However, while Han Li was noting the number of mortals, he also faintly sensed the auras of many cultivators in the port. It seemed these individuals were likely cultivators specifically tasked with maintaining order in the harbor.
As Han Li pondered this, he followed Gu Dongzhu and Wang Changqing, along with Qu Hun, into a stone hut by the port.
The interior was sparsely furnished, containing only a wooden table, a chair, and a sallow-faced elder sitting with his eyes closed, seemingly in meditation.
Upon hearing Han Li and the others enter, the immortal master opened his eyes. A glint of cold light shot from them, causing Han Li’s heart to tighten. This man was actually a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and his aura seemed no weaker than Han Li’s before he had lost his cultivation.
The yellow-faced elder ignored Gu Dongzhu and Wang Changqing entirely, instead sweeping his gaze briefly over Han Li and Qu Hun. Upon sensing that Han Li’s cultivation was only at the Qi Condensation stage, he resumed his languid expression. However, Han Li noticed that the elder seemed to linger on Qu Hun for a moment longer.
“What do you want? If you have business, speak quickly. Don’t disturb my rest,” the man said listlessly, a trace of impatience evident on his face.
Thanks to his photographic memory, Han Li had already picked up most of the local language from Wang Changqing. Though he couldn’t speak it fluently yet, he could roughly understand what others were saying.
However, having no prior experience interacting with local cultivators, he refrained from speaking carelessly and simply smiled as he watched Gu Dongzhu and the others negotiate with the cultivator.
Gu Dongzhu respectfully addressed the man as “Immortal Master Yang,” then leaned in close and whispered a few words to the sallow-faced cultivator. He then pointed back at Han Li, seemingly explaining his origins, before slipping several spirit stones into the man’s hand.
After feeling the spirit stones in his hand, Immortal Master Yang’s expression softened considerably. He then produced a green jade token from his robes and asked Han Li bluntly, “What’s your name?”
“Han Li!” Han Li replied fluently, not particularly concerned about how the name might be transcribed.
A green glow flashed from Immortal Master Yang’s hand, enveloping the jade token. Moments later, the light faded, and two strange symbols Han Li didn’t recognize appeared on the token.
The yellow-faced elder then tossed the jade token toward Han Li.
“Keep this token safe. If you lose it, report to me immediately for a replacement. Otherwise, you’ll be punished for trespassing on Kuixing Island. Of course, if you decide to settle here permanently, this token won’t be necessary and will be reclaimed. As for the corpse puppet behind you, it doesn’t need one.” After delivering these words with an air of authority, the immortal master ignored the three of them and closed his eyes again to rest.
Gu Dongzhu naturally took the hint and promptly led them out.
However, Han Li was somewhat unsettled by how easily the man had seen through Qu Hun’s true nature. He cast one last glance at the elder before silently following the others out.
Shortly after Han Li left, Immortal Master Yang reopened his eyes, muttering to himself in confusion, “That corpse puppet is rather peculiar. It’s clearly a dead body, yet it emits spiritual energy. Could it be some new form of corpse refinement technique?” The yellow-faced elder then sank into deep thought.
Outside, after leaving the port, Gu Dongzhu hired a beast-drawn carriage pulled by two creatures that resembled a cross between a sheep and an ox. They then sped along a main road leading into the island.
The road was bustling with countless such carriages, creating a lively and crowded scene.
However, after passing through several tidy and bustling small towns, the number of carriages noticeably decreased. Eventually, they turned onto a few smaller paths, where they encountered very few pedestrians or vehicles.
After half a day of rapid travel, the carriage finally arrived at a farmstead spanning over ten acres. In front of the estate grew many strange crops Han Li had never seen before.
Some grain plants had ears like rice, but their leaves were thick, flat, and purplish-red, emitting a faint fragrance. Other vegetable plants closely resembled cabbage, but no cabbage Han Li had seen in the South was as large as half a person, and these had several small blue flowers blooming from their hearts.
In the fields, a dozen or so farmers were working in small groups, planting and tilling the land.
It was a scene of serene rural beauty!
Just as Han Li was engrossed in the view, the beast-drawn carriage arrived at the main gate of the estate and came to a stop. Han Li and Qu Hun alighted first, and Han Li took a moment to survey the surroundings.
