Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 246

In the current situation, Han Li was an important piece, so nothing should happen to him. Wan Huzi looked at Han Li again, his expression even more puzzled by the explanation.

“A disciple here?”

The Extreme Yin Patriarch smiled at Wan Huzi and replied,

“Although he is still a nominal disciple, Fellow Daoist Han is already a member of the Extreme Yin Sect, so please be lenient.”

Wan Huzi blinked, looked back and forth between the Extreme Yin Patriarch and Qing Yi Layman, then looked at Han Li and laughed loudly.

“Hahaha! This new disciple is indeed extraordinary. Putting everything else aside, his spiritual sense [a form of perception or awareness] is several times stronger than your grandson’s. If you nurture him well, he has great potential! Hahaha!”

The Extreme Yin Patriarch and Qing Yi Layman were bewildered by his meaningful words. The Extreme Yin Patriarch raised an eyebrow and asked,

“Brother Wan, what do you mean by that?”

“It doesn’t mean anything special. I’m just saying that your nominal disciple is definitely good, so I’m asking if you have any intention of handing him over to me. It seems more suitable for him to inherit my Heaven Piercing Demonic Art.”

The Extreme Yin Patriarch and Qing Yi Layman were startled by Wan Huzi’s blunt words. Qing Yi Layman hurriedly interjected.

“You’re going too far. How can Fellow Daoist Han, who just joined the Extreme Yin Patriarch’s sect, easily do that?”

Wan Huzi stroked his beard and suddenly asked coldly,

“Hehe, never mind if you don’t want to. It’s just going to be a hassle if I take in a disciple. But why is Fellow Daoist Qing making such a fuss about the Extreme Yin Patriarch’s disciple? Is there some unspeakable secret?”

Qing Yi Layman’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly looked at the Extreme Yin Patriarch with a calm gaze.

The Extreme Yin Patriarch’s expression also changed for a moment, then he fell silent for a while.

“Since Brother Wan asked, I won’t deceive you. The new disciple is essential when taking treasures from the inner hall, so please overlook him even if he is an eyesore.”

At the Extreme Yin Patriarch’s words, Han Li felt gloomy.

‘When did I do something to offend Wan Huzi? He was the one who made me angry by stealing the jade pillar in the Great Hall!’

Wan Huzi waved his hand and said leisurely,

“An eyesore when I’m seeing him for the first time? I was just testing him because he seemed to have learned a unique technique. Besides, what are you going to do by taking a mere Core Formation cultivator [a stage of cultivation] to the inner hall? If you try to deceive me with lies, I won’t let it slide.”

The Extreme Yin Patriarch twitched his eyebrows and then gestured to Qing Yi Layman. Qing Yi Layman smiled and moved his lips to send a telepathic message to Wan Huzi.

Wan Huzi initially ignored their strange behavior, but his expression gradually changed as he looked at Han Li. Then, he moved his own lips and asked the old man something, and only then did he seem to understand what was going on.

Wan Huzi narrowed his eyes and muttered grimly at the Extreme Yin Patriarch with a sharp gaze.

“No wonder you have a disciple… Hmph! You’re very clever!”

“There’s no need to be angry. Even if Brother Wan had known first, wouldn’t you have done the same? Besides, now that we’ve revealed the truth, we certainly don’t intend to monopolize it. I look forward to Brother Wan’s performance in the inner hall.”

Wan Huzi thought for a moment, then his expression relaxed.

“That’s true. If I don’t step in, there’s a high chance that hypocrites like Man Chunmyung will take the treasure. Once we get the treasure, let’s talk about how to distribute it.”

Qing Yi Layman answered without hesitation, as if he had already thought about it.

“How about dividing it equally? We can divide it into four parts, including Fellow Daoist Han.”

Before he could finish speaking, Wan Huzi’s face contorted.

“Qing Yi, are you treating me like a fool? You’re suggesting that four people divide it equally. It seems you’re going to take care of Man Chunmyung later!”

His tone was full of mockery. Qing Yi Layman smiled calmly, unperturbed by the other’s unpleasant tone.

