Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 531

Around the teleportation array, about seventeen or eighteen spirit stones were embedded. If a similar number were needed for the return trip, it would cost over a thousand spirit stones just to go back and forth.

Shortly after, light shot out from the surrounding spirit stones, and the two disappeared from the spot.

After the glare and headache subsided, Han Li and Elder Wang found themselves on a pile of rocks. At their feet, a teleportation array similar to the one that had sent them here was installed.

After regaining his senses, Han Li looked around.

The space, about a thousand feet wide, was filled with nothing but white rocks and pits.

Han Li took a deep breath, and his heart sank. He couldn’t feel any spiritual energy here. It was a dead land, truly, blending with the hazy sky.

“As Fellow Cultivator Han has already seen, this space is essentially a dead land. Some spatial rifts contain spiritual veins, but that’s just a possibility. Especially a sacred place that surpasses the spiritual energy of the human realm, like the legendary Spirit Burial Garden, is unimaginable. Since the Great Jin cultivation world began discovering spatial rifts, only about three or four places have contained even a faint amount of spiritual energy. Those spatial rifts were refined into Mustard Seed Spaces with the help of our sect.”

“So, apart from saving space and being able to enter and exit at will, there are no other advantages. No wonder I haven’t heard about Mustard Seed Spaces while traveling around the Great Jin.”

Han Li rubbed his chin.

“It’s not quite like that. If a sect needs a place to hide a large amount of treasures, or a secret room to hide from enemies, there’s nothing better than a Mustard Seed Space. It’s also useful as a space for testing magic tools and treasures, like our Heavenly Secrets Pavilion. The reason Mustard Seed Spaces are rare is that there aren’t many suitable spatial rifts to refine. Some spatial rifts are kept secret by certain sects, making them even less known. Moreover, the materials and costs required to refine a Mustard Seed Space are enormous, further reducing their number.”

Elder Wang said with a hint of regret.

“But it’s far from what I imagined. If a teleportation array is needed to enter and exit, it doesn’t seem to fit the expression of putting Mount Sumeru inside a mustard seed from Buddhist scriptures.”

“Being able to carry such a vast space is only possible in the Spirit Realm or Immortal Realm. We barely managed to stabilize a spatial rift with a large amount of materials.”

“You mean you can stabilize spatial rifts? Then, can you also stabilize and restore collapsed spatial rifts?”

“It’s possible. If it hasn’t completely collapsed, it can be stabilized. Does Fellow Cultivator Han know of such a spatial rift?”

The silver-robed cultivator asked, looking puzzled.

“I have seen a spatial rift outside the sea. However, I haven’t been inside, so I don’t know if it has completely collapsed, but the entrance was unstable.”

The other party closed his mouth, seeing that he didn’t want to elaborate, and flipped his palm to take out a jade box containing the Heavenly Secrets Talisman.

“I will release the Heavenly Secrets Talisman now. Please examine it, and if you are satisfied, we can discuss the trade.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Han Li nodded, and Elder Wang immediately opened the jade box. A milky light leaked out, and something was faintly visible in the center.

Elder Wang chanted a spell and shook the jade box, causing a white beam of light to fly out. It instantly grew to the size of several acres, revealing a pavilion made of white jade.

Elder Wang made a hand seal, and the white light trembled and descended to the ground.

*Kukukung!*

Han Li observed carefully with his hands behind his back.

The cave was slightly smaller than a typical residence. However, it had a pavilion, a garden, and everything else, and the white aura covering the outside made it feel like a place where immortals lived.

After looking around outside for a while, he turned into a blue beam of light and shot inside.

Seeing this, Elder Wang hurriedly flipped his palm and took out a white jade pendant. Light emitted from the pendant, and the cave’s protective barrier disappeared, allowing Han Li to pass through.

* * *

After a while, Han Li came out of the cave and returned to the nearby pile of rocks.

“How is it? Are you satisfied?”

“It’s not large, but it has everything, including a refining room and a secret room for raising spirit beasts. However, I have one question.”

“If it’s about the Heavenly Secrets Talisman, please ask anything. I will answer without hiding anything.”

“The biggest advantage of the Heavenly Secrets Talisman is that you can shrink a huge residence and carry it around at any time. But can you also carry the items and spirit beasts inside, like a storage pouch or a spirit beast pouch?”

“Items inside the residence are fine, but living creatures are difficult. No matter how powerful a spirit beast is, it cannot withstand the enormous pressure created when the Heavenly Secrets Talisman shrinks. Even if it could withstand the pressure, it would be cut off from the outside world and unable to absorb spiritual energy during the shrinking process. If it lasts too long, no spirit beast would survive.”

Elder Wang answered without hiding anything. After all, such a drawback would be immediately apparent after using it for a short time.

“So, every time I retract the residence, I have to retrieve all the spiritual herbs planted in the herb garden.”

“That’s right. That’s the drawback of the Heavenly Secrets Talisman that we haven’t been able to solve yet. But just the fact that it’s a residence that can be carried and summoned at any time makes it comparable to any treasure.”

“I see. If it had the functions I wanted, it wouldn’t have been left until it fell into my hands.”

“Does that mean you are willing to trade?”

Elder Wang’s face brightened at Han Li’s smile.

