Chapter 279: Xin Ruyin

Han Li watched Qi Yunxiao disappear into the forest, a carefree smile on his face.

Seeing Qi Yunxiao's agitated state, Han Li, though inexperienced in matters of love, instantly recognized that Qi Yunxiao's feelings for this woman, adept at array formations, were far more than mere friendship. It was likely an unrequited love; otherwise, he wouldn't be this nervous.

The maid, equally anxious, followed closely behind.

After Han Li waited leisurely outside the forest for a while, Qi Yunxiao and the pretty maid emerged from the trees, cheerfully accompanying a woman in blue, and walked towards him.

Han Li unceremoniously scrutinized the woman in blue as she approached. She was of average height, with a delicate nose and clear, water-like eyes. After exchanging glances with Han Li, she offered a faint smile.

It seemed Qi Yunxiao had already informed her of his identity.

To be honest, her facial features weren't particularly outstanding; in fact, she was slightly less attractive than the pretty maid. However, her elegant and composed demeanor, graceful movements, and expressive dark eyes more than compensated for any lack in her appearance. Anyone who saw her would not find her looks ordinary but would instead be struck by her captivating presence, never confusing her with the maid by her side.

Yet, upon witnessing her extraordinary grace, Han Li felt a headache coming on. He knew without guessing that she was undoubtedly a perceptive, intelligent woman far exceeding the average person. Dealing with her would likely be incredibly challenging, nowhere near as easy as negotiating with Qi Yunxiao, where he could keep everything under his control.

"Many thanks for coming to my rescue, Senior! My name is Xin Ruoyin, and I am eternally grateful!" The woman in blue glided gracefully towards Han Li, performed a delicate bow, and her voice was remarkably clear and melodious.

"No need for formalities, Miss Xin. It was merely a small effort on my part!" Han Li waved a hand, speaking politely, yet subtly urging them to depart quickly. "However, it's best we return swiftly. These people might have significant backing, and if their elders are nearby, we'll be in trouble."

Upon hearing Han Li's words, Qi Yunxiao, standing by, nodded repeatedly in agreement, a hint of worry in his eyes. "Yes, Ruoyin! We should leave this place quickly; it's still too dangerous here!"

Ever since Qi Yunxiao first saw Xin Ruoyin, his eyes hadn't left her fair, jade-like face. Now, he addressed her with extreme intimacy, a term so cloying that even Han Li found it a bit sickening.

A faint blush appeared on Xin Ruoyin's cheeks, two rosy spots blooming there. She cast a slightly exasperated glance at Qi Yunxiao beside her. After a moment of hesitation, she parted her red lips and agreed.

"Alright, let's go now. But, these bodies..." Xin Ruoyin glanced at the corpses, about to say more. "That's easily handled. We'll just burn them on the spot!" Han Li said indifferently, then spread the fingers of his right hand. Seven or eight fireballs, the size of bowls, shot out, instantly reducing the bodies to ash, leaving only storage pouches behind on the ground.

Han Li's practiced and casual method of destroying the bodies caused a slight change in her expression. A chill went through her heart. However, she was no ordinary weak woman; she quickly regained her composure and exchanged a few words with Qi Yunxiao.

"The items in these storage pouches are useless to me. If this young lady doesn't mind, feel free to take them. It will prevent leaving any traces behind." Han Li turned his head and said gently to the pretty maid standing on Xin Ruoyin's other side.

"Senior, are you really giving them to me?" Upon hearing Han Li's words, the maid's face lit up with surprise and delight, and she asked again in disbelief. When she saw Han Li smile faintly and nod affirmatively, she immediately thanked him, then joyfully ran over and picked up the storage pouches one by one. For her, this was truly a godsend; these pouches contained valuable treasures!

Xin Ruoyin was momentarily stunned by this scene, but then, her expression returned to normal, she exchanged a polite remark with Han Li, and boarded the small boat hovering in mid-air with Qi Yunxiao.

When the excited maid, clutching a pile of storage pouches, also boarded the spiritual artifact, Han Li's figure flickered, and he was the last to step onto the small boat. Immediately, spiritual energy flowed from his feet, and the artifact soared into the sky.

Halfway back, the woman in blue proposed inviting Han Li and Qi Yunxiao to her residence so she could formally express her gratitude for saving her life. Qi Yunxiao, presented with an opportunity to be closer to the woman he had long adored and suffered for, wouldn't utter a single "no" and immediately accepted with eagerness. Han Li also felt it was a good chance to propose his request to repair the teleportation array, so he pondered for a moment and did not object.

Thus, under Han Li's control, the small boat made a slight turn and sped off towards the northwest.

