Suddenly, as though struck by a flash of inspiration, Han Li recalled what Jing Wen had just said.
He wondered to himself: Jing Wen had called Nangong Wan a "little girl," a form of address both intimate and teasing. Just how old was Jing Wen?
Moreover, what was his cultivation level, that he dared address a Golden Core expert that way?
Han Li's thoughts tangled together like knotted hemp. The more he considered it, the more unfathomably mysterious Jing Wen seemed.
While Han Li was lost in thought, Jing Wen's slightly teasing voice suddenly interrupted his musings. "Junior brother, what are you thinking about? You look as though your soul has wandered off."
Han Li started slightly and hurriedly came back to his senses. "Nothing, senior brother," he replied instinctively.
Yet his evasive gaze plainly betrayed his unease.
Jing Wen regarded Han Li with a half-smile, a knowing curve forming at the corner of his mouth. "Judging by your expression, you still can't get Nangong Wan out of your mind.
"Then again, that little lass Nangong Wan really is a fresh-faced beauty, lovely enough to topple cities and kingdoms. It's understandable that you've fallen for her."
Jing Wen paused and looked into the distance, as though recalling something, then continued, "Once we cultivators embark upon this path beyond the mundane, we leave the constraints of the mortal world behind.
"Age is merely a mark that the years leave upon mortals. For us, it's nothing to concern ourselves with too much."
Hearing this, Han Li nodded unconsciously, as though Jing Wen's words had struck a chord within him.
At the sight, Jing Wen's smile grew even brighter, though a barely perceptible gleam of cunning flashed through his eyes. "If you're interested in Nangong Wan, junior brother, I could lend you a