“Senior Li, please come in!” The woman pushed open the stone door and respectfully gestured for Han Li to enter first.
Han Li nodded without a word and stepped inside, with the woman following closely behind. The stone door then closed automatically, seamlessly blending back into the wall.
Upon entering, Han Li saw a bluestone passageway with a faint white glow shimmering at the end, suggesting it wasn’t very long.
Han Li moved forward silently and, after turning a corner, encountered another wide-open stone door. Outside stood a grim-faced middle-aged cultivator at mid Core Formation stage, dressed in scholarly blue robes.
As soon as this man saw Han Li, he broke into a smile and clasped his hands in greeting: “You must be Fellow Daoist Li! I am Yun Tianxiao, host of this gathering. Welcome to the exchange meeting! Most other fellow daoists have already arrived. Miss Wen, make sure to attend to Brother Li properly—no neglect!” The scholarly Yun first addressed Han Li with extreme courtesy before turning to give the woman a more casual order.
“Fellow Daoist Wen?”
This form of address naturally revealed the white-robed woman’s identity—she was actually Wen Qiang’s daughter, Wen Siyue of the Mystic Sound Sect, whom Han Li had once encountered by chance. It was unclear what circumstances had brought her here, but Han Li was utterly surprised to suddenly see her again.
Of course, due to using his “Appearance Transformation Art,” Han Li recognized her while she remained unaware of his identity.
Hearing the middle-aged scholar’s words, Wen Siyue’s expression changed dramatically, and she hurriedly responded from behind Han Li.
Though Han Li didn’t turn around, he could faintly sense that Wen Siyue seemed terrified of this Yun Tianxiao.
A flicker of curiosity passed through Han Li’s eyes, but he simply chuckled lightly and exchanged a few polite words with the scholar before entering through the door.
Inside was a square hall with an enormous round table at its center. Around it were scattered over a dozen unusually wide master’s chairs, most already occupied by cultivators.
However, when Han Li took in the scene around the table, a strange expression crossed his face.
Apart from two female Core Formation cultivators sitting alone, each male Core Formation cultivator had a stunningly beautiful and alluring female cultivator nestled beside them. These women were all at the 12th or 13th layer of Qi Condensation or early Foundation Establishment stage—without exception young and exceptionally attractive.
As Han Li stood momentarily stunned, a delicate fragrance drifted by his side, and a soft, trembling body leaned against him. Han Li straightened up and slowly turned to see a somewhat dazed, beautiful face—it was Wen Siyue, who had moved closer to him on her own, her faint fragrance enveloping his senses.
Han Li frowned slightly but didn’t push her away in false propriety. Instead, after glancing at the other female cultivators accompanying the male practitioners, understanding dawned in his eyes.
After a moment’s thought, he wrapped an arm around her slender waist and strode to an empty master’s chair, sitting down firmly.
Wen Siyue, like the other female cultivators, reluctantly sat with him, half her body leaning into Han Li’s embrace.
For a moment, he was surrounded by warmth and fragrance—an enviable position.
Just as Wen Siyue remained silent, her body somewhat stiff, the arm around her waist loosened slightly. This surprised her, and she instinctively glanced at Han Li with a mix of shock and doubt.
But at that moment, Han Li was calmly surveying the others.
The seven or eight Core Formation cultivators present naturally sized up Han Li as well.
Though they found his face unfamiliar, none showed any particular reaction; instead, most offered him friendly smiles. Han Li’s expression softened in response, returning their smiles.
After a while, five or six more Core Formation cultivators entered the hall, each accompanied by a young, beautiful female cultivator.
Seeing this, Han Li’s face remained neutral, but inwardly he felt surprised.
This Yun Tianxiao truly had considerable resources to gather so many young, attractive female cultivators. Even more remarkable was that these women all possessed considerable cultivation levels, suggesting they weren’t ordinary individuals.
As Han Li pondered this, Yun Tianxiao entered from outside, now accompanied by an elegant, dignified beauty.
