Chapter 2188: Battle of the Demon Realm Cotton City

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"Brother Han, I heard from my grandfather that you have a way to weaken the effects of the Emotion-Severing Art, but that I would need to stay by your side for a period. Is this true?" Silvermoon's smile faded, and she asked, suddenly serious.

"Senior Ao Xiao has told you about this already? Yes, that's correct. He possesses a secret spiritual art that can somewhat suppress the Emotion-Severing Art, allowing you, Silvermoon, to continue your cultivation. However, this secret art will only be effective if I practice it. So, for the foreseeable future, you will indeed need to stay by my side," Han Li explained with a smile, not appearing surprised.

"My grandfather really has such a secret art? I've never heard him mention it before! And why would it only be effective if you, Brother Han, cultivate it?" Silvermoon asked, a crease appearing between her brows.

"You should have been able to guess this point yourself. As your grandfather said, 'he who tied the bell must untie it.' Since your inner demon arose because of me, it will be more beneficial for you if I cultivate it. Your grandfather spent over a hundred years developing this spiritual art specifically for this purpose, even before he taught you the Emotion-Severing Art. It was originally created as a precaution! After I've cultivated it a bit, as long as you stay by my side, this art can subtly exert an invisible influence on your mind," Han Li said with a sigh after a moment of contemplation.

"Is it really that simple? The Emotion-Severing Art's influence on me will only grow stronger as I continue to cultivate it. Can a single, newly devised spiritual art truly suppress it?" Silvermoon asked, looking somewhat skeptical.

"Regarding that, I haven't begun cultivating it yet, so I can't be entirely certain. However, since Senior Ao Xiao painstakingly created it himself, I believe it should be effective. Furthermore, this spiritual art, like the Emotion-Severing Art, should grow stronger in its suppressive effect as cultivation deepens," Han Li replied after a moment's thought.

"Alright, even if the spiritual art is truly effective, how long will I need to stay by your side? Will you have to keep me with you every day until I can rid myself of the Emotion-Severing Art?" Silvermoon asked pensively, a hint of something unusual flickering in her eyes.

"That's not necessarily true. According to Senior Ao Xiao, as long as you advance to the Mahayana stage, you'll be free from the Emotion-Severing Art's restrictions," Han Li replied without hesitation.

"Advancing to Mahayana... that's too distant! It seems I'll truly be by your side for a very long time, Brother Han." Silvermoon said, a strange glint in her eyes and a slight curl of her lips.

"You possess the Seven-Star Moon Body; compared to ordinary cultivators, you have a considerable chance of advancing to the Mahayana stage, so there's no need to be discouraged. Besides, during this process, Senior Ao Xiao and I might already find other methods to resolve the issue, so you won't necessarily need to reach Mahayana to deal with the Emotion-Severing Art," Han Li said with a smile.

"That's true. But for at least the next few centuries, I'll definitely be staying with you, Brother Han!" Silvermoon said with a sweet smile.

For the rest of the time, they discussed other matters and even briefly exchanged insights on cultivation.

Much time passed without them realizing.

"Alright, it's getting late. The Emotion-Severing Art is about to act up again, so I'll go back to meditate and regulate my breath first. If I behave disrespectfully towards you, Brother Han, under its influence, please forgive me," Silvermoon said, turning to glance at the sky outside the window, then standing up and bidding farewell.

"Of course, I would never take such a thing to heart," Han Li said with a slight smile, also standing up.

Silvermoon then bowed politely and left the room without another word.

With a flash of white light, the door silently closed by itself.

Han Li sat down cross-legged again, his smile vanishing as a pensive expression appeared on his face.

At the same time, Silvermoon, who had already left the room, turned a few corners in the corridor. Upon reaching a relatively secluded spot, she suddenly stopped and said faintly, "Liaoying, come out. I have something to ask you!"

Before her words finished, the nearby void rippled. A nearly transparent phantom flickered out, its form gradually solidifying until it transformed into a slender woman clad in a tight-fitting black robe.

This woman wore a bronze wolf-head mask, her hands were encased in black gloves, and not an inch of skin was visible. Her feet hovered about a foot above the ground, gently suspended in the air.

"Miss, what are your orders?" the masked woman asked in a cool, clear voice.

"Liaoying, I know you were in the hall when Brother Han and my grandfather had their private discussion that day. Did my grandfather mention any other requests to Brother Han besides the spiritual art? Don't hide anything from me," Silvermoon asked, turning to fix her gaze on the masked woman.

Upon hearing this, the masked woman's gaze flickered slightly, and she seemed to smile as she replied, "Since Lord Ao Xiao has transferred the contract to you, Miss, I am now solely your shadow guard, so naturally, I will not hide anything. That day, Lord Ao Xiao's initial suggestion was not the spiritual art. Instead, he wished to marry you, Miss, to Daoist Han. Lord Ao Xiao guaranteed that if Daoist Han accepted the marriage, he would not only impart his insights and experience in advancing to the Mahayana stage but also offer most of his life's accumulated treasures as part of your dowry. However, Daoist Han refused, only agreeing to assist you with the spiritual art later."

