Chapter 1079

"Han brother, your help that day was a great favor, and I have never forgotten it. Fellow Daoist, just say the word." Bai Yaoyi said without hesitation.

To this woman, even if Han Li had not rescued her from the ice back then, just based on the other party's terrifying divine abilities comparable to a late-stage cultivator, she would still do her utmost to help. After all, being able to befriend such a powerful cultivator, she would be absolutely delighted.

"Actually, it's not a big deal. I heard that Northern Ice Island produces a lot of the spirit 'herb' Xuan Bing Hua, and I need to prepare a spirit pill that happens to require this flower as the main ingredient. So I had to make this trip." Han Li said calmly.

"Xuan Bing Hua, that's indeed not easy to find. Although not many can use this spirit 'herb', some old stocks have been harvested almost completely. However, I can ask my disciples to check if any ten-thousand-year Xuan Bing has been recently found, as this flower might only grow on newly discovered Xuan Bing. This shouldn't be a problem." Upon hearing Han Li's request, Bai Yaoyi immediately felt it was no issue and readily agreed.

"Bai Xianzi's help is truly wonderful. If this were left to me, it would be quite troublesome." Han Li felt relieved and said with a smile.

"This is a small matter. But news might not come within a day or two. Since Han brother has come to our Xiao Ji Palace, you might as well stay a few more days. I admire your divine abilities greatly and would like to exchange cultivation insights with you, Fellow Daoist." The woman said with a smiling face.

"Han Li is also very interested in your palace's cultivation methods. I have long heard that, in terms of cold-attribute techniques alone, Xiao Ji Palace's several top-tier methods are unmatched in the Great Jin Dynasty. Although I cultivate neither ice nor cold attributes, all laws are interconnected, so I must benefit greatly." Han Li smiled and said thus.

After exchanging a few words, the woman and Han Li began chatting without restraint.

Since their cultivation realms were close, after just a few sentences they began discussing cultivation issues. Ren Bi, also a mid Nascent Soul cultivator, occasionally interjected with some unique insights, making the three of them blend host and guest, conversing happily.

After the three talked in the attic for half a day, Han Li finally felt that this woman had just come out of seclusion and should not be disturbed too much, so he took his leave.

Bai Yaoyi saw this and did not try to keep him, but immediately gave an order, commanding the Yan-surnamed beauty to take Han Li to the guest lodgings temporarily. She would notify Han Li as soon as there was news of the Xuan Bing.

Thus Han Li received the woman's promise, immediately clasped his fist toward the two, and followed the beauty out of the attic.

Ren Bi, however, had no intention of leaving immediately, and it was unknown what these two fellow disciples would continue to talk about.

Under the guidance of the beauty at the Foundation Establishment stage, he headed straight for another building complex adjacent to the mountain wall. There stood more than ten similar exquisite pavilions, which appeared to be the so-called guest lodgings.

After glancing at them from afar, they walked toward one of them.

The beauty seemed to clearly understand Bai Yaoyi's importance placed on Han Li, so along the way she treated him with extra respect, casually asking a few questions to which the woman answered without reservation. This left Han Li quite satisfied.

In the blink of an eye, the two arrived before the pavilion, but before entering, a young girl with a doll-like face rushed out from inside, dressed as a maid, her figure very petite.

"Greetings, Yan Shishu!" This maid seemed to know the beauty, and hurried forward to pay respects.

"Hua Shiniu, this Han Han Qianbei is a distinguished guest of our Patriarch. From now on, he will reside here. You must attend to him well; if there is any negligence and the Patriarch blames us, I too will share the punishment." The beauty's expression turned serious as she solemnly instructed.

"I will certainly do my best." Upon hearing this, the girl's heart startled, and she immediately replied respectfully. At the same time, she couldn't help but glance up at Han Li, seeing him observing her, she quickly lowered her head.

Han Li saw this and gave a faint smile.

"Han Han Qianbei, if you are dissatisfied with Hua Shiniu, you can at any time replace her with someone else to follow your orders!" The beauty turned her head and said this to Han Li.

"No need. She will do." Han Li shook his head and strode into the pavilion.

The two women immediately followed closely behind.

The pavilion's furnishings were not bad, but what pleased Han Li most was the simple restriction set up on the second floor, allowing residents to cultivate without fear of being secretly spied upon without their knowledge.

After a few words to send the beauty on her way, Han Li settled in there.

To be honest, since departing from Snow Linked Mountain, he had traveled almost non-stop, and now it was truly time to rest properly to recover his peak condition.

For two consecutive days with nothing happening, Han Li sat quietly in meditation on the second floor of the pavilion, never casually stepping out.

For he clearly understood that, although it seemed he was staying here casually, in secret who knows how many high-level cultivators of Xiao Ji Palace were monitoring his movements.

After all, any sect suddenly gaining an outside Nascent Soul-level cultivator would put everyone on guard. He also had no intention of inviting trouble. Even if he still worried about the news of the True Solar Fire, he would not act rashly before the Xuan Bing Dan was refined.

In his mind, lifting the soul-sealing curse on Nangong Wan was the utmost priority.

