A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248

by Translator: Johnchen

  Like that, the large formation was able to immediately function. Furthermore, the formation’s master only needed to know a few simple control commands and use the master formation flag on hand to ceaselessly shift and control the formation patterns, trapping enemies within illusions.

  Han Li inserted the formation flags and buried the formations plates. Then he begrudgingly embedded several mid-grade spirit stones. These were half of all the spirit stones he possessed, and the loss caused his heart to ache for the majority of the day. But because he didn’t want to reduce the power of this great formation, he could only resign himself to parting with his wealth.

  Though if he were to exchange some spiritual medicines of a certain age at the market city, Han Li would be able to acquire a great amount of spirit stones, but the odds of others discovering his secret and putting him under torturous interrogation would increase threefold. If he were not cautious and careful, he could’ve been attacked from all sides like that scene he just witnessed!

  After testing the large formation’s operations, it seemed quite effective, but the specific defensive trapping ability could only be tested during an enemy trespass. But regarding its ability to completely shroud the vicinity of the Immortal’s cave for several acres without the slightest of abnormalities, Han Li found it to be greatly worth it.

  Han Li, now feeling completely safe, returned to his chambers and started to think about his cultivation.

  If he wanted even the slightest chance of entering the cycle of Core Formation, he would have to possess a top-grade cultivation technique, talent that one in ten thousand didn’t even possess, as well as the greatest of fortunes.

  The problem of Foundation Establishment fundamentally didn’t compare! After all, Foundation Establishment only required sufficient aptitude and one or two Foundation Establishment Pills; with this, the odds of entering Foundation Establishment were rather large.

  As for Core Formation, even with all of the above-mentioned circumstances, cultivators truly capable of entering Core Formation were few in number. Thus, every time a core formation cultivator appeared, almost every clan and sect would convene to celebrate without reserve. Furthermore, news of this would spread quickly throughout the cultivation world.

  The reason why the Masked Moon sect had become the number one cultivation sect in the State of Yue, apart from having over a thousand Foundation Establishment disciples, a number that far exceeded that of other sects, was because they had more than ten Core Formation Experts; this allowed them to look down upon the other six sects with disdain!

  Han Li knew that his own aptitudes were disastrous, far below that of other Formation Establishment disciples. The only cultivation technique he possessed was a very dubious “Azure Essence Sword Art”, a cultivation technique he couldn’t use under any circumstance! His current chances were as thin as a veil. He could only hope that his luck would fare better.

  As such, Han Li currently seemed to be at a complete disadvantage in all areas!

  But after a moment of pondering, Han Li felt that although his aptitude was rather poor, with the mysterious small bottle he possessed that could mature spirit medicines along with his skill at pill-refinement, this was not an obstacle that could not be overcome. Also, destiny couldn’t be grasped with a person’s power, so he did not need to mull over it. All he could do was strive to increase his own chances of reaching Core Formation and find a suitable top-grade cultivation technique for his own use.

  With his goal set on finding a cultivation technique, Han Li first thought of his cheap master, Li Huayuan.

  Although he had merely taken in Han Li as an in-name disciple, he should be willing to impart a few cultivation techniques to him. After all, he was a Core Formation Expert; perhaps Han Li could pick out a cultivation technique and even receive a pointer or two!

  With this thought, Han Li decided to return to Yellow Maple Valley the next morning and ask about the whereabouts of his master’s Immortal’s cave to seek some instruction. It was highly likely that his master had yet to hear the news of his success in achieving Foundation Establishment.

  As he thought this, he found it truly funny! Ever since Li Huayuan took him in, Han Li hadn’t been called upon even a single time. It was as if this in-name disciple didn’t exist at all, causing Han Li to feel upset!

  Naturally, as vexed as he was, Han Li couldn’t take the initiative to call on him and make his master feel like Han Li was being far too indiscreet!

