Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 679

“The place where we met Senior Song was already quite deep within the outer area.”

As soon as the giant received the jade slip, he infused it with his spiritual sense [a cultivator’s ability to perceive their surroundings]. After a moment, he returned the jade slip to Han Li. With a flick of Han Li’s hand, the jade slip turned blue and was drawn into his sleeve. After examining the map, he raised an eyebrow.

“It’s quite close to the center. You’ve done well! Junior Sister Hu, Junior Sister Oh, please speak with the other cultivators. I must leave first.”

Han Li, having retrieved the jade slip, smiled at the three giants and then instructed the old man and the scholar.

“Yes, Senior Uncle Han!”

The scholar and the old man immediately bowed, as did the three giants. A bright blue light burst from Han Li’s body, piercing the sky, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

“Senior Brother Hu! Is that really Senior Han Li, who recently became a Great Cultivator?”

The giant, who hadn’t spoken a word until the blue light had completely disappeared, asked in disbelief.

“If that wasn’t Senior Uncle Han, then who else could it be? You three are truly fortunate to have met him. Even our disciples rarely get to see Senior Uncle Han. I myself have only seen him a few times.”

“That’s right. I’ve been a Core Formation cultivator for decades, and this is only the second time I’ve seen him, the first time from afar. If it weren’t for the matter concerning Junior Sister Song, he probably wouldn’t have even left his residence.”

The old man relaxed and gave a wry smile, and the scholar nodded in agreement.

“So, it’s true that Senior Song and her group went missing in the Chuma Bone Valley? I had heard rumors, but I dismissed them as absurd.”

“There’s no need to hide it. It’s true that something has happened.”

The old man sighed softly.

“Three Nascent Soul cultivators [a high level of cultivation] went in and disappeared. Could they have gone into the central area?”

“It seems likely. It would be fortunate if they were just trapped somewhere by the central area’s restrictions. Since Senior Uncle Han has taken action personally, he will surely save them.”

The scholar also spoke with concern.

“From what I heard earlier, it seems Senior Han doesn’t get involved in sect affairs. Does he have some kind of connection with Senior Song?”

The older giant, having heard some rumors, cautiously brought up the topic.

“Senior Sister Song has known Senior Uncle Han for a long time, but the reason he’s taking action this time is probably because of the other two fellow disciples! Junior Sister Liu Yu is a nominal disciple personally taken in by Senior Han, and Junior Sister Mo Peiling is said to be Senior Han’s concubine. With all three of them missing at the same time, how could he remain indifferent?”

‘That explains it!’

The old man explained with a smile, and the three giants finally understood. While the Nascent Soul cultivators were talking, Han Li was already flying towards the Chuma Bone Valley.

Inside the escaping light, holding the jade slip, he seemed deep in thought.

“Are you worried about your disciples and concubine? Or are you concerned about the Golden Jade Book in your possession?”

The Heavenly Orchid Saint Ancestor’s voice echoed softly in his ear. Han Li glanced at his sleeve and spoke calmly.

“They are most likely in the central area of the Chuma Bone Valley, so if they haven’t encountered any mishaps, I should be able to save them. However, I’m making no progress in deciphering the Golden Jade Book with the Silver Script you taught me. What’s clear is that it contains information about refining talismans [paper charms with magical properties].”

“Why are you stating the obvious? The Golden Jade Book contains the talisman techniques practiced by immortals. If a mortal realm cultivator could decipher it so easily, it would be a fake. Moreover, it’s only half of the book, making it even more difficult to understand.”

“You have a point. Since I have time, I’ll study it slowly.”

Han Li nodded and retrieved the Golden Jade Book.

“…I’ve already taught you the Silver Script and the methods for refining the Fire Spirit and the Destruction Eye. Isn’t it time for you to help me face the Fire Tribulation [a trial of fire that cultivators must overcome]?”

After a moment of hesitation, the Heavenly Orchid Saint Ancestor asked calmly, and Han Li readily agreed.

“Hearing that puts my mind at ease.”

