A Mortal’s Journey to Immortality: Wang Yu’s Rebirth as the Reincarnation Dao Ancestor - Chapter 80

Chapter 80 The Transaction, Early Return

Han Li frowned in thought upon hearing this.

Was it fair?

If he were a Core Formation cultivator, this deal would definitely be unfair.

Under equal circumstances, he could easily win this woman over.

At the very least, if he were a second or third-generation heir with powerful connections, like Dong Xuan’er, with a Core Formation elder who would steadfastly support him, then he would still have Gan Rushuang under his thumb.

But unfortunately, he was merely a lowly Qi Refining cultivator born into a rogue sect.

It seemed he could borrow some strength from Fairy Hong Fu, but the prerequisite was: he had nothing to hide! He had to willingly hand over all the proceeds from the spiritual herbs!

Otherwise, he would break the sect rules, harming the interests of the sect’s Nascent Soul patriarch and several Core Formation elders. Fairy Hong Fu wouldn’t tolerate him, let alone expect her to protect him.

Therefore, this deal was unfair. However, Gan Rushuang’s proposal was very fair to him now.

The other party had already shown great sincerity.

“May I ask, senior, have you informed the sect disciples about my relationship with the Ink Dragon?” Han Li asked.

If he had, there would be no need for the transaction.

“Don’t worry, they all think the Ink Dragon is dead, dead in that passage. After all, there were indeed Ink Dragon’s bones and blood left in the wall formed by the small Five Elements Sumeru Forbidden Array in the stone hall. And no one expected that a Qi Refining cultivator would be so incredibly lucky as to have contracted with an Ink Dragon about to break through to level 2.”

It was too much of a coincidence. Even

if Han Li hadn’t used telepathy, she wouldn’t have thought of it.

“So, as long as you don’t reveal the Ink Dragon, no one will doubt your identity…”

But once you do, it’s like exposing your identity.

Good luck to you.

At that time, a certain senior sister in the sect and several high-level cultivators probably wouldn’t mind giving him a good beating on a dark and stormy night.

After all, this kid killed so many of their Hidden Moon Sect’s elite disciples with powerful backgrounds. Even if there were reasons for it, what’s wrong with some senior brothers and sisters bullying the weak to achieve their goals?

“Well then, we can make this deal, but the amount of spirit stones can’t be too little.” He didn’t believe Gan Rushuang’s claim that the amount was astounding. “Also, I need you to wait an hour after the forbidden area passage opens before leaving. Would you agree?”

“An hour later?”

“Yes.”

“Any other requirements?”

“If possible, I don’t need spirit stones. I can use Foundation Establishment Pills instead.”

“You want to exchange spirit stones for Foundation Establishment Pills?”

“Yes.”

“Tsk tsk, little guy, you’ve got some ideas. Indeed, Foundation Establishment Pills are useless to us Core Formation stage cultivators. Keeping spirit stones is more cost-effective. But unfortunately, I don’t have any Foundation Establishment Pills on me,

so I can’t grant your request.” Gan Rushuang breathed a sigh of relief. She then thought to herself, “This kid doesn’t seem to be from a powerful family. Otherwise, my suggestion would probably have been rejected outright. In that case, we would be locked in a life-or-death struggle.”

Fortunately, this kid didn’t put her in a difficult position or force her to choose between loyalty and righteousness.

The failed transaction and broken negotiations meant that her infiltration of the forbidden area by this Core Formation stage cultivator was highly likely to be exposed. This would give the six sects, who were outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds, an excuse to replicate the Moon Sun Pearl incident and restrict the development of their Hidden Moon Sect.

Her master’s kindness in raising, teaching, instructing, and guiding her for over a hundred years was immeasurable, and she would never allow such a situation to occur.

Once there was any sign of it, she would fight to the death.

Han Li was well aware of this.

If he dared to say “no,” the next moment would be a life-or-death struggle.

Compared to the life-saving grace he had given, the great kindness that this Core Formation expert, who still had some conscience, had received from the Hidden Moon Sect was far greater.

Forcing him to choose between the life-saving grace and the great kindness of his sect was not only making things difficult for him, but also for himself!

Therefore, after thinking about it, he still had the Ink Dragon throw out the Vermilion Bird Ring, taking the initiative to show goodwill.

Gan Rushuang’s eyes lit up upon seeing this, and she thought even more highly of this young man from Tianque Fortress: What courage!

A different Qi Refining stage disciple would likely be incredibly hesitant and awkward.

Once the Vermilion Bird Ring regained its freedom, it trembled and flashed with flames. The flames first burned away the several sealing talismans attached to it, then swirled back into the girl’s hand, carrying the ring itself. The bracelet rapidly shrank, shrinking and shrinking until it finally rested on the girl’s fair, jade-like wrist.

At the same time, a storage bag flew towards Han Li.

Taking the bag and examining it, Han Li pursed his lips.

“How is it? Are you satisfied?”

Gan Rushuang asked with a smile.

