Chapter 531: The Third Technique

"This man surnamed Liu has a peculiar aura, a fierce and murderous intent I have never seen before. He is definitely no ordinary Golden Immortal. Since he dares to come to our Cangliu Palace, he must be prepared. I can sense that he still holds an extremely powerful force in reserve. Moreover, he might be acquainted with Gongshu Jiu, so his identity is certainly not ordinary. If we make a move against him, whether we succeed or not, it will bring great trouble to the sect. This is absolutely not an option." Luo Qinghai shook his head and said.

"Why is the Great Palace Master so certain?" The horned giant was startled and asked.

"On the day before the entrance to the Immortal Mansion opened, seven Cold Hell River Maps appeared. The cultivators taken in by these seven maps I saw near the entrance. Judging by both aura and appearance, this man was not among them. Since he entered the Cold Hell Immortal Mansion, he must have gone in with Gongshu Jiu using the eighth Cold Hell River Map. Their relationship is certainly not ordinary." Luo Qinghai said slowly.

The others heard this and nodded slowly.

"Then what do we do? Are we really going to hand over the 'Water Evolution Four Seasons Art' to that man?" The horned giant said with some reluctance.

The other Golden Immortals fell silent, momentarily at a loss for words.

"Great Palace Master, you have always been resourceful. You decide on this matter." The green-faced old Daoist spoke up.

"Everyone, now is the most turbulent time in the Northern Cold Immortal Domain in hundreds of thousands of years. The Northern Cold Immortal Palace, Fuling Sect, and Candle Dragon Sect have all suffered heavy losses. Only our Cangliu Palace still maintains relatively intact strength. Amidst the chaos lie countless opportunities. This is the best time for our Cangliu Palace to expand its power. If we seize this opportunity, it may not be impossible for our Cangliu Palace to surpass the Fuling Sect and Candle Dragon Sect in one fell swoop and become the number one power in the Northern Cold Immortal Domain." Luo Qinghai said slowly.

The others showed excitement upon hearing these words.

For years, although Cangliu Palace was one of the three major sects in the Northern Cold Immortal Domain, its strength had always ranked behind the Fuling Sect and Candle Dragon Sect.

If they could surpass the Fuling Sect and Candle Dragon Sect in one fell swoop, not to mention the enormous benefits gained, just the glory alone made their hearts surge.

"Then what does the Great Palace Master mean?" The horned giant asked.

"To achieve this goal, the power of Palace Masters Tie and Qiu is indispensable. In my opinion, it is better to exchange the 'Water Evolution Four Seasons Art' for their Nascent Souls." Luo Qinghai said thus.

"The Great Palace Master is right. Our Cangliu Palace's everlasting foundation is far more important than a single technique like the 'Water Evolution Four Seasons Art'." The green-faced old Daoist agreed.

"Indeed! Moreover, although this technique is good, the time laws it contains are profound and difficult to understand. From ancient times to the present, not many in our Cangliu Palace have been able to comprehend its true essence. Even those rare geniuses who occasionally gained something achieved far less than those proficient in other laws. It is a waste of time."

"Right, just give it. Exchanging it for two Golden Immortal elders is worth it!"

The others nodded in agreement.

The horned giant was still reluctant, but seeing everyone agree, he said nothing more.

"In that case, Elder Qingfu, please fetch the 'Water Evolution Four Seasons Art'." Luo Qinghai said to the green-faced old Daoist.

"Yes." The green-faced old Daoist acknowledged and turned to walk out.

...

Han Li was playing with a white crystal ball in the hall when footsteps came from outside. Luo Qinghai and the green-faced old Daoist walked in.

"Great Palace Master Luo, time is almost up. What have you decided?" Han Li asked without turning around.

"Hehe, sorry to keep Fellow Daoist Liu waiting. This is our sect's 'Water Evolution Four Seasons Art' technique." Luo Qinghai flipped his hand and produced a blue jade slip, placing it on the tea table.

"Great Palace Master Luo is indeed a wise man." Han Li glanced at Luo Qinghai, then flipped his hand and produced another white crystal ball, inside which was sealed the Nascent Soul of the black-bearded elder.

He tossed both crystal balls toward Luo Qinghai, then reached out and took the blue jade slip.

Luo Qinghai caught the two crystal balls. A blue light emerged from his hand and entered the crystal balls. Soon, a look of joy appeared on his face.

The Nascent Souls of the two men inside the crystal balls were merely imprisoned, not harmed, and could be reincarnated into other bodies without any problem.

Han Li's divine sense entered the jade slip and quickly withdrew. A hint of surprise appeared on his face.

"What? Is there a problem with the 'Water Evolution Four Seasons Art' technique?" Luo Qinghai put away the two white crystal balls and asked, seeing Han Li's expression.

"No. Since the transaction is complete, I take my leave." Han Li shook his head, put away the jade slip, and walked out.

"Fellow Daoist Liu, why rush to leave? Why not stay a few days at Cangliu Palace and let me fulfill my duties as host?" Luo Qinghai's eyes showed a hint of anxiety as he took two steps forward and said.

"No need. I know nothing about Fellow Daoist Gongshu or the Cold Hell Immortal Mansion. Great Palace Master Luo need not waste time probing me." Han Li glanced at Luo Qinghai and said indifferently.

