Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 240

Two white-robed elders from the Sacred Palace calmly approached for inspection. One of them spoke,

“This teleportation array is the only passage to the Icefire Path of the second gate. Before entering the second gate, there is a place where you can gather spirit herbs and fruits. Consider it a reward for passing through the Land of the Vengeful Spirits. If the second gate proves too dangerous and you wish to stop, you can return here. After one month, a teleportation array will automatically appear, returning you to the main hall.

However, whether you enter the second gate or return, you can only gather for one day. If you stay longer out of greed, you will never escape. It’s said that no cultivator trapped here has ever come out alive during the next opening of the Hollow Sky Hall, so please, refrain from being greedy.”

Although his voice wasn’t loud, everyone in the flower garden heard him clearly.

Those who already knew this showed no change in expression, while those hearing it for the first time seemed a little surprised.

The elder who spoke disappeared into the teleportation array with another law enforcement elder. This time, other cultivators stepped forward without delay.

Since there was a time limit, wouldn’t it be better to go as quickly as possible to gain more? Han Li glanced at the Corpse Merchant and mixed in with the others to step onto the teleportation array.

The light of the teleportation array flashed, and Han Li felt the extremely Yin gaze again. This gaze made him restless and also made his anger surge.

Not being able to do anything even though he knew the other party had ill intentions towards him was a situation he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

When the light disappeared and he stepped out of the teleportation array, he immediately looked around. Han Li’s eyes widened at the scene before him.

White clouds floated in the deep blue sky, and the surroundings were covered with emerald green meadows stretching far into the distance. Moreover, a breeze carrying the scent of grass was blowing gently.

It looked more like a beautiful place on land than the Hollow Sky Hall. Han Li silently observed the scenery for a long time. At this moment, the Corpse Merchant slowly walked out of the teleportation array and sneered.

“Surprised? I was the same when I first came here. But this place isn’t an illusion; it’s real. The spiritual energy is immense, and there’s a strange fragrance, which seems to indicate that this isn’t a place that can be found outside.”

The young boy took a deep breath of the air.

“It must be a small space created by a great ancient cultivator from the ancient times. It’s a pity that such immense abilities can’t be found in later cultivators.”

“Are you saying they literally moved heaven and earth?”

Han Li looked incredulous. Seeing this, the Corpse Merchant quietly continued,

“It wasn’t impossible! The abilities of ancient cultivators surpassed our current imagination. For some unknown reason, they disappeared, and the cultivation world became so weak.”

Without countering the boy’s words, Han Li looked at the path in front of him. The long path through the meadow stretched out endlessly.

“If you fly along this path at high speed for several hundred miles, you’ll reach a canyon with a restriction. This canyon isn’t wide but very long, separating the inside and outside into different worlds.

Inside, there are two paths to pass through: the Profound Crystal Path and the Lava Path. One path has a strange coldness that seeps into the body, and if you’re careless, your body will freeze. The other path has unbearable heat that can turn you to ashes.

You can only find the teleportation array at the end of the canyon, and it can be considered that you’ve passed the second gate, the Icefire Path. And before entering this canyon, as the Sacred Palace guys said, you can use the one day to gather spirit herbs along the way, but what you find depends on your luck.”

Just as Han Li was about to ask something more, the Corpse Merchant’s expression changed, and he shut his mouth.

From the teleportation array behind them, light flashed again, and other cultivators walked out.

They didn’t even glance at Han Li or the Corpse Merchant and excitedly flew into the sky. They were eager to find spirit herbs before those who had left first could take them all.

“Let’s go too. If even the Extremely Yin is teleported here, things will get complicated.”

After speaking, the boy didn’t wait for Han Li’s reply and turned into a black cloud, flying into the sky. Han Li also silently turned into a blue streak of light and followed him.

Not long after they left, the Nascent Soul cultivators, including Extremely Yin and Man Tianming, began to appear one by one.

Since they were walking different paths, the righteous and the demonic, they soon split into two groups, with Man Huazi and Man Tianming as their leaders.

As soon as Extremely Yin arrived, he looked around, disappointed that Han Li wasn’t there, but he never showed it outwardly. He even chatted with the scholar-robed old man as usual. When Madam Wen saw them, she said coldly,

“I came here to gather spirit herbs, so I’ll return to the flower garden when I’m done. If you want to fight, do it yourselves and don’t involve me.”

After speaking, she transformed into a silver sphere and flew into the sky. The remaining Nascent Soul cultivators looked at each other.

Man Tianming looked at the demonic cultivators and whispered to Tian Wuzi and others with a cautious face. Then, the three cultivators immediately floated into the air and turned into streaks of light without saying a word.

The remaining demonic cultivators were unsure whether to chase after them or act separately. But before they could react, the righteous cultivators had disappeared.

Extremely Yin’s eyes flashed, and he coughed dryly.

“Brother Qing, Brother Man! I also need to gather spirit herbs for elixirs, so I’ll be going now. I’ll see you again in the canyon later.”

After speaking, he waved his sleeve, and a huge black mist formed, into which he threw himself and Wu Chu, disappearing without a trace.

Man Huazi’s expression changed slightly. The old man Qing also looked thoughtful. Man Huazi looked at the scholar-robed old man who was lost in thought and said,

“Extremely Yin is leaving so quickly! It seems his escape skills are getting more and more mysterious. Elder Qing, if you have nothing else to do, how about gathering the Water Source Fruit with me? If you help, the chances of dealing with the mountain monkeys guarding the spirit fruit will increase, and I’ll give you a portion when we’re done. Since you’re not young, it would be good to extend your lifespan a bit.”

