“Of course, there’s no problem with letting the senior study it. But I’ll need to recover first before I can take the cauldron out of my body,” Han Li said calmly.
“Good! Since you’ve agreed, let’s consider this matter settled. However, there is indeed a cultivator on this ship—just a little girl at the second or third layer of Qi Refining. She’s hardly worth mentioning, but you should still be aware of her.” The Great Divination Sage’s tone softened, and then he fell silent.
“Second or third layer of Qi Refining?” Han Li was momentarily surprised but still opened his eyes.
“Ah, Old Master, this man is awake!” Han Li saw a girl who appeared to be only fourteen or fifteen years old standing by his bed. The moment she noticed his eyes opening, she exclaimed joyfully. She had fair skin, a round face, and large eyes, giving her a rather adorable appearance.
“Hmm, I can see that,” replied an elderly man in a gray robe sitting on a chair beside the girl. He looked to be in his sixties, with kind eyes and a composed demeanor, quietly observing Han Li.
“Old Master, you stay with him. I’ll go inform the young lady!” Before Han Li could ask anything, the round-faced girl chirped to the old man and then dashed out in a flash.
Han Li was momentarily taken aback.
“Heh, that girl has always been like this. Please don’t take offense, young master,” the old man said with a gentle shake of his head, offering Han Li a friendly smile.
“Not at all. Did the two of you save me? Where is this place? And you are…?” Han Li returned the smile, sitting up slowly as he spoke.
“This is on the Shun River. You were found in the river, uncertain whether you were alive or dead, and were rescued by the order of our Second Young Lady. As for me, I am He Wen, a tutor hired by the Madam,” the old man replied, stroking his short beard and nodding.
“I see. My surname is Han. I must thank this young lady for saving my life,” Han Li said with a slight exhale, cupping his hands in gratitude.
“Our young lady is indeed kind-hearted, but whether she will see you is another matter. However, Young Master Han, could you explain how you ended up encased in ice yet still alive? I’m quite curious,” the old man said with a smile, though his eyes gleamed with interest.
“Well… I don’t wish to deceive you, Master He, but I have some difficulties that prevent me from speaking freely,” Han Li hesitated before answering honestly.
“That’s quite all right. Everyone has their own troubles,” the old man said magnanimously, waving his hand dismissively.
Just then, the round-faced girl came bouncing back in. “Old Master, the young lady says this gentleman should rest quietly. Everything else can wait until later,” she announced while curiously eyeing Han Li.
Han Li noticed her gaze and smiled at her. The little maid immediately blushed and lowered her head, thinking to herself, *”This man looks completely unremarkable, far inferior to the young lady’s previous friends. Why is she so interested in him?”*
“Since the young lady has instructed, you should rest well, Young Master Han. I’ll take my leave now,” the old man said, rising to depart.
Han Li expressed his thanks once more and watched as the old man and the girl left the room. Alone, Han Li stared silently at the wooden ceiling for a long while before letting out a soft sigh.
Over the next two days, aside from a rough-handed servant delivering meals, no one disturbed him. Han Li was pleased with this and used the time to take pills and meditate to recover his strength.
As for the “little girl” the Great Divination Sage had mentioned, Han Li extended his spiritual sense slightly and discovered her—a delicate and pretty young woman, the so-called “Second Young Lady” who had rescued him. Han Li wasn’t particularly surprised, as it seemed she had already discerned his identity as a cultivator.
By eavesdropping on the idle chatter of others on the ship, Han Li also learned the general situation aboard.
The people on the ship appeared to be the family of a county official surnamed Cao from a certain place in Liaozhou. Due to a hasty transfer, the official had gone ahead to assume his new post while his family followed slowly behind. The actual official family consisted of only a few members: the primary wife, two concubines, and three children.
The Second Young Lady was the daughter of the primary wife. It was said she had been frail and sickly since childhood and had been fostered in a nunnery for a time before returning home in recent years. The other two children were from the concubines—the Eldest Young Lady, who was of marriageable age and already betrothed, and the Third Young Master, who was only eleven or twelve.
Other notable figures on the ship included Tutor He, a certain Advisor Zhou, and a stern-faced steward surnamed Wang, who managed all the servants and maids. The ship’s guards were two men named Wang Tieqiang.
However, Han Li soon noticed that not only was the Second Young Lady a low-level cultivator, but Steward Wang also had a strong flow of true energy within him, far surpassing the crude martial skills of the two guards. Several of the servants also moved with agility and carried a faint aura of killing intent, suggesting they were no ordinary folk.
Though somewhat puzzled, Han Li withdrew his spiritual sense after understanding the situation and focused on his own cultivation.
