Han Li’s newly established cave abode naturally included a dedicated artifact refining chamber. After setting up a restrictive array inside, he entered with the Refined Crystal and the vial of Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Liquid. Once he stepped in, the heavy stone door of the chamber closed tightly and remained shut for an entire year.
All other operations within the cave were managed by several giant ape puppets left outside the chamber. Thanks to them, the cave remained orderly and free of disturbances.
However, on this particular day, an unexpected event occurred.
A rumbling sound suddenly echoed from outside, followed by an unanticipated tremor that shook the ground. Even the walls of the sealed chamber vibrated incessantly. Faintly, the sounds of thunder and crashing waves could be heard from outside, growing increasingly louder as if the entire island were caught in a violent storm.
With a dull thud, the stone door of the refining chamber was pushed open from the inside.
In a flash, Han Li emerged with a cold expression, though his eyes betrayed a mix of shock and uncertainty. Tilting his head to listen to the roaring sounds outside the cave, he pressed a hand against the storage pouch at his waist. A yellow streak of light shot out from the pouch, circled once, and landed in his hand.
It was a pale yellow formation flag, about two or three feet long, embroidered with mystical symbols.
Without hesitation, Han Li opened his mouth and exhaled a puff of green Qi onto the flagpole. Instantly, the yellow light intensified. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he flicked his wrist, sending a stream of yellow light shooting toward the ground. The formation flag burrowed into the earth and vanished without a trace.
Low, rhythmic incantations spilled from Han Li’s lips, and an astonishing scene unfolded.
The ground and walls began to glow with a golden radiance, as if they had turned into solid gold. Simultaneously, the tremors, shaking, and the soul-shaking thunder ceased abruptly. Everything returned to normal.
Seeing this, Han Li’s expression relaxed slightly, though the doubt in his eyes remained undiminished. Suddenly, he transformed into a streak of green light and shot toward the cave’s entrance.
Moments later, Han Li, enveloped in green light, appeared high above the island. Although mist shrouded the area below, the formation he had set up posed no obstacle to his vision.
But the sight before him caused his expression to shift repeatedly. Thanks to the activated restrictive formation, the mountain where his cave was located stood firm and unshaken. However, outside the formation’s coverage, the land trembled and groaned.
Not only were hills and slopes crumbling, but the ground itself was cracking open with fissures several zhang wide due to the violent shaking. Flowers, plants, and trees were uprooted and tossed aside in an instant.
Yet, none of this was what truly unsettled Han Li. What shocked him even more was the tumultuous sea on one side of the island.
Colossal waves, over a hundred zhang tall, crashed relentlessly against one side of the island, washing away everything in their path. Nearly half of the island had been transformed into a lake or swamp.
From the direction of the waves, beyond the vast sea fog, the thunder was accompanied by a deep, strange roar, as if some ferocious beast were in a state of extreme rage. With each roar, the thunder and waves grew even more intense.
“Could it be that some high-level demon beast is stirring up trouble in the nearby sea?” Han Li wondered as he gazed toward the source of the waves.
Judging by the scale of the phenomenon, it had to be a creature of immense size. Otherwise, such a spectacle would be impossible.
The thought piqued his curiosity.
After a moment of contemplation, a flash of light enveloped him, and he plunged into the sea of mist, flying directly toward the source of the roars.
To be cautious, Han Li suppressed his aura, and his flight light dimmed until he became virtually invisible.
Once he emerged from the sea fog, he immediately spotted his target without needing to search.
Just as he had guessed, a demon beast was indeed wreaking havoc on the sea surface not far away. But its size was staggering! Although he had anticipated it, Han Li was still taken aback by its enormity.
It was a turtle-like demon beast he had never seen before, nearly a thousand zhang in size, floating on the sea like a colossal mountain.
Its jet-black shell, a dragon-like green head raised to the sky in a piercing cry, limbs as thick as giant pillars, and a silver tail dozens of zhang long swept relentlessly through the surrounding seawater. Towering waves and white demonic winds swirled around the beast with each cry, plunging the entire area into chaos.
