Chapter 370: Ascension Pavilion

"The ten cultivators that Fellow Daoist Han challenged are actually temporary thugs hired at a high price by those wealthy families from the island's guard team. Although each of them doesn't have a high cultivation base, because they often go out to sea to fight demonic beasts and also compete with cultivators from other islands, their experience and means in fighting are much stronger than ordinary cultivators. Let alone having a cultivation base inferior to the opponent, even ordinary cultivators with a cultivation base two or three layers higher than them failing in their hands is not strange at all!" Wen Wen Qiang said with a face full of wonder, clicking his tongue in amazement.

"It's nothing, Han was just lucky!" Han Li smiled and said politely.

As for rich fighting experience, he asked himself if he had plenty of it too!

"By the way, Fellow Daoist came here, is it to go to the Ascension Pavilion to handle some procedures?" The youth looked in the direction of the green mountain and turned back to ask with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Wen guessed correctly. This humble one indeed wants to handle the procedures for settling on the island, and by the way, wants to choose a place to reside for cultivation."

There was nothing to hide about these matters, so Han Li spoke with a calm expression.

"Hehe! This humble one has been to the Ascension Pavilion several times; why don't I lead the way for Fellow Daoist? It's on the way anyway! Otherwise, this Green Cloud Mountain is so large, it's really not easy to find." After hearing Han Li's words, the youth suggested without hesitation.

Seeing the other party so active and enthusiastic, Han Li was slightly stunned, then thanked him repeatedly.

Thus, the two flew side by side toward the giant mountain in front.

"This Green Cloud Mountain on our island, besides the three giant peaks of Heaven Pillar Peak, Heaven Dusk Peak, and Heaven Gate Peak, also has 367 small peaks, and countless caves and valleys of all sizes; it can be said that there are many places to cultivate." While flying forward, the youth introduced the mountain range in front of Han Li in a continuous stream.

"Of course, although most of Green Cloud Mountain is on a not-so-small spiritual vein, the concentration of spiritual energy is certainly different. Generally speaking, the higher the mountain peak, the more abundant its spiritual energy. Thus, the thirty-six mountain peaks with the most concentrated spiritual energy have become the objects of challenge on our island every ten years. Anyone who feels their cultivation base is higher than the masters of these thirty-six peaks can challenge them at will, and the winner can enter and occupy that mountain peak. As for the other mountain peaks, the spiritual energy doesn't differ much; generally, as long as a cultivator enters the Foundation Establishment stage, they can automatically acquire one of the mountain peaks as a place for cultivation. As for Qi Condensation stage cultivators, they can only honestly find some valleys and caves to cultivate."

"Foundation Establishment stage can independently possess a mountain peak?" Han Li was greatly surprised.

"Yes, but the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators on our island have already occupied almost all of them. Qi Condensation stage cultivators like us shouldn't think about such good things." The youth said self-deprecatingly.

"Oh!" Various thoughts turned in Han Li's heart, and he became somewhat excited.

"By the way, those three main peaks are so tall and large, wouldn't the spiritual energy on them be even more abundant!" Han Li suddenly thought of something and asked casually.

"That is of course. The highest Heaven Pillar Peak is the spiritual eye of our island, the place where Island Master Mu Long True Person cultivates; other cultivators are not allowed to enter. I heard Island Master Mu has a Core Formation mid-stage cultivation base and has very powerful divine abilities. As for Heaven Gate Peak and Heaven Dusk Peak, they are the cave dwellings of the two Vice Island Masters, Yuan Jun True Person and Kan Qin True Person. Although they are a bit worse than Heaven Pillar Peak, the spiritual energy is still several times that of other places." Wen Wen Qiang said, revealing a few traces of envy.

"Fellow Daoist Wen, are the two Vice Island Masters also seniors at the Core Formation stage?" Han Li asked slowly, his eyebrows twitching upon hearing this.

"The two Vice Island Masters are not only Core Formation early-stage cultivators, but they are also a pair of dual-cultivation Dao companions." Wen Wen Qiang said, shaking his head.

Hearing this, Han Li frowned inadvertently.

That Kuixing Island actually had three Core Formation stage cultivators was truly beyond his expectations.

Just as Han Li was pondering secretly, he had already entered Green Cloud Mountain with Wen Wen Qiang, occasionally encountering a few cultivators flying with magic tools as well.

But they only glanced at the two coldly and then flew away on their own.

A quarter of an hour later, Han Li finally flew into a relatively high mountain peak under Wen Wen Qiang's guidance.

On the peak, there was a small two-story pavilion. This pavilion didn't know how long it had been built; its exterior was not only tattered but also extremely old. A missing-corner plaque hung on the door, with three crooked black characters written on it: "Ascension Pavilion."

Seeing this, Han Li was stunned.

"This is..." Although he saw the sign, Han Li still couldn't believe it and couldn't help but turn his face to ask Wen Wen Qiang.

"Although I don't want to admit it, this is indeed the Ascension Pavilion." The youth revealed a helpless expression and said with his hands spread.

"Alright! I'll send you here. Also, the senior in charge of the Ascension Pavilion has a somewhat strange temper! Fellow Daoist, pay more attention!" The youth waved goodbye to Han Li and warned him via voice transmission upon parting.

Han Li watched the youth disappear with a faint gaze, shook his head inadvertently, then landed in front of the pavilion with his usual expression and walked over slowly.

But just as he walked to the door, a somewhat sharp voice reached his ears.

"Come in! The door is ajar." Hearing this, Han Li's heart tightened, but he walked into the pavilion without hesitation.

Walking into the pavilion, Han Li was dumbfounded.

The interior was completely opposite to the exterior of the pavilion; it was decorated extremely luxuriously!

The floor was covered with precious, bright red silk, the walls were inlaid with gold and jade, countless glittering gemstones twinkled on them, and there were several colorful flowers and plants of unknown species placed in the corners of the pavilion.

And opposite Han Li was an ancient stone bed, which emitted a strange blue light. Although he didn't know what it was made of, it was definitely exceptionally rare.

On it lay a haggard-looking middle-aged man, who was wearing a fiery red, dazzling fur coat, holding a huge white pearl in his arms, and looking at Han Li faintly.

"Greetings, Senior. This humble one is here to handle the settlement procedures; may I ask if Senior is in charge of this matter?" Han Li suppressed the astonishment in his heart, bowed, and asked respectfully.

"Settlement? Do you have a guarantor?" The middle-aged man coughed lightly and asked listlessly.

"Yes." Han Li immediately took out the document given by the Gu family and stepped forward two steps to hand it to the other party.

He didn't dare to underestimate this person, because the fluctuation of spiritual power on the other party clearly told him that this person was a powerful cultivator at the Foundation Establishment late-stage.

The middle-aged man took the signed document from Han Li's hand, scanned it briefly, and put it down. Then, a flash of light appeared in his eyes, and he began to examine him.

"I heard that a new cultivator came to the island and defeated the guards with a cultivation base of the fifth layer; it wouldn't be you, would it?" The middle-aged man stroked the pearl in his arms with one hand and asked suddenly, somewhat nonchalantly.

Hearing the other party ask this, Han Li was slightly startled inwardly, and he hurriedly said modestly:

"This humble one was just lucky! It's not worth mentioning!"

"Hmph! Lucky..." The man snorted coldly.

Seeing the other party's expression, Han Li frowned secretly, and at the same time, he was somewhat suspicious in his heart.

"This competition was only a few days ago; how did this person know about it?"

As if seeing Han Li's confusion, the middle-aged man tightened his fur coat and said without changing his expression:

"The guy from the guard team who was defeated by you happens to be one of my useless disciples! To actually lose to an opponent with a lower cultivation base than him, I have already sent him to face the wall as punishment."

Hearing this, Han Li was stunned first, then couldn't help but smile bitterly.

This was too coincidental! Could it be that this person wanted to vent his anger for his disciple?

Han Li felt somewhat uneasy.

"Rest assured, this is just a matter between you juniors; I won't bully the small with the big. But in five years, I hope you can compete with my useless disciple again. Regardless of winning or losing, I won't pursue this matter anymore." The middle-aged cultivator glanced at Han Li sideways and said coldly.

"Since Senior has this request, this humble one naturally won't refuse!" Han Li felt relieved inwardly and agreed immediately.

Seeing Han Li agree so readily, the middle-aged cultivator was stunned first, but then revealed a look of satisfaction.

"I will handle the settlement matters for you now!" A white light flashed on the middle-aged cultivator's hand, and the pearl disappeared abruptly. Then he sat up and said slowly.

The so-called settlement procedures were very simple; the middle-aged man took out a golden book from his robes, copied Han Li's name onto it, and that was it. Of course, the green jade tablet Han Li had when he first entered the harbor naturally had to be taken back, and he was issued another type of blue jade pendant.

This jade pendant flashed with blue light and was actually a low-tier magic tool. Hearing the middle-aged man say it, it had a small water-avoidance effect and was quite practical.

But next, the middle-aged man took out a silver picture book from his robes and tossed it to Han Li.

"Any place with golden light on it is already occupied. The white ones are empty places for cultivation. Choose for yourself! Cough, cough..." The middle-aged man's body seemed somewhat unwell; these few sentences were said a bit too hurriedly, and he began to cough lightly, looking like a person suffering from a serious illness.

【End of Chapter】 ===== CHAPTER 371 =====