Chapter 177: Was this carelessness?
Han Li calmly waved his hand and a Dao Crystal appeared in his palm. "Dao Crystals of Lust. I am an Evolved cultivator with the Dao of Lust."
Li Xingguang's ascetic calm changed into the pressure of a star's light. Like an oppressive heat pressing down on them, like gravity itself pushing them down. Han Li's face changed slightly but Hua Yu was calm.
"Many things seem to be happening in my own clan when I hadn't noticed." The Clan Head's expression was not so cordial. "Why don't you elaborate now?"
Han Li cupped his hand, talking while feeling the pressure mounting on him. He knew what this pressure was. The Soul Sense. Power Borns have Soul Sense that literally worked as psychokinesis, moving reality with thought. That was why they could fly in the first place. They used their Soul Sense on themselves.
"My father had the Lust Spark and instead of inheriting my mother's Starlight Spark, I was born with a Lust Spark."
The weight over him vanished. Smilingly, Hua Yu had placed a hand on his shoulder and her eyes had lost their friendliness. Li Xingguang's heart tightened.
"Continue," He said, looking at Han Li with deep eyes.
Han Li said humbly. "I wanted to train my Heart of Cultivation being in the middle of a place where everyone considered me a waste of space. I strengthened my Heart throughout the past few years."
"Do you see me as a fool, Hua Yu?" Li Xingguang's tone wasn't too friendly either. He usually disliked violence, but he wasn't so meek. "You literally used some kind of magic on my descendant and let him roam in my backyard. Do you think I appreciate that?"
Hua Yu sighed. "Listen to your descendant first."
The man's deep, night-like eyes moved to Han Li. Han Li continued: "I am terribly sorry that I had kept this a secret from you, Clan Head. I didn't wish to, but I had no choice since I had given my father a word that I wouldn't reveal my Powers till I turned eighteen. I began using it since then. I used my Lust Spark to eat up the Chaotic and Untamed Energy inside my mother and my mother-in-law."
Hua Yu raised an eyebrow inside.
So this guy had sex with them to heal them?
She remained outwardly stoic. Sons who had intimate relationships with their mothers were indeed rare but she had lived far too long to have her eyes widen.
Li Xingguang calmly looked at them. "Think as if I believed it, but then what? Why do you visit now? Are you leaving the clan with Hua Yu? Here to bid farewell?"
In his mind, he had already put Han Li's father on an equal level to himself. His father couldn't be one of the Transcendents since Li Xingguang himself had knowledge of each of the Transcendents' powers, and none of them had a Lust Spark.
There was no way his father was a Demi-Sacred since it had been millenniums since a Demi-Sacred was last seen in the world. An Evolved couldn't make Hua Yu protect a son who was in a distant land. The puzzle was done.
Han Li was the child of a Lust Dao Power Born and Yue Li, and that Power Born had made Hua Yu look after him in secret. Now that he was of age, he was being taken back after enough training. That wasn't too far-fetched.
Smiling inside, Han Li shook his head. "I am here to propose a slight deal, Clan Head. I can heal the entire Starlight Clan's people. Everyone who had the deficiency would be healed. I know mortals don't count for much, but they are indeed not so useless when in huge numbers. And in the end, this is my clan.
I had grown up here. I can't bear to part."
He had no attachment to this place. If he was strong enough, he would just kill Li Xingguang without batting an eye. Of course, he couldn't tell him that.
The Clan Head rubbed his jaw. "Indeed, that is a good deal." Especially since people would have more confidence in attempting to Evolve. Even if they failed, they would just lose their chance to cultivate and not have a normal life. "It is a good deal, but what do you want in return?"
Han Li bowed slightly. "How can I want something? I just want to live here for as long as I can, but my guardi— Lady Hua Yu, cannot stay protecting me here forever. I just wish that you would protect me while I am in the city."
Li Xingguang calmly looked at the duo. Who was the brat trying to intimidate by calling Hua Yu his guardian and stopping halfway? He was too wet behind his ears.
"Protecting you to my maximum capability when you are in the city is my responsibility." The Clan Head closed his eyes. "If that is done, you may leave. You can heal the clan members if you want to. If not, just leave it be."
Han Li sighed. "I know Clan Head would protect me, but I made some enemies in the Demon World. Just Evolution Stage, but… they just, atleast I offended twenty of them."
Li Xingguang's eyes opened widely. Shuanwei was also there. He wondered what he had gotten from there. Then, he also wondered what Han Li had gotten from there. Of course, he had no idea the duo had met in a Trial. He smiled for the first time.
"I hadn't wanted to probe you, but you really are a Sacred Talent. Unfortunately, you are not a Starlight Dao cultivator or I would have taken you in as my disciple. You also seem wise for your age."
Han Li 'ashamedly' looked down.
He knew Li Xingguan didn't really have much care for the clan. It was just an obligation for the man. If it was going to ruin, might as well move on. But of course, there were benefits to having a clan, like getting Magical Resources from the city all the time in a regular cycle so it was better that they survived.
"I am cursed to walk the immoral Dao of Lust. Clan Head," Han Li said, "I just wish that you would promise me that you will protect me no matter what unless a Power Born level or higher Stage cultivator who are your equals attacks me. And I also wish you would give Miss Hua some face and promise me that you won't leak any of my information out. As my Lust Clan has many enemies in the far west."
Hua Yu stood up and took a deep breath before bowing. "I shall be indebted to you if you help him. I would leave soon, but I will help you fight the Power Born after your son for once before I leave so you can intimidate her."
The Hua Yu an hour ago, would have never done this, but their earlier conversation had entirely changed the importance of this event for her. This was no longer so simple, if it went well, it could change her life for the better.
Li Xingguan was a bit startled. For him, Hua Yu was a legendary Power Born when he was just a baby. To see such a person kneeling, this Lust Dao Power Born must be really something. Atleast he must have authority.
What was this Lust Clan in the first place?
Why hadn't he ever heard of it?
"If a promise it is you seek, a promise I shall give. A promise on my name: I will not let any cultivator below my own Stage of Cultivation harm him. And I shall also keep him protected while he stays in my zone."
She added, "Please also add that you yourself won't harm him in any way, shape, or form unless he attacks you or something. Sorry for the distrust. I just like being cautious with such things."
He looked at her coldly. "You think I will harm a junior?"
Han Li nodded in his mind. 'I think so.'
She shook her head. "Sorry, this is what I wish for. If you do it, I will fight for you once or me and Han Li can only leave now and return him to the Lust Clan." That was true. If he rejected, they would immediately leave before Li Shuanwei reached here, and the Starlight Clan Head officially became their enemy.
Li Xingguang thought for a second before sighing. "It's just words. I won't harm him on my own or try to unless he tries to harm me, and I would also protect him from people with lower cultivation than myself."
Han Li sighed and shook his head. Then, he took out a red fruit. A normal, nonmagic resource, simple fruit. "This is a Magic Resource I got from the Demon World," show me the greed of a Power Born for Heart Qi, oh ancestor of mine, "and this fruit can let me use Heart Qi for once to make a promise with you. I have three such fruits. I will also give you one of them if the promise works."
Li Xingguang's eyes brightened immensely.
That was Heart Qi?!
A power only Transcendents had.
The Demon World did give great things!
He couldn't have Han Li move now, either. And he knew what Heart Qi was like since when he had gone into the Demon Restraining Temple and sworn to look after one of the cities, the city at the edge of Sacred Lust for the temple, a Transcendent had used Heart Qi on him. He knew what it was like.
He couldn't be fooled.
A cold gleam appeared in his eyes. If it were a mental attack trap or something similar, the traps littered around this room would immediately activate. He had his own ways of doing things. "Go on, I will promise you with Heart Qi."
Han Li ate the fruit, and his Heart Qi was calmly released covertly, and the Clan Head made the vow. He didn't mind people below Evolution, and he had no reason to hurt Han Li himself. In fact, he felt a bit fond of the youth. The more cautious one was that good they were on his list.
Sighing, Han Li relaxed. A significant weight was lifted from his body. Now, Li Xingguang could no longer harm him. He took a deep breath. The man would even have to protect him from lower-stage cultivators when he was in the city.
Of course, there were loops to this rule.
Was Li Shuanwei even a lower-stage cultivator? Was he even a cultivator at all?
Han Li sighed as he took out one of the cherry-like normal fruits. Reluctantly, he gave it to Li Xingguan. "It is very normal-looking and simple. Yet, this fruit is just as ephemeral as Heart Qi. They taste heavenly. In my whole life, it was the tastiest thing I had eaten.
With it, you can briefly sense Heart Qi just like I did, and if you are capable enough, use it."
Li Xingguan scrutinized the fruit. "You have one more, right? Sell it to me."
"It is too precious." Han Li shook his head, adamant.
Li Xingguan calmly scoffed. "I will give you a reasonable amount of Magical Resources that is better for you. You don't have use for Heart Qi anyway."
Li Shuanwei might find it useful, but The CLan Head himself also wanted to try one. Having two was a must for him. Han Li smiled wryly and bowed, "Indeed, Magical Resources are better for me, but I have some conditions." Then he made a long condition of what resource he wanted to make it more realistic.
Li Xingguan waved his hand. They were rare Wind Type or Light Type, but almost all of them were in his collection. He didn't mind them.
Han Li handed the last fruit with a reluctant sigh and then left with Hua Yu.
Li Xingguan took a deep breath. He would have waited for a chance to establish a promise with someone, but what if this was a trap?
He put one into his mouth, and his expression immediately slackened. His whole body relaxed as a heavenly taste made him forget anything about Heart Qi. When he remembered, he had already digested it. He couldn't help but feel his heart sink.
What a precious thing he had wasted. The taste was too heavenly. No one can focus on their Heart if they eat it. Was my heart too weak? He wondered.
Han Li had eaten it so casually.
He would have died if he knew Han Li had a humongous collection of this fruit. It had nothing to it except that it tasted so disbelievingly good. And even that taste would lose much of its charm after about five of them down the tongue.
Of course, Li Xingguand would lose both chances.
Han Li, on the other hand, smiled and entered his home, slumping onto a chair in his room. Now, it was going to be Li Shuanwei's return. He looked at Hua Yu. He still didn't know if that man was stronger than himself or not.
What if he could bypass the trap Han Li had set on the Clan Head?
Hua Yu looked at him curiously. A calm but cold smile on her face. She hadn't worked for free. Han Li sighed.