Chapter 1808: The Invitation of Ten Thousand Bones

After a short while, countless streaks of light and numerous beast-drawn carriages and flying boats suddenly soared from the sea of clouds, shooting off in all directions.

Among them, an unremarkable azure streak flickered a few times before vanishing without a trace near Feixian Peak.

Within the azure light, Han Li was deep in thought as he propelled his flight.

Behind him, Hai Dashao and Qilingzi stood obediently.

The auction for the last two treasures had been nothing short of dramatic!

After fierce competition among dozens of Body Integration cultivators, the Myriad Forest Compass ended up in the hands of the Black Phoenix Queen, Xiao Guan.

As for the Sky-Piercing War Vessel Diagram from the Tiele Clan, it fell into the possession of the Long Family, renowned as the foremost among the True Spirit Clans.

At the thought of the Long Family, Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling the image of a middle-aged cultivator with a faint golden complexion.

This Long Family Ancestor, who had personally stepped forward to claim the War Vessel Diagram, was a late-stage Body Integration cultivator at the peak of his power. Not only was his spiritual energy unfathomable, but an inhumanly cold aura also coiled around him.

Even a single glance from afar was enough to send shivers down one’s spine.

This Long Family Ancestor seemed no weaker than the Three Emperors or the Seven Demon Kings, which explained why the Long Family held the top position among the True Spirit Clans.

Now, with the Long Family outbidding even the likes of the Tianyuan Sacred Emperor and other top-tier figures from both human and demon races for the War Vessel Diagram, it was clear that their financial resources, if not surpassing these forces, were at least not far behind.

The thought that he had offended such a formidable faction gave Han Li a slight headache.

However, thanks to his earlier interactions with the Ye and Gu Families, he knew that other True Spirit Clans were not on particularly friendly terms with the Long Family. With connections to these two families and his own status as a Body Integration cultivator, he had little reason to fear them outright.

Would the Long Family Ancestor truly dare to mobilize all their guest elders just to besiege him alone?

With this thought, Han Li’s worries eased considerably.

Just then, a faintly familiar voice called out from behind him.

“Fellow Daoist Han, please hold for a moment!”

Han Li’s expression shifted slightly. His azure light dimmed as he came to a stop, turning to clasp his hands in greeting. “Ah, who else could it be but Fellow Daoist Wangu? I hope you found great success in the auction earlier?”

From several hundred zhang away, a mass of gray clouds shot toward him at incredible speed. Standing atop them was an elderly Daoist—none other than the Wangu Zhenren of the White Bone Sect.

“Such auctions rarely yield anything truly valuable. Even if treasures like those last two appear, they’re usually beyond our reach!” the old Daoist replied with a bitter smile as his gray cloud halted before Han Li.

“Haha, your words resonate deeply with me. Neither the Myriad Forest Compass nor the Sky-Piercing War Vessel Diagram was something a wandering cultivator like us could hope to obtain. Especially the latter—it’s practically a burning hot potato,” Han Li chuckled lightly.

“Hah! I knew you were a man of wisdom, Brother Han. Unlike some fools who spend their lives in seclusion until their brains rot, eagerly snatching up such troublesome items,” Wangu Zhenren laughed heartily.

“Still, you must have called me for a reason beyond idle chatter, Fellow Daoist?” Han Li blinked, smiling.

“Indeed. Fellow Daoist Han, are you aware that the Black Domain Assembly has been scheduled for three days from now? After receiving the news, I took the liberty of securing an Entry Token for you. With this, you can attend the exchange without needing to seek other means.” Wangu Zhenren’s expression turned serious as he produced an object from his sleeve.

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it over.

Han Li caught it without a word and glanced down.

It was a triangular black token, unremarkable save for a few simple patterns. Had it not been introduced as a token, he might have mistaken it for a mere scrap of iron.

“This is the Entry Token?” Han Li’s eyes flashed with skepticism.

“Do not doubt it, Fellow Daoist. The last Black Domain Assembly’s token was nothing more than a wooden stick. Though I know not how the organizers manage it, these objects are indeed the sole means of entry. Do not lose it,” Wangu Zhenren cautioned.

