(Just a gentle reminder to vote!) "Oh! My name is Wu Jiuzhi. As soon as I saw you, I felt an immediate sense of familiarity—perhaps we've been destined to meet even in past lives! Come, let's pledge brotherhood right here, drink blood wine together, and become brothers!" As the Qingwen Daoist finished speaking, the cheerful fellow suddenly leaped forward, rushing to stand in front of Han Li, extended his hand to grasp Han Li's arm, and then earnestly declared his sentiments. Han Li was initially startled, but soon lightened up with a smile. "Brotherhood is certainly possible, but could you please refrain from touching me all over? I'm quite particular about my habits—far from interested in pure, youthful gentlemen!" With a smile, Han Li lightly teased, lifting his arm suddenly and then swiftly reaching back to grasp the other's wrist. By now, the upper half of that wrist had already slipped inside Han Li's sleeve. "Ah! Ah!" How strange! My hand must have slipped into your arms—surely it also felt an instant connection with Mr. Han, eager to greet him right away!" The young man was immediately exposed by Han Li. At first, he was startled, his face flushed, but after clearing his throat and pushing a few times, he calmly withdrew his wrist as if nothing had happened. Han Li did not hold on tightly to him; whenever the young man exerted a little force, Han would simply let go. Now, Han Li found himself genuinely interested in this man named Wu, Jiuzhi. Though a cultivator, he used a classic martial arts thief's technique to steal from Han Li—quite an unusual touch. His movements were both skilled and fluent; if it weren't for Han Li's own experience in similar secret arts, he might have missed the subtle actions altogether. Surely, many of the guests in the room had already suffered at his hands! Just as Han Li reached this thought, he heard Rú Ping's cheerful, triumphant voice. "Wu, young man—have you finally met someone who's a real challenge?" He was caught on the spot by Han brother, and now he's going to boast about his masterful stealth techniques—what a crook he really is, doing all these petty thievery! "Fine with me," said Wu Jiu, snorting with disdain. "What's the matter? You want me to steal from you again? I won't even bother—my whole body is full of nothing but worthless items. What's the point of showing up at the Ta Nan Gathering?" "What did you just say? A mere child! I haven't even settled the matter of the time you stole from me last time," Ruan Pinggu suddenly leapt up from her chair, her face turning as stern as iron. Her husband, the man with the thick beard, though silent, had his large sword pressed against his back and was glaring fiercely at the young man. Later, Han Li learned that this strong and sturdy man was actually mute from birth, so all matters were ultimately decided by his wife. "Alright! We are all cultivators—harmony should be our priority. Both of you, just yield a little and let this matter rest." The Qingwen Daoist furrowed his brow at this, but still spoke soothingly, then addressed Wu Jiuzhi with particular seriousness: "Brother Wu, I know you've only been stealing things for the sheer fun of it, and each time you return the lost items to their owners without any ill intent. However, such behavior will eventually lead to serious trouble—after all, not every owner is easygoing. What if, by chance, one of the immortal families takes issue with you? Then, no matter how much we want to help you, we'll find ourselves completely at a disadvantage. Therefore, perhaps it would be better if you didn't make such a playful habit with the other disciples!" Hearing the Daoist's heartfelt advice, the young man felt somewhat embarrassed. He scratched his scalp and spoke sincerely: "In truth, I picked up this skill on my journey to Taishan Valley—by accident. I simply found it entertaining, so I began practicing it unconsciously. I've already tried it out on several of you. I truly feel I owe you all a debt of gratitude!" Yet since this young Mr. Han has already managed to outmaneuver me, it clearly indicates that there are even more formidable contenders at the grand assembly. Therefore, everyone need not worry—my life will not be at risk in the assembly, and I shall certainly employ my hidden techniques again. Upon hearing this, the Taoist was beaming with delight and radiating sincere satisfaction. "Brother Wu, your talent is truly exceptional. At your