Han Li’s meditation lasted a full two months.
On a certain day after these two months, when he opened his eyes again, not only had the lingering aftereffects on his body been completely eradicated, but his spiritual energy and vitality had also fully recovered to their peak condition.
At this moment, Han Li finally allowed himself to relax.
Even if the Demon Saint Yuan Sha and others were to seek him out now, he was confident he could put up a fight.
After waking, Han Li pondered for a moment before flipping his hand, causing a white wooden box and a blue jade bottle to materialize simultaneously.
A flash of golden light enveloped the white wooden box, lifting it into the air where it hovered motionlessly.
Gazing at the remaining blue jade bottle, Han Li couldn’t help but reveal a trace of excitement.
“Chaos Qi—I’ve long heard of its reputation, but never imagined I would one day obtain such a treasure. If I can refine this, advancing to the late-stage Body Integration realm should pose no major obstacle,” Han Li murmured to himself before flicking a finger at the bottle’s lid.
With a muffled *pop*, the lid flew off on its own.
A buzzing sound emerged from the bottle as a mass of azure light shot out, darting upward in a flash.
Han Li’s expression darkened as his arm blurred, reaching out to grasp the void. An invisible force instantly enveloped the entire cavern.
With a pull of his glowing fingers—
*Ssshhh!*
The azure light trembled before being forcibly dragged back into his palm.
Exhaling softly, Han Li raised his hand and narrowed his eyes to examine the object in his palm.
Within the shimmering azure light, two tiny dots—one black, one white—flickered erratically.
A blue glint flashed in Han Li’s pupils as he channeled his spiritual energy into his eyes, sharpening the blurry dots into clear visibility.
Yet, the moment he discerned the two dots clearly, his body stiffened, and his face momentarily went blank as he froze in place.
After what felt like an eternity, a look of struggle crossed Han Li’s face. Gritting his teeth, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood before staggering backward.
“Such terrifying Chaos Qi! Such formidable illusions of reincarnation! Just as the legends say—had I not awakened at the last moment, I might have been forever lost in the worlds conjured by the Chaos Qi, unaware of my own demise,” Han Li muttered, his voice trembling with lingering fear as he steadied himself into a cross-legged position once more.
The moment he had used his Spirit Eyes to observe the Chaos Qi, he had been drawn into countless illusory worlds by its primordial power, unable to free himself.
Had he not prepared a self-detonating surge of spiritual energy within his body beforehand to forcibly awaken himself after a set time, he might have perished right then and there, his body decaying and spirit extinguishing.
Though shaken, Han Li no longer harbored any doubts about the authenticity of the treasure in his hands.
Only the legendary Chaos Qi could possess such terrifying power—there was no possibility of it being a counterfeit. Now, all he needed was the secret technique to refine it, and reaching the late-stage Body Integration realm would be within reach.
Despite his usual composure, a flicker of excitement stirred deep within him.
However, before that, he still needed to negotiate further with the two old demons trapped within the Demon Subduing Lock.
With this thought, he extended a finger and tapped the azure light mass in his hand.
A low thunderclap sounded as a slender golden arc shot from his fingertip, vanishing into the azure light before recoiling just as swiftly.
The black and white dots within the azure light remained undisturbed, as if nothing had happened.
Satisfied, Han Li pointed at the blue jade bottle, causing a white mist to spray from its mouth and envelop the azure light, drawing it back inside.
With a flick of his sleeve, he stored the bottle away.
His gaze then shifted to the wooden box floating in the air. Opening his mouth, he exhaled a series of glowing orbs before pressing a hand to his forehead and slowly closing his eyes…
A short while later, in a mysterious space, a ripple formed as Han Li’s spiritual projection appeared high in the sky.
Scanning his surroundings, his brow furrowed slightly.
The void around him was a vast expanse of white, with countless snowflakes drifting down—the space had transformed into a glacial world!
Before he could react, two figures materialized nearby amid spatial fluctuations.
One was clad in black armor, the other in dark robes—none other than the two demonic elders, Feng Xie and Che Qi Gong.
The moment they saw Han Li, their expressions flickered between surprise and delight. Feng Xie burst into laughter and asked directly, “Fellow Daoist Han, why have you only appeared now? Brother Che and I feared your true body had met with disaster!”
