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

Chapter 80 The Transaction, Early Return

Upon hearing this, Han Li frowned in thought.

Is it fair?
If he were a Core Formation stage cultivator, this deal would definitely be unfair.

Given equal status, he could easily win this woman over.

At the very least, he's a second or third-generation heir with powerful connections, like Dong Xuan'er, who has a Core Formation stage elder who will steadfastly support him. In that case, he'll still have Gan Rushuang firmly under his control in this deal.

Unfortunately, he was just a rogue cultivator at the Qi Refining stage.

It seems he could borrow some help from Fairy Hongfu, but the prerequisite is: he must be upright and have nothing to fear! He must be willing to hand over all the profits from the spiritual herbs!
Otherwise, if he violates the sect rules and harms the interests of the sect's Nascent Soul patriarch and several Core Formation stage elders, even Fairy Hong Fu will not tolerate him, let alone expect her to protect him.

Therefore, this deal is unfair. However, Gan Rushuang's proposal is very fair to him now.

The other party has already shown great sincerity.

"May I ask, senior, have you informed the sect disciples about my relationship with the Ink Dragon?" Han Li asked.

If they tell me, then there's no need for the transaction.

"Don't worry, they all thought the Ink Dragon was dead, that it died in that passage. After all, there were indeed Ink Dragon's bones and blood left in the wall formed by the small Five Elements Sumeru Forbidden Array inside the stone hall. And no one expected that a Qi Refining cultivator would be so lucky as to have contracted with an Ink Dragon that was about to break through to level 2."

What a coincidence!

She never expected Han Li to not use telepathy at the time.

"So, as long as you don't reveal your identity as a black dragon, no one will doubt your identity..."

But once revealed, it's like exposing one's true identity.

Just wish you good luck.

At that time, a senior sister from the sect and several high-level cultivators should not mind ambushing them under the cover of darkness.

After all, this kid killed so many elite disciples with powerful backgrounds from their Hidden Moon Sect. Even if there were reasons for it, what's wrong with some senior brothers and sisters bullying the weak in order to achieve their own goals?
“Then, we can make this deal, but the amount of spirit stones cannot be too little.” He didn’t believe that Gan Rushuang’s statement that it was too much would leave him speechless. “In addition, I need you to wait for an hour after the forbidden area passage opens before leaving. I wonder if you would agree?”

"An hour later?"

"Correct."

"Any more requests?"

"If possible, I don't need spirit stones; I can use Foundation Establishment Pills instead."

"You want to exchange spirit stones for Foundation Establishment Pills?"

"Ah."

"Tsk tsk, little guy, you've got some ideas. Indeed, Foundation Establishment Pills are useless to us Core Formation stage cultivators; keeping spirit stones is more cost-effective. But unfortunately, I don't have any Foundation Establishment Pills on me, so I can't help you." Gan Rushuang breathed a sigh of relief.

He then thought to himself, "This kid doesn't seem to be from a powerful family. Otherwise, he would have rejected my proposal outright. In that case, we would be locked in a life-or-death struggle."

Fortunately, this boy did not put her in a difficult position, nor did he force her to choose between loyalty and righteousness.

The failed deal and broken negotiations mean that her infiltration of the forbidden area at the Core Formation stage is highly likely to be exposed. This provides the six sects, who are outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds, with an excuse to replicate the Moon Sun Pearl incident and restrict the development of their Hidden Moon Sect.

The kindness of her master in raising her, teaching her, instructing her, and resolving her doubts over the past hundred years is immeasurable, and she would never allow such a situation to happen.

Once a sign appears, she will fight to the bitter end.

Han Li was well aware of this.
If he dares to say "no," the next moment will be a life-or-death struggle.

Compared to the life-saving grace he had shown, the great kindness that the Core Formation expert opposite him, who still had some conscience, had always enjoyed from the Hidden Moon Sect was definitely much greater.

Forcing someone to choose between the debt of gratitude for saving their life and the great debt of gratitude to their sect is not making things difficult for them, but rather making things difficult for themselves!
Therefore, after thinking it over, he still had the Ink Dragon throw out the Vermilion Bird Ring as a gesture of goodwill.

Upon seeing this, Gan Rushuang's eyes lit up, and she held this young man from Tianque Fort in even higher regard: What spirit!

If it were a Qi Refining stage disciple, I wonder how awkward and hesitant they would be.

Once the Vermilion Bird Ring regained its freedom, it immediately trembled and flashed with flames. The flames first burned away the several sealing talismans attached to it, then swirled back into the girl's hand, carrying the ring itself with them. The bracelet rapidly shrank, shrinking and shrinking until it finally rested on the girl's fair, jade-like wrist.

At the same time, a storage bag flew towards Han Li.

After taking the storage bag and examining it, Han Li pursed his lips.

"How are you? Are you satisfied?"

Gan Rushuang asked with a smile.

So many spirit stones! A mere Qi Refining cultivator like me has probably never seen anything like them in his entire life.
"Thank you, senior."

Han Li clasped his hands in a salute.

