Chapter 1519: Disagreement

Upon hearing the words of the elderly man surnamed Jiang, Yuan Yao and Yan Li felt a wave of relief and hurriedly expressed their gratitude.

The old man, however, smiled and suddenly clapped his hands lightly.

As soon as the sound of the clap faded, a flash of white light appeared at the side door of the hall, and a translucent white figure emerged from the void.

“Shadow Servant, take them to the guest quarters I’ve prepared. Fulfill any requests these three fellow Daoists may have,” the old man instructed the white figure.

“Yes, Master!” The white figure bowed slightly and replied with utmost respect.

Han Li swept his spiritual sense over the white figure and couldn’t help but feel a chill.

Though the aura of this white figure was exceptionally powerful, it wasn’t overwhelmingly so—it was clearly a Ghost King at the late-stage of the Void Refinement realm.

Though Han Li still had many unanswered questions, under the gaze of this white figure, he had no choice but to obediently follow it out.

After watching Han Li and the two women disappear through the side door, the elderly man surnamed Jiang withdrew his gaze and fell into deep thought, his expression contemplative.

Han Li and the others followed the white figure, referred to as Shadow Servant, through several corridors and past a few side halls before arriving at a courtyard.

The courtyard consisted of over a dozen stone houses of varying sizes.

Though not particularly exquisite or luxurious, they were clean and orderly.

Without much courtesy, the white figure pointed at the courtyard and said coldly,

“The three of you may rest here. A word of advice—unless it’s urgent, do not wander around the manor. If you truly need something, you may call my name three times outside, and I will sense it immediately.”

With that, the white figure flickered and vanished in an eerie manner.

Left behind, Han Li, Yuan Yao, and the others exchanged glances.

“Let’s rest here for the night first. We’ve been traveling nonstop, so I imagine both of you are tired. We can discuss matters in detail once we’ve recovered some energy. After all, we have three days—there’s no need to rush,” Han Li exhaled deeply, turned his head, and smiled at the two women.

Yan Li forced a smile and gave a faint “Mm” in response, while Yuan Yao frowned slightly and subconsciously nodded.

Han Li nodded and stepped into the courtyard first.

He approached one of the stone houses at the edge. There were no restrictions on the door, so he pushed it open and entered.

The room wasn’t particularly large—only about seven or eight zhang in size—but it was furnished with a bed, chairs, and a table, all made of ordinary bluestone, giving it a simple and austere appearance.

In one corner of the room, there was even a meditation mat woven from green grass, lying quietly on the floor.

Han Li’s eyebrows twitched slightly as he flicked his sleeve, sending out over a dozen formation flags that vanished into the corners of the room.

A faint blue light curtain shimmered into existence.

This was merely a simple anti-surveillance barrier. Though it offered no real defensive capabilities, it would at least prevent him from being spied on without his knowledge.

Han Li then calmly removed his shoes, lay down on the bed, and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

Truth be told, ever since entering the Netherworld River, he had been constantly battling the ghosts of the region while remaining vigilant against the schemes of the Ghost Granny and others. He hadn’t had a proper rest in a long time.

Now, though he couldn’t say he fully trusted the elderly man surnamed Jiang, given the latter’s Mahayana-level cultivation, excessive caution would be futile. Thus, he decided to set aside his worries and allow himself some much-needed rest.

Before long, the sound of deep breathing filled the stone house as Han Li drifted into slumber.

That night, he slept soundly. He dreamed of his childhood, living with his parents and siblings, and even the faces of his childhood friends surfaced one by one.

Though these figures were all familiar, their features remained indistinct in the dream.

Finally, a pair of tender, beautiful eyes appeared—those of Nangong Wan, his beloved wife from the human realm.

In the dream, Nangong Wan said nothing, merely gazing at Han Li with gentle eyes.

Han Li, too, stared back wordlessly, as if utterly entranced by her gaze…

An unknown amount of time later, when Han Li’s eyelids fluttered and he awoke, the image of Nangong Wan’s autumn-water-like eyes still lingered before him.

He didn’t rise immediately but lay motionless, savoring the warmth in his heart.

After another span of time, the dreamy look in his eyes gradually faded, returning to their usual calm.

As if by coincidence, Yan Li’s melodious voice suddenly came from outside the door:

“Brother Han, are you awake? If so, let’s discuss our next steps!”

Her tone was exceedingly polite.

“Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment. I’ll be right out,” Han Li replied without hesitation, sitting up in one swift motion.

“My junior sister and I will be waiting in the central house for your esteemed presence!” Yan Li chuckled lightly before her voice faded away.

