Chapter 965

After a flash of spiritual light in the distant sky, a two-zhang-long green rainbow arrived with lightning speed above the sea of fog that stretched for a hundred miles. Net

After the brilliance converged, a young cultivator in a Confucian robe appeared; it was none other than Han Li.

He carried a bamboo tube on his back and kept sizing up the sea fog below.

As a result, wherever his eyes reached, it was a white, misty expanse, and he was completely unable to see anything clearly.

Han Li raised his eyebrows, blue light flashed in his pupils, and a moment later, his expression suddenly turned gloomy.

"This Bitter Bamboo Island really has some tricks; even using the Bright Clear Spiritual Eyes, I cannot fully see through the barrier below. The Ten Thousand Wood Great Formation is truly well-deserved of its reputation." Han Li muttered to himself.

"That is natural, but the Black Phoenix Long Feathers of this Bitter Bamboo Island can elevate the power of the Seven Flames Fan you are refining by another level; this trip is a must. Moreover, this Old Man Bitter Bamboo seems to be the best opponent to test the puppet's power; it is killing two birds with one stone." A weak voice from the Great Expansion Divine Monarch came from the bamboo tube; he seemed even weaker than when his soul was first split.

"I know. That is why I came here immediately after the puppet was refined. However, how much longer can you hold on?" Han Li asked with some concern.

"Rest assured, with the help of your Soul-Suppressing Talisman, I will not easily reincarnate before seeing the puppet's true power." The Great Expansion Divine Monarch chuckled softly.

Han Li nodded, looked down at the sea fog beneath his feet, suddenly narrowed his eyes, and patted a storage pouch at his waist with one hand.

Immediately, a sheet of green light flew out, human shadows flickered, and a middle-aged cultivator with a similar build and pale face to Han Li appeared before his eyes.

This cultivator wore a yellow robe, his skin was like jade, and if one looked closely at his face, it was exactly the same as the small puppet that the Great Expansion Divine Monarch inhabited. But his eyes flashed with cold light, his expression was icy, and there was not a trace of a smile.

Although he had seen it many times, Han Li couldn't help but take another look the moment the puppet appeared.

The Spirit-Chiding Soft Jade is truly wondrous. It was originally gray and misty, but after being refined by the method taught by the Great Expansion Divine Monarch, its color immediately became similar to skin. After fusing all the soft jade onto the puppet shell, which was mainly refined from Gang Silver, a lifelike real person appeared before his eyes.

And because of the Spirit-Chiding Soft Jade's characteristic of arbitrary deformation, after integrating a trace of his own split soul into the puppet, under his control, the puppet could also speak and change expressions, exactly the same as a real person.

However, the only trouble with using this puppet is the spirit stone issue. For such a high-tier puppet, ordinary mid-tier spirit stones are naturally not very suitable; under full power, they cannot support the puppet for more than a few attacks. Only high-tier spirit stones can drive the puppet to attack with full force.

But the rarity of high-tier spirit stones goes without saying. Since coming to Great Jin, even though Han Li has specifically kept an eye out for this item in every marketplace, the high-tier spirit stones he has collected are only a few pieces. If the puppet were to attack with full force, each high-tier spirit stone would likely only support it for a quarter of an hour.

"Let's do it." Han Li said indifferently.

Regardless, since the puppet has been refined, it must be tested.

The puppet didn't say a word, raised both hands, and spread its fingers slightly.

Immediately, pale green spiritual light gathered rapidly in its palms. In the blink of an eye, two huge light orbs the size of heads condensed into shape, dazzling and blinding, with an astonishing momentum.

With two "pu" sounds, the puppet flicked its wrists, and the light orbs turned into two pillars of light that shot downwards, vanishing into the sea fog in a flash, as if mud oxen entering the sea.

Han Li watched the sea fog without changing his expression, remaining silent.

A moment later, an earth-shattering explosion came, the originally calm sea of fog surged and rolled, and then two pillars of wind a zhang thick shot up into the sky from the sea fog, spinning wildly and wreaking havoc. The nearby sea fog was instantly cleared for a hundred zhang, like evil flood dragons emerging from the sea.

Almost the moment the wind pillars appeared, several sharp whistles of varying lengths came from below, filled with shock and anger.

Han Li swept his gaze toward the bottom of the sea fog; a huge island appeared and disappeared in the much thinner sea fog, and above the island, a layer of pale green light curtain floated there, almost covering the entire island.

At this moment, more than a dozen rays of light of different colors shot out from the light curtain, heading straight for Han Li's position with great momentum.

Clearly, this attack just now had alarmed the cultivators on the island.

Han Li saw at a glance that the cultivation levels of this group of cultivators were uneven, with both Foundation Establishment stage and Core Formation stage cultivators, but the leading old man was at the late Core Formation stage.

"Who are you two, why... eh, so it is two Seniors, I wonder what business brings you two Seniors to our island?"

As soon as these people flew in front of Han Li, they had wanted to look angry and hold him accountable. But after the leading cultivator swept his spiritual sense over, he discovered that Han Li was actually a mid-Nascent Soul stage cultivator like Old Man Bitter Bamboo, and after failing to see the puppet's realm, his heart skipped a beat, and his tone instantly softened.

"I have long heard of Fellow Daoist Bitter Bamboo's reputation, and I have come to pay a visit today. I wonder if you could announce our arrival for me." Han Li said with a smile, not blinking an eye.

