Huan Li smiled slightly upon hearing this, knowing that his senior, Lü, would surely speak on his behalf. Indeed, before the Nanzhong Marquis could utter another word in the golden light, the middle-aged man named Lü stepped forward to introduce Huan Li. "Your Excellency, this is Huan Li, our new disciple from Luoyun Sect, who has only recently achieved the Infant Stage of Yuan婴. The young lady beside him is his concubine. Huan Li, this Marquis and my master have known each other for a long time—please meet him." "May I have the honor to introduce myself to the Nanzhong Marquis!" Huan Li gracefully bowed, his robes flowing gently, exuding composure. "Huan Li? That name sounds rather unfamiliar. It seems you are indeed a newly advanced Yuan婴 cultivator. I wonder what your abilities are—let me see if I can put them to the test." The Nanzhong Marquis spoke casually, as though seated in his beast-vehicle. "Ah? Huan Li has only achieved the Yuan婴 stage for a few years—how could he possibly be a match for the Marquis? I believe the Marquis has Lü Luo's originally composed expression subtly changed, and he silently groaned within. Though this old man was known for his eccentric nature, how had he suddenly decided to test Han's abilities? It seemed as though he were not the same person as before! "Rest assured," said Nanlong Marquis. "I won't rely on my superior cultivation to dominate him. I'll simply engage in a contest of awareness. Han's awareness was quite strong—clearly not that of a novice who had just achieved Immortality. I'm merely delighted to have the chance to observe him." As Nanlong Marquis spoke, a flash of golden light emanated from the beast carriage, then dimmed, revealing three figures seated together in the center of the vast vehicle—one man and two women. The man wore a purple dragon-patterned robe, adorned with a jade crown, his long beard reaching to his chest, positioned between the two women. The women wore snowy white robes, beautiful as blossoms, half leaning against the man. The bearded man was clearly Nanlong Marquis himself, while the two women beside him were likely his consorts—though only at the Foundation Stage of cultivation—yet both graceful and full of charm. "You're mistaken," said the Mar Although Han's spiritual awareness is stronger, the trial of spiritual awareness is exceptionally perilous—how could it be undertaken lightly?" Lu Luozhen grew increasingly anxious, no longer hesitating despite his initial reservations, and directly declined the proposal. "Hehe! Lu brother, what's the hurry? Perhaps Han brother himself would be eager to participate!" Nan Long Marquis chuckled, his eyes flashing a subtle cold gleam as he calmly looked at Han Li. "Moreover, if Han brother truly declines my offer, I believe we've already traveled over a thousand li from the city of Qian Tian. In that case, the rule of compulsory trade might apply." "Compulsory trade? What does Marquis mean by that?" Lu Lu's face tightened, and a growing unease stirred within him. "Nothing special—seeing how closely the young lady from the backroom has been with Han brother, I suspect he holds her in great affection. On my side, I have two concubines, though I've grown somewhat weary of them. Why not exchange them for Han brother's attendant?" My two favored concubines are equally as beautiful and accomplished as Miss Mu. Clearly, they meet the criteria for a forced exchange. Should Master Han be unwilling to proceed with the exchange, then he shall compete with me in the strength of his spiritual awareness. Should he prevail, not only will he retain his own concubines, but mine shall also be his. After a cold, steady gaze at Miss Mu Peilin, the Nán Lǒng Marquis spoke with composed demeanor. The two concubines in his arms slightly flushed, then quickly regained their composure. Upon hearing this, Lǚ Lu was utterly astonished, his face filled with shock, and he found himself momentarily speechless. As for Miss Mu Peilin, standing beside Han, her face instantly turned pale. "A forced exchange! Master Lǚ, could you please elaborate on this further?" Han slightly furrowed his brows and then asked calmly. To him, the Nán Lǒng Marquis was merely a Yuan-Infant stage cultivator, and with Han's current capabilities, he did not feel particularly intimidated. "Actually, it's not much. The forced exchange is simply a rule specifically established by the organizing faction for Yuan-Infant stage cultivators." "Your younger brother should know that once a cultivator reaches the Yuan婴 stage, no faction is willing to easily offend them. The faction in charge of organizing the fair is no exception. However, such a large fair inevitably involves some disputes or conflicts during the trading process. For cultivators below the Yuan婴 stage, the organizing faction can easily suppress these issues. But when disputes arise between Yuan婴 cultivators themselves, the organizing faction prefers not to become deeply involved. As a result, several special provisions have been established to allow Yuan婴 cultivators to resolve their disputes independently. Among these, the rule of mandatory trade is the one used least frequently. Moreover, even if the party initiating the transaction succeeded, they would merely complete the trade and gain little advantage. But if they failed, the items they offered would be given freely to the challenger. Furthermore, while both parties could seriously injure each other, they were not allowed to harm their lives—otherwise, the organizers would summon top-tier practitioners to pursue and eliminate the defeated party. However, it was already extremely difficult for a Yuan-Ying stage cultivator to defeat another in a one-on-one duel. And unless the opponent truly held an item the challenger desperately needed and was clearly inferior in cultivation level, no one would undertake such a move—making it both unprofitable and risky, inviting enmity in the process. Lu Luo explained this point by point to Han Li, though his expression was clearly displeased. Indeed, for Yuan-Ying stage cultivators, there was a well-established tradition of trading in serving consorts. In some esoteric and heretical sects, this practice was even quite popular. Thus, no matter how one looked at it, the conditions proposed by the opponent were fully met. Even if the Nine-Nation Alliance’s enforcement cultivators were summoned, they would be of no help. Fortunately, Han Li should not face any life-threatening danger. Yet, he had sustained severe injuries before the trade fair even began—something truly beyond his control. As for Mu Peilin in his eyes, she was entirely insignificant. Even if she were exchanged, Han Li would still receive two exceptionally beautiful and graceful women, so there would be no real loss. When both Han Li and Mu Peilin fully understood Lü Luo's words, Han Li remained composed, while Mu Peilin was filled with deep regret. Had she known earlier about such a rule at the trade fair, she would never have come to this. Though she didn't deeply know the southern Lu County Marquis, she could already see from his manner and his treatment of his concubines that it would be impossible for her to remain a virgin while serving him. In fact, she might well be treated as mere merchandise, casually given away or exchanged. As the thought of such a scenario unfolded, Mu Peilin bit her lips tightly, and a faint flush of pink appeared on her pale face. As for this "young lord" to triumph over the other, the young lady truly had little hope. "Wait—Master Han, are you planning to settle on a trade now, or shall we first engage in a mental awareness contest before proceeding with the trade?" Nan Long Marquis sat motionless in the beast-carriage, pressing steadily with his questions. "Han Li spoke calmly, as if there was not a single trace of concern. Hearing this, a strange expression flashed across Nanlong Marquis's eyes, while the others found themselves at a loss, unsure of what to make of it. "Very well," the Marquis said after a moment of silence, responding slowly. "On my solemn promise," his dignified face now bore a serious expression. "Master..." Mu Peilin exclaimed upon seeing Han Li truly accept the challenge, her delicate features filled with a mixture of emotions. "It's all right—it's just a matter of skill and technique," Han Li waved his hand. "Please take care of your brother. Should he find himself unable to keep up, he should immediately concede. I will step in right away to prevent any further damage." Lu Luo sighed and added the reminder. Han Li nodded and said no more. At that moment, the Nanlong Marquis, now standing within the carriage of beasts, pushed aside his attendant and, with a swift motion of his sleeve, floated upward into the air. Han Li's body shimmered with a green glow, transforming into a streak of green light and ascending as well. Although, according to the mandatory transaction rules, ideally nine enforcement cultivators should be present, both parties have now silently agreed not to mention this matter—thus, it has been settled. "Though I don't understand why my companion insists on probing the extent of my spiritual awareness, it's clear that the Marquis has a deeper intention. I must admit, I'm genuinely curious about this." After the two had flown fifty to sixty zhang apart and came to a halt, Han Li floated in front of Nanlong Marquis, calmly inquiring. "Han is indeed a wise individual—yet one who seeks to understand the reasons. Only a spiritual awareness that is either slightly stronger or comparable to mine would suffice. Had I not felt your spiritual awareness to be quite strong during the initial scan, I would never have lowered my dignity to challenge you. However, I believe Han's chances are slim. The difference between a spiritual awareness at the Yuan婴 initial and mid-stage is far from minor." Nanlong Marquis offered a cold, unceremonious smile.