Qingyi Layman was silent for a moment at the unexpected proposal, but in the end, he refused with an awkward expression.

“I’m sorry, Brother Man, but I have important matters and can’t join you. I’ll see you again at the entrance of the canyon!”

After speaking, the old man also politely bowed and flew away. Man Huazi’s face turned frighteningly pale.

“Hmph! Do you really think this old man needs your help? Let’s see what kind of face you’ll make later.”

Muttering to himself, he stomped his foot, floated into the air, and disappeared in a yellow light.

At this time, Han Li had already been flying for two hours, following the Corpse Merchant’s black cloud. Now, under their feet, instead of green meadows, there were winding mountain ranges.

The peaks and cliffs of various sizes were a spectacular sight. Han Li, who was enveloped in a blue sword light, finally asked first,

“Do we have to go this far? If we keep going, we’ll fly to the end of this space.”

“Do you think spirit herbs like the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng can be obtained by just anyone? If that were the case, someone would have already taken it, and it wouldn’t be your turn. You need patience to get good things.”

Han Li’s eyes flashed with coldness at the tone that seemed to be teaching him, but he didn’t argue back.

In any case, the old monster was qualified to speak in such a tone, considering his age and experience. However, it was also true that he was getting a little uneasy since they had been flying for so long without reaching their destination.

In addition, his vigilance towards the old demon grew, and he wondered if the other party had other intentions. Their alliance was so unreliable.

Han Li didn’t believe that the other party who had come here before had flown this far for no reason.

If they were looking for spirit herbs, they could have done so in the numerous mountain ranges they had passed. Especially some of the peaks had such dense spiritual energy that he could feel strong spiritual energy fluctuations even from high above.

Such spiritual mountains would have had many spirit herbs. But had the other party just passed by these and kept flying?

Perhaps noticing Han Li’s doubts, or perhaps because the silence was stifling, the Corpse Merchant spoke again.

“I’ve been to this space twice, and I accidentally discovered the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng during my first visit. At that time, I was chasing a flying beast called the Zi Hu and ended up coming this far. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the chance to encounter the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng.

I guess it must have grown naturally after receiving immense spiritual energy for a long time in this sealed space. Perhaps even the ancient cultivator who created this place didn’t expect such a spirit herb. You’re about to benefit from it!”

The Corpse Merchant rarely revealed envy and regret in his words.

“I see.”

Although he didn’t lower his guard, his doubts were somewhat cleared after hearing the explanation. After the two flew for a while longer, the black cloud suddenly stopped in the air.

“This is the place. But don’t go down hastily. If the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng senses strong spiritual energy, it’ll hide in the rocks and become impossible to find, so you must move carefully. I have a plan, so if you don’t want to return empty-handed, follow it.”

Han Li looked down and his face hardened.

“Are you mistaken about the place? How can such a spirit creature live in such a place?”

Below them was a small, unremarkable rocky mountain. No grass grew there, and the spiritual energy was so weak that it was completely different from the huge mountain peaks they had passed. It didn’t seem right that the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng would grow in such a desolate place.

The Corpse Merchant dispersed the black cloud and revealed himself.

“Hehe, are you surprised, kid? I couldn’t imagine it either before I saw it with my own eyes, but it’s definitely hidden somewhere in this mountain.”

Since the other party was so sure, Han Li didn’t ask further and waited for the next action. The Corpse Merchant also stopped paying attention to Han Li and stared below. Suddenly, he spat out a foot-long streak of blood, startling Han Li.

In the blood, the Corpse Merchant’s eyes turned crimson before returning to normal.

“It’s still here. The traces of spiritual energy left by the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng have appeared on the surface of the rocky mountain.”

At the old demon’s words, Han Li also infused his eyes with magic power and looked down at the rocky mountain. The result was disappointing. He couldn’t find any special traces.

When Han Li’s eyes turned blue, the Corpse Merchant, knowing that he was also searching, said calmly,

“Don’t even think about seeing the spiritual energy left by the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng. At least you need to have succeeded in the Nascent Soul stage [a high level of cultivation] to spread a powerful consciousness and find those traces. Although I’m walking the Ghost Dao [a cultivation path focused on ghosts and spirits] now, I haven’t lost my previous powerful consciousness, so I can see it.”

At the Corpse Merchant’s words, Han Li quietly circulated the Great Development Technique [a cultivation technique]. After a while, a faint blue glow that had spread across the rocky mountain began to enter his eyes. The Corpse Merchant, unaware that Han Li was also clearly seeing the traces, muttered while looking down at the rocky mountain,

“Fortunately, I prepared in advance to collect the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng before coming here. If I set a trap and drive the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng into it, I can easily catch it.”

Then, he rummaged through his storage pouch and handed a golden object to Han Li. Han Li looked down at it with a slightly dazed expression.

“What is this?”

The egg-sized golden sphere emitted light, and it seemed to have been specially refined. Perhaps noticing his bewildered expression, the Corpse Merchant sneered and then grabbed the sphere with his five fingers, emitting a black light.

Then, thin golden threads flowed out densely and quickly intersected in front of the Corpse Merchant, creating a golden thread net.

The Corpse Merchant looked at Han Li and said seriously,

“The Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng can only be captured with items made of pure gold, and it seems to escape from other magic treasures or magic tools, so hold it well.”

After thinking for a moment at the other party’s words, Han Li gestured at the golden net without saying anything.

‘Whoosh’

Then, the net automatically flew into Han Li’s hand and went into his storage pouch without him even examining it properly. The Corpse Merchant smiled and turned his palm over, this time taking out four yellow earth-colored flags.