So many spirit stones—a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator like him had never seen anything like it in his entire life!

“Thank you, Senior,”

Han Li said, bowing respectfully.

Inside the storage bag were as many as eighty mid-grade spirit stones, and two bottles of pills highly beneficial for cultivation. These pills were extremely rare, even for Foundation Establishment cultivators, worth a fortune.

This girl had given him two bottles.

This unexpected delight certainly exceeded his expectations.

This woman was quite generous.

“Cultivate diligently. I hope one day you can stand before me with true confidence, either to discuss the Dao with me, or to exchange insights over tea. Don’t be so timid and risky as you are today.” Giving a little more is a way of returning the favor.

With that, Gan Rushuang activated a mid-level talisman and departed.

Han Li, upon hearing this, stood there speechless for a long time.

“Are you really Nangong Wan, the female lead from the book?”

“Discuss the Dao? Is that a joke, or just a senior’s casual encouragement to a junior?”

Regardless of the reason…

“Wait.”

“Next time we meet, I’ll make you call me ‘senior’!”

He suddenly felt as if many shackles had been removed, and he felt incredibly light.

And for some reason, he had developed a stronger interest in cultivation.

If before, his pursuit of immortality was vague, a desire for that elusive longevity, then now he had a more direct and real direction.

Let’s set a small goal first: to get this girl to willingly call him “senior”!

That would surely be quite interesting.

…

The fifth day of the Crimson Trial arrived at Shen Shi (3-5 PM).

Outside.

Several Core Formation cultivators from the Seven Sects began to exert their power again.

The passage quickly opened a gap.

“I wonder what the harvest will be like this time?”

These Core Formation cultivators each had their own thoughts.

The Foundation Establishment managers around them quietly watched the dark passage, waiting for the first person to emerge.

Meanwhile.

Inside the Crimson Forbidden Land.

A series of dark openings buzzed and appeared on the walls of the outer array.

Looking up at the sky, it seemed as if countless open black holes could be seen.

These openings were actually passages to leave the forbidden land.

Once inside, cultivators could leave the forbidden land. Then, the array would teleport them to the single opening.

Han Li didn’t hesitate. After removing his Cloud-Stepping Boots, taking off his mask, and changing back into his Yellow Maple Valley attire, he flashed and entered the nearest opening.   Immediately afterward, the world spun around him. Then, he was flung out of a pitch-black space by a creaking, spinning windmill.

