In the days that followed, the Seven Mysteries Sect remained calm on the surface, but hidden currents stirred beneath it because of Han Li. Mo Juren still sent resources every few days, his manner even warmer and more attentive than before. Yet Han Li could clearly sense the killing intent concealed beneath that gentle mask, flicking across him ever more frequently like a venomous snake's tongue.
Mo Caihuan seemed to have taken a blow and never sought Han Li out again. When they occasionally met within the sect, she merely glared at him from afar, stamped her foot, and ran off. Her pretty, petulant manner led some disciples who knew nothing of the situation to believe Han Li had bullied her, further cementing his reputation as "cold and heartless." Li Feiyu, meanwhile, had fallen completely silent. Rumor had it that he was cultivating in seclusion like a madman, but the venomous looks he occasionally cast in Han Li's direction showed that he had not given up.
Han Li paid these cavorting clowns no mind. He spent most of his time immersed in cultivation, steadily advancing toward the peak of the Qi Refinement Fifth Layer with the aid of the system and his resources. But the further he progressed, the more staggering his spiritual power requirements became. The pills Mo Juren supplied were gradually becoming no more than a cup of water against a blazing cartload of firewood.
"I need to find more resources, or... a more efficient way to 'plunder.'" Han Li finished circulating his spiritual power through a full cycle, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. Working behind closed doors would never be a lasting solution.
That day, he left his courtyard and headed to the Seven Mysteries Sect's Hundred Mechanisms Hall. The hall issued sect missions, exchanged cultivation methods and pills, and managed a miniature market open to the disciples.
The Hundred Mechanisms Hall buzzed with voices as disciples turned in missions and exchanged supplies. Han Li's arrival once again caused a stir and a wave of whispers. Ignoring their gazes, he walked straight to the jade mission board.
Points of light flickered across the jade board, listing all manner of missions: gathering specified spirit herbs, hunting low-tier demonic beasts, escorting supplies, and even dangerous assignments involving the exploration of ruins or the elimination of hidden agents from hostile forces. Each listed its corresponding contribution-point reward.
Han Li swept his gaze across them, quickly weighing his options. Gathering and hunting missions took too much time for mediocre rewards and did not suit him. His eyes finally settled on a mission displayed in a slightly darker color:
[Investigate an outlying stronghold of the Black Fiend Cult]: Reports suggest that remnants of the Black Fiend Cult may be active in the Falling Cloud Mountains on the fringes of the Heavenly South. Investigate and verify the intelligence. If low-level cultists are encountered, eliminate them at your discretion. Reward: 300 contribution points, 50 low-grade spirit stones. Note: The Black Fiend Cult's cultivation methods are bizarre, and its followers fight without fear of death. Disciples in the late stages of Qi Refining are advised to undertake this mission in teams.]
The Black Fiend Cult? Something stirred in Han Li's mind. The name of this evil cult rang a bell. In the fragments of his memories from his previous life, it seemed to have been a considerable force, adept at refining corpses and commanding ghosts, and vicious in its deeds. The reward was generous, and the words "eliminate them at your discretion" suited him perfectly.
"This one." Han Li reached out and tapped the entry, accepting the mission. A chorus of hushed exclamations immediately rose around him.
"He accepted the Black Fiend Cult mission!"
"He dares take a mission like that at the Qi Refinement Fifth Layer? Isn't he getting far too full of himself?"
"I heard everyone in the Black Fiend Cult is insane. Even cultivators at the same level get headaches dealing with them..."
"So what if he has a dark spiritual root? Two fists can't beat four hands..."
The steward registering missions also froze for a moment before asking, "Martial Nephew Han, this mission carries considerable danger. Are you certain you want to undertake it alone?"
"I'm certain," Han Li replied evenly.
The steward said no more. After registering him, he handed Han Li a jade slip containing the mission's detailed information and a map.
Having accepted the mission, Han Li turned toward the market area inside the hall. This so-called market was really just a designated space with a few permanent stalls, along with disciples who spread cloths on the ground to sell their belongings. It was small, and most of its wares were intended for Qi Refining cultivators.
Han Li planned to buy some talismans and pills in case of emergencies. He was fairly well-off now and still had plenty of the spirit stones Mo Juren and the sect had bestowed on him.
He stopped at several stalls and selected a few practical Diamond Talismans and Swift Movement Talismans, along with a bottle of Qi-Replenishing Pills. Just as he was about to pay, a somewhat flippant voice sounded beside him:
"Well, well, isn't this our renowned Junior Brother Han with the dark spiritual root? What's this? You're shopping for bargains in this shabby little market too?"
Han Li turned and saw a young man with slicked-back hair, a powdered face, and luxurious clothes approaching, waving a folding fan and surrounded by a group of lackeys. His name was Lu Renjia, a disciple from a cultivation family within the sect. He was at the Qi Refinement Fourth Layer and enjoyed bullying ordinary disciples, earning himself an atrocious reputation.
