“Elder Zhao, sorry for the long wait! This is Senior Han, the owner of those demon beast materials!” After entering the room, Fan Jingmei spoke to the grey-clothed old man with a respectful tone.

The grey-clothed old man replied, “Oh, so it’s Fellow Daoist Han! Please, sit. This old man just steeped a pot of ice-cloud spirit tea. Please, have a taste.”

Han Li frowned. There was nothing odd about the old man’s appearance apart from unusually red cheeks, as if he had just recovered from a grave illness. He couldn’t help but feel somewhat puzzled.

His current spiritual sense was far stronger than cultivators of the same rank. In an instant, he was able to see that the old man was an early Core Formation cultivator. Han Li didn’t say anything in refusal and bluntly took a seat across from the old man. Han Li indifferently stared at the old man as he poured a cup of fragrant tea, but didn’t move to take it.

Han Li didn’t mean to slight the old man as he was acting out of habitual carefulness. He definitely wasn’t going to drink something from an unfamiliar place.

The old man didn’t reveal any displeasure at Han Li’s cautious actions. Instead, he faintly smiled and poured himself a cup, placing all other matters to the back of his head for that instant.

“Senior Han! We’ve come to find you on behalf of the Exquisite Sound Sect to purchase all of your remaining demon beast materials. Let’s discuss the price.” Just as Fan Jingmei sat down, she gently spoke to Han Li with a dainty composure.

How could Han Li easily admit to still having many rare materials despite not knowing their intentions? After some calm thought about what they had said, Han Li decided to block them for the time being, “It is true that I had previously acquired quite a few demon beast materials. However, I have just sold my last batch. I fear I that must disappoint you.”

When Lady Fan heard Han Li’s refusal, she sweetly smiled and softly spoke with a hint of laughter, “It seems Senior Han wishes to fool us. Although our sect doesn’t know how many demon beast materials you have, we are certain that it’s a large amount. Otherwise, Senior Han wouldn’t have so carefully sought out small, travelling merchants to sell them to. In addition, every transaction was done in very small amounts, and you look for a different buyer every time.”

“Had our sect not happened to be gathering related materials, it’s likely we wouldn’t have discovered something was amiss. Senior sure is scared of having his wealth exposed! If this is the case, Senior Han can dispel those fears. Although our sect isn’t some sort of superpower, our sect holds quite a positive reputation in the Scattered Star Seas. If Senior were to sell all the materials to us, it would save us the trouble of repeatedly purchasing them from small merchants!”

The woman spoke with a beaming smile and a calm appearance. However, Han Li’s eyes coldly glinted, and he slightly scowled. Finding out you had been secretly investigated wasn’t a happy matter!

In response to Han Li’s scowl, Lady Fan suddenly changed the subject and gave Han Li an explanation, “Senior Han, please don’t blame me for my rude conduct from before. This matter is quite urgent and we had to make use of a majority of our power in Heavenly Star City to track you down. We hope that Senior will provide us assistance, just this once!”

This time, she had placed herself in a weaker position with her words and gaze revealing a slight intention to implore.

Han Li’s scowl gradually subsided, but he didn’t give an immediate response. Instead, he started to lightly tap the table with an indifferent expression. At this moment, Han Li’s mind was continuously churning through lines of thought, analyzing the pros and cons at lightning speed.

Although he didn’t know why the Exquisite Sound Sect required such a large quantity of demon beast materials, they clearly believed that he possessed what they desired. If Han Li further denied them, it would only serve to create a meaningless grudge.

While he hadn’t heard of the Exquisite Sound Sect before, they shouldn’t be too weak, given the appearance of Elder Zhao. Han Li didn’t wish to make an enemy of them without good reason.

In addition, he possessed a bit too many demon beast materials. If he continued to sell them off bit by bit, it would only be a matter of time before he was found out. As such, wouldn’t it be better to take advantage of this opportunity and cleanly handle the matter all at once? After all, this was Heavenly Star City where fights were prohibited. He wouldn’t have to worry about anything going amiss.

With that thought, Han Li was silent for a moment more before serenely saying, “Since you’ve spoken as such, I won’t further conceal the truth. I do possess a few of the demon beast materials that your sect desires, but I don’t know whether or not I have enough to satisfy you!”

The two women revealed joy at Han Li’s admittance. As for the old man sipping tea as if he were above the world, he gazed at Han Li with a much more relaxed expression.

“How much are you in possession of?!” Lady Fan impatiently asked, gazing at Han Li in anticipation.

