Chapter 42: Li Hanzhou
Chen Chang'an carried Li Hanzhou for over one hundred li before stopping at a cliffside.
Li Hanzhou's face was pale, still looking shaken. No matter how composed he normally seemed, he was, after all, only a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth.
Still, his ability to react in the face of Mo Daoren's sudden attack just now was impressive enough.
"I will never forget the life-saving grace of Senior," Li Hanzhou said.
Once he had calmed down, he dropped to one knee, clasped his fists, and raised them above his head, his knuckles turning white from the force.
"It's nothing. I just happened to pass by and lent a hand," Chen Chang'an said casually, as if he truly had only been passing through.
"But…" Li Hanzhou's voice squeezed out through clenched teeth, carrying a suppressed tremor. "May I ask Senior to take me back to where we were just now?"
"Oh?" Chen Chang'an leaned against the green stone, looking at the shallow wound on the back of the youth's lowered neck.
If he had been just 0.01 seconds slower, the youth before him would already have been beheaded and made into a corpse puppet.
He was not unafraid—under the slanted morning light, his tense back could still be seen trembling faintly beneath the coarse cloth shirt.
Though he could already guess the answer, Chen Chang'an still asked with interest, "Why?"
Li Hanzhou's clasped fists were trembling slightly. "That demonic elder actually attacked me in secret—he is no good man. My junior brother is still in his hands. Before he harms my junior brother, I must let him see the man's true face!"
Loyal indeed.
Chen Chang'an nodded slightly in his heart, then tapped a finger lightly in the air. A system panel immediately unfolded before his eyes:
[Li Hanzhou]
Cultivation: Mortal
Potential: 15 (Though without cultivation talent, possesses physical aptitude beyond ordinary)
Fate: 0 + 40 (Surviving great peril brings later fortune?)
Loyalty: 60 (Life-saving grace)
Personality: Cold outside, warm within; values loyalty and righteousness
Li Hanzhou's potential was only 15, and his fate 40—both unqualified to take as a disciple. But Chen Chang'an was still moved by his loyalty and wanted to give him a good ending.
In a flash, he had already made plans, though they would have to wait until Han Yu's matter was resolved.
"This friend of yours is truly loyal," Chen Chang'an sighed. "But if you rush back now, what can you do except throw your life away?"
Li Hanzhou's fists clenched until the veins bulged along his knuckles. "Even so, I cannot just watch as Junior Brother Han is killed by that old devil."
"In truth… you need not worry too much. I can roughly guess his purpose," Chen Chang'an suddenly said.
"I ask Senior to enlighten me." Li Hanzhou's eyes lit up. He was no fool—if he could gain the help of the senior who had saved him, then Junior Brother Han would surely remain safe.
Chen Chang'an said quietly, "When I crossed hands with him just now, I found that though he still possesses Tongxuan Realm cultivation, his lifespan is nearly exhausted. He took you and your junior brother most likely because he needs a body with an innate spiritual root for rebirth through body seizure."
"What?! Body seizure!" Li Hanzhou's face went ashen in shock—this was a term he had only ever heard in storybooks.
Chen Chang'an patted his shoulder. "So you can rest assured—rebirth through body seizure is no easy task. At the very least, one must have formally stepped into the Artifact Command Stage to endure the damage of soul transference.
I see you have no cultivation yet, and it seems you and your junior brother have only recently entered the sect. That old devil will not act so soon."
"I beg Senior to help me. For such great kindness and virtue, Li Hanzhou will repay you even if it means binding grass and carrying rings in the next life!" Li Hanzhou again dropped to both knees, bowing deeply toward Chen Chang'an.
"Very well. Saving one or two makes no difference, and I have always hated those who harm others for their own gain." Chen Chang'an gave a reserved nod, then said with righteous disdain, "For now, go. But be sure not to alert the snake—wait for me in Qingyang City. When the time is right, I will come find you, and together we'll get your junior brother out."
"Many thanks, Senior!" Li Hanzhou said, both surprised and overjoyed.
He bowed once more to Chen Chang'an, then turned and left.
Watching the youth's figure vanish into the mist, Chen Chang'an murmured softly, "Just as the system said—average talent, but truly loyal…"
…
As dusk fell, under Mo Daoren's guidance, Han Yu concluded a day of cultivation and finally returned to the small hut in the medicinal garden.
The wooden door behind him let out a soft creak.
Sitting at the simple wooden table, he took out the jade gourd, running his fingers over its smooth warmth, yet feeling a hollow sense within.
"Senior Brother Li should have reached the outer sect by now…" he murmured, sensing a trace of loneliness.
In the dim halo of the oil lamp, the jade-green gourd glimmered faintly, as if breathing.
Forget it. No matter—when I make my mark in the future, I'll take good care of Senior Brother Li.
For now, this is what matters most—
Han Yu took a deep breath, holding the gourd with both hands, his thumbs pressing against the jade stopper as he twisted hard—
Not a budge.
"Strange." He frowned, trying different angles, even biting the stopper's edge with his teeth, but only felt a chill on the tip of his tongue. Outside, insect chirps rose as beads of sweat glistened on his forehead under the lamplight.
A half brick in the corner caught his eye. Han Yu picked it up, but just as he was about to smash down, he stopped—this was jade; if it broke, the loss would be too great.
Thinking of this, he set the brick down in dejection.
"Last try." Han Yu urged himself on, clenching his teeth. His fingers locked tightly around the stopper, all his strength pouring into his thumbs.
A sudden crisp sound rang out, his right hand slipping and striking the table's edge hard.
"Hiss—" Han Yu sucked in a sharp breath, seeing a thin split open at his thumb joint, a bead of blood slowly welling out.
Just as he was about to wipe it away, the droplet, as if guided by fate, fell onto the gourd's mouth, vanishing instantly into the jade without a trace.
The jade gourd suddenly grew scalding hot. Han Yu nearly dropped it in shock, but saw the stubborn stopper loosen on its own. With a faint, almost inaudible pop, a narrow gap appeared.
At that moment, moonlight pierced through the paper window, casting its glow upon the silver line at the gourd's mouth.
Holding his breath, Han Yu gently pulled out the jade stopper…
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