Chapter 311: Calm and Reinforcements

"Ice Demon, don't tell me you're looking at them with disdain, yet want to provoke me into fighting Ye She!" The bald, burly man glared, speaking with annoyance.

"Hee hee! How could that be! Aren't you going to see the Sect Master? Now is the perfect time; the Sect Master just finished the blood sacrifice and hasn't started refining Qi yet!" The white shadow, having had their true intentions exposed by the burly man, brushed it off without a care.

The bald, burly man knew the other was saying one thing while meaning another, but could only snort and stride into the darkness.

After turning several corners and passing through six or seven courtyards, the burly man arrived near a massive, extremely secluded rockery, his face beginning to show a look of awe.

"Subordinate Tie Luo pays respects to the Sect Master!" The burly man bowed and said loudly.

"Tie Luo, why are you injured?"

A middle-aged man's magnetic voice drifted from the base of the rockery. That the leader of the Ghost Spirit Sect was in seclusion beneath a rockery was something Han Li and the others could never have imagined.

"Many thanks for the Sect Master's concern. This subordinate merely used the Demon Transformation Art and suffered some loss of vitality!" Hearing the Ghost Spirit Sect Master say this, the bald, burly man hurriedly and cautiously replied.

After the burly man finished speaking, the Sect Master did not respond for a moment, only speaking faintly after a long while:

"Looking at it this way, this mission has failed! Otherwise, that registered disciple of mine should have returned with you to report."

"Sect Master, please forgive me. This subordinate failed to protect them; the Young Master and Protector Wang have both fallen into the enemy's hands. This subordinate is willing to accept the Sect Master's severe punishment!" The burly man gritted his teeth, his face filled with shame.

"Punishment! Why would I punish you? Since you even used the Demon Transformation Art, it shows that the enemy this time was indeed too powerful; it is not a result of you not giving your all. It is merely a disciple and a protector; it is nothing of great importance. It is only if you were to fall into the enemy's hands that I would truly have a headache!"

"Many thanks for the Sect Master's leniency. This subordinate will definitely serve the Sect Master with all his heart and strength in the future to make up for this mistake!"

The Ghost Spirit Sect Master was very skilled at winning people's hearts; with a few words, he had the bald, burly man feeling extremely moved, and he immediately expressed his loyalty.

"Mm, very good! But tell me about the situation of this encounter. I want to know which sect's cultivator is so ruthless!" The Ghost Spirit Sect Master was clearly satisfied with the burly man's words, but still asked about Han Li with great interest.

"As you command!" The burly man hurriedly replied.

"The Foundation Establishment cultivator we were to capture this time had a very peculiar cultivation technique; he could actually manipulate puppet beasts like dolls, and their power was not small. At that time..." The bald, burly man spoke slowly, recounting the entire process of his encounter with Han Li and his decision to undergo demonization when he saw the situation was unfavorable.

After the burly man finished saying all this, there was silence beneath the rockery; the Ghost Spirit Sect Master seemed to be pondering something.

After a while, his cold, emotionless voice came again.

"The dolls manipulated by this cultivator, according to your description, should be the puppet arts of the Thousand Bamboo Sect. This person might be a cultivator from the Thousand Bamboo Sect. I did hear people mention some time ago that a group of Thousand Bamboo Sect members appeared within the borders of the Yuanwu Kingdom; it might be one of them. However, it was a very wise choice for you to flee immediately by instinct after demonizing; otherwise, you wouldn't be standing here talking to me." The Ghost Spirit Sect Master said indifferently.

"It can't be! Even if the opponent used a talisman treasure at the time, I don't believe that with a demonized body, I couldn't withstand it. If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't control my demon body freely after demonizing, I would have really wanted to clash with the opponent! Even if I wasn't their match, I could have at least retreated unscathed!" The burly man said somewhat unconvinced.

"Tie Luo, I know you once took a talisman treasure head-on and remained unscathed, but the power of talisman treasures varies greatly. Even talisman treasures refined from the same magic treasure have vastly different powers. And just by the strange phenomena of this talisman treasure, I can conclude that with your current Demonized Body, you still couldn't withstand a single strike from the opponent. If it were Daoist Qingwen's Wood Demon Transformation, there might be some certainty." The Ghost Spirit Sect Master seemed to smile gently, explaining to the burly man.

"Many thanks for the Sect Master's guidance!" The burly man still didn't quite believe it in his heart, but he nodded and thanked him submissively.

"Sect Master, how should we deal with these cultivators next? Since the opponent is also not a disciple of the Seven Sects, should we send all four Blood Servants to capture this person alive and present him to the Sect Master for cultivation?" The bald, burly man said, eager to try, clearly intending to seek revenge on Han Li.

"No need! Saying he is a Thousand Bamboo Sect cultivator is just a guess; I cannot be entirely certain. Perhaps he has helpers. And I am currently at a critical period of seclusion; I do not wish to provoke a powerful enemy. Recently, restrain the sect members in the capital, all remaining to guard the palace. Wait until my cultivation technique is perfected before dealing with everything! Even without a Foundation Establishment cultivator for the blood sacrifice, it will only delay the time by a few months. By then, apart from Core Formation cultivators, Foundation Establishment cultivators will not be in my eyes." When the Ghost Spirit Sect Master said this, his originally flat tone was filled with a hint of excitement.

The Ghost Spirit Sect Master's thoughts coincided exactly with what Han Li had expected.

"I wish the Sect Master success in perfecting the cultivation technique. This subordinate will go immediately to arrange for the sect disciples in the palace to be more vigilant; I will not let anyone disturb the Sect Master in the slightest." The burly man said loudly and tactfully.

"Good, go and arrange it!"

After the Ghost Spirit Sect Master finished saying this, he seemed somewhat tired, and no further sound came. Thus, the bald, burly man respectfully retreated several steps before turning and walking away.

This place once again became an inconspicuous corner of the cold palace.

Time passed quickly. After Han Li sent out the new information he had obtained, more than half a month passed.

During this period, the Ghost Spirit Sect and Han Li both retreated and hid by coincidence.

The people of the Ghost Spirit Sect did not mobilize a large force to search everywhere for Han Li's hiding place, and Han Li did not dare to commit a great taboo by breaking into the imperial palace. Both sides appeared calm and restrained, as if nothing had happened between them.

And logically, the Demon Dao people who should have appeared long ago had no relevant news at all, which made Han Li breathe a sigh of relief.

The terrible situation he feared most—the Ghost Spirit Sect and the Demon Dao people colluding and appearing together to cause trouble—had finally not occurred. Han Li couldn't help but feel secretly fortunate.

According to Han Li's calculations, even if Li Li Huayuan sent someone, it would take at least ten more days, so he was not anxious or impatient, practicing diligently every day and not going out easily. Under Han Li's hint, Qin Yan also declined all invitations to go out recently and focused on staying in the mansion, enjoying some family happiness.

But this morning, while Han Li was sitting on the bed practicing Qi, he suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, revealing a glimmer of cold light.

"Which fellow Daoist is visiting? Don't be sneaky, show yourself!"

After Han Li said this coldly, he patted the storage pouch at his waist, and immediately the White Phosphorus Shield flew out, floating in the air and blocking in front of him. At the same time, he also held a Fire Cloud Talisman in his hand, looking like he was facing a formidable enemy.

That Han Li treated this so solemnly was entirely because he was shocked to sense three or four Foundation Establishment cultivators arriving outside, lingering at the door. Although they all used techniques to conceal their aura, Han Li, who had practiced the Nameless Mantra, still faintly sensed their existence.

In shock, Han Li secretly thought, could it be that the four Blood Servants of the Ghost Spirit Sect had arrived at the same time?

Once such a thought appeared, Han Li, while lamenting his bad luck, immediately made plans to escape. As for the Four Friends of Meng Mountain and the people in the Qin Mansion, Han Li couldn't care about them; he could only let them fend for themselves.

Just as Han Li's mind was filled with mixed thoughts, the scene he imagined—of magic tools and Daoist arts attacking wildly—did not happen outside. Instead, a clear, laughing voice drifted in.

"Haha! How about that? I said you guys couldn't hide from Junior Martial Brother's ears! Junior Martial Brother has already entered the Foundation Establishment mid-stage realm; you guys shouldn't show off your little skills in front of Junior Martial Brother Han."

Han Li was very familiar with this voice. With a stir in his heart, he answered loudly:

"Could it be that Senior Martial Brother Song has arrived? Junior Martial Brother greets you, Senior Martial Brother!"

Han Li's words were full of surprise!

"Junior Martial Brother, you guessed it right away!" After the owner of that voice finished saying this, he pushed the door open and walked into Han Li's room in a swaggering manner; it was none other than the Fourth Senior Martial Brother, Song Meng.

Behind him stood two other men and one woman. Apart from the handsome young man who kept a straight face, the other pair of man and woman looked at Han Li with smiles.

Among them, the elegant-looking man also said with a smile:

"Eighth Junior Martial Brother, I heard your name from Master long ago. It's a pity that Seventh Junior Martial Sister and I have never had the chance to meet you! Now I have finally seen you in person. But to reach the Foundation Establishment mid-stage so quickly, tsk tsk! There is really nothing to say."

The beautiful woman standing side by side with him covered her mouth and chuckled after hearing this, her bright eyes curiously sizing up Han Li.

After Han Li heard this and looked at the appearance of this man and woman, how could he not understand who these two were? He immediately got up from the bed and said respectfully:

"It must be Third Senior Martial Brother and Seventh Senior Martial Sister! Junior Martial Brother has also heard of the great names of Senior Martial Brother and Senior Martial Sister long ago, but we have always missed each other! As for cultivation, didn't Senior Martial Brother reach the Foundation Establishment mid-stage long ago? What is this little cultivation of mine?"

Han Li's words were full of sincerity, leaving a good impression on this Third Senior Martial Brother.

===== CHAPTER 312 =====