Several hours later, guided by Xin Ruoyin, Han Li landed the boat on an inconspicuous small mountain. Aside from some faint mist lingering around, Han Li didn't notice anything unusual about the mountain. It appeared very ordinary, like many nameless small mountains in the world.

However, Han Li knew well that as the residence of an array master, its vicinity would certainly not lack defensive measures. It was highly probable that extraordinary array formations were in place. He simply lacked sufficient knowledge of array formations, which was why he couldn't discern any hidden profundities nearby, but he dared not show the slightest contempt.

Led by the woman in blue, Han Li and his companions stopped in front of a cluster of bamboo houses halfway up the mountain; this was Xin Ruoyin's residence.

Xin Ruoyin led Han Li and Qi Yunxiao into a larger bamboo house to rest, while she and the maid went to other rooms to wash and change their clothes. After all, the chase and ordeal had left their clothes rather dusty, which was unbearable for women naturally fond of cleanliness.

Han Li sat on a bamboo chair, observing with amusement Qi Yunxiao's restless demeanor. The latter occasionally walked to the door, peering outside for a few glances, as if even this short wait felt like an eternity, completely lost in lovesickness. Han Li found it truly amusing, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved upwards into a half-smile, which Qi Yunxiao inadvertently caught sight of when he turned around.

Instantly, Qi Yunxiao's face flushed crimson. He mumbled a few words of explanation, then embarrassed, sat back down.

"A virtuous lady is a gentleman's ideal pursuit; this is an honorable matter! Why be so bothered, Fellow Daoist Qi?" Han Li took a sip of the fine spiritual tea on the table, smiled faintly, and spoke with an unconcerned expression.

"Senior! It's not... I didn't..."

Qi Yunxiao became even more flustered!

Just then, the pretty maid entered, finally extricating Qi Yunxiao from his predicament. Shortly after, Xin Ruoyin also came in, having changed into a white gown, displaying a unique charm. She was like a blooming snow lotus, dazzling to behold.

"Senior Han and Brother Qi, I am deeply grateful for your rescue this time, and Ruoyin will always remember it! Please allow me to offer you tea instead of wine, as a small token of my appreciation!" As soon as Xin Ruoyin entered the room, she took a cup of tea from the pretty maid by her side and, with captivating grace, offered a cup to both Han Li and Qi Yunxiao.

Han Li took the tea cup, gave a wry smile inwardly, and sighed to himself: "This woman is truly remarkable! Her words are impeccable; though she committed to nothing, there's absolutely no fault to find!"

Meanwhile, Qi Yunxiao, seeing his beloved offer him tea, was already overjoyed beyond measure! He drank the tea without tasting its flavor, merely beaming foolishly.

Xin Ruoyin found Qi Yunxiao's expression headache-inducing, so she turned to converse with Han Li instead. She subtly tried to probe Han Li's identity, wondering if he belonged to a certain sect or a prominent family of cultivators. After all, a Foundation Establishment cultivator must have a notable background.

Han Li, of course, was not naive enough to easily reveal his origins, so he deliberately skirted around the topic with Xin Ruoyin. After their conversation, she hadn't gained any useful information at all. Xin Ruoyin soon became quite frustrated by her probing efforts but also grew more wary of Han Li.

To Xin Ruoyin, even though Han Li had provided such significant help, it didn't necessarily mean he didn't harbor the same intentions as those other individuals. To be safe, she naturally had to stay exceptionally vigilant and exercise extra caution.

"Senior Han, I promised you that if Ruoyin could be saved, you could choose any of the array flags and discs I've refined in the past! I happen to have a few sets with me now; perhaps Senior would like to see if they meet your approval?"

This surprised Han Li, and at the same time, delighted him. He could finally bring up the matter he cared about most.

When Xin Ruoyin heard this, she was first surprised, but then she smiled at Qi Yunxiao with great gratitude, causing Qi Yunxiao, upon seeing her smile, to only grin foolishly a few more times in happiness.

"There's no rush concerning the array flags and discs! Actually, I have another matter I need Fellow Daoist Xin's help with. If you can assist me in resolving this, there will be no need to mention any reward. Instead, I can offer Fellow Daoist Xin an eight-hundred-year-old spiritual herb used for alchemy, to aid in your treatment." Han Li suddenly spoke words that greatly astonished both of them.

"Senior is willing to part with the spiritual herb?" Upon hearing this, Qi Yunxiao involuntarily stood up, asking with a mixture of surprise and joy. Clearly, at this moment, he was completely caught up in the excitement that his beloved now had a spiritual herb for treatment, offering great hope for recovery.