Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 182

If Je Woon-so had been more articulate and experienced, he might have navigated his way out of that situation. But Je Woon-so wasn’t that kind of person.

He stumbled during a few simple questions, which naturally made the Bu family suspicious, and he was immediately captured and dragged away.

However, Je Woon-so wasn’t easily subdued. He used the magical artifacts he possessed to attack the Qi Condensation cultivators and retreated to his residence to hide.

Thus, he had taken a step closer to death.

The Bu family found his residence soon after, but the powerful formation injured a dozen of them, forcing them to retreat. Enraged, a Core Formation master stepped forward.

The Core Formation master spent half a day breaking the powerful formation. However, he was then trapped in another illusion formation that Je Woon-so had hidden within. Je Woon-so intended to use this opportunity to escape, but the remaining Bu family disciples wouldn’t let him.

In the chaos, the loyal servant who owned Daru died, and Je Woon-so, severely injured, barely made it to Shin Yeo-eum before breathing his last.

However, the Bu family was unaware of his death, so they continued to guard the area day and night.

This series of events led to the deaths of the old man and the young man who had been sent as observers.

As Han Li listened to the story, his chest felt heavy.

Although he didn’t have a deep relationship with Je Woon-so, he knew him to be a kind and decent person.

It was disheartening that such a person had left the world so soon.

“You came this time because of the ancient teleportation formation, right?”

Shin Yeo-eum, having finished explaining the situation, calmly brought up the teleportation formation.

“Ah… It’s not urgent.”

He couldn’t press a woman who was grieving the loss of her loved one.

Even if it was just in name, it was difficult to bring up another matter to a woman whose husband had just died.

“The repair of the teleportation formation is almost complete, so I will show you the finished result in one month.”

Seeing Han Li’s apologetic expression, she gave him a definite answer.

“Really?”

“Yes, not only is the repair of the teleportation formation almost complete, but I also have things to give to Senior Han.”

She took two jade boxes from her storage pouch and placed them on the table.

“What are these?”

“This box contains books on magical artifact refinement that my husband used to keep, and the other box contains my insights on formations and related books. I would like Senior Han to keep these.”

Han Li felt a chill at her calm words.

“Miss Shin, why are you giving me these precious things? If you have something to say, say it now.”

“I am giving you these things because I want Senior Han to make one promise.”

Shin Yeo-eum didn’t avoid Han Li’s cold gaze and stated her request firmly.

“What kind of promise?”

“If you ever succeed in Core Formation, could you destroy the Bu family clan on behalf of my husband and me? Please completely erase them from this Wonmu Kingdom.”

Shin Yeo-eum’s voice was filled with resentment.

Han Li didn’t immediately agree or refuse and fell into thought. In truth, he didn’t want to make such a promise.

The techniques of formation or artifact refinement weren’t things he needed right now. He probably wouldn’t have time to study them until after he succeeded in Core Formation.

Moreover, destroying the Bu family clan, a powerful force in the Wonmu Kingdom, was beyond his current capabilities.

“I know it’s an unreasonable request, but I have no other choice.”

Shin Yeo-eum smiled pitifully, her face pale.

“My husband’s death was because of me, and if I can’t even avenge him, I don’t think I can face him even in death.”

When Han Li heard the words ‘even in death’ from her mouth, his eyebrows twitched, and he raised his head.

“Why is your complexion like that? Give me your wrist.”

Shin Yeo-eum hesitated a little, as if surprised by his words, but eventually offered her white wrist. He placed his finger on her wrist and injected a small amount of spiritual power to examine her.

After a moment, Han Li’s expression noticeably worsened.

“Your spiritual meridians are already dried up, and if this continues, you will die within two years.”

Even at his statement, Shin Yeo-eum smiled faintly.

“How could I not know what my body is like? I was born with a weak body, and if I forced myself to cultivate, my spiritual meridians would break and dry up, and I would die. I hoped that I could cure this disease with the ancient prescription I found with all my effort, but it seems that I only wasted the spiritual herbs that my husband had obtained.”

“Miss!”

Shin Yeo-eum’s maid cried out, overwhelmed with emotion.

“It’s okay. Wouldn’t it be a happy thing if I could meet my husband again like this?”

She comforted the young maid instead.

Her illness was beyond his control, so he could only watch Shin Yeo-eum die.

“Senior Han, now that you know my situation, do you understand? Although you are a Qi Condensation cultivator, you were the strongest person among those my husband and I knew. I don’t want a life-threatening oath, but if you just say ‘I promise,’ I think I can close my eyes in peace.”

Han Li scratched his nose and pondered again.

“You are also from a cultivation clan, so isn’t there anyone in your family who can help you?”

“The Shin family is just an ordinary family in the Wonmu Kingdom, so how can they dare to oppose the Bu family? Moreover, my husband was an illegitimate child who was kicked out of the family, so no one will stand up for him because of this incident.

I also entered the cultivation world after being taught by an unknown formation master who was a hermit, and even my master has been dead for a long time, so I have no one to rely on.”

Shin Yeo-eum immediately understood his question and briefly explained Je Woon-so’s and her own background. After listening, it was clear that she truly had no other choice.

