“Reporting to the Sect Leader, a total of two people have come. The first was Grand Elder Chi Lian, and the second was Saintess Bai Ling.”

“At the time, this old servant was cleaning the Violet Heaven Palace. Grand Elder Chi Lian came to find this old servant to cooperate with her in fishing.”

“As for the Saintess, this old servant only knows she came looking for the Sect Leader. She did not mention to me why she sought an audience with you. She simply left after learning that the Sect Leader was not present.”

Han Lie spoke with a serious expression, truthfully reporting all the information he knew to Ye Qingxuan.

“Chi Lian sought your cooperation to catch a ghost?” Ye Qingxuan’s beautiful eyes raised slightly, seemingly a bit surprised. She hadn’t expected that Chi Lian would actually seek Han Lie’s cooperation to catch a spy.

Immediately after, Ye Qingxuan pressed further. “Any leads?”

After a moment of contemplation, Han Lie replied cautiously. “There are some leads. The Grand Elder and I both suspect that this big fish is the Saintess. However, we still lack conclusive evidence to prove that the Saintess is indeed the ghost within the sect.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingxuan’s beautiful eyes instantly sharpened. In that instant, Han Lie could clearly feel the temperature in the entire study plummet, as if covered by a thick layer of ten-thousand-year-old profound ice, radiating a bone-chilling coldness. Han Lie couldn’t help but shiver.

“Bai Ling…” Ye Qingxuan murmured softly, lost in thought.

Han Lie couldn’t quite gauge Ye Qingxuan’s attitude towards Bai Ling either, so he cautiously asked, “Sect Leader, this matter involves the Saintess. I wonder…”

“Investigate!” Ye Qingxuan stated firmly. “Catching ghosts does not distinguish by status. Even if it’s the Saintess, understand? If there is sufficient evidence proving Bai Ling is the ghost within our Heavenly Void Sect, this Palace Lord will definitely not spare her!”

However, after saying these words, a trace of sorrow and regret involuntarily flashed deep within Ye Qingxuan’s eyes. After all, Bai Ling was a disciple of exceptional talent she had searched for hundreds of years to find. Now she was being told that this exceptionally talented disciple of hers was most likely a spy. Who wouldn’t feel heartache and regret over such news?

“Understood, Sect Leader.” With Ye Qingxuan’s words, Han Lie felt somewhat reassured.

“Now back to you, old servant.” In the blink of an eye, Ye Qingxuan returned to normal and shifted the topic to Han Lie. “This Palace Lord has only been away from the sect for a little over half a year. Why has your cultivation improved so dramatically?”

Han Lie had his Breath Concealment Art to hide his true cultivation level, but who was Ye Qingxuan? The disguise of the Breath Concealment Art couldn’t even fool Grand Elder Chi Lian, let alone Ye Qingxuan. With just one glance, Ye Qingxuan saw through Han Lie’s true cultivation level.

Foundation Establishment Stage – Perfection!

She clearly remembered that when she left the sect, Han Lie was only at Qi Refining Stage – Perfection. How did it seem like in the blink of an eye, this old servant had already soared to Foundation Establishment Stage – Perfection?

Han Lie said somewhat smugly, “It’s all thanks to this old servant’s innate talent, plus hard work and sweat, along with a small opportunity. That’s all.”

Ye Qingxuan rolled her eyes upon hearing this. People with innate talent and diligence were a dime a dozen in the Heavenly Void Sect. Why were their cultivation improvements far less rapid than his?

However, Ye Qingxuan did notice something amiss. Relying solely on the Yin Yang Demonic Art, given Han Lie’s past aptitude, no matter how hard he cultivated, it would be impossible for him to make such astonishing progress in such a short time. Perhaps there was still an earth-shattering secret hidden within this old man’s body.

It seems this Palace Lord needs to find an opportunity to clarify this matter.

Returning to her senses, Ye Qingxuan said sarcastically, “So it seems this Palace Lord misunderstood you. Could it be that you are truly a genius?”

Han Lie completely ignored Ye Qingxuan’s sarcasm and replied smugly with a smile, “Sect Leader, I think you might as well be bolder and remove ‘could it be’.”

Ye Qingxuan wanted to retort but didn’t know where to start. Based on Han Lie’s cultivation speed, calling him a once-in-ten-thousand-years genius wouldn’t be an exaggeration at all. Yet judging from Han Lie’s past hundred years stuck at the second layer of the Qi Refining Stage, things were definitely not as simple as they appeared on the surface.

“Impetuosity is a major taboo for cultivators,” Ye Qingxuan admonished. “The Foundation Establishment Stage is merely the starting point on the path of immortal cultivation. How many geniuses in this world have perished prematurely due to impetuosity and arrogance?”

“You have merely just begun on the path of cultivation; what is there to be proud of? Before you have fully grown up, any kind of genius is no different from other cultivators in this Palace Lord’s eyes. Compared to cultivators with average talent… geniuses often perish even more easily.”

“In this Palace Lord’s lifetime, I have seen countless geniuses as numerous as carp crossing a river. But those who truly grew up are few and far between. Do you think merely reaching Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation is enough for this Palace Lord to acknowledge you? Hmph, then you might be overestimating yourself a bit too much.”

“Yes! I will respectfully heed the Sect Leader’s teachings!” Han Lie nodded solemnly and earnestly.

Ye Qingxuan’s admonishment wasn’t because she was tsundere and unwilling to acknowledge his excellence; it was simply because that was the reality. Many geniuses in this world rely on their innate talent and display arrogance and pride from a young age, thus perishing early on their path of growth.

As a transmigrator, Han Lie naturally understood this principle very well. He was just feeling smug in front of Ye Qingxuan for a moment. In front of others, Han Lie always maintained a low profile. Take the Pure Yang Sacred Body for example. If someone else activated the Pure Yang Sacred Body, they would probably be eager for the whole world to know they possessed this one-in-a-billion physique.

And Han Lie? From activating the Pure Yang Sacred Body until now, only he himself knew he possessed it.

Perhaps Ye Qingxuan might figure it out herself in the near future. But at least for now, Han Lie could be fairly certain that even Ye Qingxuan didn’t know he had activated the Pure Yang Sacred Body, which was why his cultivation had progressed so rapidly.

Immediately after, Han Lie boldly asked, “Sect Leader, this old servant ventures to ask, what realm must one break through to, to be considered as having ‘grown up’?”

Ye Qingxuan’s beautiful eyes appraised Han Lie kneeling on one knee on the ground, and she said lightly, “On the path of immortal cultivation, anyone below Nascent Soul is nothing but an ant. But this Palace Lord has higher standards. To gain my acknowledgment, the Soul Formation Stage is the baseline.”

Soul Formation Stage…

A mighty expert of such a realm is sufficient to serve as a sect leader or even a grand elder in many major sects. But given Ye Qingxuan’s own cultivation level, she indeed had the qualification to say such words. For ordinary cultivators, forget about the Soul Formation Stage. Even Nascent Soul or Golden Core are realms and heights they ultimately pursue. As for Soul Formation above Nascent Soul, they wouldn’t even dare think about it.

However.

The Soul Formation Stage does sound quite distant. But for Han Lie, who possesses both the Pure Yang Sacred Body and is bolstered by the Yin Yang Demonic Art, it isn’t so unreachable.

One could even say, as long as no accidents occur, the Soul Formation Stage is almost within reach!

“Reporting to the Sect Leader, a mere Soul Formation Stage doesn’t seem particularly difficult for This Senior.”