The Final Arrangements

1,283 words

"Time? A place name?" Xi Tieniu was stunned for a moment, seemingly having no recollection. But seeing Han Li's seriousness, he knew this was the key to whether he could perform a meritorious service. He lowered his head and racked his brains.

Half a quarter-hour later…

"I've got it!" Xi Tieniu suddenly looked up and shouted, his face full of joy.

"I remember that female immortal said that before attending the Immortal Ascension Assembly, she wanted the male immortal to accompany her to a place called 'Tainan Valley.' She said there were other immortals there too."

"Tainan Valley?" Han Li muttered the name twice, finding no trace of it in his memory. He had simply never heard of the place.

Han Li turned his gaze to Sun Ergou. If this place was local, this "local snake" should know something about it.

"There's no such place in Jiayuan City! If there really was a valley like that, I would remember it very clearly." Sun Ergou frowned and shook his head vigorously.

"You're not mistaken?" Han Li's gaze shifted back to Xi Tieniu, his tone turning cold and stern.

"Absolutely not! The woman also said that if they traveled for just half a day more, they would meet up with her friends at Tainan Valley." Xi Tieniu quickly swore to heaven.

"Half a day's travel! If a person were walking, it wouldn't be outside the vicinity of Jiayuan City. But these two were riding flying beasts, which greatly expands the range. Still, it shouldn't extend beyond the borders of Lan Province," Han Li calculated to himself.

"Do either of you know if there is a place called 'Tainan Valley' or simply 'Tainan' in all of Lan Province?" Han Li's expression softened slightly as he asked the two.

Sun Ergou and Xi Tieniu exchanged a glance and then shouted out almost simultaneously:

"Tainan Temple"

"Tainan Mountain"

"Two places called 'Tainan'?" Han Li was taken aback, feeling a bit of a headache.

"Young master! No, it's just the one!" Sun Ergou answered, taking the lead.

"Tainan Temple is built on Tainan Mountain," Xi Tieniu added, not wanting to be outdone.

"Oh! Excellent. Then Tainan Valley must be there," Han Li said with relief.

"But young master, we have never heard of a 'Tainan Valley' near Tainan Mountain. Could it be a mistake?" Sun Ergou warned, puzzled.

Han Li let out a "heh heh" laugh upon hearing this. "It's no mistake. That's the place!"

"You two are not cultivators, so naturally, you would not know of it. I suspect that's a place where some cultivators reside permanently," Han Li thought excitedly.

"Where exactly is this Tainan Mountain located?" After his initial excitement subsided, Han Li realized he still didn't know where the place was, so he asked casually.

"Young master, Tainan Mountain is at the southernmost part of Lan Province, forty li west of Guanggui City," Sun Ergou said respectfully.

"Southern Lan Province?" Han Li frowned. This was directly opposite to his target, the Poison Tyrant Fortress, which was to the north. It was a complete disconnect. It seemed he would have to make several trips.

"Sun Ergou, when we return, make Xi Tieniu the Vice Chief of the Siping Gang. I know you are not entirely happy about it, but since I made a promise to this man, I must keep my word," Han Li instructed Sun Ergou.

"I wouldn't dare. Whatever you say, I will do. I will not utter a single word of complaint!" Sun Ergou, startled, remembered the words Han Li had spoken to him at the beginning, and his face grew even paler.

"Relax. I know where your loyalty lies. This bottle contains the antidote pill. It can completely remove the poison from your body, putting your worries to rest. This is also something I promised you before. I treat everyone equally and have no intention of deceiving you." Han Li pulled out a bottle of pills and handed it to Sun Ergou.

Seeing this, Sun Ergou was overjoyed. The poison of the "Decayed Heart Pill" in his body had been causing him to be unable to eat or sleep well. Now that he could be completely rid of it, how could he not be excited?

"Thank you, young master! Thank you, young master! I will definitely serve you with unwavering loyalty!" Sun Ergou spoke with utmost sincerity as he accepted the bottle.

Han Li nodded indifferently.

The reason he had so readily given Sun Ergou the antidote was mainly that it was troublesome to have to give him a temporary antidote every month. Since he was about to leave Jiayuan City for a while, it was just easier to completely cure him. Of course, if the two of them showed any sign of betrayal in the future, Han Li would not hesitate to kill them both immediately and replace them with others.

Furthermore, since he had no immediate use for the Siping Gang, Han Li had decided to make it one of his escape routes among his "third burrow" contingency plans.

Han Li understood very well that there was no such thing as loyalty without reason, nor betrayal without cause. Using brute force to control someone was the most effective method but also the most inferior, as it could lead to backfire at any time. Therefore, to ensure long-term loyalty, it was best to use a combination of kindness and authority.

By giving Sun Ergou the antidote, he could significantly increase his loyalty for a long time. At the same time, it would establish an image of a man of his word who rewards merit and punishes mistakes in front of both Sun Ergou and Xi Tieniu. This was beneficial for Han Li's long-term control over the two.

These were Han Li's silent considerations.

After watching Sun Ergou swallow the antidote, Han Li suddenly said something that left both of them pleasantly surprised.

"I will leave Qu Hun here with you for the foreseeable future. But you are absolutely forbidden from using him to stir up trouble. Remember, while Qu Hun is very powerful, there are even more extraordinary people and beings in this world. Using him recklessly might actually bring a deadly calamity upon you. Do you understand?" Han Li said in a grave voice.

"Yes, young master, this one understands. I will definitely take good care of Lord Qu Hun. Please rest assured, young master." Sun Ergou nodded his head like a pecking chicken.

"Had I no further need of Qu Hun for close protection, and had he not been so conspicuous, making him inconvenient to accompany me on my journey, why would I have entrusted him to this man?" Han Li sighed, shaking his head imperceptibly, a touch of reluctance in his heart.

"You two should take care of yourselves. You may leave now. There is no need to come see me for the time being. I am going on a journey and don't know when I will return." Han Li gently waved his hand, dismissing the two.

Upon hearing this, Sun Ergou and Xi Tieniu bowed respectfully and backed out of the room, leaving only Han Li behind, lost in thought.

"I wonder what kind of cultivators I will find in this Tainan Valley? If I just show up, would it be unwise? Would I encounter any danger?" Han Li mused, his mind wandering to a distant, single-minded state, entering a realm of absolute absorption…

Time flew like a shuttle. In the blink of an eye, two months had passed. At this time, in Jiayuan City, Han Li was nowhere to be found. For a very, very long time to come, his figure would never appear there again…

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Reading Guide Decoding

Logistics, Loyalty, and the Trail to Tainan Valley

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

Reward and Control (恩威并施, ēn wēi bìng shī): This chapter is a textbook example of this classic Chinese philosophy of leadership—"combining kindness with authority." The text explicitly explains Han Li's reasoning: to rely purely on fear of poison is the "lowest method" of control, prone to rebellion. By granting a final antidote, Han Li builds an image of a dependable and just leader who rewards loyalty. This isn't mercy; it's a more sophisticated strategy for ensuring long-term obedience, a core skill for any cultivator navigating a world of zero-sum alliances.
The Three Burrows Strategy (狡兔三窟, jiǎo tù sān kū): Han Li consciously thinks of the Siping Gang as one of his "third burrow" escape routes. This is a direct reference to an ancient Chinese idiom meaning "a cunning rabbit has three burrows." It describes the wisdom of always having multiple fallback plans and safe havens. For a survivalist like Han Li, this isn't paranoia; it's a fundamental principle of risk management. The mortal gang is just one of many potential hiding spots and resource caches he will build over his long journey.
Tainan Valley (太南谷): The "Tai" (太, Tài) in "Tainan" evokes a sense of the "Great" or "Supreme," a very common prefix in Daoist and cultivation terms (e.g., Taiji, Taiyi). This suggests the valley is no ordinary mortal landmark but a place imbued with a name of weight and significance, hinting at its function as a haven for cultivators and a potential gateway to the wider world of immortals.

Three Burrows (狡兔三窟)

An ancient Chinese idiom meaning 'a cunning rabbit has three burrows.' It stands for the strategic wisdom of always having multiple escape plans and safe havens.

Chapter Overview

After the brutal chaos of the previous chapters, Han Li finally takes a breath—but not a moment of rest. This chapter is a masterclass in strategic cleanup and forward planning. Han Li ties up loose ends with the cold efficiency of a man balancing a ledger. He extracts critical intel from his informants about the mystical Tainan Valley, rewards and re-binds his mortal underlings with calculated generosity, and makes a difficult logistical decision: to leave his powerful, but conspicuous, pawn Qu Hun behind. The chapter ends with a two-month time skip, marking Han Li's permanent departure from Jiayuan City. It's a quiet, administrative interlude where the protagonist calculates his next move, proving that in the Mortal Stream, survival is as much about careful logistics and social engineering as it is about direct combat.

Key Plot Points

Tainan Valley Intel Acquired: Through persistent questioning of Xi Tieniu and Sun Ergou, Han Li cross-references a vague recollection of a "Tainan Valley." After a moment of confusion between "Tainan Temple" and "Tainan Mountain," he deduces the location is a secluded valley on the mountain, likely a gathering spot for cultivators—his next target.
Rewards and Social Engineering: Han Li fulfills his promise to Xi Tieniu, ordering Sun Ergou to make him the Siping Gang's Vice Chief. He also grants Sun Ergou the final antidote to the Decayed Heart Pill. This act of generosity is framed not as kindness, but as a calculated move. It frees Han Li from the hassle of monthly antidote deliveries while fostering genuine loyalty and building an image of a trustworthy, just leader.
Strategic Asset Reallocation: The chapter highlights the logistical burden of a powerful tool. Han Li decides to leave the giant, soulless enforcer Qu Hun in Sun Ergou's care. He acknowledges the giant bodyguard is too conspicuous for his upcoming covert mission. This decision is a clear cost-benefit analysis, showing that even the most powerful assets become liabilities if they don't fit the tactical profile of a mission.
Permanent Departure: The narrative executes a two-month time skip, flatly stating that Han Li leaves Jiayuan City and is not seen there again for a very long time. This closes a major chapter in his mortal life, emphasizing his transition from a rogue cultivator operating within the Jianghu to someone stepping fully into the wider, more dangerous cultivation world.

Reading Guide

Get out your logistics notepad, fellow Daoists, because this chapter is all about the boring stuff that actually keeps a protagonist alive. This is the "paperwork" of the Mortal Stream, and it's just as tense as a sword fight. Watch how Han Li handles his resources. He doesn't just kill and loot; he manages. He turns a grateful mortal into a source of crucial intel. He converts a debt (a promise to Xi Tieniu) into a strategic asset (stronger, more loyal leadership in the gang). He even offloads his walking weapon of mass destruction, Qu Hun, because he's too much of a liability for a stealth mission.

The core lesson here is that power in this world isn't just about having the biggest punch. It's about intelligence, logistics, and psychological control. Han Li is reorganizing his assets for his next major phase. The quiet resignation of leaving Qu Hun behind and the two-month time skip mark the end of an era in Jiayuan City. Han Li is cutting ties with his mortal foundation and stepping into the unknown of the cultivator world. The hunt for the "Immortal Ascension Assembly" at Tainan Valley begins now.