After a day and night, Han Li emerged from the stone chamber, left the mountain, and headed straight for the eastern part of the Great Jin. The capital of Jin, the largest city in the mortal world, was located there.
Since it was still early, Han Li maintained an ordinary Core Formation-level speed to avoid drawing attention, leisurely traveling eastward.
Soon after, he smoothly exited Longzhou and entered the neighboring county, where he retrieved the Wind-Riding Chariot and transformed into a streak of white light, soaring through the sky at full speed.
With his faintly detectable Spirit Infant-level aura, any low-level cultivators he encountered along the way respectfully kept their distance. In the Great Jin, a Spirit Infant-level cultivator was someone ordinary cultivators looked up to, and none dared show the slightest disrespect.
Over a month later, as he entered Jinjiang County near the capital, Han Li put away the Wind-Riding Chariot, slowed his speed, and suppressed his aura to the Core Formation level, proceeding cautiously.
After all, he was now in the heart of the Great Jin, where high-level cultivators were abundant, and he had no intention of drawing unnecessary attention.
Another ten days later, about a hundred miles from the capital, an old yellow-furred horse pulled a worn-out two-wheeled cart along the official road. Seated at the front was a plainly dressed scholar in a blue robe—none other than Han Li.
He swayed slightly with the cart, his eyes half-closed as if drowsing, but in truth, he was secretly refining a Snow Soul Pill he had taken days earlier.
Since emerging from the spatial rift, he had consumed over a dozen of these pills, which enhanced his ice-attribute power.
This ancient spiritual pill lived up to its reputation. Han Li could clearly feel the purified essence of the Dry Blue Ice Flame and the Six-Winged Frost Centipede’s cold energy within him. Even the stubborn impurities in the Violet Heavenly Flame had gradually dissolved, significantly boosting its power.
The only drawback was the difficulty in refining these pills. Each dose required an interval of three to four months, which frustrated Han Li. If he could take one every month, the Violet Heavenly Flame might reach the legendary “freezing a thousand miles” level within a century.
Even so, the Violet Heavenly Flame was already on par with the most formidable techniques of the righteous and demonic paths, with almost no known counter.
As for why Han Li was traveling in such a humble cart, it was due to an unwritten rule in the Great Jin’s cultivation world: within a thousand miles of the capital, flying and combat were prohibited as a sign of respect for the mortal government.
In the Great Jin, cultivators and mortals coexisted to some extent. However, this rule mainly applied to low-level cultivators. Many Core Formation and even Spirit Infant-level experts ignored it, especially those confident in their evasion techniques.
After all, the patrols around the capital were mostly hired rogue cultivators with modest strength. As long as one wasn’t caught or flew too conspicuously, no one cared.
Han Li, too, paid little heed to the rule. But since he had ample time and wanted to refine the Snow Soul Pill en route, he descended hundreds of miles away, bought an old horse from a small town, and set off leisurely.
Along the way, he encountered several low-level cultivators traveling humbly by horse or cart. Han Li concealed his aura, appearing as an ordinary mortal, so none bothered him.
His cart moved slowly, and several merchant caravans had already overtaken him. Han Li remained indifferent, focusing on the cooling sensation of the pill’s energy dispersing through his meridians.
Just as he felt serene, his brow furrowed slightly. A thunderous sound of galloping horses erupted from behind.
Han Li’s expression remained unchanged, but he opened his eyes and tugged the reins, guiding the old horse to the side of the road.
He lazily glanced back and saw a dust cloud approaching like a yellow dragon, with banners fluttering as if an army charged toward him.
The cloud quickly closed in, revealing a troop of silver-armored knights, their figures flickering in the dust. At the lead was a middle-aged man in brocade robes, riding a black steed, with a large “Wang” character embroidered on the banner behind him.
Amid the knights were several jade-green carriages pulled by fine horses. The carriages glowed faintly with spiritual light, remaining perfectly steady despite the breakneck speed.
“Magic tools?” Han Li’s eyes flashed with surprise. A quick scan with his spiritual sense revealed that while most carriages carried inanimate objects, one faintly emitted a cultivator’s aura—albeit weak. It was unusual for a cultivator to travel with soldiers.
Han Li pulled his cart to a complete stop, allowing the troop to pass.
The three to four hundred knights swept by like a hurricane, their momentum awe-inspiring.
Han Li’s gaze flickered. These knights radiated a fierce aura, more akin to battle-hardened frontier soldiers than ordinary guards.
He had heard that despite its vastness, the Great Jin frequently clashed with neighboring regions in the southeast and northwest, where mortal wars were common. Only such chaotic frontiers could forge such iron-willed warriors.
As he pondered, one of the jade carriages passed by. A pair of familiar eyes briefly met his through the window, followed by a soft exclamation inside.
Han Li sensed something and looked up, but the carriage had already sped away.
Staring at the retreating figures, he hesitated but ultimately dismissed the idea of probing further with his spiritual sense. The carriages had simple isolation barriers, and breaching them would alert the occupants. Since they were only at the Qi Condensation stage, he saw no reason to stir trouble.
Once the knights vanished into the distance, Han Li urged his cart onward.
After another ten miles, he reached a fork in the road flanked by a dense grove. A few crude tea stalls stood at the edge, with many travelers stopping to rest and refresh.
This was the only resting spot on this route to the capital, so most paused here briefly.
Han Li’s casual glance revealed the silver-armored knights resting by the grove. The jade carriages were also parked there, one partially open and empty. The brocade-robed man was absent from the group.
Frowning slightly, Han Li scanned the tea stalls but made no move to stop, urging his cart forward.
Just then, one of the knights strode over and blocked his path.
“Excuse me, sir, are you surnamed Han?” the knight asked with a polite but firm bow.
“I am. What business do you have?” Han Li replied calmly.
“If you are indeed Master Han, then I haven’t mistaken you. My lady requests your presence at the tea stall for a conversation.”
“Your lady? Very well, I’ll go.” Han Li recalled the familiar eyes from earlier and nodded. He dismounted the cart.
“Please follow me. My lady has reserved a stall.” The knight gestured, and two others came to tend to Han Li’s horse.
Han Li followed the man to one of the stalls.
Inside, he was met by two women and a man. The man, the brocade-robed elder, exuded authority with his long beard and sharp eyes. The two young women, both cultivators, were at the seventh and fifth layers of Qi Condensation.
“Brother Han, it’s been years. I never expected to meet you here. I will never forget your guidance from back then,” said the younger woman, her delicate face flushed with joy.
“So it’s Miss Cao. What a coincidence. I hope you didn’t mind my abrupt departure back then,” Han Li replied with a smile, recognizing her as Cao Mengrong, the county captain’s daughter he had met years ago upon first arriving in the Great Jin.
“Of course not. You must have had urgent matters. Let me introduce you—this is Senior Sister Wang, who treated me like a sister in our sect. And this is her uncle, the renowned General Wang, stationed in the southern border and now returning to the capital by imperial decree,” Cao Mengrong said, gesturing to the others.
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