“I, myself, find it quite difficult to believe that apart from Brother Han, there could be another person in the Scattered Star Seas that also possesses such a vast number of flying sword magic treasures.” Although she had said those earlier words with a smile, she still let out a breath of relief after seeing Han Li reveal his true appearance. Then after a moment of hesitation, she refrained from asking why Han Li had appeared here; instead, she approached Han Li and gracefully saluted him, expressing her sincere gratitude, “It is thanks to Brother Han’s timely rescue that this little woman was able to escape calamity.”
She truly understood that if Han Li had meant her harm, she wouldn’t have even been given the opportunity to flee given his current cultivation. As such, it would be far better if she could forge a friendly relationship with him.
Han Li naturally knew why Yuan Yao had showed him respect with such a strong smile. As such, he chuckled and waved his arm before saying, “I merely happened to encounter this hunting party by chance, and saving you only required very slight effort. Since we last saw each other, it seems Fellow Daoist Yuan has made quite a bit of progress with her techniques.”
Yuan Yao tilted her head and glanced at Han Li before speaking with feigned anger, “Is Brother Han making fun of this little woman? Brother Han has already reached late Core Formation stage while I am still lingering at early Core Formation stage. What progress is there to speak of?”
“Hehe! Fellow Daoist Yuan is far too modest. Although I’ve managed to reach this stage with the assistance of many chance encounters, there are still several matters that I must consult with you about.”
Yuan Yao was momentarily stunned before concealing a giggle with her hand. “Hehe! Ask as you please, but if Brother Han doesn’t find my humble home distasteful, wouldn’t it be better to have our chat there?” The woman treated Han Li with obvious intimacy, perhaps due to him having just saved her life.
Without putting on any airs, Han Li saluted her and agreed, “Then I will have to trouble you to lead the way!”
Yuan Yao’s complexion flushed and she descended onto the island with a smile on her face as Han Li followed her into her cave residence.
Yuan Yao’s cave residence couldn’t be considered very large, but it was tastefully arranged in an elegant and clean manner. Additionally, the residence’s passageways were lined with rare and colorful plants, filling the ordinarily dull cave residence with color and a pleasant fragrance.
When Han Li saw this, he couldn’t help but warmly smile as Yuan Yao led Han Li into a stone hall over thirty meters wide. After Han Li took a seat at the table, she steeped a pot of fragrant tea and happily sat across from Han Li.
“Brother Han is quite famous within the Scattered Star Seas; you’ve acquired quite the reputation. Nearly everyone has heard of how the top ranked secret treasure in the Scattered Star Seas fell into the hands of a Core Formation cultivator surnamed Han. Judging by how Fellow Daoist entered late Core Formation in so few years, could it be that you have consumed the legendary Heavenmend Pill? Is the medicine truly as miraculous as the legends say?” As soon as Yuan Yao sat down, she revealed an unconcealed longing towards both the Heavenmend Pill and the Heavenvoid Cauldron.
Han Li paused for a moment before silently smiling, the woman was quite clever. She clearly had taken the opportunity to raise the matter of the Heavenvoid Cauldron and the Heavenmend pill without showing any hostile intentions. Han Li couldn’t help but feel favorable towards her.
Han Li sighed and shook his head, “Since Fellow Daoist Yuan mentioned it, I won’t try to fool you. The Heavenvoid Cauldron really is in my possession. However, due to my shallow cultivation, I’ve been unable to open the cauldron ever since I acquired it. Whatever treasures it contains are completely inaccessible to me for the time being. By the time my cultivation progresses and I have the ability to open it, the Heavenmend Pill will no longer be of any use to me.” Since his cultivation far exceeded her own, he didn’t feel the need to lie and calmly revealed the truth of the matter.
“You’ve yet to open the Heavenvoid Cauldron?” When Yuan Yao heard this, she paused for a moment, before revealing an expression of slight disbelief.
