Chapter 945

Han Li stayed in the room for an entire day and night; though the temple abbot was a mortal, being within the Daoist sect he knew something of cultivators and vaguely guessed Han Li’s identity, so he made sure no one disturbed him during this time.

When Han Li finally opened his eyes, a hint of disappointment appeared on his face.

“The cold essence’s chill cannot be fused at all by the Purple Luo Ultimate Flame—looks like this material can only be used as is. I’ll just reforge the Snow Crystal Pearl instead.” Han Li muttered helplessly, then opened his mouth and with a soft “puff,” a crystal-clear sphere shot out and hovered several feet before him.

Gazing at the object before him, Han Li raised his hand, and the small vial containing the cold essence appeared in his palm.

With a flick of his fingers, the lid flew off; his other hand immediately slapped the vial’s base, and a single silver droplet shot out, vanishing instantly into the Snow Crystal Pearl.

Without delay, Han Li formed hand seals and opened his mouth again, spitting out another wisp of green infant flame that instantly enveloped the sphere, igniting it swiftly.

Calmly watching the pearl within the flames, Han Li closed his eyes once more; re-forging this artifact wouldn’t take long—he’d finish refining the Snow Crystal Pearl before the Grand Auction began.

Thinking thus, he used his spiritual sense to carefully refine the treasure, inch by inch.

…

As Han Li focused entirely on refining his magic treasure, in a corner of the northern imperial city of Jinjing, within a grand mansion, a young man in a thin blue robe stood inside a stone pavilion, hands clasped behind his back, admiring the exotic flowers and rare plants outside, his expression serene.

Suddenly, his expression shifted—he turned his face sharply, revealing his true visage. His features bore seven-tenths resemblance to Han Li’s, the only difference being a pair of cold, emotionless eyes.

At that moment, footsteps approached from the garden entrance, and an elderly man in a black crown and brocade robe appeared; he raised his head just as his gaze met the youth’s glittering eyes, causing him to shiver involuntarily, startled.

Fortunately, the youth’s icy gaze faded instantly, returning to ordinary appearance, and he spoke coolly:

“I wondered who it was—it’s you, Daoist Yunyi. Have you come to see Han Mou?”

“Han Elder, our spies planted in several market districts have just sent word of something you might find interesting,” the crowned elder chuckled dryly, stepping forward.

“News? You know I never care about outside matters, nor handle any specific affairs. If you need me to act, just have Elder Ye send word.” The youth turned his head back to gaze at the flower trees before the pavilion, speaking coldly.

“Heh, had it been anything else, I certainly wouldn’t disturb your cultivation. But this news concerns you directly.” The elder paid no mind to the youth’s cold demeanor, speaking with hidden meaning.

“Concerns me? Have you found that man?” The youth paused, then narrowed his eyes, his face turning icy.

“Indeed, we have word of him. Some Ghost Luo Sect cultivators have quietly been searching for him in several market districts of the capital. Here is the portrait they’ve circulated—it matches the man you described. Still, you must see it for yourself.” The elder raised his hand, and a white jade slip flew from his sleeve toward the youth.

The blue-robed youth reached out with a dark expression, drawing the jade slip into his hand, then plunged his spiritual sense into it to scan it thoroughly.

“Yes—it’s him, no doubt. Any word on why the Ghost Luo Sect is searching for him?” The youth’s facial muscles twitched; he swiftly withdrew his spiritual sense and asked calmly.

“No information yet. But all the Nascent Soul Elders of the Ghost Luo Sect in the capital have suddenly gathered together—perhaps it’s connected to this man. Han Elder, you said this man sharing your name is your greatest enemy, and asked our clan to find him. Thus, the Second Elder has decided to entrust this matter to you. Whatever means you use against him, as long as he doesn’t disrupt the Grand Auction, we don’t care. After all, the Ye family must secure several items at this auction. Elder Ye wishes to avoid any mishaps.” The elder spoke without expression.

“Hmph. If I get precise word of him, I’ll make him vanish from this world. But how many demonic artifacts have you gathered for me? I joined your Ye clan and serve you for twenty years—but only on the condition that you deliver those artifacts.” Han Elder snorted.

“Rest assured, Han Brother. We’ve been monitoring the whereabouts of demonic artifacts across the lands. Didn’t we already help you acquire one? The others are trickier—we’ll need more time.” The crowned elder replied without changing expression.

“I don’t care how you find them. I’ve served the Ye family for twenty years—by the end of that time, those promised demonic artifacts must be in Han Mou’s hands.” Han Elder’s lips tightened, a flash of cold light in his eyes.

“Naturally. The Ye clan has promised you—we won’t break our word. Han Elder, rest now. As soon as we have precise word of that man, I’ll inform you immediately.” The crowned elder bowed with a forced smile and finally took his leave.

The youth watched the elder’s figure vanish beyond the garden gate, then sneered. Suddenly remembering something, he lightly shook his sleeve—and a golden-hued little sword suddenly appeared in his hand.

The sword’s body was entwined with several black threads, yet it still vibrated wildly, struggling to break free. But the black threads—whatever they were made of—clung stubbornly to the blade, binding it tightly no matter how hard it writhed.

The youth frowned, then suddenly opened his mouth and spat a mouthful of black blood, drenching the golden sword.

The sword let out a mournful cry, its aura dimming instantly, yet it still emitted faint, defiant whimpers.

“What a nuisance. A mere mortal-world flying sword still resists erasing its spirit so fiercely. If not for its being forged from Golden Thunder Bamboo, why bother with all this trouble?” The youth muttered under his breath, a hint of impatience crossing his face.

“But since your master has arrived in Jinjing, this is a rare opportunity. Kill him, and not only will I avenge the murder of my main soul that prevented my full cultivation’s restoration, but the sword will become ownerless—easy to subdue.” As he spoke, a murderous aura flashed across his face; deep within his pupils, faint black and purple glimmers surfaced, transforming him suddenly into something eerie and demonic.

…

Meanwhile, in another secluded corner of the mansion, within a pavilion, two men and one woman sat around a round table, conversing.

One of them was the crowned elder who had just returned from the youth’s side; the other man was a middle-aged figure with a stern face and a jade belt around his waist. The woman was none other than the beautiful matron who had once appeared at the Huangqing Temple—though now her expression was grave, listening intently as the crowned elder recounted his conversation with the youth.

“So Han Elder agreed immediately,” said the square-faced middle-aged man after hearing the elder’s report, his brow furrowing slightly.

“Indeed. And when Han Elder heard word of this namesake, though he didn’t show overt excitement, the killing intent in his eyes was unmistakable. His claim of a deep grudge against this man must be true.” The crowned elder replied.

“But these two share not only the same name, but nearly identical appearances. And that ‘Han Li’ recently infiltrated our royal clan’s residence at Huangqing Temple—what was his purpose? Is he targeting the Ye family? Now, the Ghost Luo Sect is urgently searching for him in secret. I can’t shake a sense of unease.” The beautiful woman raised her delicate brows.

“Of course there’s something we don’t know—but why should we concern ourselves with every detail? As long as Han Elder isn’t a spy from Buddhist or Daoist sects, and aids the Ye clan wholeheartedly in our grand endeavor, we needn’t dig into every mystery. This Han Elder isn’t just powerful—he knows much about ancient secrets and hidden lore. He’s indispensable to our plans in a few years. Before then, we must keep him firmly bound. Also, keep a close watch on this namesake. A cultivator who draws such serious attention from the Ghost Luo Sect must be extraordinary. Since we can’t confirm whether he’s targeting us, if an opportunity arises, send someone to assist Han Elder in eliminating him quickly.” The square-faced elder tapped the arm of his chair, speaking in a low, firm tone.

“Your words make sense, Elder Brother. But Han Elder is… strange. I always feel he’s hiding his true strength, and he’s made us gather demonic artifacts—weapons that harm both others and oneself. It’s hard to fathom his true intentions. I believe we must remain vigilant toward him as well.” The crowned elder suddenly spoke up.

“I’m well aware, Brother Yunyi. Beyond our own Ye clan’s core Elders, I trust no outsider. I won’t reveal our true plans to them. Rest easy. The key now is ensuring the items we must secure at this auction aren’t traced back to us. Otherwise, other factions might interfere deliberately—or deduce part of our plan from these materials. This cannot happen. You must arrange this flawlessly—no mistakes allowed. If we miss this auction and fail to collect all materials to forge those artifacts, our expedition to retrieve the treasure in a few years will be doomed.” The square-faced elder spoke with grave seriousness.

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