Chapter 105: Mo Yu Pearl

Han Li was, of course, unaware of the conversation between the man in blue and the man in yellow. He was still celebrating his narrow escape. Although somewhat annoyed by the man in blue's complete disregard for him, Han Li, keenly aware of the vast power disparity between them, felt an immense sense of relief, as if he had escaped to heaven. His entire body felt much lighter.

The encounter with the man in blue had disturbed Han Li, shattering his previously peaceful state of mind. He sighed, stood up, and prepared to settle his bill and leave the restaurant.

Just then, a faint, almost imperceptible sound of horses' hooves drifted from the street outside, growing steadily louder and clearer as it approached.

Han Li's spirits lifted. He had just stood up, but now he sat back down and fixed his gaze back on the street.

According to Sun Ergou's intelligence, the sound of hooves likely heralded the return of Mo YuZhu, the eldest daughter of the Mo family, from outside the city.

It was said that this young lady of the Mo family had no interest in traditional feminine crafts since childhood, preferring instead to practice martial arts. She had reportedly learned considerable skills from masters of the Startling Flood Dragon Society.

What was most astonishing was her particular fondness for hunting, an activity typically considered masculine. Every few days, she would ride out to the forest outside the city for a vigorous hunting excursion. This led many young noblemen vying for her affection to follow her daily, with hawks and hounds, hoping to gain an advantage and win her favor.

Naturally, after Young Master Wu arrived, he, too, predictably joined this activity.

Upon hearing these reports, Han Li grew very curious about Miss Mo YuZhu. A young woman with such a distinct personality was certainly rare, and he hoped she wouldn't disappoint him.

Now, a group of over a dozen people on various swift horses galloped rapidly from one end of the main street. Leading them were a man and a woman. The man was a handsome, slender youth with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. The woman wore a fiery red hunting outfit and a purple cloak that obscured her face.

In the blink of an eye, the riders swept past the front of the Fragrant Family Restaurant, speeding before Han Li's eyes, finally stopping in front of the Mo family mansion.

One of the robust men in strong attire, who had been standing on guard on either side of the entrance, immediately stepped forward. He respectfully greeted the leading man and woman:

"Young Miss, Young Master Wu, you've returned. How was your haul today?"

"Not bad!" the woman in the hunting attire said with a crisp voice. She reached up and removed her cloak, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face, then gracefully dismounted her horse.

"Yes, Miss!" The man named Tang Er, seemingly hesitant to gaze too long at her stunning beauty, quickly took the reins and walked towards the side entrance of the mansion.

Although some distance from the Mo family's main gate, Han Li, from his upstairs vantage point, managed to get a good look at the woman's profile. He couldn't help but draw a deep breath. Her skin was as crystalline as snow, her nose small and straight, her eyes dark and luminous, and her apricot-shaped lips were bright and alluring. She was truly a beauty capable of making fish sink and geese fall, and flowers blush and the moon hide.

"This must be Mo YuZhu!" Han Li thought to himself. "No wonder she drives all the young masters in Jiayuan City crazy. 'National beauty, city-toppling allure' are the perfect descriptions for her."

The handsome youth and the other men and women behind them also dismounted, and some naturally led their horses away.

The young man smiled and approached Mo YuZhu, whispering a few words that made Miss Mo's face flush crimson. She playfully tapped his shoulder a few times, then shyly glared at him a few times before stomping her foot playfully and trotting into the main gate. The young man chuckled and then elegantly followed her inside.

"So this is Wu Jianming? He's really good at charming girls, and he's not bad-looking either!" Han Li thought, a hint of bitterness in his tone. He was well aware that in terms of appearance, he couldn't possibly compare to the other man.

"And it seems Mo YuZhu and Young Master Wu get along quite well; their affection runs deep!" He frowned again, realizing that the situation might be more complicated than he had initially thought.

"Regardless, I must get my hands on that Warm Sun Jade, and quickly. After all, the Yin poison in my body is no laughing matter; it might erupt prematurely!" Han Li appeared somewhat worried.

After taking one last deep look at the Mo family mansion, he called for the waiter, settled his bill, and left the restaurant to return to his inn.

After careful deliberation at the inn, Han Li decided on the most direct and effective approach: to go straight to the point.

He planned to quietly visit Madam Yan, who presided over the Startling Flood Dragon Society, that night. Using the token Doctor Mo had given him beforehand, he would directly expose the imposter who had gained the Mo family's trust. As for how to acquire the precious jade, he would have to act according to circumstances.

With his decision made, Han Li no longer hesitated. He calmly closed his eyes in his room, resting and preparing for his nocturnal mission.

However, during this time, Mo YuZhu's captivating face kept reappearing in his mind, refusing to entirely disappear no matter how hard he tried to dismiss it.

"Could I be falling for this woman?" Han Li thought, feeling a little awkward.

But then he comforted himself: "It's perfectly normal to be attracted to such a beautiful woman; that doesn't necessarily mean I like her."

As someone with one foot already on the path of cultivation, Han Li, despite his inexperience in matters of romance, instinctively avoided engaging in romantic entanglements.

At midnight, Han Li changed into a dark outfit and stealthily slipped out of the inn.

He glided lightly over rooftops, avoiding night watchmen without incident, until he reached the exterior of the Mo family mansion.

After circling the residence, he chuckled softly and transformed into a wisp of smoke, slipping into the Mo family's back courtyard right under the noses of several guards, none of whom noticed anything amiss.