A Name Shakes the Region; The Insect Armor Art

Chapter 680: A Name Shakes the Region; The Insect Armor Art

“The Asura Holy Flame! Of course Silvermoon remembers it. It was known as the supreme ghostly flame of the ghost path. If Xuan Gu had truly cultivated it, while it wouldn't have made him invincible across the realm, very few would have been a match for him. Could it be that what Master has fused is this very flame? It seems different from the one I saw that day.” Silvermoon spoke with some surprise.

“This is naturally not the Asura Holy Flame. I myself do not know its origin. But its power is clearly superior to the Dry Azure Ice Flame. If my guess is correct, as the cold qi spat out by the Six-Winged Frost Centipedes increases in grade, the power of this flame I have absorbed will only grow greater. In the end, it likely won't be inferior to that Asura Holy Flame by much. I only discovered this by chance while inadvertently absorbing the centipede's cold qi. One could say it was a fortunate coincidence.”

After saying this, Han Li’s fingers moved slightly. The purple flame bird circled his finger twice before swiftly piercing his palm and disappearing from sight.

Silvermoon was taken aback for a moment, then a look of pleasant surprise appeared on her face.

“Then this servant congratulates Master. Originally, the Dry Azure Ice Flame was something ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators dared not touch. Now that Master has this newly fused demonic flame, sweeping across Tian Nan is well within reach.” Silvermoon gave a light bow, a smile blossoming on her face, making her appear even more enchanting.

“Sweeping across Tian Nan? That's speaking a bit too boldly. There are countless mid and late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators in Tian Nan alone. Which of these old monsters hasn't lived for countless years? They all surely have their own trump cards. It's entirely possible they just happen to possess something that can restrain my demonic flame.” Han Li shook his head and spoke gravely.

“Master is too modest. How could such a coincidence happen in this world?” Silvermoon pursed her red lips, her eyes showing a dismissive expression.

“That's not certain. The Gold Devourer Beetles are considered powerful, ranked in the top twenty of the Strange Insect List. But the Blood Jade Spider, ranked far below them, just so happens to be able to restrain them. If I were to encounter cultivators who know their origins, or treasures like ‘Jade Wood,’ the situation would turn unfavorable. This demonic flame will also have its counter. In this realm, there was never truly an invincible technique or treasure.” Han Li said with a faint smile.

“Master is still so cautious and meticulous. Speaking of which, it really is necessary to prepare several trump cards to avoid being restrained by an opponent.” Silvermoon's expression shifted slightly, and she nodded thoughtfully.

As if not yet finished, Han Li spoke again at a leisurely pace:

“The reason I didn't take disciples before was because my cultivation was insufficient, and I was constantly drifting without a fixed abode. A disciple would have been a burden. But now that I've settled down in the Falling Cloud Sect, it's only natural to cultivate some power of my own. In the cultivation world, personal strength is the most important, but if one is truly isolated and alone, there are many inconveniences and dangers. At the very least, information becomes blocked, making it impossible to grasp useful intelligence in a timely manner. Take the matter of the trading conference to be held in Yu Nation in two years—no one took the initiative to inform us. Although I estimate that those two Elders will eventually notify us, it won't leave us time to prepare. And I see Liu Yu as a woman who, though not high in cultivation, doesn't seem to be someone who only focuses on bitter cultivation. After joining the Falling Cloud Sect, even without me instructing her, she will likely strive to develop her own power.”

“This woman has been placed under the Spirit-Sealing Curse by Master. Unless her cultivation surpasses yours in this lifetime, she cannot betray you. Her power naturally becomes Master's power. This is far more reliable than taking disciples under normal circumstances.” Silvermoon added with a light laugh.

Han Li glanced at Silvermoon and said calmly, “See that you remember this.”

Then his gaze shifted, landing on the Iron Rhinoceros Beast.

At this moment, the spirit beast had wobbled back to its feet, but its ferocity was greatly diminished. Its gaze towards Han Li revealed a hint of fear.

“This spirit beast is of no great use to me. But since it's a clan spirit beast, it doesn't need to be refined and can be commanded directly with magical tools. It is the best item for trade. Once you have it trained, lock it in the spirit beast room. When the time comes for the Yu Nation trading conference, we can see if it can be exchanged for something rare and precious. I'm going to plant the Spirit-Sealing Curse on Liu Yu.” Han Li pulled a pitch-black token from his storage pouch, tossed it to Silvermoon, and gave his instructions.

“As you command, Master!” Silvermoon took the token and replied respectfully.

Han Li then stood up and, without another word, left the hall.

Silvermoon toyed with the token in her hand for a few moments, lost in thought, seemingly pondering Han Li's earlier words. But after a short while, she suddenly raised the token with a smile and aimed it at the spirit beast within the light barrier.

Instantly, a large swath of yellow light shot out from the token, enveloping the Iron Rhinoceros Beast.

A piercing wail echoed from within the hall.

…

The next day, after planting the Spirit-Sealing Curse on Liu Yu, Han Li brought her to see the silver-haired elder.

He did not tell the whole truth, of course, only saying that the woman had some connection with him, which was why he had brought her back from the Imperial Spirit Sect to Xi Nation and intended to take her as a disciple to look after her.

The silver-haired elder was stunned by these words, but then a look of enlightenment appeared on his face, and he burst into hearty laughter.

“So that's why Junior Han went for a spin in the demonic path's territory and returned. It was all for Junior Disciple Liu. Good, very good! I couldn't ask for more than to have another Core Formation female cultivator join the sect.” The silver-haired elder agreed to Liu Yu's entry into the Falling Cloud Sect without hesitation.

Han Li was very satisfied with this. After chatting with the elder for a while longer, he led the woman away.

Afterwards, Liu Yu officially changed her name to Liu Mei and formally became Han Li's Disciple on Probation.

Although Han Li had said he wouldn't personally instruct her in cultivation, he was not stingy at the time of the apprenticeship. He immediately bestowed upon her two Dharma Treasures and several bottles of demon beast pills suitable for Core Formation cultivators.

If Liu Mei had harbored some reluctance about becoming Han Li's disciple before, seeing this new master’s generous gift of such valuable items immediately filled her with pleasant surprise. She offered a grand bow of thanks.

At that moment, for the first time, she felt that leaving the Imperial Spirit Sect and taking Han Li as her master might not be such a bad thing after all.

This clever woman then copied the insect-controlling secret techniques she knew onto a jade slip and handed it, along with the several Six-Winged Frost Centipedes, over to Han Li with both hands.

Han Li naturally accepted this apprenticeship gift with a calm expression.

After leaving Han Li's cave dwelling, Liu Mei moved into the White Phoenix Peak of the Falling Cloud Sect, opened her own cave dwelling, and became one of the high-level cultivators of the sect.

Whether it was due to Han Li’s influence, the silver-haired elder appointed her as the Vice-Peak Master of White Phoenix Peak, serving as an assistant to the Song family woman who was the peak's master.

When Han Li learned of this, he only smiled faintly.

After obtaining the centipedes, he used the Nourished Spirit Herb to accelerate their growth. Since the herb was effective on the Gold Devourer Beetles, it should work on the Six-Winged Frost Centipedes as well. He then entered his secret chamber to begin studying the newly acquired insect-controlling arts and the Xuanmu Infant Transformation Grand Art that Xin Ruyin had left him.

…

Three months later, in the secret chamber, Han Li sat cross-legged on the ground, motionless. His eyes were slightly closed, and azure light circulated around his body, as if he were cultivating some technique.

After a long while, he opened his eyes. After a flash of clear light passed through them, he immediately grabbed the spirit beast pouch at his waist and, without a second word, tossed it into the air. He pointed a single finger at it and spat out the word, “Go!”

Instantly, several thousand three-colored Gold Devourer Beetles poured out from the pouch, rapidly forming a massive cloud of insects about a zhang wide. It hovered and buzzed above Han Li's head.

Without even blinking, Han Li stood up, stepping in a specific pattern while chanting incantations under his breath. He suddenly raised both hands, and a patch of azure light shot forth, covering the insect cloud.

The buzzing of the Gold Devourer Beetles ceased instantly. As if bewitched, they began to weave and crisscross within the azure light, yet not a single one collided with another. It was utterly bizarre.

Han Li stared fixedly at the insect cloud, not blinking. But after a moment, he formed a hand seal with one hand while making a grasping motion toward the insect cloud with the other, letting out a low growl.

The azure, glittering insect cloud immediately plummeted straight down toward Han Li's head, enveloping him completely. The spirit insects began to spin and fly around him at a speed several times faster than before, forming an impenetrable insect cocoon.

Seeing this, a hint of a smile appeared on Han Li's face. But as his smile faded, a profound, obscure chant issued from his lips.

Instantly, all the spirit insects surged toward the center, with Han Li at their core. A blinding azure light simultaneously erupted, making it impossible to see.

After a moment, the light vanished. A simple, stately battle armor adorned with three-colored patterns had materialized on Han Li’s body.

The armor sparkled with azure light, its luster flowing and shifting, clearly a formidable and nearly impenetrable treasure.

Seeing this, Han Li's smile grew even wider. He brushed a hand over the surface of the armor. It felt incredibly smooth, showing no sign of anything unusual. It was truly inconceivable.

“Not bad! To think that the idea I had back in the Void Heaven Palace, of using the Gold Devourer Beetles to form a protective barrier and armor, had already been fully developed by the Imperial Spirit Sect. As expected of a major demonic sect renowned throughout Tian Nan for its insect-controlling arts. My own wild speculations are far from comparable.” After his smile faded, Han Li let out a soft sigh and murmured to himself.