Chapter 2481: True Immortal Descends Return to the Human World

"Your disciple, during my recent travels in the Xichuan region of Thunder Continent, stumbled upon a deeply hidden profound jade mine. It was only by chance, at its core, that I discovered so many Haoyin Stones," Bai Guo'er replied respectfully.

"I see," Han Li said, nodding and instructing her with a gentle expression. "However, had you not cultivated your Cold Soul Divine Ability to such a high level, you likely wouldn't have been able to sense the presence of these Haoyin Stones. You've rendered a great service this time. You may withdraw for now; I will certainly reward you handsomely later."

"Yes, your disciple takes her leave," Bai Guo'er said, immediately bowing obediently once more before exiting the hall.

After Bai Guo'er's graceful figure disappeared through the hall entrance, Han Li's face showed a thoughtful expression.

The Haoyin Cold Soul Mountain, part of the Five-Element Unification Mountains, could finally be refined.

With this, only the materials for the last mountain, the North Pole Prime Mountain, remained unaccounted for. He wasn't overly concerned about this.

Back then, in the Demonic Abyss Valley of the Human Realm, he had encountered an astonishing amount of North Pole Primordial Light. He figured he should be able to easily find the necessary North Pole Primordial Crystals there.

However, with his current cultivation level, his true body naturally couldn't descend to a lower realm. Otherwise, the terrifying power of the realm itself would be too much for him to bear. He would only be able to send a wisp of his sub-soul back to the Human Realm by using a special realm-breaking astrolabe and paying a considerable price.

The special wisp of his sub-soul that he had been cultivating in the Primeval Soul Lamp could finally be put to great use this time.

As soon as Han Li thought of returning to the Human Realm, the names of sects like Seven Mysteries Sect, Yellow Maple Valley, and Falling Cloud Sect instantly emerged in his mind. At the same time, images of his parents, younger sister, Li Feiyu, and Grand Expanse Deity flashed through his mind. He became completely lost in memories for a moment.

Several months later, after an earth-shattering boom echoed from a secret chamber in the Azure Origin Palace, a snow-white, crystalline miniature mountain emerged amidst countless silver flames from a massive crimson cauldron in the center of the chamber.

As soon as this mountain emerged from the cauldron, it immediately grew in size against the wind. Its surface was faintly covered with various white runes, and a swirling wave of white, chilling air emanated from it.

"The Haoyin Cold Soul Mountain has finally been refined. Now, only the North Pole Prime Mountain remains," Han Li muttered, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at the crystalline miniature mountain before him from his seated position in a corner of the secret chamber.

One year later, on a secluded path at the border between the Great Jin territory and the Barbarian tribes in the Human Realm, several fierce-looking men were gathered around a bonfire, roasting an unknown small beast and talking loudly.

Although their clothes were tattered, short knives, long spears, and other weapons lay beside each of them, faintly stained with blood.

In a corner near the bonfire, another scrawny man lay prone.

The man appeared to be no older than twenty-one or twenty-two, his face abnormally pale. His eyes were tightly shut. He wore a blue scholar's robe, and his entire body was tightly bound with hemp rope. His mouth was gagged with a sharpened wooden stick, from which black blood continuously seeped out. He looked to be on the verge of death, barely breathing.

The big men, however, paid no attention to him, happily chatting while eating their meat.

After an unknown period, one of the disheveled men suddenly spoke to the others:

"That penniless scholar must be dead by now, right? Someone go check. Heh heh, just a powerless scholar, yet he dared to meddle in our affairs. He must have been tired of living."

"I'll take a look," said another man, the most slender of the group, with a fierce expression, glancing sideways at the bound man. "That scholar hasn't moved for a long time; he should be nearly gone. If he's not dead, I'll give him another stab and personally send him on his way."

"Suit yourself, but make it quick," the disheveled man said noncommittally. "We should leave this area tomorrow and find another place to continue our carefree lives. The world has been in great chaos recently, making it even difficult for people like us to get by."

After a sinister grin, the slender man snatched up a saber from beside him and actually stumbled his way towards the blue-robed man.

He delivered a kick.

With a dull thud!

The blue-robed man flipped over and flew several feet away, landing face up, still motionless. However, the black blood at the corners of his mouth seemed to have congealed somewhat.

This slender man seemed unassuming, but his strength was considerable.

"He's really dead. Tch, you got lucky. Otherwise, you'd have taken another stab from me." Seeing this, the slender man spat a mouthful of thick phlegm onto the ground, turned with his saber still in hand, and headed back to sit by the bonfire.

Just then, a swirling gust of grey, malevolent wind suddenly swept in from the distance. Amidst the wildly flickering flames, a low, eerie chuckle emanated.

"Splendid! I never thought I'd find such excellent prey in this wilderness. Once I absorb your souls, my treasure will finally be successfully refined."

"No good! It's that infamous demonic Taoist from nearby! Everyone, run!" Upon hearing the voice, the disheveled man's face instantly turned pale, and he let out a shout. He then leaped up and fled frantically in a certain direction, not even daring to grab his weapons.

