“Hehe, Fellow Daoist can rest assured. This item was obtained by this old man at great risk, and it is absolutely extraordinary.” Jin Yuan chuckled dryly a few times as he spoke.
Han Li nodded and said nothing more, immediately leading the old man toward a side hall.
Upon entering the hall, they found a vast chamber spanning several dozen zhang in width, empty except for a middle-aged woman in a blue robe, seated cross-legged on a cushion in the center. She was at the Foundation Establishment stage and had her eyes closed in meditation. The moment Han Li and the old man entered, she opened her eyes and stood up.
“Fellow Daoists, are you here to browse our collection of secret techniques or to request a private chamber for cultivation discussions?” she asked with a smile, sweeping her gaze over Han Li and the old man.
“Just a private chamber for the two of us,” Han Li replied calmly, showing no interest in the available techniques. After all, any cultivation methods openly accessible to ordinary cultivators were likely mediocre.
“That will require one Spirit Stone, and the chamber will be reclaimed once you leave the hall,” the woman said with a smile. She then reached to her waist and produced a miniature stone house, only a few inches in size.
Han Li was momentarily taken aback but quickly composed himself. He handed over a Spirit Stone and took the object, examining it curiously.
“What? Is this your first time seeing a Sky Mechanism House?” the woman asked with interest upon noticing his reaction.
“Indeed, I’ve never encountered such a thing before. Is this a magic tool?” Han Li weighed the object in his hand—it was light, almost weightless.
“A Sky Mechanism House can be considered a magic tool, but not entirely. It’s quite convenient—just infuse it with spiritual energy to enlarge it for use. Of course, lower-grade ones can only expand and shrink, lacking any additional functions, so calling them magic tools is a stretch. However, higher-grade Sky Mechanism Houses can incorporate formations, barriers, and even rival magic treasures. The one we’re providing you is quite ordinary, only capable of soundproofing and preventing spying,” the woman explained in detail.
Han Li was inwardly surprised. Though he had been told that private chambers were available for rent here, he hadn’t expected something so unusual—such things didn’t exist in the Tiannan Region.
“Thank you for the explanation,” Han Li said gratefully before following her directions toward a side hall.
Jin Yuan followed closely behind but couldn’t resist speaking up after a moment. “Fellow Daoist, I’m truly surprised this is your first time seeing a Sky Mechanism House. But then again, these are typically sold by the Sky Mechanism Pavilion to wandering cultivators or high-level cultivators who frequently travel long distances. Given your youth and cultivation level, you must be a carefully nurtured disciple of a major sect. Naturally, you wouldn’t bother with such flashy yet impractical items. Besides, they’re quite expensive—better to spend Spirit Stones on magic tools or spiritual medicines.”
“Oh? How much would an ordinary Sky Mechanism House like this cost? And are they all shaped like this?” Han Li asked casually.
“Lower-grade ones cost around a hundred Spirit Stones, while higher-grade ones vary depending on the formations and barriers they possess. But they’re generally much pricier than magic tools of the same tier. As for shapes, they come in all forms—towers, pavilions, mansions, and more. Rumor has it that the highest-grade Sky Mechanism Houses from the Sky Mechanism Pavilion are essentially miniature cave abodes, incredibly convenient,” the old man elaborated, seeing Han Li’s interest.
“Miniature cave abodes?” Han Li paused, visibly surprised.
“Hehe! Brother Han, don’t get your hopes up. Even the simplest cave-type Sky Mechanism Houses cost tens of thousands of Spirit Stones—far beyond the means of cultivators like us,” Jin Yuan said with self-deprecation.
Han Li’s expression returned to normal as he nodded.
By then, they had reached the side hall, where five or six stone houses stood sparsely, each identical in appearance to the enlarged version of Han Li’s miniature one, their surfaces shimmering with faint white light.
Han Li’s mind stirred, and he casually probed one of the houses with his spiritual sense. As expected, the moment his senses touched it, they were blocked by a simple barrier. Though easily breakable, doing so would alert the occupant—a fairly reliable method to prevent eavesdropping.
