With urgent matters to attend to, Han Li naturally had no intention of studying the demon core now. He flipped his palm, and with a flash of green light, the item vanished without a trace.
Han Li raised his hand once more and summoned three empty spirit beast bags. He pointed a finger at the Gold Devouring Beetles hovering in the air and let out a long, piercing whistle.
Instantly, the swarm surged with a deafening buzz, splitting into three golden clouds before flying back into the three spirit beast bags. Han Li collected them one by one.
As for the Great Golden Sword Formation, a mere thought from Han Li reverted it to thirty-six golden flying swords, which shrank and slipped into his sleeve on their own.
"Let's go pick the spirit fruit. We need to be quick. I don't know how long the illusion array I set up earlier can keep the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators occupied." With that, Han Li transformed into a streak of green light and shot toward the lake.
Seeing this, Zi Ling hurriedly followed close behind.
The light faded, and Han Li and Zi Ling materialized about a zhang above the spirit grass.
After scanning the top of the spirit grass, Han Li didn't rush to pick them. Instead, he turned his head and calmly said to Zi Ling beside him:
"You pick first — and be careful! The Spirit Candle Fruit is quite peculiar. It must be stored in something made of wood, otherwise its medicinal properties won't survive even a few days."
"Thank you for the reminder, Brother Han. I'll be extra careful." Zi Ling suppressed the excitement in her heart, gave Han Li an alluring smile, and thanked him softly.
Without hesitation, she flicked her fragrant sleeve, and a jade-green wooden box appeared in her delicate hand.
Then she extended one slender finger and slashed it through the air below.
A flash of white light shot out, and a Spirit Candle Fruit immediately dropped down.
But the woman was already prepared. She flipped the wooden box, and a misty white glow surged from within, sweeping the spirit fruit inside in one motion.
Then she brushed her hand over the box, and the lid closed on its own.
Only after completing all this did Zi Ling let out a long breath. She then carefully tucked the box into her storage pouch.
"What? You're not taking another one, Miss Zi Ling?" Han Li was slightly taken aback by this, a strange look crossing his face.
"I appreciate your kind offer, Brother Han, but one is more than enough for me. Getting here this time — aside from gathering some initial intelligence — I contributed absolutely nothing. It was all thanks to your abilities that we obtained these spirit fruits. Though I may have some friendship with you, I wouldn't have the audacity to split them evenly. Please keep the rest. After all, besides being refined into Creation Pills, this fruit has other remarkable effects when consumed raw — it can even boost one's cultivation slightly." Zi Ling said with a radiant smile.
Hearing Zi Ling say something so reasonable, Han Li was somewhat surprised.
Truth be told, although this famous beauty of the Scattered Star Seas was charming and captivating — the most beautiful female cultivator he had ever seen — her scheming ran somewhat deep. And after the Wonderful Sound Gate had been taken from her, her temperament had grown even more obsessive. This had made Han Li keep his distance.
But now, hearing her speak so rationally — whether she meant it sincerely or was deliberately trying to win his favor — Han Li's impression of her improved considerably.
After all, restraining one's greed when faced with such rare spirit fruits of heaven and earth was no easy feat in itself.
"Since Miss Zi Ling puts it that way, I won't stand on ceremony." Han Li nodded without further politeness. He patted his waist, and with a flash of white light, a wooden case he had prepared earlier materialized in his hand. At the same time, his other hand made a gentle wave.
A swath of green light descended. The three Spirit Candle Fruit trembled and detached on their own, then sank downward, enveloped within the green glow.
With a slight gesture of his hand, Han Li guided the three spirit fruits into the wooden case.
"Let's go! We can't stay here long. There's no telling when the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators will catch up. I'm not afraid of them, but I don't want to fight them here. Refining the pills takes priority." After putting the wooden case away, Han Li said in a calm voice.
"Of course! Spirit fruit can't be kept for long. But we can't go back the way we came either — we might run into the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators. Why don't we pick any direction, fly a few thousand li, and find a hidden spot to refine the pills? As for where to go, that's naturally your decision, Brother Han." Zi Ling blinked her beautiful eyes and pressed her red lips together as she spoke.
"Where to go..." Han Li furrowed his brow and instinctively looked around.
Suddenly, as though remembering something, he pressed his hand against his storage pouch. A piece of cloth — silk or brocade, it was hard to tell — appeared in his hand. It was the map of Devilfall Valley that Han Li had obtained from inside the Green Silkworm Robe.
He studied the map carefully, then compared it against the surrounding terrain and their current location. A look of surprise crossed his face. The desert they were in seemed to be not too far from the marked spot on the map — after flying for another two days or so once they left this desert, they should be able to reach the location indicated.
Gazing at the rough markings on the map, Han Li fell into contemplation.
Seeing that Han Li hadn't answered her question and was instead staring at some unidentifiable piece of cloth in his hand, Zi Ling found it somewhat puzzling. But the woman was exceptionally perceptive. Rather than pressing him, she quietly waited right where she was for Han Li to make his decision.
"Follow me. Let's refine the pills first." Having made up his mind, Han Li put the map away and spoke in an even tone. But after glancing at the spirit grass before him, he suddenly furrowed his brow and made a chopping motion through the air with his arm. A streak of green light flashed, and a small branch fell away.