The Heavenly Orchid Saint Ancestor seemed very pleased with his answer and didn’t speak further.

Half a day later, at the entrance of the Chuma Bone Valley in the Myriad Spirit Mountain Range.

The teleportation array built by the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators was still there, but it was covered in a thick layer of dust, indicating that it was no longer in use. This was because the Chuma Bone Valley, which was once densely surrounded by restrictions and spatial rifts, had mostly cleared up.

Any cultivator above the Nascent Soul stage could easily bypass the weak points in the restrictions and enter the Chuma Bone Valley, so there was no need to enter through the entrance. However, most cultivators still used the entrance because it was considered safer due to the large number of cultivators who had entered through it.

Near the dusty teleportation array, about half a dozen cultivators were standing and discussing something. Among the Nascent Soul cultivators of different sects, one was a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and they seemed to be preparing to enter the Chuma Bone Valley.

They quickly looked around, startled by the sudden sound of air being torn apart in the distance. The sound came again from the void a dozen or so feet away, and something brushed past them and entered the Chuma Bone Valley.

However, none of them clearly saw the figure within the blue light. The Nascent Soul cultivators exchanged bewildered glances.

The owner of the blue light was none other than Han Li, and without a word, he headed straight for the location the Golden Sea Sect giant had told him about. If his memory served him correctly, it wasn’t far from the entrance where he and Zi Ling had chased the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators into the central area of the Chuma Bone Valley.

Moreover, since Song and Zi Ling were close, he planned to start looking for them from there. Since most of the spatial rifts had disappeared, he was able to reach the place with the huge glacial crevice in just half a day.

The blue light circled in the sky and entered the crevice.

* * *

Several hours later, Han Li finally emerged from the glacial crevice leading to the central area of the Chuma Bone Valley, stopping as he felt the cold wind.

His spiritual sense was still restricted in the central area, so searching for them with his spiritual sense alone would take a long time. After a moment of thought, Han Li touched the spirit beast pouch at his waist.

Buzz buzz!

At the same time, countless Silver Devouring Beetles poured out of the pouch, forming a golden cloud. He made a series of hand seals and cast several spells, then sat cross-legged on the spot and closed his eyes.

Boom.

The golden cloud exploded, scattering like golden petals in all directions. Han Li began to use the Spirit Transformation Technique to search for the three women. The women were only at the Nascent Soul stage, so they wouldn’t have gone too deep into the central area. This greatly reduced the search area.

After searching everywhere, the numerous Silver Devouring Beetles found no clues, so he expanded the search area to over a hundred miles.

“… !”

As he searched the mountain where the three women had gathered spirit herbs, he finally discovered traces of them gathering herbs. Han Li, having learned this through the consciousness of a nearby Silver Devouring Beetle, was delighted and moved directly to that location.

However, although he had confirmed that the three women had indeed entered the central area of the Chuma Bone Valley, he couldn’t find them nearby.

Han Li stood on the mountaintop, deep in thought.

Whistle!

After a moment, he let out a long whistle, and the Silver Devouring Beetles within dozens of miles flew back into the spirit beast pouch. Then, he touched another pouch, and this time, twelve snow-white centipedes appeared.

He made a hand seal and moved his spiritual sense, and the twelve Six-Winged Frost Centipedes concealed themselves in different directions. Han Li simply remained in place, but suddenly his expression changed, and he turned into a streak of light, flying back the way he had come.

After a moment, he saw a snow-white centipede circling and chirping softly. Narrowing his eyes, he arrived at the centipede’s location in a flash.

Looking down, something dark and murky caught his eye.

‘So that’s why I couldn’t find it earlier!’

The object lying in the bushes looked like a black twig, which was why he hadn’t been able to find it with the Spirit Transformation Technique. Han Li frowned and reached out, drawing the dry twig-like object towards him. However, as he examined it closely, his expression became subtle.

