Han Laomo's expression changed drastically. Before entering the cave, he had noticed Lu Xuan following him. He guessed that Lu Xuan's cultivation was far superior to his own, but he was not afraid. After advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, he had many trump cards at his disposal, and he believed that as long as he did not encounter someone in the late Nascent Soul stage, he would have a fighting chance.
The moment he entered the cave, he released his second Nascent Soul, hiding it in the shadows. He then charged forward head-on, drawing the enemy's attention and waiting for an opportunity for his second Nascent Soul to launch a sneak attack.
It must be said that Han Laomo's combat experience is truly unmatched by ordinary people. When the second Nascent Soul cultivator was captured, his expression merely changed slightly. However, his movements did not slow down in the slightest.
A massive cyan sword slashed down from mid-air. At the same time, he patted the storage pouch at his waist, and a swarm of golden flying insects filled the entire cave.
"Gold-eating bug."
Lu Xuan chuckled lightly, and under Han Laomo's astonished gaze, casually tossed his second Nascent Soul back. Then, he summoned a wooden magic artifact resembling an incense burner. Han Laomo's expression darkened further. It was a wood-type magic treasure, specifically designed to counter the Gold-Eating Insects.
The swarming Gold-Eating Insects, as if encountering their natural enemy, had nearly half absorbed by the incense burner in Lu Xuan's hand. Seeing the situation was dire, Old Demon Han immediately recalled his Gold-Eating Insects. However, this time, he did not continue his attack. He had also realized that the pursuer before him seemed to have no ill intentions. The fact that the other party casually released his second Nascent Soul showed that the other party had absolute confidence in their own strength.
Without a doubt, the person before him was a powerful cultivator in the late Nascent Soul stage, someone whom Old Demon Han was currently unable to defeat.
"Why does the senior follow the junior all the way?"
"Heh. Don't you recognize me?" Lu Xuan said, his face changing completely. Incidentally, Lu Xuan's face-changing wasn't aided by any magical artifacts. Instead, he directly manipulated his facial bones and muscles through his powerful control over his body, altering his appearance. Therefore, it was virtually flawless. No matter how strong Han Laomo's divine sense or how sharp his Clear Spirit Divine Eyes were, he couldn't detect the slightest flaw.
"It's you!!!" Old Demon Han was immediately shocked. The person before him was none other than the unknown senior with whom he had made that strange deal inside the Void Heaven Cauldron. But the next second, his expression truly changed. Because Lu Xuan had changed his face again, to the very face that had appeared before Old Demon Han many years ago.
That was a serendipitous encounter that Han Laomo had buried deep in his heart for so long. It was one of the two mysterious figures he met in the Crimson Forbidden Land. At that time, Han Laomo hadn't even reached the Foundation Establishment stage yet and could only struggle among the crowd. But the other party was already able to disregard the restrictions of the Crimson Forbidden Land and enter and exit at will.
That extraordinary encounter that day allowed Han Laomo to hear many coded messages he felt he might use countless times in his lifetime. But more than anything, it strengthened his resolve to pursue the Dao. He admired the other's unparalleled power and hoped to become that kind of being.
But when that person reappeared before him, Han Laomo felt only endless chills. He had a feeling that this person had been secretly watching him all these years, that his every move might be under the other person's control.
"Who exactly are you?" Old Demon Han took a step back, his spiritual energy surging, giving the impression that he was ready to fight to the death. However, Lu Xuan, who knew Old Demon Han well, knew that this guy would never truly fight to the death unless it was the very last moment. He was probably just putting on an act, and who knows what kind of wicked scheme he was plotting.
"There's no need to get so excited. I already said it back in the Void Heaven Palace: my divination showed that you have a great opportunity. It will be of great help to me in the future. I sensed this back in the Crimson Forbidden Land. Don't worry, I won't steal your opportunity. I just hope to make some deals with you at the right time."
"Senior is already a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. How can I, a cultivator who has just advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, possibly compare to him?"
"In the cultivation world, things are sometimes not just about the level of cultivation. More importantly, it's about a combination of everything, including opportunities, luck, cultivation techniques, and supernatural abilities. For example, you're only at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm right now. But in my opinion, your Azure Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword is already taking shape, and the Gold-Eating Insects are also a powerful fighting force. Add to that your second Nascent Soul and all those trump cards you haven't used yet. Even a typical mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn't be able to defeat you. This can actually be explained simply by your cultivation level."
Han Li remained silent, knowing full well that his trump cards far surpassed those of ordinary cultivators. However, the fact that another person also knew this was not a pleasant matter.
"What exactly does the senior want? You don't just want to chat with me, do you?"
“That’s not the case. If I’m not mistaken, this should be one of the cave dwellings of the Great Yan Divine Lord back then. I’m very interested in him, so everything found here is yours. But how about I make a copy of the cultivation techniques and secret arts?”
"This condition isn't too harsh, it's just too lenient. In fact, in Han Laomo's opinion, if the other party said, 'Everything here is mine, get out of here,' he would leave without a word. But not only did the other party not let him stay, they were also prepared to give him most of the benefits. This is really something that Han Laomo can't understand."
Seeing Han Laomo's state, Lu Xuan knew that if he didn't give him an explanation, this matter would likely become a source of inner turmoil for Han Laomo. After thinking for a moment, he decided to give him some information.
"Alright, seeing how conflicted you look, to prevent you from developing inner demons, I'll elaborate a bit. Simply put, you're the person I've chosen. I need your help with something in the future."
"This junior's cultivation level is too low..."
"There's no need for such talk. I'm telling you the truth now, so take it seriously. You may seem to have average talent, but you've already reached the Nascent Soul stage in less than three hundred years of cultivation. Doesn't that prove your exceptionality?"
I told you, I know you have a secret, a huge secret. But I don't care. Because no matter how big the secret, it's meaningless in the eyes of people like us. Do you know that the path of spiritual cultivation in the human realm is actually severed?
"What do you mean?" These words really startled Old Man Han.
"It means exactly what it says. According to the ancient cultivation laws, after we advance to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm, we should break through the limitations of this world and ascend to the upper realm. But in reality, we can't do it at all!"
"What do you mean?" These things, while not absolute secrets, are not things that ordinary cultivators could know. Old Demon Han listened with great interest, even temporarily forgetting his inner turmoil.
"It means exactly what it says. In ancient times, a great upheaval occurred in the human realm. Since then, cultivators in the human world can only reach the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm at most. The path ahead has long been cut off."
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Chapter 527 Exploring the Cave
The statement that the road ahead was already blocked left Old Man Han completely stunned.
What does "the road is blocked" mean?
"It means that no one can successfully ascend to the spirit realm, which also means that no matter how hard one cultivates, one will eventually die."
"...There must be another way, right?" While still shocked, Han Laomo suddenly understood. Since Lu Xuan had said these words, it meant there was still a chance for things to turn around.
“That’s right, there is another way. But that method is extremely risky and cannot be done by one person alone. I have a plan, but I need more people to help me.”
Han Laomo vaguely understood what Lu Xuan meant.
"But senior, I have only average talent, why me?"
"A person of mediocre talent can advance to the Nascent Soul stage within three hundred years? I told you, I know you have a secret. Every cultivator in the cultivation world who reaches the Nascent Soul stage has their own secret. I don't care what your secret is. I just want a cultivator who is powerful enough."
"Is there no one in the cultivation world who would catch the eye of a senior?"
"I can't say there aren't any. In fact, there are quite a few old monsters in the Nascent Soul stage hidden in the current cultivation world. But they are all too conservative. The longer they live, the more afraid they are of death. They have been preparing for thousands of years, but they still dare not make a move. They have lost their edge. I need fresh blood."
Old Demon Han was clearly stunned by Lu Xuan's words. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face. After a while, he finally spoke.
"Senior hasn't advanced to the Nascent Soul stage yet, right? Are you really that confident that you will be able to advance?"
"Nothing in this world is 100% certain. But that doesn't mean we should do nothing. The path of cultivation is against the will of Heaven. If you're afraid before you even begin, you might as well go home and retire."
Throughout Han Li's cultivation journey, although there were numerous romantic interludes, these were all forcefully severed by this iron-willed straight man. Aside from Nangong Wan, his entire cultivation path was one of loneliness and coldness. Perhaps the original author depicted a few moments in the story where Han Li's humanity was revealed, making us feel that this protagonist was more human.
However, throughout his entire cultivation career, spanning thousands of years, he spent the vast majority of his time in a state of extreme rationality, indifference, and even selfishness. This person almost abandoned everything for cultivation. He was arguably one of the most steadfast Daoists Lu Xuan had ever met.