Mortal: Fifteenth Realm Sword Cultivator

Yuan Yao, with her bare, delicate feet as smooth as jade, stepped onto the cool bamboo floor.

Beneath the light gauze, large expanses of snow-white skin were exposed, and her entire rounded arm was clearly visible.

Her plump and rounded figure was enough to arouse the imagination, not to mention the charming and alluring expression on her naturally foxy face, which was simply indescribable.

She didn't use any deliberate seductive techniques, but with just a glance from her eyes, an ordinary person would likely be instantly captivated and unable to extricate themselves.

Han Li caught a glimpse of her face, and his heart skipped a beat. At the same time, a sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

"This face... seems familiar."

His mind raced like turning the pages of a book, and he quickly recalled the events leading up to the Kui Xing Island Incident.

Two women were trying to strike up a conversation with him. Wasn't the one in front of him the one named Yuan Yao?

After many years, she has grown into someone with such natural charm, her beauty even surpassing what she once was.

When Yuan Yao saw Han Li, she merely glanced at him casually before looking away, showing no intention of greeting him, clearly having no recollection of this stranger.

In her eyes, Han Li was just an ordinary passerby.

Sister Xin is really something. If a customer wants to buy something, they should buy it; if not, they should just leave. Why did she even serve them tea?

"Yuanyan Pavilion" was originally opened by the three of them together in order to earn cultivation resources.

For Yuan Yao, ever since she obtained the treasure-filled storage bag from the young master of Qingyang Sect, she has already become quite wealthy.

However, having experienced poverty for so long, they deeply understand the importance of increasing income and reducing expenditure, and the principle of "a steady stream of income."

Furthermore, if Yan Ruyan's body only loses and doesn't gain anything, it won't last many more years.

So the two of them put their heads together and decided to bring Xin Ruyin on board as well.

They jointly invested in establishing a shop, with Xin Ruyin contributing her "technology as equity" to be responsible for refining array tools.

In this way, the store's future profits will be divided equally among the three people.

Overall, it was Yuan Yao and Yan Ruyan who invested the initial funds, and Xin Ruyin who refined various formations.

The three will share all profits from future sales of goods in the store.

Initially, Yuan Yao and Yan Ruyan considered letting Xin Ruyin take 80% of the profits, while the two of them would each take 10%.

However, Xin Ruyin insisted on refusing, insisting that the profits must be divided equally among the three of them.

Seeing that Yuan Yao disregarded her status as a wanted criminal by the Qingyang Sect and walked out of the inner courtyard in such casual attire, barefoot and wearing only a light veil, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

Xin Ruyin knew that she had a straightforward personality.

But his current carefree and undisguised manner seems a bit too straightforward and impulsive.

It should be noted that the kill order against her has even reached Tianxing City.

Fortunately, it was Han Li who was here at this moment.

The other party's relationship with Senior Lu is even deeper than hers.

This is why Xin Ruyin only frowned slightly and didn't say anything.

Han Li recognized Yuan Yao and was puzzled. She must have been affected by the incident on Kui Xing Island.

What happened during this time, and how did he end up with Xin Ruyin?

Yuan Yao sat cross-legged next to Xin Ruyin's arm, noticing that the other woman's gaze was fixed on her face, her foxy eyes narrowing slightly.

"Fellow Daoist, have you seen enough? Is there anything amiss on this young lady's face?"

Upon hearing this, Han Li's lips curled into a meaningful smile, and he said in a familiar tone:

"I never expected that in just a few short years, Fellow Daoist Yuan Yao would also successfully break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. This is truly a cause for celebration."

Xin Ruyin looked surprised; she had indeed not introduced Yuan Yao earlier.

How could Han Li know her, and even call her by name?

Hearing his name called.

Yuan Yao's eyes suddenly sharpened, and her aura instantly turned icy cold.

Qingyang Gate?

They must be from the Qingyang Sect!

How did they manage to track us down here?

What can a mere fake Core cultivator do, even if he is a henchman of the Qingyang Sect?

If I join forces with Sister Xin, we might be able to keep him here!

Yuan Yao showed no sign of fear.

Now, with Zhuang Huayi's backing and being located in Tianxing City, she is full of confidence and is no longer the insignificant rogue cultivator she once was.

Yuan Yao stared coldly at Han Li, her voice filled with undisguised murderous intent.

"Ah, I remember perfectly well that I have never met you before. How did you learn my name?"

Before she finished speaking, a barely perceptible glint seemed to flicker between her slender fingers, clearly indicating that she was ready to act at any moment.

Xin Ruyin was taken aback when she saw Yuan Yao's tense and wary demeanor.

Before Xin Ruyin could react, she realized why Han Li had immediately adopted a fighting stance upon seeing her.

A voice transmission immediately sounded in her mind, explaining the reason.

It turns out that Yuan Yao mistook Han Li for a henchman from the Qingyang Sect who was hunting her down.

Xin Ruyin was both amused and exasperated. Just as she was about to speak up to explain, she saw Han Li speak first with a smile, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to be nervous. I had no intention of prying into your past. It's just that we did meet once a few years ago, which is why I recognized you."

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to be nervous. I had no intention of prying into your past. It's just that we did meet once a few years ago, which is why I recognized you."

