The reason why Han Li was so careful was because he had feared there was a Core Formation cultivator here. Were that not the case, he would’ve merely used a common concealment technique.
Han Li motionlessly stood at the center of the courtyard and slowly released his spiritual sense around him, enveloping the entire courtyard. Afterwards, slight surprise appeared on his face as he stared in the direction of a side wing.
He clearly felt that the other rooms were empty. Only the room in the side wing had any cultivators, seven to be exact.
The seven cultivators consisted of five men and two woman; the shriveled man and the dark-skinned middle-aged man were amongst them. The one who possessed the highest cultivation was a large hook-nosed, embroidered-robed man who possessed a spirited gaze.
Apart from his nose, he had a grand and imposing appearance. He had progressed to the peak of late Foundation Establishment and had already entered the false core stage. He was already at the point where he should be undergoing preparations for Core Formation.
As for the rest, they were at mid Foundation Establishment stage.
This was to be expected. One must require that cultivation at the very least if they wished to head to the Outer Star Seas.
However, perhaps due to what they had discussed before, they were all silent with sullen expressions. Not a word was being said in the room.
Han Li wasn’t impatient. He quietly stood in place and waited. He was confident that their following chat was sure to give him some useful information and bring him closer to being able to form a plan.
After the time it took to finish a cup of tea, a middle-aged woman lost her patience and anxiously said, “Brother Yi, Fellow Daoist Huang had brought back word that they want five thousand spirit stones per person before allowing us to teleport to the Outer Star Seas. In that case, we would be fairly relieved of our assignments to the Star Palace after handing over the spirit stones. What does Brother Yi think? After all, once the battle occurs, it will be too late to leave.”
The pale-skinned middle-aged woman that sat at her side scowled and spoke with a hostile tone, “Lady Liu, from your tone, you seem quite willing to let go of your spirit stones. But did you not think that your fellow Daoists aren’t able to casually spend such an amount? My husband and I wouldn’t be able to produce that sum even with all of our possessions. Could it be that Fellow Daoist wishes to leave alone?”
When the other woman heard her, she revealed a trace of annoyance and asked, “When did I say that I was going alone? How about we just ask Brother Yi? You are very experienced and have the highest cultivation among us. Surely you can give us a proper analysis of the pros and cons.”
The embroidered-robed man said, “Alright, there is no need for you two to continue. Fellow Daoist Liu cannot use the transportation formation alone. The Outer Star Seas isn’t a place where a lone Formation Establishment Cultivator can roam around. It is only when we go together that we will be able to survive. If we’re lucky, we’ll manage to kill a few spirit beasts and use their cores to refine medicine pills. In addition, we won’t be tasked with killing a cultivator of a similar grade during the battle. Even Core Formation cultivators would find it difficult to preserve their lives during the fray, let alone us low grade cultivators. Moreover, there is also the worry of the Star Palace turning back on their word.”
“That’s impossible! The Star Palace seems to have never done such unjust actions. Fellow Daoist Yi, aren’t you being overly suspicious?” The burly youth said. Although his age was young, he had a mature aura.
“Although the possibility is low, it is still possible. This isn’t a period where the Star Palace is the sole superpower. If the Star Palace feels it is in danger, it will do as it wants without any fear of the consequences. Such is the right of the powerful! Humph!” The large, embroidered-robed man’s face twitched before he disdainfully snorted. He seemed to hold quite some understanding of great powers.
After that was said, everyone in the room remained silent as they sunk into thought.
The large man then slowly continued, “Therefore, the optimal choice would be to use spirit stones to preserve our lives. If we were to truly participate in the battle, it is quite possible that we would all perish. And even if some of us were to survive and head to the Outer Star Seas, survival would be out of the question from a lack of strength. It would only be another path to disaster.”
“However, it costs so many spirit stones...”
