Chapter 1188: Traces

He glanced at the token on the ground, then at the other deacons' surprised and questioning gazes. He forced a bitter smile and quietly said, "This is a transmission talisman from the Grand Elder, commanding us to gather all the materials listed in the jade slip within three days. From the Grand Elder's tone, these materials are for artifact refining and seem quite rare. Fellow senior brothers, it appears we must put aside everything else and focus entirely on fulfilling the Grand Elder's command first."

The other cultivators were all greatly startled by these words.

"Since it's the Grand Elder's order, then naturally this takes precedence. Let's check the materials in the jade slip. Any available within the sect must be immediately taken from storage. For those we don't have, we must immediately go to the Ancient Sword Sect and Hundred Skill Pavilion to inquire, especially the Hundred Skill Pavilion, which excels at artifact refining. They should be able to help us gather all the materials. Otherwise, the Grand Elder wouldn't have given us only three days." One of the older grey-robed cultivators stated decisively.

The other cultivators, including the blue-robed one, nodded repeatedly in agreement.

After discussing for a few more moments, these Foundation Establishment stage supervisors flew off on their artifacts from the pavilion, rushing to procure and distribute the materials listed in the jade slip.

Three days later, the blue-robed cultivator arrived outside Zi Mu Peak with a bulging storage bag filled with materials, but was naturally blocked by the peak's barrier.

The Foundation Establishment disciple released a transmission talisman, then took out the storage bag and respectfully held it with both hands, waiting there.

A short while later, the mist formed by the barrier suddenly swirled, and then a clear ray of light shot out from within. With a flash, it swept away the storage bag from the blue-robed cultivator's hands.

A chill ran down the blue-robed cultivator's spine. He bowed several times towards the dispersing mist before respectfully controlling his artifact and flying away.

The area in front of Zi Mu Peak instantly returned to calm, as if nothing had ever happened.

Inside his cave dwelling on the Mother Peak, Han Li put away a humanoid puppet. With a calm expression, he examined the materials in the storage bag with his divine sense.

"Excellent, they actually managed to gather everything. It seems these supervisors within the sect are quite capable," Han Li murmured with satisfaction a moment later.

"You are the Grand Elder of the Falling Cloud Sect; how could they dare not give their best effort? However, I didn't expect you to have them send the auxiliary materials for refining the Fire Spirit Domain as well. You don't cultivate a fire-attribute cultivation method," the boy's figure reappeared on the cauldron, looking at Han Li with a strange gaze.

"I know that, of course. But I possess an item that allows me to manipulate spiritual fire to condense spiritual threads, even if I don't have much fire spiritual power myself. This item is the very treasure that originally gave birth to spiritual fire threads. Using it to condense the Fire Spirit Domain itself is perfectly appropriate," Han Li calmly explained. He patted his waist, and a fiery red small cauldron instantly shot out, hovering in front of him after a brief swirl.

The boy narrowed his eyes, scrutinized the fiery cauldron for a moment, and though he said nothing, he nodded.

Han Li smiled faintly and emptied the storage bag onto the ground.

A flash of white light later, over a dozen jade boxes and wooden chests of various sizes appeared on the ground.

Han Li then lightly tapped the fiery cauldron with one hand.

The crimson cauldron lid silently flew up. With a rumble from within the cauldron, clusters of fiery red flames emerged, instantly transforming into over ten crimson fire crows that circled and danced around the cauldron.

"Flame spiritualization! This treasure of yours is only average in power, but it is indeed a very pure fire-attribute treasure, suitable for condensing spiritual fire threads for you. Even so, these fire crows are born from this cauldron, not formed by your magical power, so controlling them will surely be somewhat awkward. Using this method to condense spiritual fire threads will likely require immense mental effort. One small mistake, and all your efforts might be wasted," the boy warned.

"Please rest assured, Daoist Tian Xie. While I may lack other things, I certainly have enough patience," Han Li chuckled, unconcerned.

Hearing Han Li's reply, the boy naturally offered no further dissuasion. Han Li formed hand seals, and a spell struck the fiery cauldron.

The cauldron instantly spun, its size rapidly expanding, becoming several times larger in moments.

Han Li then flicked his sleeve, and a transparent object immediately shot out, vanishing into the cauldron without a trace.

With a boom, clusters of crimson flames appeared on the surface of the fiery cauldron, and dazzling firelight immediately shot up from within. The gelatinous object flickered in and out of view within the red flames, even being chased and pushed above the flames by several fire crows.

Seeing this, Han Li's expression became solemn. He continuously flicked his ten fingers, and over a dozen spells of various colors shot out simultaneously, striking the fire crows.

The fire crows stirred, each one furiously spewing flames at the transparent object.

And that object, as if able to absorb the fire from these crows, gradually turned reddish on its surface as the flames burned, and its shape began to change.

Han Li grabbed a jade box on the ground in front of him. The lid shot off by itself, revealing a small piece of light blue paste inside.

With a flick of his finger, the paste flew into the cauldron. Upon contact with the fire, it immediately turned into a blue liquid, which was completely absorbed by the transparent object without a single drop remaining.

