Chapter 725: Jade Talisman

When Ancestor Linghu heard Han Li’s response, he frowned and didn’t speak for a time. Instead, he slowly raised the tea cup and took a sip.

He then said, “Fellow Daoist Han, this is obvious to me, but I am very much unlike you. I’ve spent over a thousand years overseeing Yellow Maple Valley and I’ve grown extremely attached to it. I don’t wish for its legacy to be severed once I die. It seems Fellow Daoist has little interest in fame or profit. However, if Fellow Daoist is willing to succeed the position as the grand elder of Yellow Maple Valley, I am willing to present my own riches to you, the treasures that I have collected over many years. They will be greatly useful to your future cultivation.”

After a moment of shock, Han Li narrowed his eyes and asked, “You will leave your inheritance to me? If I recall correctly, you should have personal disciples!”

Ancestor Linghu coldly smiled. “Among my disciples, the highest only holds mid Core Formation stage cultivation. If I leave my inheritance with them, it will only invite calamity. Even if Fellow Daoist doesn’t accept, I will not be leaving the majority of my treasures to the sect.”

Han Li rubbed his chin and pondered.

To tell the truth, Han Li felt some temptation by Ancestor Linghu’s words. However, he clearly understood that if he were to accept the position as a Yellow Maple Valley elder, he would likely have to face many problems within the Six Sects of Yue and the Nine Nations Union — matters that would settle for quite some time.

Furthermore, he would have more authority as the sole elder of Yellow Maple Valley, but conversely, he would be sacrificing the freedoms that he had with the Drifting Cloud Sect. More importantly was the problem he would have when he faced the Masked Moon Sect.

After a long moment of thought, Han Li shook his head. “Many thanks for your kind offer. However, I feel that this matter shouldn’t be mentioned any further.”

Ancestor Linghu wasn’t angered upon hearing this — rather, his face only revealed helplessness.

Ancestor Linghu sighed and said, “Since you’ve refused these conditions, it seems Fellow Daoist Han is unwilling to be involved with the Six Sects of Yue. If that’s the case, I have another proposal.”

Han Li’s expression stirred with curiosity. “Another proposal?”

Ancestor Linghu bitterly smiled. “Since Fellow Daoist doesn’t wish to be an elder of Yellow Maple Valley, how about I give you three treasures in exchange for three requests for help from Yellow Maple Valley? Of course, these requests will be within your capabilities.”

After a moment of thought, Han Li quickly nodded his head. “Three requests within my capabilities? I can accept those conditions.”

Ancestor Linghu wore a faint smile on his face and placed three items on the table. It seemed he had prepared them beforehand.

Without another word, Han Li’s eyes wandered onto the three items on the table. There was a small shiny blue shield, a red jade bottle, and a jet-black jade pendant.

Showing no restraint, he grabbed onto the small blue shield. When the small shield entered his grasp, it grew soft and light as if nothing was there. He examined it more thoroughly in surprise, still not knowing what it was refined from.

Ancestor Linghu glanced at the blue shield with reluctance. “This is an ancient treasure I acquired in my youth. It has accompanied me for a long while. I simply call it the Bluelight Shield. Its abilities are powerful, particularly with regards at resisting fire-attribute attacks. You will find this to be true when you test it.”

Han Li stroked the shield for a moment before returning it to the table. From how strange the treasure appeared, Ancestor Linghu’s words should hold true. He then grabbed onto the red jade bottle.

“In the past, I snuck deep into the Moulan Plains and exterminated a grade-seven Ironwing Demon Beast. That bottle contains its core — an incredibly rare material. It will have no shortage of uses.”

‘A grade seven demon core?’ Han Li inwardly sighed but he displayed no change in expression. Although grade-seven demon cores were extremely rare items in the Heavenly South, they were of little value to him.

As a result, he smiled and opened the medicine bottle. After taking a glance at it, he put it back in its original location. His eyes then turned to the last item on the table. This time, Ancestor Linghu simply wore a strange smile instead of taking the initiative to introduce it.

