Why does Han Li say he prefers the Han Clan not become cultivators?

Because the cultivation world is a Dark Forest where entire clans are routinely annihilated; he judges that a safe mortal life is better than a high-risk immortal one for them.

Why does the Gold Devourer Sword have only three uses?

It's a deliberate limit to prevent abuse and to ensure the clan uses it only for true extinction-level threats; it also prevents the artifact from becoming a target for theft.

Is this Han Li saying goodbye forever to his family?

Yes, this is his final, formal severing of mortal ties. He has settled his karmic debt and will not return.

The Return to the Han Clan

2,002 words

Han Li felt an indescribable, nameless emotion stir within him as the two men acknowledged him. After a moment of silence, he spoke unhurriedly:

"When I left my hometown to pursue the Dao all those years ago, I never imagined the Han Clan would become a great aristocratic family. Truly, the world is unpredictable. You may rise. This old ancestor of yours hasn't returned to his hometown even once in all these years. To the current Han Clan, I am little more than an outsider. There is no need for such excessive formality."

"The Ancestor is too kind. It is our unfilial fault for not knowing you still lived. Otherwise, we would have surely sent someone to attend to you long ago," the middle-aged Confucian scholar said, rising and speaking with utmost respect.

"Attend to me? There is no need for that. I only came to have a look. I will not stay long. I am a man who seeks the Dao and immortality. It is better for me to minimize my ties to the mundane world." Han Li waved a hand and said flatly.

"Ancestor, you're leaving already? This is too hasty! Please, follow Tianxiao back to the fortress to see the other members of the Han Clan before you go!" The scholar was taken aback.

"No need. I flew over the Han Clan Fortress earlier. I swept it with my spiritual sense. Though the Han Clan has many members, unfortunately, none possess spiritual roots. There is no karmic connection between us. Otherwise, I wouldn't have minded taking one or two junior clan members to cultivate with me." Han Li sighed, a hint of regret in his voice.

"It seems we later generations lack the fortune to share in the Ancestor's immortal destiny," the scholar said, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face as he gave a wry smile.

"For a mortal to possess the spiritual roots necessary for cultivation is a one-in-ten-thousand occurrence. It is only natural that none among several hundred clan members possess such aptitude. Besides, in my own opinion, it is better that the youths of the Han and Li Clans do not set foot in the world of cultivation. The current cultivation world is far from peaceful. Sects and clans are wiped out with alarming frequency. If the entire Han Clan were implicated, the consequences would be disastrous." Han Li shook his head.

"We will follow the Fourth Ancestor's instructions," the scholar replied, a bit surprised but ultimately obedient.

"Which generation of Li Feiyu's descendants are you, and what is your name?" Han Li shifted his gaze and suddenly fixed it on the bearded man.

The large man quickly lowered his head and replied, "Junior Li Feng, the eleventh-generation descendant of the ancestor Li Feiyu. Greetings, Uncle Han."

"Li Feiyu and I were sworn brothers. It is fitting that you call me Uncle. I noticed you were quite protective of Tianxiao earlier. It seems the Li Clan has taken good care of our Han Clan over the years. As the Han Clan's ancestor, I naturally cannot neglect the Li Clan. Here are some pills. They are of great benefit to martial artists, allowing the youths of the Li Clan to save decades of bitter internal energy cultivation. Take them." Han Li patted his storage pouch. White light flashed, and seven or eight small bottles of various colors appeared in his palm, which he then handed to the large man.

The man was overjoyed. He thanked Han Li profusely and quickly accepted the bottles.

After all, while martial artists' internal energy training did not require decades like a cultivator's, it still took a considerable amount of time to achieve even minor success. With these pills, the Li Clan could expect a proliferation of experts in the future.

Seeing this, the middle-aged scholar was happy for his friend, but a look of anticipation crept into his gaze as he looked at Han Li.

Han Li smiled faintly. With deliberate calm, he took a spirit beast pouch from his waist and gently tapped it.

In an instant, over a thousand tri-colored Gold Devourer Beetles surged out from the pouch. Amidst a droning hum, they formed a three-colored insect cloud the size of a person. The cloud shimmered brilliantly, like ten thousand points of starlight made manifest in the broad daylight.

The scholar and the bearded man stood dumbfounded, marveling at the sight.

Without a word, Han Li pointed at the insect cloud above.

The thousand-plus Gold Devourer Beetles suddenly converged in the center, instantly transforming into a single three-colored sword, floating in the air without moving. Han Li beckoned with his hand. The sword let out a clear chime and then fell of its own accord into his grasp.

This strange scene rendered the two onlookers even more speechless.

Holding the sword in one hand, Han Li gently stroked its blade with the other, his expression uncertain.

After a long moment, he sighed. Opening his mouth, a wisp of green qi emerged, landing precisely on the sword. Light flashed green, and a simple, ancient-looking green scabbard materialized on the blade's surface.

Holding the sheathed sword horizontally before him, Han Li spoke.

"This sword was condensed from refined spirit insects I personally cultivated. It can kill enemies and destroy foes on its own. I will leave it here, in this ancestral hall. Should the Han Clan ever face a catastrophe that threatens to wipe it out, the clansmen can take shelter within this hall. With this sword, you may temporarily stave off disaster. But remember this well: I am not personally controlling this sword. Once the spirit sword leaves its scabbard, it will slaughter every living being—man and beast—within a ten-li radius, sparing only those within this ancestral hall. So use it with the utmost caution. This jade pendant contains a strand of my essence. Only a person wearing this jade can draw the sword; otherwise, a mortal is incapable of doing so. From now on, this pendant will be passed down to each successive clan leader of the Han family." Han Li then produced a piece of crystal-clear jade and gave his instructions to the scholar.

"Your nephew remembers the Ancestor's teachings!" Having witnessed Han Li's incredible abilities, the scholar no longer harbored the slightest doubt. Upon hearing these words, he was overjoyed and quickly gave his solemn reply.

Han Li smiled faintly, but did not immediately hand over the sword and jade pendant. Instead, he continued his warning.

"There is one more thing to remember. Because this sword is sealed by a scabbard formed of spiritual energy, this Gold Devourer Sword can only be used three times. With each use, the spiritual scabbard will grow thinner. After three uses, the scabbard will dissipate into nothing, and the spirit sword will revert to its insect form and vanish. I think three opportunities to save the Han Clan from a great calamity is enough for me, your ancestor, to have done my duty by the family. After all, there is no such thing as eternal wealth and glory in this world. However, to prevent future generations from scheming to use this sword for evil, know this: this Gold Devourer Sword cannot leave this ancestral hall before it is drawn. The moment it leaves this place, it will similarly dissolve into nothing and cease to exist. Even so… if this sword is used well, it should be more than enough to allow the Han Clan to enjoy another several hundred years of glory. After that, letting the clan return to an ordinary life may not be a bad thing."

Only after saying all this did Han Li hand over the two items.

The scholar repeatedly assented. Bowing, he accepted the sword, carefully enshrining it on the main incense altar. Only then did he return to stand before Han Li, awaiting further instructions.

Han Li was somewhat satisfied with the scholar's respectful demeanor. After thinking for a moment, he took out two small, pale-yellow bottles and tossed one to the scholar and the other to the bearded man. Seeing their slightly puzzled expressions, he smiled and said,

"What I gave you before was for the Han and Li Clans. You two, after all, are my descendants. Since you have met me in person, that counts as a bit of karmic connection. Naturally, I must give you both a token of my favor. The pills in these bottles are of little use to me now, but for mortal men in the secular world, they hold a miraculous effect in prolonging life, strengthening the body, and improving health. Take them. They are more than enough to ensure you both live to be over a hundred."

"Thank you, Fourth Ancestor!"

"Thank you, Uncle Han!"

The scholar and the bearded man, clutching their bottles, thanked him in unison, their faces beaming with unexpected joy.

Han Li nodded. He cast his gaze around once more, then suddenly, a hint of curiosity crossed his face.