Han Li's heart swelled with joy at this sight. He stopped his hand seals, but then several green threads shot out from his fingertips, all submerging into the crimson flames.

The flames immediately surged several feet higher, and a faint rumbling sound echoed from within the cauldron, while Han Li's expression became extremely solemn.

Two months later, a streak of green light shot directly towards the main peak of the Falling Cloud Sect. After a fleeting flash, its light receded at the entrance of the grand hall at the foot of the mountain, revealing Han Li's figure.

The dozen or so Falling Cloud Sect disciples guarding the hall's entrance were all greatly surprised when they clearly saw Han Li. They hurriedly bowed in greeting.

Han Li, however, waved his hand, then lifted his leg, and vanished from his spot, only to mysteriously reappear inside the hall's entrance the next moment.

The disciples were naturally startled and couldn't help but look in that direction.

They watched as Han Li seemingly took only a few steps, yet flickered several times before disappearing into the corridor.

These hall-guarding disciples were filled with awe and shock, deepening their reverence for this Grand Elder of their sect.

When Han Li appeared in the side hall of the main building, Lu Luo, the true administrator of the Falling Cloud Sect's affairs, was pacing back and forth in the hall, a subtle look of anxiety on his face.

"Junior Brother Han, you've finally emerged from seclusion! It seems you've received the transmission talisman I sent," Lu Luo turned and saw Han Li. His eyes lit up with joy, and the anxiety on his face seemed to lessen.

Han Li smiled faintly. With a flicker of his figure, he appeared before a wooden chair, calmly sat down, and then spoke, "The transmission talisman said that Junior Nephew Bai Ting and others disappeared in Demonfall Valley. This matter is somewhat strange, and it also involves Pei Ling and my unofficiated disciple, so I naturally had to come and find out what happened."

"This matter is indeed a bit peculiar. Junior Nephew Bai and the others have been in Demonfall Valley for half a year now; by all accounts, they should have returned to the sect. However, according to the report from the disciples I sent to search, they said that only cultivators saw the three of them enter the valley, but no one saw them come out. Some cultivators also encountered the three of them in the outer valley, but they mysteriously vanished in Demonfall Valley shortly after. I suspect the three of them might have actually..." Lu Luo paused his words here.

"Could it be that the three of them ventured into the inner valley and encountered some danger, or got trapped somewhere?" Han Li finished his thought, his expression calm, making it impossible to discern his inner thoughts.

"Precisely, that's what I meant, Senior Brother. Although the inner valley of Demonfall Valley is still very dangerous, you, Junior Brother, have already advanced to Grand Cultivator and have ventured into the inner valley before. A general search of the inner valley should be no problem, right?" Lu Luo asked tentatively.

"Hmm, the spatial rifts in the inner valley of Demonfall Valley pose little harm to me. As long as I avoid the particularly dangerous areas, there will be no major issues. My artifact refining has just finished, so I'll make a trip there," Han Li replied succinctly, stating this after a brief thought.

"That would be for the best then; I'm much obliged, Junior Brother. However, Junior Brother, you are now the Grand Elder of this sect, bearing the prosperity and decline of our sect, so you must prioritize your own safety..." Lu Luo was initially very happy, but then remembered something and quickly urged him.

"Senior Brother Lu, please rest assured. In the Tiannan Region, there's likely no one who can harm me. And I won't easily put myself in danger," Han Li said with a smile, unconcerned, but in his mind, he recalled the Heavenfiend Demonic Corpse that was lost in Demonfall Valley back then.

Could the disappearance of the three women be related to that demonic corpse? Without any specific reason, this strange thought surfaced in Han Li's mind.

He felt slightly strange about it, but Han Li remained exceptionally composed on the surface. After chatting with Lu Luo for a while longer, he unhurriedly took his leave.

Two days later, after entering the forbidden area to check on Nangong Wan's condition, Han Li left the Falling Cloud Sect alone and headed straight for Demonfall Valley.

Over a month later, within Changzhou province in the Eastern Yu Country, three streaks of light were flying swiftly. Suddenly, they circled above a small, unnamed mountain, then descended, revealing three burly men. All three were tall, each had two flying forks of different colors stuck into their shoulders, and their faces bore some resemblance, as if they were blood brothers.

At the summit of the small mountain, three other cultivators were already waiting: an old man, a middle-aged scholar, and a young man with a faint smile.

"Haha, Elder Hou, you've been waiting! My brothers and I were delayed by something on the way; I hope you don't mind! Hmm, are these two fellow Daoists also disciples of your esteemed sect?" The oldest of the burly men, his face full of cordiality, laughed heartily at the old man. But after glancing at the young man and the middle-aged cultivator, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He immediately noticed that the old man and the middle-aged scholar were standing respectfully at the young man's sides, their faces completely deferential. Even when the burly man greeted him, the old man only offered a stiff smile in return, not daring to initiate conversation with the three of them.

This naturally startled the burly men. When they swept their divine sense over the young man, their hearts were filled with shock.

For the young man's body seemed like mist; their divine sense found no trace at all, utterly unable to discern the depth of his cultivation.

The expressions of all three burly men changed dramatically.