After listening to Shopkeeper Tian’s explanation, Han Li finally gained a clear understanding of the talisman treasure and couldn’t help but take another look at the one inside the brocade box.
“This Golden Light Brick talisman treasure was acquired by our establishment at great cost from a minor family. It is completely unused and brand new. Exchanging it for Brother Li’s thousand-year spirit herb is absolutely more than fair!” Shopkeeper Tian concluded, speaking rapidly in a tone that suggested he was taking a significant loss.
Han Li inwardly sneered, not believing a word of the other’s claims of loss. At most, it was a matter of mutual need—in the shopkeeper’s eyes, his spirit herb was undoubtedly worth no less than this talisman treasure.
“So, Brother Li, which item have you decided to exchange for?” Shopkeeper Tian finally asked with a smile.
Hearing this, Han Li hesitated, somewhat unable to make up his mind. He had originally intended to visit more shops to see if there were better magical instruments available, but the items before him were indeed excellent and very much to his liking. The thought of giving up any of them pained him greatly. Especially the Golden Light Brick talisman treasure—it would be of immense help to him later, and he was determined to acquire it.
“I quite like all of these items and plan to take all of them!” After a moment of contemplation, Han Li made his decision.
He felt that purchasing everything at Ten Thousand Treasures Building might not be a bad idea. At the very least, it would reduce the attention others might pay to him, limiting the impact of the thousand-year spirit herb to this establishment alone.
“All of them? Brother Li, you must be joking!” Upon hearing Han Li’s words, Shopkeeper Tian’s face darkened. He thought Han Li was being overly ambitious, planning to exchange a single spirit herb for all the treasures in the brocade boxes.
Seeing this, Han Li smiled faintly but did not argue. Instead, he pulled out an identical box from his storage pouch and placed it on the table.
“Two thousand-year spirit herbs in exchange for all the treasures in your brocade boxes!” Han Li said slowly, adopting a tone of unwavering determination.
Shopkeeper Tian was both shocked and delighted. Without immediately responding to Han Li’s offer, he hurriedly inspected the newly presented spirit herb. Only after confirming that it was indeed another thousand-year spirit herb of the same quality did he look at Han Li with a peculiar expression. After all, anyone who could produce two rare spirit herbs at once was certainly someone worth Ten Thousand Treasures Building’s attention.
Since Han Li was wearing a hood, Shopkeeper Tian couldn’t see his expression, which only added to his mystique. After hesitating for a moment, the shopkeeper decisively said, “Very well! Since Brother Li has spoken thus, I can make a concession and agree. However, I have a small additional request for you, Brother Li. If you happen to acquire any more spirit herbs or similar items in the future, I hope you will prioritize our establishment. I assure you, my offers will be more than satisfactory.”
Han Li let out a dry chuckle and gave a noncommittal nod. Internally, however, he sighed, realizing that the other party had grown suspicious. It seemed that trading spirit herbs for treasures was something he should avoid in the future to prevent attracting life-threatening trouble.
Unaware of Han Li’s true thoughts, Shopkeeper Tian was overjoyed at his nod. If this fellow named Li could indeed procure more thousand-year spirit herbs for him, then the minor concession he had made today would be entirely worth it!
Thus, Shopkeeper Tian and Han Li exchanged items, each storing away their acquisitions with great satisfaction.
Han Li then bid farewell and left Ten Thousand Treasures Building. Not daring to linger in the market for even a moment longer, he quickly exited the no-fly zone of the market and immediately took to the skies, leaving the area behind.
Fearing that Ten Thousand Treasures Building might send experts to tail him, he did not fly directly toward Yellow Maple Valley. Instead, he flew away from the Tai Yue Mountain Range and, after putting three or four days’ distance between himself and the market, felt secure enough to loop back toward Yellow Maple Valley.
On the evening of the third day, Han Li reached the outskirts of the Tai Yue Mountain Range. As darkness was about to fall, he decided to prioritize safety and found a hidden cave to rest for the night before continuing his journey to Yellow Maple Valley the next day.