"You two recognized me from the very start. It seems my portrait really is being kept here. Since it's in this ancestral hall, show it to me. I am quite curious to see who painted it."

"The portrait is indeed in the loft. Please wait a moment, Ancestor." The scholar was startled by the request, but quickly complied.

Walking to one side of the loft, he pressed his hand against a seemingly ordinary section of the wall.

A sound of grinding gears rang out.

A portion of the wall swiveled open, revealing five or six silk scrolls hanging inside.

Han Li strode forward and stopped before one portrait. It depicted a smiling young man of seventeen or eighteen, a trace of childishness still on his face. It was Han Li as he had once looked.

"This painting, according to records, was passed down to our Han Clan from the ancestors of the Li Clan. Who painted it is unknown," the middle-aged scholar explained softly from behind Han Li.

But Han Li seemed not to hear. His gaze flickered a few times before landing on another portrait. It showed his father, dressed in the robes of a wealthy landowner. His face appeared much older than when Han Li had last secretly looked in on him in their village, but his expression was one of immense joy.

A shadow of grief passed over Han Li's face. Then his gaze swept over the other paintings, taking them all in.

The other portraits were all of elderly men with white hair and temples. Han Li had to strain to identify the former appearances of several of his elder brothers from the images. A thousand different emotions surged within him, and he stood there, stunned.

At this moment, the scholar and the bearded man were wise enough not to disturb Han Li.

But it was then that Han Li began to mutter to himself. His voice was too low, and the words were indistinct.

Just as the two men were straining to catch what he was saying, a blinding, dazzling green light erupted from around Han Li. Startled, the two instinctively shut their eyes. When they opened them again, Han Li had vanished without a trace. However, his voice resounded in their ears.

"Though I possess the power of an earthly immortal, I also have some formidable enemies. Do not tell another soul about our meeting today. As long as the news does not leak, and that Gold Devourer Spirit Sword is kept out of sight, cultivators from the world of immortality will pay no attention to you mortals. You can rest easy. From now on, I must focus entirely on pursuing the Great Dao of Immortality. I will not easily entangle myself with the Han Clan again. Take care of yourselves."

With these final words, Han Li's voice abruptly ceased, as if he had already faded into the distance.

The bearded man and the middle-aged scholar exchanged a glance, then looked at each other in mutual bewilderment.

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Reading Guide Decoding

Severing the Ties: Han Li's Final Audit of Mortality

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

The Ancestral Sacrifice: A Karmic Debt, Settled

Han Li’s return to the Han Clan is a classic element of xianxia narrative structure, but handled with RMJI’s signature brutality. In traditional Chinese culture, honoring one’s ancestors is a fundamental pillar of filial piety. A successful man who abandons his clan, especially one who has achieved immortality, carries a potential karmic debt (yèzhài, 业债). Han Li isn’t here for a happy reunion; he’s here to perform a final, transactional obligation. He fulfills his duty—leave a protection tool for the clan to survive—and thereby clears his karmic ledger. This act is not sentimental; it is a cold, ritualistic accounting. The gift of the Gold Devourer Sword is functionally a “severance package” for his bloodline. The fact that he sets a hard limit of three uses, and ensures it cannot be abused for worldly gain, is peak Han Li: even in generosity, he builds in fail-safes against future stupidity. The scene in the loft, where he sees his family portraits, is the only crack in the armor—a single, silent moment of mortality before the mask snaps back into place.

The Gold Devourer Sword: A Testament to Scarcity

The creation of the living sword is a spectacular flex, but also a deep commentary on the Dark Forest economy. Han Li doesn’t leave a powerful artifact; he leaves a limited-use consumable. This is fundamentally different from leaving a magical heirloom. A permanent treasure could be stolen, coveted, and used to bring ruin upon the clan. A three-use weapon, locked to a specific location, is purely a defensive tool against extinction-level events. It’s designed to be unappealing to higher-level cultivators (who have better tools) and too dangerous for mortal enemies to trigger. It is a perfect example of the Bottleneck Economy: the clan’s prosperity is a bottleneck that Han Li can widen temporarily with a resource injection, but he knows it will inevitably contract again. He is not building an immortal dynasty; he is buying them a few more centuries of peace before they return to the humble baseline of mortal life.

