Such tiny runes absolutely could not have been refined by the current Tiannan cultivation world. It seemed this was yet another rare ancient treasure!
Han Li thought to himself as a flash of silver light flickered between his fingers, and he put the two silver chains away first.
He planned to wait for a future opportunity to see whether he could restore these chains and test their power once more.
After putting away the silver chains, Han Li lowered his gaze to the hideous corpse of the Corpse Xiao.
His expression darkened slightly. He flicked his finger, and ten strands of green silk shot out, piercing into various parts of the Corpse Xiao's body. Han Li began to examine it in detail.
After a long while, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.
Apart from the missing arm, this Corpse Xiao's body was practically perfect for corpse refinement. Not only was its physical form extraordinarily tough—ordinary magic treasures could barely scratch it—but the corpse fire and corpse poison nurtured within its body were truly formidable substances. If even a trace of them touched a cultivator, that person would die immediately.
However, looking at the Corpse Xiao's missing arm, Han Li's thoughts shifted and he fell into contemplation.
Suddenly, he patted the spirit beast pouch at his waist, and a swarm of tricolored Gold Devouring Beetles surged forth. After circling above his head once, their buzzing grew deafening.
Han Li raised his hand and sent a spell seal toward them.
Instantly, under the impetus of his spiritual sense, the Gold Devouring Beetles flew in a mass toward the Corpse Xiao's missing arm. There, they began to cluster and reshape.
Moments later, a smooth, tricolored arm had formed in their place. Apart from the color and the absence of green fur, it was identical to the other arm.
Han Li allowed himself a faint smile, a measure of satisfaction showing on his face.
Next, he produced several stacks of formation flags and formation plates from his storage pouch, then unhurriedly began to set up an extraordinarily mysterious formation within this stone chamber…
…
He remained within the mountain's interior for over two months. When Han Li finally reappeared in the cave of the Mother-Child Peaks, his complexion was deathly pale, as though he had suffered a considerable loss of vital essence.
After calling out Silvermoon, he entered seclusion in the sealed chamber once more without another word. He made no further mention of the Corpse Xiao.
Another month passed before the door to the seclusion chamber opened again. Han Li emerged, his expression calm and composed.
"Master, the Six-Winged Frost Centipedes in the insect chamber have begun laying eggs." Silvermoon, who had been waiting outside all along, immediately said with a respectful bow as soon as Han Li stepped out.
"Eggs? Let me see." Han Li paused for a moment, then a pleased look surfaced on his face.
He strode toward the insect chamber, Silvermoon following gracefully in his wake.
Even from outside the chamber's restriction barrier, Han Li could see everything inside with perfect clarity.
The Six-Winged Frost Centipedes had advanced once more through mutual devouring since Liu Yu had originally delivered them. Their bodies had grown nearly half again in size, and the frigid qi they sprayed was far more powerful than before.
Though it still couldn't compare to Han Li's Qianlan Ice Flames, for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it would absolutely be a lethal threat.
Of course, the Purple Profound Heavenly Fire that Han Li had cultivated by fusing this frigid qi had also grown somewhat in power.
The centipede eggs lay in the very center of the insect chamber—pitch-black and gleaming, each the size of a fist, frozen inside a shimmering block of ice roughly a zhang across, emanating wisps of cold air.
This was clearly the work of the Six-Winged Frost Centipede itself, which had sprayed frigid qi over the eggs after laying them.
Han Li's gaze swept across the chamber. The several enormous centipedes within seemed to sense something; they raised their heads and hissed several times toward the stone door in a threatening display.
Han Li's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes settled on the eggs, and he studied them with meticulous care.
"There are twenty-four centipede eggs—more than enough. Silvermoon, notify my In-Name Disciple to come. She may collect her spirit insects now." After confirming the number of eggs, Han Li nodded and gave his instructions with satisfaction.
"Yes. I'll send a voice transmission talisman right away." Silvermoon agreed at once, then produced a talisman from within her robes, whispered a few words over it, and released it.
The talisman transformed into a streak of red light in midair and shot away at once.
After examining the centipede eggs, Han Li also stopped by the adjacent chamber to check on the Gold Devouring Beetles.
Since he had recently devoted most of the Green Liquid to the Six-Winged Frost Centipedes, he hadn't observed these beetles—selected from purely gold Gold Devouring Beetles—for quite some time.
The beetles in the chamber were unchanged from before, clustered together into a massive golden sphere that hung inverted from a spirit tree Han Li had specifically transplanted inside for them.
Though he had anticipated as much, Han Li still furrowed his brow after looking them over.
These beetles should become fully mature after one more evolution. Even with the help of the Neon Robe Grass to catalyze the process, the length of their evolution at this stage would be enough to make anyone gasp.
Han Li had never expected that in just a few short decades, these Gold Devouring Beetles would complete their final advancement.
"Silvermoon, how is the Profound Heaven Immortal Vine? After several months, we should be able to tell whether that section of root still has any hope." As Han Li withdrew his gaze from the insect chamber, he suddenly asked about this matter.