Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 617

“Are they all your companions?”

Han Li, after examining the disc and putting it away, scanned the cultivators behind the middle-aged man and asked. Gok Cheon-gye was taken aback by the unexpected question.

“We haven’t known each other long, but we all wish to enter the Sogeuk Palace, so we’ve joined forces. Is there a problem?”

Gok Cheon-gye, startled, became slightly uneasy.

“It’s not a big problem, but I don’t like one of your companions.”

Han Li looked at the young woman and sneered.

“Really?”

“How can there not be a problem when a demon is mixed in?”

“A demon?”

At those words, Gok Cheon-gye’s face changed, and the other cultivators were startled, unconsciously stepping away from her.

“S-Senior, that’s a terrible joke. I am a disciple of the Young Clan of Sanggun, how could I be a demon?”

The young woman, greatly surprised, stammered in explanation.

“That’s right. Senior, you must be mistaken. Disciple Young is clearly from the Young family, and I’ve met her several times before.”

The young man, who had been eating pills, looked at the pale-faced woman and spoke up for her. The others also began to show suspicious expressions.

Han Li, as if he hadn’t heard him, simply clicked his tongue.

“Trying to deceive me with just a divided soul! Reveal yourself this instant!”

As he clenched his fist in the air, a huge blue hand appeared above the young woman’s head, attempting to seize her.

The young woman, who had looked wronged, lost her surprised expression at the sight of the giant hand and leaped away with a vicious look. She transformed into a beam of light and instantly fled twenty yards away.

Han Li sneered and flicked his sleeve. A yellow light flew out and disappeared, then transformed into a demon-subduing staff, about a yard long, above the woman’s head. As he urged it with a hand seal, the treasure blurred and instantly grew larger, creating a huge phantom that struck the woman.

The young woman was terrified and, without time to dodge, spewed black demonic energy from her mouth to try and block it for a moment.

Bang!

However, the yellow light flashed, and the black energy scattered. The phantom of the demon-subduing staff struck the woman’s head without delay.

The young woman let out a terrible scream and disappeared. At the same time, a black shadow slipped out from behind her and tried to burrow into the ground.

At that moment, a loud thunderclap rang out, and a golden net appeared, covering the black shadow. Explosions followed one after another, and the black monster was annihilated without even a scream. The cultivators, including the middle-aged man who had been watching, were so shocked that they couldn’t close their mouths.

Han Li gestured, and the demon-subduing staff trembled and returned to its original size, disappearing into his sleeve.

Having finished his task, he suddenly turned his palm over, took out a navy blue bottle, and threw it to Gok Cheon-gye. The middle-aged man was surprised and caught it.

“That will help you pass through this place smoothly. Let’s exchange it for your Directional Plate.”

After speaking, Han Li immediately emitted a blue light from his whole body and disappeared into the blizzard in an instant. Only then did the middle-aged man tightly grasp the small bottle, unable to hide his joy.

The young woman, who had been struck by the demon-subduing staff, regained consciousness. Fortunately, there was nothing wrong with her body.

Han Li headed straight for the Sogeuk Palace, following the directions of the disc. He smiled inwardly, recalling what had just happened.

A divided soul of a high-level demon beast had been lurking inside the young woman’s body, but it was only the consciousness of an 8th-level demon beast at best. Cleverly using a secret technique, it had hidden inside the woman’s body, so even she herself had not noticed it.

If she had passed the test as she was, the divided soul of the demon beast could have entered the Sogeuk Palace without the Sogeuk Palace cultivators knowing.

It wasn’t a difficult problem to solve, and since he had encountered it, Han Li killed the demon beast’s divided soul to prevent any unnecessary trouble.

At least, if there were no problems while he was in North Underworld, wouldn’t that be a good thing?

‘They’re going to such lengths to enter the Sogeuk Palace, could it be because of the Cold Marrow?’

He had asked around, but there were no rumors that the Cold Marrow had disappeared from the North Underworld Sogeuk Palace. A long time had passed, and for some reason, it seemed that the Sogeuk Palace was covering up this matter internally.

Not long after, he entered an area where hailstones the size of fists were falling. The hailstones sparkled beautifully, mixed with the blizzard, but when they hit the protective barrier, they made a thudding sound, making it feel like being hit by stones.

However, there was no reason for Han Li’s cultivation to fear such large hailstones. After flying for half an hour, he saw the area in front of him brighten, and all the hailstones and blizzards disappeared.

As his vision cleared, he finally saw the ice city built against the mountain. Even from a distance, it was sparkling in the light and surrounded by a white aura, giving it a strange feeling.

A look of surprise appeared on Han Li’s face. It wasn’t because of the ice city, but because of the huge mountain behind it. The reason he was surprised was that the mountain stood straight like a giant pillar and was covered in ice, sparkling like crystal.

If there hadn’t been patches of greenery here and there, he might have thought it was just an ice pillar rather than a mountain.

Although he possessed the Brightspirit Vision [a technique that enhances eyesight], it was difficult for him to see the exact appearance from such a distance. However, the buildings faintly visible at the top of the ice mountain were likely the North Underworld Sogeuk Palace.

Han Li flew straight towards the ice city.

The path to the ice city looked like ordinary glaciers, but various invisible restrictions were spread out. Even Han Li, who was skilled in formations, felt that they were of a great level, so it was clear that anyone who recklessly invaded this place would suffer greatly.

Suddenly, Han Li raised his eyebrows and looked at the Directional Plate he was holding.

It seemed that the Directional Plate not only had the effect of guiding the way but also had the function of allowing the Sogeuk Palace cultivators to track the locations of other cultivators.

