This array banner seemed somewhat familiar to him, as if he had once possessed an identical magical artifact in his early years, but later it seemed he had given it away!
However, this was no big deal. For such low-tier treasures, as long as one knew the refining method, crafting an identical replica was hardly anything unusual.
Han Li pondered for a moment and quickly dismissed the thought.
Nevertheless, this piqued his interest in the Core Formation-stage woman. Though these people appeared to have vanished into thin air, such a rudimentary concealment technique was practically nonexistent under Han Li’s divine sense.
With a flash of blue light in his pupils, he pierced through the gray mist obscuring the woman’s face.
“Hmm? This woman is…” Han Li’s expression immediately turned peculiar.
At that moment, a flash of cyan and yellow light appeared outside the Starry Sky Hall, as if some restriction had been lifted. Footsteps echoed from behind the hall’s entrance, and a white-robed cultivator slowly emerged.
This man appeared to be in his forties, tall and lean, with a somewhat sinister and stern countenance—clearly an early-stage Core Formation cultivator.
As the Star Palace guardian of this hall, he scanned his surroundings upon appearing but found no trace of anyone. His face darkened with displeasure.
A yellow flash later, the Core Formation-stage man voluntarily revealed himself, the gray mist dissipating to expose the refined face of a middle-aged scholar.
“Brother Zhang, no unexpected issues, I hope? Can my wife and I depart via teleportation tonight?” The man clasped his fists in an exceedingly polite manner.
“Fellow Daoist Tian, as long as you’ve brought enough spirit stones, sending a few of you is a trivial matter. Which of our Star Palace’s teleportation overseers hasn’t done this during their shift? Do you think I’d tarnish my own reputation?” The Star Palace cultivator’s expression softened slightly upon seeing the man, though his tone remained brusque.
“Naturally, I don’t doubt you, Brother Zhang. But my daughter is gravely ill, and we must seek the inner core of the White Egret Fish Demon in the Outer Seas to save her. Time is of the essence,” the scholarly man replied with an apologetic smile before turning and waving behind him.
With a *poof*, a yellow mist dispersed, revealing the rest of the group. The Foundation Establishment cultivators showed their true faces, while the Core Formation woman and a frail-looking Qi Condensation girl remained veiled in gray mist.
“This must be your esteemed wife? I’ve long heard of Fairy Yue’s reputation.”
The sinister man ignored the Foundation Establishment cultivators, his gaze lingering on the Core Formation woman’s face as a rare smile crept onto his features.
“We are deeply grateful for your assistance, Fellow Daoist Zhang,” the woman replied in a gentle yet dignified tone.
“Fairy Yue refuses to reveal her true appearance—what a pity. Fellow Daoists, follow me.” The sinister man chuckled, feigning regret before turning to lead the way into the hall.
Exchanging a glance, the scholarly man and the Core Formation woman sandwiched the Qi Condensation girl between them and followed.
The four Foundation Establishment disciples hurried after them.
Unbeknownst to any of them, as the cyan light outside the hall flashed once more and the restriction reactivated, an imperceptible shadow—undetectable to their cultivation levels—slipped silently into the hall behind them, as if woven from mist itself.
Navigating a winding corridor, the group entered a grand hall lined with numerous teleportation arrays. There, a baby-faced elder stood waiting.
As they entered, a cold glint flickered in the elder’s eyes before vanishing.
“These are the ones? Seven people—just enough for one teleportation,” the elder remarked indifferently.
“Indeed. Fellow Daoist Tian, which outer island are you heading to?” the sinister man asked, turning to the scholarly cultivator.
“Silver Shark Island. I’ve heard most cultivators heading to the Outer Seas are gathering there due to the discovery of a high-grade spirit vein. Perhaps we can directly obtain the White Egret Fish Demon’s core.” The man hesitated briefly before answering, his gaze settling on a clearly marked teleportation array.
“Brother Huang, lift the restriction on that array. Fellow Daoist Tian, it’s time to pay the full sum,” the Zhang cultivator said expressionlessly.
“Of course!” Watching as the elder dispelled the white barrier around the array with a few hand seals, the scholarly man brightened and tossed a storage pouch from his waist to the sinister man.
After scanning the pouch twice with his divine sense, the sinister man nodded in satisfaction.
“The amount is correct. Here are your teleportation talismans.” He swiftly stored the pouch and handed over seven talismans.
The Tian man distributed them before leading the group toward the activated array under the sinister man’s guidance.
The array glowed faintly white, signaling everything was in order.
Just as the seven stepped forward, a melodious yet thunderous voice rang out:
“You dare defy me by secretly sending people to the Outer Seas? Do you not fear the Lightning Whip punishment from the Enforcement Hall?”
The sinister man and the elder paled instantly, while the scholarly man and the Core Formation woman reacted swiftly, enveloping the frail girl in a red-and-blue streak that shot toward the array.
A cold snort echoed.
From a corner of the hall, a dazzling streak of light flashed and materialized before the array, effortlessly repelling the red-and-blue streak with a casual flick.
The streak scattered after flying back several dozen feet, revealing the staggering figures of the Tian man and the Core Formation woman. Both spat a mouthful of blood, their faces ashen, while the Qi Condensation girl they shielded remained unharmed.
The gray mist over the two women’s faces dissipated, revealing their true appearances.
The Core Formation woman, in her mid-twenties, had jade-like skin and striking beauty. Beside her, the Qi Condensation girl, no older than fifteen or sixteen, was sallow and thin, yet her eyes were clear and calm despite the chaos. Her features bore a striking resemblance to the older woman.
“We pay respects to the Palace Master!”
The two Star Palace overseers dropped to their knees in terror, kowtowing frantically.
The Core Formation couple exchanged a horrified glance, their last shred of hope extinguished. They stood frozen, not daring to flee.
From the corner, a graceful figure emerged, drifting toward the center of the hall—a white-robed woman with a veil covering half her face.
Her star-bright eyes and delicate brows hinted at breathtaking beauty.
Ignoring the others, she gazed toward the hall’s entrance and spoke coolly:
“Fellow Daoist Han, since you’ve already arrived, why lurk in the shadows before juniors? Will you not show yourself and speak with me?”
The veiled woman’s words shocked everyone present. They turned toward the entrance but saw nothing.
From the empty space, a light chuckle sounded:
“I never expected to encounter one of the famed Twin Saints here. Surely you haven’t come specifically for me?”
As the voice faded, a green-robed figure materialized—Han Li, hands clasped behind his back, smiling faintly at the woman.
“Late Nascent Soul stage!”
The veiled woman’s divine sense swept over him, her face paling in disbelief.
The others in the hall gaped at the words “late Nascent Soul stage.” For half of them, even meeting a Nascent Soul cultivator was rare, let alone a late-stage one. Now, not only had one of the Twin Saints appeared, but another late-stage Nascent Soul expert had emerged, leaving them dazed as if in a dream.
Among them, only “Fairy Yue” stared at Han Li in shock. Upon hearing his cultivation level, she froze completely.
Under normal circumstances, her reaction would have drawn attention. But now, everyone was too awestruck to notice.
Only the Qi Condensation girl, unburdened by the weight of higher realms, curiously studied Han Li’s face.
“Are you truly surnamed Han?” The veiled Twin Saint’s composure had vanished, replaced by solemnity.
“Since you’ve waited here specifically for me, do you think you’ve mistaken your target?” Han Li countered with a smile.
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