Old Feelings

Chapter 287: Old Feelings

Han Li felt that telling her about the disappearance of Mo Caihuan and her mother would be entirely superfluous.

It was enough for Mo Fengwu to know that she still had living relatives out there. He estimated that she would not bring up the subject of meeting Mo Caihuan and her mother again; too much time had passed, and circumstances had changed.

Below, Han Li briefly recounted the circumstances of his encounter with Mo Caihuan. Mo Fengwu nearly wept for joy at the news.

Mo Fengwu understood very well that, given Han Li’s status as a cultivator, he had no need to fabricate lies to deceive a weak woman like herself. The courtesy he showed her was likely out of consideration for their one meeting in the past.

Thus, Mo Fengwu clasped her hands together, held them to her chest, and silently prayed for a while before regaining her composure.

When she faced Han Li again, her demeanor was noticeably less cold.

She understood that if not for Han Li’s assistance at Yanling Fort, Yan Ling and her daughter would still be in dire straits.

“Thank you, Young Master Han, for telling me where Caihuan and Fourth Mother are. This is the first good news I have heard in seven or eight years,” Mo Fengwu said slowly after she had calmed down.

But before Han Li could respond, she continued:

“Although my younger sister and her mother are safe, my elder sister and the other concubines are still missing. They have most likely met with foul play. I cannot let this grudge go unavenged. But I am weak and helpless. Junior Han Li, you will help me, won’t you?”

As Mo Fengwu spoke, her expression turned fragile. A mist immediately gathered in her bright eyes, as if she were about to weep from sorrow.

Seeing this, Han Li rubbed his nose, feeling a great headache and helplessness.

He had assumed that knowing the whereabouts of Mo Caihuan and her mother would lessen her urgency for revenge. He had not expected that Mo Fengwu, after all these years without seeing him, would have become so fixated on this matter.

To be honest, asking him to kill a Qi Condensation cultivator was far easier than killing an influential mortal for no reason.

Ever since joining Yellow Maple Valley, Han Li had learned that the dozens of prefectures within the Yue Kingdom had long been divided up by the Seven Great Sects and a few major clans.

Every long-established secular power within a prefecture had cultivators discreetly monitoring them, or was even secretly propped up by these immortal sects.

The former Mo Manor in Lan Province and the Lone Villa had only been newly rising forces at the time, which was why they had no contact with cultivators. Otherwise, when Han Li had assassinated Ouyang Feitian of the Lone Villa, it would not have been so easy to succeed without anyone pursuing the matter.

But the Five Colors Sect was different.

This sect had risen over a hundred years ago, making it quite old. Lan Province was also considered the Spirit Beast Mountain Sect’s territory by the tacit agreement of the Seven Great Sects. It was highly likely that Spirit Beast Mountain was backing them. That was why the Mo family suffered such a crushing defeat the moment they clashed with the sect.

As a disciple of Yellow Maple Valley, Han Li could not simply go and annihilate a secular leader backed by another sect without a good explanation.

However, the recent infiltration of demonic path cultivators into the Yue Kingdom, planning to disrupt the secular world, provided a good opportunity to stir the waters. If he acted during this time, as long as he was careful, he should be able to avoid trouble.

Han Li thought this over, but his face betrayed nothing. He stood up and paced a few times within the room.

After weighing the pros and cons, he fixed his gaze on Mo Fengwu’s beautiful face and said calmly:

“Miss Fengwu, to be honest, this request is difficult to grant. It would bring me great trouble. However, the current situation in the cultivation world is somewhat unique, so it is not entirely without opportunity. Let’s do this: if the chance arises, I will try to eliminate the Five Colors Sect’s sect leader. But if it truly proves impossible, then you must abandon your thoughts of revenge.”

Upon hearing this, Mo Fengwu wept tears of joy. Her delicate, rain-kissed beauty was so striking that even Han Li was momentarily lost.

When he first met Mo Fengwu all those years ago, he had truly been stirred by the gentle and moving Second Miss of the Mo family. The warm and endearing feeling she had given him was still fresh in his memory, a feeling he often cherished.

That had probably been the first time he had felt romantic affection.

And this modest promise was his way of acknowledging those feelings.

Thinking this, Han Li maintained a calm exterior. He intended to bury these feelings deep in his heart, never to speak of them to another.

Mo Fengwu finally came to her senses from the joy of Han Li’s agreement.

Her face was full of gratitude. Without a word, she stepped forward a few paces to stand before him. Suddenly, she pressed her soft, fragrant lips lightly against Han Li’s cheek. Then, with a hint of shyness and confusion, she said:

“Having received this promise from Junior Han Li, even if you do not kill that man, I will be eternally grateful.”

After saying this, the young woman silently pulled her cloak over her head and hurriedly left Han Li’s room.

Han Li touched the spot where she had kissed him, his expression somewhat peculiar. After a moment, he propped his chin on his hand and sank into deep thought, remaining like that for a long, long time.

…

The next morning, Han Li awoke from his meditation. Thinking about what had happened the previous night, he could not help but sigh inwardly. If Mo Fengwu had possessed Spiritual Roots, he would have certainly brought her into Yellow Maple Valley as a disciple and formed a Daoist partnership with her, to cultivate the Great Path together.

With these thoughts, he washed up and left the room.

He planned to first familiarize himself with the layout of the Qin Manor before considering other matters.

But as soon as he stepped outside, he was surprised to find Qin Ping standing in the courtyard, grinning from ear to ear.

Before Han Li could even ask, the man quickly explained:

“I have been ordered by the Master to serve as your personal attendant, Young Master. If you ever need anything done, just give the word.”

Qin Ping’s tone was respectful, tinged with excitement.

He reasoned quite simply: although this Young Master Han came from a small place and didn’t seem particularly sharp, he clearly held great weight in the Master’s eyes. That alone was enough reason to curry favor.

Besides, if he served this master well, it might even earn him the Master’s own approval.

Qin Ping was busy calculating his own advantages, inwardly sneering at those fools who had dodged the duty of being this country bumpkin’s attendant.

He had heard from the maids around Madam that this man was almost certainly the Master’s illegitimate son. As long as the Master was alive, would he neglect this young master? And as Young Master Han’s attendant, his own status would surely rise with the tide.

This was far better than being an errand boy for Madam Three.

Han Li, naturally unaware of the man’s true thoughts, simply felt that Qin Yan was being very considerate. Knowing that he was unfamiliar with the Qin Manor and the capital of Yue, he had immediately sent a guide. Truly a timely help.

With this thought, a smile appeared on Han Li’s face. He said directly to Qin Ping, “I have never seen such a large estate. I was thinking of taking a look around and stretching my legs. You can accompany me.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

Seeing his first task, Qin Ping answered with renewed energy.

And so, with Qin Ping leading the way, Han Li began to stroll around the vast Qin Manor.

Although some areas were residences for the women of the house and not suitable for Han Li to get too close, pointing from a distance caused no one to dare speak out of turn. After all, Qin Yan’s words from the previous day had spread throughout the entire estate.

“This is the Fortune and Honour Courtyard of the Second Master. Besides the Second Master, his two youngest sons also live here. Next to it is that area…”

Qin Ping proved to be a very competent guide. He not only told Han Li the name of each compound but also pointed out the masters residing within, allowing Han Li to firmly commit them to memory.

But when he mentioned the residence of “Cousin” Mo Fengwu, Han Li’s expression flickered. He gazed at it for a moment longer than the others before moving on, his face once again calm.

It was not long before Han Li had toured the entire Qin Manor. He still seemed unsatisfied.

Finally, he simply had Qin Ping lead him out of the manor and into the bustling parts of the Yue capital, wandering about aimlessly. He continued to have Qin Ping narrate everything.

They spent an entire morning walking through the more famous scenic spots and busy districts of the capital.

The cheerful expression on Qin Ping’s face had long vanished. He was now limping behind Han Li, his face as bitter as could be.

Anyone who had walked for several hours without a moment’s rest, while talking the whole time, would have the same expression.

It was the first time Qin Ping wondered if he had chosen the wrong master.