226: Chapter 226 Dou Qi Continent and the Barbarian Garan

"Han Li, congratulations. You have successfully eliminated the gray mist, and your original body has returned to its Peak. Your mission is complete!"

Before him was a vast expanse of white space. Elder Xiao's figure appeared before Han Li, speaking to him with a smile on his face.

"Han Li, you have done very well. You have not only saved me, but also the people of countless worlds." A voice came from behind Han Li; it was similar to Elder Xiao's, but slightly more youthful.

Han Li turned around and looked at the speaker. This person was like a mirror image of himself, looking exactly the same, except for a depth in the eyes that Han Li did not possess.

"Heavenly Emperor... Have I already done it?" Han Li looked at his hands, sensing an unprecedentedly vast power within his body as he asked with some confusion.

"You have done it. My crisis is finally resolved. However, it is a pity... that you are no longer of use." The mirror Han Li looked at Han Li's bewildered expression, his tone revealing regret as he extended a finger and pointed it toward Han Li.

Seeing this finger, Han Li's eyes instantly widened. He instinctively wanted to dodge, but this seemingly simple finger carried the power of the entire world, pressing down on his body and making him unconsciously hold his breath.

"I am of no use..." Han Li looked at his own mirror image and suddenly realized this point, immediately becoming terrified.

Crack!

In the milky-white space, a gray rift suddenly tore open. Subsequently, an endless gray mist flooded in, covering the originally white space in the blink of an eye.

Along with the appearance of the gray mist, many figures appeared before Han Li—figures that looked like strangers, yet felt strangely familiar.

"Li'er, you've become an Immortal, so why haven't you come to see us? Our hair has turned white and our bones have grown brittle waiting for you. Our eyes have been longing for you, just hoping for one look at you, but even as we're about to die, we still can't see you..." Mother Han's white hair was sparse, and more than half of her yellowed teeth had fallen out. Her sallow skin clung to her bones, making her look incredibly frail.

Beside Mother Han were Hans Father, his eldest brother, and others. They all showed extreme signs of aging, their bent bodies unable to straighten as they coughed incessantly.

An old woman leaning on a cane, wearing a tattered red padded jacket, coughed as she walked up to Han Li. Her cloudy old eyes looked at him tenderly as she gently stroked Han Li's youthful face.

"Fourth Brother, you are still so young..."

"Little Sister." Han Li looked at this old woman, and tears flowed uncontrollably.

At this moment, more people appeared before Han Li—strangers whose names he could somehow call out. In an instant, they filled his vision.

Han Li looked blankly at the crowd surrounding him, tears dripping down one by one.

Wang Juechu, Third Uncle, Nangong Wan...

"Birth, old age, sickness, and death are the norm, but fortunately, we have the protection of the gods. Han Li, do not worry for us; we have all been granted eternal life." Nangong Wan wore a snow-white dress and looked to be sixteen or seventeen years old, her appearance like a painted elf.

Nangong Wan gave a moving smile and reached out her jade-like hand toward Han Li. This hand was like a masterpiece meticulously carved by the heavens, filled with a perfect Concept.

Beside Han Li, his fourth sister also gradually became younger. Hans Father, Mother Han, and his elder brothers all regained their youth at this time, smiling at Han Li just as they had during their childhood.

Han Li looked at Nangong Wan's extended hand. His fingers hanging at his side twitched slightly, and he raised his arm with a slight tremor.

"Han Li, is your mission complete?" Just then, a familiar voice reached his ears. Han Li turned his head to look and found it was Elder Xiao.

However, Elder Xiao was slightly different now, his entire body covered in a thin film of seven-colored energy.

"Elder Xiao, my mission is complete. The Heavenly Emperor no longer needs me..." The tear stains at the corners of Han Li's eyes gradually vanished, but he forced a smile.

"Then what are you doing right now?" After Elder Xiao said this, the thick gray mist enveloped him, and his figure disappeared from Han Li's sight.

"What am I doing..." Han Li gazed at the familiar figures with gentle smiles surrounding him. Suddenly, a seven-colored light flashed on his body, and in the next instant, Han Li snapped awake.

"Heart Demon, so you are all fake." Han Li took a few steps back and spoke with a frown.

"Disciple, question your heart. You should know that we are all real." Seeing Han Li regain clarity, Nangong Wan slowly withdrew her hand and smiled softly.

"No, you have died. There is no longer a Nangong Wan in this world." Han Li shook his head in denial.

"You know the power of True God energy better than anyone. We have simply changed our form of existence. Furthermore, we are unique in the world, and there is no more Reincarnation of life and death."

"Hmph, nothing but nonsense. That is absolutely impossible." Hearing this, Han Li gave a cold snort and immediately denied it.

"Han Li, there is no need to pretend. I can see into your heart... Remember, choose to merge with the True God energy, and we can meet again."

As Nangong Wan finished speaking, the familiar figures around him slowly dissipated. A moment later, the gray mist finally cleared, and the scene that appeared before him was actually within his Sea of Consciousness!

A clear light illuminated the entire Sea of Consciousness, and many Legacy light orbs floated quietly. Han Li looked around but remained silent.

In the outside world, the heavenly phenomena had already vanished. Han Li's strength was undergoing a transformation, and a powerful surge of energy lay dormant within his body without a sound.

But the sudden appearance of seven miniature babies officially signified that Han Li had successfully formed his Nascent Soul.

The seven miniature babies were of different colors, their auras faintly linked as they played and frolicked on Han Li's legs, shoulders, and the top of his head.

Meanwhile, Han Li's eyes were closed, his face was flushed, and his expression was peaceful, as if he were in a deep sleep.

A moment later, the seven babies seemed tired from playing. They all yawned and turned into light orbs of various colors, diving into Han Li's body through the crown of his head.

His eyelids twitched slightly, and Han Li slowly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of dark, clear eyes. Looking closely at them, one would find they held much more depth than before.

The awakened Han Li did not sit up immediately. Instead, with a complex expression, he raised his palm, looked at it several times, clenched it suddenly with force, and then slowly released it with a sigh.

"Han Li, congratulations on successfully condensing seven souls."

At this moment, a voice rang out as Elder Xiao appeared before Han Li to congratulate him.

"Elder Xiao, where is this place? Why does it feel different from the Spirit Realm from before?" Han Li looked at Elder Xiao and asked, casting aside his stray thoughts.

His Divine Sense was incredibly powerful now. After his successful Nascent Soul formation, he discovered that the region where his Immortal Cave was located was vastly different from the original Spirit Realm.

"This is a place called the Fighting Qi Continent. it is where the Heavenly Emperor first began his cultivation, but it has undergone massive changes now. Furthermore, the Heavenly Emperor has left one final Legacy for you here, which you must find for yourself." Elder Xiao was not surprised by Han Li's discovery and spoke to explain.

"To actually designate a specific place to house a Legacy... it seems the weight of this Legacy is very significant..." Han Li secretly speculated in his heart.

"Alright, the rest depends on you. Remember, I will only appear when you encounter a predicament you cannot resolve. There is no need to call for me at other times." Seeing that Han Li understood, Elder Xiao gave his instructions.

"Understood, Elder Xiao." Han Li nodded in response.

Looking at the much more steady Han Li, Elder Xiao sighed inwardly. If not for the pressure of the situation, they wouldn't have had to place all the weight on Han Li alone.

The three thousand Clones, including Elder Xiao, all had weird energy lurking within them. Only Han Li was unique; as a Clone of Xiao Yan, he did not have a trace of infection.

If anyone had the best hope of completing the heavy burden of completely eliminating the gray mist, it was Han Li.

As for the other three thousand Clones, they were merely a minimum safeguard. Even if they became Dao Ancestors, they would likely only be able to suppress the gray mist rather than eliminate it.

"Han Li, the Fighting Qi Continent is tainted with the Heavenly Emperor's aura and is most prone to outbreaks of the weird. Therefore, remember to be careful in everything." Elder Xiao gave Han Li a deep look and one final instruction before disappearing from before him.

Seeing Elder Xiao vanish, Han Li was already accustomed to it. Standing in the Immortal Cave, he started to spread his Divine Sense outward, but suddenly remembering Elder Xiao's warning, he withdrew it.

The weird energy was incredibly terrifying. If his Divine Sense happened to encounter a weird outbreak while being released and became infected, the joke would be on him.

"There's no rush to go out. The priority is to unlock the Heavenly Flames again to increase my strength." Han Li entered his Sea of Consciousness and approached the Heavenly Flame Legacy once more.

Looking at the lotus flower emitting a magnificent light, Han Li raised his hand, and a purplish-brown flame lotus seed flew out from it, landing in his hand.

As soon as the purplish-brown lotus seed touched his palm, it merged directly into it. Simultaneously, in the outside world, Han Li snapped his eyes open as the familiar blood scabs appeared again, this time covering his entire body.

"Again..." Feeling the sudden onset of intense pain within his body, Han Li was not as overwhelmed as before. He only gave a muffled groan and closed his eyes to begin actively refining the Heavenly Flame.

Even though the lotus seed itself had an effect that aided refining, this process still lasted for a full hour.