With that thought, Han Li lifted the miniature house, infused it with spiritual energy, and watched as it trembled and grew warm. Without hesitation, he tossed it toward an empty space. With a flash of white light and a muffled thud, a house several zhang in size appeared before them.
“Brother Jin, after you,” Han Li said politely after glancing at the stone house.
“Then this old man won’t stand on ceremony. Truth be told, though I’ve seen Sky Mechanism Houses before, I’ve rarely had the chance to enter one,” Jin Yuan chuckled, stroking his sparse beard before stepping forward to pull open the stone door and enter.
Han Li smiled and followed at a leisurely pace, closing the door behind him.
The interior was compact but well-furnished, with a stone table, chairs, and even a long stone bed. The old man had already seated himself boldly on one of the chairs.
Han Li placed a hand on the wall, activating the house’s barrier, before sitting opposite the old man.
“Earlier, you mentioned having something to discuss. What is it?” Jin Yuan suddenly asked with a serious expression.
“Nothing major. I plan to stay in Guanning Prefecture for a while but am unfamiliar with the local clans, sects, and taboos. Given your accent, you seem to be a local—I was hoping to gather some information,” Han Li replied calmly.
“Ah, that’s all? No problem at all. Not to boast, but there’s nothing in Guanning Prefecture—or even the entire Liao Province—that this old man doesn’t know. What would you like to hear about first?” Jin Yuan relaxed and grinned.
“Since the three major clans rule here, let’s start with them. It’d be best if you could also mention any significant recent events—broaden my horizons a bit,” Han Li said leisurely.
“The cultivation clans of Guanning Prefecture… Well, this region is largely under the influence of the Confucian sects, so most clans are affiliated with them. However, the four major clans of Guanning are exceptions—aside from the Kong Family, the other three each have their own heritage.”
“Four major clans? I thought there were only three in Guanning,” Han Li remarked casually, raising an eyebrow.
“Hehe! The ‘three great clans’ is a recent development. A decade ago, there were four. But the Feng Family somehow offended the other three and was uprooted overnight. Their main lineage was completely wiped out. Rumor has it they were discussing some major affair when all their core members were gathered in one place…” Jin Yuan launched into a detailed account.
Han Li listened quietly, comparing the old man’s version with what Feng Zhen had told him, searching for discrepancies.
After finishing the tale of the clans, Jin Yuan moved on to the various sects of Guanning. The old man had clearly traveled widely and experienced much, speaking knowledgeably not just about Guanning but other prefectures as well.
Han Li was satisfied—this was far more detailed than the information he’d obtained from Cao Mengrong.
However, Jin Yuan proved to be quite the chatterbox, speaking nonstop with great enthusiasm, even interjecting his own opinions. His monologue lasted a full quarter of an hour.
When the old man finally paused, Han Li smiled. “Thank you for sharing so much. Now, about that treasure of yours—would you mind showing it to me?”
“The treasure? Of course! This old man was hoping you could help identify it!” Jin Yuan agreed eagerly.
Under Han Li’s watchful gaze, he mysteriously produced a jade box from his storage pouch and placed it on the table.
Han Li swept his spiritual sense over the box but was startled when it encountered a strange repelling force, preventing him from probing inside. His interest was genuinely piqued now.
Jin Yuan carefully opened the box, revealing a fist-sized, golden, hazy object.
“Take a closer look, Fellow Daoist. See if you can recognize it,” Jin Yuan urged, pushing the box toward Han Li.
Han Li’s brow twitched slightly as he silently picked up the box and examined it closely.
Now he could see it clearly—it resembled a bubble, shimmering with golden light yet transparent and hollow inside. Strangely, it emitted no spiritual energy, as if it were an ordinary object.
After studying it for a while, Han Li extended a finger, wrapped in spiritual light, and gently poked it. His finger sank in softly, as if touching a real bubble.
A flicker of surprise crossed Han Li’s face. After a moment’s thought, he released his spiritual sense again, wrapping it around the bubble. The golden surface flickered, repelling his probing.
Undeterred, Han Li increased the intensity of his spiritual sense, layering strand after strand onto the object.
Suddenly, something peculiar happened—the bubble’s surface pulsed with golden light, its size rhythmically expanding and contracting like a beating heart.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage