The cave abode of Elder Lu from the Heavenly Extremes Sect was also quite simple.
After walking through a passage over twenty zhang long, Han Li arrived at the main hall of the cave—a stone chamber about seven to eight zhang wide. Inside stood a kind-looking, gray-haired elder and a middle-aged man wearing a tall crown, both seemingly waiting to greet him.
“Fellow Daoist Han, you’ve finally arrived,” the gray-haired elder greeted with a smile.
“Brother Han, you’ve kept the two of us waiting for so long! We each dispatched people to search for you for over a month, but you were as elusive as a ghost—no trace could be found. We almost thought you had changed your mind!” Marquis Nanlong said with a bitter smile, though a glint of joy flashed in his eyes.
“The two of you reside in such hidden places—it wasn’t easy for me to find you either. Moreover, I happened to be in seclusion not long ago, so it’s only natural you couldn’t locate me,” Han Li sighed, offering a helpless explanation. Without further ceremony, he took a seat while continuing to converse with them.
“Brother Han’s reputation is now at its peak. Not only did you shine in the border war, but it’s said you even took down a mid-Nascent Soul elder from the Devil Sect of Jin. With such divine abilities, you’ve kept me in the dark for far too long,” Marquis Nanlong remarked with a peculiar expression as soon as Han Li sat down.
“My abilities are nothing extraordinary, as Brother Nanlong has witnessed before. If I truly had such power, I wouldn’t have fled in defeat on the Mulan Grasslands back then. My current reputation is merely a stroke of luck. Without some fortune, I wouldn’t even be sitting before you two today,” Han Li replied vaguely, naturally unwilling to disclose the full truth.
Elder Lu and Marquis Nanlong exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of belief and doubt. With their spiritual sense, they could clearly see Han Li’s cultivation was still at the early Nascent Soul stage. Though they knew he was no ordinary early-stage cultivator, the idea that he could kill a mid-Nascent Soul—possibly even a peak mid-stage—devil cultivator was hard to swallow. Yet, the rumors about Han Li were rampant, and his fame was overwhelming, leaving them no choice but to entertain the possibility.
“Haha! Fellow Daoist Han is too modest. The greater your abilities, the more help you’ll be for our trip to the Fallen Devil Valley. We’d be thrilled if your strength could rival the Three Great Cultivators,” Marquis Nanlong chuckled dryly, his words not entirely sincere.
Han Li smirked but didn’t engage further.
Meanwhile, Elder Lu spoke gravely, “Since Brother Han has sought us out, it seems you’ve considered our earlier proposal. Are you willing to enter the valley with us to slay that ancient Fire Toad?”
At this question, Marquis Nanlong also fixed his gaze on Han Li, his expression solemn.
“Such an opportunity isn’t one I’d easily pass up. But before making a decision, I must ask—how will the treasures from the ancient cultivator’s remains be divided if we succeed? If the terms satisfy me, I wouldn’t mind taking the risk,” Han Li replied calmly, revealing nothing of his own intentions. Though he was determined to enter the valley, he kept his cards close to negotiate better terms.
“If we truly obtain the treasures, the three of us shall split them equally. How does that sound?” Elder Lu answered without hesitation, as if he and Marquis Nanlong had long rehearsed this response.
Han Li neither agreed nor showed dissatisfaction immediately. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, “An equal three-way split is fair, given that without your guidance, I wouldn’t even make it deep into the valley, let alone find the Fire Toad. However, I have one additional condition.”
“Feel free to state your condition, Fellow Daoist Han,” Elder Lu replied evenly, while Marquis Nanlong’s expression flickered slightly as he watched Han Li intently.
“The Fire Toad’s inner core must go to me. I have a minor use for it,” Han Li said casually, as if merely angling for a small extra benefit.
“No problem! Since we’ll rely on you to slay the beast, the core rightfully belongs to you,” Elder Lu agreed readily, visibly relieved.
“Indeed, even if you hadn’t mentioned it, the core would naturally be yours for taking part,” Marquis Nanlong added, his expression easing.
Han Li smiled faintly. “Since the two of you are so accommodating, I’m not one to be greedy. I’ll join you on this trip.”
“With Fellow Daoist Han accompanying us, our venture will surely succeed!”
“Indeed, we’ll be counting on you, Brother Han.”
Both Marquis Nanlong and Elder Lu couldn’t hide their excitement upon Han Li’s agreement.
“You flatter me. I’m well aware of my own limits. This expedition should be led by the two of you, with me in a supporting role. Only by working together can we hope to return unscathed,” Han Li said lightly, unfazed by their praise.
“Naturally. We wouldn’t have sought your cooperation if we didn’t trust you. If those scheming Ghost Spirit Sect disciples had obtained the Two Extremes Ring, I’d have simply killed them and taken it,” Marquis Nanlong growled, his hatred for the Ghost Spirit Sect still raw.
Han Li’s gaze lingered on Marquis Nanlong’s face, assessing whether his depleted vitality had fully recovered.
“Speaking of the Ghost Spirit Sect, what are your thoughts on their method for entering the valley?” Han Li shifted the topic smoothly.
“What’s there to think? Their plans to monopolize the valley’s treasures have been disrupted. With other cultivators entering, our movements will be concealed, and we’ll avoid being ambushed by them inside,” Marquis Nanlong sneered, a sly glint in his eyes.
“From your tone, Brother Nanlong, did the two of you deliberately leak the news about the entry method?” Han Li feigned surprise.
“We did. I’d known before the Mulan Grasslands incident that the Ghost Spirit Sect was researching a way in. Since they betrayed me, I saw no reason to hold back,” Marquis Nanlong admitted darkly, making no effort to hide it.
Han Li nodded thoughtfully but offered no opinion.
Elder Lu frowned slightly. “What we didn’t expect was that the Ghost Spirit Sect would issue Fallen Devil Tokens, currying favor with other sects while ensuring their dominance in the valley. They’re likely using others as scouts. Though they can’t claim all the treasures now, they’ve minimized their risks.”
“Nothing in this world is perfect. Your actions still brought more benefits than drawbacks. The Ghost Spirit Sect’s leaders must be seething with rage,” Han Li remarked with a smile, stroking his chin.
“True enough. Making them swallow this bitter pill is satisfaction enough. As for settling scores, that can wait until after we leave the valley,” Marquis Nanlong said, his spirits lifting.
The three then shifted their discussion to the specifics of entering the valley, and time passed unnoticed.
—
Seven days later, the miasma over the Ten Thousand Mountains finally dissipated. Cultivators who had been lying low at the periphery emerged one after another, flying toward the Fallen Devil Valley. Meanwhile, lower-level cultivators or those unwilling to take risks seized the chance to scour the mountains for spirit herbs and beasts.
The Fallen Devil Valley, located in the northwest of the Ten Thousand Mountains, spanned a vast area of a hundred thousand li. However, the ancient devil cultivators who once battled here had layered the valley’s perimeter and skies with formidable restrictions—each interlinked and impossible to breach without triggering the entire array.
The only unsealed entry was a narrow, hundred-zhang-wide passage stretching dozens of li. Though once easily traversable, the ancient battle had left it riddled with spatial rifts—some glaringly bright, others faint and elusive, and some utterly invisible.
These rifts varied in size, from massive gaps capable of swallowing dozens of people to tiny, blade-like slits hovering ominously. Worse still, they shifted unpredictably over time, opening and closing at random. Countless cultivators, including Nascent Soul elders, had perished in this deadly passage before even reaching the outer valley, cementing the Fallen Devil Valley’s reputation as the most perilous place in the region.
But this time was different. The Ghost Spirit Sect claimed to have a safe method of entry, sending ripples of excitement through the entire South Heaven cultivation world. Those who had long coveted the valley’s treasures swiftly claimed the limited Fallen Devil Tokens.
Yet, some without tokens remained undeterred, flocking to the valley in hopes of slipping in unnoticed.
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