Han Li sat quietly, allowing the mist to envelop him as he closed his eyes.
The black mist, its nature unknown, swirled around him for a while before dissipating.
“Impressive. Your refining technique is quite unique—it infused the object with spiritual sense without requiring my divine will,” Han Li remarked as he reopened his eyes, speaking in the same serpentine tongue as the others.
“You flatter me, Venerable. It’s merely a minor trick. This is the nautical chart of our Fire Coral Archipelago. Please take a look!” The woman smiled humbly and tossed out a pale stone slab.
This time, the slab did not shatter. Instead, it was drawn by a beam of spiritual light exhaled by Han Li and pressed against his forehead, remaining motionless.
Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression shifting from calm to startled before settling back into neutrality.
The woman, observing his reaction from a distance, flickered with a strange glint in her eyes before it vanished.
Moments later, the stone slab emitted a white glow and bounced off Han Li’s forehead, returning smoothly to the woman.
With a wave of her hand, she caught it.
Han Li, meanwhile, remained silent, deep in thought.
The woman did not disturb him, merely smiling quietly from her seat.
After a while, Han Li raised his head and asked indifferently,
“So, this place is relatively close to the Thunder Continent? Just a few years of flight to reach it?”
“A few years? That’s only for someone of your speed, Venerable. For us, it would take decades—if we even survive the dangers along the way,” the woman replied with a bitter laugh, her eyelids twitching.
Han Li nodded slightly, tacitly acknowledging her words, then asked,
“According to the chart, your Fire Sun Clan occupies only a few islands. Are the others already claimed?”
“Not just a few—barely any. Only this Fire Cloud Island can accommodate our people. The others are merely auxiliary islands for gathering food and materials, unsuitable for permanent settlement. Most are controlled by stronger clans, while some are monopolized by Venerables like yourself. Our Fire Sun Clan is indeed not a major power in these waters,” the woman admitted with a sigh.
“I see,” Han Li murmured, falling silent.
After a pause, the woman hesitantly asked,
“Venerable, you seem to have come from afar. May I ask your purpose here? Though my cultivation is low, our clan has some manpower. Perhaps we can assist you.”
Her tone was unusually eager.
“I am indeed not from these parts. I was accidentally transported here after triggering an unknown restriction elsewhere. A mishap during the teleportation left me in this state—forgive my disheveled appearance,” Han Li replied coolly.
“You jest, Venerable. Even in your current state, I can sense your unfathomable power. If you require a place with dense spiritual energy to recuperate, our Fire Cloud Island, though small, has several high-grade spirit veins. If you don’t mind, I can allocate a secluded spot for your recovery,” the woman offered respectfully.
“Recuperate on your island?” Han Li chuckled, his expression ambiguous.
Growing anxious, the woman pressed on, “Rest assured, Venerable, our spirit veins rival those of nearby larger islands. We also have rare spiritual medicines and a stockpile of spirit stones—all at your disposal.”
At this, Han Li’s smile faded.
“I do not accept favors without cause. Speak plainly—what do you truly want from me? I dislike roundabout talk,” he said coldly.
Realizing her misstep, the woman’s expression shifted before she sighed deeply.
“Since you’ve discerned my intentions, I’ll be forthright. All of you, leave us!” she commanded the serpentine attendants.
The white-robed figures bowed and retreated from the hall.
Han Li watched impassively, saying nothing.
Once they were alone, the woman asked gravely, “Venerable, what do you think of my cultivation?”
“Passable,” Han Li replied flatly.
“Yet a month ago, I was like my kin—unable to refine my legs, unworthy of the upper clans,” she said with a strange look.
“By ‘upper clans,’ you mean…?” Han Li’s brow twitched.
“Those who refine their forms into higher beings. Only by reaching this stage can we shed our mortal shells and ascend,” she explained.
“From your tone, it seems you didn’t achieve this through normal cultivation. Did you use some elixir or forbidden art to forcibly elevate your power?” Han Li probed, inwardly wary but outwardly calm.
The woman, oblivious to his suspicion, admitted,
“You see clearly, Venerable. I consumed rare pills from our clan’s treasury and employed a brutal technique to cross realms. But this means my cultivation will never advance further, and my lifespan is halved compared to others of my rank. Yet I had no choice—our Fire Sun Clan faces annihilation.”
“Annihilation? Explain,” Han Li said, intrigued.
“Half a year ago, our neighboring Nüwa branch, the ‘Sharp Fang Clan,’ was exterminated. Their women were devoured, leaving only bones, while the men vanished. Soon after, the ‘Scorpion Tail Clan’ met the same fate. Among the Nüwa, only our three clans remained in these waters. Though small, we supported each other. Now, with two gone, we are next. The perpetrators remain unknown, but it was clearly not a lone attacker—likely a powerful clan. The other clans’ high priests were no weaker than I. Desperate, I sacrificed everything to temporarily ascend,” she recounted grimly.
“So, you want me to shield your clan from this calamity? You place great faith in me—what if I’m powerless to help?” Han Li chuckled.
“Though I don’t know your true strength, your cultivation far surpasses mine. As for your injuries, our clan possesses a ‘Blazing Sun Divine Pill’—potent enough to revive the dead. If you aid us, I offer it to heal you swiftly!” she declared, revealing her trump card.
“The Blazing Sun Divine Pill—a fire-attribute elixir? My injuries are severe beyond your reckoning. Such a pill may prove ineffective,” Han Li said slowly.
“Fear not, Venerable. This pill was forged from the core of a twin-headed flame flood dragon and nurtured in subterranean fire for millennia. Its potency is assured,” she insisted eagerly.
Han Li still hesitated, weighing his options.
“Then stay with us and test the pill’s efficacy. If it fails, I’ll ask no more. But if it works…”
“If it truly heals me, aiding your clan is only fair. But know this—if your foes exceed my power, our agreement ends,” Han Li interjected firmly.
“Naturally! I would never ask you to risk your life for our sake,” the woman agreed readily, overjoyed.
Han Li nodded, sealing the pact.
The rest proceeded smoothly. Han Li inquired further about nearby clans, and the woman answered fully before escorting him to a secluded retreat.
She retrieved a white scarf-like artifact, shaking it into a vast cloud that lifted Han Li and his chair into the air.
Stepping onto the cloud, she chanted an incantation, and it shot out of the hall.
The serpentine attendants outside bowed deeply as the cloud passed.
Though not swift, the cloud traversed the island—mere hundreds of miles wide—in the time it took to eat a meal, arriving at a serene mountain.
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