Chapter 334: Old Place

**Volume Three**

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As soon as he spoke, Han Li felt a twinge of regret. He had clearly decided not to get entangled with this woman, yet now, for some reason, he had agreed to her request. It seemed his resolve was still lacking! Thinking this, Han Li secretly shook his head, but his words were agreeable: “Alright, Senior Sister. You can take my Divine Wind Boat. That way, we can get there and back quickly!”

After speaking, Han Li released his pristine white Divine Wind Boat and invited Chen Qiaoqian to board. Seeing it, Chen Qiaoqian smiled charmingly and boarded without hesitation. So, Han Li took Chen Qiaoqian and flew away on the artifact. After a short while, they arrived at White Chrysanthemum Mountain, which was quite famous in Yuejing. The mountain was covered in various chrysanthemums, mostly white, and the scenery was indeed enchanting.

To Han Li's great surprise, after they arrived at the mountain, Chen Qiaoqian didn't say much to him. She simply walked up the path by herself, occasionally pausing to linger a moment when she encountered a particularly beloved view. Han Li, following behind, also remained silent. However, as he watched her graceful figure, he seemed a bit bewildered, appearing utterly clueless about the situation.

An hour later, Chen Qiaoqian reached the mountaintop and stood in a small pavilion, gazing around. Han Li stood to one side. At this time, there were no other visitors on the mountaintop besides the two of them. Combined with their mutual reluctance to speak first, the silence was profound. This subtle atmosphere lasted for an unknown period until Chen Qiaoqian finally uttered a faint sentence.

“Junior Brother Han, after the great war... I'm afraid I'll be getting married!”

Hearing this, Han Li was startled. He couldn't help but turn his head, a look of surprise on his face.

“The other party is a direct disciple of the Qin family, another major cultivation clan. He’s a new Foundation Establishment cultivator under the Heaven's Citadel sect! I’ve met him a few times, and he seems like a decent person. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, he will marry into our Chen family and become my cultivation partner from then on,” Chen Qiaoqian said slowly and indifferently, completely disregarding Han Li's astonished expression.

At this moment, Han Li's surprise gradually faded. He hesitated, then politely said: “Then, congratulations, Senior Sister Chen, on your happy union! I’ll be sure to prepare a gift…”

Han Li had only just started, but it was clear these were not the words she wanted to hear. She trembled slightly, and before Han Li could finish, she raised her hand with a cold expression. A disc-shaped artifact flew out, and she mounted it, flying away by herself, as if there was nothing left to regret or linger over. Han Li stood motionless, a cold expression on his face, gazing in the direction Chen Qiaoqian had disappeared. After a long silence, he finally let out a drawn-out sigh and flew away dispiritedly.

Although he had made up his mind long ago, seeing a woman who was interested in him now marrying another still left Han Li feeling somewhat lost. Perhaps this was a common ailment among all men. Though they were called cultivators, emotionally, they were no different from mortals. Han Li thought to himself with a self-deprecating smile as he flew back to the Qin residence.

However, upon returning, he learned from others that Chen Qiaoqian had already left, having departed ahead of him. Han Li gave a bitter smile internally. It seemed Chen Qiaoqian was truly deeply disappointed in him and was preparing to marry someone else with a peaceful heart. Despite a touch of melancholy, Han Li was, after all, no ordinary person. He merely nodded as usual and continued to converse and laugh with others for the rest of the afternoon.

Thus, early the next morning, the others left the Qin residence one by one, with Han Li being the last to depart. Before leaving, he specifically snuck a glance at Mo Fengwu. After all, they had known each other, and he had intended to say his goodbyes. However, when he saw Mo Fengwu through the window from the air outside the pavilion, Han Li changed his mind about meeting her before leaving. Mo Fengwu, dressed as a young married woman, was inside the building, accompanying an old woman of around fifty in chanting scriptures. Her face was full of peaceful serenity.

After silently watching for a while, Han Li ultimately did not disturb them. He turned and quietly left. For her, perhaps not meeting would be better! It would spare her from recalling painful memories. Perhaps this peaceful, tranquil life was what she truly desired, Han Li thought with a hint of sadness.

Han Li left Yuejing, making a slight detour to Jiayuan City. Regardless, since he had promised to help the Mo family get revenge, he had to at least check on the situation. Although there were no demonic cultivators causing trouble now, with the great war imminent, he estimated there wouldn't be any high-level cultivators guarding the city. As long as he quietly eliminated the Five-Color Sect Master, even if the Spirit Beast Mountain sect was enraged, the blame wouldn't fall upon him.

However, besides seeking trouble with the Five-Color Sect, he also wanted to see how Sun Ergou had managed the Four-Peace Gang. Presumably, with Qu Hun's assistance over the years, he should have achieved something. And the backup plan he had left back then still seemed rather useless now. With these intentions, Han Li sat on his Divine Wind Boat and flew directly towards Jiayuan City. Speaking of which, his last visit to Jiayuan City was over a decade ago, yet many events remained vivid and deeply imprinted in his memory.

Five days later, in front of "Fragrance Inn," a long-established restaurant in Jiayuan City, a young man in a green robe appeared. The man stood on the street in front of the building, squinting at the inn's signboard with a somewhat strange expression. It was Han Li, who had just entered the city. After standing there and reflecting for a moment, Han Li unhurriedly stepped inside.

Coincidentally, as soon as he went up to the second floor, he immediately spotted the window-side table where he had sat that day, now completely empty. Pleased, Han Li walked over without hesitation. No sooner had he sat down than a diligent waiter came up to wipe the table and ask Han Li what food and drink he would like to order. Han Li smiled slightly, casually ordered a few delicious small dishes, and dismissed the waiter. He hadn't come here just to satisfy his appetite.

Thinking this, Han Li's gaze turned towards the window. The large Mo family mansion from that day still stood, with several burly men guarding its entrance. However, the large plaque above the main gate no longer read "Mo Residence" but "Li Residence" in two large, gleaming golden characters. Han Li's brows subtly furrowed as he looked at the "Li Residence" plaque sparkling in the sunlight. As far as he knew, the Five-Color Sect Master's surname was Li. It seemed they had directly taken over the property. For some reason, as Han Li looked at the characters "Li Residence" on the plaque, he found them particularly an eyesore. The old Mo Residence plaque seemed far more pleasing to his eye.

As Han Li was thinking, the waiter deftly served the food and wine. Just then, laughter drifted up from downstairs, and several young men ascended the stairs. They were all dressed in brocade and fine silk, looking like pampered young masters, followed by several burly house guards. These young masters casually glanced around the upper floor. One of them, a scrawny individual who looked as if a gust of wind could blow him away, unceremoniously beckoned the waiter.

The waiter immediately scurried over, his face plastered with a fawning smile, and eagerly asked: “Young Master Xia, do you have any instructions for this old one?”

“Get your manager. Today, we're treating a distinguished guest to a meal, so tell anyone irrelevant on the third floor to leave quickly. We'll cover any losses,” said the small, skinny man, despite his very loud tone.

However, the waiter showed no sign of dissatisfaction. He nodded repeatedly, agreeing, and hurried off to inform the manager. A moment later, a middle-aged man of about forty came upstairs. Upon seeing the young men, he immediately agreed to their demands with a deferential smile, then took the waiter with him to the third floor to apologize to the patrons there. It was unclear whether the manager was simply shrewd and capable, or if these young masters truly held significant influence. Soon after, the guests dining on the third floor all paid their bills and left, with not a single person daring to show any resentment.

Seeing this, Han Li merely gave them a lazy glance, then returned his attention to the street outside the window. They were just young masters from the mortal world. Arrogant individuals who relied on their family's power were found everywhere in the secular world. Han Li had no interest in paying attention to them. At this point, the young men, led by Young Master Xia, nodded with satisfaction and then went downstairs, presumably to greet someone.

A short while later, footsteps once again echoed from downstairs. This time, Han Li was slightly startled and couldn't help but turn his head to look. Among the heavy footsteps, there was distinctly one person whose steps were light and ethereal, almost imperceptible. This was clearly the mark of a skilled martial artist whose qinggong (lightness skill) had reached a certain level. This piqued Han Li's curiosity.