Could this be a solo operation by the Ghost Spirit Sect, completely unrelated to the six demonic sects? If that were the case, the seven righteous sects wouldn't have much to fear. The Yan family alone might even be able to handle the people the Ghost Spirit Sect sent here, after all, the Yan family had a cultivator at the Core Formation stage watching over them!
After thinking this through, Han Li finally felt a bit more at ease.
If the sky falls, the tall ones can hold it up! Whatever shady business the Ghost Spirit Sect was up to here, what did he, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, have to worry about? The Yan family would handle it. He just needed to be careful not to get caught in the crossfire.
He wondered if the others felt the same way. After the initial fear, their expressions gradually returned to normal, and no one brought up the matter again. Instead, they started discussing their experiences in cultivation, which immediately caught Han Li's interest. Without hesitation, he joined the discussion.
Time passed quickly, and as the sky grew dark, the group, somewhat hoarse from talking, soon reached the time to part ways as other cultivators began to leave.
This exchange of insights had been quite beneficial for everyone. Especially the methods and opportunities for breaking through bottlenecks shared by those at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, made Han Li and the other early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators feel the trip was well worth it.
Thus, the still-enthusiastic middle-aged man surnamed Wu suggested they find another secluded spot the next day, invite a few more like-minded individuals to continue the long chat, and perhaps even hold a small trading session on the side. Wouldn't that be even better?
This suggestion was met with unanimous approval, and Han Li naturally wouldn't object.
After finalizing their plans, the group dispersed.
Han Li headed towards an inn marked on the map, one that specifically catered to visiting cultivators.
The inn was located in the southeast corner of Yan Ling Fortress, small and inconspicuous, clearly inferior to several others nearby. Therefore, it shouldn't have many guests.
But Han Li chose this place precisely for its quiet and less crowded nature. Fewer people meant a lower chance of trouble or complications. Moreover, it was close to the city wall, which would make it easier to flee if something unexpected happened.
After all, the appearance of those Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators still made Han Li vaguely uneasy. Making preparations in advance, just in case, was simply his cautious habit.
The "Fengyue Inn" indeed had few guests, and they were all either people who disliked crowds or those of a solitary nature. They all stayed in their rooms, with none wandering about the inn. This made Han Li even more satisfied, and he immediately found a relatively clean room to settle into.
As for where Dong Xuan'er was staying, Han Li couldn't be bothered to look. After all, when the treasure-grabbing competition started, he was sure to see her. At that time, he could just return to the Yellow Maple Valley with her. Thinking this, Han Li drifted off to sleep.
At night, as most cultivators entered sleep or began meditating to refine qi, in a heavily guarded room within the highest building of Yan Ling Fortress—the command center of the entire fortress known as the "Flying Cloud Pavilion"—an old man with fiery red hair was pacing back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back, his face utterly expressionless.
Not far in front of him stood three elderly men in gray robes, their posture respectful in the extreme.
"Zijun, did that brat from the Ghost Spirit Sect really say he'd come to see me tonight?" The red-haired old man finally stopped pacing and cast a calm glance at one of the elders.
"Yes, Patriarch! That young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect did indeed send me a private voice transmission after the duel ended, saying exactly that!" the man replied respectfully.
"Mmm." The red-haired old man nodded with an expressionless face, but a sharp gleam flashed briefly in his eyes.
Just then, a middle-aged man in black suddenly walked in from outside. He bowed and said:
"Patriarch, Elders! The guest has arrived. He has been settled in the main hall, but the two guards accompanying him absolutely refuse to wait outside. Some of the Iron Guards tried to forcibly remove them but were subdued instead. They appear to be cultivators at the Core Formation stage. How should we handle this, Patriarch? Please provide your instructions."
"Core Formation stage? That's hardly surprising! If a proper Young Sect Master didn't even have a bodyguard, how could the Sect Master of the Ghost Spirit Sect let him come here? Let's go meet them. I'm quite curious to see what this Young Master looks like under that mask, acting so mysteriously." After hearing the black-clad man's report, a hint of anger surfaced on the red-haired old man's face, and he spoke in a rather unfriendly tone.
Then, he took the lead and walked out of the room, with the others naturally following close behind.