...
Soon, the three of them arrived in Luochuan City.
Su Yueli swept her gaze around. The city occupied a vast area, with wide streets and lined with shops, looking extremely bustling. However, its foundation in the martial path and immortal cultivation was pitifully weak.
In her perception, the vast majority of those coming and going in the city were unrated mortals.
The occasional martial artists she passed were mostly low-level figures of the First and Second Realms; even Fourth Realm martial artists were extremely rare.
As for the spiritual energy fluctuations of cultivators, they were practically nonexistent. There seemed to be no cultivators in the city at all.
This place was like a corner completely abandoned by the cultivation world.
Su Yueli understood. No wonder the Zhao family could run rampant in Luochuan City just by spending a fortune to hire a single Second Realm cultivator, even driving the Han family, a fellow family force, to the brink of ruin.
A quarter of an hour later, Han Qingling stopped in front of a grand residence.
Several guards stationed outside the gates were pacing back and forth with solemn expressions.
With a glance, Su Yueli saw that these guards only had the cultivation of Second Realm martial artists.
Seeing Han Qingling and Han Yu, the guards blanked for a moment before rushing forward in utter shock.
They hurriedly clasped their hands in salute. “Eldest Young Miss! Second Young Miss! You... you escaped and came back?!”
Han Qingling nodded, her expression regaining the composure befitting the eldest young miss of a prestigious family. She instructed, “Go to the main hall and inform Father that we have returned.”
“Yes! This subordinate will go right away!” Excitement taking over, the guard turned and ran toward the courtyard.
Han Yu, on the other hand, grabbed Su Yueli's arm and excitedly pulled her inside. “Senior, please come in!”
Su Yueli nodded slightly, allowing herself to be pulled across the threshold of the Han family's gates.
Inside the main hall of the Han family, the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.
Several family elders with Fourth Realm cultivation sat on both sides, their faces pale and despondent.
In front of the main seat of the hall stood a burly middle-aged man with a square face and slightly graying temples. He was pacing back and forth in an anxious frenzy.
This man was none other than the Han family patriarch, Han Zhen. His blood qi was quite robust, and he had already reached the peak Fifth Realm cultivation.
Just as the guard's announcement sounded from outside, Han Qingling and the other two stepped into the main hall.
Han Zhen abruptly lifted his head. Seeing his two daughters covered in blood and their clothes torn, his eyes instantly reddened.
He rushed forward, his voice trembling. “Ling'er! Yu'er! You're both alright?! Father thought... thought I would never see you again in this lifetime!”
Tears streamed down Han Yu's face as she threw herself into Han Zhen's arms and began to cry.
The elders in the hall also showed joyful expressions and gathered around.
Han Qingling patted her younger sister's back. Not having the time to catch up, she quickly took half a step back, presenting Su Yueli who stood behind her.
With a solemn expression, she looked at her father and the elders, introducing her gravely: “Father, Grand Elder, it was this senior who saved us on the official highway. If not for Senior's intervention, we sisters would have surely died today.”
“The Zhao family's young master, Zhao Tiancheng, as well as the Second Realm cultivator they hired... have both been killed by Senior.”
Hearing the first half, Han Zhen and Grand Elder Han Changqing first let out sighs of relief.
They sized up Su Yueli, who wore a light blue robe and showed no fluctuations of aura, assuming she was some passing wanderer of the Fourth or Fifth Realm. Filled with gratitude, they were about to cup their hands to offer their thanks.
But when they heard the words “killed the Second Realm cultivator,” the air in the entire hall seemed to instantly freeze.
Han Zhen's movements froze mid-air, and the Grand Elder's eyes widened even further as he stared at Han Qingling in disbelief.
Killed a Second Realm cultivator?!
In Luochuan City, a Second Realm cultivator was an overwhelmingly superior existence!
Even Han Zhen at the peak Fifth Realm would have faced near-certain death against that cultivator. Yet this young-looking woman before them, who possessed not even a shred of spiritual energy, had actually killed the immortal master?
