Chapter 1353: Evil Guest

Thus, under the precise manipulation of Han Li's spiritual sense, the electric threads in the air tirelessly formed one identical lightning rune after another, following the intricate structure of lightning.

However, this manipulation was clearly extremely difficult. Even with Han Li's powerful spiritual sense and the subtle control afforded by his Bright-Sight Spirit Eyes, he failed repeatedly, and the nascent runes exploded one after another.

After seven or eight attempts, a gleaming golden "brocade handkerchief" finally emerged, suspended motionless in the air.

This palm-sized handkerchief had an unusually striking lightning rune imprinted in its center, shimmering with an extraordinary mystery. The moment Han Li saw it form, a strange expression flickered across his face. With a raised hand and a summoning gesture, the handkerchief immediately stirred, drifted down, and was caught in his grasp.

The handkerchief was exceptionally soft, its surface smooth, even finer than real silk. Without a careful inspection using the Bright-Sight Spirit Eyes, one would not be able to discern anything unusual about it.

Han Li caressed the golden handkerchief and studied it for a moment longer. With a flicker in his eyes, he suddenly tossed the object into the air and cast a spell.

The handkerchief transformed into a golden streak of light and flew above his head. After spinning around, a low thunderous roar emanated from it.

The handkerchief began to shatter inch by inch. Within the golden light, a phantom-like lightning rune emerged. It was pale gold and semi-transparent, and simultaneously, an immense spiritual pressure surged skyward from the rune.

This was precisely the mysterious power he had sensed earlier.

Han Li's eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at the head-sized golden rune in the air, an extraordinary excitement stirring in his heart.

Although he had not yet fully activated the airborne lightning rune with a spell, the spiritual energy it contained was immense. It was more than ten times stronger than the Evil-Ward Lightning that formed the handkerchief. If this were an offensive power, even with the protective restrictions on the stone chamber, it would surely be unable to withstand it.

Pondering this, Han Li raised his hand and gestured towards the lightning rune in the air.

With a crack of thunder, the lightning rune flashed, instantly reverting to the handkerchief, which was once again drawn into his hand.

Subsequently, Han Li once again exhaled golden arcs, and using the Evil-Ward Lightning, began to condense a second lightning-rune object. After a similar series of failures, another lightning-rune object appeared before him.

This time, the object that appeared was not a handkerchief, but a gleaming golden spherical bead. On its surface, a similar lightning rune faintly shimmered.

Han Li held one in each hand, carefully sensing the differences between them with his spiritual sense.

A moment later, he seemed to realize something. He opened his mouth, and a ball of silver flame suddenly shot out. He formed a hand seal and pointed at the flame.

Immediately, a clear cry emerged from the flame, followed by a "bang." The flame burst apart, and countless silver sparks scattered in all directions.

Han Li muttered an incantation. With a flick of his spiritual sense, the silver sparks condensed and transformed, turning into thin strands of fire.

The same scene unfolded, but these fire threads, halfway through their intertwining, exploded with a rumble and reformed into a silver fireball.

Seeing this, Han Li revealed a thoughtful expression. At the same time, with a thought, the silver fireball instantly transformed into a firebird. It spread its wings and flew back, disappearing into Han Li's body.

Afterwards, Han Li used his own magical power, condensed blue spirit threads, and also made an attempt. The result was the same as with the Spirit-Devouring Heavenly Flame: they dispersed and vanished halfway through the casting. Han Li did not continue his attempts, but instead fell into deep contemplation.

Clearly, the mysterious powers in both objects came from the same source. However, there were significant differences in the details. The lightning power in the handkerchief was stable and pure, while the lightning power in the golden bead was restless and extremely dangerous, seemingly on the verge of erupting at any moment.

Han Li toyed with the two lightning-rune objects. After a careful period of thought, a faint, subtle smile appeared on his face.

If his guess was correct, these lightning runes should be a type of naturally formed, wondrous magical script. Each pattern should possess a unique effect, similar in existence to immortal true texts like the Silver Tadpole Script.

However, what miraculous effects these lightning runes possessed, and how to skillfully employ them, could not be understood in such a short time. Han Li placed the two lightning-rune objects into a jade box. He carefully affixed several restriction talismans to it, before putting it and the jade slip into his storage bracelet.

For the remaining time, Han Li calmed his mind, closed his eyes, and truly entered a meditative state of rest.

On the morning of the third day, Han Li opened his eyes. He deactivated the restrictions on the quiet room, pushed open the stone door, and walked out.

The moment he left the stone chamber, following his usual habit, his spiritual sense immediately spread out, subconsciously sweeping across the entire hall.

As a result, he immediately heard some sounds.

His head tilted slightly, and he frowned.

But his footsteps did not falter in the slightest as he walked towards the main hall.

Before he had fully exited the passage, Han Li suddenly heard a man's boisterous laughter: "Fairy Xu, a bet is a bet. You couldn't accomplish what was agreed upon. Is it not time to agree to my disciple's proposal?"

This laughter was completely unfamiliar, and as grating as a broken gong.

Han Li silently exited the passage. With a sweeping glance, he took in everything in the hall.

He saw four people in the main hall, standing in pairs as if in a standoff.

A man and a woman stood together. The woman was precisely the female cultivator surnamed Xu, but her face was pale as a sheet. The other person was the green-eyed big man, Zhuo Chong, whose expression was similarly grim.

Opposite them were two black-robed figures! One was a lanky, triangle-eyed old man, clad in azure-dark armor. The other was short in stature, with sparse, yellowish hair on his head, a short, middle-aged man with a pockmarked face.

The one laughing loudly was precisely the triangle-eyed old man!"Senior Han!"

The moment Han Li appeared in the main hall, the green-eyed man spotted him. He was startled at first, then, as if receiving a great pardon, he hurried forward to greet him.

When the female cultivator surnamed Xu saw Han Li, a look of pleasant surprise also appeared on her beautiful face.

Han Li paused his steps. His mind raced a hundred times in an instant, but the expression on his face remained unchanged.

"You must be the new Fellow Daoist Han, then!" The old man's boisterous laughter abruptly ceased, and he eyed Han Li with a hint of surprise.

At the same time, Han Li's spiritual sense swept over, and he discovered that the old man was actually a Mid-Soul Transformation cultivator, seemingly one realm higher than himself. His eyebrows subtly arched.

"Who are you two fellow daoists, and why are you causing a commotion here?" Han Li asked coldly.

Seeing Han Li's demeanor, the triangle-eyed old man became furious. His cultivation was clearly higher than the other's, yet he spoke to him in such a manner. This person truly didn't know his place.

However, in a flash, he remembered Han Li's identity as an ascended cultivator. The anger that had just flared up in his heart was forcibly suppressed again, but he said with a forced, unnatural smile:

"This old man is Huang Bao, the leader of the twenty-seventh squad. I merely came to your hall to have a few words with Fairy Xu. Fellow Daoist, it would be best if you don't interfere."

"I have nothing to say to you. This matter seems to only concern your disciple. Senior, aren't you acting a bit like a bully by suddenly interfering in this matter?" The female cultivator surnamed Xu bit her lip slightly and spoke each word distinctly.

"What, Fairy Xu, do you intend to break your promise to my disciple? Fairy, you never said beforehand that my disciple couldn't seek help from others. If you fellow daoists are capable, you are welcome to seek help yourselves. Otherwise, don't bring disaster upon your Xu family." The triangle-eyed old man's tone was chilling, and his snake-like gaze fixed intently on the woman.

"What concerns me, what does it have to do with the Xu family? Senior, please don't implicate the innocent." A look of alarm and anger appeared in the female cultivator Xu's eyes.

"Heh heh, how can it be unrelated? When you and my disciple made that bet, your entire Xu clan were witnesses. If you fellow daoists are unwilling to uphold the agreement, then this Huang will naturally have to find those witnesses." The old man chuckled as he spoke. Upon hearing this, Fairy Xu's face paled even further. Her gaze shifted, and she couldn't help but look at Han Li. Although she said nothing, the plea in her eyes was unmistakable.

The green-eyed big man beside them also wore a helpless expression.

"What bet?" Han Li stroked his nose and asked indifferently.

Truthfully, if the woman surnamed Xu wasn't a descendant of Fairy Ice Soul, and if he hadn't considered this connection, he wouldn't have asked at all.

Given his status, asking this question almost certainly implied his intention to interfere in the matter.

The triangle-eyed old man's expression subtly changed!

"It's very simple. I proposed marriage to Fairy Xu. But Fairy Xu, confident in her exceptionally cold Ice Crystal Sword, personally promised me that as long as my natal magic treasure could withstand a blow from her sword without being frozen, she would agree to the marriage. And I have accomplished this. Yet, the Fairy intends to renege on her promise, and has actually hidden herself here." The short man's eyes darted around, and he chuckled as he spoke.

"Is this true?" Han Li asked the woman surnamed Xu again.

"It is true that this matter occurred," Fairy Xu said with a face full of anger, "but his natal magic treasure was tampered with. Otherwise, how could an early-stage cultivator like him possibly withstand my attack?" She cast a resentful glance at the old man.

Although the old man said nothing, a hint of smugness flickered in his triangle-shaped eyes.

"Regardless of the reason," the short man said with a sneer, "your Ice Crystal Sword cannot freeze my Green Wave Blade now. This is truly the case! Fairy, you admit this, don't you?"

The woman surnamed Xu remained silent, her face a mask of coldness.

"So that's how it is! However, I also don't believe that Fellow Daoist Xu's Ice Crystal Sword would be unable to freeze your magic treasure. Demonstrate it again in front of me. If it is truly as you say, then I, Han, will not bother with this matter. If not, I ask both of you fellow daoists to leave this place. This is the station of the fifty-sixth squad, not the twenty-seventh squad's." A cold glint flashed in Han Li's eyes, and his tone instantly turned stern.

"Senior, I..."

"Good, let's do that. I hope Fellow Daoist Han remembers what he said."

The woman surnamed Xu was startled upon hearing this. She wanted to say something, but the old man, delighted, readily agreed.

Fearing Han Li's identity as an ascended cultivator, he genuinely did not wish to make an enemy, especially if it wasn't necessary.

The short man, knowing his place, immediately opened his mouth. He exhaled a green flying dagger, which hovered uncertainly before him, while a sinister smile appeared on his face.

The flying dagger glowed blindingly, shimmering with astonishing spiritual light. It truly appeared to be no ordinary object.

Han Li's eyes narrowed. A blue light flashed in his pupils, and he instantly saw through the flying dagger, analyzing it inside and out.

This so-called "Green Wave Blade" actually contained two completely different spiritual energies condensed within it. One was weaker, while the other was extraordinarily powerful! Indeed, this treasure had been tampered with.