Outside   , the sun shone brightly.   Han Li, who had been thrown out, had already regained consciousness. After scanning the outside world with his divine sense, he used a left-foot-right-foot technique, followed by a Wind Control Technique and a Lightness Technique to quickly stabilize himself. He landed steadily without stirring up any dust. His trouser legs weren’t dirty.   ”You’re out?”   Dong Xuan’er gracefully greeted him with light, lotus-like steps.   ”Uncle Dong,”   Han Li said with a smile and a respectful bow.   This bow, seemingly polite, actually created a distance between them. Or rather, it maintained a distance between them.   Dong Xuan’er had no objection to this; she was used to it. Hong Fu was also very satisfied, and the others were even more satisfied.   In the cultivation world, there was a strict hierarchy.   Some people might not care, but others cared the most.   ”How was the harvest?”   Dong Xuan’er blinked.   ”Thank you for your concern, Uncle. This is enough to exchange for a few Foundation Establishment Pills.” This time, Han Li showed a genuine smile.   It was a smile without affectation or concealment.   ”Your harvest can actually be exchanged for several Foundation Establishment Pills? That means…”   Dong Xuan’er’s eyes widened.   ”Uncle-Master, look.”   Han Li proactively handed over his storage bag.   This move left many people present stunned and speechless.   ”You’re showing me your storage bag?” Dong Xuan’er pointed to herself, her eyes also widening slightly in surprise and disbelief.   ”Yes, so what?” Han Li retorted confidently.   This truly baffled the other cultivators.   Could one casually let outsiders see their own storage bag?   Let alone letting outsiders see it, even if one’s Daoist partner wanted to see it, a normal person wouldn’t agree. And a sensible Daoist partner wouldn’t make such an excessive request. But this disciple from Huangfeng Valley was completely unconventional.   While Dong Xuan’er hesitated, Han Li had already placed the storage bag in her hand:   ”It was my suggestion that you, Martial Aunt, participate in the gamble. If you lose, I will take half of the sect rewards brought by these spiritual herbs to compensate you, Martial Aunt Dong, and Martial Uncle Wang. After all, it was my suggestion, and I can’t let you two Martial Aunts bear all the risks.”   ”No need, no need…”   Dong Xuan’er waved her hand and took the storage bag to examine it.   Martial Uncle Wang, not far away, felt a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep emotion). The other   Foundation Establishment managers of Huangfeng Valley were secretly amazed:   If this young man could establish his foundation, the position of Sect Leader would probably be in jeopardy!   ”Grandmasters, your disciple has lived up to expectations and brought out what should be a considerable amount of spiritual herbs.”   After Dong Xuan’er examined the storage bag for a moment, Han Li handed it to Fairy Hong Fu, reassuring the two of them.   When Fairy Hong Fu and Li Huayuan saw the quantity of spiritual herbs in the storage bag, they were both invigorated. They both saw many interesting things inside.   Immediately, they were very satisfied.   Li Huayuan was so surprised he almost plucked a few hairs from his chin.   ”Forty-six spirit herbs?!”   ”Excellent!”   This young man’s harvest alone far exceeded the total number of spirit herbs brought by all the disciples of Huangfeng Valley during the last Blood Trial. Moreover, most of the herbs harvested this time were of very good quality, making it even more precious.   The bet with Old Monster Qiong was now a certain victory for them.   ”Grandmaster Hongfu, in the past, thanks to your great care for Han Li, I have achieved my current cultivation and opportunities. I have no way to repay you, so I beg you to accept me as a disciple. According to the sect rules, half of this harvest will be my initiation gift,” Han Li suddenly said, bowing. While   claiming to be a disciple, he actually wanted to repay a debt of gratitude and, incidentally, find a true backer.   He was truly grateful for Hongfu Fairy’s many acts of kindness and genuinely needed a reliable patron.   Therefore, he was willing to show off forty-six spirit herbs.   Otherwise, he would have only offered twenty at most.   And there would absolutely be none with an age exceeding 500 years.   Currently, among these spiritual herbs, there is one over 800 years old, and four over 600 years old.   Their allure to mid-to-late stage Core Formation cultivators is immense.   Especially the 800-year-old Purple-Gold Flower; its blossoms are sufficient as the main ingredient for the Enhancing Essence Pill, and its roots and stems are equally precious. If Fairy Hongfu were to exchange the Purple-Gold Flower with Lei Wanhe, the benefits would certainly be substantial. Perhaps Huangfeng Valley could gain another late-stage Core Formation expert within twenty or thirty years.   In this way, he would indirectly repay Huangfeng Valley’s kindness in accepting him.   And this is precisely his way of repaying that kindness.   Upon hearing this, Fairy Hongfu fell into deep thought.   She had never considered taking any man as a disciple.   Besides the two nominal disciples she had taken in by chance in another country more than twenty years ago, Xuan’er alone was enough for her.   Seeing Hong Fu hesitate, Li Huayuan’s mind immediately began to stir: especially when he thought of those dozens of precious spiritual herbs, he became even more tempted. His gaze towards Han Li changed drastically. In   any case, if Hong Fu refused, he would immediately demand Han Li.   Out of respect for his senior sister Hong Fu, he could offer her an extra Foundation Establishment Pill as compensation.

Han Li, head bowed in a respectful posture, awaited Hong Fu Fairy’s response. He noticed she seemed hesitant, and his heart skipped a beat.

He knew all too well how tempting the spiritual herbs he had offered were.

Any elder below the late-stage Core Formation realm in Huangfeng Valley would be interested.

In other words, if Hong Fu refused, Li Huayuan, at the early-stage Core Formation realm, would definitely try to take her away.

And that would be a pretense; what he truly wanted were the herbs.

Giving half of the herbs to Hong Fu Fairy was a willing move, maximizing his own benefit. Given Hong Fu Fairy’s aversion to taking advantage of juniors, he was certain he would receive every Foundation Establishment Pill he was entitled to.

Forty-six herbs, including some exceptionally precious ones, would yield at least five Foundation Establishment Pills. Adding the three he had plundered from the two from the Hidden Moon Sect and Feng Yue, that made a total of eight Foundation Establishment Pills.

Eight pills would certainly be enough for him to establish his foundation.

Don’t forget, he still has the residual medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill within him, and his cultivation has reached the thirteenth level of Qi Refining.

Under these circumstances, if he can’t establish his foundation even with eight pills in a row, it would be utterly unfair.

Therefore, becoming Hong Fu’s disciple is definitely more beneficial than harmful.

However, if he were to give the pills to Li Huayuan, then offering up so many spiritual herbs would be meaningless. First, Li Huayuan would take most of the herbs, including the most precious ones. At that point, he would probably only have two Foundation Establishment Pills left. Li Huayuan might not even make up for the missing three. Even if he were to mercifully give him some, he would only get one at most, and he would have to be grateful.

Taking advantage of him so much and still having to say thank you would be

truly unpleasant .

The most worrying thing is that at that time, he would only have a maximum of six Foundation Establishment Pills.

Six Foundation Establishment Pills might not be enough for him to establish his foundation in one go.

Thus,

he would have to try refining Foundation Establishment Pills himself.

Although he had brought out a considerable amount of the three main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills, enough to distribute nearly two hundred portions, collecting the remaining auxiliary ingredients was also a troublesome matter. He risked attracting unwanted attention.

What to do?

How could he get Fairy Hong Fu to speak up?

Han Li was anxious.

