Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 1040

The giant Dharma Idol flickered and disappeared, leaving only two light orbs beside Han Li. With a solemn expression, Han Li reached out towards each of the light orbs.

*Swoosh! Swoosh!*

The golden light orb burrowed into his forehead and vanished.

From that moment, Han Li’s forehead dripped with thick beads of sweat, and his body trembled as it swelled. Something was trying to burst out from under his scaled skin with tremendous force.

The immense power coursing through his body contorted his face in pain. A purplish-gold aura flickered around Han Li’s head, and golden and silver spell characters appeared and disappeared on his face.

Han Li closed his eyes and desperately activated hand seals, changing their shapes.

At the same time, an astonishing phenomenon occurred above the mountain peak where Han Li’s cave dwelling was located. The clear sky was suddenly filled with dark clouds, and a fierce wind swept through, turning the area dark.

After the strong wind passed, a cold air rushed in, and dark blue hailstones fell, followed by a heavy snowfall. In the blink of an eye, the land covered in ice and snow resembled a glacial zone.

Before the blizzard could stop, a hot wind suddenly blew. The massive dark clouds dispersed, and sunlight poured down. Anyone who had climbed to the top of the mountain and witnessed this scene would have been too astonished to speak.

In the Spirit Realm, several suns should have remained in the sky at noon, but now only one sun was visible.

The single sun was tinged with golden light, and the sky had turned silver at some point. The golden and silver hues reflecting off each other made it seem like another world. However, the strange celestial phenomenon was gradually disappearing.

The white sea of clouds and the multiple suns in the blue sky were returning to their original state.

Cultivators residing in the surrounding area were rushing out of their cave dwellings, disturbed by the loud noises coming from the mountain peak.

Those who climbed to the top of their mountains or released treasures to ascend into the sky were dumbfounded as they looked towards the white sea of clouds. Even in the high sky not far from the sea of clouds, a dozen or so cultivators were also fixated on it.

A young man in white robes with a refined appearance stood at the forefront, seemingly the highest in status, stepping on a white giant sword. A dozen or so men and women stood behind him, bowing their heads and awaiting his orders.

“Did they really take over the Rising Sun Peak?”

“Yes, Uncle-Ancestor! I heard that three days ago, someone came to the Rising Sun Peak and drove away the surrounding cultivators with a powerful spiritual sense [a form of mental energy]. A Nascent Soul late-stage cultivator [a high level of cultivation] I knew also had to leave at that time. He said that his magic power and body were completely suppressed by the power of the spiritual sense, and he had no choice but to flee obediently.”

A long-bearded old man bowed and answered respectfully.

“It’s within my ability to suppress a Nascent Soul cultivator from a distance with spiritual sense. However, suppressing cultivators spread across a dozen or so cave dwellings at the same time is beyond the capabilities of even a Void Refinement cultivator [an even higher level of cultivation]. I’m not sure if even a peak Void Refinement cultivator could do it.”

“Does that mean there is a Body Integration senior [the highest level of cultivation in this context] there?”

The old man’s face turned pale, and the other cultivators gasped in shock.

“If we’re only considering the power of spiritual sense, then that’s what it implies. It could also be a power exerted by a powerful treasure or a cultivator with an exceptionally strong spiritual sense.”

“I see.”

At those words, the white-bearded old man felt much relieved.

“These are all just my speculations, so don’t be too relieved. Even if the opponent isn’t a Body Integration cultivator, they must be a Void Refinement cultivator! If they are a Void Refinement cultivator, they are likely to have completed their cultivation, so we must never offend them. Even for our Chen Clan, we should do our best to build a good relationship with such high-level cultivators, and never worsen it.”

The white-robed man’s face hardened, and he coldly ordered.

“How could this nephew dare to offend that senior? If Uncle-Ancestor hadn’t happened to pass by this place, I would have led the family away from here.”

“There’s no need for that. The fact that they drove away the low-level cultivators with just their spiritual sense means they are not a cruel type. Judging by the celestial phenomenon, they are likely just staying here temporarily to cultivate some kind of divine ability.

