After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Han Li appeared in the hall on the third floor and took his seat across from the hemp-robed girl, the two of them arranged as host and guest.
"Brother Han — no, perhaps I should call you Senior now. In only a few short centuries, you've already become a Mahayana Ancestor. I always knew that with your talent, this day would come sooner or later, but I never imagined it would arrive so quickly." The hemp-robed girl covered her mouth and laughed, showing no trace of awkwardness or distance.
"Miss Lan, there's no need for such formality. Since we're old acquaintances, let's keep using the same forms of address as before. It seems, though, that I don't need to say much — your Guangyuan Pavilion has already learned just about everything about the affairs of the Land of the Primordial Devil." Han Li smiled and spoke in a gentle tone.
This woman had once done him a considerable favor, so Han Li naturally had no intention of putting on airs as a superior cultivator.
"Since Fellow Daoist Han says so, then I won't stand on ceremony. The two great battles in the Land of the Primordial Devil practically shocked the entire Devil Realm. Our Guangyuan Pavilion prides itself on knowing everything under heaven, so of course we received the relevant intelligence right away. But we never expected that the Moth Mother — long regarded as a catastrophic plague upon the Devil Realm — would actually be slain by Bao and Fellow Daoist Han working together. With that settled, I can continue running this pavilion with peace of mind." The hemp-robed girl's eyes glinted as she spoke with a grin.
"The one who truly did the heavy lifting in killing that Moth Mother was someone else entirely. Bao and I merely lent our names to the effort. Given how terrifying that creature was, if the few of us had faced it head-on, managing to keep our lives would have been considered lucky — let alone killing it. As for the finer details, I'm afraid I can't disclose them to your pavilion directly." Han Li replied calmly.
"I see. But I believe that even if the Moth Mother wasn't slain by Brother Han personally, you must have played a significant role." Lan Ying said with complete indifference, not the least bit bothered.
"Miss Lan, you flatter me. The reason I've come this time is to ask for your help in getting in touch with Zi Ling. I intend to bring her back with me to the Spirit Realm." Han Li made no secret of his purpose, stating it openly and honestly.
"Oh, leave that matter entirely to me. In fact, all these years Zi Ling has been secluding herself and cultivating in a secret location not far from here. If you'd like, she could be here within just a few days. How about this — Brother Han, why don't you stay here at the Guangyuan Pavilion for a few days while you wait?" Lan Ying agreed readily without hesitation.
"Very well then. I'll have to trouble Miss Lan for a few days." Han Li considered for a moment, then accepted without refusal.
Lan Ying naturally looked even more pleased upon hearing this and immediately proceeded to ask about a number of non-classified matters regarding the Land of the Primordial Devil, listening with evident relish and fascination.
"Oh, that reminds me — there's one more matter in which I'll need to draw upon your pavilion's resources." Han Li suddenly recalled something, paused briefly, and then spoke.
"If there's anything you need, Brother Han, just say the word." Lan Ying replied without a moment's hesitation.
"I have a few items I'd like the Fairy to take a look at." Han Li wasted no further words. With a flick of his sleeve, four spheres of white light flew out, spinning in midair before solidifying into four crystal bricks, each roughly the size of a palm.
"What are these…?" Lan Ying swept her elegant gaze across the objects, and a subtle shift crossed her expression.
"Engraved upon them is a treasure map left behind by the Quelling Spirit Sovereign of the Devil Realm — something I stumbled upon by chance years ago. I have the map, but unfortunately I know very little about the Devil Realm and have never gone searching for the location marked on it. That's why I need to call upon your pavilion's assistance." Han Li said calmly.
"So it's the legendary Quelling Spirit Treasure! My, my — I won't lie to you, Brother Han. I've had my eye on that treasure myself at one point. But sadly, I could never find any relevant leads. I never imagined the map had fallen into your hands. Rest assured, Brother Han — as long as the map is genuine and the treasure truly lies within the Devil Realm, you won't be disappointed." A flash of surprise crossed Lan Ying's face, but she quickly broke into a bright smile as she agreed.
Han Li nodded with satisfaction.
…
Five days later, in the same hall within the pavilion, Han Li finally met Zi Ling again.
The two laid eyes on each other once more, and naturally their joy was mixed with surprise — a tangle of complicated emotions buried deep in both their hearts.
Lan Ying, ever perceptive, had long since withdrawn discreetly from the hall, leaving the two of them alone together.
Zi Ling had already learned from Lan Ying about Han Li's advancement to Mahayana. But when she heard the news firsthand from Han Li himself — that Liu Ji had already fallen — she was completely stunned.
After all, this had happened only a few months ago, and Bao and the other people involved had deliberately kept the information from spreading. As a result, there were very few who knew of it.