"Vice Dao Lord Xiong... Vice Dao Lord Xiong, these six thousand Merit Points I've accumulated for many years, so I do have them. But these three hundred Immortal Essence Stones, I really don't have them. Can... can I compensate with top-grade Spirit Stones?" Zhu Feng asked with a troubled expression, trying his luck.

"This seat can give you some time. Get them together within ten years and I'll let this matter go," Xiong Shan glanced at him and said coldly.

"This... alright," Zhu Feng replied with a mournful face, struggling to agree.

"Remember, after you leave here, you're not allowed to mention this matter to anyone, or I definitely won't let him off. Alright, all of you get lost!" After taking a heavy cut from Zhu Feng, Xiong Shan's mood didn't improve much, and he unceremoniously issued the order to leave.

Hearing this, everyone could only reluctantly agree. Each of them had worked hard for most of the day, without earning a single Merit Point, but they didn't dare say much and all left dejectedly.

After leaving the forbidden area, Han Li and Qi Liang were silent all the way. When they reached the Linchuan Hall, they exchanged bitter smiles and said their farewells, each teleporting back to their own cave dwelling.

After Han Li returned to his Crimson Glow Peak cave dwelling, he immediately carefully examined his entire body. Only after confirming that Xiong Shan hadn't planted any marks on him did he relax a little and enter the secret chamber to sit down and adjust his breathing.

Several days later.

In the northeast direction of the Zhongming Mountain Range, near the edge of the mountains, on a solitary peak, a thin old man dressed in snow-white clothes with his hair in a Taoist bun was standing on a bare boulder at the peak, looking up at the sky to the southwest.

The sky there was clear, as if washed, clean and empty. But the old man's gaze towards that direction was filled with excitement, and his face was full of anticipation.

However, after a moment, a glimmer of green light suddenly appeared on the horizon, which had been empty.

In a few breaths, the glimmer of green light suddenly magnified, revealing a giant green sword, flying towards this place.

"As expected!"

The thin old man's eyes lit up and a smile appeared on his lips.

In the next moment, his aura suddenly changed, and his whole being was raised to its most vibrant state. His initial True Immortal Realm cultivation was revealed without reservation.

He was originally a rogue cultivator from the sea outside the Guyun Continent and had only recently arrived near this Zhongming Mountain Range. He had originally just wanted to rest for a few days on this solitary peak, but unexpectedly, while he was meditating just now, he sensed a strange flying sword with an aura comparable to an Immortal Artifact speeding towards him.

The old man was a True Immortal Realm cultivator who was proficient in swordsmanship. Without sensing the aura of the flying sword's owner, greed arose in his heart and he planned to intercept the sword.

Seeing that the flying sword was approaching, the old man's figure burst forth, his entire body turning into a dazzling white light and pouncing towards the flying sword.

The Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords, transformed into a giant sword, although not controlled by Han Li at the moment, still showed resistance by instinct, with a soft "zi zi" sound coming from the sword body.

The old man didn't care about these things at the moment. His hands, wrapped in spiritual light, reached forward and grabbed towards the hilt of the giant sword.

There was a loud "boom".

A burst of dazzling golden light suddenly lit up on the green giant sword, and countless dragon and snake-like golden electric threads suddenly burst out frantically, covering the void within dozens of feet and turning it into an airtight golden thunderball. A miserable roar came from inside.

Then, the golden thunderball suddenly shrunk and disappeared.

A shriveled corpse, charred black, emitting wisps of white smoke, fell from the sky. Before it really landed, it was blown by the mountain wind and turned into black powder, scattering down.

And the giant green sword, seemingly exhausted, dissipated its light and transformed back into seventy-two flying swords, falling towards a valley below.

……

Two months later, in a remote snow valley in the northeastern edge of the Zhongming Mountain Range, a young man dressed in a green robe slowly fell from the sky and entered the valley.

This man was tall and had star-like eyes. It was Han Li, who had been chasing after the spiritual connection all the way.

Previously, because he was worried about Xiong Shan's secret surveillance, he had stayed in the secret chamber for nearly a month after returning to his cave dwelling, without leaving for even half a step.

As he expected, Xiong Shan hadn't given up on any suspicious signs and had even quietly sent people to his territory, seemingly to monitor him.

According to his estimation, such situations would probably also occur in the territories of the others, including Mo Xie.

It was just that everyone, including Mo Xie, could only turn a blind eye to this, otherwise it might backfire and make the other party even more suspicious.

It wasn't until he confirmed that Xiong Shan was gradually relaxing his vigilance that he quietly hid his tracks and left Crimson Glow Peak, chasing after this place at full speed.

After he landed, he immediately rushed towards the depths of the valley, eventually stopping by a green pool at the end of the valley.

He scanned the deep pool and saw that the water surface seemed calm, but in fact, countless tiny sword energies were wandering in it. Once fragmented rocks or withered leaves fell into it, they would be immediately crushed into powder.

Han Li knew that the Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords were in the pool, so he immediately moved his mind and summoned the flying swords.

There was a rustling sound.

The surface of the deep pool, which was originally as smooth as a mirror, immediately rolled like boiling water in a pot.

The sound of "popping" continued to sound!

Seventy-two flying swords flew out of the pool one after another. After hovering in the air for a moment, they all flew towards Han Li.

Seeing this, a smile appeared on the corner of Han Li's mouth, and he didn't move.

