Was the Ghost Spirit Sect acting alone? It had absolutely nothing to do with the Six Demonic Sects. If that were the case, the Seven Sects would have nothing to fear. The Yan family alone could handle the people the Ghost Spirit Sect had sent, since the Yan family had a Core Formation cultivator presiding over their affairs.
After thinking this through, Han Li felt somewhat relieved.
Even if the sky were to fall, it would be the tall ones who bore the weight. Whatever underhanded business the Ghost Spirit Sect had come for, what concern was it of a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like him? That was for the Yan family to deal with. He just needed to be careful and avoid being caught in the crossfire like a fish caught in a burning city gate.
He wondered if the others were thinking the same thing. After the initial shock, their expressions gradually returned to normal, and no one brought the matter up again. Instead, they began discussing their experiences and insights in cultivation, which immediately drew Han Li in. Without hesitation, he joined the discussion.
Time passed quickly, and the sky gradually darkened. The group, their mouths dry from talking, soon found themselves at the point of parting ways, not long after the other cultivators had dispersed.
This exchange of insights proved immensely beneficial for all of them. In particular, the techniques and opportunities that the mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators had used to break through bottlenecks left Han Li and the other early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators feeling that the trip had been thoroughly worthwhile.
The middle-aged man surnamed Wu, clearly still eager for more, proposed that the following day they find a secluded spot, gather a few more like-minded cultivators, and continue their discussion. They could also hold a small trading event on the side — wouldn't that be even better?
The suggestion was met with unanimous approval, and Han Li naturally had no objections.
With that, the group finalized their plans and departed one by one.
Han Li headed toward an inn marked on his map, one that specialized in accommodating visiting cultivators.
The inn was located in the southeastern corner of Yanling Fortress. It was small and inconspicuous, clearly inferior to the other establishments, and should therefore have had few guests.
But that was precisely why Han Li chose it — fewer people meant fewer problems. The fewer people around, the lower the chance of trouble arising. Moreover, this location was close to the fortress wall, which would make it convenient for him to flee if anything unexpected happened.
The appearance of those Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators still left Han Li with a vague sense of unease. Preparing in advance, just in case, was simply his habitual caution.
As expected, the "Fengyue Inn" had very few cultivators staying in it — only those who disliked crowds or were of a solitary nature. They all stayed in their rooms rather than wandering about the inn, which pleased Han Li even more. He promptly chose a relatively clean room and settled in.
As for where Dong Xuan'er was staying, Han Li couldn't be bothered to search for her. After all, when the Treasure Competition Assembly began, he would certainly run into her. At that time, he could simply return to Yellow Maple Valley together with her. With that thought, Han Li drifted off to sleep.
That night, while most cultivators had entered their slumber or sat in meditation to refine their qi, within a heavily guarded room of the tallest structure in Yanling Fortress — the Flying Cloud Pavilion, the nerve center of the entire fortress — an old man with a full head of red hair paced back and forth with his hands clasped behind him, his expression utterly blank.
Standing a short distance before him were three gray-robed elders, their posture and demeanor supremely respectful.
"Zijun, did that Ghost Spirit Sect brat truly say he would come to see me tonight?" The red-haired old man finally stopped pacing and cast a calm glance toward one of the elders.
"Yes, Ancestor! That Ghost Spirit Sect Young Master indeed conveyed this to me privately through voice transmission after the martial contest ended!" the man replied respectfully.
"Hmm!" The red-haired old man nodded with an expressionless face, though a sharp gleam flickered through his eyes and vanished in an instant.
Just then, a black-robed middle-aged man entered from outside. He bowed and reported:
"Ancestor, three elders — the guest has arrived. He has been settled in the main hall. However, the two guards accompanying him absolutely refuse to wait outside the hall. Several iron guards attempted to physically remove them, but were subdued instead. They appear to be Core Formation cultivators. How shall we proceed? We await the Ancestor's instructions!"
"Core Formation cultivators? That is hardly surprising. A man of the Young Master's stature would not be without bodyguards — otherwise, how would the Ghost Spirit Sect Master ever feel at ease sending him here? Let us go meet him. I am rather curious what lies beneath that mask of his, for him to be so sneaky about it." After hearing the black-robed man's report, a trace of displeasure surfaced on the red-haired old man's face, and his tone grew somewhat unfriendly.
He then strode out of the room first, with the others naturally following close behind.
Upon entering the main hall, the red-haired old man immediately noticed a slender young man wearing a silver ghost-face mask, seated perfectly still in the guest's chair.
Behind him stood two figures in green robes. One had layer upon layer of wrinkles on his face, white hair, and appeared so ancient he seemed on the verge of crumbling. The other was a small boy with white teeth and a single braid.
In the center of the hall, seven or eight black-robed cultivators lay collapsed on the ground, their faces covered in dark miasma, all unconscious.
"Oh, so it is you. No wonder you see fit to disregard the Yan family — it is the famous Li Brothers." The red-haired old man's pupils contracted slightly upon seeing the two green-robed figures, though his expression remained impassive.
He then walked to the host's seat at the head of the hall, lifted the hem of his robe, and sat down. With two light claps of his palms, several more black-robed figures silently entered from outside and dragged the unconscious men out of the hall without a word.
"Hehe, who would have thought our reputation had grown so great that even the Yan family's Ancestor knows of us — tsk, tsk! What an honor for us brothers. However, this time we two are only responsible for ensuring the Young Master's safety. The one truly in charge is our Young Master! If there is anything to discuss, Ancestor Yan, you would do best to speak with our Young Master directly." The one who looked like a boy smiled with an innocent, childish expression, yet a harsh, grating voice like that of a broken gong emerged from his mouth, startling the Yan family guards on alert nearby.
Upon hearing the two speak in such a manner, the red-haired old man felt a chill run through him. If these two infamous demons of the cultivation world could speak of someone with such deference, then this Young Master was certainly no ordinary person. His gaze fell upon the silver-masked youth.
After studying him for a moment, he asked calmly:
"You are the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master? Why do you wear a mask? Is there something about you that cannot be seen?"
"You do me a disservice, Senior. There are legitimate reasons for wearing this mask — it is not a matter of hiding anything. If the Senior truly wishes to see my face, I would of course be willing to remove the mask for you to look upon." The Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master chuckled lightly, speaking in a manner neither servile nor arrogant.
"Hmph, what is there to see in a man's face? I have no such curiosity! Rather, it is your Ghost Spirit Sect people who have suddenly come all this way to the Yan family for no apparent reason, and insisted on meeting with me personally. Now I am here, you have seen me, so if you have something to say, say it plainly. I have no patience for beating around the bush." The Yan family ancestor cast a cold glance at the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master and spoke without the slightest courtesy, his manner suggesting that if things went poorly, he was ready to strike without hesitation.
"Ha ha, since Ancestor Yan puts it so directly, then I shall not beat around the bush either and speak plainly. My father has a letter he wishes me to deliver to the Senior, along with two words for me to convey to you." Despite the Yan family ancestor's hostile reception, the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master remained composed and unflustered. That level of self-possession was extraordinary in itself.
"What letter? I have never met your father, and the Yan family has no dealings whatsoever with the Ghost Spirit Sect. What letter could he possibly have for me? And what is this about two mysterious words — are you trying to make a fool of me?" The Yan family elder spoke, yet his eyes darted toward the Li Brothers, watching to see if they showed any unusual reaction.
The Yan family ancestor still found it difficult to believe that the one truly in charge was this Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master.
The Li Brothers naturally noticed the Yan family ancestor's suspicion, but they merely exchanged a knowing smile and took no other action.
At this point, the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master produced a jade slip from within his robes, stood, and stepped forward several paces to present it. But the red-haired old man sat perfectly still, showing no intention of reaching for it. He glanced at the jade slip and said with extreme coldness:
"The letter can wait. First, tell me those two words! Once I have heard them, I will decide whether to read the letter."
The Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master did not take offense at these words. Behind the mask, he sighed softly, then moved his lips slightly and spoke two words that drifted directly into the red-haired old man's ears.
Although the other members of the Yan family could not hear what those two words were, the moment the Yan family ancestor heard them, his body jolted violently. He shot to his feet from his chair, his face turning ashen.
"Give me the letter, then follow me to the secret chamber!" The red-haired old man's expression shifted between dark and light for a moment before he finally made his decision.
And so, before the assembled Yan family disciples, the Yan family ancestor led the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master into a secret chamber sealed with layers of protective barriers and restrictions.
Everyone else, including the two Core Formation cultivators of the Li Brothers, remained outside. The two showed not the slightest trace of concern, as if they had complete confidence in the Ghost Spirit Sect's Young Master's safety.
Their wait lasted the entire night.