Chapter 339: Shock
"I am..."
"Don't even think about calling yourself a rogue cultivator. With that story, I won't believe it even without thinking!" Han Li interrupted expressionlessly.
Hearing Han Li's words, "Qu Hun" smiled bitterly. It seemed he really hadn't given up and wanted to try that story after all.
So, after a slight hesitation, "Qu Hun" said weakly:
"Just as you suspect, my identity is indeed somewhat special. I am not a cultivator of the State of Yue."
"Not a cultivator of our State of Yue?" Just hearing the other's first sentence, Han Li's expression shifted slightly, and he was inwardly shocked.
"I am actually a cultivator of the Spirit Control Sect from the State of Tiandu. I came to the State of Yue to travel," Qu Hun said slowly.
"The Demonic Path's Spirit Control Sect!"
Han Li couldn't help narrowing his eyes, a sharp glint shooting out like a blade.
"Yes. I came here several years ago. But unexpectedly, I was inexplicably attacked by a powerful cultivator from your country, and my physical body was destroyed. That's how I ended up in this state." When Qu Hun mentioned his body being destroyed, his face was filled with helplessness.
After thinking for a moment, Han Li raised an eyebrow and asked:
"Your body was destroyed five or six years ago, wasn't it?"
Han Li's voice was extremely calm. Qu Hun didn't catch the meaning behind Han Li's words and answered honestly:
"Yes!"
"In the years since you occupied this body, haven't you thought about going back?" Han Li asked calmly.
"Of course I have. But you don't understand much about our Demonic Path," Qu Hun said, his face full of helplessness.
"What do you mean? Although I know a little about the Demonic Path, it's just scattered rumors," Han Li admitted without evasion.
"Our Demonic Path emphasizes the law of the jungle. Might makes right. Only with power can one enjoymutualshouldofrights. Back then, my status in the Spirit Control Sect wasn't low. I had a beautiful fellow cultivator as a dao companion and some servant disciples who obeyed my commands. But now that my cultivation has greatly diminished, do you think those things would still be mine if I went back? Nine out of ten times, I'd be secretly poisoned by those senior brothers who've long been eyeing my position," Qu Hun explained with a cold smile.
After listening, Han Li frowned slightly but said nothing.
Qu Hun continued:
"My cultivation dropped so drastically because of this body seizure. So I'm confident that if I hide away and cultivate for thirty or forty years, I can fully recover. Then I can return openly and honestly. Otherwise, why would I want to hide in this godforsaken place!" Qu Hun's words were filled with resentment.
"So you've been hiding near Jiayuan City all along. Haven't you met any other cultivators?" Han Li's expression was indifferent, appearing unmoved.
"No. You're the first cultivator from the State of Yue I've met since the body seizure," he said, looking rather unwell.
"Why didn't you say that from the beginning? Why pretend to be a cultivator from the Spirit Beast Mountain?" Han Li pressed without relaxing.
"Weren't you possibly a cultivator from the Seven Sects who might be hostile to me?" he said somewhat sheepishly.
Hearing this, Han Li suddenly laughed!
"Is this the truth?" Han Li said amiably. But this expression made "Qu Hun" feel a chill down his spine.
"Yes! Is there something you're dissatisfied with?" he asked cautiously, a hint of unease in his expression.
"I've heard someone say before: the easiest lies to believe are seven parts truth and three parts lies. I wonder how much of what you just said is true?" Han Li stared into the other's eyes, enunciating each word.
"Heh heh! You're too suspicious. Every word I just said was true," Qu Hun said, knowing it wasn't right, but thinking of the consequences of telling the truth, he could only stubbornly persist.
"In that case, let me tell you something first! Your six Demonic Sects have already invaded our State of Yue. That means we're now hostile forces. So I can't be bothered to interrogate any more secrets. Now I'll just extract your primordial spirit and destroy it to save time." Han Li said grimly, his voice sinister.
As soon as these words were spoken, this person who had just suffered looked ashen.
"Invaded your State of Yue? How is that possible? The time clearly hasn't come yet!" The moment these words left his lips in desperation, his face turned pale with regret.
Han Li was inwardly shocked.
"You knew about this? It seems I really underestimated you. But even if your status in the Spirit Control Sect was high before, you're now just a Qi Condensation stage cultivator! Don't blame me for being ruthless." Han Li's eyebrows slowly rose, a murderous look appearing on his face.
Then Han Li flipped his palm, and the "Soul-Gathering Bowl" appeared again. Immediately, a sinister cold aura descended once more.
To Han Li's surprise, "Qu Hun" didn't show fear. Instead, he stared at the bowl, a strange expression appearing on his face.
Seeing this scene, Han Li felt somewhat uneasy.
He didn't know any "Soul Refining Technique" at all—he was just bluffing. If the other really chose death over revealing the truth, Han Li would have no choice but to destroy both Qu Hun's body and the soul within. However, in the newly acquired Blood Sacrifice Secret Technique, there were some methods for extracting souls. Unfortunately, he hadn't had time to practice them.
While Han Li was thinking this, "Qu Hun" let out a long, mournful sigh and suddenly said:
"I do have some secrets, and they're related to the life and death of your Seven Sects. But how can you guarantee that after I tell you, you'll let me go? I'm afraid I'd still mostly end up being soul-refined to death!" When he said the words "soul-refined," his face couldn't help twitching.
Hearing the other speak so solemnly, Han Li rubbed his nose and waved his hand to put away the bowl again.
"What guarantee do you want? As long as it's reasonable, I can consider agreeing!" Han Li said normally, as if not taking the other's bold claims seriously.
"Hmph! I won't believe ordinary vows. But as far as I know, the most taboo thing when practicing the 'Soul Refining Technique' is swearing by a Soul Artifact. If one breaks such a vow, they'll likely suffer backlash from the Soul Refining Technique and die a miserable death. I want you to swear by a Soul Artifact that after I tell the truth, if you still strike, the Soul Artifact will shatter and you'll suffer the pain of soul refining," Qu Hun said without hesitation.
"Fine, I agree!" Han Li showed not a hint of hesitation...