Could you do me a small favor?

Ye Han grew a little anxious at her words. After all, Senior Brother Zhang Qingshan had told him that the Azure Mystic Art could only be cultivated by True Disciples of the Azure Profound Sect. It was one of the sect's finest cultivation arts for cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm and below, and a closely guarded secret...

Yet this Azure Phoenix Fairy had recognized his cultivation art at a glance. Now he was in trouble.

A thought stirred in Ye Han's mind. He suddenly recalled something the Azure Phoenix Fairy had just said: why had the Seventh Elder given his Cave Abode to this little brat?

Although Ye Han did not know who "he" was, it clearly had to be the Cave Abode's previous owner...

Putting those pieces together, he immediately told the Azure Phoenix Fairy, "I found this Azure Mystic Art inside the Cave Abode! I thought the Seventh Elder had left it for me."

The Azure Phoenix Fairy frowned, then said coldly, her tone suddenly hostile, "You little brat, so young and already so crafty! Nothing but lies! You dare deceive me?"

As she spoke, a startling wave of cold suddenly burst from the Azure Phoenix Fairy's body.

Ye Han instantly felt as though an invisible force were pressing down on him, leaving him panicked and terribly uncomfortable. It was just like when he had encountered that terrifying monster that day-as though the monster had fixed its eyes on him. He could barely get his words out, and an icy chill pierced his spine.

It was not simply that he was afraid!

Rather, the terror she inspired was genuinely affecting his physical senses. His body was now completely unable to move.

Damn it, a real high-level cultivator could pin me down with her aura alone. If we actually fought, wouldn't I just be a lamb to the slaughter?

Only now did Ye Han understand how powerful a true high-level cultivator was.

No wonder Zhang Qingshan and Teacher Lan Qing had both warned him that, among cultivators, the strong reigned supreme. He must never offend a cultivator stronger than himself.

That was exactly what was happening now. The Azure Phoenix Fairy's cultivation was far beyond anything he could match. Her aura alone left him unable to move, a lamb to the slaughter...

If I really offended a cultivator like this, I'd be heading straight down a dead-end road.

But he could not back down now.

Ye Han could not help saying, "It's true... it really is!"

The more dire things became, the more clearly he understood that he could not show weakness. If he revealed the truth, he would probably be in even greater trouble.

Not only would he fail to find a powerful backer, but she might even drag him away for interrogation!

The Azure Phoenix Fairy stared at him coldly. "You're lying! He's been dead for a long time. Even his identity token shattered. How could you possibly have obtained his cultivation art?"

With that, the Azure Phoenix Fairy descended from the air, landed beside Ye Han, and made a casual grabbing motion.

The Azure Mystic Art manual tucked inside Ye Han's robes flew out and landed in the Azure Phoenix Fairy's hand.

Ye Han looked stunned. He had never expected the Azure Phoenix Fairy to act so directly. In an instant, the Azure Mystic Art in his robes had ended up in her hands.

Now he was in serious trouble.

Ye Han's heart was bleeding.

As the Azure Phoenix Fairy examined the Azure Mystic Art in her hand, its pages began turning on their own.

Looking at the handwriting on them, the Azure Phoenix Fairy's eyes suddenly lit up. Barely able to contain herself, she murmured, "It really is his handwriting!"

Then she looked at Ye Han in astonishment and asked, "Where did you get this cultivation manual?"

As she spoke, the terrifying aura pressing down on Ye Han abruptly withdrew.

Ye Han immediately felt his body relax. If she unleashed her full strength, her aura alone could probably keep him utterly pinned down.

But since he had already made those claims, he naturally could not come clean now.

His mind raced. From the moment he had seen the Azure Phoenix Fairy arrive, he had already concluded that she must have known the Cave Abode's former owner very well. They might even have been quite close.

Judging by her astonished tone, this secret manual of mine actually belonged to that person she knew?

Could my luck really be that good?

No.

He suddenly began piecing the whole affair together. From the first time he had encountered this woman, she might already have been searching for the Cave Abode's former owner.

And he had happened to find the Purple Cauldron, the Azure Mystic Art, and the Azure Mystic Token in that mountain cave...

In other words, had the Azure Phoenix Fairy received some information and gone to avenge this Cave Abode's former owner? Or had she gone looking for clues?

There was a very strong possibility that the man who had died in that cave-the former owner of the Purple Cauldron, the Azure Mystic Art, and the Azure Mystic Token-had also been the previous owner of this Cave Abode.

That fellow must have held a fairly high position in the Azure Profound Sect...

All in all, there might have been some coincidence in how everything had unfolded, but it was not entirely coincidental.

With all those coincidences linking together, perhaps the Cave Abode's former owner had gone after that monster, only to be killed by it instead...

The Purple Cauldron, the Azure Mystic Art, and the Azure Mystic Token he left behind had then fallen into Ye Han's hands by chance.

Even more coincidentally, Ye Han had used the Azure Mystic Token to come to the Azure Profound Sect, exchanged it for a Foundation Establishment Pill, and then traded that pill for this Cave Abode.

And this Cave Abode had turned out to belong to that same former owner?

Damn it, could there really be such a coincidence, or had heaven ordained it all in the unseen workings of fate?

As Ye Han's mind raced, he quickly came up with an idea, having pieced the whole affair together.

Even if it killed him, he would never admit where he had actually obtained the Azure Mystic Art.

So Ye Han put on a frightened look and said, "Immortal lady, I found this cultivation art under the bed after I moved into this Cave Abode. As for where it came from, I don't know."

He paused, then declared with utter conviction, "I really don't know!"

Holding the Azure Mystic Art, the Azure Phoenix Fairy hesitated, then suddenly asked, "Could you let me go inside this Cave Abode and have a look?"

At those words, Ye Han immediately answered with joyful enthusiasm, "Of course! An immortal as beautiful as you, big sister-I couldn't welcome you enough! Please, please, come in!"

His overflowing enthusiasm caught the Azure Phoenix Fairy off guard. This Ye Han really did seem considerably more likable now.

She gazed intently at the Cave Abode, then frowned and said, "Forget it, forget it! There's no need to go inside."

With that, she tossed the cultivation manual back to Ye Han. "Very well. Since you found this cultivation art in the Cave Abode yourself, heaven must have willed it in the unseen workings of fate! Since you've successfully cultivated it, consider it your own good fortune!"

Ye Han caught the manual, his expression easing. Delighted, he told the Azure Phoenix Fairy, "Thank you so much, immortal big sister!"

Still brimming with enthusiasm, he asked, "Immortal big sister, are you sure you don't want to go inside and have a look?"

He did not want to miss this chance to latch onto a powerful patron. Whatever it took, he had to build a good relationship with the Azure Phoenix Fairy, and his tongue was sweeter than most.

At his words, the Azure Phoenix Fairy said, "No! Take care of yourself! I'm leaving."

Ye Han immediately said, "Wait, immortal big sister, could you do me a small favor?"