Chapter 283: Old Feelings

Han Li felt that telling her about Mo Caihuan and her mother going missing again would be rather unnecessary.

As long as Mo Fengwu knew she still had family alive in this world, that was enough! He guessed she wouldn’t bring up meeting Mo Caihuan and her mother again—after all, so much had changed.

Han Li then briefly recounted his encounter with Mo Caihuan. Upon hearing this, Mo Fengwu was nearly moved to tears of joy.

Mo Fengwu understood clearly that, given Han Li’s status as a cultivator, there was no need for him to fabricate lies to deceive a weak woman like her. The reason he treated her with such courtesy was likely due to their brief encounter years ago.

Therefore, Mo Fengwu clasped her hands together in front of her chest, silently offering a prayer of gratitude before regaining her composure.

When she faced Han Li again, she was noticeably less distant.

She clearly understood that if not for Han Li’s intervention at Yanling Castle, Lady Yan and her daughter would still be in dire straits.

“Thank you, Young Master Han, for telling me about Caihuan and Fourth Mother’s whereabouts. This is the first good news Fengwu has heard in seven or eight years,” Mo Fengwu said calmly after composing herself.

But before Han Li could respond, she continued, “Although my younger sister and her mother are safe, my eldest sister and my other aunts are still missing—most likely they have already met a tragic end. This is a debt Fengwu must repay. But I am weak and powerless. Junior Brother Han, you will help me, won’t you?”

As she spoke, Mo Fengwu’s expression grew vulnerable. A mist seemed to veil her bright eyes, as though she were on the verge of weeping.

Seeing this, Han Li rubbed his nose, feeling both a headache and helplessness.

He had thought that after learning about Mo Caihuan and her mother, she wouldn’t be so fixated on revenge. Yet, he hadn’t expected Mo Fengwu to become so determined about this matter over the years.

To be honest, eliminating a Qi Refinement cultivator would be far easier for him than killing a prominent mortal without cause.

Since joining the Yellow Maple Valley, Han Li had learned that the more than ten provinces of Yue Kingdom had long been divided among the seven major sects and several powerful families.

Every major mortal influence in each province, especially those with long-standing histories, had cultivators watching over them from the shadows. Some were even directly backed by these cultivation sects.

The Mo Mansion of Lan Province and the Dominating Dragon Manor, being relatively new powers, had not yet come into contact with the cultivation world. Otherwise, when Han Li assassinated Ouyang Feitian of the Dominating Dragon Manor, it wouldn’t have been so effortless, nor would it have gone uninvestigated.

But the Five-Colored Sect was different.

This sect had risen to power over a century ago and could be considered an established force. Moreover, Lan Province was tacitly acknowledged as the territory of the Spirit Beast Mountain, one of the seven major sects. It was highly likely that the Five-Colored Sect had backing from Spirit Beast Mountain. This was why the Mo Mansion had suffered such a crushing defeat upon clashing with them.

As a disciple of Yellow Maple Valley, eliminating a mortal leader supported by another sect without justification would be difficult to explain.

However, with the recent infiltration of demonic cultivators into Yue Kingdom to disrupt the mortal world, this presented an opportunity to take advantage of the chaos. If he acted during this time and exercised caution, he could likely avoid trouble.

Han Li mulled this over but showed no outward expression. Instead, he stood up and paced around the room a few times.

After weighing the pros and cons, he fixed his gaze on Mo Fengwu’s lovely face and said calmly, “Miss Fengwu, under normal circumstances, I couldn’t agree to this request—it would bring me great trouble. But given the unusual situation in the cultivation world lately, it’s not entirely impossible. Very well, if the opportunity arises, I will attempt to eliminate the leader of the Five-Colored Sect. However, if it proves too difficult, Miss Fengwu, you must abandon thoughts of revenge.”

Upon hearing this, Mo Fengwu was overjoyed to the point of tears. Her radiant, tear-streaked beauty left Han Li momentarily spellbound.

When he first met Mo Fengwu years ago, he had been genuinely smitten with the gentle and captivating Second Young Lady of the Mo Mansion. The warm and endearing impression she left on him remained fresh in his memory, something he often found himself reminiscing about.

It could be considered his first experience with romantic feelings.

And this small promise would serve as a closure to those feelings for Mo Fengwu.

Han Li thought this to himself, though his expression remained neutral. He decided to bury these emotions deep in his heart and never speak of them to anyone else.

Mo Fengwu, meanwhile, finally snapped out of her joy upon hearing Han Li’s agreement.

Her face filled with gratitude, she wordlessly stepped closer to Han Li and suddenly brushed his cheek with her soft, fragrant lips. With a mix of shyness and confusion, she said, “With Junior Brother Han’s promise, even if you cannot kill that person, Fengwu will be eternally grateful.”

After saying this, the young woman silently pulled her cloak over her head and hurriedly left Han Li’s room.

Han Li touched the spot on his cheek where she had kissed him, his expression somewhat peculiar. Soon, he propped his chin on his hand and sank into deep thought, remaining that way for a long, long time…

…

Early the next morning, Han Li awoke from his meditation. Reflecting on the events of the previous night, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. If Mo Fengwu had possessed a spiritual root, he would have certainly brought her into the Yellow Maple Valley and cultivated the Dao together as companions.

With these thoughts, Han Li finished his morning ablutions and stepped out of his room.

He intended to familiarize himself with the layout of the Qin Residence before considering other matters.

To his surprise, as soon as he emerged, he found Qin Ping standing outside the courtyard with a cheerful smile.

Before Han Li could express his astonishment, Qin Ping cleverly explained, “I’ve been assigned by the master to serve as Young Master’s personal attendant. From now on, if there’s anything you need done, just give the order, and this humble servant will see to it.”

Qin Ping’s demeanor was respectful yet tinged with excitement.

His reasoning was simple: although this Young Master Han came from a small place and didn’t seem particularly sharp, he held significant importance in the master’s eyes. That alone was reason enough to curry favor with him.

Moreover, if he could serve this young master well, he might even earn additional favor from the master himself.

As Qin Ping mulled over his clever little plan, he inwardly scorned those fools who had refused the assignment to serve this “bumpkin” young master.

He had heard from the maidservants close to the mistress that this young man was most likely the master’s illegitimate child. As long as the master was alive, how could he treat this young master poorly? And as Han Li’s personal attendant, Qin Ping’s status would naturally rise as well.

This was far better than being a mere errand-runner for the Third Mistress!

Unaware of Qin Ping’s true thoughts, Han Li simply felt that Qin Yan was quite considerate. Knowing that Han Li was unfamiliar with the Qin Residence and Yue Capital, he had immediately sent a guide. Truly a timely help!

Thinking this, Han Li couldn’t help but smile. He said directly to Qin Ping, “I’ve never seen such a large estate before. I’d like to take a stroll around. Accompany me.”

“Yes, Young Master!” Qin Ping responded energetically, eager to tackle his first task.

Thus, with Qin Ping as his guide, Han Li began wandering around the vast Qin Residence.

Although some areas were occupied by female family members and weren’t suitable for close inspection, standing at a distance to observe and comment didn’t attract any interference. After all, Qin Yan’s words from the previous day had spread throughout the entire Qin household.

“This is the Second Master’s compound, Fugui Yuan. Besides the Second Master, his two youngest sons also live here. Next to it is…” Qin Ping proved to be a highly competent guide, not only telling Han Li the names of each courtyard but also pointing out their residents, which Han Li committed to memory.

When they reached the residence of the “Cousin Young Lady” Mo Fengwu, Han Li paused for a moment, his expression thoughtful, before calmly moving on.

Before long, Han Li had toured the entire Qin Residence, but he still seemed unsatisfied.

In the end, he had Qin Ping lead him out of the estate and accompany him to some bustling spots in Yue Capital, continuing to provide explanations as they wandered.

They spent the entire morning visiting famous landmarks and busy areas in the capital.

Qin Ping’s initially cheerful expression had long vanished. By now, he was limping along behind Han Li, his face a picture of misery.

Anyone who had walked for hours without rest while constantly talking would likely wear the same expression. For the first time, Qin Ping began to wonder if he had chosen the wrong master.