Chapter 2237: True Immortal Descends A Sensation Between Two Clans

Han Li nodded, motioning for Young Master Hai to stand aside. Then, he pointed to Yin Yue and Daoist Crab nearby and calmly spoke to his disciples:

"This is your Senior Aunt Yin Yue and Senior Crab. From now on, you are to treat them as you would any elder, including myself. Come and pay your respects."

"Greetings, Senior Aunt Yin Yue and Senior Uncle Crab!""We pay our respects to Grand-aunt Yin Yue and Senior Crab!"

Qi Lingzi had already noticed Yin Yue and Daoist Crab. Hearing Han Li's words, he immediately led his disciples forward to respectfully bow.

Yin Yue waved her hand with a slight smile, while Daoist Crab nodded expressionlessly.

"This girl is Zhu Guo'er," Han Li said, pointing to Zhu Guo'er beside him and introducing her solemnly. "Her name is only one character different from your Junior Sister Bai's, which greatly surprised me when I first heard it. However, she has no real relation to your Junior Sister Bai; she comes from another rarely known secret realm. I will tell you more details later, but for now, she will temporarily stay by my side. You can treat her as a junior sister of your own generation."

"So it's Junior Sister Zhu," Qi Lingzi said with a smile, a flicker of surprise crossing his face as he cupped his fist towards Zhu Guo'er. "If Junior Sister Bai were to see you, she would surely be very happy."

"Guo'er will likely be staying with Senior Han for a while," Zhu Guo'er said, giving a remarkably polite curtsy to Qi Lingzi and the other person. "If there are any improprieties, I hope my two senior brothers will be lenient."

Qi Lingzi and the other naturally exclaimed, "We wouldn't dare!"

Next, Han Li carefully inquired about the events that had occurred while he was in seclusion, questioning Qi Lingzi and the others.

Han Li was particularly meticulous in asking about the mysterious withdrawal of the Demon Race from the Spirit Realm.

Unfortunately, Qi Lingzi and Young Master Hai were equally unclear about the matter.

They only knew that one day, after the Heavenly Abyss City Elder Council suddenly announced a temporary ceasefire with the Demon Race, the demon army that had occupied human territories soon retreated like a tide, returning to the Demon Realm through portals.

Afterward, the Human and Beastkin Races easily reclaimed all lost territories. Only a few stubborn demons remained, unwilling to leave.

During this period, the various powers of the Human and Beastkin Races primarily focused on recovering from the damage caused by the demonic calamity and eradicating the remaining demons. This led to a rather prosperous situation, much like a resurgence after a major disaster.

Han Li listened carefully to Qi Lingzi's account, his face calm, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

As soon as Qi Lingzi finished his narration, Han Li pondered for a moment, then his gaze flickered as he asked:

"So, Elders Mo Jianli and Ao Xiao suddenly went missing not long after the demonic calamity ended?"

"Yes, Master," Qi Lingzi replied definitively after a moment of thought. "Although our cultivation levels are low, we usually have some connections with the disciples of the Heavenly Abyss City elders. Therefore, as soon as this happened, your disciple became aware of it. The Holy Island's blatant pressure on Heavenly Abyss City to hand over Junior Brother is likely not unrelated to the disappearance of the two seniors. Otherwise, given the prestige of the two seniors, even the most reckless individuals on the Holy Island would have to consider their relationship with them and with you, Master. How else would they dare to directly oppress us in such a manner?"

"Hmm, I will certainly have to visit the Holy Island eventually," Han Li said with a cold laugh, then suddenly added, "Also, I have something I need you to do."

Qi Lingzi was startled for a moment, but immediately lowered his head and replied, "Please command, Master. Your disciple will handle it properly."

"I have a list here," Han Li said in a deep voice. "Try to get your disciples to help me collect and inquire about these items. These are rare and precious in the entire Spirit Realm. Even if you can't acquire them, at least find out their exact whereabouts for me, and I will find a way to obtain them myself."

"Yes, your disciple obeys your command," Qi Lingzi agreed without hesitation.

Daoist Crab, who was nearby, showed a slight change in expression upon hearing the conversation between master and disciple, but he said nothing.

"Good, you two may go now," Han Li nodded, giving another instruction. "Senior Aunt Yin Yue and I still have some matters to discuss."

Qi Lingzi and Young Master Hai dared not offer any objections. They affirmed their understanding and led their disciples out.

Without waiting for Han Li's instruction, Zhu Guo'er also discreetly followed them out of the hall.

In a flash, only Han Li, Daoist Crab, and Yin Yue remained in the hall.

"Yin Yue," Han Li asked with a somewhat grave expression, turning to her, "before you left your ancestor, did you hear Senior Ao Xiao mention anything regarding his disappearance?"

"No, he didn't," Yin Yue replied with absolute certainty, her face also somewhat grim. "If there were truly life-threatening matters, as my grandfather's only direct blood descendant, how could he not reveal even a hint to me? When I left, my grandfather showed no signs of anything unusual."