The area around the estate was filled with green pine trees, and nearby stood a sizable hill, giving the place an elegant and distinctive atmosphere.
The entire estate was enclosed by an earthen wall about two zhang high and several chi thick. The residences inside the wall appeared exceptionally new, as if they had been built not long ago.
“So this is the Gu family estate,” Han Li thought to himself, inwardly impressed. However, after carefully examining the pine trees, his expression subtly shifted. To his surprise, he detected a faint aura of a formation array among the pines surrounding the estate—clearly, some restrictions had been placed there.
From Han Li’s perspective, while it couldn’t be considered a particularly advanced formation, it was sufficient to trap low-level cultivators.
Just as Han Li was pondering this, Gu Dongzhu, who had also alighted, said with an apologetic smile, “Immortal Master Han, please rest in the estate for a while! I’ll have the servants prepare some of the island’s specialty fine wine for you.”
Han Li listened, then glanced almost imperceptibly around the estate before smiling and replying, “No need. I wouldn’t want to disturb the Gu family. I’ll just stay temporarily in that place over there. Once matters are settled, I’ll find more permanent accommodations.” As he spoke, he pointed toward a certain direction.
Gu Dongzhu and Wang Changqing followed Han Li’s finger and saw the solitary hill, momentarily stunned.
Despite several subsequent enthusiastic invitations, which Han Li declined, they had no choice but to let the somewhat eccentric immortal master stroll toward the hill. The two exchanged helpless glances before entering the estate.
Han Li and Qu Hun made their way up the slope—which could hardly be called a path—to the top of the hill. From there, Han Li looked down at the Gu family estate below.
He saw Gu Dongzhu surrounded by a crowd of men and women as they entered a large residence at the center of the estate. The crowd then dispersed, with only a few well-dressed individuals of apparent status following him inside.
A slight smile touched Han Li’s lips before he turned away to attend to his own matters.
He first found a relatively flat area on the hillside. Then, with swift efficiency, he selected several thicker pine trees, summoned his magic tools to quickly dismantle them, and had Qu Hun assist…
Within half an hour, a simple wooden hut stood on the hill, complete with a wooden table, chairs, and even a bed.
Over the next month, Han Li spent his days in the hut taking pills and medicines, refining his qi, and meditating, striving to restore his cultivation as quickly as possible.
During this time, Gu Dongzhu and Wang Changqing visited several times to discuss matters related to the upcoming challenges. They took care not to disturb Han Li’s cultivation for long and always departed quickly.
Gu Dongzhu proved thoughtful, sending servants up the hill every few days with exquisite delicacies for Han Li to enjoy. Han Li accepted these offerings without hesitation.
Among them were several exceptionally sweet and delicious fruits, which Han Li greatly enjoyed. They were clearly local specialties he had never encountered before.
In the final few days of the month, Han Li’s cultivation unexpectedly recovered to the fifth level of Qi Condensation. This came as a pleasant surprise and put him more at ease.
According to Gu Dongzhu, the immortal masters hired by the other ten families weren’t particularly formidable. Aside from a few individuals, most were at the sixth or seventh level of Qi Condensation. Since opponents were determined by drawing lots, Han Li’s chances of victory were high as long as his luck wasn’t abysmal.
To further increase Han Li’s odds of success, Gu Dongzhu had also scoured the area for two or three powerful magic tools, hoping to bolster Han Li’s strength.
However, when Han Li saw these items—which could barely be considered top-grade magic tools—he could only inwardly roll his eyes before accepting them to put Gu Dongzhu’s mind at ease.
Two days after Han Li’s cultivation recovered to the fifth level, Gu Dongzhu and Wang Changqing finally came to see him, their expressions tense. Without a word, Han Li followed them onto another beast-drawn carriage, which sped toward a certain location on the island.
After two hours of travel, the carriage brought them into a city entirely constructed from white stone.
At the city gates, numerous mortal guards were stationed specifically to watch the entrance.
They didn’t question those leaving, but everyone entering had to present a token very similar to Han Li’s for inspection.
However, when Han Li entered the city, the guards merely waved a tube-like object over him. Seeing it emit a green light, they immediately bowed respectfully to Han Li before proceeding to inspect Gu Dongzhu and Wang Changqing’s tokens.
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