Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 358

While the innkeeper was preoccupied, Ah Er was looking for a chance to sneak into the kitchen for some cold water when suddenly the sky darkened, and a chill filled the air. Startled, he looked up and was shocked.

Three men with strange appearances were standing before him. One was a short, fat man wearing a bamboo hat and hemp clothes, another was bald with a fierce face, and the last had disheveled hair and a face full of murderous intent, sending a cold gaze his way.

Though surprised, Ah Er, drawing on his experience, greeted them with a bright smile.

“Are you planning to stay at our inn?”

The fat man glared with his small eyes and tossed a large silver coin.

“Why else would we be standing here? Prepare three of your best rooms and send a lavish meal to our rooms.”

Before Ah Er could answer, the innkeeper, who had been watching, rushed over, snatched the silver coin, and fawned over them.

“Of course! Absolutely! Please come inside. The meal will be sent up right away. Ah Er, go and prepare the best rooms.”

“Yes.”

Though inwardly grinding his teeth, Ah Er had no choice but to answer. Every time, the innkeeper would take all the money the guests gave, without leaving a single coin.

While cursing the innkeeper in his mind, Ah Er still smiled brightly as he led the three men to their rooms on the second floor and then retreated.

A short while later, when the meal was ready, Ah Er helped another server carry it into the room. The three men were sitting around the table.

Ah Er glanced at them, feeling something was off, but the disheveled man seemed to sense his gaze and stared coldly at him.

“…”

Just meeting that gaze made Ah Er’s hair stand on end, and cold sweat poured down his back as he fled from the room.

At that moment, the three men in the room began to speak. The fat man, after confirming that no one was outside, chuckled and said to the disheveled man,

“Brother Han, why use a spirit-shocking technique on a mere mortal? Is there something you’re worried about?”

The disheveled cultivator replied expressionlessly,

“No. The boy has the potential for spiritual roots. However, his potential is poor, and even if he cultivates, he will only reach the 3rd or 4th level.”

“Spiritual roots? That’s unexpected. Still, to discern that at a glance without even examining him, your abilities are truly remarkable, Brother Han.”

“My cultivation is similar to yours, but I have mastered a secret technique.”

The fat cultivator smiled wryly.

“You’re too modest. But with such poor potential, even if he enters the cultivation world, his future won’t be bright. Even if he’s lucky enough to reach the Foundation Establishment stage like you or us, he’ll be ignored if he doesn’t have a powerful family or sect to rely on!

The reason we’re going to Zidu Mountain this time is to use Elder Bu’s birthday banquet as an opportunity to find a way into a demonic sect. But we can only enter on the day of the banquet, so we have to wait for more than ten days.”

The disheveled old man nodded coldly, showing he didn’t want to talk further. The fat cultivator exchanged a look with the bald giant, and the giant spoke.

“Brother Han, we met a few days ago while hurrying to Elder Bu’s banquet. Your skills are not ordinary. Where did you cultivate before?”

The question was posed by the bald giant, but the fat cultivator watched the disheveled man with shining eyes.

“I was originally a cultivator from Yue Country and only recently arrived in Yuanwu Country. So, you wouldn’t have heard of my name.”

The fat cultivator blinked his small eyes and asked,

“Yue Country is within the territory of the Guiling Sect. Why did you come all the way to Yuanwu Country instead of seeking them out?”

“You are right, Brother La, but even if I sought them out, there would be no way for me to join. Currently, the Guiling Sect monopolizes Yue Country, and they don’t care about cultivators from other families or sects. That’s why I came here to seize an opportunity. I also heard about Elder Bu’s birthday banquet and hurried here.”

“I see. You must have suffered a lot.”

After that, instead of probing Han Li’s background, they spent their time gossiping about rumors in the cultivation world. After the meal, the disheveled cultivator went to the next room to rest.

As soon as he left the room, the fat man’s beaming smile vanished instantly.

The fat cultivator frowned and took out a talisman from his robes. He made a hand seal, and the talisman glowed, enveloping the entire room in bright light.

After confirming that La cultivator had finished his spell, the bald giant hurriedly asked,

“Brother La, is that guy really a rogue cultivator?”

“He’s definitely not a rogue cultivator. He’s probably a disciple of some small sect!”

The fat cultivator arrogantly shared his thoughts.

“Didn’t you see the flying sword he rode on while flying here? It was clearly a top-grade magic artifact. Moreover, he has many storage pouches on his waist, and one of them is even a spirit beast pouch. How could a mere rogue cultivator have so many things!

He must be a cultivator from a small sect who came out to gain experience. If he were a disciple of a great family, he would be too proud to travel with the likes of us. And he couldn’t even produce an invitation to Zidu Mountain.

So, in this world dominated by demonic cultivators, a cultivator from a minor sect wouldn’t dare to act arrogantly. It’s better to pretend to be a rogue cultivator and travel quietly to avoid attracting the attention of demonic cultivators and bringing trouble to his sect. That’s why he has considerable skill and useful magic artifacts, but his face is unfamiliar.”

The bald giant’s eyes gleamed with greed.

“Brother La, listening to you, that Han fellow is definitely a disciple of a minor family. Then, let’s just get rid of him, right? Although he’s a bit wary of us, he’s not hiding his cultivation. It’s a piece of cake for the two of us, who are at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, to eliminate a cultivator at the early stage.”

The fat cultivator licked his thick lips and said ominously,

“That’s right. But let’s lower his guard just in case. If we ambush him when he’s completely unaware, it’ll be easier to get rid of him! Two days before Elder Bu’s banquet would be perfect. Until then, let’s build as much rapport as possible and then finish him off in one go!”

“Alright! I’ll follow your lead, Brother La. This is going to be a good haul, isn’t it?”

“Hehe. Such a plump young lamb has appeared; we must catch him and put him on the fire right away!”

While they were plotting murder, the disheveled cultivator was sitting cross-legged on the other side of the wall. His expression didn’t change, but he heard everything they said.

“If you’re so eager to die, I suppose I should grant your wish.”

A cold glint flashed in the disheveled cultivator’s eyes before he closed them again. He was none other than Han Li in disguise.

In fact, he had arrived in Yuanwu Country two months ago. On his way, he had passed through several countries belonging to the demonic path, but since he had already reached the Nascent Soul stage and was concealing his cultivation, no one noticed him.

After arriving in Yuanwu Country, he had kept a low profile, mingling with the local rogue cultivators and attending gatherings to gather information about the Bu family. As a result, Han Li was troubled by the fact that the Bu family’s power was not to be underestimated.

It wasn’t the Core Formation cultivators of the Bu family that bothered him, but the many disciples of the Bu family who had joined the demonic sect, the Demon Flame Gate. No matter how strong he was, he couldn’t just attack the Demon Flame Gate for no reason.

However, if he left them alone and only eliminated the remaining family members of the Bu family, it would only be a matter of time before the Bu family was rebuilt and regained its reputation. That would be a betrayal of his promise to completely annihilate the Bu family back then!

While he was pondering what to do, news spread throughout Yuanwu Country that Elder Bu’s birthday celebration would be held soon.

Han Li rejoiced. If it was Elder Bu’s birthday, all the direct disciples would gather to offer their congratulations, and those who had joined the Demon Flame Gate would also return to the main family. That would be the perfect time to eliminate them all at once.

However, the Bu family was not a place where just anyone could enter. Unless they were envoys from a family or sect, rogue cultivators had to be at least at the Foundation Establishment stage to even cross the threshold.

Considering the situation, he had waited for over a month, and that was how he had arrived at the current situation.

However, the ones who were targeting Han Li were people he had met by chance. They had been very excited to see the extraordinary magic artifacts he possessed and had become like flies drawn to dung. They had proposed to travel together after hearing that Han Li was going to attend the Bu family’s banquet.

He had immediately seen through their dark intentions, but since he was not afraid of being harmed by mere Foundation Establishment cultivators and it would be easier to conceal his identity if they traveled together, he had accepted their proposal.

Today, they had gone to the foot of Zidu Mountain, but after hearing that cultivators without invitations could only enter on the day of the banquet, they had returned. However, he didn’t care much. Since everyone would gather on the day of the banquet, there was no need to act beforehand.

For the next ten days or so, he spent his time with these men, exploring the surroundings during the day and cultivating at the inn at night.

The two men called Han Li ‘Brother Han’ and took care of him as if he were a close brother they had known for years.

As time passed, the number of rogue cultivators gathering to celebrate Elder Bu’s birthday steadily increased. While rogue cultivators were used to sleeping outdoors, those who sought the comforts of the secular world entered the city and stayed at one of the two inns.

As a result, Han Li encountered several rogue cultivators who were staying at the same inn. However, as soon as they saw the fat cultivator or the bald cultivator beside him, their expressions changed, and they kept their distance. It seemed that the two men’s notoriety had spread far and wide.

It was only natural that the fat cultivator would try to smooth things over and make up excuses, fearing that Han Li might misunderstand them in this situation.

Two more days passed, and the fat cultivator suddenly suggested that they go sightseeing together, saying there was a famous scenic spot nearby.

Han Li, realizing that these guys were finally planning to attack him, immediately agreed. And so, the three of them headed towards the so-called ‘scenic spot’.

The three of them flew diligently and landed in a secluded mountain valley about a hundred li [A li is a unit of distance] away from the city walls.

“Brother Han, do you see that? If we cross that mountain, there’s a small valley where clear blue water flows, a sight that rivals the paradises where immortals live! Once you see it, no other scenery will catch your eye!”

Although his appearance was not impressive, his way with words was excellent. Han Li just listened quietly, sneering inwardly.

After crossing the not-so-high mountain, there was indeed a hidden valley. However, the scenery was just average, but there was a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy. It seemed that they were truly skilled in murder and robbery, having set up a formation to trap their enemies.

If Han Li were truly a cultivator at the early Foundation Establishment stage and was caught in this formation, he would be dead meat if cultivators of the same level ambushed him.

“Well, the scenery here is also quite nice. Why go so far? If a cultivator were to die here, no one would know as long as the body was disposed of.”

Upon hearing Han Li’s words, the fat cultivator’s eyes darkened, and he quickly looked around before distorting his face.

“Brother Han, what are you saying? Surely you don’t have any misunderstandings about us…”

While speaking smoothly, his fleshy hand was already moving towards his storage pouch. And the bald cultivator was also conspicuously aiming at his flank, waiting for a signal.

Seeing these suspicious actions, and Han Li just standing there with his hands behind his back, the fat cultivator’s heart grew uneasy. But what could he do? Since things had come to this, he had no choice but to attack!
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