Han Li watched the two of them with an impassive expression, not uttering a word. But in his heart he was well aware that these two were almost certainly involved in the destruction of Qi Yunxiao's residence.
Sure enough, before Han Li spoke, the young man couldn't contain himself and barked out a question.
"Who are you, and what is your relationship to that brat surnamed Qi?"
Upon hearing this, Han Li merely cast a cold glance at him and paid him no further attention, turning his gaze to fix steadily on the old man instead. It was obvious that of the two, the one truly in charge — the one with the real cultivation — was this elder.
The young man, seeing Han Li so dismissive of him, was furious. Though he knew Han Li was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his own family was one of the most renowned great families in the Yuanwu Kingdom. When had he ever been treated like this?
Moreover, because of the Qi Yunxiao affair, he was already burning with pent-up anger. Gritting his teeth, he was about to release the magical tool in his hand.
But the moment his arm moved, the old man beside him seized it and held it back.
"Wait! We don't even know this person's background. If we're going to make a move, we should at least find out what's going on first!" the old man said, his expression unchanged. But after saying this, he looked with some puzzlement at Qu Hun standing behind Han Li. He couldn't sense any living aura from the figure, yet there were fluctuations of magical power — a contradiction he found difficult to make sense of.
When Han Li heard these words, his eyes narrowed slightly.
This old man was a cultivator at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, just like himself. The fact that he spoke with such caution showed he had already recognized that Han Li was not someone to be trifled with, and a degree of wariness had set in.
"Was this place destroyed by you?" Han Li asked in an unhurried manner.
"What is your relationship with Qi Yunxiao? Are you from the Qi family?" The old man didn't answer Han Li's question, but instead asked one of his own.
Han Li's brows furrowed slightly. It seemed the other party wasn't going to answer honestly — he would have to change his approach.
"It seems neither of us wants to answer the other's questions. How about this: I answer one, and you answer one of mine? That way we don't all waste our time," Han Li said, his eyebrow twitching.
The old man blinked in surprise, then his eyes darted back and forth a few times before he agreed readily.
"Since it was my idea, you may ask first!" Han Li said evenly.
"Are you from the Qi family?" the old man asked immediately, without standing on ceremony.
"No," Han Li said without a moment's hesitation.
Hearing such a firm reply, both the old man and the young man froze, suspicion flickering in their eyes.
"Is Qi Yunxiao alive or dead?" Han Li asked leisurely.
"He's still alive!" After a brief hesitation, the old man gave his answer.
The moment the word "alive" reached his ears, Han Li felt a wave of relief.
"What is your relationship with Qi Yunxiao?" the old man asked again, more cautiously this time.
"We have some business dealings," Han Li said coldly.
"Business dealings?" A flash of surprise crossed the old man's eyes.
"Where is Qi Yunxiao now?" Han Li asked, seemingly casual, though in truth he cared deeply.
"That I cannot tell you," the old man refused instantly, without thinking.
"Then let me ask something else — why did you attack Qi Yunxiao?" Han Li asked another question without showing any anger.
"He killed people from our Fu family — shouldn't he die for that?" The young man cut in with a cold sneer.
The old man's brows furrowed, and a look of displeasure crossed his face. But he said nothing.
"The Fu family!"
The moment Han Li heard this, he immediately recalled the Qi Condensation stage cultivators who had died at his hands while he was trying to save Xin Ruyin. A surge of killing intent welled up in his heart.
"Is that so? But there are only the two of you here. What if someone powerful from the Qi family shows up — how would you handle them?" Han Li appeared outwardly unaffected, and even tossed out the question in a rather casual manner.
"Why would the Qi family go up against our Fu family over some outer-branch disciple? Wouldn't the two of us be more than enough?" The young man said with a touch of arrogance.