134: Savage Temple Hong Xuanji

It was the twelfth lunar month, bitterly cold and frozen.

Han Li put on his thin clothes and stepped directly out of the room.

It started snowing again in the middle of the night.

Pushing open the door, the courtyard was already covered with a layer of white snow, and the branches in the yard were also draped in white snow.

Walking out of the courtyard and into the main hall, Han Li saw Bai Yu.

"Big Brother Han, you're up so early. It's cold, you should sleep in a bit more."

Bai Yu said, pulling her clothes tighter around her, as she looked at Han Li.

"It's fine."

Han Li smiled.

"My brother just left not long ago, he'll probably be back in a while." Bai Yu said, looking at Han Li.

Han Li nodded, and at this moment, he took out a sound transmission bell, from which Zi Han's voice came.

Listening to Zi Han's voice, Han Li's eyes instantly lit up.

It was already settled, they had arranged a meeting point on Wumen Street.

Han Li responded, then looked at Bai Yu and said, "Well, I'm going out for a bit, I'll be back soon."

"Did someone from the trading company contact you?" Bai Yu asked, looking at him.

"Yes." Han Li nodded.

"Alright, you go." Bai Yu nodded.

Immediately, Han Li got up and left, quickly stepping out of the mansion... After leaving the mansion, about an incense stick's time later, Han Li arrived at the agreed location.

A teahouse.

First-Class World!

Han Li looked at the teahouse's sign, then stepped inside.

"Welcome, honored guest." Upon entering the teahouse, a Shopkeeper immediately came forward.

Han Li looked at the Shopkeeper and said, "Someone has already reserved a spot, private room number three in the Heaven character section."

"Alright, please follow me, honored guest." The Shopkeeper nodded, then turned to lead the way.

Han Li followed behind, going upstairs.

Soon, they arrived at the top floor of First-Class World, a nine-story building, in front of a private room.

He knocked on the door, and Zi Han's voice immediately came from inside.

"Please come in, honored guest!"

The Shopkeeper, with a beaming smile, pushed open the door.

Han Li nodded slightly, then walked into the private room.

The private room was very large, and at this moment, Zi Han was sitting by the window, with a pot of hot tea in front of her, drinking it.

As soon as she saw Han Li, Zi Han smiled, "Young Master Han, you arrived so quickly!"

"Just nearby, not far." Han Li said.

He glanced at Zi Han; she had already shed her palace dress and changed into a sky-blue outfit, giving her a different kind of charm, but he felt that Zi Han seemed a little fatigued.

An Peak of the Acquired Realm Martial Artist, by common sense, should not be like this.

However, Han Li didn't ask much.

What he cared about most was the map of the Ancient Ruins.

"Young Master, here is the detailed map." Zi Han took out a yellowed map. Based on the place names on it, Han Li could directly use the ruyi compass for positioning and searching.

And in the center of this map, information about the Ancient Ruins was marked.

"Thank you, Miss Zi."

Han Li carefully examined the map, placed it into his cosmos ring, and his mind felt much more at ease.

Zi Han smiled, looked at him, and said, "I promised, so naturally, I wouldn't go back on my word."

"However, this place is still very dangerous. After all, it's the Ancient Ruins of a Supreme Paragon, it's not that easy. Young Master Han still needs to be extra careful." Zi Han said, looking at him.

"Understood, thank you, Miss Zi, I understand." Han Li nodded.

"It's still early, Young Master Han, please sit. I can tell you more details, so you can be prepared in advance." Zi Han said.

"Alright, then I'll trouble Miss Zi."

Han Li nodded, then sat down, and Zi Han, seeing this, moved her stool closer to him.

"The Barbarian Territory has many dangers. Although the Barbarian Race is not numerous, there are ten Barbarian Emperor-level existences. These ten Barbarian Emperors are equivalent to God Realm magnates. The Ten Great Barbarian Emperors rule the entire Barbarian Race and divide it into ten regions. The area you are going to is within the territory of a Barbarian Emperor named 'Blazing Emperor'."

Zi Han spoke slowly, and as she spoke, her delicate body moved even closer to Han Li, a fragrance wafting into his nose.

Han Li listened intently, but he also noticed Zi Han's small actions. However, having just received a favor, he naturally wouldn't put on a cold, aloof front.

