Chapter 458: Temptation

Mortal Cultivation Saga, Volume 4: Winds Rise Overseas

As if sensing Han Li's hostility and the wariness on his face, the vast, sky-obscuring dark clouds began to swirl rapidly, quickly contracting towards their center. For a moment, black mist surged, and demonic energy intensified greatly.

Han Li's heart tightened, and just as he was about to unleash his puppets in a preemptive strike, Xuan Gu's cold voice resonated in his ear.

"Kid, don't act rashly. He's just trying to intimidate you; he doesn't genuinely intend to kill you. Let's first see what this rebellious disciple really wants from you!"

Xuan Gu's telepathic message made Han Li pause, and he instantly came to his senses with a sudden realization.

He then suppressed the impulse in his heart and asked, neither humble nor overbearing:

"Senior Jiyin, what brings you here? Do you have any instructions for this junior?"

Han Li's voice was low and calm.

"To remain so composed after experiencing this old man's strike, it seems you have great courage." Grandmaster Jiyin's voice came from the dark clouds, giving a non-committal answer that left Han Li unsure if it was praise or contempt.

"Senior, if you, a Nascent Soul cultivator, truly wished to eliminate this junior, what difference would courage, great or small, make?" Han Li subtly furrowed his brows but immediately replied with his usual composure.

Knowing that Xuan Gu hadn't gone far and was hidden nearby, he felt slightly relieved.

If he and this old demon, who knew Xuan Yin's weakness, were to join forces, it wouldn't be impossible to fight the opponent. Of course, the prerequisite was that Xuan Gu would truly assist him if he were to fight Jiyin. Han Li had no confidence in that whatsoever. Therefore, he had no intention of provoking the other party in the slightest.

At this moment, the black clouds in the sky finally gathered together.

After a few flashes, with a whoosh, the clouds and mist dispersed, revealing a middle-aged man and a short, ugly young man in the air—Grandmaster Jiyin and Wu Chou.

"Your name is Han Li, a rogue cultivator from Tianxing City, am I right?" the middle-aged man asked, looking at Han Li with considerable interest.

"That's correct, I am Han Li. It seems Senior already knows a great deal." Han Li revealed a slight wry smile, speaking with some helplessness.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to cause trouble," Grandmaster Jiyin said with a faint smile. "Nor am I here to take out my anger on you because of the Miaoyin Sect incident that day. The previous attack was merely because I found that formation a bit troublesome, so I simply broke it."

"Troublesome? Didn't you just want to intimidate me with your powerful strength?" Han Li thought, knowing full well, but on his lips, he still asked with a touch of deference:

"Then, Senior, why are you here...?"

Although he knew the other party was waiting for this very question, Han Li could only grudgingly ask it.

But after hearing Han Li's question, Grandmaster Jiyin chuckled, and his eyes meticulously scanned Han Li up and down again. This made Han Li feel uneasy.

"Do you recognize this item?" Grandmaster Jiyin asked with a stern face, as he suddenly flipped his hand and a small, whitish object appeared in his palm.

Before Han Li could clearly see what it was, he lightly tossed it, and the object flew straight towards Han Li.

Han Li showed a hint of suspicion. When the object flew in front of him, he flicked his sleeve, immediately wrapping his long sleeve around it, and then carefully brought it before his eyes.

The item wasn't large and was incomplete, but Han Li recognized it at a glance.

It was a small segment of pure white spider silk spat out by a Blood Jade Spider.

Han Li was taken aback, a little surprised as to why the other party possessed this item. But after a slight turn of thought, he immediately recalled that during the battle at Yinsha Sect that day, when he broke through the siege, he seemed to have used the Blood Jade Spider to deal with the demonic corpses blocking his path. The other party probably obtained this item then.

What was the other party's intention in asking about this item? Han Li's expression subtly changed, and various suspicious thoughts surged into his mind.

However, the other party wouldn't give him time for detailed consideration, so after a brief moment of thought, he honestly replied:

"Of course, this junior recognizes this item; it's the silk spun by my spirit beast. Did Senior come here because of this?"

Han Li now had a look of suspicion on his face, as if he still couldn't quite believe it.

But when Grandmaster Jiyin in the sky heard these words, a smile appeared on his face.

"Good, very good! The reason I sought you out this time is simply to see your spirit beast. Release this beast, and let this Grandmaster have a look!" Grandmaster Jiyin said with a hint of excitement, his voice surprisingly gentle.

But Han Li's vigilance soared!

