When Han Li heard this, he faintly smiled and immediately explained, “Young Miss Xin has misunderstood. This individual by my side isn’t a living person. He’s just a corpse that I had refined. Once Young Miss Xin inspects him with her spiritual sense, it will be made clear.”
After Han Li said this, he took the initiative to stop and wait for Xin Ruyin to recognize Crooked Soul as a Jiangshi.
A short moment later, Xin Ruyin responded, “Ah, I was mistaken. Senior Han, please come in!”
Xin Ruyin’s tone was apologetic but Han Li paid it no mind, flying forward on his Divine Wind Boat with a smile.
Just as Han Li flew forward, the scene before him brightened as the bamboo rooms that he had seen on his previous trip appeared once more.Two woman were standing in front of the bamboo rooms: Xin Ruyin and her pretty maid.
While both were wearing pure white clothes, Xin Ruyin’s style of dress left Han Li stunned.
“Widow Xin pay her respects to Senior Han.”
When Xin Ruyin saw Han Li arrive, she stepped forward and gracefully greeted him. However, her haggard appearance raised Han Li’s suspicions.
“There is no need for Young Lady Xin to be so courteous.” Han Li continued on with a few polite niceties.
At this moment, the young maid behind Xin Ruyin stepped forward and greeted Han Li.
Han Li inattentively nodded his head in response.It was obvious that Xin Ruyin didn’t intend to stand there and have a long chat with Han Li. With a forced smile, she led Han Li to one of the larger bamboo rooms.
Upon entering the room, Han Li was left dumbstruck.
Right beside the door, there was a table with a pitch black memorial tablet with the words “Husband Qi Yunxiao” carved into it in large characters. There was a small incense burner in front of the memorial tablet with several lit incense sticks slowly releasing smoke.
Having seen this, how could Han Li not know what had happened?
Han Li was beyond surprised to find that Qi Yunxiao had actually passed away.
After he had recovered from his shock, he lightly sighed and took the initiative to approach the table. After taking out an incense stick, lighting it, and paying his respects, he placed it inside the incense burner.
“Young Lady Xin, how did this happen?” After he finished paying his respects, Han Li turned his head and asked in a soft voice.
“There is much to say. How about I give Senior Han a proper explanation in another room?” Xin Ruyin said with a feeble voice as the corner of her eyes reddened.
As of now, Xin Ruyin was no longer the intelligent and shrewd woman he remembered. He only saw a pitiful young woman.
In response, Han Li silently nodded his head.
Xin Ruyin then led Han Li to a neighboring room and sat down.
The young maid quickly steeped a pot of tea for Han Li and poured him a cup.
Han Li lightly sipped the fragrant tea before setting down the cup and speaking with a solemn voice, “I truly didn’t expect that after several months, Fellow Daoist Qi would encounter mishaps. The Heavens truly enjoy toying with men! Ah yes, when did Fellow Daoist Qi and Young Lady Xin marry? Had I known about it, I definitely would have sent a gift.”
Xin Ruyin bitterly smiled in response. Without waiting for her to speak, her maid answered on her behalf.
“Senior, my clan’s young madam decided to voluntarily live as Young Master Qi’s widow after his death.”
Han Li was left utterly shocked and couldn’t help but gaze at Xin Ruyin in astonishment.
“Xiao Mei speaks truly! I have decided to observe widowhood on Young Master Qi’s behalf.” Xin Ruyin confirmed this, slowly nodding her head in response to Han Li’s gaze of astonishment.
“This...” Han Li was left speechless.
“This one has received lifesaving kindness from Young Master Qi on numerous occasions; a debt that can’t possibly be paid back. If Young Master Qi were still alive, it would only be a matter of time before I married him. Now, I am merely doing what I should!” As she calmly said this, Xin Ruyin reached out with her flawless hand and lightly pulled away a strand of her beautiful hair that laid against her forehead.
Han Li naturally had nothing suitable to say in response. Xin Ruyin then continued, detachedly giving Han Li an explanation of how Qi Yunxiao’s death came to be.
Due to Han Li’s exhortations, Qi Yunxiao and Xin Ruyin were very careful and rarely went outside after he left. Nevertheless, after two months, Xin Ruyin lacked some direly needed materials to research the spell formation and had no choice but to make a trip to a nearby market city.
