Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 523

“When did a new elder join the Ye family? Was it a rogue cultivator or someone from another sect?”

“Don’t worry. They aren’t a cultivator from Great Jin, but a rogue cultivator who came from the Moran Grasslands. Their skills are considerable, but after investigation, their background is clean. It seems they were a cultivator in the Tianlan Grasslands and, having fallen out of favor with the Tianlan Sacred Hall, they came to Great Jin. Moreover, we aren’t disclosing any important family information to the new elder.”

“That’s a relief then. Of course, I didn’t agree with it, but the other elders approved the plan, and it’s already underway, so we must get the Heaven Piercing Treasure. Let’s proceed with caution, observing the situation. But we must be even more careful at times like this. Various forces are watching, so we must not draw attention.”

“Aunt, it seems some are already suspicious. The number of cultivators stationed in the nearby city has suddenly increased in the past few days.”

“Have the Nascent Soul cultivators also increased?”

“No. The highest cultivation level is the Core Formation stage, and the Nascent Soul cultivators and above are just staying in the city as before.”

“Then it’s fine. The news that the three Taoist temples are refining treasures must have spread. Otherwise, there would have been more pressure on you.”

The female Taoist’s stern expression softened slightly.

“The treasures the Taoist temples are refining are just bait, but they are imitations of the Heaven Piercing Treasure, so they will be very useful. If possible, the more of those treasures, the better.”

“Indeed, even imitations of treasures that can shake the heavens and earth, like the Mountain Flattening Seal, will be extraordinary. If we succeed in refining them, it will be as useful as adding a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. I also plan to do my best. By the way, how is your second uncle’s plan to recruit powerful rogue cultivators going?”

“Two of the four great assassins have already agreed to work for the imperial family. The whereabouts of the other two are unknown, so there’s nothing we can do about that. Still, the Ghost King of Seobyeong Mountain and the Deputy Valley Master of Manyo Valley have also readily agreed to lend their strength. Besides that…”

The old female Taoist and the woman talked for a long time.

* * *

The Green Water Lady was holding a piece of silver-tinged, blood-red metal, delighted.

“I never thought Senior Brother Han would actually refine the Bloodsilk Silver. It seems that Senior Uncle Wei is quite impressive. Even his disciple is so skilled. I went to several famous refiners in the market, but they all said they couldn’t do it!”

The palace-attired girl smiled brightly, holding the material and looking at Han Li.

“The refining techniques that Senior Uncle Wei taught me cannot be compared to the ordinary refiners in the market. And I am not Senior Uncle Wei’s disciple, but just a regular disciple helping with the refining work for a while.”

“Really? That’s too bad. If you can refine Bloodsilk Silver, you must have talent.”

“Then, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

Han Li said, organizing his magical tools.

“Wait a moment! Surely, I’m not so ugly that you’re rushing to leave? Besides, when did I say I only needed this refined? I still have materials to ask you to refine. Actually, I was holding back because I didn’t know how good your refining skills were, but now I’ve decided to trust you completely.”

The girl took back the Bloodsilk Silver and took out a foot-long jade box from the low table, handing it to Han Li. She was a troublesome opponent.

“You want me to refine this too? You overestimate me. With my cultivation, I’m exhausted just from refining the Bloodsilk Silver, so I can’t work on another material right away.”

Han Li frowned without even opening the jade box.

“Well, it’s true that your cultivation isn’t deep. But you don’t have to refine this, just treat it so it doesn’t lose too much energy. I’m telling you in advance, you must keep this a secret. It’s not easy to see something like this.”

The palace-attired girl said, a little smug.

‘What is it that makes her so confident?’

Han Li became interested and opened the jade box out of curiosity. Before he could even fully open it, a blinding light burst out, dazzling his vision.

Greatly surprised, Han Li unconsciously flickered a navy blue light in his eyes.

“Huh!”

“This is…”

The girl and Han Li exclaimed in surprise at the same time. Inside the jade box was a half-foot-long transparent feather, sparkling with a red light.

“A Fire Crow’s feather? No, it’s a little different…”

Han Li, startled, muttered, unable to take his eyes off the object in the jade box.

“What Fire Crow? This is a Black Phoenix’s tail feather. A few years ago, when I went with my grandfather to see a senior across the sea, I secretly plucked it while the spirit bird was sleeping. The silly bird was sleeping so deeply that it didn’t notice anything. Oh, by the way, your eyes looked strange just now. How did they turn navy blue? That’s amazing. Is it a kind of magic?”

The girl chattered on, staring at Han Li’s eyes.

Of course, Han Li had quickly retracted his Brightsight Spirit Eyes, so his eyes had returned to normal. He didn’t pay attention to her chattering, as he was talking to the Great Yan Divine Lord.

“A Black Phoenix’s tail feather? Isn’t the Black Phoenix a fire-attribute spirit beast that rivals the Fire Crow? Then, can this feather replace the Fire Crow’s feather?”

