“What happened tonight, I don’t want anyone from the Spirit Beast Mountain to know. You and your son aren’t the talkative type, are you?” Han Li suddenly looked up and spoke coldly to the Five Colors Sect Master.
The old man felt a chill in his heart, then put on a humble expression and repeatedly said he wouldn’t dare.
Han Li stared at the Five Colors Sect Master without speaking for a while, watching until cold sweat appeared on the other’s face, then finally broke into a smile. With a flicker, he vanished without a trace from his original spot.
Just as the old man was feeling shocked, he felt a hand lightly pat his shoulder, causing his body to stiffen. He slowly turned his head and saw Han Li standing behind him with an indifferent expression.
“Does the immortal master have any further instructions? This humble old man will certainly comply,” the Five Colors Sect Master said with a forced, uneasy smile.
“Nothing, just wanted to say goodbye!” Han Li said with his usual expression.
“Say goodbye?” The old man was stunned, not quite understanding Han Li’s intention. But then he remembered something and hurriedly checked his body with a changed expression, finding nothing unusual, which put his mind at ease.
Meanwhile, Han Li, without another word, released his Divine Wind Boat and flashed onto the magical instrument. After giving a deep look to the old man and the young man, he let out a cold laugh and flew away as a streak of white light.
He left behind the bewildered father and son, and Mo Yuzhu with her complex expression.
…
Han Li stood facing the wind on his magical instrument, a faint sneer unconsciously appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Although the Five Colors Sect Master had repeatedly said he wouldn’t dare let the Spirit Beast Mountain people know about Han Li’s visit, Han Li had detected some insincerity in his expression. Given this, Han Li naturally wouldn’t leave such a scheming individual to secretly resent him, even if the other was just a mortal.
So, when he went behind him and patted his shoulder, he had secretly planted a “Heart-Burrowing Insect” into his body.
This insect was quite peculiar – its body was as fine as a hair, almost invisible to the naked eye, and could only be detected through spiritual sense. But once it entered the human body through the skin, it would cling to blood vessels and slowly crawl toward the heart.
After a year or two, the victim would gradually develop heart pain and insomnia symptoms, which would worsen over time. After a few more months, the person would die from a heart pain attack, appearing no different from a normal myocardial angina death. Even high-level cultivators examining the body beforehand wouldn’t detect anything unusual.
After such a long time, no one would connect the death to Han Li’s pat that night, easily absolving him of any connection.
This sinister insect was something Han Li had obtained from a demonic path disciple he killed. At first he didn’t know what it was, but after having it appraised, he learned its origin and use – now perfectly applied to the Five Colors Sect Master.
This way, he neither had to play the villain in front of Mo Yuzhu, nor had he indirectly fulfilled his promise to Mo Fengwu. Han Li thought with some satisfaction.
Before this, even if the other really told the Spirit Beast Mountain people about tonight’s events, Han Li wouldn’t care. After all, he hadn’t harmed the father and son at all tonight, so presumably the Spirit Beast Mountain people wouldn’t bother him over such a small matter. As for the remaining Five Colors Sect Master’s son, he seemed decent enough – Han Li hoped Mo Yuzhu would have a good life with him.
Thinking this, Han Li flew west on his Divine Wind Boat toward Jiayuan City.
He needed to hurry and resolve Qu Hun’s mutation. Although he didn’t know exactly what had happened to Qu Hun, he absolutely couldn’t just leave it be.
About a hundred miles west of Jiayuan City was a large area of high mountains and dense forests. Hearing that poisonous snakes and fierce beasts roamed these mountains, few people entered this area – probably why the mutated Qu Hun had come here.
Han Li stood high in the air, calmly looking down at the dark mountain ranges below without speaking. After a long while, he reached into his storage bag and brought out the “Soul-Guiding Bell.”
Holding it flat on his palm, he slowly channeled spiritual power into it. Soon, the bell emitted a faint white light and floated up into the air.
“Go!” Han Li formed a hand seal with his other hand, quickly threw it into the small bell, and whispered. The Soul-Guiding Bell trembled, let out a clear chime, and flew rapidly in a certain direction.
Seeing this, Han Li showed a faint smile and followed closely behind on his Divine Wind Boat. Thanks to a trace of Qu Hun’s essence blood mixed in during the bell’s refinement, he could easily follow the bell to Qu Hun’s hiding place.
