Chapter 941

The Heavenly Lan Holy Maiden clearly did not wish to provoke a formidable enemy by mistakenly targeting the wrong person, so she spoke these words with a hint of retreat.

“Conditions?” Han Li’s gaze coldly swept over the woman, his face expressionless, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

“If the elder is willing, I could pay a sum of spirit stones as compensation for this unintentional offense,” Lin Yinping said, lifting her chin slightly, her tone utterly calm.

“Heh… spare me the spirit stones.” Han Li sneered a few times, then without a word, suddenly reached behind him and seized the bundle, pulling it to his front.

Han Li’s action startled several nearby cultivators, all of whom fixed their gazes on the object in his hand.

Han Li was straightforward—he gripped one corner of the bundle and shook his arm.

Immediately, a clear chime rang out, and a golden-hued longsword in its scabbard appeared on the ground. Though still sheathed, the dazzling spiritual radiance emanating from it and its spontaneous, self-sounding resonance left no doubt: this was an extraordinarily rare magic treasure.

No wonder this man had reacted with such fury when others tried to force open his bundle. If they were forced to display their beloved treasures before strangers, they too would surely feel anger.

When Lin Yinping saw the sword, her beautiful eyes flickered with surprise. She released her full spiritual sense, re-examining the sheathed blade for a long while, until she finally had to confirm: everything about the blade appeared perfectly normal, with no signs of illusion or deception.

Ge Tianhao and the other Yin Luo Sect cultivators, seeing the bundle did not contain what they expected, exchanged glances and grew awkward.

This whole affair had clearly been a massive blunder on their part. Fortunately, they had not truly clashed with this man—otherwise, they would have made a grievous, unjust enemy.

The old Taoist Wu Bi and the ugly monk maintained solemn, expressionless faces, as if utterly detached from the world.

“It seems we truly misunderstood you, Elder. It was entirely my fault,” the Heavenly Lan Holy Maiden sighed, her disappointment fleeting. She bowed slightly to Han Li in apology.

“I have no lack of spirit stones. Then let this be my request: your waist pendant is quite exquisite. Would you give it to me?” Han Li’s gaze swept over the Holy Maiden, then settled on her slender waist, where jade pendants chimed softly—his request utterly unexpected.

“A pendant?” Lin Yinping was greatly surprised. She carefully plucked the emerald-green butterfly-shaped jade pendant from her waist, gazed at it for a moment, and her eyes filled with disbelief.

Anything worn close to the body could not be ordinary. This small butterfly pendant had a subtle effect of sharpening the mind and clearing the spirit—a relatively rare auxiliary magic artifact. For Foundation Establishment or Core Formation cultivators, it was valuable; but for this woman, an Nascent Soul mid-stage cultivator, its effect was negligible.

She had kept it all these years simply because it was unusually elegant and had been with her for a long time. Now Han Li was asking for it—what did he mean?

With two slender fingers, Lin Yinping delicately pinched the inch-long jade pendant, her expression hesitating.

“You’re reluctant to part with it? Then let’s choose something else. I notice your hairpin…” Han Li’s eyes flickered, as if preparing to change his request.

“It’s just a minor magic artifact—why would I be reluctant? It’s simply that I’ve carried it for many years, and it holds some sentiment.” Lin Yinping raised her delicate brows, made her decision instantly, and tossed the pendant straight at Han Li.

Han Li raised his hand and caught the flying pendant, sensing its lingering warmth, and nodded in satisfaction. He flipped his palm—the pendant vanished without a trace.

Then he gestured toward the golden sword on the ground. It hummed once and flew into his grasp. A gray cloth shot out from his sleeve, wrapping the blade into a long, bundled form in an instant.

He slung the bundle over his back, turned without a word, and walked toward the entrance of the marketplace.

The other cultivators, seeing Han Li’s cold indifference, exchanged uneasy glances.

Seeing him truly leaving, Lin Yinping suddenly remembered something and opened her lips to ask one more question.

“We still don’t know your name, Elder. Could you tell us your name?”

“A wandering cultivator from beyond the seas—Li Feiyu!” Han Li did not pause his steps, but his emotionless voice drifted back as he grew distant.

“Li Feiyu?” Lin Yinping stared at Han Li’s retreating back, her gaze slightly cold. “Ge Brother, have you ever heard of such a powerful cultivator from beyond the seas? Facing so many of us, he showed not the slightest change in expression—his abilities must be extraordinary.” For some reason, though she had seen his bundle, a lingering unease remained in her heart, an unshakable sense of doubt.

