Published: August 25, 2025
Chapter 251: Destruction
Han Li saw Mo Caihuan looking like this and knew that now was not the time to ask about the details, so he didn’t bring it up again. With that, Mo Caihuan led him to a small shop on the next street and stopped in front of it.
“Here?” Han Li was a bit surprised and looked at Mo Caihuan with a questioning gaze.
“Yes, this is the place! Mom and I started a small business just to earn some spirit stones to buy some pills for her to suppress her injuries,” Mo Caihuan said, her face turning red with a hint of embarrassment. Then she took the lead and went inside.
Han Li smiled at this and said nothing, following her in.
“Mom, look who I brought!”
As soon as Han Li stepped into the shop, he heard Mo Caihuan’s excited voice like she was showing off a treasure! Then came another voice, familiar yet a bit hoarse, belonging to an older woman.
“Who else could it be? Since Uncle Zhu died, only Aunt Xianglian from next door comes to see us!”
That voice was unmistakably Madam Yan’s, though much hoarser than before!
“It’s not that, it’s senior brother! I met senior brother inside the fortress!” Mo Caihuan shouted excitedly.
“Senior brother? Didn’t your senior brothers all pass away long ago? Child, are you confused?” Madam Yan’s tone clearly showed concern.
At this point, Han Li had already taken in the scene inside the shop.
It was a small house about six or seven zhangs in size, with several wooden counters neatly lined with dozens of low-grade talismans and some worthless materials. A wooden door led to the inner room. Behind the counter lay a woman reclining in a bamboo grand armchair, looking worriedly at Mo Caihuan in front of her.
It was Madam Yan, whom Han Li hadn’t seen for nearly ten years!
But now she looked much older and sickly; only her eyes and brows still bore the shadow of the beautiful woman she once was.
Han Li’s arrival naturally drew Madam Yan’s attention. But when she recognized him, she first froze, then tried to stand up. Obviously, her illness prevented her from doing so fully; she could only half rise before falling back down. Seeing this, Mo Caihuan hurriedly reached out to support her.
“Are you Han Li?” Madam Yan gasped for breath, shocked like Mo Caihuan but with a faint glimmer of hopeful joy beneath her surprise.
Han Li naturally sensed what was on her mind but, after a moment’s hesitation, took a few steps forward and bowed slightly.
“Fourth Senior Mother, greetings!”
“You… you still acknowledge me as your senior mother? You don’t hold a grudge over the past?” Madam Yan’s face lit up with joy but also disbelief when she heard Han Li address her as “Fourth Senior Mother.”
“As for what happened back then, who was right or wrong between Master Mo and me can be set aside for now. But the master-disciple tie between Master Mo and me is genuine, so I should still call you Senior Mother,” Han Li said calmly.
“As for the antidote issue later on, no need to mention that! I am standing here fine, aren’t I?” Han Li said carelessly. Indeed, with his current foundation establishment stage cultivator status, there was no need to hold grudges against a few mortals. The entanglements with Madam Yan and the other senior mothers were no longer worthy of his attention.
“Yes, with your wisdom, I suppose you have done well in the immortal cultivation world! Unlike me and the other senior mothers, who have become like dogs without a home… cough…” Madam Yan sighed, then suddenly her face flushed red and she started coughing violently.
“Mom, are you alright? Senior Brother...” Mo Caihuan panicked, gently patting Madam Yan’s chest and looking at Han Li with pleading eyes.
“Let me take a look,” Han Li said, unable to resist Mo Caihuan’s imploring gaze. He sighed softly, then reached out and felt Madam Yan’s wrist pulse. Moments later, he relaxed and let go, saying:
“It’s nothing serious, just old injuries flaring up, plus she hasn’t rested well these past few years and has overworked herself.”