He subconsciously moved, and Han Li looked at Zi Han, saying, "Miss Zi, how strong is this Blazing Emperor among the Ten Great Barbarian Emperors?"

"I'm not too sure about that, because there's very little information. However, I do know that among the Ten Great Barbarian Emperors, the strongest is an existence called the 'Nine Li Barbarian Emperor', who should have already reached the Yuanshen Realm, a super magnate. And the Nine Li Barbarian Emperor is also the nominal ruler of the Barbarian God Temple."

Zi Han said slowly.

"Barbarian God Temple?" Hearing Zi Han mention a faction's name, Han Li looked at her.

Zi Han drank a cup of tea, looked at Han Li, and said, "The Barbarian God Temple is the only force of the Barbarian Race, and these Ancient Ruins are also related to the Barbarian Race's Supreme Paragon, or rather, they were left behind by this Supreme Paragon."

"Supreme Paragon!"

Han Li's pupils contracted.

Zi Han continued, "That was the Barbarian Race's former Supreme Paragon, and it has been over a hundred thousand years. The current Barbarian God Temple should not have a Supreme Paragon."

"So that's it... That's a bit better." Han Li nodded.

Zi Han looked at him and said, "The Ten Great Barbarian Emperors of the Barbarian Race are not united; there are some who don't get along, such as the Barbarian Emperor of the Blazing Emperor's Barbarian Race and another Barbarian Emperor, the 'Tyrant Emperor,' who are at odds. However, due to the Barbarian God Temple, there hasn't been a full-scale war, but there are still minor skirmishes."

"So, this Barbarian God Temple isn't entirely harmonious?" Han Li looked at her.

Zi Han nodded.

"However, the Barbarian Race is still united against outsiders. When entering the Barbarian Territory, you still need to be careful. These Barbarians are naturally bloodthirsty and short-tempered, and they don't look favorably upon the Human Race."

"Understood, thank you, Miss Zi, for informing me." Han Li nodded... "That's roughly the situation."

Han Li then raised his cup, looked at Zi Han, and said, "Thank you, Miss Zi."

With that, Han Li drained the tea in his cup.

Zi Han looked at him with a smile, "Young Master Han, we're acquaintances now, so let's not be so formal. My name is Xu Zi Han, you can just call me Sister Xu, or Sister Zi Han."

Han Li nodded.

Xu Zi Han looked at him, a brilliant smile on her face, "In that case, we are friends from now on."

"Naturally." Han Li smiled.

"Sister Zi Han can just call me by my name." Han Li said.

Xu Zi Han nodded, her bright eyes looking at him, "Han Li, don't forget your promise to your sister, okay?"

"Naturally, I will not forget." Han Li nodded, then he took out a jade tablet and handed it to Xu Zi Han: "This jade will serve as a token between us. If you ever need anything in the future, you can use this token to find me, and I will absolutely not refuse."

"Good, you're truly a straightforward person." Zi Han smiled.

"It's getting late, I still have some things to attend to. Sister Zi Han, until we meet again!"

Han Li stood up and said.

Xu Zi Han also stood up, looking at Han Li, "Next time we meet, perhaps you'll be a God Realm magnate. Don't look down on your sister then."

"Haha, Sister Zi Han is joking. Since I've said it, I naturally won't forget." Han Li smiled.

"Farewell!"

Han Li cupped his fists, then turned and stepped out of the private room.

As she watched Han Li's departing back, Zi Han slowly sat down, spread her hand, and looked at the jade pendant in her palm, subconsciously gripping it.

"I hope... I haven't misjudged him."

Zi Han murmured softly, then she came back to her senses, put the jade pendant into the inner pocket of her chest, and then she took a sip of tea and looked out the window... "It seems it's not that easy, but no matter what, I still have to go."

Han Li stepped out of First-Class World, looked up at the sky, his gaze firm.

Primordial Dragon Elephant True Blood was extremely important to him.

The improvement was also unimaginably huge, and he had to go to the Barbarian Territory.

However, since he had the map, he wasn't in such a hurry. He would complete his first step of the plan first.

After all, this wasn't something that could be obtained in a short while.

