Chapter 1397: Task Completed

"As for you all! The reason you were ambushed in the forest is that the Wood Clan's high-ranking official, Gao Jun, altered the surveillance range of the Dreamluan Trees in peripheral areas like Blackleaf Forest. The Young Master was likely detected by one of these trees as soon as she entered the forest. Fortunately, the Wood Clan's leadership doesn't value Blackleaf Forest highly, so they only assigned a low-level Silver-tier Wood Spirit to manage this area. Otherwise, in a different forest, even with my support from the inside, it would have been nearly impossible for you to escape," the woman added solemnly.

"So that's how it is! Sister Chu, you've truly endured so much these past thousand years."

The young woman's expression shifted, and she said slowly.

"It's nothing," Ye Chu said, appearing unconcerned. "I haven't been idle these years within the Wood Clan; I've actually learned quite a few of their secrets. At least I have something to report back to the clan. However, I'm certainly exposed now and can no longer stay with the Wood Clan."

Han Li's heart stirred slightly at her words.

"A major war might break out in Tianyuan City soon. Even without this incident, the Family Head had planned to recall you, Sister. With your current cultivation, continuing to remain hidden within the Wood Clan would be a complete waste of your talents," the white-robed young woman said with a soft laugh.

However, this laugh seemed to aggravate her internal injuries, causing her to cough a few times, and her face visibly paled further.

"Young Master, are you alright? Perhaps you should take another Phoenix Spirit Pill?" Ye Chu urged, her expression tightening at the sight of the young woman.

"No need!" The young woman shook her head. "There aren't many Phoenix Spirit Pills left; I'm saving them for a more important use."

"Is your injury severe, Young Master?" Han Li's eyes flickered slightly.

"I was hit squarely by that Silver-tier Wood Spirit. Do you think it's severe or not?" The white-robed young woman pouted at Han Li, looking quite annoyed.

"If it's a typical internal injury, I have several elixirs that might be beneficial for your condition," Han Li said calmly. With a flick of his sleeve, he tossed several medicine bottles toward her.

The white-robed young woman raised an eyebrow. With a single hand, she conjured the medicine bottles into her grasp. She opened each lid and sniffed them, one by one.

"Miraculous Ganoderma Pill, Hundred Saints Pill, Spirit-Restoring Water... Brother Han, you are truly generous to possess such potent healing elixirs. In that case, I won't stand on ceremony." The young woman seemed to have a profound understanding of elixirs, instantly identifying the contents of the bottles, a look of surprise on her face.

Given the young woman's status, she naturally possessed some of these spiritual medicines herself, but it was still quite astonishing for a Soul Transformation cultivator to produce so many at once.

After a blink of her beautiful eyes, the young woman unceremoniously accepted all the medicine bottles and immediately took a few pills. She appeared to trust Han Li implicitly.

Han Li felt a measure of admiration for her decisive nature.

Of course, in all likelihood, this was also because she possessed some secret art, making her completely unafraid of any tricks Han Li might have played with the elixirs.

"By the way, Brother Han, how did you find your way here?" the young woman asked, her eyes darting about. Her complexion had improved significantly after taking the elixirs. "If I'm not mistaken, that concealment talisman from earlier... it seemed to be a Silver Tadpole Talisman, didn't it? What is it called? I've never seen such a sophisticated Silver Tadpole Spirit Talisman before." She suddenly inquired about the Grand Unity Transformation Talisman.

"I have some experience in tracking," Han Li replied with a faint smile, turning the question back to her. "As for that spirit talisman, it's called the Grand Unity Transformation Talisman. I obtained it by chance, and it is indeed quite miraculous in terms of concealment. It surprised me that you could see through it with a single glance, Young Master. I wonder how you managed to discern it. With its power, even a Void Refinement cultivator would find it difficult to see through easily."

"My cultivation method happens to have a restraining effect on most concealment techniques, so seeing through Fellow Daoist Han's spirit talisman is nothing unusual. Brother Han, you don't need to be too concerned," the young woman said, pursing her lips with a faint, enigmatic smile.

Han Li could only offer a wry smile in response.

Although he knew her words were likely untrue, it would have been improper to press for details.

"I'm fine now!" the young woman suddenly said to Ye Chu. "Sister Chu, you must have the Wood Clan's intelligence data with you, right? While there's nothing urgent, quickly transmit the jade slip to Tianyuan City to prevent any further mishaps."

"Yes, Young Master," the green-skinned woman immediately replied.

Han Li's expression remained normal, but inwardly he was overjoyed.

At that moment, the white-robed young woman retrieved a glittering silver prismatic ritual disk from her storage bracelet. Meanwhile, the green-skinned woman opened her mouth and produced a verdant jade slip from within.

Han Li also possessed one such ritual disk. It could transmit a small item back to Tianyuan City in a single use, after which the disk would be destroyed and rendered unusable.

Now that the young woman was using her own transmission disk, Han Li remained unconcerned. This magical artifact was said to have been recently developed by the artifact forging masters of Tianyuan City. Otherwise, if that half-demon wood phoenix had carried one from the start, Han Li and the others might not have needed to make this specialized trip.

The young woman raised her hand and cast a white spell toward the ritual disk, causing it to flash with white light and emit a brilliant spiritual glow.

She tossed the ritual disk forward, and it instantly transformed into a milky-white light array about a foot in size, spinning continuously and emitting a low hum.

