After a long while,
His expression betraying nothing, he continued browsing the shops selling technique manuals and cultivation texts.
This time, nothing unexpected greeted him. Most of the various techniques and Five Element spells on offer were familiar to him — not greatly different from those found in the Tian Nan region.
If there was any real difference, it was that water-attribute spell books seemed to be more numerous here, and there were indeed several entirely new spells he had never heard of before.
Han Li purchased the relevant texts for these new spells, along with a volume titled "Appraisal of the Dao of Pill Refinement" that he had come across by chance.
The reason he bought this particular book was that it contained a certain expert's description and critique of the "Dust-Settling Pill."
He planned to study it carefully once he got back, and then decide whether to agree to the Six Harmony Hall's demand over this pill.
After that, Han Li had no further interest in buying anything else. He took Qu Hun with him and walked straight out of Tiandu Street, heading toward the city gates.
Shortly after leaving Kuixing City, Han Li and Qu Hun mounted their flying artifacts and soared into the sky, streaking toward the Gu family estate.
After about half a day, Han Li caught sight of the somewhat familiar earthen walls of the Gu estate in the distance.
He did not fly straight into the grounds, however. Instead, with a thought, he first landed on a small hill nearby to check on the little wooden cabin he had built with his own hands long ago.
The cabin still stood where it had always been, but it looked considerably more weathered than when he had left — some parts had even begun to rot and turn black.
Han Li gazed at it for a moment, let out a soft sigh, then pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside.
"Oh?" Han Li was mildly surprised.
It was not the dust-filled, decay-stinking interior he had imagined. Instead, everything had been swept spotless — the tables, chairs, and wooden bed were immaculate, and on the table even sat a pot of some unknown blue flowers.
Han Li stood frozen in place for a moment, then chuckled softly at himself.
"It seems the Gu family has put quite a bit of thought into this," he murmured, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Without lingering, he walked back out of the cabin, told Qu Hun to remain on the hill, and made his way down toward the Gu family estate at a leisurely pace.
Han Li did not ride his artifact and storm the gates. Though the protective formation around the Gu estate was nothing to him now,
When Han Li reached the front gate, two burly-looking guards naturally noticed him, and one of them asked with open suspicion:
"Who are you, and what business brings you to our Gu estate?"
"Tell your estate master that an old friend surnamed Han has come to visit," Han Li replied with a faint smile.
"Our estate master does not receive strangers. Wait — surnamed Han? … Could you be Immortal Han?" The guard started with a flat refusal, but after looking Han Li up and down, a look of dawning recognition crossed his face.
"You know me?" Han Li said with a slight frown.
"It really is Immortal Han! Please wait here, sir — I'll go report to the estate master at once!" Without another word, the guard bolted inside.
Han Li stared into the estate with an expressionless face and said nothing.
Before long, a large group of people emerged from within.
At their head was an elderly man who, upon catching sight of Han Li, broke into a wide beaming smile and called out in a loud voice:
"Immortal Han, you've finally come! I've been waiting for you for many years!"
The old man hurried forward to bow respectfully, and those behind him followed suit one after another.
Han Li studied the elderly face, catching glimpses of features that were faintly familiar. Who else could it be but Master Gu? Only now his hair had gone white, and his face bore the gaunt marks of great age.
"Master Gu, it has been a long time — I trust you have been well," Han Li said, his expression softening somewhat.
Under Master Gu's fawning guidance, Han Li entered the grand residence at the center of the Gu estate.
Once inside, before Han Li could even open his mouth, Master Gu eagerly ordered someone to bring out a large bundle of spirit stones and hand them over to him. He then enthusiastically introduced several young members of the Gu family, and in particular his eldest son — a man in his thirties named Gu Kai — who was clearly the one he most wanted Han Li to meet.