"What big news? I just came out of closed-door cultivation not long ago. Tell me about it!" Han Li said with an indifferent expression.
"Since the senior asks, we naturally answer truthfully. However, may I ask the senior's honorable name?" The old man asked cautiously, hands hanging at his sides.
Hearing this, Han Li was a little surprised. But after tilting his head in thought for a moment, he said with a half-smile: "Seems like you're quite careful. I'm a guest elder of the Clear Sound Hall, surnamed Han. Have you heard of me?"
"So it's Elder Han of the Clear Sound Hall — that makes you practically one of us! Our sect's Snow Flute Fairy and your sect master, Fairy Purple Spirit, are the closest of friends! Our two sects have always been on good terms." Upon hearing Han Li identify himself, the old man let out a long sigh of relief and broke into a broad smile.
Seeing the old man adopt this familiar, we're-all-family expression, Han Li was momentarily stunned, then let out an amused chuckle.
His laughter, however, made the old man's expression stiffen, and he grew somewhat uneasy.
"Did I say something wrong?" the old man thought suspiciously.
"I've never involved myself in sect affairs, and I don't care whether what you're saying is true or false. Just answer my questions properly, and I won't trouble you without reason. Now tell me what's going on. What exactly has happened recently?" Han Li said, his smile vanishing.
"How could I possibly deceive the senior? Every word I said before was the truth. It's like this." The old man accompanied his words with an obsequious grin, nearly ready to swear an oath. But under Han Li's cold gaze, he immediately launched into his account.
"A while ago, a rumor suddenly spread through the Scattered Star Seas — that the Twin Stars of Heavenly Star had achieved great completion of their Cosmic Magnetic Divine Light and were about to emerge from seclusion. And that the Star Palace intended to use this opportunity to start purging some forces that were disobedient or beyond their control. At first, most people assumed it was just another round of baseless rumors. But who would have thought that mere days after the rumor began circulating, the Star Palace actually issued 'Heavenly Star Commands' to all forces, big and small. Every sect leader and island master was required to go to Heavenly Star City and pay respects to the Twin Stars of Heavenly Star upon receiving the command, otherwise they would be annihilated under the charge of showing disrespect to the Star Palace." The old man explained in detail.
"Make all forces pay respects to the Twin Stars of Heavenly Star? Could they really make such a blunder? The Star Palace would issue a command that's obviously bound to provoke backlash?" Han Li narrowed his eyes, somewhat disbelieving.
"Exactly. When the Heavenly Star Command reached everyone's hands, most people were stunned! If the Star Palace were at the height of its power, such a command wouldn't be so strange. But now, the Righteous and Demonic factions are no weaker than them, so this move is truly puzzling." The old man also wore a bitter smile as he spoke.
"Then the cultivators I've been encountering along the way — are they all heading to pay respects to the Twin Stars of Heavenly Star?" Han Li looked the group over once more and asked with a frown.
"That's… hard to say!" The old man's expression grew hesitant, and his answer was evasive.
"Hard to say? What do you mean?" A flash of surprise crossed Han Li's face, and he asked curiously.
"Senior, there's more I haven't finished telling you. Shortly after the Star Palace issued the Heavenly Star Command, the Righteous and Demonic factions suddenly announced a joint alliance, establishing an organization called the 'Against-Stars Alliance,' proclaiming their intent to shatter the Star Palace's hegemony over the Scattered Star Seas and bring an end to its rule for good. The Grand Protector of the Righteous faction's Myriad Arts Gate, Wan Sangu, and the current foremost figure of the Demonic faction, 'Saint Extreme of the Six Paths,' were simultaneously appointed as the two great leaders of the Against-Stars Alliance. Once the Alliance was established, a multitude of sects and organizations from both the Righteous and Demonic factions rushed to join. Many other forces also rallied to their banner, and over a dozen rogue cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage merged into its ranks, taking on the roles of elders. And this Against-Stars Alliance, copying the Star Palace's own methods, also issued a kind of token to other forces called the 'Against-Stars Command.' They declared that any force which sent representatives to pay respects to the Twin Stars of Heavenly Star would automatically become the enemy of the Against-Stars Alliance and be shown no mercy. Moreover, they proclaimed that they would attack Star City in the near future, and other forces were free to come and observe, in order to make their stance known." The old man wore a helpless expression.
Hearing all this, Han Li maintained a composed exterior, but inwardly he was thunderstruck.
Such a monumental event had occurred during the short time he was trapped in the Void Heaven Palace — it was completely beyond his expectations!
For a moment, Han Li's mind was in turmoil.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. He looked at the old man and asked calmly: "What does this Against-Stars Command look like? Do you have one on you?"
"Our sect did receive one. But it's with the sect master. However, I did copy the appearance of the token onto a jade slip. Would the senior like to see it?" The old man was momentarily taken aback, then quickly offered in a fawning tone.
"Mm, let me see it." Han Li nodded with a cold expression.
Hearing this, the old man immediately turned his storage pouch inside out, produced a yellow jade slip, and presented it to Han Li with both hands, not daring to show any negligence.
Han Li accepted it without ceremony, swiftly probed it with his spiritual sense, and his expression shifted slightly!
It was identical in every way to the ghost-faced token that the elder of the Six Linked Hall had shown to Wu Chou that day. Though the outer appearance had been slightly modified, it clearly originated from the same source.
So the Righteous and Demonic factions had been secretly colluding for a long time, carefully infiltrating and planting spies within other forces many years ago.
Han Li was shocked inwardly, but on the surface he returned the jade slip to the old man with an expressionless face.