Seeing that Han Li had truly agreed to help, Kui Huan was overjoyed. After immediately arranging a time and place with Han Li, he departed with a beaming smile.
After a night passed, early the next morning, Han Li activated the restrictions on his cave dwelling, left the herb garden, and headed straight for the agreed-upon location.
He stood atop a flying sword magic tool, traveling at a leisurely pace.
It was somewhat amusing. Magic tools — since his Core Formation, he hadn't used one in years.
This was a high-grade magic tool, the most inconspicuous item Han Li had managed to dig out of his storage pouch after considerable effort.
As for anything more worthless than this, he truly couldn't find one.
After flying for half a quarter of an hour, Han Li descended at what appeared to be a relatively tall small hill. This was precisely the meeting spot he had arranged with Kui Huan and the others.
No one had arrived yet, but Han Li showed no signs of impatience. After all, he had come earlier than the agreed time.
Without standing on ceremony, Han Li found a clean boulder on the hilltop, settled into a cross-legged position upon it, and began circulating his qi in meditation, drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
After about an hour, when the fiery red morning sun was faintly visible on the horizon, several black dots appeared from another direction, slowly making their way toward this location.
Judging by their flying speed, Han Li rubbed his nose and couldn't help but laugh bitterly to himself.
After yet another stretch of time, these people finally arrived above the small hill at a speed that, in Han Li's eyes, could rival a snail's crawl.
"Junior Brother Han, you arrived even earlier than us. How thoughtful of you." Kui Huan called out cheerfully to Han Li from midair. Under his feet was a disc-shaped magic tool — the low-grade flying magic tool that the Falling Cloud Sect uniformly equipped its disciples with. No wonder their speed was so sluggish.
As he spoke, Kui Huan led the others down to land.
"It's nothing — I only just arrived myself. Are these senior brothers the full complement for this venture?" Han Li rose from the boulder and swept his gaze across the other three.
"Heh heh, five people is just right for setting up a Five Elements Maze to catch that Snow Cloud Fox. More people would mean fewer spirit stones to go around. These three are Senior Brother Ma, Senior Brother Xi, and Senior Brother Wang." Kui Huan pointed at the other three with a broad smile, introducing them to Han Li one by one.
None of them were particularly old. The eldest was Senior Brother Wang, around thirty-five or thirty-six, with a refined and scholarly appearance. His white robes fluttered in the wind, giving him a rather elegant bearing. Among the group, his cultivation was also the highest — roughly at the eleventh level of Qi Refining.
The other two young men — one short and stocky, the other with a sallow golden complexion — were both only twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with cultivation at the tenth level of Qi Refining.
"I, along with these two junior brothers, have all heard about Junior Brother Han's situation. This time, we're truly grateful for your generous assistance. Otherwise, we'd still be helpless against that fox spirit." Senior Brother Wang cut a distinguished figure. As soon as Kui Huan finished the introductions, he addressed Han Li with a warm smile, giving one the feeling of a gentle spring breeze.
The other two also looked at Han Li with friendly expressions. It seemed that his earlier willingness to lend spirit stones had left them with a very favorable impression.
"Senior Brother is too kind — I simply wanted to earn a few more spirit stones," Han Li replied courteously.
"Perhaps these spirit stones mean little to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but for us Qi Refining disciples, they're not something you'd easily lend to a stranger. On that count alone, Junior Brother Han is someone worth befriending. I, Wang, consider myself to have made a friend today." The white-robed cultivator surnamed Wang shook his head, his expression sincere.
Hearing this, Han Li nodded inwardly and couldn't help appraising the man a bit more carefully.
This Senior Brother Wang was extraordinary in bearing, cultivation, and conduct alike. It seemed he was the leader of this group.
Han Li smiled and was about to say something more when Kui Huan glanced at the sky and suddenly interjected: "Senior Brother Wang, Junior Brother Han — whatever there is to say, let's talk on the road. At our speed, if we delay any further, by the time we reach the Green Trace Swamp, we won't have much time left to catch that Snow Cloud Fox. After all, we can't be away from the sect for too long."
"Junior Brother Kui makes a fair point. We really can't waste any more time. Let's set off now. When there's a chance later, we can have a proper chat with Junior Brother Han." Senior Brother Wang nodded in agreement.