The Heavenly Lancer Saintess clearly had no intention of needlessly provoking a formidable enemy by mistakenly targeting the wrong person, which was why she made this concessionary statement.
“Conditions?” Han Li’s gaze swept coldly over the woman, his face expressionless, revealing nothing of his thoughts.
“If the fellow Daoist is willing, this humble woman can also directly compensate with a sum of spirit stones as an apology for the unintended offense.” Lin Yinping slightly raised her chin, speaking with unusual calmness.
“Heh heh… Spirit stones won’t be necessary.” Han Li let out a few cold laughs and, without further explanation, suddenly reached behind him with one hand, grabbing the bundle on his back and pulling it to the front.
Han Li’s action startled the nearby individuals, their gazes all focusing on the object in his hand.
Han Li acted decisively. Grasping a corner of the bundle, he gave it a shake, and a clear ringing sound immediately filled the air. A golden sheathed longsword appeared on the ground. Though still sheathed, the dazzling spiritual light shimmering on its surface and its inexplicable resonance made it clear to anyone that this was an exceptionally rare treasure.
No wonder the man before them had been so furious about outsiders forcibly inspecting his bundle. If they were forced to display their beloved treasures before strangers, they would likely feel the same irritation.
Lin Yinping’s beautiful eyes flickered with surprise and doubt as she saw the longsword. Unconvinced, she released her full spiritual sense, meticulously examining the sheathed blade for a long while before finally having to admit that the sword appeared completely normal, with no signs of any illusionary techniques.
Ge Tianhao and the other Yin Luo Sect cultivators exchanged glances, their expressions turning awkward when they saw that the bundle did not contain what they had imagined. It seemed they had indeed made a grave mistake. Fortunately, they hadn’t escalated the conflict earlier, or they would have made an enemy for no reason.
The elderly Daoist Wu Bi and the ugly monk remained solemn and silent, appearing entirely detached from the matter.
“It seems this was truly a misunderstanding, and this humble woman was at fault. Fellow Daoist, please state your conditions. Yinping will do her utmost to satisfy you.” The Heavenly Lancer Saintess sighed, a fleeting look of disappointment crossing her face before she addressed Han Li with an apologetic tone.
“Spirit stones and the like are of no shortage to me. How about this—the jade pendant at Fellow Daoist Lin’s waist is rather exquisite. Would you gift it to me?” Han Li’s gaze roamed over the Heavenly Lancer Saintess before finally settling on the delicate jade pendant dangling from her slender waist, his request taking everyone by surprise.
“Jade pendant?” Lin Yinping was visibly taken aback. With a puzzled expression, she unhooked the emerald-green butterfly-shaped pendant from her waist, studying it briefly with a mix of surprise and suspicion.
Naturally, any ornament worn by her couldn’t be ordinary. This small butterfly-shaped jade pendant had a mild refreshing effect on the mind, serving as a rare auxiliary-type magical tool. While such an item might be valuable to Foundation Establishment or Core Formation cultivators, its effect was negligible for someone like her, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. She had kept it all these years simply because of its unique craftsmanship and sentimental value.
Now, Han Li was asking for this pendant—what could his intention be? Lin Yinping lightly pinched the few-inch-long pendant between her jade-like fingers, her face betraying a hint of hesitation.
“What? Is Fellow Daoist Lin reluctant to part with it? Then perhaps we can choose something else. How about the hairpin in your hair…” Han Li’s eyes flickered as if preparing to change his request.
“A mere trinket—why would I be reluctant? It’s just that this item has been with me for years, and I’ve grown somewhat attached to it. Here, Fellow Daoist, take it.” Lin Yinping’s brows arched slightly as she made up her mind, tossing the pendant toward Han Li.
Han Li raised his hand and caught the flying pendant, feeling its residual warmth. Satisfied, he nodded and flipped his palm, making the pendant vanish without a trace.
Next, he gestured toward the golden longsword on the ground. With a resonant hum, the sword flew into his hand. A piece of gray cloth shot out from his sleeve, swiftly wrapping the sword back into a long, rectangular bundle. Placing it on his back, Han Li turned without another word and strode toward the market entrance.
The other cultivators exchanged bewildered glances at Han Li’s cold demeanor.
As Han Li was about to leave, Lin Yinping suddenly seemed to remember something and called out, “We still don’t know your name, Fellow Daoist. Would you be so kind as to share it?”
“Li Feiyu, a rogue cultivator from overseas.” Han Li’s footsteps didn’t pause as his emotionless voice drifted back, his figure gradually receding into the distance.
