A Name Shakes the Realm — Agreement Reached

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Chapter 762: A Name Shakes the Realm — Agreement Reached

“Brother Han, if there is anything you find unclear, please ask freely. This matter is no small affair, and it is possible that we have overlooked something that needs to be considered more carefully.” Zi Ling saw that Han Li could remain so calm even after hearing about the Spirit Candle Fruit and the Genesis Pill, and felt a trace of admiration.

“I did travel to the Moulan Plains, but why did you come to me of all people? If anyone should know how to enter the Fallen Devil Valley, it would be Nan Long Hou. Or do you already know another way in?” Han Li rubbed his chin, his voice low.

“Of course we know that Nan Long Hou might have a method. But given his temperament and reputation, how could we dare share this secret with him? With Brother Han, both Mei Mei and I feel confident. We know you are not one to betray trust for profit. As for a way into the valley, we learned of it from a disciple of the Ghost Spirit Sect. Apparently, the Ghost Spirit Sect has been researching a method of entry, and it is nearly complete. The specific details, however, that man did not know. But when the spatial tears of the Fallen Devil Valley next stabilize, the Ghost Spirit Sect will certainly act. At that time, if we can learn this method, slipping in should not be too difficult.” Zi Ling paused. “However, the place where the Spirit Candle Fruit is said to grow has an extremely harsh environment. Without great power, it is impossible to even approach the fruit. If Brother Han feels his cultivation is insufficient, then forget it. After all, even if we safely enter the valley, the Fallen Devil Valley itself is fraught with danger. This journey is, in truth, an unpredictable gamble.” At the end, even her own expression wavered with hesitation.

“So the Ghost Spirit Sect has also found a way in. This is the first I have heard of it. But from what you say, everything is still quite vague. There is no real, confirmed information. Let us do this. When the valley’s spatial tears stabilize, there are still a few years. By then, you will have investigated everything thoroughly. If it is confirmed that the Spirit Candle Fruit truly exists in the valley and this is not just a rumor, then for the sake of the Genesis Pill, I will naturally take the risk. As for my cultivation level, you need not worry. If I cannot do it, then most other mid-Nascent Soul cultivators would be just as hopeless.” After a long pause, Han Li let out a deep breath.

Han Li did not mention Nan Long Hou’s contact with him. Even tempted by a legendary herb like the Spirit Candle Fruit, he had to weigh the Fallen Devil Valley—the number one forbidden land of the Heavenly South—multiple times in his heart. Perhaps the Ghost Spirit Sect’s method of entry would be safer. If so, there was simply no need to bring up Nan Long Hou in front of these three women.

Seeing that Han Li had not agreed on the spot, Zi Ling was not discouraged, but instead felt a surge of joy.

She knew that with Han Li’s cautious personality, saying this much essentially counted as a commitment. Moreover, from his tone, the rumors seemed to be true: his current abilities were indeed remarkable. That increased the hope of obtaining the Spirit Candle Fruit by another degree.

Thus, she smiled charmingly and said:

“The real reason we urgently sought Brother Han is because without a powerful helper, everything would be futile. We would not have bothered with a wasted effort. But with Brother Han’s promise, we are now at ease. From now on, we will investigate the details thoroughly. After all, we sisters also intend to enter the valley. We are not about to gamble with our own lives.”

“What? The three of you also want to enter the valley?” Han Li was startled by this statement, his face full of surprise.

“Do you think we want to go in, Brother Han? It is a last resort. Most ancient texts record the wonders of the Spirit Candle Fruit, but very few mention that once the fruit is picked, it cannot be preserved. It must be placed into the cauldron and refined into medicine within half a day. If it exceeds half a day, its potency greatly decreases. After three days, it loses all effectiveness. The worst part is that the Genesis Pill, refined from this fruit, has the same restriction. If it is not taken within a certain time after being produced, its potency is also lost. So, knowing full well that the Fallen Devil Valley is not a place we should go, we have to grit our teeth and take the gamble. After all, this is still better than spending a hundred or even several hundred years unable to break through a bottleneck.” Zi Ling let out a bitter laugh, her tone helpless.

“The Spirit Candle Fruit has such a restriction? I have read quite a few ancient scriptures. How have I never heard of this?” Han Li frowned.

“Senior Han, this is a secret ancient text passed down through our Song family. I have made a copy. Please take a look, Senior, and you will understand.”

To Han Li’s surprise, it was the woman surnamed Song who, suddenly taking out a jade slip from her storage pouch, respectfully handed it over.

A flicker of surprise passed over Han Li’s face. He gave the woman a careful look, then nodded and took the jade slip, immersing his spiritual sense into it.

It was an ancient book specializing in legendary elixirs and spiritual medicines. Inside it were many medicinal herbs and alchemical formulas Han Li had heard of, or had never even encountered. It even mentioned the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng and related formulas he had obtained from the Profound Bone Old Devil. This caused Han Li’s heart to race with interest.

With his current level of insight, many of the pills recorded here were quite useful even for a Nascent Soul cultivator like himself. Although almost every single ingredient listed was a legendary herb that was impossible to find, it was better to have the information and not need it. Otherwise, even if he obtained a rare herb later, he would not know what to do with it.

It seemed that some immortal clans possessed treasures that even the great sects did not have.

With Han Li’s powerful spiritual sense, although the jade slip contained a great deal of information, he quickly found the section on the Spirit Candle Fruit.

The restrictions on both the fruit and the Genesis Pill were indeed recorded there.

After reading for a while, Han Li’s brow remained deeply furrowed.

A moment later, he withdrew his spiritual sense. He did not say anything immediately, but stroked the smooth surface of the jade slip with his fingers, lost in thought.

“I heard Sister Zi Ling say that Senior Han has a high level of skill in alchemy. This ancient text is nothing but a chicken rib for our Song family. Although it contains many ancient recipes, our family cannot possibly obtain the main ingredients for any of them. If Senior does not find it beneath him, you may keep this jade slip. Consider it my reward for inviting you to lend a hand this time,” the woman surnamed Song said, cleverly.

Han Li was taken aback, then looked at her with a profound gaze and laughed. After a moment’s thought, he said calmly:

“Han has never been one to take advantage of others for nothing. If the Spirit Candle Fruit truly exists in the Fallen Devil Valley, I will benefit greatly as well. I would likely have gone even without any reward. However, this ancient text is indeed useful to me. Let me exchange it for a bottle of pills that can aid your cultivation advancement. This bottle should be suitable for your current cultivation level.”

With that, Han Li reached to his waist, took a small green bottle from his storage pouch, and tossed it directly to the woman.

She caught it instinctively, but a hesitant look appeared on her face; she seemed unsure of what to do.

Zi Ling saw this and let out a charming, non-seductive laugh.

“Since Brother Han is giving it to you, Sister Song, you should just accept it. Han Li’s alchemy is extraordinary; the bottle likely contains pills refined from high-grade demon cores. They will certainly help Sister make progress in her cultivation. This is a deal where you lose nothing,” Zi Ling said with a clever smile.

Hearing this, the woman surnamed Song revealed a joyful expression. After thanking Han Li again, she carefully put away the bottle.

Han Li smiled faintly. He also put away the jade slip before speaking unhurriedly.

“Since neither the Spirit Candle Fruit nor the Genesis Pill can be preserved, it seems you truly have no choice but to enter the valley. If you focus only on this one fruit and do not wander off into other dangerous areas, the hope of returning safely is still considerable. For now, the three of you should first focus on gathering the auxiliary ingredients for the Genesis Pill. Although these ingredients are not as rare as the Spirit Candle Fruit itself, a few of them will still be difficult to find. As for the other details, we can only wait until everything is clear before making a final decision. After all, this matter is still some time away. Perhaps by then, we will have suffered a great defeat against the Moulan. In that case, we won’t even be able to think about the Fallen Devil Valley. Whether we cultivators can even remain in the Heavenly South is another question entirely.” Han Li let out a sigh, speaking cautiously.

“What? Senior Han, are you not optimistic about this war against the Dharma Warriors?” Upon hearing this, Zi Ling and the others were startled, and Mei Ning could not help but ask, with restraint.

“It is hard to say. On the surface, with so many factions from the Heavenly South joining forces and fighting on home ground, we should have a slight advantage over the Moulan allied army. Even the Three Great Cultivators of the Heavenly South and the Long Han couple of our Heavenly Dao Alliance can hold down the Moulan Divine Masters. However, those black-robed men have an unknown origin, and it is clear that an outside force has interfered in this war between us and the Moulan. If there is any variable, it will definitely come from them,” Han Li said noncommittally.

“So, in your view, the outcome of this great battle is only a fifty-fifty chance?” Zi Ling’s expression also grew serious.

“You could say that. But the most likely scenario is…” Han Li’s eyes flickered, and he muttered softly, his voice suddenly becoming too low to hear clearly.

This made the three women pause.

“Enough. Let’s not discuss this. No one can say for certain until the battle actually begins. Just focus on preparing for the Fallen Devil Valley for now. We will see how fate guides us when the time comes. Some things simply cannot be forced,” Han Li shook his head, concluding the topic.

After that, Han Li did not bring up the Fallen Devil Valley again. Instead, he asked the two women with some curiosity about their experiences over the past few years. At the same time, Zi Ling and the others were also intensely curious about how Han Li had escaped from the Moulan Divine Master, and eagerly questioned him about it.

Surrounded by a faint, tempting fragrance and three stunningly beautiful faces, it was a truly pleasant sight. Time passed very quickly.

When Han Li saw that the sky was growing late, he rose to take his leave. The woman surnamed Song also departed at the same time.

Zi Ling and Mei Ning naturally rose to see them both to the mouth of the valley.

As he was leaving, Han Li noticed that Mei Ning seemed to want to say something several times, but after some hesitation, she ultimately bit her red lips and said nothing.

Seeing her blushing, charming face, Han Li’s heart stirred. Then, catching sight of Zi Ling’s knowing smile as she looked at him and Mei Ning, he couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward.

Not daring to linger any longer, after a brief farewell, Han Li transformed into a streak of azure light, rolling the woman surnamed Song up inside it, and flew back towards Heaven Star City.

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Reading Guide Decoding

The Fallen Devil Valley Pact: Terms, Treasures, and a Time-Sensitive Trap

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

The Chicken Rib Economy: The Song sister’s ancient alchemical text is a perfect “chicken rib” (鸡肋) asset—too valuable to discard, but utterly useless to its current owner because the ingredients are unobtainable. This is a recurring economic principle in the Mortal Stream: knowledge, treasures, and techniques often exist in a state of structural unusability. The value is real, but the prerequisite resources are locked behind impossible gates. Han Li’s exchange transforms this dead weight into immediate value for both parties, which is a textbook demonstration of how the Bottleneck Economy works at the high end.

Alchemy as a Temporal Trap: The “immediate processing” restriction on the Spirit Candle Fruit and Genesis Pill is a brilliant piece of worldbuilding that forces narrative stakes. It transforms the expedition from a simple “get the treasure” mission into a high-stakes logistics puzzle. In real-world Chinese folklore, certain elixirs and fruits (like the Peaches of Immortality) also have strict timeliness—a nod to the idea that natural transcendence cannot be hoarded or commodified forever. Here, it’s weaponized to force cultivators of all levels into the same deadly arena.

The Jade Slip as a Medium of Transmission: The alchemical text is stored on a jade slip (玉简), an ancient Daoist-inspired data medium. In cultivation fiction, jade slips are more than just books—they can store spiritual imprints, maps, and even techniques that are transmitted directly into the reader’s consciousness. This bypasses the limits of written language and allows for perfect, unmediated knowledge transfer, which is why Han Li can rapidly scan the contents and immediately verify the fruit’s properties.

Dark Forest

The universal survival rule of the Mortal Stream cultivation world: every alliance is temporary, every secret is a weapon, and trust is a luxury no one can afford.

Chapter Overview

Welcome back, fellow Daoists! This chapter is a masterclass in Mortal Stream negotiation, where the biggest treasure isn’t a pill or a map, but a cold, weighted promise. Han Li sits down with Zi Ling, Mei Ning, and the mysterious Song sister to hear their proposal for the legendary Fallen Devil Valley expedition. But instead of a gung-ho adventure pact, we get a tense, multi-layered audit of risks, rewards, and hidden limitations. The Spirit Candle Fruit and the Genesis Pill are dangled as the ultimate prizes, but they come with a brutal catch—one that forces everyone to be painfully honest about what they’re willing to sacrifice. Get ready for a chapter where the real battle is fought with words, calculations, and the quiet weight of a centuries-old survival instinct.

Key Plot Points

The chapter opens with Han Li’s first serious interrogation of the proposal. He immediately pokes a hole in their logic—why him and not Nan Long Hou? Zi Ling’s answer is a perfect Dark Forest confession: they trust Han Li’s reputation for pragmatism over any self-serving ally. Their entry method comes from a captured Ghost Spirit Sect disciple, which sets the stage for a rival faction’s involvement. Han Li agrees conditionally: only if the fruit is confirmed to exist, and only if he judges his own power sufficient. His casual disclaimer that a mid-Nascent Soul like himself failing means “most others would be just as hopeless” is a quiet flex that reorients the entire power dynamic of the table.

The biggest revelation is the fatal restriction on the Spirit Candle Fruit and Genesis Pill—they require immediate consumption or alchemical processing, forcing Zi Ling and the Song sister to personally enter the valley despite their low cultivation. This turns their request from a mercenary job into a genuine alliance of mutual need. The Song sister then produces a priceless ancient alchemical text, which she offers as a gift. Han Li, in a rare gesture of professional courtesy, refuses to take it for free and trades a bottle of high-grade pills instead—an exchange that cements the deal without breeding future resentment. The chapter ends with a sobering reflection on the war against the Moulan, where Han Li’s cautious pessimism about the black-robed outsiders casts a long shadow over their future plans.

Reading Guide

This chapter rewards a second read for all the silent power moves. Watch how Han Li never explicitly agrees to anything, but keeps looping back to conditions, verifications, and future timing—a classic Mortal Stream hedge against commitment. Zi Ling and Mei Ning’s desperation is palpable beneath their composed exteriors, but they know better than to beg; instead, they let the facts speak for themselves. The real highlight is the Song sister’s subtle but crucial role: she isn’t just a tag-along, she’s a representative of the old immortal clans, carrying knowledge that even a wandering powerhouse like Han Li lacks. Her gift of the alchemical text is not merely generosity—it is a strategic investment in his curiosity.

Also, don’t skip over Han Li’s parting comment about the Moulan war. In a novel where every conversation has a tactical edge, his sudden pessimism isn’t a random aside—it’s a setup. The fate of the Fallen Devil Valley expedition, and perhaps of the entire Heavenly South, may hinge on those black-robed outsiders. Keep your eye on that thread, fellow Daoists.