Just who was this Ye Han?

Ye Han took out the strange Small Cauldron. It had looked like stone before, but now it had turned back into translucent purple jade.

It was nothing like its previous stone-like appearance, which had been utterly unremarkable.

Ye Han stared wide-eyed at the Purple Cauldron and muttered, "What's going on? Why did this cauldron suddenly change back?"

He remembered that when he had dug the Purple Cauldron out of that strange cave, it had been this same purple-jade color.

Later, after he had disturbed that monster, a strange light had flashed, and the Purple Cauldron tucked inside his robes had turned into plain, inconspicuous stone.

He had kept it inside his robes all along. When Teacher Lan Qing had seen the Small Cauldron before, it had still looked like stone, so he probably hadn't noticed anything unusual about the Purple Cauldron.

Yesterday, when he went to fetch the Azure Mystic Art manual, he had casually tucked the Small Cauldron into his robes.

He remembered that it had still looked exactly like a stone yesterday, yet now it had turned back into something like purple jade...

His rapid progress in cultivation might really have something to do with this Purple Cauldron.

Still, wealth must not be flaunted, and treasures must not be shown to others.

Although he still couldn't figure out how to use it, the Purple Cauldron had been found together with the Azure Mystic Token, the Azure Mystic Art, and that miraculous cloth.

That meant it was definitely no ordinary object.

With that thought, Ye Han decided that keeping the Purple Cauldron on him was unsafe, so he hid it in a corner beneath the bed in his bedroom.

He would ask Zhang Qingshan later what sorts of things in the cultivation world could help cultivators cultivate faster...

Only after hiding the Purple Cauldron did Ye Han go out. He sat in the main hall and waited patiently for Zhang Qingshan to return.

He still had plenty of things to ask Zhang Qingshan, and he also wanted to learn some Immortal Arts.

About an hour passed, and Ye Han was beginning to grow impatient.

Suddenly, he heard a noisy commotion outside.

His hearing was considerably sharper than before, and he immediately recognized Zhang Qingshan's voice speaking with several strangers outside.

"Why are you following me?"

"Zhang Qingshan, I've noticed you've been coming here a lot lately. Whose cave abode is this?"

"That's none of your business, is it?"

"How is it none of our business? Zhang Qingshan, you've broken through your bottleneck. At least point us toward a clear path."

"What path? All I know is how to cultivate diligently."

"You keep coming to this cave abode these past few days. Don't you want to explain?"

Listening to the conversation outside, Ye Han could tell that several people were bullying the honest Zhang Qingshan...

"Ox gate, open!"

Ye Han spoke softly.

The cave abode's entrance opened at once.

He saw Zhang Qingshan carrying some things, with three people blocking his way. One was tall and thin, one was of average build, and the third was rather fat. All three were around the same age, about sixteen or seventeen.

They were much younger than Zhang Qingshan, yet their tone toward him was not the least bit polite.

When they saw Ye Han emerge, surprise crossed all three faces. They hadn't expected a child of ten or so to be inside the cave abode.

He looked harmless, with a cheerful smile on his face.

Ye Han looked at Zhang Qingshan and said, "Senior Brother Zhang, you're back! Come in."

Then he looked at the others and asked, "How should I address you, senior brothers?"

Zhang Qingshan frowned and introduced them. "Junior Brother Ye, these three are Martial Uncle Liu's disciples: Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai!"

Then he pointed to Ye Han and said, "This is...!"

Before Zhang Qingshan could introduce him, Ye Han interrupted. "I'm just an ordinary disciple. Greetings, senior brothers!"

Afterward, he repeatedly winked at Zhang Qingshan, signaling that he should help keep his identity secret.

In truth, Ye Han was afraid that Zhang Qingshan would blurt out the false identity he had used to deceive him-that he was the Seventh Elder's disciple.

If that carelessly reached the Seventh Elder's ears, who knew how the Seventh Elder would deal with him?

After all, he had no ability to protect himself yet. He had to keep a low profile!

Zhang Qingshan caught on and said, "Oh, Junior Brother Ye, I understand! This is Junior Brother Ye Han, the owner of this cave abode!"

His tone had noticeably changed.

Zhang Sanlei, Li Zongqing, and Wang Fulai exchanged glances, each seeing surprise in the others' eyes. The three of them were disciples of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, yet even they had no cave abode to cultivate in. How could this child possibly have one?

But they also knew that Zhang Qingshan was an honest man who wouldn't readily lie to them.

Besides, how could a cultivator casually hand over his cave abode to someone else?

Zhang Sanlei immediately asked, "Junior brother, when did you come up here? Why haven't I seen you before?"

There was an odd look in his eyes. He remembered that this cave abode had always been unoccupied. Now Zhang Qingshan had actually broken through to the next cultivation level and had befriended this young Ye Han.

Clearly, something fishy was going on.

As for who Ye Han really was, they didn't dare offend him lightly. After all, he was only ten or so, yet he already had a cave abode. He was definitely no ordinary disciple.

Although he appeared to have only just entered the Qi Refining Realm, their own cultivation had been no better at that age.

And they hadn't had a cave abode, either.

Hearing the question, Ye Han answered with an innocent expression, "I've been here a few days. You haven't seen me before, but I haven't seen you before, either."

Hearing Ye Han's answer, which amounted to no answer at all, Zhang Sanlei frowned, though he maintained an enthusiastic tone. "Junior Brother Ye, is this cave abode really yours?"

Li Zongqing and Wang Fulai also looked at Ye Han strangely. Zhang Qingshan was currying favor with him, and he had a cave abode, so his identity surely wasn't ordinary. Naturally, they didn't dare offend someone like that lightly. Both looked at Ye Han with envy, though suspicion mingled with it.

Although Ye Han was young, he could tell that these three fellows were hardly on good terms with Zhang Qingshan. With all those barbed remarks earlier, how could their relationship possibly be good?

So he said, "This isn't my cave abode. The peak master is letting me use it temporarily!"

Then he turned to Zhang Qingshan. "Senior Brother Zhang! I'm hungry. Come inside."

With that, he took the initiative and pulled Zhang Qingshan inside.

Zhang Sanlei immediately followed. "Junior Brother Ye! Could we come into your cave abode...?"

"No!" Before Zhang Sanlei could finish, Ye Han coldly cut him off.

Then he shut the cave abode's entrance outright.

Clack!

Watching the entrance shut tight, Zhang Sanlei and the other two frowned deeply. That damned Ye Han! Did he think so little of the three of them? He wouldn't even let them inside...

But just who was this Ye Han? Why was the honest, straightforward Zhang Qingshan currying favor with him like this?