His expression darkened significantly, but he decided to remain silent in the end.
The other Grand Ascension Stage beings didn't dare to interject, but most of them were also quite displeased.
However, there were a few Grand Ascension Stage beings that had come to the Elder Devil Realm for the same objective as Old Man Copper Crow, and they were quite elated by this turn of events.
With the vastly renowned Old Man Copper Crow leading the way, their plight to save their brethren would undoubtedly encounter far less resistance.
Han Li was taking advantage of this opportunity to inspect Old Man Copper Crow.
From the beginning, he had immediately sensed that this Old Man Copper Crow's spiritual sense was far more powerful than that of the average Grand Ascension Stage being; he was perhaps even superior in this regard to the likes of the three devilish patriarchs.
Of course, he still couldn't compare with Han Li, who had encountered many miraculous opportunities and cultivated multiple spiritual sense secret techniques, thereby elevating his spiritual sense to become several times as powerful as that of the average Grand Ascension Stage being.
Even so, this was already a testament to just how fearsome Old Man Copper Crow was compared to the average Grand Ascension Stage being, and it seemed that his status as one of the four great birds wasn't unfounded.
"Fellow Daoist Copper Crow, we all understand your urge to save your descendant, but don't let your emotions get the better of yourself. I never said that the two objectives couldn't be simultaneously achieved," Bao Hua said in a calm manner.
She was the only one present who could speak on equal terms with Old Man Copper Crow.
Old Man Copper Crow faltered slightly upon hearing this before turning to Bao Hua with a cold expression. "What do you mean by that? You're not trying to trick me, are you?"
"I wouldn't dare to do that; you think far too highly of me, Fellow Daoist," Bao Hua chuckled.
"Hmph, I wouldn't be so sure of that; everyone knows that you were always the most wily and cunning of the three devilish patriarchs," Old Man Copper Crow chuckled coldly.
Bao Hua's brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this, but a smile then suddenly appeared on her face as she began to communicate directly with Old Man Copper Crow through voice transmission.
Initially, Old Man Copper Crow maintained his cold expression, but moments later, his pupils suddenly contracted drastically, and he asked, "Is that true? If you're lying to me..."
"Take a look at this and you'll be able to see whether I'm telling the truth." Bao Hua raised a hand as she spoke, releasing a streak of light that landed in Old Man Copper Crow's grasp in a flash.
Chapter 2224: Ancient Seal
Old Man Copper Crow parted his fingers to reveal a translucent crimson feather that looked as if it had been carved out of crystal.
He stared at the feather for a short while with a hesitant expression, then suddenly tossed it back to Bao Hua before taking a deep breath. "I didn't think that you would be fortunate enough to meet that senior, Bao Hua. In that case, I'll place my trust in you just this once. Tell us your plan."
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist; I'd be more than happy to share my plan. Does anyone else have any objections?" Bao Hua asked with a smile.
"We would all like to hear your plan, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua."
"Indeed, I'm sure that a plan proposed by Fellow Daoist Bao Hua would be a reliable one."
The other Grand Ascension Stage beings were quite relieved to see that Old Man Copper Crow was willing to compromise, and they were all eager to hear what Bao Hua had to say.
"Thank you for your kind words, everyone. Truth be told, I ventured into the original sealed site on a second occasion around half a year ago." All of the Grand Ascension Stage beings present were stunned to hear this.
"What? You ventured into the original sealed site again? How is that possible? How did you do that?"
Not only were the foreign Grand Ascension Stage beings astonished by this revelation, even the Sacred Ancestors present were completely dumbstruck, having clearly not heard about this in advance.
"There's no need to be alarmed, fellow daoists. I was able to do this as I've cultivated several profound concealment abilities, and also because I had the Faux Illusion Sky Mirror to assist me. Using that treasure, I was able to avoid alerting those stemborers, and once I entered the original sealed site, I discovered that some new developments had transpired, and those developments convinced me that it was possible to achieve both objectives simultaneously," Bao Hua explained.