This woman was only at late Foundation Establishment stage but walked arm-in-arm with Yun Tianxiao, appearing very intimate.
“Madam Fan!” Han Li’s heart skipped another beat upon seeing her.
“This Left Emissary Fan of the Mystic Sound Sect is actually here too, and seems quite close with the host. This trip is getting more interesting by the minute.” Han Li skillfully masked the surprise on his face, but his mind was anything but calm.
“Ah!” Wen Siyue in his embrace trembled slightly, her fragrant lips parting in a soft moan. The sound carried both pain and what seemed like embarrassed annoyance!
Startled, Han Li glanced sideways and saw Wen Siyue’s face flushed crimson with shyness.
Puzzled, Han Li’s gaze shifted downward and discovered that his hand, which had been holding her, had somehow come to rest on her full, firm breast, even pinching a slightly hardened nipple between his fingers.
The incredibly soft, thrilling sensation sent a subtle tremor deep into Han Li’s soul. Almost instinctively, he quickly moved his hand away and averted his gaze, an odd feeling rising in his heart.
The blush that had spread to Wen Siyue’s jade-like neck suddenly halted. Hesitantly, she raised her head, a look of astonishment mixed with several shades of surprise in her eyes as they settled on Han Li’s face.
Han Li felt somewhat uncomfortable but pretended nothing had happened, ignoring her while loosening his arm around her waist another fraction.
While he had never aspired to be a righteous gentleman, this woman was after all the daughter of an acquaintance, making the situation rather awkward for him.
Han Li’s unusual behavior went unnoticed by others except Wen Siyue, as Yun Tianxiao had now taken the main seat with Madam Fan elegantly by his side. Naturally, everyone’s attention was focused on these two.
“Having thirteen fellow daoists participate in this exchange meeting is truly an honor for Yun. Although two fellow daoists had to leave early due to other matters, this gathering has the highest attendance in recent history. I won’t waste words—fellow daoists may now present your items, give brief introductions, then state your asking prices or desired exchange items. Those interested can proceed with transactions.”
After saying this with a smile, Yun Tianxiao slightly turned his head and smiled at a plump old man in indigo robes to his left, indicating he should begin.
This stout old man had been tightly embracing a petite female cultivator. Seeing Yun Tianxiao’s signal, he reluctantly released her before speaking unhurriedly: “Since that’s the case, this old man will start. I’ve brought quite a few good items this time. Anyone who can produce what I need is welcome to exchange for them.” After speaking, the old man took a storage pouch from his waist and emptied it onto the round table before him.
Amid swirling radiant light, several objects appeared on the table, each emanating spiritual energy that suggested they were extraordinary.
“Three Sky Spirit Seeds, one Crouching Tiger Shark demon core, one transformed sea beast hide…” The old man proudly introduced each item as he picked them up, causing many present to show expressions of surprise. Clearly, these were indeed rare treasures.
Hearing these items, Han Li inwardly sneered. While they might be valuable to ordinary Core Formation cultivators, they were beneath his notice. Even the most precious item, the Crouching Tiger Shark demon core, was merely from a sixth-grade demon beast. Han Li had personally slain no fewer than seven or eight such creatures.
After listing his offerings, the plump old man plopped back into his seat, once again pulling the petite female cultivator into his embrace, his face full of pride.
The Qi Condensation stage woman beside him, who had initially seemed reluctant to be held, now looked at him with shining eyes, her demeanor turning gentle.
Next to the stout old man sat a strange individual with a red cloth wrapped around his head. After the old man sat down, this man coughed dryly several times before swaying to his feet. He was terrifyingly tall and thin, like a bamboo pole.
“I’ve only brought one item: an egg from a fifth-grade Coiled Earth Dragon.” He spoke calmly, then reached into his robe and produced a yellow egg about the size of a chicken’s egg.
“Coiled Earth Dragon!”
Hearing this, the previously relaxed cultivators’ eyes lit up, their gazes fixed intently on the egg, most showing burning desire.
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