"Not at all!" The unusual expression in Nan Gong's eyes vanished, and her gaze returned to its usual coolness. This statement stirred a pang in Han Li's heart, leaving a bitter aftertaste. "Oh, that's truly a coincidence!" Li Hua Yuan smiled warmly and glanced at Han Li again. Yet Han Li's face remained serene, showing no signs of surprise or change. The other cultivators exchanged glances, each nodding with the air of "So it is," but how truly convinced they were—only they knew. Nan Gong herself knew the statement would find little credence, yet she offered no explanation, simply drifting away with quiet grace. The others exchanged meaningful glances at Han Li before respectfully bidding farewell to Li and Hua Yuan's couple. Li Hua Yuan's smile, however, gradually faded as all the guests departed. He furrowed his brow, turned to Han Li, and said in a calm tone, "Come inside with me—I have some questions for you." Seeing this, Han Li silently sighed, and nodded in agreement. The young woman mistress gently comforted Han Li for a few moments before entering the room as well. When Han Li stepped into the living room, Li Hua Yuan was seated on a chair, appearing deeply thoughtful. The young woman sat closely beside him. "Have you met Nan Gong Wan from Yan Yue Sect?" Li Hua Yuan stopped his contemplation as soon as Han Li approached, and asked directly without any hesitation. Han Li paused silently, instantly weighing the situation in his mind. Knowing that Nan Gong Wan's unusual condition had clearly caught this person's attention and that he could no longer evade the matter, he nodded and acknowledged, "Indeed, I have had the pleasure of meeting Master Nan Gong once." Li Hua Yuan was somewhat surprised by Han Li's straightforward admission, and his expression softened immediately. "Could you please tell me what happened?" the young woman, showing keen interest, asked. Nanguang Wan’s initial denial of knowing Han Li just now, and now this disciple claiming to know him, clearly indicates there’s some underlying story. Upon hearing his wife’s account, Li Huayuan nods and gazes steadily at Han Li, clearly eager to learn the full details. "Master, forgive me. This matter involves some private affairs of my senior, Nanguang Shishu, and I had previously promised to keep it strictly confidential. I kindly ask both Master and Master’s wife to understand!" Han Li had already prepared a polished and graceful excuse, gently declining the request. Upon hearing this, Li Huayuan and his wife were both taken aback. They exchanged glances, and only after a moment of thoughtful consideration did Li Huayuan speak slowly, as if carefully weighing his words: "Since you’ve already made a commitment to the other party, I naturally cannot allow you to fail in your word. However, I’d like to gently suggest that you keep your interactions with Nanguang the仙 (immortal) to a minimum. You see, the charm and grace of Yan Yue Sect are truly exceptional—my greatest concern is that you may unconsciously fall under their influence, without even realizing it." "But now that you are mentally clear and speaking with clarity, I have finally relaxed." Hearing this, Han Li felt a weight lift from his heart and promptly nodded in agreement. Li Hua Yuan, seeing Han Li's respectful demeanor—clearly showing deep reverence for his teacher—found his last trace of discomfort fade away. He then smiled warmly and began to offer guidance on Han Li's cultivation practices. Han Li listened intently, making sure not to miss a single word from his teacher. After a while, Li Hua Yuan casually asked a few questions about Han Li's personal insights and experiences in cultivation. He was quite satisfied with the answers. Suddenly, he uttered an unexpected remark. "Han Li, I now have a personal matter that I would like to entrust to you—would you be willing to take it up?" "A personal matter?" Han Li was momentarily surprised, but quickly responded with enthusiasm. "Please, Master, go ahead and give me your instructions—I will do my best to see it through!" Li Huayuan was very pleased with Han Li's prompt and decisive attitude. After standing up and walking back and forth a few steps in the room, he said in a steady voice: "Actually, it's not that dangerous at all! I just need you to serve as a bodyguard for a while, to help protect a family's safety!" "Bodyguard? To protect people?" Han Li was slightly surprised, yet remained composed and listened attentively to Li Huayuan's next words. "I originally intended to send your fourth senior, Song Meng, but recently, I've occasionally heard people mention your remarkable feats in killing numerous magicians from the magical schools—this truly surprised me and my wife! We never expected that among my disciples, someone so capable would emerge. In fact, even members of the other six sects have frequently spoken about your achievements! With that