age, you've already reached the peak of the Eighth Level—such a rare gem among independent practitioners. Indeed, we must treat you with special care!" "I shall not let the Master down, and I kindly request that everyone continue to show me kindness and support in the future!" Wu Jiu, being straightforward and sincere, deeply bowed to the assembly, thus formally resolving any lingering tensions. Although Hu Ping was still somewhat displeased, her expression had noticeably improved, suggesting she had finally accepted the good intentions of the other party. Only then did the Qingwen Taoist turn to Mr. Han and smile warmly, saying, "I never expected that just upon your arrival, you would have already achieved such a significant feat. Thank you so much!" Han Li gave a slight smile and spoke in a steady tone, "This has nothing to do with me—it's all thanks to the Master's efforts!" The Taoist shook his head and smiled, then said nothing further. At that moment, however, a muffled, indistinct voice broke in. "Master, you've summoned us all—what is it this time? Why isn't the monk here?" It was the plump, fair-skinned man who said it without hesitation. After all, this man had every right to treat Master Qingwen with such a tone! Han Li had already noticed that among all present, this man possessed the strongest magical power, even surpassing Master Qingwen slightly. Thus, no one dared to mock him for his rather unrefined voice, not even Wu Jiuzhi, who remained composed and serious. "It seems the immortal world is no different from the worldly martial circles—only those with strong power are truly respected," Han Li thought, with a touch of irony. "Heh! Huang, you're rather impatient!" Well, then, allow me to explain the reasons for summoning all of you here." Qingwen甩ed her fan with a calm, utterly composed demeanor. "The Tai Nan Fair has already passed halfway and will conclude in just a few more days. Isn't it time for everyone to start making moves? If you're planning to set up stalls, it would be most effective if we all acted together. That's why I've come to consult with each of you. As for Master Gu San, all the items he brought have already been sold out, so he need not join our discussion anymore!" "Ah, yes—indeed, it's time to get rid of our goods and exchange them for some spiritual stones to purchase other things!" The room soon filled with murmurs of agreement. After a lively exchange of opinions, everyone expressed their intention to set up stalls together the next day, with the exception of Han Li. "Han brother, aren't you willing to join us?" Wu Jiu asked, somewhat surprised. Everyone else also turned their attention to Han Li. "My own inventory is rather limited, and fortunately, I happened to meet several suitable buyers last night, so I've already sold off all of my items!" "So I won't be joining the group on this trip," Han Li explained calmly. "Ah, that's good! Then we won't have to suffer through everything together. Han brother truly has good fortune—just arriving, he's already sold off all his belongings." Hu Ping Gu expressed her admiration. The others also nodded in agreement, each with a look of "You're really lucky!" Han Li smiled, saying nothing. When the negotiations were concluded, the Qingwen Daoist stood up happily and said, "Then everyone rest well tonight. We'll all be refreshed tomorrow, and I hope we each make good progress!" Upon hearing this, the others also stood up and smiled, preparing to leave. At that moment, the Qingwen Daoist seemed to recall something and suddenly looked at everyone with serious expression. "By the way, after the Ta Nan Assembly concludes, don't rush to leave right away! I've heard that in recent assemblies, several independent practitioners—just like us—have vanished without a trace after the event. So everyone, please stay alert!" We're sure everyone will miss the Sky-Mist Pavilion's Ascension Gathering! With all of us traveling together, it'll be much safer!" Hearing the Daoist's words about the wandering cultivators going missing, Blackwood brothers and Hu Pinggu's couple exchanged concerned glances. Wu Jiuzhi and the Red Lotus cultivator looked puzzled, while Huang Xiaotian, the stout one, gave a cold snort, his expression growing gloomy. "Agreed, Master Qingwen—let's travel together." "We're also in favor!" Both the Blackwood brothers and Hu Pinggu's couple enthusiastically agreed, clearly deeply concerned about the matter.