When the dark-skinned middle-aged man spoke with a distressed expression, the embroidered-robe cultivator interrupted him with an icy expression, “What use are spirit stones if you’re dead? Besides, we’ll be able to make up for our losses by hunting down a few high grade demon beasts in the Outer Star Seas. What is most important at the moment is using the transportation formation.”
The dark-skinned cultivator seemed quite scared of the large man and immediately grew silent at his rebuke.
“As for the lack of spirit stones, take out as many as you can. Let’s see whether or not they will be flexible. If it won’t do, then we’ll take out our excess spirit stones and lend them to each other for the time being. After we teleport to the Outer Star Seas, the debts will be paid back with interest.” The large man imposingly gazed at the more destitute cultivators as he spoke as if having already decided for them.
The six glanced at each other in discomfort, but they all reluctantly accepted his command.
The large man revealed slight satisfaction and turned towards the shriveled man. He said with an imposing tone, “Fellow Daoist Zhang, I must trouble you to make another trip tomorrow, and see if they are willing to take a lesser price. If it is impossible, then we will agree to those conditions. However, we must leave by the day after tomorrow; there cannot be any delays. It will all be meaningless unless we can leave before the battle erupts.”
The shriveled man repeatedly agreed. Afterwards, a lively discussion began to erupt in the room over the specific details.
As Han Li stood outside the room, he was able to hear the entirety of their discussion with perfect clarity. He couldn’t stop himself from mysteriously smiling. Then with a flash of azure light, he disappeared without a trace.
On the next day, the shriveled man left the residence and headed towards the Starry Sky Palace, completely unaware of the person following him from above.
When Han Li followed him into the vicinity of the Starry Sky Palace, he cautiously slipped away into a nearby building.
Han Li rubbed his nose and then quietly waited inside the building.
About an hour later, the shriveled man sneakily emerged from the building with a trace of excitement betrayed on his face. Afterwards, Han Li followed him back to the residence.
However, something unexpected had occurred before his eyes.
Before entering the residence, the shriveled man’s excitement completely disappeared and was exchanged with a miserable expression.
When Han Li saw this, he frowned. With chin in hand, his mind began to ponder, “Could it be...”
Chapter 509: Infiltration
On the morning of the third day, underneath the bright skies, the group of Foundation Establishment cultivators slipped out of their residence with utmost stealth and headed towards the Starry Sky Palace.
As the enforced curfew had just ended, there were only a few cultivators roaming through the early morning sky. Hence, the seven were even more careful. Each of them nervously went along their way with lowered heads. However, the embroidered-robed man in the lead vigilantly examined his surroundings as they flew.
The journey to Starry Sky Palace was very smooth. Nothing happened to them as they flew to the forty-ninth floor of Sage Mountain. When they arrived at the Starry Sky Palace, their expressions were relaxed and filled with relief.
But at that moment, the embroidered-robed man in front suddenly stopped in the air with a shocked expression. He raised his arm with a solemn expression, performing a strange ha
nd gesture. When the others behind him saw this, they abruptly halted and became vigilant.
The embroidered-robed man stared at an empty location and spoke with a heavy tone, “For what reason has Fellow Daoist blocked our path?” At that same moment, he began to reach for the storage pouch at his waist.
The empty area in front of them flashed with azure light to reveal an azure-clothed cultivator standing there with his hands behind his back. He slowly spoke with a hoarse voice, “Hehe, there is no need for you Fellow Daoists to be afraid. Although I’ve been waiting just for you, I mean no harm. I merely have something to request of you.”
Once the party clearly felt his cultivation, they were filled with alarm and surged with wariness.
The man was also a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator at false core stage.
With a cold glint flashing from his eyes, the embroidered-robed man calmly asked, “What is your esteemed name, Fellow Daoist? How can we help you?”
The azure-clothed man casually said something that made the seven cultivators pale, “My name is Crooked Soul, a mere vagrant cultivator. Aren’t you heading to the Starry Sky Palace? Could you bring me along? I also wish to head to the Outer Star Seas.”
