"Our Six Lines Hall may not have entered the ranks of the Four Great Trading Alliances, but we are still a prominent and respected business in the Scattered Star Seas. While these two spiritual materials are rare, they aren't something we can't part with. Fellow Daoist Qu, please go ahead and take them — consider it a congratulatory gift from our Six Lines Hall on the occasion of your Core Formation!"
The burly, bearded man waved his hand and spoke in a cavalier tone.
Hearing this, Han Li didn't eagerly have Qu Hun accept the offer. Instead, he quietly furrowed his brow.
"Giving away such precious gifts for nothing? Han Li simply refused to believe that such good fortune existed in the world. Even if Qu Hun was what they called a pseudo-Core cultivator, the two of them didn't need to be this fawning. Could they have some ulterior motive?"
Thinking this, Han Li grew ever more cautious.
He had Qu Hun shake his head and say solemnly: "How can I accept that? The principle of accepting no reward without merit — I understand that well enough. These two items are worth whatever their price is, and I have that many spirit stones to spare! Or do the two of you perhaps have some difficulty you're not telling me?" After saying this, Qu Hun wore an expression that was half-smile, half-not.
Seeing that Qu Hun was thoroughly on guard against benefits handed to him on a silver platter, Cao Lu and the burly, bearded man were taken aback and couldn't help but exchange a glance.
But after their eyes met, Cao Lu gave a dry cough and said: "We've made a fool of ourselves in front of Fellow Daoist. Since Fellow Daoist Qu is a man of understanding, I'll speak plainly! The two of us do indeed have a matter that requires Fellow Daoist's assistance. These two spiritual materials are merely our Six Lines Hall's preliminary gesture of goodwill. If the matter is accomplished, our shop has an even greater gift to offer."
This time Cao Lu spoke with considerable sincerity, while the burly, bearded man showed a trace of embarrassment.
But when Han Li heard this, he sneered coldly to himself and had Qu Hun smile faintly as he politely declined: "I won't hide it from you two — I am entirely focused on my Core Formation at present and have no mind for anything else. I'm truly sorry, but you'll have to find someone else!"
Qu Hun seemed to have no interest even in hearing what the matter was, shutting down their follow-up words with a single sentence.
Hearing Qu Hun's response, Cao Lu and the burly, bearded man didn't get angry. Instead, they burst into hearty laughter one after the other.
"Heh heh, since Fellow Daoist Qu is so concerned about Core Formation, then this is precisely the matter you should help with! Because upon its completion, the reward our Six Lines Hall offers is a Dustfall Pill — a pill of great benefit to Core Formation, with a certain probability of increasing your chances of success!" The burly, bearded man laughed heartily and said.
"The Dustfall Pill?" Qu Hun murmured, momentarily stunned.
"That's right. This time our Six Lines Hall needs six pseudo-Core cultivators. We've already found five, and we're short just one more. It would be ideal if Fellow Daoist were willing to go. And for every cultivator who lends a hand, our shop will gift one Dustfall Pill." Cao Lu put away his smile and spoke gravely.
The Dustfall Pill might indeed be famous throughout the Scattered Star Seas, but Han Li — who had entered seclusion as soon as he arrived on Kui Star Island — how could he possibly know whether this pill was truly as miraculous as they claimed?
So after pondering for a moment, Qu Hun asked cautiously: "Fellow Daoists, could you first explain in detail what exactly I would need to help with? Then I can make my decision."
"Of course, that's only natural. It's actually not a complicated matter — our shop has discovered a sixth-grade demon beast, and we wish to obtain this beast's demon core. So we'd like to invite some outside help to eliminate this creature!" Cao Lu gave a light chuckle and said casually.
"A sixth-grade demon beast?" Qu Hun let out a bitter laugh. And Han Li, standing off to the side, nearly jumped up and cursed the two of them out.
Back in the day, a mere fourth-grade giant mantis demon beast had nearly cost him his life. Now they wanted to send a group of cultivators after a sixth-grade one? Wasn't that just sending them to their deaths?
"Fellow Daoist, please rest assured — our shop has made thorough preparations this time, and there is minimal danger. At the time of action, in addition to two of our Core Formation stage guest elder cultivators, we will also have the 'Six Escape Water Wave Grand Formation' deployed. All that's needed is for six pseudo-Core cultivators to go and command the formation." The burly, bearded man quickly interjected with an explanation, seemingly having noticed Qu Hun's displeasure.
"The Six Escape Water Wave Formation..."
Han Li felt the name sounded somewhat familiar — it seemed that among the formation theory notes Xin Ruyin had given him, there was material on this very formation.
"Because the stakes are considerable, Fellow Daoists, could you give me two days to consider? I'll give you my answer in two days — how does that sound?" Under Han Li's direction, Qu Hun spoke the delay tactic first.
Hearing such vague words from Qu Hun, Cao Lu was taken aback for a moment, but immediately broke into a beaming smile and agreed.
But when Han Li and Qu Hun prepared to leave, Cao Lu and the burly, bearded man had them take the Snow Spirit Water and Heavenly Fire Liquid along, politely insisting that even if Fellow Daoist Qu ultimately declined the matter, it was of no consequence — they had already considered him a friend and fellow Daoist worth knowing.