Chapter 189: Cave Dwelling and Mountain-Guarding Beast

"Haha, though the affairs at the Heavenly Star Hall are not as numerous as yours here, it's not like I'm free all the time. How could I come whenever I want? Today, this Elder Li Feiyu has just joined our sect, so I brought him here to register and pick a mountain peak for his cave dwelling," Qi Liang said with a smile.

"I see. Easy, easy... So this is Elder Li. I am Yu Xiansheng, the managing elder of this Household Construction Hall. I'll register Elder Li right away." Elder Yu sized up Han Li and said with a smile.

"Thank you, Elder Yu," Han Li quickly expressed his gratitude.

Yu Xiansheng waved his hand, flicked his wrist, and produced a crystalline brush carved from gold and jade. He walked over to a desk and began writing swiftly in a thick, azure-glowing book.

"Has Elder Li chosen his century-long elder tasks?" He suddenly stopped writing and looked up to ask.

"I have chosen to complete three routine steward-level tasks," Han Li said directly.

Yu Xiansheng nodded as if he had expected this and continued writing.

"It's all registered. According to sect rules, any inner disciple or elder can have their own mountain peak within the sect. Now, Elder Li, please pick a mountain peak to establish your cave dwelling," he said, straightening up.

With that, he flicked his sleeve, and a flash of green light appeared. A jade scroll over three feet long materialized before him.

Immediately after, the emerald scroll glowed with green light and slowly unfurled, revealing a long landscape painting of mountains and rivers.

Han Li's gaze fell upon it. The painting was dense with lines and intricate patterns, depicting mountains, rivers, and everything in between. At first glance, he found the brushwork freehand and unremarkable.

But when his eyes lingered on certain peaks, the image there instantly magnified and became vivid, as if the actual scene of the painted location had appeared before him.

Han Li couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

"What the Ink Spirit Landscape Scroll displays is the topography of our Bell Tone Mountain Range. However, because the region is so vast, what you see is only a part. To see more areas, you need to extend the scroll further," Yu Xiansheng explained with a smile.

With that, he flicked his wrist, and the image in the scroll began to slowly shift backward, revealing more peaks and rivers.

As more areas were revealed, Han Li noticed that different regions had different background colors in the scroll: some were blue, some cyan, some gold, and some were simply black, as if ink had been spilled.

However, when his gaze lingered on some areas, the actual scene did not appear.

"Why do these areas have different background colors? Do they serve different purposes?" Han Li asked, puzzled.

"Correct. The gold areas in the scroll are peaks where some core halls of the sect are located, mainly in the central part of the Bell Tone Mountain Range. Halls like the Recruiting Hall, the Transmission Hall, and this Household Construction Hall are all in this area. The silver areas on the periphery are the cave dwelling territories of true disciples," Yu Xiansheng explained.

With that, he waved his hand, and the image in the scroll swept dozens of zhang to the right, stopping at a blue area.

"The cyan area you saw earlier is the western part of the mountain range, where outer elders and disciples have their cave dwellings. The blue area in the eastern part is the territory for inner disciples and elders. As for the other gray areas, like the Molten Snow Forest and the Nameless Valley, they are sect training grounds, usually closed unless there are special circumstances," Yu Xiansheng continued.

"Then... are those black areas sect forbidden grounds?" Han Li asked, puzzled.

Yu Xiansheng glanced at him and nodded. "Correct. Apart from the Dao Lord and Vice Dao Lords, only a few core elders and true disciples have access to these places. They are usually surrounded by powerful restrictions, so you'll sense them before getting close and won't accidentally trespass."

"I see. I'm new here and unfamiliar with everything in the sect. With so many peaks, it's a bit overwhelming. Could I trouble Elder Yu to recommend a few?" Han Li said with a smile.

"Of course," Yu Xiansheng nodded.

After speaking, he waved his hand again, and the image on the jade scroll suddenly accelerated, sweeping back over a dozen zhang to reveal several towering peaks.

"This Sun Yang Peak covers an area of only two hundred thousand li, but it has an excellent spiritual spring that naturally gathers heaven and earth's spiritual energy, making it a rare blessed land... About five hundred thousand li away is this Drum Yang Peak, which is slightly larger but has no spiritual spring..." Yu Xiansheng pointed at two peaks and spoke eloquently.

"Whether there's a spiritual spring or not doesn't matter. Are there any relatively secluded peaks?" Han Li asked.

Yu Xiansheng thought for a moment, then waved his hand again, and the scroll image swept back nearly a hundred zhang before stopping.

