Although he had managed to keep his mind clear and free of desires, he was still a man. Despite being uninterested in forcing any disgraceful and unbecoming acts, he couldn’t help but feast his eyes on the beautiful scene before him, and found himself wanting to make fun of her words.
As Han Li sat at the edge of the water, he took off his boots and boldly stepped into the water. He leisurely teased, “If Lady Yuan wishes to wear clothes, please don’t hesitate! I won’t stop you in the slightest. However, if there is an opportunity to see such an amazing beauty, please don’t expect me to act as a cultured gentleman. As such, I will be taking a look.” With that said, Han Li smilingly stared at the blushing woman with chin in hand.
“You...” Yuan Yao’s face was scarlet. She thought to say something, but with a roll of her eyes, her beautiful face immediately returned to normal. With a charming smile, she chuckled and said, “Hehe, I had believed Fellow Daoist to be an uncultured brute without any understanding towards the fairer sex! I hadn’t expected Fellow Daoist Han to understand such charms. As a great kindness, I will allow you to enjoy the sight of this young woman’s body for a moment. However, the sight of a naked body can’t be considered much to us cultivators. Therefore, I will be coming out to put on some clothes.”
With that said, she shyly raised her hand from the water and lightly brushed her hair. She then seductively smiled at Han Li, revealing an amorous allure from her flawless beauty.
Han Li’s mind grew blank as if he had been captivated by her.
In that instant, Yuan Yao gracefully struck the water, causing a curtain of white mist to emerge in front of her, blocking her entirely from Han Li’s sight.
She took that opportunity to fly out of the water and shoot straight towards her clothes and items. A cloud of black Qi then emerged from her body, blocking her once more from sight. Once the black Qi disappeared, Yuan Yao was revealed to be fully dressed as she gently floated to the ground.
At some unknown time, the long jade bottle from underneath the statue had disappeared.
Chapter 497: Myriad Year Spirit Milk and Soul Nurturing Tree
The screen of white mist thinned and Han Li looked at the woman with restored calm.
Han Li muttered, “It is truly a pity that I can no longer enjoy such a view.”
When Yuan Yao heard this, she blushed before delicately chuckling, “Didn’t Brother Han go to the fifth floor with those masters? How did you arrive here?” After she said that, she caressed her wet hair and it dried in an instant with a flicker of white light. A few strands of dark hair fell in front of her face, a stark contrast against her snow-white skin that served to illuminate her beauty.
Han Li enjoyed the sight as this woman was among the greatest beauties he had ever seen. Each and every one of her movements were enough to ensnare any man.
After taking several glances at her graceful appearance, he calmly said, “I merely triggered a restriction and ended up teleporting here. I wish to ask for guidance from Lady Yuan. What is this place?”
“Triggered a restriction?” Yuan Yao’s eyes shifted and she wore a mysterious smile. It was clear she didn’t believe Han Li, but Han Li paid her doubt no mind. He merely chuckled and indifferently stared at her in silence.
Yuan Yao’s face slightly reddened. This pest Han Li was truly giving her a headache, as she was keenly aware of her inability to deal with him. Not only had she witnessed the fearsomeness of Han Li’s insects, but even the charming techniques of an expert such as herself had little effect against him.
She furrowed her slender brow and could only helplessly respond, “This is a secret room on the second floor. You came out of such a shabby transportation formation? Had I known this were possible, I would’ve smashed it to pieces and prevented myself from having to deal with you.” With that said, Yuan Yao glared at Han Li with obvious annoyance. It appeared she still felt aggrieved at having her naked body seen.
Han Li remained completely unperturbed as if he hadn’t heard her. Instead, he lazily stretched his back and emerged from the water before putting his shoes back on. In the short time he had spent in the water, he had restored a portion of his magic power. Although he wished to spend more time there, he felt it would be in his best interest to leave Heavenvoid Hall as soon as possible.
As a result, Han Li no longer paid any attention to Yuan Yao and walked towards the south exit of the room.
When he arrived at the exit, he saw a mess. There was large stone room with a completely fragmented puppet lying on the ground, surrounded by holes. It was clear that Yuan Yao had fought a bitter battle here.