The bell couldn’t be too far from Qu Hun either – if separated by over a thousand miles, he’d be helpless. But judging by the bell’s reaction now, Qu Hun was indeed hiding nearby, which pleased Han Li.
The small bell flew straight for twenty or thirty miles before suddenly descending diagonally. Seeing this, Han Li knew he had found his target. He immediately increased speed, caught the small bell, and suddenly a layer of blue light appeared, completely enveloping the bell’s white light.
From Sun Ergou’s account, Han Li already knew the mutated Qu Hun could sense the Soul-Guiding Bell’s presence, so he needed to conceal the bell’s aura to avoid startling his target.
Landing silently on this small mountain peak, Han Li began looking around.
Although the night was very dark, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator Han Li could still vaguely see some things. So he headed straight for where the small bell had originally descended – a large area of scattered rocks at the mountain top.
Han Li moved without a sound, ghostlike and mysterious. Therefore, when he finally saw Qu Hun, the latter remained completely unaware, sitting cross-legged on a large rock in meditation, appearing to be cultivating qi.
Hidden behind a mountain rock, secretly observing Qu Hun, Han Li was extremely surprised.
Because he could sense spiritual energy emanating from Qu Hun – clearly the spiritual energy fluctuations of someone at the fifth or sixth layer of Qi Refining. How could this not astonish Han Li?
Han Li remembered clearly that Zhang Tie originally couldn’t practice the “Long Spring Technique” at all and shouldn’t have had a spiritual root.
“Wait! Not being able to practice the Long Spring Technique doesn’t mean Zhang Tie had no spiritual root – it just means he didn’t have a wood attribute spiritual root. Could it be that Qu Hun actually has spiritual roots of other attributes?” Han Li thought, suddenly realizing.
“If that’s the case, what a coincidence! Two people with spiritual roots – one in ten thousand among mortals – were actually both taken in by Master Mo.”
Han Li found it hard to believe, but then thought: “In that case, it’s really a pity. Just because of different spiritual root attributes, Zhang Tie and I ended up with completely different outcomes. If I had been lacking precisely the wood attribute, I’m afraid my fate would have been…” Thinking this, Han Li felt some lingering fear.
“But how can ‘Qu Hun’ practice basic spiritual power techniques? Could it be…”
Han Li seemed to think of something, slightly frowned, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. But he still didn’t reveal himself, just coldly watched the cultivating Qu Hun without speaking.
After about the time it takes to eat a meal, Qu Hun opened his eyes, then slowly stood up and stretched his limbs. His gaze was extremely lively, truly appearing to have developed intelligence.
But seeing this, Han Li showed no happiness whatsoever. Instead, his face darkened, his expression faintly revealing some murderous intent.
“Good progress today! It seems in three or four months, I won’t have to fear that mortal with the magical instrument that restrains this body anymore,” Qu Hun seemed very pleased, finally looking up at the sky and murmuring to himself.
Just as “Qu Hun” showed a happy expression, an icy voice came from one side: “It seems you’re quite satisfied with this body!”
“Who’s there?” Qu Hun’s expression changed dramatically as he hurriedly looked toward where the voice came from, full of vigilance.
At this moment, Han Li emerged expressionlessly from behind the mountain rock, his face cold.
“Who are you? Huh, you’re a Foundation Establishment cultivator!” Upon seeing Han Li, Qu Hun first shouted a question, but then realized he couldn’t discern Han Li’s cultivation level and couldn’t help showing fear.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to ask you. Who are you exactly, and why have you taken over this body? You should know this body belongs to my good friend – I personally handed it over to my subordinate for safekeeping. You’ve occupied it for so many years without a word – shouldn’t you give me an explanation?” Han Li said impassively.
“This body is yours?” Qu Hun showed a half-believing, half-doubting expression, his eyes shifting constantly, obviously thinking of some trick.
Seeing this, Han Li coldly laughed and suddenly raised his hand, revealing the “Soul-Guiding Bell” wrapped in blue light.
“What are you going to do?” Upon seeing Han Li’s action, Qu Hun jumped back several yards like a startled rabbit, his face full of vigilance.
Although he had sensed the Soul-Guiding Bell’s presence before, he didn’t know its specific form or that it was precisely the magical instrument that restrained this body. He just instinctively thought Han Li was about to attack.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage