“Hmph! Sneaking into the house like this—you’re either a scoundrel or a thief! How dare you play tricks? Just you wait, I’ll…” The old Taoist, perhaps grown accustomed to the flattery he’d received in the prince’s mansion these past few days, snapped without thinking.
But when he habitually cast his Heavenly Eye technique toward Han Li, his furious expression instantly froze, and his face turned pale.
“Y-you… are you a Foundation Establishment senior?” the old Taoist stammered, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
“Didn’t you just check with your technique?” Han Li’s smile faded as he replied indifferently.
“Senior, please do not take offense! This junior has never before met a cultivator who has reached Foundation Establishment. The highest cultivation I’ve encountered was only at the eleventh or twelfth layer of Qi Refining. I truly had no way to gauge your cultivation level! All I know is that your power is unfathomable!” As if waking from a dream, the old Taoist hastily extinguished the fireball in his hand, stepped forward to bow, and explained with an ingratiating smile, his face full of caution.
Han Li was taken aback when he noticed that the old Taoist showed no fear, unlike the old man surnamed Xiao, but instead seemed faintly excited.
After a moment’s thought, however, he understood the other’s petty calculations.
This white-haired old Taoist, still lingering at the sixth layer of Qi Refining despite his advanced age, was most likely a rogue cultivator with poor aptitude, which had prevented him from ever interacting with high-level cultivators. After all, even among rogue cultivators, people only mingled and formed bonds with those of similar cultivation levels.
Now, encountering a high-level Foundation Establishment cultivator like Han Li, the old Taoist naturally treated it as a rare opportunity, likely hoping to gain some benefits from him!
Understanding this, Han Li couldn’t help but smile slightly. If the old Taoist could satisfy him, he wouldn’t mind offering some rewards.
He looked at the old Taoist and spoke slowly, “Your guess is correct. I am indeed a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
Hearing this, the old Taoist’s expression grew even more respectful, though the delight in his eyes also intensified.
“Might I ask if Senior has suddenly appeared here because there is something you wish to command this junior to do?” the Taoist asked respectfully.
This fellow certainly knew how to play the game. If he wanted to gain something from Han Li, he naturally had to offer something in return.
Han Li nodded with satisfaction and said lightly, “First, tell me about your background. Today, I saw your fire-control technique during your performance at the prince’s mansion. Quite impressive!” Han Li offered a small compliment, and he meant it sincerely.
The old Taoist looked surprised upon hearing this.
He hadn’t expected this senior to have witnessed his performance and hurriedly replied humbly, “You flatter me, Senior! This junior’s only skill worth showing off is his manipulation of flame techniques. My other techniques are a complete mess! As for my background, there’s not much to tell. When I was young, I accidentally obtained a copy of the ‘Lieyang Art’ from a dying cultivator, which is how I entered the world of cultivation. Unfortunately, my aptitude is too poor, and without guidance, I’ve only barely reached the sixth layer.”
“Is your fire-control technique also from that book?” Han Li asked casually, growing somewhat interested.
“Not exactly. This fire-control technique was something I developed out of desperation when my cultivation hit a bottleneck and I could progress no further. After decades of refinement and modification, it has become my proudest achievement.”
“You developed it yourself?” Han Li was startled and took a closer look at the white-haired old Taoist, showing a hint of surprise.
“Yes, Senior! I’ve even compiled my insights into a manual called the ‘Nongyan Art.’ If Senior does not disdain it, please take it and offer some guidance!” Seeing that Han Li seemed interested in his fire-control technique, the old Taoist seized the opportunity and quickly pulled out a thin manual from his robes, respectfully handing it to Han Li.
Han Li was taken aback.
To be honest, although he found the old Taoist’s flame variation technique intriguing, he hadn’t intended to forcibly take the other’s methods. He didn’t think such a minor fire-control trick would be of much use to him now.
But since the old Taoist had proactively offered it, Han Li accepted it out of curiosity and flipped through a few pages.
At first, Han Li skimmed the book with indifference, but as he read on, his expression remained calm while inwardly he grew increasingly astonished.
