Chapter 332: Familiar Ground

As soon as the words left Han Li’s mouth, he felt a twinge of regret.

He had already made up his mind to avoid further entanglement with this woman, yet he had inexplicably agreed to her request. It seemed his resolve was still not strong enough!

With this thought, Han Li shook his head imperceptibly but verbally agreed, “Alright, Senior Martial Sister, you can ride my Divine Wind Boat. That way, we can make the trip quickly and return soon.”

After speaking, Han Li summoned the pristine white Divine Wind Boat and invited Chen Qiaoqian aboard.

Seeing this, Chen Qiaoqian gave a radiant smile and boarded the boat without any hesitation.

Thus, Han Li took Chen Qiaoqian on the vessel, and in a short while, they arrived at the renowned White Chrysanthemum Mountain in Yuejing.

The mountain was blanketed with chrysanthemums of all kinds, mostly white, creating an incredibly enchanting scene.

To Han Li’s great surprise, after arriving at the mountain, Chen Qiaoqian did not say much to him. Instead, she walked up the mountain path on her own, occasionally pausing longer when she came across particularly captivating views.

Han Li, following behind her, also remained silent. However, as he gazed at her delicate and moving figure, he appeared somewhat clueless, utterly oblivious to the romantic undertones.

After an hour, Chen Qiaoqian reached the mountaintop and stood in a small pavilion, looking around at the scenery. Han Li stood to one side.

At that moment, aside from the two of them, there were no other visitors on the mountaintop. Coupled with the fact that neither was willing to speak first, the atmosphere grew extremely quiet.

This delicate silence lasted for an unknown length of time until Chen Qiaoqian finally spoke in a soft, melancholic voice.

“Junior Martial Brother Han, after the great battle concludes, I’m afraid I will be married.” Hearing this, Han Li was taken aback and turned to look at her with a surprised expression.

“The other party is a direct disciple of the Qin Clan, another major cultivation family. He is under the tutelage of Tianque Fort and has also recently established his foundation. I’ve met him a few times, and he seems like a decent person. If nothing unexpected happens, he will marry into our Chen family and become my cultivation partner.” Chen Qiaoqian paid no heed to Han Li’s stunned expression and spoke calmly and unhurriedly.

Han Li’s shock gradually faded, and after a moment of hesitation, he politely said, “Then congratulations, Senior Martial Sister Chen, on your joyous union! I will surely prepare a gift…”

Han Li had only just begun speaking, but it was clear these were not the words she wanted to hear. She trembled slightly and, before Han Li could finish, coldly tossed out a disc-shaped magical instrument and flew away on her own, as if there was nothing left to linger for.

Watching the direction in which Chen Qiaoqian disappeared, Han Li stood motionless with a cold expression. After a long while, he finally let out a deep sigh and listlessly flew away.

Although he had long since made up his mind, seeing a woman who had feelings for him about to marry someone else still left Han Li with a sense of loss. Perhaps this was a common flaw among all men. Though they were called cultivators, emotionally they were no different from mortals.

Han Li thought self-deprecatingly as he flew back to the Qin residence.

But upon returning to his quarters, he learned from others that Chen Qiaoqian had already left, having departed earlier. Han Li smiled bitterly to himself; it seemed Chen Qiaoqian was truly deeply disappointed in him and had resolved to marry someone else.

Though he felt somewhat melancholic, Han Li was, after all, no ordinary person. He merely nodded as usual and spent the rest of the day chatting and laughing with others.

The next morning, the others left the Qin residence one after another, with Han Li being the last to depart. Before setting off, he deliberately took a secret glance at Mo Fengwu. After all, they had known each other for a while, and he intended to bid her farewell. However, when he saw Mo Fengwu through the window from outside the pavilion, he changed his mind about meeting her one last time.

Dressed as a young married woman, Mo Fengwu was inside the building, accompanying a woman in her fifties as they recited scriptures, her face filled with peace and serenity.

Han Li silently watched for a while before ultimately turning away quietly without disturbing her. Perhaps it was better for her if they did not meet, sparing her the pain of recalling those difficult memories. Maybe this kind of peaceful, conflict-free life was what she truly yearned for. Han Li thought with a touch of melancholy.

Han Li left Yuejing, taking a slight detour to first visit Jiayuan City. No matter what, since he had promised to help the Mo family seek revenge, he felt obliged to stop by and check on the situation.

Now that there were no demonic cultivators causing trouble, and with the great battle imminent, it was unlikely that any high-level cultivators would be stationed in the city. If he could discreetly eliminate the leader of the Five-Colored Sect, even if the Spirit Beast Mountain disciples were furious, they would have no way to trace it back to him.

Besides dealing with the Five-Colored Sect, he also wanted to see how Sun Er’gou had been managing the Siping Gang. With Qu Hun’s assistance over the years, he should have accomplished something.

This backup plan he had left behind back then now seemed rather unnecessary.

With these thoughts in mind, Han Li rode the Divine Wind Boat straight toward Jiayuan City.

It had been over a decade since his last visit to Jiayuan City, yet many events remained vivid in his memory, leaving a deep impression.

…

Five days later, a young man in blue robes arrived in front of the “Xiangjia Restaurant,” a well-established eatery in Jiayuan City. Standing on the street before the building, he squinted at the restaurant’s sign with a somewhat peculiar expression. This was Han Li, who had just entered the city.

After standing there for a moment lost in thought, Han Li leisurely made his way inside.

Coincidentally, as soon as he reached the second floor, he spotted the window-side table where he had sat all those years ago, now unoccupied.

Delighted, Han Li walked over without hesitation.

No sooner had he sat down than a waiter eagerly came over to wipe the table and ask what dishes and wine Han Li would like.

Han Li smiled slightly, casually ordered a few tasty side dishes, and dismissed the waiter. He had not come here merely to satisfy his appetite.

With this in mind, Han Li turned his gaze out the window.

The Mo family’s grand residence still stood, with burly men stationed at its entrance. However, the large plaque above the gate no longer read “Mo Residence” but instead bore two large golden characters: “Li Residence.”

Han Li frowned slightly as he looked at the “Li Residence” plaque gleaming under the sunlight. As far as he knew, the leader of the Five-Colored Sect shared the surname “Li.” It seemed they had directly taken over the nest.

For some reason, Han Li found the characters “Li Residence” particularly grating. He felt the previous “Mo Residence” sign had been much more pleasing to the eye.

As Han Li was lost in thought, the waiter swiftly served the food and wine. Just then, laughter and conversation drifted up from downstairs, followed by several young men ascending the staircase. All were dressed in fine silks and brocades, appearing every bit the young masters of wealthy families, accompanied by a few burly servants.

These young masters casually glanced around the room. One among them, so thin he looked as though a gust of wind could blow him away, arrogantly beckoned to the waiter.

The waiter immediately scurried over, obsequiously smiling as he hurriedly asked, “Young Master Xia, what can I do for you?”

“Call your manager. Today, we’re hosting an esteemed guest. Clear out the third floor—we’ll cover any losses,” the scrawny young man declared, his tone as lofty as his stature was slight.

The waiter showed no sign of displeasure, nodding repeatedly before rushing off to inform the manager.

Shortly after, a middle-aged man in his forties came upstairs.

Upon seeing the young men, he smiled ingratiatingly and immediately agreed to their request, then took the waiter to the third floor to apologize to the patrons.

Whether due to the manager’s competence or the young masters’ formidable reputations, soon all the diners on the third floor settled their bills and left without a single complaint.

Han Li lazily glanced at them a few times before turning his attention back to the street outside the window.

They were merely young masters among mortals, the type who relied on their family’s influence to act arrogantly—a common sight in the secular world. Han Li had no interest in paying them any mind.

Led by Young Master Xia, the group nodded in satisfaction before heading downstairs to greet someone.

After a while, footsteps sounded from below again. This time, Han Li paused slightly and couldn’t help but glance back.

Amid the heavy footsteps, one set was distinctly light, almost ethereal. This was clearly the mark of a martial artist who had achieved a certain level of skill in lightness techniques.

This piqued Han Li’s curiosity.