As he was thinking this, several beams of light approached.

It was a man in white clothing and two women. The man was a Core Formation cultivator, and the women were at the Qi Refining stage.

The handsome man scanned Han Li with his spiritual sense and immediately bowed respectfully.

“I am Seok Woon, a steward of the outer palace. May I ask for your esteemed name, Senior? Do you have business with our palace?”

He had already recognized Han Li as a high-level cultivator from seeing him fly through the blizzard from afar. However, he couldn’t help but be nervous when he realized that he was an unfamiliar Nascent Soul middle-stage cultivator.

“It is true that I am visiting your palace. I have a friendship with one of your palace elders.”

Unlike the nervous Seok Woon, Han Li was leisurely.

“You have a friendship with our palace elder! If you tell me which elder you are looking for, I will inform them immediately.”

“Is the Immortal Bai Yao-yi in the palace?”

“You are looking for Senior Uncle Bai? Senior Uncle is currently in closed-door cultivation. I will send a sound transmission talisman [a magical message delivery device] to inform him, so please wait a moment.”

Seok Woon was even more relieved when Han Li really asked for Bai Yao-yi and immediately took out a sound transmission talisman. Meanwhile, Han Li leisurely looked at the distant scenery.

Just as the young man was about to speak with a smile on his face, a dazzling red beam of light flew through the blizzard from afar.

As the beam of light arrived, the Sogeuk Palace disciples in front of Han Li immediately bowed in greeting. And before the light had even faded, a cheerful laugh burst out from within.

“Are you the cultivator who has come to visit our palace? May I ask for your name?”

Unexpectedly, a young man with fair and clean skin appeared in front of Han Li. Unlike his youthful face, his gray hair and eyes gave off the feeling of an old man who had experienced the vicissitudes of time.

Han Li narrowed his eyes and examined the other party, who was also a Nascent Soul middle-stage cultivator. Surprised, before he could open his mouth, Seok Woon, with a joyful expression, bowed respectfully.

“Disciple greets Senior Uncle Im Byeok.”

“I am Han, and I have an appointment with Senior Bai, so I have come to visit.”

Han Li calmly replied, seeing Seok Woon bowing to the man in front of him.

“Ah, you are Brother Han. By Senior Bai, do you perhaps mean Junior Sister Bai Yao-yi?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s great. I am also on my way back to see Junior Sister Bai, so I will guide you!”

At Han Li’s words, Senior Im’s eyes sparkled, and he spoke enthusiastically. Although his expression did not change, it was a strange thing for Han Li.

Before he could reply, a red light flashed in the distance and flew towards Seok Woon.

“It is Senior Uncle Bai’s sound transmission talisman.”

Seok Woon quickly grabbed the red light and injected his spiritual sense, immediately informing Han Li of the contents.

“Senior Han! Senior Uncle Bai is delighted to hear that you have arrived and says that he will soon finish his closed-door cultivation and come out. He asks that you be brought to the White Condensation Pavilion.”

“White Condensation Pavilion? I understand. Seok Woon, you go and attend to your duties. Fellow cultivator Han, please come with me!”

Han Li’s brow furrowed slightly, but since there was no reason to refuse, he nodded.

“Then I will ask for Senior Im’s guidance.”

“Haha! Junior Sister Bai and I are as close as siblings. If you are a friend of Junior Sister Bai, then you are the same to me. Now, let’s go!”

Senior Im replied politely and then transformed into a red beam of light and moved forward. Han Li immediately followed behind him.

“It seems that this is your first visit to our Sogeuk Palace.”

“Yes, it is my first time in North Underworld. As befitting the reputation of the best sect in the north, the energy here is extraordinary.”

At Han Li’s words with a smile, Senior Im showed a proud expression.

“You flatter us. If it weren’t for our palace being located in such a remote place, it would be comparable to the ten great demonic and righteous sects. Hmm, Junior Sister Bai left the palace more than ten years ago and has been in closed-door cultivation ever since. You must have met her and gotten to know her then. May I ask which sect you are from? Although our palace is located in the north, I often travel throughout the Great Jin, so I know most of the sects.”

He was asking indirectly, but he was curious about the background of Han Li, who had an unfamiliar appearance. Han Li chuckled lightly.

“I am not from the Great Jin, so it is not strange that you do not know me. Senior Bai knows my detailed background.”

“I see. No wonder someone with a cultivation like yours was not known.”

Im Byeok chuckled awkwardly when Han Li seemed a little displeased and did not ask further. In any case, it was a great gain just to know that the other party was not from the Great Jin.

The two reached the entrance of the ice city, stopped their movement techniques, and descended.

The ice city was shrouded in light and mist and was clearly protected by powerful restrictions. It was only when Han Li reached the entrance that he could properly appreciate the beauty of the ice city.

The thirty-yard-long city walls sparkled with a beautiful light that caught the eye, and it seemed as if they were made by carving huge glaciers rather than stacking ice pieces like bricks, which made him admire it.

In front of the city gate, a dozen cultivators in white clothing stood guard.

They were only Qi Refining stage cultivators, but the white spirit beasts that resembled monkeys, standing guard with them, caught the eye. The demon beasts with long, pure white fur were sitting in front of the city gate, their green eyes gleaming.

The monkey-type spirit beasts were snow monkeys that lived in cold regions. Although their grade was not high, they were intelligent and easy to tame, so many cultivators in the northern region raised them.

However, the snow monkeys in front of the gate were much larger than ordinary snow monkeys, and judging by their demonic energy, they seemed to be at the 4th or 5th level. It seemed that the North Underworld Sogeuk Palace had a special method for evolving snow monkeys.

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