He caught a glimpse of Dong Xuan’er’s toes out of the corner of his eye, and his eyes immediately lit up.

However, before he could say anything more, Li Huayuan, seeing that his senior sister Hong Fu hadn’t agreed yet, took action.

“Senior sister, if you don’t like taking male disciples, how about letting me train him? I think this kid is a rough gem; with proper polishing, he might achieve something great.”

Han Li was alarmed upon hearing this!

He knew Li Huayuan would be eyeing his spiritual herbs!

“I can’t just sit here and wait to die.”

“If Fairy Hong Fu acquiesces, things will go wrong,”

Han Li thought to himself.

He had taken the initiative to become Hong Fu’s disciple, seeking to gain the upper hand and prevent Li Huayuan from asking for him first. After all, if Fairy Hongfu didn’t react quickly enough, and he didn’t want to offend her, Li Huayuan might have a chance to exploit the situation. Now that his attempt to gain the initiative had failed, and he was losing it, he had to find another way.

Besides himself, the person Fairy Hongfu cared about most was Dong Xuan’er.

Therefore, Dong Xuan’er might be a breakthrough point.

So, after a moment’s thought, he immediately began to transmit his voice to Dong Xuan’er:

“Uncle Dong, please put in a good word for me. My master and you have both been very kind to me; how could I bear to leave? I still want to continue helping my master manage the herb garden. Besides, you’ve seen the spiritual herbs I brought this time; many of them are useful to you, Uncle Dong. After refining them into pills, they can save you a lot of time in arduous cultivation…”

Uncle Dong, you don’t want to improve your cultivation by spending every day in seclusion, do you?

“Furthermore, some pills are very helpful in preventing and treating the aftereffects of cultivation deviation. We cultivators can’t be sure we won’t suffer any serious consequences from a single misstep…”

“Even if our master doesn’t need them, you can…”

“Or you can barter them with the masters in the sect, each getting what they need…”

Although Han Li was transmitting his voice, who were all present?

In other words, his voice transmission was practically a loudspeaker blaring in everyone’s ears.

Therefore, all the Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators heard it

and thought it made sense.

Dong Xuan’er nodded repeatedly.

She wasn’t stupid; how could she not know how precious those forbidden herbs were?

They weren’t found in the Red Tassel Mountain Herb Garden.

Some were even more precious than the treasures in the herb garden, extremely rare and hard to come by.

Missing out this time was not only a loss for her master, but also a loss for her, Dong Xuan’er.

No one could harm her interests!

Not even her Uncle-Master Li!

“Master

, Master…” The girl’s coquettishness always worked.

Who was Hong Fu Fairy? How could she not understand the true meaning behind Han Li’s words? How could she not know that her precious grandniece was unwilling to let Li Huayuan, an outsider, benefit from so many advantages?

And as Han Li said, if she didn’t need it, Xuan’er certainly would. Even if not for herself, she had to consider her disciple and grandniece, Xuan’er, shouldn’t she?

“Alright, alright.”

Hong Fu waved her hand, signaling Dong Xuan’er to step back.

Then she looked at Li Huayuan:

“Junior brother, since you say that Han Li is a rough gem, how can I push him away? Let’s see how I polish him.”

Li Huayuan smiled awkwardly, secretly regretting it.

He didn’t take Han Li’s secret telepathic communication to heart.

It was only human nature.

After all, he couldn’t compare to Senior Sister Hong Fu’s side.

“No fate, no fate.”

Of course, it would be unrealistic to say that he had no resentment at all.

“Junior Brother Li, once you win the bet and receive Old Monster Qiong’s three Invisible Needle Talismans and the Blood Thread Dragon’s Inner Core, don’t forget the contribution of my nominal disciple,” Hong Fu reminded him telepathically, lest Li Huayuan be unhappy and harbor resentment towards her disciple.

Li Huayuan, however, misunderstood, thinking Hong Fu was after his bet money. After a moment’s thought, he gritted his teeth and declared,

“Senior Sister, don’t worry. If I win the final bet, I’ll give one of the Invisible Needle Talismans to my great contributor, Junior Nephew Han, as a token of my gratitude. How about that?” Senior Sister

, I’ve already given one away, and even gifted it to the greatest contributor; you can’t possibly have an excuse to covet the Blood Thread Dragon’s Inner Core and the other two Invisible Needle Talismans, can you?

“Senior sister, oh senior sister, don’t be so greedy.”

Li Huayuan, judging others by his own standards, completely misunderstood Hong Fu Fairy’s thoughts.

“Junior brother, you…”

“Senior sister, it’s settled then. Don’t complain about too much…” or too little.

If he thought it was too little, he, Li, could just reluctantly take out an Invisible Needle Talisman later.

“Alright, since junior brother is so generous in taking care of the juniors, I thank you on behalf of my disciple.” Hong Fu smiled, quite surprised that Li Huayuan had suddenly changed his attitude today.

