Return to Red Shrimp Island

Han Changming gave a simple-minded grin and said happily, "That's great! It was worth risking my life to keep him here. Good thing they didn't get away, or all our work this year would've been for nothing."

Honestly, when he thought back on what had just happened, Han Changming felt a lingering fear. After all, he was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining. He had taken the initiative to hold off three Qi Refining demonic cultivators. If anything had gone wrong, he could have died on the spot.

The Spirit Gathering Stone had played a key role in this battle. Without it, he wouldn't have been able to move freely underground.

"I'd rather you had spent a whole year doing nothing than have anything happen to you. Eighteenth Brother really shouldn't have left a junior to stand guard alone without even giving you a Life-Saving Talisman." Han Deling spoke in a reproachful tone.

Han Changming was Han Daohe's most precious treasure and the hope on which he pinned everything. The whole clan knew it.

"Speaking of which, Changming, do you have a lot of talismans on you? Have you already become a First-Rank Low-Grade Talisman Maker?" Han Delei asked, recalling Han Changming's account.

According to Han Changming, he had used a large number of talismans to hold off the three demonic cultivators.

That made sense. Talismans didn't require much magical power. Without a large supply of talismans, Han Changming couldn't possibly have held off three demonic cultivators.

Han Changming was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining. Where had he gotten so many talismans? Had he somehow known in advance that demonic cultivators would attack and prepared a large stock? Of course not. If Han Changming was a talisman maker, then it all made sense.

It was no secret that Han Changming had picked a Talisman Brush during his first-birthday ritual and had followed a clan elder to learn talisman-making.

"Fortunately, Grandpa provided me with plenty of Blank Talisman Paper, so I could practice to my heart's content. I can make three kinds of first-rank talismans now, and my success rate is close to thirty percent," Han Changming said with a smile.

"Well done. This place has just been attacked by demonic cultivators, and they might have accomplices. Ninth Brother, take two people and stay here. I'll take Changming back to Red Shrimp Island."

Han Changming's success rate at making first-rank talismans was already close to thirty percent. There was no need for him to remain here. The clan could offer him a bigger stage and devote more resources to his development.

"Seventh Aunt, I only have half a year left on my post before I can return to Red Shrimp Island. If I go back early, wouldn't that count as abandoning my post?" Han Changming asked nervously.

Of course he wanted to return to Red Shrimp Island and cultivate, but according to the clan rules, no one was allowed to abandon their post without special circumstances.

"It doesn't count. You protected the clan's property by holding off three demonic cultivators, and you've made a considerable contribution. Besides, your success rate at making first-rank talismans is already close to thirty percent, so you should be sent back to the clan for proper training. Our clan doesn't have many talisman makers to begin with, so having one more is a good thing. Someone else will take over here. Come back with me without worry. If something happens to you while you're still here, how will I explain it to Uncle Eleven?"

The Uncle Eleven she mentioned was Han Changming's grandfather, Han Daohe.

Han Changming could hear the concern in Han Deling's words. He hurriedly said, "Thank you, Seventh Aunt. I'll go pack my things, then we can set off."

He quickly returned to his quarters, packed his belongings, and went back outside.

Han Changming and Han Deling climbed onto the back of the Cyan Giant Eagle. The eagle beat its wings, whipping up a fierce gale as it soared into the sky.

The cold wind howled past, making Han Changming's clothes flap and his hair stream behind him.

Seven days later, the Cyan Giant Eagle stopped above a vast expanse of white mist.

From high above, all they could see was a sea of white mist.

Han Deling took out a square Cyan Token. A gourd was engraved on its front, and the character "Han" on its back.

The gourd engraved on the token suddenly glowed with cyan light. A streak of light shot out and flew into the white mist below.

The white mist churned violently before quickly dispersing, revealing an island. It was long in shape, broader in the east and narrower in the west. From above, it looked like a cyan gourd. Lush vegetation covered Red Shrimp Island, where courtyards stood side by side among rock gardens and ponds, while pavilions and palaces with sweeping eaves rose in every direction. A flock of white cranes circled overhead.

At the center of the island stood a tall peak shaped like a gourd.

Amid the many buildings, countless figures could be seen moving about.

"I'm finally home." Han Changming let out a relieved breath, his face bright with joy.

This was the Han Clan's main base, Red Shrimp Island.

The island had a Second-Rank High-Grade Spirit Vein stretching for more than ten miles. A Second-Rank High-Grade Thousand Wood Spirit-Slaying Array had been set up with one thousand and eight Second-Rank Low-Grade Cyan Jade Bamboos as its core. Around the island, they had also laid a Second-Rank High-Grade Four Seas Cloud-Turning Array. The two arrays protected the Han Clan members.

Han Deling patted the Cyan Giant Eagle beneath her, and it quickly flew down toward the island.

Before long, they landed on a lush, verdant peak.

The Han Clan's founder had been nicknamed Gourd Immortal. After establishing the Han Clan, he planted a great many Gourd Vines. Even after moving to the Red Algae Archipelago, the Han cultivators hadn't forgotten to keep planting them.

Once, after getting drunk, Han Daohe had told Han Changming that a thousand-year-old Gourd Vine grew on the island. It was said to have seven gourds of different colors, which could be used to refine magical treasures.

Not far ahead of Han Deling and Han Changming stood a cyan hall more than three zhang tall. Three silver characters, "General Affairs Hall," were written on its cyan plaque.

The hall was bright and spacious. A rectangular wooden table stood inside, piled with books and bamboo slips. Behind it sat a gray-robed elder in his seventies, his left sleeve hanging empty. He held a book in his hands and read with keen interest.

"Uncle Zhangkang, it's been a long time. How have you been?" Han Deling asked with a faint smile, her voice full of concern.

The gray-robed elder was Han Zhangkang, twenty-fifth in the Zhang generation.

"Your grandson, Han Changming, pays his respects to Granduncle." Han Changming greeted Han Zhangkang with the respect due to an elder.

He held the clan's elders in deep respect.

Before they began cultivating, clan elders would tell them the history of the clan and how the Han Clan had grown from a few cultivators into what it was today.

The Han Clan owed its present standing to the sacrifices made by generations of its members.

When Han Zhangkang was young, he had escorted goods for the clan and lost an arm in a demon beast attack. Later, as he grew old, he retired from active duty and took charge of the clan's affairs, continuing to serve it in his twilight years.

The Han Clan had many members like Han Zhangkang.

Han Zhangkang nodded and looked at Han Changming in puzzlement. "Why are you back, Changming? If I remember correctly, you were stationed on Red Shrimp Island. It isn't time for your shift to end yet!"

Han Deling explained what had happened, and Han Zhangkang understood.

"Good. You're made of the right stuff, and you've got guts. But don't do that again. You knew you were weaker than the enemy, yet you still put yourself in danger. That wasn't wise." Han Zhangkang spoke reproachfully, but his concern was unmistakable.