“Oh my! Brother Wan, there’s no need to be angry. I also thought it was a bit off, so please suggest an idea.”

“I don’t care how you guys divide it. But I must take half. Man Chunmyung is capable of dealing with the two of you alone, so it’s not too much for me to take half since I’ll be dealing with him.”

Neither the Extreme Yin Patriarch nor Qing Yi Layman showed any surprise at Wan Huzi’s demand for half. It seemed they had expected him to react this way.

The Extreme Yin Patriarch calmly raised an objection.

“Half? I’m worried that Brother Wan might get indigestion from eating too much. If it weren’t for my disciple’s help, the success rate would be extremely low, so he should also have a share.”

“Hmph! Are you saying I should share with a mere Core Formation cultivator?”

“Hehe! If he were just any Core Formation cultivator, he wouldn’t be qualified to share the treasures in the Void Sky Hall, but it’s different for a disciple of the Extreme Yin Sect. He should also get a share.”

The Extreme Yin Patriarch seemed unwilling to back down on this point. Wan Huzi was about to speak, but he closed his mouth at the old man’s words.

“Let’s do this! Stop arguing and let’s divide the treasures into five equal parts later. Brother Wan can take two shares, and the rest can take one-fifth each. Wouldn’t that be somewhat fair?”

Wan Huzi hesitated at the old man’s words and stroked his beard. The Extreme Yin Patriarch immediately agreed.

“That’s a good idea. What do you think, Brother Wan?”

“Alright! It’s not very satisfactory, but it’s much better than the first proposal.”

He also realized that the Extreme Yin Patriarch and Qing Yi Layman had already coordinated their words. If this was their final offer, there was no reason to cause a fuss.

While the demonic old monsters were bickering over the distribution of treasures they hadn’t even obtained yet, Man Chunmyung and the others were also talking about the treasures.

Daoist Cheon Ohja asked with some concern,

“Sect Leader Man, how likely do you think we are to obtain the Void Sky Hall using the Golden Thread Silkworm? It’s something that countless predecessors have tried but never succeeded, so I’m a bit worried.”

Man Chunmyung was exceptionally calm.

“Don’t worry! The Golden Thread Silkworm alone doesn’t guarantee success, but didn’t we obtain the Azure Sky Flower beforehand? If it seems like the Golden Thread Silkworm isn’t enough, we can have it consumed to increase the chances to about 30 or 40 percent.”

“I know the odds, but I’m still anxious. I’m ashamed to say that my cultivation is lacking, so I’m still being greedy.”

“Haha, even those old monsters of the Heavenly Twin Stars would covet treasures like the Void Sky Hall, so there’s nothing to be ashamed of! We may be cultivating, but that doesn’t mean we’re immortals without any desires.”

A cultivator dressed as a farmer, who had been listening to the conversation, interjected.

“But Sect Leader Man, what are those demonic groups whispering about? They were in a tense atmosphere just a moment ago, but now they’re laughing and making a fuss. I wonder if they have some kind of scheme?”

“Demonic cultivators are more likely to have mental issues because the demonic arts they cultivate are so powerful. Their mood swings are commonplace. However, even if we can’t get the Void Sky Hall, we must never let it fall into their hands. After all, the Extreme Yin’s mutated fire net is also one of the spiritual beasts that is advantageous for obtaining treasures.”

Cheon Ohja nodded in agreement.

“Sect Leader Man is right. If the Void Sky Hall falls into the hands of the demonic cultivators, their power will surely blaze like fire. We can’t let the Chaotic Star Sea become a demonic world, especially when the power of the Star Palace is at its weakest!”

Man Chunmyung was about to say something when red and blue lights soared from the direction of the giant mountain. Then, the cliff near the entrance of the canyon shook and split into two passages. It was definitely a gate leading into the canyon.

Suddenly, steles rose in front of the two passages. One was inscribed with the ancient characters “Mystic Ice Path,” and the other with “Lava Path.”

An overwhelming heat poured out of the passage marked “Lava Path,” making the cultivators’ mouths dry, while a cold aura overflowed from the “Mystic Ice Path,” causing a gale that chilled the cultivators.

As the two passages appeared, the Extreme Yin Patriarch rose and asked Han Li with a voice full of concern.

“Then let’s go. We can meet again at the end of the Icefire Path. Although I can’t take you through, I can give you some items to block the cold or heat.”

Han Li had obtained information about the Icefire Path from Fairy Ziling while passing through the Ghost Mist.

Once a passage was chosen, one would be automatically sent into the great canyon by a barrier. The chances of falling into the same place as someone else were extremely low, which was why the Extreme Yin Patriarch was saying this.

After thinking for a moment, Han Li said quietly,

“I’ll go through the Lava Path. I happen to have clothes that can block the heat.”

“Very well. If you take this, it won’t be difficult to pass this gate.”

The Extreme Yin Patriarch took out a navy blue jade pendant without hesitation. Wan Huzi sneered at the sight.

“You’ve always been stingy, but you’re being generous for once. You’re even giving away the precious White Rhino Pendant.”

The Extreme Yin Patriarch smiled rather than getting angry.

“My disciple’s cultivation is low, so it’s natural for me as his master to take care of him. The White Rhino Pendant is precious, but it’s useless to me since I’m going to the Mystic Ice Path. I know you have a precious Ice Pearl, Brother Wan, how about lending it to me for a while? You wouldn’t want your disciple to get into trouble before even entering the inner hall.”

“Hmph! I can’t let him die before even getting the Void Sky Hall. This Ice Pearl was obtained by catching a carp demon named Han Li before, so you’ll be benefiting from it.”

After finishing his words, Wan Huzi rummaged through his clothes and took out a white, soft pearl. The thumb-sized pearl soon landed in Han Li’s hand.

Han Li was delighted and bowed repeatedly. Although he knew that the two old monsters were doing this because of his Blood Jade Spider, he was satisfied just knowing that he could safely pass through the Lava Path.

The White Rhino Pendant and Wan Huzi’s Ice Pearl were both white, but Han Li was so surprised by the extreme cold he felt when he received the pearl that he trembled.

Qing Yi Layman, who had been quietly watching, smiled and disappeared into the Mystic Ice Path. The other cultivators also quietly entered the canyon path they had chosen.

After a while, half of the people who had gathered were already gone. The Extreme Yin Patriarch looked at Han Li and said kindly,

“Han Li, go in first. Let’s meet at the teleportation array at the end of the canyon in a few days.”

There was no reason to refuse, so Han Li bowed and walked towards the stele that read “Lava Path.” But he felt a little anxious. The Mysterious Bone Demon hadn’t appeared yet.

‘He didn’t run away, did he?’

It’s harder to know a person’s heart than to measure the depth of the water!

If the Mysterious Bone really did that, he was prepared to sell information about him at the worst moment. A fierce glint flashed in Han Li’s eyes. Perhaps that gaze startled someone, because suddenly, the Mysterious Bone’s voice echoed in his ear.

“I’m hiding nearby, so don’t look around. I’ll find you after you pass through the Icefire Path.”

With those words, the Mysterious Bone’s voice was no longer heard. Han Li, feeling much relieved, strode towards the passage. A hot wind greeted him, and a scorching heat was emitted as if to dry anyone to death.

He raised his eyebrows slightly and stared ahead.

The passage was about two heights tall and not very wide, but the faint red light emanating from it was eye-catching. He licked his dry lips and took one step at a time.

However, the intense heat and the relentless gusts of hot air made his face feel like it was peeling off. After hesitating for a moment, he deployed a water-attribute barrier.

As he entered the bluish barrier, the heat that had felt like it would kill him greatly diminished.

Then, he rummaged through his storage pouch and took out the blue-tinged Wall Painting Robe. It was the heat-resistant clothing he had taken from the dead cultivator in the Ghost Mist.

As soon as he put on the robe, a cool chill was transmitted, and he was jolted awake. After walking about ten more steps, his vision brightened, and a red light blocked his path.