The Half-Year Pact

1,160 words

Chapter 282: The Half-Year Pact

As the person directly involved, Xin Ruyin had initially been equally excited!

After all, this concerned the stubborn ailment that had plagued her for years. However, after a few moments of flickering expressions, she bit her red lip and spoke hesitantly:

“Senior, just tell me what you need my help with! As long as it doesn’t violate my heart or conscience, I will certainly agree!”

As she spoke, her bright, clear eyes looked straight at Han Li, afraid he might propose a condition she could never accept.

Seeing the woman’s cautious demeanor, Han Li couldn’t help but smile knowingly.

It reminded him of his own early days on the path of cultivation—the same wariness, the same fear of taking a wrong step and losing his life.

“Fellow Daoist Xin, there’s no need to be so tense. I merely wish for you to restore something related to formations. As long as you can return it to its proper state, I will hand over the spirit herb immediately!” Han Li said calmly, meeting her gaze with an air of open honesty.

Xin Ruyin was half-convinced.

Still, she breathed a sigh of relief and let a radiant smile bloom on her delicate face.

“If it’s truly just restoring an item, then of course there’s no problem! Ruyin will do her utmost to repair it. Senior, please rest assured!”

Her expression, which had been cool and detached until now, suddenly brightened with a stunning smile. Even Han Li was momentarily captivated by her beauty, his mind briefly wandering. As for Qi Yunxiao, who had been pining after this woman for years, he had long since fallen into a daze again, completely unable to extricate himself.

Xin Ruyin noticed the flicker of surprise in Han Li’s eyes, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks once more, adding an extra touch of charm to her beauty.

Realizing he had lost his composure, Han Li quickly gathered his thoughts and continued.

“To be honest, although I know Fellow Daoist Xin is well-versed in formations, I’m not entirely sure you can repair this item. The original object cannot be moved and is quite far from here, so I’ve copied it into a diagram. I hope you might be able to discern some clues from the blueprint and restore it!”

With that, Han Li took out a jade slip from his storage pouch and handed it to her. Xin Ruyin accepted it and immediately probed it with her divine sense out of curiosity.

The contents inside startled her so much that she cried out in surprise:

“An ancient teleportation array?”

Hearing her exclamation, Han Li’s last shred of worry vanished into thin air!

It was indeed an ancient teleportation array. Now, all that remained was to see if she could repair it.

As he thought this, he carefully watched Xin Ruyin’s expression, afraid he might see a look of difficulty on her face.

Qi Yunxiao, upon hearing the words “ancient teleportation array,” was equally stunned, a look of utter astonishment in his eyes.

After a full incense stick’s worth of time, Xin Ruyin let out a long breath, finally withdrawing her divine sense from the jade slip.

She lowered her head in contemplation for a moment before raising it to look at Han Li seriously.

“This is indeed a genuine ancient teleportation array. Ordinarily, with my level of skill, I would be unable to repair a completely destroyed one. However, only a small corner of this array is damaged. And as it happens, that particular portion of the formation is one of the few ancient methods I have studied. So, as things stand, there is still great hope of restoring this ancient teleportation array.”

By the end of her statement, a look of relief had appeared on Xin Ruyin’s face.

Hearing this, Han Li was naturally overjoyed. However, her next words dampened his spirits considerably.

“But this kind of ancient formation isn’t commonly used, so my research into it isn’t very deep. Therefore, Senior, you must give me some time before I can fully restore the diagram of the ancient teleportation array in the jade slip!” Xin Ruyin added, a hint of embarrassment showing on her face.

“Of course, that’s no problem. But could you give me an estimate of how long it will take? I’ll return then,” Han Li said after a moment of thought, agreeing readily.

“Half a year should be enough. After all, I did spend some time studying it before!” Xin Ruyin replied without hesitation, clearly having already assessed the timeline herself.

“Very well. I will return in half a year to collect the restored diagram. I hope you won’t disappoint me, Miss Xin!” Han Li said with a nod and a slight smile.

And so, Han Li formally entrusted the task of repairing the ancient teleportation array diagram to Xin Ruyin, the female formation master. After spending another afternoon chatting with Qi Yunxiao and her, he took his leave.

Before leaving, Han Li warned the two of them to be more careful. He suggested they change their residence if possible. After all, someone would surely come to investigate the deaths of the cultivators they had killed, and living nearby made them too easy to find.

When Han Li said this, Qi Yunxiao and Xin Ruyin exchanged a glance, both showing looks of reluctance. In the end, they remained noncommittal to Han Li’s suggestion to move away.

Although Han Li found it a bit strange and was somewhat worried, he didn’t feel it was his place to press the matter further. So, he mounted his magical artifact and flew away, heading back towards the Yue Kingdom.

…

The capital of the Yue Kingdom was the renowned Yuejing!

It was not only the largest city in Yue but also conveniently located at the nation’s very center, with roads branching out in all directions, making it the economic and cultural hub of the entire kingdom.

Within such an urban area, land was naturally worth its weight in gold. Not only were the prices of houses several times higher than in ordinary cities, but even if someone was willing to pay an even higher price, no one was willing to sell!

After all, living in Yuejing was a status symbol in itself.

The entire city of Yuejing was artificially divided into four districts: East, West, South, and North.

The North District was the site of the Imperial Palace, naturally not open to anyone outside the royal family. Correspondingly, the South District was the residence of officials and nobles, all of whom had to hold some official position to be qualified to live there. If a family no longer had a member serving in the court, they would have to move out of the district as well!

(Feeling terribly drowsy. I managed to write 2000 words. Bear with it for now. I’ll make up for the missing 1000 words tomorrow.)

(End of chapter)

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Reading Guide Decoding

A Delicate Debt: Han Li's Social Tribulation and the Ancient Array

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

The Social Tribulation (社会试炼): This chapter is a masterclass in a core Mortal Stream conflict type: the social tribulation. Unlike a sword battle where you can see the enemy, this is a conversational duel where a wrong word can waste half a year or convert an ally into an enemy. Han Li performs a flawless operation—he calibrates his offer (a priceless herb), frames his demand as a technical puzzle, and uses humility to disarm suspicion. Xin Ruyin, for her part, runs her own risk assessment, checking her conscience threshold before accepting. Both understand that a favor in this world is a debt that can compound dangerously. The half-year timeline is not a schedule but a trap door; if she fails, both sides lose face and leverage.

Ancient Teleportation Arrays: In xianxia cosmology, teleportation is rare and expensive. "Ancient" arrays are usually remnants of a fallen, more advanced civilization, and their repair knowledge is often a lost art. That Xin Ruyin has studied even a fragment of one is a testament to her obsessive specialization. This isn't just a plot device; it signals that Han Li has found a genuine master of niche, high-value knowledge.

Social Tribulation

A type of conflict in the Mortal Stream where the protagonist must navigate complex human relationships and political hierarchies with the same cold calculation as a physical battle.

Chapter Overview

Xin Ruyin’s guarded shock turns to a nervous, conditional yes. Han Li finds the formation master he needs, and she finds the medicine she needs—but this is no simple fairytale transaction. The chapter opens with a tense negotiation, where Han Li must convince the sharp-eyed Xin Ruyin he isn’t here to trap her, and she must confess she can repair the ancient teleportation array without overpromising. A half-year timeline is set, which immediately locks the next leg of Han Li’s journey into a precise countdown. The chapter closes with a soft but important social warning from Han Li, foreshadowing trouble from the dead men’s allies, and Qi Yunxiao and Xin Ruyin’s strange refusal to leave their home—a decision that places them squarely in harm’s path.

Key Plot Points

The Negotiation Dance: Xin Ruyin is visibly torn between the hope of a cure and the terror of an unknown debt. She demands the request be “within conscience,” a red flag in Han Li’s experience but a fair boundary for her.
Han Li’s Confession and Offer: He admits his own uncertainty about her skill, revealing the ancient teleportation array diagram. This humility is a deliberate social tool—it lowers her guard and frames the task as a challenge, not a demand.
Xin Ruyin’s Diagnosis: She confirms the array is an “ancient teleportation array” and, more importantly, that only a small corner is damaged, which falls within her studied expertise. Half a year is all she needs.
The Uneasy Departure: Han Li warns the couple to move, as the dead cultivators’ allies will trace them. But Qi Yunxiao and Xin Ruyin show a troubling reluctance, leaving Han Li with a cold knot of unease.

Reading Guide

Get ready for some smooth negotiation, fellow Daoists. Han Li has finally found the woman who can unlock his path out of Yue, but the chapter is a reminder that every transaction in the Mortal Stream comes with a surveillance camera. Watch how he builds trust: he doesn't brag, he doesn't threaten, he just shows her the blueprint and asks if she likes puzzles. This is the "liar's poker" of immortal cultivation—everyone knows the stakes, and nobody blinks first. The real tension isn't the half-year wait; it's the idiot couple who aren't smart enough to move. You already know that bird is going to come home to roost.

Also, take a moment to appreciate Xin Ruyin's sharp mind. She catches Han Li's transient distraction and notes it without drama. She's playing her own game, and Han Li knows it. This is the kind of ally you want, and the kind you fear—competent enough to fix your life, sharp enough to see through your every mask.