Chapter 640: Invitation
Han Li momentarily frowned upon hearing the voice transmission.
Han Li calmly ordered, “Silvermoon, release the restrictions and have the two Drifting Cloud Sect Elders enter. I’ll have to speak with them sooner or later. However, do not reveal yourself after releasing the restrictions. While you may be an expert in concealment and illusions as a fox, your demonic Qi has no bearing towards Nascent Soul cultivators.”
“Yes, Master.” Silvermoon respectfully replied and walked out with light steps.
A short moment later, the mountain’s scenery underwent a sudden change. The ordinary, small mountain suddenly revealed itself to be enveloped in large mist of azure light. The mist possessed an imposing aura and contained floating talisman characters. It was clear to be the product of ferocious restrictions.
The two Nascent Soul cultivators glanced at one another and couldn’t help but wryly smile. This vagrant cultivator had placed down such grand spell formations when opening a cave residence in the Drifting Cloud Sect, and they, the sect’s masters, were unable to perceive it in the slightest. It would be a great loss of face when mentioned. At the very least, it was unavoidable to be made fun of by their peers.
At that moment, Han Li’s voice came out from the mist, “I, Han Li, borrowed your esteemed sect’s land to cultivate and had yet to inform you. While my actions were imprudent, I hope you two won’t take offense. Please come in, I will soon release the restrictions. ” His words were spoken with a polite and smooth tone.
The silver-haired old man smiled as if he didn’t take the slightest offense over the matter and said,“Haha! What is Fellow Daoist saying? It can be seen to be our sect’s fortune that you’ve formed a Nascent Soul here. How could we be offended? We actually came here in such a hurry that we’ve forgotten to prepare you a congratulatory gift for forming a Nascent Soul. We are somewhat embarrassed.”
Han Li calmly replied, “Fellow Daoist is quite funny. I am the one deeply grateful to be able to form a Nascent Soul here.” Once this was said, the azure mist intensely trembled several times to reveal a ten meter wide passageway.
Having seen this, the two walked inside without the slightest hesitation, arriving before a stone gate an instant later. The stone gate was wide open and had an azure-robed youth standing before it with a slight smile. He appeared twenty years of age and possessed an ordinary appearance.
“Fellow Daoists, please come in!” Han Li welcomed the two into his cave residence with a smile.
“Sorry to trouble you.” The two saluted Han Li before following him inside.
Soon after, the azure mist roiled and the passageway disappeared, restoring the restriction to its original form.
Although the two felt this, they didn’t feel worried about this in the slightest since they were still inside the Drifting Cloud Sect, the territory they controlled.
The two followed Han Li through a short passageway before arriving at a large hall.
Once the two were seated, Han Li’s spiritual sense stirred, ordering a large ape puppet to walk over to them with a plate carrying three cups of freshly steeped tea. The puppet placed a cup in front of each of the three before leaving. Han Li then said, “Please, have a taste of this spirit tea. I personally refined it.”
After giving a word of praise for the tea, the silver-haired old man stared in the direction that the ape puppet had departed and astonishedly said, “I didn’t expect Fellow Daoist Han to cultivate techniques pertaining to mechanical puppets. This is rarely seen.”
Han Li casually replied, “It’s nothing. I am a mere dabbler and refined a few puppets to control. It isn’t worthy of note underneath your discerning eyes.”
The middle-aged man surnamed Lu was greatly surprised by the puppets and couldn’t help but chuckle, “Hehe! Fellow Daoist Han is too modest. Although the ape was merely a puppet, its spiritual Qi was undoubtedly a match for a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
Han Li shook his head and indifferently said, “It is true that this puppet has the strength to match a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator, but it only has a single method of attack. Additionally, the price of its materials is far too expensive. It is equivalent to the cost of a top grade magic tool.”
“If that’s the case, Fellow Daoist’s puppets should be no small matter. If a low grade cultivator were to carry one on hand, it should be more than enough to protect themselves. However, this puppet technique seems to originate from the Thousand Bamboo School from the far west. Is that where Fellow Daoist comes from?” As the silver-haired old man praised the puppets, he changed the subject to prove Han Li’s origins.
