Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 399

“That’s right, Wei Lijin’s grand-uncle is Wei Wuya, one of the three great cultivators. Wei Wuya is a Supreme Elder of the Nine Nations Alliance, and he’s said to have mastered a rare poison cultivation technique that can instantly kill an opponent. His strength is said to be unimaginable.”

Nangong Wan explained softly, a bitter smile on her face.

“Could it be that Wei Wuya forced you?”

Han Li’s lips twisted, his gaze turning fierce.

“It wasn’t him directly, but he was involved. The current Grand Elder of the Emei Sect isn’t the same person as before. It was taken over by a cultivator who used to be my senior sister. My senior sister is very ambitious and has always been at odds with me. Although other elders tried to mediate, the relationship only worsened.”

Nangong Wan’s gentle face showed anger, and she continued through gritted teeth.

“After I repeatedly refused Wei Lijin’s marriage proposal, that man went to my senior sister and negotiated. I don’t know what kind of deal they made, but just half a year later, when I reached the reincarnation period of the Maiden Reincarnation Technique [a cultivation technique that involves reincarnation], my senior sister suppressed me and forced me into marriage.”

“Is your senior sister out of her mind? How could she do such a thing to a fellow Nascent Soul cultivator!”

Han Li, listening, was speechless.

“Tell me about it! I never imagined she would go this far. But the conditions Wei Lijin offered must have been that great.

I later found out that he promised to help the Emei Sect, as well as the entire Six Factions, expand their influence beyond the Northern Liang Kingdom. He even promised that after the marriage, Wei Lijin himself would leave the Harmonious Union Sect and join the Emei Sect.

That’s why my senior sister announced my marriage to Wei Lijin without my consent and prepared the wedding at lightning speed. Even if I wanted to turn things around, I couldn’t.”

Nangong Wan curled her lips into a sneer.

“So, it was an unwanted marriage for you. You should have told me from the start.”

Han Li, having grasped the situation, was greatly pleased.

“I should be asking you instead. You condensed your Nascent Soul several years ago, so why didn’t you look for me? If you had come just a year or even a few years earlier, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“It’s not that I did it on purpose, I…”

Han Li tried to explain at her reproach, but upon closer thought, it was indeed strange.

Knowing deep down that he truly liked Nangong Wan, why hadn’t he thought of going to see her in person? Perhaps if he hadn’t learned about Nangong Wan’s sudden marriage, he would have hesitated to appear before her for who knows how much longer.

As Han Li was confused, Nangong Wan got up first and approached him.

“Actually, it’s the same for me. Although we have surpassed ordinary people in experience and ability through long cultivation, we are also taking our first steps when it comes to emotions. It’s natural to feel unfamiliar and afraid. Most cultivators either scatter their human emotions or bury them deep in their hearts to avoid missing the opportune time for cultivation.

Passionate feelings can also disappear over time. So, when I first heard that you were alive, I was overjoyed, but I also needed time to think. After agonizing for two days and nights, I decided to accept you, following my heart.”

Nangong Wan, having softly revealed her feelings, reached out and took Han Li’s hand. Han Li, after a moment of silence, wordlessly covered her delicate and soft hand with his other hand, feeling her warmth.

Nangong Wan, embarrassed, quickly pulled her hands away and glared at him. But Han Li, unconcerned, smiled and said,

“Wan, seeing how calm you are even while being imprisoned here, you must have already thought of a way to escape. Otherwise, you would have shown signs of anxiety.”

Nangong Wan chuckled, her eyes gleaming with intelligence.

“You’re quick to notice, aren’t you? Only a few high-ranking members know that I’m being confined; most disciples don’t. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to receive the sound transmission talisman [a magical communication device] from my junior sister. They’ve placed a few restrictions on my body to prevent me from escaping, but there are no other restraints.

But they probably don’t know that the Maiden Reincarnation Technique gains some mysterious abilities once it reaches the Nascent Soul stage. So, I can undo the other restrictions myself, though it will take some time to recover my magic power. The only problem is the Heart-Binding Technique that my senior sister cast directly.

It’s a technique she prepared to use on the wedding day. She used her own essence blood to place a restriction on me so that she could control me for a short time. The most important element of this restriction is the restriction talisman. If it’s not destroyed, I’ll be forced to move as she wishes within a hundred miles. Although the difference in our cultivation isn’t that great, so she can only make me do simple actions.”

“Then, your original plan was…”

“Haha! Of course, I was planning to recover my magic power when the surveillance weakened before the wedding. And if I escaped far enough to get out of the restriction talisman’s range, what could she do? But now that you’re here, I’ll leave everything to you. I heard you easily defeated a Nascent Soul cultivator, so you must have a trick or two up your sleeve, right?”

Nangong Wan laughed lightheartedly.

“The Heart-Binding Technique is indeed troublesome. There’s no easy way to solve it other than destroying the talisman.”

Han Li fell into deep thought.

“If all else fails, we can just leave the Emei Sect far behind.”

“It’s just a restriction talisman, it’s not a problem. It must be in your senior sister’s possession. While destroying the talisman, I’ll also avenge this humiliation for you!”

Han Li’s eyes turned cold as he made a promise.

“I was just saying that, I don’t really want you to destroy the talisman! My senior sister has already reached the mid-Nascent Soul stage, so let’s just leave secretly. No matter how powerful the restriction is, it can be removed in about 10 years at most.”

Nangong Wan shook her head, a mischievous smile on her lips. Han Li silently looked at her, recalling the intelligent girl he had first met.

“It doesn’t matter, I’ll try. If it fails, it’s not too late to leave then. As long as I’m protecting you, you can leave safely even with the restriction.”

Han Li said confidently with a smile.

“Hmm… okay! I don’t know how capable you are, but you must have a way. But the Sunset Hall where my senior sister stays is heavily guarded, so I’ll lure her here. With the help of the restriction, we can subdue her in one go.”

Nangong Wan said, gazing intently into Han Li’s eyes.

“That’s a good idea. But can you use the restrictions in your residence? They didn’t seem to be in good condition when I came in.”

“Don’t worry! The visible restrictions have been removed by my senior sister, but the most powerful restriction is still hidden. It should be useful enough.”

“Let’s do that then. I also have a few sets of formation tools, so I should be able to buy some time.”

“You have formation tools too? That’s even better. Just wait half a day. I need to undo the other restrictions and recover my magic power first, so you can set up the formation.”

“If I subdue your senior sister, I’ll be able to control the Emei Sect, so there’s no need to run away, right?”

“That probably won’t happen. Besides my senior sister, there’s another Nascent Soul senior brother in the Emei Sect. His cultivation is also quite high, so he won’t let me become the Grand Elder without a good reason. Besides, I have no desire to fight for power! A quiet place where I can focus on my cultivation is enough for me.”

Nangong Wan hesitated before shaking her head.

“If that’s the case, then so be it. If things go smoothly, let’s go back to the Fallen Cloud Sect together. Even if the Nine Nations Alliance is powerful and Wei Wuya cherishes Wei Lijin, they won’t dare to provoke the Heavenly Dao Alliance and two Nascent Soul cultivators in the face of the incoming invasion of the cultivators.”

Han Li nodded and sneered. Then, from his storage pouch, several formation flags and formation disks appeared.

Nangong Wan, seeing this, returned to the rattan chair, sat cross-legged, and closed her eyes. She formed hand seals with both hands and began to chant a strange incantation.

Soon, a bright red light rose from her white clothes, enveloping her.

Han Li also moved busily. His figure flickered, and he moved swiftly around the hall, the formation flags flying non-stop. When the multicolored light faded, the formation tools disappeared from the hall.

To maximize their power, they were only installed inside the hall, and the most concealed ones were chosen so that they wouldn’t be easily detected by a Nascent Soul cultivator’s senses.

