Chapter 547: Lingering

"Patriarch, you need not be so courteous. As for the matter of compensation, your daughter has already discussed it with me earlier." Han Li's face showed no discernible expression as he spoke calmly.

The white-robed man frowned slightly and turned to look at his daughter with some confusion.

Noyifan's lips moved slightly, and through voice transmission, she told her father in detail about the map she had previously promised.

After hearing this, the white-robed man frowned even more tightly and said to Han Li:

"Fellow Daoist Li, my daughter is still young and inexperienced, and thus made such a bold claim. Although my Youchen Clan is not small in scale, we are but a drop in the ocean among the various barbarian beast tribes. I fear we lack the strength to gather maps from all the tribes. Please, fellow Daoist, propose another condition. I know something of human customs; I, Nuo Qinglin, will certainly not let you suffer a loss."

"I am not a hunting wasteland cultivator, nor do I intend to act as a spy or the like. The reason I seek the maps is to cross the barbarian wilds and reach another immortal domain. Therefore, on the map you give me, you need not mark the specific locations of your tribes; just indicate the terrain and the general distribution of fierce beasts." Han Li looked at the white-robed man and said slowly.

Upon hearing this, Nuo Qinglin showed a contemplative expression and did not speak immediately.

Noyifan stepped forward and exchanged a few more words with him in secret, after which the man's brow relaxed somewhat, and he slowly nodded.

"In that case, please stay in my Youchen Clan for a few days. In a few days, the other beast tribes will also gather at the Dark Star Canyon. At that time, I will try to collect maps from the various tribes for you." Nuo Qinglin looked Han Li up and down again, still finding it difficult to gauge his cultivation level. After a moment's deliberation, he spoke.

"Then I shall trouble you." Han Li nodded and said.

While conversing with Nuo Qinglin, he had also been observing the other party. He noticed that this man also seemed to deliberately conceal his aura. Based on his estimation, the man's realm was roughly equivalent to that of a human Golden Immortal at the early stage.

However, judging by the way these foreigners fought by driving beasts, his actual combat strength should be about half a level higher. As for the other Youchen Clan members following behind, their auras ranged roughly from the mid-True Immortal stage to the early Golden Immortal stage, with most being at the True Immortal stage.

Nuo Qinglin nodded to Han Li, then turned to Tanshi and said with a grave expression:

"Tanshi, your clan's kindness in escorting Yifan will never be forgotten by the Youchen Clan. After we eradicate the insect race, we will certainly help you return to the land where your generations have lived and thrived, rebuild your homes, and restore the Xiangjing Clan to glory and prosperity."

"Thank you, Patriarch." Tanshi showed a grateful expression, crossed his hands over his chest, and bowed.

"Until then, all of you from the Xiangjing Clan can treat the Dark Star Canyon as your own home and live here in peace." Nuo Qinglin nodded slightly and continued.

Tanshi and the other Xiangjing Clan members became even more grateful, bowing and thanking him repeatedly.

Next, under Nuo Qinglin's guidance, Han Li and the others passed over the huge valley entrance castle and flew into the canyon.

As they flew over the castle, Han Li saw that behind several watchtowers within the castle, there were strange beasts with wings on their backs, shaped like giant lizards. Their scales reflected a black light, and from time to time they opened their eyes, casting cold glances upward.

He could clearly feel that all the malice from these strange beasts was directed at him, a human.

After passing the valley entrance castle, the deep and vast Dark Star Canyon revealed its true face to Han Li.

A blue torrent over a thousand zhang wide surged straight through the center of the canyon, its sound like rolling thunder, majestic in momentum. On both sides, eroded by the river, jagged rocks and sheer cliffs abounded.

On the higher cliffs on both sides, hollow caves of various sizes and shapes were carved out, connected by plank roads embedded in the rock walls, forming a vast and complex architectural complex.

Moreover, these caves were not simple, crude grottoes. On the contrary, their exteriors were carved with upturned eaves, corridor pillars, and carved railings, and sealed with various round or square wooden doors adorned with exquisite floral and bird patterns, full of exotic charm. Surrounding these cave dwellings were green moss and vines, clusters of orchids and flowers, making them look like a fairyland.

If the Kongling Clan tribe they had seen earlier, with its mountain forest, was a small village, then the Dark Star Canyon where the Youchen Clan lived and multiplied was a bustling place comparable to a human capital.

The Dark Star Canyon wound along the course of the Dark Star River. The deeper they went, the more surprised Han Li became. On the surrounding cliffs, huge altar-like structures began to appear, from which faint fluctuations of spell formations emanated.

Knowing that his identity was sensitive, and out of courtesy and other considerations, Han Li only casually glanced at the scenery along the way. He did not deliberately observe the distribution of buildings in the entire canyon, nor did he use too much divine sense.

