Why would Linghu offer Han Li the entire sect?

Because a Nascent Soul sect without an Elder is a dead sect. Linghu has ~20 years left; he needs a successor to prevent his life's work from being dismantled by predators.

Did Han Li make the right choice?

Absolutely. In the Mortal Stream’s logic, accepting the sect means inheriting all its enemies, debts, and strategic vulnerabilities. Han Li values his freedom and long-term cultivation goals over being a king who risks assassination.

A Name Shakes the Realm; Linghu's Invitation

1,873 words

Chapter 733: A Name Shakes the Realm; Linghu’s Invitation

“Although Fellow Daoist Han’s theory is highly plausible, it remains speculation for now. Therefore, aside from our fellow Nascent Soul cultivators, I suggest we all keep today’s deliberations confidential for the time being, to avoid causing unnecessary chaos. However, if the Moulan truly intend to wage a full-scale war against us, their highest-ranking Spirit Shamans will certainly be deployed as well. These late-stage Dharma Warriors are not something cultivators of our level can handle. I will notify Elder Wei Wuyai of our Alliance and see if we can gather the Three Great Cultivators to deal with this situation.” After some thought, Madame Qi also offered her suggestion.

“Madame Qi speaks sense. There is no time to waste. Let us return and send word to our sects immediately.” A gaunt, haggard-looking old man nodded in approval.

The other cultivators, recognizing the gravity of the matter, voiced their agreement without objection.

For a while longer, the group discussed further details and decided to first dispatch a wave of reinforcements to slow the Moulan advance, buying time for the major powers of the Heavenly South to mobilize their forces.

Only then did they conclude the assembly and begin to depart in haste.

Han Li walked out shoulder-to-shoulder with the Lu family cultivator and the Fire Dragon Boy. But just as he stepped through the hall’s main entrance, his expression flickered, and his brow furrowed slightly.

“What is it, Junior Brother? Is something wrong?” The Lu cultivator turned his head and, catching Han Li’s expression, asked with some surprise.

“Nothing. An old acquaintance wishes to see me. I’ll have to go and deal with it. Senior Brother Lu and Brother Lan, please go on ahead. I will return shortly.” Han Li raised an eyebrow but immediately resumed a casual tone.

“Mm. Do as you need to, Junior Brother Han. I’ll head back first to inform our fellow Daoists from the Heavenly Dao Alliance of today’s discussion, and then send word back to Senior Brother. Let’s see how each sect in our alliance intends to handle this matter.” The Lu cultivator nodded and gave a slight smile.

The Fire Dragon Boy, however, simply curled his lips and wore a knowing grin.

Seeing this, Han Li cupped his hands in a salute, then turned and walked slowly in another direction. Though his pace appeared leisurely, he covered ground with deceptive speed and soon faded into the distance.

After exiting the main hall and walking a few steps, the Lu cultivator glanced back in the direction Han Li had disappeared.

“What’s the matter, Brother Lu? Are you worried?” The Fire Dragon Boy, witnessing this, asked with a nonchalant smirk.

“Worried? About what?” The Lu cultivator’s heart stirred, but he maintained a composed expression.

“I don’t have to say it for you to guess, Brother Lu. This Fellow Daoist Han was originally from the Yellow Maple Valley. And that old monster Linghu, much like your own senior brother, is a man whose lifespan is nearly spent. Aside from Old Monster Linghu, Yellow Maple Valley has no second Nascent Soul cultivator. He must be burning with anxiety by now. For a small sect, it wouldn’t matter so much. But for a major sect like Yellow Maple Valley, without a Nascent Soul cultivator to hold the fort, not only will it fall into irreversible decline, but it may even face total annihilation. And just now, someone clearly sent Han a voice transmission. If it wasn’t Old Monster Linghu, I’d be very surprised.” The Fire Dragon Boy clicked his tongue.

“Brother Lan, how do you know of Junior Brother Han’s origins? I don’t recall mentioning this matter to you.” The Lu cultivator did not answer directly but instead fell into thought before asking a counter-question.

“Why would I need you to tell me, Brother Lu? When a new, young elder suddenly appears in your sect, our Ancient Sword Sect naturally investigates. It’s hardly a secret matter. A simple inquiry reveals all.” The boy did not attempt to hide the fact, admitting it openly.

Hearing this frank response, the Lu cultivator found it difficult to pursue the matter. Still, after some consideration, he shook his head and said, “Junior Brother Han going to see an old acquaintance is nothing strange. If he had wished to return to Yellow Maple Valley, he would have done so long ago. Why wait until today?”

“That is true enough. But that crafty old Linghu is a sly fox. Since he bothered to invite Fellow Daoist Han, he must be confident he has something that can sway him.” The Fire Dragon Boy disagreed lightly.

The Lu cultivator fell silent. After a long moment, a trace of worry finally appeared on his face, and he let out a long sigh.

“Let fate take its course. If Junior Brother Han truly wishes to return to Yellow Maple Valley, could my senior brother and I really bind him and prevent his return?” he said with a wry smile.

…

At that moment, Han Li was walking down a somewhat secluded small street, glancing left and right. Suddenly, his figure came to a halt, his gaze landing on a two-story building.

The building was not particularly tall—only about six or seven zhang. A small banner hung before its entrance, and upon it was written a large character: “Tea.”

This was a tea house.

Standing outside the building were two Foundation Establishment cultivators in yellow robes, who were looking directly at Han Li.

A faint smile crossed Han Li’s lips, and he walked over.

“Greetings, Senior Han. Our Grand Master is waiting for you inside,” the two said respectfully, immediately cupping their hands when they saw him approach.

“Understood.” Han Li nodded and stepped inside without changing his expression.

The entire building was eerily silent, as if completely empty.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Han Li ascended to the second floor.

When he reached the top, he saw that the second floor was just as empty and quiet, save for a single person.

The only person seated was a man in a yellow robe with a sallow complexion. It was none other than Patriarch Linghu, whom he had parted from in the great hall just moments earlier.

The old man was sitting at an octagonal table in the very center of the second floor, holding a cup of clear tea and slowly savoring it.

Han Li’s eyes flickered for a moment, then he stepped forward without hesitation. Arriving before Patriarch Linghu, he sat down steadily and silently opposite him. A cup of green tea, already prepared, sat on the table before him.

Patriarch Linghu said nothing. With a casual wave of his hand, the teapot resting on the table floated gently into the air. Tilting its spout, it steadily poured half a cup into the cup before Han Li before settling back onto the table.

“This tea house’s homemade spirit tea is not bad. Why not try a sip first?” Patriarch Linghu said slowly, squinting slightly as he glanced at Han Li.

Han Li smiled. Without objecting, he picked up the cup before him and looked briefly at the clear, emerald liquid.

“Indeed, not bad. It surpasses ordinary spirit tea by a grade,” Han Li remarked after taking a sip, his expression calm.

“Hehe! It seems Fellow Daoist Han is also a man who appreciates tea. It seems I chose the right place to invite you for a gathering,” Patriarch Linghu said unhurriedly, setting his own cup down gently.

“You didn’t go to the trouble of inviting me here just to have me sample the local spirit tea, did you? Speak plainly, if you have something to say.” Han Li wasted no time on pleasantries, speaking calmly.

This Patriarch Linghu had clearly already recognized him, and Han Li had a good guess as to why the old man had called him here.

“Since you are so direct, I won’t beat around the bush either. Fellow Daoist Han, would you be willing to return to Yellow Maple Valley and assume the position of an Elder?” Patriarch Linghu said unhurriedly, as if discussing a trivial matter.

“Return to Yellow Maple Valley?” Han Li’s face showed no change in expression. He simply lowered his head to look at the teacup in his hand, his face utterly blank.

