Han Li left after obtaining the fifth level of the Great Development Art and the method for crafting Core Formation Puppets from Li Feiyu.
Time flowed like water, and three years passed in a flash.
During this period, Han Li had been Cultivating in Yuantian City. Besides Cultivating the Great Development Art, he began refining the Heaven-Defying Demonic Corpse. It was now initially refined and could serve as his helper.
It was refined from the original Corpse Ghoul, and the refining method was discovered by him on the body of that Yin Luo Sect Elder.
The Yin Luo Sect had unique insights into corpse refining techniques, and the Heaven-Defying Demonic Corpse was one of the top-tier demonic corpses recorded.
According to the corpse refining art, Corpse Ghouls were one of the best choices. Demonic Corpses refined from this level of Heaven and Earth Spirit Corpse would have several times stronger malevolent aura than their original form.
However, before refining this Demonic Corpse, the Corpse Ghoul's original Divine Sense had to be completely erased.
For Han Li, who had the Soul Devouring Howler and Divine Devilbane Lightning at hand, dealing with the Corpse Ghoul's original Primordial Spirit and essence was naturally not a problem.
This was a case of one thing conquering another!
If it were just Han Li alone, resolving it might have required a great deal of effort.
Suddenly, a sound transmission talisman flew into his residence. After Han Li received the content of the transmission, he stopped Cultivating, opened his eyes, and a sharp glint flashed within them.
"A gathering of Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivators?"
"Why invite a Nascent Soul Early Stage like me? Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivators are already the most top-tier Cultivators in Heavenly South, besides the three Great Cultivators. Could there be some change in the Mulan war?"
Han Li's expression flickered. After some thought, he went to consult Lü Luo, asking him about recent events.
"Elder Han, you also received an invitation?"
Lü Luo's face showed a slight surprise, but he quickly calmed down. "Of course, you displayed great Divine Might on the battlefield before, and you even have the achievement of slaying the current Grand Elder of the Masked Moon Sect. Ordinary Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivators are not your match, so naturally, you cannot be treated as a common Nascent Soul Early Stage Cultivator."
"So, inviting you is also reasonable."
"The current situation is getting increasingly tense. I feel that the final decisive battle with Mulan is imminent."
"This gathering should be to discuss this matter."
"Moreover, this gathering is hosted by the three Great Cultivators. It would be best for Elder Han to go."
"All the truly top-tier Cultivators in Heavenly South should be on the invitation list this time."
Han Li nodded. "Very well."
Two incense sticks later, Han Li set off for the main discussion hall in the center of Yuantian City.
At the entrance, there were several guards, all of Core Formation stage cultivation. Their Divine Sense swept over him, and they immediately stepped forward, bowing and saying, "Senior, today's meeting is only open to Nascent Soul Middle Stage and above. Senior, you..."
Han Li glanced at him with a sigh, then raised his hand and tossed a white Jade Slip over.
It was the invitation!
Recalling the rumors of a Nascent Soul Early Stage Cultivator who possessed Divine Abilities far surpassing ordinary Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivators.
They immediately smiled and said, "So it is Senior Han. We were rude. Please come in quickly."
Han Li smiled slightly. Just as he was about to enter, his figure suddenly paused, and he turned his head to look at another street.
He saw two people walking towards him there, one man and one woman. The man was dressed in a luxurious brocade robe, with an exceptionally handsome face, exuding an air of elegance and charm with every gesture.
However, he looked young, but his eyes occasionally revealed a hint of vicissitude as they flickered.
At the first glance of this person, Han Li felt a strange sensation in his heart. There was an indescribable feminine aura about him.
As for the woman, after Han Li clearly saw her appearance, he actually revealed a faint wry smile.
It turned out to be an old acquaintance, Dong Xuan'er from Yellow Maple Valley.
Dong Xuan'er had joined the Joyful Union Sect, one of the Demonic Path Six Sects, so the person beside her must be a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator from the Joyful Union Sect. Furthermore, since this meeting was only open to Nascent Soul Stage and above, he must undoubtedly be a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivator.
The Cultivators guarding the gate saw this, and their expressions changed slightly. One of them murmured, "I didn't expect the Joyful Union Sect's Old Demon Gu to come as well."
"So he is Old Demon Yunlu."
Han Li pondered in his heart. He had also heard that besides Fellow Daoist Hehuan, the Great Cultivator of the Joyful Union Sect, there were several Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivators, among whom Old Demon Yunlu was the most famous.
Rumor had it that he possessed extraordinary talent, being Yin and Yang in one body, and Cultivated the Joyful Union Sect's top-tier Demonic Path Cultivation Technique. Regardless of gender, anyone he took a fancy to would likely not be spared.
Dong Xuan'er also showed a surprised expression upon seeing Han Li, but she did not make a sound.
They entered the hall a step ahead of Han Li, who then followed them in.
Upon entering, someone waved at Han Li. It was Long Han, the head of the Heavenly Dao Alliance and the Sect Master of the Luanming Sect.
"Fellow Daoist Han, come sit next to me."
"Many thanks, Brother Li."
Han Li did not decline and sat down on a chair beside him.
People continued to enter, all renowned figures in Heavenly South. Long Han took good care of Han Li, introducing them one by one.
Everyone present was a top-tier Cultivator in Heavenly South. Regardless of whether they knew each other, Han Li's presence alone was particularly eye-catching.
Attending such a top-tier Cultivator gathering, which was only open to Nascent Soul Middle Stage and above, as a Nascent Soul Early Stage Cultivator, even if they hadn't met him, they could guess Han Li's identity.
After all, his deeds had been widely spread among various Sects and numerous Nascent Soul Cultivators during this period.
Some people even compared Han Li to Li Feiyu, wondering if Han Li, after advancing to the Middle Stage, would be able to contend with or even defeat a Late Stage Great Cultivator, just like Li Feiyu.
After a while, four people walked out from a side door of the main hall.
A burly man in black robes, a green-haired old man, a Daoist priest with a sword on his back, and the last one was a smiling, exceptionally handsome, and distinguished young man.
They were precisely the three Great Cultivators and Li Feiyu.
The black-robed man looked at Li Feiyu and said, "Brother Li, should you preside over this meeting?"
Li Feiyu shook his head and smiled, "Yi Brother, let's not. I'm not interested. I'm just here to make up the numbers."
Fellow Daoist Hehuan did not insist. He had only asked out of politeness anyway, as Li Feiyu was currently the number one Cultivator in Heavenly South, and they still wanted him to contribute more to this great battle.
"Then I shall."
Fellow Daoist Hehuan's eyes were filled with heavy Demonic Might. He swept his gaze over everyone and slowly spoke, "Then I won't waste any more words. Just today, the Mulan people sent an envoy and delivered a challenge letter."
"If we don't agree to their terms, they will execute a decisive battle at the border in seven days!"
The Cultivators stirred, asking what kind of challenge it was and what the conditions were.
Master Zhiyang, the Daoist priest with a sword on his back, smiled and said, "Everyone, please read this challenge letter first."
He pulled out a red Jade Slip from his body, then tossed it to the first person on the left. That person read it and passed it to the person next to him. Everyone read it in turn, and anyone who read it had an abnormal expression, some even snorting in displeasure to express their dissatisfaction.
"They demand half of our Heavenly South territory right off the bat. What a huge appetite! Aren't they afraid of bursting themselves?"
"That's right. They are just stray dogs. As long as we drag it out slowly, you are bound to not be able to hold on."
Those who said these things were all Cultivators from the Nine Nations Union, after all, a protracted war was most disadvantageous to the Nine Nations Union.
Unlike other Sects that came to support, they were on the front lines, and their Sect forces were all here.
Thus, Cultivators from the Nine Nations Union began to argue with them, and the hall immediately became lively.
Li Feiyu watched everyone quietly, a smile in his eyes, as if he were watching a farce.
Fellow Daoist Hehuan glanced at Li Feiyu, then sternly rebuked, "What are you all arguing about? Did I bring you here to argue?"
"Whether to fight a protracted war has already been decided!"
As Fellow Daoist Hehuan spoke, the arguing Cultivators immediately fell silent.
He continued, "Given the Mulan people's momentum of coming with their entire clan this time, they will not choose this method at all, and with their scale, it is not something that a single Sect or faction of ours can resist."
"Therefore, this battle must be fought, and we must cripple them, make them feel the pain!"
"If we harbor any A sense of luck (hope for luck)... Hmph!"
Fellow Daoist Hehuan snorted coldly, and the pressure of a Late Stage Great Cultivator fell upon everyone's hearts, causing their bodies to tremble.
Regarding this gamble, the resources were exceptionally rich. Any Cultivator who participated in the battle could directly take away the rare Materials they wagered, but there were also doubts, which was that the ten gamble battles had to be conducted simultaneously, determining victory or defeat, and also life or death.
In this way, the gamble battle had to be held within a sealed spatial barrier, with the barrier jointly set up and supervised by both parties.
Everyone understood that there must be something fishy going on, but no one present knew, except for Li Feiyu.
Li Feiyu certainly wouldn't say anything, because it couldn't be explained clearly.
Someone suggested not to follow what the Mulan people said, and to directly engage in a decisive battle seven days later.
However, because the Mulan people had a large number of captured Heavenly South Cultivators, involving numerous Sects, it forced them to accept this gamble battle.
A Daoist priest with a plump face and slightly stout figure said, "However, although it's called a gamble battle, it restricts cultivation and participants. It's understandable that Great Cultivators don't participate, but Sect Master Li is, after all, a genuine Nascent Soul Middle Stage Cultivator."
"I don't know where those Mulan people got the news, but they even restricted Sect Master Li from participating. This is truly a great loss for our Heavenly South."
"Haha, well said." Someone echoed.
"If Sect Master Li participated, I'm afraid he alone would be enough to wipe out ten top-tier Cultivators on the other side."
Li Feiyu chuckled, "Everyone, you flatter me. The news must have been leaked by Mulan spies."
"A few years ago, on Huanglong Mountain, I accidentally encountered a Mulan Divine Master and exchanged blows with him. I guess this also has something to do with it."
The Cultivators were slightly startled. Master Zhiyang stroked his beard and said, "It seems Fellow Daoist Li taught him a good lesson."
"Not at all. On the contrary, I suffered some injuries from his full-power strike. As for him, I originally wanted him to taste my Divine Ability as well, but unfortunately, he ran quite fast."
Everyone gasped, a full-power strike from a Great Cultivator could only cause him minor injuries. It seemed his strength had increased quite a bit.
Han Li's mouth twitched slightly. Senior Brother Li was boasting wildly again.
Old habits die hard!
"If I don't participate, I don't participate. This kind of gamble battle is quite boring. The only thing I'm interested in is their rare Materials."
"I hope that after the gamble battle, there can be an exchange meeting for top-tier Cultivators to exchange what they need."
"What do you all think, Fellow Daoists?"
Wei Wuya said, "Fellow Daoist Li's suggestion is good. This benefits everyone. I imagine Fellow Daoist Li has quite a few precious items in his possession. Don't be stingy then."
"Naturally."
"Next, let's begin discussing the candidates for this gamble battle. Since it's a battle to the death, whether one is willing to participate is entirely up to the Fellow Daoists' voluntary choice. We will not force anyone."
Fellow Daoist Hehuan's expression became serious, his gaze once again sweeping over everyone, his face solemn.
"Voluntary?"
As these words reached the ears of the old monsters, everyone sneered inwardly.
This gamble battle definitely had something fishy about it. Even if it didn't, no one would be willing to fight to the death, except for a few individuals. Most of those who reached Nascent Soul Middle Stage had painstakingly endured to get there, and they wouldn't easily involve themselves in such a risk.
Unless there was a reward that they found difficult to refuse.
Seeing that everyone remained silent, Fellow Daoist Hehuan snorted coldly, his voice chilling and piercing, causing everyone's expressions to change slightly.
But even knowing it would displease the Great Cultivators, no one actively spoke up.
Facing this situation, the Great Cultivators were all prepared.
Master Zhiyang spoke, "I and the other two Fellow Daoists have also discussed this. This gamble battle is indeed dangerous, so any Cultivator who wins the gamble battle will keep the Materials won from the gamble battle for himself."
"This can be considered a small compensation. Moreover, I know that some Fellow Daoists are currently lacking several rare Materials in their Cultivation and have been searching everywhere without success. The three of us are willing to try our best to satisfy them."
After Master Zhiyang finished speaking, his gaze fell on several people, including Han Li.
Han Li was confused.
At this moment, he received a sound transmission from Li Feiyu, "Junior Brother Han, this is a great opportunity to extort. If you miss it, you'll have to pay equivalent rare Materials or other things for an equal exchange later."
Han Li said, "I understand, but there are many suspicious aspects to this gamble battle. I'm afraid it won't be easy to deal with."
"It's nothing. I did unexpectedly get some information."
"What information?"
Li Feiyu said, "You know the identity of the black-robed man you killed last time, right?"
"He was from the Yin Luo Sect of Great Jin."
"That's right. Their goal is to collect souls to repair their Sect's supreme treasure, the Gui Luo Banner, so they definitely think the more chaotic, the better."
"In this great battle, in terms of overall strength, Heavenly South definitely has the advantage. So, the purpose of this gamble battle should be primarily to trap."
"After trapping ten top-tier Cultivators, the remaining Cultivators in Heavenly South will be almost on par with the Mulan side, and with the help of the Yin Luo Sect, they might even be a bit stronger than Heavenly South."
"That makes sense, but why didn't you mention these things in the meeting, Senior Brother Li?"
"Haha, I don't care about winning or losing, but since you are my Junior Brother, I will naturally take care of you."
"Once I enter the Great Cultivator realm, even if the entire Heavenly South is occupied by the Mulan people or other races, I will not be afraid in the slightest."
"If the Sect is destroyed, I would at most feel a pang of sadness, but if they make me suffer, I will surely retaliate against them tenfold, a hundredfold."
Han Li was stunned and said with emotion, "If Senior Brother Li enters the Great Cultivator realm, with your Divine Ability and sword array, I'm afraid you could even fight a Deity Transformation stage Cultivator. Even if you can't win, escaping should be no problem."
"Junior Brother, you flatter me. I hope so. You'll have a chance in the future too."
After listening to Li Feiyu's advice, although Han Li couldn't be sure that everything Li Feiyu said was absolutely correct, it still had a certain degree of credibility.
At this moment, Master Zhiyang also sent him a sound transmission, asking Han Li to participate in the gamble battle, and the reward would be the Geng Metal in their possession.
Han Li planned to first look at the Geng Metal they had, and then make some other demands.
For example, the Profound Heaven Immortal Vine!