Most of these cultivators were disciples of Qi Lingzi, while the rest were new disciples that Hai Yuetian had recruited from the human and demon territories during the past three years.
According to Han Li's plan, there would be a new batch of disciples taken in once every 10 years or so.
With that arrangement in place, the number of disciples would reach the same level as that of a normal major sect in a few centuries. After a few thousand years of nurturing, there would be countless Deity Transformation and Spatial Tempering Stage disciples on the island, and come of the disciples with exceptional potential could even reach the Body Integration Stage at that point.
Han Li had named the palace that he was residing in the Azure Origin Palace, and the name of this palace, as well as the Origin Integration Island, would undoubtedly be renowned across the entire Tian Yuan Continent soon.
Under the scrutiny of thousands of disciples, Hai Yuetian emerged from the silver palace with Silvermoon, Zhu Guo'er, and his direct disciples.
"You can all get up now. I'm going to be leaving the island and embarking on a long journey soon, and in my absence, Yuetian will be responsible for everything on the island, while Silvermoon will be taking care of the Azure Origin Palace; are there any objections?" Han Li asked.
"Not at all, Master," Hai Yuetian and all of the other disciples replied with respectful bows.
"Are you really not going to take me with you? My cultivation base may have dropped to the Spatial Tempering Stage, but I still have all of my abilities and that Body Integration Stage spirit body clone, so I can look after myself even against the average Grand Ascension Stage being," Silvermoon said.
"I can't let you take the risk. You've only just transferred your power into the spirit body clone, and it'll require around 10 years of consolidation to truly complete the process. During this time, you must stay in the Azure Origin Palace," Han Li replied without any hesitation.
"In that case, I won't insist on this matter. Make sure to look after yourself," Silvermoon sighed.
"Rest assured, if everything goes smoothly, perhaps I'll be back in less than 200 years. Hua Shi, Zhu Guo'er, let's set off now," Han Li said with a smile.
In the next instant, spatial fluctuations erupted above the silver palace, and the massive Inkspirit Holy Ark emerged.
Han Li flew onto the front of the ark in a flash, while Zhu Guo'er and Hua Shi gave affirmative replies in a respectful manner before also flying onto the ark.
Moments later, all of the cultivators on the mountain knelt down again as a gesture of farewell to Han Li.
After just a few flashes, the giant ark completely vanished into the distance.
……
On a lush green grassland, tens of thousands of cow-horse hybrid beasts were galloping along as if their lives depended on it.
Most of them were normal wild beasts that hadn't even attained any intelligence, and only a very small proportion of them were low-grade demon beasts.
Those demon beasts were flying through the air with the wings on their backs, or rushing along with gusts of demonic wind around their bodies.
All of a sudden, a sharp howl rang out from behind the stampede of beasts, following which three mountainous heads emerged above them amid a flash of crimson light in the sky.
The three heads were covered in glossy green scales, while their eyes were a deep shade of yellow with long and thin pupils. These were three giant python heads, and as soon as they appeared, they opened their sharp-fanged mouths in unison to release three balls of light, one azure, one yellow, and one red.
The balls of light descended from above to encompass the entire grassland, and all of the galloping beasts down below were immediately dragged up into the air before flying toward the cavernous mouths of the three python heads like moths to a flame.
After the span of just a few breaths, all of the beasts were completely devoured by the three heads.
The middle head burped with a satisfied expression, then suddenly began to blur as if it were about to depart by fading out of existence.
However, right at this moment, a cold look appeared in the eyes of one of the side heads, and it let loose a menacing hiss before speaking in a rumbling voice.
"Who is it that has come to bless this small grassland of mine with their presence?"
The other two python heads were quite alarmed to hear this, and they immediately directed their attention toward the same direction with fierce looks in their eyes.
An unfamiliar voice suddenly rang out in that direction. "Hehe, there's no need to be alarmed, Fellow Daoist San Quan; I trust you've been well since we last met."
As soon as the voice trailed off, an extremely thin yellow-robed man appeared amid a flash of spiritual light before appraising the three giant heads with a faint smile on his face.
The middle python head's expression eased slightly at the sight of the man, and it said in a cold voice, "Ah, so it's Fellow Daoist Huang Yuanzi; no wonder you were able to disregard the restrictions I set up and enter this place so easily."
