Chapter 985: Meeting Like Parting

This time, Violet Spirit did not refuse what Han Li offered. She took the jade slip and examined it briefly, her pretty face changing color.

Although her cultivation was not high, she had spent time in the Black River Water Palace and Puppet City, so her experience was considerable.

The techniques on these jade slips were extremely precious; any one of them, if leaked, would be a treasure countless people would fight over.

"You have reached a considerable level in cultivating the 'Puppet Heart' from Puppet City, but when it comes to tempering the divine sense, throughout all the realms, no technique can compare to the 'Art of Spirit Refinement.' If you can master it, it will greatly benefit your puppetry. However, this technique also has significant drawbacks, which I have recorded in the jade slip. You can decide how to proceed. Do not slacken in your cultivation of the 'Heavenly Fiend Prison Suppression Art.' After leaving the Scale Abyss, victory or defeat will still be determined by cultivation. First open the profound apertures, then it will be much easier to break through to the immortal apertures." Han Li instructed carefully.

"I understand." Violet Spirit nodded and tucked the jade slips securely into her clothes.

"As for those two techniques, they were obtained from a Mahayana-level demon. Although you cannot cultivate them now, they are quite compatible with your constitution and can be left for later. The first two techniques can be cultivated immediately. In particular, the Scale Abyss is rich in star power, making it an excellent environment for cultivating the 'Heavenly Fiend Prison Suppression Art.' You can stay here with me to guard Fellow Daoist Crab, and I can give you some guidance." Han Li added.

"No, I plan to return to City Lord Sha's side. My puppetry has not yet reached a profound level, and I need her continued guidance to improve, otherwise all my previous efforts will be wasted. I will arrange the techniques you gave me properly. Besides, I can take care of myself; you don't need to worry." Violet Spirit looked away and said indifferently.

"Then take this as well. I seized it from someone in your Puppet City earlier. It's quite powerful, and since I gave it to you, even if Sha Xin knows, she won't dare say anything. Keep it for self-defense." Han Li then took out a golden sphere and handed it to Violet Spirit—it was the Golden-winged Owl puppet.

"Golden-winged Owl!" Violet Spirit's eyes flickered at the sight of the golden sphere, but she did not refuse and accepted it, putting it away.

"You've given me so much, and I have nothing to repay you. Let me give you a small gift in return." After a moment's hesitation, she took out an object and handed it over.

Han Li took it and saw it was a green jade pendant, crystal clear like water, appearing to be of extraordinary material.

However, the pendant was incomplete, seeming to be only half, and the break was jagged, as if it had been snapped off by force.

In the center of the pendant, a patch of light emerged, faintly revealing an image of a figure.

"Violet Spirit, this..." Han Li's expression changed, and he looked up at her.

"Don't bother with this matter. I will handle it myself. I'm just telling you today." Violet Spirit said calmly, her voice soft but filled with determination.

With that, she turned and walked out.

Han Li stepped forward, as if to reach out and stop her, but ultimately halted, looking at the pendant in his hand and sighing.

Violet Spirit soon left the underground space and emerged outside.

Outside the entrance, a group of people was now standing, including Sha Xin, Madame Liuhua, Zhuo Ge, Black One, and Black Two, all gathered around Sha Xin.

"City Lord." Violet Spirit approached Sha Xin and made a curtsy.

"Violet Spirit, why have you come out? How is the master inside?" Sha Xin asked with surprise, quickly rising to help Violet Spirit up.

"That senior is still recovering. I had a talk with Fellow Daoist Li and came out." Violet Spirit said calmly.

"Violet Spirit, I sealed your soul earlier. Although it was for Puppet City, my consideration was indeed lacking. I hope you won't take offense." Sha Xin nodded slowly, took Violet Spirit's hand, and said apologetically.

"City Lord, please don't say that. I understand." Violet Spirit replied.

"What are your plans for the future?" Sha Xin felt a slight relief inwardly and then asked.

"I am willing to continue following you, City Lord." Violet Spirit said firmly.

...

In the underground cavern, after Violet Spirit left, a whirlpool suddenly formed on the blood lake.

The blood-colored crystal slab then sank downward, pulling Han Li along with it, and they submerged beneath the lake.

Below the blood lake, a flash of formation light appeared.

Then, Han Li and Crab Daoist found themselves in a spacious crystal hall.

The hall's four walls were transparent and flawless, showing a faint crystalline red color, covered with various runes, resembling a large crystal coffin.

The blood-colored crystal slab bearing Crab Daoist's holy remains fit perfectly into a half-man-high stone platform on the ground, their patterns interlocking seamlessly.

