Chapter 932

"General Zhu Nan! So you are one of the famed Eight Generals of Da Jin! Han Mou truly apologizes for the oversight." Upon hearing the beautiful woman was Sister Cao Cao Mengrong, Han Li merely nodded politely, but upon learning the identity of the imposing man beside him, his expression subtly shifted.

Although he knew little of the Da Jin imperial court, he was still aware of a few of its most prominent officials.

The Eight Generals represented nearly half of the military power the Da Jin court could command. Each led an army of a million fierce warriors, guarding critical border fortresses.

But Han Li had heard of the "Eight Generals" not out of interest in mortal affairs, but because it was said that among them, aside from two or three who were the imperial family's personal confidants, the rest all had ties to major cultivation factions—some had even been personally raised by those factions. Even the imperial family dared not easily move against them. Since this General Zhu Nan bore no imperial surname, he must be connected to one of those factions.

"Sister Cao Mengrong told me you are also a cultivator. I am but a mortal—how could I presume to be presumptuous before a master?" The middle-aged man laughed, bowing to Han Li with a calm tone.

Han Li naturally knew these were merely polite words.

Given his status, he might not often interact with Nascent Soul cultivators, but recruiting Golden Core cultivators would be no difficulty. Yet Han Li had previously shown Cao Cao Mengrong only a Qi Refining-level cultivation base. For him to treat such a "lowly cultivator" with such deference, this man was no ordinary person. Yet why had he brought no high-level cultivator along on his journey to the capital? Such boldness was truly remarkable.

As he thought this, Han Li replied with equal humility:

"I dare not. General Wang is too kind. Even we wandering cultivators have long heard of your renown."

"Brother Han, I heard you once guided Sister Cao's cultivation for a time, and within just a few years she ascended two levels. When my master learned of this, he praised her fortune endlessly—and even suggested you may have concealed your true cultivation level. No cultivator of the same realm could achieve such a feat. Now, your spiritual energy is completely hidden—you clearly master the art of suppressing your aura. My master's words were not mistaken." Miss Wang smiled faintly, her tone laden with meaning.

"Truly? Brother Han, then what is your true cultivation level…?" Cao Cao Mengrong, having recovered from her initial joy at seeing Han Li, carefully studied him—and sensed no trace of spiritual power. Her face betrayed shock.

"I suffered a grave injury during an incident, and my cultivation plummeted. I've only just begun to recover slightly. I never intended to deceive Sister Cao." Han Li smiled calmly in reply, offering no hint of his true level.

Miss Wang blinked her beautiful eyes, studying Han Li once more—still sensing nothing. Surprised, yet smiling warmly, she said:

"Then Brother Han is truly a senior. Sister Cao once treated you as an equal—surely you won't hold it against her?"

"Senior? I'm merely a wandering cultivator of Da Jin—I don't care for such titles. I owe Sister Cao my life; we remain equals." Han Li shook his head dismissively.

Hearing this, Cao Cao Mengrong's previously uncertain expression finally settled. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she silently accepted his words.

"So Master Han is truly a powerful elder! Though I am but a mortal, I enjoy associating with immortal masters. I sense you're also heading to the capital—why not travel together?" The middle-aged man, as soon as his daughter finished speaking, issued the invitation with complete ease.

"Travel together? Very well. Then I shall be a burden." Han Li paused briefly, then agreed readily. He needed someone familiar with the capital to learn more about the auction.

With this man's prominent status—even if not a cultivator—he must know many details.

Thus, Han Li exchanged a few words with the two women and learned that Cao Cao Mengrong's father had advanced steadily in the bureaucracy, promoted from a mere county constable to a military officer in the capital. Though his official rank hadn't risen dramatically, being transferred from the provinces to the capital was a significant promotion.

When Cao's father entered the capital, Cao Cao Mengrong was in the midst of a crucial cultivation breakthrough, so she did not accompany him. This time, as Miss Wang and her father passed by her residence, Cao had just emerged from seclusion and naturally joined them on their journey to the capital.

Han Li gave only brief, vague details about his past few years, saying he had secluded himself to recover from injuries and had only recently emerged.

There was nothing worth elaborating on.

Neither Cao Cao Mengrong nor the other woman questioned him further. After all, anyone who had seen Han Li emerge from the ice would know his vital energy had been severely depleted—no one could recover fully in just a few years.

At that moment, the tea shop attendant brought up a pot of fine tea. Han Li and the two women exchanged a few more words before savoring it leisurely.

After finishing the tea, the middle-aged man finally spoke—discussing ancient manuscripts and rare texts from his personal collection. He gave no hint of being a hardened warrior; one might easily mistake him for a poor, scholarly scholar.

Yet General Zhu Nan spoke always with refined elegance, smiling gently, his bearing truly extraordinary. Han Li couldn't help but form a favorable impression of him, even feeling a sudden warmth toward him.

Though Han Li had no interest in poetry or literature, he had once scoured countless ancient texts in search of lost elixir formulas and secret techniques, and knew many obscure secrets. When he casually mentioned a few, General Zhu Nan was left marveling, pressing him with eager questions.

In mere moments, Han Li and the middle-aged man were deep in lively conversation, leaving the two women entirely ignored.

Seeing this, Miss Wang turned to Cao Cao Mengrong with a wry smile, secretly feeling a touch of annoyance.

Her father was admirable in every way—except for his obsession with collecting ancient books and artifacts, and his fascination with obscure legends from the remote, primordial past. Now, this "Senior Han" seemed to know much on such matters, and they had found instant kinship.

Cao Cao Mengrong said nothing, sitting quietly beside them, occasionally glancing at Han Li—then quickly looking away, as if avoiding his gaze.

Miss Wang, noticing this, found it amusing.

Through their conversations on the journey, she had sensed a quiet affection in her junior sister—her heart had clearly become entangled with this man. Whenever she spoke of him, Cao's cheeks flushed, and she never forgot him.

This had led Miss Wang to imagine Han Li as a dashing, elegant man—someone who could so deeply captivate a junior sister who otherwise treated all her senior brothers with indifference. But now that she saw him in person, the elder sister could only shake her head.

This Han Li, a wandering cultivator, bore no resemblance to dashing elegance. He was merely ordinary-looking. And he was almost certainly a Foundation Establishment cultivator—his lifespan vastly longer than that of a low-level cultivator like her junior sister, who had little hope of ever reaching Foundation Establishment. He was no suitable match.

As Miss Wang pondered this, she considered whether she should play the villain and break them apart.

In her eyes, even if Han Li's cultivation was slightly higher, as the daughter of General Zhu Nan, making him withdraw was no great challenge. If necessary, she could even ask the two Golden Core patrons in their household to intervene—he'd leave without a word.

"So that's how it was! The great upheaval of heaven and earth was caused by unstable spatial rifts allowing demonic beings from another realm to invade our world. I've never heard such a theory before—even the two Golden Core masters in my household have never mentioned it. Brother Han truly knows everything! I'm truly enlightened. But I have another question: In ancient legends, there was a celestial mountain called 'Mount Kunwu,' said to be the dwelling place of true immortals. Back then…" General Zhu Nan, still eager to speak, had just clarified one matter and was about to ask another—when suddenly, Han Li emitted a clear, dragon-like resonance from within his body. Though the sound was soft, every person present heard it distinctly, and all turned to him in shock.

Han Li's expression changed drastically. A flash of green light enveloped him—and he vanished from his chair.

The two women startled, looking around—only to see Han Li strangely standing outside the tea pavilion, gazing upward with a solemn expression.

"Brother Han, what happened? Was that sound from a magic treasure? Are you a Golden Core cultivator?" Miss Wang murmured, her face filled with astonishment. Beside her, Cao Cao Mengrong clutched her handkerchief tightly, her face pale, silent as she stared at Han Li.

"Nothing serious. I sensed an old acquaintance flying past overhead. Unfortunately, his speed was too great—I couldn't catch him. As for the sound, it was merely my core sword resonating. I apologize for the disturbance, General Wang and the two sisters. But now, I must leave you. I have urgent business—I bid you farewell." Han Li quickly regained his composure, bowed to the middle-aged man and the two women, and spoke with regret.

Without waiting for a reply, he stomped his foot and shot into the sky as a ten-foot-long green streak.

This sight was witnessed by several merchants who had just stepped out of another tea shop. They immediately fell to their knees, bowing and shouting:

"Immortal Master! An Immortal Master just flew into the sky…"

"He flew off from right there…"

The nearby tea shops erupted in commotion; everyone rushed out.

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