Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 154

Everyone listened to their conversation, a hint of frustration in the air.

“That young cultivator is Senior Han!”

“What did you say? That young cultivator was Senior Han?!”

The lean man slapped his knee and jumped up from his chair, disbelief written all over his face. As the surprise subsided, the old man narrowed his eyes and asked,

“Tell me everything in detail.”

“Yes, well, it’s like this…”

Instead of the young man, the lean man recounted the events of many years ago.

“So, you’re saying Senior Han was only at the eighth level of Qi Condensation [a stage in cultivation] back then?”

The young woman exclaimed in surprise.

“Could you be mistaken? After all, it was over ten years ago, and Senior Han’s age doesn’t quite match up.”

The old man stroked his chin, pondering for a moment.

“It’s definitely not a mistake. It was clearly Senior Han, though he looked a bit younger.”

The young man seemed to consider the old man’s point briefly, but he remained confident in his own recollection. Since he was so sure, the others had nothing more to say.

“This matter is settled. Whether Senior Han was that young man or not, he is now a true Foundation Establishment [a higher stage in cultivation] cultivator. For whatever reason, do not be rude and refrain from unnecessary questions. Do you understand?”

The old man, having gathered his thoughts, instructed everyone.

“Understood.”

The young man hesitated but nodded, his expression returning to normal.

“Alright, then everyone go back and cultivate. We don’t know what kind of fierce battle awaits us tonight, so we must prepare thoroughly.”

At the old man’s words, the Five Mountains Fellows returned to their rooms one by one. After a while, the Clear Sound Courtyard was silent once more.

Some time later, the sky began to darken. Then, suddenly, a figure slipped out of a room in the Clear Sound Courtyard.

The person carefully closed the door and walked silently into the yard. Taking advantage of the darkness, they moved along the wall. For a moment, hesitation flickered in their eyes, but they soon seemed to have made up their mind.

With nervous movements, they took out a small box and tried to open the lid.

“Hmm…”

However, the sigh that came from behind startled them so much that they almost dropped the box. Surprisingly, the voice was Han Li’s.

“Why is it the fifth one…?”

At the same time, a familiar voice echoed, filled with a sense of sorrow. Soon, the yard was illuminated, and people holding moonstones appeared from all over, each with a face of disbelief.

“Why are you trying to do such a thing?”

The black-faced old man also spoke, his voice laced with pain.

“Why? I was just out in the yard to practice with my magic tool.”

The pale face gradually regained its composure, replaced by a brazen expression.

“Then, show me what you’re holding in your hand.”

In the darkness, Han Li calmly extended his hand.

“Why would I entrust my magic tool to someone else? Isn’t that right, fourth brother?”

The one who was trying to secretly plot was surprisingly the youngest of the Five Mountains Fellows. She wore an innocent expression, but her hands were tightly clutching the box.

“Fifth sister, give what you’re holding to Senior Han.”

The old man commanded coldly, his expression dark.

“Big brother, surely you don’t mistrust me?”

“We all trusted you, so we’re giving you a chance to explain yourself. If you’re so confident, open the box yourself and show us.”

As the fifth sister forced a smile, the old man’s face hardened even more. Her face flushed red and then turned pale at his resolute attitude, and she began to lose her composure.

She looked at the others as if asking for help, but they only gave her pained looks.

After hesitating for a moment, she seemed to have made up her mind, tucked the box into her bosom, and quickly raised a navy blue bead.

“Don’t do this! You all recognize the Sky Thunder Bead, right? Just let me go!”

The moment her identity was confirmed, the faces of the Four Mountains Fellows changed drastically. Especially the young man, who had long harbored feelings for her, looked devastated.

“It seems there’s no need to check what’s in the box. You were in league with those people.”

The old man clenched his fist in anger and tried to approach her.

“Don’t come closer! I’ll really detonate it!”

The fifth sister shouted in surprise and pretended to detonate the bead. At her gesture, the old man stopped in his tracks.

“Are you really going to harm us with that Sky Thunder Bead? We gathered spirit stones [currency used by cultivators] and barely got that for you because we were worried you’d be in danger due to your weak cultivation… Especially the fourth brother, he gave almost all his wealth for you, have you forgotten that?”

The middle-aged woman seemed greatly disappointed in her. And the young man, listening to those words, bit his lip and said nothing.

The young woman seemed to show a hint of shame, but soon shouted shamelessly.

“Do you think such words are of any use now? Unlike you, I will definitely succeed in Foundation Establishment! The Black Fiend Sect said that if I make a great contribution, the sect leader will help me reach Foundation Establishment. I can do it without a Foundation Establishment Pill!”

The lean man’s face contorted, and he finally raised his voice as if he couldn’t bear it any longer.

“It’s not too late to change your mind! Do you really believe the words that you can reach Foundation Establishment without a Foundation Establishment Pill? They’re clearly deceiving you.”

“Hmph! What would second brother know? Since it’s come to this, I’ll be honest. I’ve been a member of the Black Fiend Sect for two years, and I know very well how great the sect leader is.”

“If that’s been the case for two years, then the kidnapping of the Five Mountains Fellows was also your doing.”

Han Li, who had been quietly observing the situation, spoke. At that, the young woman’s face darkened.

“Y-yes. I leaked everyone’s whereabouts to the Black Fiend Sect. But it was out of good intentions to make contributions together and reach Foundation Establishment together. If it weren’t for me, you would have already died at their hands like the other kidnapped people.”

“Ha! Ha! Then we should be grateful to you.”

The old man burst into laughter in anger, as if he was truly furious.

“Whether you believe it or not, I really had no ill intentions. So don’t provoke me any further.”