The cave was located halfway up a mountainside, its entrance obscured by a few scattered rocks, making it difficult to spot from the outside. Han Li had stumbled upon it quite by chance.
After eating something, he leaned against the stone wall in his clothes, meditating to restore his energy. Unconsciously, he drifted into a light sleep until the deep of the night. Just as he was hovering between sleep and wakefulness, he suddenly heard the sound of rustling clothes, followed by a “thud,” as though someone had landed outside the cave from the air. Han Li’s heart jolted, and all drowsiness vanished.
“Could it be that Ten Thousand Treasures Building has sent someone after me?” Han Li couldn’t help but consider the worst-case scenario.
“Junior Sister, this place has a nice environment, and it’s remote and deserted. I think we can stop here!” A somewhat familiar male voice sounded outside the cave.
Han Li was taken aback but finally breathed a sigh of relief. Since it wasn’t Ten Thousand Treasures Building coming to kill him and seize his treasures, it meant the other party was merely passing by. There was nothing to worry about.
“Junior Sister, why look at me like that? You’ve never experienced the joys of intimacy between a man and a woman. Today, your senior brother will treat you well and ensure you haven’t lived your life as a woman in vain. Otherwise, it would be such a waste for someone with such beauty to meet an untimely end.” The man’s voice remained unhurried and exceedingly gentle, but the words he spoke were utterly vulgar and merciless.
Han Li drew a sharp breath. Who was this guy outside, able to speak so calmly about committing such heinous acts? He couldn’t help but feel a perverse sense of admiration! Moreover, only the man’s voice could be heard, with no response from the woman. This suggested that the “Junior Sister” had already been subdued and likely couldn’t even open her mouth.
However, the man’s voice sounded so familiar—it must have been someone he had met before. Curiosity piqued, Han Li silently crept toward the cave entrance.
“Rip!” The sound of tearing fabric echoed, accompanied by the man’s lecherous laughter.
“Here, take a Pleasure Pill first! Otherwise, there won’t be any fun later!”
“Ahem, Junior Sister! Don’t look at me like that! Didn’t you always say you wanted to dual cultivate with me after Foundation Establishment? Consider this your wish fulfilled! Haha…” The man laughed wildly, as if he had lost all sense of reason.
By then, Han Li had reached a large rock near the cave entrance and peered out into the clearing outside.
A man in white robes was half-kneeling beside a young woman, freely groping her delicate body while occasionally tearing off strips of her clothing.
The woman’s hair was disheveled, obscuring her face from Han Li’s view. However, most of her body was already exposed, revealing fair, elastic skin. Particularly eye-catching were her partially concealed, full breasts, which stirred one’s blood and deeply aroused primal instincts.
“So it’s him!”
Upon clearly seeing the man’s face, Han Li felt both surprised and suddenly enlightened.
The man was none other than the narrow-minded “Senior Brother Lu” who had previously fought with the Murong brothers. He truly was a wolf in sheep’s clothing! The only question was, which unfortunate senior sister from the valley was the little lamb under his clutches?
As if he had heard Han Li’s thoughts, “Senior Brother Lu” inadvertently brushed aside the hair covering the woman’s face, revealing a beautiful but fiercely resentful countenance.
“How could it be her?” Han Li nearly bit his tongue in shock when he saw the woman’s face.
Wasn’t this the “Junior Sister Chen” who had always been affectionate with “Senior Brother Lu” on the hill? She was his lover! Had “Senior Brother Lu” lost his mind? Why would he play out this rape and murder scenario with his own partner? Yet, judging by the fire in “Junior Sister Chen’s” eyes, this didn’t seem like some lovers’ game.
Han Li blinked, feeling utterly confused.
“Found it!”
Suddenly, “Senior Brother Lu” stopped his actions and exclaimed in delight. In his hand was a small, exquisitely crafted storage pouch.
No longer paying attention to “Junior Sister Chen,” he upended the storage pouch, and a pile of items spilled out. These included magical instruments, talismans, and even intimate articles like undergarments.
“Senior Brother Lu” ignored everything else, instead frantically searching through the bottles, jars, boxes, and similar items as if looking for something.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage