Mo Caihuan fluttered around Han Li like a clingy little bird, chattering away with one question after another, from the wonders of his Dark Spiritual Root to which sugar figurines sold below the mountain tasted best. Her pretty face and lively disposition drew envious, jealous looks from many of the young male disciples nearby.
Han Li remained composed, giving brief answers and occasionally lifting his wine cup for a sip as his gaze swept seemingly casually across the hall. He could sense a faint but unmistakable strand of spiritual sense hovering around him beneath Mo Caihuan's seemingly innocent affection-it belonged to Mo Juren. Sure enough, the old fox was using his daughter as cover for a more thorough investigation.
Another cool gaze, belonging to Nangong Wan as she sat alone in a corner, also swept their way several times. Whenever Mo Caihuan leaned close enough to whisper into Han Li's ear, that gaze sharpened slightly for an instant.
"Senior Brother Han, cultivating all day is so boring! How about I take you to catch larks on the mountain behind us tomorrow? I know a place where the prettiest ones live!" Mo Caihuan tugged at Han Li's sleeve, her large eyes blinking coquettishly.
The sight nearly made Li Feiyu grind his teeth to pieces. He had pursued Mo Caihuan for so long, yet when had she ever shown him such enthusiasm? Jealousy mingled with old grudges, making his gaze all but spit fire at Han Li.
Han Li discreetly withdrew his sleeve, his tone as calm as ever. "I need to cultivate tomorrow. I appreciate your kindness, Junior Sister Mo."
Mo Caihuan pouted and was about to say something more when Elder Liu chuckled from the seat of honor. "Elder Mo, your daughter grows lovelier by the day. Such a lively personality, too-she's truly charming. And Martial Nephew Han is an outstanding young talent. With his Dark Spiritual Root, his future is boundless. They're close in age, and standing together, they make quite a fine match."
The hall fell silent at those words, and quite a few faces took on intriguing expressions.
Elder Liu's remark sounded like casual teasing, but its implications ran deep. Mo Juren was a guest elder with a special position, while Han Li was a newly emerged, peerless genius. If marriage could bind the two together, it would profoundly affect the balance of power within the Seven Mysteries Sect. Perhaps this reflected the desire of some senior figures to win Han Li over and secure his loyalty.
An almost imperceptible gleam flashed deep in Mo Juren's eyes, but he laughed and stroked his beard. "You jest, Elder Liu. This little girl is unruly. How could she presume to marry a genius like Martial Nephew Han? Matters between young people should depend on their own destined affinity." His answer was watertight: neither agreement nor refusal, leaving ample room to maneuver.
Yet everyone heard the tacit approval in his words, even a willingness to see the match succeed. Gazes once again converged on Han Li and Mo Caihuan, each carrying a different meaning.
Mo Caihuan's pretty face flushed slightly. She stole a glance at Han Li and, unusually, offered no objection. Instead, she lowered her head and fiddled with the hem of her clothes, the very picture of a bashful young maiden.
Han Li sneered inwardly. What a performance-playing matchmaker and using a beauty to win me over! To keep his "vessel" docile, that old devil Mo Juren really is willing to pay the price. He'll even put his own granddaughter on the table as a bargaining chip. As for how much of Mo Caihuan's seemingly innocent shyness was genuine and how much was feigned, he could not be bothered to distinguish.
Before absolute strength, every scheme was futile.
He lifted his wine cup, rose, and gave Elder Liu and Mo Juren a slight gesture of acknowledgment. His voice was clear and calm, yet carried an unquestionable resolve. "Elder Liu, Elder Mo, you flatter me. My heart is devoted to the Dao. I seek only longevity and enduring life, and have no thoughts of romance for now. I am unworthy of such generous regard."
He had refused them outright-directly, decisively, and without leaving any room for negotiation!
A wave of stifled cries and sharp intakes of breath swept through the hall. No one had expected Han Li to give the two elders so little face, especially Mo Juren, whose gesture of goodwill and attempt to draw him close could hardly have been more obvious!
Mo Juren's smile froze for an instant. Though he recovered quickly, Han Li keenly caught the fleeting shadow deep in his eyes. Angry now, old devil?
Mo Caihuan snapped her head up and stared at Han Li in disbelief. The blush on her pretty face deepened with embarrassment. She clearly had not expected to be rejected so bluntly.
Elder Liu also paused in surprise before laughing it off. "Haha, good! Only with a steadfast heart for the Dao can one go far! Martial Nephew Han's ambition is a blessing for our Seven Mysteries Sect! Come, everyone, let us drink!"
The atmosphere grew delicate and awkward for a moment.
Han Li sat down without concern, as though he had said nothing out of the ordinary. He sensed that the gaze coming from Nangong Wan now held an almost imperceptible hint of... amusement?
The rest of the banquet was noticeably subdued. Mo Caihuan no longer took the initiative to speak to Han Li, merely sitting beside him in gloomy silence and occasionally sneaking a glare at him. Her forlorn little appearance truly did inspire a measure of tenderness. At the sight, Li Feiyu's hatred for Han Li surged to the heavens.
Once the banquet came to a hurried end, Han Li was the first to take his leave.
Mo Juren personally escorted him beyond the residence's gates. He still wore the kindly expression of a benevolent elder and urged Han Li to cultivate diligently, but Han Li could feel the cold killing intent hidden beneath that smile growing ever stronger.
"Safe travels, Martial Nephew."
"No need to see me farther, Elder Mo."
They cupped their hands in farewell. Outwardly, all was harmonious; beneath the surface, dark currents were already surging.
Back in his small courtyard, Han Li set up a simple restriction. Every trace of expression instantly vanished from his face, leaving his customary coldness.
[Ding! The host successfully countered a honey trap and attempts to win him over with power, remained steadfast in his pursuit of the Dao, and saw through the conspiracy. Reward: a slight increase in spiritual sense.]
The system notification sounded.
Han Li sat cross-legged, toying with the pale green Small Bottle he still could not open. Tonight's events made him even more certain that Mo Juren's patience was rapidly running out. With his attempt to win Han Li over through marriage thwarted, the old devil might well leap over the wall like a cornered dog and resort to more drastic measures.
"I have to increase my strength as quickly as possible."
A cold gleam flickered in his eyes. Relying solely on cultivation and the resources Mo Juren "bestowed" on him was still too slow. He needed a faster route-for instance, taking the initiative and seeking out "prey."
There was no shortage of people within the Seven Mysteries Sect who harbored ill will toward him. Li Feiyu, for example, who wished he could skin him and tear out his tendons, along with the Li Family behind him, and certain factions whose interests might have suffered because of his emergence...
Troubled times called for stern laws; extraordinary times demanded extraordinary measures.
In this life, he would no longer endure in silence. Every act of hostility would be answered with slaughter!
He slowly infused a strand of pure Dark Spiritual Power into the Small Bottle. The indistinct rune on its surface flashed once again, then vanished. Though he still could not open it, each infusion of spiritual power seemed to strengthen the faint connection between him and the Small Bottle a little more.
"What surprises will you bring me? Will you have heaven-defying powers like the Heavenvoid Bottle?"
In the darkness of night, Han Li turned his gaze beyond Seven Mysteries Mountain, toward a world far vaster-and far more dangerous.
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