Even if he went to the Barbarian Territory, he might not necessarily obtain the Primordial Dragon Elephant True Blood.

Proceeding step by step, improving his strength was the most important thing... Returning to the mansion, Han Li arrived at the main hall and saw Bai Yu, but Bai Yi had not yet returned, so Han Li waited patiently.

It also took some time to gather all the information on the Three Demonic Sects.

Once he had the information, he would conduct a detailed analysis based on the situation described in the data.

He also had a clear judgment in his mind... As noon approached, Bai Yi's figure finally returned.

Stepping into the main hall, Bai Yi saw Han Li and walked over.

"Brother Bai, how did it go?" Han Li stood up and asked.

Bai Yi smiled, "What else could happen? With your brother taking action, it naturally went smoothly."

With that, Bai Yi took out a Jade Slip and handed it to Han Li.

"All the information on the Three Demonic Sects is in here, take a good look."

Looking at the Jade Slip in front of him, Han Li smiled, then he received the information from the Jade Slip.

A large amount of information flooded into his mind. Han Li sat on the chair, closed his eyes, and began to review the information.

After a moment, he opened his eyes.

Through this clear data, Han Li suddenly understood a lot.

Among them, the Three Demonic Sects had a total of over one hundred and thirty strongholds, large and small.

However, these strongholds did not include Youzhou.

Youzhou had eighteen strongholds, which were equivalent to the main headquarters of the Three Demonic Sects.

The strongholds also had approximate information marked.

Quantity, cultivation, approximate strength; although it wasn't a one-to-one match, this information was detailed enough for Han Li.

The other hundred-odd strongholds were almost scattered throughout the Wu Dynasty.

Except for a few rare places, there were basically hidden strongholds of the Three Demonic Sects everywhere.

Of course, it wasn't visible on the surface; if it weren't for this detailed information, Han Li wouldn't have known.

However, what surprised him was that with so many strongholds, was the imperial court indifferent?

Since they knew, why did they still allow them to exist?

Han Li didn't know, but he thought there must be a reason behind it.

After all, some matters shouldn't just be judged by their surface appearance; the underlying factors are complex.

"How is it? What do you think?" Bai Yi asked, looking at Han Li.

"This is indeed very detailed, thank you, Brother Bai."

Han Li said.

"No need to thank me, what I promised you is just a small matter to me."

Bai Yi smiled.

“Aren’t you find it strange why the Imperial Court doesn’t act, even knowing so many strongholds?” Bai Yi asked Han Li.

“Uh… I am indeed a bit curious.” Han Li nodded.

“Actually, as long as these forces behave themselves publicly and don’t go too far, the Imperial Court won’t intervene. Of course, there’s another factor: some officials collude with these forces. And the last point is for the sake of checks and balances.”

“What the Imperial Court needs is overall balance,” Bai Yi slowly explained.

Han Li seemed to be lost in thought.

He didn’t deny that statement.

A personal perspective and a Dynasty’s perspective are different.

The Imperial Court is not a single person, nor can it act on impulse like one.

Behind the Three Demonic Sects, there is, after all, a Eternal Sky Sect.

And the so-called “checks and balances” are probably also to balance the power of the Twelve Sects.

With the Twelve Sects acting, in some respects, the Imperial Court wouldn’t need to intervene.

Of course, if they go too far, the Imperial Court would mercilessly eradicate them with lightning speed.

And these strongholds of the Demonic Sects are naturally not foolish; they wouldn’t openly confront the Imperial Court.

At least on the surface, it seems quite stable.

According to the information, the Leaders of the Three Demonic Sects are all Divine Hidden Realm existences.

Besides them, there are several God Realm magnates. These God Realm magnates are spread across the Three Sects, and their true origin is the Eternal Sky Sect behind the Three Demonic Sects.

They should be the Grand Elders of the Eternal Sky Sect.

And the Leaders of the Three Demonic Sects can actually be said to belong to the Eternal Sky Sect as well.

It's just that, nominally, they are independent, but behind the scenes, they are still controlled by the Eternal Sky Sect.

From top to bottom, it's a finely structured organization, with the Three Demonic Sects as the main trunk.

And these strongholds are its branches.

From the information, each stronghold varies in scale, and in each location, they openly control the local forces.

These forces are the local Gangs.

