“I have indeed heard of the Venerable Myriad Bones. It is said that this fellow Daoist was originally a rogue cultivator, but ten thousand years ago, he founded the White Bone Sect and became its founding patriarch. His ambitions seem quite grand.” Han Li pondered slightly before speaking.
“Speaking of which, the White Bone Sect is a significant force within our Xuanwu Realm, ranking among the top ten sects. To achieve such status in such a short time speaks volumes about Venerable Myriad Bones’ abilities. By the way, Venerable Myriad Bones currently resides on the highest floor of the Welcome Immortal Palace. If you wish to choose a floor for your stay, you may simply inform the palace steward when the time comes,” the burly man replied respectfully.
As they spoke, the four Thunder Guards led Han Li to the gates of the white jade palace, where several armored guards clad in cyan armor stood rigidly on duty.
The leading burly man quickly dismounted from his giant wolf and approached one of the guards, gesturing toward Han Li and whispering a few words.
The cyan-armored guard, whose expression had initially been indifferent, suddenly changed his demeanor. After scrutinizing Han Li for a moment, he immediately bowed and hurried back inside the palace gates.
The burly man returned to Han Li’s side and said,
“Venerable Han, we still have patrol duties to attend to and cannot linger here. The palace steward will soon come out personally to welcome you, so we four shall take our leave first.”
With that, the four Thunder Guards bowed slightly to Han Li and bid their farewells.
Naturally, Han Li did not stop them, merely waving his hand as the four Thunder Guards departed.
Almost as soon as the giant wolves of the burly man and his companions took to the sky, two figures emerged from the palace gates.
One was the cyan-armored guard who had just entered, and the other was a pale-faced old man in gray robes, his eyes faintly green with sharp glints—a mid-stage Void Refinement cultivator.
“You must be Venerable Han Li. I, Zong Mian, failed to greet you upon your arrival. Please forgive my negligence,” the old man said, stepping forward and bowing deeply with utmost respect.
“There’s no need for formalities, Fellow Daoist Zong. I am somewhat fatigued from my long journey. Let us arrange my accommodations as soon as possible,” Han Li replied calmly after giving the old man a brief glance.
“Rest assured, Venerable. The Welcome Immortal Palace has already prepared everything. You may move in immediately. Apart from the top floor, which is occupied by Venerable Myriad Bones, and the first floor, which is unsuitable for residence, the remaining eight floors are all vacant. You may choose any of them,” Zong Mian said with a smile.
“Then the fifth floor will do. Neither too high nor too low—it suits me well,” Han Li said after a moment’s thought.
“Very well. Allow me to take you there first. If anything is unsatisfactory, I will arrange a change immediately,” the old man said ingratiatingly.
Han Li nodded impassively and followed the old man into the grand hall of the Welcome Immortal Palace’s first floor.
The hall spanned several hundred feet, its walls and floor gleaming with fist-sized white luminous pearls, casting a crystalline glow that made the space resemble a dragon palace or celestial realm.
Scattered around the hall were white jade tables and chairs, though not many, sparsely placed in the corners.
At the center of the hall stood a pale silver teleportation formation, about seven or eight feet in size.
The old man walked directly to the formation and stepped inside first.
Han Li followed expressionlessly.
Hai Da Shao and Qi Lingzi exchanged glances and naturally followed closely behind.
Though it was their first time using a teleportation formation, they showed no signs of fear.
The old man cast a spell onto the formation, causing it to hum with light.
Then, Zong Mian flipped his hand, revealing an exquisite silver token. Han Li glanced at it and saw intricate runes engraved on one side and a faint golden “five” on the other.
The old man shook the token lightly, and a streak of silver light shot out, merging into the formation below.
In the next moment, the entire formation shimmered with silver light, and the four figures vanished simultaneously.
Though Hai Da Shao and Qi Lingzi had closed their eyes, they still felt a sudden dizziness.
When they reopened their eyes, they found themselves standing on an open-air platform.
Surrounding the platform were winding paths leading through flower gardens filled with exotic, unnamed spiritual plants. On the other side lay a several-acre-wide emerald pond, where foot-long multicolored spirit fish swam leisurely.
A breeze swept past, carrying a wave of rich spiritual energy.
Hai Da Shao was momentarily stunned before suddenly looking upward.
