Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 357

After a short while, the golden scroll seemed to have absorbed enough spiritual power, emitting a golden light, and tiny, ant-like characters of light began to appear one after another. Han Li, seeing this, exclaimed without hesitation,

“Come!”

At the same time, the dense characters of light passed through his palm and rushed madly into his head.

His expression remained calm throughout.

Finally, the hidden part of the Azure Essence Sword Art was revealed before his eyes. After retracting the scroll, he closed his eyes and began to study the newly acquired incantation.

“The Great Geng Sword Formation? Is it related to formations?” [Formations are arrays of power used in cultivation]

Looking at the unfamiliar phrase, a surprised look appeared on his face.

His body remained motionless as he tried to grasp the meaning of the characters floating in his consciousness.

He was momentarily excited, then became worried, and finally, cold sweat formed on his forehead. Three days and nights passed while he sat there.

* * *

On the evening of the third day, Han Li’s expression finally stabilized.

“The explanation of the Great Geng Sword Formation is vast. If I can master it to the extreme and unleash even a third of the power written on the scroll, I would be unmatched in the Tiannan Region.”

Han Li licked his lips and thought to himself.

‘However, when will I be able to unleash this technique? The amount of sword qi [Sword Qi is a type of energy used by sword cultivators] required to complete the formation is too great, at least over a hundred. No wonder one of the two scrolls contained the Azure Essence Sword Art, and the other contained the refinement method of the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords. They were originally one, not separate! The Sword Shadow Light Splitting Technique is merely a stepping stone for using this technique.’

The stronger and more numerous the flying swords, the greater the power of the completed sword formation.

Han Li estimated that after enough time, if each of the 72 flying swords could summon four sword qi, he could complete a massive sword formation with a total of 360 sword qi.

He didn’t know about cultivators in the late Nascent Soul stage [Nascent Soul is a high level of cultivation], but even those in the mid-stage would have no way to escape if caught in it. Moreover, if his cultivation increased further and the number of sword qi he could create with the Sword Shadow Light Splitting Technique increased, killing a late Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn’t be impossible.

However, besides increasing the quantity, he also needed to refine the Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords again to use this technique. He needed to add a material called Geng Essence to each flying sword.

Geng Essence was a well-known treasure in the cultivation world. When mixed into the refinement of swords and other magical treasures, it greatly increased their sharpness and keenness. It was a material that cultivators with flying swords and other magical treasures coveted as if it were their own lives.

Although he didn’t need to put a large amount of Geng Essence into each flying sword, he would still need a huge quantity to refine all 72 of them. Where would Han Li find such a large amount of material?

Such precious items disappeared without a trace the moment they appeared in the cultivation world. This was the case not only in the Tiannan Region but also in the Chaotic Star Sea, where materials were easier to obtain.

Therefore, even with such a powerful technique before him, he could only watch it like a moon’s reflection on the lake or a flower in the mist.

After calmly organizing his thoughts in the stone chamber, he took out a jade box from his storage pouch. Inside, there was a golden, radiant bead that emitted a faint sound of thunder.

“The Azure Glacial Flame.”

The atmosphere in the stone chamber became heavy again.

Now that his magic power had greatly increased, it was worth trying to control the Azure Glacial Flame. If he succeeded, his chances of obtaining the Void Sky Cauldron would also increase.

Han Li would not act rashly with an item before him that could easily destroy even a Nascent Soul cultivator. Several methods for refining the Demonic Flame came to mind, and he finally chose a secret technique from within the Profound Yin Scripture.

Having made his decision, he stared at the golden bead for a moment before raising his finger.

*Pabat!*

A tiny flame flickered from his fingertip and fell onto the bead in the jade box. At the same time, the golden bead vibrated several times and, drawn by the flame, floated toward the ceiling of the stone chamber.

Han Li watched the bead surrounded by golden light and moved his ten fingers incessantly, forming complex hand seals.

The faint flame suddenly roared, ‘Kuurrrung,’ and flashed like lightning. Then, a dense net of flames, so thick that even the wind couldn’t pass through, spread out, concealing the bead within and waiting.

Only then did Han Li take a breath and connect his consciousness with the Evil-Slaying Divine Lightning outside the Azure Glacial Flame.

With a sharp sound, the golden light spread wildly, and thin golden threads broke free from their restraints and fell from the bead. Inside the net in the air, a deep blue bead revealed its transparent and radiant form.

Han Li held his breath as he looked at the Azure Glacial Flame. He had personally witnessed its power, and facing it again, he felt a little fear.

Now that the Azure Glacial Flame had regained its original form, Han Li did not hesitate and opened his mouth. A blue flying sword shot out, and he brought his hands together, and a thick golden lightning bolt shot out from between his palms, striking the bead fiercely.

*Kukung!*

A cracking sound was heard, and blue flames bloomed like flower petals from the bead.

At the same time, the ‘tsuzuzuk’ sound grew louder, and the azure frost-like flames tried to spread across the ground and the stone chamber.

It was as if the entire stone chamber was about to freeze over, and in an instant, it became another world.

Even though Han Li had taken precautions, his expression became serious.

Still, he did not panic and released a blue light from his entire body, forming a thick protective barrier. The coldness of the Azure Glacial Flame was severe, but with his cultivation, he judged that as long as he didn’t directly touch the blue flames, the barrier would be enough to prevent any major problems.

Once the cold of the Azure Glacial Flame was blocked by the barrier, Han Li felt a little relieved and took this opportunity to extend his arm into the air. The net formed by the Evil-Slaying Divine Lightning immediately contracted, trapping the flames inside and tightening.

As the golden light of the net intensified, the blue flames that had bloomed like flowers returned to their original form.

Han Li took a breath as he looked at the restrained flames again, and then, using his consciousness, he momentarily opened and closed a tiny gap in the net of the Evil-Slaying Divine Lightning. During that brief moment, a very thin blue thread of the Azure Glacial Flame leaked out and attacked him as if it were alive!

With a blank face, Han Li immediately formed a hand seal with both hands and closed his eyes.

A blue light flickered from his skull, and a one-inch-long infant suddenly appeared. Unexpectedly, Han Li had summoned his Nascent Soul [A cultivator’s soul in a physical form]. The Nascent Soul’s face was also tense, and it watched the approaching blue flame, forcefully bringing its small hands together and spreading them apart.

Two powerful beams of blue light, so intense they seemed to pierce the eyes, shot out from between them, and at the same time, the Nascent Soul opened its mouth. Then, a fist-sized pillar of light was released from its mouth.

A total of three beams of blue light moved toward the flame simultaneously.

The power was too great for the thread-like flame to block. The azure flame, firmly trapped within the blue light, seemed unable to escape for the moment.

The Nascent Soul smiled at this and sent out a blue hand made of its own essence, bringing a well-packaged thread of the Azure Glacial Flame.

Fear and hesitation appeared on the infant’s face as it looked at the flame up close, but only for a moment. It immediately pushed it into its mouth.

Surprisingly, it had swallowed the Azure Glacial Flame!

Afterward, its blue body shook and flickered, and the infant disappeared from the top of Han Li’s head. Han Li’s body stiffened and trembled several times before slumping down as if he had fallen into a deep sleep.

* * *

A month later, Han Li emerged from the stone chamber with a somewhat somber expression.

It seemed that it would take some time to control the severe cold of the Azure Glacial Flame. Also, even after starting the refinement, he had not yet been given a clue as to how to obtain the Void Sky Cauldron.

Han Li had left the stone chamber to find the silver-haired old man and ask if he knew anything about the Geng Essence. He also had to leave the Falling Cloud Sect again and visit the Yuanwu Kingdom.

He planned to take care of the promise he had made with Xin Ruyin. With his current cultivation, eliminating a cultivation family was a simple matter.

It turned out that the Bu family of the Yuanwu Kingdom and the Bu family of Baijiaoyuan were somewhat related. The Bu family of the Yuanwu Kingdom was a distant relative of the Bu family of Baijiaoyuan.

However, they had grown distant due to the long years they had lived apart, and after the Yuanwu Kingdom fell into the hands of the Demonic Path, the Yuanwu family was incorporated into the Demonic Path, so the Bu family of Baijiaoyuan, a member of the Heavenly Dao Alliance, had completely severed ties.