These flying swords were all shining with green light, like a group of children flying happily up and down around him, making tiny trembling sounds.

"Finally... back!"

After a long reunion, Han Li breathed a sigh of relief before raising his hand and stroking each of these flying swords, as if embracing the shoulders of old friends one by one, feeling the somewhat familiar and somewhat unfamiliar aura from them, and feeling a lot of emotions in his heart.

Since the flying swords had devoured the pure sword essence of hundreds of high-grade flying swords, their aura had naturally been greatly enhanced. However, out of caution, Han Li didn't immediately try the power of the sword, but instead used secret techniques to shield the aura of the sword body.

After confirming that he wouldn't be discovered, he carefully put them all into his body one by one.

Back then, he was already overjoyed when only two of his flying swords were taken away by the Ancient Devil and returned. Now that seventy-two flying swords had been recovered after being lost, his joy was naturally beyond words.

As for the significant improvement in the power of the flying swords, it had become an extra addition, and could be considered a blessing in disguise.

……

Soon after, Han Li quietly returned to Crimson Glow Peak without alarming anyone.

As soon as he returned, he had Meng Yungui summon everyone over.

"Greetings, Elder Li!"

In a conference hall in the residence, Meng Yungui, Sun BuZheng, and the other ten people bowed and greeted in unison.

"Over the years, you have managed my cave dwelling in an orderly manner and have not neglected your own cultivation, which is worthy of my efforts. Yungui, take these pills and distribute them to everyone later," Han Li said, standing with his hands behind his back.

As soon as he finished speaking, he waved his sleeve and a flash of green light disappeared into Meng Yungui's hand. It was a delicate storage bracelet.

"Thank you, Elder Li, for your generous gift!" Seeing this, Meng Yungui and the others were overjoyed and thanked him again.

Although Han Li didn't appear often, he often issued rewards, including some pills that were very beneficial to the Golden Core cultivation, which made them feel a sense of gratitude from the bottom of their hearts in addition to respect.

Especially Meng Yungui, who had successfully formed his Nascent Soul during this period and became a true Nascent Soul cultivator.

"From today onwards, I will begin seclusion, and Crimson Glow Peak will also be closed for a period of time. Later, I will activate all the restrictions and will not see any outside guests!" Han Li glanced at everyone and ordered.

Hearing this, Meng Yungui and the others were startled and hurriedly agreed.

"During my seclusion, Sun BuZheng, you will take a few people to take care of the cave dwelling," Han Li said, looking at Sun BuZheng.

"Yes, Elder Li, don't worry, I will definitely do my job with my heart," Sun BuZheng said immediately.

"Yungui, at this moment, you have the highest cultivation among everyone here. I'm giving you a task to go outside and help me find those novel and rare spirit herbs, seeds or seedlings of elixirs, the more the better, and don't worry too much about the cost," Han Li instructed Meng Yungui again.

"Yes," Meng Yungui was stunned, and then immediately agreed.

"Here are some Spirit Stones, and two magic treasures for you to defend yourself. If you do this well, those two magic treasures will be given to you as a reward," Han Li said, and then took out a storage artifact and handed it to Meng Yungui.

Meng Yungui's eyes immediately lit up with surprise as he probed his divine sense into the storage artifact, and he said in a deep voice, "Thank you, Elder. I will definitely complete the task with my heart and live up to your expectations."

The others' eyes also showed envy at this scene.

The magic treasures in the storage artifact must be extraordinary, otherwise Meng Yungui wouldn't be so excited.

Especially Sun BuZheng, who was both envious and regretful.

His cultivation was originally a line higher than Meng Yungui, but in recent years, Meng Yungui's cultivation had broken through one after another, walking ahead of him and breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage earlier than him.

If he had known about today's events, he would have worked harder to cultivate in recent years, and perhaps he would have been the one who received the reward at this moment.

Meng Qianqian's big eyes stared unblinkingly at Han Li, also revealing a somewhat expectant light. Today, she changed into a snow-white dress, looking graceful and beautiful.

"Alright, all of you go and do your work," Han Li smiled and nodded to them, turning and walking back to the cave dwelling.

"Farewell, Elder Li," everyone said in unison, bowing.

Meng Qianqian's pretty face slowly turned pale, and she didn't bow with the others.

There was a soft "boom" and the cave dwelling door slowly closed.

"You few come with me," Sun BuZheng said hello to Meng Yungui, pointed to a few people, and immediately busied himself.

Meng Qianqian looked at the closed stone door, biting her lip lightly, feeling an unspeakable sense of melancholy.

"Qianqian, what's wrong?" Meng Yungui saw that his sister was in low spirits and came over to ask.

"Nothing..." Meng Qianqian said, and then lowered her head, her eyes already filled with a layer of mist.

From beginning to end, Han Li hadn't looked at her once.

"Alas... Elder Li and we are not from the same world, you should understand that," Meng Yungui sighed softly, knowing what his sister was thinking.

Meng Qianqian's delicate body trembled upon hearing this.

Then she raised her head, and her eyes slowly became firm.

Seeing his sister like this, Meng Yungui could only shake his head and sigh.

This sister was gentle on the outside and strong on the inside. He, as her brother, couldn't change what she had decided.

Perhaps, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Meng Yungui smiled slightly, put the matter aside, and thought about how to complete the important task entrusted to him by Han Li.