Chapter 521: Following

Luo Qinghai's expression was grave. He formed a hand seal, and the blue light holding Nan Ke Meng suddenly split into five, vanishing into various parts of his body.

The blue ice crystals on Nan Ke Meng's face quickly dissipated, and her trembling body gradually stilled.

“Great Palace Master, what happened to Junior Nan?” asked the white-faced scholar.

“This is not the place to talk. Let's find somewhere to settle down first.” Luo Qinghai's expression was somewhat stern. He led Nan Ke Meng out of the city of Guanlan and soon found a quiet inn to stay in.

“Meng'er suffered considerable injuries in the previous battle, and then forcibly activated the Cold Crystal Stele. Now the cold energy from the stele has invaded her meridians. If not treated promptly, it could harm her cultivation foundation. I must immediately use a secret technique to heal her. You have all been traveling these days and are tired. Rest here for now.” Outside a small independent courtyard behind the inn, Luo Qinghai said to the white-faced scholar and the others, then led Nan Ke Meng inside.

After a moment, a layer of blue light emerged within, enveloping the entire courtyard.

“With the Great Palace Master personally attending to her, there's no need to worry about Junior Nan's injuries. Everyone, rest for a while,” said the white-faced scholar, then turned and walked into a neighboring courtyard.

The other True Immortal cultivators of Cangliu Palace also each entered a small courtyard.

The black-bearded elder remained where he was, glanced at Luo Qinghai's courtyard, then turned and walked into the white-faced scholar's courtyard.

“Palace Master Tie, why aren't you resting?” asked the white-faced scholar, gently waving his blue feather fan, somewhat surprised.

“With our cultivation levels, how could a few days of travel tire us? I came here to discuss something with Palace Master Qiu.” The black-bearded elder chuckled, waving his hand to set up a layer of barrier light.

“Oh? What matter does Palace Master Tie have? Please speak freely,” said the white-faced scholar, his expression unchanged.

“I wonder how Palace Master Qiu fared in the Minghan Immortal Mansion this time?” the black-bearded elder asked in a low voice.

“Adequately. What advice does Palace Master Tie have?” The white-faced scholar frowned slightly as he spoke.

“This trip to the Minghan Immortal Mansion, for the sake of the final Taiyi Hall, we gained almost nothing along the way, and instead lost many treasures. It was truly not worth it. Are you content to return to the sect empty-handed, Palace Master Qiu? This time, among the Five Extremes Palaces, only the two of us followed the Great Palace Master out. The other three may not say it openly, but they are certainly displeased inside. Given the Great Palace Master's temperament, he won't let us have a share in any good opportunities next time.” The black-bearded elder slapped the table forcefully, his tone full of resentment.

“Palace Master Tie, please speak plainly if you have something to say.” The white-faced scholar's expression remained calm, his blue feather fan waving incessantly, unmoved by the elder's words.

“Palace Master Qiu is straightforward. Then I'll speak directly. Although we gained nothing, that doesn't mean others didn't.” The black-bearded elder chuckled, not minding, and pointed outward with his hand.

“You mean that person just now...” The white-faced scholar stopped waving his fan, his mind stirred.

“Exactly. Since that person came out of the Minghan Immortal Mansion, he likely has many good things on him. Even if he was unlucky and gained little, as a Golden Immortal cultivator, his possessions should be enough to compensate for our losses this time,” said the black-bearded elder with a smile.

Hearing this, the white-faced scholar seemed tempted, but then immediately shook his head: “No, we don't know his background. Besides, the Great Palace Master just said not to stir up trouble.”

“To put it bluntly, the Great Palace Master has already obtained the Taiyi Pill, so naturally he doesn't want any extra trouble. But we are still empty-handed,” the black-bearded elder said with a cold laugh.

“Palace Master Tie, how can you speak ill of the Great Palace Master like that? Everything he does is for the future of Cangliu Palace,” said the white-faced scholar, his expression darkening.

“I have no intention of slandering the Great Palace Master. That person hurried away as soon as he saw us, clearly an enemy, not a friend. Eliminating him would greatly benefit the sect. Why not act?” The black-bearded elder snorted.

“What you say is not wrong, but we don't know his cultivation level. Even if we join forces, we may not have a sure chance,” said the white-faced scholar after a long silence.

“On that point, Palace Master Qiu need not worry.” The black-bearded elder was delighted, then waved his hand.

Two yellow beams shot out from his hand, transforming into two man-high earth-yellow puppets, exuding waves of powerful aura mixed with traces of law fluctuations.

However, these two earth-yellow puppets were severely damaged, and their emitted aura fluctuated unsteadily.

“Golden Immortal puppets!” The white-faced scholar was startled, a glint of greed flashing in his eyes.

“With these two puppets to assist, Palace Master Qiu should be reassured, right?” laughed the black-bearded elder.