Using the name of Gangs to carry out the Demonic Sect’s affairs!

If problems arise, they can simply push the Gangs out as a shield.

Overthrowing one Gang force allows them to support another at any time.

For the Demonic Sect’s foundation, this is too easy.

And if the commotion gets too big, the Demonic Sect will also abandon these strongholds, sever the branches, and just preserve the main force.

In simpler terms, it's sacrificing pawns to save the king!

“Brother Han, when do you plan to act?” Bai Yi asked, looking at Han Li.

“Hmm… I plan to leave in a bit,” Han Li replied.

Bai Yi: “ ( ￢ _ ￢ ) ”

“Brother Han, I think you’re too impatient, aren’t you? Leave tomorrow. Tonight, my Master is coming here. Let’s have dinner together. Leaving tomorrow isn’t that urgent.”

Bai Yi said, looking at Han Li.

“Is the Supervisor coming?”

Han Li looked at Bai Yi, astonished.

“Yes, my Master is coming tonight. I told Master you’re here. If you run off, and Master arrives, I won’t be able to explain,” Bai Yi nodded.

“Then… alright, I’ll leave tomorrow,” Han Li nodded.

A half day more or less didn't make much difference to him.

This trip would probably take at least a year and a half to complete.

Perhaps even longer.

“That’s more like it. What’s the rush?” Bai Yi smiled… Winter nights fall quickly.

Soon, darkness descended.

At this moment, in a room in the mansion, Han Li, Bai Yu, and Bai Yi sat around a table.

Various delicacies filled the air with tempting aromas, making one's mouth water.

“Master is here.”

At this moment, Bai Yi suddenly stood up.

Upon hearing this, Han Li also rose.

“You two sit. I’ll go greet Master,” Bai Yi said, then hurried out the door.

Han Li and Bai Yu exchanged glances, and he sat back down.

Soon, Han Li heard footsteps. Then, he stood up.

At the doorway, Bai Yi and the Supervisor appeared.

The Supervisor was dressed in a dark robe. Han Li saw him at a glance, and compared to last time, he could more clearly sense the abundant Qi within the Supervisor.

He was no less powerful than the Sect Leader.

He was also a Divine Hidden Realm magnate.

Stepping into the room, Han Li also walked forward, bowing respectfully: “Junior Han Li greets Senior Hong.”

The Supervisor's name was Hong Xuanji.

Han Li already knew this name.

Hong Xuanji entered the room, his gaze falling upon Han Li, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

“Innate Purple Qi, such a profound aura. It seems you’ve advanced further since we last met in Tianling,” Hong Xuanji’s voice rang out.

“Senior Hong flatters me,” Han Li cupped his hands.

“No need to be so polite. We are among ourselves, so there’s no need for so many formalities,” Hong Xuanji said.

Han Li straightened his back, glanced at Hong Xuanji, nodded, then sat down to the side.

“Master.”

Beside him, Bai Yu spoke with a smile.

Looking at Bai Yu, Hong Xuanji’s eyes also softened.

“You girl, it seems you’ve been slacking off again recently. You should learn more from Han Li, understand?” Hong Xuanji said, looking at her.

Bai Yu stuck out her tongue, looked at Han Li beside her, and said, “Master, I can’t compare to Big Brother Han. He’s a non-human Prodigy. I can’t catch up even if I tried.”

Han Li: “…”

“You mischievous girl, glib-tongued,” Bai Yi said with a stern face.

“Haha, you girl,” Hong Xuanji chuckled, but didn’t say much more.

Han Li could tell that Hong Xuanji doted on Bai Yu greatly.

Their relationship was comparable to that of father and daughter.

“Since our last farewell, I’m honored to see Senior Hong today. Junior will drink first as a sign of respect,” Han Li raised his cup and looked at Hong Xuanji.

Hong Xuanji smiled and said, “I also wanted to meet a Genius like you. Come, bottoms up!”

With that, Han Li raised his cup, tilted his head back, and drained the wine.

Beside him, Bai Yu immediately refilled his cup.

“Don’t be so constrained. Just treat it as your own home, a family dinner,” Hong Xuanji said.

Han Li nodded, and then the group ate and chatted.

“Han Li, do you have any other business in the capital this time?”

