Chapter 862: Qiankun Tower

Under the guidance of the three elders surnamed Fu, Han Li and the others passed through the restrictive grand array and entered the airspace above the Hundred Crafts Academy. This time, Han Li and the others did not land in the central square surrounded by mountains on all sides, but were led directly to a massive platform built against the mountain wall.

In the middle of this platform, a pavilion about a hundred zhang high was built, with as many as five stories. At first glance, it did not look like a pavilion, but rather a massive stone tower.

And on the mountain wall behind the pavilion, which stretched as far as the eye could see, there were actually dense holes of various sizes everywhere, with disciples of the Hundred Crafts Academy constantly moving in and out, looking just like a beehive.

The elder surnamed Fu did not lead the three to the pavilion, but instead brought them directly toward the very top of the mountain wall.

"Deep beneath this mountain lies a top-tier Earth Lung Fire Pool. Not only is it twice as effective for artifact refining, but it also has many benefits for cultivators practicing fire-attribute techniques. That is why the Hundred Crafts Academy not only built numerous artifact refining rooms on this side of the mountain wall, but many high-tier disciples also built their cave dwellings within the mountain's belly." Brother Cheng was clearly very familiar with the Hundred Crafts Academy, casually introducing it to Han Li as they flew.

The speaker had no intention, but the listener did. Han Li's heart stirred upon hearing this, and a look of contemplation appeared on his face.

After flying toward the heights for over a thousand zhang in the blink of an eye, they finally stopped at a solitary, massive cave entrance. This was clearly not a place for low-tier disciples to come; unlike the bustling scene of people coming and going below, apart from two elders standing there to welcome them, no other cultivators were in sight.

"Brother Cheng, Fellow Daoist Lü! I have been waiting for your arrival for a long time. Please forgive me for not going out to welcome you from afar. Is this Fellow Daoist Han? Truly young and promising, with limitless potential. Eh! Fellow Daoist Han has already advanced to the mid-stage of Nascent Soul?" As soon as the three landed at the cave entrance, an elder with fiery red hair and dark skin greeted Brother Cheng and Lü Luo with a smile. He swept his gaze over Han Li, and his expression suddenly changed, exclaiming in shock. The other elder beside him, with withered skin and sharp, sinister features, also wore a look of astonishment.

"You make me blush, Brother Feng. Junior Brother Han also just advanced to the mid-stage of Nascent Soul. In the future, I will still need the two of you to provide Junior Brother Han with some guidance." Brother Cheng chuckled and said with a smile.

"Guidance from us! Brother Cheng, please stop joking." The two elders of the Hundred Crafts Academy finally recovered from their shock. After exchanging glances, they couldn't help but smile bitterly, and the elder surnamed Feng replied speechlessly.

"The two of you need not be humble. Han Mou has cultivated a bit faster, but my foundation is ultimately unstable. If there is anything improper in my cultivation in the future, I truly need the two of you to provide some clarification." Han Li cupped his fists and said politely, without the slightest hint of arrogance.

Seeing this, the two Nascent Soul cultivators on the opposite side repeatedly said they wouldn't dare, and their impression of Han Li was naturally extremely good. They then invited the three to enter and talk.

The elder surnamed Fu and the others then excused themselves and left.

"Originally, Senior Brother Master Liehuo also wanted to come out to welcome the three Fellow Daoists together, but he is currently making the final preparations for the master-recognition of a newly refined magic treasure. He cannot come over for the time being. I hope the three Fellow Daoists will not take offense." The other elder said this.

"Brother Ding, what are you saying! Lü and I have been acquainted with the three of you for hundreds of years; why be so polite? What kind of magic treasure is it that requires such a grand master-recognition ceremony? Can the two of you not reveal a little bit?" On the way, Lü Luo asked with some curiosity.

"Hehe, it's nothing much of a treasure. It's just that my senior and junior brothers spent three months refining another Qiankun Tower." Although the elder surnamed Ding said it was nothing, a hint of pride was faintly visible in his eyes.

"Qiankun Tower? So it is this treasure. This is one of the three great treasures of the Hundred Crafts Academy. I remember that your academy hasn't refined a new treasure of the academy in nearly a thousand years." Brother Cheng's originally smiling face couldn't help but freeze, and he said in surprise.

"That is why we invited all the Fellow Daoists to observe the ceremony for this treasure's master-recognition. However, while this Qiankun Tower is a treasure of the academy for us, it is nothing to your two sects. Let alone the Ancient Sword Sect. I heard that Brother Cheng obtained some rare treasures in the Fallen Devil Valley. And Fellow Daoist Han being able to advance to the mid-stage so quickly, I fear he also had other opportunities in the Fallen Devil Valley, right?" The elder surnamed Feng probed with a smile.

"Obtained some treasures? Brother Feng, you must have heard that from hearsay. I am not very clear about Junior Brother Han's situation. Although I obtained two ancient treasures when I entered the Fallen Devil Valley last time, their power was mediocre; how could they be compared to the Qiankun Tower?" The silver-haired elder shook his head like a rattle.

"Han Mou also didn't obtain any powerful ancient treasures; on the contrary, I destroyed many treasures in the Fallen Devil Valley. If it weren't for the chance that my cultivation advanced by a layer, I fear I would have entered the valley in vain." Han Li naturally would not mention the details of the Spirit Myriad Garden, brushing it off with a mix of truth and falsehood.

"Fellow Daoist Han's cultivation has advanced by a layer; what other treasures could you need? If my cultivation could advance by another layer, I would be willing to take out all my treasures to exchange for it." The elder surnamed Feng smiled bitterly, saying with a tone that was thirty percent self-mockery and thirty percent envy.

Han Li smiled slightly upon hearing this and did not respond.

Passing through a vast garden in full bloom, they were led into a surprisingly large hall. This place was over a hundred zhang wide, with unknown crystals the size of fists embedded in the four walls, all glittering with golden light. This made the hall not only feel bright but also gave it a sense of opulence.

"The three Fellow Daoists, please sit. Senior Brother Master Liehuo will come over once he is finished. And the Fellow Daoists from the Ancient Sword Sect should also arrive soon." The elder surnamed Feng greeted Han Li and the others to sit and said politely.

"I heard that Old Monster Jin of the Ancient Sword Sect has ended his life-and-death seclusion and will also be coming this time. This matter cannot be false, right?" As soon as Lü Luo sat down, he asked about this matter.

"This matter is indeed true. Fellow Daoist Jin even personally sent a sound transmission talisman to Senior Brother Master Liehuo, saying he would come to observe the ceremony. However..." When the elder surnamed Feng said this, he paused.

"However what?" Lü Luo was a bit strange. The silver-haired elder was also intrigued and turned his head to look. Han Li, however, was looking around the hall, appearing as if he didn't care at all.

"However, Fellow Daoist Jin coming here is probably still because he wants to see Fellow Daoist Han. After all, Brother Han's reputation is so resounding; he can now be considered one of the top figures under the Three Great Cultivators. Speaking of one-on-one combat, it is well-deserved to say he is the number one cultivator of our Heavenly Dao Alliance. What's more, he has now advanced to the mid-stage of Nascent Soul," the elder surnamed Ding glanced at Han Li and said with a mysterious look on his face.

"Why, does Old Monster Jin want to test Junior Brother Han's divine abilities? This old monster has been in seclusion for so many years; has his temperament not changed at all?" Brother Cheng frowned and said with some displeasure.

"Brother Feng and I are not clear about this. However, with Fellow Daoist Han's divine abilities, I believe he would not fear anyone. And to be honest, we senior and junior brothers also want to witness Brother Han's divine abilities." The elder surnamed Ding did not cover it up and said frankly.

"So, this gathering should be a re-division of the rankings of Mount Mount Yunmeng." Lü Luo's eyes flickered, and he tapped the table a few times with his fingers, speaking slowly.

"If the two Fellow Daoists think so, it is not wrong. However, speaking of re-dividing the rankings, we, the Hundred Crafts Academy, remain unchanged with us few old immortals, so we are undoubtedly at the bottom this time. We will not fight with your two sects for anything. But since Fellow Daoist Jin of the Ancient Sword Sect has come personally, I estimate he will want to test Fellow Daoist Han's divine abilities. Otherwise, how could he be willing to give up the title of the number one sect of the Xi Kingdom?" The elder surnamed Feng on the other side said with a smile.

"The two Fellow Daoists knew about this matter but didn't reveal a hint of it in the invitation. This is a bit unreasonable." Brother Cheng frowned and hadn't said anything yet, but Lü Luo's face darkened slightly, and his voice turned cold.

"Fellow Daoist Lü, please don't misunderstand; these are all our guesses. Fellow Daoist Jin didn't say he must meet Fellow Daoist Han. For our Hundred Crafts Academy, this gathering is mainly about cooperation and exchange between the three sects. After all, the last gathering and exchange was over a hundred years ago. There are also new faces like Fellow Daoist Han and Fellow Daoist Mingxin of the Ancient Sword Sect. It is naturally beneficial for everyone to meet." Brother Feng waved his hand and said without getting angry.

Hearing this explanation, the expression on Lü Luo's face softened slightly. Han Li's expression remained unchanged throughout, only revealing a faint smile from beginning to end.

This made the two elders of the Hundred Crafts Academy, who had been paying attention to Han Li, feel even more that he was unfathomable.

Brother Cheng recovered his normal expression after hearing the explanation and was about to ask more about the Ancient Sword Sect when a red light transformed from a sound transmission talisman flew in from outside the door, circled once, and landed in the hand of the elder surnamed Feng.

At this, everyone in the hall couldn't help but look over. The elder surnamed Feng only took a quick glance at the sound transmission talisman before hurriedly standing up.

"What a coincidence. The three Fellow Daoists, please wait here for a moment; the Fellow Daoists from the Ancient Sword Sect have followed closely behind. I will go and welcome them first. Let Junior Brother Ding accompany the three of you first." The elder said with some apology, then hurried outside.

Brother Cheng and Lü Luo exchanged glances, a hint of solemnity on their faces.

Han Li remained unhurried. If he remembered correctly, he seemed to have heard Lü Luo say that apart from Fire Dragon Boy, who was on good terms with the two, the other elders of the Ancient Sword Sect were not on good terms with the Falling Cloud Sect.

A moment later, footsteps sounded at the entrance of the hall, and the elder surnamed Feng walked in with three cultivators, two men and one woman.

Walking at the very front was a burly elder with a head full of curly hair. This elder's hair was white, but his complexion was ruddy, his skin lustrous, and a pair of round eyes flashed with light, giving people a sense of beast-like cruelty. What was even more eye-catching were the pair of unusually large palms hanging down on his sides, which were nearly half the size of an ordinary person's.

Behind the elder followed a middle-aged cultivator with an ordinary appearance and a dignified and graceful young lady.

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