Han Li heard the cautious proposal from the Heavenly Talisman Sect and twitched the corner of his mouth, revealing a faint smile.
“Calling me to be a guest elder for your three sects—do you really think I would agree?”
“Esteemed Senior, we understand that small sects like ours are unworthy of hosting someone of your stature. However, we only ask for your assistance in resolving a single pressing issue. Afterward, you would merely hold an honorary title, and we would never dare to trouble you further,” the elderly man surnamed Wen explained hastily, his initial nervousness easing slightly upon seeing that Han Li showed no signs of anger.
“So you mean to say that once I intervene this one time, I won’t have to bother with anything else?” Han Li’s eyes flickered as he spoke.
“Exactly, that is our intention. Of course, our three sects would not ask for your help without compensation. Since you are interested in talisman-making techniques, our Heavenly Talisman Sect is willing to gift you the secret art of the Spirit Transformation Talisman. The Golden Glow Mountain and Bright Sun Valley also each possess a unique inherited secret technique they are willing to share with you. Additionally, we have prepared tens of thousands of spirit stones, hoping you will accept them.”
At this point, the elderly Wen decided to lay out all their conditions at once. He knew well that any further scheming might only provoke the other party, so it was better to be straightforward.
“Tens of thousands of spirit stones?” Han Li gave a faint smile.
“Admittedly, the amount is modest. However, our three sects will continue to offer spirit stones annually as tribute. Moreover, our sect is willing to gift you the Spirit Transformation Talisman personally crafted by our founding patriarch. Given your abilities, refining it should be within your power.” With gritted teeth, Wen revealed their final bargaining chip.
“The founding patriarch—do you mean the Heavenly Talisman True Lord?” Han Li’s expression finally shifted slightly.
“Indeed, it is that very treasure. To be frank, though this talisman once displayed immense power in our patriarch’s hands, none of our descendants have ever been able to refine it. Thus, it has been passed down through generations, its spiritual essence gradually fading, leaving us helpless. If you can claim it for yourself, it would be a mutually beneficial arrangement.” This time, it was Yue Zhen who spoke up.
“Your sect possesses such a treasure? I would like to see it for myself,” Han Li said with growing interest.
“Junior Yue, bring out the talisman for Senior to examine.” Seeing Han Li’s interest, Wen was overjoyed and immediately instructed. Though he was the highest-ranking cultivator in the Heavenly Talisman Sect, the talisman crafted by the Heavenly Talisman True Lord was traditionally kept only by the sect leader, hence his deferral to Yue Zhen.
“As you command, Uncle.” Yue Zhen complied swiftly, patting his storage pouch. A flash of cyan light later, a pale yellow wooden box appeared in his hands, which he respectfully presented to Han Li.
Without ceremony, Han Li waved his hand, and the box flew into his grasp. He examined it briefly—its surface was unremarkable, ancient and plain, with a golden talisman affixed to the lid. Raising an eyebrow, Han Li brushed his hand over the lid, and with a flicker of spiritual light, the talisman silently drifted away.
While the other cultivators present saw nothing unusual in this, Wen and the other two Core Formation elders were astonished. The ability to effortlessly remove a sealing talisman with such precise spiritual control was beyond ordinary cultivators—it required not only immense cultivation but also an extraordinary mastery of spiritual energy. They had only heard of such techniques in legends, and witnessing Han Li perform it so casually deepened their reverence for him.
As soon as the box was opened, a faint green glow emanated from within, accompanied by a surge of pure wood-attribute spiritual energy.
Han Li was inwardly surprised. According to Wen, the talisman’s spiritual essence should have greatly diminished over the years, yet it still radiated such power—clearly no ordinary artifact. What pleased him even more was that the Spirit Transformation Talisman was wood-attribute, perfectly complementing his cultivation techniques and making refinement considerably easier.
Examining the talisman within the glow, Han Li saw it clearly—a palm-sized, emerald-green talisman with faintly shimmering gold and silver runes along its edges, exuding an air of mystery. But what truly caught his attention was a small cluster of faint purple light swirling slowly at its center.
Han Li raised his hand, enveloping it in cyan light, and reached for the talisman. In a flash, the talisman trembled and shot out of the box as a streak of green light.
Frowning, Han Li swiftly grabbed at the air, and a spectral hand materialized, snatching the talisman mid-flight. Before the others could react, the hand dissipated, and the talisman was firmly in Han Li’s grasp.