Yuan Yao's brows furrowed, her vigilance undiminished, her foxy eyes filled with suspicion. "A single meeting? I've never seen you before. Are you trying to deceive me?"

Han Li's expression showed even more helplessness. Was his appearance really that ordinary?

Even after all that, the other party had no recollection of it.

Besides, it was the sisters who took the initiative to strike up a conversation with me back then.

He had no choice but to patiently explain.

"Back in the Tiandu Street Market on Kuixing Island, I was traveling with a pseudo-Core Formation cultivator. At that time, Fellow Daoist Yuan and Fellow Daoist Yan took the initiative to approach me and strike up a conversation."

Yuan Yao seemed to have some recollection after hearing Han Li say this.

Back when she and her senior sister Yanli were in the Tiandu Street Market on Kuixing Island, looking for a high-level cultivator to attach themselves to, they did indeed see this person.

At that time, Han Li was only at the Qi Refining stage, so they didn't pay any attention to him. Their attention was entirely on the pseudo-Core Formation cultivator surnamed Qu beside him.

The wariness on his face dissipated, and the glint of light at his fingertips quietly disappeared.

Yuan Yao looked a little embarrassed. "So it's Fellow Daoist Han. We met once years ago, and I didn't recognize you. I was really rude. Please forgive me."

Seeing that she had finally come to her senses, Xin Ruyin added solemnly, "Sister Yuanyao, this is Senior Lu's junior. Their relationship is extraordinary. When they meet, Fellow Daoist Han always addresses him as 'Brother Lu.' Their relationship is much closer than mine is with Senior Lu."

"Brother Lu?!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao's foxy eyes widened in disbelief.

She never expected that this seemingly ordinary-looking cultivator would have such a close relationship with the unfathomable Mr. Lu!

Moreover, judging from what Sister Xin said, their relationship is even closer than theirs!

I almost attacked him just now, mistaking him for a henchman of the Qingyang Sect, and even spoke coldly to him... If this gets back to Senior Lu's ears...

Thinking of this, Yuan Yao no longer cared about whether she knew him or not, and her mind was only filled with the thought that she had caused trouble. Her face turned slightly pale instantly.

She quickly clasped her hands together and bowed repeatedly to Han Li, her voice instantly becoming soft and sweet, and her expression turning pitiful.

"Fellow Daoist Han! Brother Han! I was blind and offended you just now. I'm so sorry. Brother Han, you are a magnanimous man, please don't hold it against me. In the future, when you see Senior Lu, please... please don't speak ill of me. I'm begging you!"

As she spoke, she even lowered her body slightly, her naturally alluring face, now deliberately feigning a pitiful appearance, almost touching the table. Her large, watery eyes looked up at Han Li, full of pleading and innocence.

Han Li was caught off guard by her sudden change in attitude and her sweet, coquettish voice.

In particular, Yuan Yao's natural charm, coupled with her deliberately weak and pitiful appearance, is incredibly alluring.

Just as she lowered her body and looked at him with her eyes sparkling.

Han Li felt a slight tremor in his mind, and an involuntary warmth rose in his dantian. It was far more powerful than any deliberate seductive technique he had ever seen, as if it could strike at a person's very nature.

His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly activated the Great Evolution Technique to suppress the strange feeling. At the same time, he subtly shifted his gaze from Yuan Yao's face to Xin Ruyin, trying to keep his tone calm as he said, "Miss Xin is too kind, and Miss Yuan need not be so. A little misunderstanding can be cleared up. I am not the kind of person who gossips behind people's backs."

He smiled bitterly to himself; this Miss Yuan Yao was truly a natural beauty.

Seeing that Han Li was not angry and even spoke up to defuse the situation, Xin Ruyin breathed a slight sigh of relief and smiled, "Sister Yuan Yao's mistake was unintentional. She is straightforward and says whatever comes to mind. Fellow Daoist Han, please don't take it to heart."

Han Li waved his hand, about to speak.

Yuan Yao, unable to contain her curiosity, blinked her peach blossom eyes, leaned forward slightly, and spoke in a soft, sweet voice.

"Brother Han, is what Sister Xin said true?"

No wonder she asked that question.

In Yuan Yao's mind, her master, Zhuang Huayi, a Nascent Soul cultivator, respectfully addressed that Senior Lu as "Mr. Lu".

The ordinary-looking young man in front of me is only at the Pseudo-Core Realm. What makes him so worthy of calling me "Brother Lu"?

The nuances of relationships—whether close or distant—were a bit hard for her little mind to grasp; she found it all unbelievable.

Several dark lines involuntarily appeared on Xin Ruyin's forehead.

"Sister Yuan Yao, before I met Senior Lu, Fellow Daoist Han had known him for many years. Their relationship is far beyond what we can compare to!"

Yuan Yao shrank back at the serious tone and stuck out her little tongue.

Han Li picked up his teacup, took a sip, and explained with a smile, "It's alright. I met Brother Lu when I was still a nobody. Back then, my cultivation was still shallow, and I was very grateful for his help. I've gotten used to calling him 'Brother Lu' back then, and I've never changed it."

This kind of "face-slapping" behavior is truly memorable.

It would be wonderful if we could come a few more times.

It would be even better if the "Senior Lu" they mentioned could be replaced with "Senior Han".