After clearly seeing the faces of these two, Han Li sighed inwardly. They were actually the two disciples who, like him, only had the eleventh layer of cultivation. One had an aged face with a cunning glint in his eyes, while the other appeared simple and naive—clearly a young lad who had yet to experience the world.
Such an odd pair seeking him out truly surprised Han Li. However, after a moment’s thought, he could vaguely guess their intentions.
“Senior Brothers, is there something you need?” Han Li spoke coldly out of courtesy, but his tone made it unmistakably clear that he had no intention of being friendly, hoping to discourage them.
Clearly, this Senior Brother Xiang had a much thicker skin than Han Li had anticipated. Not only did he pay no mind to Han Li’s dismissive tone, but he also acted with familiar enthusiasm. “Hehe, Junior Brother Han, do you have any good strategies for tomorrow’s trip to the forbidden area? You know, the three of us have the weakest cultivation. If we clash with disciples from other sects, we’ll likely be the first to fall! Why don’t we discuss and come up with a plan together?”
Upon hearing this, Han Li blinked a few times but remained silent. He was now certain of their intentions and had a pretty good idea of what this person was going to say.
It seemed this old sly fox intended to rally some weaker disciples to act and fight together, thereby increasing their safety and seemingly improving their chances of survival.
However, Han Li understood all too well that such an approach had both advantages and disadvantages.
If everyone gathered together, the area they could search would be significantly reduced, resulting in pitifully few discoveries of spiritual medicine. Moreover, even if they found some, it would be hard to say who would ultimately claim it—most likely, ownership would be determined by strength.
Naturally, Han Li had no interest in such an alliance. Not only would he gain no benefits, but there was also a high chance he would be used as cannon fodder by others.
As for this old sly fox, he likely had no good intentions either, probably aiming to take advantage of the chaos and fish in troubled waters.
Seeing that Han Li remained silent after he finished speaking, the old man grew impatient and couldn’t help but add, “I have an idea. Would you like to hear it, Junior Brother? It’s absolutely guaranteed to help us all safely get through this trip!”
The old man put on an inscrutable expression, looking utterly mysterious, the wrinkles on his forehead squeezing together. Han Li found it both irritating and amusing.
Meanwhile, the young lad beside him seemed to greatly admire this old sly fox. Though he said nothing, his expression clearly showed he regarded the old man as his leader.
Since Han Li had no intention of joining their alliance, he saw no reason to prolong the conversation. He straightforwardly refused, “My apologies! I’ve never been accustomed to acting with others, and I have no such plans for this trip either. If you wish to form an alliance, Senior Brother, you should seek out other fellow disciples.”
Han Li’s words were frank and unambiguous.
He knew that only by making it clear he was no novice could he completely dissuade the other party from pestering him further. Otherwise, with so few fellow disciples here, this Senior Brother Xiang would likely cling to any shred of possibility and persistently bother his target. Han Li had no desire to be endlessly annoyed by him.
Upon hearing this, the old man named Xiang realized he had approached the wrong person. The young man before him, though appearing youthful, spoke with the seasoned ease of an experienced hand. He said nothing further, offered a slightly disgruntled farewell, and left.
Watching the direction they departed, Han Li noticed they were heading toward another disciple meditating on a rock.
With a faint smile, Han Li turned back and continued observing the few fellow disciples worth noting. This time, however, he saw “Junior Sister Chen” standing with another rather plain-looking young woman. Nearby, a few self-proclaimed talented and handsome young men had gathered around them, almost imperceptibly.
Han Li’s lips twitched slightly. For some reason, the sight of those men irritated him. In the end, he decided to avoid the unpleasant sight altogether and found a secluded spot to close his eyes and rest.
Thus, the next morning, all the disciples gathered once again atop the mountain, standing in orderly rows as they awaited the arrival of the other immortal sects.
They waited for several hours, yet there was still no sign of anyone. Han Li inwardly cursed, almost suspecting that the other sects were deliberately delaying to drain the stamina of the Yellow Maple Valley disciples.
