Han Li examined the the woman before him and coldly refused her, “I don’t take disciples. And why do you think that I’d accept a Foundation Establishment cultivator? As for your rash actions, I will overlook them on behalf of our past relations. You’re on your own!”

“Senior! I...” When Mu Peiling heard him, her face revealed a trace of panic and she rushed to say something else. However, Han Li brushed aside his sleeve and summoned a gale, swaying and interrupting the woman.

By the time she regained her bearings, Han Li was nowhere to be found. Having seen this, the woman became dispirited and blankly stood in place for a long while. After all, this newly appeared Senior Han was the only choice she had left.

At that moment, Han Li was already back inside his old cave residence. He went straight towards his insect room and withdrew the ten thousand Gold Devouring Beetles. In the past twenty years, his pure Gold Devouring Beetles had evolved once more, nearly shedding all the silver on their shells for gold. Only a few specks of silver still remained on their shells. If he didn’t closely examine them, they would appear completely gold. It was clear that complete maturity for the Gold Devouring Beetles was only a step away. This simultaneously caused Han Li to be excited and somewhat disappointed.

The ferocity of these mostly pure Gold Devouring Beetles had greatly broadened Han Li’s perspective. He pitted over a hundred black-tainted and newly evolved Gold Devouring Beetles against each other. As a result of a few seconds, the black-tainted beetles had nearly been wiped out.

Be it might or tenacity, the newly evolved beetles were far superior to that of the black-tainted beetles. Additionally, the newly evolved beetles start to emit an ominous, repulsive scent, and their blood-thirst and gluttony had reached a level that was incomparable to before.

He was convinced that if they weren’t under the effects of soul control restrictions, they would devour him without any hesitation. Han Li also faintly felt as if his control over them had weakened. If they were to evolve once more, common restrictions would be impotent in the face of their savage nature.

Despite these thoughts, Han Li isolated a group of his largest Gold Devouring Beetles and attempted to have them evolve as quickly as possible so that he could witness the savagery and cruelty of fully mature Gold Devouring Beetles

However, advancing to the next stage took far longer than he anticipated. He feared that without another hundred years, it would be impossible to have them evolve to the last stage. Still, this was acceptable. It gave him time to find a better method to control these beetles.

Having withdrew his beetles, Han Li walked into the medicinal garden as he continued to ponder. He then carefully put away the Ninecurl Spirit Ginseng and the nearly grown Spirit Well Tree.

Although the Ninecurl Spirit Ginseng had been greatly weakened from its use in the medicine pill, Han Li could easily restore it with the green liquid and so he kept it in his possession.

As for the Spirit Well Tree, he had matured it over the span of many years. The day it would start to produce Wine Nectar wasn’t far off. Han Li was looking forward to the abilities he would be granted from cleansing his eyes with large quantities of Brightsight Water.

Apart from the insects and plants in his medicine garden, Han Li had an assortment of other items, but he felt disinterested in collecting them and just left them there.

When Han Li glanced down at the medicine garden from up in the sky, he unintentionally found Mu Peiling down below. She was gritting her teeth with an expression of helplessness and hadn’t noticed Han Li stealthily flying up above.

Han Li lightly shook his head. While handling her issues would be but a trivial effort, he was unwilling to exercise his influence as he had just recently became a chief elder of the Drifting Cloud Sect, not to mention that both the Mu Clan and Yan Clan were large cultivation clans in the State of Xi.

As for his relationship with the woman, it wasn’t anything special. It wasn’t reason enough to act. In fact, he’d refuse any request from the Drifting Cloud Sect disciples that had recognized him from before.

Han Li truly had no interest in forcefully meddling with the inner affairs of clans.

As such, Han Li silently flew across the Drifting Cloud Sect and arrived in front of his new cave residence. The barrier of mist departed as soon as Han Li appeared and he directly flew into the center of the mountain.

After Han Li placed the insects and plants inside his residence with great familiarity, he placed the matters of the residence into Silvermoon’s hands for the time being. He then entered a silent room without hesitation and started to consolidate his Nascent Soul.