"What did you see that made you change your mind, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua?" a Grand Ascension Stage being couldn't help but ask.
"Due to the power of the seal, I was unable to venture deep into the original sealed site and could only inspect the site from the outskirts. During my inspection though, I discovered that some changes seemed to have taken place in the ancient seal," Bao Hua revealed.
"What are those changes, Fellow Daoist?" another Grand Ascension Stage being asked with a serious expression.
"There's no need to be concerned. In a sense, these changes are a good thing. What I discovered was that the ancient seal seems to be in the process of repairing itself. Even though the process is extremely slow, the ancient seal is definitely more powerful than it was on the last occasion I ventured into the original sealed site, and it seems that seal possesses some level of sentience," Bao Hua replied with a smile.
All of the Grand Ascension Stage beings present couldn't help but exchange bewildered glances upon hearing this.
"I'm sure your appraisal is accurate, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua, but didn't you say that the power of the seal has already been controlled by the Stemborer Queen? How is it a good thing that the seal has become more powerful?" It was Jin Chai posing the question on this occasion.
"It seems that there's been a misunderstanding. The portion of the seal's power that has been enhanced is the portion still under the seal's control, not the portion that has been controlled by the Stemborer Queen. Even though this enhancement is quite insignificant compared to the overall power of the ancient seal, it's still something that we can take advantage of," Bao Hua replied.
"So how does that make it possible to achieve both objectives simultaneously? Hurry up and tell us your plan," Old Man Copper Crow said in an impatient manner.
"It's not my intention to waste anyone's time; I simply want to provide some background information so everyone can understand my plan," Bao Hua replied.
"Fine, keep going then," Old Man Copper Crow prompted in a disgruntled manner.
Bao Hua smiled as she continued, "During my last trip into the original sealed site, I discovered that the Stemborer Queen is situated in a different part of the seal from the place where our fellow daoists have been trapped. Regardless of which side we enter, it'll inevitably alert the Stemborer Queen, so my original plan was for everyone to combine their powers to reseal the Stemborer Queen, then save Fellow Daoist Yuan Yan and the others. Of course, doing so could enrage the Stemborer Queen, prompting it to use the power of the seal under its control to lash out at our trapped fellow daoists.
"If that were to happen, Fellow Daoist Yuan Yan and the others could be plunged into grave peril. However, after discovering that the ancient seal possesses a certain level of sentience, I theorized that it could be possible to help the ancient seal regain control over the portion of its power currently under the Stemborer Queen's control. If we can do that, not only will we be able to free our trapped fellow daoists, the Stemborer Queen will have to face the complete power of the ancient seal, and we may not even have to expend that much power to reseal the Stemborer Queen."
All of the Grand Ascension Stage beings in the hall displayed different reactions upon hearing this, and Han Li was also stroking his own chin in a contemplative manner.
Right at this moment, Old Man Copper Crow suddenly broke the silence. "Your plan seems to be quite feasible, but I have a question, Fe
llow Daoist Bao Hua."
"Go ahead, Fellow Daoist," Bao Hua prompted with a smile.
"Even if the ancient seal really is sentient, how confident are you that we can make it work with us? Without the assistance of the ancient seal, there would be no way we can recover the portion of the seal's power under the Stemborer Queen's control. Even the true immortals were unable to kill the Stemborer Queen; if your plan were to go awry we could be plunged into severe peril. If we get trapped in the original sealed site as well, the other realms most likely won't be sending any more reinforcements," Old Man Copper Crow said.
"Rest assured, Brother Copper Crow, I have a way to communicate with the ancient seal, which is why I hatched this plan in the first place. Back when I was one of the devilish patriarchs, I had once guarded the original sealed site for tens of thousands of years. In terms of understanding of the ancient seal, even Yuan Yan and Nie Pan can't compare with me," Bao Hua replied in a confident manner.
"I trust in your judgment, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua. I'm just here to save my descendant, and your plan doesn't conflict with that goal, so I have no objections," Old Man Copper Crow said with a smile.
