[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-mortal-s-journey-to-immortality":3,"chapter-a-mortal-s-journey-to-immortality-a-mortal-s-journey-to-immortality-chapter-953":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","A Mortal's Journey to Immortality",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2335879,4565,"Chapter 953","a-mortal-s-journey-to-immortality-chapter-953",953,"\u003Cp>“What do you mean by this, fellow cultivator?” The female cultivator in the silver mist instantly spoke with a chilling tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other cultivators, witnessing this scene, also looked stunned one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Li smiled faintly, one hand still pressing down on the wooden box, while the other slapped his storage bag, and another jade box flew straight toward the woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only trade for demon marrow drills; I have no interest in anything else,” the woman said unamusedly, instinctively reaching out to catch the jade box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fellow cultivator, take a look at what’s inside the box before you say that,” Han Li said with calm confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman, slightly puzzled, cracked open the lid just a sliver, glanced inside casually—and immediately let out a startled cry, her voice brimming with delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine! The Five Elements Jade is yours,” the woman laughed cheerfully, swiftly closing the half-open lid, tucking the jade box away, and walking back as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet all the surrounding cultivators were utterly baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had not seen what Han Li had pulled from the third jade box, so they were thoroughly confused as to why the woman had suddenly agreed to trade the Five Elements Jade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some among them speculated whether Han Li had produced a third demon marrow drill. But even two such drills were astonishing—three? That was too unbelievable. Most still thought it unlikely, assuming Han Li had shown some other treasure that had won over the woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, countless strange glances swirled around Han Li—envy, jealousy, ill intent, all kinds of expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Li, however, ignored it all, his gaze fixed on the elusive, graceful figure hidden within the silver mist. Unconsciously, he frowned. He hadn’t noticed before, but now, seeing her blurred back, he suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be her? A bizarre thought suddenly rose in Han Li’s mind, startling even himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though her voice sounded nothing like it, for cultivators, changing one’s voice was easier than eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His thoughts raced, yet he couldn’t help but let blue light flicker in his pupils—using the Ming Qing Spiritual Eyes, though unable to fully pierce the mist, he could now see her figure far more clearly than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The result left Han Li with a peculiar expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though still indistinct, the woman seemed unmistakably the Heavenly Lan Holy Maiden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet she possessed no spiritual eyes like Han Li’s, and with his voice altered, she had not recognized him at all—now contentedly returning to her seat with Han Li’s third demon marrow drill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Li felt both exasperated and amused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The very material he had struggled so hard to find had ultimately come from an enemy’s hands—what a bitter irony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Han Li felt an inexplicable strangeness in his heart, his hands moved swiftly, stowing away the Five Elements Jade and Geng Essence without delay, then walking back to his seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t care who the materials came from; as long as he had achieved his goal for this trip—and unexpectedly acquired such a large piece of Geng Essence—he’d saved himself considerable trouble later. This much Geng Essence was enough to forge most of a sword array; with a little more gathering, he could reforge the Thirty-Six Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords. This filled Han Li with great satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, another thirty or forty cultivators stepped forward to exchange treasures, but since items like demon marrow drills and Five Elements Jade had already appeared, everyone seemed listless, rushing through their exchanges. Fewer still succeeded in securing anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though a few decent items appeared afterward, none could reignite the interest of the other cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, when one cultivator returned to his seat, no one stepped forward again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure in the white mist who had originally hosted the exchange, seeing this, calmly walked back behind the jade table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since all fellow cultivators have completed their exchanges, we now proceed to auction the final treasure of this gathering—the most valuable item of the entire event,” the figure said calmly, then clapped twice sharply, “clap, clap.” Instantly, a flash of spiritual light appeared at the hall’s entrance, and two male cultivators entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To everyone’s surprise, these two cultivators wore no talismans and revealed their true faces as they walked toward the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A murmur spread through the hall—most present cultivators recognized these two. They were none other than the crowned elder and the square-faced middle-aged man who had once appeared at a royal mansion. One was an early Nascent Soul cultivator, the other mid-Nascent Soul—both senior elders of the Ye family, frequently sent to deal with outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While most cultivators were puzzled, a few knew exactly what