Because within the other party's smile, he first detected a very well-hidden hint of greed, although this expression vanished in a flash.

But for the other party, a Nascent Soul cultivator, to show such an expression towards his Blood Jade Spider was truly not a good sign for him.

Although he felt deeply uneasy, facing Grandmaster Jiyin's gaze, Han Li only hesitated for a moment and could only force himself to say, "Alright."

"Stalling for a moment is better than nothing!" Han Li could only think with vexation.

Then he raised a hand and lightly tapped a spirit beast pouch at his waist.

A streak of white light shot out from the spirit beast pouch, landing in front of Han Li.

After the light receded, a white spider the size of a millstone appeared in front of Han Li, glaring fiercely at its surroundings.

The moment the Blood Jade Spider appeared, Grandmaster Jiyin's eyes immediately lit up, staring intently as if looking at an extremely precious treasure, and the joy on his face gradually intensified.

"Excellent! It truly is a Blood Jade Spider. Haha..."

After a while, Grandmaster Jiyin retracted his gaze but suddenly burst into laughter, looking up at the sky.

The laughter caused the nearby air to hum loudly, making Han Li's expression change.

The cultivation of a Nascent Soul cultivator is indeed unfathomable!

However, Han Li immediately showed a cautious expression. He knew that only now would the other party truly get to the point.

But before Han Li could hear Grandmaster Jiyin speak, Xuan Gu's anxious telepathic message sounded in his ear.

"How do you have a Blood Jade Spider? If you had this item, why didn't you tell me from the start?" Xuan Gu's voice was filled with regret and shock.

"Why would I tell you if I had this item myself?" Upon hearing this, Han Li instantly felt annoyed.

But he immediately calmed down and reconsidered. Since even Xuan Gu was so moved, it seemed this Blood Jade Spider truly held a great secret. He wondered if its appearance would be a bane or a boon for him now.

As Han Li was secretly pondering, Xuan Gu's somewhat hurried telepathic message sounded again.

"Jiyin, that rebellious disciple, will definitely invite you to the Inner Hall. Just go," Xuan Gu said. "I will follow secretly and provide support." Perhaps sensing that his tone towards Han Li was somewhat inappropriate, Xuan Gu's voice softened considerably but he still advised seriously.

Han Li, upon hearing this, became even more uneasy.

He had a vague feeling that he had been dragged into a great vortex because of this Blood Jade Spider and that he could be crushed to pieces if he wasn't careful.

As Han Li was secretly feeling suspicious, Grandmaster Jiyin finally spoke, uttering the words Xuan Gu had anticipated.

"Han Li, would you like to visit the Inner Hall? I can safely bring you in and out!" Grandmaster Jiyin said with a pleasant expression, his words filled with endless temptation.

"The Inner Hall?" Han Li was greatly startled upon hearing this.

That was an extremely dangerous place for Core Formation cultivators.

Although the treasures inside were precious, they also far surpassed those found elsewhere in the Vast Sky Temple.

But ever since Han Li learned the details of this place, he had wisely never considered entering it.

Now that he had just obtained the "Nine-Turn Spirit Ginseng," which was greatly useful for forming a Nascent Soul, he naturally had even less desire to take such a risk carelessly.

As for the other party's claim of safely bringing him in and out of the place, and Xuan Gu's urging him to agree, he scoffed at them, disbelieving and unwilling to listen.

He only had one life!

Thinking of this, Han Li only pondered for a moment, then forced a slight smile and declined:

"The Inner Hall is truly more than this junior can handle. This junior simply wishes to explore the first two sections. I won't go to the Inner Hall then! This junior doesn't possess such great fortune!"

Upon hearing these words, Grandmaster Jiyin's face darkened, and a sinister glint appeared in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Wu Chou, standing beside him, suddenly roared in anger:

"Han Li, my ancestor isn't pursuing the matter of you offending him that day. Now, he's even kindly offering to take you to the Inner Hall, yet you're making all sorts of excuses. Are you looking down on our Jiyin Island?"

As for Wu Chou's words, Grandmaster Jiyin didn't stop him, merely watching with an displeased, cold gaze.

Han Li remained silent.

Because in his ear, Xuan Gu's words urging him to agree sounded again. But how could Han Li easily comply!

"No, I won't go!" Han Li said with a calm expression. "Although I don't know why Island Master Wu wants me to go to the Inner Hall, I presume it's not just for me to have a look around and then be done with it! With this time, I'd rather search for a few more treasures in other, safer places."