It was clearly a severed insect tentacle, and judging by the cold aura it emitted, it was a Six-Winged Frost Centipede tentacle. Surprisingly, he felt a familiar energy from the transformed Six-Winged Frost Centipede tentacle.

‘Profound Yin Demonic Qi! If it’s this pure, it must be from someone above the Extreme Yin Ancestor!’

His heart surged as he touched the severed tentacle. The Profound Yin Demonic Qi was a demonic art derived from the Profound Yin Great Art, and the only ones who had mastered it were the Extreme Yin Ancestor and Wu Chou, both of whom had died at his hands.

The Extreme Yin Ancestor’s other disciples hadn’t been taught it, and it was unlikely that anyone who had reached such a pure level would have come all the way to Tiannan.

“I once knew the complete formula of the Profound Yin Great Art and had practiced the Profound Yin Demonic Qi…”

A sudden thought made Han Li’s expression strange.

“Has Zhi Mu Lingying [Han Li’s second Nascent Soul] also returned to Tiannan?”

He had been concerned about his lost second Nascent Soul. He had wanted to return to Tiannan to find it immediately, but he was reluctant to leave again because Nangong Wan was still trapped in the ice wall.

Moreover, after so much time, his second Nascent Soul might have developed its own consciousness. So, he had decided to postpone it for a few years and return to the Peony Grassland later. But it seemed that his second Nascent Soul had returned to Tiannan first and was hiding in the Chuma Bone Valley.

If that was the case, then the disappearance of Mo Peiling and the others was likely related to it, and it was likely that nothing serious had happened yet.

In any case, his second Nascent Soul was essentially a copy of his memories and emotions, so even if its personality had changed over time, it wouldn’t harm them without a reason.

And judging by the faint trace of his consciousness that he sensed in the Heavenly Fiend Banner after entering the central area of the Chuma Bone Valley, it seemed that his second Nascent Soul had taken possession of the Heavenly Fiend Banner.

Thinking from his second Nascent Soul’s perspective, everything made sense. That was why the other Six-Winged Frost Centipedes had returned without finding anything.

It was no wonder.

The reason he had released the Silver Devouring Beetles and the twelve Six-Winged Frost Centipedes was because of the Six-Winged Frost Centipede larvae that Liu Yu possessed. Although her spirit insect was young, he had thought that the Six-Winged Frost Centipedes would be able to sense each other’s locations without any problems. But if the opponent was his second Nascent Soul, it would have already prepared countermeasures.

With a blank expression, Han Li collected the centipedes and fell into deep thought.

“It seems that the only way to find their whereabouts is this method. It’s a secret technique I obtained after losing my second Nascent Soul, so it shouldn’t be prepared for it.”

He sighed softly, his face showing reluctance. His hand brushed his waist, and a white jade disc and a bright red flag emerged from his pouch, forming white and red orbs of light.

He infused blue energy into the formation disc and slowly cut his other wrist with one hand. A blue light flashed, and drops of blood flowed from the wound on his wrist.

He blew energy from his mouth, and the blood droplets were absorbed into the white disc. Han Li pointed at the bright red flag, and it suddenly turned into a blood-colored mist, enveloping the disc.

At the same time, a blood-colored mist made of his own essence blood seeped out of the disc and mixed with the mist from the flag, making it indistinguishable.

Suddenly, a blue light flashed on his face, and with a cautious expression, he pointed at the jade disc. The blood-colored mist expanded greatly and was completely absorbed into it. In that moment, Han Li spoke in a low voice and reached out towards the jade disc with a cautious look.

Swoosh!

A turquoise light shot out from his fingertip and disappeared into the center of the jade disc, and the blood-colored moon seemed to tremble, as if it wanted to soar into the sky immediately.

Han Li now looked a little tired.

“The Blood Moon Spirit Seeking technique from the Great Evolution Treasure Scripture should be as miraculous as it’s written… It’s fortunate that I left behind some blood droplets when I placed the restriction on Mo Peiling. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to attempt this.”

He muttered to himself, took a pill, and immediately sat cross-legged to rest.
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