It turned out that the storage bag contained as many as eighty mid-grade spirit stones, as well as two bottles of pills that were very helpful for cultivation. Moreover, these pills were extremely rare and precious, costing a fortune for even a single pill, for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The guy opposite him, on the other hand, gave him two bottles.

This unexpected joy certainly exceeded his expectations.

This woman is quite generous.

"Cultivate diligently. I hope that one day you can stand before me with true confidence, either to discuss the Dao with me or to exchange insights over tea. Don't be as timid and risky as you are today." Giving a little more is a way of returning the favor.

After speaking, Gan Rushuang activated a mid-level talisman, Wood Escape, and departed.

Upon hearing this, Han Li stood there speechless for a long time.

"Are you really Nangong Wan, the female protagonist in the book?"

"Is this just idle talk or a senior's casual encouragement to a junior?"

But regardless of which one…

"Wait."

"Next time we meet, I'll make sure you call me 'senior'!"

He suddenly felt as if many shackles had been removed, and he felt completely relaxed.

And for some reason, he developed an even stronger interest in cultivating immortality.

If before, his pursuit of immortality was vague, a desire for that elusive and unattainable longevity, now he has a more direct and tangible direction.

Let's set a small goal first: to make this woman willingly call him "senior"!

That will surely be very interesting.

...

The fifth day of the Crimson Trial arrived at Shen Shi (3-5 PM).

outside world.

Several Core Formation cultivators from the Seven Sects began to exert their power once again.

An opening was quickly created in the passage.

"I wonder how much we reaped this time?"

These cultivators at the Core Formation stage each harbored their own thoughts.

The surrounding foundation managers quietly watched the dark passage, waiting for the first person to emerge.

at the same time.

Inside the Crimson Forbidden Zone.

Dark holes kept appearing on the outer walls of the array, buzzing continuously.

Looking up at the sky, it's as if you can see countless open black holes.

These openings are actually passages to leave the forbidden area.

Once inside, cultivators can leave the forbidden area. They are then teleported by the forbidden area's grand formation to the single, unbroken entrance.

Without hesitation, Han Li took off his Cloud-Stepping Boots, removed his mask, and changed back into the clothes of the Yellow Maple Valley. In a flash, he disappeared into the nearest cave.

Immediately following was a dizzying spin.

Then, the person was thrown out into a pitch-black space by the creaking and groaning of the windmill.

Outside, the sun was shining brightly.

Han Li, who had been thrown out, had already regained consciousness. After scanning the surroundings with his divine sense, he used his left foot to step on his right foot in mid-air, followed by a Wind Control Technique and a Lightness Technique, quickly regaining his footing. He landed steadily, without kicking up any dust. His trouser legs were clean.

"Out?"

Dong Xuan'er gracefully approached with light, lotus-like steps.

"Uncle Dong."

Han Li smiled and bowed respectfully.

This gesture, seemingly polite, actually created distance between them. Or rather, it maintained a distance between them.

Dong Xuan'er had no objections; she was used to it. Hong Fu was also satisfied, and the others were even more so.

In the world of cultivation, there is a strict hierarchy.

Some people may not care, but some people care the most.

"How was the harvest?"

Dong Xuan'er blinked.

"Thank you for your concern, Uncle-Master. This is enough to exchange for a few Foundation Establishment Pills." This time, Han Li showed a sincere smile.

It is unpretentious, unmasked laughter.

"Your harvest can actually be exchanged for several Foundation Establishment Pills? That means..."

Dong Xuan'er's eyes widened.

"Look, Uncle-Master."

Han Li offered his storage bag.

This move left many people present stunned and speechless.

"You're showing me your storage bag?" Dong Xuan'er pointed to herself, her eyes widening slightly in surprise and disbelief.

"Yeah, so what?" Han Li retorted confidently.

This really stumped the other cultivators.

Can I let outsiders look through my personal storage bag?

Let alone letting outsiders see it, even if a fellow Daoist wants to examine it, a normal person wouldn't agree. And a sensible Daoist partner wouldn't make such an excessive request. But this disciple of Huangfeng Valley is different; he completely doesn't follow the usual path.

Before Dong Xuan'er could react, Han Li had already placed the storage bag in her hand:

“It was my suggestion that you, Uncle, participate in the bet. If you lose, I will take half of the sect's rewards brought by these spiritual herbs to compensate you, Uncle Dong, and Uncle Wang. After all, it was my suggestion, and I can't let you two uncles bear all the risks.”

“No, no…”

Dong Xuan'er waved her hand as she took the storage bag and examined it.

Uncle Wang, who was not far away, felt a pang of emotion.

The other Foundation Establishment managers of Yellow Maple Valley were secretly amazed:
If this young man can reach the Foundation Establishment stage, the position of the sect leader senior brother might be in jeopardy!

"Grandmasters, your disciple has lived up to your expectations and brought out a fairly considerable number of spiritual herbs."

After Dong Xuan'er looked at the storage bag for a moment, Han Li handed it to Fairy Hong Fu, as a way of reassuring the two of them.