Nuo Qinglin, who had been secretly observing all the way without relaxing, saw this and nodded slightly, showing a hint of satisfaction.

Near the middle of the canyon, the group arrived at a relatively flat cliff top. Nuo Qinglin stopped and turned to Han Li, saying, "This place is quite secluded. Fellow Daoist Li, please rest here for a few days."

Han Li looked around and noticed that there were Youchen Clan members living nearby on all sides. Although none were too close, it would be very convenient to monitor or surround this place.

"Thank you." He then smiled and said.

After that, Nuo Qinglin did not linger but immediately led the others and continued flying deeper into the canyon.

Noyifan hesitated for a moment, did not follow immediately, but came to Han Li's side and said apologetically, "Senior Li, your identity is special. Please do not take offense."

"I have one question: why are you not as prejudiced against humans as your clansmen?" Han Li asked with a smile.

"This... to be honest, my late mother was human. I carry half-human blood." Noyifan hesitated for a moment before explaining.

Han Li nodded silently and said nothing more.

After they parted, Han Li first swept his gaze around with blue light flickering in his eyes, then flickered and landed on the cliff top, walking toward the stone cave dwelling on the cliff face.

Pushing open the two heavy stone doors of the cave, a stale, dusty smell rushed toward him.

Han Li frowned slightly, waved his sleeve and swept it through the air a couple of times. Immediately, wisps of breeze billowed out from his sleeve, rolling up the dust inside and carrying it out of the cave.

Then, in the cave that had not been inhabited for a long time, one by one, wall lamps burning some unknown oil lit up on their own, emitting a faint musk scent and illuminating the entire stone chamber.

After looking around, Han Li found that the cave was not very large, divided into an outer and an inner chamber, each only slightly larger than an ordinary room.

The outer chamber had only a stone table and a stone chair, while the inner chamber had only a stone bed. The furnishings were extremely simple.

After closing the stone door, Han Li took out array flags and array plates and began to set up formations inside the cave.

About half an hour later, after the formation to conceal spiritual power fluctuations was set up, Han Li sat cross-legged back on the stone bed and lightly tapped the beetle ring on his hand.

A golden light flashed on the ring, and with a flicker, it transformed back into a humanoid form, landing beside Han Li.

"Jin Tong, I need to go into seclusion for a while and try to see if I can improve my cultivation a bit. During this time, I need you and Xiao Bai to protect me." Han Li said to Jin Tong.

"Uncle, why the sudden urge to go into seclusion?" Jin Tong asked in confusion.

"In recent days, while wandering aimlessly in the barbarian wilds, I've encountered too many powerful fierce beasts. Although we are still surrounded by foreign tribes here in the Youchen Clan, it is still safer than being outside. Now, in times of peace, we must be prepared for danger. The Heavenly Court will never give up hunting me, and this barbarian wild is far more dangerous than imagined. Only by improving my strength as much as possible can I continue to survive." Han Li said slowly.

"Uncle, don't say so much. Just go into seclusion with peace of mind. With me here, no one will disturb you!" Jin Tong patted his chest and said.

A smile appeared on Han Li's face. He took out a storage pouch from his sleeve and handed it to Jin Tong, saying, "There are some old supplies inside. Eat sparingly."

"Got it."

Jin Tong took the storage pouch, grinned, and left the inner chamber. He hopped over to the stone table in the outer chamber, sat cross-legged, and began to check the contents of the pouch like a miser.

"Boss, don't forget me!"

The white jade Pixiu also jumped down from Han Li, trotted over to Jin Tong, and rubbed against him affectionately like a little white dog, but Jin Tong slapped it away with a look of disgust.

Seeing this, Han Li smiled slightly, slowly withdrew his gaze from them, waved his hand, and activated the formation to temporarily seal off the inner chamber.

After adjusting his breathing for a moment, he waved his hand, and two jade slips and a wax-yellow ancient book appeared in his palm.

These two jade slips and the ancient book were none other than the time-based techniques secretly treasured by the three major sects of the Northern Cold Immortal Domain: the Water Evolution Four Seasons Art, the True Speech Wheel Sutra, and the Illusory辰 Treasure Codex.

Earlier on the road, he had already read through these three techniques from beginning to end, vaguely sensing some internal connection among them, but at the time, he was busy traveling and did not examine them closely.

Today, he planned to compare them carefully to see if he could use cross-referencing to help him improve his cultivation as quickly as possible.

Among these three techniques, the one Han Li was most familiar with was naturally the True Speech Wheel Sutra. He had already obtained six layers of this technique, and thanks to the Vial of Time, his cultivation of it was quite advanced. Although he had not yet cultivated the other two techniques, with the foundation of the True Speech Wheel Sutra and his understanding of the laws of time, he expected that comprehending them would be twice the result with half the effort.

After a moment's deliberation, he first picked up the Water Evolution Four Seasons Art, immersed his mind in it, and began to examine it carefully.