Little did she know, upon hearing this, Li Huayuan also felt relieved, no longer feeling so guilty.

After all, Hong Fu had contributed the most: arranging for Han Li to enter and distributing multiple Spirit Fusion Talismans.

He, Li Huayuan, had only moved his lips, simply lying low.

When it came to distributing the benefits, normally Hong Fu should have received more.

As a result, Li Huayuan ended up taking the lion’s share.

He felt he’d be ambushed if he didn’t contribute something.

“Aren’t you going to thank your Uncle-Master Li?” Hong Fu reminded the stunned Han Li.

The surprise was so sudden that Han Li truly didn’t react for a moment. Reminded, he quickly bowed and thanked her:

“Thank you for your care, Uncle-Master Li.”

“It’s nothing, it’s what you deserve. Besides, we still need to defeat Elder Qiong and that old Taoist priest Fuyunzi first.” Li Huayuan stroked his long beard.

The matter was temporarily settled.

However, Han Li didn’t stop there.

He wasn’t going to waste the hour he’d secured for himself from Gan Rushuang on meaningless waiting.

“Master, Uncle-Master Li, I still have residual Foundation Establishment Pill power in my body, left over from the Foundation Establishment Pill I swallowed before entering the trial. I want to return to Huangfeng Valley as soon as possible to refine this power. May I return with Senior Sister Dong first?” Han Li suddenly made this request.

A wise man doesn’t stand under a crumbling wall.

He didn’t want to stand out in front of a crowd. He decided to

slip away first.

It’s worth mentioning that there had been similar cases of this request before. Because it had happened before, Han Li made the request.

Moreover, his status was different now, so making a corresponding request was more appropriate.

If he had failed to become a disciple, he wouldn’t have said a word. After all, who did he think he was?

But now, he was speaking as a disciple of Fairy Hong Fu, and his reasons were reasonable. Fairy Hong Fu had no reason to hinder her disciple’s path. In addition, she was a great contributor this time. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for her to open a door for him.

Dong Xuan’er had no objection to this. She knew Han Li’s situation very well and sincerely hoped that her friend and junior brother would cherish the remaining medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill in his body:

“Hmm, it is indeed a pity to waste that part of the medicinal power.”

Although she didn’t know what kind of tricks this guy who went from being a junior disciple to a junior brother was up to, it was probably not a bad thing.

Han Li promptly gave her a grateful look, which Dong Xuan’er found very pleasing. Emotional value must be provided appropriately.

After a moment’s thought, Hong Fu looked at Li Huayuan:

“Junior Brother, what do you think?”

Li Huayuan: “…”

Look up at the sky?

Those are your people, can I force them to stay?

Besides, they’ve already handed over the harvested spiritual herbs, making them a major contributor to Huangfeng Valley, and perhaps even to him, Li Huayuan.

And leaving early isn’t uncommon.

He has no reason to stop them, neither morally nor logically.

“Senior Sister, let the juniors do as they please. However, given their flying speed, they might not return to the sect before the main force,” Li Huayuan said.

“That’s simple. You’ll be in charge here, Junior Brother. Although Elder Qiong is eccentric, he never goes back on his word and won’t make things difficult for you. I’ll leave three Xuanjin Pills here; if we lose the bet, give them to him; if we win, you can take what you’re owed and give it to me later,” Hong Fu Fairy said.

They trusted Li Huayuan implicitly, having no doubt that he might be up to something.

“Senior Sister, this…”

Li Huayuan wasn’t moved, but rather a little guilty.

He had too many valuable items and feared encountering a “tribulation cultivator.”

He might not be able to protect them alone.

“With Elder Qiong’s Invisible Needle Talisman Treasure, who are you afraid of below the late Core Formation stage?” If they did encounter a tribulation cultivator, it would be Elder Qiong in disguise. Regardless of the truth, it would still be Elder Qiong. The consequences would be too severe; even Elder Qiong himself couldn’t handle it.

So, don’t be afraid.

“Senior Sister, why don’t you stay, and I’ll escort them back?” Li Huayuan cautiously suggested.

“Junior Brother, keep your things safe.” Fairy Hong Fu tossed down a pill bottle and prepared to depart on her sword.

“Wait, Master, I need to say goodbye to a friend.”

Just then, another trial participant emerged alive from the passage.

A man and a woman.

The man was middle-aged, the woman a young girl.

Both were disciples of Huangfeng Valley.

It was the Chen siblings:

“Senior Brother Chen, Senior Sister Chen.”

“Junior Brother Han.”

“Senior Brother Chen, I need your help with something, it’s a very easy little thing, and I’ll definitely reward you handsomely afterwards.” Han Li, without letting Chen Qiaoshan explain, handed over a wooden box with a talisman attached.

“What’s this?”

“In a little while, if the spiritual herbs obtained by the fellow Daoist of the Hidden Moon Sect tend to surpass the combined total of our Yellow Maple Valley and Qingxu Sect, just take this out and hang it on your waist, then cough once.”

