After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Han Li appeared in the hall on the third floor and took seats with the flax-robed girl as host and guest.
“Brother Han—no, perhaps I should address you as Senior now. To think that in just a few hundred years, you’ve already become a Grand Ascension elder. Though I knew with your talent, this day would come eventually, I never imagined it would arrive so swiftly,” the flax-robed girl said with a light laugh, covering her mouth, showing no signs of unfamiliarity.
“Miss Lan, there’s no need for such formality. Since we are old acquaintances, let’s stick to our previous manner of address. However, it seems I don’t need to explain much—your Guangyuan Pavilion must already know most of what happened in the Primordial Demon Land,” Han Li replied with a gentle smile.
Given that this woman had once done him a favor, Han Li naturally wouldn’t assert his seniority over her.
“If Brother Han insists, then I won’t stand on ceremony. The two great battles in the Primordial Demon Land shocked the entire Demon Realm. Our Guangyuan Pavilion prides itself on knowing everything, so naturally, we received the news as soon as it happened. But I never imagined that the Mother of Screaming Insects, long regarded as the Demon Realm’s calamity, would truly be slain by Lady Silvermoon and you. With this resolved, I can now continue managing this pavilion without worry,” the flax-robed girl said, her eyes glinting playfully.
“In truth, the one who truly dealt the decisive blow against the Mother of Screaming Insects was someone else. Lady Silvermoon and I merely lent our names to the effort. Given the horror of that creature, had we confronted it head-on, merely surviving would have been a stroke of luck—let alone slaying it. However, the details are somewhat inconvenient to disclose to your pavilion,” Han Li replied calmly.
“I see. Still, I believe even if Brother Han wasn’t the one to personally slay the Mother of Screaming Insects, you must have played a significant role,” Lan Ying said, unfazed.
“You flatter me, Miss Lan. But the reason for my visit this time is to ask for your help in contacting Violet Spirit. I intend to take her back to the Spirit Realm with me,” Han Li stated frankly, not hiding his purpose.
“Haha, leave that to me. In fact, Violet Spirit has been secluded in a hidden area nearby, cultivating diligently all these years. If she wishes to come, it should only take a few days. How about this—Brother Han, why not stay at Guangyuan Pavilion for a few days while you wait?” Lan Ying readily agreed.
“Very well. Then I shall trouble you for a few days, Miss Lan,” Han Li replied after a brief consideration.
Hearing this, Lan Ying’s expression brightened further. She then asked about some non-confidential details of the events in the Primordial Demon Land, listening with keen interest.
“By the way, there’s one more matter where I might need your pavilion’s assistance,” Han Li suddenly said, pausing before continuing.
“If there’s anything you need, Brother Han, just say the word,” Lan Ying replied without hesitation.
“I have a few items I’d like you to examine first.” Without further explanation, Han Li flicked his sleeve, and four balls of white light flew out, swirling in the air before condensing into four palm-sized crystalline bricks.
“This is…?” Lan Ying’s eyes swept over the objects, her expression shifting slightly.
“These bear the imprint of a treasure map left behind by the Demon Realm’s Weeping Spirit Sage, something I obtained by chance years ago. Though I possess the map, my knowledge of the Demon Realm is limited, so I’ve never sought out the marked location. Thus, I’d like to enlist your pavilion’s aid,” Han Li explained plainly.
“So it’s the long-rumored Weeping Spirit’s Treasure! To be honest, Brother Han, I’ve also had my eye on this treasure but could never find any leads. I never expected it to end up in your hands. Rest assured, as long as the map is genuine and the treasure is indeed in the Demon Realm, I won’t disappoint you,” Lan Ying said with a smile, though a trace of surprise flickered across her face.
Han Li nodded in satisfaction.
—
Five days later, in the same hall of the pavilion, Han Li finally reunited with Violet Spirit.
Their reunion was naturally filled with joy and surprise, each harboring complex emotions in their hearts.
Lan Ying, ever tactful, had already discreetly left the hall, leaving the two alone.
Though Violet Spirit had already learned from Lan Ying that Han Li had reached the Grand Ascension stage, hearing directly from him that Six-Extremes had perished left her momentarily stunned. After all, the event had occurred mere months ago, and Lady Silvermoon and the others had deliberately kept the news under wraps, so very few knew of it.
“So, I’ve finally regained my freedom. I no longer have to fear being refined into someone else’s avatar,” Violet Spirit murmured, her gaze distant.
“Indeed. Not only Six-Extremes herself but even her avatars were all destroyed,” Han Li confirmed firmly.
“That puts my mind at ease. Then, Brother Han, the reason you sought me out this time is…?” Violet Spirit’s beautiful eyes rested on Han Li’s face as she hesitated slightly.
“Didn’t you once say you wished to restore your human form and return to the Spirit Realm to see the lands of our people? This time, I’ve come specifically to find a few secret techniques that should be able to purge the true demonic energy from your body and restore your original constitution. That way, you can cultivate human techniques in the Spirit Realm once more,” Han Li said with a smile.
Violet Spirit’s expression shifted slightly, but instead of joy, she fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly:
“Brother Han, I have a question for you, and I hope to hear your honest answer.”
“Given our relationship, there’s no need for such formality. Ask whatever you wish,” Han Li replied, though a faint unease stirred in his heart at her demeanor.
“I want to know—how confident are you in ascending to the Immortal Realm and becoming a true immortal?” Violet Spirit asked solemnly.
“What? Why do you ask this?” Han Li’s face showed surprise, clearly caught off guard.
“I only want to hear your true answer,” Violet Spirit insisted, her gaze unwavering.
Han Li hesitated briefly but soon replied calmly:
“If anyone else asked me this, I wouldn’t speak a word of truth. But for you, Violet Spirit, I have no reservations. In the past, my chances of surviving the Ascension Tribulation were only slightly over twenty percent. But after my journey to the Primordial Demon Land, I’ve gained some additional opportunities. Though I don’t yet know whether these will prove to be blessings or curses in the long run, they’ve increased my odds by another twenty percent or so.”
“So, you now have roughly a fifty percent chance of ascending to the Immortal Realm. Though I knew that after your breakthrough, you’d far surpass ordinary Grand Ascension cultivators, I never imagined your confidence would be this high,” Violet Spirit murmured, visibly moved.
“Violet Spirit, why do you ask this so suddenly?” Han Li still seemed puzzled.
“Brother Han, since you’ve answered honestly, let me ask one more thing. If I truly purge the demonic energy from my body and restore my human form, will my cultivation suffer greatly? Would I immediately drop several realms?” Violet Spirit ignored his question and instead posed another serious one.
“If you had only recently been infused with demonic energy, I could guarantee your cultivation would remain intact. But after cultivating Six-Extremes’ demonic techniques for so many years, forcibly removing the demonic energy now would indeed risk a drop in your realm. However, rest assured—with my current strength, restoring your original cultivation wouldn’t be difficult, and I could ensure your future progress remains unimpeded,” Han Li replied slowly, a flicker of understanding crossing his face.
“Merely ‘unimpeded’? Ever since we last parted, I’ve given much thought to returning to the Spirit Realm. But no matter how I consider it, I’ve realized that if I truly wish to achieve greatness in the Dao, staying in the Demon Realm is my best option. As Six-Extremes once told me, my constitution is most suited for demonic cultivation. Even with your protection and aid in the Spirit Realm, at best, I might barely reach the Grand Ascension stage. But when it comes to ascending, the trials would be insurmountable. I don’t want to watch you succeed in ascending to the Immortal Realm as a true immortal while I remain in the lower realm, waiting helplessly for my demise under the relentless heavenly tribulations,” Violet Spirit said, her peerlessly beautiful face growing resolute as she spoke.
Han Li listened silently, stunned for a long moment before finally sighing softly:
“Have you truly thought this through? At your current cultivation level, I can still reverse your constitution. But the deeper your demonic cultivation progresses, the harder it will become. Once you reach the Grand Ascension stage in the Demon Realm, your demonic form will be irreversible.”
“Brother Han, don’t worry. This isn’t a hasty decision—I’ve considered it for a long time. Even if I only have a one percent chance of ascending to the Immortal Realm, I won’t give it up lightly,” Violet Spirit declared firmly.
Han Li gazed at the determined beauty before him for a long while before nodding thoughtfully:
“If this is truly your resolve, I won’t force you otherwise. However, during my two visits to the Demon Realm, I’ve obtained some secret techniques and elixirs that greatly benefit demonic cultivation. I’ll leave them all to you.”
“Thank you, Brother Han. And don’t dwell on this too much. With your current power, tearing through the void to enter the Sacred Realm shouldn’t be too difficult. We’ll surely have many more chances to meet in the future,” Violet Spirit said, her heart lifting with joy, though her cheeks flushed slightly at her last words.
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