"The Void Heaven Palace!"
Han Li cried out inwardly, shock flooding his heart.
These three white jade palaces, aside from their differing sizes, were identical in style to the Void Heaven Palace that had appeared in the Scattered Star Seas.
They were similarly crafted from flawless white jade, exquisitely ornate to the extreme, radiating a faint luminous glow. However, compared to the palace that had once floated in the void, these three great halls were only about one-third the size.
Han Li forced down his astonishment and stared once more, finally confirming that he had not been mistaken.
The three halls definitely had some connection to the Void Heaven Palace. But above their gates, the space was bare—not a single name plaque hung there.
Han Li's eye twitched, but he remarked casually to the cultivator surnamed Ren,
"So this is the inner palace of the Minor Extreme Palace? Truly a spiritual land of the mortal world. But these three great halls seem rather old—I wonder why they share the same style. There must be some history behind them!"
"Fellow Daoist speaks of the Void Spirit Halls. These three halls have existed since the very founding of our palace. They were supposedly constructed by our founding ancestor and several close friends using tremendous magical power, and they hold considerable wonders within." The cultivator surnamed Ren glanced at the three halls and answered offhandedly.
"Void Spirit Halls?" Han Li murmured, a strange glint flickering through his eyes.
"What's this? Brother Han is interested in them? I'm afraid that unless a major event occurs, these three halls remain sealed at all times. Only when more than half of the Elders unanimously agree can the Void Spirit Halls be opened. As for the reasons behind this, I'm afraid I cannot divulge them." Seeing Han Li's apparent interest, the cultivator surnamed Ren smiled mysteriously.
Seeing the other's expression, Han Li chuckled and refrained from asking further.
To press any harder would amount to prying into another sect's secrets—a grave taboo.
Moreover, even if the three halls truly had some connection to the Void Heaven Palace, it had nothing to do with him. The Void Heaven Cauldron, the most important treasure of the Void Heaven Palace, was already in his possession.
"Fellow Daoist Han, please follow me. The White Condensation Pavilion is over there. It seems Sister Bai thinks very highly of you—that pavilion is where she specially receives her closest friends. It's quite elegant and secluded." The cultivator surnamed Ren seemed to know a great deal about Bai Yaoyi's affairs.
"Is that so! I'm truly flattered!" Han Li smiled faintly.
The cultivator surnamed Ren chuckled and led Han Li toward the mountain cliff to one side, finally alighting before a pavilion.
The structure had three stories, each over ten zhang tall, built entirely of emerald-green timber, with more than half embedded into the cliff face. Above the pavilion's entrance hung a pale yellow plaque inscribed with three silver characters: "White Condensation Pavilion."
The moment Han Li's feet touched the ground, a woman in white robes emerged from within the pavilion.
"Disciple greets Grand-Uncle-Master Ren! And this must be Senior Han?" The elegant-faced woman was momentarily stunned to see the cultivator surnamed Ren arrive with Han Li, but quickly spoke with deference.
"That's right. Is Fairy Bai inside?" Han Li asked calmly.
"Master has just emerged from seclusion and is stabilizing her magical power within the pavilion. She specifically sent this disciple to welcome Senior Han. Please don't take offense, Senior!" The beautiful woman stepped aside to clear the path, but made no move to invite the cultivator surnamed Ren inside.
"Niece Yan, I need to see your master. I have something to say to her." The cultivator surnamed Ren spoke without hesitation.
"Grand-Uncle-Master Ren, this puts your niece in a difficult position. As you know, Master has long instructed that she does not wish to see Grand-Uncle-Master again. Last time, Junior Sister Gong let you in to see her, and she was severely punished afterward." The beautiful woman did not seem surprised, but smiled bitterly upon hearing this, her face full of distress.
"This time is different. I've come accompanying Brother Han. Surely your master wouldn't refuse to see Brother Han as well?" The cultivator surnamed Ren's face flushed, but after rolling his eyes, he seized upon Han Li's name as his banner.
Han Li, listening from the side, was taken aback. His mouth twitched, but he said nothing.
"Well..." The beautiful woman showed a look of hesitation.
"Yan'er, let your Grand-Uncle-Master Ren come in. I'll see him one more time." A pleasant woman's voice suddenly drifted down from the upper story of the pavilion—it was indeed Bai Yaoyi's voice.
"As you command! Grand-Uncle-Master Ren, please come in." The beautiful woman's expression relaxed. She stepped further to the side, no longer blocking Ren Bi's path.
Hearing Bai Yaoyi's voice transmission, the cultivator surnamed Ren's face lit up with joy. He immediately began moving his lips to send a voice transmission back, seemingly eager to converse with Bai Yaoyi right there outside the pavilion.
"Senior Brother Ren Bi, whatever you have to say, let's discuss it inside the pavilion. Leaving Fellow Daoist Han standing outside like this wouldn't reflect well on our Minor Extreme Palace, now would it?" Bai Yaoyi's light, detached voice came again, without the slightest hint of wanting to avoid Han Li's presence.
Han Li stroked his chin at these words and smiled without a word.
"That was indeed my oversight. Brother Han, let's go inside and talk." The cultivator surnamed Ren was taken aback, then said to Han Li with an embarrassing look.
"Not at all! Brother Ren strikes me as a man of genuine feeling!" Han Li replied with a smile.