“My younger sister never married back then. The family that was supposed to form a marriage alliance with our Chen Clan suddenly turned to the demonic path, so naturally, our clan couldn’t possibly send Qiaoqian to them. After that, Seventh Sister became withdrawn and cold toward men, remaining unmarried until the end.” Chen Qiaotian hesitated for a moment but still recounted the past circumstances of Chen Qiaoqian to the esteemed figure before him.
Now, as he looked at Han Li’s youthful face, he suddenly recalled a rumor circulating within the sect, and his expression grew peculiar.
“She never married?” A flicker of something unreadable passed through Han Li’s eyes before he fell silent, gazing at the sky.
After a long pause, he lowered his head and spoke indifferently to Chen Qiaotian, “As for who I am, it seems you’ve already guessed a little from my demeanor, so I won’t elaborate further. Right now, both righteous and demonic cultivators are gathered here. Since you’ve come for the treasures of the Falling Devil Valley, tread carefully.” With that, Han Li ignored the trio, his body enveloped in spiritual light as he transformed into a green streak and shot into the sky.
The scholar and his companions didn’t even have time to utter words of farewell before Han Li vanished without a trace, leaving the three of them standing there in stunned silence.
“Big Brother, who exactly is this senior? Does he have some connection with your Chen Clan?” The female cultivator, recovering first, couldn’t help but ask.
“Connection? Our Chen Clan isn’t worthy of having any ties with him. If I’m not mistaken, you should be well aware of his identity. He once hailed from our Yellow Maple Valley, escaped unscathed from the hands of the Mulan Divine Master, shattered the Mulan Sacred Bird during the border war, and later slew a demonic elder from the Jin Kingdom. Your Saber Sheath Sect must be familiar with him. But from what he just said, it seems he had some connection with my long-deceased Seventh Sister, which is rather puzzling.” Chen Qiaotian stared in the direction Han Li had disappeared, his expression perplexed.
“What?! He’s that legendary figure? No wonder he looks so young. Rumor has it that, in terms of seniority, he was once a fellow disciple of our six sects. To think he’s now reached such heights—it’s truly unbelievable.” The female cultivator seemed to know quite a bit about Han Li and gasped in astonishment.
“Indeed. When he first joined our Yellow Maple Valley, I had just achieved Foundation Establishment. Later, he participated in the Bloody Trial alongside Big Brother and Seventh Sister, and from then on, his rise was unstoppable. Now, he stands second only to the three great cultivators of the South Sky. It’s truly unimaginable.” Chen Qiaotian sighed.
“I heard that Elder Linghu of your valley once tried to persuade him to return to Yellow Maple Valley, but he refused. Is that true?” The blue-robed male cultivator asked curiously.
“I’m not entirely sure, but it’s possible.” Chen Qiaotian hesitated before giving a vague reply. Even with his sworn siblings, he seemed reluctant to discuss the matter further. Fortunately, the two didn’t press him.
The blue-robed man changed the subject. “This time, we were quite fortunate. First, Big Brother had just finished refining his Golden Book and Silver Brush, which blocked most of the poison moth’s toxic powder. Second, Senior Han’s intervention allowed us to escape unscathed. Once Big Brother fully refines the Golden Book, we won’t have to fear the Yun brothers anymore.”
“Exactly! I knew the Chen Clan had ancestral artifacts like the Golden Book and Silver Brush, but I never imagined there was actually a method to refine them as proper magic treasures. Big Brother used to rely solely on a flying sword.” The female cultivator added with interest.
“The Golden Book and Silver Brush artifacts used by our Chen Clan disciples are merely imitations of the true set. I’ve always wanted to refine the real set, but I lacked the materials until now. I had to make do with a flying sword. Fortunately, after years of accumulation, I’ve finally succeeded. I hope they’ll prove useful in the Falling Devil Valley.” Chen Qiaotian smiled briefly before turning serious again. “Regardless, we must remain cautious from now on. As Senior Han said, those who dare to covet the Falling Devil Valley’s treasures are no ordinary figures. We should stick together and perhaps find other disciples from our six sects for safety.”
“Big Brother speaks wisely.”
“Agreed. We’ll follow your lead.” The two nodded repeatedly.
With that, the trio didn’t linger and soon transformed into streaks of light, departing swiftly.
