The woman in white, upon seeing Han Li enter, placed the silver sword she had been caressing back into the wooden case. She then lifted her head slightly and gazed at Han Li with serene composure. Before him appeared a face that had haunted his dreams countless times—delicate and enchanting.
Her slightly pointed chin, refined nose, and clear, intoxicating eyes were all so familiar to Han Li, stirring his heart profoundly. An indescribable warmth surged within him, as if he had spent centuries, even millennia, with this woman.
At this moment, all thoughts of mental discipline and cultivation chants were cast aside. Han Li allowed this unprecedented surge of emotion to flood his chest unrestrained.
When Nangong Wan noticed Han Li staring at her so boldly, she was momentarily taken aback. Then, a thoughtful glimmer flashed in her beautiful eyes, and her delicate brows furrowed ever so slightly.
“Yu’er, you may leave. I wish to speak with this man alone,” Nangong Wan said calmly, tilting her chin slightly toward the yellow-robed female cultivator who had escorted Han Li in.
“Yes, Ancestor!” The yellow-robed girl was momentarily stunned but quickly bowed in acknowledgment before quietly exiting the hall, vanishing without a trace.
Han Li waited until she had completely disappeared before scanning the surroundings with his spiritual sense. Confirming that no other cultivators were nearby, he turned his gaze back to Nangong Wan. With a swift hand seal, a series of cracking sounds erupted from within his body. His stature abruptly grew several inches taller, and a ripple of cyan light shimmered across his face as he revealed his true appearance.
“It really is you… Han Li!” A complex expression flickered across Nangong Wan’s jade-like face, though she didn’t seem overly surprised. She merely sighed softly.
“You… You knew I would come?” Han Li, now restored to his original appearance, hesitated over how to address her. Stumbling over his words, he blurted out something rather awkward. The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them, scratching the back of his head in frustration.
“You fool! Just call me Wan’er,” Nangong Wan replied, her radiant face breaking into a charming smile as she watched Han Li’s flustered demeanor. Her eyes sparkled, her beauty utterly captivating.
“Wan’er!” Han Li’s heart swelled with joy, and he couldn’t help but whisper her name. The unease he had felt earlier melted away.
This woman clearly wasn’t indifferent to him—otherwise, she wouldn’t have shown such an expression. For a moment, Han Li became entranced by her peerless beauty.
“What’s so fascinating about me? Am I more captivating than that new concubine of yours?” Nangong Wan’s cheeks flushed slightly as she turned her head away, speaking in a light, indifferent tone.
“Concubine? You know about that?” Han Li snapped out of his daze, surprised by her seemingly displeased remark.
“Hmph! The newly appointed elder of the Falling Cloud Sect, a Nascent Soul cultivator who advanced in just over two hundred years—how could I not know?” Nangong Wan lowered her head slightly, gazing at the smooth stone floor. A hint of playful stubbornness laced her voice as she let out a soft snort.
“Was it that Tang cultivator you met recently?” Han Li pondered for a moment before realization dawned.
“You’re not as dense as I thought! Indeed, it was that junior Tang who sent me a message through a special channel. When I received it, I could hardly believe that you, who had vanished for so long, had also become a Nascent Soul cultivator. I immediately had someone gather recent information about the Falling Cloud Sect. Though I usually pay little attention to such news, I eventually pieced together your general situation—from your sudden reappearance as a sect elder to your departure during the trade fair. And that concubine of yours is still in Tiantian City, hasn’t left yet!” Nangong Wan brushed a strand of hair from her forehead and cast a sidelong glance at Han Li, her lips curving into a teasing smile. Her expression turned bewitchingly coquettish, exuding endless allure.
“I explicitly instructed her to return to the sect with another elder. It seems something must have delayed her. But as for this concubine—” Han Li rubbed his nose awkwardly, attempting to explain.
“Enough, there’s no need to explain. I’m not resentful about you taking a concubine. After all, wasn’t I about to marry someone else myself?” Nangong Wan cut him off, her expression dimming as she suddenly seemed fragile and vulnerable.
“What exactly is going on? Are you truly planning to marry that man?” Han Li’s face darkened slightly as he asked in a low, measured tone.