After much deliberation, Han Li sighed and raised both hands in surrender to her will.

“Okay, I promise as you wish! But I will only act when I have the ability and time, and this opportunity may not come in my lifetime.”

“That’s enough. The hope that I can get revenge is enough. Thank you so much.”

Shin Yeo-eum smiled brightly for the first time during their meeting. Han Li, who had been staring blankly for a moment, immediately put the two jade boxes into his storage pouch.

“Since the repair of the teleportation formation will be completed soon, I will have to bother Miss Shin again then. I have something to take care of now, so I will leave first.”

“I will see you off.”

While Shin Yeo-eum watched, Han Li left the small mountain with Gok-hon again.

The next day, Han Li arrived at a nearby market and took out a bamboo hat from his storage pouch and put it on. Then, he confidently walked inside with Gok-hon.

When he arrived at the shopping street, he looked around and felt something was off.

There were several times more customers than when he had visited last time, and they were all rushing around. There were also several Qi Condensation cultivators mixed in.

He pondered for a moment, and then, as if he had an idea, he pushed through the crowd and stood in front of a shop. It was the shop that had refined magical artifacts for him before, and he was planning to have more magical artifacts made with good materials this time.

The location of the shop and the imposing signboard that had caught his attention were still the same.

Han Li smiled and went inside. However, there were already half a dozen people sitting in the small shop.

When a new customer entered, everyone glanced at him, and when they felt Han Li’s cold gaze and realized that he was a Qi Condensation cultivator, some of the Qi Refining cultivators immediately lowered their heads.

Among them, a burly man with a ferocious look was still staring intently at Han Li. He had reached the early stage of Qi Condensation, so although his cultivation was lower than Han Li’s, he didn’t want to appear weak.

Han Li wasn’t bothered by these trivial gazes and walked to the servant who was called Daeheuk last time.

“Where is the owner?”

“Senior, what brings you here….”

When the other party didn’t recognize him because he was covered by a bamboo hat, he immediately took out the Five Dragons Mask and showed it to him. He had also helped with the refinement of this, so there was no way he wouldn’t recognize it.

“Ah! It’s you, Senior. I will bring the owner right away.”

Seeing the Five Dragons Mask, the servant hurriedly disappeared into the back.

Everyone was listening intently to the conversation, and they were surprised when it seemed that Han Li knew the owner of this place. However, no one dared to approach Han Li and ask him directly.

After a while, the shop owner came running with his white hair flying and greeted Han Li with a smiling face.

How many precious materials had he refined thanks to Han Li last time!

“It is an honor that you have come again. What kind of magical artifact do you want to refine today?”

The old man looked at him with anticipation, as if he couldn’t contain his excitement. Han Li, with a smile, deliberately scanned the surrounding cultivators to show his intention.

The owner, who immediately understood Han Li’s intention, immediately guided him to the back. The Qi Refining cultivators couldn’t say anything at the sight, but the burly man with a ferocious look snorted.

He was angry because he was also a Qi Condensation cultivator, but he was being treated so differently. The sound caught Han Li’s attention, and his cold gaze landed on the burly man.

Since countless Qi Condensation cultivators had already died at his hands, his aura was bound to be extraordinary. The burly man’s face changed as he broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

Han Li no longer paid attention to him and moved to the back with Gok-hon.

At this time, Daeheuk quickly went around the shop and made various excuses to ask the customers to leave. Of course, he was very polite and detailed, so as not to cause any dissatisfaction.

Seeing Gok-hon and Han Li in the back, the shop owner quickly spoke.

“Senior, what kind of materials did you bring this time?”

Han Li, who smiled calmly at the impatient owner’s urging, took out the storage pouch where he had gathered the materials and poured them out on the table. At the same time, the white spider and mantis demon beast’s appendages, which emitted a faint glow, filled the field of vision.

“These are….”

Shopkeeper Seo lowered his head and picked up a transparent spider leg, looking puzzled.

He was quite skilled in refining magical artifacts, but he didn’t know much about the appendages of insect demon beasts that were too rare. However, they looked extraordinary at first glance, and it seemed like saliva was about to drip from his mouth.

Han Li began to introduce them simply.

“Most of them are the back and abdomen of a white spider demon beast, and the rest are the forelegs and wings of a giant mantis demon beast. Both demon beasts are of the fourth rank, but the mantis demon beast is the highest grade among them, so please put your heart into making the magical artifact.”

“Fourth, fourth-rank demon beast materials!”

The old man was surprised but couldn’t hide his joy. It was difficult to obtain materials from demon beasts of the second rank or higher, let alone the fourth rank.

“This time, there are also special requirements, so please make it well. If you succeed in refining the magical artifact, I will leave some of the materials as payment, just like last time.”

Shopkeeper Seo stroked the giant mantis’s appendages and answered with passion.

“Please rest assured and tell me any conditions, and I will do my best to refine them. To think that the day would come when I would be able to touch such top-grade materials, it seems that my path as a Qi Refining cultivator has not been in vain.”

Han Li was rather relieved by the old man’s words, who seemed to be already immersed in the top-grade materials.

“The magical artifact I want to make this time is a set of attack magical artifacts using the abdomen of the spider….”