"Hurry," the young woman urged. "Although it's a small teleportation array, it might attract members of the Wood Clan."

Ye Chu understood this as well. Without hesitation, she tossed the jade slip from her hand, and it immediately fell into the array.

With a grave expression, the young woman performed another incantation.

Silver runes suddenly appeared within the array. After a flurry, the jade slip vanished into thin air with a clear chime.

The light then dispersed and vanished in an instant, revealing the original form of the silver ritual disk.

However, the ritual disk was now completely unusable; all its engraved formations were destroyed, and its entire surface was covered in cracks.

Han Li, however, was secretly delighted. With a flick of his wrist, a gleaming green jade talisman appeared in his hand. He stared at it intently, without blinking.

It was precisely the half of the Thousand-Mile Talisman issued by the high-ranking officials of Tianyuan City before their departure!

Seeing this, the young woman smiled. After collecting the broken ritual disk, she also took out another Thousand-Mile Talisman and gazed at it with bright, clear eyes.

Ye Chu, however, remained expressionless, standing in place with her usual demeanor.

For a moment, all three remained silent, and the place became utterly quiet.

After a full fifteen minutes, the Thousand-Mile Talismans in both Han Li's and the young woman's hands simultaneously flashed with spiritual light, and lines of text appeared on each.

Han Li's heart pounded. He meticulously memorized every word displayed on the jade talisman.

Once the dense text had almost covered the entire jade talisman, the white light receded, and the talisman dimmed once more.

At this moment, a wide smile spread across Han Li's face.

What Tianyuan City had transmitted was indeed the text explaining how to remove the restrictions on the Dust Extinction Pill bottles, exactly as agreed upon beforehand. It appeared the city had implicitly acknowledged their completion of the mission, and he had finally regained his freedom.

Feeling exceptionally excited, Han Li's gaze swept across the white-robed young woman seated on the boulder opposite him.

He saw that she was still intently gazing at the Thousand-Mile Talisman in her hand. She didn't seem to have finished reading yet, but her lips were curved upwards, clearly indicating her extreme satisfaction with the talisman's content.

Han Li's thoughts stirred.

This young woman wouldn't need the Dust Extinction Pill. He wondered what benefits the high-ranking cultivators of Tianyuan City had promised her to make her willingly undertake such a perilous venture.

"So, Brother Han, did you get what you wanted?" The young woman finally finished reading the content on the jade talisman. After putting away the item in her hand, she said with a cheerful smile to Han Li.

"Indeed, I did get what I wanted," Han Li replied with a smile.

"In that case, let's leave this place quickly. Even if you have other plans, Fellow Daoist, I assume you certainly wouldn't want to remain within the Wood Clan's territory, would you?" the young woman said to Han Li, her words carrying a profound meaning.

Han Li paused, then slowly nodded after gazing at the young woman for a moment.

Seeing Han Li agree, the young woman seemed quite pleased and instructed the green-skinned woman beside her.

The green-skinned woman assented, raising her hand and releasing a treasure.

When this item first appeared, it was only about a foot in size. It was a bright yellow wooden bird puppet.

Under the woman's magical incantation, the wooden bird rose into the air. Simultaneously, its body rapidly expanded amidst radiating light, instantly growing to over ten zhang in size.

It looked lifelike and remarkably majestic.

The young woman and Ye Chu immediately flew onto it without a word. Han Li hesitated for a moment but also ascended onto it.

Under Ye Chu's sharp command, the wooden bird spread its massive wooden wings, instantly transforming into a ball of yellow light and shooting away.

From the moment Han Li met the two women, through the completion of their mission, and their subsequent escape from the area, Han Li and the white-robed young woman surprisingly never once mentioned Long Dong and Xiao Hong, as if the two individuals had never existed.

Less than half a day after the wooden bird departed, a silver rainbow shot from the horizon. After circling the island a few times, it too flashed and flew away, breaking through the air. Its direction of departure was precisely the same as the wooden bird's.

A month later, a mass of yellow light streaked across the vast wilderness. It was Han Li and the others, swiftly traveling aboard the wooden bird.

Since their departure that day, Ye Chu had continuously urged the wooden bird forward at full speed, traveling like the wind and lightning, not daring to pause along the way.

This was how they managed to reach this location in such a short time. And not far ahead lay the entrance to the One-Line Sky.

Han Li and the two women couldn't help but feel a slight sense of relief.

Just then, a sudden gale swept through the air ahead. Dark clouds immediately gathered, thunder rumbled, and the sky instantly turned incredibly gloomy. Pitch-black storm clouds rolled restlessly, obscuring more than half the sky. Amidst the roaring, faint, low growls could be heard.

The growl wasn't very loud; it was unusually deep, but it was filled with an indescribable aura of majesty. Upon hearing it, both the white-robed young woman and the green-skinned woman's expressions changed drastically.

"This is..." Han Li's pupils contracted, and a look of hesitation appeared on his face.

Just then, several massive silver arcs flashed within the dark clouds. Then, amidst a rumbling sound, a gigantic head, like a mountain, emerged from the clouds. Two pale golden eyes flashed, fixing intently on Han Li and the others aboard the distant wooden bird.

Under this sinister gaze, Han Li suddenly felt a chill rise from his back, instantly enveloping his entire body. He found himself momentarily unable to move a single inch.