Sect appearing last as a group.
Han Li’s expression flickered slightly at the sight.
At Marquis Nanlong’s command of “Let’s go,” the group of nine quietly left Tiannan City, heading south toward the Mulan Grassland.
The State of Yu, where Tiannan City was located, was not the closest to the Mulan Grassland. The nine allied nations bordering the grassland were not directly adjacent either, separated instead by a vast expanse of yellow wasteland spanning nearly ten thousand miles. This barren land, with its sparse vegetation, perpetual dust storms, and relentless winds, had long served as the battleground between the nine allied nations and the Mulan spellcasters. Over the years, countless cultivators had perished here.
Even during peacetime, this wasteland was an extremely dangerous place. For various reasons, many cultivators and spellcasters from both sides roamed the area.
Some openly killed for treasures, while others sought to break through cultivation bottlenecks in life-or-death struggles. Whatever their motives, one thing was certain—those who dared to venture here were confident in their abilities, far surpassing ordinary cultivators of their rank. Most were at the Foundation Establishment stage, though occasional Core Formation-level conflicts also erupted.
Whenever Core Formation experts appeared, the lower-level cultivators would quickly scatter, fearing collateral damage.
As for Nascent Soul-level powerhouses, they rarely appeared in such minor skirmishes. Thus, when Marquis Nanlong led Han Li and the others into this region, none of them paid it much mind, treating the wasteland as if it were nothing.
A distance of ten thousand miles was nothing to Nascent Soul cultivators like Han Li, easily traversed in less than a day. The group proceeded at a steady pace, with Marquis Nanlong and the white-robed elder leading the way, Wang Tiangu and his two companions bringing up the rear, and Han Li and the others scattered in between.
Along the way, they spotted a few low-level cultivators but paid them no heed, silently flying overhead.
Perhaps by coincidence, after flying for about half an hour, the white-robed elder at the front suddenly halted.
“Brother Yun, what’s the matter?” Marquis Nanlong asked in surprise. Since they took turns monitoring their surroundings with their spiritual sense, he was puzzled by the sudden stop.
“There seems to be a strong wind ahead—something feels off,” Elder Yun said, narrowing his eyes with a grave expression.
“A strong wind? Isn’t that normal for this place?” Marquis Nanlong replied skeptically, though he also extended his spiritual sense to investigate. He knew the elder wouldn’t raise such concerns without reason.
Han Li and the old woman behind them overheard the exchange and exchanged glances before probing ahead themselves.
Though they hadn’t yet entered the Mulan Grassland, caution was warranted. As powerful cultivators, they preferred to verify things personally rather than rely on others’ words.
The moment Han Li and the others extended their spiritual senses forward, their expressions shifted to one of uncertainty.
“This wind isn’t just a little off—it’s definitely unnatural. It’s no ordinary gale,” the old woman said darkly, withdrawing her spiritual sense.
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