Chapter 2284: Aid

"Third level of the Spirit Refinement Technique! Achieving this realm is not easy at all. When I cultivated the second level back then, I already exhausted every possible method. Advancing another level in a short time is quite unlikely!" Han Li replied, a bit speechless.

"I watched your battle with the True Form of the Mother of Sky-Mending Insects from afar through the magic formation just now. Your physical body is powerful, no weaker than those Profound Immortals. Based on this, plus some guidance from me, cultivating the third level of the Spirit Refinement Technique won't be as difficult as you imagine. Although I never cultivated this technique myself, as a Patrol Envoy, I naturally caught a few individuals who practiced this forbidden art. Learning some of the secrets to cultivating this technique from them was effortless." The man said with confidence.

"Senior, this puts me in a difficult position. Since cultivating this technique leads to endless troubles, I need to seriously reconsider advancing to a higher level. Otherwise, even if I ascend to the Immortal Realm, wouldn't I be an outcast, hunted by everyone?" Han Li hesitated, then said with a wry smile.

"I know you're still a bit skeptical of my words. It's fine. With your current cultivation, even if you stop practicing the Spirit Refinement Technique, in a few hundred to a thousand years, you'll discover the issues in your spiritual sea yourself. At that point, you'll naturally come back to me. As for you considering matters after ascending to the Immortal Realm now, don't you think it's a bit early? It would be more practical to first consider how to escape the danger of falling and whether you can truly ascend to the Immortal Realm with this technique." The man said calmly, without any intention of forcing Han Li.

"Thank you for your understanding, Senior. This matter concerns my future path of cultivation, so I must be cautious. I need some time to consider it thoroughly and will give you a reply as soon as possible. However, there's one more thing I'd like to ask you?" Han Li said with a light sigh after his expression flickered for a while.

"Oh, what else do you wish to know?" The man asked calmly, not surprised by Han Li's reply.

"I want to know what the Immortal Realm is truly like," Han Li asked, his eyes flickering slightly.

"Hehe, the Immortal Realm, you say? It's still a bit too early for you. If you truly wish to know, I'll tell you some specific details before you undergo the Ascension Tribulation. But for now, I can only give you one word: 'Vast.' Only when you reach the Immortal Realm will you truly understand the immensity of the various Immortal Regions. Even an Immortal, using their entire life's effort, cannot traverse even the most inconspicuous Immortal Region. So, even if you cultivate the Spirit Refinement Technique, as long as you avoid the major cities in your Immortal Region, it's generally very difficult to encounter Patrol Envoys like us. Generally speaking, it's quite safe." The man replied indifferently.

"Hearing you say that, Senior, I feel even more drawn to the Immortal Realm," Han Li said, smiling faintly upon hearing this.

"Naturally, the Immortal Realm's cultivation resources and various heavenly treasures are far beyond what the lower realms can compare to. Otherwise, why would I have struggled so hard to find a way to return? Very well, since you don't intend to immediately accept my offer, I won't keep you any longer. I have something here that is also quite useful to you right now. Take it as compensation for slaying the Mother of Sky-Mending Insects. Hehe, I, this humble Taoist, never owe favors."

As soon as he finished speaking, with a whoosh, a white light flew out from the alms bowl.

After Han Li's divine sense swiftly swept over it, his expression changed slightly. With a grab in the air, he drew the white light into his palm. It was a remarkably thin, paper-like crystalline jade slip, its surface densely inscribed with gold and silver runes. Upon seeing them, they looked somewhat familiar; they were precisely the Silver Tadpole Script and Golden Seal Script, two forms of true Immortal Realm script.

"This is a treasured talisman I brought down from the Immortal Realm back then. It contains a drop of Purple Cloud Essence, which is very rare even in the Immortal Realm. It should be enough to replenish the primal power you lost by igniting the Source Fire earlier," the man said, his voice now devoid of any emotion.

Han Li felt the Immortal Spiritual Qi emanating from the jade slip through his fingers, which was completely different from ordinary spiritual qi. Overjoyed, he put away the item in his hand and hurriedly bowed, expressing his thanks repeatedly.

"You may go. When you decide to continue cultivating this Spirit Refinement Art, come back here to see me." As soon as the man spoke, the grey-white light formation beneath Han Li's feet flashed, instantly teleporting him away.

"He's already cultivated this secret technique and yet he still wants to give up! How could there be such a good thing in the world? Given his current situation, I just need to rest for a while, and when I awaken, I should be able to see him again."

After the man in the alms bowl remained silent for a moment, he finally spoke with a long sigh.

Following this, the entire altar trembled violently, and the eight bronze pillars nearby also rumbled before a super-huge magic formation pattern suddenly materialized beneath the entire stone forest.