Han Li leisurely put on his shoes, then waved his hand, sending a stream of azure light flowing down his body.

Instantly, the wrinkles in his robes smoothed out, leaving them neat and tidy.

A refreshing sensation swept through his mind, invigorating him. He then pushed open the door and stepped out.

The previous night, Yan Li and Yuan Yao had stayed in the opposite end of the courtyard. He wondered if the two had already discussed matters thoroughly.

With this thought, Han Li entered the central house of the courtyard.

The room was twice the size of his own, furnished with a stone table and several stone chairs. Yan Li and Yuan Yao were seated at the table, deep in conversation.

In the four corners of the room, black banners fluttered faintly, and a barely perceptible gray light enveloped the entire space.

It seemed the two women had already set up some restrictions here.

“Brother Han, you’ve arrived at the perfect time. My junior sister and I have been racking our brains over Senior Jiang’s proposal,” Yan Li said with a charming smile as she stood up upon seeing Han Li enter.

Yuan Yao’s eyes flickered with a strange light before she, too, rose to greet him.

“Oh? It seems the two of you have already discussed this matter. If you trust me, feel free to share your thoughts openly. Though my cultivation may not be high, I believe I can offer some useful advice,” Han Li said with a smile before stepping forward and taking a seat with them.

“The matter is quite simple. For someone of Senior Jiang’s status to take me as a disciple should be an incredible opportunity. However, I’d prefer to return to the human race to seek techniques for restoring my human body. No matter how powerful the Changyuan Clan’s abilities are, they cannot undo my half-human, half-ghost state. But my senior sister believes this is a rare chance and wants me to accept,” Yuan Yao began helplessly.

“Junior Sister, why rush to restore your human form? You could first cultivate under Senior Jiang for a time. Once your abilities have grown, you can return to the human race to seek a solution. Missing this opportunity would be a great loss,” Yan Li countered with clear reasoning.

“If restoring my human form later were truly possible, I wouldn’t be so conflicted! Senior Sister, you know as well as I do that ever since we began cultivating the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Art, our bodies have been gradually transforming into true ghosts. Even if we try to suppress it, it won’t be long before we become full-fledged ghosts. How can I afford to delay any longer?” Yuan Yao sighed, her expression troubled.

“I’m aware of that, which is why I suggested you stay here as his disciple while I return to the human race to find a way to restore your human form. I won’t let you down,” Yan Li replied with a sigh of her own.

“Senior Sister, let’s not deceive ourselves. You heard Senior Jiang’s implication—his next heavenly tribulation is approaching. Even if I focus solely on mastering the Changyuan Clan’s techniques, it’ll barely be enough. Once I become his disciple, how could I possibly divert my attention elsewhere?” Yuan Yao shook her head.

“As long as we’re together, what does it matter if we become ghosts? The Spirit Realm is fraught with dangers—haven’t we seen enough of them? Even if we restore our human forms, we could still perish at any moment. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better for you to seek refuge under Senior Jiang’s protection? Once your abilities have grown, you can search for a way to reverse your condition. After all, even if we become ghosts, we won’t be the same as true ghosts—there must still be a way to revert. And to be blunt, given how much importance Senior Jiang places on you, refusing him might not allow you to leave so easily,” Yan Li argued persuasively.

“What if there truly is no way to reverse it?” Yuan Yao glanced strangely at Han Li before shaking her head repeatedly, as if in reluctant agreement.

“Brother Han, what do you think? Care to share your thoughts?” Yan Li, at her wit’s end, turned to Han Li for help.

“I’ve grasped the gist of your discussion. Lady Yuan is primarily concerned about losing the chance to restore her human form, hence her reluctance to accept Senior Jiang as her master. Lady Yan, on the other hand, sees this as a rare opportunity and doesn’t want her to pass it up. Am I correct?” Han Li analyzed calmly after a moment of contemplation.

“Exactly. We’ve been unable to convince each other since last night,” Yan Li admitted with a bitter smile.

“Lady Yuan’s aversion to becoming a ghost is understandable, and Lady Yan’s desire for her not to miss this chance is also reasonable. Neither of you is wrong,” Han Li replied with a smile.

“Brother Han, we didn’t ask for your input just to hear you play mediator,” Yan Li said with a frown, her tone tinged with displeasure.

“Haha, you misunderstand. What I meant to say is that the disagreement between Lady Yuan and you isn’t irreconcilable. There may be a way to satisfy both concerns,” Han Li said with a faint smile.

“What? Are you serious, Brother Han?” Yan Li blinked in surprise, her expression a mix of hope and doubt.

Yuan Yao, too, looked astonished!