A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Wang Yu Transmigrates into a Book, the Dao Ancestor of Rein

Chapter 71 Veteran Actor
The younger generation was unaware of what was happening here. They were kept outside by another layer of soundproofing and vision-blocking barriers.

Han Li accepted the storage bag with a clear conscience and immediately used his divine sense to examine its contents.

You wouldn't think much of it until you open the blind box, and then you're both surprised and delighted.

It's simply because Fairy Hong Fu gave her too much.

Although there were no top-tier magic artifacts or talisman treasures, there were a large number of one-time consumable items. For example, describing the talismans in the storage bag as "a cartload" is a bit of an exaggeration, but a dozen, totaling twenty low-level high-grade "Explosive Flame Talismans" and five mid-level talismans, is definitely there.

Three of them are intermediate-level attack talismans.

Faced with such firepower, how many Foundation Establishment cultivators would dare not temporarily avoid its sharp edge?

In addition to the talisman, there are also ten mid-grade spirit stones, three pills that can quickly restore mana, and six pills of four other types, including healing pills and detoxification pills.

Although there are few items, they are all very practical.

In particular, the pills for restoring mana and healing injuries were clearly not the common, readily available items used by ordinary cultivators, but rather rare and precious items that only high-level cultivators in the Foundation Establishment or even Core Formation stages could afford.

Having come into contact with various medicinal herbs, he could at least barely recognize their quality.

These few pills alone are probably worth more than two thousand spirit stones.

This shows that Fairy Hongfu recognized and appreciated him.

What a benefactor!

"Grandmaster, may I ask, if a Qi Refining cultivator wants to forcibly form a contract with a demonic beast that is likely to break through its bottleneck and enter level 2 at any time, what are the chances of success?"

“As long as we can defeat the beast or restrain it, forcibly forming a contract with it isn’t difficult,” Hong Fu said. “However, if it reaches level 2 before you, while you’re still stuck in the Qi Refining stage, and since you just formed a contract with it and haven’t developed any rapport or bond with it, there’s a high chance you’ll be attacked by it. Han Li, are you trying to forcibly form a contract with a demon beast in the forbidden area?”

"Yes, Grandmaster, this disciple wishes to sustain himself through war!"

Once he starts snowballing, and with a few more top-tier level 1 demonic beasts protecting him, he will truly become an anomaly that no one of his level dares to provoke.

"What a brilliant strategy of using war to sustain war..."

Unfortunately, contracting a spirit beast does consume personal energy.

It not only depletes magical power, but also spiritual consciousness.

Lowering one's own condition to form a contract with a monster would be unwise.

“I have a Tranquility Talisman here, which can make the demon beast less agitated and reduce its resistance and malice towards you. As long as its resistance is not strong, the consumption of your contract will not be too great.” As she spoke, Hong Fu took out another auxiliary-type intermediate talisman.

"And these two items..."

It was another bead and a token-shaped ritual implement.

"This bead is a restriction sphere that I personally crafted, along with a restriction control token. It can also help you control the spirit beast you have contracted. Once a spirit beast is restricted, it will not be able to escape the restriction I placed on its body until it reaches level 5."

"These two items were originally prepared for the spirit beast that Xuan'er might take a liking to in the future. She doesn't need them for the time being, so I'm giving them to you today. However, if you use these items, from now on, the spirit beast you contract will be more or less affected by my divine sense, and the restrictions within its body will be activated by my divine sense. Of course, once you come out of the forbidden area, or if you feel that you can control the spirit beast, you can come to me and I will help you remove the relevant restrictions from the spirit beast."

He made no attempt to conceal the implications.

"Thank you for bestowing this treasure upon me, Master."

Han Li happily accepted it.

If he cannot form a golden core, it wouldn't matter if the black dragon was given to Dong Xuan'er.

If he could form his core and cultivate two or three levels of the Great Evolution Technique to enhance his spiritual strength, he could easily remove the restriction that Fairy Hong Fu left in the Mo Jiao's body using the two items.

After giving him some more instructions, Fairy Hongfu dispelled the inner barrier, then reached into her storage bag and took out several talismans, which she then presented to the other disciples participating in the trial.
"This is the Spirit Fusion Talisman. This talisman can temporarily connect the spiritual energy of two cultivators together, making them inseparable. If two of you activate the Spirit Fusion Talisman instantly before passing through the forbidden area's grand formation, there is a 50% chance that you will be teleported to the same location by the formation, achieving spatial synchronization."

When two people work together, safety is greatly improved.

Ordinary Qi Refining stage cultivators from various sects are unwilling to face two elite disciples from other sects at the twelfth or thirteenth level of Qi Refining at the same time.

Furthermore, forming teams of two can significantly increase the success rate of searching for spiritual herbs.

If you encounter a lone disciple from another sect, killing and robbing them is not out of the question.

"I have eight here, enough for the sixteen of you to form pairs," said Fairy Hongfu calmly.

"A high-level spirit-fusion talisman?"

Everyone was astonished.

After understanding Hong Fu's intention, most of the disciples wore expressions of undisguised joy.

These kinds of talismans are rarely seen on the market. Although they are only high-level beginner talismans, they are extremely expensive for those in the Qi Refining stage, costing at least sixty or seventy spirit stones each. That's almost the same price as a mid-level talisman. However, wouldn't it be better to have that kind of spare money than to buy a fine high-level magic weapon? If they saved up for a few more years, it might even be enough for them to buy a top-level magic weapon.

Therefore, everyone felt that Fairy Hongfu was truly generous.

Recalling the case of someone who successfully exchanged a Foundation Establishment Pill for a large amount of cultivation resources to improve their cultivation level, they admired this Grandmaster Hong Fu even more. They also envied a certain ordinary pseudo-spiritual root even more.

Incidentally, the displeasure at Fairy Hong Fu using them to gamble with experts from other sects also vanished.

Indeed, this person truly provided tangible benefits and offered very favorable support to them.

then.

Everyone turned to look at Li Huayuan.

This person should also be able to provide some practical support, right?
To everyone's dismay, Master Li only offered them verbal encouragement.

And they even had reasons and evidence to justify themselves:
"Don't take it to heart that I gambled your lives with your Grandmaster Hongfu earlier. You may think I disrespected you, but the law of the jungle is the unchanging nature of the cultivation world."

"Today, you have witnessed the cruel reality of the cultivation world."

"Listen carefully, in this cultivation world, whether it's a reputable sect or a heretical sect, the pursuit is survival of the fittest and defying the heavens. However, the righteous sects emphasize gradual progress and natural development, and their cultivation methods are relatively gentle. The heretical sects, on the other hand, pursue rapid advancement and domineering behavior. Their cultivation methods are much more domineering."

"But whether it's the righteous path or the demonic path, no matter what they say, they still practice the law of the jungle. And we cultivators are no longer ordinary mortals. Those with higher realms and stronger strength often regard lower-level cultivators as ants. If they are in a bad mood or disagree with someone, it is common for them to kill them with one blow."

“Li Mou…”

His seemingly lecturing but actually justifying explanation was understood by many cultivators.

"Alright, junior brother, why bother talking about that? Let's think about how to increase our chances of winning."

The Fairy Hongfu stopped the conversation.

She didn't think saying these things would have any comforting effect.

Saying too much will only exacerbate the disciples' prejudice against the sect elders.

Instead of blabbering on, let's offer some tangible benefits to increase the disciples' strength and survival rate.

"Sister, I..."

I'm short of money.

He couldn't bring himself to ask in front of so many disciples; otherwise, he would have definitely swallowed his pride and asked for two Spirit Fusion Talismans for his other disciples. If they performed well this time, perhaps he could arrange for those disciples to try again next time?

The Fairy Hongfu was unaware of Li Huayuan's predicament; if she had known, she would have rolled her eyes.

A Core Formation stage cultivator with the dignified Three Yang Body, whose talent is second only to Heavenly Spiritual Root and Extraordinary Spiritual Root, why is he so stingy?
"Everyone, have you decided how to form teams?"

The Fairy Hongfu turned to the remaining twenty-five trial disciples and asked.

After discussion, the disciples have divided themselves into twelve groups.

Chen Qiaoshan and Chen Qiaoqian, both at the eleventh level of Qi Refining, teamed up with four other players at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining...

Han Li, however, was all alone.

It wasn't that no one invited him; in fact, almost all the disciples at the twelfth or thirteenth level of Qi Refining present extended invitations to him. But he politely declined them all.

他很清楚，自己的行动目的非常明确，带着门内另一人很不方便。且别人的1+1是大于1，他这里的1+1多半小于1。他可不想带着一个拖油瓶分蛋糕。

"Alright, let's begin the lottery. Those lucky enough to draw a favorable lot will receive the Spirit Fusion Talisman."

Hong Fu didn't show favoritism towards anyone.

Generous and generous.

Seeing this, Li Huayuan became anxious:

"Senior sister, to increase our chances of winning, I think it would be better for the disciples with higher cultivation levels to obtain the Spirit Fusion Talismans first. The bigger picture is what matters..."

After saying this, he knew he had fallen into a disadvantageous position.

Sure enough, the disciples with slightly lower cultivation levels all looked at him strangely. Although they didn't show any resentment on their faces, it was hard to say what they were cursing him in their hearts.
As for Fairy Hongfu, she nodded decisively before Li Huayuan could change his mind:

"Alright, we'll do as you say, junior brother. The bigger picture is what matters."

Li Huayuan: "..."

Faced with Hong Fu's smile, he felt like he had been tricked.

He wanted to say something, but when he opened his mouth, he didn't know how to say it.

Ever since.

Of the eight Spirit Fusion Talismans, three fell into the hands of three teams composed of disciples at the thirteenth level of Qi Refining, one fell into the hands of Han Li, and four fell into the hands of four other teams composed of disciples at the twelfth level of Qi Refining.

Chen Qiaoshan and Chen Qiaoqian politely declined the offer from the Fairy Hongfu.

Because the two of them had prepared one in advance.

In order to increase their chances of winning, they didn't hide the matter.

For this reason, the two were not only admired by everyone as worthy disciples of a great family, but also remembered by the lucky 12th-level members who won the Spirit Fusion Talisman.

"Everyone, I hope you will do your utmost. If we can ultimately defeat the Hidden Moon Sect, all those who return alive will be rewarded with magical artifacts, pills, and other items based on the number of spiritual herbs they bring back," Fairy Hongfu said solemnly.

In fact, she had prepared two strategies to win.

Regardless of whether Li Huayuan mentioned prioritizing the overall situation, she would ensure that the Spirit Fusion Talisman ended up in the hands of a disciple with higher cultivation and stronger strength. For example, she would hand over the tampered divination tube to Junior Brother Li and let him operate it.

Even so, Junior Brother Li will still shoulder everything.

"Hey, with this Spirit Fusion Talisman to form our team, where in the forbidden area can't we venture? And how can we not plunder those unlucky lone bastards from various sects?"

The disciple who received the talisman was naturally overjoyed.

Many who didn't receive the talisman were sighing in despair.

"What a pity, what a pity."

It was at this moment that Dong Xuan'er took out a Spirit Fusion Talisman from her storage bag and gave it to the pair of mediocre cultivators whose cultivation level was only at the eleventh level of Qi Refining:

"Come back alive."

This brought tears to the eyes of both the old man and the unknown boy, who were filled with gratitude.

"Thank you, Uncle-Master. Thank you, Uncle-Master."

This Spirit Fusion Talisman was originally prepared for Han Li. However, since Han Li didn't choose to team up, there was no need to keep it. And seeing the pathetic expressions of some people facing a life-or-death separation, well, give it to the weakest team.

Han Li, sitting in the back corner, was deeply shocked by what he saw.

Seeing Xiang Zhili's red eyes, he exclaimed, "Veteran actor!"

...

After thinking for a moment, he tossed the Spirit Fusion Talisman to a pair of Qi Refining Level 12 cultivators.

"Master Han, what's wrong with you...?"

The person who received the talisman froze on the spot.

The other person also opened their mouth wide.

"I'm used to acting alone. You two probably need it more than I do," Han Li said calmly. "Senior brothers, it's not something you can force. Just try your best to come back alive."

"Thank you, Junior Brother Han. Thank you, Junior Brother Han."

The two who received the Spirit Fusion Talisman were overjoyed.

Upon seeing this, both Fairy Hongfu and Li Huayuan nodded in agreement.

The other Foundation Establishment cultivators cast astonished glances at them.

Those at the Qi Refining stage seemed to understand a major reason why Han Li was valued by Hong Fu.

The small act of giving up the talisman impressed many people present. But what was truly remarkable was Dong Xuan'er's accidental success with that casual gesture.

"Interesting, very interesting. This little girl is quite something; she actually gave me a Nascent Soul stage Spirit Fusion Talisman?"

But he had to admit that this warmth, which was devoid of any flattery, and this purest kindness, was very effective in his dealings with someone.

He then glanced at the young female cultivator again, and decided to remember her.

...

Heading north along this route, towards the border of the Yuanwu Kingdom, several teams flew for several hours before finally arriving at a vast, boundless loess slope.

Apart from piles of rubble, not a single blade of grass could be found here; as far as the eye could see, it was all a vast expanse of yellow. There was also a faintly visible wind wall—this was the outer wind-attribute array of the Crimson Forbidden Land.

"Finally we're here."

By this time, it was already dark.

Judging by the time, it must have been around three or four in the morning.

"Everyone, take a rest and meditate to adjust yourselves..." several Foundation Establishment managers instructed.

Meanwhile, the Core Formation stage cultivators began another discussion.

With Fairy Hongfu stepping forward, Li Huayuan and Fuyunzi, both Core Formation stage cultivators, were the first to agree. Although Old Monster Qiong and Ni Chang were unwilling, they couldn't object. In the end, all the Core Formation stage cultivators unanimously decided to use the Moon Sun Pearl to dispel the fog in the forbidden area one day earlier, thus opening the central area a day ahead of schedule.

After the group had rested there for over an hour, as the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon, a burly man from the Giant Sword Sect, a Core Formation stage cultivator, suddenly stood up:
"It's almost time."

He then took a step forward.

The ground around him suddenly churned up, and huge stone swords formed from stone rapidly emerged.

Turn mud into stone, and gather stones into a sword.

The two intermediate-level techniques were used with ease by this Core Formation stage cultivator, which broadened the horizons of the Qi Refining stage cultivators.

The Core Formation expert only took four steps forward, and four giant swords, each several tens of feet long, burst forth from the ground behind him.

With a wave of his hand and a shout of "Go!", four giant swords rose from the ground and slashed towards the faintly visible wall of wind.

This was just a test.

If the wind-attribute restrictions outside the forbidden area are effective, it means that the great formation has weakened and can be started.

As expected, the greatsword struck the wind wall, causing many of the whirlwinds to pause briefly.
"It works! We can get started now."

"it is good."

The others were equally decisive.

The Fairy of the Hidden Moon Sect: A pink ribbon rolled into a drill and shredded the wind blades within the countless wind walls.

A middle-aged man from Tianque Fortress: A dazzling golden light shot out from his dragon-shaped cane.

The burly man from the Giant Sword Sect: The dark magic weapon, the greatsword, grew to a giant sword over thirty feet long, and then cleaved the wind wall with overwhelming force.

The old woman of Huadaowu: The long sword, glowing red, cleaved out seven or eight sharp sword energies, each several tens of feet long.

The man from Ling Shou Mountain: A large yellow seal, after being enlarged, crashed into it.

Li Huayuan, the old man from Huangfeng Valley: The ruler spun around and around, and silver orbs of light, large and small, shot out like shooting stars, shattering many wind blades in the forbidden area's wind wall.

Fu Yunzi, a middle-aged Taoist priest from the Qingxu Sect: His magic weapon, the Qingjun Sword, transformed into a dragon several tens of feet long, baring its fangs and claws to shatter the obstruction within the wind wall.

"Fellow Daoist Hong Fu, would you be willing to lend them a hand? That way, we can send the younger generation in as soon as possible..."

Old Monster Qiong laughed.

This time, because of someone else, this person did not leave the group but came along.

Upon hearing this, Hong Fu nodded slightly.
"Right on my mind."

The next moment, a blood-red flying sword was unleashed, and more than a dozen scarlet sword beams, each tens of feet long, shot out. The power of one person alone was enough to overwhelm the combined strength of the previous seven.

The disciples were completely dumbfounded.

The seven Core Formation stage cultivators from the seven sects could only manage a wry smile.

Even if all seven of them were together, they probably wouldn't be a match for Fairy Hong Fu alone.

The difference between the early and late stages of Core Formation is quite significant.

"hey-hey."

Old Monster Qiong was no slouch either.

He tossed it casually, as if he had thrown something out.

The next moment, ripples began to spread across the wind-attribute restriction array, and dangerous wind blades within the wind wall were annihilated in large numbers.

"what happened?"

The group of Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators watched in vain, unable to discern anything.

Those at the Core Formation stage present, including Fairy Hongfu, were all secretly alarmed.

The early-stage Core Formation disciples, like the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment disciples, couldn't see how Old Monster Qiong made his move. However, the Wind Wall Formation suffered an attack several times stronger than when the disciples and Fairy Hong Fu worked together.

Only Hong Fu could vaguely see some afterimage.

Only Xiang Zhili saw everything clearly without missing a single detail.

It turns out that just now, a magic weapon flying needle made primarily of the essence of five metals was casually tossed away by Old Monster Qiong. It was the Invisible Needle, the second natal magic weapon he later crafted.