This was a safety net Han Li had prepared.

A safety net to deal with Gan Rushuang.

Although he knew very well that the Hidden Moon Sect had suffered heavy losses this time, with both of the Hidden Moon Twins gone, and less than two-tenths of the remaining elites remaining, and that Core Formation cultivator and the other surviving disciples not having had much time to explore the central area of the forbidden zone. Therefore, the spiritual herbs obtained were definitely not many.

But it’s better to be safe than sorry.

It was hard to guarantee that Gan Rushuang wouldn’t take out her own money to make up the difference.

He had to win the bet.

Only by winning could he obtain that Invisible Needle Talisman Treasure.

He briefly explained how to flexibly exchange spirit herbs with the other disciples. After that, Han Li followed Fairy Hong Fu and Dong Xuan’er and left. Before leaving, the other Foundation Establishment stage managers specifically used level 2 spirit-smelling rats to check him from head to toe. Finding nothing wrong, they let him go.

Thus, the plan to “smuggle in” his own goods was perfectly accomplished!

The two or three hundred spirit herbs in the golden treasure chest were all preserved!

“Junior Brother Han left early?”

Chen Qiaoshan was quite surprised.

“Before entering the forbidden area for the trial, he took a Foundation Establishment Pill, and the medicinal effect is still residual. He went back to refine the remaining medicinal effect of the Foundation Establishment Pill,” Li Huayuan explained.

The reason he was willing to speak up was simply that the Chen siblings had performed well, bringing out a total of twenty-five spirit herbs. He wouldn’t be stingy with his goodwill towards those who had contributed.

Among them, Chen Qiaoshan brought out sixteen herbs.

Based on value, one or two more herbs could be exchanged for two Foundation Establishment Pills.

Chen Qiaoqian brought out nine plants, which, in terms of value, were barely enough to exchange for one seed.

With the two of them getting twenty-five plants and Han Li getting forty-six, he felt confident he had a sure win. This harvest alone was equivalent to the total profit of the previous two or three times. If he wasn’t confident now, even the heavens would be angry.

“By the way, Chen family boy, what did Junior Nephew Han give you?” Li Huayuan asked curiously.

“A box, and inside the box was a mask…” Chen Qiaoshan replied in detail.

A mask?

That’s alright.

This mask was the one Han Li wore when he last met Gan Rushuang. It was different from the one he wore in the Ink Dragon Stone Hall.

If Gan Rushuang insisted on helping Old Monster Qiong win, this mask would signify a warning and exposure.

Of course,

it would be best if Gan Rushuang followed the agreement, didn’t act too aggressively, and kept some secrets, so Han Li could remain hidden.

In short, it all depended on whether Gan Rushuang would keep her promise.

…

As the saying goes, some are happy while others are sad.

Although Fuyunzi didn’t know the specific situation in Huangfeng Valley, seeing Li Huayuan’s confident expression, his heart sank.

He knew Li Huayuan’s temperament all too well.

Li Huayuan’s performance meant he must have gained a lot from Huangfeng Valley.

In contrast, his Qingxu Sect had only produced one person after half an hour, bringing back just four spirit herbs. Five whole days of trials, and even with the central area open for an extra day, and only four spirit herbs? They were utterly hopeless.

“Benefactor Li, how many spirit herbs did your disciple actually harvest?”

Fuyunzi couldn’t resist asking.

Li Huayuan, thinking of the iron essence he’d lost so badly last time, and then of the Blood Thread Dragon’s inner core and two Invisible Needle Talismans he was about to obtain, felt instantly refreshed. And how could he miss this rare opportunity to show off?

“Not many, only about seventy so far.”

“How many?”

Fuyunzi picked at his ear, thinking he’d misheard.

“Seventy-one.”

Fuyunzi: ? ? ?!

71?

Then why would he gamble anymore?

No more gambling, no more gambling.

“How about we cancel the bet?”

He believed Li Huayuan wouldn’t joke about something like this.

Since it seemed so serious, it must be true.

“Come, come, take a look.”

Li Huayuan was quite generous; he had already marked it with his divine sense. If Fuyunzi dared to try anything underhanded, he wouldn’t hesitate to call back Senior Sister Hongfu to turn against him.

Fuyunzi took the storage bag left by Han Li and scanned it with his divine sense and magic power. His face darkened: It’s over, he’s doomed.

Not only is the quantity large, but the quality is also excellent.

He knew all too well what kind of dogs his Qingxu Sect disciples were and what level they were at. He hadn’t expected his little brats to harvest more than fifty plants in total,

let alone more than seventy.

Oh well, he wouldn’t dare to hope for anything more.

He accepted it.

In an instant, Fuyunzi felt utterly hopeless, but then he suddenly understood.

Immediately following, a strong sense of envy arose:

“Benefactor Li, congratulations! You’ll have avoided countless years of detours back then.”

Li Huayuan had already won without lifting a finger.

