With a dull “thud,” the giant fist struck Han Li squarely on the back. The burly man initially felt a surge of joy, but his expression quickly turned to shock as a flash of blue light sent him flying backward as if struck by a massive hammer.
The middle-aged scholar’s face also paled, then twisted into an expression of bewilderment.
The burly man’s massive frame had just shot toward him, but suddenly slowed mid-air, landing lightly on his feet as if completely unharmed.
“Brother Li, are you alright? Any hidden injuries?” Though the scholar was a man of letters with no martial prowess, his frequent interactions with the burly man surnamed Li had taught him that martial artists often possessed techniques to harm others imperceptibly. Thus, he asked with concern.
“I’m fine, no injuries. The opponent’s skills are unfathomable, but he doesn’t seem malicious,” the burly man surnamed Li replied in a hushed, uncertain tone after taking a deep breath and confirming he was unharmed.
Hearing this, the scholar relaxed slightly and nodded before turning to face Han Li.
“Esteemed warrior, I am Han Tianxiao, head of the Han family. Might I ask if you came here specifically to wait for me?” the scholar said calmly, his demeanor unshaken.
“Head of the Han family?” Han Li finally turned around slowly.
“Ah, you—”
“Impossible!”
“Hmph! What is the meaning of this?”
Before Han Li could speak, the scholar and the burly man gasped in unison upon seeing his face. The scholar’s expression darkened as if recalling something, while the burly man’s face also turned hostile.
“Do you recognize me?” Han Li frowned, scanning the two for traces of familiarity but finding none, much to his silent amusement.
“Are you feigning ignorance? Since you’ve disguised yourself to resemble our Han family’s Fourth Elder based on portraits, why not admit it outright?” the scholar said, staring at Han Li word by word.
“Fourth Elder?” Han Li’s lips curled into a half-smile. In his youth, he had been the fourth in his family, so this “Fourth Elder” undoubtedly referred to him. Yet, he couldn’t fathom how these descendants knew his appearance, given that he had never met his relatives face-to-face after reaching adulthood.
“Oh? When did I claim to be your Fourth Elder? Can’t I simply bear this resemblance naturally?” Han Li replied with a faint smile.
“While many in this world may share similar features, one who looks exactly like our ancestor and appears in our Han family ancestral hall is uniquely you,” the scholar retorted coldly, his anger subsiding into icy detachment.
“Well spoken! As expected of a court official. The Han family’s prosperity today owes much to descendants like you,” Han Li remarked approvingly, his expression softening.
“So, you truly intend to impersonate our ancestor?” the scholar said, a flash of fury in his eyes.
“Impersonate? I am him. Why would I need to? First, tell me how you know my appearance. I left home young, so my family shouldn’t recall my face. Did the Seven Mysteries Sect provide portraits? Hmm—you bear the surname Li. What relation are you to Li Feiyu from back then?” Han Li’s gaze shifted to the bearded man, narrowing slightly as he detected a faint familiarity in his features.
“You—how do you know my ancestor’s name? So, you’re even aware of our Li family’s affairs?” the burly man exclaimed, his shock quickly turning to anger.
Han Li merely chuckled in response.
“Since you insist on claiming to be our ancestor, you must also know that our Fourth Elder left home young and later vanished. Yet, over two centuries have passed. Are you suggesting you’re over two hundred years old? You hardly look it,” the scholar pressed, unsettled by Han Li’s mention of the “Seven Mysteries Sect” and “Li Feiyu.”
He had only recently learned of these details from a private manuscript. Had this man read it too?
His gaze involuntarily flicked toward the altar table, where the manuscript was hidden in a concealed compartment.
Noticing the scholar’s odd glance, Han Li’s spiritual sense swept over the table, instantly locating the hidden manuscript.
Without hesitation, Han Li raised a hand and beckoned toward the table.
A miraculous sight unfolded before the two men: a soft blue glow emerged from the altar, cradling a yellowed booklet as it floated effortlessly into Han Li’s grasp. With a flick of his wrist, the light dissipated, and Han Li began perusing the manuscript calmly.
Though the scholar was a seasoned official, unshaken even by the collapse of Mount Tai, he now gulped nervously, exchanging a panicked glance with the burly man, whose expression mirrored his own—a mix of shock and inexplicable emotion.
As the scholar puzzled over this, the bearded man suddenly clasped his fists and bowed deeply to Han Li. “Might I ask… are you perhaps one of the legendary immortal cultivators? If so, given your transcendent status, you’d have no reason to deceive mortals like us. But given the gravity of this matter, could you provide proof of your identity? Neither I nor Brother Han can take mere words at face value.”
The scholar gasped, recalling similar legends, and regarded Han Li with newfound awe.
“Oh? You know of immortal cultivators? Impressive. Judging by this manuscript, you truly are Li Feiyu’s descendant. How unexpected that his lineage would intertwine with the Han family. As for proof… that’s tricky. I left home in pursuit of the Dao, taking nothing with me—not even bidding farewell to Li Feiyu himself. All I left behind was a note and a few vials of medicine,” Han Li mused.
“Medicine? Could the vials enshrined in our ancestral hall be your doing?” the burly man asked, stunned.
“Your ancestor sought martial prowess at any cost, even consuming the Marrow-Extracting Pill. Though I left him medicine, I doubt he lived to old age,” Han Li sighed mournfully.
“I don’t know these details, but my father is still alive. As family head, he may know more. With your permission, I could send for him to verify this,” the burly man proposed cautiously, now largely convinced. His ancestor had indeed died young, despite founding the Li family’s legacy.
“No need. I returned only to settle lingering worldly ties, not to stir trouble. Seeing the Han and Li families thrive puts my mind at ease,” Han Li waved dismissively, his tone wistful.
Panicked, the burly man shot the scholar a meaningful look. Having an immortal ancestor would be an immeasurable boon to both families.
Understanding the stakes, the scholar bowed respectfully. “If you truly are our Fourth Elder, there’s another way to confirm it. Our ancestral hall preserves relics from our forebears. If you can identify them, we’ll believe you. Only the Han family head handles these artifacts; no outsider could know them.”
“Relics? Show me. I left young, so I may not recognize all,” Han Li said indifferently, willing to humor them if it wasn’t too troublesome.
“Rest assured, many are keepsakes from our ancestors’ impoverished youth. You should know them.” The scholar bowed and descended the stairs.
Soon, he returned with a red-cloth-covered tray, presenting it reverently to Han Li.
Unveiling it revealed a collection of worn trinkets.
“Ah! These… I never thought I’d see them again,” Han Li murmured, a flicker of nostalgia crossing his face.
“You recognize them?” the scholar asked cautiously, tense.
“Most are familiar. A few were added after I left—whose, I wouldn’t know. This slingshot and small bow belonged to my second brother, Han Zhu; he loved tinkering with them. This wooden hairpin was my mother’s favorite. The pipe…” Han Li recounted each item’s history with intimate detail.
Halfway through, the scholar’s doubts vanished. He tugged the burly man down into a deep bow.
“Unfilial descendant Han Tianxiao pays respects to Fourth Elder. Forgive my earlier disrespect,” the scholar pleaded, head bowed in shame.
The burly man mirrored his reverence.
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