“I do have some rare materials. First, if you could show me a list of treasures that you would trade for the Heavenly Secrets Talisman, we can discuss the quantity later.”

“Of course! Here is a jade slip with the materials that our pavilion needs. Please take a look and let me know.”

The silver-robed cultivator smiled and handed over a white jade slip.

* * *

An hour later, when Han Li left the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, Elder Wang personally saw him off with a bright smile.

Han Li exchanged a few words and turned to leave. Elder Wang stood there until he completely disappeared, then returned to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

Han Li stroked the bulging storage pouch at his waist and smiled. After trading for the Heavenly Secrets Talisman with unnecessary materials, he took out some elixirs and spiritual herbs and exchanged them for a huge amount of spirit stones.

As he walked, Han Li continuously released a portion of his consciousness to check if anyone was spying on him. Given the reputation of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, they would likely keep their word to some extent, but Han Li had exposed a huge amount of wealth and introduced himself as a cultivator from outside the sea, so it was best to be cautious.

Only after confirming that no one was following him did he turn into an alley and unleash a blue light from his entire body. His height increased slightly, and his face and clothing changed.

When he emerged from the alley, he had transformed into a middle-aged scholar in a navy blue robe. The scholar, with a long beard and mustache, had a handsome appearance. With his cultivation, as long as he didn’t encounter a late-Nascent Soul cultivator, he didn’t have to worry about his true identity being exposed.

Only then did Han Li feel relieved and walk towards another shop.

He visited several more shops, but he didn’t find anything. Some items caught his interest, but there were no materials to refine puppets or the Three-Flame Fan.

‘I have no choice but to wait for the auction to be held.’

Han Li reached the end of the street and looked up at a magnificent stone hall.

The huge stone hall was the Bright Radiance Hall, and it was clearly different from other shops. It had three floors, but each floor was twenty feet high. It seemed like it could accommodate over a thousand cultivators at once.

At the entrance of the hall, a few Foundation Establishment cultivators were standing guard, and they were preventing ordinary cultivators from entering, as if they were still preparing.

Besides Han Li, several cultivators passed by, pointing at the building and chattering. Han Li was about to leave after examining the Bright Radiance Hall when suddenly four male and female cultivators appeared from inside.

Han Li, who had been casually glancing at them, suddenly changed his expression but immediately returned to a calm demeanor and turned his body.

“Wait a moment.”

Just as he was about to take a step, a woman’s voice came from behind. Han Li’s heart grew heavy, but he stopped.

“What is it?”

He turned around with a very calm face.

About six feet away, a woman with her face covered by a white veil was looking at him with sparkling eyes. The other woman and two men standing next to the woman just looked at Han Li with puzzled faces.

After scanning them with his consciousness, he found that all four were Nascent Soul cultivators. In particular, the man in black robes in his forties, standing next to the woman in white, had the same mid-Nascent Soul cultivation as him.

“It’s nothing. I just wanted to greet you because your cultivation seems extraordinary. I hope you don’t find it uncomfortable?”

The woman in white scanned Han Li and briefly glanced at the long bundle he was carrying on his back.

The woman had her face covered, but every action of hers was captivating. However, Han Li was greatly surprised.

She was none other than the Saintess Tian Lan, whom he had fought fiercely in the grasslands.

“Uncomfortable? With your cultivation and character, I should be the one wanting to greet you. However, I have urgent matters to attend to, so I cannot stay long.”

Although his heart was pounding, Han Li maintained a calm attitude. Just as he was about to turn around after cupping his fist, the woman moved and blocked his path.

“I still have something to ask. Please answer before you leave.”

“Are you interrogating me now?”

Han Li also hardened his expression.

“Miss, do you know this cultivator?”

The man in black robes finally couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked. He was surrounded by a black aura, and it was clear at a glance that he was a cultivator who had deeply mastered demonic arts.

“No, I don’t. He’s a cultivator I’m seeing for the first time, but for some reason, he reminds me of the person I’m looking for. As Brother Gal knows, I’ve been traveling around the Great Jin for years to find that person. I must not be mistaken.”

Saintess Tian Lan stroked the blue cloth draped over her shoulder and gave Han Li a cold look.

“Does this person possess our sect’s Guila Banner!”

The black-robed cultivator’s face suddenly contorted hideously as he glared at Han Li.

“It’s not certain yet. His physique and appearance are different, but the feeling is similar, and the shape of the bundle on his back is the same.”

Saintess Tian Lan narrowed her eyes. At her words, the black-robed cultivator also looked at Han Li’s bundle and tried to scan its contents with his consciousness, but he was repelled by a powerful consciousness.

“I am Gal Tianhu of the Yin Fiend Sect. Could you please open the bundle on your back and show us what’s inside? If it’s not what we think it is, we won’t trouble you any further.”

Gal Tianhu said, revealing his vigilance. The other male and female cultivators also exchanged glances and moved to Han Li’s sides.

Even though no one used magic or moved their magic treasures, a sinister aura began to circulate.

At this, the nearby Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators turned pale and scattered. If a battle between high-level cultivators broke out, they could be crushed like shrimp in a whale fight.

In an instant, only Nascent Soul cultivators remained near the stone hall, and some nearby pavilions had already activated their protective barriers.