Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 382

As Nan Longhou led Han Li down, all eyes focused on them.

“You!”

The man who had been standing, upon seeing Han Li’s face, exclaimed in shock, unable to contain himself.

He seemed to recognize Han Li. At that exclamation, Han Li also took a good look at the man, a Core Formation cultivator.

The man was the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect who had tried to hunt him down long ago. The youthful arrogance in his eyes was gone, replaced by the weathering of time and a hint of anger.

“It’s unexpected to meet an old acquaintance here.”

“Impossible. You, you’ve formed a Nascent Soul?”

The Ghost Spirit Sect young master’s voice was tinged with age, and everyone could tell he was shocked and flustered.

“What kind of manners are those? Do you know this cultivator?”

A black-clad cultivator sitting in front of Wan Xian, the Ghost Spirit Sect young master, suddenly asked coldly.

“Second Uncle, this person is Han Li, a cultivator from the Yellow Maple Valley, whom I mentioned before. Back then, he…”

“Enough. Fellow Daoist Han has already reached the Nascent Soul stage, so why are your manners still like that?”

A middle-aged man, who was covered in black clothes but seemed refined, frowned and interrupted him.

“I am Wang Tiangao of the Ghost Spirit Sect. What happened in the past was due to my nephew’s recklessness. Please, for my sake, forgive him.”

His tone suggested he knew something about the matter between Han Li and Wan Xian.

“It’s just a past matter. So much time has passed, and it’s not like Han is going to seek revenge now.”

Han Li smiled at the black-clad cultivator, acting as if it was nothing, but inwardly, he sneered.

Back then, the Ghost Spirit Sect young master had relentlessly pursued him, forcing him to use a teleportation array to leave the Tiannan Region. How could he forget such a deep grudge!

If he hadn’t been surrounded by Nascent Soul cultivators, he would have killed the Ghost Spirit Sect young master the moment he saw him. However, there were quite a few cultivators who seemed to be from the Demonic Path among the others.

If he acted rashly here, not only would he fail to get revenge, but they might also join forces to attack him.

“Haha, so Fellow Daoist Han is from the Yellow Maple Valley. I originally thought you were a cultivator from the Fallen Cloud Sect. I’m glad you said that. In any case, I wouldn’t want any unpleasantness to occur at this gathering I’ve arranged.”

Nan Longhou interjected in their conversation.

Wang Tiangao was also smiling, but he didn’t believe Han Li’s words completely.

“I am impressed by Fellow Daoist’s magnanimity! But don’t worry, I will punish my nephew as soon as we return to the sect. But to succeed in reaching the Nascent Soul stage from the Foundation Establishment stage in just 200 years is truly remarkable. Perhaps in a few hundred years, reaching the late Nascent Soul stage won’t be difficult for you. Those of us with inferior talent can only be envious.”

At these words, the expressions of Nan Longhou and the others present changed in various ways. Han Li realized that the situation was not going well and inwardly cursed the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivator.

He had made it sound like he was praising him, but he had made everyone wary of him.

“So, you’re not even 300 years old this year?”

A man sitting in the corner, who had been silent, asked with a strange tone.

“Sect Leader Wang is too kind. I’ve only just reached the Nascent Soul stage, so it’s too early to talk about the late Nascent Soul stage.”

Han Li brushed it off and began to examine the people gathered inside.

Besides Wang Xian, the stunning beauty standing next to him also possessed a late Core Formation cultivation. She stood next to Wang Xian, but her expression was calm, not like that of an ordinary woman.

It was said that the Yan family, the leading cultivation family in Yue State, had immediately submitted to the Ghost Spirit Sect during the Demonic Path invasion, and they had married Yan Ruoyan, who possessed the Heavenly Spirit Root, to Wan Xian.

‘So, that woman is Yan Ruoyan?’

The other six cultivators were all Nascent Soul cultivators. In particular, the beardless old man in white had a mid-Nascent Soul cultivation, just like Nan Longhou.

Han Li looked at him closely and their eyes met. He felt a chill as if he had been stabbed by a needle. It felt as if his cold gaze could see through everything.

Although he was greatly startled inside, he didn’t rush and naturally averted his gaze. The old man saw this and curled the corners of his lips upward.

At that moment, Nan Longhou offered Han Li a seat first. Han Li didn’t refuse and sat in an empty chair, glancing at Wan Xian with a strange look.

The Ghost Spirit Sect young master was surprised, but he was with Wang Tiangao, so he had relaxed. However, seeing that look, he became wary again.

To think that someone who had been at a similar level as him had become a Nascent Soul cultivator overnight was infuriating and upsetting. However, Yan Ruoyan had looked at Han Li but had no expression, so it was impossible to know what she was thinking.

After that, Han Li didn’t pay any more attention to the two of them.

Nan Longhou, having gathered everyone, stepped forward and began to speak in a serious voice.

“The cultivators gathered here are from various sects, but you all have one thing in common: a very strong consciousness. That is why I have gathered you all here. Some of you may already know the reason for this gathering, but for the others, I will explain in detail. After hearing the story, you can decide whether to join us. I will not force anyone.”

“Hehe, the others are one thing, but why are those Wan juniors from the Ghost Spirit Sect here? Surely you don’t mean that their consciousness is on par with ours?”

A stoic cultivator sitting opposite Wang Tiangao spoke without hesitation. As he spoke, he glared at Wang Tiangao with a displeased look, indicating that they were not on good terms.

“Fellow Daoist Long, although those two have low cultivation, they have mastered a secret technique that allows them to combine their consciousness. In that case, they are not inferior to us. It is very difficult to find cultivators with this level of consciousness. The others gathered here have such strong consciousness because they were born with outstanding talent, mastered special techniques, or possess powerful magic treasures. I am not one to do useless things.”

“In that case, please pretend you didn’t hear what I said.”

The stoic-faced Fellow Daoist Long replied, and then the others waited for Nan Longhou to speak.

“The reason I invited you all here is to ask you to accompany me to the Peony Plains.”

“Peony Plains?”

“…”

At Nan Longhou’s words, most of the cultivators were startled, and Han Li’s expression also changed.

“Brother Nan Long, if I heard correctly, are you really talking about going to the Peony Plains?”

The stoic-faced Fellow Daoist Long narrowed his brows.

In fact, the others were also surprised, but having lived for many years and endured countless hardships, they calmed themselves and waited for Nan Longhou’s words.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding. I’m not saying we’re going to invade the Peony Clan, but rather we’ll just go about a hundred miles in and skirt the edge of the Peony Plains before returning.”

“Even so, it’s still dangerous. I’ve heard that the Peony people have been increasing their power and could start another war at any time. Isn’t the border the most dangerous area? How many of their mages of our level might be gathered there? The mages may lack magic treasures, but their cultivation and techniques are definitely not inferior to ours. Moreover, they are proficient in spirit techniques and skilled in combined attacks, so if we are discovered, it will be difficult to escape safely.”

The stoic cultivator was clearly reluctant to go to the Peony Plains.

“Do you think I don’t know that it’s difficult to deal with the Peony mages? When I fought a Nascent Soul mage for three days and nights, his cultivation and magic treasures were inferior to mine. Yet, we couldn’t defeat each other and dragged it out for three days.”

Nan Longhou’s expression also darkened.

“Even so, there must be a reason why you want to go to the Peony Plains. Otherwise, you wouldn’t take such a risk, Brother Nan Long.”

Wang Tiangao suddenly smiled and drew everyone’s attention.

“Haha, Brother Huang understands my heart. Has anyone heard of the name Cang Kun Shang Xian [Immortal Cang Kun]?”

“Cang Kun Shang Xian? Isn’t that the madman of Tiannan who suppressed both the Righteous and Demonic Paths with his power 5,000 years ago?”

An old woman who had not said a word showed a different expression at the name of Cang Kun Shang Xian.

