Soon after those words echoed through the hall, Han Li suddenly appeared at the entrance wearing a calm expression.
Just as the Core Formation cultivators bowed towards Han Li, Lu Luo stood up with a smile, "Junior Martial Brother Han, you've finally left seclusion. This is great!"
Han Li smiled and said, "I wasn't completely finished. I planned on continuing my seclusion, but I felt worried about the matter of the Moulan and thought I'd take a look. It seems I've arrived at just the right time."
"Hehe! It seems Junior Martial Brother Han has also heard our Martial Nephews. There had been many people that had wished to see you recently. There isn't much to say about the others, but the three great cultivators personally invited you to attend a high echelon meeting. Junior Martial Brother Han, you must participate in it. Our Drifting Cloud Sect had mustered a majority of its power, and I don't wish for our sects disciples to die in the masses. Junior Martial Brother Han must go and listen to how they've made arrangements in the war, and put my worries to ease." Once Lu Luo finished speaking, he wore a solemn expression.
"Yes, since I now know of this matter, I will be certain to pay them a visit tomorrow. I've long wished to speak with the three great cultivators. I am looking forward to seeing them tomorrow." Han Li's reply was much to Lu Luo's satisfaction, and they chatted about what had happened in the past two months.
Han Li frowned upon hearing Lu Luo's words. "The spell warriors have begun to attack the border fortresses?"
Lu Luo's smile faded away and he said with a deep tone, "That's right. To tell the truth, this had only started in the past four days. Although this hadn't caused many deaths, it is a sign that the Moulan had already finished their preparations."
Han Li blinked and slowly said, "The Moulan had prepared themselves so quickly. How well have our forces made arrangements? Surely they must've made much progress."
Lu Luo explained, "Our circumstances greatly differ from the Moulan. Although the Moulan spell warriors had joined together their tribes and are not wholly united, their tribes aren't as varied or numerous as the sects in the Heavenly South. It has proven difficult to have these various sects to join together in spite of the differences in technique, power, and wealth — much more difficult in comparison to the Moulan. Not to mention that the Moulan had spent nearly a century preparing for this invasion; our current preparations are simply lacking. But fortunately, the four superpowers' have wholeheartedly committed themselves to the war. There is a chance at winning this war."
Han Li stroked his nose and sullenly said, "According to what you've said, the war could start at any moment."
Lu Luo sighed and helplessly said, "That's right. Why else would the three great cultivators quickly meet together and convene to hold a meeting of mid Nascent Soul cultivators the next day? After all, mid Nascent Soul cultivators are amongst the peak existences in the Heavenly South."
As the other cultivators in the hall listened to Han Li and Lu Luo chat, their expressions unconsciously grew solemn. However, Han Li soon turned to ask about the recent plans of the Drifting Cloud Sect.
The Drifting Cloud Sect disciples all spoke in a flurry, each informing him of the several squads they formed and how they were holding day long drops for group combat. Han Li simply nodded in silence. These types of arrangements were to be expected. Wars weren't something fought alone. Even immensely powerful couldn't withstand a barrage of attacks of thousands of trained cultivators.
Of course ordinarily, high-grade cultivators wouldn't find themselves in such dangerous positions. So long as they aren't surrounded by a squad of cultivators, these high-grade cultivators are able to use large scale abilities to eliminate lower grade cultivators in droves. As such, it was extremely crucial for enemy high grade cultivators to be placed in check.
This was true for both cultivators and spell warriors. In a battle between high grade cultivators, whichever side lacked the forces to check the other was already bound to lose. As a result, Han Li asked about the Drifting Cloud Sect's affairs, wondering what was the true reason the three great cultivators of the Heavenly South was holding a meeting between mid Nascent Soul-sage cultivators.
He reckoned that in addition to the arrangement of the cultivator armies, the upcoming meeting would most likely include arrangements of how to deal with the Moulan Sages.
With that thought, Han Li couldn't help but coldly smile. In the last two months, not only did he eliminate the azure flame from all of his Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords, but he also used the Divine Devilbane Lightning to turn the azure flames into eight lightning beads. When Han Li recalled his attempts to create the lightning beads, he couldn't help but wryly smile. His efforts were met with mostly failure. It had been a truly exquisite way to rid off the azure lantern flames.
After a moment more of chatting, Han Li left the hall and returned to his assigned residence to hone his spirit. In the two months he spent unceasingly purging his swords of the azure flame and refining them into lightning beads, he had exhausted himself quite heavily.
On the next morning, Han Li left the Drifting Cloud Sect encampment and walked towards the heart of the city. He soon found himself looking a huge stone palace hall in the distance.