“I won’t rehash the rights and wrongs of what happened back then. I will only tell you this: my remaining lifespan is not long. At most, another twenty years, and I will sit in meditation and pass on. If you are willing to return, then this Yellow Maple Valley will effectively be yours. Surely you haven’t harbored a grudge all these years over such a minor matter?” A flash of sharp light passed through Patriarch Linghu’s eyes as he spoke slowly.

“I stopped caring about what happened back in the day long ago. If I were in your position, I might have done the same. However, I have since joined the Falling Cloud Sect and have no intention of switching allegiances. Fellow Daoist Linghu, you should look for another cultivator,” Han Li said, raising his head and fixing his gaze on Patriarch Linghu as he shook his head.

“I am well aware that you are now with the Falling Cloud Sect. But the Falling Cloud Sect still has two other Elders. Would you not be constrained at every turn there? How could that compare to wielding sole authority and power?” Patriarch Linghu said with a cold laugh.

“I think you have misunderstood something, Fellow Daoist. I did not join a sect for the sake of wielding power. I simply sought a suitable place for cultivation. I have no interest in controlling the affairs of a sect.” Han Li pressed his lips together, a faint, almost imperceptible hint of mockery appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Hearing this, Patriarch Linghu’s brow furrowed, but he quickly returned to his normal expression.

“Fellow Daoist Han, I doubt you fully understand just how much wielding the authority of a major sect can benefit your cultivation. Not only will you not have to trouble yourself to find rare spirit medicines and materials, but your status in the cultivation world will also be vastly different. Besides, even if you truly have no interest, can you not spare a thought for your former sect? Remember, there are still many of your old fellow disciples in Yellow Maple Valley. If the Valley has no Nascent Soul cultivator to protect it, it could very well be wiped out overnight by other sects colluding together. You can imagine what will become of them.” Patriarch Linghu began to appeal to sentiment.

“I lack neither spirit medicines nor materials as an Elder of the Falling Cloud Sect. As for empty titles like status in the cultivation world, I care even less. As for the rise and fall of sects, that is a very ordinary thing. Even those sects with long, unbroken histories have mostly had their inheritance severed and vanished into obscurity. As for my former fellow disciples, each has their own destiny. I will not meddle in their affairs.” Han Li gave a faint smile, showing no sign of being swayed.

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Reading Guide Decoding

The Seduction of Power—Why Han Li Will Never Be King

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

This chapter is a textbook example of the Bottleneck Economy as applied to sect politics. When a Nascent Soul cultivator like Linghu is about to die, his sect isn’t just losing a powerful fighter; it's losing its existential guarantee. In the Dark Forest logic of the cultivation world, a major sect without a Nascent Soul protector is a fat, unguarded sheep. Its spirit veins, treasuries, and territories become fair game for neighboring powers. Linghu is not making an emotional plea out of pride; he's offering Han Li the keys to the kingdom because the alternative is the complete and bloody dissolution of everything he built.

Linghu’s strategy is a classic two-pronged approach straight from the senior cultivator’s playbook: first, the “generous gift” (the entire sect), then the “emotional chain” (the fate of your old fellow disciples). He is trying to frame the decision as a transaction of power and sentiment. But Han Li, a true veteran of the Mortal Stream, sees it for what it is: a trap. He recognizes that accepting the sect means inheriting all its entanglements, debts, and enemies. His cold refusal—“each has their own destiny”—is the ultimate expression of his core survival doctrine. In a world where attachments are liabilities, Han Li refuses to anchor himself to a sinking ship, no matter how golden the throne they offer him.

