Chapter 1612

Han Li's voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like thunder to the old man, enough to wake him from his deep sleep. Net

"Ah, so a guest has arrived. This junior will find a room for you immediately, Senior." After the old man's lying figure shook, he woke up in a start, sat up straight, and hurriedly took out a bright white, ancient magic tool resembling an account book from under his body, searching through it quickly.

Seeing this, Han Li frowned!

The old man in front of him was also a cultivator; how could he have no vigilance at all? He seemed to have really fallen asleep just now, not pretending.

His heart skipped a beat, and he glanced at the old man's face. The next moment, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:

"You... you are Senior Brother Xiang! You are still alive; how can you be here!"

This old man had a sallow complexion and a slightly sickly appearance, but his eyebrows were slightly smooth; it was none other than Xiang Xiang Zhili, who had entered the space node one step ahead in the mortal world. His nominal "Senior Brother Xiang."

His soul lamp, along with those of Old Demon Hu, Old Monster Feng, and others, had all been extinguished shortly after entering the node. They had long been considered to have perished.

Seeing him suddenly, how could Han Li not be shocked, his voice even changing slightly.

When the old man heard Han Li's words, his movements of searching for something paused, and after a long while, he slowly raised his head to look at the person opposite him.

"Junior Brother Han, it's really you!" the old man murmured, his expression a mix of crying and laughing, looking exceptionally strange.

"It is Han. How is your cultivation and aura now..."

Han Li replied while subconsciously scanning Xiang Xiang Zhili's body with his divine sense, his expression becoming uncertain again.

Xiang Xiang Zhili, who had already been a Deity Transformation cultivator in the mortal world, now had his cultivation reduced to only the Core Formation stage, and his aura was exceptionally weak, as if he had been severely injured.

"Junior Brother Han, you also arrived in the Spirit Realm through a space node, right? Looking at your cultivation, your magic power has greatly advanced. However, this is not a place to talk. No guests will come for a while. Follow me first, and let's find another place to talk." Xiang Xiang Zhili stared at Han Li for a good while, his expression changing for a moment, before he suddenly remembered something, hurriedly stood up, and led Han Li toward a side door of the hall.

Han Li hesitated for a moment but still followed.

After entering the side door, there was a long corridor planted with some strange flowers and grasses. Xiang Xiang Zhili didn't lead Han Li very far, directly pushing open a stone door nearby and inviting Han Li in.

"Please sit, Junior Brother. This old man never imagined that I would be able to see Junior Brother Han again in my lifetime. But in my current dilapidated state, I am truly ashamed to be seen." As soon as the two sat down, Xiang Xiang Zhili said with a bitter smile, his voice extremely dejected, completely different from the Great Cultivator he was in the mortal world.

"What happened to you when you passed through the node back then? Are the other two still there?" Han Li remained silent for a moment before directly asking about the things he wanted to know.

"Old Monster Feng and Old Demon Hu perished. When we passed through the space node, our luck was truly terrible. We encountered space storms several times in a row. The last time, two waves of space storms overlapped and erupted together. Of the three of us, only I survived. But because I frequently used life-saving secret techniques, my cultivation was almost completely lost. This little bit of cultivation I have now is what I've painstakingly cultivated back bit by bit over these years." Xiang Xiang Zhili sighed, saying helplessly.

"That space node is indeed exceptionally dangerous. It is a great fortune in misfortune that Senior Brother Xiang could survive. However, the life-lamps you left in the mortal world were extinguished. And how did you appear in the Thunder Continent, and why didn't you appear in the human race's ascension location?" Han Li comforted him but asked with confusion.

"The extinguishing of the life-lamps is likely related to the life-saving secret technique I used. Using that life-swapping technique is indeed almost like changing one's own life. As for why I am in this continent, I am not too sure either. When I was swept into the space storm, although I relied on secret techniques to save my life, as soon as I left the space node, I was in this Tian Yun region. If I hadn't encountered someone who saved me, I wouldn't even be alive now. Judging by your tone, Junior Brother, you were in the human race's region of the Spirit Realm when you came out of the node. If that's the case, the space storm in the node back then was too strange, blowing our routes off course." Xiang Xiang Zhili's expression became exceptionally ugly when he recalled his experience in the space node.

This time, Han Li didn't interject, just nodded as if he had realized something.

"Why is Senior Brother working here, what is your relationship with the owner of this inn, and have you thought about returning to the human race?" Han Li didn't delve too deeply, but asked with a solemn expression.

"The owner of this inn is a Stone Cocoon clansman, and he is the one who saved my life back then. He has a good heart, his cultivation is not weak, and he seems to have some status in the Stone Cocoon clan. On one hand, I am helping him to repay the kindness, and on the other hand, I have nowhere else to go. I can only help him for the time being. As for returning to the human race, I have long given up on that. Although the Tian Yun Thirteen Clans do control a teleportation array that can cross continents, the consumption of each activation of that teleportation array is said to be enough to bankrupt even a Holy Clan existence; it cannot be driven by ordinary spirit stones. Even if my cultivation were as it was, I would be far from qualified to use this array. Besides, even if I were lucky enough to find a way to teleport to the Wind Origin Continent, with my current low cultivation and severely damaged vitality, I would have no hope of passing through the barbarian world to return to the human race's region. In my current situation, I have also lost the possibility of impacting the Void Refinement stage, so I don't intend to take any more risks, and I plan to spend the rest of my life here." Xiang Xiang Zhili shook his head, his expression dimming slightly.

Hearing Xiang Xiang Zhili's words, Han Li didn't know what to say to comfort him, and for a moment, he was speechless.

"By the way, I haven't asked about your experience, Junior Brother. Although I cannot return to the human race, I would still like to hear about the situation of the human race in the Spirit Realm. Can you tell me about it, Junior Brother?" Xiang Xiang Zhili suddenly remembered something and asked with a slightly better expression.

"My experience is nothing worth mentioning; I just followed the coordinates sent by you back then, and after cultivating to the Deity Transformation stage, I found that node. Then I entered the node together with that Ice Phoenix, who had also advanced to Deity Transformation. But my luck was slightly better! Although I also encountered space storms, I was finally able to tear through space and escape with the help of the Ice Phoenix's space abilities. As for the situation of the human race, from what I know, they are only able to gain a foothold in the Spirit Realm and barely protect themselves! As for the specific situation..." Han Li briefly talked about his own affairs, not mentioning that he had also lost his cultivation. As for the human race's affairs, there was nothing that needed to be kept secret, so Han Li told the other party some of it.

"Three Realms and Seven Lands! Holy Emperors and Demon Kings! So our human race in the Spirit Realm also has quite a few Body Integration-stage existences; if that's the case, this old man can finally feel a bit relieved." Xiang Xiang Zhili listened attentively, and after a long while, he let out a long breath.

Han Li remained silent again, but after a moment, his eyes flickered a few times before he suddenly asked:

"The Tian Yun Thirteen Clans really have a super teleportation array! Senior Brother, how did you know about this?"

"Hehe! Why, Junior Brother, you want to pay attention to this teleportation array! The matter of the super teleportation array is not something worth keeping secret. Not only does Tian Yun have one, but the Jiao Chi and the Night Clan also have one. Among the great clans nearby, probably only the Violent Roar Clan hasn't built one. If I were you, Junior Brother, I would forget it. That cross-continent teleportation array is not something anyone below the Body Integration stage is qualified to use. Besides, you are not from these few clans, so it is even harder to have a chance. Fortunately, the Tian Yun Thirteen Clans are not too exclusive to other alien races, so Junior Brother Han, why not stay here and cultivate, and keep this old man company? After your cultivation advances in the future, it won't be too late to find a way to return to the human race. By the way, what realm have you reached now, Junior Brother? I can only feel that your aura is much stronger than it was in the mortal world, but I cannot sense your cultivation level." Xiang Xiang Zhili smiled and asked curiously.

"I still need to ponder the matter of the teleportation array. As for my cultivation, I was lucky enough to advance to the Void Refinement stage not long ago." Han Li didn't intend to hide his cultivation and said it frankly.

"Void Refinement? Junior Brother, you have cultivated so quickly. In that case, you no longer have the trouble of lifespan!" Xiang Xiang Zhili's mouth twitched upon hearing this, and he couldn't help but feel envious.

"In name, it is said that lifespan is infinite. But with that Great Heavenly Tribulation every three thousand years, how can one truly live forever? That tribulation becomes more ferocious each time; if one doesn't ascend to the True Immortal Realm, one will eventually perish." Han Li said with a faint smile.

"You can't say it like that; after advancing to Void Refinement, Junior Brother, your lifespan will at least be in the tens of thousands, and you can take a long breath and cultivate slowly. With your aptitude, Junior Brother, who knows if you won't be able to cultivate to the final step and eventually ascend to the True Immortal Realm." Xiang Xiang Zhili grinned and shook his head repeatedly.

"Ascend to the True Immortal Realm! In our human and demon races, there have been countless people with superior aptitude over so many tens of thousands of years, but how many have been able to walk to the final step? I can only take it one step at a time!" Han Li said with a bitter smile.

"Hehe, let's talk about this later. Junior Brother Han, stay at my shop for now. I still need to look after the inn, so when I have time tonight, I will visit your room to talk in detail. You won't refuse this old man's visit, right?" Xiang Xiang Zhili looked toward the door and suddenly smiled lightly.

"That's fine. I also have some matters to consult with you, Senior Brother, since I've just arrived in Cloud City." Han Li nodded, his eyes flickering, and agreed fully.

Thus, Xiang Xiang Zhili chose a high-quality, quiet room for Han Li, located in a secluded corner, and personally led Han Li to stay there.

He then returned to the hall.

Han Li set up an isolation restriction in the room, sat cross-legged, and pondered with a thoughtful expression.

Unexpectedly encountering Xiang Xiang Zhili here made him have to think about it carefully!

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