When Fairy Hongfu and Li Huayuan saw the number of spiritual herbs in the storage bag, they were both invigorated. They both saw many interesting things in the storage bag.

Immediately, he was extremely satisfied.

Li Huayuan was so surprised that he almost pulled out a few hairs from his chin.

Forty-six spiritual herbs?!

"Good good!"

This young man's harvest alone far exceeds the total number of spiritual herbs brought back by all the disciples of Yellow Maple Valley during the last Crimson Trial. Moreover, most of the spiritual herbs harvested this time are of excellent quality, which makes it even more remarkable.

We're certain to win the bet against Old Monster Qiong.

"Grandmaster Hongfu, I am so grateful for your kindness and care in the past years, which has enabled me to achieve my current cultivation and opportunities. I have no way to repay you, so I beg you to accept me as a disciple. According to the sect rules, half of what I have gained this time should be given as a gift for becoming your disciple." Han Li suddenly bowed and said.

He claimed he was becoming an apprentice, but in reality, he wanted to repay a debt of gratitude and, incidentally, find a true patron.

He was truly grateful for the many times the Fairy Hongfu had taken care of him, and he really needed a reliable backer.

That's why he was willing to show off forty-six spiritual herbs.

Otherwise, I would only take out twenty plants at most.

And there will absolutely be no medicines that are more than 500 years old.

Among these medicinal herbs, one is over 800 years old, and four others are over 600 years old.

It is extremely attractive to cultivators in the mid-to-late stages of Core Formation.

Especially the eight-hundred-year-old Purple Gold Flower; its blossoms alone are enough to be the main ingredient in the Enhancing Vitality Pill, and its roots and stem are equally precious. If Fairy Hongfu were to exchange the Purple Gold Flower with Lei Wanhe, the benefits she would gain would certainly be substantial. Perhaps within twenty or thirty years, Yellow Maple Valley could gain another late-stage Core Formation expert.

In this way, he indirectly repaid the kindness of Huangfeng Valley in accepting him.

And this is precisely how he repays his debt of gratitude.

Upon hearing this and seeing the situation, Fairy Hongfu fell into deep thought.

She never considered taking any man as her disciple.

Apart from the two disciples she had taken in by chance in another country more than 20 years ago, Xuan'er alone was enough for her.

Seeing Hong Fu hesitate, Li Huayuan's mind immediately began to stir: especially when he thought of those dozens of precious spiritual herbs, he became even more tempted. As a result, the way he looked at Han Li changed.

In any case, as soon as Hong Fu refuses, he immediately demands her.

Out of respect for Senior Sister Hong Fu, he can reward her with an extra Foundation Establishment Pill as compensation.

Han Li, with his head bowed in a respectful posture, waited quietly for Fairy Hong Fu's response, but noticed that Fairy Hong Fu seemed to be hesitating about something. Realizing this, his heart immediately skipped a beat.

He knew all too well how tempting the elixir he had offered was.

Any elder in Huangfeng Valley below the late Core Formation stage would be interested.

In other words, if Hong Fu refuses, Li Huayuan, who is in the early stage of Core Formation, will definitely try to take her away.

Moreover, their real intention was not to steal people, but to steal those spiritual herbs.

He was willing to give half of the spiritual herbs he had handed over to Fairy Hongfu, which would also maximize his benefits. Given Fairy Hongfu's dislike of taking advantage of juniors, he was certain that he would receive every Foundation Establishment Pill he was entitled to afterward.

Forty-six spiritual herbs, some of which were exceptionally precious, could be exchanged for at least five Foundation Establishment Pills as a reward. Adding the three Foundation Establishment Pills he plundered from the two people from the Hidden Moon Sect and Feng Yue, that makes a total of eight Foundation Establishment Pills.

Eight stones should be enough for him to build his foundation.

Don't forget, he still has the residual medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill in his body, and his cultivation level has reached the thirteenth level of Qi Refining.

In this situation, it would be utterly unfair if eight stones in a row failed to establish a foundation.

Therefore, becoming Hong Fu's apprentice is definitely more beneficial than harmful.

However, if he were to give the herbs to Li Huayuan, then it would be pointless for him to offer up so many spiritual herbs. First, Li Huayuan would take most of them, including the most precious ones. At that point, he would likely only have two Foundation Establishment Pills. As for the missing three, Li Huayuan might not even provide them. Even if he were to mercifully give him some, he would only receive one at most, and Li Huayuan would have to be eternally grateful.

You take a huge advantage of him, and he's the one who has to say thank you.

It's really upsetting.

What was most frustrating was that at that time, he could only muster a maximum of six Foundation Establishment Pills.

Six Foundation Establishment Pills might not be enough for him to establish his foundation in one fell swoop.

in this way.

Only he himself could attempt to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Although he brought out a considerable amount of the three main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills, enough to make nearly two hundred portions, collecting the remaining auxiliary ingredients was also a troublesome matter, and he might attract the attention of those with ulterior motives.

How to do?
How can we get Fairy Hong Fu to speak?
Han Li grew anxious.

He caught a glimpse of Dong Xuan'er's toes out of the corner of his eye, and his eyes immediately lit up.

However, before he could say anything more, Li Huayuan, seeing that his senior sister Hong Fu had not yet agreed, took action.

“Senior sister, if you don’t like taking on male disciples, why not let me train him? I think this kid is a rough gem, and with proper training, he might achieve great things.”

Han Li was greatly alarmed upon hearing this!
I knew Li Huayuan would have his eye on those spiritual herbs!
"We can't sit still and wait for death."

“If Fairy Hongfu agrees, things will go wrong.”

Han Li thought to himself.

He took the initiative to become Hong Fu's disciple in order to gain the upper hand and prevent Li Huayuan from asking for her first. After all, if Fairy Hong Fu didn't react quickly enough and he didn't want to offend her, Li Huayuan might have an opening. Now that his attempt to gain the upper hand had failed and he was about to lose it, he had to find another way.

The person that Fairy Hongfu cares about most, besides herself, is Dong Xuan'er.

Therefore, Dong Xuan'er may become a breakthrough point.

After a moment's thought, he immediately began to communicate telepathically to Dong Xuan'er:

"Uncle-Master Dong, please put in a good word for me. My grandmaster and you have both been incredibly kind to me. How could I bear to leave? I still want to continue helping my grandmaster manage the herb garden. Besides, you've seen the spiritual herbs I brought this time, and many of them are useful to you. After being refined into pills, they can save you a lot of time in your arduous cultivation..."

Uncle-Master, you don't want to improve your cultivation by going into seclusion and practicing asceticism every day, do you?

"Furthermore, some elixirs are very helpful in preventing cultivation deviation and treating the aftereffects of cultivation deviation. As cultivators, none of us can be sure that we might accidentally suffer any adverse consequences..."

"Even if our master can't use it, you can..."

"Or you could take it and barter it with the sect's masters, each getting what they need..."

Although Han Li was transmitting his thoughts, who were the people present?

In other words, his ability to transmit sound secretly was practically as good as using a megaphone to shout it out in everyone's ears.

Therefore, all those in the Core Formation and Foundation Establishment stages heard it.

They all agreed that what they said made sense.

Dong Xuan'er nodded repeatedly.

She's not stupid; how could she not know how precious those forbidden herbs are?

These are all varieties that Hongying Mountain Medicinal Herbs Garden does not have.

Some of them are even more precious than the rare herbs in the herb garden, and are extremely rare and hard to come by.

This missed opportunity is not only a loss for her master, but also a loss for Dong Xuan'er.

No one can jeopardize her interests!

Even Uncle Li won't do!

"Master, Master..."

A young girl's coquettishness always works.

Who is Fairy Hong Fu? How could she not understand the true meaning behind Han Li's words? And how could she not know that her precious grandniece was unwilling to let Li Huayuan, an outsider, benefit from so many advantages?
And as Han Li said, she might not need it, but Xuan'er definitely could. Even if not for herself, she should at least consider Xuan'er, her disciple and grandniece, right?
"OK OK."

Hong Fu waved her hand, signaling Dong Xuan'er to step back.

Then he looked at Li Huayuan:
“Junior brother, since you say that Han Li is a rough gem, how can I push him away? Let’s see how I will polish him.”

Li Huayuan smiled awkwardly, secretly thinking it was a pity.

He didn't take Han Li's clandestine telepathic communication that followed him seriously.

It’s just human nature.

After all, his place is indeed no match for that of Senior Sister Hong Fu.

"No fate, no fate at all."

Of course, it's unrealistic to say that I have absolutely no lingering resentment.

"Junior Brother Li, once you win the bet and obtain Old Monster Qiong's three Invisible Needle Talismans and Blood Thread Dragon Inner Core, don't forget the contribution of your nominal disciple," Hong Fu reminded him telepathically, lest Li Huayuan be unhappy and hold a grudge against his own disciple.

Li Huayuan misunderstood, thinking that Hong Fu was after his gambling money. After thinking for a moment, he gritted his teeth and made his decision:
"Don't worry, Senior Sister. If we win the final duel, I'll give one of the Invisible Needle Talismans to Junior Nephew Han as a token of my gratitude."

Senior sister, I gave one away and even gifted it to the biggest contributor. You can't have an excuse to covet that Blood Thread Dragon Inner Core and the other two Invisible Needle Talismans anymore, right?
Senior sister, please don't eat so rudely.

Li Huayuan, however, judged others by his own standards, completely misinterpreting Hong Fu Fairy's thoughts.

"Junior brother, you..."

"Senior sister, it's settled then. Don't think it's too much or too little."

If he thinks it's not enough, then Mr. Li can just reluctantly take out another Invisible Needle Talisman later.

"Alright, since Junior Brother is so generous in taking care of the younger generation, I thank you on behalf of my disciple." Hong Fu said with a smile, quite surprised that Li Huayuan had suddenly changed his attitude today.

Little did he know that upon hearing this, Li Huayuan felt relieved and no longer felt so guilty.

After all, Hong Fu contributed the most: she arranged for Han Li to go in and distributed many Spirit Fusion Talismans.

Li Huayuan merely moved his lips and lay flat.

When distributing the profits, normally Hong Fu should have gotten more. But in the end, Li Huayuan got the lion's share.

If he didn't give anything back, Li Huayuan felt he would be ambushed and beaten up if he walked alone at night.

"Aren't you going to thank your Uncle Li?" Hong Fu reminded Han Li, who was standing there in a daze.

The surprise came so suddenly that Han Li was truly caught off guard. Only after being reminded did he quickly bow in gratitude.

"Thank you for your care, Uncle Li."

“No problem, no problem, you deserve it. Besides, we still need to defeat Elder Qiong and that Taoist priest Fuyunzi first.” Li Huayuan stroked his long beard.

This matter is temporarily closed.

However, Han Li did not stop there.

He wasn't going to waste the hour he'd earned from Gan Rushuang on pointless waiting.

"Master, Uncle-Master Li, I still have residual Foundation Establishment Pill power in my body, left over from the Foundation Establishment Pill I swallowed before entering the trial. I wish to return to Yellow Maple Valley as soon as possible to refine this power in seclusion. May I return with Senior Sister Dong first?" Han Li suddenly made this request.

The gentleman does not stand under the wall.

He didn't want to stand out in front of a lot of people.

I'm off now.

It's worth mentioning that there have been similar cases in the past. Han Li made this request because it had happened before.

Furthermore, with a different status, it is more appropriate to make corresponding requests.

If he fails to become an apprentice, he won't utter a sound right now. After all, who does he think he is?

But now, he's speaking as a disciple of Fairy Hongfu, and his reasons are reasonable. Fairy Hongfu has no reason to obstruct her disciple's path to enlightenment. Besides, she's a major contributor this time. It wouldn't be unreasonable for her to offer her some leeway.

Dong Xuan'er had no objection to this. She was well aware of Han Li's situation and sincerely hoped that her friend and junior brother would cherish the remaining medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill in his body.
"Yes, it is indeed a bit of a waste to waste that part of the medicine's potency."

Although she didn't know what kind of tricks this guy, who had gone from being her junior apprentice to her junior brother, was up to, she figured it probably wasn't anything bad.

Han Li promptly cast a grateful glance at Dong Xuan'er, which pleased her greatly. Emotional value had to be provided effectively.

After a moment's thought, Hong Fu looked at Li Huayuan:
"Junior brother, what do you think?"

Li Huayuan: "..."

I looked up at the sky?
That's your man, how could I force him to stay?

Besides, they've already handed over the harvested spiritual herbs, making them a true hero of Huangfeng Valley, and perhaps even a hero of Li Huayuan's as well.

And leaving early is not uncommon.

He had no reason to stop it, neither emotionally nor logically.

“Senior Sister, let the juniors do as they please. However, given their flying speed on their magical artifacts, they might not be able to return to the sect before the main force,” Li Huayuan said.

“That’s easy. I’ll leave everything to you, Junior Brother. Although Elder Qiong is eccentric, he never goes back on his word and won’t make things difficult for you. I’ll leave three Xuanjin Pills here. If we lose the bet, give them to him; if we win, you can take what you’re owed and give it to me later,” said Fairy Hongfu.

They trusted Li Huayuan implicitly and had no doubt that Li Huayuan might be up to something.

"Senior sister, this..."

Li Huayuan wasn't moved, but rather felt somewhat guilty.

He had too many valuable items on him and was afraid of encountering a "robber cultivator" on the road.

He might not be able to protect these things by himself.

"Having obtained Elder Qiong's Invisible Needle Talisman Treasure, who are you afraid of below the late Core Formation stage?" If you really encounter a Tribulation Cultivator, then it's Elder Qiong in disguise. Regardless of the truth, it's definitely Elder Qiong. The subsequent consequences are too severe; even Elder Qiong himself can't withstand them.

So don't be afraid.

"Senior sister, why don't you stay and I'll take them both back?" Li Huayuan said cautiously.

"Junior brother, put your things away." Fairy Hongfu tossed down a bottle of pills and prepared to fly away on her sword.

"Wait a minute, Master. I need to say goodbye to a friend."

It turned out that at this moment, more trial participants emerged alive from the passage.

There were two people in the group, a man and a woman.

The man was middle-aged, and the woman was a young girl.

They happened to be disciples of Huangfeng Valley.

It was the Chen siblings:

"Senior Brother Chen, Senior Sister Chen."

"Junior Brother Han."

"Senior Brother Chen, I need your help with something. It's a very easy little thing, and I'll definitely reward you handsomely afterwards." Han Li handed over a wooden box with talismans pasted on it before Chen Qiaoshan could even say anything else.

"This is?"

"In a little while, if the spiritual herbs obtained by Fellow Daoist of the Hidden Moon Sect tend to surpass the combined total of those of our Yellow Maple Valley and Qingxu Sect, then take this out and hang it on your waist, and then cough once."

This was a safety precaution prepared by Han Li.

An insurance policy to deal with Gan Rushuang.

Although it was clear that the Hidden Moon Sect had suffered heavy losses, with both of its two prodigies perishing and less than two-tenths of its remaining elites still alive, the Core Formation cultivator and the other surviving disciples hadn't had much time to explore the central area of ​​the forbidden zone. Therefore, the number of spiritual herbs they obtained was certainly not large.

But don’t be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the eventuality.

It's hard to guarantee that Gan Rushuang won't use her own money to make up the difference.

In a contest, one must win.

Only by winning can he obtain the Invisible Needle Talisman.

He gave a brief explanation, especially regarding how to flexibly exchange spirit herbs with the other disciples. After that, Han Li followed Fairy Hong Fu and Dong Xuan'er and left. Before leaving, the other Foundation Establishment stage managers specifically used level 2 spirit-smelling rats to check him over, and finding no problems, they let him go.

Thus, the plan to "smuggle in personal agendas" was perfectly accomplished!

The two or three hundred medicinal herbs inside the golden treasure chest were all preserved!

"Junior Brother Han left early?"

Chen Qiaoshan was very surprised.

"Before entering the forbidden area for the trial, he took a Foundation Establishment Pill, and some of its medicinal effects are still remaining. He went back to refine the remaining medicinal effects of the Foundation Establishment Pill," Li Huayuan explained.

The reason he was willing to speak up was simply because the Chen siblings had performed admirably, bringing out a total of twenty-five spiritual herbs. He was never stingy with his goodwill towards those who had made contributions.

Chen Qiaoshan brought out sixteen of them.

Based on their value, one or two more plants could be exchanged for two Foundation Building Pills.

Chen Qiaoqian brought out nine plants, which, in terms of value, were barely enough to exchange for one seed.

With the two of them having twenty-five plants and Han Li having forty-six, he felt confident this time. This harvest alone was equivalent to the total profit of the previous two or three attempts. If this wasn't secure, even the heavens would be outraged.

"By the way, Chen family boy, what did Junior Nephew Han give you?" Li Huayuan asked curiously.

“A box, and inside the box was a mask…” Chen Qiaoshan explained in detail.

mask?

That's fine.

This mask is the one Han Li wore when he last met Gan Rushuang. It is different from the one he wore in the Ink Dragon Stone Palace.

If Gan Rushuang insists on helping Qiong Laoguai win, then this mask signifies a warning and an exposure.

of course.

It would be best if Gan Rushuang followed the agreement, didn't act too aggressively, and kept some secrets, so that Han Li could remain hidden from public view.

In short, it all depends on whether Gan Rushuang will keep her promise.

...

As the saying goes, some people are happy and some are sad.

Although Fu Yunzi was unclear about the specifics of Huangfeng Valley, his heart sank when he saw Li Huayuan's confident expression.

He knew Li Huayuan's temperament all too well.

Li Huayuan's performance must be due to the significant gains he made at Huangfeng Valley.

In contrast, Qingxu Sect only managed to produce one person after half an hour, bringing out just four spiritual herbs. Five whole days of trials, including an extra day with the central area open, and they only managed four herbs? They're utterly hopeless.

"Benefactor Li, just how many spiritual herbs did your disciple harvest?"

Fu Yunzi couldn't resist any longer and came over to find out what was going on.

Thinking of the iron essence he'd lost so badly last time, and then of the Blood Thread Dragon's inner core and the two Invisible Needle Talismans he was about to acquire, Li Huayuan felt instantly refreshed. And how could he possibly miss this rare opportunity to show off?
"Not many, only about seventy plants have been brought out so far."

"How many?"

Fu Yunzi picked at his ears, thinking he had misheard.

"Seventy-one plants."

Fu Yunzi: ? ? ? !
71 strains?
Then why would he even bother gambling?

I'm not gambling anymore.

Can we void the bet?

He believed that Li Huayuan wouldn't joke about something like this.

Since it's being presented as something very serious, then it must be true.

"Come, come, take a look."

Li Huayuan was quite generous. Since he had already marked the location with his divine sense, if Fuyunzi dared to try anything underhanded, he wouldn't hesitate to call back Senior Sister Hongfu to turn against him.

Fu Yunzi took the storage bag left by Han Li and scanned it with his divine sense and magic power. His face darkened: It's over, we're doomed to lose.

Not only is the quantity large, but the quality is also excellent.

He knew all too well what kind of dogs his Qingxu Sect disciples were and what level they were at. He had no expectation that his little brats could harvest more than fifty plants in total.

Not to mention the more than seventy plants.

That's enough, I won't ask for anything more.

admit.

In an instant, Fu Yunzi felt utterly hopeless, but then he suddenly understood everything.

Immediately following, a strong sense of envy arose:
“Benefactor Li, congratulations! You were able to avoid many detours back then.”

Li Huayuan has already won without lifting a finger.

Moreover, it's a win-win situation for all three parties.

If we defeat him, we can also defeat Old Monster Qiong and gain a share of the sect's benefits.

"Borrowing the good words from fellow Taoist friends."

Li Huayuan laughed.

They then retrieved the storage bag.

After carefully examining the herbs and confirming that there was nothing wrong with them, he chuckled and put them away.

...

On the border between the Yue Kingdom and the Yuanwu Kingdom.

A flying carpet carried the three of them at high speed.

The flying carpet is a magical artifact.

Its speed was more than twice as fast as that of the Silver-Armored Horned Python.

And this is before the flying carpet has reached its full speed.

"Han Li, tell me, what did you experience in the forbidden area?" The Red-Robed Fairy asked without turning her head.

Dong Xuan'er pricked up her ears, filled with curiosity.

"Master, this disciple also faced a near-death experience..."

"The first day in the forbidden area was alright; the disciple hid in the flower area..."

"The next day, fighting and strife were everywhere."

"On the third day, Feng Yue of Tianque Fortress killed many disciples from various sects. When the disciple encountered him, he witnessed everything. He was bloodthirsty and attempted to kill the disciple to silence him. The disciple wanted to escape rather than fight him to the death, but his magic boots were no match for Feng Yue's Cloud-Stepping Boots. He simply couldn't outrun him and could only do his best to kill him to save himself..."

As he spoke, he took out a yellow silk umbrella and cloud-stepping boots.

"The Cloud-Stepping Boots? Made from the leather of a level 4 wind-attribute demon beast, they are indeed rare and top-tier treasures." Hong Fu nodded.

He then waved his hand and used his magic to push the item back.

"On the fourth day, the barefoot giant from the Giant Sword Sect killed many cultivators from various sects. When I encountered him, he wanted to spar with me. Knowing his strength, I had no choice but to go all out, and as a result, I accidentally killed him..."

As he spoke, he took out the Silver Sword.

"During this time, many cultivators from various sects also ganged up to bully the disciple. Unable to endure the humiliation, the disciple had no choice but to fight back with his life on the line..."

Several top-tier and lower-tier magical artifacts stained with blood were taken out.

"This disciple also ventured into some monster lairs..."

More than a dozen monster corpses appeared.

There are upper levels and top levels.

Through these, the origin of those forty-six spiritual herbs has been indirectly revealed.

Dong Xuan'er, standing to the side, was dumbfounded as she watched and listened.

What a desperate attempt to protect oneself, what a blunder, what a desperate counterattack against humiliation...

To describe murder and robbery in such a refined and elegant way, with such righteous indignation, and with such fairness and justice, making even her feel that the other factions were utterly despicable—this was the first time she had ever encountered or heard of such a thing.

Looking at Han Li's face again, he didn't blush or skip a beat; there wasn't the slightest hint of unease on his face.

Learned learned learned.

"You're good."

The Fairy Hong Fu didn't ask any further questions about the details.

In the world of cultivation, the rules are set and experiences shared by those who survive. Those who die, no matter how wronged they may have been, have already turned to dust. No one will listen to the grievances and teachings of the dead.

As long as Han Li can get through the process smoothly, she will turn a blind eye.

If anyone gets angry and comes to cause trouble for her disciple, she will have plenty of excuses to discuss the Dao with them.

"By the way, Master, the cultivators of the Hidden Moon Sect practice a powerful secret technique called the 'Yin-Yang Guiding Technique.' When male and female Daoist partners cast the spell together, those in the Qi Refining stage can unleash an attack comparable to a Foundation Establishment cultivator's strike. Furthermore, the Hidden Moon Sect also used a large number of Spirit Fusion Talismans this time, which meant that many cultivators paired up as soon as they entered the forbidden area, some even forming groups of four. And almost everyone possesses a top-tier magic weapon..."

“Master, if the Hidden Moon Sect continues to operate in the same way during the next Blood Trial, the other six sects will likely find it difficult to gain an advantage…”

Han Li stopped talking after reporting that.

Point to end.

"How many disciples of the Hidden Moon Sect did you encounter?" Hong Fu frowned slightly.

I feel like this bet might be in jeopardy.

After all, if their own disciple really said that, then the Hidden Moon Sect would probably gain a great deal.

Unexpectedly, despite his thorough preparations, he was still outmaneuvered by Old Monster Qiong.

"Master, I encountered more than ten," Han Li said truthfully.

"So how did you escape?"

Dong Xuan'er asked curiously.

"A demonic beast helped me, but I feel that the people from Spirit Beast Mountain were planning to trap me and the group of Hidden Moon Sect disciples in an underground stone hall. However, I was fast enough to escape before the passage disappeared, and then used a mid-level earth escape talisman to flee far away. Those Hidden Moon Sect cultivators are probably not so lucky, and I don't know if they can break through the stone hall's restrictions and escape before the forbidden passage closes," Han Li said, half-truthfully.

"The main force of the Hidden Moon Sect is trapped in a stone hall?"

"should be."

Hong Fu nodded upon hearing this:
"You've worked hard this time. Go back and focus on your secluded cultivation. You don't need to worry about any other follow-up matters."

“I see that the spiritual herbs you took out are all very valuable. Even if I take some, I can exchange them for at least three Foundation Establishment Pills with contribution points. But don’t worry, you will not lose a single Foundation Establishment Pill. I will find a way to make up for the four I took, and someone will deliver them to you afterward.”

Ordinary forty or so century-old medicinal herbs could only be exchanged for five Foundation Establishment Pills at best.

However, Han Li provided more than ten Purple Monkey Flowers, Heavenly Spirit Fruits, and Jade Marrow Mushrooms—the main ingredients for the three Foundation Establishment Pills—as well as several precious spiritual herbs over 600 years old. The contribution points represented by these alone were enough to exchange for five or six Foundation Establishment Pills.

"To establish your foundation with seven Foundation Establishment Pills is an extremely rare occurrence. Han Li, cherish this rare opportunity and establish your foundation in one fell swoop." Fairy Hong Fu's words contained recognition, encouragement, and expectation.

Han Li bowed deeply, his voice firm and resolute:
"This disciple will surely achieve Foundation Establishment in one fell swoop."

Sure enough, following Master Hong Fu was much more reliable than following that scoundrel Li Huayuan.

If he followed Li Huayuan, he would be grateful to get even three Foundation Establishment Pills, let alone seven.

Li Huayuan wouldn't be polite to him.

"By the way, Master, I made a special discovery in the forbidden area. You and Senior Sister might be interested." Since Hong Fu treated him so sincerely, he might as well return the favor.

"Oh? What did you find?"

"The forbidden area contains the main ingredients for refining the Youth Preservation Pill!"

As Han Li spoke, he picked out more than twenty very old herbs from a pile of herbs that the Spirit-Sniffing Rats were not interested in.

These herbs might be considered spiritual herbs, but they cannot help living beings increase their cultivation level, so they are not even given a second glance by the demon beasts.

However, while they may not be considered spiritual herbs, these herbs are also the main ingredients for refining the Youth-Preserving Pill, which can truly help cultivators maintain their youth forever.

In the world of cultivation, male cultivators, whose value is largely determined by strength, are unlikely to be interested in the Youth-Preserving Pill. However, for many female cultivators and a very few male cultivators who are obsessed with youth, the Youth-Preserving Pill is an incredibly precious treasure. After all, cultivation level sometimes cannot buy back youth.

Once beauty and youth are lost, they are often difficult to regain.

However, the Youth-Preserving Pill can preserve one's youthful appearance.

It can provide long-term and effective maintenance.

"These... these are all the main ingredients for refining the legendary Youth Preservation Pill?" Dong Xuan'er's beautiful eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, Senior Sister." Han Li took out the formula for the Youth Preservation Pill and presented it with a related illustrated guide to spiritual herbs.

Once compared, it's not hard to tell the difference.

"Good boy."

Han Li could understand Dong Xuan'er's excitement.

Han Li was somewhat confused by Hong Fu Fairy's suppressed joy. Could it be that youthful beauty possessed an almost magical, overwhelming power to harm any female cultivator?

I don't understand it, but no matter what, this move was probably the right one.

He didn't need to worry about the remaining auxiliary ingredients.

We'll discuss the distribution of profits later.

"By the way, Senior Sister, I'd also like to trouble you to help deal with these spirit beasts. We'll split the profits fifty-fifty."

As Han Li spoke, he took out a spirit beast bag containing a large number of injured and imprisoned little darlings from the forbidden area.

"How did you manage to arrest so many?"

When Dong Xuan'er looked at the number of spirit beasts in the bag, she was also surprised.

There are 6 top-tier level 1 creatures, and plenty of upper and middle-tier creatures.

"Doesn't the sect also recycle forbidden land spirit beasts? I just grabbed some. Senior Sister, you're a Foundation Establishment cultivator, you won't lose out when negotiating the price." Actually, she just didn't want to waste her time.

"Okay, leave it to me, your senior sister. I'll definitely get you a good price." Dong Xuan'er first made a big promise, then said cheerfully, "But we don't need to split it 50/50. Senior Brother Wang and I are sure to win this bet, and we'll earn at least a few thousand spirit stones. You should keep the little bit you risked your life for."

Han Li did not refuse.

Beside her, Fairy Hongfu's eyes flickered slightly, and her smile grew even more gratified.

So, if one were to use Fairy Hongfu's restriction sphere to form a contract with the Ink Dragon, the person in front of them should have sensed it as soon as the Ink Dragon was brought by their side! Why hasn't Fairy Hongfu noticed anything yet?

There is only one answer: the black dragon is not on his body at all.

Inside the Crimson Forbidden Land, after the great formation was sealed, Xiao Liu flew out from a spirit beast pouch buried underground.

"Awoo awoo..."

Who would have thought that Han Li would go to such lengths to form a contract with the Ink Dragon, only to abandon this level 2 Ink Dragon in the forbidden area?
　Guys, give me your recommendation votes. I don't even need monthly votes, but you absolutely have to give me recommendation votes. I rely on that recommendation vote ranking to increase my exposure even a little bit.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)