Luo Qinghai's expression stiffened for a moment, then quickly recovered. He turned to the green-faced old Daoist and said, "In that case, I won't insist. Elder Qingfu, please see Fellow Daoist Liu out."

"Yes. Fellow Daoist Liu, please!" The green-faced old Daoist acknowledged and led Han Li out of the hall. Then they transformed into two streaks of light and shot upward.

Luo Qinghai watched them disappear, stood in the hall for a moment, then turned and walked toward the inner hall.

...

Half a day later, a green streak of light shot out from the Diancang Mountain Range and landed on a small hilltop, revealing Han Li's figure.

He turned to look at the vast Diancang Mountain Range, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

Just then, a flash of golden light flickered on his body, and the figure of Gold Boy emerged.

"Gold Boy, I owe this to you this time; otherwise, the trip wouldn't have gone so smoothly," Han Li said to Gold Boy.

Earlier in the Cangliu Palace, he had feigned transformation into a giant ape to completely conceal his own immortal spiritual power, instead letting Gold Boy release the spiritual pressure of a late-stage Golden Immortal. Combined with half-truthful words, this immediately made the suspicious Luo Qinghai hesitate.

"You didn't give me those two Nascent Soul uncles to eat, but gave them to someone else," Gold Boy said, hands on his hips, dissatisfied.

Han Li smiled, flipped his hand, and waved. A red and a blue Nascent Soul appeared in his hands, both also Golden Immortal Nascent Souls.

"That's more like it," Gold Boy cheered, snatching both Nascent Souls.

These two Nascent Souls were found among the items left by Gongshu Jiu. He had as many as seven or eight sealed Golden Immortal Nascent Souls on him, unknown whether he obtained them in the Minghan Immortal Palace.

Han Li dismissed Gold Boy, took out the jade slip of the Water Evolution Four Seasons Art, and a smile appeared on his face.

Last time, he had accidentally obtained the Illusionary Chen Canon of the Fuling Sect. Although he hadn't fully comprehended it, it reminded him of the Water Evolution Four Seasons Art, also circulated in the Northern Cold Immortal Domain.

Since he was going to leave the Northern Cold Immortal Domain anyway, he decided to acquire all three time law techniques of the Northern Cold Immortal Domain, hence this trip to the Cangliu Palace.

At first glance, the Water Evolution Four Seasons Art differed from both the True Word Wheel Sutra and the Illusionary Chen Canon, being a technique that derived time law based on the power of water.

But what surprised him even more was that he found the True Word Wheel Sutra, the Illusionary Chen Canon, and the Water Evolution Four Seasons Art seemed to have subtle connections among them.

He looked at the blue jade slip in his hand, his eyes flickering.

Could it be that the three major time techniques of the Northern Cold Immortal Domain were somehow related?

Han Li quickly shook his head and put away the blue jade slip.

Now was not the time for comprehension; it was better to leave the Northern Cold Immortal Domain as soon as possible.

He waved his hand, and the jade-green flying carriage materialized.

"Let's go," Han Li said, waving his hand to emit a green light that swept up Gold Boy, who was refining the Golden Immortal Nascent Soul nearby, and landed in the flying carriage.

The jade-green flying carriage flashed with light, turned into a mass of green light, and shot off in one direction.

That direction was precisely the entrance to the Wildlands Domain.

……

A space countless thousands of miles away from the Northern Cold Immortal Domain.

Here the sky was azure and clear, vast white immortal clouds drifted, and spirit birds flitted and danced among them.

Everything here was resplendent and bright, as if there was not a trace of shadow.

Above the white immortal clouds was another world even more suffused with immortal aura, where countless enormous peaks densely floated in midair.

Peak after peak stretched to the horizon, beyond counting.

These peaks varied in size; the largest were a million zhang tall, standing like behemoths, while the smallest were several thousand zhang. On each peak stood one or several majestic and exquisite buildings.

These buildings were arranged in close order, each of a different style, but they shared one thing in common: all were dazzlingly golden, radiating rings of bright golden light.

Between the peaks, rainbow bridges connected them, presenting a scene of a celestial palace paradise.

A peak hundreds of thousands of zhang tall floated in midair. The giant peak was pale gold in color, and its surface was inscribed with golden spirit patterns that glittered.

A dozen or so smaller peaks floated around it, surrounding the golden giant peak like stars around the moon.

At the summit of the giant peak stood a golden hall, emitting ten thousand beams of golden light.

The hall was about a hundred zhang high, built entirely from an unknown golden jade material, appearing extremely exquisite and magnificent.

Above the entrance of the hall hung a silver plaque inscribed with three large characters: "Lingxu Hall."

The smaller peaks around the golden giant peak were not left empty; they hosted various structures, some being medicinal gardens, others alchemy chambers.

On the peak closest to the golden giant peak, there was a large estate that housed a number of immortal beasts, tended by several young attendants.

Just then, a white rainbow shot over from afar, swept across the estate, and flew toward the summit of the golden giant peak.

Where the white rainbow passed, an immense pressure rolled through.

Around the estate, a buzzing sound arose, and a huge green light shield emerged, blocking most of the pressure, though a small amount still seeped through the shield's restrictions.

The immortal beasts in the estate stirred restlessly, and the attendants' faces suddenly turned pale as they collapsed to the ground.

Only after the pressure subsided did they stagger to their feet, most with looks of longing on their faces.