There was a gate on the other side of the room. A familiar white light sparkled from it, appearing to be exactly the same as the other gates from the Inner Halls.
Han Li hesitated for a moment before walking towards it. After looking at it for a moment, he took out his Heavenvoid map fragment and poured spiritual power into it before slapping it onto the door. As a result, the door flickered with white light, but did nothing else.
Han Li sighed. As expected, using the map fragment to leave wasn’t possible. He wondered whether or not he possessed the skill to break open the restriction. As he was unable to come up with a solution, he started heading towards the north exit.
Yuan Yao’s gaze fell upon Han Li. After a moment of thought, she coldly said, “What are you doing? That gate has a formidable formation spell. It isn’t something that an ordinary cultivator can destroy. Could it be you wish to break it and seize the treasure within?”
Just as Han Li arrived at the other exit, without turning his head, he asked, “I wish to leave Heavenvoid Hall! Does Fellow Daoist Yuan have a better method?”
Yuan Yao’s eyes brightly flickered in thought before a peculiar expression appeared on her face. “None! However, this young woman fancies the treasure here. Would Fellow Daoist Han be interested in going treasure hunting with me?”
As he stared at the colorful mist surrounding the exit, he bluntly said, “Hunt treasure? It seems Fellow Daoist Yuan has already spent some time here. If you are truly able to break through the restrictions here, then wouldn’t you have done so earlier?”
Yuan Yao blushed, but her expression soon grew serious as she adopted a stubborn attitude, “I’ve already spent the day researching it. In about four days, I will be certain to break through the formation!”
When Han Li heard this, he turned around with astonishment and looked at the woman with narrowed eyes.
Yuan Yao felt restless. After some time, she eventually conceded, “Fine! I’ll admit that if I were to attempt to break the formation spell alone, it is possible that the Heavenvoid Hall would close before I succeeded. However, if Fellow Daoist Han were to aid me, it would take far less time.”
Han Li silently stood in place without a change of expression and waited for her to continue, confident that the beauty still had more to say.
As Yuan Yao stared at Han Li, she slowly said, “However, before the formation is broken, this young woman would like to reach an agreement with you.”
“What agreement? Tell me.” Han Li crossed his arms and attentively gazed at her.
“So long as Brother Han is willing to renounce the treasure inside, I will be willing to compensate you!”
“Compensate?” Han Li remained expressionless as he continued to watch her.
Yuan Yao revealed hesitation. After lowering her head and muttering to herself for a moment, she raised her head with a resolute expression. She solemnly said, “I am willing to hand over a bit of Myriad Year Spirit Milk as compensation. What does Brother Han think?”
Han Li’s expression stirred. “Myriad Year Spirit Milk? Legend says that only a small mouthful would be able to restore one’s magic power in an instant. It is said that even ten thousand spirit stones cannot buy even a single drop of it. That spirit milk?”
Yuan Yao stared at Han Li with bright eyes and slowly said, “That’s right. Since I trust you, I’ve taken the risk to tell
you. There is no way that Brother Han would kill this young lady over treasure, yes?”
After traveling together with Han Li through the ghost mist and the Paths of Fire and Ice, Yuan Yao recognized that while Han Li wasn’t an upright gentleman, neither was he a ruthless and vicious wretch. Of course, if she possessed any other treasures that could entice Han Li, she would have mentioned them instead.
Although she thought it wasn’t likely for Han Li to attack her, her hands still casually fell to the storage pouches at her waist. Although she knew she wasn’t Han Li’s match, she still had a few mighty life-saving treasures that could protect her against any foul intentions Han Li might have. This was precisely why she had dared to mention the spirit milk in the first place.
Han Li rubbed his nose and remained silent. Then, he turned his head towards the dragon head statue with a contemplative expression.
Yuan Yao’s tone turned soft as she said, “It seems Brother Han has figured it out. My Myriad Year Spirit Milk was something that had been accumulated in the spirit spring for over ten thousand years. But with this, Fellow Daoist Han should know that I am not deceiving him!”
