"I returned to Yanyue Sect and waited until our sect had firmly established itself in Beiliang State, then I went to Yue State again to search for you. But the news I received was rather disappointing—I only learned that you had been pursued once more by the Guilin Sect, though the specific details remained unclear. Soon after, I was discovered by magicians from the demonic path and had to return to the Nine Kingdom Alliance. Since then, I've heard no further from you, and I began to believe you had perished. Gradually, your heart-mist also began to fade. Later, by good fortune, you successfully condensed your spirit into a true infant form, and I eventually became a senior monk of Yanyue Sect—this has now been the case for quite some time," Nan Gong Wan said calmly. Hearing Nan Gong Wan's steady narration, Han Li's expression changed several times. He had never known how much this woman had done for him back then, and now his gaze toward her carried a growing warmth. "What about Wei Licheng?" Han Li finally asked, after a while. "Wei Licheng! I encountered him by chance during a trip several years ago, when I met a senior monk from Hu I don't particularly like this person. He's almost a textbook example of a hypocrite—polished and graceful on the surface, yet behind closed doors, a man who's been stealing from women and cheating on his own principles. I've heard that he has no fewer than seven or eight female disciples. Moreover, I've been told he's secretly practicing the technique of drawing yin essence to nourish yang energy. He's likely not genuinely interested in me when he proposes. That's why, when he first made his request, I simply turned it down right away." Nan Gong Wan said with a cold smile. "Turned it down? Then how has things come to this now?" Han Li asked, looking puzzled. Nan Gong Wan didn't immediately answer, but suddenly asked, "Do you know of the three senior Yuan-Ying cultivators from the southern region?" "Of course. There's one from the Zheng-Mo faction and another from the Nine-Nations Alliance, both at the late Yuan-Ying stage—just one step away from reaching the Chasming stage. Otherwise, the balance among the major powers wouldn't have been maintained for so long." As for our Nine-Nation Alliance, there is a mid-stage Yuan-Enlightened couple who are both highly skilled in cooperative combat techniques. Together, they can at least hold their own against a late-stage Yuan-Enlightened cultivator. So, is Wei Licheng connected to either of them?" Han Li asked, his face darkening, with a growing sense of unease in his heart. "Indeed, Wei Licheng's paternal uncle is Wei Wuya, one of the three senior cultivators. Wei Wuya, as the Supreme Elder of the Alliance, practices a rare cultivation technique known as the Toxic Path—so subtle that even a simple gesture can silently claim a person's life. His powers far surpass ordinary cultivators' expectations." Nangong Wan spoke softly, her ten jade fingers interlaced, a wry smile playing on her lips. "Could it be that Wei Wuya has personally been causing difficulties for you?" Han Li drew a short breath, his eyes flashing with cold intensity. "Not exactly. However, Wei Wuya has indeed been involved in this matter. Do you know that the current Grand Master of Yan Yue Sect is no longer the one who held that position before?" Instead, she was replaced by one of her former senior sisters. Though that sister had a solid cultivation level, she was highly pragmatic and often disagreed with me in daily interactions. Despite the mediation of another senior elder, our relationship remained extremely strained! Nan Gong Wan said this with a clearly irritated expression. Han Li's face darkened, and he realized Nan Gong Wan had hit the core of the matter. Indeed, after biting her lower lip, Nan Gong Wan continued: "After I repeatedly declined Wei Lixian's marriage proposals, I have no idea how Wei Lixian managed to personally persuade Wei Wuyi to come and visit my senior sister. Though I don't know what discussions they had, within just half a year—during the cycle period of my *Cycle Elixir* cultivation technique—she suddenly intervened and restrained me, then forced me to marry Wei Lixian." "Your senior sister must be out of her mind! How could she resort to such a move against a fellow Yuan-Pei cultivator?" Han Li paused, visibly stunned and hard to believe. "You're absolutely right. I never expected her to go so far." Yet the conditions proposed by Wei Wuyi were indeed hard to refuse. Later I learned that as long as the Yan Yue Sect agreed to this marriage alliance, not only would they be permitted—indeed, even encouraged—to break away from the Northern Liang state and develop independently, but Wei Licheng himself also pledged to join the Yan Yue Sect after marrying me, thereby formally leaving the Hua Yi Sect. With such a dual benefit, it was no surprise that she was willing to go to any lengths to secure it. In fact, regardless of whether I agreed or not, she had already announced my consent to co-attain cultivation with Wei Licheng and was preparing a grand celebration—she intended to solidify the matter so thoroughly that, by then, even if I wished to back out, I would be unable to do so. "Nan Gong Wan smiled slightly, her tone laced with irony. "I never actually agreed to the marriage, and yet you kept insisting on saying you intended to marry someone—my heart nearly dropped at that!" Han Li exclaimed, deeply delighted. "I still have a