Han Li frowned and was disinclined to offer the woman any further explanation. Instead, he coughed several times and decided to clearly strike at the heart of the matter at hand. He stared at Yuan Yao and slowly said, “Would Fellow Daoist Yuan happen to have any more Myriad Spirit Milk on her? You should know that with the Heavenvoid Cauldron in my possession, trouble has a way of constantly finding me. This along with many other unexpected matters has caused me to consume nearly all the Myriad Year Spirit Milk that you gave me. If you have any of it remaining, I am willing to pay a high price for it. You definitely won’t suffer a loss.”
Han Li would have lost his life several times over during his time in the Outer Star Seas, were it not for the Myriad Year Spirit Milk. After realizing just how important this item was, Han Li was naturally unwilling to let go an opportunity to acquire the other half of the spirit milk originally in the bottle. With this, he would have yet another life saving item the next time danger came to seek him out.
When Yuan Yao heard Han Li, she paused for a moment before unconsciously frowning.
A moment later, she took out a jade bottle from her waist and placed it at the center of the table and pushed it towards Han Li without any hesitation.
The woman serenely gazed at Han Li and said, “I haven’t used even a drop of the Myriad Year Spirit Milk. Brother Han can have it as a gift, so there is no need to give me any spirit stones or items for it.”
Chapter 565: The Other Side of the Story
“You’re giving the Myriad Year Spirit Milk to me as a gift?” Han Li was astonished upon hearing her.
“That’s right! Although the Myriad Year Spirit Milk could be considered extremely precious, it cannot be compared with Brother Han’s life-saving rescue. Could it be that Brother Han believes that I am the sort of woman who doesn’t know how to repay kindness?” Yuan Yao bit her lip as she started to twirl a fine strand of hair around her finger.
Han Li was hesitant as he said, “No, it’s just...”
When Yuan Yao heard this, her eyes brightened and she smiled, “We are fellow survivors of Heavenvoid Hall, and now you’ve saved my life once again. There is no need for Brother Han to address me as an outsider and always call me ‘Fellow Daoist’.” Yuan Yao chuckled after saying this, but she soon thought of something and a blush appeared on her face, emphasizing her beauty.
When Han Li saw her captivating expression, he couldn’t help but blankly stare at her for a time.
Yuan Yao’s blush deepened when she saw Han Li staring at her, turned her head to the side as if to avoid his gaze.
A while later, Han Li took a deep breath and said, “Since Miss Yuan Yao has said this, I won’t act so unfamiliar and will call you by your esteemed name.”
He then casually picked up the small bottle and opened it to see that it was truly the Myriad Year Spirit Milk.
With a trace of joy, Han Li placed the bottle into his storage pouch. Then after some slight hesitation, Han Li took out two small, white jade bottles and pushed them towards Yuan Yao.
Yuan Yao blinked and said with slight confusion, “What are those?”
Han Li calmly replied, “These two bottles contain medicine pills for progressing one’s magic power, and will assuredly aid you in your future cultivation. Consider them as an exchange of gifts.”
Yuan Yao paused for a moment and then pursed her lips in a smile as she looked at the two white jade bottles, “I’ve already said that the spirit milk was a present to you, but Brother Han still took out two bottles of medicine pills to give me. You’re making me quite embarrassed.”
Han Li glanced at her and smiled before saying, “There is no need for Miss Yuan to feel embarrassed! These two bottles of medicine pills were refined from the cores of grade six demon beasts. With Miss Yuan’s current culti
vation at the peak of early Core formation stage, these pills will allow you to smoothly enter the mid Core Formation stage.”
Yuan Yao’s smile suddenly turned into an expression of shock, “Medicine pills refined from grade six demon cores?”
She immediately grabbed a bottle and opened the lid. Pure spiritual Qi was released from the bottle, much to Yuan Yao’s delighted surprise.
Yuan Yao’s hand tightly held onto the bottle and said in an embarrassed manner, “I could refuse anything else, but due to desperation, I’m afraid that this little woman will have to shamefully accept these two bottles of medicine pills.”
The two bottles of medicine pills would save Yuan Yao over ten years of bitter cultivation, so although she felt slightly embarrassed, she was still very much delighted.
“Please, don’t hesitate to take them. I still have other things to request of you.” Han Li felt relief after seeing Yuan Yao take the medicine pills. Otherwise, he would’ve found it difficult to put forward his next request.