This was a reassuring piece of news for Han Li.

As he left the cave, he turned his gaze to the surrounding peaks and spread his consciousness. As a result, he found Mo Peiling diligently cultivating in seclusion in her residence’s secret chamber. It seemed that her achievements had improved compared to before.

He quietly nodded and immediately flew to the main peak of the Falling Cloud Sect.

* * *

Half a day later, Han Li left the silver-haired old man’s residence, slightly disappointed.

He had no information about the Geng Essence. However, the old man told him that the Yu Kingdom, one of the Nine Nations Alliance, would soon be holding the largest trade fair in the Tiannan Region.

All the rare treasures of the Tiannan Region would be gathered, and about half of the Nascent Soul cultivators would participate. After all, the higher one’s cultivation, the more precious items one needed, so it was good to exchange them at such opportunities.

Such a grand event was held in the Yu Kingdom. The Yu Kingdom was a neutral force among the Nine Nations Alliance, and it was possible because the three dominant forces were unable to move recklessly in the crisis where the Mulan Dharma Masters could attack at any time.

Han Li could only hope to find the Geng Essence at the trade fair. Otherwise, he had no idea where to find the Geng Essence to refine his magical treasures.

‘Or should I go to the legendary Great Jin Empire, even if it’s a long way?’

While asking the silver-haired old man about the Geng Essence, Han Li told him that he would be leaving the Falling Cloud Sect for a while to travel.

The old man did not suspect anything and simply explained the political situation of each country, the Nascent Soul cultivators who needed attention, and the old monsters who should never be touched. Of course, the ‘Heavenly Old Monster’ was also included among them.

Han Li also memorized them one by one with interest and then said goodbye.

Early the next day, after packing his important items, he thoroughly sealed his cave residence and flew alone out of Yunmeng Mountain toward the Yuanwu Kingdom.

The Bu family of the Yuanwu Kingdom was currently one of the three major cultivation families representing the country.

During the invasion of the Demonic Path a hundred years ago, they gave up resisting and surrendered to the Demonic Flame Sect, one of the six sects of the Demonic Path. They did not lose any power during the great turmoil and even grew stronger. Since then, they had surpassed the other two families and become the number one cultivation family in the Yuanwu Kingdom.

Over time, they gradually had their family disciples enter the Demonic Flame Sect, and they offered female cultivators with outstanding talents as concubines to the high-ranking members of the Demonic Flame Sect. Under the protection of the Demonic Flame Sect, their power could only grow.

The Bu family was located deep in the mountains called Zidu Mountain, west of the Yuanwu Kingdom.

Throughout the year, a thick purple mist hung low, and ordinary people could not see in front of them if they entered the mountains, and they would lose their lives due to the poisonous gas if they stayed for too long.

Although the local residents knew the dangers of the purple mist and dared not approach, every year, a few ignorant outsiders who passed through the area would suffer misfortune.

These hardships of ordinary people were not a problem for the cultivators of the Bu family who had nested here.

They didn’t care if a few ordinary people died. They even joked that it was an honor for ordinary people to die in the Poisonous Cloud Purple Concealment Formation set up by the formation masters that the Bu family had hired with all their might.

However, in the past few days, the number of people visiting Zidu Mountain, where ordinary people never went, had been constant.

The closest village of ordinary people to Zidu Mountain was a small town called Taihe. It was only about ten li [A li is a unit of distance] in size and had a small population, but it had inns and taverns.

Ah Er was a clerk at the Yonggok Inn, one of the two inns in Taihe. He was only 18 years old, but he had been doing this job for over four years. Looking thin and weak, he was listlessly trying to attract customers near the entrance of the inn.

He had been shouting all morning under the scorching sun of the hot summer day, so it was no wonder he was exhausted.

Therefore, even the notoriously stingy owner only grumbled a little and then went back to calculating the accounts with an abacus made of yellow wood.

Ah Er looked at the cloudless sky and cursed inwardly, but he continued to solicit customers in a voice that was almost inaudible.
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