Han Li smiled and narrowed his eyes. He was able to realize his intentions from a single glance. He calmly answered, “The puppet technique came from a nameless record that I acquired. I don’t know whether or not it has anything to do with the far west. However, I am fully aware that the cultivators of the far west are proficient in the Dao of Puppets. I plan on eventually making a trip there to learn of their puppet techniques. As for my origins, I am a genuine cultivator from the Heavenly South. I was born in the State of Yue long ago, but with the invasion of the Devil Dao, I was forced to flee the country.”
After the two exchanged glances, the middle-aged man eventually asked, “So Fellow Daoist Han came from the State of Yue. That is truly surprising. You must’ve cultivated for quite a while, but your appearance is still so young. Could it be an appearance halting effect from a technique?”
While Han Li possessed such a young appearance, one must’ve cultivated at least three hundred years to reach Nascent Soul stage. As for Cultivator Lu, he was nearly four hundred years old once he reached Nascent Soul stage.
“My appearance isn’t due to my cultivation art, but from a lucky encounter where I acquired a face setting pill, persevering my appearance at the time of consumption. As for my time spent cultivating, it should be over two hundred years.”
Cultivator Lu wasn’t particularly surprised to hear about the Face Setting Pill, but when Han Li mentioned his age, he couldn’t help but reveal shock, “What? Two hundred years?”
With a shaken heart, the silver-haired old man couldn’t help but ask, “Fellow Daoist truly cultivated for only two hundred years?”
According to his knowledge, only a sparse few cultivators from the Heavenly South Region were able to condense a Nascent Soul within two hundred years of cultivation, each of them peerless geniuses and world-shaking characters. There were even those who suddenly broke through to Nascent Soul realm only to suddenly disappear and ascending to the realm of legend.
This youth before them, who proclaimed to reach Nascent Soul stage in a mere two hundred years of cultivation, was likely to be able to reach late Nascent Soul stage. He was indeed an important existence.
“What? Is there something wrong from forming a Nascent Soul in two hundred years?” A trace of doubt appeared from Han Li’s eyes. Although he knew that his condensing of a Nascent Soul was much quicker than that of other cultivators, he didn’t know the hidden meaning that it signified. In the end, Han Li merely knew a few odd pieces of knowledge with regards to Nascent Soul stage. He didn’t have the opportunity to familiarize himself with the topic.
The silver-haired old man sighed and revealed a trace of admiration, “It is nothing. We were just immensely shocked at how Fellow Daoist Han formed a Nascent Soul at such a young age. It appears that you have limitless prospects for the future!”
At that moment, he had already decided that regardless of whether or not his words were true, he needed to rope this Nascent Soul cultivator into his sect and avoid a hostile falling out. His entrance to the sect was tantamount.
The middle-aged man surnamed Lu wore a complicated expression, but he soon recovered his calm. After sending a few voice transmissions to each other, the two Nascent Soul cultivators wore a grave expression.
Han Li calmly observed them and didn’t reveal any trace of dissatisfaction. Instead, he took the opportunity to sip on the tea in front of him.
Soon, Cultivator Lu and the silver-haired old man finished their discussions. The old man then said, “I hope Brother Han will forgive my presumptuous question, but since Brother Han is a vagrant cultivator, does he have anywhere to go now that he has a Nascent Soul?”
“Anywhere to go? I haven’t thought of it. The State of Yue is now in the hands of the Devil Dao, and I’ve long offended the cultivators of the Ghost Spirit Sect, so that isn’t an option. As for other places…” Han Li muttered to himself as he was still pondering about it.
With a serious expression, the silver-haired old man intensely said, “If Fellow Daoists isn’t repulsed by our humble Drifting Cloud Sect, then wouldn’t it be better to join it? Although our Drifting Cloud Sect is inferior to the Ancient Sword Sect and to a lesser degree the Hundred Possibilities Pavilion, our sect isn’t specialized in any cultivation method. We’ve never chosen a particular technique to pass on and have developed various different types of techniques over many years. So long as Fellow Daoist enters our sect, you will be on equal footing as us brothers and will not be treated as an outsider.” The sincerity contained in his words were obvious to see.
“Become an elder of your esteemed sect?” Han Li unconsciously frowned and revealed a trace of hesitation.
