As soon as this page was taken out, it began to buzz and tremble violently in his hands, as if desperately trying to break free from his fingers and fly away.
Han Li smiled faintly, rubbing his hands together once. Instantly, the golden light dimmed, and the buzzing ceased abruptly.
Only then did he pinch the page between two fingers, giving it a seemingly casual shake.
With a soft *pop*, countless golden seal script characters surged from the page, rapidly forming a scripture that floated before him.
Han Li narrowed his eyes, focusing intently as he examined it.
“Five Organs Forging Origin Art.”
He unconsciously murmured the name of the technique written at the beginning of the scripture.
His expression flickered slightly, as if vaguely realizing something, and he hurriedly continued reading.
Time passed slowly, and Han Li’s face gradually revealed a hint of pleasant surprise.
After finishing the entire scripture, he flicked his sleeve, releasing a burst of azure light.
With a *bang*, the scripture dissolved into specks of spiritual light, vanishing in a flash.
Han Li closed his eyes, silently contemplating its meaning.
After an unknown length of time, when he reopened his eyes, he let out a soft chuckle.
“Interesting, truly interesting. It’s actually a technique specifically for tempering the internal organs—quite rare indeed. Once mastered, it not only allows the organs to function like dantians, storing spiritual power and greatly increasing one’s reserves, but also grants several other profound abilities. This technique and the Hundred Meridians Treasure Refinement Art complement each other perfectly. They likely originated from the same source. Among the thirty-six inner jade pages, obtaining two secret techniques from the same immortal lineage is truly fortunate.”
After muttering to himself, Han Li suddenly recalled something, his brows furrowing.
According to the jade book, this technique had extremely stringent requirements for physical strength and meridians. Moreover, cultivating it required absorbing vast amounts of spiritual energy, making progress so slow it was almost appalling.
The first condition wasn’t an issue—he had already practiced the Hundred Meridians Treasure Refinement Art, and his body was sufficiently robust to meet the requirements.
As for the latter, even with the aid of spiritual pills, which could halve the cultivation time, reaching even a minor breakthrough would likely take tens of thousands of years.
*Heh, ‘a bit longer than ordinary techniques’—Huyu Shuang made it sound so trivial at the auction.*
For an average Mahayana cultivator, without fifty or sixty thousand years of dedicated cultivation, even attempting this would be unthinkable.
The True Devilish Saint Art was already considered one of the most difficult techniques to master, and he had spent a considerable amount of time on it.
But compared to this technique, it was practically a shortcut.
No wonder the Helian Trade Alliance treated this as a useless treasure, willing to auction it off.
However, according to the scripture, even achieving minor progress in this technique could bring astonishing improvements in strength. Abandoning it would be a true waste.
Han Li silently pondered, his expression shifting to one of hesitation.
This immortal secret technique was undeniably alluring, but the prospect of tens of thousands of years of cultivation was equally daunting.
After all, it had taken him only two thousand years to ascend from a mortal to his current realm.
Now, mastering a single supplementary technique would require four or five times that duration—naturally, he hesitated.
“Who’s there? No need to lurk outside. Come in.”
Suddenly, Han Li’s eyes flashed with sharp light as his divine sense detected something. His expression darkened as he spoke coldly.
With a wave of his hand toward the door, a *bang* echoed as it swung open, revealing a faint figure standing straight outside.
“Haha, Fellow Daoist Han is truly perceptive. I had only just arrived using a secret technique, yet you noticed me immediately.”
The blurry figure spoke as its form rapidly solidified.
When Han Li saw the person’s face clearly, his pupils contracted.
“It’s you. You’ve got quite the nerve—instead of fleeing far away, you dare appear before me. Aren’t you afraid I’ll capture you?” he said coldly.
The figure had an ordinary appearance, yet it was unmistakably the black-robed man who should have long since escaped.
He stood smiling at the doorway, though a trace of surprise flickered deep in his eyes—clearly, he hadn’t expected to be discovered so quickly.