Choosing to cultivate in such a remote place means they are likely a rogue cultivator not affiliated with any other power. How wonderful would it be if we could bring them into our Qu Clan and make them an honorary elder! It seems I should stay here for a while and try to build a relationship with them.”

“It would be an honor for our lineage if Uncle-Ancestor would stay here.”

The white-bearded old man’s face brightened at the white-robed man’s words. Even a few words of advice from him could greatly benefit the family’s disciples.

They were merely a branch of the Qu Clan, and even the clan leader, the white-bearded old man, was only a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. The white-robed man nodded at the old man’s respectful attitude and looked towards the distant sea of clouds.

When there were no more changes in the celestial phenomenon, he left a young man on a nearby mountain and returned to his cave dwelling below the mountain. The cultivators who had been watching the celestial phenomenon for a while also returned to their cave dwellings.

* * *

The center of the sea of clouds was still shimmering with silver light, and the golden sun was still present. However, the sky was calm without a single breeze, and everything seemed to be fixed by a mysterious force.

Even as time passed, the strange phenomenon in the center of the sea of clouds persisted.

The next day, a black spot appeared on the golden sun and flickered. On the third day, the spot condensed at the center of the sun, forming a black shadow. And on the fourth day, the black mass gradually became elongated and thin.

On the fifth day, a long black thread crossed the sun, making it look like a large eye with its eyes closed from afar. On the sixth day, the golden light of the sun became increasingly intense.

And on the seventh day, Han Li, who had been sitting cross-legged in his cave dwelling, opened his eyes. At the same time, the golden giant eye that the sun had transformed into slowly opened its eyes, and its pupils rose, emitting seven different colors of light.

The seven-colored orbs radiated a dazzling aura, giving off a strange feeling as if they could see through all things in the universe. A moment later, a long beast roar echoed from the mountain peak.

* * *

In a pure white palace floating in the void, vague figures sat on tall pillars, talking to each other from afar.

Behind them, their faces obscured by spiritual light, disciples in various attire were attending to them. In the center space surrounded by the pillars, a strange black and white flower floated, emitting a subtle fragrance.

“This is strange.”

“Venerable Sage, what is it?”

A figure enveloped in seven-colored spiritual light spoke, and a figure with a white aura asked with a puzzled expression.

“Someone is practicing the Spirit Refinement Technique. My surveillance Immortal Artifact has detected the celestial phenomenon caused by mastering the first level.”

“The Spirit Refinement Technique is a forbidden technique in every Immortal Realm. Who dares to practice it? Even if someone is practicing it, we can just capture them. Why are you so surprised?”

“If it were that simple, I wouldn’t have mentioned it. According to the surveillance Immortal Artifact, a reaction in the heavens and earth is being detected in a small Spirit Realm.”

“Are you saying it’s someone from the lower realm? That is strange. It seems someone secretly went to the lower realm and took a forbidden technique. But there’s no need to worry. Even people in the Immortal Realm find it difficult to cultivate the Spirit Refinement Technique. How could someone in the Spirit Realm possibly master it to the end?”

The figure with a white aura was slightly surprised but then chuckled.

“I also wouldn’t interfere if it weren’t happening in the Immortal Realm. Even if they manage to master the Spirit Refinement Technique, they will be caught at the Ascension Platform when they ascend.”

The seven-colored figure also smiled. However, no one mentioned the cultivator in the lower realm who was practicing the Spirit Refinement Technique.

* * *

Han Li let out a long sigh, pleased to feel his spiritual sense had doubled. He had finally succeeded in cultivating the first level of the Spirit Refinement Technique. Although he had not yet reached the Body Integration stage, his spiritual sense had surpassed that of a late-stage Body Integration cultivator.

He spread his spiritual sense outside the cave dwelling and frowned. Even after the celestial phenomenon had disappeared, the mountain range was in a terrible state. The hailstones and blizzard had severely damaged not only the flowers and plants but also the trees.

The mountain, once lush with greenery, was now desolate due to the frozen dead grass and trees, as well as the broken and damaged branches.

