Chapter 2348: True Immortal Descends Farewell Jin Yue

"I truly have no other choice. If I can't refine the gold and wood elemental Primeval Crystals within a year, I'm afraid I'll lose my only chance." Yue Long's face was etched with a bitter smile. "Currently, Brother Han is the only one who can most likely help me succeed."

"No more chances? What do you mean by that?" Han Li asked, somewhat surprised.

"Brother Han, you may not know, but drawing upon the power of heaven and earth is no simple matter. It requires not only finding a special spiritual land but also accurately predicting the precise time and calculating the periods of stellar energy shifts between heaven and earth for success. The reason I was able to refine the previous Primeval Crystals so smoothly was that I paid a huge price, asking a diviner from my clan to expend a significant portion of his lifespan just to accurately predict the stellar changes and draw down the required elemental powers of heaven and earth. According to his predictions, the stellar shifts for gold and wood elemental powers are inherently extremely rare. If I don't seize the predicted period to refine the Primeval Crystals, it could be countless years before the next opportunity arises. I simply don't have the luxury of waiting; I must refine the Primeval Crystals within this remaining year. If I hadn't unexpectedly encountered you today, I had originally planned to take the risk of asking a notorious old monster for help. Now that I have Brother Han, it's naturally a better choice. At the very least, Brother Han was willing to risk his life in the spirit realm to slay the Mother of Soul-Devouring Insects and rescue so many fellow cultivators; his trustworthiness is certainly higher." Yue Long rattled off a long explanation.

Han Li listened to all of this, his expression unchanged, but various thoughts raced through his mind as he silently made his judgments. After a while, he let out a soft breath and said, "Although I don't know much about you, your answer just now was satisfactory, and I don't see any reason for you to deceive me with false words. So, if helping you won't take too long, I can agree to it for now. However, in addition to these three materials as payment, I will also require one of each of the two newly refined elemental Primeval Crystals. Furthermore, these three materials must be delivered as an advance deposit immediately."

"No problem, Fellow Daoist, rest assured! The spiritual land for drawing upon the powers of heaven and earth is not far from here; we can begin refining immediately at any time. As for these three Primeval Crystals, they are now yours." Yue Long said, overjoyed, showing no intention of bargaining.

"Since you've put it that way, I won't procrastinate either. If Fellow Daoist Yue truly deems it necessary, we can depart for that spiritual land right away." Han Li smiled with satisfaction, flicked his sleeve, and a ray of light swept over the other two silver trays. In a flash, he collected all three Primeval Crystals.

"Excellent, I didn't expect Fellow Daoist to be such a straightforward person. However, to draw upon both gold and wood elemental powers, I still need to make some preparations. How about this, Brother Han, stay here for a night, and then we can head to the spiritual land together tomorrow?" Yue Long said, pleased to hear this, but after a slight pause, he added.

"Tomorrow it is then. In that case, I will impose on you for the night." Han Li thought for a moment before readily agreeing.

Yue Long was extremely pleased to hear this. He immediately gave an order, and groups of Feathered Spirit clan members entered the hall, bringing more spiritual fruits and wines.

For the remainder of the time, the Feathered Spirit clan's Grand Ascension cultivator engaged in casual conversation with Han Li, drinking and chatting.

"Oh, by the way, I'd like to inquire about someone, Fellow Daoist Yue. Do you happen to know anything about them?" Han Li suddenly remembered something and asked Yue Long.

"Oh, of course, if it's someone I know, I'll tell you truthfully." Yue Long seemed a bit puzzled but replied without hesitation.

"This person is also a fellow Daoist from the Feathered Spirit Clan, but they should be originally from the Five-Light Clan. Their Five Divine Light ability is truly formidable. As a Grand Ascension cultivator of the Feathered Spirit Clan yourself, it's unlikely you wouldn't know this person, right?" Han Li said slowly, his gaze fixed on Yue Long.

"The Five-Light Clan! What is this person's surname, and where did you meet them, Fellow Daoist?" Yue Long was startled, his expression changing dramatically as he hastily asked.

"Wasn't it I who was asking you just now?" Han Li sighed slightly, a faint, unreadable smile on his face as he spoke.

"Ah, I apologize for my lapse in etiquette. It's just that your question was truly unexpected. Although our Feathered Spirit Clan isn't considered a major clan on Fengyuan Continent, we've always had at least three Grand Ascension cultivators. However, regarding the Five-Light Clan, only one individual has appeared in the last million years. But when that person first entered the Grand Ascension stage, they immediately left the clan for a long journey, and no news of them has been heard since. We naturally assumed they had long since perished. Now that I've suddenly received some news from you, I was naturally a bit impolite. Do you know anything about this fellow Daoist from our clan? I hope you can share what you know." Yue Long quickly regained his composure and spoke apologetically.

"That explains it. Unfortunately, I only encountered this fellow Daoist by chance many years ago in a dangerous place in the wild lands. Other than knowing their surname is Yi and witnessing their Five Peacock Transformation, we didn't truly converse. It was only today, seeing you, that I suddenly remembered and thought to ask." Han Li replied, his expression unchanged.