“As Madam Tai said, he is that madman who swept through the Righteous and Demonic Paths. Although no one has ever formally acknowledged him, he can be considered one of the best cultivators in Tiannan in terms of strength. With his unfathomable divine powers, he roamed freely in Tiannan, and even the Sect Leader of the Righteous Path Alliance, who was called the number one person in the Righteous Path at the time, and the Grand Elder of the Demonic Path’s Joyful Union Sect did not dare to speak carelessly about him.”

“Mentioning him must be related to this matter?”

At Wang Tiangao’s question, Nan Longhou answered seriously.

“Hehe, that’s right. The reason we’re going to the Peony Plains this time is because of a secret cave that Cang Kun Shang Xian painstakingly created before he passed away.”

“That’s impossible. He was killed on the spot by the combined attacks of several cultivators who were angered by him, wasn’t he?”

The old woman shook her head in disbelief. Nan Longhou was about to speak with a smile, but the beardless old man in white, who was a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, spoke first.

“Cang Kun Shang Xian did not die like that. To avoid the eyes of the cultivators who were closing in, he detonated two of his puppet avatars and used an immense technique to escape. Even the cultivators who participated in the attack at that time do not know this story. However, his vital energy was greatly damaged in that battle, and he secluded himself for several years. He then decided that he could not recover his vital energy like that and disappeared, never to be seen again. Fellow Daoist Nan Long and I only learned the truth after discovering a letter he left behind before his death. During his disappearance, he surprisingly raided the Chuma Bone Mountain, and he was the only survivor who returned from the Chuma Bone Mountain.”

“To return alive from the Chuma Bone Mountain, such an absurd thing!”

The old woman raised her voice sharply. The others were also greatly surprised. Everyone’s eyes flickered for a while as they tried to gauge whether this information was true.

“Even if that’s true, what does it have to do with the Peony Plains? Surely you’re not saying that Cang Kun Shang Xian left the treasures he obtained from the Chuma Bone Mountain there?”

A dark-skinned cultivator asked with a sneer. He seemed to find it hard to believe.

“Fellow Daoist Bing’s guess is correct. According to the information left by Cang Kun Shang Xian, he spent several years in the Chuma Bone Mountain and then passed away as soon as he came out. It is unknown whether it was due to his previous injuries or if he was severely injured in the Chuma Bone Mountain.

Therefore, he must have brought many treasures from the Chuma Bone Mountain, and even if he didn’t, he was the number one cultivator at the time, so the items he originally possessed would not be ordinary. Moreover, the method he used to escape while hiding from the eyes of so many cultivators would have been impossible without special techniques or magic treasures. Wouldn’t these treasures be a sufficient reason to make a short trip to the Peony Plains?”

Nan Long stroked his beard.

“Moreover, if so many Nascent Soul cultivators move together, even if they are mages, they will not be able to stop us. If a truly dangerous situation arises, we can each break through the encirclement and escape. If you are not willing to take this much risk, you can just go back. Fellow Daoist Nan Long and I will find other cultivators. However, there is one thing I want to make clear before you decide.”

The white-clad old man added with a calm face. Everyone hesitated at the words of the two cultivators, but Han Li, for some reason, asked a question.

“There is something I don’t understand. If you two know where the treasures are, why did you gather other cultivators with strong consciousness?”

“I was going to tell you that even if you hadn’t asked. If the two of us could have taken the treasures out on our own, we naturally wouldn’t have thought of sharing them with everyone. When we secretly infiltrated the Peony Plains before, we found the location of the cave through the information left by Cang Kun Shang Xian, although it was very well hidden. However, there was an extremely strange ancient formation outside the cave. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t break it. So, we returned to Tiannan and searched through all kinds of scriptures, and we found that it was the Tai Miao Divine Restriction [a powerful ancient seal], an ancient restriction that was said to have been lost.”

“The Tai Miao Divine Restriction! Isn’t that one of the top ten restrictions? It’s deployed there?”

Wang Tiangao was greatly surprised. Those who had not heard of the Tai Miao Divine Restriction might not know, but all the cultivators who knew about this restriction were the same.