Lu Renjia had clearly heard about Han Li rejecting Mo Caihuan and Elder Mo's "kindness." He thought Han Li did not know what was good for him and envied his talent, so he had come looking for trouble. His gaze swept over the talismans and pills in Han Li's hands, and he sneered. "Junior Brother Han, you're a genius with a dark spiritual root, yet you use this worthless junk? Isn't that beneath you? Shall your senior brother spare you a few spirit stones so you can buy something decent?" His tone dripped with mockery.
The lackeys behind him burst into laughter as well.
The surrounding disciples turned to watch, eager for a show. At some point, Li Feiyu had also appeared at the edge of the crowd, standing with his arms folded and gloating written all over his face.
Han Li did not even raise his eyelids. As though he had not heard Lu Renjia at all, he paid the stallholder, put away his purchases, and turned to leave.
That dismissive attitude thoroughly enraged Lu Renjia. His face darkened, and he snapped his folding fan shut, blocking Han Li's path. "Han Li! Don't spit on the face I'm giving you! Your senior brother is speaking to you out of kindness. What kind of attitude is this?"
Han Li finally stopped and slowly raised his head, looking calmly at Lu Renjia. His gaze was deep and icy, devoid of emotion, yet it sent an inexplicable chill through Lu Renjia's heart, instantly weakening his bluster.
"A good dog stays out of the way," Han Li said flatly.
"Who are you calling a dog?!" Lu Renjia flew into a rage. Spiritual power surged within him, and spiritual light shimmered over his folding fan-it was actually a low-grade magical artifact. He was about to strike.
[Ding! Intense hostility detected. Target: Lu Renjia (Qi Refinement Fourth Layer). Immediate mission triggered: Establish dominance. Mission requirement: Intimidate petty troublemakers with thunderous force. Mission reward: slaughter points +50, slight increase in prestige.]
The system's notification sounded at just the right moment.
An icy glint flashed through Han Li's eyes. Perfect. I needed a chicken to kill as a warning to the monkeys.
Just as Lu Renjia was about to thrust his folding fan forward, Han Li moved!
He used no magical artifact. His right hand simply shot out like lightning, moving second but arriving first. His five fingers curled into a claw, a strand of condensed black energy swirling around his fingertips as he reached straight for Lu Renjia's wrist!
Lu Renjia saw only a blur before a piercing pain stabbed through his wrist. His spiritual power scattered instantly, and the folding fan fell to the ground with a clang. Before he could react, Han Li's clawlike hand had clamped around his neck like an iron vise and lifted him bodily off the ground!
Lu Renjia's eyes bulged, and his face instantly turned the dark purple of pig liver. His legs kicked feebly in the air, strangled rasping sounds escaping his throat as boundless terror filled his eyes. His lackeys were all scared witless, rooted to the spot. Not one dared step forward.
The entire market fell deathly silent! Everyone stared at the scene in horror. Lu Renjia, a Qi Refinement Fourth Layer cultivator, was as helpless as a chick in Han Li's grasp!
Han Li's cold gaze swept over Lu Renjia's fear-twisted face. His voice was quiet, yet every person heard it clearly. "Why should I explain my actions to you? Make another peep, and I'll sever your path to immortality."
With those words, he casually flung him aside.
Lu Renjia flew several dozen feet like a torn sack and slammed heavily into the ground, coughing up blood without end. Nothing remained in his gaze toward Han Li but utter terror.
Han Li did not spare him another glance. His eyes swept over the crowd, now silent as cicadas in winter, lingering briefly on Li Feiyu's face. Li Feiyu turned deathly pale and instinctively took half a step back, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Who else wants to try?"
No one answered.
Only then did Han Li slowly leave the Hundred Mechanisms Hall. Wherever he passed, the crowd parted like the tide.
After this incident, Han Li's fearsome reputation grew even greater. Everyone understood that this genius with a dark spiritual root possessed not only terrifying talent but ruthless, merciless methods. He was no man to trifle with.
After leaving the Hundred Mechanisms Hall, Han Li did not return directly to his courtyard. Instead, he detoured to a secluded spot, turning the Mission Jade Slip over in his hand.
"The Black Fiend Cult... the Falling Cloud Mountains..."
A cold smile curved his lips.
These petty squabbles within the sect were ultimately too small a stage. It was time to face the "wind and rain" of the world outside.
Not long after Han Li departed, an utterly inconspicuous old man in gray, who had kept his head lowered while fiddling with a few pieces of ore in a corner of the Hundred Mechanisms Hall, slowly looked up. As he gazed in the direction Han Li had gone, an unusual glimmer flashed through his clouded eyes.
"A dark spiritual root... decisive in slaughter... a heart like iron... perhaps this boy can contend for the opportunities in that 'Blood-Colored Forbidden Land'..."
The old man murmured to himself, then lowered his head again, returning to his ordinary appearance as though nothing had happened.
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