Han Li sighed inwardly. Although he had obtained many spiritual medicines from the ruins of the Spirit Void Garden, none could extend his lifespan, leaving him powerless in this regard. “Senior Brother, there’s no need to be too disheartened. Perhaps in the coming years, another opportunity will arise!” Han Li could only offer words of comfort.
The old man shook his head, his expression calm, as if he had truly come to terms with life and death. Han Li naturally refrained from mentioning the matter further. Instead, he flipped his palm, revealing a white jade slip.
“With both senior brothers here, I’ve just remembered something. I happen to need some materials collected by our sect’s disciples from various markets. Since the required types are numerous, just gather as much as possible—no need to force it. As for the cost, no matter how many spirit stones are needed, as long as the price isn’t outrageous, the disciples can acquire them and come to me later for reimbursement.” Han Li handed over the jade slip casually.
“Let me take a look!” Lü Luo seemed intrigued. He took the jade slip and scanned it with his spiritual sense, his face gradually revealing a strange expression.
“Junior Brother, no wonder you said to just do our best. Most of these items are hard to come by, and a few seem to be legendary materials. I doubt they exist in the South Sky Region,” Lü Luo said, stunned.
“Oh? What materials are these? Let me see too!” Senior Brother Cheng, hearing this, grew curious and reached out for the jade slip. After reviewing it, he was equally surprised. “Indeed, these are all rare items. Junior Brother, are you planning to forge another magic treasure?”
“Magic treasure? You could say that.” Han Li smiled faintly, offering no further explanation.
Seeing this, Senior Brother Cheng didn’t press further and readily agreed to the task, promising to immediately dispatch disciples to collect the materials across the South Sky Region.
At this point, the old man and Lü Luo exchanged glances. Lü Luo suddenly removed a bulging storage pouch from his waist and handed it to Han Li.
“What’s this?” Han Li was taken aback. He reflexively accepted the pouch and glanced at the two with confusion.
“Junior Brother, have you forgotten? Years ago, you asked the sect’s disciples to collect some peculiar materials and Essence Gold. Over the years, aside from a small piece of Essence Gold, everything else has been gathered. I originally wanted to surprise you, but now that you need even more materials, it seems your craftsmanship in artifact forging is truly exceptional,” Lü Luo said with a smile.
“You found another piece of Essence Gold?” Han Li’s heart leaped with joy. He hurriedly opened the storage pouch and saw, among various miscellaneous materials, a small golden piece of Essence Gold the size of a walnut.
As for the other materials, they were precisely the few items he lacked to craft the ancient Nascent Soul puppet. Had he possessed them earlier, he could have completed the puppet before entering the Fallen Devil Valley.
“These are exactly what I need. Thank you both for your efforts. These items must have cost a fortune in spirit stones. I—” Han Li’s face showed a hint of delight, but when he mentioned the cost, the old man laughed and waved his hand dismissively.
“Junior Brother, what are you saying? Although these items are valuable, when the Mulan invaded, you fought two battles on behalf of our sect. It’s only right for the sect to cover the costs. Please, take them without hesitation.”
“If Senior Brother insists, then I won’t stand on ceremony.” Han Li paused briefly, then smiled and stowed the storage pouch away without further ado.
Seeing Han Li’s lack of refusal, the old man nodded in satisfaction.
“By the way, Senior Brother Cheng, when I was sucked into the spatial rift, I couldn’t retrieve two of my flying swords. Did you happen to see them?” Han Li asked casually, recalling the incident. He had been unaware of their whereabouts after being pulled into the rift, but the old man, who had remained outside, should know.
“Junior Brother, I was just about to mention this. The two flying swords you left outside—I couldn’t retrieve them in time. The demon snatched them away. Later, during the demon’s pursuit, no one reported seeing it use the swords in battle. It seems even that demon couldn’t corrupt and wield your bonded treasures. The only issue is that the demon’s current whereabouts are unknown, making it difficult to recover the swords,” the old man explained apologetically, as if he had anticipated the question.
“In the hands of that ancient demon? That’s troublesome, but it’s not a major concern. They’re just external objects—I can forge two more.” Han Li’s expression flickered briefly before returning to normal.
“I thought the same. With so many bonded flying swords, losing two isn’t a big deal. There’s no need to risk your life searching for a demon whose fate is unknown,” the old man said, visibly relieved.