The initial sections, which discussed tricks for altering the form of flames, were indeed of little practical value to him—flashy but insubstantial. However, in the latter pages, the old Taoist proposed vague concepts for flexibly applying spells and several practical training methods, which struck Han Li with a sudden clarity, leaving him feeling profoundly enlightened.
After a moment, Han Li gently closed the book.
Now was not the time to study techniques. He would ponder its contents carefully in his leisure time. He believed this would elevate his understanding and application of spells to a higher level.
“I’ll keep this book. I know you said you wanted me to offer guidance, but you’re actually gifting it to me. As a senior, I won’t take your things for nothing. Here are some options: Taoist manuals, various-grade magical instruments, or several types of elixirs highly useful for Qi Refining. Choose one category as compensation for this book. I’ll give you the time it takes to finish a cup of tea to think it over.”
After giving the old Taoist a deep look, Han Li spoke words that left the latter trembling with excitement.
“Thank you, Senior! Thank you for your generosity!” The white-haired old Taoist’s face flushed, and he shook with exhilaration.
Han Li smiled faintly but said nothing more. Instead, he lightly closed his eyes and rested in his chair.
Meanwhile, the old Taoist paced the room like an ant on a hot pan, torn and struggling to make a decision.
“Well, have you decided?” After a while, Han Li opened his eyes and asked calmly.
“This junior has decided. I would like some elixirs that can help a Qi Refining cultivator break through bottlenecks,” the old Taoist said resolutely after Han Li’s inquiry.
Han Li showed no surprise. He had expected the other to choose elixirs, as magical instruments and Taoist manuals could be acquired later once one’s cultivation advanced.
With a slight nod, Han Li flicked his sleeve, and two identical small blue porcelain bottles appeared on the redwood table.
“Here are two bottles of Huanglong Dan. They are highly effective for cultivators below the tenth layer of Qi Refining. Take them,” Han Li said impassively.
“The tenth layer of Qi Refining… Thank you for your generosity, Senior! Thank you…” The old Taoist’s eyes burned with desire as he repeatedly expressed gratitude before eagerly stepping forward to take the two bottles.
Then, unable to wait, he opened one bottle, gently sniffed its contents, and revealed a look of utmost satisfaction.
“I came to find you today for another matter. If you accomplish it well, I will reward you handsomely,” Han Li said unhurriedly after seeing the old Taoist carefully store the bottles in his robe, finally addressing the main purpose of his visit.
With such a substantial reward, Han Li had no doubt the other would be motivated.
Sure enough, after a moment of surprise, the old Taoist beamed and said, “Whatever task Senior has, please just command me! This junior will spare no effort, even at the cost of his life!”
Han Li smiled slightly and said, “It’s nothing too major. I just want you to keep a close watch on your disciple, the young prince, and the mansion’s steward, Wang, over the next few months. If you notice anything unusual, just inform me.”
Though Han Li spoke lightly, the old Taoist was dumbfounded.
He never expected this senior to ask him to monitor two mortals, one of whom was about to become his beloved disciple.
Puzzled, the old Taoist cautiously glanced at Han Li and ventured, “Might this junior ask the reason? Is there something suspicious about these two?”
He asked very carefully, afraid that a careless word might offend this exalted figure.
Han Li’s face showed no displeasure, but he did not answer immediately. After a moment of consideration, he said gravely, “I am actually a cultivator from the Yellow Maple Valley, one of the Seven Sects. The Devil Dao is invading our Yue Kingdom—you should know of this. I suspect these two may have connections to the Devil Dao. Therefore, I need someone to keep an eye on them as a precaution.”
Although Han Li didn’t believe Steward Wang and the young prince were actually Devil Dao cultivators, it was better to err on the side of caution. Given their unclear backgrounds, Han Li remained highly wary, which was why he had sought out the old Taoist to monitor their actions.
Of course, he couldn’t explain all this directly to the old Taoist. Instead, he simply pinned it on the Devil Dao, avoiding the need for lengthy explanations.
After all, his sense that these two were dangerous was based on intuition—something he couldn’t openly justify.
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