Han Li and the others naturally had no objections. The young man surnamed Yu immediately drove the giant bowl beneath his feet and headed straight toward the distant "Heavenly Spring Peak."
Along the way, the group encountered several passing cultivators, most of whom were low-level Qi Condensation stage practitioners. As soon as they spotted the young man, they bowed respectfully and greeted him, which suggested that he was something of a notable figure in the Falling Cloud Sect.
The only Foundation Establishment cultivator they met was a sallow-faced man with pointed ears and sunken cheeks, wearing a yellow robe. He happened to be descending from Heavenly Spring Peak on a flying fork. The moment he caught sight of Young Master Yu, he was briefly startled, but then broke into an ear-to-ear grin and called out: "Junior Brother Yu! Are these newly accepted disciples? It looks like there aren't many this time!"
The man was effusively friendly toward the young man, but couldn't be bothered to glance at Han Li and the other loose cultivators, radiating the air of a shameless social climber.
"Oh, it's Senior Brother Yan. These people still have to pass the Heart-Questioning Technique and be reported to the Sect Master before they can become official disciples of our sect. For now, they're just candidates." The dashing young man's brow furrowed ever so slightly at the sight of the yellow-robed cultivator, but he replied evenly.
"I see. But you know, Junior Brother, I've been running short on two talisman-crafting disciples over at my place. Why don't you just assign two of them to me right now?" The yellow-robed cultivator's eyes darted about, and he immediately said with a grin.
Only then did his gaze sweep over the group behind the young man.
Han Li's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he felt a twinge of discomfort. The way this man looked at them was repugnant — as though they were objects to be claimed. And from the sound of it, he genuinely intended to use them as laborers.
Several of the other loose cultivators' faces shifted slightly upon hearing this. They clearly shared a poor impression of the man.
"Senior Brother Yan. This matter is beyond my authority. As you well know, the allocation of disciples has always been handled by the Sect Master. If you truly feel you're short on talisman-crafting disciples, you can submit a request to the Sect Master directly. I still have important business — Senior Brother Miao is waiting for us at Welcome Pine Lodge, so I won't keep you." Young Master Yu knew the yellow-robed cultivator's temperament well and flatly refused the unreasonable request. He then promptly made an excuse, urged his flying treasure onward, and led Han Li and the others toward a pavilion at the foot of the mountain.
The yellow-robed cultivator had been about to press further, but the moment he heard the name "Senior Brother Miao," a flicker of hesitation crossed his face. He froze, and the young man slipped away with the group.
Watching their figures vanish into the distant pavilion, the yellow-robed cultivator's expression remained unsettled. He lowered his head in thought for a moment, then let out a cold snort. His body transformed into a streak of yellow light and shot off toward another peak.
By then, the young man had led Han Li and the others into the first floor of the pavilion, where a stranger was already seated opposite them.
Han Li felt a jolt of surprise at the sight of the gaunt young man sitting in a grand sandalwood chair, intently reading a bamboo scroll.
The man appeared to be only thirty-four or thirty-five years old, yet his cultivation had already reached the late Foundation Establishment stage. Though he had only recently entered this level and had yet to fully consolidate it, he was undoubtedly a rare prodigious talent. At his age, he had an excellent chance of condensing a Golden Core and advancing to the Core Formation stage. No wonder that insufferable yellow-robed cultivator had lost his nerve the moment he heard this man's name.
The other cultivators who had come with Han Li were equally stunned by the gaunt young man's astonishing cultivation. They exchanged wide-eyed glances.
The man had already set down his bamboo scroll. He glanced at Young Master Yu and asked softly: "Junior Brother Yu, thanks for your trouble. Senior Brother Yan from Lock Smoke Peak stopped you on the way here, didn't he?"
"You already knew, Senior Brother. There was no need to ask. But was that man pestering Senior Sister Pei Ling again?" The young man's face showed a flash of disgust.
"'That man'? No matter how excessive Senior Brother Yan may be, he is still our fellow disciple in the Falling Cloud Sect, Junior Brother Yu. Your language is somewhat inappropriate — be more careful in the future. If Master overhears, you'll face punishment without question." The sickly-looking young man's words carried a note of reproach, but his voice remained perfectly level, without a trace of anger.
And yet, this only made Young Master Yu's heart tighten. He hastily replied: "Senior Brother is right. I'll be more careful going forward."
Only after hearing this acknowledgment did a faint smile appear on the gaunt young man's face. He nodded, then shifted his gaze to Han Li and the others, examining each one in turn.
His gaze was thorough and unhurried, taking them in from head to toe at a measured pace, until most of the group began to squirm with unease.
However, whether it was his imagination or not, Han Li noticed that when the man's eyes reached the burly, bearded fellow, they seemed to pause involuntarily for a moment before quickly jumping on to the next person.