Above, the sky was a vast blue, with a few white clouds drifting gently.
But the expected suns were nowhere to be seen. Instead, a milky-white orb hovered high in the sky, emitting a soft glow.
Hai Da Shao gaped in astonishment.
Qi Lingzi was no better, his mouth hanging open in shock.
“Don’t bother looking. Everything above is merely an illusion created by formations. At your level, you won’t discern any mysteries,” Han Li’s voice suddenly echoed in their ears.
Startled, the two snapped out of their daze and saw Han Li standing a dozen feet away, smiling faintly at them.
Old Man Zong Mian stood further away, also watching them with a grin.
Blushing slightly in embarrassment, Hai Da Shao and Qi Lingzi quickly stepped out of the formation.
But their excitement was hard to contain, and they followed Han Li, their eyes darting around eagerly.
After walking along a small path, they came upon a pale green hall. Though not particularly large, it was exquisitely crafted, with every pattern meticulously engraved.
On either side of the hall stood a separate courtyard and a smaller side hall, evidently meant for the disciples of visiting cultivators.
These structures were surrounded by lush green bamboo groves, with pavilions faintly visible among them.
It was a breathtaking sight.
Who would have thought that such a celestial paradise was merely one floor of a grand palace?
“Is every floor of the Welcome Immortal Palace arranged like this?” Han Li asked casually as he stood near the hall, surveying the surroundings.
“Of course not. Each floor has a unique layout to accommodate the preferences of different Venerables. If you find this unsatisfactory, I can arrange for you to switch to another floor,” Zong Mian replied without hesitation.
“That won’t be necessary. This floor is quite suitable. I’ll stay here,” Han Li said, waving his hand dismissively.
“Since you are satisfied, please keep this restriction token safe. Each floor has its own unique restrictions, and only one token is crafted per floor. After the conference concludes, we ask that you return it,” the old man said with a smile, handing over the silver token with both hands.
Han Li took the token and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
The old man promptly took his leave, leaving only Han Li, Hai Da Shao, and Qi Lingzi behind.
“During the conference, the two of you may also stay here. Feel free to choose any of the courtyards. I need to rest for a while. We can discuss matters tomorrow,” Han Li instructed.
“Yes, Venerable!”
Hai Da Shao and Qi Lingzi responded respectfully before hurrying off toward the side buildings, their excited chatter fading into the distance.
Han Li shook his head and turned toward the main hall, where he found a quiet room to meditate and rest.
Early the next morning, while Han Li sat cross-legged on a cushion with faint green spiritual light flickering around him, his expression suddenly shifted, and his eyes snapped open.
In the next moment, a white flame bizarrely pierced through the wooden door and flashed before Han Li.
Without a word, Han Li extended a finger and lightly tapped the flame.
With a *pop*, the white flame burst apart, scattering into countless sparks before vanishing.
At the same time, a voice echoed through the room:
“I am Myriad Bones, greeting Fellow Daoist Han. I heard you arrived at the Welcome Immortal Palace yesterday. If you have no objections, would you care to visit my residence for a chat?”
The voice was ancient and slightly sinister, but after these few words, it abruptly ceased.
“Venerable Myriad Bones…” Han Li stroked his chin, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
After a moment, he stood and left the room.
When Han Li appeared in the hall, he was surprised to see Hai Da Shao and Qi Lingzi.
The two had evidently been waiting for some time, conversing in a corner.
Upon seeing Han Li, they immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply.
“Rise. Why aren’t you resting in your quarters?” Han Li asked mildly, waving his hand.
“Venerable Han, are you heading to the market outside? We naturally wish to accompany you,” Qi Lingzi said with a grin as he straightened.
“Indeed! Though we may not be able to assist with major matters, we can certainly handle errands and messages,” Hai Da Shao added earnestly.
Han Li chuckled. “Who said I’m going to the market today?”
“Then what are your plans for today…?” The two couldn’t hide their disappointment.
“I understand your eagerness to explore the market. However, the items there are unlikely to be of use to me, so I rarely visit. But since so many high-level cultivators are gathered here, it wouldn’t hurt for you two to broaden your horizons. Later, I will be visiting Venerable Myriad Bones of the White Bone Sect, and it would be inconvenient to bring you along. I’ll use the token to send you out first. You may return in the evening,” Han Li said, his expression calm once more.
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