When the embroidered-robed man heard him, his expression fluctuated. He was silent for a moment before he widely smiled and said, “So it’s Fellow Daoist Crooked Soul, but what do you mean by Starry Sky Palace and the Outer Star Seas? Our group is only going to attend to a few personal matters, and we just happened to pass here along the way. We have no business with the Starry Sky Palace. Fellow Daoist is mistaken.” The embroidered-robed man came to a decision that regardless of this Crooked Soul’s intention or how he managed to find out about their plans, there was absolutely no way he would easily agree.
The others remained silent as well as if they were leaving the matter entirely up to the large man.
‘Crooked Soul’ chuckled and casually said, “There is no need for Fellow Daoist Yi to be so suspicious. Since I’ve already arrived here, how could I be fooled just like that?”
The embroidered-robed man’s heart trembled and he snorted, “Humph! So it seems you know my identity and have a clear understanding of our plans.” He then unconsciously clutched his storage pouch with veins protruding from his hands.
Having received an unknown command, the other cultivators suddenly dispersed in great coordination and surrounded the azure-clothed man.
The azure-clothed man ignored their movements and spoke with great leisure, “You don’t want to try and kill me. I don’t mean to boast, but with my cultivation, you wouldn’t be able to kill me quickly. If I were to yell and call for the Star Palace, I wonder what would happen?”
After that was said, the group of cultivators glanced at each other before turning their gazes to the large, embroidered-robed man.
The large man’s expression became unsightly. Although he had yet to reach Core Formation, he had always boasted of his exceptional shrewdness making him a menace among Foundation Establishment cultivators. However, he clearly understood that the man’s threats were no joke.
After a moment of deliberation, he could only suppress his anger and coldly ask, “What does Fellow Daoist want us to help you with. We’ve already said that we would take only seven people. Moreover, the transportation formation can only take seven cultivators at a time. They would certainly refuse if we were to add another.”
The azure-clothed man smiled, “Be at ease, I won’t make things hard for you. So long as I enter the hall, I’ll have my own methods for persuading them. If an agreement can’t be reached, I will neither force the issue nor ruin your fortuitous affair.”
“Only that?” The large man frowned and wore a trace of doubt.
“Only that!” The azure-clothed man spoke with certainty.
The large man muttered to himself for a moment before eventually gritting his teeth, “Fine, if it’s only to give you an introduction, then we’re willing to agree, if only barely.”
With a calm expression as if having anticipated the large man’s concession, the azure-robed man saluted and said, “Then I must give you my thanks!”
The shriveled man raised his head to look at the sky and anxiously urged, “Since Fellow Daoist wishes to head to the Starry Sky Palace, let us go quickly. We’re already running late. They may become impatient.”
The azure-clothed man glanced at the shriveled man in silence, but the embroidered-robed man wordlessly raised his hand and they continue on their way.
They moved in a formation that kept the azure-robed cultivator at their center. It seemed they were quite wary of him. Still, the azure-clothed cultivator calmly followed after them. Of course, this azure-clothed cultivator was actually Han Li. He had restrained his magic power fluctuations to the level of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator and had disguised his appearance.
The remaining distance from the Starry Sky Hall wasn’t long. After only a short moment, the party arrived in front of the Starry Sky Palace. At that moment, the shriveled man suddenly increased in speed and shot forward, arriving at the hall first.
The embroidered-robed man and the others didn’t find this odd in the slightest. After all, the shriveled man was the one who had relations with the Starry Sky Palace in the first place. Now that they arrived, it was only natural that he led the way, lest any misunderstandings occur.
After entering, the party tried their hardest to maintain a calm expression, but a trace of apprehension was betrayed on their faces. Having entered the Starry Sky Palace, their lives were now in the hands of the other party.
However, everything seemed to be going as expected. The restrictions that should’ve been there were absent, and it seemed the managers of the palace had disabled them ahead of time.
