Upon seeing the “Flight Talisman,” both the burly man and the stall owner were visibly moved, and their gazes toward Han Li grew significantly more serious. After all, anyone in possession of a high-grade talisman was unlikely to be an ordinary individual.
“Deal! I’ll trade!” the burly man said decisively. How could he pass up such an obviously advantageous deal?
“However, before we proceed, I’d like to test the claim you made earlier—that this fragment does not hinder the absorption of spiritual energy from the outside world by the object it covers. If it’s true, I’ll make the exchange immediately. If not, I won’t trade at a loss,” Han Li said calmly.
The burly man was initially taken aback by Han Li’s words, but upon understanding the request, he broke into a smile.
“Every word I said about this item’s effect is true. Feel free to test it!” the burly man declared with confidence.
Without further ado, Han Li retrieved a wine cup-like object from his person and placed it on the ground. He then covered it with the “cloth.” Once the cup disappeared from view, Han Li extended a finger, condensing a pea-sized white sphere of spiritual energy at its tip, and gently tapped downward. The sphere gradually vanished, as if being swallowed.
A look of delight appeared on Han Li’s face at the sight. He lightly grasped the “cloth” and lifted it, revealing the cup once more, with the vanished sphere of light now floating inside it.
“Excellent! What you said is indeed true. I’ll take this artifact fragment, and the Flight Talisman is yours,” Han Li said, tucking the “cloth” into his sleeve and cupping his hands in a gesture of respect toward the burly man.
“Great! You’re a straightforward man,” the burly man exclaimed joyfully. He bent down to pick up the Flight Talisman, eagerly examining it from all angles to ensure it was genuine before smiling contentedly.
Han Li smiled slightly and said nothing more. He turned and squeezed his way out of the crowd. But before he had taken more than a few steps, he heard numerous murmurs and discussions erupting behind him.
“Is that guy an idiot? Trading a high-grade talisman for such a useless item!”
“Exactly! That fragment is so small—what possible use could it have? This trade is completely unbalanced!”
“Don’t be so quick to judge. Maybe he has a special use for it!”
…
Hearing these comments, Han Li inwardly sneered. “How could these cultivators possibly understand the importance of this item to me?”
“Brother, wait! Hold on!” A voice suddenly called out from behind him, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.
Han Li paused, somewhat surprised. Was someone calling for him? He couldn’t help but turn around.
Not far away, a person was running toward him, sweating profusely and shouting as he ran. It was the round-faced young man who had nearly caused a disaster earlier.
Han Li blinked curiously and stopped in his tracks. He wondered what this eccentric fellow could possibly want, chasing after him with such desperation.
“Brother, I finally caught up to you!” the young man gasped, out of breath.
“Is there something you need?” Han Li asked, eyeing him with confusion.
“Take this! Consider it a token of gratitude for helping me out earlier,” the young man said without hesitation, shoving a small booklet into Han Li’s hands before shyly running off.
Han Li was momentarily taken aback but soon smiled. It was unexpected to encounter such a simple and sincere individual among cultivators. He made no move to chase after the young man but instead looked down at the item in his hand.
The booklet was titled “Records of Qingxi.” It didn’t appear to be a cultivation manual or technique, piquing Han Li’s interest. He flipped through a few pages.
It turned out to be a miscellaneous journal written by a senior cultivator from the Yue Kingdom known as “Qingxi Zhenren,” who disliked cultivation and preferred wandering around. He had meticulously recorded various secrets, legends, and rumors he had come across, with some pages even featuring vividly drawn illustrations. Though Han Li only skimmed a few pages, he found himself quite intrigued and tucked the booklet into his robe.
Afterward, Han Li encountered nothing particularly noteworthy and, feeling somewhat bored, returned to his lodgings. In his room, he lay on his bed and began carefully reading “Records of Qingxi.”
Some of the accounts in the book were Qingxi Zhenren’s personal experiences, while others were hearsay, but all were bizarre, rare, and strange tales. Some even involved secrets that cultivation families never disclosed to outsiders, leaving Han Li wondering how Qingxi Zhenren had learned of them.
