Silver ancient characters emerged one by one on the surface of the scale. After briefly arranging in the air, they quickly formed a short passage of text.
“Two years later! The Island of the True Dragon! The Grand Spiritual Dao Fruit Assembly! So, it’s finally about to begin.” Han Li gazed at the words appearing on the scale, a flicker of intrigue flashing in his eyes.
“Heh, this gathering is bound to attract many powerful figures from other realms. It’ll be quite an experience. Moreover, consuming the Grand Spiritual Dao Fruit temporarily grants one the Grand Spiritual Dao Body, which would greatly benefit my cultivation of certain divine abilities. I must find a way to obtain one. As for Tian Fei’er, it’s time to call in the favor she promised. Two years should be enough for a quick trip to the Demon Realm and back. Before that, I should inform Wan’er to ease her worries.” After a moment of contemplation, Han Li murmured his decision.
With a wave of his hand, the silver scale vanished into his grasp. His other hand flipped over, revealing an ancient green mirror.
He tossed the mirror into the air before him and swiftly traced a few characters with his finger. A string of white text flashed and disappeared into the mirror.
Han Li then stood quietly at the bow of the ship, waiting.
Moments later, ripples appeared on the mirror, followed by lines of white text.
A faint smile curled at the corner of Han Li’s lips as he skimmed the message.
Though his dual cultivation partner did not explicitly advise him, her words were filled with cautious concern.
With a flick of his sleeve, the mirror vanished in a flash of green light.
The black giant ship roared to life, and Han Li sped away at several times his previous speed.
—
Two months later, above a desolate, gray expanse in the Demon Realm, a dark green sword light flashed past, leaving behind a faint white spatial rift.
A figure emerged from the rift—Han Li, holding a dark green wooden sword.
His gaze swept the unfamiliar surroundings, and his brows furrowed slightly.
This was a place he had never visited before.
His successful entry into the Demon Realm was due to two factors: locating a weak point between the Demon Realm and the human world, and his formidable cultivation paired with the Heaven-Slaying Sword in his hand.
Though Mo Jianli had once infiltrated the Demon Realm through a weak point, it had been far riskier for him, with the threat of death looming.
However, Han Li’s purpose here was solely to find the Bottle Spirit. Unconcerned with his exact location, he confirmed the absence of nearby demons and took a deep breath before opening his mouth to release a ball of green light.
Within the radiance hovered a small green bottle, a few inches tall.
Han Li uttered the word “Grow,” his fingers rapidly weaving incantations toward the bottle.
The bottle blurred, then rapidly expanded, transforming into a massive vessel over ten feet tall. Thick dark green spirit patterns, as thick as fingers, adorned its surface.
With a flick of his sleeve, hundreds of formation flags surged out, scattering in all directions before vanishing silently.
Han Li’s hand seals shifted.
A buzzing sound filled the air as countless multicolored runes emerged, swiftly forming a massive formation spanning an acre, encircling the giant bottle at its center.
Han Li began chanting, his body floating upward until he hovered above the bottle, where he sat cross-legged.
Under the influence of his secret technique, the bottle and the formation below pulsed in unison. A thunderclap echoed through the clear sky as a dark green beam shot from the bottle’s mouth, vanishing into the heavens.
Simultaneously, an eerie ripple emanated from the bottle, spreading wildly in all directions.
Han Li closed his eyes, remaining motionless save for the faint murmurs of his incantation.
—
Deep within a mysterious space in the Demon Realm, beneath a pool filled with faint silver liquid, several stone slabs suddenly glowed, revealing a faintly visible grand formation.
At its center, several mysterious runes swirled together, forming a dark void.
A moment later, a dark green beam erupted from the void, piercing through the pool’s surface and vanishing into the highest reaches of the space.
Han Li’s eyes snapped open, his face alight with joy.
“There’s actually a response! The Bottle Spirit is truly in the Demon Realm! This is an incredible opportunity!”
He ceased his incantations and stood, casting an excited glance in the direction of the resonance.
