Uncle-Master Wang had Han Li step onto a leaf-shaped flying treasure, and after flying for roughly an hour, they landed on a lush, verdant mountain ridge, descending into a dense cluster of flat-roofed houses. These simple dwellings, constructed from ordinary mountain stone, were crude beyond measure, and not a single soul could be seen anywhere in the entire compound—it seemed they were all empty. This left Han Li somewhat puzzled.
"Don't be surprised. These houses really are all empty. This area was originally meant for newly admitted disciples to live in. Once their magical power had developed somewhat, they would move elsewhere. Right now, we're in the middle of a ten-year rotation cycle—the new disciples haven't been admitted yet, so the houses are temporarily vacant." Uncle-Master Wang, sensing Han Li's confusion, explained in a casual tone. Only then did Han Li understand.
Uncle-Master Wang led Han Li through a dizzying series of twists and turns among the houses, spinning him around until he was thoroughly disoriented, before finally stopping in front of a building far larger than the ordinary stone houses. Without offering Han Li any explanation, he called out in a loud voice:
"Junior Brother Lin, open up! I've brought a new disciple here to collect his supplies!"
The moment Uncle-Master Wang's words fell, the door burst open outward with a whoosh, all on its own. Seeing this, Uncle-Master Wang walked straight inside without a moment's hesitation. Han Li hesitated briefly, then followed him in.
The interior of the room was even more spacious than it had appeared from the outside—noticeably so, in fact—which left Han Li quietly marveling, wondering what kind of trick had been applied to the space.
As for the actual state of the room, one word summed it up in Han Li's mind: "chaos."
All manner of miscellaneous items lay strewn about in scattered piles—clothing here, swords and blades there. Though from the spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the weapons, they were actually quite well-crafted magical treasures.
Beyond these, the room also contained everyday tools like shovels and hammers, which were similarly suffused with spiritual energy. They too had been refined into objects resembling magical treasures, opening Han Li's eyes to a whole new world. He simply had no idea what wondrous effects these tools might have when put to use.
In the very center of the room stood a square Eight Immortals Table. Behind the table, facing the door, sat an elderly man in gray robes with disheveled hair. The old man paid no attention to the two who had entered; instead, he was completely absorbed in carving a palm-sized piece of yellow wood with a small, glimmering knife.
Uncle-Master Wang furrowed his brow slightly at this, but his expression quickly returned to normal. Rather than disturbing the old man's work, he pulled a chair over from a corner of the room, sat down across from the old man, and quietly waited for him to finish carving.
Han Li observed all of this, blinked a few times, then stood silently behind Uncle-Master Wang, wisely waiting alongside him.
The gray-robed elder's hands moved as if flying, wood shavings cascading from between his fingers. After no more than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a lifelike little monkey appeared in his palm.
"Junior Brother Lin, your carving skill has improved considerably since the last time I saw it!" Uncle-Master Wang smiled and offered his praise.
"It's nothing—I was just idle, passing the time. But what brings Senior Brother Wang to this humble dwelling of mine?" The gray-robed elder waved it off, though his eyes had already drifted toward Han Li, apparently having guessed the purpose of their visit.
"Nothing major. I'm just here to collect some personal items for a newly admitted disciple of the valley, and to outfit this Junior Nephew Han with his supplies." He smiled as he spoke.
"The new disciples from this year's Ascension Assembly have already collected their supplies, haven't they? How did another one show up? And his aptitude is far too poor! Has our Sect Master Zhong's standards really dropped so low that he's admitting even this kind of mediocrity into the valley?" The gray-robed elder showed no courtesy whatsoever, tearing Han Li apart right to his face and making it clear from his tone that he didn't hold much respect for Sect Master Zhong, either.
Hearing these words, Han Li was naturally extremely embarrassed, and Uncle-Master Wang could only manage a helpless, bitter smile.
He knew that because of that business from years ago, this Junior Brother Lin had harbored lingering resentment toward their current Sect Master. But how could he possibly pick up on this topic in front of a junior like Han Li?
So he could only clear his throat a few times and steer the conversation elsewhere.
"Junior Brother, this Junior Nephew Han was brought here with an Ascension Token, to join our Yellow Maple Valley. He was admitted as an exceptional case, so his aptitude is not the important issue—what matters is that our sect must keep its promise."
"An Ascension Token!" The gray-robed elder was genuinely surprised, and sized Han Li up once more with renewed interest.
"Well, well! So this kid has had quite the stroke of fortune—he even gets to take a Foundation Establishment Pill?" The old man's expression made it perfectly clear he thought the boy had gotten incredibly lucky, and he clucked his tongue in amazement.