This invisible needle was so small that it was impossible for ordinary cultivators to catch it. As it flew, it split into two, then into four, then into eight, and in the blink of an eye, it split into dozens of needles.

Then, like raindrops, they struck the outer wind wall of the wind-attribute restriction array.

Although the spectacle was not visible to outsiders, the effect was that the wind-attribute array was collapsing at a rapid pace, with a gap being torn open.

Normally, it would have taken at least two or three hours for just seven early-stage Core Formation cultivators to tear a small, temporary opening in the outer protective array of the forbidden area. However, thanks to Fairy Hongfu's intervention, this time was reduced by at least half.

Furthermore, thanks to Old Monster Qiong's intervention, it will only take half an hour now.

"That was fast!"

Among the disciples, a veteran contestant exclaimed in surprise.

Before anyone else could react, the man took a running start and leaped into the air, disappearing into the temporary gap.

"What are you waiting for? Go inside."

Seeing that the disciples of Tianque Fortress had taken the lead and rushed into the forbidden area first, the Core Formation cultivators of Spirit Beast Mountain and Huadao Dock immediately reminded the little guys in their sects.

Han Li didn't think much of it and entered as quickly as possible.

The other disciples of Huangfeng Valley and those from the Yanyue Sect weren't in a hurry. Old Monster Qiong was unaware that Hong Fu had prepared a big surprise for him—the ingenious tactic of pairing up two Spirit Fusion Talismans.

Hong Fu and Li Huayuan hadn't expected that the Hidden Moon Sect was equally well-prepared this time. Besides Gan Rushuang, the other 24 disciples would also be paired up using a Spirit Fusion Talisman. Compared to the pairs in Yellow Maple Valley, there were several more pairs there.

Only Fuyunzi of the Qingxu Sect invested the least, had the greatest expectations, and the most confidence.

Well, thankfully Fuyunzi knew nothing, otherwise he probably wouldn't have been able to keep his composure.

...

The world spun during the transmission.

But it landed safely.

This must be the beauty of the restrictive array.

Furthermore, the randomness of the teleportation will only transport entrants to the outer area of ​​the forbidden zone, and will not directly teleport them to the central area shrouded in mist and fraught with danger.

The Crimson Forbidden Land is roughly divided into three sections: the core area, the central area, and the outer area.

The core area can be described simply: a barrier of light exists there, covering an area of ​​dozens of miles, and no one has ever been able to enter. The core area is located in the innermost basin of the central area, separated from the central area by this barrier of light. Near the core area, level-two demonic beasts roam.

Then there's the central area, which is a ring-shaped mountain area spanning hundreds of miles, separated from the outer area by a wall.

The phrase "separated by a wall" is also literal in meaning.

Between the two areas stands a high wall covered with restrictive formations.

At that moment, Han Li was randomly teleported to an area near the city wall.

The wall, several meters high, resembled a city wall for ordinary people. It didn't appear grand, yet no one dared to climb over it.

"This is the forbidden area? The spiritual environment is indeed much better than the outside world, almost comparable to the spiritual vein caves of Red Tassel Mountain."

This is only the situation on the surface.

The central area has a more favorable spiritual environment.

This is also the main reason why various ancient spiritual herbs can grow here, while the outside world cannot cultivate such ancient spiritual herbs.

After glancing at his surroundings and comparing them with what was indicated on the map, he roughly determined his location:

"Southwest, at seven o'clock?"

It's not a good time to land, but it's not bad either.

The reason this place is not good is because it is too close to the central city wall. He can't very well turn around and go to the outer perimeter to look for spiritual herbs, can he?
This place isn't bad either, because it's closer to the city center, so he can avoid the hassle of traveling hundreds of miles and can recharge his energy.

Furthermore, using the Moonbeam Pearl to open the central area a day in advance made his plan even more advantageous.

As for why Fairy Hongfu suggested using the Moon Sun Pearl a day earlier?
It was also because of another jade slip he gave to Dong Xuan'er.

After reading the contents of the jade slip, Dong Xuan'er offered her opinions to Fairy Hong Fu.

This explains that doing so would be more beneficial to Huangfeng Valley.

Hong Fu Fairy considered the advantage her side had using the Spirit Fusion Talisman, realizing it was indeed wise to open the central area sooner; otherwise, their numerical advantage might not be effective later. Therefore, she requested that the Moon Sun Pearl be used a day earlier.

Why would Han Li want to push things along like this?
The reason is also very simple.

That is to disrupt the main force of the Hidden Moon Sect as much as possible, making it difficult for the disciples of the Hidden Moon Sect to form a numerical advantage.

Han Li knew perfectly well whether the Hidden Moon Sect had cheated using the Spirit Fusion Talisman.

Not only does the Hidden Moon Sect have Nangong Wan, a Core Formation stage cultivator, leading the team, but their paired teams also possess Spirit Fusion Talismans. Crucially, the prospective Daoist couples within the Hidden Moon Sect all cultivate combined attack techniques, the power of which rivals even the ordinary attacks of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

He could handle one or two groups with his three top-tier level 1 spirit beasts.

But if he sees groups of three or five, he'll have to run away as fast as he can.

Not to be offended.

Really can't afford to offend.

If the two "twin beauties"—Duobao and Diaowang—were also inside, his situation would be even more dangerous.

Therefore, it would be best to reduce the efficiency of the Moon Concealment Sect's team's rendezvous.

Using the Moonbeam Orb to clear the fog in the central area a day in advance to open it up is a very effective method.

Didn't you people from the Hidden Moon Sect plan to spend two days gathering the main force within the forbidden area and then start the map-clearing mode?

Well.

We'll narrow it down to just one day for the convergence.

Let's see if you can still assemble a large team.

Following the original trajectory, the disciples of the Hidden Moon Sect managed to gather a large force.

After two days of probing the forbidden area, the seventeen disciples of the Hidden Moon Sect met with Nangong Wan at the agreed-upon location. Then, the large group began their map-clearing spree, wiping out any monster lairs or underground stone palaces they encountered along the way, led by Nangong Wan.

What high-level or top-level demonic beasts? If you're chosen, you can only accept your bad luck.

It was a devastating success.

Visiting more than a dozen places in a row was relaxing, enjoyable, and very rewarding.

Because Nangong Wan only took the spiritual herbs that she herself valued, she didn't even glance at the ordinary ones with a medicinal potency of one or two hundred years. Under these circumstances, the disciples who were lying down and reaping the benefits all received incredibly rich rewards. Some received as few as six or seven old spiritual herbs, while others received as many as ten or more.

The profits of this one family easily surpassed the combined profits of Huangfeng Valley and Qingxu Sect.

Moreover, this achievement of easily crushing both factions was made under two premises.

On one hand, during the battle at the Ink Dragon Stone Palace, several disciples ignored Nangong's advice and insisted on using their own magical artifacts to directly absorb the Ink Dragon's elixir. Not only did they die, but their storage bags and the spiritual herbs within them were also destroyed, leaving no trace of their remains – this was the real loss. Otherwise, the Hidden Moon Sect could have brought out at least thirty or forty more aged spiritual herbs.

On the other hand, Nangong Wan did not want the Yanyue Sect to win too spectacularly, so she did not take out any of the spiritual herbs she had harvested in the forbidden area.

Otherwise, the gains of that one person alone would far exceed the combined gains of the three factions.

Moreover, each plant is of good quality, and the medicinal properties are more guaranteed due to its age and efficacy.

If this were seen by Li Huayuan, Fuyunzi, and other Core Formation stage cultivators, they would probably be green with envy and grit their teeth in hatred.

To put it more bluntly: Nangong Wan, who is currently only at the early stage of Core Formation, has managed to complete the Nascent Soul stage in just over a hundred years, becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator despite losing twenty or thirty years of cultivation!
It wasn't a hundred years or so from the late stage of Core Formation to the Nascent Soul stage, but rather a hundred years or so from the early stage of Core Formation to the Nascent Soul stage!

The Nascent Soul stage, with an age of at most 240 years!

Once you understand this, you'll know what level of total benefit the original team gained from the forbidden land's spiritual herbs during this trip.

Therefore, while it's necessary to advise Hong Fu, it's also important to do so indirectly. If successful, it will ease things and bring more benefits. If it fails, there won't be much loss.

"Although I can't lead a team to sweep through and harvest like Nangong Wan, with three top-tier demonic beasts, it's not impossible for me to challenge two or three underground stone palaces marked as dangerous zones."

The first place to go is the underground stone palace where the black dragon resides.

...

Without any delay, Han Li took off the yellow silk robe that represented the disciples of Huangfeng Valley.

This yellow silk shirt not only offers no protection, but it's also extremely conspicuous.

Especially in the dim light of the grass and shrubs.

People can spot him from a great distance.

This is not good.

Next, he chose a camouflage outfit with green and gray as the main colors. He also prepared other mixed-color camouflage outfits.

Even when wearing these camouflage uniforms, they cannot be completely detected by human consciousness at close range.

From a distance, it blends seamlessly with its surroundings, and when combined with an invisibility talisman, it becomes even harder for people in the distance to spot it.

That was enough for him.

After changing into camouflage clothing, he began to walk around the city wall.

Target: The city gate on the south side of the city wall.

His goal was simple: to get inside the walls as soon as possible, find a good place to rest and recuperate, and thoroughly analyze any oversights in tomorrow's operation. Of course, if he found a fat target, he could also make a killing.

There are only four types of people who have entered the trial this time.

The first type is the slacker at the very bottom of the food chain.

This kind of person's cultivation level is only at the eleventh or twelfth level of Qi Refining.

They lacked top-tier magical artifacts, powerful talismans, and various secret treasures; in short, their strength was meager.

They participated in the trial because the future seemed uncertain, and they were drawn by that slim chance, or perhaps for the sake of their families and descendants. Thus, they set their sights on the high-grade magic weapon and mid-grade spirit stones awarded by the sect. Then, they hoped to stumble upon a spirit herb or two on the outskirts by sheer luck.

As long as they don't leave empty-handed, given the sect's management's low expectations, they won't hold it against them. The sect's investment will be considered a return on investment.

In other words, as long as you survive, you'll not only receive a high-grade magic weapon from the sect, but also a mid-grade spirit stone. If you manage to gather any spirit herbs, there will be additional rewards—it'll be wonderful!

In this way, if their descendants embark on the path of cultivation, it will be much easier.

This kind of thing has happened countless times throughout history.

And there are always a few lucky ones who manage to survive and leave the future to the next generation or the generation after that, just as they wished.

The second type of person is at the 12th or 13th level of Qi cultivation, neither high nor low.

These types of people are considered elites among sect disciples, but during the Crimson Trial, they're just bystanders. Not the best, but not the worst either. They can only bully the weak and unambitious. If they encounter the true elites of various sects, they'll have to run away.

The third type of person is the predator at the top of the food chain.

They are the true elites of each faction, with the top fifty in the competition as the standard.

Of course, there are also formidable figures among them.

Those are all top ten players in the competition.

For these types of people, participating in the trials is like playing house. Unless it's a seed-level player meeting another seed-level player, it's a brutal slaughter.

However, these people are still not at the top.

The fourth type of person is the top player.

For example, the extremely low-profile Nangong Wan.

A dignified Core Formation cultivator disguised as a Qi Refining disciple infiltrated the sect. Even if his strength was limited to the Qi Refining stage due to his cultivation technique, his Core Formation foundation was undeniable. He could easily throw away a bunch of mid-level talismans, and he could also barely activate the Vermilion Bird Ring, a magic weapon. A single combo of attacks would be more than enough to overwhelm an average person.

Okay, this level of "top" isn't really the top.

Because there's also the old underworld figure, Xiang Zhili, who pretends to be weak but is actually cunning.

Qi Refining, Foundation Building, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, and Deity Transformation are the levels in the human cultivation system.

Each level represents a vast difference in dimensions.

At the Nascent Soul stage, one can be considered a terrestrial immortal.

Xiang Zhili is a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.

He is currently the strongest Nascent Soul stage cultivator in the human realm.

It's best not to provoke this extremely elusive old fox; if you're foolish enough to do so, you won't even know how you kicked the bucket.

...

The journey was uneventful, except for encountering a low-level, beginner-level demonic beast.

After easily killing it, they quickly arrived at the south gate.

At this point, it was clearly still very early. From his observation, no one had yet passed through the city gate before him.

Upon entering the city wall, a vast expanse of colorful flowers comes into view.

As far as the eye can see, there are endless fields of flowers, flower corridors, and flower forests...

The ancient cultivator who created the Crimson Forbidden Land was also a man of refined tastes.

Other powerful figures collect rare and precious herbs that aid cultivation to leave to their descendants, but this one has brought all sorts of beautiful flowers and trees to this place, creating a flower belt that stretches for a mile or two right next to the inner city wall.

The numerous dangerous barriers erected on the city wall were designed to prevent anyone from scaling the wall and trampling on the local flowers and plants.

"In my initial draft, the several thousand-year-old herbs needed for the Youth-Preserving Pill could be found in this sea of ​​flowers..."

"Because of the small bottle, this initial concept was shelved and was not specifically mentioned in the text."

Now that he doesn't have the small bottle, is the initial design still valid?
"If I remember correctly, there is a type of main ingredient in a field of ordinary flowers about ten miles northwest of the inner city of the South Gate."

He wanted to give it a try and see what his luck was like.

If you're lucky, you might find another way to make money.

Even if the initial design doesn't work, it's not a big deal; he won't lose anything.

The round trip takes at most half an hour.

Do it when you think of it.

To avoid leaving any footprints, he boarded a flying sword and flew at low altitude.

During the flight, he summoned the Jade Mantis to accompany him, and summoned the Wind Howling Eagle to keep watch from a slightly farther and higher place. Then he took out a low-level high-grade Golden Shield Talisman and activated it.

Not stingy at all.

Six small golden shields surrounded him, and the Jade Mantis provided protection, giving him a great sense of security.

Interestingly, both the Jade Mantis and the Howling Eagle became much more active after being released, as if they had returned to an environment more suitable for their survival.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he arrived at the predicted location.

This place is exactly the same as the flower sea, flower corridor, and flower forest near the city gate.

There was no medicinal fragrance of any elixir.

Yes, it has a strong, common floral fragrance.

It seems that even the forbidden monsters have never visited this place.

But amidst a vast sea of ​​flowers, in an inconspicuous corner, in a small corner where the colors were obscured by countless vibrant flowers, three seemingly frail black flowers were struggling to survive.

Because this patch of flowerbeds was over two miles wide and connected with other flowerbeds, encircling the city wall, Han Li's search was by no means easy.

Therefore, although the journey itself was short, the time spent searching every inch of the path took a full hour.

During this period, he wanted to give up many times, but in the end, patience prevailed over impatience.

"Huh? A little black flower..."

Each small flower has only seven petals, and each plant only grows seven leaves.

The three plants currently in use are exactly the same as those recorded in the Wulan Records, one of the main ingredients of the Dingyan Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine formula).

Furthermore, the older the wulan (a type of medicinal herb), the deeper the black of its petals, and the stronger its medicinal properties. The three plants right now are as black as three pieces of coal. Their medicinal potency must be up to standard.

"found it!"

"There really is one?!"

This is where the opportunity for my initial draft was set; what about the other locations?

If other locations also have similar opportunities, my gains this time will be significantly increased.

"action."

There is still plenty of time.

Fortunately, he was teleported to an area near the central city wall; otherwise, he wouldn't have had almost a whole day to explore the circular flower area used as a viewing area.

So for the next few hours, he began running around the city.

Go and find some of the complex settings from the initial draft.

More than an hour later, he arrived near the west city wall. On the way, he obtained the herbal ingredients needed for a youth-preserving pill.

Who would have thought that this seemingly ornamental flower area would hide a loophole that even Foundation Establishment cultivators would only encounter as a small opportunity?

But upon reflection, he understood:

The area is too large, and there are too many flowers, making it difficult to identify and find. In addition, the time is short, the number of people is small, and everyone's awareness is low, making it even more difficult to find accurately.

The important thing is that there are no monsters to guide us.

Even those demonic beasts aren't interested, so what can a low-level cultivator who knows nothing possibly identify?
then.

That's why he was able to snag this bargain.

Even if he could manage to snag a small advantage using his intelligence, it would still take hours.

Near the west gate, a pair of eyes were already watching him from the shadows.

What is that person looking for?

"This sea of ​​flowers has been plundered many times by predecessors, but I've never heard of any precious spiritual herbs here."

If spiritual herbs that could aid in cultivation truly existed, the demonic beasts of the forbidden land would have long served as "guiding lights."

Little did this person know that some spiritual herbs, even those that are thousands or tens of thousands of years old, will not attract the attention of demonic beasts.

This herb is the main ingredient in the Youth-Preserving Pill.

"Follow them and see what's going on..."

This person had a thought, and an idea formed in their mind.

He also felt that perhaps that person had discovered some benefit that no one before them had been able to discover.

Han Li then circled the city for more than an hour, arriving at a location in the northwest.

We found several medicinal herbs again in a sea of ​​flowers.

"What did that person pick? Did they actually make a discovery?"

Those lurking in the shadows suddenly brightened up.

However, in a corner he wasn't paying attention to, while he was focusing more on Han Li, a jade-green mantis was slowly and silently approaching him.

This quickly put him in an awkward position, caught between Han Li and the Jade Mantis.

"They've hidden themselves very well. If it weren't for Feng Xiaoying, I would have been followed without even realizing it," Han Li thought to himself with a chill.

　Two chapters are equivalent to ten chapters of two thousand words each; those who know, know.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)