“I never expected Palace Master Tie to possess such treasures. With these two Golden Immortal puppets and the two of us joining forces, it is indeed foolproof,” said the white-faced scholar thoughtfully.

After a moment, two figures silently flew out from the inn and headed into the distance.

…

Han Li walked out of a material shop, holding a jade box, a pleased expression on his face.

Inside the jade box were seeds of a spiritual herb called Nightlight Grass, a specialty of the Huanglan Continent.

With this Nightlight Grass, the materials for a Golden Immortal pill called 'Azure Firmament Pill' from the *Huanan Danjing* were preliminarily assembled.

Incidentally, this spiritual herb was quite rare in the Huanglan Continent. He had only searched in the small city of Guanlan on a whim, and unexpectedly found it. Although they were only seeds, it made no difference to him.

He put away the jade box, did not linger in Guanlan City, and soon left the city.

Han Li's figure flickered, transforming into a beam of blue light that shot into the distance, vanishing over the horizon.

Shortly after he left, two faint shadows flew out from the city, trailing behind him.

Han Li did not immediately summon the jade flying carriage. That item belonged to Gongsun Jiu, and although no one in Guanlan City should recognize it, it was better to be cautious. He would switch to the carriage once he was far away.

He flew forward with ordinary遁光, and waved his hand to take out a white jade slip.

This was the route map for leaving the Northern Cold Immortal Domain that Jiao San had given him that day.

Han Li's divine sense entered it, and his brows suddenly twitched.

According to the jade slip, the starting point of that route was in a place in the southwest of the Northern Cold Immortal Domain.

Han Li looked thoughtful, playing with the jade slip in his hand.

Although Jiao San had told him two ways to leave the Northern Cold Immortal Domain, going through the Qiankun Gate of the Northern Cold Immortal Palace was clearly impossible.

The mask of the Reincarnation Palace had never been seen through, but since that force was the Heavenly Court's primary enemy, who knew how many methods the Heavenly Court had to deal with it.

Thus, only the path of crossing the desolate wilds remained.

However, he naturally did not fully trust Jiao San's words; this matter needed verification.

Moreover, before going there, he needed to visit Guyun Continent first.

Thinking this, Han Li glanced around and found that he was already far from Guanlan City. He turned his head and shouted:

“Who's skulking there? Afraid to show your face?”

As his voice fell, ripples stirred in the void ahead, and the figure of the masked elder materialized.

“It seems I don't know you, sir. May I ask why you are following me?” Han Li looked the masked elder up and down, frowning slightly, and said in a deep voice.

Although the man's entire aura was concealed by an invisible force, Han Li felt a vague sense of familiarity.

The masked elder said nothing, immediately formed a hand seal, and waved his hand.

Nine platinum beams shot out from his sleeve, revealing nine platinum flying swords.

The surface of the nine swords was covered with countless gleaming white runes, like burning platinum flames. They swelled in the wind, instantly transforming into a hundred-zhang giant, connected end to end like a white sword dragon hundreds of zhang long, charging fiercely at Han Li.

Before the white sword dragon descended, an extremely sharp law force rolled down from it, causing the void to hum and tremble, leaving black long marks in its wake.

Yet Han Li stood firm, a faint mocking smile on his face, and formed a hand seal with both hands.

Golden light flowed over his body, and a series of crackling sounds came from within. A layer of golden fur grew all over him, and his body swelled, instantly transforming into a golden giant ape hundreds of zhang tall.

The giant ape grabbed with one hand, and a dark green light flickered in its palm, materializing a dark green heavy sword—one of the three immortal artifacts he had just obtained.

As soon as the dark green heavy sword was summoned, its surface patterns lit up from top to bottom. In a flash, it became a hundred-zhang dark green giant sword, its surface covered with a layer of silver runes, and a vast law force erupted from it.

“Ha!” The golden giant ape roared, swinging its thick arm.

The dark green giant sword turned into a green sword shadow, fiercely striking the white sword dragon.

The two law forces collided like two giant waves, producing a thunderous roar!

The white light around the white sword dragon instantly collapsed, and the law force it emitted dissipated. Then the entire sword dragon, like straw in a storm, was sent flying backward by the sword strike.

With a loud boom, the white sword dragon disintegrated, reverting to nine platinum flying swords that tumbled back.

Each sword's light was dim, clearly damaged in spirit.

Seeing this, the masked elder's eyes showed shock.

But at that moment, black light flashed in the nearby void, and large swaths of black mist surged out, rapidly spreading around, enveloping an area of tens of li in an instant.

Delight flashed in the masked elder's eyes, and his figure flickered, vanishing into the black mist.

Han Li was enveloped by the black mist, and the scenery around him changed drastically, appearing in a black ocean.

Looking around, huge waves rolled and surged, and then black sea beasts leaped out from all directions, charging at him.

These sea beasts were as large as mountains, exuding astonishing auras, all possessing the strength of Golden Immortals!