As for the maid specifically assigned to attend to his commands, Han Li, aside from saying a few words at first, had not given her any further instructions.

Thus, by midday on the third day, he was sitting motionless on a futon, when suddenly his expression stirred, green light flashed around his body, and a series of booms erupted around him, as if something was exploding in succession. He then opened his eyes, his expression turning grim.

Because just before, a divine sense had brazenly pierced the pavilion's restriction and come probing toward him, which he countered with a spell without mercy.

But this divine sense was very strong, not inferior to his. It should be the divine thought of a late Nascent Soul cultivator.

Han Li's thoughts raced, still undecided on how to handle this, when suddenly a faint, infant-like voice came from his ear.

"Are you Han Daoist? I am Han Lian Shangren. Would you be interested in a meeting?"

"Han Lian Shangren!" Han Li's heart jolted. Wasn't this person exactly the Great Elder of Xiao Ji Palace!

This person was extremely mysterious; although everyone in the North knew of his vast divine abilities, it was strange that no one had ever seen him act. It seemed that becoming a Great Elder happened overnight.

Han Li felt surprised, but given his current divine abilities, he had no fear of late-stage cultivators. Thus, after a brief hesitation, he decided to meet this person and immediately sent a voice transmission to the nearby divine sense:

"Since Han Lian Daoist extends such a warm invitation, how could Han Li refuse? I will now pay my respects to Daoist."

"Hehe, very good. My spirit beast will arrive shortly; Han Daoist, just follow this beast over. I await your arrival in quiet at my residence!" Upon seeing Han Li agree so readily, Han Lian Shangren seemed very pleased, and his tone grew gentler.

Immediately, a white light flashed, and that thread of divine sense vanished.

Han Li did not move right away, but instead stared at the ground for a while before slowly rising and heading downstairs.

The doll-faced maid was sitting on a chair on the first floor, looking at a jade slip in her hand. Upon seeing Han Li come down, she startled and stood up immediately.

Han Li merely nodded at her, then ignored her and walked straight out of the pavilion gate.

The maid was completely bewildered, unaware of what had happened. Given her cultivation level, she naturally could not know about the divine sense collision that had just occurred upstairs.

Han Li stepped outside and almost immediately spotted what he was looking for.

A beast resembling a large cat, crouched on a small nearby tree, its eyes glowing yellow as it stared at Han Li. Its fur shone with golden light, as if made of pure gold, strikingly conspicuous.

He narrowed his eyes to examine the beast carefully, and a hint of surprise gradually appeared on his face.

"Golden Wind Civet! Actually this kind of strange beast! I heard this beast is a twin beast, once it moves it must appear as a male-female pair, its hiding technique is miraculously exquisite, I don't know if it's true or false." Han Li muttered to himself, his expression returning to normal, but his gaze involuntarily swept over other trees, finding nothing.

This Golden Wind Civet seemed to have finally confirmed Han Li's identity, letting out a low groan from its mouth, then suddenly a golden light flashed on a nearby small tree, and from the trunk shot forth another small beast, about half a foot long, slightly smaller than the first.

Han Li's heart jolted. With his powerful divine sense, he had not even seen how that small beast had hidden in the trunk just before.

The two Golden Wind Civets came together, rubbed their heads, then immediately turned and ran toward a certain direction.

Han Li had no time to think further; his body radiated spiritual light, transforming into a green light that swiftly pursued the two beasts.

During the pursuit, an unbelievable scene appeared.

One of the Golden Wind Civets' bodies blurred slightly, and vanished without a trace right before Han Li's eyes.

Han Li startled, his divine sense urgently swept the vicinity, but could find no trace of this beast.

He drew in a sharp breath of cold air!

Then, unwilling to accept this, he poured all his magic power into his eyes, causing his pupils to flash with blue light as he continuously scanned the surroundings. Eventually, near the other small beast leading the way, he detected a blurred, illusory phantom as if invisible—exactly the other Golden Wind Civet that had turned invisible.

Seeing that he could finally track the beast's movements, Han Li finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. Otherwise, having something he could not probe lurking nearby would have made it impossible for him to rest easy.

The two Golden Wind Raccoons' escape speed was not particularly fast—just slightly quicker than ordinary flight techniques—so Han Li naturally kept pace easily, following about ten zhang behind them.

Along the way, he naturally encountered several cultivators from the Inner Palace. Upon seeing Han Li's unfamiliar face, they all stared blankly, but as soon as they spotted the Golden Wind Raccoons running ahead, they immediately seemed to understand and stepped aside in unison, appearing quite familiar with these beasts.

However, Han Li's Nascent Soul cultivation level caused several high-ranking cultivators to involuntarily show expressions of surprise and doubt, though none dared to step forward to block him.

Following the beasts, Han Li wound east and west, weaving through several building complexes, and eventually arrived before a stone gate carved into the mountainside.

The stone gate was not particularly large—about five or six zhang tall—but its entire body emitted a faint yellow glow, with runes flashing continuously upon it, as if someone had placed an extremely powerful restriction upon it.

Han Li's footsteps paused, his eyes narrowed as he halted his evasion light.

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