Chapter 1696: Guanghan Instrument

Han Li was greatly surprised that the Grand Ascension Stage cultivator bestowed a rare treasure upon him immediately upon their first meeting. However, he naturally wouldn't refuse it. After accepting the treasure, he quietly pondered the reason behind the gesture.

Qian Jizi and the others also looked astonished at this sight, exchanging glances with each other.

They had expected the young man named Weng to say something more to Han Li, but instead, he leaned back and remained silent.

Qian Jizi paused for a moment, then quickly recovered and smiled at Han Li, saying:

"Fellow Daoist Han, it's a great fortune that Senior Weng has bestowed a treasure upon you. With this treasure to protect you, you should be mostly safe in the Guanghan Realm. However, time is short, so let me introduce you to your companions for entering the Guanghan Realm."

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Qian," Han Li replied respectfully.

"First, let me introduce Fairy Yue. Like you, she also activated a Guanghan Token and will lead another team into the realm. Although it's unlikely that both of your teams will be teleported to the same area, if you do encounter each other inside, please look out for one another," Qian Jizi said, pointing to a woman nearby dressed in blue palace robes with an unusually pale face.

"So it's Fairy Yue!" Han Li turned to examine the woman, though he couldn't immediately discern her race. He immediately clasped his fist with a smile.

Fairy Yue merely nodded faintly at Han Li without speaking.

"This is Shi Kun of the Stone Cocoon Race, whose defensive divine abilities are among the best of you all. Next to him are Feng Xiao and Yun Teng, two brothers from the Green Race, who excel at fighting together," Qian Jizi said, pointing out the various Void Refinement cultivators standing there one by one.

Qian Jizi had no intention of giving detailed introductions; he merely said a few simple words about each person. Thus, he introduced everyone in a short amount of time.

As for these individuals, when facing Han Li, a Rank Seven cultivator, some remained impassive, others were indifferent, and only a few offered a smile in return.

This was understandable. They were all Rank Nine cultivators from prominent races, most of whom were on the verge of breaking through to the Saint Stage. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been chosen for this expedition. Why would they pay much attention to an outsider whose cultivation was two ranks lower than their own? Even if this person had been personally praised by the young man named Weng earlier.

Many of those standing there simply believed it was because Han Li's cultivation technique was somewhat unusual.

Seeing this, Qian Jizi frowned slightly.

Others might not know, but he was aware that Han Li had once single-handedly eliminated several cultivators of the same rank. While he couldn't guarantee that Han Li's cultivation techniques and divine abilities surpassed everyone else's, his strength should certainly rank among the top three of this group.

Han Li, however, remained unconcerned and simply nodded at each of them.

Among these individuals were Cai Liuying and Duan Tianren's disciple.

Shi Kun from the Stone Cocoon Race was Duan Tianren's disciple, and the cloaked woman, Han Li had clearly heard earlier, was named "Liu Shui'er."

"Originally, a single Guanghan Token could only bring thirteen people into the Guanghan Realm via the teleportation array. However, this array has been improved by us and several array masters from the Crystal Race, and it can now teleport fifteen people. Therefore, all thirty of you present can enter the Guanghan Realm. Now that the introductions are complete, I will divide you into teams. Those whose names I call will be teleported with Fairy Yue, and the rest will follow Fellow Daoist Han. Mo Sha, Feng Xiao..." As soon as Qian Jizi finished the introductions, he began calling out names directly.

In just a moment, everyone was divided into two groups, taking their places behind Han Li and the woman in blue robes, respectively.

Han Li appeared calm, but he was secretly muttering to himself.

He wondered what methods Cai Liuying and Duan Tianren had used to bribe Qian Jizi. Liu Shui'er and Shi Kun had indeed been assigned to his team. However, both of them remained unusually calm, as if they were meeting Han Li for the first time.

Given this, it seemed he would truly have to venture into the forbidden ruins within the Guanghan Realm.

After the teams were assigned, at Qian Jizi's signal, another unfamiliar old monster from the Saint Race stood up and began explaining the taboos and precautions within the Guanghan Realm to Han Li and the others.

Although Han Li and the others had heard about these things multiple times from various sources, they remained fully focused, not daring to be distracted.

When the old monster finished speaking, Qian Jizi waved his hand, and a misty white light unfurled from his sleeve. In a flash, fifty to sixty treasures of various sizes appeared in the void before him.

These treasures included rings, golden bowls, small banners, staffs, and more—a dazzling assortment, radiating immense spiritual energy.

Curiously, however, common treasures like flying daggers or flying swords were entirely absent.

Everyone was dazzled by the treasures in the void, and expressions of surprise and doubt appeared on their faces.

Some looked directly at Qian Jizi, their lips moving as if they wanted to ask something. But just then, Qian Jizi let out a long laugh and said:

"What are you waiting for? These treasures were found in the city's secret vault and are specifically bestowed upon you for the success of your expedition. Each item can be used without prior refinement. However, each person may only take one; I will reclaim the rest."

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned for a moment, then showed great delight.

Many immediately formed hand seals and chanted spells, or simply reached out to grasp treasures from the void, eagerly taking the items they desired.

Several treasures with noticeably strong auras were coveted by multiple individuals. For a moment, these treasures shimmered with various spiritual lights, swaying back and forth in the void. Who they would ultimately fall to depended entirely on individual skill.

In the blink of an eye, more than half of the treasures in the air had been taken, but a few individuals had yet to act, continuously examining the remaining items, still deliberating.

For these people, while a powerful aura certainly indicated great might, it didn't necessarily mean that treasures with weaker auras were undesirable. Sometimes, a treasure that perfectly matched one's cultivation technique could double its power.

Han Li was also among those who had yet to claim a treasure.

However, he didn't wait long. With a flash of blue light in his eyes, he suddenly reached out with one hand towards the air.

A green light flashed above one of the treasures, and a misty green hand materialized, reaching down to grasp it. It then transformed into a stream of green mist, rolling towards Han Li.

A spiritual light flashed in Han Li's hand, and the green mist dispersed, revealing a sparkling blue jade fan. Its surface was engraved with a beautiful mountain peak, and an unusual chilling power emanated directly from the fan.

It was, unexpectedly, a rare treasure with ice-cold properties.

Han Li's lips curved into a smile, and he nodded in satisfaction. But the next moment, as if sensing something, he calmly raised his head and glanced across.

He saw Fairy Yue looking over with flickering eyes, her gaze directed precisely at the blue jade fan in his hand.

However, as soon as she saw Han Li glance back, she withdrew her gaze and looked back into the void.

She was also one of the individuals who hadn't taken a treasure until then.

A faint smile touched Han Li's lips, but a thoughtful look flickered in his eyes.

Finally, Fairy Yue also retrieved a ruler-shaped treasure from the air. It was misty white and also appeared to be a yin-cold treasure.

Once the last person had also taken their desired treasure from the air, Qian Jizi simply waved his sleeve towards the void. Instantly, white light flashed, and all the remaining treasures in the air transformed into streaks of light, which were all swept into his wide sleeve.

"Time is almost up. You should all go out and prepare yourselves," Qian Jizi commanded in a deep voice after consulting the young man named Weng.

A stir arose among everyone in the main hall, and they began to stream out towards the entrance.

Standing in the square outside the main hall, Han Li casually glanced up at the sky. The sunlight high above was dazzling, indicating it was clearly midday.

His gaze then shifted to the two massive arrays not far away.

In both arrays, over a hundred armored guards were already standing, holding array plates, formation flags, and other magical artifacts.

The densely embedded spirit stones within the arrays had also begun to emit a faint spiritual glow, indicating that everything was ready, just awaiting the final catalyst.

However, Han Li narrowed his eyes and suddenly looked towards the high space in the center of the arrays.

In the void, there was clearly a head-sized sphere of light, its surface flickering with five-colored spiritual light, and something seemed to be faintly present within it.

Han Li's expression shifted slightly. With a brief spiritual sense, he immediately knew that the sphere of light contained the Guanghan Token he had inadvertently activated.

However, the token appeared to be temporarily sealed by the five-colored sphere of light, making him unable to activate it in the slightest.

At this moment, Qian Jizi and the others also emerged from the hall, stopping at the entrance. They, too, looked up at the scorching sun in the sky, a sharp glint flashing in their eyes.

"There can be no errors in the activation time. Bring out the Guanghan Instrument," he suddenly ordered the nearby armored guards.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon receiving the command, several armored guards immediately transformed into streaks of silver light and flew into the main hall.

A moment later, these individuals re-emerged from the hall, laboriously carrying a colossal object.

The object was over ten zhang tall, resembling a giant greenish-blue bell. However, its surface was adorned with more than a dozen sculpted dragon heads, eyes tightly shut, making the object appear unusually mysterious.

With a loud "boom," the "Guanghan Instrument" was heavily placed in the center of the square, causing the ground to tremble.

Qian Jizi raised an eyebrow, formed a hand seal with one hand, and then flicked it upwards.

A white magical incantation flew out, disappearing into the Guanghan Instrument in a flash.

The surface of the greenish-blue bell immediately glowed with myriad lights, and countless green runes emerged. The dozen lifelike dragon head sculptures even seemed to squirm as if alive, though they quickly returned to stillness.

Only the mysterious runes on the giant bell's surface continued to flicker in and out of sight.

Everyone, including Han Li, couldn't help but continuously scrutinize the object, but naturally, they couldn't discern its purpose.

At this point, Qian Jizi and the other old monsters no longer paid attention to the Guanghan Instrument, engaging in their own conversations. However, for some unknown reason, the young man named Weng did not emerge from the hall.