"Master Zhao, thank you for waiting so long! This is Mr. Han, the owner of the beast-materials batch." "Oh, Mr. Han! Please sit. I've just personally brewed a cup of Bingyun Ling tea—would you like to try it?" The gray-robed elder lifted his gaze to Han Li, speaking in a calm, gentle tone. Han Li furrowed his brow. The elder's appearance was unremarkable, except that his cheeks were unusually flushed—almost as if he had just recovered from an illness. A subtle sense of curiosity stirred within him. Now, with his awareness far surpassing that of his peers, Han Li had instantly discerned that the elder was also a Jian Dan stage cultivator. Thus, he made no formal objections, simply sat across from the elder, yet kept a quiet watch on the freshly poured cup of fragrant tea without reaching for it. Though the elder seemed cordial and unthreatening, Han Li, by habit, never drank anything in unfamiliar settings. Seeing Han Li's careful demeanor, the elder did not show any sign of displeasure, merely offering a gentle smile and pouring himself a small cup of tea, sipping it calmly. As if, in that very moment, he had once again set Han Li and the others aside. "Master Han! This time, I have come on behalf of Miao Yin Sect to offer you the opportunity to purchase all of our remaining spirit-beast materials. As for the price, we are quite open to negotiation,"范静梅 as soon as settled herself, gracefully extended her lips and slowly spoke to Han Li, exuding an elegant and dignified grace. "I indeed had some spirit-beast materials in the past, but the final batch has just recently been sold. I fear we may fall short of your expectations," Han Li said, not quite sure of the elder's intentions, and deliberately hesitated, aiming to block the flow of the conversation before committing to any further details. Upon hearing Han Li's hesitation, Lady Fan smiled warmly, her expression brightening with a gentle tone: "Master Han, your words seem to be a little deceptive, don't they?" Although our sect doesn't know exactly how many beast-materials the senior still possesses, we are certain there must be many more. Otherwise, the senior wouldn't have been so cautious in merely selling them to outside small merchants, one small batch at a time, and always to different buyers. Had it not been for our sect's diligent collection of such materials throughout Tianxing City, we likely wouldn't have noticed the anomaly at all. The senior must be concerned about revealing one's wealth. If so, Master Han need not worry—though our sect is not a major power, our reputation across the Lunxing Sea has always been excellent. The senior is entirely free to sell all these materials to me, and thus our sect will avoid the additional effort of gathering them again from other small merchants! The lady spoke with a warm, composed expression, her tone flowing smoothly and her demeanor remarkably at ease. Yet Master Han's eyes flashed with cold light, and a subtle anger stirred within him. Who, after all, would find it pleasant to be quietly investigated without prior knowledge? Perhaps sensing Han Li's irritation, Lady Fan suddenly shifted her tone and began explaining to him again. "Master Han, please don't mind my earlier impetuosity. I was compelled to mobilize most of my clan's forces stationed in Tianxing City, given the urgency of the matter, in order to track you down. I would be deeply grateful if you could assist me this time!" As she spoke, she subtly positioned herself in a position of vulnerability, her words and gaze conveying a quiet appeal. Hearing this, Han Li's stern expression gradually softened. He didn't immediately respond, but gently tapped the tea table before him with his index finger, his face remaining expressionless. In reality, Han Li's mind was actively spinning with various thoughts, swiftly weighing the advantages and disadvantages at play. Though he didn't know why this lady or the Miao Yin Sect specifically needed such a large quantity of monster materials, it was clear that they had already determined that he possessed exactly what they sought—denying it would likely only serve to create unnecessary hostilities. The Miao Yin Sect, he had never heard of before, but judging from this Zhao elder's demeanor, their strength should certainly not be weak. He certainly didn't want to simply establish this rivalry without cause. Moreover, he had so many monster materials at his disposal; if he kept releasing them one by one, eventually others would surely detect the pattern and uncover his holdings. It would be better to take advantage of this opportunity and eliminate the issue at once. Also, since this was the Tian Xing City, where any disputes among cultivators were strictly prohibited, he had no fear that the other party would come up with any tricks during the transaction. With these thoughts in mind, Han Li paused quietly and then spoke calmly: "Since the lady has brought this matter up so clearly, I have no further concealment. Indeed, I still have some monster materials that the esteemed sect would find valuable. I merely wonder whether the quantity is sufficient to meet the lady's needs." "Heard that Master Han had expressed his acceptance, both the woman across from him and the young lady behind him immediately beamed with delight. Even the elderly man who had been quietly sipping tea, seemingly a world apart from the rest, glanced at Han with a relaxed expression. 