What unsettled Han Li even more was that, whether by coincidence or not, when the standing order was arranged, “Junior Sister Chen” ended up right beside him on his right. The familiar scent of her feminine fragrance occasionally drifted into his nostrils, stirring his imagination and seemingly transporting him back to that incredibly enchanting night.
To conceal his discomfort, Han Li helplessly lowered his head, pretending to be uneasy. Yet inwardly, he scolded himself for his lack of composure. She was just a somewhat pretty woman—how could she make him lose his poise like this?
Still, Han Li couldn’t help but admire the Elder Li standing at the very front. His posture, gazing at the sky, had remained completely motionless for such a long time. Han Li wondered whether he was lost in thought or pondering something profound.
Suddenly, Han Li felt a stir among the people around him, as if something had happened!
Unable to resist, he raised his head.
All his fellow disciples were craning their necks, looking toward the horizon on one side. Han Li followed their gaze.
In the azure sky, several starlike points of light flickered, gradually growing larger. Moments later, a series of black dots emerged.
Beneath the black dots, silver light shimmered, as though they were riding on these starlight rays, descending from beyond the heavens.
At this wondrous sight, the crowd grew even more restless.
“Quiet! What is wrong with you all? This is the Clear Void Sect’s flight artifact—the Snow Rainbow Ribbon. Don’t make a fuss and embarrass our Yellow Maple Valley,” a middle-aged manager with stout limbs at the front reprimanded them with a stern expression, turning back to scold the disciples.
His words proved effective, and the commotion immediately settled down, though occasional whispers could still be heard.
By now, the black dots had become clear—they were cultivators dressed in gray Taoist robes. Most were genuine Taoists, holding horsetail whisks and wearing their hair in Taoist knots. However, a few wore Taoist robes but otherwise appeared entirely secular, likely lay disciples who had not taken vows.
Han Li and the others could now see that the “starlight” beneath their feet was actually a flawless white rainbow bridge, dotted with shimmering silver light, though it was unclear what was embedded in it.
As Han Li observed closely, the white rainbow bridge carrying the Clear Void Sect disciples descended onto the mountain, landing directly opposite the Yellow Maple Valley group.
The leading middle-aged Taoist made a gentle beckoning gesture, and in a flash of white light, the rainbow bridge transformed by the Snow Rainbow Ribbon vanished. In its place, a brocade-like object appeared in his hand.
“I didn’t expect it would be Benefactor Li leading the group again. This humble Taoist, Fuyunzi, greets you!” The Taoist walked up to Elder Li, beaming with delight. His tone suggested they were acquainted.
“Hmph! If you can come, why can’t I?” Elder Li retorted rudely, clasping his hands behind his back.
“Hehe, within our respective sects, you and I are the latest to reach the Core Formation stage. If we don’t handle these errands, who will?” The Taoist remained unperturbed, flicking his horsetail whisk while keeping his smile intact.
“You cunning old Taoist, you tricked me badly last time. Don’t think you can pull that again!”
“Benefactor Li, what are you saying? Admitting defeat and accepting loss is only right and proper. How can you say I tricked you?” The Taoist chuckled dismissively.
Elder Li’s eyes flashed with a cold gleam, as if he was about to lose his temper. But then, as if recalling something, his imposing aura softened, replaced by an unwilling resignation. “That piece of Iron Essence I refined into your Green Jun Sword must have made it even more powerful, right? I worked hard for over a decade to refine that one piece, and yet it ended up benefiting you, you old Taoist!”
His words were dripping with bitterness, clearly still pained by the loss of the so-called Iron Essence.
“Haha, so the renowned Immortal Master Li would fuss over a mere piece of Iron Essence! Very well, this time I’ve brought something else, far superior to that Iron Essence. If you win this bet, it will more than make up for your previous loss.” The Taoist stroked his beard, smiling slyly.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage