When Wei Wuyi and Zhiyang Shangren were casually discussing Han Li in the grand hall, Han Li himself had already arrived at the main entrance. To his surprise, he spotted Dong Xuan’er standing right outside the door.
The woman, who had apparently emerged from a side hall at some point, stood there with her head slightly lowered, seemingly lost in thought. The guards at the door, knowing she had arrived with the eccentric Yun Lu, turned a blind eye and allowed her to linger without interference.
As Han Li stepped out, Dong Xuan’er seemed to sense his presence and raised her head. Upon recognizing him, her expression twisted into something peculiar—a mix of confusion, resentment, and something else indecipherable. Han Li found himself puzzled by her reaction but had no words to exchange with her. He walked past her without acknowledgment, heading toward the distant streets.
Dong Xuan’er remained motionless, biting her red lips lightly as she watched Han Li’s retreating figure, not uttering a single word.
Only after turning a corner did Han Li feel her gaze finally fade. He frowned slightly and shook his head.
*”Master, do you know that female cultivator?”* Silvermoon’s curious voice echoed in his mind.
*”An acquaintance from the past, though our relationship was far from pleasant,”* Han Li replied indifferently.
*”Is that so? But from the way she looked at you, it seemed… rather complicated. Could she be someone from your—”* Silvermoon teased, deliberately leaving the rest unsaid.
*”Don’t speculate nonsense. I have no fond memories of her—in fact, we were once adversaries,”* Han Li retorted with a cold snort, clearly displeased.
Silvermoon sent him a playful mental smirk before wisely dropping the subject.
Since the day Han Li had rescued her without pressing about the loss of the Purple Lightning Net and the ancient flower basket treasure, Silvermoon had grown noticeably closer to him. Though she still dared not be too presumptuous, she had begun to open up to him in ways she hadn’t before.
Han Li, naturally aware of this shift, had also grown more trusting of her. Their relationship had improved significantly compared to the beginning.
Upon returning to the Falling Cloud Sect’s quarters, Han Li briefly recounted the discussions from the grand hall to Lü Luo.
*”Junior Brother, why take such a risk in the wager battle? Those pieces of Geng Gold may be rare, but they’re ultimately external possessions. If anything were to happen to you—”* Lü Luo’s face darkened with concern.
Han Li smiled faintly. *”Senior Brother Lü, rest assured. I wouldn’t have agreed if I weren’t confident in my ability to withdraw unscathed. My only worry is the safety of our disciples during the battle in seven days. I won’t be able to spare attention for them, so I’ll have to rely on you.”*
*”I’ll take care of the disciples. If you’re certain about the wager battle, I won’t say more. But before the fight, if there’s anything you need, just instruct the disciples to assist you,”* Lü Luo replied, somewhat reassured.
Han Li nodded. After a brief pause, he added, *”For this battle, I do need to make some preparations. There are a few special materials I’ll require—I’ll need some of our junior disciples to gather them for me.”* Without hesitation, he retrieved a pre-prepared jade slip from his storage pouch and handed it to Lü Luo.
*”Don’t worry. As long as these materials exist in Heavenly Unity City, I’ll ensure they’re collected for you,”* Lü Luo declared firmly.
A flicker of warmth passed through Han Li’s heart. He nodded appreciatively, exchanged a few more words, and then took his leave.
The materials listed in the jade slip were supplementary ingredients for crafting the *Spirit Subduing Talisman*. On his way back, Han Li had already considered his options. Though confident in his current abilities, his cautious nature urged him to prepare an additional trump card. The *Spirit Subduing Talisman* was the only formidable technique he could prepare within such a short timeframe—other methods, like reforging his flying swords or mastering the Great Swords Formation, were impossible in mere days.
The only concern was the talisman’s success rate. Originally, he had planned to practice his talisman-crafting skills with a high-quality spirit brush before attempting it, but time no longer permitted. Even if the chances were low, he had to try. Success would grant him another lethal technique; failure would be inconsequential, as no other preparations could significantly boost his strength in such a short span.
With these thoughts, Han Li calmly returned to his residence. Entering his chamber, he sat cross-legged on the bed and soon closed his eyes in meditation.
To his surprise, all the materials he needed were gathered and delivered to him within just two days. Pleased, Han Li mused that being an elder of the Falling Cloud Sect certainly had its perks.
Carrying the materials, he entered a secluded chamber and sat in the center, arranging the supplementary ingredients before him. Finally, he retrieved a dark green vial from his storage pouch and carefully uncorked it.
With a *whoosh*, a crimson light shot out. Unfazed, Han Li raised a hand and summoned a glowing azure claw that snatched the light midair. As the radiance swirled, the crimson mass revealed its true form—a tiny, writhing blood-red flood dragon, no larger than a few inches, desperately struggling to escape. But the faint azure glow around it held it firmly in place, rendering it as helpless as a caged bird.
Han Li narrowed his eyes, blue light flickering deep within his pupils as he scrutinized the flood dragon’s soul. Though it thrashed about as vigorously as when he had first sealed it decades ago, his *Brightsight Spirit Eyes* revealed the truth—its spiritual awareness had faded. The soul retained its immense power, but its eyes were dull and unfocused, its intelligence reduced to that of a mindless beast. Its struggles were mere instinct.
A sigh escaped Han Li’s lips. He recalled the once-mighty, shape-shifting eighth-grade flood dragon, a being of overwhelming might and arrogance. Yet now, its soul was reduced to this pitiful state in just a few short years. The contrast was stark, a sobering reminder of the ruthless path of cultivation. If he ever fell and his soul was captured, his fate would be no different.
After a moment of silent reflection, Han Li flicked his wrist. The azure glow carrying the tiny flood dragon shot upward, hovering motionlessly in the air.
Turning his attention to the materials before him, he pointed at a piece of vibrant green spirit beast hide. It floated up to chest level, where Han Li exhaled a wisp of azure infant flame, enveloping the hide without burning it.
His fingers danced as he cast a series of incantations, the flame flickering unpredictably. Pausing briefly, he gestured toward a white jade box. Its lid flew open, revealing a shimmering powder. With a hook of his finger, a silver stream of powder merged into the flame, igniting sparks that swirled around the hide, transforming it into a radiant silver lotus slowly rotating within the fire.
Han Li’s expression grew solemn as he began adding more materials in rapid succession. The flame’s hue shifted from silver to black, then to green, and finally to a deep crimson. Satisfied, he ceased his additions and began chanting softly. Thin azure threads shot from his fingertips, latching onto the hide and causing it to sway erratically.
As the incantation continued, black tendrils of impurity emerged from the hide, instantly vaporizing upon contact with the flame. A faint, acrid odor filled the chamber as the hide shrank slightly.
Han Li remained unfazed, maintaining the process for over an hour until the last trace of impurity was purged. Only then did he relax slightly.
After adding a few final ingredients and refining for a short while longer, Han Li’s eyes gleamed. With a gentle exhale, the flame dissipated, revealing the now-crimson hide, now palm-sized.
Pleased with the result, Han Li glanced at the hovering flood dragon soul. Without hesitation, he pointed at it, dissolving the surrounding azure light. Freed, the soul shot toward the hide and vanished into its surface with a faint *sizzle*.
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