Although the Five Friends of Meng Mountain were quite surprised by Han Li's decision, they felt there was some logic to what he said and didn't object.
However, when the middle-aged woman curiously asked about the true identities of the two Black Evil Sect members, she hit a soft wall. Han Li simply gave a faint smile and said that once they moved out tonight, everyone would find out naturally.
This left the middle-aged woman unable to press further, and she put on an indifferent expression.
Before long, Qin Ping arrived with a message from Qin Yan and led the Five Friends of Meng Mountain to a nearby courtyard, where they settled in.
As Han Li watched their retreating figures, a peculiar look flickered through his eyes. He suddenly murmured something to himself, but no one nearby could make out what he said.
After dinner that evening, the group gathered in the main hall of Clear Sound Court. The Five Friends of Meng Mountain were all assembled, ready to begin their operation when the late hour Han Li had specified arrived.
"Strange! Why can't I remember!" The fourth brother, a young man around thirty, paced back and forth through the hall, scratching his head with a bewildered expression.
"Fourth Brother, you still haven't remembered?"
The youngest of the group, a young woman, lounged lazily in her chair with an amused half-smile.
"Fourth Brother, you keep saying Senior Han looks familiar, that you've definitely met him somewhere before. But you can't remember when or where at all — that makes it hard for me to believe. Could it be that you're just desperate to build a connection with Senior Han, and your mind is playing tricks on you?"
Her words were clearly dripping with teasing.
"Mm, that's entirely possible. After all, this senior's appearance is perfectly ordinary. Fourth Brother finding him familiar is perfectly natural!" The tall, thin second brother chimed in while savoring his fragrant tea.
However, his eyes never strayed from the middle-aged woman beside him for even a moment, darting back and forth between her still-charming face and her apparently normal belly, his expression one of pure happiness.
The middle-aged woman, ranked third, grew irritated under his relentless stare and shot him several dirty looks. But all she got in return was a dopey "heh heh" grin — all his usual shrewdness and composure long since thrown to the wind.
"Hmph, say whatever you want. I know for certain I've seen him before. It just doesn't seem to be recent — it must have been quite a few years ago, otherwise I wouldn't have forgotten so completely." The young man glared resentfully at the young woman and the tall thin man, clearly unwilling to let the matter drop.
"A few years ago? Fourth Brother, we spent those years sequestered in Meng Mountain cultivating and never left the mountain. So when exactly did you see Senior Han? Don't tell me you met him when you were still in diapers!" The middle-aged woman joined in the teasing with a grin.
"Third Sister, you..." The young man's face flushed red with embarrassment.
"A few years back, Fourth Brother wasn't cooped up in the mountain the entire time either. Have you forgotten? Before we met Fifth Sister, we attended one of the Ascension Conferences. We were away from home for two or three months. Unfortunately, we all came back empty-handed, but at least nobody was seriously hurt!" The dark-faced elder interjected calmly.
"What? You all attended the Ascension Conference?" Fifth Sister blinked, curiosity lighting up her face. The second brother and the middle-aged woman, on the other hand, wore bitter smiles.
"There's nothing to brag about. That was when the rest of us first learned what it means to be a frog in a well!" The middle-aged woman sighed.
"Come on, Fourth Brother, tell me what happened. Back then... hm?"
The young woman's curiosity only grew. She turned around, eager to have the young man recount the story of the Ascension Conference, but what met her eyes was a face frozen in utter shock.
"Fourth Brother, what's wrong?"
The others noticed his strange expression and asked, startled.
"Second Brother, do you remember when we split off from Big Brother and Third Sister during the conference, and I snuck off to a restaurant in Jiayuan City to sneak some food and wine?" The young man ignored their questions and instead suddenly brought up a past event, leaving the tall thin man completely baffled.
"Of course I remember. We managed to cover it up for you at the time, but Big Brother found out later and gave you a thorough scolding!" The second brother replied, still puzzled.
"That's exactly it. When I came back, didn't I mention to you that I'd run into a young cultivator at that restaurant who also seemed to be attending the Ascension Conference? His cultivation was only at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Condensation, and we thought he looked like he was overestimating himself." The young man said with a bitter smile.
"It's been so long, I don't remember it clearly. But that probably did happen?" The second brother said hesitantly.
He truly had no idea why his fourth brother was suddenly bringing this up.
The others listened to their exchange with equal puzzlement, finding the whole thing very strange.
"But that young cultivator from back then is today's Senior Han!" The young man blurted out in a dry voice, leaving everyone present stunned speechless.