Bao Hua nodded before turning to the other Grand Ascension Stage beings present. "Does anyone else have any questions? If not, let's move on to the more specific details. I already have a rough plan, but I'll need everyone's help to flesh it out."
A burst of hushed chatter rang out within the hall, and a few Grand Ascension Stage beings raised some questions about the ancient seal, all of which were answered by Bao Hua in a calm manner.
It was clear that Bao Hua had thought long and hard about this plan, and everyone was very pleased to see this.
Thus, everyone began to discuss the specific details of the plan.
The plan was ultimately finalized after a day and a night of debate and negotiation, and it was decided that everyone would set off in around half a month.
After that, the meeting concluded, and countless streaks of light flew out of the golden palace before quickly vanishing into the distance.
Han Li's trio had also departed from the palace, and he was searching for a mountain in the desert to stay in.
However, shortly after departing from the earthen city, Han Li's expression suddenly changed slightly, and he stopped in mid-air before casting his gaze off to the side. "Come on out, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua; why are you hiding and sneaking around like this?"
Silvermoon's heart jolted upon hearing this, while Daoist Xie stopped behind Han Li in an expressionless manner.
A pleasant voice rang out from the direction that Han Li was casting his gaze toward.
"I didn't think that you would progress to the Grand Ascension Stage in such a short time, Fellow Daoist Han. On top of that, I can sense that you're already far more powerful than the average Grand Ascension Stage being; looks like Yuan Yan was right to be wary of you."
As soon as the voice trailed off, spatial fluctuations erupted, and a massive pink flower projection appeared alongside Bao Hua and Hei'e.
Bao Hua was currently appraising Han Li with a calm yet intrigued expression.
"Why have you come to see me? Are you regretting your decision from last time?" Han Li asked.
"Perhaps, but if I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have been able to recover so quickly. On top of that, with your inclusion in this operation, I'm even more confident that we'll succeed," Bao Hua said with a smile.
"Surely you jest, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua. I'm just a rookie Grand Ascension Stage being; how will I possibly be of any significance? Did you stop me just to tease me?" Han Li asked as he appraised Bao Hua with a meaningful gaze.
Chapter 2225: Setting Off
"Why are you being so cold, Fellow Daoist Han? We've met on multiple occasions, so we're already acquaintances, are we not? I came to see you because I want to make another deal with you; are you interested?" Bao Hua asked with a smile.
"Another deal? Sure, go ahead," Han Li prompted in a calm manner.
Bao Hua took a glance at Daoist Xie and Silvermoon, then suggested, "How about we speak in private?"
"Alright," Han Li agreed, then turned and said something to Silvermoon and Daoist Xie in a low voice before flying with Bao Hua toward a certain direction.
Moments later, Bao Hua and Han Li were situated on a small sand dune with only around 50 feet separating the two of them.
Bao Hua gently pointed her finger into the air a few times, and several pink threads instantly shot forth before vanishing in a flash.
The entire area around the sand dune was instantly enshrouded under an invisible restriction.
"Alright, let's hear what you have to say," Han Li prompted.
"Why are you in such a hurry, Fellow Daoist Han? I obtained some rare Sandalwood Fruits not too long ago; why don't we sample them together? Please take a seat," Bao Hua said with a smile, then swept a sleeve toward the ground, upon which countless grains of sand rose up before manifesting two stone chairs and a stone table that was several tens of feet in length.
A burst of pink light swept forth, and a pair of purple spirit fruits, a flagon of spirit wine, and two translucent jade cups appeared on the table.
Han Li swept his spiritual sense toward the spirit fruits on the table, and his expression changed ever so slightly.
After a brief moment of hesitation, he took a seat on one of the stone chairs.
Bao Hua sat down across from him, and only after they had sampled the spirit fruits and spirit wine did Bao Hua finally cut to the chase.
"The deal I want to make with you is very simple: I want you to keep someone occupied at a set time in the near future so I can do something that I've been plotting for a very long time."
"Don't you think you should be more specific, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua? Someone that even you're wary of must be very powerful," Han Li said with a faint smile.
"Indeed. Truth be told, even I don't want to face that person directly in battle. However, I'm only asking you to stall them for a while, not to engage in a battle of life and death; I'm sure that's not too difficult. If you can do this for me, I'll owe you a massive favor, and if you have any use for me in the future, I definitely won't refuse. What do you think, Brother Han?" Bao Hua asked.
"A favor from you is naturally quite tempting, but you have to tell me who it is that you're referring to," Han Li replied.
"This is not actually someone that you're unfamiliar with. It's..." Bao Hua's voice trailed off there, and she communicated the name of the target to Han Li through voice transmission.
Han Li's brows immediately furrowed as he said, "Are you making a joke? How can a rookie Grand Ascension Stage being like me possibly complete such a difficult task?"
"Don't be so quick to refuse me, Brother Han; why don't you take a look at this first?" Bao Hua said with a smile before raising a hand to release a ball of white light, which reached Han Li in a flash; it was a palm-sized jade vial.
Han Li caught the vial before inspecting it through narrowed eyes, and instead of immediately opening the vial, he asked, "What is the meaning of this, Fellow Daoist Bao Hua?"
"In addition to a favor, I'll also offer this in exchange for your assistance," Bao Hua replied.
Han Li gave a cold harrumph as he opened the vial and inspected its contents with his spiritual sense, upon which his expression immediately changed drastically.
"This is a Divine Glue Pill!"
A hint of surprise also flashed through Bao Hua's eyes. "You're certainly quite knowledgeable, Fellow Daoist Han; I didn't think you'd be able to recognize this pill right away."
"This is one of very few types of pills that can nourish even a Grand Ascension Stage being's soul, and it's particularly effective for those who have only recently reached the Grand Ascension Stage. The refinement method for this pill had already gone missing a long time ago; how did you manage to obtain this?" Han Li asked.
"I came across it by chance in the cave abode of an ancient cultivator. At the time, I obtai
ned seven of these pills in total, but after so many years, only one remains. Is this enough to show you my sincerity, Fellow Daoist Han?" Bao Hua asked.
"It looks like you're determined to recruit me. Do you really think I'll be able to stall that person? Aren't you worried that your plan will fail due to a failure on my part?" Han Li asked.
"To be honest, prior to this meeting, I had intended to approach someone else for this role. However, even though that fellow daoist is quite powerful, there's less than a 50% chance that he'd actually be able to stall that person. In contrast, you're a completely different story! Even prior to reaching the Grand Ascension Stage, you could already contend with Grand Ascension Stage beings. Now that you've reached the Grand Ascension Stage yourself, you've undoubtedly become even more powerful. In a serious battle, perhaps even I won't be a match for you. This plan is of the utmost importance to me, so if I'm going to find an ally, I have to find the most reliable one. Even if it costs me a little extra, I'm willing to pay the price," Bao Hua said with a faint smile.
"Seeing as you think so highly of me, it would be unbecoming of me to continue to refuse. Alright, I can help you just this once, but aside from this pill and the favor you promised me, I have another condition. If you can agree to that condition as well, I guarantee that I'll be able to stall that person for a day and a night so you have enough time to do what you want to do," Han Li replied.
Bao Hua's smile faded, and a serious look appeared on her face upon hearing this. "Oh? Go ahead, Fellow Daoist Han."
"If you're ever in a position where you're ruling over the Elder Devil Realm again, I want you to promise that your realm will never invade our Spirit Realm for as long as you live," Han Li said.
"That's out of the question! Don't you think that's going too far, Fellow Daoist Han?" Bao Hua was rather displeased to hear this.
"I don't know what your exact plan is, but seeing as you're willing to pay such a heavy price, this must be an extremely rare opportunity for you. On top of that, I don't think there's anyone else in the Elder Devil Realm that can help you. Who else will you turn to? Old Man Copper Crow? Setting aside whether he'd be willing to take the risk, the price you'll have to pay for his services will definitely be significantly higher than what you promised me. After all, not everyone would be willing to make such a powerful enemy for themselves so easily," Han Li replied in a calm manner.
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