  But now that Han Li had reached Foundation Establishment, he could truly go to find this master of his! Even so, although he was his master’s disciple, he would actually have to go and ask a few baffled strangers, much to his extreme embarrassment!

  Han Li laughed at himself for a moment before slowly falling asleep on his stone bed with a bitter smile.

  After sleeping for an unknown amount of time, a sudden and intense quake forcefully roused Han Li from sleep. As he was still half asleep and did not fully understand the situation, he almost believed the quake was a dream of his.

  But another violent quake came, causing Han Li’s last trace of sleepiness to disappear without a trace. Apart from the earth shaking, an explosive rupture came from outside his Immortal’s cave. It was clear that someone had touched his own restriction spell and was forcefully attacking his great restriction formation.

  Han Li was startled and furious! He immediately ran out of his bedroom and charged straight out of his Immortal’s cave.

  Outside the Immortal’s cave was a dense barrage of light arrows and beam attacks coming from several mechanical puppets floating in the sky. When Han Li saw this, he was so shocked that he nearly bit his own tongue.

  What was going on? Because he was afraid of attracting trouble, he didn’t interfere with yesterday’s matter. But after he returned to his home, they were actually able to find him. Furthermore, from their overbearing manner, it seemed they had some sort of misunderstanding. Could it be that when he flew away yesterday, they were able to track him?

  During this time of desperation, Han Li’s mind was actually clear and his mind produced several scheming responses one after another.

  “The people inside had better listen well! Hand over the one who has escaped into your cave. So long as you hand over that person to us, we will not disturb this dwelling’s master any further. These is no reason for your esteemed self to offend our Thousand Bamboo School and invite calamity by defending strangers!”

  Even under these people’s fierce, unrestrained assault, their attempt to dissolve the Five Elements Reversal Formation produced no visible effects A man’s persuasive voice came down from the sky, belonging to that person Huang Long.

  When Han Li heard this, he could not help but look up.

  In the patch of sky with the most puppets, a green jade raft was suspended in the air. There were six or seven differently clothed individuals with Huang Long at the very front. Behind him were the man and woman Han Li had seen before, as well as four other slim men who looked completely similar. They were rarely seen quadruplets! It seemed they were reinforcements from the Thousand Bamboo School in a rush.

  When Han Li heard they wanted him to hand someone over, he was startled. With complete doubt, he looked toward the center of his Five Elements Reversal Formation and saw a still person lying facedown near the entrance of his cave; it was unknown whether he was dead or alive!

  When Han Li saw this figure, the doubt in his stomach disappeared. He inwardly cursed without end!

  It seemed this Senior Martial Brother Lin ran over here to escape and somehow entered Han Li’s cave by mistake. As Han Li had attracted so much trouble toward him, how should he respond? But seeing how the great might of this damaged formation actually resisted such a berserk attack, Han Li felt much safer and wasn’t as panicked as he was originally.

  Thus, after he wrinkled his brow, Han Li held the formation flag in hand and entered the formation spell, walking toward Senior Martial Brother Lin.

>   Han Li used both his hands to forcefully turn Senior Martial Brother Lin onto his back. After carefully looking at his face, Han Li’s expression immediately became unsightly, unable to say a single word.

  That was because he had no words to say to a dead man! With a jet-black face and trails of blood from his seven orifices, this Senior Martial Brother Lin had long since stopped breathing!

  Han Li let out a sigh. After a moment of hesitation, he reached out into the body’s bosom. Han Li wanted to find the puppets in Senior Brother Lin’s storage pouch as he was greatly interested in these types of unfair methods of combat.

  But just as Han Li’s hand opened the corpse’s jacket, a faint green ball of light seized the opportunity to suddenly fly out and throw itself toward Han Li’s face like a shooting star. Han Li shouted “Aiya!” with fright, and his body fell backward!

  Just as the ball of light was heading toward Han Li’s face, Han Li’s right hand suddenly flashed with white light and shot forth like lightning, tightly grabbing hold of the green ball of light. The light ball that he grabbed seemed to moan in pain.