When Han Li saw this, a strange expression momentarily appeared on his face.
But what comforted the party the most was the sight of two white-clothed Star Palace Core Formation cultivators waiting for them in the hall with the transportation formations.
When the shriveled man saw the two, he immediately broke into a smile and walked forward several steps to respectfully greet them, “Senior Gu, Senior Qian, we’ve arrived. Have you finished the preparations on your end?”
Among the two, the bald old man nodded his head, slowly saying, “We’re ready on our side. Hand over the spirit stones, and we’ll give each person a displacement talisman. You can leave as soon as soon as possible, but the spirit stones had better not be short.”
The embroidered-robed man stepped forward and respectfully said, “Be at ease, Senior, we’ve brought along the agreed amount of spirit stones.”
The bald old man examined him several times before speaking with a polite tone, “So, you’re Fellow Daoist Yi. As expected, your cultivation is exceptional!” But when his sights fell upon Han Li, his expression sunk.
The bald old man’s expression became gloomy and his voice was filled with suspicion, “Didn’t we agree that it’s supposed to be seven? Why is there another person here? This Fellow Daoist also seems to be at the false core stage. May I know who you are?”
“He’s...” The embroidered-robed man bitterly smiled, wanting to give an explanation.
Han Li smiled and interrupted the large man, “I am Crooked Soul, a vagrant cultivator that also wishes to head to the Outer Star Seas. I’ve heard that Fellow Daoist Yi and the others had a connection, and chose to deliberately seek them out. I hope you two Seniors don’t take offence. If these Seniors are willing to accomodate me, I am willing to pay double their rate for the use of the transportation formation.”
“Double?” The bald old man was shocked for a moment before turning his head to look at the scholarly middle-aged cultivator at his side.
The middle-aged man frowned and slowly said, “Even if you pay double, the largest number of people that can be sent in a single teleportation is seven. Also we can only use the transportation formation once, so it is impossible to allow a telepo
rtation for your use alone. Otherwise, it will be difficult to conceal our activities from the upper echelon.”
“Junior has considered that, so he won’t make it difficult for Senior,” Han Li smiled and suddenly turned to the side, speaking without a trace of politeness, “Therefore, how about Fellow Daoist temporarily hand over his spot?”
Chapter 510: Blackmail
The person Han Li was requesting a spot from was the shriveled man.
“What did you say?” Alarm flickered across the shriveled man’s face, soon to be replaced with anger.
The others glanced at each other, not knowing what Han Li intended.
Han Li calmly said, “Be at ease, Fellow Daoist, I won’t allow you to do this in vain. I have two grade five demon beast cores. Take it as payment for your spot. Surely Fellow Daoist won’t turn his back on me.” He then searched his robes and took two shining blue globes out of nowhere. From their emitted spiritual Qi, they were genuine grade five demon cores.
The shriveled man looked at the two demon cores with a trace of greed, but he soon thought of something and coldly snorted, “Humph! Does your esteemed self think that I will give up my place for a measly two demon cores?”
Han Li didn’t grow angry. Instead, he strangely smiled and his lips trembled several times, sending several voice transmissions to him in everyone’s presence. The shriveled man suddenly paled after hearing them.
Han Li then spoke to him with a leisurely tone without using a voice transmission, “With this, there should be no way Fellow Daoist could possibly refuse this trade. Am I correct?”
When the shriveled man heard Han Li, his nervous face became lined with cold sweat. After fiercely glaring at Han Li for a moment, the shriveled man’s face twitched as he clenched his teeth and said, “Fine! Since Fellow Daoist can say that, I will hand over my spot to you!”
Those words came as a shock to the other six.
The embroidered-robed man’s expression sank and he stared at the shriveled man. He coldly said, “Fellow Daoist Zhang, what are you saying? Didn’t we say that we were going together? Why did you...”
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 275