After carefully putting away the two bottles, Yuan Yao felt even more relaxed towards Han Li, and her expression only grew more lovely. “With Brother Han’s current powers, what could Brother Han possibly require from this little woman? Let me know and I will certainly help if I can.”
Han Li slowly said, “Just now I was amazed when I saw the Azure Yang Sect’s secret Spirit Constraining Formation; it was able to restrain the spiritual Qi surrounding your cave residence. Would Miss Yuan be able to give me a copy of the method to create this formation spell? I would be extremely grateful.”
“The Spirit Constraining Formation? Not a problem.” Perhaps wishing to repay Han Li for the medicine pills, Yuan Yao instantly agreed without the slightest consideration. She immediately took out a jet-black jade slip and handed it to Han Li.
Yuan Yao sweetly smiled in a breathtaking display of her dainty charms, “This jade slip contains the formation spell records of the Azure Yang Sect. In addition to the Spirit Constraining Formation, there are several other powerful spell formations as well.”
Han Li was elated to accept the jade slip and uttered several words of thanks before immersing his spiritual sense in it. Just as Yuan Yao had said, there were several spell formations that he had never heard of in addition to the Spirit Constraining Formation.
After quickly looking through the contents, Han Li withdrew his spiritual sense from the jade slip with a satisfied expression. When he thought to say something to Yuan Yao, he was surprised to see that she appeared to hesitant about whether or not she should speak.
With a trace of doubt on his face, Han Li asked, “Is there something you want to ask me, Miss Yuan?”
Yuan Yao hesitated before revealing an expression of determination, and calmly asked, “Since Brother Han already knows about the Azure Yang Sect, then you should also know a bit about my past, yes?”
A bewildered expression appeared on Han Li’s face at the suddenly change of topic. Not knowing why she has raised the issue, he indifferently nodded and sullenly said, “That’s right. When I infiltrated their group, I heard the Azure Yang Sect elder say that you had nearly become the young sect master’s concubine. Afterwards, you killed the young master in secret and fled with his treasures. Is that true?”
When she heard Han Li’s brief summary, a bitter smile appeared on Yuan Yao’s beautiful face. With a mocking tone, she said, “He wasn’t wrong. I really did nearly become that wretch’s concubine, and I did it with the intention of gaining the Azure Yang Sect as a powerful backer. Do you believe that my actions displayed a lack of pride or honor, Brother Han?”
Han Li shook his head and emotionlessly said, “Not in the slightest. That’s just how the cultivation world works. If you aren’t born into a large sect or if you lack exceptional spiritual roots, it’s extremely difficult to progress on the path of cultivation! That being the case, your methods are basically par for the course. Most beautiful female cultivators are more than willing to become the concubine or servant of high grade male cultivators in the hopes of acquiring support. There are even a few female cultivators that have given up on cultivation completely and become cultivation furnaces for others, merely looking for a period of luxury free of worry.”
Han Li’s words seemed to make Yuan Yao feel more at ease. She then forced a smile at Han Li and said, “Senior Martial Sister Yan Li[1] and I were both born in a small cultivation sect. Not only were our aptitudes only average, but our cultivation techniques were mediocre as well. We both realized if things continued like they were, we wouldn’t even catch a glimpse of Foundation Establishment stage, let alone Core Formation. As a result, we both agreed to leave our sect and wanted to find an unmarried male cultivator with profound cultivation in hopes of becoming their Dao companion. Unfortunately, we never encountered a suitable high grade cultivator, not even one at late Foundation Establishment stage. Instead, our beauty attracted many undesirables like flies to fruit, but since their cultivations weren’t superior to our own, we were unwilling to devote our hearts to them.
“Later on, due to a few unforeseen events, Senior Martial Sister Yan Li and I parted ways for a time. Several years later when I reunited with her, I discovered that she had become the cultivation furnace for the Azure Yang Sect’s young master. I was shocked and furious at the time and wanted to investigate it, but at that moment, the Azure Yang Sect’s young master suddenly appeared and started to repeatedly say how attracted he was to me and how he wanted me to be his concubine. I accepted his terms on the condition that he release Senior Martial Sister Yan Li and also wed her as a concubine. But during those years, I was young and short sighted. Based on the wretch’s illustrious identity, deep cultivation, and great riches, I agreed without much consideration despite the protests of my Senior Martial Sister.”
