The Harvest

With the Yue Emperor dealt with, Han Li's senior brothers and sisters finally breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over to Liu Jing, who lay gravely wounded and near death.

Han Li went over to examine Liu Jing's injuries. Although they were severe, his life was not in immediate danger. Still, leaving them untreated would cause serious trouble.

He immediately turned to Lin Yun with an apologetic look. "Senior Brother Lin, sorry for the trouble."

Lin Yun shook his head, took out a healing pill, and tossed it to Han Li. As he watched Han Li feed it to Liu Jing, he thought that Liu Jing would never have ended up like this if his competitive streak had not driven him to insist on using the true treasure. He wondered whether this ordeal would change him at all.

After taking the pill, Liu Jing's condition immediately improved. Zhong Weiniang hurried over to thank Lin Yun, then discussed with Song Meng and the others how to bring Liu Jing back to Yellow Maple Valley as soon as possible.

But Lin Yun told them there was no need to rush. They should search the Black Fiend Sect's lair first, so they could report their findings to the sect when they returned.

The others understood what Lin Yun meant. Taking the unconscious Liu Jing with them, they went off to gather the spoils, leaving only Lin Yun and Han Li behind.

Once they had left, Han Li immediately approached Lin Yun. He had been thinking about the Blood-Congealing Five-Element Pills, which could supposedly aid in Core Formation, all this time.

"Senior Brother Lin, did you know those Blood-Congealing Five-Element Pills can help with Core Formation?" Han Li immediately explained their use to Lin Yun.

At this, Lin Yun took out five Blood-Congealing Five-Element Pills and said, "Forget it. These pills are formed from fiendish qi and offer no benefit whatsoever to Core Formation. Only the Five Elements Yin Fiend within them is of any use."

"Besides, the fiendish qi in these Blood-Congealing Five-Element Pills was gathered artificially through the practice of demonic arts. It isn't innate fiendish qi. It has to be refined before it can be put to any use."

With that, Lin Yun beckoned, drawing several objects from the Yue Emperor's corpse. After examining one of the jade slips, he tossed it to Han Li. "This jade slip explains the origins of the Blood-Congealing Five-Element Pills. Take a look."

While Han Li concentrated on reading the jade slip, Lin Yun turned his attention to the other objects. He glanced at the Soul-Gathering Bowl and the Blood Spirit Drill, then tossed them aside. They might be decent acquisitions for other Foundation Establishment cultivators, but they were completely useless to him.

Then he picked up an ancient-looking white silk handkerchief and examined it closely. "So this is the Heavenly Void Fragment Map?"

After studying it for a while, Lin Yun found nothing else remarkable about it beyond its function as a special pass that allowed its bearer to enter and leave restrictive formations.

He put away the Heavenly Void Fragment Map just as Han Li finished reading the jade slip.

Han Li offered the jade slip back, but Lin Yun waved him off. "Keep it. It's no use to me. The jade slip contains nothing but heterodox cultivation arts. Junior Brother Han, I must warn you: almost all heterodox cultivation arts have back doors built into them, allowing those who pass them down to control the people who practice them. If you intend to cultivate them, you must be very careful."

Han Li's heart tightened at these words. He immediately nodded. "Don't worry, Senior Brother Lin. I'll be careful."

Seeing that Han Li had taken his advice to heart, Lin Yun pointed at the Soul-Gathering Bowl and the Blood Spirit Drill. "These two should be useful to you. You can take them."

After dividing the spoils, Lin Yun and Han Li found the others and learned that another of Han Li's senior brothers had died in a secret chamber of the Black Fiend Sect. He was the only Foundation Establishment cultivator in Han Li's party to have fallen.

These were internal affairs of Han Li's sect, however, and had nothing to do with Lin Yun. Han Li's senior brothers would naturally handle the aftermath.

Lin Yun told Han Li where he could find him over the next few days, then took his leave.

The Five Elements Yin Fiend within the Blood-Congealing Five-Element Pills should be compatible with Qianyang Five Elements Stellar Qi. Refining stellar qi and fiendish qi together would be the perfect way to test an idea he had about achieving Core Formation.

Thus, Lin Yun departed in a hurry, intending to extract the Five Elements Yin Fiend first.

Two days later, on a picturesque hill outside Yue Capital, Lin Yun was refining the Five Elements Yin Fiend in the same place where he had previously extracted five metals essence.

After two days of effort, he finally refined a wisp of Five Elements Yin Fiend from the five Blood-Congealing Five-Element Pills.

Storing the Five Elements Yin Fiend in a jade bottle, Lin Yun pondered silently. These five wisps of Five Elements Yin Fiend may be scant, but they should just barely suffice for joint refinement with Qianyang Five Elements Stellar Qi. One is innate Astral Qi, and the other is acquired fiendish qi. They fit perfectly with the principle of transformation between the innate and the acquired. The chances of success should be fairly good.

At this thought, excitement stirred in Lin Yun's heart. If this works, not only will I gain Core Formation-level combat strength ahead of time, I'll also have found my own path to Core Formation!

Just as Lin Yun was considering how to refine the stellar and fiendish qi together, Han Li came looking for him with a dejected expression.

"What's wrong, Junior Brother Han?" Lin Yun asked curiously when he saw his expression.

Han Li gave a bitter smile, but did not tell Lin Yun what had just happened between him and Chen Qiaoqian nearby. As far as he was concerned, once he had made up his mind, there was absolutely no reason to go back on his decision.

"I happened to be on White Chrysanthemum Mountain and remembered you were here, so I came to see you. I also wanted to let you know that orders have come down: all disciples at the Foundation-Building Stage and above must return to the Golden Drum Plain Camp immediately. The date for the decisive battle between the Seven Sects and the Six Demonic Path Sects has been set. It will be in two months." Han Li told Lin Yun the orders he had just received.

Lin Yun nodded in understanding. "Junior Brother Han, do you think our Seven Sects will lose?"

Han Li thought for a moment, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "I don't know, but we probably won't win."

After a moment's consideration, Lin Yun said, "Junior Brother Han, it's time to decide."

Han Li froze briefly, then nodded slowly. "Yes, it's time to decide. Then let's leave!"

Having made up his mind, Han Li immediately asked, "Senior Brother, have you repaired the Teleportation Array?"

"Don't worry. I asked a good friend to help with the repairs. Judging by how much time has passed, the plans should be finished by now. All that remains is to begin the repairs. We should be able to activate the Teleportation Array without trouble very soon," Lin Yun said.

Hearing this, Han Li felt reassured.

Lin Yun continued, "So I don't intend to return to Yellow Maple Valley or the Golden Drum Plains. What about you, Junior Brother Han?"

Han Li gave another bitter smile. "I have some old matters to settle first."

He had already promised Mo Fengwu that he would help avenge the Mo Residence. Since he would soon be leaving, he naturally had to fulfill that promise first.

After a moment's thought, Lin Yun took out a Voice-and-Image Transmission Talisman and handed it to Han Li. "In that case, take this Voice-and-Image Transmission Talisman. It can transmit voices over a thousand li. When you reach the vicinity of the Ancient Teleportation Formation, you can contact

me."

Han Li accepted the unusual Jade Talisman without asking any questions and prepared to take his leave.

Just then, Lin Yun stopped him. "Junior Brother Han, here are the Blood-Congealing Five-Element Pills. Although I've extracted the Five Elements Yin Fiend from them, they can still be used to condense a fiend core. Take them and play around with them. You might be able to compare them with the heterodox cultivation arts you obtained, lest you succumb to temptation, practice those evil arts, and stray down the wrong path."

Holding the Blood-Congealing Five-Element Pills he had coveted earlier, Han Li thought that he would never condense a fiend core under any circumstances anyway. He thanked Lin Yun and took his leave.