However, the formation tools were all refined during his Core Formation stage, so they were not enough to stop a Nascent Soul cultivator. Han Li, not expecting much, summoned the white fox, the incarnation of Yin Yue, from his sleeve.

“Master, you’ve summoned me. Aren’t you worried that Mistress will be jealous?”

Yin Yue asked with a smile.

“Huh, what jealousy are you talking about with a spirit? The mid-Nascent Soul cultivator we’re facing this time must not be allowed to escape. Although there’s the support of the restriction, you also need to help. The cultivation of a mid-stage cultivator and an early-stage cultivator is worlds apart, so you must give it your all.”

Han Li’s eyebrows twitched as he glared at the fox, then earnestly instructed.

“How can I help?”

“Use this at the right time to keep her from escaping.”

Han Li scanned his storage pouch and handed something to Yin Yue.

“This, to me?”

Yin Yue received it with an incredulous look.

“Yes, you’re better at handling it than I am! It’s better to have you do it than waste my magic power. Of course, it’s just a temporary loan. After all, you can’t use this treasure for a long time in a spirit’s body.”

“Yes.”

The fox lowered its head, looking a little disappointed, but couldn’t take its eyes off the object in its hand. Han Li, seeing this, summoned the fox back into his sleeve.

Then, after looking around the hall again, he suddenly raised his head and looked somewhere.

“… !”

After hesitating, he brushed past the spirit beast pouch and summoned a large number of three-colored Gold Devouring Beetles [a type of magical insect].

Buzz buzz buzz buzz.

He opened his mouth and spewed out a blue mist at the swarm of spirit insects circling above his head, and his hands were constantly forming hand seals as he chanted incantations.

Buzz!

The Gold Devouring Beetles soared into the sky, flashing blue light, and disappeared into the ceiling of the hall without leaving a trace. Han Li, seeing this, looked around and nodded in satisfaction.

Having completed all preparations, Han Li closed his eyes and looked at Nangong Wan, who was casting a spell.

The lights emanating from her body swirled, forming a circular red aura that had just begun to flicker.

The spiritual energy of the hall was drawn to the aura and began to fluctuate.

Han Li narrowed his brows and shot a hand seal at one of the stone pillars. At the same time, a blue protective barrier appeared, surrounding Nangong Wan.

Soon, the spiritual energy of the hall returned to stability.

Han Li, having confirmed this, reached out and pulled the rattan chair over. He sat facing Nangong Wan and quietly began to look at her.

It was a good opportunity to fully admire the beautiful face of the woman he had longed for for so long. Han Li’s face, which had seemed lost in thought, suddenly darkened.

Immediately, his figure became vague without any warning, and only the rattan chair remained.

Someone hiding outside the hall, peeking inside, was startled and tried to flee, but it was already impossible. Han Li’s voice was already heard behind her.

“What are you secretly looking at? Aren’t you afraid of your grandmaster’s scolding?”

“N-No, it’s not that. It’s just that you haven’t come out for too long, so my grandmaster was worried…”

The woman, not daring to turn her head, stammered. She was already trembling, feeling the immense pressure of spiritual energy from behind.

“Oh, really? Then why are you hiding with a Spirit Concealment Talisman [a magical item that hides one’s presence]? Where did you, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, get such a precious high-grade talisman?”

Han Li, with his hands behind his back, was expressionlessly watching the girl’s back.

“That’s…”

“There’s no need to make excuses. Come out and go inside quietly. I’ll let your grandmaster deal with you when she finishes her spell.”

At his cold voice, the girl’s fear reached its peak.

She frantically slammed the talisman she was holding onto her body, and it instantly turned into a yellow streak of light, heading away along the cave corridor.

While coldly watching it, Han Li had no intention of moving at all. The yellow streak of light hadn’t even gone ten feet when it was trapped by a pink mist that appeared in mid-air.

The girl’s light disappeared in the dense, fragrant mist, and she fell straight down. Yin Yue jumped down from somewhere and gracefully approached the girl, wagging her tail.

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