Published: August 25, 2025
Chapter 292: Overwhelming Power
Han Li’s expression remained unchanged. His gaze toward the young girl showed no hint of anger, yet the chilling aura emanating from him was unmistakable to the elder.
Startled, the elder hadn’t even managed to pull the girl behind him when a terrifying aura burst forth from Han Li. The dreadful spiritual pressure contained within forced the girl, who was mere steps away, to retreat seven or eight paces without any strength to resist.
Fortunately, the elder’s reflexes were sharp. He swiftly moved behind the girl and slapped her shoulders with both hands, finally halting her continuous retreat.
At this moment, the young girl’s face was pale as paper. She finally truly understood the terrifying cultivation base of Han Li and anxiously looked toward her grandfather in panic.
The elder’s expression was equally grim!
If earlier he had even a slight confidence that the two of them working together could escape from Han Li’s grasp, that hope was now completely thrown aside after witnessing just a glimpse of Han Li’s power.
The terror of a foundation establishment stage cultivator far exceeded his imagination—it was absolutely beyond what they, as minor cultivators, could provoke.
Thinking about the little tricks he and his granddaughter had tried to play earlier in front of Han Li, the elder broke out in cold sweat!
This expert was definitely not like the cultivators he had met before, those who only knew to toil blindly in cultivation. His intelligence and reaction speed far surpassed ordinary people.
Could this man actually be an old monster who had lived for over a hundred years, only appearing young due to magic?
The more the elder thought about it, the more he believed such a possibility, and his fear deepened.
Sensing that the spiritual pressure from Han Li was growing stronger, the elder swallowed hard, trembling as he hurriedly pleaded:
“Please, honored sir, have mercy. My granddaughter is only young and naïve, unaware of the dangers around her. I beg you to spare her anger!”
This time, Han Li shot the elder a cold glance but seemed to see sincerity in his words. The overwhelming aura suddenly subsided, transforming into a calm and concealed presence.
The Xiao elder then cautiously withdrew his hands from the girl’s shoulders. The young girl had already become extremely obedient. She stole a glance at Han Li before quickly lowering her gaze again, clearly afraid to look at him directly.
Her fearless demeanor from earlier was completely gone.
Now, the girl’s small and delicate frame, combined with her extremely frightened and pale face, made her look like a startled little bird—truly evoking pity.
Han Li felt a flicker of interest upon seeing her. For the first time, he noticed the fragile beauty of a young girl, a beauty that truly stirred one’s soul. He couldn’t help but glance at her several more times.
After carefully observing the girl’s face, he realized that although she was young, about fourteen or fifteen years old, she was undoubtedly a rare beauty, likely to grow into a breathtakingly stunning woman who would captivate many.
Perhaps Han Li’s strange gaze made the elder’s heart sink.
“Could it be that this man, who brought me and my granddaughter here, has lascivious intentions and desires my granddaughter’s beauty? What should we do? His magical power is profound and unfathomable—we cannot resist,” the elder anxiously imagined.
“Since you two are unwilling to reveal your family, or perhaps you are rogue cultivators without a family, I won’t force you. My reason for coming is simply to make a trade. Once the trade is done, you two can leave.”
After a long silence, Han Li finally spoke.
“A trade?”
The elder was stunned, vaguely feeling he had misunderstood the situation.
“That’s right! I want something you have, and I want to exchange it with you.” Han Li said calmly.
Hearing this, the elder couldn’t help but look at the girl, thinking to himself:
“Could the thing he wants to trade for be my granddaughter?”