Han Li flicked his 10 fingers in quick succession, launching incantation seals of different colors toward the light barrier.
With each incantation seal that vanished into the barrier, the silver light would flash violently, and moments later, the light barrier began to resemble a pot of boiling water. Countless runes appeared, then began to revolve in a rhythmic and orderly manner while Han Li continued to cast incantation seals as he appraised the barrier with an unblinking gaze.
All of a sudden, he let loose a low cry before raising a sleeve, and several tens of formation flags erupted forth. The flags circled around in the air before forming a strange formation above the light barrier.
All of the formation flags began to emit a buzzing sound, and they swayed gently as they released spiritual light of different colors.
Han Li let loose another low cry before pointing a finger into the air, and the bright spiritual light radiating from the formation flags intertwined, forming an extremely complex light formation that slowly revolved in mid-air.
"Go!"
Blue light flashed through Han Li's eyes as he pointed a finger at the Vast Glacial Badge, and it shuddered before vanishing into a certain part of the light formation as a streak of golden and silver light.
In the next instant, a peculiar aura was released by the light formation, following which bursts of ringing sounds rang out. A golden and silver pillar of light erupted from the center of the light formation before striking the silver light barrier, and the previously immovable light barrier began to melt away like snow under the scorching sun amid a sizzling sound.
However, moments later, the runes around the light barrier surged violently toward the pillar of light, ceasing the melting process and gradually thickening the light barrier again.
As opposed to being frustrated by this, an elated look appeared on Han Li's face. He swept a hand over his storage bracelet, and two more balls of golden and silver light flew through the air before revealing themselves to be two more Vast Glacial Badges!
One of them was naturally the one that he had kept for himself while the other one was obtained after searching the body of the Rong beings that had been drawn into his Extreme Essencefused Mountain.
Much to Han Li's surprise, the one who had refined the Vast Glacial Badge in this group wasn't the giant-blade-wielding Rong being, who was clearly the most powerful one among them.
After Han Li plundered everything from the storage bracelets of the two Rong beings detained in his Extreme Essencefused Mountain, he used his Spirit Engulfing Heavenly Flames to burn them into ashes.
After these two Vast Glacial Badges appeared, they were flicked by Han Li and also shuddered before disappearing into the light formation above the silver barrier.
The light formation tremored violently as a loud rumbling noise rang out, following which the golden and silver pillar of light it was releasing became thrice as thick as before.
The silver light barrier was initially just barely able to hold its own, but in the face of such enormous power, all of the runes swirling around it churned and began to melt away again.
Around 10 minutes later, an earth-shattering boom erupted right before Han Li's expectant eyes, and the silver light barrier finally crumbled, flashing a few times before vanishing into nothingness.
Han Li was ecstatic to see this, and he made a hand seal before pointing a finger at the light formation up above.
A dull thud rang out, and the light formation also vanished before reverting back into a series of formation flags and three badges.
Han Li then swept a sleeve through the air to expel a burst of azure light, which instantly swept up the formation flags and badges.
After that, he turned toward the golden text on the stone wall, which had become significantly clearer, and even with his steadfast nature, he couldn't help but be momentarily overcome by excitement.
After an indeterminate period of time, a streak of azure light flew out of the canyon before circling around in the air. The azure streak of light then suddenly released a black mountain, which expanded to the same size as a real mountain in the blink of an eye before crashing down toward the valley.
Several earth-shattering booms rang out in succession, and the following a fierce barrage of powerful blows from the giant black mountain, the entire canyon caved in by several hundred feet, and it had virtually been flattened into nothingness.
The azure light faded, and Han Li was revealed up above. He looked down with an indifferent expression at the flattened canyon before making a grabbing motion downward in a nonchalant manner.
The giant mountain emitted a rumbling noise before quickly shrinking back down, then vanishing up Han Li's sleeve as a streak of black light.
Azure light then reappeared around Han Li's body as he continued into the distance.
A day later, an elderly man and a young woman were seated on a lush mountain situated on an unknown island, and both of them had their eyes closed in silent meditation.
The two wore solemn expressions, and one of them had spiritual light flashing incessantly from his body, while the other had wisps of white Qi quickly dancing around her.
All of a sudden, the woman's expressions stirred slightly, and the white Qi around her dissipated. Almost at the exact same moment, the spiritual light around the elderly man's body faded as he also opened his eyes with a slightly surprised expression.
"Someone seems to be coming this way. Could it be Fellow Daoist Han?" the woman murmured in a hesitant manner.
"Perhaps, but it's only been less than two days since Fellow Daoist Han departed; surely it wouldn't be that easy for him to secure the cultivation art no matter how powerful he is. After all, there were over 10 Rong beings of the same caliber as us over there," the elderly man said in an incredulous manner.
"I'm not sure if that's the case, but we'll soon know whether it's Fellow Daoist Han or not." Fairy Yue raised a hand to toss out a white handkerchief, which formed a white light barrier over her body.