His body blurred as his hands moved swiftly, causing the grand formation to collapse with a muffled boom, reverting into hundreds of formation flags that flew back to him.
The giant bottle shrank amid swirling light, transforming into a dark green orb that shot into his body.
With a stomp, Han Li’s body radiated green light as he transformed into a hundred-foot-long emerald streak, vanishing into the horizon after two flashes.
From then on, Han Li repeated his ritual every few days, tirelessly pursuing the sensed direction day and night.
Though he encountered demonic beasts and cities along the way, he never stopped, soaring past them with his movement technique.
At his current level of power, few in the Demon Realm could match his speed.
Ordinary demons often heard only the faint whistling of his passage, never catching sight of him, leaving them bewildered for long moments before daring to continue their journeys.
—
Half a year later, atop a towering black peak.
Han Li stood atop an ancient tree, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the black sea shrouded in layers of mist. A contemplative expression crossed his face.
“The Demon Source Sea… So, it’s here. Could the Bottle Spirit be hidden within? Well, even if it is, can it truly stop me now? At worst, I’ll force my way in.”
After a moment of hesitation, he made his decision, forming a hand seal.
A black giant ship silently materialized above the peak—the Ink Spirit Sacred Vessel.
Due to its conspicuous nature, he had refrained from using it earlier. But now, in the desolate Demon Source Sea, it was safe to deploy.
At the same time, silver lightning crackled behind him as the Crab Daoist appeared.
“Brother Crab, you know the Demon Source Sea better than I. I’ll rely on your guidance from here.”
“I’ll do my best,” the Crab Daoist replied flatly, glancing at the distant sea.
Han Li smiled faintly before flicking his sleeve, enveloping them both in green light.
Their figures vanished, reappearing moments later at the bow of the ship.
Without needing orders, the ship’s puppet guards sprang into action.
A black barrier enveloped the vessel as it plunged into the sea, unfazed by the lightning strikes crashing down.
After another flash, it disappeared into the mist.
—
Over half a month later, above a lush green island, the black ship hovered motionlessly.
Ahead, the grand formation and giant bottle reappeared, pulsing with light.
Han Li stood at the bow, forming hand seals to activate his technique.
Just as a thick beam was about to erupt from the bottle, a cold voice echoed from the depths of the island:
“Who dares trespass on Bitter Spirit Island?”
A thunderous roar followed as a hundred-foot-long, three-headed black flood dragon surged forth.
Upon its central head stood a black-robed youth with pale purple eyes and a fierce aura—none other than Yuan Yan, one of the Demon Realm’s Three Ancestors.
“Han Li? When did you enter the Sacred Realm?” Yuan Yan’s expression darkened upon recognizing him.
“Is there a reason I can’t be here?” Han Li replied calmly, never pausing his incantations.
“Hmph. Why has the esteemed Han Li returned to Bitter Spirit Island? The Spirit Cleansing Pool holds no use for you now that you’ve reached the Mahayana stage.” Yuan Yan’s gaze flickered between the Crab Daoist, the formation, and the giant bottle, his tone guarded.
“Don’t worry, I’ve no interest in the pool. I’m here for something else. Once I find it, I’ll leave immediately.”
“And what might that be?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
With a flick of his finger, Han Li sent a final incantation into the formation. A dark green beam shot skyward from the bottle.
Yuan Yan’s expression shifted, but he hesitated, refraining from interference.
Though news of Han Li slaying an immortal had yet to reach the Demon Realm, his role in exterminating the Mother of Silkworms alongside Bao Hua had already earned Yuan Yan’s wariness.
Moreover, the sparse demonic energy of Bitter Spirit Island weakened demons, making confrontation unwise.
The Crab Daoist’s presence further dissuaded Yuan Yan from acting rashly.
Thus, he simply watched coldly as Han Li proceeded.
“Ah, the coordinates are indeed there.”
After a brief moment of sensing, Han Li withdrew the bottle and formation flags, then shot into the distance alongside the Crab Daoist.
Without hesitation, Yuan Yan followed.
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