Han Li faintly smiled and replied with an astonishing number, much to the pleasant surprise of the woman. Although she knew Han Li possessed quite a bit, she didn’t expect the quantity to be at such a degree. She could finally finish her mission.

“I want all of those materials! Does Senior have time to do the trade today?” The Exquisite Sound Sect’s Lady Fan couldn’t keep her composure and spoke with a slight tremble in her voice, fearful that Han Li would change his mind.

Han Li felt quite surprised at this woman’s impatience. However, he also felt that it would be best for this trade to made as quickly as possible. There would be less time for any unwelcome problems to appear. After some thought, he said, “I do. Let’s do the trade here! Lady Fan should go get the spirit stones. I’ll go and fetch the demon beast materials.” Han Li’s clear decisiveness was in agreement with the woman’s intentions. She repeatedly nodded her head with a gaze of happiness.

Han Li then indifferently stood up and took his leave, walking out of the room in large strides.

A moment after Han Li disappeared from view, Lady Fan’s excited appearance gradually faded away. She suddenly turned her head towards the old man and asked, “Senior Zhao, how is his cultivation? I’ve heard that he had just achieved Core Formation. He shouldn’t have had the time to refine a magic treasure. If you were to take take him by surprise, could you overcome him? If you are confident, we would be able to save quite a huge sum of spirit stones.”

By the time this woman icily said those words, her dainty temperament had changed into a chilling, sinister expression.

“Impossible! Although this person hasn’t been in Core Formation for long, his cultivation art is unordinary. Not only is his magic power exceedingly pure, but his body conceals the faint Qi of a magic treasure. While he didn’t have the time to secretly refine a magic treasure, he is in possession of an inherited magic treasure. We cannot look down on him.” Elder Zhao shook his head and opposed the suggestion.

The woman’s eyes glinted with a strange expression as she slowly said, “So it seems this person isn’t weak. How about we pull him into our operation in the coming month? If things goes smoothly, we can spend a bit to rope him in. If things goes unfavorably, we can just abandon him!”

“That really is a good method! But from the recent conversation, he appears to know when it is appropriate to retreat despite appearing so youthful. It doesn’t seem he will be easily taken advantage of. What is your grasp of the situation? Are you thinking about seducing him?” As the old man spoke, he revealed displeasure.

Lady Fan shot a glance at the old man. Then, while stifling laughter, her eyes revealed fawning. “Hehe, Senior, you’re jealous! Relax, I won’t touch any man apart from you.” She pulled away at her muslin shawl to reveal her extremely enchanting face.

The old man originally appeared somewhat sickly. But upon seeing the woman, he was at a loss for words, and his cheeks flushed to an even deeper red. This scene left Lady Fan feeling very satisfied.

“Senior, in order to protect me, you suffered a great injury. It is something that I will always remember!” After saying this, Lady Fan spun her lithe, well-endowed body around and slid into the old man’s embrace, caressing the old man’s chest with her slender, white hands.

At this moment, Lady Fan’s face revealed overflowing thoughts of love, and her eyes appeared moist to the point of overflowing with tears. Her alluring beauty was capable of even resurrecting dead men.

The old man let out a breath as the woman’s white hand climbed up his chest out of impatient desire. He then crudely responded by embracing her fragrant body with equivalently impure intentions.

This scene caused the young woman who still remained in the room to deeply blush. She averted her gaze with a lowered head.

“Lian’er! How about you wait outside and report back once he returns?” Lady Fan softly whispered as if she had moaned.

“Yes, of course.” The young woman hastily responded as if she were being spared and stepped out of the room.

But before she even left the room, they still continued.

“That young girl has become far more beautiful these past two years. How about you give me a few years to teach her a couple things? Since good things shouldn’t be given to outsiders...”

“Bah! You’re dreaming! I only kept her around because she was useful! I forbid you from laying your hands on her! Could it be that I...”

Having clearly heard the two’s flirtatious banter, the young woman sighed and left the room.

Happy 400th Chapter Guys!

Whew, we've made it so far! Thank you to the readers that kept up so far, and my patrons(noted on the sidebar)! Cheers to a new arc with Han Li making use of his new Core Formation capabilities!

Call out to my former tl: Gandalf's Socks , my former editor: Koreanmist, my elusive proofreader Asvare, and my current editor Barbant (and Maxforce).

Thank you, your support have helped me a great deal! Now another 2046 chapters to go! We're a little bit less than 20% of the way there!

Ending note: Barbant's suggested title and an easter egg.