'How many would you like, Master?' said Lady Fan, eager and full of hope in her eyes. Han smiled gently and casually mentioned a surprisingly large number, which left the woman utterly delighted. Though she knew Han possessed many, she hadn't expected such a generous figure. Her task was finally complete! 'All of these materials—I would like to take them all!' Lady Fan of Miao Yin, no longer holding back, spoke with a slightly trembling voice, as if afraid Han might change his mind. Han found her such eagerness rather surprising!" Yet he also wished to get rid of these items sooner rather than later, to avoid complications arising from prolonged hesitation. After a brief consideration, he said, "Very well, let's continue the transaction right here! Madam, please prepare the spiritual stones; I'll go fetch the items right away." The neat and efficient manner of Han Li precisely pleased the woman across from him, who nodded enthusiastically with a series of bright, surprised glances. "As she spoke coldly, her refined grace completely transformed, her expression growing eerily solemn, sending a shiver down one's spine! 'No! Though this person has only recently reached the Dan stage, his cultivation method is truly exceptional. His spiritual power is exceptionally pure, and there's a subtle radiance of precious qi seeping out from within. Either he has already crafted powerful artifacts to conceal this, or he possesses inherited artifacts from others. We must not underestimate him!' Elder Zhao gently shook her head and voiced her opposition. 'Then, it seems he possesses considerable strength. How about this—during our operation half a month from now, we bring him along as well? If everything goes smoothly, we can treat him favorably and win over a few of his allies. Should things go less well, he will serve perfectly well as a pawn!' The woman slowly said, her gaze shifting with an air of strange intensity. 'That is indeed a sound strategy. Yet, I observe that though he appears young, his manner and composure are well-organized and steady—far from being easily manipulated. Do you have confidence in this? Or are you planning to use charm to win him over?'” "As the elder spoke, his expression grew increasingly displeased. Lady Fan glanced at him with a sideways glance, then suddenly chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with charm. 'Tsk-tsk! Elder, are you jealous? Rest assured—outside of you, not a single man in the entire Miao Yin Sect will ever touch me!' With a gentle tug of her sleeve, she revealed a breathtakingly alluring face. The elder, whose complexion had previously been pale and delicate, now stared wide-eyed, his cheeks flushing deeply. Seeing this, Lady Fan felt deeply satisfied. 'Elder, you were seriously injured the last time you protected me! I have never forgotten that!' As she spoke, she gracefully twisted her slender figure, her full and graceful body sliding smoothly into the elder's arms, several zhang away, and gently resting her delicate hands upon his chest. Lady Fan now radiated a vibrant spring charm, her large eyes glistening with moisture, as if they would drip with water—purely enchanting, a creature that could drive one mad. At the moment when the elder’s breath caught as Lady Fan’s delicate hands brushed over her chest, it grew noticeably rapid. Her hands, slightly rough, likewise stirred restlessly upon the fragrant body. This scene left the young girl standing behind Lady Fan, her cheeks flushing deeply, her delicate lips slightly parted as she lowered her head with a shy, almost embarrassed grace. “Lian! Go out for a while first, and come back only when the man arrives to inform him,” Lady Fan murmured, her voice nearly a sigh of pleasure. “Yes, Lady.” The girl responded with eager urgency, as though released from a long-standing obligation, and hurriedly retreated. Yet, just as she gently closed the door, she caught a faint exchange: “This girl has grown so fresh and delicate these past two years. Perhaps one day I should take her under my wing for a few days—after all, why let the good water flow to others?” “Pah! Dream on! I’ll keep Lian for myself— Could it be…? Having heard the tender exchanges between the man and woman inside, the young girl exhaled in relief and slowly stepped out of the room.