When Han Li heard this, he was equally shocked. Three late Nascent Soul cultivators had joined forces to deal with the Ancient Demon, yet it still seemed they hadn't been able to finish it off in short order. This restored Ancient Demon very likely possessed abilities comparable to a Deity Transformation cultivator.
"Was the demon destroyed in the battle?" Han Li asked, his expression unchanging.
"This junior has no clear answer on that. Some say the demon was slaughtered on the spot under the cultivators' combined assault, while others say it employed an inconceivable secret technique and somehow escaped the encirclement with its life. My family's influence is too limited to determine which version is true. What is certain is that after that campaign, the demon vanished without a trace from our Heavenly South. It has most likely been utterly annihilated — body and soul destroyed together."
"Body and soul destroyed together!" Han Li rubbed his chin. After a brief moment of thought, he was privately unconvinced.
If the demon truly had been wiped out right then and there, Wei Wuya and the others would not have been so secretive about it. Something must have gone wrong, leading to a tangle of truth and lies, a deliberate refusal to clarify the situation publicly. That said, the demon's disappearance was indeed strange. Could it be that after the battle the demon had been so severely wounded that it had no choice but to hide away and recuperate? Or had it simply left Heavenly South altogether?
Han Li considered both possibilities and found he could not determine which was more likely, so he set the matter aside for the time being.
"Daoist Huang, besides the Fallen Devil Valley and the demon, have there been any other significant events in the past twenty-odd years? It doesn't matter which country — feel free to tell me about anything."
"There have indeed been other incidents in recent years, but compared to the Fallen Devil Valley affair, they are hardly worth mentioning. The one matter that drew considerable attention and stirred up quite a commotion was this: not long after the demon vanished, a bizarre maelstrom suddenly appeared on the surface of the Boundless Sea near the coastline of Xi Country. Massive quantities of spiritual energy surged out of the whirlpool and began purifying the surrounding waters of the Boundless Sea. Moreover, seven small islands rose from the seabed around the maelstrom, each one brimming with spiritual energy and possessing rare, top-tier spiritual veins. Over the ownership of those islands, the three great cultivators once again convened an Island Seizure Conference. A great many sects participated in it. In the end, seven major cultivation sects won the rights to those islands. As for the maelstrom, it is said to be bottomless, and numerous cultivators dove into it to investigate. But the deeper one penetrates, the greater the crushing pressure becomes — so immense it becomes unbearable. I've heard that even Supreme Yang, one of the three great cultivators, explored it once. Ultimately, at a depth of roughly three thousand zhang, he could not withstand the pressure exceeding tens of thousands of catties and had to return empty-handed."
"A great maelstrom? Such a thing exists?" A flicker of surprise crossed Han Li's face.
"This junior would never dare deceive Senior. The event caused a sensation for several years before the excitement gradually died down. You need only ask anyone else and you will confirm it is true."
Han Li nodded. The matter intrigued him, but he continued asking about other topics, particularly the movements of the Mulan people and the Righteous and Demonic paths over the years, pressing for every detail.
Huang Yuanming and his two companions answered without reservation, concealing nothing. Huang Yuanming handled most of the questions while the other two elders chimed in from time to time with additional details, determined to leave Han Li fully satisfied.
Before long, Han Li had obtained a general picture of the major and minor events that had occurred in recent years, and his mind was somewhat at ease.
Apart from the Ancient Demon and the maelstrom, the so-called significant events amounted to little more than the discovery of some rare spiritual herb or treasure in this or that locale, or a vendetta erupting between two cultivation sects. To Han Li, these matters were entirely trivial. Nevertheless, his expression remained composed throughout, and he listened seriously as the three recounted them one by one.
As for matters concerning the Falling Cloud Sect, Han Li did not inquire. This place was far too remote from Xi Country, and a minor clan of their standing could not possibly know anything specific. If he wanted news of the Falling Cloud Sect, he would naturally visit a market town or wait until he returned to Xi Country to make proper inquiries.
After hearing everything the three had to say, a look of satisfaction appeared on Han Li's face. With a casual sweep of his sleeve over the table, a flash of green light flickered and a pair of golden halberds materialized on its surface.
"I must thank the three Daoists for providing such thorough explanations. I'm afraid I don't have anything too impressive to offer. Please accept this pair of Severing Gold Halberds — consider it a small token of my gratitude." Han Li said calmly.
"Thank you for the gift, Senior! These... these are upper-grade magic treasures?" Huang Yuanming's gaze swept over the pair of golden halberds and he hurriedly bowed in gratitude, elated.
With their three families' combined strength, they were not entirely without upper-grade magic treasures, but even put together they had only a scant handful — each one treasured as a priceless possession. And now, simply by answering a few of Han Li's questions, they had received such artifacts with virtually no effort at all. Their delight was beyond words.
"These Severing Gold Halberds are only upper-grade magic treasures, but when used in concert, they are in no way inferior to a top-grade artifact. I came across them by chance years ago, found them interesting, and kept them with me ever since. Giving them to you now is hardly letting them go to waste. Heh heh — I've given you your reward, so I won't linger. Perhaps fate will bring us together again." After a brief explanation of the halberds' power, Han Li chuckled softly. Spiritual light blazed from his body, and in an instant he transformed into a streak of cyan light that shot out through the hall's entrance, flickering several times before vanishing without a trace.