Published: August 27, 2025
Chapter 368: Manor
While Han Li was paying attention to the number of mortals, he also vaguely sensed the presence of numerous cultivators around the port. It seemed these people were specifically responsible for maintaining order at the port.
As Han Li thought this, he followed Owner Gu and the others to a stone house by the port, carrying Quhun with him.
The interior was very simple. Besides a wooden table and a chair, there was only an old man with a yellowish complexion sitting there with his eyes closed, resting.
Upon hearing Han Li and the others enter, the immortal master opened his eyes.
A cold gleam shot out from his eyes, and Han Li's heart tightened. This man was actually a foundation establishment stage cultivator, and he didn’t seem to be at full strength as if his magical power was not fully present.
The yellow-faced old man ignored Owner Gu and Wang Changqing, but briefly scanned Han Li and Quhun. Upon discovering that Han Li’s cultivation base was only at several layers of the qi refining stage, he resumed his lazy expression. However, Han Li noticed that this person seemed to glance at Quhun a little longer.
“What business do you have? Speak quickly if you have something to say. Don’t disturb my rest,” the old man said weakly, a trace of impatience showing on his face.
Thanks to his photographic memory, Han Li had already learned most of the local language from Wang Changqing. Although he couldn’t speak fluently yet, he could barely understand others.
Since he had no experience dealing with cultivators here, he didn’t speak out of turn. Instead, he smiled and watched as Owner Gu and the others negotiated with the cultivator.
Owner Gu respectfully called out, “Immortal Master Yang,” then leaned closer to the yellow-faced cultivator, whispering a few words. He then turned and pointed at Han Li, seemingly explaining his background, before handing several spirit stones to the old man.
After feeling the spirit stones in his hand, Immortal Master Yang’s expression softened considerably. He then retrieved a green jade token from his body and bluntly asked Han Li:
“What’s your name?”
“Han Li!” Han Li answered fluently. He didn’t care what language the old man used to explain it.
Yang Immortal Master’s hand flashed with green light, completely enveloping the jade token. Moments later, the light faded, and strange symbols unfamiliar to Han Li appeared on the token.
The yellow-faced old man raised his hand and tossed the jade token toward Han Li.
“Keep this token safe. If you lose it, come to me to get a replacement promptly; otherwise, you will be punished as someone who trespasses Kui Xing Island. Of course, if you settle here permanently, this jade token will be taken back. As for the refined corpse behind you, it’s no longer needed,” the old cultivator said with an ancient air, then paid no further attention to the three and closed his eyes to rest again.
Owner Gu, naturally understanding the situation, immediately backed out.
However, Han Li noticed that the old man seemed somewhat concerned about Quhun’s true identity, having looked at it more closely. After a brief glance, Han Li silently followed outside.
Shortly after Han Li left, Immortal Master Yang reopened his eyes and murmured in confusion:
“This refined corpse is strange. It’s obviously a dead body, yet it emits spiritual energy! Could it be a new method of refining corpses?”
Then the yellow-faced old man fell into deep contemplation.
Outside, after leaving the port, Owner Gu hired a beast-drawn carriage pulled by two creatures resembling a mix between sheep and cattle to rush along a main road into the island’s interior, carrying Han Li.
Along this road, such vehicles were extremely common, bustling with activity.
However, after passing several neat and lively small towns, the number of such carriages decreased significantly. Later, they turned onto some narrow paths where passersby and vehicles became very sparse.
After rushing for half a day, the carriage finally arrived at a farmstead covering more than ten acres. In front of the manor, many strange crops that Han Li had never seen grew.