"My name is Wuyou. I had intended to send someone to invite you over several days ago, but I was delayed by another matter, so it wasn't until today that I was able to meet with you, Fellow Daoist." Among the small group of Devil Race men and women, it was a young man with vivid crimson devilish runes inscribed between his brows who was clearly their leader. He cupped his fists toward Han Li in a slight salute and spoke with a faint smile.
"Late-stage Void Refinement, fully perfected!"
After Han Li's gaze swept over the group, even though the young man seemed to be using some kind of treasure to conceal the bulk of his aura, he still saw through the man's cultivation level with perfect clarity.
Aside from this man, whose cultivation was not insignificant, the others were merely at the Deity Transformation stage — and most of them were only at the early phase.
"I hear you have a large quantity of Foreign Devil Gold in your possession. Is that true?" Han Li did not stand on ceremony either. After sitting down across from the Devil Race youth, he asked directly, getting straight to the point.
"Of course it's true — otherwise, I wouldn't be here waiting for your esteemed self." The Devil Race youth also sat down and replied with a smile.
"In that case, Fellow Daoist Wuyou, why don't you tell me how much Foreign Devil Gold you have and how you intend to sell it?" Han Li nodded and asked another question.
"There's no rush. There is one thing Wuyou must bring to your attention first. If you find it acceptable, then we can continue our discussion. Otherwise, you will have to go back the same way you came." The youth, Wuyou, suddenly shifted his tone, and his expression grew somewhat grave.
"Fellow Daoist, by all means speak plainly. I am no stranger to life's storms." Han Li heard this out and replied with a light laugh.
"Good — it seems Fellow Daoist is a man who speaks his mind. You lot, wait outside. Once I've finished speaking with our honored guest, I'll call you back in." Wuyou clapped his hands and laughed heartily, but his face darkened almost immediately afterward as he issued the order to the others.
The Devil Race men and women acknowledged the command respectfully and filed out of the hall one after another.
The mustachioed man with the splayed mustache, who had not dared to move ever since entering, also hurriedly bowed deeply before backing out as well.
Now, Wuyou flicked his sleeve, and several pitch-black, token-shaped devilish artifacts flew out. They spun around in the nearby void before coalescing into a layer of dark light that completely isolated the two of them from the outside world.
Upon seeing this, Han Li's eyes flickered briefly. His expression betrayed nothing out of the ordinary, but inwardly he felt a spark of genuine interest.
The Devil Race youth was treating this matter with such ceremony — what he was about to say was clearly no trivial thing.
"Forgive the inconvenience, but the stakes are high, and I have no choice but to exercise due caution." Wuyou gave a light cough and offered an apologetic explanation first.
"That's fine. But I trust we can speak now?" Han Li said with a half-smile.
"Of course. The reason I've been so careful is that the origin of this batch of Foreign Devil Gold is rather… unsavory. I can sell the entire lot to you at an extremely low price, but you must swear a Heart Devil Blood Oath — no matter what consequences arise after the transaction, you must not reveal us under any circumstances." The Devil Race youth stared at Han Li and spoke each word with deliberate weight.
"Your meaning is that you simply hand the goods over to me, and from that point on, whatever fallout follows, I bear alone — without dragging any of you into it." Han Li's expression did not change, and he countered evenly.
"Heh heh, I knew Fellow Daoist was a man of experience — one word and you understand perfectly. Although I've put it that way, once you've completed the transaction, as long as you don't linger in this area too long, there shouldn't truly be any problems. I only mentioned it as a worst-case precaution." Wuyou's expression relaxed again, and he chuckled lightly.
"Oh? I suspect Fellow Daoist Wuyou simply doesn't want me to be tracked down too quickly, which might lead back to all of you through some muddle." Han Li heard this and let out a soft laugh.
"Think of it what you will — I won't press the matter. Wuyou only wishes to make it clear that the provenance of this batch of Foreign Devil Gold involves many complicated interests, and I cannot reveal too many specifics. As for whether you're willing to buy it — that is entirely your choice." The smile faded from Wuyou's face, and his expression turned solemn.
"If I refuse to take this shipment, I rather suspect Fellow Daoist Wuyou doesn't intend to let me walk out of here so easily." Han Li was silent for a moment, then said, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.
"Now that is something Fellow Daoist needn't worry about. I would never do anything harmful to you. I would simply use a minor secret technique to erase a small portion of your memories from our conversation just now." This time, the Devil Race youth spoke frankly.
"Erasing my memories — that is admittedly a reasonable solution. But when it involves the divine sense, no matter how ingenious the technique, there is always the possibility of failure. And I have no intention of letting someone casually implant restrictions in me!" Han Li gave a cold laugh and retorted bluntly.
"So you're saying you won't trade with me." The Devil Race youth's tone turned glacial in an instant.
"Why wouldn't I, when there's such a bargain to be had? Tell me how much Foreign Devil Gold you have, name your price — I'll take it all." Han Li's expression softened, and he broke into a hearty laugh.