Chapter 19: The Nascent Soul Grandnephew

"The Flood Dragon Pearl can help Core Formation cultivators break through cultivation bottlenecks; it is indeed not ordinary. However, I have no need for it. Seventh Miss need not trouble herself." Han Li shook his head and said.

"Brother Liu, if you have other requests, you may also raise them freely. As long as they are within my means, I will surely fulfill them." Upon hearing this, the Seventh Miss's jade-like countenance changed, but she bit her pearl teeth and still refused to give up.

"To be honest, I do owe you a debt of gratitude for helping me regain my clarity. But just now I stopped you from harming yourself and also helped you kill two Core Formation cultivators from the Heavenly Ghost Sect. By any reckoning, that has already repaid this bond of friendship. In ordinary times, it might be fine, but now that I have just awakened and have my own troubles to resolve, I fear I cannot escort you to the Cold Flame Sect." Han Li said indifferently.

Upon hearing this, the Seventh Miss's jade-like countenance turned pale, but she still held onto a last shred of hope, casting a pleading gaze toward Liu Le'er beside her.

The young girl looked at her with some reluctance, hesitated for a moment, then tugged at Han Li's sleeve and opened her mouth as if to speak.

Han Li naturally understood her thoughts. He first reached out and ruffled her hair, then casually glanced in a certain direction outside the courtyard before saying calmly, "Rest assured, even if I do not lend a hand, someone else will."

The Seventh Miss was momentarily stunned, clearly not understanding the meaning of Han Li's words.

At that moment, the sound of objects piercing the air came from afar.

Startled, the Yu family members, including the Seventh Miss, all looked toward the sound. Even the White Stone Daoist and the black-robed young woman and several other cultivators immediately took out their magical instruments again.

Then, before the eyes of the crowd, one after another, black objects streaked across the sky and were thrown in from outside, landing on the ground with a "plop, plop" and rolling a few times. They were none other than bloody human heads.

They were vaguely recognizable as the black-clad men who had fled earlier, each with twisted features and faces full of terror.

Everyone was startled, and Liu Le'er nervously tightened her grip on Han Li's sleeve.

But Han Li's face remained as calm as water from start to finish. He turned his head to look at a certain void.

There, a white light flashed, and a white figure suddenly appeared. Then, with clothes rustling, it drifted down and landed in the courtyard.

This was a tall, white-robed beautiful woman, appearing to be in her thirties, with lingering charm. She held a sheathed pitch-black longsword in her hand, and her entire body exuded a fierce aura rarely seen in women.

"Master!" The Seventh Miss recognized the newcomer, cried out in surprise, and flew over to embrace her.

"Menghan, you are unharmed. That sets your master's mind at ease." The beautiful woman took the Seventh Miss's hand, gently stroked her hair at the temples, her expression softening, and a hint of affection appeared in her eyes.

Upon hearing their conversation, the Yu family members realized she was not an enemy and collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

While the White Stone True Man and the black-robed young woman relaxed, their gazes simultaneously fell upon the cuff of the white-robed beautiful woman.

There, a small flame pattern was embroidered, identical to the pattern on the token the Seventh Miss had taken out earlier.

The group immediately showed expressions of respect.

Liu Le'er seemed somewhat afraid of the middle-aged beautiful woman, shrinking behind Han Li and tightly gripping his sleeve.

"With me here, no need to worry." Han Li, knowing what the young girl was concerned about, said warmly.

Liu Le'er felt reassured and nodded.

"Master, how did you come?" Yu Menghan held back tears and asked.

"I heard in the sect that the Heavenly Ghost Sect might attack the Yu residence, so I rushed over immediately. However, I was delayed on the way by the Heavenly Ghost Sect's obstruction. I arrived a bit late, but fortunately not too late." The middle-aged beautiful woman said affectionately.

"This is all thanks to the protective efforts of the residence's retainers and the assistance of Brother Liu here. Everyone, this is my master. Master, these four are the residence's retainers. And this is Mr. Liu Shi, who killed two Core Formation cultivators from the Heavenly Ghost Sect and saved the entire household." Yu Menghan smiled, pulled the middle-aged beautiful woman over to Han Li and the others, introduced them, and emphasized Han Li's introduction.

The White Stone Daoist and the others dared not be negligent and quickly bowed respectfully.

"Seventh Miss, my real name is Han Li; Liu Shi was merely an alias." Han Li stood still, not moving an inch, and smiled slightly at Yu Menghan.

"Oh, I see. So it's Brother Han." Yu Menghan was momentarily startled, then smiled.

"I am Gu Yunyue of the Cold Flame Sect. I thank Fellow Daoist Han for saving my disciple's family. May I ask which sect you come from?" The middle-aged beautiful woman's expression was indifferent, her gaze sharp as a sword's edge.

White Stone and the others felt as if their skin were pricked by needles, their awe deepening, and they dared not even breathe heavily.

The beautiful woman's gaze swept over White Stone, Liu Le'er, and the others only briefly, then lingered on Han Li. Her indifferent expression slowly faded, replaced by solemnity.

Han Li's aura was faint, and even with her divine sense, she could not see through him. This made her inwardly alert.

"Han has no sect; I am merely a rogue cultivator. As for taking action just now, it was simply a reciprocal gesture because the Seventh Miss had previously shown me kindness." Han Li's expression was calm.

With his powerful divine sense, he could see through her at a glance—she was a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator.

"So Fellow Daoist Han is a rogue cultivator..." The beautiful woman seemed somewhat surprised. After all, being able to kill two Core Formation cultivators in one go meant his cultivation was certainly not low, yet rogue cultivators rarely reached the Nascent Soul stage or above.

"Menghan, now that Feng Country is under the influence of the Heavenly Ghost Sect, it is not safe to stay here. We must leave immediately." Gu Yunyue, seeing that Han Li was unwilling to say more, nodded to him and then instructed Yu Menghan.

The Yu family members had long wanted to leave this place; upon hearing this, they all showed joyful expressions.

"Master, wait. There is something I need to tell you." Yu Menghan suddenly spoke, pulling Gu Yunyue over to the corpse of the evil-qi youth.

"Eh! Qi Minghao! How did he end up here!" The beautiful woman exclaimed softly, her face changing color instantly.

"Master, do you recognize this person? Is his granduncle really an elder of the Heavenly Ghost Sect?" Seeing Gu Yunyue's reaction, Yu Menghan's heart tightened, and she asked softly.

"Indeed. His granduncle Qi Xuan is an elder of the Heavenly Ghost Sect, with a cultivation level reaching the Nascent Soul stage. This man is extremely protective of his kin. If he learns that his grandnephew has been killed, he will not let the matter rest easily." Gu Yunyue said slowly.

"Nascent Soul stage!" Yu Menghan's face turned pale, and she drew in a sharp breath.

White Stone True Man and the others showed expressions of utter terror.

A great cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage—that was an existence far beyond the Nascent Soul stage, capable of crushing them with a single finger.

"Who killed Qi Minghao?" Gu Yunyue asked, her gaze already turning toward Han Li.

At this moment, Han Li had leisurely walked over to the corpse of the gray-robed man not far away, casually picked up a storage pouch, and was idly inspecting its contents.

"It was indeed Brother Han who killed this person." Yu Menghan nodded.

Upon hearing this, the beautiful woman's expression changed several times.

"Master, will Qi Xuan be enraged by his grandnephew's death and take action personally?" Yu Menghan asked anxiously.

"Qi Xuan holds a high position in the Heavenly Ghost Sect and has many descendants. He should not leave the sect easily for a mere grandnephew. At most, he will send his disciples to investigate the matter." Gu Yunyue pondered for a moment, then shook her head.

Yu Menghan's expression relaxed upon hearing this.

"Even so, we must not be careless. Menghan, you must set out with me immediately, and we must return to the Cold Flame Sect before the people Qi Xuan sends arrive." Gu Yunyue then said gravely.

Yu Menghan's expression changed slightly. The beautiful woman's words seemed to imply she only intended to take her alone. She quickly said, "Master, can my family members also come to the Cold Flame Sect?"

Upon hearing this, the Yu family members all looked at Gu Yunyue.

White Stone and the other retainers also harbored hope in their hearts, looking expectantly at Gu Yunyue.

If they could take this opportunity to join the Cold Flame Sect, even as outer disciples, it would be far better than being rogue cultivators, especially now that they had offended the Heavenly Ghost Sect.