“If I could have escaped, I’d already be millions of miles away. Why would I seek you out? That teleportation array was merely a decoy—my companion and I were only sent to another corner of the underground world.”
The black-robed man chuckled, then strode confidently into the chamber.
“Quite the scheme. No wonder Fellow Daoist Ming and the others were fooled. But why seek me out instead of continuing your escape? Did you come specifically for me?” Han Li asked, momentarily surprised but quickly regaining his composure.
“You’re right. I came specifically to find you,” the black-robed man admitted without hesitation.
“Have we met before?” Han Li frowned.
“Of course not. This is my first time meeting you,” the man replied instantly.
“If we’ve never met, why seek me out? And your tone suggests you’re no stranger to me—as if you’ve known of me for some time. Care to explain?” Han Li stared at him expressionlessly.
“I learned of you from someone else. Do you remember Fan Paozi?” the black-robed man answered calmly.
“You know Fellow Daoist Fan?” Han Li was genuinely surprised.
“More than just knowing him—we’re close friends. Otherwise, how would I have heard of you? He spoke highly of you, and after meeting you, I can see why.”
The black-robed man smiled, scrutinizing Han Li anew.
“You flatter me. When I met Fellow Daoist Fan, no third party was present. Since you can name him, I’ll take your word for it. If I seemed discourteous earlier, I hope you’ll forgive me.”
After a moment of thought, Han Li’s expression softened, and he gestured for the man to sit.
It seemed Fan Paozi had investigated him after their encounter.
“Haha, understandable. If a stranger suddenly claimed acquaintance, I’d be wary too.”
The black-robed man laughed and sat cross-legged on a cushion opposite Han Li.
“But I did come seeking your help. I hope you’ll lend me a hand.”
His smile faded as he spoke earnestly.
“Go on,” Han Li replied neutrally.
“To be frank, after the auction incident, all exits and teleportation halls in the underground world are heavily guarded. Alone, I can’t leave anytime soon. I overheard others say you secured several intercontinental teleportation slots. Could you take me along? If you help, I’ll repay you handsomely—a reward that will surely satisfy you.”
The man laid out his predicament and request plainly.
“You want to use the intercontinental teleportation array?” Han Li blinked in surprise.
“Exactly. Without it, I see no way to leave quickly.”
The black-robed man sighed.
“If you planned the auction heist, why no escape route? And where’s your companion? You haven’t mentioned them.”
Han Li studied him carefully.
“My predicament stems from a mishap in his backup plan. He escaped, but I was left behind.”
The man looked slightly embarrassed.
“I see. Such things are unpredictable. But your actions at the auction caused quite a stir. The Helian Trade Alliance has placed a hefty bounty on you—not just the stolen items, but three unconditional requests. Are you aware?”
Han Li spoke slowly.
“Of course. The Helian Trade Alliance is generous indeed. With such rewards, I’d almost turn myself in!”
The man laughed heartily, seemingly unbothered.
“Regardless of their motives, their determination to capture you is clear. I could take you, but secrets rarely stay hidden. If the Helian Trade Alliance learns of my involvement, I’d rather avoid their attention. And though you’re Fan’s friend, your origins remain a mystery. This is too great a risk.”
Han Li shook his head after a pause.
“You fear repercussions? Rest assured—I’ll swear a demonic oath never to reveal your aid. Once this is over, I’ll return to my clan, which will publicly claim responsibility, absolving you entirely. As for my origins—if you know Fan Paozi, surely you can guess?”
The black-robed man chuckled.
“You’re from the True Dragon Clan!” Han Li’s expression shifted.
“Correct. My true form is that of a True Dragon. I should have mentioned it sooner—my apologies.”
The man smirked.
“A True Dragon… No wonder you seized the ‘Ancestral Dragon’s Blood.'”
Han Li’s tone was peculiar, half-speaking to the man, half-musing to himself.
“Ancestral Dragon’s Blood? Hah! Do you truly believe that’s what we took?”
The black-robed man’s lips curled in derision.
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