“So this is the Spirit Transformation Talisman! It certainly has its quirks. I’ve heard the Heavenly Talisman True Lord was a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. The spiritual energy within this talisman must be incredibly potent, making refinement difficult for ordinary cultivators. Even if refined, its power would diminish significantly, requiring the user to nourish it with their own spiritual energy—a process that could take decades, if not over a century.” Han Li chuckled, observing the talisman writhing like a live fish between his fingers.
“Then, Esteemed Senior, do you find this talisman…?” Wen and the others exchanged uneasy glances upon hearing Han Li’s words.
“However, that applies to early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. Having reached the mid-stage and with wood-attribute cultivation, refining it would be easier for me. This talisman is indeed useful.” Han Li’s tone shifted subtly. In truth, he withheld another thought—though reforging such a talisman would be time-consuming, its power upon completion would far surpass its original state.
“Then, does that mean you agree?” Wen asked eagerly, his face alight with hope. The other cultivators in the hall mirrored his anticipation.
“Whether I agree or not isn’t urgent. First, tell me about the trouble you want me to resolve. If it’s not too troublesome, I might consider intervening once.” Han Li remained noncommittal, flicking his wrist to return the talisman to the box with a wisp of spiritual energy before resealing it.
“Of course. In truth, this matter would be trivial for someone of your stature. It concerns a shared market of our three sects. Recently…” Seeing Han Li’s contemplative demeanor, Wen eagerly launched into an explanation about the market and the Fiery Sun Sect.
Han Li listened quietly.
A quarter-hour later, a streak of cyan light shot northward from White Bamboo Mountain as Han Li departed.
Days later, a minor yet notable event spread through the Huayunzhou cultivation world. A cultivator surnamed Han, claiming to be a guest elder of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, suddenly appeared at the Fiery Sun Sect’s headquarters. Under the pretense of a friendly exchange, he effortlessly defeated the sect’s sole Nascent Soul elder with his mid-stage Nascent Soul prowess before departing gracefully.
The next day, the Spirit Wind Sect, previously backed by the Fiery Sun Sect, hastily relocated its market from near Kaijiang Town to a site ten thousand miles away. Other small and mid-sized sects, alarmed by the news, swiftly withdrew their forces from the area centered around Kaijiang Town, effectively ceding the vast territory to the Heavenly Talisman Sect and its two allies.
For a time, the Heavenly Talisman Sect and Golden Glow Mountain basked in newfound prestige, their disciples overjoyed. The sect leaders and elders felt their tribute had been well spent—with a mid-stage Nascent Soul guest elder lending his name, they anticipated their influence doubling within a century.
Meanwhile, the “Dragon-Slaying Conference” convened by the South Sea Sect, Huayunzhou’s foremost sect, finally commenced. Within days, it gathered over two hundred Core Formation cultivators and nearly ten Nascent Soul cultivators. Under the South Sea Sect’s organization, they divided into groups to sweep the surrounding seas, hunting for the venomous flood dragons’ lairs.
Low-level demonic beasts were frequently discovered and slain, boosting the human cultivators’ morale as they neared total victory.
However, the cunning flood dragons, sensing danger, remained hidden. After months of fruitless searching, some cultivators grew impatient and dispersed.
Another month passed, leaving only a hundred or so cultivators, including seven Nascent Soul elders primarily from the South Sea Sect, still scouring the seas.
As their numbers dwindled, the flood dragons seized the opportunity. They started ambushing isolated cultivators, and even the eighth-grade blue flood dragon targeted smaller groups. Although these teams were led by Nascent Soul elders, the blue dragon’s mastery of water escape techniques allowed it to strike swiftly and vanish into the depths, evading any counterattacks. Several Core Formation cultivators were devoured, spreading fear among the remaining forces and leaving the South Sea Sect in a perilous situation. Compelled to regroup, they proceeded with caution as they continued their search.
On this day, a team of over a dozen cultivators, led by a Nascent Soul elder, flew cautiously over the sea, their spiritual senses scanning the waters intently.
Among them, Han Li, disguised as a pale-faced middle-aged cultivator, drifted at the rear. Though outwardly composed, he was inwardly frustrated.
Having infiltrated the conference as a Core Formation cultivator, he had hoped to exploit the chaos. Yet, months later, he had nothing to show for it.
While other teams had encountered the flood dragons at least once, his group had not—leaving him unsure whether his luck was exceptionally good or bad.
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