Han Li calmly nodded his head. “That’s right. With such a large spirit spring being so cleverly hidden, it’s reasonable that a bit of spirit milk was produced.”
Yuan Yao’s expression blossomed and her eyes brightly shined. “So what does Fellow Daoist Han think?”
Han Li looked at Yuan Yao with a chilling, ice-cold gaze and asked, “Could Young Lady Yuan tell me what treasure is concealed within? Since Fellow Daoist Yuan is so willing to pay me such an exorbitant price, then the treasure must be worth even more.”
When Yuan Yao saw Han Li’s expression, for some unknown reason, she felt a chill run down her spine and she began to panic.
“Brother Han is quite funny! This is the first time this young woman has been here, so how could I know what lies inside? Brother Han is quite suspicious! ... Fine, fine! I’ll tell the truth. I know what the treasure inside is. Although its worth is about equivalent to the Myriad Year Spirit Milk, it is far more important to me. That is why I was willing to give the spirit milk to you. The treasure is an unrefined Soul Nurturing Tree!” Yuan Yao had initially attempted to play it off as a joke, but when she saw Han Li’s gaze grow colder, she hastily revealed the truth. For some unknown reason, she felt trepidation and fear at the thought of their relations turning hostile.
Han Li was stunned for quite some time before asking in amazement, “One of the three divine woods, capable of being worn on the body and nourishing the primal spirit to slowly strengthen one’s spiritual sense?”
After some thought, her expression sank and she softly said, “That’s the one. However, I am not interested in the soul nurturing effects, but rather its ability to preserve and house one’s soul, preventing their spiritual sense from scattering.”
“Spirit Nurturing Wood and Myriad Year Spirit Milk!” Han Li stared at the ceiling as he muttered to himself.
Chapter 498: Distinguishing the Truth
Han Li turned towards Yuan Yao and leisurely said, “So that’s why there was a spirit spring placed here. It was to nourish the tree. I do desire the Myriad Year Spirit Milk, but the Soul Nourishing Tree is also quite interesting.”
Upon hearing that, Yuan Yao’s expression instantly became ice-cold.
“Relax. Having so many years of rich nourishment, the tree can't be small. And I only want a portion of its roots. I won’t fight over the trunk, the most important part of the tree.”
Yuan Yao’s expression softened, but her eyes contained a trace of doubt, “You only want the roots?”
Han Li said with a blank expression, “Naturally, I also want the Myriad Year Spirit Milk that you offered to me earlier as well.”
Yuan Yao’s eyes slightly shifted as she made her own conclusions about Han Li’s intentions. She sweetly chuckled, “Hehe! Brother Han is quite shrewd. The Soul Nourishing Tree’s roots will certainly fetch a high price from many sects. Regardless, I will agree to those terms.”
Even with this, she was still relieved.
Han Li smiled and offered no further explanation.
Yuan Yao chuckled, “Let us start on breaking through the formation. I’ll give Fellow Daoist Han an explanation of what I’ve learned about the formation spell.” It seemed as though she was in even more of a hurry than Han Li.
“Before we start, I must ask whether or not Lady Yuan plans on taking the spirit spring.” Han Li pointed to the pond with a mysterious smile.
Yuan Yao coquettishly said, “Is Brother Han joking? This spirit spring has been bonded with the entire Inner Halls by the Master of Heavenvoid Hall using profound restrictions. Had I possessed the ability to take it, I would’ve directly aimed for the Heavenvoid Cauldron instead of hiding down here.”
When Han Li heard this, he appeared slightly disappointed, but after some thought, he broke out into laughter.
It seems he had become far too greedy. Upon spotting a treasure, he thought to immediately acquire it. This was not a good omen. If this were to continue, he would likely meet his death as a result of greed.
With that thought, Han Li steadied his mind before continuing with a solemn voice, “Fellow Daoist Yuan should hand over the spirit milk first before we start talking about the formation spell. With our combined efforts, we’ll be able to break through the formation in no more than two days.
When Yuan Yao heard this, her sweet smile was replaced with a ghastly expression.
...
