"Give it to Han?" Han Li showed a trace of surprise on his face.
"That's right! Though Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Liquid is extraordinarily precious, it still can't compare to the life-saving grace you've shown me, Brother Han. Could it be that Fellow Daoist Yuan Yao thinks that because I'm a woman, I wouldn't know how to repay a debt of gratitude?" Yuan Yao tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear with slender fingers and spoke softly, biting her lower lip.
"That's not the case at all. It's just that Fellow Daoist Yuan..." Han Li hesitated slightly.
Yuan Yao saw this, and her bright eyes seemed to shimmer as she laughed lightly.
"We've already weathered hardships together in the Void Heaven Hall, and now you've saved my life again. From now on, Brother Han, you can just call me Yuan Yao directly. There's no need to be so formal with all this 'Fellow Daoist' business." Yuan Yao finished speaking with a smile, then seemed to recall something. A faint blush rose to her face, making her all the more stunning.
Han Li, caught off guard by the woman's alluringly feminine expression, couldn't help but stare blankly for a moment, his gaze lingering on her face a beat longer than it should have.
Being gazed at so intently by Han Li, the blush on Yuan Yao's fair cheeks deepened slightly. She tilted her pretty head to the side, averting his eyes ever so slightly.
"Since Miss Yuan Yao has put it that way, this Han will stop being so coy. I'll just call you by your name from now on." After a long pause, Han Li took a deep breath and said.
He then casually picked up the small bottle from the table, popped the lid open, and took a look inside.
It was indeed genuine Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Liquid, the real thing.
A hint of pleasure crossed Han Li's face. He tucked the bottle into his storage pouch. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he produced two small white jade bottles and pushed them across to Yuan Yao.
"What's this?" Yuan Yao blinked her beautiful eyes, somewhat confused.
"These are two bottles of pills for enhancing magical power. I imagine they'll be of some help to Miss Yuan Yao's future cultivation. Consider it a token of my return gift," Han Li said calmly and unhurriedly.
"I've already told you — the spirit liquid was a gift. If Brother Han now produces these two bottles of pills, it puts this little woman in a rather difficult position." Yuan Yao was momentarily taken aback by Han Li's words, but after glancing at the white jade bottles, she pressed her lips together and smiled.
"Don't you go regretting it, Miss Yuan Yao! These pills were refined using sixth-rank demon cores as their primary ingredient. With your current cultivation at the peak of early-stage Core Formation, taking them will allow you to smoothly advance to mid-stage Core Formation." Han Li glanced at the woman and said with a slight smile.
"Pills refined from sixth-rank demon cores!" Yuan Yao's previously smiling expression instantly turned to one of astonishment.
She immediately picked up one of the white jade bottles and swiftly opened the lid.
A wave of pure spiritual energy wafted out from the bottle. Yuan Yao's face lit up with an expression of pure delight.
"If it were anything else, I might have let it go. But these two bottles of pills — Yuan Yao truly needs them very much. This little woman will humbly accept them." Clutching the bottles tightly in both hands, she said with a touch of embarrassment, changing her tune.
These two bottles of pills could save Yuan Yao more than ten years of bitter cultivation. Even if it was a little awkward, she was overjoyed nonetheless.
"Please go ahead and accept them, Miss Yuan Yao. The truth is, this Han has another matter to ask of you." Seeing the woman accept the pills, Han Li felt somewhat relieved. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to bring up what came next.
"With Brother Han's current abilities, what could you possibly need this little woman's help with? By all means, tell me — if it's something I can do, I'll certainly do my best." After carefully storing away the two bottles of pills, Yuan Yao grew even more at ease with Han Li, and her lovely face bloomed with a radiant smile.