While Han Li was taking note of the number of mortals, he also faintly detected the auras of numerous Cultivators scattered throughout the surrounding port area. It seemed these people were Cultivators specifically tasked with maintaining order at the harbor.
As Han Li mused over this, he followed the two men with Qu Hun in tow and arrived at a stone building near the edge of the port.
The interior was sparsely furnished — nothing but a wooden table and a chair, along with a sallow-faced old man sitting there with his eyes closed in meditation.
Only when he heard the sound of Han Li and the others entering did this Immortal Master finally open his eyes.
A glint of cold light shot from his gaze, and Han Li felt a chill run through him. This man was actually a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and his strength didn't seem to be any less than what Han Li himself had possessed before losing his Magical Power.
The yellow-faced old man completely ignored Shopkeeper Gu and Wang Changqing. After sweeping his eyes across Han Li and Qu Hun, he noted that Han Li's cultivation was only at a few layers of the Qi Condensation stage, and his expression reverted to its languid indifference. However, Han Li noticed that the man seemed to take an extra look at Qu Hun.
"What do you all want? If you have business, make it quick — don't disturb my rest," the man said in an listless tone, a trace of impatience showing on his face.
Having learned the local language to a sufficient degree from Wang Changqing thanks to his photographic memory, Han Li couldn't yet speak it fluently, but he could more or less understand what others said.
However, having absolutely no experience dealing with local cultivators, he didn't open his mouth to say anything rash. He simply watched with a smile as Shopkeeper Gu and Wang Changqing conducted their negotiations with the cultivator.
Shopkeeper Gu respectfully called out "Immortal Master Yang," then leaned close to the yellow-faced cultivator and whispered a few words in a low voice. He then turned and pointed at Han Li, apparently explaining his background, and after that pressed several spirit stones into the man's hand.
After feeling the spirit stones in his palm, Immortal Master Yang's expression softened considerably. He then reached into his robe and produced a green jade token, asking Han Li in a brusque tone: "What's your name?"
"Han Li!" Han Li said his own name quite fluently. As for what characters the man inscribed it in, he couldn't care less.
A flash of green light emanated from Immortal Master Yang's hand, completely enveloping the jade token. After a moment, the light faded, and two strange symbols that Han Li couldn't read had appeared on the token.
Then the yellow-faced old man raised his hand and tossed the jade token toward Han Li.
"Keep this token safe. If you lose it, you must come here to have it reissued promptly, otherwise you'll be punished for trespassing on Kuixing Island. Of course, if you settle here permanently in the future, this token will no longer be needed and will be confiscated. As for this refined corpse behind you — naturally, it won't need one either." After delivering these words in a stuffy, authoritative manner, the Immortal Master paid the three of them no further attention and closed his eyes once more.
Shopkeeper Gu, naturally understanding the cue, immediately retreated outside.
But Han Li, somewhat concerned that the man had seen through Qu Hun's true identity at a single glance, took another lingering look at him before silently following the others out.
Shortly after Han Li had stepped outside, Immortal Master Yang reopened his eyes and murmured to himself in a puzzled tone: "That refined corpse is truly peculiar. It's clearly a dead body, yet it's still emitting spiritual energy? Could this be some new technique for refining corpses?"
The yellow-faced old man then fell into a prolonged meditation…
Meanwhile, outside, once Shopkeeper Gu left the port, he hired a beast-drawn cart pulled by two strange creatures that resembled a cross between sheep and oxen, and took Han Li speeding along a wide road toward the interior of the island.
Along this road, such vehicles were as numerous as ox hairs, and the bustle of activity was immense.
However, after the cart passed through several clean and lively small towns, these types of vehicles became markedly fewer. Eventually, after turning onto several smaller paths, the pedestrians and carts they encountered grew scarce indeed.
After rushing onward for another half day, the cart finally arrived at a farmstead spanning over ten mu of land. Before the estate, many strange crops that Han Li had never laid eyes on were planted.
Some were grain-like plants whose rice ears resembled paddy, yet whose leaves were broad and flat, colored a faint purple-red, and gave off a delicate fragrance. Others were vegetable-like plants that looked extremely similar to cabbage, but no cabbage in Tiannan could ever grow half a person tall — and at the heart of each head, several small blue flowers had bloomed...
Among these vegetable plots, a dozen or so men dressed as farmers worked in small groups, planting and turning the soil.
What a serene pastoral scene!
Han Li was still studying everything with keen interest when the beast-drawn cart reached the estate's main gate and came to a halt.
Han Li jumped down first, with Qu Hun following, and looked around at the surroundings.
The estate was surrounded by lush green pine trees, and beside it stood a modest hill — the setting could certainly be called tranquil and rather quaint.
The entire estate was enclosed by an earthen wall two zhang high and several chi wide, and the residences within the walls all appeared brand new, as if they had been built not long ago.
"So this is the Gu family estate!" Han Li silently commended it, but after his gaze swept carefully over those pine trees a few times, his expression changed ever so slightly without warning.