Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 717

Although Old Monster Feng was displeased with Han Li, he answered Hu Noma’s question through telepathy.

“It’s true that he possesses the Immortal Slayer Pill, and not just one. If Brother Hu really intends to confront him, it won’t be easy.”

At his words, Hu Noma’s expression changed, and he felt a chill in his heart. The Immortal Slayer Pill was something he also avoided, and if someone possessed several of them, they would be a very dangerous enemy.

Hu Noma then sent a telepathic message to Xiang Zhili.

“Brother Xiang, do you think there’s a possibility that that guy has more spatial node information?”

“Whether he does or not, what does it matter? Even I wouldn’t reveal everything. What’s important is that he cooperates with us, isn’t it? Eventually, he’ll tell us everything he knows. Whether we fight him or not, we must not kill him.”

Xiang Zhili answered without opening his eyes, only moving his lips slightly.

“Then are we just going to let his arrogant attitude slide? The other Nascent Soul cultivators are all watching.”

“Fellow Cultivator Hu, have you forgotten your identity after staying in the Demonic Palace for so long? What difference does it make if we cling to empty fame in our cultivation? It’s true that the woman is a beauty, but are you willing to trade eternal life for a mere concubine? I will pretend I didn’t see anything, so do as you please.”

Xiang Zhili calmly persuaded him.

“Then I’ll play the villain. Let’s see what kind of great treasures he possesses that he’s trying to exchange for Ziling.”

Hu Noma, who had been silent for a while, finished his telepathic message. He looked at Han Li again and spoke coldly.

“Considering the face of Fellow Cultivator Xiang and Fellow Cultivator Feng, if you retract what you just said, I’ll let it pass as if nothing happened.”

At those words, the scholar in the navy robe and Old Man Bamboo in the hall flinched. It seemed that the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Devil Sect was somewhat wary of Han Li. Otherwise, there was no way a Nascent Soul late-stage cultivator would tolerate this much when someone was trying to take his concubine.

“Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Cultivator Hu. However, I don’t have the ability to take back what I’ve said. Why don’t you reconsider my proposal?”

Han Li replied without the slightest hesitation.

Then, this time, Hu Noma really got angry, his face turning pale. He scanned Ziling and Han Li like lightning, unleashing his powerful aura and magical power.

As if Hu Noma was about to make a move, the two Soul Transformation cultivators sitting near Han Li exchanged glances and quietly retreated.

It meant they wouldn’t interfere.

Although Ziling had condensed her Nascent Soul, her face turned pale from the astonishing pressure of the Soul Transformation cultivator’s spiritual energy, and she unconsciously stepped back, standing in front of Han Li.

At that moment, a warm hand grabbed her shoulder.

Then, pure magical power was injected into her body, making her feel warm and comfortable amidst the pressure of the spiritual energy that felt like being cut by a knife.

When Ziling turned her head, Han Li was smiling with his palm on her shoulder.

She didn’t know why he had such a carefree expression, but her anxious heart calmed down as well.

Then, she smiled brightly, revealing her teeth.

“So you want her that much, huh? Fine. I’ll grant you that wish. Will you trade the spirit treasures you possess for Ziling’s freedom?”

Hu Noma sneered at the sight, then withdrew his aura and revealed his greed. Judging by his unreasonable demands, it seemed that Hu Noma had no intention of truly releasing Ziling.

The Heaven Piercing Treasure [a legendary, extremely powerful artifact] was a treasure among treasures, and once it appeared in the world, it would turn the cultivation world into a sea of blood.

But asking to exchange a concubine for two Heaven Piercing Treasures meant that he had no intention of making a deal.

The Nascent Soul cultivators watching the situation were simply speechless.

“It would be unreasonable to exchange for a Heaven Piercing Treasure. Please understand that I cannot accept your proposal.”

Han Li sighed lightly and rejected the offer.

“Then, it’s also possible to exchange for the Immortal Slayer Pill.”

“The Immortal Slayer Pill won’t do either. What if I’m attacked after giving it to you?”

“If not the Heaven Piercing Treasure or the Immortal Slayer Pill, then what else do you have? I’ve lived for over a thousand years, so there’s hardly anything in the mortal realm that catches my eye.”

“Is that so? If you’ve lived that long, how much lifespan do you have left, Fellow Cultivator Hu?”

“My lifespan is at least three or four hundred years. Why do you ask?”

“What if I offer Fellow Cultivator Hu a chance to extend your lifespan by another four or five hundred years?”

Han Li didn’t answer immediately but sent him a telepathic message.

“Four or five hundred years? Could you be talking about the Yang Returning Water!”

Hu Noma, who had maintained a cold expression, couldn’t help but stand up from his seat for a moment.

Old Monster Feng, who was watching from the side, was surprised by Hu Noma’s violent reaction and stared at the two of them, while Xiang Zhili also opened his eyes and looked at them with suspicion.

Having received the gazes of the cultivators, Hu Noma regained his composure as if nothing had happened and sent a telepathic message to Han Li.

“In the mortal realm, the only elixir that can extend lifespan by that much is the legendary Yang Returning Water! If you have such a sacred medicine in your possession, I’ll give you even greater compensation, not just Ziling!”

Hu Noma’s proactive attitude was completely different from before.

“I don’t have the Yang Returning Water. I only have a bit of the Cold Water, which is the main ingredient for refining the Yang Returning Water.”

“Just the Cold Water?”

Hu Noma was greatly disappointed.

“If I really had the Yang Returning Water, why would I trade with you? I would just give it to Senior Brother Xiang or Senior Feng and ask them to help Ziling. Besides, don’t you know the refining method of the Yang Returning Water? Although it’s difficult to find the Solar Essence, you already have the Cold Water, and with the power of the Heavenly Devil Sect, you’ll eventually find it. What do you think? With this, it’s not a bad deal for you even if I take Ziling away.”

For Soul Transformation cultivators, elixirs that extended lifespan were more precious than any Heaven Piercing Treasure. Han Li didn’t think the other party would refuse this condition.

There were quite a few other treasures worth trading, but to leave this place safely, it was better to keep them hidden as much as possible.

Hu Noma, who had been silent for a while after hearing the telepathic message, was lost in thought.

At this, Old Monster Feng and Xiang Zhili wondered what Han Li had that made Hu Noma, who had been furious, become so quiet.

“I know that only the Small Polar Palace possesses the Cold Water? We couldn’t take it before because there was a Soul Transformation cultivator, and later, we couldn’t find it because the Cold Water disappeared. Could it be that you were the one who took the lost Cold Water?”

Hu Noma sent a telepathic message with a dark expression.

“No, how could the lost Cold Water have fallen into my hands by luck? I only collected a little from the Myriad Year Ice Jade in the Small Polar Palace’s Mysterious Jade Cave. So, I can’t give you all of it, but I’m willing to give you a little. That should be enough to refine the Yang Returning Water twice.”

Since it was an expected question, Han Li answered without changing his expression.

“It doesn’t matter how you got it. It’s not good to take it multiple times anyway, so I only need enough for myself. If we’re going to trade like this, there’s a condition. If you agree to that, I’ll let you take Ziling and leave Mount Mata.”

Hu Noma rolled his eyes, then suddenly stopped the telepathic message and opened his mouth.

“What is the condition?”

“It’s very simple! Besides giving me that, you must endure one of my attacks. Without dodging, and without using the Immortal Slayer Pill. If you withstand this one attack, I will never trouble you again.”

Hu Noma said, scanning Ziling with a cold gaze.

“You mean to take an attack without dodging?”

“I have my pride. Even if we make a deal, I can’t let anyone look down on the master of the Demonic Palace!”

The cultivators who heard Hu Noma’s sinister voice all fell into thought and didn’t make a sound.

‘Could it be that Hu Noma is trying to kill him with one blow through this deal?’

The Nascent Soul cultivators had similar thoughts. Considering the gap between a Soul Transformation cultivator and a Nascent Soul cultivator, it would be impossible to survive a single blow.

All eyes were on Han Li, and Ziling’s face was so pale it looked transparent. After a moment of silence, she gritted her teeth again.