“I see. The masterminds behind this exchange certainly have their quirks. My thanks for this token, Fellow Daoist.” Han Li nodded appreciatively.

“It’s nothing, truly! Between you and me, among my peers, I may lack in many things, but I do have a knack for gathering tidbits of news. Have you heard, Fellow Daoist Han, that our human and demon races may face a calamity within the next millennium? One that neither of us can avoid?” Wangu Zhenren’s tone grew grave.

“Calamity? Are you referring to the Demon Tribulation?” Han Li’s expression shifted slightly as he replied slowly.

“So you know of it. How much have you heard?” Wangu Zhenren showed little surprise.

After the exchanges among Body Integration cultivators before the Myriad Treasures Convention, few at their level remained ignorant of the Demon Tribulation.

Otherwise, the auction wouldn’t have seen so many recklessly vying for the Sky-Piercing War Vessel Diagram, desperate to prepare before disaster struck.

“Not much, but I understand this tribulation will be exceptionally fierce—far from easy to survive,” Han Li sighed, his lips twitching.

“It seems you’re privy to some secrets. Good. Then I’ll speak plainly. After the Black Domain Assembly, would you join me for a gathering of wandering cultivators? We aim to discuss how we might weather this storm.” Wangu Zhenren’s eyes gleamed with purpose.

“Wandering cultivators? All from our human race?” Han Li’s expression remained neutral, but after a pause, he asked pointedly.

“Our human wandering cultivators at the Body Integration stage number but a handful—hardly worth convening over. Truth be told, most attendees will be from the demon side,” Wangu Zhenren admitted after a brief hesitation.

“No need for explanations. I bear no prejudice against demons—merely wished to understand the gathering’s nature. If demons are involved, it may indeed be worth attending. After the Black Domain Assembly, I’ll accompany you.” To Wangu Zhenren’s surprise, Han Li agreed without further deliberation.

“A most wise decision, Fellow Daoist!” The old Daoist beamed at the unexpected ease of his success.

Naturally, they couldn’t linger mid-air. After a few more words, Wangu Zhenren took his leave, his gray cloud churning as it transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the distance.

Han Li watched the departing figure, his gaze flickering thoughtfully.

“Master, should we return now?” Qilingzi ventured after a prolonged silence.

“Qilingzi, Yue Tian, don’t follow me back just yet. I need you to find someone—a female demon cultivator.” Han Li didn’t turn as he spoke.

“Yes, Master!” The two disciples answered in unison, though slightly puzzled.

“Here’s the token. Listen carefully to the contact method.” Han Li tossed out half of a jade pendant and relayed further instructions via voice transmission.

The two listened intently, nodding repeatedly.

“Good. That’s all. Return once you’ve found her.” With that, Han Li flicked his sleeve, and a portion of the azure light enveloped Hai Dashao and Qilingzi, lowering them gently to the ground.

Han Li himself transformed back into an azure streak, heading straight for his residence.

Back at the Welcome Immortal Palace, Han Li didn’t retreat to his cultivation chamber. Instead, he sat on the main hall’s throne, idly turning over the newly acquired Bloodwood of Weeping Spirits in his hand, lost in thought.

The reputation of the Calamity-Averting Puppet among humans was considerable, yet its crafting method wasn’t some closely guarded secret—it could be purchased in many markets.

During his earlier years of collecting texts, Han Li had memorized its creation process. Now, it would prove invaluable.

The only drawback was that crafting such a puppet required copious amounts of essence blood, and even after completion, periodic nourishment with essence blood was necessary to maintain its efficacy.

Of course, such trivialities paled in comparison to the puppet’s life-saving function.

Han Li began mentally reviewing the supplementary materials required for the puppet’s creation.

After a moment, a faint smile touched his lips.

All other necessary materials were already in his possession—a fortunate coincidence given his recent acquisitions.

Having resolved to craft the puppet at the earliest opportunity, Han Li stored the Bloodwood away with a flash of light.

He then closed his eyes, meticulously reviewing each step of the crafting process to avoid errors.

Thus, he remained seated for an entire day and night.

Early the next morning, Hai Dashao returned to the hall in a fluster, exclaiming urgently, “Master, something terrible has happened! Junior Brother Qilingzi is in trouble!”