After carefully storing several items away, Han Li looked up and saw a corner of the rosy cloud-embroidered forest in the sky.
A moment later, Han Li pulled out a cyan formation flag embedded at the base of a giant bamboo.
Immediately, the rosy cloud restrictions filling the sky vanished without a trace.
Han Li smiled faintly and turned to head toward another corner.
Before long, all the formation flags and discs had been extracted from the bamboo forest by Han Li, who stored them away with extraordinary care.
After witnessing the power of this newly improved "Inverted Five Elements Formation," Han Li treasured it immensely.
When Han Li returned unhurriedly to the original spot and was about to ride his magic treasure to leave, he spotted something on the ground—the mud-like corpse of the Yue Emperor. It seemed that once the rosy clouds dispersed, it had also fallen from the sky.
Han Li furrowed his brows slightly and sighed softly. With a flick of his finger, a fist-sized fireball flew over, reducing the Yue Emperor's corpse to ashes.
This man had been considered a remarkable figure, yet after death he was nothing but a pile of flying ashes, which moved Han Li to contemplation!
Then Han Li patted his storage pouch, and a streak of golden light shot out, blasting a large pit in the empty ground nearby.
With a gentle wave of his sleeve, the pile of ashes was carried by a soft breeze and settled securely into the pit.
Suddenly, a white light flashed, and Han Li's intended burial motion halted immediately.
He raised one hand in surprise as a white, gauzy silk handkerchief floated lightly out of the pit and landed in his palm.
"What is this..." Han Li's eyes swept over it, revealing a puzzled expression.
The handkerchief was slightly yellowed, clearly an ancient artifact of unknown material, yet it emitted a faint phosphorescence throughout—a map.
Han Li's curiosity surged, and he examined the map closely. After turning it over several times, he lost interest.
Upon careful inspection, he confirmed this was definitely not the terrain of the State of Yue. It depicted an unfamiliar place. Moreover, the map was clearly incomplete—not knowing if it was half or just a fraction of the complete map!
However, this map had only now been discovered among the ashes. It seemed the Yue Emperor must have hidden it within his body using some secret method; otherwise, it would have been found by the beast puppets from the start.
This suggested the map was no ordinary thing!
Lost in thought, Han Li stored this incomplete map in the jade box containing the Five Elements Pills.
Now was not the time for puzzle-solving. He needed to find the others quickly!
After all, with the Yue Emperor dead, the aftermath was quite troublesome!
When Han Li found Chen Qiaoqian and the others in front of the Cold Palace, another piece of unwelcome news arrived.
In the Black Fiend Religion leader's secret chamber within the Cold Palace, they had discovered the corpse of "Wu Xuan," whose vital blood had been drained by a blood sacrifice not long before.
Han Li froze upon hearing this, then immediately gave a bitter laugh without saying a word.
Now, because of the Black Fiend Religion matter, so many Foundation Establishment cultivators from their sect had fallen. After returning, Li Huayuan probably wouldn't give him a good look. After all, he had been the one to stir up this affair!
Feeling utterly helpless, Han Li handed the aftermath matters over to Chen Qiaoqian and Zhong Weiniang to handle, making an excuse to return first to the Qin residence.
But what he never expected was that the moment he returned, an unexpected person appeared before him.
...
"Greetings, Martial Uncle Han!" The middle-aged man in brocade robes bowed respectfully.
"Martial Nephew Ma! What brings you here so late? Is there something important?" A flash of suspicion crossed Han Li's eyes.
Han Li had just rushed back from the imperial city and hadn't expected this sect disciple responsible for Yue capital communications to be waiting in the courtyard.
Moreover, judging by the situation, he had been waiting for quite some time.
"Martial Uncle, I've just received word. There's an order from above—all Foundation Establishment disciples and above must immediately march to the Seven Sects' border camp. The enemy has already issued a challenge for a decisive battle. In two months, the six Demonic Path sects will face us to determine the victor. They're ordering all personnel to pull back. Additionally, there's also a jade slip from Ancestor Li!" the brocade-robed man said solemnly.
As he spoke, he produced an order decree and a jade slip, handing them to Han Li.
Han Li was slightly startled but accepted both items without changing expression, examining them carefully.
