On the third morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the brocade-robed man, the gaunt man, and their companions slipped out of the estate with great discretion and headed toward the Star Palace.
The curfew had just ended, and it was the time when cultivators were permitted to move about. However, since it was still early, the city was largely empty. This made the seven even more cautious, each nervously keeping their head down as they hurried along. Only the brocade-robed leader continued to scan his surroundings while flying.
The journey seemed to go smoothly. They flew unimpeded to the forty-ninth level of the Sacred Mountain, and in just a short while, they would reach the Star Palace. Their expressions relaxed slightly, and a sense of relief washed over them.
But just then, the brocade-robed man at the forefront suddenly halted, his expression shifting. He raised a hand in a strange, solemn gesture. The others behind him immediately stopped as well, their faces paling as they assumed defensive positions.
“What is the meaning of this, fellow Daoist? Why are you blocking our path while concealed?” the brocade-robed man demanded coldly, his eyes fixed on an empty spot ahead. At the same time, his hand silently moved to rest on the storage pouch at his waist.
“Hehe, there’s no need for alarm, fellow Daoists. Although I’ve been waiting here specifically for you, I mean no harm. I merely have a request to make,” a hoarse voice replied leisurely from ahead. A flash of blue light appeared in the previously empty space, revealing a pale, middle-aged man in blue robes standing with his hands behind his back. He looked as though he were afflicted by some illness.
When the brocade-robed man and the others sensed this person’s cultivation level, their hearts sank, and their vigilance soared.
This man was at the same late Foundation Establishment stage as the brocade-robed man, also at the False Core realm.
“May I ask your name, fellow Daoist? How can we be of assistance?” the brocade-robed man asked calmly, though a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
“My surname is Qu, and I am but a lone cultivator. Aren’t you all heading to the Star Palace? Could you take me along? I, too, wish to travel to the Outer Star Sea,” the blue-robed man said casually, his words causing the others to pale.
The brocade-robed man’s expression darkened further.
After a moment of silence, he forced a smile and denied it. “So it’s Fellow Daoist Qu. But what do you mean by the Star Palace and the Outer Star Sea? We are merely passing through on personal business and have nothing to do with the Star Palace. Perhaps you’ve mistaken us for someone else.” He had already made up his mind—no matter who this person was or how he had learned of their plans, he would not admit to anything easily.
The others remained silent, leaving everything to the brocade-robed man to handle.
“Fellow Daoist Yi, why be so cautious? Since I’ve appeared here at this moment, do you really think such words will fool me?” the blue-robed man said lightly, a faint smile on his lips.
“Hmph! You seem to know a great deal, even recognizing me,” the brocade-robed man replied coldly, his veins bulging on the hand resting on his storage pouch.
As if responding to an unspoken signal, the others suddenly fanned out, half-surrounding the blue-robed man.
“You’re not thinking of silencing me, are you? Forgive my boastfulness, but with my cultivation level, even if all of you attack at once, you won’t be able to kill me instantly. If I were to call out and attract the attention of the Star Palace, what do you think would happen to you?” the blue-robed man said nonchalantly, completely ignoring their threatening stance.
At these words, the dark-faced cultivator and the others exchanged uneasy glances before turning their attention to the brocade-robed man.
The brocade-robed man’s expression was grim. Though he had not yet formed a Golden Core, he had always prided himself on his cunning. Never before had he been threatened so openly by another Foundation Establishment cultivator. Yet he knew the threat was real and not to be taken lightly.
Weighing the pros and cons, he suppressed his anger and asked coldly, “What exactly do you want us to do? We’ve already agreed with the other party that there would be seven of us, and the teleportation formation can only accommodate seven at a time. With an extra person, they will certainly refuse.”
The blue-robed man smiled faintly.
“Don’t worry, I won’t make things difficult for you. If I can just enter the hall, I have my own ways to persuade them. If they refuse, I won’t force the issue or ruin your plans.”
“Is that all?” the brocade-robed man frowned, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
“That’s all,” the blue-robed man affirmed.
“Fine. If it’s just a recommendation, we can agree to that,” the brocade-robed man said after a moment of hesitation, gritting his teeth as he relented.
“Then I thank you, fellow Daoist,” the blue-robed man said calmly, as if he had expected this outcome. He clasped his hands in a slight salute.
“Since you’re also heading to the Star Palace, let’s hurry. We’ve already wasted enough time, and the other party is likely growing impatient,” the gaunt man urged, glancing at the sky anxiously.
The blue-robed man glanced at the gaunt man but said nothing. The brocade-robed man, however, waved his hand without another word and led the group onward.
Their formation intentionally or unintentionally placed the blue-robed man in the center, showing that their guard was still up. The blue-robed man, however, remained unperturbed, following along at a leisurely pace.
The remaining distance was short, and soon they arrived at the Star Palace. The gaunt man suddenly accelerated, flying ahead and landing first.
The others showed no surprise, as he had always been the one liaising with the Star Palace. It was only natural for him to take the lead to avoid misunderstandings.
Once inside the Star Palace, they tried to maintain composure but couldn’t hide their unease. Entering this hall meant their lives were entirely in the hands of the others.
Yet everything seemed normal. The restrictions that should have been activated were absent, likely deactivated in advance by those in charge.
The blue-robed man’s expression flickered with a hint of surprise, but the others felt somewhat relieved.
They soon entered the hall housing the teleportation formation, where two Star Palace cultivators in white robes awaited them.
“Elder Gu, Elder Qian, we’ve arrived. Are you prepared on your end?” the gaunt man asked obsequiously, stepping forward with a flattering smile.
The two cultivators remained expressionless. Only the bald elder responded arrogantly with a nod. “What preparations do we need? Hand over the spirit stones, take a teleportation talisman each, and you can leave immediately. But I trust the spirit stones are all accounted for?” he said slowly.
“Rest assured, Elder. We’ve brought the agreed-upon amount,” the brocade-robed man stepped forward and replied respectfully.
“You must be Fellow Daoist Yi. Your cultivation is indeed remarkable,” the bald elder said, his tone slightly more polite after appraising the brocade-robed man. However, when his gaze swept over the others and landed on Han Li, his expression darkened.
“Weren’t there supposed to be seven of you? Why is there an extra? This fellow Daoist seems to be at the False Core realm as well. Who might he be?” the bald elder asked coldly, his voice filled with suspicion.
“He is…” the brocade-robed man began with a bitter smile, intending to explain.
“I am but a lone cultivator who also wishes to teleport to the Outer Star Sea. I heard Fellow Daoist Yi and the others had a way, so I sought them out. I hope you won’t take offense, Elders. If you’re willing to make an exception, I am prepared to pay double the teleportation fee,” Han Li interjected with a smile, cutting off the brocade-robed man.
“Double the fee?” The bald elder was taken aback but glanced at the elegant middle-aged cultivator beside him.
“Even double the fee is useless. The teleportation formation can only accommodate seven people at a time, and we will only activate it once. We won’t make an extra trip just for you. If our superiors found out, it would be difficult to explain,” the middle-aged cultivator said slowly, frowning slightly.
“I’ve already considered that, Elder, and I wouldn’t want to put you in a difficult position. So, fellow Daoist,” Han Li turned to one of the men beside him and said bluntly, “could you temporarily yield your teleportation spot to me?”
“What did you say?” The man stared blankly at first, then his expression turned to one of utter astonishment.
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