Chapter 378: Setting Sail (Part 1)

After a long while, Han Li emerged from his contemplation, seemingly having formed some ideas.

His expression unchanged, he continued to browse shops selling cultivation techniques and texts. This time, nothing unexpected came his way, as most of the techniques and Five Elements spells on sale were quite familiar to him, not much different from those in Tiannan.

If there was any slight difference, it was that there seemed to be more texts on water-based spells, including a few new ones Han Li had never heard of before.

Han Li purchased the texts related to these new spells, as well as a book titled *Pill Dao Evaluation* that he happened to come across. He bought the latter because it contained a certain expert’s description and commentary on the “Falling Dust Pill.” Han Li planned to study it carefully before deciding whether to accept the Six United Palace’s request in exchange for the pill.

After that, Han Li had no interest in buying anything else. He left Tiandu Street with his companion, Qu Hun, and headed out of the city.

Not long after leaving Kuixing City, Han Li and Qu Hun took to the skies on their magical tools, speeding toward Gu Manor.

A few hours later, Han Li caught sight of the familiar earthen walls of Gu Manor in the distance. However, he didn’t fly directly into the manor. Instead, on a whim, he landed on a nearby hill to check on the small wooden hut he had built with his own hands years ago.

The hut still stood in its original spot, but it looked noticeably more worn and aged than when Han Li had left, with some parts even showing signs of rot and blackening.

After gazing at it for a while, Han Li let out a soft sigh, pushed open the wooden door, and stepped inside.

“Huh?” Han Li was slightly surprised.

Contrary to his expectations, the interior was not covered in dust or filled with the smell of decay. Instead, it had been cleaned spotlessly. The table, chairs, and wooden bed were all free of dust, and even a pot of unknown blue flowers sat on the wooden table.

Han Li stood inside, momentarily stunned, before letting out a soft chuckle. “It seems the Gu family has put quite a bit of effort into this,” he murmured to himself, rubbing his nose.

Then, without lingering, he walked out of the hut, leaving Qu Hun to wait outside on the hill while he made his way slowly toward Gu Manor.

Han Li had no intention of barging into the Gu family’s residence on his magical tool. Although the defensive formation around the manor was nothing to him now, Master Gu was, after all, an old acquaintance, so he decided to be courteous.

As Han Li approached the main gate of the Gu residence, two burly guards naturally took notice of him. One of them asked suspiciously, “Who are you, sir? What business do you have at our Gu Manor?”

“Inform your master that an old acquaintance with the surname Han has come to visit,” Han Li replied with a light smile.

“My master does not receive outsiders. Huh? Han?… Could you be Immortal Han?” The guard initially refused outright but, after looking Han Li up and down, suddenly grew suspicious.

“You know of me?” Han Li frowned slightly.

“It really is Immortal Han! Please wait a moment, Immortal. I’ll inform the master right away!” Without another word, the guard turned and dashed into the manor.

Han Li gazed expressionlessly into the manor, saying nothing.

Not long after, a large group of people emerged from the manor. At their head was an elderly man who, upon seeing Han Li, broke into a wide smile and exclaimed loudly, “Immortal Han, you’ve finally come! I’ve been waiting for you for many years.”

The old man hurried forward to greet Han Li, and the others behind him also bowed respectfully.

Han Li studied the old man’s vaguely familiar face. It was none other than Master Gu, though his hair had now turned gray, and he looked quite aged.

“Master Gu, it’s been a while. I hope you’ve been well,” Han Li said, his expression softening slightly.

Led respectfully by Master Gu, Han Li entered the large mansion at the center of Gu Manor.

Once inside, before Han Li could even speak, Master Gu proactively had someone bring a large bag of spirit stones and handed it to Han Li. He then enthusiastically introduced Han Li to some of the younger members of the Gu family, particularly his eldest son, a man in his thirties named Gu Kai.

Seeing this, Han Li understood Master Gu’s intentions. Knowing his own lifespan was nearing its end, Master Gu likely hoped that Han Li, as an immortal, would lend some support to the Gu family in the future.

With a faint smile, Han Li vaguely agreed, out of consideration for their past connection.