Seeing this, the other men also turned ashen-faced, scattered in all directions, and ran wildly.

In an instant, only the blue-robed man remained lying motionless near the bonfire.

"Cackle, cackle..."

Eerie cackling continued within the grey wind. With a swirling motion, several streaks of black mist suddenly shot out from it, chasing in different directions.

A short while later, piercing screams were heard successively from different directions.

Then, the sinister cackling abruptly stopped. All the black mists suddenly shot back to the sky above the bonfire. After swirling and coalescing into a single mass, a Taoist priest dressed in a black robe appeared in the low sky.

The Taoist had small, triangular eyes and high-arched eyebrows, giving him a very sinister appearance. However, at this moment, he held a greyish-white crystal ball and wore a look of utter delight.

"Excellent, excellent! The souls of these men contain such immense malevolent energy. It seems they've killed quite a number of people, making them perfect for refining my treasure. Hmm, there's actually another person here, and their soul doesn't seem to have dissipated yet. I'll just collect it along with the others." The black-robed Taoist first gestured wildly in delight, then, glancing at the ground nearby, a trace of surprise appeared on his face. But he immediately shook the crystal ball towards that spot.

With a "whoosh," a streak of black mist surged out from the crystal ball and enveloped the blue-robed scholar on the ground.

Boom!

The instant the black mist touched the blue-robed scholar, it unexpectedly exploded on its own without any warning, and the rolling blast of air sent the Taoist himself stumbling backward repeatedly.

"Which fellow Taoist is lurking around? Why don't you show yourself?" Seeing this, the black-robed Taoist cried out in alarm, then hastily waved his hand, releasing several talismans that instantly transformed into multiple layers of different colored light barriers, protecting himself within them. At the same time, he cautiously scanned his surroundings with a wary expression.

"Judging by your malevolent aura, you must be cultivating one of the lowest-tier demonic arts," a faint male voice emanated from nearby.

"Who's there?"

The black-robed Taoist flinched in alarm. He quickly turned his head towards the source of the voice, but couldn't help but stare in shock.

He saw that the blue-robed scholar, who had been lying down, had inexplicably sat up at some point. Not only had the ropes binding him and the wooden gag in his mouth vanished, but he was also looking at him with a calm gaze.

"Who are you, sir, and are you here for me?" The black-robed Taoist was filled with shock and doubt, countless thoughts flashing through his mind as he asked cautiously.

"Specifically for you? Heh heh, you think too highly of yourself. In the entire Human Realm, I doubt anyone is qualified for me to go to such lengths." The blue-robed man scanned the vicinity, then glanced at the Taoist, a hint of mockery appearing on his face as he spoke.

"What? The Human Realm? You are..."

"Never mind. What's there to say to a minor demonic cultivator like you? I'll know where this part of the Human Realm is very soon." The blue-robed scholar's gaze turned cold. He directly interrupted the black-robed Taoist's words, then opened his mouth, and a strand of green thread shot out instantly.

With a "shhh" sound, it ripped through the air!

The several layers of protective light barriers that had appeared on the black-robed Taoist's body instantly shattered and vanished. A finger-sized bloody hole appeared in the middle of his forehead as if from thin air. He let out no sound, simply flipping over and collapsing to the ground.

The blue-robed scholar raised his hand and gently beckoned.

With a "whoosh," the black-robed Taoist's corpse shot through the air and hovered before him, held by its head.

A faint blue light flickered in the scholar's eyes. Another crystalline thread faintly shot out from between his eyebrows and vanished instantly into the Taoist's skull.

Just a moment later, the scholar relaxed his grip, allowing the Taoist's corpse to fall to the ground.

"The Great Jin is in civil war! A battle between righteous and demonic forces! Interesting! I didn't expect the Human Realm to become so chaotic this time. But none of this concerns me much. It's a pity this person's cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, so he didn't know much. I wonder what the situation is like in Tiannan."

After muttering to himself thoughtfully for a few moments, the blue-robed scholar unhurriedly stood up.

He was, of course, Han Li, who had returned to the Human Realm. Although the wisp of his sub-soul carried limited magical power, for the Human Realm, he was still an almost invincible existence, comparable to a peak Nascent Soul cultivator.

Han Li surveyed his dust-covered clothes, then raised a hand to touch his current face, and his brows furrowed.

Suddenly, he performed a hand seal with both hands. A layer of green light rippled outward from his body. After a blur, a young man with an ordinary appearance, dressed in a green robe, instantly appeared in his place.

After performing the secret art, Han Li easily transformed his physical body back to its original appearance. Then, with a stomp of his foot, he transformed into a streak of green light and streaked through the air.

Outside a massive city in the Great Jin, millions of soldiers, like ants, were desperately climbing towering siege ladders towards the city wall.

Meanwhile, atop the city wall, the defending soldiers, dressed with only minor differences, were desperately firing arrows down below, while rows of long spears frantically thrust at the attacking soldiers who had managed to reach the top of the wall.

For a time, blood flowed like rivers, and a murderous aura soared into the sky.