"I'm afraid you're mistaken there, Fellow Daoist San Quan; the restrictions you set up are truly quite powerful, and even I wouldn't be able to undo them in a short time. This is the reason why I was able to bypass the restrictions so easily," Huang Yuanzi chuckled as he flipped a hand over to summon a ball of white light, within which contained an intricately crafted miniature door that was only several inches in size.
"That's the Nine Illusion Fortune Door! Old Devil Jiu Huan values that treasure as much as his own life; how did it end up in your hands?" the middle python's head exclaimed.
"It's very simple; I spoke to him and convinced him to lend it to me," Huang Yuanzi replied.
"Hmph, do you think I'm a three-year-old child? If a treasure of this caliber can be borrowed through words alone, then I'll twist off my own head and give it to you right away!" the middle python's head said in a menacing voice.
"Perhaps words alone wouldn't be enough, but what if I had thrown in an alluring deal as well?" Huang Yuanzi asked.
The final python's head that hadn't spoken this entire time finally broke its silence. "What deal did you offer him?"
"Three Chang Yuan Pills, each of which can delay a heavenly tribulation by over 3,000 years, so three of them can grant him 10,000 extra years to prepare for his next tribulation; perhaps that could be the difference between life and death," Huang Yuanzi replied.
"I see. Chang Yuan Pills are the sacred medicine of your Chang Yuan Race. Countless outsiders have tried to secure such a pill to no avail, yet you've given Old Devil Jiu Huan three at once; it's no wonder that he was willing to lend you his bonded treasure. However, why have you come here? I have no interest in those pills, so don't expect to tempt me with them," the middle python's head harrumphed coldly.
Instead of being enraged by the python's cold demeanor, a sly look appeared in Huang Yuanzi's eyes as he said, "Perhaps you're not interested in Chang Yuan Pills, but would you be interested in the Infernal Sutra?"
"The Infernal Sutra?"
"You're in possession of that item?"
"That's impossible!"
All three python's heads were stunned to hear this, and it seemed that this was something extremely important to them.
"Of course I wouldn't possess a treasure of that caliber, but I have some leads on where half of the sutra can be found; are you interested?" Huang Yuanzi asked.
"Is that true?" the middle python's head asked as a cold light flashed through its eyes.
"I wouldn't dare to lie about something like this," Huang Yuanzi replied with a serious expression.
A hint of contemplation appeared in the eyes of all three python's heads upon hearing this, and after a brief hesitation, the middle head said, "Alright, then tell me what you want me to do in exchange for this information. Don't tell me you came here just to have a chat."
"I enjoy speaking to straightforward people like you, Fellow Daoist San Quan. I came here as I want your help in hunting down a sworn enemy of mine. For this purpose, I also invited the Immortal Heavenly Lord of the Immortal Cave," Huang Yuanzi replied in a cold voice.
The three giant python's heads suddenly vanished, only to be replaced by a young daoist priest with serpentine patterns all over his face, as well as vertical pupils that were identical to those of the python's heads. "You managed to recruit the Immortal Heavenly Lord as well? You must've expended quite a heavy price to do so. Who exactly is this sworn enemy of yours that's making you go this far?"
"Do you know of Qing Yuanzi?" Huang Yuanzi asked through gritted teeth?
"I've never heard of such a person, but your name is Huang Yuanzi, so that Qing Yuanzi must be related to you somehow, right? Is he a Grand Ascension Stage being?" Daoist San Quan speculated.
"You don't need to know about that. All you have to know is that we're sworn enemies, and only after we kill him can you receive the information you want. Also, not only is he a Grand Ascension Stage being, he's quite powerful even among those of the Grand Ascension Stage. At the very least, I'm no match for him in a one-on-one battle," Huang Yuanzi said with a dark expression.
"That sounds like a very troublesome target. The three of us should be able to defeat him with no issues, but killing him would be rather implausible, would it not? Couldn't he just escape?" Daoist San Quan asked with furrowed brows.
"I expended such a heavy price to prepare for this, so I'm naturally confident that we'll be able to succeed. He's going to be enduring a major heavenly tribulation soon; setting aside whether he'll be able to transcend it or not, at the very least, it'll be a fantastic opportunity to strike him down," Huang Yuanzi replied in a confident manner.
