Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 73

“Alright. Since Senior Brother Ryo has said so, how can I refuse? Instead, I have a small request, Senior Brother. If you obtain any more precious items like spiritual herbs in the future, would you please prioritize our Manyok Pavilion? We will offer a price that will satisfy you.”

Han Li nodded nonchalantly, but he quietly resolved to avoid such unusual transactions in the future, as they could raise suspicions about the origin of the spiritual herbs.

However, the owner, unaware of Han Li’s thoughts, was greatly pleased. If Han Li were to bring more millennium-old spiritual herbs, a small loss now would be insignificant.

Having successfully completed the transaction, Han Li left Manyok Pavilion without delay and entered the Baekyak Garden outside the market. He was also worried that Manyok Pavilion might send a master to follow him.

* * *

Around evening, three days after leaving the market, Han Li arrived at the outskirts of the Taeak Mountain Range. He planned to spend the night in a hidden cave nearby and return to Hwangpung Valley early in the morning.

This cave was difficult to find from the outside, as it was concealed by several rocks. After filling his stomach and circulating his energy, it was already late at night.

Just as Han Li was about to sleep, he suddenly sensed someone’s presence outside the cave.

‘Could it be someone from Manyok Pavilion chasing after me!’

He had to prepare for the worst.

“Junior Sister, this place is good. It’s secluded and there are no people around.”

A familiar male voice was heard from outside the cave. Although a little surprised, Han Li was also slightly relieved.

If it wasn’t someone from Manyok Pavilion trying to kill him for his treasures, there was nothing to worry about. At this moment, Han Li reached the entrance of the cave, hiding behind a rock that blocked the entrance.

‘It’s him!’

After confirming the man’s face, Han Li recognized him at once. It was unexpectedly the narrow-minded and cunning Senior Brother Yuk, who had a fight with the Moyong brothers.

When the face of the woman next to him was revealed, Han Li was so surprised that he almost bit his tongue.

“Found it!”

Senior Brother Yuk rummaged through the woman’s body, then suddenly stopped and shouted. In his hand, he held a small storage pouch. When he turned the storage pouch upside down, a large number of items poured out.

From magical artifacts and talismans to clothing, the variety was diverse. However, Senior Brother Yuk ignored the other items and began to search only for things like bottles and boxes.

* * *

“Hahaha! It was here! I knew you would carry it on your person, Junior Sister. Just as I thought.”

What Senior Brother Yuk held up was a small red wooden box. The box was already open, but Han Li couldn’t tell what it was.

This cruel man was acting so violently even towards his own woman. If he knew that someone he didn’t know was here, he would surely try to kill them.

Someone like him, who had learned magic haphazardly and only had 11 levels of magic power, had no chance of winning against Senior Brother Yuk. However, in a real fight, it was impossible to know who would live and who would die.

Han Li had never seen such a cruel and vicious person before. Unable to wait any longer, Han Li used the newly learned concealment technique. He didn’t want the opponent to become aware of his presence, even subconsciously, and start a fight.

Senior Brother Yuk put the red wooden box into his storage pouch and, with a sinister smile, returned to Junior Sister Jin.

“Don’t blame me. That cunning girl said that if she completely cut ties with you and succeeded in Foundation Establishment [a crucial step in cultivation], she would ask the old hag Hongbul in the sect to take me under her wing. Then I could receive a world-shaking cultivation method and achieve great success! Such opportunities are rare, so what if our Junior Sister is a little wronged?”

Junior Sister Jin, her eyes filled with anger, trembled all over at his absurd excuse.

She wanted to get up and bite that conscienceless man to death right away.

However, unfortunately, she was bound by the Wind Binding Technique, so she couldn’t even move a finger.

“Hmm. If Junior Sister wasn’t the only daughter of the Jin family head, she wouldn’t have suffered like this. I’m worried that Junior Sister’s affection might turn into hatred. So, for my future and reputation, Junior Sister has to die here! Anyway, we have been so kind to each other, who would suspect me, hahaha!”

Even as Senior Brother Yuk muttered with a serious face, his rough hands never stopped.

“Junior Sister, do you know? What made me waver was that you didn’t take the Foundation Establishment Pill like me and kept it. You must have been planning to take it after mastering the basic cultivation method, right? That way, the chances of succeeding in Foundation Establishment would be higher. Actually, one Foundation Establishment Pill was a bit risky. Even those with excellent spiritual roots often fail in Foundation Establishment. But now that I have two Foundation Establishment Pills, I’ll be fine!”

After speaking, Senior Brother Yuk searched his storage pouch and took out the red wooden box and a blue porcelain bottle he had just put in, looking at them triumphantly. Han Li’s heart began to race as he hid behind him.

He had been willing to endure the bloody forbidden journey to obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill, but now he could obtain it without taking such risks. After some deliberation, Han Li made up his mind and focused all his attention on Senior Brother Yuk’s actions. If he found even a small weakness, he would not hesitate to strike and kill him in one blow, taking the two Foundation Establishment Pills.

At that moment, strange symptoms began to appear in Junior Sister Jin. The resentment and anger that had filled her face gradually disappeared, and she became dazed as if she were intoxicated. Senior Brother Yuk put away the items he was holding and reached for his waist, trying to take off his own clothes.

