Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 353

354. Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure

Han Li’s calm voice echoed from within the mist.

“I, Han, have been remiss in not greeting you sooner, having been cultivating on your esteemed sect’s land. I shall lift the restrictions shortly and invite you both inside.”

The silver-haired old man laughed heartily.

“Haha! What are you saying! It is our honor that you succeeded in forming your Nascent Soul here. It is only regrettable that we came in such haste that we did not prepare a congratulatory gift.”

Han Li replied calmly.

“A gift is unnecessary. Having formed my Nascent Soul here is already a great favor.”

As he spoke, a path of blue light cut through the mist, opening a way for the two cultivators. The silver-haired old man and the other cultivator entered without hesitation, following the path towards the entrance of a massive cave.

At the entrance stood a young man with an ordinary appearance, seemingly in his early twenties. The young man, clad in a blue robe, wore a smile as he walked to greet them.

“Please, come in!”

“Then, we shall take our leave for a moment.”

The silver-haired old man and the other cultivator cupped their fists in greeting and followed him. The mist outside stirred again, and the path disappeared. They were not unaware of this, but since they were within the Falling Cloud Sect and had come together, they were not overly concerned.

Han Li led them into a moderately sized main hall.

Once the cultivators were seated, Han Li sent out his spiritual sense, instructing the giant puppet monkey to bring tea. The silver-haired old man took a sip of tea, his gaze lingering on the direction the puppet had disappeared.

“The tea has a wonderful fragrance! But, I did not expect that Fellow Cultivator Han could even control puppets that move by mechanisms.”

Han Li replied nonchalantly.

“It’s just a basic skill. It’s not something that would catch the eyes of cultivators.”

The middle-aged cultivator, Ryo, was also quite surprised by Han Li’s puppetry and tried to probe him.

“Hahaha! You are too modest. Although it is a puppet, the spiritual energy it emits seems comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

Han Li shook his head, casually pointing out the puppet’s flaws.

“No, that fellow’s strongest attack is comparable to a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, but it is slow and its attack methods are simple. Moreover, refining it is very labor-intensive, costing as much in materials as making a top-grade magic tool.”

The silver-haired cultivator spoke again.

“A cultivator and a puppet are worlds apart. However, Fellow Cultivator’s puppet seems extraordinary. If a low-level cultivator were to carry it, it would be more than enough to protect themselves. But this kind of technique reminds me of the Heavenly Bamboo Sect in the western regions. Could it be that you are from the far west?”

His words seemed to praise the puppetry, but his true intention was to inquire about Han Li’s origins. Han Li smiled, narrowing his eyes slightly.

He could not be unaware of the other party’s intentions, so he replied with an unchanged expression.

“I learned puppetry from an unnamed scripture, so I do not know if it is related to the far west. Of course, I have heard that there is a sect there that is proficient in puppetry, so I would like to visit it if I have the chance.

I am from the Tiannan region. I was originally born in the Yue Kingdom, but I had to leave my homeland due to the invasion of the Six Demonic Sects.”

Ryo exchanged a glance with the silver-haired old man, then, unable to contain his curiosity, asked,

“You are from the Yue Kingdom! I am truly surprised at how young you look. How long have you been cultivating? Is there a secret to maintaining youth in the cultivation method you practice?”

Most cultivators who reached the Nascent Soul stage were usually 300 to 400 years old. Ryo himself was almost 400 years old when he reached the Nascent Soul stage.

“The cultivation method I practice has nothing to do with appearance. However, due to a fortuitous encounter in my youth, I consumed a Youth Preserving Pill and stopped aging. I believe I have been cultivating for over 200 years.”

“What, 200 years?”

Ryo, who had been thinking, ‘I knew it,’ until he heard about the Youth Preserving Pill, turned pale when Han Li revealed his age. Emotionally, he was no different from a junior brother, but the silver-haired cultivator still spoke gently.

“Only about 200 years…”

According to the other party, he had succeeded in forming his Nascent Soul in just over 200 years. This was not unheard of in the history of the Tiannan region, but it was extremely rare. Most of those who achieved this had unparalleled talent and later became truly earth-shattering figures.

There were even legends of some who disappeared into another world after reaching the late Nascent Soul stage. The young cultivator before them claimed to be 200 years old, which was not something to be taken lightly.

“Is it strange that I formed my Nascent Soul in 200 years?”

Han Li’s eyes flickered at their reaction.

Of course, he had grown faster than other cultivators, but their surprise seemed to have another meaning.

In any case, his knowledge of the Nascent Soul stage was fragmented. He had only encountered them as enemies, never having properly interacted with them. The silver-haired old man took a breath and looked at him with admiration.

“It’s not strange. We were just a little surprised to hear that you reached the Nascent Soul stage at such a young age. You have a bright future ahead of you.”

As he spoke, the silver-haired old man made a firm decision. He had to win the other party over! The best outcome would be to have him join the Falling Cloud Sect, but even if that was not possible, he had to avoid creating a bad relationship!

The middle-aged cultivator with the surname Ryo also erased his complicated expression and moved his lips, exchanging a brief telepathic message with the silver-haired old man, after which his expression became even more cautious. After the two had reached a conclusion, the silver-haired old man suddenly spoke.

“Since Fellow Cultivator Han is a wandering cultivator, I will be rude and ask. Now that you have reached the Nascent Soul stage, what are your plans for the future?”

Han Li deliberately showed a troubled expression.

“I have not yet decided what to do. The Yue Kingdom is currently under the control of the demonic path, and I have a grudge against the Guiling Sect, so I cannot return. As for other places…”

The silver-haired old man spoke politely and very carefully.

“If you would not mind our humble Falling Cloud Sect, how about joining our sect? In terms of power, we cannot compare to the Ancient Sword Sect, and we are inferior to the Hundred Cultivation Institute. However, our sect does not adhere to specific techniques and methods. Instead, we have developed by incorporating the strengths of numerous techniques and making them our own.

If you join our sect, you will receive the same respect as my brother and I, and we will never treat you as an outsider.”

“Are you asking me to become an elder of your sect?”

Han Li showed a hesitant expression.

Seeing that Han Li did not immediately refuse, the silver-haired old man rejoiced inwardly and spoke with even more sincerity.

“Don’t worry. If you become a Supreme Elder in our Falling Cloud Sect, you will have no practical duties. You can focus solely on your cultivation without any troublesome tasks. Moreover, every year, the disciples will offer you thousands of spirit stones for your cultivation, and you can have them procure any necessary spiritual herbs and materials.

Frankly, the treatment of a Supreme Elder in our Falling Cloud Sect is by no means inferior to that of other sects.”

Ryo also quietly agreed.

“My senior brother is right. Moreover, although Fellow Cultivator Han has succeeded in forming your Nascent Soul, you have just entered the Nascent Soul stage, and you must be unsure how to proceed with your cultivation, right?

Although my senior brother and I have not progressed beyond the early Nascent Soul stage for hundreds of years, we have gained some insights. If you decide to stay with our sect, we can greatly shorten the path you would otherwise have to take.”

Han Li listened to the two men, and Ryo’s condition made his heart waver. If a cultivator who had just entered the Nascent Soul stage could receive guidance and advice from those who had been in the Nascent Soul stage for hundreds of years, they could save hundreds of years.

Until now, he had only focused on reaching the Nascent Soul stage, so he had not thought about it, but now that the other party was making such an offer, he had to consider it carefully.

Should he continue to live freely as a wandering cultivator, entrust himself to the flow and become an elder of the Falling Cloud Sect, or should he find another more suitable sect to join!

Han Li, who had been silent, raised his head with a calm expression.

“I am grateful for your kindness. However, I have just formed my Nascent Soul and am not yet stable, so it is difficult for me to make such an important decision. If you would give me some time to consider, I will give you an answer in three days.”

At Han Li’s words, the silver-haired old man and the other cultivator exchanged glances and then responded with a hint of apology.

“It seems we were too hasty. Of course, you should have enough time to consider. How about this? I will order the other disciples not to approach, so you can rest comfortably, and we will visit you again in three days.”

The two cultivators finished their important discussion and chatted a little more about personal matters before leaving. Han Li, who had seen them off respectfully outside his residence, returned to the main hall, lost in thought.

Suddenly, a white light flashed in the main hall, and Yin Yue appeared gracefully in her original form as a white fox. Han Li looked at her, puzzled, and asked,

“Is your spiritual power insufficient to maintain your form?”

“Yes, Master! When I transform into a human by adding the fox’s spiritual power to the spirit transformation technique, I can only last this long. I have to wait a month before I can transform again.”

The fox shook her head coquettishly and grumbled. Han Li said calmly,

“When you become an eighth-level spirit beast, you will be able to maintain your human form permanently, so there is no need to be impatient.”

“That’s true. Well, I endured that long in the Void Sky Cauldron, so this is nothing. Moreover, with the help of the pills you gave me, Master, it seems I will be able to do it much sooner than expected.”

Han Li listened quietly, then, something came to mind, and he murmured softly.

“Hmm, I didn’t ask before because my cultivation was low. Now that I have reached the Nascent Soul stage, I should learn about the Void Sky Cauldron. You were in that cauldron for so long, so you must know something. I’m very curious about what other treasures are inside besides the Heaven Mending Pill?”

Yin Yue hesitated, then unexpectedly sighed.

“I know how to open the Void Sky Cauldron, but I’m worried you’ll be disappointed, Master.”

“You mean, even with my current cultivation, I can’t open it?”

It was an unbelievable story.

“There is something you don’t know, Master. The reason why I and the other ancient treasures were able to escape from the Void Sky Cauldron back then was not because we had the power to resist the restraints of the Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure. We barely escaped by taking advantage of the struggle between the cauldron’s Azure Glacial Flame and the cultivators inside at the time.”

“Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure? What is that? Isn’t the Void Sky Cauldron an ancient treasure? From what you’re saying, opening the Void Sky Cauldron and the Azure Glacial Flame must be closely related.”

“Actually, the Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure is also an ancient treasure. It’s a title used by cultivators in the ancient era. However, it was used to distinguish those with special abilities among the ancient treasures.

The Void Sky Cauldron is also one of the Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasures. I don’t know exactly what special abilities it has, but I know that it far surpasses the power of ordinary ancient treasures. As for the Azure Glacial Flame, as you said, it is related to opening the Void Sky Cauldron. It can be said to be the first element needed to control the Void Sky Cauldron.”

Han Li did not show any disappointment, but rather a hint of joy.

“Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure! If it was called that by cultivators in the ancient era, it must be a truly great treasure. If there is a first element, what is next? If you know, tell me everything.”

Things of value are difficult to obtain. No matter how difficult the conditions, it was worth trying if he could get his hands on the Void Sky Cauldron.

Yin Yue shook her head.

“I don’t know what is needed next. All I know is that once you can control the Azure Glacial Flame, you will naturally know the next step.”

# 355