"Heavy thanks?" Han Li chuckled lightly upon hearing those words.
"What, does Fellow Daoist not believe my words? If so, I can certainly pay some amount upfront." The man surnamed Gui said with a cold expression.
"Brother Han, only I, having studied it, can repair that Outer Sky Demon Armor. As long as we work together, not only will I restore the armor once we return, but in several hundred years, I will bring you back here to seek the True Kirin Origin and share it with you." Qianqian appeared remarkably calm, seemingly very certain that Han Li would definitely help her.
The result was indeed as the woman had predicted. Han Li merely pondered for a moment, then shook his head at the man surnamed Gui:
"No matter what happens in the future, I cannot stand by and do nothing this time. If you know what's good for you, you should leave on your own."
Hearing Han Li say this, the man surnamed Gui flew into a rage, a fierce expression spreading across his face as the bloody aura around him intensified noticeably.
Han Li narrowed his eyes. A rumbling peal of thunder resonated from within his body as streaks of golden lightning arcs materialized one after another. At the same time, a pale golden dharma avatar with three heads and six arms rose faintly into view behind him.
Beneath his feet, dozens of azure flying swords flashed out, and under the burst of grim, chilling light, a blue lotus slowly blossomed open.
Han Li himself stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his face expressionless as he watched the man surnamed Gui.
Qianqian saw this and naturally beamed with a smile.
But she was not idle either. With a flip of both hands, a misty azure talisman suddenly appeared in one hand, its surface inscribed with the pattern of a green qilin. In her other hand, a flash of spiritual light brought forth a small black flag.
Both items were covered in dense runes at a glance, clearly no ordinary artifacts.
The woman merely waved the two items slightly, and a gust of black wind and a phantom image of a green qilin rose simultaneously with a roar, then merged together in an instant.
Riding the wind, the qilin phantom's form swelled to several times its original size. With an unceasing low growl, it glared menacingly at the formidable foe before them.
Even though the man surnamed Gui had always been exceptionally fierce and brutal, upon witnessing the combined might of Han Li and Qianqian, his expression turned extremely dark.
The Crystal Clan woman's strength was not something he took seriously. But the fact that Han Li had single-handedly dealt with the Cave Spirit moments ago had truly shaken him.
He estimated that facing the Cave Spirit one-on-one, his chances of victory were no better than fifty-fifty. And that was the existence that had been possessed by the Heavenly Devil Monarch's avatar.
"Fine, very fine. There will be other days. I hope that the next time we meet, you two are still as safe and sound as you are today." After several flashes of murderous light in his eyes, the man surnamed Gui spoke coldly.
As soon as his words fell, he flicked his sleeve and a mass of gray qi shot out. After spiraling through the air, it revealed a bizarre, cone-shaped flying vehicle, entirely blood-red, with ghostly shadows flickering faintly within.
The man surnamed Gui's figure flickered as he vanished into the vehicle. Then ghostly wails erupted as the flying vehicle transformed into a blood-red streak and shot toward the horizon.
After just a few flickers, it vanished without a trace.
This man was remarkably decisive—upon seeing that victory was unlikely, he fled immediately without the slightest hesitation.
The Crystal Clan woman's expression relaxed. She formed a hand seal, and the qilin phantom in the air dissipated, reforming into a talisman and a small flag that drifted down to the ground, which she promptly collected.
Then the woman turned around with a beaming smile and performed a graceful curtsey toward Han Li:
"This time, I owe Brother Han for driving off that beast. Otherwise, whether we could have left this place alive today would truly have been anyone's guess."
"Hmph, you certainly trust me a great deal. Aren't you afraid I might turn on you, seize you on the spot, and use the Soul-Searching Technique to extract the method of repairing the armor?" Han Li glanced at the woman and snorted.
"Though I haven't known Brother Han long, I flatter myself I can tell that you're not the type to turn against someone so heartlessly. Besides, although my cultivation is not high, I know a thing or two about secret arts that lock down the soul. Even if my soul is scattered to the winds, no one could easily extract any crucial information from me." Qianqian was entirely unperturbed by Han Li's tone and simply smiled radiantly.
Hearing this, Han Li couldn't help but be rendered somewhat speechless.
The most important purpose of his trip was to repair the Outer Sky Demon Armor, and he truly did not want any unnecessary complications.
As for the True Kirin Origin, such a heaven-defying treasure—it was his first time hearing of it. There was no way to pursue it now, so he naturally planned to make inquiries after returning before deciding how to handle the matter. Moreover, the Heavenly Devil Monarch and the transformations of the Weeping Soul Beast had left him somewhat unsettled, and he would need to carefully deliberate on those matters after returning as well.
"This time, I'll be taking all of the materials from that holy-tier devil ape." After considering for a moment, Han Li said in a tone that brooked no argument.
"Of course. Once we return, besides repairing the armor for you, Brother Han, I will also give you an additional gift as thanks for your help at the end." Qianqian was remarkably accommodating, not only agreeing immediately but even offering additional compensation on her own initiative.
Seeing how perceptive the other party was, Han Li's expression softened slightly as he nodded.
"Brother Han, the battle just now has probably alarmed quite a few spirit beasts. We should leave too, to avoid any unnecessary trouble." Qianqian swept her gaze over the large swath of remains on the ground, a flash of distress crossing her eyes, and asked in an inquiring tone.
"Mm, the commotion was indeed a bit too much. Let's go." Han Li swept his gaze around and agreed without hesitation.