Because the entirety of Skyfirst City had been built as a rushed construction, even the main hall used to host meetings between the higher echelon of the four superpowers appeared quite ordinary and coarse. Apart from being larger than the Heavenly Dao Union's meeting hall, it had little else of not, apart from the several Core Formation cultivators standing guard in front of it.
When they saw Han Li approach, they swept their spiritual sense past him and they immediately welcomed him. One of the Core formation cultivators saluted him first and respectfully said, "Senior, only mid Nascent Soul-stage cultivators are allowed to participate in the meeting today. May I ask— "
"Here." Without waiting for him to finish, Han Li waved his arm and flung a white jade slip over to him. It was the invitation that Han Li had received the day before.
After the guard swept his spiritual sense into the jade slip, he apologetically said, "So it was Senior Han! This Junior has been lacking in manners. Please go in!" He then stood to the side and opened the door.
Han Li smiled and thought to enter when his expression suddenly changed. His steps grew sluggish as he turned his head to look in the direction of a small street. There were two people slowly walking through it, a man and a woman.
The man appeared to be only about twenty years of age, and he wore a rich embroidered robe. His skin was flawless, his face handsome, and every one of his movements smooth and elegant. However, this youth's gaze often glanced around, occasionally revealing vast changes in expression. And the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes suggested that his age was actually quite a bit older than his appearance suggested.
But what was most strange of all, was the soft and feminine aura that emitted from his body as if he was actually a woman dressed as a man. It was rather strange.
When Han Li saw this man, he felt his heart tremble and his face grew stern. This person was a mid Nascent Soul cultivator, someone who should be participating in this meeting. From his demonic appearance, he should most likely be a Devil Dao cultivator, but just what sect did he belong to?
As these thoughts raced through Han Li's mind, his gaze turned to the woman that was closely following after him. He couldn't help but yelp in astonishment at the sight of her.
The woman was young and beautiful, and she wore magnificent bright red robes. She carried a lithe grace as she walked forward. She had an indescribable allure to her than possessed endless beauty. But when Han Li saw her face, he wore an odd expression but he soon replaced it with a wry smile.
It was her, Dong Xuan'er! [1]
There was no doubt about it. That youthful old eccentric was certain to be from the Harmonious Bond Sect, the top sect in the Devil Dao. In the long years he hadn't seen her, Dong Xuan'er had risen to mid Core Formation stage. It was rather surprising she had cultivated this far, given her poor aptitude.
Han Li stood motionlessly at the hall's gate and examined their every action. Naturally, the Core Formation cultivators standing guard also saw the two. As a result, a majority of the cultivator's faces grew pale. One of them spoke with a uneasy tone, "I didn't expect that the Harmonious Bond Sect's Old Devil Gu would actually come."
'Old Devil Gu?' When Han Li heard this, he suddenly recalled someone. It seemed in addition to their late Nascent Soul stage cultivator, they had one other famous eccentric. This person was endowed with a strange constitution. Both Yin and Yang was contained in his body, allowing him to cultivate the peak Devil Dao techniques of the Harmonious Bond Sect. An expert of appearance mending, he named himself Daoist Cloudpart, known to others as Old Devil Cloudpart.
By cultivating some unknown technique, he had become overwhelmed with lust, and would often go through the shady actions of seizing others and having his way with them. Be they handsome men or beautiful women, whenever someone caught his eye, they wouldn't be let go. As a result, he had offended many large sects. However, his cultivation was truly profound. And with the backing of the Harmonious Bond Sect, none dared to retaliate. Additionally, those he seized would be released once he had his fun with them as he wasn't particularly fond of killing. As a result, the sects of these victims could only conceal this matter and bear with it.
With such a reputation in the cultivation world, people grew fearful at the very sight of him. When young cultivators heard of his reputation, they would flee from the sight of him without exception. Those who couldn't run would simply be left shaking in trepidation, fearing that they would draw his attention.
'Could it be this youth is the old eccentric?' Although Han Li had nothing to fear from him, the man gave him a feeling of unease.
Just as it so happened, the handsome youth had taken notice of Han Li who was standing in front of the gate. He examined Han Li with narrowed eyes before smiling at him, faintly exuding a trace of seductive intent.
When Han Li saw this, a cold chill shot up his back but he forced himself to return the smile. But when Dong Xuan'er spotted Han Li, she wore an expression of shock. The handsome man walked towards the hall as if he took no notice of this.
As Devil Cloudpart continued, Han Li walked inside and disappeared from sight. When the youthful man saw this, his smile disappeared and he calmly asked Dong Xuan'er, "What, do you recognize this person? Your heartbeat quickened."
[1] She was an unruly woman that used her wiles to charm her fellow disciples in Yellow Maple Valley, and was paired with Han Li in Chapter 246 as a result, who was immune to her seductions. She was later captured in the Devil Dao Invasion by the Harmonious Bond Sect, and joined them.