"You are currently in the midst of a reincarnation cycle. Your true cultivation isn't at the Core Formation stage, is it?" Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly and uttered words that made the other party's heart sink.
"You saw through it long ago, Senior! I was truly foolish. Since you know of the Reincarnation Technique of the Chaste Maiden, it's only natural that you would recognize that I'm currently in a reincarnation phase!" Zhu Guo'er's expression turned somewhat unsightly, and she replied in a low voice.
"What realm was your original cultivation? Nascent Soul, or Spirit Transformation?" Han Li asked directly.
"I had already cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage. If not for being in the middle of the reincarnation cycle, I wouldn't have been ambushed, let alone captured." Zhu Guo'er bit her red lip lightly before answering slowly.
"Judging by your true age, you aren't that old. To have cultivated the Reincarnation Technique of the Chaste Maiden to such a level at this stage — besides exceptional talent, you must have had someone extremely well-versed in the Chaste Maiden Technique guiding you. If your mother also cultivated this technique, her realm shouldn't be low either." Han Li's gaze flickered as he continued questioning.
"If Senior wishes to ask about matters concerning myself alone, I will naturally answer every question without reservation. However, if you insist on asking about my mother, I can offer nothing more." Upon hearing Han Li show such interest in her mother's affairs, Zhu Guo'er's expression shifted several times before she clenched her teeth and spoke firmly.
"What a filial daughter you are — that is truly rare. But do you really think that by refusing to speak, I have no way of finding out?" Han Li smiled faintly, his words carrying a deep, meaningful undertone.
"If Senior intends to use the Soul Search technique, then I would rather detonate my Nascent Soul on the spot and perish than let you succeed!" The yellow-robed girl immediately connected his words to something, and her face turned deathly pale. At the same time, the energy within her body began to circulate wildly, as though she truly meant to explode at any moment.
But at that instant, Han Li let out a soft chuckle.
"In front of me, even if you wanted to self-destruct, you would need my permission first!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, one of his sleeves swept casually toward the girl.
A swath of hazy gray light unfurled instantly, enveloping her entire body.
Zhu Guo'er felt her body go numb, her limbs immediately losing all mobility. At the same time, her Magical Power seized up and could not be drawn upon in the slightest. The violent energy that had been gathering in her Dantian dissipated like snow melting under a warm spring sun.
In her current state, any thought of detonating her Nascent Soul was nothing but a pipe dream.
"What did you do to me?" Zhu Guo'er cried out in a mixture of alarm and fury.
"Nothing at all. I merely want you to answer my questions honestly. Now, look into my eyes," Han Li said with utmost calm.
"What? My eyes..." Though young, the girl knew she should never do as the other party commanded. Yet the moment Han Li's words entered her ears, her body trembled involuntarily, and she instinctively straightened her head, fixing her lovely eyes upon his gaze.
In that instant, the girl saw two points of blue light flash before her, spinning dizzily. Her consciousness grew hazy at once, and her eyelids became heavy as mountains.
"Not good!" The yellow-robed girl barely had time to scream inwardly before her eyes shut and she lost consciousness.
Han Li's expression remained unchanged. He simply formed a single-handed seal, flicked a stream of incantation light toward the girl, while the twin blue glows within his pupils blazed even more brilliantly.
If one were to peer into her body at this moment, one would find that Zhu Guo'er's inch-tall Nascent Soul, which normally sat cross-legged within her Dantian, was now entangled in layer upon layer of dense gray luminous threads. The Nascent Soul's eyes were similarly shut tight, completely unconscious.
The instant the green incantation sank into the girl's body, her eyelids stirred, and her once-closed eyes slowly opened.
However, her pupils were slightly dilated, her gaze unfocused, and her movements resembled those of a puppet.
"The Reincarnation Technique of the Chaste Maiden that you cultivate — where did you obtain the technique?" Han Li's pupils rotated, sending out waves of soul-shaking blue light, while his voice issued in a low, resonant tone.
"The Reincarnation Technique of the Chaste Maiden was taught to me by my mother!" Zhu Guo'er replied in a wooden expression but with striking clarity.
"Who normally guides your cultivation? Does your mother also cultivate the Reincarnation Technique of the Chaste Maiden?"
"It was my mother who guided me. My mother does not cultivate the Chaste Maiden Technique — she practices the Pure Qi Art."
"The Pure Qi Art — that is a rather ordinary Daoist technique. What realm has your mother reached? She was able to guide you without even cultivating the Reincarnation Technique of the Chaste Maiden — could her realm already be quite high?" Han Li was somewhat surprised, but his tone remained unchanged.
"My mother is only at the Nascent Soul stage. As for her guidance..." When responding to this particular question from Han Li, the yellow-robed girl answered only that much before a trace of confusion suddenly crossed her face, and her words came to an abrupt halt.
"What is it? Was there something unusual about your mother's guidance? Tell me everything," Han Li urged, sensing the change in the girl's expression.
"My mother's guidance regarding my cultivation of the Chaste Maiden Technique was indeed somewhat unusual. It was fine before, but ever since I condensed my Nascent Soul, whenever I had questions about my cultivation, my mother was unable to answer most of them on the spot. She always needed several days to half a month before she could give me an answer. I suspect that behind my mother, there is another 'master' who is truly versed in the Reincarnation Technique of the Chaste Maiden."
The yellow-robed girl's words sent a jolt through Han Li's heart.
"Another master behind her? Did you ever ask your mother whether there truly was someone else?"
"I asked many times, but every single time, my mother denied it."