“This question puts me in a difficult position,” Ge Tianhao said, though his face showed reluctance. “Though overseas cultivators belong to the Da Jin cultivation world, they are practically a separate faction from inland cultivators. Very few ever venture into the inland heartlands. Moreover, overseas cultivators vary wildly in strength, with countless scattered cultivators and factions. Those not from beyond the seas rarely know the identities of the hidden masters among them. Of course, the famed Three Immortals of the Seas—those long-renowned figures—are an exception.”

Hearing this, the Heavenly Lan Holy Maiden furrowed her brows. She realized further investigation was impossible, and reluctantly set the name “Li Feiyu” aside in her mind.

…

On another path, Han Li left the marketplace without pause, his figure flickering several times before appearing on a nearby street, blending into the bustling crowd of ordinary people as he walked slowly.

“Elder! I never imagined that without your cultivation power, your spiritual sense alone could deceive so many Nascent Soul cultivators. Even after you transformed your Cave of Heaven and Earth, I detected no trace of deception. I am deeply impressed,” Han Li said, smiling faintly as he transmitted his voice.

“It’s nothing. When you complete the final three levels of the Great Expansion Art, you too can manipulate your opponents at close range as if they were toys in your palm. If you also master illusion techniques, eliminating low-level opponents without them even noticing will be effortless,” the Great Expansion Spirit Lord replied indifferently.

“That’s true. Even the first four levels of the Great Expansion Art are already so powerful. If I could master them all, I can’t imagine how strong my spiritual sense would become. Unfortunately, though you gave me the fourth-level incantation, I’ve never had time to formally cultivate it,” Han Li said, amazed yet helplessly.

“Heh. Though your elemental affinity is poor, you seem to have a natural aptitude for the Great Expansion Art. Add to that the Soul-Nourishing Wood, a rare substance that nurtures spiritual sense—you’ll master the entire art no slower than I did in my prime,” the Great Expansion Spirit Lord said, showing clear confidence in Han Li’s progress.

“I hope so. But I don’t understand—why did you have me take a personal ornament from that woman? Do you have some other plan?” Han Li asked, puzzled.

“Hmph! Why do you think the Heavenly Lan Holy Maiden came to the capital? Do you think she’ll let you go easily?” the Great Expansion Spirit Lord replied cryptically.

“Why else? She’s surely here because of my entry into Da Jin. I brought both the Shu Tu people’s Sacred Beast avatar and that strange little cauldron into the Xu Tian Ding. How could she possibly abandon her pursuit? She’ll likely search Da Jin for me endlessly. But the fact that she’s allied with the Yin Luo Sect means future troubles will be substantial,” Han Li sighed, helpless.

“Exactly. In my time, I once studied a method to forge a Sensing Pearl, which can detect an opponent’s presence within a hundred li by their spiritual residue. As long as she enters within a hundred li of you, the pearl will warn you and roughly indicate her direction. That way, if she ever plots against you, you’ll have time to prepare. But its effect won’t last long—about a year, then it fades. Still, that’s enough time for you to remain cautious during your stay in the capital,” the Great Expansion Spirit Lord said slowly.

“So that’s it—thank you, Elder, for considering me so thoroughly,” Han Li said, pleased, and bowed quickly.

“I’m not doing this for you. I simply don’t want you to die before you finish crafting the puppets for me,” the Great Expansion Spirit Lord said coolly.

Han Li smiled faintly and said nothing more. Suddenly, he changed direction and entered a nearby alley, turning east, then west, until he stood before a lone, abandoned, dilapidated courtyard—silent, empty, no one in sight.

Han Li stopped walking, his expression darkening.

“Elder, you’ve followed me this long—what do you truly want?” Han Li turned slowly, fixing his gaze on the empty space behind him, a glint of cold light in his eyes.

“Elder Li truly deserves his reputation as an overseas cultivator—you’ve seen through my Ghost Shadow Technique, honed over decades. Don’t worry, I mean you no harm,” came a man’s chuckling voice. A flash of green light appeared, and a humanoid green shadow gradually materialized.

Han Li narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the figure carefully.

The man was a gaunt, elderly fellow with a sly expression, a few sparse, broken whiskers on his chin, and cultivation at the Nascent Soul early stage. He gazed at Han Li with an air of complete confidence.

“You’ve trailed me since the marketplace—what is your purpose? Don’t you know that following another cultivator like this is a grave taboo? If I were to kill you now, no one would say a word against me,” Han Li’s face darkened with murderous intent.

“Elder Li, why such hostility? I came to you to propose a sincere transaction—one that benefits us both,” the old man chuckled, utterly unruffled.

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