Return to HLD

Han Changming gave an honest, simple smile and said with joy, "That's great. It was worth risking my life to hold him back; it's a relief they didn't manage to escape, otherwise, all my work this year would have been for nothing."

To tell the truth, looking back on what just happened, Han Changming felt a lingering fear. After all, he was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining. By taking the initiative to entangle three rogue cultivators of the same rank, he could have easily ended up dead if things had gone slightly wrong.

In this battle, the Spirit Gathering Stone had played a key role. Without it, he would never have been able to maneuver so freely underground.

"I would rather you waste a year of work than see you come to any harm. Your eighteenth brother is really something, leaving a junior like you to hold the post without even giving you a Life-Saving Talisman," Han Deling said in a reproachful tone.

Han Changming was Han Daohe's lifeline and his entire hope; the whole clan knew this.

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

According to Han Changming's statement, he had used a large number of talismans to hold off the three rogue cultivators.

This was normal; talismans did not require much mana. If Han Changming hadn't had a large supply of them on hand, it would have been impossible for him to tangle with three rogue cultivators.

Han Changming was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining; where would he get so many talismans? Could it be that he had foreseen the attack and prepared a large stockpile in advance? Of course, that was impossible—but if Han Changming were a Talisman Maker, it would all make sense.

It was no secret that Han Changming had grabbed a talisman brush during his "grabbing the week" ceremony as an infant and had followed the clan elders to learn the art of talisman making.

"It is all thanks to Grandfather providing me with a large amount of blank talisman paper that I was able to practice without restraint. I can now craft three types of First-Rank Talismans, and my success rate is nearly thirty percent," Han Changming said with a smile.

"Well done. Since this place was just attacked by rogue cultivators, they might still have accomplices. Ninth Brother, you take two people and stay here to hold the post. I am taking Changming back to Red Shrimp Island."

Since Han Changming's success rate in crafting First-Rank Talismans was approaching thirty percent, there was no need for him to remain here. The clan would provide him with a larger stage and invest more resources into his cultivation.

"Seventh Aunt, I am only half a year away from finishing my tour of duty. Returning early—wouldn't that be considered dereliction of duty?" Han Changming asked, feeling a bit nervous.

Of course he wanted to return to Red Shrimp Island to cultivate, but according to clan rules, one could not leave their post without authorization unless there were special circumstances.

"It does not count. You protected clan assets and held off three rogue cultivators; your contribution is significant. Furthermore, your success rate with First-Rank Talismans is already near thirty percent, so it is only right that you be sent back to the clan for proper training. We don't have many Talisman Makers as it is, and gaining another one is a good thing. Someone else will come to take over this post. Rest easy and come back with me. If you stay here and something happens to you, how would I answer to Eleventh Uncle?"

The "Eleventh Uncle" she referred to was Han Changming's grandfather, Han Daohe.

Han Changming could hear the concern in Han Deling's voice and quickly said, "Thank you, Seventh Aunt. I will go pack my things and then we can set off."

He hurried back to his quarters, packed his luggage, and returned outside.

Han Changming boarded the back of the Cyan Giant Eagle with Han Deling. The giant eagle flapped its wings, kicking up a violent gale as it soared into the high sky.

The cold wind whistled past, causing Han Changming's clothes to flutter and his hair to dance in the gale.

Seven days later, the Cyan Giant Eagle hovered above a vast expanse of thick white fog.

Looking down from the high altitude, one could only see a sea of white mist.

Han Deling took out a square Cyan Token. On the front was a gourd pattern, and the back was engraved with the character "Han."

The gourd pattern on the token suddenly erupted with cyan spiritual light, and a beam of cyan radiance shot out, flying into the white mist below.

The white mist surged and roiled violently before quickly dissipating, revealing an island. The island was long and shaped like a gourd, wider in the east and narrower in the west. From high above, it looked remarkably like a cyan gourd. The island was lush with vegetation, connected courtyards, rockeries, ponds, pavilions, palaces, and flying eaves. A flock of white cranes circled in the sky.

In the center of the island stood a high peak shaped like a gourd.

Among the various buildings, one could see many figures moving about.

"Finally home," Han Changming sighed with relief, a look of joy on his face.

This was the base of the Han Clan, Red Shrimp Island.

The island sat upon a Second-Rank High-Grade Spirit Vein that stretched for over ten miles. With 1,008 stalks of Second-Rank Low-Grade Cyan Jade Bamboo as the array eyes, the Thousand Wood Spirit-Slaying Array had been established. Around the perimeter of the island, a set of Second-Rank High-Grade Four Seas Cloud-Turning Array was also laid out. These two arrays protected the members of the Han Clan.

Han Deling patted the back of the Cyan Giant Eagle with her jade hand, and the bird descended rapidly.

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

The ancestor of the Han Clan was nicknamed the Gourd Immortal. After he founded the Han Clan, he planted a large number of gourd vines, and even after migrating to the Red Algae Archipelago, the Han Clan cultivators never forgot to plant them.

Once, when Han Daohe was drunk, he revealed to Han Changming that there was a thousand-year-old gourd vine on the island. It was said to have borne seven gourds of different colors, which could be used to refine magic treasures.

Not far in front of Han Deling and Han Changming stood a cyan hall over three zhang tall. On the cyan plaque were the three silver characters: "General Affairs Hall."

The hall was bright and spacious. Inside, a rectangular wooden table was covered with numerous books and bamboo slips. An old man in a cyan robe, over seventy years old with his left arm missing, sat behind the table, reading a classic with great interest.

"Uncle Zhangkang, it has been a long time. How is your health?" Han Deling asked with a smile, her voice filled with concern.

The old man in the cyan robe was Han Zhangkang, twenty-fifth in the "Zhang" generation.

"Grandson Han Changming pays his respects to Great-Uncle," Han Changming said, bowing respectfully as a junior.

He felt deep respect for the elders of his clan.

Before he began his cultivation, the clan elders would tell them the history of the clan's development and how the Han Clan had grown from just a few cultivators to what it was today.

The Han Clan could not have reached its current status without the dedication of generations of clansmen.

Han Zhangkang had escorted goods for the clan in his youth and lost an arm to a beast attack. As he grew older, he retired to the second line to manage general affairs, continuing to contribute his remaining strength.

There were many clansmen like Han Zhangkang in the Han Clan.

Han Zhangkang nodded, his gaze falling on Han Changming as he asked in confusion, "Why is Changming back? If my memory serves me correctly, aren't you stationed at Red Shrimp Island? It is not yet time for your rotation!"

Han Deling recounted the events, and Han Zhangkang suddenly understood.

"Good, that is the blood of our Han Clan—courageous. But you must not do this again next time. Knowing that your cultivation is inferior to the enemy's and still putting yourself in danger is not wise," Han Zhangkang said in a reproachful tone, though his concern was plain to see.