“Li Feiyu? Brother Ge, have you ever heard of such a formidable cultivator from overseas? Facing so many of us, he remained utterly unshaken—his abilities must be extraordinary.” Lin Yinping watched Han Li’s retreating back, her gaze icy. For some reason, despite inspecting his bundle, a lingering doubt gnawed at her, leaving her unsettled.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, your question puts me in a difficult position. While overseas cultivators are technically part of the Great Jin’s cultivation world, they operate independently compared to us inland cultivators and rarely venture deep into the mainland. Moreover, the overseas cultivation community is highly fragmented, with rogue cultivators and numerous factions of varying sizes. Unless one hails from overseas, it’s nearly impossible to know how many hidden powerhouses exist there. Of course, exceptions like the renowned ‘Three Overseas Immortals’ are common knowledge.” Though Ge Tianhao appeared troubled, he still provided a detailed explanation.
Hearing this, the Heavenly Lancer Saintess furrowed her delicate brows, realizing further investigation was futile. For now, she had no choice but to set aside the matter of this “Li Feiyu.”
…
Meanwhile, Han Li left the market without delay. After a few shifts in his figure, he emerged on a nearby street, blending into the bustling crowd of mortals as he walked leisurely.
“Senior! I never expected that even without your magic power, your spiritual sense alone could deceive so many Nascent Soul cultivators. Even I couldn’t detect any anomalies after you altered the contents of the bundle. I’m truly in awe,” Han Li transmitted mentally, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“It’s nothing remarkable. Once you master the latter three layers of the Great Development Art, you’ll be able to manipulate opponents with ease, even at close range. If you further specialize in illusion techniques, eliminating weaker foes without a trace will be child’s play,” the Great Development Sage replied nonchalantly.
“That may be so. The first four layers of the Great Development Art are already this formidable—I can’t imagine how powerful my spiritual sense would become if I mastered them all. It’s a pity that despite you imparting the fourth-layer incantation, I haven’t had the time to formally cultivate it,” Han Li sighed inwardly, a mix of admiration and helplessness in his tone.
“Heh, though your spiritual root aptitude is lacking, your talent for the Great Development Art appears extraordinary. Combined with the nourishing effects of the Soul Nurturing Wood on your spiritual sense, mastering the entire technique shouldn’t take you much longer than it took me in my time,” commented the Great Development Sage, showing confidence in Han Li’s potential.
“I hope so. But Senior, why did you instruct me to obtain one of her personal ornaments? Do you have another plan in mind?” Han Li asked, puzzled.
“Hmph! Why do you think this Heavenly Lancer Saintess appeared in Jinjing? Do you believe she’ll let you off so easily?” the Great Development Sage countered cryptically.
“Why else would she be here if not for me entering Great Jin? I’ve already taken both the avatar of the Anasazi’s sacred beast and that peculiar small cauldron into the Void Sky Cauldron. There’s no way she’d just give up. She’ll probably search all over Great Jin for me in the future. But the fact that she’s associating with the Yin Luo Sect means trouble is brewing,” Han Li sighed resignedly.
“Precisely. In the past, I learned a method to craft a ‘Sensing Pearl’ that can detect an opponent’s presence within a hundred miles based on their aura. From now on, whenever this woman enters your vicinity, it will alert you and roughly indicate her direction. This way, you can prepare countermeasures in advance if she intends you harm. However, the effect won’t last indefinitely—it will gradually fade after about a year. Still, that should be enough time for you to remain cautious during your stay in Jinjing,” the Great Development Sage explained slowly.
“So that’s it. Thank you, Senior, for considering everything so thoroughly on my behalf,” Han Li transmitted gratefully, his heart lifting with relief.
“Don’t misunderstand—I’m not doing this for you. I merely don’t want any mishaps before you finish crafting my puppet,” the Great Development Sage replied coolly.
Han Li smiled faintly but said nothing more. Suddenly, he changed direction, entering a nearby alleyway. After a series of twists and turns, he arrived before a desolate, abandoned courtyard, the surroundings eerily silent.
Han Li halted, his expression darkening.
“Fellow Daoist, why have you been following me for so long?” With these words, Han Li slowly turned, his gaze piercing through the empty space behind him, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
“Fellow Daoist Li truly lives up to his reputation as an overseas cultivator, able to see through even my painstakingly cultivated Ghost Shadow Escape. There’s no need for concern—I bear no ill intentions,” a man’s voice chuckled lightly. Then, with a flash of green light, a humanoid green silhouette gradually materialized in the previously empty spot.
Han Li narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the newcomer.
It was a gaunt old man with a cunning face, a sparse beard on his chin, and the cultivation base of an early-stage Nascent Soul. He regarded Han Li with an air of confidence.
“Fellow Daoist, you’ve been tailing me since the market. What is your purpose? Don’t you know that shadowing another cultivator is a grave taboo? Even if I were to strike you down now, no one would fault me,” Han Li said icily, a murderous aura flickering across his face.
“Fellow Daoist Li, there’s no need for such hostility. This old man sought you out to propose a sincere transaction—one that would benefit us both,” the small old man replied with a chuckle, utterly unperturbed.
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