in mind, I naturally feel more at ease sending you instead!" Li Huayuan smiled, clearly delighted. At the same time, the young wife smiled warmly and added: "Also, Song Meng has lived most of his life in Lübo Cave and has never had much exposure to the mundane world." You're clearly lacking in worldly grace and practicality—indeed, from this perspective, it's absolutely you who must go. After all, the people you're tasked to protect are ordinary mortals of the mundane world. Hearing his wife and husband's praise, Han Li felt a little embarrassed and smiled modestly, appearing shy. Yet, though he maintained a composed demeanor on the surface, he found himself somewhat puzzled internally. After all, what could be dangerous for an ordinary mortal? A mere Qi-level disciple would be sufficient as a bodyguard. So why send a Foundation-level disciple like himself? Perhaps Li Hua Yuan had sensed Han Li's hesitation, and thus offered a blend of explanation and narration: "The person I've asked you to protect is the descendant of my former senior colleague, who once saved my life with a great debt of gratitude. However, his only son is an ordinary mortal without a spiritual root—unable to pursue cultivation and thus confined to the mundane world. After his passing, I made a solemn vow: as long as I live, I will ensure the safety and prosperity of his descendants!" Thus, over the past hundred years, this family has flourished through several generations, all under my quiet support—any threats I've encountered have been swiftly and thoroughly eliminated. As I spoke, I paused, as though recalling past memories, then immediately continued: "However, recently I've received word that the six great sects of the magical path may send some junior disciples into our secular realm, targeting the ordinary folk we've quietly supported through our seven sects. Their intention is to disrupt the steady supply of basic materials from the secular world. Given the close relationship between this family and myself, I believe they will be viewed as part of this initiative. Therefore, I need someone capable of handling this situation to safeguard the family's security. Of course, that would be even better if the magical path's forces do not interfere with them." Upon hearing this, Han Li nodded solemnly, indicating he had understood. "Alright, I'll write a letter to the current head of this household, explaining your identity and circumstances. He is the only one who knows about my connection to your ancestors. I've also made arrangements—during this period, you'll be counted as on an external mission, so there's no need to worry about penalties. This jade scroll contains detailed information about the family; take it with you now and start packing. You can leave early tomorrow morning, otherwise unforeseen changes might occur!" Li Huayuan thought through his words one last time before issuing the instructions. "Understood!" Han Li bowed slightly and replied softly. This was the last resort should the seven sects suffer a decisive defeat in the final battle—only then could he manage to escape independently. Otherwise, once the six magical sects were free, he would be constantly besieged by magical practitioners, living out his remaining days in constant pursuit, with no time left for cultivation. Han Li estimated that, under normal circumstances, the round trip would take no more than twenty days—enough to fully fulfill Li Hua Yuan's mission—so he felt confident enough to proceed. Han Li and Qi Yunxiao had arranged to meet at a teahouse in a small town within the Yuanwu Kingdom. As Qi Yunxiao had mentioned, the teahouse was run by one of his subordinates, so once Han Li found it, he would naturally be able to reach out to Qi Yunxiao. Throughout his journey, Han Li moved with swift, almost effortless speed, passing by several cultivators without so much as a glance or a word of conversation—showing no intention to engage. After seven or eight days of nonstop flight, Han Li finally arrived at the small town named Jinma. To avoid causing a disturbance, Han Li lowered his magical artifacts and descended several miles outside the small town, then walked slowly toward the city gates. Though the Jinma City was not large, the gate area was bustling with activity—many people came and went, making it quite prosperous. Han Li, with an ordinary appearance and dressed in a slightly worn scholarly robe, blended seamlessly among the crowd and moved with the flow of pedestrians into the city. The tea house was well known, and after casually asking a child about the way to "Qingquan Tea House," he easily obtained the information he needed and proceeded. Of course, when Han Li stood before this so-called "Qingquan Tea House," he took a close, keen interest in it. (Apologies—today, upon returning from the hospital, I was already late, so I only managed to finish this chapter now!)