was coming and felt no surprise at all. They had received prior word and had attended this exchange solely for this treasure—now their spirits surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the crowned elder stepped forward several paces, nodded to the figure in the silver mist, then turned to face the crowd and spoke slowly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need for lengthy introductions—most of you here likely know us. I’ll speak plainly. This treasure was painstakingly forged by our Ye family over a century, consuming countless resources and manpower. But recently, several sects allied with us have simultaneously requested to purchase it. We cannot offend or refuse any of them. After deliberation, our Elder Council decided to auction this treasure here at the final stage of this exchange, to see which fellow cultivator has the fortune to claim it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon finishing, the square-faced man glanced at the crowned elder. The elder slowly reached into his sleeve and withdrew a square box, roughly a foot long. He gazed at it with reluctance, then gritted his teeth and handed it to the figure in the silver mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, since the preliminaries are done, I won’t waste words. Let everyone see this treasure’s true form,” the figure in the white mist chuckled, then shook the jade box. The lid shot skyward, and a fist-sized, blinding yellow glow slowly rose from within. Yet the moment it left the box, the glow pulsed irregularly, emitting a low, resonant hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the figure in the silver mist solemnly formed hand seals, rapidly casting several spells, then pointed at the glow and uttered a low command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light flickered violently, then spun rapidly before vanishing entirely, revealing its true form: a small, inch-tall earth-yellow seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seal was square and smooth, its surface warm and jade-like. Yet as its surface dimmed and brightened intermittently, faint layers of golden and silver miniature arrays subtly emerged. Strangely, with each flash of spiritual light, the array’s runes changed entirely—and upon closer inspection, each seemed profoundly mysterious and intricate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond that, the spiritual energy emanating from the seal, though calm and stable, was immense. All who sensed it could not help but turn pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This treasure is called the Ping Shan Seal, forged in imitation of the ancient Heavenly Treasure, the Zhan Tian Seal. According to tests conducted by our Ye family’s own cultivators, though this seal possesses only one or two tenths of the Zhan Tian Seal’s legendary power, it can certainly flatten mountains and split the earth. If a cultivator’s cultivation base is sufficient, they might even exceed its normal limits and achieve up to three tenths of the Zhan Tian Seal’s power—but such use would severely damage the seal. Avoid it unless absolutely necessary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the figure in the white mist spoke slowly, he manipulated the Ping Shan Seal before him, making it grow and shrink unpredictably. The immense, latent power within its hazy yellow glow stirred every cultivator’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without this demonstration, the mere words “imitation of a Heavenly Treasure” were enough to prove its extraordinary nature. Whether they had known of it beforehand or not, all cultivators fixed their gazes firmly on the tiny seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Han Li heard the words “imitation of a Heavenly Treasure,” he froze. He had gone to such great lengths gathering materials, still far from completing the Three Flame Fan—and now, at this exchange, an imitation of a Heavenly Treasure had appeared. This left Han Li deeply frustrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, he knew little about Heavenly Treasures and had never even heard of the “Zhan Tian Seal.” He had no idea whether his Three Flame Fan, once completed, would surpass or fall short of this seal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if sensing Han Li’s thoughts, the Great Expansion Divine Lord suddenly spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry too much. This Ping Shan Seal can only achieve one or two tenths of its original’s power. The Three Flame Fan I designed can unleash up to four tenths of the full Seven Flame Fan’s power—and if you push it beyond limits, as that man suggested, you can even reach that level. Though both are offensive magic treasures, in pure power, this seal still falls short of your Three Flame Fan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, roughly as I expected. I truly hope to forge the Three Flame Fan soon. With it in hand, I’d have no fear of even late Nascent Soul cultivators,” Han Li murmured, nodding inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph! You don’t think Dajin is like Tiannan, where such imitations are unique, do you?” the Great Expansion suddenly sneered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, are you implying…?” Han Li’s heart jolted, and he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From my travels in Dajin, I know little of other sects, but the leading orthodox and demonic sects—Taiyi Sect and Tianmo Sect—and the Wan Yao Valley, where all demons gather, each possess at least one such imitation of a Heavenly Treasure. Most famous is the Wan Yao Banner, permanently planted in the valley. Rumor says it has absorbed so many cultivators’ souls that its power may now rival the imitation of the Heavenly Treasure, Tian Yao Banner. As for other great sects, if they possess one or two such imitations, I wouldn’t be the least surprised. Otherwise, how could they have endured so long?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>WwW.feiazw.CoM\u003C\u002Fp>",1642,"2026-06-20T21:12:49.722Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6a369eaa42386fd993c34579ed99d10940bdbbe3d2815c3b9331ecacdd8b698f","a-mortal-s-journey-to-immortality-chapter-954","a-mortal-s-journey-to-immortality-chapter-952",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-mortal-s-journey-to-immortality-cover.jpg"]