Chapter 107

Han Li had no idea what the blue-robed man and the yellow-robed man had said; he was merely relieved to have escaped a near-death situation. Though he was somewhat annoyed by the blue-robed man’s indifference, Han Li, acutely aware of the vast gap in their cultivation, felt as if he had risen from the jaws of death—his entire body lightened considerably.

After the blue-robed man’s interference, Han Li could no longer calm his mind; his previously tranquil state was gone forever. He sighed, stood up, and prepared to settle his bill and leave the tavern.

At that moment, a faint clatter of hooves suddenly echoed from the street outside, growing steadily louder as it drew nearer.

Han Li’s spirits lifted. He sat back down in his seat and turned his gaze once more toward the street.

According to Sun Ergou’s intelligence, these hoofbeats must belong to Lady Mo Yuzhu, the eldest daughter of the Mo family, returning from outside the city.

It was said this Mo family heiress had never cared for needlework since childhood, preferring instead to wield spears and swords, and had learned formidable skills from the elite of the Jiao Jiao Society.

Most astonishing of all, this Mo lady had a particular passion for hunting—an activity traditionally reserved for men—and would ride out to the forests beyond the city every few days to hunt extensively. As a result, many young noblemen pursuing her now followed daily, hawks on fist and hounds at heel, hoping to gain her favor through proximity.

Naturally, after the young Master Wu arrived, he too joined this pursuit without surprise.

Upon hearing these rumors, Han Li became deeply curious about Lady Mo Yuzhu. Such a spirited young woman was rare indeed, and he hoped she would not disappoint him.

Now, a dozen riders on horses of various colors galloped swiftly down one end of the street. The two leading figures were a man and a woman: the man, a tall, handsome youth with sharp brows and bright eyes; the woman, clad in a crimson hunting outfit and draped in a purple cloak, her face hidden.

In the blink of an eye, the riders passed before the Xiang Family Tavern and surged past Han Li’s view, finally halting at the Mo family’s gate.

The two muscular men standing guard on either side immediately stepped forward—one with a face full of pockmarks—and bowed respectfully to the leading pair.

“Lady Mo, Young Master Wu, you’re back. How was today’s hunt?”

“Not bad!” the woman in the hunting outfit replied crisply. “Tang Er, take the horses away and process these game meats.” She removed her cloak, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face, then leapt lightly from her saddle.

“Yes, Lady!” The man named Tang Er dared not look too long at her beauty and quickly took the reins, hurrying toward the side gate of the mansion.

Though some distance from the Mo family’s main gate, Han Li, from his upstairs vantage, still caught a clear seven or eight tenths of her face. He drew a deep breath: her skin, luminous as snow; her small, straight nose; her dark, bright eyes; her plump, rosy lips—she was the very embodiment of beauty that could make fish sink and birds fall, that could shame flowers and close the moon.

“This must be Mo Yuzhu! No wonder every young nobleman in Jiayuan City has gone mad for her. ‘National beauty, heavenly charm’—those words fit her perfectly,” Han Li thought to himself.

The handsome youth and those behind him now dismounted as well, some of them taking the horses away.

The youth smiled and stepped close to Mo Yuzhu, whispering something that brought a flush to her cheeks. She lightly punched his shoulder a few times, then cast shy glances at him before stomping her foot and dashing inside with a light run. The youth chuckled softly and entered with elegant poise.

“So this is Wu Jianming? He really knows how to charm girls—and he’s good-looking too!” Han Li thought bitterly. He had no illusions: in looks, he could never match the man.

“And it seems Mo Yuzhu and this Wu Young Master are quite close—there’s real affection between them.” He frowned, sensing this matter might not be as easy to handle as he’d thought.

“Regardless, I must obtain the Warm Sun Jade—and quickly. The yin poison inside me is no trivial matter; it might erupt prematurely!” Han Li looked deeply troubled.

After one last long look at the Mo mansion, he called for the waiter, settled his bill, and left the tavern, returning to his inn.

After careful deliberation in his room, Han Li decided on the most direct and effective method: to act boldly and head-on.

He planned to sneak out at night to meet Madame Yan, who presided over the Jiao Jiao Society, and use the token left by Master Mo to expose the impostor and gain the Mo family’s trust. As for how to obtain the jade, he would have to improvise.

Having made his decision, Han Li no longer hesitated. He sat quietly in his room, eyes closed, cultivating his spirit in preparation for the night’s mission.

Yet during this time, the dazzling visage of Mo Yuzhu kept surfacing in his mind, stubbornly refusing to vanish.

“Have I fallen for this woman?” Han Li thought uneasily.

But he quickly comforted himself: “A woman this beautiful naturally draws attention—it doesn’t necessarily mean I’m in love.”

As someone who had already taken half a step onto the path of cultivation, Han Li, though inexperienced in matters of romance, instinctively avoided romantic entanglements.

At the third watch of the night, Han Li donned a pitch-black outfit and slipped quietly out of the inn.

He glided soundlessly over rooftops, avoiding patrols without incident, and arrived outside the Mo mansion.

After circling the compound once, he smiled faintly, dissolving into a wisp of smoke that slipped past the guards’ notice and entered the rear courtyard—none of the sentries sensed a thing.

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