Han Li’s voice wasn’t loud, but to the old man’s ears, it was like thunder, jolting him awake from his slumber.
“Ah, so we have a guest! This junior will find you a fine room right away.” The old man’s hunched body trembled before he abruptly sat up, hastily pulling out a strange, silvery-white object resembling an account book from beneath him and flipping through it rapidly.
Han Li frowned.
This old man was also a cultivator—how could he have no vigilance at all? It seemed he had genuinely been asleep, not feigning it.
A thought crossed Han Li’s mind, and he casually glanced at the old man’s face. The next moment, he gasped in shock. “You… you’re Senior Brother Xiang! You’re still alive? How are you here?”
The old man’s sallow face bore a sickly pallor, yet his eyes held a hint of cunning. It was none other than Xiang Zhili, the man who had entered the spatial node ahead of him back in the human realm—his nominal “Senior Brother Xiang.”
The soul lamps of Xiang Zhili, Old Devil Hu, and Old Freak Feng had all extinguished shortly after they entered the node, leading everyone to believe they had perished.
To see him here now was nothing short of astonishing, and Han Li’s voice even wavered slightly.
At Han Li’s words, the old man paused in his search, slowly raising his head after a long moment to look at him.
“Junior Brother Han… it really is you!” Xiang Zhili murmured, his expression caught between laughter and tears, appearing utterly bizarre.
“It is indeed me. But your cultivation and aura—” Han Li replied, instinctively sweeping his divine sense over Xiang Zhili before his expression shifted again.
Xiang Zhili, who had been a Deity Transformation cultivator in the human realm, now had his cultivation drastically reduced to the Core Formation stage, his aura weak as if he had suffered severe damage to his vitality.
“Junior Brother Han, you must have also arrived in the Spirit Realm through the spatial node. From your cultivation, it seems your power has greatly advanced. But this isn’t the place to talk. No guests will come for a while—follow me to another location.” Xiang Zhili stared at Han Li for a long moment, his expression shifting before he suddenly stood and led Han Li toward a side door in the hall.
Han Li hesitated but followed.
Beyond the door was a long corridor flanked by strange flowers and plants. Xiang Zhili didn’t take him far, instead pushing open a stone door nearby and ushering Han Li inside.
“Please sit, Junior Brother. I never imagined I would see you again in this lifetime. But in my current wretched state, I’m truly ashamed to face anyone.” Once seated, Xiang Zhili spoke with a bitter smile, his voice utterly despondent—a far cry from the mighty cultivator he had once been in the human realm.
“What happened when you passed through the node? Are the other two still alive?” Han Li asked directly after a moment of silence.
“Old Freak Feng and Old Devil Hu perished. Our luck was terrible—we encountered spatial storms multiple times. The last one was two overlapping storms. Of the three, only I survived. But after repeatedly using life-saving secret techniques, my cultivation was nearly wiped out. What little I have now was painstakingly regained over the years.” Xiang Zhili sighed in resignation.
“That spatial node was indeed perilous. Surviving was a stroke of fortune amidst misfortune. But your soul lamps in the human realm had already extinguished. And why are you in the Thunderstorm Continent instead of the human race’s ascension zone?” Han Li offered consolation before voicing his confusion.
“The soul lamps extinguishing must be related to the life-saving technique I used. The ‘Life Exchange Art’ is akin to being reborn. As for why I’m on this continent, I’m not sure. After being swept into the spatial storm, I emerged here in Tian Yun. If not for someone rescuing me, I wouldn’t have survived. From your tone, you emerged in the human region of the Spirit Realm. It seems the spatial storm altered our paths.” Xiang Zhili’s expression darkened at the memory.
Han Li nodded thoughtfully but said nothing.
“Why are you working here? What’s your relationship with the inn’s owner? Have you considered returning to the human race?” Han Li pressed, his expression serious.
“The inn’s owner is a member of the Stone Cocoon race and my savior. He’s kind-hearted, strong in cultivation, and holds some status among his people. I work here partly out of gratitude and partly because I have nowhere else to go. As for returning to the human race, I’ve long given up. The Thirteen Races of Tian Yun do control a cross-continental teleportation array, but activating it requires resources even a Sacred Ancestor would find ruinous—ordinary spirit stones won’t suffice. Even at my peak, I wouldn’t qualify to use it. And even if I somehow reached the Windstorm Continent, my current weakened state makes traversing the wilderness to the human region impossible. I’ve lost all hope of reaching the Void Refinement stage and have resigned myself to living out my days here.” Xiang Zhili shook his head, his expression dimming.
Han Li fell silent, unsure how to console him.
“By the way, I haven’t asked about your experiences. Though I can’t return, I’d still like to hear about the human race in the Spirit Realm. Could you share a summary?” Xiang Zhili asked, his spirits lifting slightly.
“My story is unremarkable. After reaching the Deity Transformation stage, I followed the coordinates you left and entered the node alongside the Ice Phoenix, who had also advanced. My luck was slightly better—though I encountered spatial storms, I managed to escape by tearing through space with her spatial abilities. As for the human race, they’ve barely managed to establish themselves in the Spirit Realm, just enough for self-preservation. The specifics…” Han Li gave a brief account, omitting his own temporary loss of cultivation and sharing only general details about the human race.
“Three Regions and Seven Lands! Sacred Emperors and Demon Kings! So our human race has several Body Integration existences. That’s a relief.” Xiang Zhili exhaled deeply after listening intently.
Han Li remained silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “The Thirteen Races truly have a super teleportation array? Where did you learn of this, Senior Brother?”
“Ah, so you’re interested in it too? The super arrays aren’t secrets. Tian Yun has one, as do the Horned Race and the Night Race. Only the Thunder Roar Race among nearby major factions lacks one. But I advise against it—those arrays aren’t for anyone below Body Integration. And as an outsider, your chances are even slimmer. Tian Yun is relatively welcoming to foreigners; why not settle here and cultivate? We could keep each other company. Once your strength grows, you can consider returning. Speaking of which, what stage have you reached? I sense your aura is stronger than in the human realm, but I can’t discern your exact level.” Xiang Zhili smiled curiously.
“I’ll think more on the teleportation matter. As for my cultivation, I recently advanced to the Void Refinement stage,” Han Li admitted frankly.
“Void Refinement? You’ve progressed so swiftly! Then you’re no longer troubled by lifespan limits!” Xiang Zhili’s lips twitched with envy.
“Nominal immortality, perhaps. But with the Great Heavenly Tribulation every three thousand years, true longevity is impossible. Each tribulation grows fiercer—without ascending to the True Immortal World, death is inevitable,” Han Li replied with a faint smile.
“Don’t say that. At the Void Refinement stage, your lifespan spans tens of thousands of years. You can take your time cultivating. With your talent, who’s to say you won’t reach the end and ascend?” Xiang Zhili shook his head emphatically.
“Ascend to the True Immortal World? Over countless millennia, how many of our human and demon race’s prodigies have achieved that? I can only take one step at a time,” Han Li said wryly.
“Let’s discuss this another time. For now, stay at the inn. I must tend to the guests, but I’ll visit you tonight for a longer talk. You won’t refuse this old man, will you?” Xiang Zhili glanced outside before chuckling lightly.
“Very well. I’ve just arrived in Cloud City and have questions for you as well,” Han Li agreed with a nod.
Xiang Zhili then led Han Li to a secluded, high-quality room in a quiet corner before returning to the main hall.
Once alone, Han Li set up an isolation barrier, sat cross-legged, and sank into deep thought.
To unexpectedly encounter Xiang Zhili here—this warranted careful consideration.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage