Chapter 712

"It doesn't matter—try it first. If the net truly won't work, we can always leave later. With me guarding you, even if you're under restraint, I can still break through with you." Han Li smiled, his words brimming with confidence.

"This... all right! Though I don't know the full extent of your abilities, your confidence suggests you have some means. But you don't need to seek her out—Senior Sister's Sunset Palace is heavily guarded with barriers. Let me lure her here, then we use the barriers' power to seize her by surprise." Nangong Wan gazed into Han Li's eyes for a moment, sensing she couldn't dissuade him; she bit her red lip softly.

"This method is indeed safer. But can your cave's barriers still be used? I noticed upon entering that they seem incomplete and damaged." Han Li paused, then smiled.

"Don't worry. Though the outer barriers have been destroyed by Senior Sister, I still have one powerful, hidden barrier she never discovered—it's still functional." Nangong Wan smiled sweetly, utterly confident.

"Good! Then let's proceed this way. I carry several sets of array equipment—though not particularly powerful, once set, they'll provide some diversion." Han Li stroked his chin.

"And array flags? Even better. Time is short—give me half a day to break the other restraints on my body and fully restore my magic power to assist you. You begin setting up the array." Upon hearing Han Li's words, Nangong Wan's confidence deepened.

"If we can subdue your Senior Sister, couldn't we then take control of the Moon-Shrouding Sect? That way, we wouldn't have to flee in disgrace." Han Li paused, then asked with some doubt.

"That's impossible! Besides Senior Sister, the Moon-Shrouding Sect has another senior brother who is also a Nascent Soul cultivator. Though he's decent enough, he'll never accept me ascending to Grand Elder without proper legitimacy. And I have no ambition for power or position—only a quiet place to cultivate in peace."

"Then forget it. If everything goes smoothly, you'll come back with me to the Cloud-Returning Sect. Even if the Nine States Alliance is powerful and Wei Wei Wuyan favors Wei Wei Lichen, at this critical moment of Fa Shi invasion, they dare not offend the Heavenly Dao Alliance or two Nascent Soul cultivators like us." Han Li nodded, sneering.

He slapped his storage bag with one hand, flipped his palm, and a stack of array flags and discs appeared.

Seeing this, Nangong Wan smiled faintly, sat back down on her chair, closed her bright eyes, and formed an odd hand seal with both hands.

Moments later, crimson flames began rising from her snowy white robes, reaching several feet high, enveloping her completely.

At the same time, Han Li didn't idle.

His figure flickered as he moved swiftly around the hall, continuously launching array flags and discs from his hands.

After bursts of multicolored light, they all sank into various parts of the hall and vanished.

Setting up the array flags was naturally swift, but to maximize the array's power, Han Li confined its effect strictly within the hall, using only extremely concealed arrays—nearly impossible to detect unless one deliberately scanned with spiritual sense.

These array flags and discs were all crafted by Han Li during his Core Formation stage—insufficient even against Core Formation cultivators, let alone a Nascent Soul cultivator.

Han Li never relied on them. After finishing the array, he paused, then suddenly swept his sleeve. A streak of white light shot out, circled once, and landed before him—it was Bai Yue, transformed into a white fox.

"Master, calling me out—aren't you afraid Senior Sister Nangong will be jealous?" Bai Yue appeared, grinning as she spoke in human voice.

"Hmph! You're a spirit artifact—what's there to be jealous of? This time we're dealing with a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, and we can't let her escape. Even with the barriers aiding us, we still need your assistance. A mid-Nascent Soul cultivator isn't like an early-stage one—without full effort, success is unlikely." Han Li raised his eyebrows, fixing his gaze on the little fox, his expression grave.

"Master, how do you wish me to assist?" Bai Yue's smile vanished as she asked.

"Simple. At the right moment, use this treasure—don't let her break free." Han Li pulled another object from his storage bag and handed it to Bai Yue.

"This thing... for me to use?" Bai Yue cradled the object in her paws, sounding incredulous.

"Yes. You can wield it far better than I can. Using it myself would drain my magic power—better to entrust it to you. Of course, it's only temporarily lent to you. Your spirit-artifact form can't sustain prolonged use of other treasures." Han Li spoke calmly.

"Bai Yue understands." The white fox bowed her head slightly, sounding dejected—but she gently stroked the object in her paws, as if deeply fond of it.

Han Li watched, his heart stirred.

Then Bai Yue, clutching the object, shimmered with silver light and slipped into the ground, vanishing.

Below, Han Li circled the hall several more times, then suddenly paused, lifting his gaze upward.

After a moment's thought, he suddenly cast out one of his spirit beast bags.

A vast swarm of three-colored Metal-Eating Insects poured out, forming a cloud over a zhang wide, swirling and hovering in midair.

Han Li took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and spat out a mass of blue mist that struck the insect cloud directly. He formed hand seals, muttering low incantations.

The insect cloud suddenly hummed, instantly transforming into a sky-full of starlight, shooting upward.

In a flash of blue light, it vanished into the ceiling, the insects' presence completely gone.

Han Li narrowed his eyes, standing still to scrutinize the ceiling. Finding no flaw, no obvious anomaly, he finally nodded in satisfaction.

Having finished all preparations, Han Li glanced at Nangong Wan, seated and meditating.

Now, crimson flames swirled continuously around her, forming a large circular red disc that began flickering strangely, dimming and brightening.

The spiritual energy throughout the hall began to ripple and churn in response.

Han Li frowned, then after a brief thought, cast a spell at a stone pillar beside her. Instantly, a layer of blue light shield erupted, enclosing Nangong Wan.

The spiritual energy inside and outside the hall returned to normal.

Seeing this, Han Li smiled.

He gestured, and a vine chair flew toward him. He caught it, placed it beneath himself, and sat casually opposite Nangong Wan, gazing at her in silence.

With such an opportunity, he naturally intended to feast his eyes on her captivating beauty—finally easing years of longing.

Not long after, as Han Li stared, lost in thought, his dazed expression suddenly vanished, replaced by a dark frown.

Instantly, Han Li's figure blurred without warning, and he vanished from the chair.

Someone lurking outside the hall, peering inside, froze in shock, realizing too late and trying to flee.

But it was already too late—a calm voice came from behind her.

"Why are you spying? Don't you fear your ancestral master's wrath?"

"I wasn't spying! I was just worried—you two have been inside so long." The person dared not turn around, speaking haltingly—but her voice was clear and delicate: the yellow-robed girl who had led Han Li in.

Only now, sensing the immense spiritual pressure behind her, did she nervously explain.

"Oh? Then if you merely came to look, why hide your form and sneak about? And this 'Spirit-Stealth Talisman' on your body—it's a rare high-grade talisman. How did a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like you acquire it?" Han Li stood with hands behind his back, staring at the girl's slender back, expressionless.

"I..."

"No need to explain further. Come with me quietly. When your ancestral master finishes his cultivation, we'll decide how to deal with you."

The girl gasped, wanting to protest further—but Han Li had no patience left. He spoke coldly.

Hearing this, the yellow-robed girl finally panicked.

She suddenly crushed the other talisman clutched in her hand. A flash of yellow light enveloped her, transforming her into a streak of brilliant light that shot away, racing down the long corridor to escape.

Han Li watched coldly, making no move to pursue.

But as the yellow aura flew only a dozen zhang, at a corridor bend, a nearby wall suddenly erupted with a cloud of pink mist, instantly engulfing the fleeing light.

The girl's aura scattered; her body wobbled within the mist, then collapsed.

Yellow light flickered—Bai Yue leapt out from the wall where the mist had emerged, elegantly swishing her tail, and walked cheerfully to the girl's side.

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