Han Li?

On the Golden Drum Plains battlefield, Lin Yun's late Foundation Establishment cultivation, Core Formation Stage spiritual sense, and possession of the Clearvoid Invisible Sword and Supreme Goodness Pearl naturally kept him out of danger.

With a major battle every month and minor skirmishes every day on the Golden Drum Plains, Lin Yun had been like a fish in water for over a year, gaining something every time he took to the battlefield.

Using intelligence provided by the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivator under his control, he had even assassinated several Demonic Path cultivators at the perfected Foundation Establishment, pseudo-core level with the Clearvoid Invisible Sword. This had stirred up towering waves among the Six Demonic Path Sects and sparked several battles between Core Formation cultivators.

However, Lin Yun had always concealed his cultivation at early Foundation Establishment. The battle achievements he reported amounted to only a handful of Demonic Path Foundation Establishment cultivators, so neither side paid him much attention.

"More skulls and Soul-Controlling Banners... Trash, but these Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators really do have some demonic flair. Unlike the Spirit Controlling Sect people-all they have are Spirit Beast Bags. Once their masters die, the spirit beasts mostly die with them. Apart from a few spirit stones and spirit beast corpses, there's practically nothing to be had."

Lin Yun was in his quarters, sorting through the Storage Bag of a Ghost Spirit Sect pseudo-core cultivator he had just assassinated.

With an inside source, most of the Demonic Path cultivators Lin Yun killed belonged to the Ghost Spirit Sect, so he had collected quite a few of their magical artifacts.

These skulls, together with the resentful souls in the Soul-Controlling Banners, should just barely be enough to refine a Foundation Establishment-level White Bone Divine Demon. But should I make one? Or simply trade them for spirit stones and materials?

Hefting a skull in his hand, Lin Yun silently pondered how to put these ghastly things to use.

If he did not use them himself, he could only trade them for spirit stones and materials within the Seven Sects' camp. But he had no interest in those spirit stones or materials, whereas these skulls and resentful souls were at least passable raw ingredients.

Forget it. I'll make one. I can't very well trade these materials for useless things, can I? Besides, these things can't see the light of day. After some thought, Lin Yun made up his mind.

He immediately set up a concealment formation in his room to prevent anyone from the Seven Sects from discovering that he was refining such a sinister thing inside their camp.

While Lin Yun was refining the White Bone Divine Demon, Han Li happened to acquire a medicinal herb from a Yellow Maple Valley cultivator surnamed Chen in a wooden hut not far away.

Thinking of the two pill recipes he had previously obtained from that cultivator, Han Li sighed inwardly. If I had Senior Brother Lin's attainments in the Alchemy Dao, I could create my own pill recipes. Why would I have to rack my brains to obtain other people's practically useless recipes like this?

It was not that Han Li had never considered trading with Lin Yun for pill recipes. But Lin Yun's approach to pill refinement roamed as freely as a heavenly steed across the skies. He generally refined according to the materials available, using whatever he had on hand, and usually had no fixed recipes. Even when he did, they contained only a rough list of ingredients; the rest consisted of complicated, abstruse formulas for transforming various medicinal properties.

Thus, although he had obtained a few pill recipes from Lin Yun, he could barely understand them.

Even when he took them to Lin Yun to ask for guidance, Lin Yun told him to carefully study the formulas for transforming medicinal properties himself, so that he could improve his own alchemy.

Senior Brother Lin's pill recipes are more like secret Alchemy Dao manuals. If I want to refine other pills, I'll still have to find recipes myself. Fortunately, with my current alchemy skills, I can refine most pills, Han Li thought silently.

He then prepared to leave the stall area and pay a visit to the master he had picked up without much effort.

After greeting his fourth senior brother, Song Meng, at the entrance, Han Li learned that his master, Li Huayuan, was entertaining guests and waited outside.

Before long, the tightly shut door opened. Li Huayuan and his wife were seeing several male and female cultivators to the entrance when they spotted Han Li waiting there.

Li Huayuan casually said, "Han Li, you're here."

Han Li immediately replied respectfully, "Your disciple Han Li pays his respects, Master."

A veiled female cultivator with a slender, perfectly proportioned figure, whom Li Huayuan was seeing out, happened to hear their exchange. She abruptly stopped and turned to Han Li, asking in a voice that betrayed nothing unusual, "You said your name is Han Li?"

Han Li found this rather baffling, but faced with a Core Formation cultivator, he still replied respectfully, "This junior is Han Li. My respects, Senior."

Li Huayuan asked in great puzzlement, "Fairy Nangong, do you know my disciple?"

The veiled female cultivator was none other than Nangong Wan.

A trace of confusion flashed through Nangong Wan's eyes. Then, as if she had recalled something, a hint of embarrassed anger surfaced in her gaze. "No," she said.

After a moment's thought, Nangong Wan's gaze returned to its cool composure. Looking at Han Li, she asked, "Do you have any enemies in Yellow Maple Valley?"

Han Li was deeply puzzled. He did not understand why this Core Formation senior was asking such a question, but he answered honestly, "I don't think so."

Nangong Wan considered for a moment, then described Lin Yun's appearance and bearing, asking Han Li again whether he knew the person she described.

"His looks aren't particularly outstanding, but he has an exceptionally free and easy air about him. Have you seen him?" A flicker of conflicted emotion crossed Nangong Wan's eyes as she added the question.

Once Han Li heard Nangong Wan's description clearly, his heart gave a sudden jolt. A free and easy air? Among the people he knew, was anyone more free and easy than Senior Brother Lin? Casually giving away heaven-defying pills simply because they shared a fated connection-could anyone be more carefree than that?

Senior Brother Lin hasn't returned to Yellow Maple Valley in years. Could it be because he offended this Core Formation senior? And surely he didn't use my name when he offended her? With Han Li's intelligence, he grasped the situation almost instantly, and the corners of his mouth could not help twitching. He had always been the one using Li Feiyu's identity; now someone was actually using his.

As a Core Formation cultivator with keen spiritual sense and broad experience, Nangong Wan instantly noticed the change in Han Li's expression and pressed him in a cold, hard voice. "You know him?"

But Han Li clearly had no intention of selling Lin Yun out. He hurriedly offered three denials in succession. "I don't know him. I've never seen him. I have no idea."

After listening to their exchange, Li Huayuan immediately realized that Nangong Wan must be looking for someone, and that Han Li probably knew something. To prevent his disciple from needlessly offending a Core Formation cultivator, he hurriedly spoke up.

He hastily said, "Han Li, isn't the person Fairy Nangong described Martial Nephew Lin? Are you not very familiar with him? Is that why you failed to recognize the description? Honestly."

When he took Han Li as his disciple, Li Huayuan had naturally investigated his relationships. Lin Yun, who had reached Foundation Establishment with a Fake Spiritual Root just like Han Li, had left a particularly deep impression on him.

With that, Li Huayuan immediately told Nangong Wan who Lin Yun was. He even told her where Lin Yun was staying in the Seven Sects' camp.

It's over! After hearing Li Huayuan's words, Han Li quietly closed his eyes.

He silently consoled himself. Here in the Seven Sects' camp, Senior Nangong shouldn't go too far, should she? Senior Brother Lin should be safe.

After learning Lin Yun's identity and address, Nangong Wan stayed no longer. She immediately took her leave.

Meanwhile, Li Huayuan took Han Li away to assign him a mission. To keep Han Li from getting caught up in Lin Yun's troubles, he even ordered him to depart at once.

Thus, Han Li had no opportunity to warn Lin Yun that a Core Formation cultivator was looking for him.