—
Far away, Han Li, his emotions stirred, managed to suppress his grief for Chen Qiaoqian, burying it deep within his heart. Steeling himself, he pressed onward.
Hours later, the outline of the Ten-Thousand Spirit Mountain Range came into view. Though still on its outskirts, the mountains were faintly visible through the thin miasma, their verdant trees and towering peaks discernible in the distance.
The range wasn’t particularly majestic, but its vastness was undeniable. A dark line stretched endlessly across the horizon.
Slowing his flight, Han Li scanned the surroundings. The area was quiet, with no signs of other cultivators. Unfazed, he flew closer, then closed his eyes, unleashing his formidable spiritual sense—comparable to a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator—to sweep across a hundred-mile radius.
Moments later, his brows twitched, and his eyes snapped open. Without expression, he urged his green streak forward, veering sharply toward a locked target.
In mere minutes, he arrived above a small hill where an old man and a young man sat cross-legged, deep in conversation. A blinding green streak flashed above them before dissipating, revealing Han Li hovering mid-air.
The two were startled, scrambling to their feet. The elder managed to remain composed, but the youth looked terrified.
Han Li’s gaze swept over them. Their cultivation levels were pitifully low—the elder at mid-Foundation Establishment, the youth barely at Qi Condensation level five or six. He couldn’t fathom why such weak cultivators would venture here.
The elder, unable to discern Han Li’s cultivation level, paled and hurriedly bowed. Before he could speak, Han Li’s cold voice rang out.
“No need for alarm. Just point me to the nearest market.” His tone brooked no argument.
“Four hundred miles west, there’s a newly established market, Senior. You may find it useful.” The elder replied respectfully.
“Four hundred miles? Understood.” With that, the green light flashed, and Han Li vanished.
The elder gaped, only to see the green streak already hundreds of feet away, disappearing into the distance in mere blinks. Both he and the youth stood dumbfounded.
—
Four hundred miles west, a rudimentary market—hastily erected with petrification techniques—stood with few cultivators in sight.
Unfazed, Han Li purchased a large quantity of materials from a raw goods shop before swiftly departing for the mountain range.
After penetrating a dozen miles into the mountains, where the miasma thickened, he landed on an inconspicuous hill.
Carving out a temporary cave was second nature to him. A dozen flying swords worked in unison, and within a quarter-hour, a simple cave dwelling took shape within the mountain. Satisfied, he set up two basic arrays outside before entering.
First, he released Silvermoon to cultivate freely inside, then summoned the Heavenly Corpse, burying it in a dark chamber. Finally, he retreated to a secluded room with his materials.
Sitting cross-legged, he retrieved the jade slip given by Great Divination Sage and began studying the two Core Formation puppet refinement methods within.
These puppets differed vastly from his Foundation Establishment-level giant ape. Their strengths and weaknesses were starkly contrasted, clearly designed for different purposes.
One was a tortoise-shaped puppet—thick-skinned and resilient, capable of enduring several strikes from a Nascent Soul cultivator. It could spit thunderfire orbs, rivaling a mid-Core Formation cultivator’s full-force attack. Its sole flaw was sluggish movement, making it an easy target if enemies closed in.
The other, a tiger-shaped puppet, was the opposite. Lacking ranged attacks and with mediocre defense, it excelled in agility, moving like the wind. Its crystalline claws could shred a Core Formation cultivator’s barriers effortlessly, perfect for close combat.
Understanding their traits, Han Li decided to refine both types to handle the unpredictable dangers of the Falling Devil Valley.
His mind made up, he immersed himself in the jade slip, focusing entirely on the refinement techniques.
Three days and nights passed. Han Li remained motionless, his expression unreadable.
On the fourth day, he stirred, licking his dry lips as he withdrew his consciousness from the jade slip. After a brief pause, he flipped his hand, and the slip vanished in a flash of white light. Then, he tossed his material pouch into the air, releasing a white mist that disgorged a heap of refining materials—rare woods, common iron essence, multicolored crystals, jade boxes of varying sizes…
Soon, the items lay piled before him. Retrieving the pouch, he fastened it back to his waist before scrutinizing the materials.
Finally, his gaze settled on an exceptionally dark ironwood. Taking a deep breath, he pointed at it, and the wood floated silently toward him.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage