After seeing Han Deyun off, Han Changming took out his Talisman Brush, talisman paper, and Cinnabar, and continued crafting talismans.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
That day, Han Changming was crafting talismans. After extensive practice, his success rate with Water Shield Talismans had nearly reached thirty percent.
His eyes were fixed on the talisman paper, where seventeen blue runes had already been drawn.
He took a deep breath and was about to draw the eighteenth rune when a sharp, piercing ring sounded from inside his robe.
Han Changming's heart lurched. His Talisman Brush veered off course, and the talisman paper's spiritual energy grew chaotic.
He hurriedly tossed the paper away. It burst into flames without any wind, leaving not even a scrap behind.
He took a palm-sized, round Formation Disk from inside his robe. Its light flickered as it let out a series of sharp, piercing rings.
It controlled the formation around his residence, which meant someone was attacking it.
Han Changming felt a little nervous. He had never encountered anything like this before.
There was only one First-Rank High-Grade defensive formation on the island. He couldn't hold out for long against four Qi Refining cultivators attacking it.
It shouldn't be demonic beasts. They wouldn't attack his residence for no reason.
The mountain shook violently, and a tremendous rumble could be heard amid the tremors.
Han Changming hurried outside. When he stepped out of the courtyard, he saw three men and a woman—all Qi Refining cultivators—attacking the formation.
Even the weakest among them was at the fourth level of Qi Refining, while the strongest was at the seventh.
Several dozen yards away from Han Changming stood two men: an old man in a green robe, covered in blood and unconscious, and a broad-backed young man in blue, with thick brows and large eyes. The young man was at the fifth level of Qi Refining.
Han Changming noticed a conch-shell emblem on their sleeves. It seemed to represent something.
The formation kept them from noticing him.
The young man in blue turned toward Han Changming and shouted, "Fellow Daoist on the mountain, we're members of the Conch Yang Clan of the Green Carp Sea. We were attacked by evil cultivators and happened to pass through your territory. Please help us, and the Yang Clan will reward you handsomely."
Come to the aid of someone in trouble? Not a chance.
Han Changming hadn't been raised that way. If his clansmen were in trouble, he ought to save them. With outsiders, it depended on their relationship and what he stood to gain.
He didn't know either of the two cultivators surnamed Yang, so he had no intention of saving them. Besides, he could barely protect himself, let alone rescue anyone else.
Han Changming didn't think he could stand against four Qi Refining cultivators. He hurriedly took out a pale silver talisman.
It was a Hundred-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman, with a range of around three hundred miles. A Second-Rank Low-Grade talisman, each one sold for a hundred spirit stones.
The Spirit Grain and spirit herbs were worth more than a hundred spirit stones. Unless he had no other choice, Han Changming wouldn't abandon the island and flee.
Han Deyun had left him this Hundred-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman. If he encountered trouble he couldn't handle, he was to call on the Lineage for help.
Three hundred miles northeast of Red Shrimp Island lay an island somewhat larger than it, where five Han Clan cultivators were stationed.
"Eleventh Uncle, we're in trouble! Four Qi Refining evil cultivators are attacking the formation, and Eighteenth Uncle went back to the clan to collect his stipend."
After saying this, Han Changming tossed the Hundred-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman toward the northeast. It turned into a streak of silver light and sped toward the horizon.
"Damn! They've called for help."
"This is Han Clan territory on Red Shrimp Island. If you know what's good for you, leave at once!" Han Changming shouted.
"We mean no offense to the Han Clan. But the two people who broke into the formation are wanted criminals we're pursuing. They murdered our friend. We hope you'll understand, Fellow Daoist Han, and hand them over. We'll leave immediately."
A middle-aged man with a terrifying scar running down his face spoke loudly, his tone sincere.
"Fellow Daoist Han, don't listen to their lies! They're trying to kill us and steal our treasures. I, Yang Yuwei, swear on my heart demon that if you save us, the Yang Clan will repay you handsomely afterward. I'll reward you personally as well. Please help us!" The young man in blue spoke in a hurry, his face full of desperation.
Han Changming had no way to drive them away. If he did, he would have acted already.
He didn't know which of them was telling the truth. There had been cases in the past where evil cultivators put on an act to trick the cultivators stationed on an island into coming to their aid, then attacked from both sides and wiped them out.
Before Han Deyun left, he had warned him again and again not to concern himself with anyone who wasn't a Han Clan member—and, above all, not to open the formation.
"I don't care what grievances you have with each other. Stop attacking the formation, or I won't show you any mercy. This is Han Clan territory, and no one is allowed to trespass!" Han Changming's voice was stern, with a hint of menace.
He hoped the Han Clan's reputation would scare the four evil cultivators away.
The middle-aged man was naturally unwilling to leave. He could tell that the cultivators stationed on the island were weak; otherwise, they wouldn't have called for help.
There had to be cultivation resources on the island. Otherwise, the cultivator stationed there would have fled long ago.
"Stop holding back. Break the formation quickly. If we waste any more time, we'll be in trouble."
The middle-aged man swept both hands through the air, tracing a semicircle. Flecks of fire appeared from nowhere and gathered into a giant fireball the size of a water vat, radiating searing heat.
"Go!"
The giant fireball rolled forward in a wave of scorching heat and crashed into the white mist.
Rumble!
The white mist thinned considerably. The other three Qi Refining cultivators intensified their attacks, striking the formation in a frenzy.
The Formation Disk in Han Changming's hand kept letting out sharp, piercing rings. As time passed, several tiny cracks appeared on its surface.
A deafening boom rang out, and the earth shook. The Formation Disk in Han Changming's hand shattered into pieces, and the white mist dispersed completely.
"No wonder he sent a Hundred-Mile Sound Transmission Talisman. There's only one Qi Refining cultivator here, and he's just at the fourth level. You deal with the others. I'll take care of this brat." The middle-aged man fixed Han Changming with a cold, venomous stare.
It was obvious there weren't many cultivators on the island. Otherwise, they would have come rushing out by now.
There had to be cultivation resources here. Otherwise, the cultivator stationed on the island would have fled already.
"This is bad. I'm in trouble." When Han Changming saw the middle-aged man choose him as his target, his face fell.
The gap between the seventh and fourth levels of Qi Refining was three minor realms. He didn't believe he could beat his opponent.
The young man in blue crushed a pale blue talisman. It transformed into a pale blue curtain of light that enveloped him and the old man in the green robe.
"Brat, you're asking for death!" The middle-aged man's face twisted into a vicious grin. He took out a Red Banner Flag, which instantly swelled in size. With a gentle wave, the flag's surface blazed with light, and several Crimson Fireballs flew out, hurtling toward Han Changming.
Han Changming's expression changed. He hurriedly slapped a Water Shield Talisman onto himself, and a layer of blue water enveloped him.
He was no match for his opponent in a battle of magical power. Fortunately, he had recently crafted many First-Rank talismans, which should let him hold out for a while.
Several Crimson Fireballs crashed into the blue water shield, erupting into a vast blaze that engulfed it.
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