Han Ying was temporarily drafted for this mission. She had to work alongside Han Yan Zūnzhě, the most hot-tempered cultivator in the sect, but even that was better than staying behind and enduring Senior Sister Han Xiao's nagging.
After receiving her orders, Han Ying immediately joined Han Yan, leading fifteen Nascent Soul cultivators of the sect toward the Polar Extreme Wind Zone.
Han Yan was one of the few dual spiritual root cultivators in the Jihan Gate, possessing both fire and ice spiritual roots, each with a grade above nine. Despite their inherent opposition, he still advanced all the way to the Divine Transformation stage.
He was known for his exceptional combat prowess. Previously, he had clashed with a scion of a Northern Region aristocratic family, which resulted in Ancestor Han forcing him into seclusion.
Determined to grow stronger and settle that score, Han Yan achieved Divine Transformation in record time and spent fifty years stabilizing his cultivation. He had just emerged from seclusion, yet before he could confront that clan disciple, Ancestor Han sent him on this mission.
Upon receiving Han Lian's sword-engraved message, the sect understood a fierce battle awaited them, so they dispatched Han Yan, their most formidable fighter.
Han Ying, on the other hand, was one of the few gentle-tempered female cultivators in Jihan Gate and a skilled healer. She and Han Yan were true fellow disciples, their personalities complementary, making them ideal partners for this task.
Clad in a crimson robe, Han Yan drank spirit wine from his gourd while listening to Han Ying recount the century-long turbulence of the Weiyu Realm. His refined, handsome features seemed at odds with his explosive temperament, his frown deepening at key details.
When she finished, Han Yan's expression turned stormy.
"Those verminous evil cultivators. We wiped them out once, and now they crawl back, even more insidious than before. Knowing they can't fight us head-on, they resort to these filthy tricks. Damn them.
Senior Sister Han Xiao was reckless, nearly becoming a puppet for the evil cultivators. How does she even choose her disciples? Thank the heavens for Han Lian's intelligence."
Han Ying cleared her throat softly, attempting to mediate.
"Senior Sister Han Xiao was deceived. Who would expect evil cultivators to spend ten years scheming, planting Hao Miaoling so close to her? If not for Han Lian's friend Ran Xi, the consequences would've been disastrous."
Han Yan nodded, a trace of amusement tugging at his lips. "Ran Xi, huh? Interesting girl. Bold, too. She even poisoned Han Xiao just to expose the enemy. I'd love to see Han Xiao's sour expression when she realized."
Han Ying sighed helplessly. "Ran Xi already paid a price for that. Stop gloating."
Han Yan chuckled, swirling his wine. "Tell me, even if Ran Xi handed over the formula for free, could anyone in our sect refine it? I doubt you could even gather the materials."
Han Ying gave a reluctant nod. "You're not wrong. Senior Sister Han Xiao said it would take the full strength of our sect just to collect seventy percent of the ingredients. Even then, Ran Xi herself would have to refine it."
Han Yan grinned. "Exactly. Spirit stones don't fall from the sky. Cultivation earned through one's own efforts is the most reliable."
He took another hearty swig.
Meanwhile, Yunxi and her three companions moved cautiously through the Polar Extreme Wind Zone. Their cultivation made the outer winds manageable, but they all deliberately suppressed their aura to appear as early Nascent Soul cultivators seeking to temper their bodies.
Yunxi was well aware of her reputation. She was likely already on the evil cultivators' blacklist. The moment they entered the wind zone, she altered her appearance, and even her Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella turned pure white.
Testing the area, she released a thin thread of divine sense. When the cutting winds didn't shred it, she gradually extended its range.
Moments later, two black-clad figures moved toward her, clearly using the violent winds as cover for an ambush.
Yunxi's eyes flickered with cunning. She feigned ignorance, continuing forward cautiously while subtly slipping past their pincer attack, leaving both ambushers surprised.
They regrouped, circling her again. This time, Yunxi drifted closer to the one deeper in the wind zone. The man smirked, raising his curved blade.
Just as he struck, Yunxi's figure blurred. A fading afterimage lingered in place as she appeared behind him. In a flash, she drove her foot into his chest, sending him hurtling into the deeper part of the wind zone.
"Ahhh!" A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the storm.
Yunxi reappeared beside the second attacker. This time, she attempted a soul search, but the moment her divine sense pierced his sea of consciousness, a restriction detonated.
Yunxi swiftly withdrew and flicked her sleeve, sending him into the same deadly storm.
She then accessed her storage bracelet, transmitting a message to her companions: "Avoid soul searches. These are suicide soldiers. The captured cultivators aren't in the outer zone. We'll need to move inward."
Han Lian, Yun Chen, and Xun Kun received her warning while fending off their own assailants.
Han Lian, after hearing Yunxi's message, instantly drove ice needles into her opponents' brows, ending them without hesitation.
"Since we can't extract information, there's no point wasting time."
Wiping the blood from her needles, Han Lian sent back a message: "The outer ring has the most guards. The inner zones should only have late Nascent Soul or Divine Transformation cultivators. They can't possibly mobilize this many experts in the Northern Region. I propose we clear the perimeter before advancing."
"Agreed."
"Make it quick."
"Consider it a warm-up."
None of them had objections. Against evil cultivators, mercy was meaningless.
Yunxi closed her umbrella and stepped deeper into the storm vortex, having already detected more enemies.
The four cultivators, their combined strength overwhelming, swept through the outer ring like a hurricane, annihilating nearly every guard before pressing forward.
Inside the middle zone, the winds grew far more dangerous. Yunxi's divine sense could now only cover ten li. Beyond that, even her late Divine Transformation-tier divine sense, tempered by the Soul Refining Art, would be torn apart.
As they entered the middle zone, the Jihan Gate's flying boat descended at the entrance of the wind zone.
Han Yan and Han Ying disembarked with their disciples. A group of rescued cultivators hurried forward to bow.
"Honored seniors of the Jihan Gate, we were rescued and escorted out by Han Lian Zūnzhě and her allies. They bid us tell you they've already entered the middle zone. The outer ring is yours to handle."
Han Yan smirked. "They move quickly."