As for the Soul Nurturing Wood, after over two years of continuous nurturing with the green liquid, it had already taken shape. Like the Golden Lightning Bamboo, once it reached ten thousand years of age, it could no longer grow further. No matter how much green liquid was dripped onto it, it couldn’t absorb even a trace more spiritual energy.
Han Li naturally had no intention of leaving this wood unused. He carved the foot-long piece of Soul Nurturing Wood into over a dozen thumb-sized, jet-black beads, strung them together with a golden thread, and hung them around his neck. This wood required no special refinement; simply wearing it close to the body provided the best effect for nurturing the spirit and soul.
After settling all matters within the cave abode, three days later, Han Li left alone, quietly flying out of the misty sea.
With the Immortal Violet Grass in hand, Han Li had no intention of joining the chaos in the abyss. Not only were there demonic beasts of level eight and above lurking there, but it was also certain to be swarming with cultivators, making it unsuitable for him to use the green liquid to set up formations and slay demons. With the Immortal Violet Grass’s ability to attract demonic beasts, any sea area was the same to him. Thus, all he needed now was to find a place with a coral island.
Having made up his mind, Han Li checked his direction and immediately shot westward, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
A month later, Han Li came to a stop above a stretch of fiery red coral reefs.
Although he had passed several coral islands along the way, Han Li had flown past them without a second glance, fearing that being too close to his cave abode might invite trouble. Although this place could not yet be called a coral island, it was more than sufficient for transplanting the Immortal Violet Grass.
Han Li decided that this would be the place for his first battle to slay demonic beasts and retrieve their cores.
He had now set up four spell formations around the coral reefs, sealing off the area tightly. Only then did he carefully transplant the Immortal Violet Grass to the center of the formations. To attract level six demonic beasts, the grass needed to be nurtured to roughly four hundred years of age.
This meant it would take nearly a month to lure the demonic beasts he intended to hunt. However, he wouldn’t be idle during this time.
The first three times the Immortal Violet Grass unfolded its leaves, it would naturally attract some low-level demonic beasts for him to practice on. Although level five demonic cores were no longer useful for pill refinement, they were still valuable for trading for high-grade spirit stones. Han Li naturally had no intention of letting them go.
Sure enough, before the fourth nurturing, three or four level five demonic beasts had been lured over. Han Li directly summoned several Emerald Swarm Swords and effortlessly slew them.
…
Looking at the Immortal Violet Grass with three unfolded leaves before him, Han Li let out a light sigh and gently tilted the small vial in his hand over the grass. A drop of emerald-green liquid dripped onto it. After carefully putting away the vial, Han Li sat down beside the grass and closed his eyes to rest.
On the third day, the Immortal Violet Grass unfolded its fourth leaf, releasing a thick, alluring aura. Han Li, who had remained motionless for the past two days, had also fully replenished his energy.
Although slaying level five demonic beasts was now effortless for him, and level six demonic beasts should pose no problem, he was alone in the deep sea and needed to remain cautious.
The demon-attracting grass was not infallible. In the past, there had been incidents where three-hundred-year-old Immortal Violet Grass had mistakenly attracted level six or seven demonic beasts, nearly costing him his life and forcing him to abandon his formations and flee.
Han Li had no intention of losing his life here due to a moment of carelessness.
After another half day, Han Li, who was meditating beside the Immortal Violet Grass, stirred slightly. He opened his eyes and coldly stared at the distant sea surface.
A short while later, dark clouds suddenly gathered over the distant sea, accompanied by wind and rain. A massive whirlpool about ten zhang wide appeared out of nowhere, from which low, rumbling sounds could faintly be heard.
Han Li’s expression remained unchanged, but his figure blurred as he transformed into a green streak of light and flew into the air, watching the scene below with a hint of coldness.
A few dull thuds echoed from within the whirlpool, followed by a mass of black gas shooting out, enveloping a demonic beast. The beast was not particularly large, only about several zhang in size, but it continuously emitted irritable low growls toward the direction of the Immortal Violet Grass.
Seeing this, Han Li instead breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the black gas obscured the beast’s true form, the spiritual energy emanating from within indicated it was indeed only a level six demonic beast.
