When Patriarch Linghu saw Han Li, his expression remained unchanged, showing no trace of surprise. It was unclear whether he failed to recognize the former Foundation Establishment disciple or if his composure was simply too deep to betray his emotions.
Han Li’s gaze shifted. Aside from these individuals, seated in the center of the hall were a purple-faced elder and a dignified, elegantly dressed noblewoman in palace attire. When Han Li briefly probed them with his spiritual sense, his heart tightened—both were at the mid-Nascent Soul stage and likely the leaders of the Nine Nations Alliance.
As Han Li scanned the hall, the other cultivators also scrutinized the newly arrived young man. Most were visibly surprised by Han Li’s youthful appearance, as cultivation techniques that could preserve a male cultivator’s looks were indeed rare.
“Junior Brother Han, you’ve finally arrived. Please take a seat. We were just discussing the matter of the Mulan people with Sect Master Wu and others,” the Lu surnamed cultivator greeted with a smile.
Beside him, the Fire Dragon Child also nodded amiably with a faint smile.
Han Li returned a calm smile, cupped his hands slightly toward the other cultivators in the hall, and took a seat on the wooden chair next to Lu.
“This must be Fellow Daoist Han from the Falling Cloud Sect. I am Wu Peng of the Beiye Sect. From Brother Lu, we’ve heard that you reached the Nascent Soul stage in just over two hundred years—truly a prodigy among the cultivators of the South Sky. Perhaps the Great Dao truly lies within your grasp!” The purple-faced cultivator smiled at Han Li once he was seated.
Though Han Li’s current cultivation was still a step below his own, Wu Peng dared not underestimate him given his potential.
“Sect Master Wu flatters me. I merely stumbled into the Nascent Soul stage by luck and dare not speak of achieving the Great Dao,” Han Li replied modestly, knowing the Beiye Sect was a major faction on par with the Huayi Sect within the Nine Nations Alliance. As he spoke, his gaze briefly swept over the middle-aged noblewoman beside the elder. If the purple-faced elder was the Beiye Sect’s leader, this woman was likely from the Huayi Sect.
Sure enough, as soon as Han Li had this thought, Wu Peng coughed lightly and said, “This is Madam Qi of the Huayi Sect. She and I are temporarily overseeing the affairs of the Nine Nations Alliance. As for the other fellow Daoists here…”
The elder proceeded to introduce the other cultivators in the hall one by one. When it came to Patriarch Linghu of the Yellow Maple Valley, the old man responded expressionlessly, showing no particular reaction.
Han Li’s heart stirred slightly, but his face remained impassive as he nodded in acknowledgment.
Once the introductions were complete, Wu Peng’s expression turned solemn. “Fellow Daoist Han, your arrival is timely. We were just discussing how the Mulan spellcasters’ forces have grown far beyond our initial expectations. We’ve received reports that Elder Yu and his forces suffered another major defeat on the frontlines. Two of our defensive formations were even forcibly breached by the enemy’s giant beasts. Many of our cultivators were killed or injured, and Fellow Daoist Huan of the Shadow Sect perished in this battle—the second Nascent Soul cultivator to fall since the war began. This shows the Mulan people are advancing with unprecedented ferocity, and our alliance urgently requires your assistance.”
Hearing the gravity in Wu Peng’s words, the smiles faded from the faces of the assembled cultivators, replaced by a heavy atmosphere.
“Sect Master Wu, we’ve also received some news, as our disciples on rotation in your alliance have been fighting on the frontlines. However, we’re unclear about the specifics of Fellow Daoist Feng’s demise. Could you elaborate? It’s hard to believe that Nascent Soul cultivators would fall so quickly—have the enemy’s high-ranking spellcasters already mobilized in large numbers?” asked a green-robed, vulture-faced elder in a hoarse, gloomy voice.
Han Li glanced at the man a few more times. Earlier, Wu Peng had introduced him as an elder from the Devil Dao’s Beast Taming Sect. Han Li wondered if he had any connection to Liu Yu and Han Yunzhi.
“Whether the enemy’s high-ranking spellcasters have fully mobilized remains unclear, but both Fellow Daoist Feng and the previously fallen Fellow Daoist Xin perished in one-on-one battles—they weren’t overwhelmed by numbers,” Wu Peng replied with a peculiar expression.
“Impossible! Even if they faced mid-Nascent Soul spellcasters, they should have been able to escape. Could it be that Mulan’s Divine Masters were the ones who struck?” The green-robed elder paled in shock.
“No, it was two early Nascent Soul spellcasters. But these two were unusual—their spiritual techniques were far more powerful than those of their peers, and they wielded a bizarre treasure. After our two fellow Daoists were defeated, their nascent souls were trapped the moment they tried to flee, unable to even use teleportation. That’s how they perished,” Wu Peng explained with a sigh, as if anticipating the question.
“A treasure that prevents nascent souls from teleporting? What kind of treasure is that—an ancient treasure or a magic artifact?” someone gasped in disbelief.
Han Li and the others also reacted with alarm. The reason Nascent Soul cultivators were so hard to kill was precisely because their nascent souls could teleport away upon leaving the body. If a treasure could counter this ability, it was no wonder everyone was shocked.
“Our frontline disciples couldn’t identify the exact nature of the treasure. They only reported that the two enemies would flick their hands, releasing a black-red light that moved unpredictably, making it impossible to defend against. Moreover…” Wu Peng hesitated, his expression uncertain.
“Sect Master Wu, at this point, what else is there to hide?” The green-robed elder frowned impatiently.
“It’s not that Brother Wu is unwilling to speak, but he finds it hard to believe himself. Allow me to explain,” Madam Qi interjected with a smile, coming to Wu Peng’s aid. As fellow leaders of the Nine Nations Alliance, it was natural for her to support him.
Han Li’s curiosity was piqued, as was everyone else’s in the hall. All eyes turned to Madam Qi.
“Here’s what happened: Some of our frontline disciples observed that the two Nascent Soul spellcasters had strange appearances and seemed to directly consume the souls of the fallen—both spellcasters and cultivators alike. Sect Master Wu suspects they might not be human but some kind of transformed beings. However, they showed no obvious demonic or ghostly aura, making it hard for our disciples to confirm. That said, the sudden appearance of those terrifying ancient beasts among the Mulan forces is likely connected to these unfamiliar spellcasters. We suspect the Mulan people may have allied with another faction, enabling their large-scale invasion of the South Sky,” Madam Qi explained with a sigh.
“Transformed beings? Do you mean shape-shifting demonic beasts?” The hall erupted in shock, and Patriarch Linghu asked gravely.
“Most likely. But even if they aren’t demonic beasts, they could be evil cultivators practicing demonic or ghostly arts. If so, I’d rather face demonic beasts—the alternative would be even worse,” Wu Peng said grimly.
“Sect Master Wu, when did you receive this news?” Han Li, who had been silent until now, asked slowly.
“It came with the previous battle report. Why do you ask, Fellow Daoist Han?” Wu Peng stroked his beard, puzzled.
“Nothing in particular. I just think that whether these unfamiliar spellcasters are human or not, their willingness to act so boldly suggests the Mulan people won’t wage a prolonged war as before. They’ll likely strike decisively, seeking to engage our main forces in a single, decisive battle. Could something major have happened in the Mulan Grasslands?” Han Li mused, stroking his chin.
Wu Peng and Madam Qi exchanged startled glances at Han Li’s analysis. The other cultivators also felt a weight in their hearts. They all understood the implications. Previous Mulan invasions had been protracted, lasting anywhere from a year to over a decade. Both the Nine Nations Alliance and the Mulan spellcasters had avoided all-out battles, as such conflicts typically ended in mutual devastation rather than a clear victory.
Neither the South Sky cultivators nor the Mulan spellcasters could afford such heavy losses. The Mulan people were a coalition of tribes, and the South Sky cultivators were an alliance of sects—neither side could achieve true unity.
But the Mulan’s current aggressive stance, combined with the appearance of ancient beasts and mysterious spellcasters, suggested something had indeed changed on their side.
“Fellow Daoist Han makes a valid point. The Mulan people’s behavior is indeed unusual, and we mustn’t take it lightly. All South Sky sects must mobilize immediately, and we need to dispatch the second wave of reinforcements soon. If the Mulan forces pick us off one by one, the consequences will be dire. I hope you all convey this urgency to your respective sects upon your return. The Nine Nations Alliance alone cannot hold out for long,” Wu Peng said heavily after a long silence.
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