At this point Yuan Yao wore a dazed expression as if she were lost in her memories of that year.
Han Li slightly furled his brow, but knowing that she was about to continue, he silently waited.
After Yuan Yao woke from her daze, he voice grew icy as she continued, “On our way back to the Azure Yang Sect, Senior Martial Sister Yan Li found an opportunity to secretly tell me that she had originally been duped by the Azure Yang Sect’s young master. She had also been promised to be wed as a concubine, but she had instead became the wretch’s cultivation furnace several months later and was greatly sapped of her strength. It seemed that most of his cultivation vessels had been cheated in nearly the same way. After they entered the Azure Yang Sect, these female cultivators that were promised to be concubines had all become cultivation vessels and were stripped of their freedom. When I heard that, I became fearful and began to consult with Senior Martial Sister about taking advantage of the wretch when he was unguarded to stealthily dispose of him, but who could’ve known that this ravenous wretch wished to consummate our marriage before we even managed to return to the sect? Helpless, my Senior Martial Sister and I could only lay down a trap and take advantage of his moment of weakness.
“In the end, the plan succeeded. However, my Senior Martial Sister Yan Li suffered an immense injury and lost her body. All I could do for her was take her primal soul and temporarily house it in a magic tool, but ordinary ghost magic tools cause the soul to decay within only days. Later on, I used all the techniques I could to slow this degradation but I was never able to stop it. Soon, Senior Martial Sister Yan Li’s primal soul was at risk of losing her intelligence, and being forever incapable of bonding with a body.”
Having heard this, Han Li’s eyes brightened as he recalled the matter of the Spirit Nurturing Wood. “Could it be that you acquired the Soul Nurturing Wood in order to protect Fellow Daoist Yan Li’s soul?”
Chapter 566: Soulrise Technique
When Yuan Yao answered Han Li’s question, her face revealed a hopeful expression, “That’s right. I had acquired a jade slip from the Azure Yang Sect’s young master that described the Soul Nurturing Wood contained inside Heavenvoid Hall. As s
uch, I prepared myself to go to the Heavenvoid Hall with intention of acquiring the divine wood. However, I didn’t expect that it would be far more dangerous than the legends made it out to be. Were it not for your assistance on several occasions, I fear I wouldn’t have made it out of Heavenvoid Hall as I had only recently entered Core Formation at the time. Senior Martial Sister Yan Li’s primal soul mostly recovered her strength at this point, after being nourished by the Soul Nurturing Wood for so many years. Although she can’t possess a body of her own accord, she can still possess a different fleshly body with the Soulrise Technique.”
Han Li’s expression slightly changed when he heard this, “Soulrise Technique? Is that a type of technique which draws the soul into a fresh corpse and brings it back to life?”
“That’s right.”
Han Li stared at the woman and imposingly said, “Fellow Daoist Yuan, do you know what you’re trying to do? Not to mention the danger when using this technique, but the cost of using such a technique is more than an ordinary cultivator can bear. Not only does one’s cultivation need to be at least at Core Formation to use this technique, but due to its heaven defying nature, it will also subject your cultivation to unbearable strain. As an early Core Formation cultivator, it’s very likely that you will shatter your core upon using the technique and drop down back to Foundation Establishment stage.”
When Yuan Yao heard Han Li’s warning, she grew silent for a moment before playing it down by saying, “Of course I know all of that. When possessing a living person’s body, so long as one didn’t violate the three inviolable laws, it’s a relatively safe matter. Since the Soulrise technique is fundamentally different from possession and causes a fresh corpse to revive, it naturally possesses a high cost.”
A trace of spirited light appeared within Han Li’s eyes, and he solemnly warned, “With the aid of the Soul Nurturing Wood, why can’t your Senior Martial Sister take the initiative to possess a body? Can’t you just wait until after reaching the mid Core Formation stage before using the Soulrise Technique on your Senior Martial Sister? If you try to form another core after having it shattered, it’s so incredibly difficult that it could be considered nearly impossible.”
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 305