"Surname Yi, then it's certainly our fellow Daoist from the Five-Light Clan. So he didn't perish after all; he's just still traveling outside for some unknown reason and hasn't returned. This is truly wonderful. I hope Fellow Daoist Yi can return to the clan soon." Yue Long let out a long breath, a smile reappearing on his face.

However, Han Li subtly detected a hint of stiffness in Yue Long's smile, suggesting that the relationship between him and this Grand Ascension cultivator of the Five-Light Clan was far from simple.

Han Li instantly understood. With a faint smile at the corner of his lips, he casually shifted the conversation away, turning it to the topic of cultivation.

He did not reveal the true fate of the elder surnamed Yi.

For some reason, Yue Long did not press further. Instead, after a slight moment of concentration, he genuinely began exchanging insights on cultivation with Han Li.

Just as their conversation was becoming animated, a figure flashed outside the hall, and a Feathered Spirit clan member entered. After respectfully bowing to Yue Long, they said:

"Reporting, Honored Ancestor, Elder Jin of the Sky-Roc Clan is seeking an audience. Do you wish to see them?"

"No, I'm not seeing anyone! How unobservant! Can't you see I'm entertaining a distinguished guest?" Yue Long's face darkened, and he reprimanded without thinking.

"Forgive me, Honored Ancestor!"

The Feathered Spirit clan member below turned pale with fright, hastily kowtowed in apology, and was about to withdraw from the hall.

"Wait a moment. Elder Jin, could that be Jin Yue, the Grand Elder of the Sky-Roc Clan?" Han Li's eyes flashed as he called out.

"What? Fellow Daoist, you know Elder Jin Yue?" Yue Long was greatly surprised.

"I've met her a few times in the past; she's an old acquaintance. Let her come in." Han Li said noncommittally.

"Since Elder Jin is an old acquaintance of Brother Han, that's entirely different. Go, let Elder Jin come in." A flicker of surprise crossed Yue Long's face, but he gave the order without any hesitation.

"Yes, Honored Ancestor!" Seeing that Yue Long had personally given the order, the subordinate naturally assented without a word and withdrew.

A moment later, a Feathered Spirit clan woman with golden feathered wings on her back and clad in a white robe entered, accompanying the subordinate.

She appeared youthful and had an ordinary face, but she exuded an air of grace and nobility. It was none other than Jin Yue, the Grand Elder of the Sky-Roc Clan, with whom Han Li had once conducted a transaction.

"Greetings, Honored Ancestor Yue!" As soon as Jin Yue entered the hall, her gaze immediately fell upon Yue Long. After taking a few steps forward, she promptly bowed her head in a respectful salute, not daring to look around.

However, at that instant, the corner of her eye also swept over Han Li. Besides feeling a vague sense of familiarity, her heart secretly jolted. "Someone who can sit equally across from Yue Long must also be another Grand Ascension cultivator. Could it be another Grand Ascension Ancestor whom I've met before?" Jin Yue couldn't help but ponder.

After all, Han Li's cultivation and presence were vastly different from before, both in aura and demeanor, preventing her from immediately recognizing him as the former "Saint Son" of their clan.

"Rise. Jin Yue, why are you here instead of overseeing the Sky-Roc Clan's affairs? You should remember that without my personal summons, an envoy from any Feathered Spirit Clan can at most see me once every hundred years." Yue Long gestured for Jin Yue to rise, then asked indifferently.

"Reporting, Honored Ancestor, this junior truly had no other option, which is why I had to seek your aid. Half a year ago, the Redflame Clan suddenly launched a large-scale offensive, ignoring clan rules to seize more than a dozen spiritual veins and several cities belonging to our clan. They also disregarded my warnings and abducted all the Sky-Roc clan members in that area. This junior personally sought out the Redflame Clan, but was injured by the combined efforts of several of their elders, forcing me to return to the clan to recuperate for half a year before I could even manage to come here to plead my case." Jin Yue raised her head, her face showing indignation as she spoke.

"Sigh, it's about you and the Redflame Clan again. Do you know, I already have some understanding of this matter." Yue Long sighed upon hearing this, speaking with a hint of helplessness.

"What? Could it be..." Jin Yue's heart jolted, and she seemed to recall something.

"Indeed, three months ago, the Grand Elder of the Redflame Clan personally came to me and likewise made a tearful complaint. However, their account was that your Sky-Roc Clan had first encroached upon their territory a year ago, which led to this current act of retaliation." Yue Long said slowly.

"Honored Ancestor, please discern clearly, this is absolutely slander from the Redflame Clan! The events of a year ago had a different cause; it was the Redflame Clan who first..." Jin Yue's face paled, and she immediately tried to explain herself in desperation.

"Hmph, I am now fully focused on dealing with the next great calamity. How could I possibly concern myself with every trivial detail of your petty disputes? Unless it involves the survival of an entire clan, you need not come to me again. Now, leave." Yue Long's voice turned cold, and he interrupted her with an expressionless face.