But what truly alarmed Han Li was not just this. Above the roaring turtle, the sky for miles was blanketed in dark clouds. Thick, arm-sized lightning bolts crisscrossed as they descended from the churning clouds, forming terrifying nets of thunder that relentlessly struck the demon beast.
Yet, the turtle withstood the heavenly lightning strikes unharmed, using the massive waves and demonic winds it summoned as a shield. However, the ordeal made the giant turtle increasingly agitated, and its originally emerald-green eyes began to glow red.
“Form Transformation Lightning Tribulation!” Han Li murmured with a strange expression, his eyes flickering uncertainly.
The so-called Form Transformation Lightning Tribulation referred to the heavenly lightning trial that seventh-level demon beasts must undergo to advance to the eighth level. Only after enduring this tribulation could a demon beast shed its original form and partially transform into a human shape. The extent of this transformation varied with the depth of their cultivation.
It was said that by the tenth level, a demon beast could become indistinguishable from a human.
Although Han Li had read about the Form Transformation Tribulation in ancient texts numerous times, witnessing it firsthand left him unsure whether to consider himself lucky or unfortunate.
Fortunately, the appearance of this demon beast confirmed the existence of eighth-level demon beasts in the waters near Qiyuan Island. This meant there was still hope for him to obtain the Thousand Leaf Dew.
The unfortunate part was that if the giant turtle was undergoing its tribulation here, its lair was likely nearby as well. Han Li had no interest in being neighbors with an eighth-level demon beast! Even a newly advanced one was something he would avoid at all costs.
For now, the demon turtle was still a seventh-level beast and unable to detect his cave. But once it advanced to the eighth level, Han Li had no confidence in concealing his presence from its spiritual sense.
It was entirely possible that while he was cultivating in his cave, the demon turtle might come knocking. High-level demon beasts were notoriously territorial.
“Could it be that I have to abandon my newly established cave so soon?” Han Li felt a wave of irritation. The flying swords within him stirred restlessly.
By the time he had emerged from the sealed chamber, he had already refined all seventy-two Green Bamboo Cloud-Swarm Swords.
The difficulty of refining the Refined Crystal had far exceeded his expectations. Initially, he thought it would take just over half a year, but the process ended up consuming nearly a full year.
In the remaining time, Han Li took the opportunity to go into seclusion, focusing on tempering his flying swords.
If not for the disturbance caused by this demon beast, he would likely have continued his seclusion for several more months.
“Perhaps I should launch a surprise attack while the demon beast is weakened after the tribulation. If I can eliminate it, that would be ideal. If not, I can immediately leave the island and find another place.” The thought sent a shiver down his spine, but he quickly shook his head and dismissed it.
Even a severely weakened eighth-level demon beast was not something he could handle alone.
Han Li didn’t know exactly how powerful an eighth-level demon beast was, but he had witnessed the abilities of Nascent Soul stage cultivators firsthand.
The risk was too great; he would rather relocate his cave.
It was a pity that the Gold Devouring Beetles had finished their consumption and laid new eggs. Otherwise, if he had them with him, he might have considered testing the waters.
As Han Li watched the lightning bolts crisscrossing over the giant turtle’s body, he let out a soft sigh and prepared to return to his cave.
He had no intention of waiting for the demon beast to finish its tribulation and discover him peeping, bringing disaster upon himself.
But just as Han Li turned to leave, a sharp whistling sound came from the distant sky. Faint golden light flickered at the horizon.
Simultaneously, from the opposite direction, a pleasant phoenix-like cry echoed, accompanied by a streak of fiery red light speeding toward them.
Han Li was taken aback by this development. Before he could react, fierce winds erupted from another area of the sea near the giant turtle. Dozens of thick water columns shot into the air, and a large expanse of seawater bulged upward as if some enormous creature were emerging from the depths.
Startled, Han Li quickly concealed himself and retreated a distance, staring in astonishment at the scene before him.
In a flash of blue light, a vividly crimson giant beast burst through the waves. As it surfaced, it let out a strange cry resembling the neighing of a horse, so loud that Han Li’s ears rang.
The shock nearly made him fall from the sky. Steadying himself with a surge of magic, he managed to regain his balance.
The Great Development Technique circulated rapidly within him. Pale-faced, Han Li stared at the monstrous creature, his expression filled with terror.
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