  “Junior Martial Brother, please spare my life! Junior Martial Brother, I was completely wronged by the Qiu Clan and was forced without any other option! So long as Junior Martial Brother is willing to release me, I guarantee that Junior Martial Brother will receive enormous profit!” Senior Martial Brother Lin’s repentant voice entered Han Li’s mind and promised great reward.

  “Did you try to possess my body just now?” Han Li ignored the enticement with a dark face.

  “This..., it was just as Junior Martial Brother described it! However, I was confused during that time; I will certainly compensate Junior Martial Brother for the fright! I wish that Sir Junior Martial Brother will be gracious and will not stoop down to Senior Martial Brother’s level,” Han Li heard Senior Martial Brother Li’s embarrassed response along with repeated apologies.

  Chapter 232: Great Development Technique

  When Han Li heard the other person’s words, he didn’t actually open his mouth to say anything. Instead, he lowered his head and began to think while he tightly grasped the other person’s primordial spirit with a single hand that glowed with white light!

  After a long while, Han Li lifted his head up and said coldly:

  “If your primordial spirit’s invasion had taken me by surprise, would you have had mercy on me? Your magic power is much deeper than mine even though we're are both at Foundation Establishment. More likely than not, I would have been consumed by you.”

  Han Li’s words were overflowing with ill intent!

  “I can tell you a secret and give you an exceptional cultivation technique!” Senior Martial Brother Li was greatly frightened and began to send transmissions through his primordial spirit.

  “Secret cultivation technique? Could this be the Great Development Technique of your Thousand Bamboo School?”

  Han Li’s indifferent sentence immediately caused the primordial spirit’s green light to flash; in addition, it began to transmit with shock, stuttering:

  “How do you know of this matter? You...... you’re the person who was snooping yesterday!”

  At this time, Senior Martial Brother Lin finally realized what had happened.

  “Okay, since you know that I am not clueless about your situation, you should obediently tell me everything! You wouldn’t want me to immediately destroy your primordial spirit!” Although Han Li spoke very casually, this caused Senior Martial Brother Lin’s primordial spirit to tremble in his hand.

  “Didn’t Junior Martial Brother pretty much hear all that there was to say yesterday?” Senior Martial Brother Lin let out a long sigh and asked faintly.

  Meanwhile, those people from the Thousand Bamboo School outside the formation, seeing that no response came after they transmitted their words through the large formation, couldn’t help but be shamed into anger; they released their puppet beasts, unleashing a new round of attacks. The large formation became lively once again, but the interior of the formation was still just as calm as before apart from some noise and aftershocks!

  “Junior Martial Brother, what strange formation is this? It can actually withstand this fierce attack; it truly is unbelievable!” Senior Martial Brother Lin interjected upon seeing this scene; he purposefully acted surprised and spoke.

  “Hmph, don’t worry about my formation, and don’t recklessly change the subject either. I have absolutely no interest in the internal strife of your Thousand Bamboo School. All I want to know is whether you have a portion of the Great Development Technique and if you gain any remarkable abilities as you cultivate it. If you want to purposefully stall for time, I will immediately destroy you,” Han Li said, his tone suddenly becoming cold as he knitted his eyebrows.

  Next, the white light on his hand abruptly flourished, and with a gentle force of his finger, he instantly caused Senior Martial Brother Lin’s primordial spirit to cry out repeatedly that he wouldn’t dare!

  “This Great Development Technique is the original secret technique created by my sect’s founding ancestor. It is a secret technique specifically used to greatly increase one’s divine sense, as well as to split one’s primordial spirit. This is also a necessary cultivation technique for our Thousand Bamboo School to cultivate in order to use the puppets; only when one has cultivated this technique can one imprint one’s divine sense on all the numerous puppets and control them with ease! Otherwise, even if I were to refine more puppets, what use would they be to me if I couldn’t control them all at once?” Senior Martial Brother Lin said unhurriedly, not daring to procrastinate after tasting Han Li’s methods.