“I know the Black Phoenix is a type of fire-attribute phoenix, but I didn’t know they still existed since ancient times! Unfortunately, the two are not interchangeable materials. Of course, if you slightly modify the refining method and include this, the power of your Three Flame Fan will increase even more. But the feather in front of you has already lost most of its energy and is unsuitable for use as a material. …This is strange. When I was traveling in Great Jin, I never heard of anyone raising such a thing.”

“I see.”

Han Li was greatly disappointed that it couldn’t be used to replace the Three Flame Fan.

The palace-attired girl was staring at Han Li with wide eyes. His navy blue eyes had been very fascinating.

Han Li couldn’t help but smile wryly at the girl’s expression.

“The strange light in my eyes just now was because I washed them with the eyes of a spirit beast. It makes the eyes a little clearer, but it’s just a minor trick that’s only helpful to low-level cultivators.”

“What kind of spirit beast is it? Do you still have some? Can you share some with me?”

The girl excitedly asked a series of questions.

“Such spirit beasts must be mixed and used on the spot, so I used it all up a long time ago when I washed my eyes.”

“Senior Brother Han, is that true? Are you just trying to appease me with lies because I’m young and naive?”

“It’s all true. But I have other things that the Lady might be interested in.”

“Are you trying to make a deal? Surely, you’re not eyeing my Black Phoenix’s feather!”

“No. How could a Qi Refining cultivator like me covet such a precious material? I just have something I want to ask the Lady.”

“That’s easy! No deal is needed. If you treat the Black Phoenix’s feather well, I’ll answer anything.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

The girl smiled and waved her hand, and Han Li, who had been thinking for a moment, nodded.

* * *

An hour later, when the palace-attired girl walked out of the Earth Fire Hall, male and female cultivators were already gathered outside, waiting for her.

Seeing the girl walk out, the cultivators surrounded her.

“Lady, how did it go?”

“Did that guy ruin the Bloodsilk Silver?”

“I’m grateful that everyone is so concerned. Senior Brother Han refined it well for me.”

The girl lifted the blue cloth in front of her forehead and smiled elegantly. The impulsive girl from when she was with Han Li had disappeared.

Han Li, who walked out of the Earth Fire Hall behind her, couldn’t help but twitch the corners of his lips at the sight.

‘That guy is cunning! He tricked a young girl to find out where the Black Phoenix is. Is he even planning to get the Black Phoenix’s feather that the island’s owner is raising?’

“If I can enhance the power of the Three Flame Fan, I should do my best. I worked so hard to gather these precious materials, so it would be a waste if the power doesn’t meet my expectations.

Ordinary treasures won’t be able to harm a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. I should hurry back. While they are staying in the Yellow Clear Temple, I should stay in my secret room and not get involved in any unnecessary trouble.”

Han Li quietly walked to his residence.

* * *

After that, the palace-attired girl secretly looked for Han Li to refine other materials, but there was a sign saying he was in closed-door cultivation and a restriction sealing the stone door. The woman pouted and wandered around nearby before stomping back.

Two days later, when the young male and female cultivators left the Yellow Clear Temple with a cultivator named Madam Ok, the Refinement Hall finally returned to its former state.

Han Li occasionally refined materials, completing his monthly tasks, and spent the rest of his time cultivating the Underworld Monarch Art. As months passed, Han Li gradually gained the old man’s attention, and he was taught special techniques for refining materials whenever he had time, and he began to share some related tasks.

Han Li quietly carried out his assigned tasks and never missed a deadline. Soon, he was put in charge of refining rare earth-attribute materials, and he felt a chill in his heart.

If these materials were needed for a treasure, it must be something truly extraordinary.

But that was none of his concern. He continued to cultivate the second level of the Underworld Monarch Art according to his plan, and his body was already showing remarkable changes.

At that time, someone from the Gam family came to deliver unexpected news. Yan Yusaeng, who had helped him enter the sect, had suddenly fallen ill and passed away.

“Illness? He didn’t seem to have any problems back then?”

Han Li, surprised by the news, recalled the unfamiliar cultivators who had recently increased around the Yellow Clear Temple and how they were spreading their consciousness to secretly gather information. It felt like the humid wind before a heavy rain.

‘I shouldn’t stay here any longer.’

Based on his past experiences, he immediately realized that if he stayed here, he would likely get caught up in trouble.

Han Li sped up his cultivation of the Underworld Monarch Art.

* * *

A year later, a small commotion broke out in the Yellow Clear Temple. A Qi Refining cultivator had suddenly disappeared. Surprisingly, this incident stirred up the higher-ups, and even the Qi Refining female Taoist directly inquired about it.

The disappearance of a single low-level cultivator was like a single hair being plucked from a head of hair, but it was because the disciple who had been in charge of important tasks in the Refinement Hall had disappeared.

In the pavilion where the old female Taoist and the beautiful woman had sat and talked, the female Taoist was looking at two of her yellow-robed female disciples. One was in her forties, and the other looked to be in her mid-twenties.

“What happened? The Yellow Clear Temple is surrounded by restrictions, yet a disciple disappeared without a trace!”

The old female Taoist asked coldly with a dark expression.

“Reporting to Senior Uncle, we have checked the restrictions, but there were no problems. We believe that the disciple left on their own.”

The middle-aged woman hesitated before answering respectfully.

# 525