"The number of Heavenly Flames this time is actually thirty-six types!" When the refining was complete, Han Li opened his eyes and exclaimed in surprise.

These thirty-six types of Heavenly Flames were not only more powerful than before but also came with special effects, including the three abilities of healing injuries, tempering magic power, and strengthening the Divine Soul.

"Controlling Fire Spirits now, I can conservatively manage twelve of them." Han Li looked at the thirty-six different types of Heavenly Flames dancing above his head. With a flick of his palm, another twelve streaks of Heavenly Flame surged out, joining the ranks of the flames dancing in the air.

Under Han Li's control, these forty-eight types of Heavenly Flames merged together, constructing Fire Flood Dragons that chased each other in the air with bared fangs and claws. The mountain walls continuously melted, forming a massive hollow.

Only when the thirteenth Fire Flood Dragon was formed did Han Li stop his hand seals.

"Thirteen dragons, not bad, not bad." Han Li was not surprised; thirteen Fire Spirits were exactly as he had predicted. If his Divine Soul grew a bit stronger, he should be able to control a fourteenth.

One should not underestimate a single Fire Flood Dragon. Each of them possessed strength comparable to the Void Refining stage. If they combined, even a Cultivator at the Late Stage of Void Refining would likely need to avoid their sharp edge.

At this time, Han Li's Realm also rose directly to Nascent Soul Perfection as he devoured the Heavenly Flame energy. Combined with the fact that he had already achieved the Fusion of the Five Elements, he was now only one step away—as long as he underwent the Heavenly Tribulation, he could directly step into the Soul Transformation Stage!

However, Han Li also had doubts. He sensed an aura in this region that was different from the Spirit Realm. Even the worldly energy floating in the air was quite mixed and required careful refining before it could be absorbed. Therefore, was there still a Heavenly Tribulation here?

But he couldn't figure this out; he would only know after trying it himself.

As for the mottled worldly energy, it was fortunate that the Heavenly Flames could actively refine it. Otherwise, according to his original refining speed, it would likely fall short of his daily cultivation needs.

A scorched smell wafted toward him. Han Li looked at the massive Fire Flood Dragons in the sky and frowned.

The original mountain had been completely incinerated. The surrounding scene entered Han Li's view: behind him was a vast mountain range, and before him was a massive canyon. Beyond the canyon, Han Li could also see an endless plain in the distance.

Rustle...

Han Li withdrew the Fire Spirits and walked slowly along a small path toward the distant canyon.

Some battles had clearly occurred at the canyon, leaving behind severed limbs and bloodstains. The further Han Li walked inside, the more he frowned; the smell of blood here was far too strong.

When Han Li reached the canyon entrance, he saw a green energy cage high in the distant sky. He could vaguely see the figure of an old man inside.

Seeing this, Han Li's figure blurred, and in a few leaps, he arrived before the green cage.

Trapped inside was a green-haired old man. He was curled up in a corner of the cage, thin as a rail, with a pair of glowing green eyes set deep in his sockets, looking terrifying at first glance.

As if sensing Han Li's gaze, the old man suddenly turned his head and stared fixedly at Han Li.

Seeing this eerie scene, Han Li felt his hair stand on end. Even through this green prison, he could see an intense desire for death in those eyes!

This desire for death was a far cry from what Han Li had expected. Upon reflection, Han Li understood that the old man had likely been trapped in the cage for much longer than he imagined.

"Who are you? Why are you trapped here?"

Han Li tried to communicate, but after a long time, the old man in the cage still showed no reaction. He simply stared at Han Li, silent, his eyes revealing emotions Han Li could not understand.

It seemed to be pain, yet also regret or even repentance...

"This method is quite cruel; I wonder who did it." Seeing that communication was futile, Han Li no longer lingered and prepared to leave the place.

"Do you not even know of Heavenly Emperor Shangyan?" A cold voice suddenly rang out from the canyon exit, making Han Li look over sharply.

This was a beautiful woman with golden hair. Her lips were red as fire and her skin was incredibly fair, but her beautiful azure eyes revealed a deep exhaustion, as if she had been through something.

However, what surprised Han Li the most were the flawless white wings on the woman's back.

"Are you a member of the Flying Spirit Tribe?" Han Li looked at the woman and asked tentatively.

In the Spirit Realm, there were many foreign races with wings, and the Flying Spirit Tribe was among the most powerful. Although Han Li had never seen one, he guessed as much, especially since the woman's aura was unfathomable.

"Flying Spirit Tribe? I have never heard of it. I am Jia Lan, the guardian of the Shati Tribe of the Barbarians. And who are you? Why have you come here?" The beautiful woman named Jia Lan asked, her beautiful eyes looking at Han Li.