She then vanished along with the light barrier in the blink of an eye.
The elderly man also nodded before flipping a hand over to produce an azure flag, which he waved through the air, upon which he also disappeared amid a flash of azure light.
Thus, it became as if no one had ever been on this mountain in the first place. Moments later, spiritual light flashed in the distance, and a streak of azure light appeared, hurling directly toward the island.
The azure light circled around before landing on the lush mountain, and the light then receded to reveal Han Li. He looked around with blue light flashing through his eyes, upon which a smile appeared on his face. "Come on out, fellow Daoists; I've already secured the cultivation art."
"It really is Brother Han!"
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Han!"
Two cries of surprise and elation rang out almost in unison, following which azure and white light flashed, and the elderly man and Fairy Yue reappeared.
Both of them wore ecstatic expressions, and Fairy Yue's voice trembled slightly with disbelief as she asked, "Brother Han, have you really secured the entire Spirit Refinement Technique?"
"Hehe, I wouldn't lie about that. If you don't believe me, you can take a look for yourself." Han Li smiled as he raised a hand, and an azure jade slip shot forth.
Fairy Yue faltered slightly upon seeing this, and she reflexively raised a hand to catch the jade slip, upon which a hesitant look appeared on her face.
She was truly quite surprised that Han Li was willing to give her the cultivation art so easily. The elderly man beside her was also rather taken aback, but Han Li merely smiled and disregarded their surprised expressions, making no effort to explain himself.
Fairy Yue collected herself before sweeping her spiritual sense over the jade slip to verify that there weren't any restrictions placed on it. "Alright, then I'll be taking a look." Her expression reverted back to normal as she pressed the jade slip against her forehead, and began to carefully inspect its contents.
She claimed to be able to read golden seal texts, and it seemed that her claims were true.
Moments later, a hint of contemplation and elation appeared on her face, but after about 10 minutes, her expression had become a lot more solemn and even a little bewildered.
The elderly man stroked his beard in a contemplative manner at the sight of her reactions.
After heaving a faint sigh, Fairy Yue gently removed the jade slip from her forehead before a wry smile appeared on her face.
"Is there something wrong, Fellow Daoist Yue? Could it be that the cultivation art recorded in the secret cave isn't actually the Spirit Refinement Technique?" the elderly man hurriedly asked.
"The cultivation art is real, and it's indeed the Spirit Refinement Technique, but the conditions required to cultivate it are extremely rigorous. For those in the Spirit Realm like us, there's barely anyone who can cultivate it. But then again, that's no wonder considering this is a True Immortal Realm secret technique, so it only makes sense that it's unsuitable for us. However, the jade slip only contains the first half of the cultivation art; perhaps the second part will contain some solutions," Fairy Yue said in a slow voice as she appraised Han Li with a meaningful look.
The elderly man's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and he also turned to appraise Han Li.
Han Li's brows furrowed slightly, but his expression soon returned to normal as he replied in a calm manner, "Indeed, that's only the first half of the cultivation art. I'll be giving the second half to you after you teach me the golden seal text; what do you think of that arrangement, fellow Daoists?"
"Haha, that's no problem at all. We promised to teach you the golden seal text in exchange for this cultivation art anyway. However, golden seal text is extremely complex and profound, and it can only be taught verbally[1], so it will most likely take some time," the elderly man immediately agreed.
Fairy Yue smiled upon hearing Han Li's condition, and she also chimed in, "Seeing as Brother Han has secured the cultivation art for us, I will naturally also fulfill my end of the deal. However, this place is a little too close to the secret cave for comfort; let's go somewhere safer before we teach Brother Han the golden seal text."
"You're right, Fairy Yue; let's set off right away, then," Han Li replied with a smile. Thus, the three of them reached a consensus, and after a brief discussion, they flew away into the distance as three streaks of light.
On the fifth day after Han Li's trio departed from the island, a dozen or so Rong beings appeared in the air above the canyon in the distance.
Their leader was a human-faced Rong being that had the appearance of an elderly man, and he had a look of thunderous rage on his face as he looked down at the canyon, which had been razed to the ground.
At this point, Han Li's trio was hiding within a small mountain countless kilometers away.
They had carved out a hall deep within the belly of the mountain, and the three of them were seated in the hall with their legs crossed.
With his immensely powerful spiritual sense, Han Li was able to learn day and night from his two impromptu teachers, and he mastered the golden seal text in just half a month.
After verifying that there was nothing left for him to learn, Han Li gladly handed over the second half of the Spirit Refinement Technique, and the elderly man and Fairy Yue were naturally ecstatic.
After making replicas for themselves, they bade farewell to Han Li and went their separate ways.
There wasn't much time left until the Vast Glacial Realm closed, so they naturally had to find somewhere safe and obscure to attempt their breakthroughs.
[1] Immortal Galaxy Tree: "Wait, if it can only be taught verbally then how did Han Li record the cultivation art in a jade slip???"
