Chapter 273 - A Timely Encounter

After pulling out a majority of the spirit stones in his pocket, Han Li even collected a majority of the ingredients necessary for the new ancient pill formulas.

As for the remaining missing ingredients, Han Li gritted his teeth and risked taking out two four-hundred-year-old spirit herbs to sell. His other option was to participate in a few more assignments to kill Devil Dao cultivators. In this way, not only could he earn a reward of a considerable amount of spirit stones, he could also exchange the items found in the enemies’ storage pouches for even more spirit stones.

Based on the numerous treasure talismans he possessed and the strength of the Great Development Technique, even if Han Li ran into late Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could escape from the opponent safe and sound. Similarly, if early or mid Foundation Establishment cultivators were to run into Han Li, they naturally would not have any strength to retaliate and could only flee for their life from Han Li.

Of course, how could important Foundation Establishment cultivators like the Ghost Spirit Sect’s young master participate in these kinds of operations?

Just like this, Han Li earned himself a small bit of reputation among the Seven Sects Foundation Establishment cultivators this past year.

Everyone knew that a vicious character had emerged from the Yellow Maple Valley. While his cultivation base was only that of the mid Foundation Establishment, he inconceivably hunted down over ten Devil Dao cultivators and was still able to return whole.

Han Li used the spirit stones that he had exchanged for to gather all the remaining ingredients for the ancient pill formulas. Upon hearing that the campgrounds of a few other sects also had similar exchange locations, Han Li asked Fatty Chen to be on the lookout for pill formulas, but now it seemed there wasn’t much hope.

Just as Han Li wanted to say goodbye to the other person, a gust of fragrant wind suddenly reached his nose.

Slightly stunned, Han Li twisted his head around to take a look; an elegant and cold female cultivator was approaching from behind.

Upon clearly seeing that newcomer’s touching face and that dainty body with full assets, Han Li’s expression did not change, but in his heart, he was somewhat uneasy! It was actually Junior Martial Sister Chen, with whom he had had skin-to-skin contact before. As soon as he thought about the provocative and erotic scene from that night, a strange feeling surged up in his heart.

Come to think of it, he and this woman had not run into each other ever since the departure from the forbidden area, so he didn’t know when she had arrived at this camp.

“Fifth Uncle, this is the item that you asked for!”

Junior Martial Sister Chen indifferently sized up Han Li. Soon after, a trace of shock flashed across her eyes, but she still arrived in front of Fatty Chen and handed a storage pouch over to him.

“Hehe! Niece Qiaoqian, your arrival is too timely; I was just thinking about these goods!” Fatty Chen said with delight upon seeing Junior Martial Sister Chen, his jowls flapping.

“Fifth Uncle?”

Han Li was stunned by Fatty Chen’s title for quite some time!

He never expected that this fatty whom he had known for the greater half of a year was actually Junior Martial Sister Chen’s senior. Just based on his mid Foundation Establishment cultivation base, his status in the Chen Clan would definitely not be low.

After initially glancing at Han Li, Junior Martial Sister Chen did not send a single glance in Han Li’s way. This cold treatment caused Han Li to feel unhappy in his heart!

“Senior Martial Brother Chen, I will take my leave now, but I will definitely come visit you in the future!” Han Li said politely, unwilling to stay any longer. He turned his head around and walked out of the market.

At this time, Chen Qiaoqian finally gazed coldly at Han Li’s disappearing figure; her eyebrows were tightly knit as she asked Fatty Chen, who was inspecting the storage pouch:

“Fifth Uncle, was this scaredy-cat trying to buy something from you?”

“Scaredy-cat?”

Fatty Chen was shocked by Chen Qiaoqing’s words.

“Yes, the fellow who was just standing here!”

“You’re talking about...... Han Li?” Fatty Chen blinked his tiny eyes as an expression of disbelief surfaced on his face.

“Yes, I’m talking about him. Is there something wrong with that?” Chen Qiaoqian asked, somewhat curious.

Back then, during the expedition to the forbidden area, Han Li had not given this Junior Martial Sister Chen any good impressions. She always reckoned that Han Li was someone who had run into a great deal of good fortune and always took the opportunity to escape from a fight.

Fatty Chen sat in silence for a moment before suddenly sighing, saying with a strange tone:

“Qiaoqian, you’ve just arrived here and are ignorant about some matters. Although I don’t know why you think this guy is a scaredy-cat, your fellow sect member’s reputation here is not small! He is an extremely strong character who exterminated over ten Foundation Establishment cultivators in succession and is definitely not a mediocre individual. I even want to recommend this person to the clan leader after a few more battles. If we can win over this guy, he will be a great help to us!”

“He exterminated over ten Foundation Establishment cultivators?” Junior Martial Sister Chen asked, the cold expression on her face turning into one of amazement; she truly did not dare to believe what she was hearing.

She couldn’t help but gaze blankly at the exchange location’s front door, but by now, Han Li had already left the room for quite some time.

After walking out of the exchange location, Han Li pondered for a moment, then headed towards his master Li Huayuan’s residence, preparing to pay his respects to his master according to common convention.

As a Core Formation cultivator, Li Huayuan’s residence could not be compared to those of regular cultivators! He lived in a cozy little house in the middle of a large formation; his wife naturally lived together with him.