On the floor of the crystal hall, there were three circular ring-shaped channels, also engraved with complex runes.

The entire hall seemed to be a giant star formation.

Han Li swept his gaze over and raised an eyebrow slightly, suddenly noticing that E'kuai's corpse lay in a nearby ring channel.

"Fellow Daoist Han, although I have now merged with this remains, I am far from being resurrected. I need to recuperate here to achieve true rebirth. As I said before, I will need you to guard me for some time." The holy remains on the blood-colored crystal slab suddenly spoke.

"Why me, and not Sha Xin? Isn't she your subordinate? She seems to have been very loyal to you all these years, always thinking of resurrecting you." Han Li frowned and asked.

"E'kuai was once my trusted subordinate, ordered to guard this place. But what happened? He colluded with the Demon Lord and nearly destroyed the Scale Abyss. Now, the only one I am willing to trust is you, Fellow Daoist Han." Crab Daoist shook his head and said.

"I have one question: what is your relationship with the Demon Lord? Why did he want to harm you?" Han Li asked further.

"This... it's a long story. Let me tell you in detail after I fully recover. This Falling Star Crystal Palace has a left and a right side hall. One was where I used to study mystic cultivation and puppetry; the stored texts and materials remain intact and unaffected. You can freely peruse them. The other was my daily cultivation chamber; you can also go into seclusion there." Crab Daoist hesitated briefly before continuing.

Han Li did not press further and nodded in agreement.

Soon after, a circular formation above the crystal palace lit up with a starry light, which then spread like wildfire, igniting the entire formation.

The crystal palace's walls and floor simultaneously blazed with starlight, as if a vast galaxy had appeared, and immense star power converged from all directions.

All the patterns on the blood-colored crystal slab and the stone platform beneath it lit up, and a layer of hazy light gathered, forming a blood-colored barrier that enveloped Crab Daoist's holy remains.

At the same time, a gurgling sound of flowing water came from the channels on the crystal palace floor.

Streams of lake blood rich in pure qi and blood power poured in from somewhere, filling the three circular channels and converging toward the blood-colored stone platform at the center.

Han Li could clearly feel the immense power in the blood water gradually merging into that body.

Just then, a strange "bang" sound came.

Han Li looked over and saw that E'kuai's body in the outer channel suddenly burst apart. Flesh and bones were drawn by a strange force and pressed against the channel's crystal walls.

Under the constant washing of the blood water, his flesh began to dissolve rapidly, and even his bones melted bit by bit. All the power in the remains turned into pure qi and blood energy, merging into the entire grand formation.

At that moment, Han Li felt his heart tremble violently, and his face turned bright red.

His expression changed slightly. He silently activated the star power within him and turned to walk toward the right side hall.

Han Li passed through a crystal door and entered the side hall, immediately sitting down cross-legged.

At this moment, the blood in his veins was racing wildly, all of it seeming to boil. The skin on his body felt as if it were burning, and layers of hot pink steam rose continuously from his pores.

Even the true spirit bloodlines, including the Mountain Ape, Roc, and True Dragon, began to riot within him, showing signs of being uncontrollable and threatening to burst out.

Han Li immediately activated the Heavenly Fiend Prison Suppression Art, mobilizing all his star power to try to suppress them.

But instead of calming them, the activation seemed to inject a strengthening elixir into the true spirit bloodlines, making them even more狂暴, causing Han Li's bones to emit cracking sounds.

"What's going on?" Han Li was astonished inwardly.

After a moment's thought, he recalled that during his battle with E'kuai, it was when he activated the Heavenly Fiend Prison Suppression Art that the true spirit bloodlines' power surged. Clearly, the two had a synergistic effect.

But now that the true spirit bloodlines were rebelling, further stimulation only made things worse.

Alarmed, Han Li quickly stopped the technique and used his mind to guide the star power within him, dispersing it throughout his body to help calm the raging qi and blood.

After a full two hours, the rebellious true spirit bloodlines within Han Li gradually subsided. He slowly opened his eyes and let out a long breath, his face still flushed from the retreating qi and blood.

"Who would have thought the true spirit bloodlines would rebel at this time. This will be troublesome in the future..." Han Li sighed.

With that, he stood up and looked around.

In the center of the hall stood eight rows of white jade bookshelves, each about ten feet high, arranged in a radial pattern converging toward the center. They were densely packed with various texts.

At the center of the hall was an exquisite crystal pagoda, no more than ten feet tall, with eight sides and nine stories, surrounded by spiritual light, looking extremely magnificent.