And

he had won against three parties: him, Old Monster Qiong, and a share of the sect’s profits.

“Thank you for your kind words, fellow Daoist,”

Li Huayuan smiled.

He then retrieved his storage bag.

After carefully inspecting it and confirming the spirit herbs were fine, he chuckled and put it away.

…

On the border between Yue Kingdom and Yuanwu Kingdom.

A flying carpet carried three people at high speed.

The flying carpet was a magical artifact.

Its speed was more than twice that of the Silver-Armored Horned Python.

And this was before the flying carpet reached its full speed.

“Han Li, tell me, what did you experience in the forbidden area?” Ahead, Fairy Hong Fu asked without turning her head.

Dong Xuan’er pricked up her ears, full of curiosity.

“Master, this time I also faced death by the skin of my teeth…”

“The first day in the forbidden area was alright; I hid in the flower area…”

“The second day, there was killing and fighting everywhere.” “

On the third day, Feng Yue of Tianque Fort killed many disciples from various sects. When I encountered him, I witnessed everything. He was bloodthirsty and tried to kill me to silence me. I wanted to escape and not fight him to the death, but my magic boots were no match for Feng Yue’s Cloud-Stepping Boots. I couldn’t outrun him, so I could only do my best to kill him to save myself…”

As she spoke, she took out the Yellow Silk Umbrella and the Cloud-Stepping Boots.

“Cloud-Stepping Boots? Made from the leather of a level 4 wind-attribute demon beast, indeed a rare and top-grade treasure.” Hong Fu nodded.

Then she waved her hand and pushed the items back with her magic power.

“On the fourth day, the barefoot giant from the Giant Sword Sect killed many cultivators from various sects. When I encountered him, he wanted to spar with me. Knowing his strength, I had no choice but to go all out, and ended up killing him by mistake…”

He then drew his Silver Radiance Sword.

“During this time, many other cultivators from various sects ganged up to bully me. Unable to endure the humiliation, I had no choice but to fight back with my life

on the line…” Several bloodstained top-tier and upper-tier magic weapons were taken out.

“I also ventured into some monster lairs…”

A dozen or so monster corpses appeared.

Some were upper-tier, others top-tier.

Through these, the origin of the forty-six spiritual herbs was indirectly revealed.

Dong Xuan’er, watching and listening, was dumbfounded.

What a tale of self-preservation, a mishap, a desperate counterattack against humiliation…

To portray murder and robbery with such freshness, such righteousness, such fairness and conviction, making even her find the other factions utterly despicable—she had never encountered or heard of anything like it before.

Looking at Han Li’s face, not blushing or skipping a beat, without the slightest hint of unease , she thought, “

I’ve learned something.

” “You’re not bad.”

Hong Fu Fairy didn’t ask any further questions.

In the cultivation world, the rules are set and experiences shared by the survivors; the dead, no matter how wronged, have turned to dust. No one listens to the grievances of the dead.

As long as Han Li handles the process smoothly, she will turn a blind eye.

If anyone later comes to cause trouble for her disciple, she will have plenty of excuses to discuss the Dao with them.

“By the way, Master, the cultivators of the Hidden Moon Sect have cultivated a powerful secret technique called the ‘Yin-Yang Guiding Technique.’ When male and female Daoist couples cast spells together, those in the Qi Refining stage can unleash an attack comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s strike. Moreover, the Hidden Moon Sect has also used a large number of Spirit Fusion Talismans this time, which means that many cultivators formed pairs or even groups of four as soon as they entered the forbidden area. And almost everyone has a top-tier magic weapon…”

“Master, if the Hidden Moon Sect continues to operate in this way in the next Blood Trial, the other six sects will likely find it difficult to gain an advantage…”

Han Li stopped there after reporting.

He left it at that.

“How many disciples of the Hidden Moon Sect did you encounter?” Hong Fu frowned slightly.

She felt that this duel might be in jeopardy.

After all, if her disciple’s statement was true, the Hidden Moon Sect would likely have gained a great deal.

Unexpectedly, despite her thorough preparations, she was still outmaneuvered by Old Monster Qiong.

“Master, I encountered more than ten,” Han Li replied truthfully.

“How did you escape?”

Dong Xuan’er asked curiously.

“A demonic beast helped me, but I felt that the people from Spirit Beast Mountain were planning to trap me and the group of Hidden Moon Sect disciples in an underground stone hall. However, I was fast enough to escape before the passage disappeared, and then used a mid-level earth escape talisman to flee far away. Most of the Hidden Moon Sect cultivators probably weren’t so lucky, and I don’t know if they can break through the stone hall’s restrictions and escape before the forbidden passage closes,” Han Li said, half-truthfully.

“The main force of the Hidden Moon Sect is trapped in a stone hall?”

“It should be.”

Hong Fu nodded upon hearing this:

“You’ve worked hard this time. Go back and cultivate in seclusion. You don’t need to worry about the rest of the trivial matters.”