Han Li thought this was his chance. If he attacked when Senior Brother Yuk was naked, the chances of success would be high. However, as Han Li watched Senior Brother Yuk, he soon noticed something strange. Senior Brother Yuk was only pretending to take off his clothes; his eyes were cold.

Han Li realized something was wrong and quickly took out a Water Shield Talisman from his pocket.

Then, suddenly, something flew in from the left without a sound. It was fortunate that he had expanded his awareness to guard his surroundings, or he would have been in big trouble if he hadn’t prepared in advance.

Without time to think, he attached the talisman in his hand to his body, and a barrier of light like a navy-blue wave rippled. Almost simultaneously, a blue rope rushed in and wrapped around Han Li at an incredible speed, but it only spun around the outside of the barrier.

“Huh?”

“Tch.”

Exclamations burst out from both Senior Brother Yuk and Han Li at the same time. However, Senior Brother Yuk was frustrated because his surprise attack had failed, and Han Li was angry that he had almost fallen for the opponent’s cunning trick.

“Your reaction is quite fast. Your skills don’t seem bad. But if you’ve been hiding and watching for so long, isn’t it time to come out?”

Senior Brother Yuk, who had summoned the rope back with a wave of his hand, shouted towards the direction where Han Li was hiding, not at all flustered. He had already noticed his presence.

* * *

Since he had already been discovered, there was no point in hiding. Han Li sighed and stepped out, still maintaining the protection of the shimmering light, holding magical artifacts in both hands.

“It was you.”

When his face was fully revealed, Senior Brother Yuk recognized Han Li unexpectedly. Senior Brother Yuk remembered Han Li from the one time he had seen him on the hill.

This wasn’t a matter of memory, but a terrifying calculation that remembered everything he had seen. It was definitely not good news for Han Li.

In fact, Senior Brother Yuk in front of him was, in some ways, a similar person to himself. Both were skilled in calculation and left no room for mercy.

While Han Li was weighing his options about Senior Brother Yuk, the opponent’s eyes turned ferocious, not hiding his murderous intent at all.

Han Li thought about continuing the conversation to find his weakness, but looking at the current situation, there was no opening at all.

If only one of them could leave this place alive, there was no need to waste time talking nonsense.

Thinking this far, Han Li raised his left hand without another word. A strange sound came from the bracelet made of steel, and it stretched out towards Senior Brother Yuk. At the same time, five or six dark spheres were spat out from the gourd in his right hand, closely following behind it.

Without stopping, he waved both hands, and several fireballs were created in an instant. His sleeves fluttered, and the fireballs gathered and fiercely swung towards Senior Brother Yuk. Han Li murmured in a low voice.

“Go!”

At the same time, the heat of the gathered fireballs soared, and each scattered in all directions, trying to burn Senior Brother Yuk. This attack combined all the techniques he had, except for the newly acquired magical artifacts and talismans.

In particular, the Fireball Barrage technique of the last fireballs was a method he had learned from Ohpung, which attacked the opponent without giving them an opening.

In fact, it was because he was not yet familiar with the new magical artifacts. If he could handle them well, he would have used them right away. That was how powerful the magical artifacts he had obtained this time were compared to the ones he already had.

While Han Li was making these moves, Senior Brother Yuk was not idle either. When he flipped his hands, a large blue flag appeared in his palms. Blue light surrounded the flag, and a ferocious blue dragon with sharp teeth and claws was embroidered on it. Senior Brother Yuk, holding the flag in his hand, finally noticed Han Li’s continuous attacks and became enraged.

He had taken out the Blue Dragon Flag, the most powerful magical artifact he possessed, to kill him quickly.

However, he had never imagined that the opponent would attack right away without saying a single word.

Instead of attacking immediately, Senior Brother Yuk held the flag in one hand and searched his storage pouch with the other, taking out a yellow talisman.

He looked at the high-grade talisman with a regretful expression, then gritted his teeth and struck it against his body. Then, he quickly chanted the incantation.

At that moment, the steel bracelet that Han Li had thrown was emitting a faint yellow light and had reached right in front of Senior Brother Yuk’s nose. At the critical moment, Senior Brother Yuk, with the talisman on his body, raised his voice.

“Wind Wall Technique, Rise!”

The yellow talisman emitted a white light in response to his voice, and a white whirlwind surged, creating a wind barrier that blocked the steel bracelet sent by Han Li.

The steel bracelet entered the wind barrier without hesitation but was immediately swept away by the swirling winds and bounced out helplessly.

Even the spheres that followed behind it could not overcome the rotating wind force and could not enter the whirlwind.

Han Li also immediately used his fingers to control the movement of the fireballs. Then, the fireballs, which had been divided into two, each created a large arc, attempting to attack Senior Brother Yuk by avoiding the wind barrier.

“Heh heh! You have big dreams.”

Even at that sight, Senior Brother Yuk sneered and easily formed a hand seal with one hand. At the same time, he pointed to the center of the wind barrier, and the whirlwind split to both sides, blocking the approaching arcs.

‘Boom, boom’

Several explosions were heard as the fireballs that failed to avoid the wind barrier collided and entered. The wind barrier only shook slightly, but the fireballs were swallowed into it, leaving no trace. Soon after, the wind barrier merged again, restoring its original form.

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