Han Li read with great interest, but when he reached the final few pages, he came across illustrations of seven tokens with different patterns. Below the illustrations were a few lines of text:
“‘Ascension Tokens,’ crafted by the seven major immortal sects of the Yue Kingdom. These tokens are awarded by cultivation sects to cultivation families who have rendered great services. Anyone presenting such a token to the issuing sect will receive treatment equivalent to the final winner of the Ascension Assembly, including eligibility for a Foundation Establishment Pill and entry into the sect. However, these tokens have always circulated only among cultivation families, making them unseen by ordinary cultivators. The illustrations here are based on rumored descriptions.”
Finally, in slightly smaller script, Qingxi Zhenren added: “These tokens can be transferred or traded among cultivation families. The tokens date back to ancient times, and the issuing sects recognize the token, not the bearer! Anyone presenting a token can achieve ascension in a single step, making it a heaven-defying treasure for low-level cultivators!”
After reading the description and examining the seven illustrations, Han Li felt his mouth go dry and his heart pound fiercely.
When Han Li first heard the term “Ascension Assembly,” he had vaguely recalled the strange token he obtained from the dwarf. One side of that token was inscribed with the words “Ascension,” making him wonder if there was some connection between the two.
However, after hearing detailed accounts of the Ascension Assembly that made no mention of any Ascension Token, he dismissed it as a coincidence and put it out of his mind. Little did he expect that he would accidentally learn of the token’s origin and true purpose in this casually acquired booklet! And the Ascension Token’s effect was so significant!
Growing increasingly excited, Han Li hurriedly retrieved the dark, unassuming token from his person and compared it to the illustrations, quickly identifying the one with a matching pattern.
“‘Yellow Maple Valley’—this Ascension Token was issued by Yellow Maple Valley!” Han Li murmured, stroking the token.
“But how did such a valuable item end up in the hands of a mediocre cultivator like Golden Light Transcendent?” Han Li wondered, his initial excitement giving way to skepticism.
In truth, the dwarf was indeed the original owner of the token!
It turned out that the now-famous Qin Ye Ridge was once home not only to the Ye Family but also to the Qin Family, a cultivation family equally renowned at the time. The two families were related by marriage and got along quite well!
This Ascension Token had been passed down through generations of the Qin Family. The reason it had never been used was that the family had never produced a cultivation prodigy worthy of the token! They preferred to keep passing it down rather than waste such a treasure on an unworthy candidate.
However, over multiple generations, the Qin Family declined as male heirs grew scarce. Meanwhile, the Ye Family prospered and flourished, to the point where people in the cultivation world only knew of the Ye Family in Qin Ye Ridge and were entirely unaware of the Qin Family’s existence!
By the time of Golden Light Transcendent’s generation, the Qin Family had only him as its sole male heir, and his aptitude was exceptionally poor, with no hope of achieving Foundation Establishment. Given the vast disparity in power between the Qin and Ye Families, and with their marital ties dating back to antiquity, the Ye Family eventually set their sights on the rare treasures passed down through generations of the Qin Family. The Ascension Token was their most coveted prize!
Though Golden Light Transcendent lacked cultivation talent, he was skilled at reading people and exceedingly cautious. When he caught wind of the Ye Family’s intentions, he hastily fled with the Ascension Token and the talisman inscribed with a small sword, abandoning the remaining treasures, which were sealed by barriers and impossible for him to retrieve quickly. He reluctantly left them for the Ye Family.
Golden Light Transcendent remained in hiding for over a decade, living in a Taoist temple in barbarian lands and scraping by with his meager abilities, enjoying a carefree life. Over time, his desire to use the Ascension Token faded. He knew that even with a Foundation Establishment Pill, he stood no chance of reaching Foundation Establishment. Why, then, should he suffer as a low-level disciple in a major cultivation sect?
Thus, during the subsequent siege of the Seven Mysteries Sect, the Ascension Token fell into Han Li’s hands.
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