A Change in Priorities

Han Li looked down at the mobilization order in his hand, sighed secretly. The document bore the spiritual seals of the various sect leaders, clearly authentic. There was no way to fake that kind of mark. Yet he had no desire to comply with this conscription.

From what his interlocutor had already told him, the Six Demonic Sects had invaded. A disaster of catastrophic proportions was inevitable for the Yue Kingdom's cultivation world.

Whether the Seven Great Sects of Yue would survive this storm was anyone's guess, but one thing was certain: thousands of cultivators would fall. Even Core Formation cultivators would likely perish, their cores shattered along with their lives.

The moment Han Li learned this devastating news, his first instinct was to return to his cave, seal the entrance, and go into seclusion for decades.

He knew it was wishful thinking. As a disciple of one of the Seven Sects, he couldn't simply extricate himself from a conflict of this scale.

While he was turning this over in his mind, the male cultivator from the Moon-Masking Sect who had just informed him of his conscription spoke with a smile.

"Have you confirmed the order, Fellow Daoist? May I have your name and cultivation level? We'll be working together from now on."

Han Li steadied himself. He looked at the man, then at the thirty-plus cultivators behind him. Only three were Foundation Establishment—the rest were Qi Condensation disciples. This calmed him somewhat. At the very least, this wasn't a high-risk mission.

Thinking this, Han Li clasped his fist in salute.

"Han Li of Yellow Maple Valley, early Foundation Establishment."

Though both were Foundation Establishment cultivators whose cultivation levels were plain to see, Han Li offered the information out of courtesy. The other man was at late Foundation Establishment—far ahead of him—and Han Li had no intention of offending him.

Then, Han Li asked with some confusion.

"How can you be certain I am who I claim to be? You stopped me and produced the mobilization order directly. Surely you're not relying solely on this Yellow Maple Valley robe?"

The truth was, when Han Li first spotted this squad of Carving Knife Dock and Moon-Masking Sect cultivators, he had intended to skirt around them and slip away. But this sharp-eyed fellow had intercepted him with a few flashes of movement and declared him conscripted.

"Ha! I caught a glimpse of you during the last Blood Forbidden Trial, Fellow Daoist. I never expected that a few years later, you'd have succeeded in Foundation Establishment. Congratulations!" The man, who appeared to be in his thirties, smiled faintly, saying something that caught Han Li off guard.

"You are...?"

Now that Han Li was prompted, he found the man vaguely familiar. He did look like someone he'd seen during the Blood Forbidden Trial.

"I am Xuan Le, one of the Outer Affairs Stewards of the Moon-Masking Sect. Last time, I accompanied Uncle-Master Nichang on the expedition. I witnessed your grand spectacle that shocked the assembly firsthand." The man chuckled, his tone loaded with implication.

Han Li finally remembered. This man was one of the four Foundation Establishment cultivators leading the Moon-Masking Sect's squad back then. He hadn't paid much attention to him at the time, so his impression was faint. But as he thought about it, a chill ran down his spine. They had only met briefly that day, yet this man had recognized him from such a distance and identified him instantly. It was almost unbelievable.

"I understand that you're traveling in haste, Fellow Daoist Han. You must have urgent business. But I'm short-handed for this mission, so I must ask for your assistance." Xuan Le's words were very polite.

Han Li's mouth twitched. He gave a wry smile and thought bitterly.

"You're a late Foundation Establishment cultivator holding a mobilization order. Even if I wanted to disobey, what choice do I have? The moment I refuse, you'll brand me as insubordinate."

With this thought, Han Li glanced at the three other Foundation Establishment cultivators standing behind Xuan Le and forced himself to answer.

"Since Senior Brother Xuan has asked, I naturally obey. However, I have an important matter to report to my sect's leader. I hope Senior Brother Xuan can send someone to deliver the message."

He then recounted everything that had happened at Yanling Fort, leaving out only the details of his escape.

Even so, Xuan Le and the others were shocked by the account. They quickly dispatched two Qi Condensation disciples to deliver the news to their respective sects, then continued on their way with Han Li, their expressions somewhat grim.

With their current strength, even if they knew the Yan Clan had colluded with the demonic sects, they wouldn't dare confront them to rescue anyone. This hot potato would have to be handed to others sent by the Seven Sects. Of course, the truth of Han Li's story would have to be verified by those who followed.

During their journey, Han Li finally learned the nature of their mission from the other cultivators. They were assigned to reinforce security at a large spirit stone mine. Its original guard force was far too weak to withstand hit-and-run attacks from demonic cultivators.

Han Li breathed a sigh of relief when he realized the mission wasn't to serve as cannon fodder against the Six Demonic Sects head-on.

Even if he managed to return to Yellow Maple Valley, he would likely be dispatched immediately on a mission no better than this one.

This mission had its dangers, but with caution, he had a good chance of making it out unscathed. After all, this mine was just one of a dozen large-scale operations. If the enemy wanted to sabotage the Seven Sects' mineral supply, they'd likely target the biggest mines first.

With this calculation, his resistance faded. Over the following days, he grew somewhat acquainted with Xuan Le and the others.

A few days later, the squad finally reached a vast wasteland within the Yue Kingdom. The spirit stone mine was located inside a canyon over three hundred feet deep.

Under Xuan Le's lead, the group flew into the canyon hidden by a formation. From within, several cultivators of the Seven Sects flew out to greet them.

The original garrison commander was an old man at early Foundation Establishment, belonging to Tianque Fortress. The other five or six were only Qi Condensation.

Such a thin defense explained why the higher-ups had so urgently dispatched reinforcements.

The old man, who introduced himself as Yu Xing, led them into a large cave dwelling within the canyon. There, Han Li and the others listened to him describe the mine's situation in detail. Then, Xuan Le swiftly began organizing the defenses.

He produced over a dozen formation flags and discs, instructing the cultivators to set up a Four Demon-Slaying Array beneath the existing illusion formation—one that could both attack and defend. He divided Han Li and the others into several teams, rotating them through patrols and sentry duty near the mine to guard against enemy ambushes. Those off-duty could sit in meditation to cultivate their mana.

Han Li was quite satisfied with Xuan Le's arrangements.

This would give him time to address the gap in his combat power.

After his fight with the Ghost Spirit Sect Young Lord, he had become acutely aware that his former reliance on speed and clever tactics was insufficient to bridge the chasm in raw strength. Against opponents like that young lord, everything he had prided himself on had proven woefully inadequate. Even the Talisman Treasure he had placed such hope in had nearly been seized by the enemy, failing to deliver the decisive strike it had in the past.

If not for the unexpected effect of the Green Fire Miasma's poisonous cloud, he would already be buried beneath the earth. Worse, his soul might have been captured and subjected to unspeakable torment. The mere thought of such a horrifying fate sent chills down his spine.

He had developed genuine fear toward the Blood Spirit Grand Art and other peak-level demonic techniques.

He knew full well that if he encountered the Ghost Spirit Sect Young Lord again, he would be helpless against his secret arts. And the Azure Origin Sword Art would not be able to contend with such an opponent until he reached Core Formation.

In this chaotic period, with the Six Demonic Sects invading and the Seven Great Sects mounting a counteroffensive, battles and killings among cultivators would become routine. The pursuit of immortality seemed to have taken a back seat. Rapidly increasing his strength to survive the upheaval had become the top priority.

This meant he had to revise his original cultivation plan.

The Azure Origin Sword Art would be put on hold. Instead, he would focus on the Great Derivative Art, which could provide a significant boost in strength.

After witnessing the devastating power of mechanical puppets, he believed that even mastering just the first layer of the Great Derivative Art would give him some measure of self-preservation. After all, he had dozens of such puppets already ready.

Of course, he would also need to study the Puppet Daoist Canon. He hoped to be able to manufacture simple puppets in a short time, so that the Great Derivative Art could serve as a sustained combat tool throughout his Foundation Establishment stage.

After pondering this repeatedly, Han Li felt his decision was sound. During his off-duty hours, he began cultivating the Great Derivative Art. He also used whatever simple materials he had on hand to attempt the creation of a basic puppet beast—a doll-like construct that could only hurl itself at an enemy and bite.

(There will be another chapter tonight, but given my writing speed, it's clear I won't finish it tonight. Everyone should wait until tomorrow morning to read it! )