When it came to fear of the demon, Senior Brother Cheng was even more apprehensive than Han Li. Naturally, he didn’t want anything to happen to Han Li, a key figure in the future prominence of the Falling Cloud Sect.
After a while longer discussing sect matters, Senior Brother Cheng and Lü Luo took their leave. Han Li escorted them beyond the sect’s defensive formation before calmly returning to his cave abode.
“Master, now that you’ve obtained another piece of Essence Gold, can’t you forge two more swords and restore the Great Essence Sword Formation?” As soon as Han Li entered the hall, silver light shimmered on the wall, and Silvermoon materialized silently, smiling as she spoke.
“It’s not that simple. The Emerald Swarm Swords are a set. This piece of Essence Gold isn’t enough to forge another complete set. Even if I replace the missing swords with others, they won’t integrate seamlessly. Forcing the Great Essence Sword Formation would only render it ineffective against opponents. I must recover those two lost swords.” Han Li’s expression darkened at the mention of the matter.
“But those swords are in the hands of the ancient demon. Even with your improved cultivation, if the demon is still alive, you might not be a match for it,” Silvermoon said worriedly.
“I’m well aware. I won’t act recklessly without absolute confidence. Only after unlocking the Void Heaven Cauldron or forging the imitation Sevenflame Fan will I seek out that demon.” Han Li’s eyes flickered as he sat back in his chair, speaking solemnly.
“Han boy, have you forgotten the puppet I developed? That ancient demon may be formidable, but if you gather the materials to craft this puppet, you may not guarantee victory, but self-preservation will be more than assured.” The voice of the Great Divination Sage suddenly echoed in Han Li’s mind, as if indignant that Han Li hadn’t mentioned his creation.
A faint smile tugged at Han Li’s lips.
“Senior, given the effort you’ve poured into this puppet, I naturally believe it’s extraordinary. Moreover, the rarity of the materials alone suggests its power. But you’ve kept its crafting method and effects a secret—how can I be fully confident?”
“Hmph! No need for reverse psychology. Until you gather all the materials, I won’t reveal a single detail. All I’ll say is that once completed, this puppet’s prowess may even rival my prime. That should give you some idea.” The Great Divination Sage spoke proudly.
“Rival your prime?” This time, Han Li was genuinely startled, his face flashing with disbelief.
“What? You doubt me?” The Great Divination Sage’s voice turned icy with displeasure.
“It’s not about doubt. Since this puppet is newly developed, even you can only speculate about its true power.” Han Li’s expression returned to calmness as he spoke evenly.
“Haha! A fair point. But with my intellect, how could I misjudge my own creation? Rest assured!” The Great Divination Sage’s mood shifted abruptly, and he burst into laughter.
Han Li smiled slightly and ignored him, rising to head for the secret chamber.
Though he was to attend the so-called ceremony the next day, it was best to refine the last wisp of Dry Blue Iceflame as soon as possible. Afterward, he would need time to craft two Nascent Soul-level ancient puppets from the newly acquired materials.
With this in mind, he touched the new storage pouch at his waist.
Back in the Fallen Devil Valley, he had witnessed the fearsome puppet controlled by Heavenly Crystal Sage. Though it hadn’t lasted long against the ancient demon, its strength had been undeniable—comparable to an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator. Lost in thought, Han Li entered the secret chamber.
Early the next morning, Han Li and Senior Brother Cheng set off together for the Hundred Crafts Academy.
Since the three sects shared the same mountain range, it didn’t take long to reach the other end of the Cloud Dream Mountains, where the Hundred Crafts Academy was located. Ironically, Han Li had once participated in the Three Sects’ Sword Trial as a low-level disciple. The memory now struck him as somewhat amusing.
As the three approached the Falling Cloud Sect’s defensive formation, three Core Formation cultivators were already waiting respectfully. Spotting them, the trio immediately flew forward as three streaks of light.
“Greetings, Seniors! We were sent by our masters to welcome you.” The leading elder, his aura restrained, bowed deeply before Han Li and the others. The two middle-aged cultivators behind him followed suit.
“No need for formalities. Please lead the way,” Senior Brother Cheng said amiably with a faint smile.
Han Li, however, studied the elder’s face and wore a knowing smile.
Coincidentally, this elder was the same Fu who had presided over the Sword Trial back then. With a cultivator’s sharp memory, it was impossible he didn’t recognize Han Li now. Yet his expression betrayed nothing.
It seemed that despite his modest cultivation, his cunning was anything but ordinary.
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