Han Li remained in the room for an entire day and night. Although the abbot of the Taoist temple was a mortal, being part of the Taoist tradition, he was aware of some matters concerning cultivators and had vaguely guessed Han Li’s identity. Thus, he made sure no one disturbed Han Li during this time.
When Han Li finally opened his eyes in the room, a trace of disappointment flickered across his face.
“The cold energy from the Frost Essence cannot be integrated into the Violet Flames at all. It seems this item can only be used as material for now. I might as well use it to refine the Snow Crystal Pearl again,” Han Li muttered helplessly. With a light puff, a translucent orb shot out from his mouth and hovered several feet in front of him.
Gazing at the orb, Han Li raised his hand, and the small vial containing the Frost Essence appeared in his palm. His fingers brushed past it, and the lid flew off on its own. With a tap on the bottom of the vial, a silver droplet shot out and vanished into the Snow Crystal Pearl.
Without further ado, Han Li formed hand seals and exhaled another wisp of azure infant flame, which instantly enveloped the orb, igniting it fiercely.
Calmly observing the pearl within the flames, Han Li closed his eyes again. Refining this pearl wouldn’t take much time—he would have it completed well before the grand auction.
With this thought, he used his spiritual sense to guide the infant flame, meticulously refining the treasure before him.
…
While Han Li was wholly focused on refining his treasure, in a grand mansion within the imperial city in the northern part of Jinjing, a young man clad in a thin green robe stood in a stone pavilion, his hands clasped behind his back as he admired the exotic flowers and plants outside, his face relaxed and content.
Suddenly, his expression shifted, and he turned his head abruptly, revealing a face that bore a striking resemblance to Han Li—about seventy percent similar. The only difference was his pair of cold, emotionless eyes.
At that moment, footsteps approached from the garden entrance, and an elderly man in a black crown and brocade robe appeared. When he raised his head and met the young man’s piercing gaze, he shuddered involuntarily, his heart skipping a beat.
Fortunately, the cold glint in the young man’s eyes vanished instantly, replaced by an ordinary expression. “Ah, it’s Fellow Daoist Yunyi. Have you come to see me?” he said indifferently.
“Elder Han, our spies stationed in several marketplaces have recently sent a message that might interest you,” the black-crowned elder chuckled dryly as he approached.
“A message? You know I’ve never been interested in external affairs, nor do I handle any specific matters. If you need my assistance, just have Elder Ye relay the request,” the young man replied coldly, turning his head back to gaze at the flowering trees before the pavilion.
“Haha, if it were any other matter, I wouldn’t dare disturb your cultivation, Fellow Daoist Han. But this news concerns you personally,” the elder said meaningfully, unfazed by the young man’s aloofness.
“Concerns me? Have you found that person?” The young man narrowed his eyes, his expression turning icy.
“Indeed, we have news of him. It’s said that some cultivators from the Ghost Luo Sect have been secretly searching for this man in several marketplaces in the capital. This is the portrait they’ve circulated—it matches the description you provided. However, we’d like you to verify it personally.” The elder flicked his sleeve, and a white jade slip shot toward the young man.
With a dark expression, the green-robed youth beckoned, and the jade slip flew into his hand. He immediately immersed his spiritual sense into it, scrutinizing the contents carefully.
“Yes, it’s him without a doubt. Any word on why the Ghost Luo Sect is after him?” The young man’s face twitched slightly as he withdrew his spiritual sense, his tone calm but cold.
“Not yet. However, all the Ghost Luo Sect’s Nascent Soul elders in the capital have suddenly gathered together. It’s unclear whether this is related to him. Elder Han, you mentioned that this man, who shares your name, is a sworn enemy of yours and requested the clan’s help in locating him. Thus, the Second Elder has decided to leave this matter entirely to you. As long as this man doesn’t disrupt the grand auction, you may deal with him as you see fit. After all, the Ye Clan has several items they must secure at this auction, and Elder Ye doesn’t want any unexpected incidents,” the elder replied impassively.
“Hmph, as long as I have accurate information about his whereabouts, I’ll ensure he vanishes from this world. But regarding the demonic artifacts the clan promised to collect for me—how many have been found so far? My agreement to join the imperial family and serve the Ye Clan was contingent upon this condition,” the young man said coldly, a glint of menace flashing in his eyes.
“Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Han. We’ve been tracking the whereabouts of these demonic artifacts across various regions. Haven’t we already procured one for you? The others are proving more troublesome and will require additional time,” the elder explained calmly.
“I don’t care how you obtain them. I’ve agreed to serve the Ye Clan for twenty years. By the end of that period, I expect all the promised demonic artifacts to be in my possession,” the young man said icily, his lips pressed into a thin line.
“Naturally. The Ye Clan always honors its agreements. Please rest for now, Elder Han. As soon as we have concrete news about that man, I’ll inform you immediately.” The elder clasped his hands in a perfunctory bow before taking his leave.
Watching the elder’s retreating figure disappear beyond the garden gate, the young man smirked coldly. Then, as if remembering something, he flicked his sleeve, and a small golden sword shimmering with light appeared in his hand.
The sword was entangled with several black threads, yet it struggled fiercely, as if desperate to break free. The threads, however, seemed impervious to its efforts, clinging stubbornly to the blade.
Frowning, the young man suddenly spat a mouthful of black blood onto the sword. The golden blade let out a mournful hum as its glow dimmed, though it continued to emit faint, defiant whispers.
“Such a nuisance. A mere mortal-world flying sword, yet so resistant to having its spirit erased. If it weren’t forged from Golden Lightning Bamboo, I wouldn’t bother expending so much effort,” the young man muttered, his face betraying impatience.
“But now that you’ve arrived in Jinjing, this is a rare opportunity. Once I eliminate you, not only will I avenge the destruction of my main soul—which hindered my full recovery—but this sword will also become masterless, making it effortless to claim.” As he spoke, a sinister aura flickered across his face, and his pupils faintly glowed with alternating shades of black and purple, giving him an eerie, almost demonic presence.
…
Meanwhile, in a secluded pavilion elsewhere in the mansion, two men and a woman sat around a round table, deep in conversation.
One of them was the black-crowned elder who had just returned from his meeting with the young man. The other man was a middle-aged figure with an imposing demeanor and a jade belt around his waist. The woman was none other than the beautiful lady who had previously appeared at the Huangqing Taoist Temple, though her expression was now grave as she listened to the elder recount his discussion.
“So, Elder Han agreed without hesitation?” the square-faced middle-aged man mused after hearing the elder’s report.
“Indeed. Though he didn’t show overt excitement upon hearing about his namesake, the killing intent in his eyes was unmistakable. It seems his claim of a deep-seated grudge is genuine,” the elder replied.
“Yet these two share not only the same name but also strikingly similar appearances. And this ‘Han Li’ recently infiltrated the Huangqing Temple, where our imperial clan’s cultivators reside. What was his purpose? Could he be targeting the Ye Clan? Now, with the Ghost Luo Sect secretly hunting him so earnestly, I can’t shake this uneasy feeling,” the beautiful lady remarked, her brows furrowing slightly.
“There are undoubtedly hidden complexities here, but why should we concern ourselves with them? As long as Elder Han isn’t a spy planted by Buddhist or Taoist sects and can wholeheartedly assist the Ye Clan in our grand endeavor, there’s no need to dig deeper. This Elder Han is not only formidable in cultivation but also possesses extensive knowledge of ancient secrets—indispensable for our plans years from now. Until then, we must do everything to keep him on our side. As for his namesake, we should monitor him closely. Anyone who warrants such attention from the Ghost Luo Sect must be extraordinary. If we can’t confirm whether he’s a threat to the Ye Clan, it’s best to assist Elder Han in eliminating him at the earliest opportunity,” the square-faced elder said solemnly, tapping the armrest of his chair.
“Second Elder speaks wisely. However, this Elder Han is rather peculiar himself. I suspect he’s concealing his true strength from us. Moreover, his insistence on collecting demonic artifacts—tools that harm both user and victim—is baffling. I believe we should remain wary of him as well,” the black-crowned elder interjected.
“Brother is well aware of this. Apart from the Ye Clan’s core elders, I trust no outsider, nor will I reveal our true plans to them. You needn’t worry, Brother Yunyi. The priority now is ensuring that the items we must secure at this auction aren’t traced back to us. If other factions discover our involvement, they may either sabotage our efforts or deduce fragments of our plans from the materials we seek. We cannot allow this. Therefore, you must arrange everything flawlessly—no room for error. If we miss this auction and fail to gather all the materials needed to forge those artifacts, our expedition years from now will be jeopardized,” the square-faced elder instructed gravely.
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