Two days later about twenty kilometers away from Heavenvoid Hall, a man and woman emerged from a flash of white light above the sea.
The man appeared quite ordinary. Apart from his clear eyes, there was nothing exceptional about his appearance. As for the woman, she was as dainty as a flower, and her bright, lively eyes suggested that her grace was limitless. When the two emerged, they vigilantly examined their surroundings. Upon seeing that there were no other cultivators nearby, they both let out a sigh of relief.
The pair were Han Li and Yuan Yao, who had broken through the formation of the secret room.
Yuan Yao gazed in the the direction of Heavenvoid Hall with an odd expression, “It seems the others are still trapped in Heavenvoid Hall. They won’t be coming out for some time.”
“Would those Nascent Soul Eccentrics do the same as us and seize treasure to escape the halls?” Han Li hadn’t relaxed his guard and frowned.
Yuan Yao casually brushed her hair and softly said, “Be at ease, after acquiring the treasure, one will be teleported to a random location, it can be anywhere from next to Heavenvoid Hall to several hundred kilometers away. It is impossible for anyone to be monitoring such an expansive area.”
“Good!” Han Li nodded his head with peace of mind.
Yuan Yao blinked at him and she probingly asked, “What? Could it be that Brother Han has offended those Nascent Soul eccentrics? If that’s the case, then you had best be careful.”
“Fellow Daoist Yuan need not worry herself about me. As I have matters I must attend to, I will be taking my leave first.” Han Li expressionlessly cupped his hands to Yuan Yao and shot across the sky as a streak of azure light. He displayed neither reluctance to leave nor any desire to hear her response.
When Yuan Yao saw Han Li abruptly fly off, she was flabbergasted. After a long while, she eventually shook her head. She then extended her hand and summoned a foot-long block of wood with a flash of black light.
The wood was rough and scorched, appearing ugly by all means. But when Yuan Yao looked at it, she revealed sadness.
“Big Sister Yan, please wait just a few more days. I will find someone to refine this wood into a Soulkeeper Box and help you escape having your soul refined.” After she softly said this, she donned her hood, concealing her astonishing beauty, and transformed into a cloud of Black Qi before flying off in another direction.
In the blink of an eye, the sea became calm once more.
.
..
Meanwhile, several people solemnly stood on the platform of the fifth floor of Heavenvoid Hall with unsightly expressions. They were the six Nascent Soul cultivators who had apparently come to some sort of agreement, as Man Huzi was standing there without being attacked.
“We’ve already searched every corner of the third, fourth and fifth floors. Even after breaking through countless restrictions and puppets, we’ve yet to find any sign of them. Zenith Yin, two of the three have a deep relationship with you. Did you not instruct them to seize the treasure and escape?” Wan Tianming spoke with an ashen expression.
Zenith Yin’s cheek twitched and his face grimaced. “Humph! Sect Master Wan, you’ve already asked that several times and my reply is still that my grandson has met his end. As I personally used a secret technique to search for him, I cannot be mistaken. Were it not for the obstruction of the Tailstar Formation, I would’ve felt the instant my grandson perished and would’ve prevented those other two youngsters from running off with the treasure.”
Zenith Yin stared at Man Huzi and gloomily said, “With that said, I personally believe Man Huzi to be the most suspicious. Why did Man Huzi draw us away for enough time for the Heavenvoid Cauldron to be seized? Man Huzi is also unwilling to reveal the history behind that junior of his. Could it be that you colluded with that youngster beforehand?”
Man Huzi glared back at him and bluntly mocked him, “Ridiculous, what do I have to reveal to you? What do I have to do with that youngster running off with the Heavenvoid Cauldron? I was busy escaping from everyone, but that isn’t enough evidence to say that I helped him. Rather, you claim that Wu Chou is dead; who's to say that’s true? Perhaps you are actually filled to the brim with happiness.”
“You...” Zenith Yin was seething with anger. His beloved grandson had died, and now he was being made out to be a scapegoat. He wasn’t about to take this silently. But when he was about to engage in a furious argument, Qing Yi interrupted him in an attempt to alleviate tensions.
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 269