The woman’s beautiful face contorted as she raised the Sky Thunder Bead in her hand. Then, Han Li looked at her and smiled.

“Sky Thunder Bead, it’s certainly a useful item.”

Before the words were even finished, Han Li’s blurred figure disappeared into the air.

“Huh!”

The young woman was about to react, but Han Li was already standing next to her as if a gust of wind had blown. And he snatched her hand.

“It’s a dangerous item, so I’ll keep it.”

Han Li effortlessly put the Sky Thunder Bead into his storage pouch. The woman’s face, having lost her last resort, turned pale, and she began to tremble with fear.

“She’s your person, so deal with her as you see fit. Just make sure she reveals everything about the Black Fiend Sect. Surely you won’t be foolish enough to let her go and have her report to the Black Fiend Sect.”

Han Li looked at the remaining four with a meaningful gaze.

Light flashed from his hand, and like lightning, he sealed her cultivation by striking her acupoints [pressure points], making it impossible for her to use her magic power. Then, without hesitation, he searched her bosom, found the box, and threw the woman to the young man who was still in a daze.

“Thank you.”

The old man, knowing that this action was a great favor, immediately expressed his gratitude.

Then, Han Li removed the soundproofing barrier he had set up nearby and left the scene.

“Big brother, what should we do now?”

The second brother, with a heavy heart, watched Han Li disappear and whispered to the old man.

“First, let’s lock the fifth one inside and talk. We’ll have to decide what to do with her as soon as we return from tonight’s work.”

“That would be good. Everyone can regain their composure in the meantime.”

The second brother, agreeing with the old man’s words, turned to the young man holding the woman.

“Fourth, take the fifth sister inside for now.”

The young man simply nodded and walked towards the Clear Sound Courtyard with the woman. The lean man sighed at his pitiful appearance.

“I don’t know if fourth brother will be okay. He had deep feelings for her, and now this…”

“I also thought well of the two of them, but it’s impossible now.”

The middle-aged woman shook her head and expressed her concern, but the old man cut her off with a tired face. Then, suddenly, the old man opened his mouth.

“Wait! Are only the fourth and fifth ones inside right now?”

“Yes, brother. Why? Surely…”

The second brother panicked, and his face changed as if he had thought of something. The old man and the lean man rushed into the Clear Sound Courtyard. But only the young man was sitting there blankly.

Of course, the woman had disappeared without a trace.

“She couldn’t have gone far with her cultivation sealed, so second, you go after her quickly. I’ll report this to Senior Han and apologize. And we must prevent the fifth sister from returning to the Black Fiend Sect. If she’s already in contact with someone, kill her immediately!”

The old man’s voice was chilling.

“Yes!”

The second brother was startled for a moment, but now was not the time to be weak-hearted.

“Fourth, you… haa.”

The old man turned his head towards the young man as soon as the lean man left the room. But seeing his still dazed face, he felt a surge of anger, followed by a sigh.

He hurried to find Han Li.

“Let her escape. If the second one who went after her fails and returns, there’s no need to look for her anymore.”

Han Li was not even surprised that the young woman had escaped from the Jin family residence.

The old man didn’t understand, but he had no choice but to follow Han Li’s words.

Not long after, the lean man returned with a pale face, and without even asking, it was clear that he had lost the fifth sister. At least, he was relieved that he had avoided the wrath of a Foundation Establishment cultivator by relaying Han Li’s words not to chase her.

At that time, in a secluded alley somewhere in Moon Essence City, a slender woman was running desperately towards the south. Each time her face was briefly revealed by the moonlight, it was clear that she was the fifth sister who had just escaped from the Jin family.

Even as she ran, the woman kept looking back to see if anyone was following her. Although her magic power was sealed, she spread her consciousness and found that no one was following her.

Not long after escaping from the Jin family, she spotted the shadow of the lean man searching for her in the sky. Luckily, she had used a talisman before he found her, or she would have been caught again.

She confirmed that the lean man was returning to the Jin family and began to sprint through the alley, risking danger.

The direction she was heading was the secret base of the Black Fiend Sect located in the south. If she reported Han Li’s identity and whereabouts, she would make a significant contribution and take a step closer to a beautiful future where she would succeed in Foundation Establishment.

She and some other external disciples of the Black Fiend Sect had witnessed the sect leader helping a Qi Condensation cultivator reach Foundation Establishment in one go. The external disciples who saw this were trying to make contributions to receive the sect leader’s grace.

With her talent, she probably wouldn’t be able to advance even a step from her current achievements. So, if she wanted to reach Foundation Establishment, she had no other choice.

She was concerned about her sworn siblings, but since she had already chosen a different path, she had to forget about affection and loyalty. Even if they were captured by the Black Fiend Sect again, she had no intention of asking for them to be spared. From now on, she would only think about her own survival.

The woman, having made up her mind, quickened her pace, nurturing her hope for Foundation Establishment.

And just as the southern district came into view, she felt something sticky flowing from her nose. The woman wiped it with her hand and, after checking, began to tremble in terror.

Her white fingers were covered in a sticky, dark red liquid.

“Wh-what is this!”

In panic, she tried to stop the black blood with her sleeve, but blood gushed out as if a spring had erupted, and at the same time, the same phenomenon occurred as if her eyes and ears had been pierced.

In an instant, the woman’s body lost all its strength, and she collapsed to the ground as if her knees had buckled. Her body, already growing cold, would not move, and even if she wanted to scream, no sound came out.

Her consciousness gradually faded, and eventually, she breathed her last. Perhaps the next day, people would be busy avoiding the suddenly formed dark red puddle.

# 156