question: since you achieved the Yuan Ying stage several years ago, why didn't you come to me sooner?" "If you had come a year earlier, perhaps you wouldn't have caused so many complications," Nan Gong Wan said, giving Han Li a withering glance. "I'm not unwilling to find you—I just..." Han Li blinked, opening his mouth to explain, but upon reflection, he found the situation indeed strange. Though he had always sensed that Nan Gong Wan was the one person he truly loved, he had never quite found the courage to express that feeling directly. It wasn't until he suddenly learned of her engagement that he felt any real resolve to face his emotions head-on. As Han Li's expression remained uncertain, Nan Gong Wan smiled warmly and rose gracefully, stepping several paces to stand before him, meeting his gaze directly. "In fact, my situation is much like yours. Though I have far surpassed ordinary people in experience and cultivation, I have never before encountered matters of the heart—both unfamiliar and filled with hesitation. Even now, we have both left deep impressions on each other." But we, though, are no ordinary laymen or women. We cannot, like them, burn through all our emotions in a flash of brilliance and then release them fully at once. To achieve the best state of cultivation, we must deliberately tone down and deeply bury most of our feelings. After the initial passion fades, what remains is likely the quiet, enduring calm of mutual respect. Thus, when I learned that you were still alive, I was overjoyed—but I carefully pondered for two full nights before finally deciding to embrace you according to my true heart. With that, Lady Nangong gently extended her delicate, refined hands and clasped one of Han Li’s palms. Han Li remained silent for a while, then, without a word, placed his other hand upon hers, feeling the softness and smoothness of her hand, and unexpectedly, a warm sense of tenderness stirred within him. Nangong blushed, quickly withdrawing her hands and giving Han Li a scolding look. Han Li didn't take it seriously, but suddenly smiled and said, "Wan'er, although you've been trapped here, your calm demeanor suggests you must have already devised a plan to escape. Otherwise, after all this time, you'd still show no sign of anxiety." Upon hearing this, Nan Gong Wan smiled gently, her star-like eyes subtly gleaming with cunning, and replied, "You're quite perceptive! Indeed, while I've been confined within the pavilion, only a few senior officials are aware of the situation—ordinary disciples remain unaware. Otherwise, I wouldn't have received a direct message from my cousin Tang right away. However, to prevent me from escaping, they've placed several seals on me. Most of these seals are unremarkable. They don't realize that since my Cycle of Rebirth cultivation reached the Yuan'ing stage, I've developed many extraordinary abilities—these ordinary seals simply cannot hold me. With just a little time and effort, I can always restore my original energy reserves at any moment. But the sealing spell cast personally by that senior sister—truly difficult to break. This was the spell she intended to use during the grand ceremony. Should I continue to refuse the marriage proposal, she would employ this technique to temporarily control me, having planted the restriction with her own vital essence. The key to this spell lies in a specific sealing artifact—the sealing token. As long as I do not destroy this item, I shall remain under her control whenever I am within a hundred li. Fortunately, my修为 is not vastly different from hers, so her control can only manage simple movements; she cannot draw upon or manipulate any of my internal energies. "Then, what was your original plan?" Han Li asked curiously. "Haha! Originally, I intended to seize the moment when they were most relaxed—just a few days before the ceremony—unexpectedly restore my inner power and then immediately flee far away. As long as I remained outside the range of that sealing token, she would be powerless against me. But now that you've arrived, this very issue has naturally been entrusted to you." After all, you're the man who's going to marry me. And I've heard you easily defeated a fellow Yuan-Ying stage cultivator. Surely you have some abilities, right?" Nan Gong Wan smiled lightly and spoke with ease. "Confinement Technique? This seal indeed proves quite troublesome—besides destroying that token, there's no simpler way to resolve it." Han Li furrowed his brows, murmuring thoughtfully. "Then, if there's truly no way, we can simply move far away from Yanyue Sect." Nan Gong Wan's eyes sparkled, speaking with indifference. "Never mind! Isn't it just a single seal token? It should be in your sister's hands, right? I'll go fetch it right away. And while I'm at it, I'll also settle your grievances!" Han Li narrowed his eyes, a glint of frost flashing, then spoke with renewed vigor. "I only mentioned it to see how earnestly you are—there's no real intention for you to steal the token. My sister has already reached the Mid-Yuan Ying stage, and her cultivation techniques and powers far surpass those of our early-stage cultivators." We'll just quietly slip away. At worst, I'll spend another ten years gradually refining and integrating this seal." Nangong Wan shook her head, smiled gently, a touch of mischief shimmering in her delicate features. Han Li, silent at first, suddenly recalled the strange and lively girl he had first encountered!