Chapter 449: Yuan Yao

A Mortal's Journey to Immortality

"I really didn't expect that in just over a century of not seeing each other, Miss Yuan has already entered the Core Formation stage. This is truly cause for celebration!" Just as the black-robed woman was fuming under his gaze, Han Li's smile faded, and he said seriously.

"Miss Yuan? What Miss Yuan? You've got the wrong person. My surname is Ruan," the black-robed woman blurted out, her embarrassment instantly vanishing the moment Han Li called her "Miss Yuan." Instead, she looked flustered and vehemently denied it.

This situation greatly surprised Han Li. He couldn't help but gaze at her beautiful, flickering eyes.

At this moment, the beautiful woman's face was a little pale, and one hand rested on the storage bag at her side. Her eyes were wide open, clearly showing hostility.

The atmosphere suddenly grew tense!

All of this stemmed from Han Li's simple address of "Miss Yuan" just now.

Han Li still smiled, but he was genuinely puzzled.

As for Fairy Zi Ling, the current situation was even more unexpected for her.

Without hesitation, she naturally moved half a step closer to Han Li, clearly showing her stance.

Regardless of strength or their level of familiarity, Han Li's side was her obvious choice.

"It seems there might be a misunderstanding here! Fellow Daoist Yuan likely doesn't remember me," Han Li said slowly, his expression unchanged. "After all, our encounter was merely a fleeting one, many years ago."

Upon hearing this, the black-robed woman's expression softened slightly, but her beautiful eyes still held vigilance, mixed with a hint of confusion.

The atmosphere eased considerably!

However, after staring intently at Han Li for a moment, the black-robed woman said, full of suspicion:

"You still look very unfamiliar to me. I truly can't recall where I've met Fellow Daoist. Are you perhaps trying to deceive me?" As she finished speaking, a cold glint flickered in her eyes, subtly revealing a hint of hostility again.

Han Li was somewhat exasperated.

"Miss Yuan, over a century ago, did you visit Tian Du Street Market on Kui Xing Island?" He stopped beating around the bush and asked directly.

"Tian Du Street on Kui Xing Island? Indeed, I've been there a few times," the black-robed woman paused, then nodded slightly after a brief thought. "Could it be that you saw me there?" Her gaze then spun around Han Li's face, revealing a thoughtful expression.

At this moment, she seemed to recall something.

"Precisely. At that time, you were with another Fellow Daoist Yan. We happened to meet outside the market, my Uncle-Master Qu and I." As Han Li mentioned Qu Hun, he subtly glanced at Fairy Zi Ling. This woman knew that Qu Hun was his clone.

As expected, when Fairy Zi Ling heard Han Li refer to Qu Hun as his Uncle-Master, a knowing smile appeared on her face. Although she didn't know the exact circumstances then, she could guess that Han Li must have played a trick, like a double act. She couldn't help but find it amusing!

However, she certainly wouldn't mention this without reason.

Speaking of Qu Hun, Fairy Zi Ling had long wondered why Han Li hadn't kept this clone with him; it was a significant asset!

"Now that Fellow Daoist mentions it, I do feel like I've seen you before. Could you be the other person who stood at the entrance of Tian Du Street with senior Qu, who was at the Core Formation stage?" The black-robed woman blinked her beautiful eyes a few times, then suddenly said with a realization.

An expression of disbelief then appeared on her face.

Han Li gave a wry smile!

"Miss Yuan finally remembers! It seems the impression I left on Fellow Daoist back then was quite ordinary!" Han Li chuckled.

Upon hearing Han Li say this, a blush crept onto the black-robed woman's face. But having realized Han Li wasn't the person she had initially suspected, she completely relaxed and said somewhat awkwardly:

"Please don't take offense, Fellow Daoist Han! It's just that back then, Fellow Daoist was truly..." She hesitated, finding it difficult to continue.

But Han Li laughed heartily and interjected:

"Was it perhaps that my cultivation and appearance were too ordinary to catch the eyes of two young ladies?" Han Li said this with a natural expression, showing no sign of displeasure.

"I've made a fool of myself, Fellow Daoist Han!" Seeing Han Li's demeanor, the black-robed woman felt relieved.

After all, Han Li now possessed formidable powers, and she was somewhat afraid he might still hold a grudge about that day.

With her magic treasure's vitality greatly diminished, she was even less willing to easily offend Han Li.

With that thought, she smiled sweetly and added:

"I, too, must congratulate Fellow Daoist! It's been over a century, and haven't you also cultivated from the Qi Condensation stage to the Core Formation stage? Your magical power is incredibly profound. You even eliminated a Ghost King-level fiend!"

Upon hearing her somewhat conciliatory words, Han Li shook his head inwardly.

What Qi Condensation to Core Formation? He had already been at the Foundation Establishment stage back then. If not for the "Three Reincarnation Resurgence Art," it would have been utterly impossible for him to reach the Core Formation stage.

This woman, however, had truly progressed from the Qi Condensation stage to her current realm.

When he recognized the black-robed woman at a glance, he was truly quite surprised!

Unless this woman's aptitude far surpassed ordinary people, she must have had some extraordinary fortuitous encounter in the past century! Otherwise, it would be absolutely impossible for a regular cultivator to advance so quickly. Han Li couldn't help but speculate.

Although he had scrutinized her carefully just now, as a fellow early Core Formation cultivator, he couldn't discern her spiritual root situation; the spiritual energy within her body blocked his spirit eyes from peering through.

Han Li smiled faintly. Just as he was about to say something more, Fairy Zi Ling, who was standing beside him, frowned delicately.

Han Li, choosing not to dwell on the woman's previous strange reaction, looked at the surrounding ghostly mist and calmly said to the two women: "Fellow Daoists, let's get going. This isn't a place to linger. It would be troublesome if any powerful specters appeared."

Han Li offered a wry smile, and the black-robed woman, Yuan Yao, had even less objection.

Immediately, the three of them identified a direction, parted the ghostly mist, and left the area. Nearby, there were not only patches of nameless exotic flowers and strange herbs, but also seven or eight exquisitely carved jade pavilions. Inside, sparsely spread out, were twenty to thirty cultivators, some standing, some seated.

Most of these cultivators were either pale-faced or blood-stained, seemingly having arrived here after a fierce battle. Yet, at the same time, their faces showed undisguised excitement. Some cultivators even huddled together, whispering softly.

Grandmaster Ji, Wan Tianming, and other Nascent Soul stage cultivators were also present, resting with their eyes closed in two separate jade pavilions.

As for the two white-robed elders from Star Palace, whether intentionally or not, they sat cross-legged with expressionless faces in an open space between the two groups, silent as stone statues.

Beyond a hundred zhang surrounding the garden, a rolling, pitch-black ghostly mist enveloped the entire area so densely that not even water could pass through, making it feel as if one were in two different worlds.

Suddenly, the ghostly mist in one spot automatically parted, and a male cultivator unhurriedly walked out from within.

This male cultivator was young, with a refined appearance, and wore a green robe.

Most surprisingly, there was nothing unusual about him from head to toe, and his demeanor was utterly calm, as if he had arrived there without experiencing any struggle whatsoever.

This strange sight immediately astonished the nearby cultivators, and their gazes at him held a complex meaning.

At this moment, Grandmaster Ji's closed eyes suddenly opened, but after glancing at the male cultivator, a flicker of disappointment crossed his face before he closed his eyes again.

He seemed to pay no attention to this male cultivator!

However, the male cultivator, upon seeing Grandmaster Ji, involuntarily showed a hint of resentment on his face, but quickly regained his normal expression and strode in.

He didn't enter a pavilion or sit with the others but instead found a secluded corner to stand with his hands clasped behind his back, simultaneously surveying the other cultivators with a cold gaze.

Not seeing Han Li's figure, the man's refined face showed a slight furrow of his brows, but he immediately became expressionless again.

But at this very moment, unbeknownst to others, a deep male voice suddenly echoed in the young cultivator's mind.

"What, your helper isn't here? Could it be that he was swallowed by other fierce specters? Hehe! It seems the person you found isn't very capable, after all?" the voice said lazily.

"Shut up! Don't just speak casually inside my body. There are a lot of Nascent Soul cultivators here, you know. What if one or two of them have extremely strong divine sense? If you utter a sound, you might be detected!" The young cultivator grew secretly annoyed and reprimanded sharply with his divine sense.