  “Since it is a basic cultivation technique of the Thousand Bamboo School, why would you still need to scheme about it? You even mentioned something about another half. What was your fight all about?” Han Li continued to ask expressionlessly.

  “There’s not much to hide. Although the Great Development Technique is a foundational cultivation technique of my Thousand Bamboo School, the fundamental teachings of our school cannot be easily spread to the public. Thus, the Great Development Technique that the Thousand Bamboo School’s disciples cultivate is only the abridged version of the first layer. Although it is easy to cultivate, even after completely cultivating it, it is still far from the strength of the first layer of the actual Great Development Technique. In addition, the real manual for the Great Development Technique can only be cultivated by the high-level cultivators in the sect.“

  “The people outside must have all cultivated the first two layers of the actual Great Development Technique to be able to control nearly a hundred mechanical puppets at once! Because I have cultivated the third layer of this technique, I am even better than them and can control three hundred at once. However, only the school master and his successors have the right to cultivate the Great Development Technique past the third layer!”

  “During a rebellion within the Thousand Bamboo Sect, my father was plotted against by the current school master, Jin Nantian; even the entire Great Development Technique manual was forcefully taken away. I, as the young school master, was taking care of business outside of the school at the time. Because I had no way to resist the situation, I could only find a substitute to fake my death and left, hiding in the State of Yue, five thousand kilometers away. At that time, although I didn’t have the entire Great Development Technique, because I was the only son of the school master, I still knew the cultivation technique for the first four layers. Thus, I compiled it all into the first half of the Great Development Technique.

  “Originally, I had wanted to spend the last years of my life here, but who knew that my breakthrough to the third layer of the Great Development Technique was just around the corner? This caused my desire for revenge to greatly rise. In a moment of confusion, I contacted a group of my loyal subordinates, asking them to steal the incantations for the final three layers for me, but who knew that my fate would turn out this way! I don’t know if they were captured
after failing to steal it or if they directly betrayed me!”

  Senior Martial Brother Lin spoke slowly this time and in great detail, but when he reached the end, his voice was filled with wrath and objection!

  Han Li coldly watched the other person’s primordial spirit vent its anger and didn’t make any moves. When the other person had finally calmed down somewhat, he continued to interrogate without politeness:

  “What exactly is the secret that you just mentioned?”

  “This......? I hope that......”

  “Ah! Stay your hand, I’ll speak, I’ll tell you right now!”

  Senior Martial Brother Lin’s primordial spirit hesitated a little bit as if it wanted to bring up some conditions. However, Han Li didn’t even give him the opportunity to speak any further; he directly gave the other person another taste of suffering, almost shattering Senior Martial Brother Lin’s primordial spirit. This caused the other person to immediately change his tune, panic-stricken!

  “If you won’t do this the easy way, we’ll do it the hard way! It’s best if you don’t raise any conditions before telling me everything that I want to hear.” Han Li’s tone was cold and bone-piercing.

  Senior Martial Brother Lin had been completely shaken by Han Li’s vicious tactics; he said hurriedly with fright:

  “In actuality, this secret is related to the Great Development Technique; in addition, it has been widely spread in the upper echelons of the Thousand Bamboo School. It’s only that nobody knows whether or not it’s true! However, when my father was still here, he secretly told me that there was a fifty to sixty percent chance that this secret was true!”

  “I don’t know when it started, but in the upper echelons of our Thousand Bamboo School, a rumor was secretly spread that anyone who cultivated the Great Development Technique to a high enough layer could form their core much more easily than regular cultivators, and it would be easier for them to break through the bottlenecks in their cultivation. This was because the previous school master’s heir’s success rate of forming his core was extraordinarily high.” After a brief pause, he still told Han Li the secret.