This matter had unexpectedly been found out by Qi Yunxiao. As someone who was wholeheartedly infatuated with Xin Ruyin, he offered to make the trip for her.
However, they couldn’t possibly have known that the cultivators Han Li had slaughtered to save Xin Ruyin were actually juniors from one of the greatest cultivation clans of the State of Yuanwu, the Fu Clan.
As many juniors of their lineage had disappeared without reason, the Fu Clan naturally pursued the matter to the finest thread.
As a result, a few Fu Clan cultivators wandering nearby had come across Qi Yunxiao who had just recently emerged.
Had Qi Yunxiao been shrewd or experienced enough, he would’ve been able to deal with any situation that arose.
But unfortunately, he was far too naive and inexperienced.
After only being asked a few questions related to the disappearance, he lost himself to panic and aroused the suspicions of the Fu Clan members. They immediately wanted to arrest him and bring him back for interrogation.
Naturally, Qi Yunxiao didn’t wait for himself to be captured. With the formidable magic tools he had on hand, he forcibly escaped from the Fu Clan Qi Condensation cultivators and fled back to his residence.
As such, Qi Yunxiao had doomed himself to calamity.
The Fu Clan cultivators were able to quickly track him back to his residence. However, the great formation he had laid down managed to severely injure or kill over ten of their cultivators. In their fury, the Fu Clan had actually dispatched a Core Formation expert.
After half a day of fierce attacks, they were able to forcibly break through his great formation.
However, no one had expected that Qi Yunxiao would hastily lay down an even more ferocious illusion formation behind his first formation while the tide was against him. He managed to trap the Core Formation cultivator within, giving him the opportunity to escape.
Naturally, the other Fu Clan cultivators weren’t going to let him go so easily.
Although Qi Yunxiao was able to break through their siege by using the remnants of his formation spell, he sustained mortal wounds in the process, and his loyal shopkeeper had died as well. Shortly after arriving at Xin Ruyin’s residence, Qi Yunxiao took his last breath.
The Fu Clan was unaware of this and resentfully searched for Qi Yunxiao at every location. In addition, they had dispatched experts to monitor his residence.
In this case, it was the old man and the youth from the Fu Clan that Han Li had killed.
After hearing Xin Ruyin’s account, Han Li felt a slight twinge of sadness.
Although Han Li wasn’t a close friend with Qi Yunxiao by any means, he still felt that he was a pretty decent person.
To think that he would die so young; the world was truly a fickle place.
“Ah, Senior Han must’ve come here for the ancient transportation formation!” Having finished her account, Xin Ruyin suddenly mentioned this.
“Oh, that matter isn’t urgent...”
Han Li spoke with embarrassment.
After all, her husband had just died. This was not the appropriate time to inquire about such matters.
“I’ve just about restored the transportation formation. It should be finished in a month!” Xin Ruyin continued, not seeming to mind Han Li’s embarrassment.
“Really?” Han Li couldn’t help but grow excited and revealed a somewhat happy expression.
“Yes, really. Not only will I restore the transportation formation, but I also have two things to give to Senior Han!” Xin Ruyin calmly said, taking two jade boxes out of her storage pouch and setting them on the table.
“What’s this?” Han Li blankly stared on in surprise.
“One of the boxes contains《Yunxiao’s Insights》, my husband’s collection of tool refinement records. The other box contains a large amount of books on the Dao of Formation spells and my expertise in formation spells. I hope that Senior Han will accept these items.” Xin Ruyin faintly said.
Han Li’s heart trembled. After taking a look at the two jade boxes, he looked at Xin Ruyin with a calm expression and asked, “What do you want, Young Lady Xin? Why do you want to give such precious items to me? Please, speak bluntly!”
Han Li’s voice held a trace of coldness.
“I am giving these items as a gift to Senior Han in return for a promise!” Xin Ruyin didn’t avoid Han Li’s gaze, revealing an unwavering expression.
“This promise being...?” Although Han Li could faintly guess what she wanted, he still asked this with a heavy tone.
“If Senior Han were to one day enter Core Formation, I wish for Senior Han to thoroughly exterminate the Fu Clan from the State of Yuanwu on my and Qi Yunxiao’s behalf.”
Xin Ruyin’s voice was as cold as ice frozen for countless years. When Han Li heard this, the resentment contained within her words caused even his heart to tremble.