Han Li’s gaze silently wandered around the jade pendant.

After pondering for a spell, Han Li doubtfully asked, “This jade talisman was something that was refined by ancient cultivators?”

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

A trace of surprise appeared on Ancestor Linghu’s face. He curiously asked, “Fellow Daoist Han has seen a jade talisman before? According to what I know, these talismans were unique even during times of antiquity. They should’ve vanished in the Heavenly South, and even fewer cultivators of this land should know of them.”

Han Li smiled. “I merely encountered a fellow Daoist that happened to know of these things. I heard of it from them.”

Ancestor Linghu glanced at the black jade talisman on the table and said, “This jade talisman was something that I had risked my life to obtain. It is definitely valuable. Although I still haven’t managed to grasp the proper way to use it and can only use a fraction of its abilities, the jade talisman’s abilities are shocking. I’ve used it several times to strike down enemies. It should be a quality item that was meticulously created by an ancient cultivator specializing in talismans.”

Ancestor Linghu summoned the talisman into his hand and chanted an ancient and obscure incantation with muffled voice, transforming the jade talisman into a ball of black light. A bone-chilling Yin wind then blew past him, forming a demonic black-red hand above Ancestor Linghu’s head.

This demonic hand shined with black-red light and was over a meter wide. Not only did it occasionally flicker with Yin flames, it also carried an indescribable, eerie Qi that filled with entire teahouse with its appearance.

Han Li’s heart trembled upon seeing it.

“After I acquired this jade talisman, I spent several hundreds of years studying it before managing to use this single divine ability. Unless this Profound Ghosthand is attacked by a Yang-type treasure, it will be nearly invulnerable. As for any magic or ancient treasures it may hold, their abilities will immediately diminish and they will obediently stay captured. Even top-grade treasures will have their might and spirituality reduced.”

As Ancestor Linghu spoke, he willed the large black hand to swell several times in size and grab a nearby table.

Black Yin flame silently swept past the wooden table and instantly consumed it, leaving not even ash behind.

Han Li felt his breath turn cold at the sight.

This hand appeared like a profound Devil Dao ability to attack with manifested spiritual sense, but since the black hand originated from the jade talisman, there was no fear of any backlash from any harm the spiritual sense may experience. As for the strange Yin fire, that should be an different divine ability.

“This jade talisman is certain to possess other divine abilities. Unfortunately, I don’t have much time yet and I don’t have many more opportunities to discover its secrets. On the contrary, Fellow Daoist Han still has much time to unlock its secrets. However, a majority of its power has already been consumed. You had best use it cautiously.” Ancestor Linghu then pointed to the black hand and had it turn back into a ball of black light before flying back to the table in the form of a jade talisman.

Han Li’s wore a smile, but he was very much interested in the jade talisman. Even if the talisman wasn’t as powerful as Ancestor Linghu had described, he would be able to learn much of the ancient cultivator talisman techniques from the jade talisman itself. It would prove to be of great assistance to him.

Once Ancestor Linghu finished presenting the items, he swept his sleeve across the table and the three items disappeared, leaving three white translucent white jade discs in their place.

Han Li turned his eyes towards Ancestor Linghu and calmly said, “These formation disks are magic tools that I have personally refined. They are incapable of being replicated. After you die, I will not decline a request that Yellow Maple Valley makes of me.”

Ancestor Linghu smiled and said, “Good. With these words, I will be able to continue onto other matters.”

Now that the matter was finished, Han Li took his leave as he had no further business there. Ancestor Linghu didn’t offer much resistance and simply spoke a few polite words as he watched Han Li walk away.

Once Ancestor Linghu was alone, his smile faded and he stared at the table, deep in thought.

Han Li didn’t immediately return to his residence once he left the teahouse. Instead, he glanced at the sky and found a remote area before taking out the jade slip that the Heavenpeak Sect elder had given him. After carefully reading it with his spiritual sense, he wore a hesitant expression.