As of current, Han Li’s reputation has reached a stage of fame was known to the entire cultivation world of the Heavenly South. In their alarm, the group of cultivators revealed expressions of awe.
Not daring to slight him, the woman in palace robes quickly said, “Since it’s Senior Han, there is no need to make a report. Senior Sunreach already gave the command to let you pass. This Junior will be bringing you to Spirit Turtle Island.”
Han Li nodded with an emotionless face and said nothing else. The woman then called out to the cultivators behind her and had them remain behind before guiding Han Li.
They flew towards a black dot in the distance, an island that spanned about thirty kilometers.
Knowing it was the first time Han Li arrived at this place, the woman carefully explained, “Senior Han, this is Spirit Phoenix Island, the base of the Harmonious Bond Sect. It is neighboring the Spirit Turtle Island which is the base of the Great Truths Sect.”
Han Li glanced at the location that the woman pointed out and found that the island was still too far away to see. However, he was able to sense a huge spiritual source in a different direction, releasing clear and astonishing spiritual Qi fluctuations. The source of this immense quantity of powerful spiritual Qi must be the rumored whirlpool.
Han Li pondered as he followed after the woman into the distance. About two hours later, he arrived at Spirit Turtle Island.
This island was slightly larger than Spirit Phoenix Island and its outline did resemble a turtle as suggested of its namesake.
When the two had drawn close to the island, the woman had sent out a voice transmission talisman, causing a while streak of light to welcome them when they arrived.
When Han Li saw this familiar light, he stopped and sent a voice transmission from a distance, “Is that you, Fellow Daoist Sunreach? You flatter me by welcoming me personally.”
Master Sunreach widely smiled when he heard Han Li and replied, “Hehe, Fellow Daoist Han is someone who keeps their promises. It is only right for me to do so.” Afterwards, he flew until he was only a hundred meters away. The light then disappeared to reveal the Daoist priest’s silhouette.
Han Li smiled and saluted him.
Master Sunreach instructed the woman to return and then he turned to Han Li and smiled. “Fellow Daoist Han, follow me to my cave residence. I’ve already informed Fellow Daoist Wei. As for Devil Concord, he is occupied with his own matters and can’t come.”
“That’s fine. Let’s go.” Han Li didn’t raise any objections and the two immediately set off.
On the way, Han Li swept his spiritual sense past the entire island and he unconsciously frowned. The island had a very rich spirit being that spanned about five kilometers. There were only a few cultivators on the island, but each of them possessed high cultivation, contrary to Han Li’s expectations that there would be low-grade cultivators on the island. This was cause for doubt as well.
Not long after, Han Li followed Master Sunreach into the newly formed cave residence. The cave residence was located in an unremarkable stone mountain and was very cleanly cut.
Han Li followed Master Sunreach into a large hall and they both took a seat. He then offered Han Li some tea and they began to talk.
The old Daoist seemed to avoid mentioning the reason he wanted Han Li to come, instead telling Han Li about the nearby seas as well the sects occupying the Seven Spirit Islands, as well as a few unaffiliated cultivators he should be aware of. It appeared that Master Sunreach didn’t plan to tell him anything until Wei Wuya arrived.
Han Li felt unhappy by this, but he revealed none of this and continued his chat with Master Sunreach.
After the time it took him to finish a meal, Wei Wuya arrived at the cave residence, and Master Sunreach went out to welcome him and bring him into the hall.
Of course, Han Li greeted Wei Wuya when he saw him. When Han Li saw his face, he noticed that Wei Wuya’s skin was flawless and his complexion was healthy; he seemed to recover from his wounds from Devilfall Valley and appeared quite vigorous.
Han Li found this odd. To the best of his knowledge, Wei Wuya should’ve suffered an immense loss of strength from Devilfall Valley. Since he had recovered so quickly, it seemed he had used quite a few precious medicines.
Wei Wuya quickly took a seat and asked, “Brother Sunreach, have you spoke of the matter with Han Li?”
“Of course not,” Master Sunreach said with a calm expression, “This is something that is better said with both of us. Since Brother Wei has come, it would be better for you to start. I’ll just be providing some additional details.”
After some thought, Wei Wuya agreed, “That’s fine! This matter can’t be furthered delay or disaster will befall us!”
“Disaster?” When Han Li heard this, interest lit up on his face. It appeared this matter was quite important.
“Fellow Daoist Han, I’ll make the long story short. The matter is related to the Elder Devil.”
Wei Wuya’s words greatly shocked Han Li. In his alarm, he said, “Isn’t the Elder Devil fleeing due to its heavy wounds?”
“That’s right. However, doesn’t Fellow Daoist feel that the giant whirlpool has appeared at an opportune time?” Wei Wuya solemnly said, “The whirlpool appeared in the Endless Seas as soon as the Elder Devil fled. We even found some concrete evidence near the whirlpool.
Fellow Daoist Han should know that in the final stages of the pursuit of the Elder Devil, it slaughtered a few cultivation clans as well as a few small sects. We later discovered that these clans and sects all were rumored to possess devilish artifacts. As a result, the devil had managed to acquire three of these devilish artifacts. There was also a secret area near the huge whirlpool where we discovered the remains of one of the stolen devilish artifacts as if directly shattered by the great force. As a result, we suspect that the Elder Devil had arrived here in the Endless Seas before we managed to surround it and drive it away.”
After muttering to himself for a moment, he probingly asked, “Is there something amiss with this whirlpool? You wouldn’t be taking this matter so seriously if that wasn’t the case, even if the devil caused it.”
“Brother Han speaks truly,” Master Sunreach said with a bitter smile, “If this whirlpool only released spiritual Qi, we wouldn’t give it much consideration. The crucial problem is that this so-called whirlpool is actually the center of a huge formation that had been sealed long past.
The seven islands are only a portion of the spell formation. Fellow Daoist should now know how serious this matter is.”
“Sealed spell formation? What is this huge spell formation trying to seal?” Han Li’s expression vastly changed. Although he didn’t know precisely how large the formation was, he could imagine its immense scale given the distance between the seven islands.
Wei Wuya answered, “We have an idea of what this formation is, but I won’t go into the specifics. All that matters is that formation has something to do with the Elder Devil Realm as well as the Elder Devils. I’ll have Brother Sunreach explain the rest. After all, it was he who first dived to the bottom of the whirlpool and saw what was there.”
“What is there for me to say? Did you not see it when you arrived?,” Daoist Sunreach calmly asked, “At the bottom of the huge whirlpool, there is an endless, unfathomable amount of devilish Qi. It is being suppressed by the immense amount of pure spiritual Qi of the whirlpool, likely a result of the huge formation. If this erupts, a huge calamity will be sure to fall upon the Heavenly South, warping the entirety of its worldly spiritual Qi. And even worse is what else we suspect to lie underneath the sea as well. It is certain to be closely related to the devilish Qi.”
Wei Wuya said with a tone of helplessness, “But now that Fellow Daoist Han is here, he should’ve seen it as well. The core of the grand sealing formation has already been destroyed, and the whirlpool is releasing its spiritual Qi bit by bit. Eventually, there will come a day where it will no longer be able to suppress the devilish Qi. When the devilish Qi releases, it will taint at least half of the Heavenly South Continent and make it so that it is uninhabitable by human cultivators. Since Brother Han’s Drifting Cloud Sect is so close to the Endless Seas, it will be sure to be affected.”
When Han Li heard this, he was dumbfounded. With a raised brow, he indifferently said, “Since you three great cultivators have summoned me here, you should have a method to resolving this problem before it becomes a disaster. If you don’t have anything in mind, I am helpless in the face of this.”
The huge eruption of devilish Qi would prove greatly damaging to the Drifting Cloud Sect and the rest of them, and the Devilish and Righteous Dao wouldn’t fare much better. Only the Nine Nations Union would be able to escape the devilish Qi due to their distances from the Endless Seas, but the lingering effects would be sure to affect them as well; the loss of cultivable Qi in half the continent would be sure to stir up war between many sects.
“After we discovered this great danger, we immediately began to research it so that we may prevent this calamity. As a result, we discovered something related to the sealing formation that was somewhat beyond belief. This matter has something to do with the Great Jin Empire.” With that said, he glanced at Master Sunreach with an odd expression.
“The Great Jin Empire?” Han Li asked in alarm.
“Does Fellow Daoist Han know where we found those records?” Master Sunreach wryly smiled and spoke with a helpless tone.
“You mean...” As something came to Han Li’s mind, he wore an astonished expression.
“It seems Fellow Daoist Han guessed it,” Master Sunreach wryly smiled, “The information we acquired on this ancient sealing formation was found from secret ancient record that was hidden away in my sect countless years ago. My sect was originally a branch of one of the three Great Sects of the Great Jin, the Grand Truths Sect. In addition, we were sent to the Heavenly South in order to watch over the ancient sealing formation.”