“I should have come to see you two much earlier. But over the past year, I encountered several enemies and was pursued relentlessly until just recently escaping danger,” Han Li replied with a faint smile, his words a mix of truth and deception.
“Since Fellow Daoist Han is here, it seems you are safe now. Che congratulates you. But—have you obtained the Chaos Qi?” Che Qi Gong asked casually before his tone grew tense.
“Given your confinement within the Demon Subduing Lock, shouldn’t you two be more aware than I of whether the Chaos Qi is missing?” Han Li countered coolly, raising an eyebrow.
Rather than taking offense, the two demons exchanged glances, their faces lighting up with joy.
“Haha, it’s true that shortly after we last parted, we sensed some unusual changes in the Demon Subduing Lock. But as prisoners bound by its restrictions, our perception was vague. We needed your confirmation. From your tone, does this mean you’ve truly obtained the Chaos Qi?” Feng Xie asked with a beaming smile, his tone noticeably more courteous.
“Though there were complications in the Netherworld Flame Valley, I did manage to extract some Chaos Qi. Now, shouldn’t you two fulfill your end of the bargain and reveal the refinement technique?” Han Li admitted after a brief pause.
“No need to rush. While we trust Fellow Daoist Han wouldn’t deceive us, shouldn’t you first provide proof that you’ve truly obtained the Chaos Qi?” Che Qi Gong asked cautiously, his earlier delight fading.
Feng Xie nodded in agreement.
“Proof? That’s simple enough.”
Han Li narrowed his eyes, as if he had anticipated this. Clapping his hands together—
*Boom!*
A golden lightning arc flashed between his palms before splitting into two slender threads, shooting toward Feng Xie and Che Qi Gong.
Neither demon evaded. One reached out to grab it, while the other inhaled sharply, sucking it into his mouth.
With a *zap*, one thread was caught in Feng Xie’s grasp, the other swallowed by Che Qi Gong.
Both closed their eyes, probing the threads with their spiritual senses.
Han Li watched impassively, arms crossed.
Within moments, the two demons reopened their eyes, satisfaction written across their faces.
“Indeed, though the aura is faint, it is unmistakably Chaos Qi. Fellow Daoist Han has not deceived us. Now, we can discuss our next steps of cooperation,” Feng Xie said, excitement glinting in his eyes.
“Wasn’t our agreement that you two would teach me the refinement technique, and in return, I would give you half of the Chaos Qi? Have you changed your minds?” Han Li’s expression darkened, his voice turning icy.
“Misunderstanding, Fellow Daoist Han! Our agreement stands. But the method of fulfilling it requires careful consideration. Should we impart the technique first, or should you hand over the Chaos Qi first?” Che Qi Gong chuckled.
“I see. Though bound by oaths, given the stakes, this is indeed troublesome,” Han Li conceded after a moment’s thought.
“Thus, Fellow Daoist Feng and I have devised a compromise. We wonder if you’d agree,” Che Qi Gong said slowly.
“Speak,” Han Li replied flatly.
“Simple. We’ll divide the transaction into stages. First, we’ll teach you an initial portion of the technique for you to verify. If you deem it genuine, you’ll give us a portion of the Chaos Qi. We’ll repeat this process until completion. By the end, you wouldn’t risk breaking your oath for the last sliver of Chaos Qi, and we wouldn’t abandon the technique for the remaining portion either,” Feng Xie explained solemnly.
Han Li remained still, his eyes flickering as he weighed the proposal.
Though confident he would agree, the two demons grew slightly tense under his scrutiny.
Yet, seasoned as they were, they maintained composure, awaiting his response.
“A sound method. Very well, let’s proceed as you suggest,” Han Li finally said, exhaling deeply.
“Wise decision, Fellow Daoist Han! Then let us begin. Here is the first segment of the refinement technique. Study it carefully. If you find no issues, you must deliver the Chaos Qi within three days. Failure to do so will be taken as your abandonment of the deal. And should that happen, not only would you suffer backlash from your oath, but refining the Chaos Qi would forever remain beyond your reach,” Feng Xie said eagerly, though his words carried a warning.
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