"This is truly unfortunate. My master just went into seclusion a few years ago and no longer meets guests. If you two Seniors have any urgent matters, you can tell me first; I can also make some decisions regarding Bitter Bamboo Island." The leading cultivator was stunned for a moment before hurriedly apologizing with a smile.

"Fellow Daoist Bitter Bamboo is in seclusion. That is truly a pity. But since you can make decisions, that will do. I heard that your island keeps an ancient spiritual bird, the Black Phoenix; I wonder if this is true." Han Li blinked his eyes and asked with a normal expression.

"Black Phoenix? What do you mean by that, Senior?" The leading cultivator felt a chill in his heart.

"Nothing, I am refining a treasure and need three phoenix feathers from the Black Phoenix's tail. I am willing to exchange them for one Rank 7 demon core and three Rank 6 demon beast inner cores; I wonder if you can agree." Han Li said this indifferently, then flicked his sleeve, and four jade boxes flew out from his sleeve, floating in front of him.

He pointed his fingers casually at the jade boxes in the air, and the lids opened one by one, revealing the four demon cores of different colors inside. One was slightly larger in volume, and three were slightly smaller.

"Exchange for phoenix feathers?"

Han Li's request was far beyond the leading cultivator's expectations, and he couldn't help but feel a bit dazed.

"That's right. Your island's Black Phoenix should be a Rank 7 spiritual bird. My offering of so many demon cores shows my sincerity in making this trade." Han Li's smile faded, and a solemn expression appeared on his face.

"Although the Black Phoenix is an ancient spiritual bird, using these demon cores to exchange for it is naturally more than enough. But regarding this matter, I am afraid I cannot agree." The leading old man's face changed for a long time, but he still shook his head hesitantly.

Han Li heard the reply, his gaze turned icy, and he stared coldly at the man, saying nothing.

The leading old man saw Han Li's unfriendly expression, his heart sank, and he hurriedly began to explain:

"Senior, please don't misunderstand. It is not that I don't want to give you face, but our island's Black Phoenix is at a critical juncture of advancement and really cannot afford to lose any cultivation."

"So that's how it is. But I am determined to get these Black Phoenix feathers. How about this. I will add another Rank 7 demon core; this should be enough to compensate for your island's loss." Han Li was stunned for a moment, frowned, flipped his palm, and took out another jade box.

At this, the cultivators of Bitter Bamboo Island couldn't help but look at each other!

"Why, is your island still unwilling to agree?" Han Li's tone turned gloomy, and he stared at the cultivators in front of him with icy eyes.

"This matter is of great importance. I really cannot make the decision. How about this, Senior, please wait a moment, and I will risk being punished by my master to send a sound-transmission talisman to the seclusion room to see how my master replies." The leading cultivator felt a chill after being swept by Han Li's gaze, and after glancing at the humanoid puppet beside him, he finally gritted his teeth and said.

If he were to provoke a formidable enemy for Bitter Bamboo Island due to his improper handling, he would likely be punished severely upon returning.

"Good. I will wait for you for a while." Han Li nodded, his expression softening slightly.

As a result, the old man did indeed release a sound-transmission talisman, clearly stating the situation and Han Li's conditions, and then sent it back. Of course, he must have emphasized the terrifying cultivation of Han Li and the humanoid puppet, making himself appear helpless.

Han Li did not wait long; just as he was standing with his hands behind his back, carefully examining the barrier above Bitter Bamboo Island, a leisurely, aged voice suddenly came from the island.

"So it is a Nascent Soul stage Fellow Daoist visiting; I failed to go out to welcome you, and I hope you two Fellow Daoists will forgive me. Please invite the two Fellow Daoists to the Phoenix-Welcoming Pavilion on the island to be entertained. I will come out of seclusion to meet you immediately." Judging by the voice, the other party was clearly Old Man Bitter Bamboo; the first half was said to Han Li, and the latter two sentences were instructions to his disciples.

"As you command, Master! Two Seniors, please follow me. Master has already decided to meet you two Seniors in person." The old man hurriedly cupped his hands and responded respectfully to the sky, then turned his head and said to Han Li with a full face of smiles.

"Good. I, Han, have also long admired your island's great name and was just thinking of visiting to see it for myself." Han Li answered with an unchanging expression after glancing at the puppet beside him. Then, he and the puppet followed these cultivators and descended toward the island.

With the help of a puppet comparable to a late Nascent Soul stage cultivator, Han Li calculated that even if the other party activated this so-called Ten Thousand Wood Great Formation, it would absolutely be unable to trap him. Therefore, he was not afraid of the other party suddenly turning hostile by relying on the terrain.

In the blink of an eye, the group flew into the island through a crack that had split open in the light curtain.

As soon as Han Li flew inside, he immediately felt a rush of spiritual energy, and what met his eyes below were all huge, lush green trees. These trees were truly tall, easily thirty or forty zhang high, and clearly of many varieties, none of which were rare trees easily seen in the outside world.

In the forest, there were more than a dozen strange mulberry trees that were clearly much taller than the other trees, scattered throughout the forest, their arrangement containing the mysteries of heaven and earth.

"Is this your island's Heavenly Mulberry Divine Tree? I heard your island only has one, but there are at least a dozen here!" Han Li frowned and suddenly asked the old man beside him.

The old man was secretly peeking at the humanoid puppet, wondering why this "Senior" was always silent and expressionless; could he be a person with a strange personality?

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