Han Li extended his spiritual sense further beyond the mountain range. His spiritual sense detected the aura of a Void Refinement cultivator in a cave dwelling below a certain mountain. Although it was surrounded by layers of restrictions, they were like paper in front of his powerful spiritual sense.

He condensed a strand of his spiritual sense, pierced through the restrictions, and found a refined-looking man in white robes in the secret chamber of the cave dwelling. The man in white robes also felt the vibrations of the restrictions breaking, so he opened his eyes and smiled.

“I am Qu Yun of Moon South Mountain. Congratulations on mastering your divine ability.”

“Moon South Mountain, isn’t that near Dust Dance City?”

“Haha, that’s right. Does the fellow cultivator know of our Qu Clan?”

The man in white robes looked surprised at Han Li’s question.

“I don’t know much about the Qu Clan, but I have heard of the fame of Moon South Mountain. So, the cultivators who live in seclusion on Moon South Mountain are members of the Qu Clan.”

“You’ve probably heard of the Chen Spirit Clans. Our Qu Clan is one of the Chen Spirit Clans that has been passed down since ancient times, and we avoid contact with the outside world to maintain our bloodline. Not many people know about this, but I’m telling you because your divine ability will eventually reveal it.”

“Then you must also know the Ye Clan and the Nong Clan well.”

Han Li was silent for a moment before mentioning other clans.

“The Ye Clan and the Nong Clan are the most powerful among the Chen Spirit Clans. Our Qu Clan is inferior to those two clans. Do you happen to know any of the descendants of those two clans?”

The man in white robes hesitated slightly before asking.

“I have met them, but we are not close. By the way, why are you here, Fellow Cultivator Qu?”

“A member of the Qu Clan lives here, so I occasionally stop by when I’m passing through. Then, I happened to hear that you were cultivating a powerful divine ability, so I was waiting to greet you.”

The man in white robes answered with a smile on his face at Han Li’s calm question.

“I see. If you don’t mind, would you like to come to my residence and talk? I’m also very interested in the Chen Spirit Clans. Let’s exchange knowledge and insights.”

“That’s exactly what I was hoping for. I’ll head over right away.”

“Understood. I’ll be waiting.”

Han Li’s voice gradually faded, and his spiritual sense left the secret chamber.

After a short while, a white streak of light flew up and reached the edge of the sea of clouds. A few silver spell characters flickered, and the white mist that had been still split open on both sides, creating a passage.

Without hesitation, Qu Yun entered, and soon the mist writhed and sealed the passage again. Han Li walked out of the cave dwelling’s main gate, smiling as he waited for Qu Yun.

Qu Yun’s smile deepened when he saw that the other party was indeed a late-stage Void Refinement cultivator. They exchanged polite greetings and entered the cave dwelling.

Half a day later, Qu Yun, who had been talking with Han Li, left the sea of clouds with a regretful expression. At that time, Han Li was in the secret chamber of the cave dwelling, holding a white jade slip and lost in thought.

“The Nong Clan is so powerful that they are called the First Chen Spirit Clan, and they have a Body Integration-level expert. I need to be careful in the future!”

The jade slip that Qu Yun had given him contained information about the Chen Spirit Clans. Of course, it did not contain any secrets, but rather information that any cultivator who had reached the Void Refinement stage would naturally know.

Qu Yun was merely showing a small token of goodwill.

The reason Han Li had invited the other party into his cave dwelling was because he had previously greatly offended the Nong Clan, one of the Chen Spirit Clans. It was because he had interfered with their plot to target the Ye Clan.

Even after hundreds of years, cultivators did not easily forget grudges. Since he planned to return to the human race and reside there for a long time, he needed to gather information and prevent any mishaps in advance.

As he had expected, Qu Yun had offered him the position of honorary elder. However, Han Li had politely declined the offer.

With his current divine abilities, there was no reason for him to bow his head and join the Qu Clan, and the conditions they offered were not at all appealing.

‘That’s for later…’

*Thud.*

He released a scroll about the length of his forearm from his storage pouch.