Hong Xuanji picked up a piece of food, looked at Han Li, and asked.

“I don't have any other business this time. I mainly asked Brother Bai for help, needing information on the Three Demonic Sects,” Han Li replied.

The fact that Bai Yi obtained information on the Three Demonic Sects definitely wouldn't escape Hong Xuanji, so Han Li simply stated it openly.

Being honest.

Concealing it would undoubtedly be a foolish act.

“The Three Demonic Sects are not that easy to deal with. If you go too far, I’m afraid some of the old fellows from the Three Demonic Sects will make a move against you.”

Hong Xuanji spoke.

“Junior has considered this point, but I think there shouldn’t be too many problems,” Han Li said.

“Young man, when doing things, it’s still better to be thorough and leave some escape routes. That way, it’ll be more convenient later. Otherwise, at the last minute, everything will be full of unknowns,” Hong Xuanji said faintly.

“Senior is right. Junior will pay attention,” Han Li nodded.

“I’m just reminding you a few things. I think you should also be aware that the Three Demonic Sects have been entrenched for many years, intricate and complex. It's not that simple to make a move. However, you are acting alone, which makes it more convenient,” Hong Xuanji said.

“Junior understands.” Han Li took a sip of wine and nodded.

Hong Xuanji looked at him and said, “If you really encounter some trouble, you have the Demon Suppressing Token in your hand, which you can use to mobilize local forces when needed.”

“Oh?”

Hearing this, Han Li looked at Hong Xuanji in surprise.

Hong Xuanji took a sip of wine and said, “How about it? You are also working for the Imperial Court. If there’s some trouble, using the Demon Suppressing Token can also resolve it.”

“Junior understands. Thank you, Senior Hong,” Han Li nodded.

“Eat your food. Only when you're full and well-fed will you have the strength to do things,” Hong Xuanji smiled… The meal lasted for a full half an hour before it ended.

During the meal, chatting with Hong Xuanji, Han Li developed quite a good impression of the Supervisor.

And from Hong Xuanji's mouth, he also learned some special circumstances.

For example, information about those God Realm magnates of the Eternal Sky Sect in the data.

Besides their respective Leaders, each of the Three Demonic Sects is assisted by two Divine Aperture Realm magnates.

Of course, under normal circumstances, God Realm magnates naturally wouldn't act easily.

The Three Demonic Sects, plus their three Leaders, amounted to a total of nine God Realm magnates.

And this is only a part of the Eternal Sky Sect's power. The Eternal Sky Sect's power far surpasses the strength of any of the Twelve Sects in Kyushu.

Even Cangjian Palace, the foremost in Kyushu, is still some distance behind.

The entire Eternal Sky Sect has dozens of God Realm magnates alone.

From this point, it's clear why the Imperial Court wouldn't easily make a move.

The power of the Eternal Sky Sect is indeed too terrifying.

As the national religion of the Yuan Meng Country, its foundation is unfathomable.

The entire Yuan Meng Country is even controlled by the Eternal Sky Sect behind the scenes.

Controlling the Dynasty!

Although the Yuan Meng Country is not as strong as the Wu Dynasty, its territory is vast, and its population numbers several hundred million.

Learning these deeper circumstances from Hong Xuanji, Han Li also understood why the Three Demonic Sects could be so rampant to this day.

The Imperial Court has to consider all aspects. In a fit of anger, they could destroy the Three Demonic Sects, but afterward, would the Eternal Sky Sect let it go?

A full-scale invasion would inevitably follow. At that time, it wouldn't just be a conflict between various forces, but a war between two Dynasties.

War would inevitably cause a certain amount of loss to both Dynasties.

A larger war could even destroy one side, but even with victory, the other side would have to pay an extremely heavy price.

The Wu Dynasty is not surrounded by just this one country.

There are several other countries. Once a national war breaks out, other countries would surely seize the opportunity.

Taking action, the consequences would be unpredictable.

Although the Wu Dynasty is powerful and has top-tier great sects like the Twelve Sects of Kyushu, these great sects might not necessarily obey the Wu Dynasty's orders.

They might stand by and watch, or even bite you.

Overall consideration goes beyond just the factors of the Three Demonic Sects.

Second update, twelve thousand words, please support!!