After sweeping his divine sense through the black storage bracelet, Han Li stowed it away with a flash.
"To be on the safe side, go check whether the one who fled is still lingering nearby. If you encounter him, kill him directly." After a moment's thought, Han Li issued another order to the small figure.
The purple-gold miniature figure nodded expressionlessly upon hearing this. Its shoulders swayed slightly, and it transformed into a golden streak that pierced through the sky and vanished.
Its direction was precisely where Sanquan Daoren had fled earlier.
With everything arranged, Han Li released a fireball to reduce the remains of the Immortal Extinction Lord — the small mountain of flesh and blood — to ash. Only then did he turn his gaze toward the valley.
At this moment, the entire valley was still enveloped by layer upon layer of protective formations, with powerful waves of baleful energy swirling overhead, still not to be underestimated in the slightest. Although the battle with Huang Yuanzi and the other two had been brief, Yan Li and the others could not possibly have gone entirely unaware of it.
With this thought, Han Li swept one hand through the void nearby. Azure light flashed, and countless runes surged forth, spinning and condensing into a hazy azure mirror.
At first, no image appeared on the mirror's surface.
But after Han Li flicked a golden talisman into it with a snap of his finger, a hum resonated from within, and the face of a petite, beautiful woman was reflected on the mirror's surface.
It was Yan Li.
But the woman currently wore an expression of blank stupor, as if she still could not believe the outcome of the battle outside the valley.
Three terrifying enemies on the same level as Qingyuanzi — all of them slain by Han Li alone, or driven to flee. Outside the valley, no threats remained.
"Fellow Daoist Yan, how are Yuan Yao and your master?" Han Li asked calmly toward the mirror.
"Master and Sister Yuan Yao are both well. They are still enduring the final waves of the heavenly tribulation. Brother Han… you've already advanced to the Mahayana stage?" Yan Li murmured a reply and finally regained some of her composure, though she still asked with an unsettled expression.
"Had I not advanced to Mahayana, how could I have slain and driven off the great enemies from just now? Since Fellow Daoist Qingyuanzi has not yet completed his tribulation, I shall wait here. Once he and Yuan Yao have finished theirs, I will meet with them in person." Han Li said lightly, and without waiting for any reaction from Yan Li in the mirror, he flicked his sleeve.
A strange ripple swept across, and the azure mirror shattered, dissolving back into scattered runes that vanished into the void.
After that, Han Li shifted his position, found a small hill nearby, and alighted upon it. He casually chose a clean-looking boulder and sat down cross-legged.
He knew full well that although he had once had dealings with Qingyuanzi and shared a connection through Yuan Yao, the relationship between them was nowhere near deep enough to entrust with matters of life and death.
He therefore made no mention of asking Yan Li to open the protective restrictions now, and simply waited outside the valley for the tribulation to conclude.
As soon as he had settled down, he raised one hand, and a streak of azure light shot forth, vanishing into the void — a voice-transmission talisman.
Han Li intended to use it to notify the others aboard the Moli Holy Ship further away, signaling them to come and join him.
Shortly afterward, a rumbling sounded from the horizon, and the enormous black vessel materialized in the sky like a floating mountain.
……
Within the formations, Yan Li sat cross-legged atop the disc-shaped artifact, staring at the scene reflected in the copper mirror before her, her face still frozen in an expression of disbelief.
Three days later, a heaven-shaking explosion rang out through the valley, and the dark tribulation clouds rolled apart and dissipated. From within came the clear, resonant cry of Qingyuanzi.
The cry brimmed with boundless joy.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on finally weathering the great tribulation." Han Li, who had been meditating upon the great boulder, opened his eyes and offered his congratulations with a slight smile.
Though his voice was not loud, it echoed throughout the entire sky, steady and unwavering, not the least bit drowned out by the triumphant cry.
"I must first thank Fellow Daoist Han for your great assistance. Without it, how could I have passed through this tribulation so undisturbed? Oh, and I should also congratulate Fellow Daoist on your own advancement to the Mahayana stage." Qingyuanzi's long cry cut off abruptly, but he immediately laughed and spoke.
Clearly, even though Qingyuanzi had been unable to divert his attention during the tribulation, he had been well aware of everything happening outside the valley — otherwise he would not have spoken with such heartfelt gratitude.