Master Gu was overjoyed and immediately proposed hosting a banquet in Han Li’s honor, but Han Li politely declined.

After exchanging a few more words with Master Gu, Han Li gracefully took his leave of Gu Manor.

Once outside, he summoned Qu Hun from the hill and flew to a nearby small town. There, Han Li found an inn to stay in and spent the entire night studying the *Pill Dao Evaluation*, not sleeping a wink.

By the next day, Han Li had gained a general understanding of the various pills in the Scattered Star Seas and had studied the section on the Falling Dust Pill countless times.

According to the book, refining the Falling Dust Pill required not only the inner cores of several rare demon beasts but also many other rare spiritual medicines, making it an extremely precious pill.

The pill did indeed have the miraculous effect of increasing the chances of forming a Golden Core. Although the increase was said to be modest, and only one pill could be consumed during the core formation process, it was still treasured by many cultivators facing this breakthrough.

After all, even a one percent increase in the chances of forming a Golden Core was something core formation cultivators would eagerly seek.

That said, Han Li understood that since the Six United Palace was willing to offer such a rare pill as a reward, the task was unlikely to be as simple as they claimed—merely presiding over a formation. If he agreed, there would undoubtedly be significant dangers, and he had no idea what kind of troubles he might encounter.

Nevertheless, Han Li deeply desired the Falling Dust Pill. Both he and Qu Hun were on the verge of core formation, and while he had little hope of succeeding this time, Qu Hun’s Shadan had only a one-third success rate. The possibility of failure was still high, and Han Li couldn’t rest easy unless he obtained the Falling Dust Pill.

After pondering the matter for most of the day at the inn, Han Li finally decided to take the risk. After all, both he and Qu Hun were late Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even if dangers arose, they should be able to protect themselves.

Moreover, the Six United Palace seemed to be a powerful organization. Establishing a connection with them could prove highly beneficial for gaining a foothold in the Scattered Star Seas in the future.

Before making a final decision, however, Han Li needed to inquire about the Six United Palace’s reputation among other cultivators. He didn’t want to complete the task only to have the organization turn on him immediately—that would be a devastating loss.

With his mind made up, Han Li took Qu Hun and flew on their magical tools toward Kuixing City.

…

Half a month later, an enormous sea vessel sailed into the port of Kuixing Island. Not long after, two beams of light—one white, one blue—streaked over from the distance and shot unhesitatingly into the ship.

As the light faded, three figures appeared on the deck: a tall, burly man with an ugly appearance, a middle-aged man with peculiar features, and an ordinary-looking young man.

“Welcome, Immortals, to this ship. I am Luo Zheng, the captain. The other immortals are already aboard, and I will be responsible for transporting everyone to the area where the demon beasts have been sighted,” said a bushy-browed man who emerged from the cabin, addressing the burly man and the young man respectfully.

The “immortals” he referred to were, of course, Han Li and Qu Hun. The middle-aged man who had accompanied them was Cao Lu, the manager of White Water Pavilion.

“Fellow Daoist Qu, take care! I have matters to attend to and must return now,” Cao Lu exchanged a few polite words with Qu Hun before flying away on his magical tool.

“Please come inside, Immortals. Your rooms have been prepared. The ship will depart shortly,” the bushy-browed man said, bowing respectfully.

Han Li glanced toward the cabin and, without a word, walked in with Qu Hun. The man who had introduced himself as Luo Zheng followed closely behind.

At the same time, the massive ship began to move slowly out of the port.

As soon as Han Li stepped inside, the sight before him gave him pause. Instead of the narrow passageway he had imagined, he found himself in a luxurious hall over ten zhang long and wide.

The floor was covered with a red brocade carpet, and in the center stood a long sandalwood table inlaid with gold and silver. Around it were over a dozen chairs, where several people were engaged in conversation. The moment Han Li and Qu Hun entered, several sharp gazes swept over them.

Most glances passed over Han Li briefly before settling intently on Qu Hun.

“I am Qu Hun, and this is my junior, Han Li. May I ask how to address you, fellow Daoists?” Qu Hun stepped in front of Han Li, his expression impassive.