While Wei Wuya was casually discussing Han Li with Supreme Yang inside the grand hall, Han Li himself had already reached the main entrance.
To his surprise, the moment he stepped outside, he spotted Dong Xuan'er standing there.
She had emerged from the side hall at some unknown point and was standing with her head slightly lowered, seemingly lost in thought.
The guards at the gate, knowing she had come with the Cloud Dew Old Monster, naturally turned a blind eye and left her standing outside without bothering her.
When Han Li came out, Dong Xuan'er seemed to sense his presence and raised her head to look.
Upon seeing it was Han Li, a strange expression crossed her face—part flustered, part tinged with jealousy.
This left Han Li somewhat puzzled.
A flicker of wariness crossed his mind, but Han Li had nothing to say to the woman. He walked past as though she weren't there, strolling leisurely down the distant street.
Dong Xuan'er remained rooted to the spot, gently biting her red lip as she watched Han Li's retreating figure, not saying a word.
Only after turning a corner did the gaze at his back finally disappear. Han Li furrowed his brows slightly and shook his head.
"Master, you know that female cultivator?" Silver Moon's puzzled voice echoed in his mind.
"An old acquaintance from years past. We didn't exactly get along, though," Han Li replied offhandedly.
"Is that so? But judging by her expression, it seems like there's more to it than that. Could she be someone from your past who—" Silver Moon giggled as she trailed off, deliberately leaving the rest unsaid.
"Stop guessing. I don't have a favorable impression of her at all—in fact, we were once enemies." Han Li seemed somewhat annoyed and let out a cold snort.
Silver Moon sent him a cheeky face through their mental link and then, knowing when to quit, fell silent.
Ever since the day Han Li had saved Silver Moon and refrained from pressing her about the loss of her Purple Cheng Purse and the Lan ancient treasure, she had grown noticeably closer to him.
She still didn't dare be too forward, but she had clearly begun to open her heart to him.
Han Li had naturally sensed this as well and had come to trust her far more in return. Their relationship had improved considerably compared to the beginning.
…
After returning to the Falling Cloud Sect's residence, Han Li briefly filled Lu Luo in on the discussions that had taken place in the grand hall.
"Junior Brother, why take such a risk in a wager battle? That Geng Metal may be rare, but it's ultimately an external possession. If something were to happen to you, what would we do!" Upon hearing that Han Li intended to participate in the wager battle, Lu Luo's expression immediately turned worried.
Han Li smiled faintly and said in a relaxed tone: "Senior Brother Lu, rest easy. If I'm willing to participate in the wager battle, I naturally have eight or nine chances in ten of getting out unscathed. Otherwise, why would I agree so readily? The real concern is the great battle seven days from now—during the fight, I won't be able to watch over the other disciples. That'll have to rely entirely on you, Senior Brother."
"In a few days, when the battle comes, I'll look after our disciples myself. Junior Brother, don't worry about that. Since you have such confidence about the wager battle, I won't say any more. But before the fight, if there's anything you need, just have the disciples handle it." Only after hearing Han Li's words did Lu Luo's expression ease somewhat.
Han Li chuckled, but after a moment's thought, spoke slowly: "For this battle, I do need to make some preparations. There are some special materials I'll need a few of our martial nephews to help me gather."
Han Li didn't stand on ceremony and promptly produced a jade slip he had prepared earlier from his storage pouch, handing it to Lu Luo.
"Rest assured—as long as the materials can be found in Heavenly Will City, I'll make sure to gather every last one for you." Taking the jade slip, Lu Luo spoke without the slightest hesitation.
Han Li felt a slight warmth in his chest. He nodded, exchanged a few more words, and then took his leave.
The materials recorded in the jade slip he had given to Lu Luo were the auxiliary ingredients needed to refine the Spirit Descending Talisman.
He had already thought this through on the way back to the residence.
While he felt confident that his current abilities were more than sufficient for the wager battle, having always been cautious by nature, he still felt he should have an extra card up his sleeve.
And so he immediately thought of the Spirit Descending Talisman.
It was the only powerful killing move he could prepare within a few days. Everything else—reforging his flying swords, mastering the Great Geng Sword Formation—simply couldn't be accomplished in a matter of days.
The only thing that gave Han Li some pause was the success rate of refining the Spirit Descending Talisman.
Originally, he had wanted to find a satisfactory spirit-talisman brush, practice his talisman-crafting for a while longer, and only then attempt to refine the Spirit Descending Talisman.
But it was clear now—there simply wasn't enough time.
Even if the success rate was somewhat lower, he would have to give it a try. If it succeeded, he'd gain an additional killing move. If it failed, it wouldn't matter much anyway.
After all, in just a few days, no amount of other preparation could meaningfully increase his strength.
With these thoughts, Han Li calmly made his way to the pavilion where he was staying.
After entering the bedroom, he sat cross-legged on the bed, and before long, settled into meditation and closed his eyes.
…
As it turned out, the Falling Cloud Sect disciples moved remarkably quickly. In just two days, all the materials Han Li needed were gathered and delivered into his hands.
Han Li was secretly pleased.