"In that case, it seems your ancestor and Senior Mo's disappearances are indeed related to the Demon Race," Han Li said thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "Heavenly Abyss City likely doesn't have any more specific information. Only the Holy Island might know some details. It appears I truly must make a trip to the Holy Island."

"Brother Han, there's no need to worry too much about my ancestor," Yin Yue said, raising an eyebrow. "My grandfather and I share the same bloodline; if something truly happened, I wouldn't have absolutely no sense of it. If my ancestor is fine, then Lord Mo Jianli should also be fine."

"Your ancestor and Senior Mo are both Mahayana cultivators; under normal circumstances, they wouldn't easily encounter such danger," Han Li replied with a worried frown. "I'm just concerned that the two seniors might have fallen into a demonic trap and become trapped in a place extremely difficult to escape from. After all, trapping two Mahayana cultivators is easier than directly killing them."

"My ancestor and Senior Mo are both extremely meticulous individuals; such a thing shouldn't happen, should it?" Yin Yue's expression couldn't help but change slightly upon hearing this.

"Perhaps I'm just overthinking it," Han Li said, his expression softening. "Tomorrow, I'll question the elders of Heavenly Abyss City more thoroughly; perhaps something else will be discovered."

Yin Yue nodded, her expression still somewhat uncertain.

At this point, Han Li turned to Daoist Crab and asked:

"Brother Crab, I've already instructed my disciples to keep an eye out for the items you're seeking. However, before all the items are gathered, I hope you'll continue to lend me your assistance."

"I wouldn't have left your side before you passed the trial anyway," Daoist Crab replied expressionlessly. Han Li was greatly pleased by this.

For the remainder of the time, Han Li and Yin Yue meticulously discussed the questionable aspects of the Demon Race's withdrawal from the Human Realm and the disappearance of the two Mahayana cultivators, Ao Xiao and Mo Jianli, but ultimately, they reached no conclusion.

They decided to temporarily set the matter aside and each went to a secret chamber to meditate and rest.

Early the next morning, Elder Gu, Chan Master Jinyue, and all the other Body Integration elders of Heavenly Abyss City were waiting outside the stone pagoda where Han Li resided, having arrived early and submitted their calling cards.

Upon receiving Qi Lingzi's report, Han Li smiled faintly.

It seemed none of the Heavenly Abyss City elders had been able to sleep that night, otherwise, they wouldn't have arrived so early.

With a single command from Han Li, Qi Lingzi immediately ushered all of them into the hall from the previous day.

There, he received the Heavenly Abyss City elders alone.

This conversation was quite private and lasted from morning until noon, after which Elder Gu and the others emerged from the hall with various expressions.

Soon after, the news of Han Li's advancement to a Mahayana cultivator finally spread officially throughout Heavenly Abyss City.

All members of the Human and Beastkin Races in the city who heard this news were first incredulous, but then became ecstatic, pouring into the streets in uncontrolled excitement to celebrate the event with great fanfare.

The emergence of a new Mahayana cultivator like Han Li could guarantee the standing of both races in the Spirit Realm for tens of thousands of years to come.

Furthermore, Han Li had already established a formidable reputation during his Body Integration stage and had resided in Heavenly Abyss City for a considerable period, which gave everyone in Heavenly Abyss City a sense of shared pride.

Propagated by numerous scouts within the city, this news spread rapidly with incredible speed to other territories of the Human and Beastkin Races.

Naturally, information about Han Li hosting a Mahayana celebration in a year's time, and the location of the celebration being Heavenly Abyss City, was also disseminated along with the news.

All powers, great and small, that received this news were uniformly astonished and quickly dispatched people to confirm its veracity.

While these powers harbored their own private thoughts, once they confirmed the news was indeed true, they immediately sent representatives to Heavenly Abyss City, expressing their definite intention to personally attend the Mahayana ceremony.

Some places too far from Heavenly Abyss City immediately began preparing their congratulatory gifts and selecting capable envoys.

In summary, within just two to three months, almost every corner of the Human and Beastkin Races was joyfully discussing the Human Race's newly advanced Mahayana cultivator and the upcoming grand Mahayana ceremony.

Even nearby races like the Spirit Race and the Yaksha Race, upon learning the news, sent messages explicitly stating they would also send envoys to observe the ceremony.

The only somewhat unusual reaction came from the Holy Island, which seemed a little cold and did not actively promote the event.

Besides these various powers and nearby foreign races, many renowned rogue cultivators and independent great demons of the Human and Beastkin Races also ended their secluded cultivation and emerged, similarly preparing for a trip to Heavenly Abyss City.

This was because, according to custom, any newly advanced Mahayana cultivator would publicly explain their experiences and insights regarding their Mahayana advancement at the grand celebration.

For individuals of both races who were preparing to break through bottlenecks or had been stuck at a bottleneck for countless years, this was naturally an exceptionally rare opportunity.

It was possible that after listening to the new Mahayana cultivator's explanation, they might suddenly gain enlightenment in their own studies and easily break through their bottlenecks.

Such occurrences were indeed not uncommon at past Mahayana celebrations.