“Before I answer, Wan’er would like to ask you something carefully. Why have you come here? To stop me from marrying him, or simply to see me before leaving again?” Nangong Wan bit her red lip lightly, her starry eyes shimmering with unspoken emotion.
“Of course, I’m taking you away! I want you to be my wife. Whoever dares to stand in my way will have to answer to me first.” Han Li declared without hesitation, his voice brimming with unwavering resolve.
“You wish! When did I ever agree to marry you?” Nangong Wan’s cheeks flushed crimson as she feigned indignation, though her shy demeanor was undeniably alluring.
Han Li chuckled but said nothing. Even as inexperienced as he was in matters of the heart, he knew better than to argue at this moment.
After a brief silence, Nangong Wan’s playful expression faded, replaced by solemnity. “Do you know, back during the Bloody Trial in the forbidden area, after I… lost myself to you, my first thought was to slice you—a mere Qi Condensation cultivator—into countless pieces, then reduce your bones to ashes with my Vermilion Bird Ring to avenge my disgrace. After all, I had guarded my purity for over a century, only to have it ruined by you. How could I not despise you to the core?”
“So, I really was on the verge of death back then?” Han Li rubbed his nose, his expression a mix of amusement and chagrin.
“Of course. If not for a sudden inexplicable softness in my heart, do you think a Core Formation cultivator like me would let someone take advantage so easily?” Nangong Wan’s cheeks still bore a faint blush, but her tone was stern.
Han Li grinned but remained silent. Sensing her lingering resentment easing slightly, Nangong Wan continued, “After we parted, I returned to the sect. For some reason, whether cultivating or meditating, I couldn’t shake your image from my mind. And the visions only grew clearer and more frequent. That was when I realized you had become my inner demon. Unless I resolved this, my cultivation would stagnate forever.”
“There were only two ways to dispel this demon: either marry you, making us one, or ensure your complete disappearance from this world. Marriage was impossible back then—our cultivation levels and statuses were too disparate. So, after much torment, I resolved to eliminate you. But before I could act, the Six Devilish Sects invaded. I encountered you again at the Seven Sects’ camp, and by then, you had reached Foundation Establishment. My resolve wavered. If you continued advancing, perhaps marriage wouldn’t be so far-fetched after all.”
“So, you wanted to kill me again back then? When I saw you masked, I was overjoyed, but your cold demeanor doused my excitement. I was despondent for days,” Han Li muttered with a wry smile.
Nangong Wan pursed her lips in a faint smile before continuing, “Later, when the Spirit Beast Mountain betrayed us and the Seven Sects suffered defeat, each sect prepared to evacuate their core disciples. As the youngest Core Formation cultivator, I was among the first to leave. But a close friend from the Yellow Maple Valley secretly informed me of Patriarch Linghu’s plan—how you and others were to be left behind as decoys.”
“At that moment, it was as if I’d been possessed. All I could think of was rushing back to save you. But by the time I arrived, it was too late. The battle was over, and most of the decoy disciples had been slaughtered, with only a handful escaping. Not knowing whether you lived or died, I had no choice but to return to the sect. I fought alongside the remaining disciples against the Devilish cultivators but was severely wounded by a Core Formation expert. While fleeing, I was pursued by juniors. You likely know the rest—there was no ‘Nangong Ping.’ That was merely my disguise. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to reveal myself, but how could I, a Core Formation cultivator, admit I’d come specifically to save you and propose marriage? Especially after draining much of your cultivation. Still, I did offer to take you back to the Veiled Moon Sect. Had you agreed, I would have revealed my true identity, aided your advancement to Core Formation, and married you. But who knew you’d stubbornly insist on settling for spirit stones instead? Whether out of greed or pride, you left me no choice.” As she spoke, a glimmer of amusement flashed in Nangong Wan’s eyes, and she shot Han Li a mock-stern glare. Yet, beneath it, he sensed a trace of relief.
What Han Li didn’t know was that had he accepted her offer back then, Nangong Wan might have indeed married him. But had he casually agreed to dual cultivate with another woman, her disappointment might have shattered the heart demon entirely. In that case, she would likely have grown cold toward him and foisted him onto a random female disciple.
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