Chapter Overview

Alright, buckle up, fellow Daoists. We’ve seen Han Li annihilate sects, outscheme ancient monsters, and climb the ladder of immortality with the single-minded focus of a man who treats sentiment as a weakness to be eliminated. So what happens when he goes home? The answer is… exactly what you’d expect from the Mortal Stream’s most paranoid protagonist. This chapter is a masterclass in tonal control. Han Li returns to the Han Clan not for a tearful reunion, but for a cold, final audit of his mortal ties. There’s no dramatic embrace, no “I’ve missed you all.” There’s only a quiet, methodical check-in, a recognition that his bloodline continues, and a deeply practical decision about what—if anything—he owes them. It’s a chapter that feels like an exhale after a century of constant combat, but one that immediately reminds you that even exhales are tactical in Han Li’s world. The payoff isn’t a warm family drama; it’s the final, painful severing of a thread. Get ready for some quiet, devastating worldbuilding.

Key Plot Points

Han Li is recognized by the current Han Clan patriarch, Han Tianxiao, and the Li Clan head, Li Feng. He reveals his identity without fanfare or emotion.
He coldly assesses the clan’s members with his spiritual sense, confirming that none possess spiritual roots. The chance for a purely karmic connection is zero.
He explicitly states his preference that the Han and Li descendants avoid the cultivation world, citing its dangers as a systemic feature, not a bug.
In a rare moment of true generosity, he compensates the Li Clan for their protection of the Han family with a set of medicinal pills that will catapult their martial arts prowess for generations.
The core gift: he creates the Gold Devourer Spirit Sword, a three-use trump card weapon sealed within a spiritual scabbard, and leaves it in the clan’s ancestral hall. The rules are brutally clear: it kills everything within 10 li, can only be used three times, cannot leave the hall until drawn, and is a finite safeguard.
In the ancestral hall's loft, he views painted portraits of his younger self, his father, and his brothers. The sight produces his strongest emotional reaction of the chapter: a moment of silent, contained grief.
He leaves a final warning—his enemies exist, and secrecy is the clan’s best defense—before disappearing in a flash of light, his voice a fading echo.

Reading Guide

Pay close attention to Han Li’s voice. He speaks to his descendants as an equal, but one with ultimate authority. There’s no condescension, but no warmth either. He treats them as a project to be audited.
The chapter’s emotional peak is subtle. It’s not the gift-giving, but the moment in the loft. Han Li sees his own youthful portrait, his aging father, and his long-dead brothers. The silence is deafening. The narrator doesn’t describe his tears—just his stillness. This is profound grief as rendered by a man who has learned to treat emotion as a vulnerability.
The logistics of the Gold Devourer Sword are more important than its power. The “three uses only” rule, the binding to the hall, the ten-li kill radius—these are the real content. It’s a weapon designed by a risk manager, not a warrior.
Note how Han Li’s language subtly shifts when discussing his enemies. He doesn’t say “I am in danger.” He says “my enemies exist.” He is managing the clan’s information hygiene, not their fears. He is calibrating their expectations for absolute secrecy.
The final line, the two men looking at each other in bewilderment, is perfect. The Mortal Stream world has just brushed against their mortal lives, and they are left holding an impossible, alien treasure, trying to understand what just hit them.

Quick Q&A

Lore recap (TL;DR) drawn from this chapter's Cultural / Xianxia Notes — same text as the FAQ structured data on this page.

Why does Han Li say he prefers the Han Clan not become cultivators?: Because the cultivation world is a Dark Forest where entire clans are routinely annihilated; he judges that a safe mortal life is better than a high-risk immortal one for them.
Why does the Gold Devourer Sword have only three uses?: It's a deliberate limit to prevent abuse and to ensure the clan uses it only for true extinction-level threats; it also prevents the artifact from becoming a target for theft.
Is this Han Li saying goodbye forever to his family?: Yes, this is his final, formal severing of mortal ties. He has settled his karmic debt and will not return.