This was perfect for him—there should be no danger!
Thus, Han Li hovered quietly in the air, watching the demonic beast below without moving.
The beast within the black gas had already been driven nearly mad by the aura emitted by the Immortal Violet Grass. With a loud roar, it fiercely charged toward the coral reefs, accompanied by massive waves over ten zhang high.
Having witnessed the towering waves caused by the level seven giant turtle during its tribulation, Han Li paid no mind to this display.
As the black gas closed in on the coral reefs within several dozen zhang, a cold smile flickered across Han Li’s face. He flipped his hand, and a palm-sized green formation disk appeared in his grasp. A green light flashed over his palm, and without hesitation, Han Li lightly struck the formation disk. Dazzling yellow light instantly erupted from the disk.
In the next moment, over a dozen yellow light pillars shot out from the sea simultaneously, followed by the emergence of a hazy yellow light barrier that intercepted the black gas passing through the area.
The demonic beast within the black gas was clearly startled! But immediately, two iron-blue giant pincers shot out from the black gas, fiercely striking the yellow barrier.
With a deafening boom, the entire yellow light barrier swayed precariously, looking as though it could not withstand many more strikes.
However, for Han Li, this brief containment of the demonic beast was already sufficient. The Five Elements Rings ancient treasure he had prepared earlier was summoned with a clear chime and swiftly vanished.
Above the black gas, a low hum echoed. Suddenly, five-colored light appeared and plunged into the black gas, disappearing without a trace. Panicked roars erupted, and the thick black gas immediately dispersed, revealing the demonic beast within.
A giant cyan shrimp, about three to four zhang long, appeared there. It had six green eyes on either side, radiating panicked glances.
It was now tightly bound by five copper rings, unable to move even an inch, trussed up like a zongzi.
At that moment, two dazzling green streaks shot down from the sky, crisscrossing around the shrimp. Instantly, the giant shrimp was sliced into several sections, green fluid splattering everywhere.
The five-colored copper rings trembled slightly and vanished again in a flash of light, returning to Han Li’s hand in the next instant.
A faint smile appeared on Han Li’s face as he shook the formation disk in his hand. With a flash of yellow light, it disappeared. Simultaneously, the light barrier below vanished without a sound.
Han Li put away the Five Elements Rings and instead produced a pitch-black bowl.
Holding the bowl with both hands, Han Li gently descended, landing right beside the giant shrimp’s carcass.
With a cold glint in his eyes, Han Li glanced at the shrimp’s head and, without hesitation, extended a finger while chanting an incantation. A white light began to glow at his fingertip, growing increasingly brilliant as the chant continued.
Suddenly, Han Li let out a cold hum. Several hair-thin white threads shot out from the white light at his fingertip, piercing into the giant shrimp’s head. His finger trembled slightly, and a fist-sized green glow, bound by the white threads, was pulled out from the shrimp’s head and drawn toward the Soul Gathering Bowl in Han Li’s hand.
The green light seemed to sense its impending doom, struggling desperately mid-air, but to no avail—it was slowly pulled closer.
When it was about a foot away from the Soul Gathering Bowl, a black light automatically shot out from the bowl, enveloping the green glow. With a swoosh, it was sucked inside.
Seeing this, a smile appeared on Han Li’s face. He then stepped forward and rummaged through the giant shrimp’s carcass for a moment before retrieving a pale blue sphere.
Compared to a level five demon core, this level six demon core was not only larger but also semi-transparent, faintly emitting a radiant glow, appearing exceptionally beautiful.
After examining it for a moment, Han Li stored the demon core in his storage pouch. Glancing at the shrimp’s carcass, as if remembering something, he suddenly raised a hand, and two green streaks flashed past.
The two giant shrimp claws were cleanly severed. Without hesitation, Han Li beckoned, and both claws were collected. A small fireball then shot out, reducing the remaining carcass to ashes.
Han Li then leisurely flew back to the vicinity of the Immortal Violet Grass and sat down cross-legged once more.
He was certain that this sea area couldn’t possibly have only one level six demonic beast. Now, all he had to do was wait quietly for the next one.
Han Li mused leisurely.
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