In a quiet chamber at the Cloud-Arrival Inn in Tianxing City, Han Li rubbed the smooth white jade talisman between his fingers. His expression was calm, but thoughts raced through his mind. Ling Yuling's invitation seemed like an opportunity, yet every step concealed heart-stopping danger. An elder of the Star Palace had personally recruited him to investigate the "Profound Water Mansion," which might be connected to the Profound Yin Sect. The implications reached far beyond the ordinary. If he agreed, he would inevitably be swept into the vortex of disputes within the Star Palace and perhaps even its conflicts with the Deep-Sea Demon Clan. If he refused, he might arouse the suspicions of this Core Formation elder, or even startle the snake in the grass and sever his lead to the Ancient Teleportation Array.
The Profound Water Mansion... with the Star Palace making such a grand show of this, it cannot be as simple as a treasure hunt. The "ancient array texts" Ling Yuling mentioned are certainly tempting bait. Han Li's gaze flickered. Thanks to the inheritance from the Profound Yin Sect Ruins, his mastery of arrays had advanced considerably; he was no longer the ignorant novice of old. A chance to study the Star Palace's treasured collection would surely benefit him greatly. But rewards came hand in hand with risks.
After three days of deliberation, Han Li finally made his decision. A faint pulse of spiritual power escaped his fingertips, and the white jade talisman shattered, turning into a thin streak of light that vanished into the void. Having decided, he hesitated no longer. Rather than remain passive under suspicion, he would enter the game himself. Perhaps he could find a thread of truth amid the danger.
The next morning, Lin Fan came to his door again, his respectful