Chapter Overview

Get ready, fellow cultivators—because this chapter is a masterclass in the other kind of battlefield that defines the Mortal Stream: the social negotiation. Hot off the heels of a high-stakes war council against the Moulan, Han Li is immediately pulled into a far more personal, yet systemically crucial, confrontation. Patriarch Linghu of Yellow Maple Valley—a man with maybe twenty years left to live—has made his move. He wants Han Li back. Not as a returning disciple, but as the de facto master of a dying sect. And he’s not asking politely. But what Linghu doesn’t realize is that the boy he once let slip through his fingers has become a man who treats flattery and veiled threats with the same icy indifference. This isn't a sentimental homecoming; it's a cold, tactical audit by both parties, where one man’s desperation meets another’s absolute strategic autonomy. Han Li’s answer? A swift, unyielding dismissal that leaves no door open, proving that in the world of high-level cultivation, the most dangerous tool isn't a flying sword, but a single, resolute “no.”

Key Plot Points

The War Council Wraps Up: The assembly concludes with a plan to send reinforcements to delay the Moulan advance, buying time for the Heavenly South’s major powers to fully mobilize. The most critical takeaway is that if war breaks out, the highest-level Moulan Spirit Shamans (late Nascent Soul equivalents) will require the legendary “Three Great Cultivators” to counter—foreshadowing a conflict that will shatter the normal rules of engagement.
A Whisper in the Crowd: Just as Han Li is leaving, he receives a secret voice transmission. He calmly excuses himself from his companions, the Lu cultivator and Fire Dragon Boy, to meet this “old acquaintance.”
The Fire Dragon Boy’s Sharp Analysis: Left behind, the Fire Dragon Boy reveals his encyclopedic knowledge of sect politics to the Lu cultivator. He correctly deduces it must be Old Monster Linghu from Yellow Maple Valley, a Nascent Soul elder on the verge of his final deathbed, desperate to find a successor to save his sect from being devoured by neighbors.
The Tea House Summit: Han Li meets Linghu in a small, secluded tea house. Linghu, with calculated poise, tries to set a cordial tone by praising the tea, but Han Li cuts through the formalities immediately, demanding to hear the real proposal.
The Offer: Return as Master: Linghu makes a generous—and desperate—offer. With only twenty years left to live, he essentially offers Han Li the entire Yellow Maple Valley as his own domain if he returns and takes over as its ruling Elder.
Han Li’s Absolute Refusal: Han Li does not hesitate. He is cold, precise, and utterly unshaken. He dismisses the offer on every level: he has no interest in power, the Falling Cloud Sect provides all the resources he needs, and he has no obligation to save old acquaintances from their own fates. The chapter closes with Han Li unmoved, the faintest hint of mockery on his lips.

Reading Guide

Pay very close attention to the conversation between the Lu cultivator and the Fire Dragon Boy. This is the narrative explicitly modeling how the “game” works for the reader. The Fire Dragon Boy’s casual, cynical analysis of the situation—"Of course it's Old Linghu, how could it be anyone else?"—is not just gossip. It’s the reader being shown that at the Nascent Soul level, everyone’s motivations are transparent, calculated, and predictable. There are no secrets, only assets and liabilities. This chapter teaches you how to read the social battlefield as well as the magical one.

Also, look at how Han Li pushes back. He doesn't get angry. He doesn't explain his past grievances. He simply states, "If I were in your position, I might have done the same." This little statement is devastating. It completely defangs Linghu’s potential accusations by accepting the world’s cruelty as a baseline fact. Han Li isn’t a man acting out of past hurt; he’s a cold pragmatist looking at a future liability and saying “no thanks.” This is the voice of a cultivator who has truly internalized the Dark Forest’s laws.

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 would Linghu offer Han Li the entire sect?: Because a Nascent Soul sect without an Elder is a dead sect. Linghu has ~20 years left; he needs a successor to prevent his life's work from being dismantled by predators.
Did Han Li make the right choice?: Absolutely. In the Mortal Stream’s logic, accepting the sect means inheriting all its enemies, debts, and strategic vulnerabilities. Han Li values his freedom and long-term cultivation goals over being a king who risks assassination.