The order decree's contents matched what the man had described—requiring all Foundation Establishment disciples on external missions to gather at the border camp within one month. The date for the decisive battle with the Demonic Path had been set. The spiritual emblem at the end of the decree was indeed genuine.
After verifying the decree, Han Li extended his spiritual sense into the jade slip.
Inside, he found an image of Li Huayuan speaking in simple terms. He simply instructed that the Qin residence no longer needed protection, as word had been received that the Demonic Path's plan to infiltrate the State of Yue's mundane world had been mysteriously canceled. Han Li and the other disciples could return to the border without worry.
Hearing Li Huayuan's brief words, Han Li felt so frustrated he could have vomited blood.
Suppressing the depression in his heart, he withdrew his consciousness.
"I understand. Leave the decree and jade slip with me. I'll notify the others," Han Li said after a moment's thought.
"Then I'll trouble Martial Uncle!" The middle-aged man hesitated briefly but answered respectfully.
Then he took his leave from Han Li.
Han Li simply said "no need to see me out" and watched the man fly away. Only then did he exhale softly and slowly push open the door to enter the room.
...
The next morning, Han Li, Song Meng, and several others sat in the living room discussing their departure from the Yue capital.
"Before joining the great battle, I need to return to my family first, then head to the camp! So I won't be traveling with you all," Chen Qiaoqian said, lightly biting her red lip after reviewing the order decree.
"I need to deliver Senior Brother Liu's personal effects back to the Liu family!" Zhong Weiniang said, her face somewhat haggard and eyes slightly red.
Though not explicitly stated, the intention to travel separately was evident.
"I don't have anything pressing. How about we head back together, Martial Brother Han?" Song Meng was quite easygoing, patting Han Li's shoulder cheerfully.
"No need, Fourth Senior Brother! I have some private matters to attend to as well." Han Li, who already had other plans, smiled and declined.
"In that case, so be it!" Song Meng looked visibly disappointed.
"How about I accompany Martial Brother Song back?" The only surviving senior brother of Chen Qiaoqian suddenly smiled at Song Meng.
Song Meng was delighted—at least now he'd have someone to spar with on the journey.
Seeing this, Han Li laughed to himself. He hadn't expected his Fourth Senior Brother to remain unchanged even after this bloody battle.
And so, they agreed to part ways the following morning.
That afternoon, Han Li went to inform Qin Yan that they were safe, and upon the latter's great relief, mentioned his departure for the next day.
Qin Yan hastily offered some words of invitation to stay, but Han Li smiled and declined. Seeing this, the other party had no choice but to let it go.
After leaving Qin Yan, Han Li headed back to his quarters.
But unexpectedly, as he passed through the small garden on his usual route, Chen Qiaoqian stood there with her back to him, dressed in a white skirt.
She appeared to be admiring the flowers, conveniently blocking his path.
Seeing this, Han Li paused briefly. It would be rude to simply walk past without a word.
"Sister Chen, what a coincidence!" Han Li greeted her normally, intending to brush past her.
But Chen Qiaoqian suddenly swayed her slender waist, turning gracefully to face him with a face as radiant as a flower.
"It's not a coincidence! I was waiting specifically for you!" Chen Qiaoqian said, her cherry lips slightly parted.
Her autumn-like eyes gazed directly at Han Li, a complex expression on her face.
"Waiting for me..." Han Li feigned a touch of surprise.
Yet in his heart, for reasons unknown, he felt a mixture of bitterness and joy.
"I heard that White Chrysanthemum Mountain in the outskirts of the Yue capital is extraordinarily beautiful—one of the great scenic wonders nearby. Would Martial Brother Han accompany me to see it?" Chen Qiaoqian was silent for a moment before saying something that greatly surprised Han Li.
"Yes!" Almost as if by divine compulsion, the words Han Li had intended to refuse transformed upon meeting the sorrowful look in her eyes, changing without his conscious thought.
"That's wonderful, Martial Brother Han! Let's go now. Once the sun sets, there will be nothing to see." Upon hearing Han Li's agreement, a faint blush rose on Chen Qiaoqian's face, revealing a delighted expression that made her beauty even more unparalleled.