After a brief, dead silence, Han Zhen snapped out of it. Waves of shock crashed through his heart, and he dared not show the slightest negligence.
Grabbing the Grand Elder, the two of them bowed deeply to Su Yueli in unison.
They clasped their hands and performed a formal salute. “Han family patriarch Han Zhen, and Grand Elder Han Changqing, thank you for saving their lives, Your Excellency! The entire Han family will never forget this immense kindness!”
Su Yueli's expression remained flat as she made a casual lifting motion with her hand. “It is nothing, just a casual act. I am Su Yueli. I only came to Luochuan City to search for a certain herb in the Cangji Mountain Range.”
She did not continue using her alias.
In front of these people, hiding her identity was pointless, nor did it pose any danger.
Hearing that Su Yueli had business to attend to, Han Zhen hurriedly said with deep respect, “Since Senior wishes to enter the Cangji Mountain Range, our Han family will certainly do our utmost to assist you! Please rest in our estate for a moment, and allow our Han family to show you our hospitality.”
“In a moment, I will personally select the clan member who is most familiar with the mountain range. We will definitely not delay Senior's journey!”
With that, he quickly gave his second daughter a meaningful look. “Yu'er, quickly take Senior Su to the best guest room in the backyard to rest and have some tea!”
Wiping away her tears, Han Yu obediently grabbed Su Yueli's sleeve. “Senior, please follow me. I will take you to rest!”
Su Yueli frowned slightly. She had originally planned to get a guide and a map and head straight into the mountains, not wanting to waste time here.
However, the young girl was simply too enthusiastic, and with her pitiful appearance of having just escaped death, it wasn't right for Su Yueli to coldly turn her away.
She could only nod helplessly and follow Han Yu to the backyard first.
Once Su Yueli's figure completely vanished around the corner of the corridor, the atmosphere in the main hall instantly shifted.
Han Zhen grabbed Han Qingling's arm, his voice lowered but unable to conceal his shock. “Ling'er, what exactly happened? She's a martial artist, yet she actually killed a Second Realm cultivator? What about the dozen or so elites the Zhao family brought along?”
The Grand Elder and several other clan members also gathered around, holding their breath.
Han Qingling took a deep breath. The scene on the official highway flashed in her mind once more, a trace of awe and fear slipping into her eyes.
“Father, there was no fight or struggle.”
Han Qingling said, “Zhao Tiancheng and that Second Realm cultivator spoke insolently. Senior Su simply stood in place and gently clenched her fist from afar...”
The main hall fell dead silent.
Han Zhen swallowed hard. “And then?”
“Then, the air within a hundred-foot radius collapsed completely.”
Han Qingling recalled, “Zhao Tiancheng, the Second Realm cultivator, and those dozen or so Zhao family elites instantly exploded into a cloud of blood mist, leaving not a single bone behind.”
“Hiss—”
A collective gasp instantly echoed through the main hall.
The Grand Elder's legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed into his chair, his face turning deathly pale. “Just clenching her fist... turned a Second Realm cultivator into blood mist? What... what kind of terrifying realm is this?!”
Han Zhen's scalp also went numb, and cold sweat instantly drenched his back.
He had originally thought this senior was at most a Sixth or Seventh Realm martial Grandmaster. But hearing his daughter's description, such supernatural, unpredictable methods... let alone the Seventh Realm...
Even those high-and-mighty, great immortal cultivators in the legends were probably only at this level!
After the shock subsided, a look of wild joy flashed in Han Zhen's eyes.
“Heaven has not abandoned our Han family! Heaven has not abandoned our Han family!”
Han Zhen clenched his fists. “The Zhao family has lost their young master and their backer; they will surely fall into chaos. As long as Senior Su remains in our estate for even a single day, even if the Zhao family had ten times their courage, they would never dare to invade!”
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