As for Han Li’s seven Senior Martial Brothers, apart from the eldest, who was still standing guard outside of the Green Ripple Cave, all the others had missions and were not present here. The only ones remaining here were Han Li and his Fourth Senior Martial Brother, Song Meng.

The first day that Han Li arrived and went to see Li Huayuan, his cultivation base of mid Foundation Establishment caused his master to feel great shock!

After all, Han Li had only successfully entered Foundation Establishment a few years ago.

Under normal circumstances, even cultivators with good talent would need to spend ten or more years before advancing from early to mid Foundation Establishment, so Han Li’s sudden advancement in leaps and bounds naturally aroused Li Huayuan’s curiosity.

After finding no evidence from searching Han Li’s body, he asked some questions related to the cause for Han Li’s cultivation base to grow so quickly.

Han Li naturally would not reveal the truth; instead, he put on an act of confusion, as if he also didn’t know what had happened, causing Li Huayuan to feel depressed for quite a while before dropping the matter altogether! After all, he was currently confronting grave difficulties. He was not in the mood to spend too much time investigating this matter.

As for the matters of the Yan Clan defecting and Dong Xuan’er falling into enemy hands, Li Huayuan and Hong Fu both already knew about it. Apart from being extremely enraged by this, they did not actually blame Han Li too much.

After all, the opponent’s strength was too great; for Han Li to be able to escape with his life was already not an easy feat.

Just as Han Li was thinking these things, he had already arrived outside of Li Huayuan’s residence!

What shocked him was that his Fourth Senior Martial Brother Song Meng was actually standing outside the room with his arms hugging his shoulders, strangely full of energy as if he were a posted sentry standing guard.

Upon seeing Han Li, Song Meng’s face revealed a trace of laughter. He said in a deep voice:

“Junior Martial Brother Han, you’ve come to pay your respects to Master once again!”

Han Li gently laughed and gave an “en”.

After Han Li had become somewhat famous, Song Meng forced Han Li to spar with him privately. Although Han Li had relied on a magic tool to penetrate his defenses and claim a small victory, he slowly began to feel friendlier towards Han Li, and between the two of them, they actually began to laugh and talk with one another.

“Junior Martial Brother Han, Master is currently discussing with some guests, so you should wait outside for now! Come to think of it, I’ve made some progress in my cultivation technique; why don’t you spar with me in a bit!” Song Meng smiled as he explained to Han Li, but immediately after he made an invitation that caused Han Li’s head to hurt greatly.

Ever since Senior Martial Brother Song had lost to him, every so often he would ask that Han Li spar with him one more time. However, how could Han Li be willing to reveal his true strength? Naturally, he firmly refused every time.

If this were the Yellow Maple Valley, this Senior Martial Brother Song wouldn’t be so easy to shake off! Luckily, many strong cultivators were in this campground, and many opponents as well. Song Meng, seeing that he did not succeed after pestering Han Li a few times, was unable to bear his own temperament and went to go find other people.

Only then could Han Li finally let out a sigh of relief!

Thus, upon hearing Song Meng’s last sentence, Han Li bitterly laughed once; no matter what, he did not dare to easily agree to what was being discussed!

However, Han Li was very interested in Li Huayuan and the group of guests with him.

After all, for Song Meng to use such respectful words meant that the people in the room most likely were Core Formation cultivators. But just when he wanted to gather some information from Song Meng, the tightly-shut door suddenly opened, and a few male and female cultivators walked out from inside.

Li Huayuan and his wife followed closely behind, clasping their hands and sending them out.

As expected, they were all Core Formation cultivators! Han Li clearly saw that of the four men and three women, their cultivation bases were unfathomably deep!

He and Song Meng did not dare to block the road and hurriedly split, one left, one right, helplessly standing to the side!

Li Huayuan instantly saw Han Li, but he only gave a light smile before paying no further attention to him. The other cultivators naturally also glanced at Han Li, but most of them ignored him after that. After all, a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator was truly nothing worth taking note of.

However, a slender and perfectly figured female cultivator with a veil over her face suddenly stopped after her gaze swept over Han Li, her figure shaking. At the same time, a strange, difficult-to-discern light flashed across a pair of bright eyes.

“Has Celestial Nangong met this lowly disciple before?”

Upon noticing this female cultivator’s strange behavior, the other cultivators couldn’t help but glance at this woman somewhat strangely; even more, Li Huayuan opened his mouth to ask this, feeling even more shocked.

As soon as the words “Celestial Nangong” reached Han Li’s ears, Han Li’s heart jumped. A surge of indistinct emotions rampaged through his heart.

Although he forcefully maintained his expression, he still couldn’t help but glance at this female cultivator.

(TL: In Chinese the five flavors 五味 are: spicy, salty, sour, sweet, and bitter. Basically, that earlier phrase meant his heart was in emotional turmoil.)

(Note: In Chapter 165, Junior Martial Sister Chen was attacked by Senior Martial Brother Lu. Junior Martial Sister Chen was saved by Han Li resulting in Han Li acquiring two Foundation Establishment Pills. )

(Note: In Chapter 208, Han Li slayed the Inky Flood Dragon with the help of Celestial Nangong. The Flood Dragon released an aphrodisiac upon death, leading to a passionate night.)