"Grandfather really did that. He probably thought that by facilitating my marriage to Brother Han, my wish would be fulfilled, and many of the flaws in my state of mind would mend themselves. But this time, he was mistaken. Given Brother Han's character, he would never agree! If he had truly accepted the marriage, I would likely have been somewhat disappointed. But grandfather's expression probably wasn't pleasant after being rejected, was it?" Silvermoon said softly.

"Daoist Han is no ordinary late-Integration stage cultivator. Although Lord Ao Xiao was displeased after being refused, he didn't say much more," the masked woman said plainly.

"Of course. After my grandfather and Senior Mo Jianli, Brother Han is currently the most likely to advance to the Mahayana stage, representing the greatest hope for both the human and demon races to establish themselves in the Spirit Realm. No matter how displeased my grandfather might be, he wouldn't do anything detrimental to Daoist Han. This is for the best! Liaoying, you may go," Silvermoon said after a moment of absentmindedness.

"Then, Liaoying takes her leave," the masked woman said, bowing slightly before her form blurred and vanished directly into the void.

Silvermoon lingered for a moment, deep in thought, then sighed softly and departed.

The Emotion-Severing Art was about to act up, and she truly dared not delay any longer.

In the secret room, Han Li was also lost in thought, recalling his private discussion with Old Ancestor Ao Xiao.

During their confidential meeting in the hall, the Mahayana stage demon cultivator not only proposed marrying Silvermoon to him but also revealed something that greatly surprised Han Li beforehand.

Silvermoon's nominal husband, the Heavenly Kui Wolf King of the demon race, had unexpectedly perished decades ago in a great battle between the demon and devil races, ambushed simultaneously by several Demon Venerables.

With this revelation, Old Ancestor Ao Xiao's last shred of apprehension vanished, which was why he brought up Silvermoon's marriage directly with Han Li the moment they met.

Han Li, of course, politely refused.

In his heart, his true feelings for Silvermoon were composed of four parts close confidante, four parts brother-sister affection, and only two parts romantic admiration.

Under these circumstances, he naturally would not agree to Old Ancestor Ao Xiao's marriage proposal.

However, he secretly resolved that if Old Ancestor Ao Xiao's spiritual art ultimately failed to resolve Silvermoon's Emotion-Severing Art, he would personally seek other methods to solve the problem.

With his decision made, he stopped pondering, gently closed his eyes, and resumed his meditation and cultivation.

Thus, in the following days, Han Li began cultivating the spiritual art provided by Old Ancestor Ao Xiao in the flying ship's secret room.

According to Old Ancestor Ao Xiao, once this secret art was cultivated to a certain level, it would naturally emit a spiritual wave from the body that suppressed the Emotion-Severing Art.

Of course, this technique wasn't without its benefits for enhancing the cultivator's divine sense, though it couldn't compare to specialized spiritual strengthening arts.

Moreover, after just a brief period of cultivation, Han Li was surprised to discover that this technique, which Old Ancestor Ao Xiao claimed was difficult to cultivate, felt unusually easy to him. He even had a strange sense of it unfolding naturally.

He later realized upon careful consideration that this was likely related to his cultivation of the God-Refining Art.

Since he had already mastered such Immortal Realm secret arts as the God-Refining Art, other ordinary spiritual arts naturally felt extremely simple.

In just under two months, he had cultivated the first few layers of this spiritual art to a minor completion stage.

During this time, whenever the Emotion-Severing Art wasn't acting up, Silvermoon came to find him several times. Each time, they talked at length and only parted ways when they had fully enjoyed their conversation.

In this manner, the flying ship traveled safely back, and after another half month, it finally entered the Spirit Realm of the Wood Clan, controlled by the allied forces of various races.

Under Old Ancestor Ao Xiao's control, the flying ship didn't stop for a moment, heading directly for "Kapok City," the headquarters of the allied forces.

Along the way, the flying ship encountered many patrolling teams from various races. However, they clearly recognized Old Ancestor Ao Xiao's flying treasure and respectfully bowed from a distance, showing no intention of approaching for inspection or obstruction.

After flying for another ten-odd days, a dozen colossal sky-piercing trees, thousands of zhang high, suddenly appeared on the distant ground.

Each of these giant trees was five to six thousand zhang tall and thirty to forty zhang thick, their bodies verdant green, shimmering with a faint, luminous glow.

With these giant trees as pillars, a massive city, divided into over a dozen layers, rose majestically from the ground. It was entirely constructed from various types of wood, without a trace of stone tiles or earth.

On the tall wooden city walls of each layer, teams of guards from different races, varied in appearance, were faintly visible.

This was precisely "Kapok City," the main encampment of the allied forces from various races, and also the former second-largest strategic city of the Wood Clan.