“Brother Han, you don’t have to agree to such a deal. I’ll change my mind. I won’t leave the Demonic Palace, so you should go back.”

Han Li listened to her bitter voice, understood her intention, and smiled. However, before he could speak, Hu Noma coldly recited first.

“Do you think the Demonic Palace is a place where you can stay if you want and leave if you want? I’ve already said we’re making a deal, so even if you want to stay, you have to leave. Fellow Cultivator Han won’t go back on the deal, will you?”

“Of course not. I’ll take that one blow.”

Han Li shook his head at Ziling and answered without further hesitation. Hu Noma chuckled and raised his hand, pointing at Ziling.

Then, a strange feeling arose in the woman’s dantian, and black threads emerged, being sucked into Hu Noma’s fingertips.

When Ziling straightened her body again, she was able to freely use her magical power, and her face was filled with joy.

Seeing this, Han Li examined Ziling’s body with his consciousness and soon had a satisfied expression.

“The item?”

Hu Noma shouted without hesitation, and a white light emerged from Han Li’s sleeve. Hu Noma’s eyes sparkled as he sucked it in, revealing a milky white jade bottle.

Hu Noma, who had received the jade bottle, shook his sleeve again, and the jade bottle opened on its own, with black energy rushing in and blocking his surroundings in an instant.

The cultivators, curious about Hu Noma’s cautious attitude, were speechless and waited for him.

After a while, Hu Noma put away the jade bottle with a smiling face and looked at Han Li with a fierce expression.

Then, he suddenly flashed a black light and jumped out of the hall, and at the same time, a chilling voice echoed.

“I’ll be waiting outside, so don’t make this old one wait too long.”

Han Li leisurely filled his wine cup, downed it in one gulp, and then slowly stood up.

“Brother Han, are you really going to take that man’s attack? Hu Noma is a Soul Transformation cultivator.”

Ziling asked anxiously, worried.

“Don’t worry. I’m confident that I can withstand one blow to some extent.”

“Then, let’s go out together. I need to watch from the side.”

Ziling said resolutely, her eyes shining. Han Li looked at her shining eyes, hesitated, and finally nodded.

A flash of spiritual energy shone from his body, enveloping even Ziling, and they soared into the sky as a blue streak of light. As Han Li went out of the hall, the scholar in the navy robe and others also created their own escape lights and followed behind him.

Why would they miss such a good show!

Even the two women who were going to become concubines with Ziling hesitated for a moment before moving with the Demonic Palace maids. In an instant, only Xiang Zhili and Old Monster Feng were left in the hall.

“Brother Xiang, what do you think?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about what that Han fellow used to trade for Hu Noma’s concubine. There aren’t many things in this world that could move Hu Noma’s heart.”

“There may not be many, but they do exist.”

Xiang Zhili remained calm as always.

“Aren’t you curious about what it is, Brother Xiang? If it’s something that makes him so happy, it could be very useful to us as well.”

“It’s either a treasure that can increase cultivation or a sacred medicine that can extend lifespan by one or two hundred years. What else could it be? Do you think that if your lifespan increases by one or two hundred years, you’ll reach the late stage of Soul Transformation in one go, Fellow Cultivator Feng? Since that won’t happen anyway, let’s focus on finding the spatial node. That’s the only way to achieve the true Great Dao and obtain eternal life.”

Xiang Zhili revealed his thoughts as if sighing.

“Brother Xiang’s words make sense. I guess I was thinking foolishly for a moment. Looking at Hu Noma’s expression, he would never tell us what it is. But isn’t it heartless to strike that fellow Han with one blow? Surely he won’t die from this, will he?”

Old Monster Feng also composed himself and smiled bitterly.

“That won’t happen. We’ve already given him a heads-up. Also, when that Fellow Han accepted the offer, it meant he was confident. Still, Hu Noma’s temper is erratic, so let’s go out just in case. A moment of anger could ruin everything.”

Xiang Zhili suddenly became worried and immediately stood up from his seat, and Old Monster Feng also stood up right away. Their figures blurred and disappeared.

*