During this time, the silver-haired old man and Cultivator Lu both knew that Han Li needed this time to advance in the first step of stabilizing his Nascent Soul. As such, they didn’t bother Han Li’s cultivation.

A few months later, Han Li was able to smoothly consolidate his Nascent Soul and merge his mind and Nascent Soul as one. If he were to have his Nascent Soul manifest out of his head now, Han Li would be able to easily control its actions.

By the time Han Li left the silent room, Silvermoon had taken the form of a young woman and was respectfully waiting outside the room. However, when she looked at Han Li, her face wore a strange expression.

Han Li frowned and asked, “It appears that you have something to say to me. What is it?” 

Silvermoon smiled with pursed lips and said, “Master, half a month after you entered the silent room, Martial Niece Mu came here and had already sat on top of one of the smaller mountains. She’s been waiting there for many days already.”

Han Li raised his brow and expressionlessly said, “This woman actually has no sense of propriety. If she wants to wait so much, then let her wait. I’m not one to look for trouble.” 

“But Master, not long after this woman arrived, I received sound transmission talismans from the Yan Clan and the Mu Clan. Because Master was in seclusion, I’ve made a duplicate of each of these sound transmission talismans.” Silvermoon turned her gaze and probingly asked, “Would Master like to take a look?”

Han Li stroked his chin and indifferently said, “Sound transmission talismans? From the Mu and Yan Clan? Could it have something with that woman named Peiling? Is there a problem from what you heard?”

Silvermoon sweetly smiled, “Hehe! Master has quite the foresight, but there is no need for me to say anything. Master will know as soon as he hears them. There is truly a bit of a problem.”

“Take them out.” Han Li was disinterested in guessing the meaning behind her words and he extended his hand.

Silvermoon took out a white and a red talisman and handed them over to Han Li with a smile still on her face.

Han Li bluntly grabbed them and had them light up into a ball of flame.

Han Li calmly listened to what the balls of light had to say. A short moment later, he wore a face of amazement, soon to be replaced with fury.

Once Han Li finished listening to them, his expression sank and he icily said, “Humph! This woman is truly too brave. Does she believe that I will allow her to act so troublesomely because she was my ‘Martial Aunt’ for a few years?”

Silvermoon attempted to stifle her smile. “She clearly understood that this would offend Master. However, it seems this woman believes that Master isn’t a hard-hearted man despite the little contact she had with you. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had the courage to dare to seek protection from you during that day. Besides, even if you punish her, she probably believes it to be a better alternative than becoming the Dao companion of that Senior Martial Brother Yan.”

Han Li glanced at Silvermoon with an annoyed glint in his eye and said, “However, she is far too daring. To actually directly tell both clans that I’ve taken her in as a concubine? Both clan heads have hastily sent sound transmissions expressing their regret. The Yan Clan Head even renounced the marriage, wishing for me to not take any offense for their ignorance. Since this woman dared to act this way, it seems she should be prepared.”

Silvermoon blinked with bright eyes and revealed slight amazement, “Master means to...”

Han Li stretched himself and lazily said, “What? Is there anything strange in me accepting a concubine now that I’ve formed a Nascent Soul? Since this woman is a peerless beauty, I may as well make this fiction a reality and have a taste of what it means to pair cultivate.” However, there was a trace of a sneer on his face.

After a moment of confusion, Silvermoon pursed her lips and doubtfully said, “However, Master was never someone to be with a woman, and he had even refused a few advances. Lady Wen for example. And earlier there was...”

Han Li narrowed his eyes and spoke with a flat voice, “The past was the past. The present is now. My cultivation was far too shallow before I formed a Nascent Soul, and I had no thoughts of seeking the pleasure of a concubine. But if Wen Siyue were to meet me now, I naturally wouldn’t let her go.”

When Silvermoon heard Han Li’s words, she was dumbfounded. It felt as if he were speaking sincerely.