"This Sunset Glow Peak is in a remote location with low terrain. As far as I remember, no elder has ever lived there... There are many plains and valleys around it, making it much quieter than other peaks. If Elder Li chooses this peak, you'll need to build a new cave dwelling yourself," Yu Xiansheng said, pointing at the scroll.

Han Li's gaze followed his finger and lingered on the solitary peak for a while, but he didn't speak, seemingly still unsatisfied.

"No matter, let's continue looking..." Yu Xiansheng exchanged a silent glance with Qi Liang, who stood nearby, and said.

Then he continued to scroll the image, recommending other peaks to Han Li.

After a while, just as Elder Yu was beginning to show impatience, Han Li's gaze suddenly shifted to a corner of the scroll, pointing directly at an isolated peak. "Elder Yu, may I choose this peak?"

"You choose this Red Cloud Peak?" Qi Liang looked over and asked with a strange expression.

"What? Is there something wrong with choosing this peak?" Han Li noticed Qi Liang's reaction and asked.

"There's nothing wrong. This peak was once the cave dwelling of Elder Fire Refiner. After he fell, it has been vacant. If you choose it, it's suitable. It has a medicine garden, beast pen, mansion, and caves, all complete, but they need cleaning. Later, we'll go to Puli Valley to pick some attendants for you and leave it to them," Yu Xiansheng took over before Qi Liang could speak and explained.

Han Li's heart stirred slightly, but he said nothing more, only thanked him and confirmed the choice.

Yu Xiansheng flicked his wrist, and a tiny landscape seal appeared in his palm. He lightly lifted it and stamped it onto the position of Red Cloud Peak.

After the seal fell, Red Cloud Peak and its surrounding area rippled with a strange fluctuation. When Han Li tried to focus on it, he could no longer see the actual scene.

"Alright, this Red Cloud Peak and its surrounding area of nearly six hundred thousand li are now under Elder Li's name. Take this managing elder token and storage bracelet. They contain some sect-related scrolls and supplies," Elder Yu said with a smile, putting away the seal and producing a red token and a storage bracelet.

Han Li took them, put away the storage bracelet, and held the elder token in his hand, examining it closely.

The token was the size of a palm, warm and smooth to the touch like jade. One side was carved with a strange dragon pattern, and the other bore the seal-script characters for "Elder."

"Elder Li, this elder token is an important credential for entering and leaving our Candle Dragon Sect. You'll use it in many places. To prevent others from using it fraudulently, you need to mark it with your blood essence. Also, the token stores one hundred free merit points granted to new elders. Please keep it safe," Qi Liang instructed.

Han Li nodded, pressed his two fingers together, and touched the token.

Light flashed on his fingertip, and a drop of pale golden blood essence flowed out, quickly seeping into the token.

The token flashed, and a strange pattern formed by golden threads appeared on its surface, emanating Han Li's unique aura.

He probed it with his divine sense and indeed found one hundred merit points stored inside.

"Elder Li, should I take you to Puli Valley to pick attendants first, or to the Beast Garden to choose a mountain-guarding beast?" Elder Qi asked.

"Mountain-guarding beast?" Han Li asked, puzzled.

"They are spiritual beasts tamed and raised by the sect. Given your cultivation level and status as an inner elder, you should be able to receive a Spirit Fusion-stage spiritual beast to guard your cave dwelling," Qi Liang explained.

"Oh, no need to spend merit points?" Han Li asked, surprised.

"This, like the attendants, is a gift from the sect... Actually, most are outer disciples who have joined the sect and wish to serve us true immortals... It seems you're interested in the mountain-guarding beast. How about I take you to the Beast Garden first?" Qi Liang explained with a smile.

"I've never heard of this before, just curious. When I was choosing the peak, I noticed that the Dragon Soaring Peak, where the Transmission Hall is located, seems not far from here. I'd like to go there first," Han Li said, looking at Qi Liang.

"Elder Li is quite observant to notice that. However, though it looks close on the map, it's not near within our Bell Tone Mountain Range. Are you sure you don't want to settle your cave dwelling matters first before going to the Transmission Hall?" Elder Qi was slightly taken aback, then said.

"Forgive my eagerness, Elder Qi. I have long admired the illustrious reputation of the Candle Dragon Sect and have yearned for the scriptures in the Transmission Hall for many years. Now that my wish has finally come true, I can't contain my excitement and want to take a look first," Han Li said, feigning embarrassment.