After a flash of light, both the stone forest and the bronze pillars of the altar vanished into thin air as if they were mere illusions.

The ground where they had been became completely empty once more.

One year later, on the summit of a ten-thousand-zhang tall peak, not too far from the edge of the Primordial Demon Land, a black-robed young man sat cross-legged on a large boulder, his eyes slightly closed in meditation.

After an unknown period, the young man's expression suddenly changed. His eyes snapped open, and faint purple rays subtly emanated from his pupils.

"Why is it him..." The young man's expression subtly shifted, and he muttered softly, his words containing a hint of apprehension.

A moment later, a sound of piercing the air rang out from the horizon, followed by a flash of spiritual light. A dazzling azure rainbow brazenly shot through the sky and, after a few blurs, appeared eerily above the giant peak.

"Fellow Daoist Yuanyan, you are indeed punctual, even two hours earlier than scheduled!" As the escaping light subsided, a young man in his twenties emerged from the azure glow. He swept his gaze over the boulder below and spoke with a slight smile at the corner of his lips.

This young man was none other than Han Li, while the person below was Yuanyan, one of the three primordial clans of the Demon Race. "You're not the one who arranged for me to come here, are you? Where is Baohua, or is all of this her doing?" Yuanyan's expression remained unchanged, but his tone was cold.

"Fellow Daoist Baohua should be far away in Jade Cloud Valley, millions of miles from here. As for why I'm here, it's at her invitation, to ask you to stay here for a while longer." Han Li smiled, openly stating the purpose of his visit.

"Jade Cloud Valley, that's where Six Extremes is temporarily recuperating! So, Baohua has truly decided to act against him and is preparing to reclaim the position of primordial ancestor. As for Nirvana's side, someone else has probably been dispatched to tie him down. Among these external Grand Ascension cultivators, besides you, the only one capable of holding Nirvana back is likely the Old Man Tongya. I wonder what benefits Baohua promised you all to make you willing to be used by her." Yuanyan's expression darkened somewhat, but to Han Li's surprise, he didn't get angry. Instead, after a moment of thought, he asked very calmly.

"I didn't ask who is handling Nirvana's side, but it's most likely Old Man Tongya, no doubt. As for benefits, I, Han, have naturally received some; otherwise, why would I willingly face a primordial ancestor?" Han Li replied unhurriedly.

"Hmph, I've heard that while several people attacked the Mother of Sky-Mending Insects simultaneously, you seemed to have contributed the most. It appears that after advancing to Grand Ascension, you've finally become an existence capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with us. But do you truly believe you can stop me if I decide to leave?" Yuanyan's eyes flickered with purple light, and his words gradually grew colder and sharper.

"Slaying that Mother of Sky-Mending Insects was the result of multiple people's combined efforts. Although I, Han, played a small part, I wouldn't dare take full credit for it. As for whether Fellow Daoist believes you can still confidently leave after I make my move, you are welcome to try." Han Li said calmly in response to this situation.

Yuanyan's expression darkened upon hearing Han Li's words, but a hint of wavering hesitation appeared in his eyes.

After a full tea-drinking session, Yuanyan, who had been contemplating for quite some time, finally let out a soft sigh and said:

"Regardless, this time, my escape from the seal was thanks to Baohua bringing aid. Out of gratitude for this, I will not interfere with her current actions. If she succeeds, I will acknowledge her return to the position of primordial ancestor. If she fails, I will absolutely not give her a second chance. After all, the three primordial ancestors of the Saint Realm have always advanced and retreated together."

"It's certainly fortunate that Fellow Daoist can make such a decision. If Fellow Daoist Yuanyan doesn't mind, perhaps we could take this opportunity to exchange some cultivation insights?" Han Li said with a broad smile, naturally pleased by the ease of the situation.

"I, too, am quite interested in how Fellow Daoist Han's strength could astonishingly surge to such a level after advancing. An exchange between us would be good!" This time, Yuanyan only pondered briefly before readily agreeing.

Hearing this, Han Li no longer held back. He raised a hand and pointed downwards. Immediately, another massive boulder on the peak rose from the ground seemingly out of nowhere. After a shift, it firmly landed not far from Yuanyan, directly opposite him.

Seeing this, Han Li's body flashed with a shimmering light, and he slowly descended from above.

Above a small island on another massive lake, an unknown distance away, Old Man Tongya hovered motionlessly in mid-air.

Opposite him, a handsome young man, encased in a layer of crystalline armor, stared coldly at the old man, a faint hint of ill will visible on his face.

In a valley abundant with verdant bamboo, a boundless sea of white mist suddenly emerged, completely engulfing the entire valley.

And at the center of the mist, continuous roars and explosions reverberated. Amidst the swirling white mist, countless illusory pink flower petals could faintly be seen spiraling and dancing erratically up and down.