After a moment's thought, Han Li spoke slowly under Wen Qiang's expectant gaze.
"Since Brother Wen is also from the Mystical Sound Sect, you should know that I am merely an elder in name. I never involve myself in the sect's affairs. However, if the matter is truly as you say and Daoist Siyue has been greatly wronged, I will naturally mention it to Daoist Zi Ling when I see her. But whether she will listen or not... that is hard to say."
Wen Qiang felt a slight disappointment upon hearing that Han Li would not take charge of the matter completely. However, he also knew that his relationship with Han Li was not deep. Han Li had saved his daughter and himself, and offering to put in a word was already a sign of respecting old ties. He had no grounds for complaint. With gratitude on his face, he thanked Han Li repeatedly and asked Wen Siyue to bow deeply once more to Han Li, though Han Li smiled and refused.
Yet, Han Li seemed a bit puzzled and asked another question.
"Isn't Daoist Siyue a disciple of Right-hand Envoy Zhuo? Didn't you mention this to Envoy Zhuo?"
Hearing Han Li's words, Wen Siyue's expression grew even more somber. She explained softly, "Senior Han, you don't know. The person who ordered me to handle this matter this time is a close relative of my master. My master also hoped I would become a dual cultivation partner with that person, but I refused. This made my master very angry!"
After saying this, the woman's face was filled with a sense of helplessness, looking especially sorrowful and exquisitely beautiful, which made Han Li momentarily stunned upon seeing her. But immediately, not daring to look more, he turned to Wen Qiang and said, "I have other important matters to attend to and am afraid I cannot travel with you any further. I will take my leave now!"
After saying this, Han Li cupped his fists towards the two of them.
Wen Qiang and his daughter naturally could not say anything to detain him. After hurriedly expressing their gratitude a few more times, Han Li smiled faintly, transformed into a streak of azure light, and shot into the sky, disappearing from view.
Gazing in the direction where the azure light had vanished, Wen Qiang and his daughter were silent for a while. After a long moment, Wen Siyue spoke in a slightly displeased, coquettish tone, "Father, you never told me that you were acquainted with Elder Han of our sect! And from what you were saying, it seems you knew this senior before he even reached the Core Formation stage. Can you tell me about it? You know, Elder Han is quite a mysterious figure to us disciples!"
As she spoke, her initial resentment had turned into curiosity.
Wen Qiang sighed after hearing the young woman's words. Then, with some affection, he said, "Father only had a few brief encounters with this Senior Han; we were not close. And when I first met him, his cultivation level was about the same as mine—not very high. When I suddenly saw his portrait in the Offering Hall, I was truly shocked. For days afterward, my state of mind was unsettled. That this person could actually enter the Core Formation stage and become an elder of our sect is truly incredible!"
As Wen Qiang spoke, the memory of meeting Han Li involuntarily surfaced in his mind, and he trailed off, momentarily lost in thought.
Wen Siyue seemed to understand what her father was thinking. She waited quietly beside him, and for a time, the father and daughter fell silent once more. The only sound was the rustling of the wind stirring their clothes overhead.
...
A month later, a vast and empty stretch of sea suddenly became bustling with activity.
From time to time, cultivators flew swiftly towards this location, then shot towards the high sky with expressions of great surprise and delight.
There, a magnificent and imposing palace floated motionless in the air.
The palace was approximately a hundred zhang tall, crafted entirely from flawless, white jade, exquisitely beautiful, and emanating a faint, pearly glow.
Surrounding it was a thick, golden barrier of light. The palace hung suspended in the sky, about a thousand zhang high. Those cultivators who found it flew towards it without hesitation. With a flash of white light, they easily passed through the barrier and entered the palace.
On this day, a streak of azure light came hurtling through the sky. Upon reaching the sea surface below the palace, it abruptly stopped.
As the azure light faded, a young man with ordinary features appeared. It was Han Li, who had come searching according to the map.
He looked at the silk map in his hand with some puzzlement, gazed around, but saw nothing in the vast emptiness.
He then stared intently down at the sea surface for a long while, still finding nothing.
The doubt on Han Li's face grew even stronger.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he abruptly looked up.
"Hiss!"
Upon seeing the palace amidst the clouds, like a mythical jade tower, Han Li gasped, his face filled with astonishment.
He stared blankly at the palace for quite some time before coming back to his senses.
However, he did not rashly approach the palace. Instead, he pondered for a moment in his original spot. Suddenly, a flicker of thought crossed his mind. With a flash of azure light, he vanished without a trace.
Moments later, a crimson cloud came flying swiftly. It stopped not far from where Han Li had disappeared.
Then, the red cloud dissipated, and a red-haired old man appeared there, holding an identical silk map.
He lowered his head to glance at the map, then swept his cold gaze around before looking up at the sky without hesitation. Upon immediately spotting the floating palace, his face filled with delight.