“I see that the spiritual herbs you took out are all very valuable. Even if I take some, I can exchange them for at least three Foundation Establishment Pills with contribution points. But don’t worry, you won’t lose a single Foundation Establishment Pill. I’ll find a way to make up for the four I took, and someone will deliver them to you later.”

Ordinary forty or so hundred-year-old spiritual herbs would be good enough to exchange for five Foundation Establishment Pills.

But Han Li provided more than ten Purple Monkey Flowers, Heavenly Spirit Fruits, and Jade Marrow Mushrooms—the three main ingredients of Foundation Establishment Pills—as well as several precious spiritual herbs over 600 years old. The contribution points represented by these alone are enough to exchange for five or six Foundation Establishment Pills.

“To achieve Foundation Establishment with seven Foundation Establishment Pills is extremely rare. Han Li, cherish this rare opportunity and achieve Foundation Establishment in one fell swoop.” Hong Fu Fairy’s words contained approval, encouragement, and expectation.

Han Li bowed, his voice firm and resolute:

“This disciple will definitely achieve Foundation Establishment in one go.”

Indeed, following Master Hong Fu was far more reliable than following that scoundrel Li Huayuan.

If he had followed Li Huayuan, he would have been grateful to get even three Foundation Establishment Pills, let alone seven.

Li Huayuan wouldn’t have been so polite.

“By the way, Master, this disciple has made a special discovery in the forbidden area. Master and Senior Sister might be interested.” Since Hong Fu treated him so sincerely, he would return the favor.

“Oh? What discovery?”

“The forbidden area contains the main ingredients for refining the Youth Preservation Pill!”

As Han Li spoke, he picked out more than twenty very old herbs from a pile of herbs that the spirit-sniffing rats weren’t interested in.

These herbs might be considered spiritual herbs, but they couldn’t help living beings increase their cultivation, so the demon beasts didn’t even give them a second glance.

While these herbs might not be considered spiritual herbs, they are the main ingredients for refining the Youth-Preserving Pill, which truly helps cultivators maintain their youth.

In the cultivation world, male cultivators, whose value is largely determined by strength, are unlikely to be interested in them. However, for many female cultivators and a few male cultivators who are obsessed with appearance, the Youth-Preserving Pill is an incredibly precious treasure. After all, cultivation level sometimes cannot buy back youth.

Once beauty and youth are lost, they are often difficult to regain.

But the Youth-Preserving Pill can preserve one’s appearance and

provide long-term, effective maintenance.

“These… these are all the main ingredients for refining the legendary Youth-Preserving Pill?” Dong Xuan’er’s beautiful eyes widened.

“Yes, Senior Sister.” Han Li took out the formula for the Youth-Preserving Pill and provided a related herb guide.

A comparison made it easy to distinguish them.

“Good child.”

Han Li could understand Dong Xuan’er’s excitement. But

he was a little confused by Hong Fu Fairy’s suppressed joy. Could it be that something like youth and beauty possessed an enchanting, overwhelming power to any female cultivator?

He couldn’t figure it out, but regardless, this move seemed to be the right one.

He didn’t need to worry about the remaining auxiliary ingredients.

They could discuss the profit sharing later.

“By the way, Senior Sister, I’ll need your help dealing with these spirit beasts. We’ll split them 50/50,”

Han Li said, taking out a spirit beast bag filled with a large number of injured and imprisoned forbidden land creatures.

“How did you catch so many?”

Dong Xuan’er, upon seeing the quantity in the spirit beast bag, was also astonished.

There were six top-tier level 1 beasts, and a large number of upper and middle-tier ones.

“Doesn’t the sect also recycle forbidden land spirit beasts? I just caught some. Senior Sister, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, you won’t lose out when negotiating the price.” Actually, he just didn’t want to waste time.

“Alright, leave it to me, I’ll definitely get you a good price.” Dong Xuan’er first made a grand promise, then cheerfully added, “But we don’t need to split it 50/50. Senior Brother Wang and I are sure to win this bet, we’ll earn at least a few thousand spirit stones. You should keep the little you risked your life for.”

Han Li didn’t refuse.

Beside him, Fairy Hong Fu’s eyes flickered, her smile growing even more gratified.

Speaking of which, using Fairy Hong Fu’s restriction sphere to contract the Ink Dragon, if he had the Ink Dragon with him, this Core Formation stage cultivator should have sensed it! Why hasn’t Fairy Hong Fu noticed anything yet?

There’s only one answer: the Ink Dragon isn’t on him at all.

Inside the Crimson Forbidden Land, after the great formation was sealed, Xiao Liu flew out from a spirit beast bag buried underground.

“Awoo awoo…”

Who would have thought that Han Li, after going to such lengths to contract the Ink Dragon, would then leave this level 2 Ink Dragon in the forbidden land?

Brothers, give me your recommendation votes. I don’t even need monthly votes, but you absolutely must give me recommendation votes; I rely on that recommendation vote ranking to increase my exposure even a little bit.

(End of Chapter)