Two days later, the Second Young Lady indeed sent the little maid to summon Han Li. Naturally, he did not refuse and was eventually led to a larger room on the ship, where he met the young lady in question.
As soon as she saw Han Li, she dismissed everyone else and smiled at him.
“Brother Han, you are also a fellow Daoist, aren’t you? I am Cao Mengrong, a disciple of the Profound Jade Dao. May I ask which sect you belong to?” she asked politely. Given that Han Li bore neither demonic nor Buddhist auras, nor the righteous energy of Confucianism, she assumed he must be a Daoist cultivator.
“Profound Jade Dao?” Han Li’s brows twitched slightly. He had never heard of this sect, but that wasn’t surprising. Apart from the Ten Great Righteous Sects and the Ten Great Devilish Sects, he knew very little about the other factions of the Great Jin.
“My sect is but a minor and unknown one in Liaozhou. It’s no surprise you haven’t heard of it,” Cao Mengrong explained with a light laugh, seeing his hesitation.
“You’re too modest, Fellow Daoist Cao. I am merely a rogue cultivator who has only recently entered the Great Jin’s cultivation world and am unfamiliar with its sects. Please don’t laugh at my ignorance,” Han Li said with a cupped fist, feigning embarrassment.
“So Brother Han has just emerged from seclusion. I, too, have only recently left my sect. But ours truly is a minor one. However, Brother Han is so young yet already so accomplished in cultivation—truly commendable!” Cao Mengrong’s eyes brightened as she spoke with a radiant smile.
“It’s nothing. I’ve just been fortunate to encounter some opportunities, or I wouldn’t have reached this point,” Han Li replied vaguely.
Seeing that Han Li was unwilling to elaborate, the young lady tactfully changed the subject. “Brother Han, how did you end up encased in ice in the river? Did you encounter a powerful enemy?”
“Something like that. I must thank you for saving me,” Han Li said with a bitter smile, unwilling to delve into details.
“It was nothing, really. I could tell that even without my intervention, you would have broken free from the ice soon enough. But floating on the river like that would have drawn too much attention, so I took the liberty. Besides, minor sects and rogue cultivators should support one another,” she said earnestly.
Han Li was slightly surprised by her words. After studying her for a moment, he nodded imperceptibly but said nothing.
“By the way, how is your recovery? If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to stay on the ship for a few more days. I’d love to seek your guidance on cultivation!”
“I have no urgent matters at the moment, so staying a few more days is fine. But guidance is too strong a word—we can exchange insights on cultivation,” Han Li replied after a brief pause, agreeing for reasons of his own.
Cao Mengrong was delighted. Due to her limited aptitude, she had left her sect early without learning many advanced techniques. Having someone like Han Li, whose cultivation far surpassed hers, offer advice was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.
After setting a time, Han Li chatted with her a while longer before politely taking his leave.
“Kid Han, why did you agree to stay? Don’t you want to find a spiritual vein and recover your mana as soon as possible?” The Great Divination Sage couldn’t help but ask the moment Han Li returned to his room.
“Of course, I need to find a spiritual vein. But all the good ones must already be occupied by the Great Jin’s sects, large and small. Moreover, there seem to be far more cultivators here than I expected. Roaming around at my current level of strength would be too risky. I don’t want to die a senseless death on the road before I can protect myself,” Han Li said calmly.
“Oh? So what’s your plan then?”
“I have enough pills with me, as well as several spirit-eye items. They should allow me to recover to Foundation Establishment within a year. By then, I can search for a way to dispel the baleful energy. As for this girl, though she seems a bit calculating, her cultivation is shallow, and she means no harm. She’s a good source of information about the current state of the Great Jin’s cultivation world. We’ve already reached the Great Jin—waiting another year or two won’t hurt.”
“Suit yourself. But my time is running short. If we delay too long, I may not live to see my life’s work completed. Gathering those materials will take considerable time,” the Great Divination Sage said with evident concern.
“Don’t worry, Senior. While searching for a way to dispel the baleful energy, I’ll also keep an eye out for those materials. But the best approach would be to enlist the help of a sect to gather them for us. That would save a lot of time,” Han Li explained methodically.
“How? This isn’t the South Sky. Your reputation as Elder Han won’t carry weight here. Major sects won’t pay you any heed, and minor ones lack the resources. The materials we need are all rare treasures of the world,” the Great Divination Sage said skeptically.
“I haven’t figured out the specifics yet. We’ll have to take it step by step. Maybe an opportunity will present itself without us having to search,” Han Li replied with self-deprecation.
With that, he ended the conversation. Taking out a set of formation flags from his storage pouch, he set up a simple barrier around himself. Then he sat cross-legged on the bed, swallowed a pill, and began meditating.
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