When Han Li heard her unhappy words, he couldn’t help but be alarmed. “Concubine? So you knew of that as well.”
Nangong Wan lowered her head and glanced down at the floor. She snorted and annoyedly said, “You’re newly joined elder of the Drifting Cloud Sect and recently condensed a Nascent Soul at around two hundred years of age. How could I not know?”
After a short moment, something soon came to mind. “Was it the cultivator surnamed Tang?”
Nangong Wan wiped away a sliver of her hair and mysteriously smiled at Han Li. “So you aren’t dumb! It truly was that Martial Nephew Tang. He had made use of a special method to send me a sound transmission talisman. When I received it, I couldn’t dare to believe it. After disappearing for so many years, you return as a Nascent Soul cultivator. In the past, I hadn’t particularly paid much attention to this field. As such, I immediately called for recent information on the Drifting Cloud Sect. Although it was a bit slow, I know of your general circumstances.
With your sudden appearance, you became an elder of the Drifting Cloud Sect. You left the trade fair halfway and departed, but I know little of this. But your concubine still remains at Soaring Skies City until this day!”
Han Li touched his chin and revealed a trace of embarrassment as he tried to explain, “At the time, I told her to follow an elder back to the sect. It seems there is something delaying her. However, this concubine...”
Nangong Wang interrupted, “Enough, there is no need to speak more of it. I’m not going to complain about how you took in a concubine. After all, am I not getting married myself?” Her expression suddenly grew saddened and incredibly weak.
Han Li’s expression slightly changed. With a sullen voice, he unhurriedly asked, “What’s going on with that? Could it be you truly plan to marry that person?”
Nangong Wan bit her red lips and bright eyes flickered. “Before I answer that question, I have questions of my own. Why have you come? Do you want me to not marry this person, or do you wish to take me away?”
With complete and unwavering determination, Han Li immediately answered, “Of course it is to take you away! I want you to become my wife! No matter who it is that wishes to take away the one I cherish, they will have to go through me first!”
“That is quite the dream, but when I have ever agreed to become your wife?” Nangong Wan blushed and shyly rebuked him in a charming display.
Han Li silently smiled and said nothing else. As he was new to matters such as this, it would be better to not delve too deeply.
Soon, Nangong Wan’s shyness had disappeared, and she expressionlessly said, “You should know that in the year of the Trial by Blood and Fire, my first thought was to slash you into countless pieces after you took my virginity.
“Afterwards, I would use the Vermillion Bird Band to turn your body into ashes to fulfill my revenge. After all, I had bitterly guarded the purity of my body for over a hundred years, but you came along and took it. How could I not bear great hatred towards you?”
“From what you’ve said, I should’ve already died!” Han Li rubbed his nose and found himself not knowing whether to laugh or to cry.
Once that was said, Nangong Wan’s face grew scarlet and she unhappily rebuked him, “Of course. Were it not for some unexplained coincidence that caused my heart to soften, I wouldn’t have released you. Do you believe that Core Formation cultivators are so easily dealt with?”
Han Li grinned and said nothing else. Once Nangong Wan explained a trace of the grudge she held against him, she continued, “After we left and returned to the sect, for some unknown reason, I was unable to cast off your image regardless of whether it be during cultivation or secluded meditation.
“Moreover, your image only became more distinct over time, and it appeared more frequently in my mind. At that moment, I realized that you became an inner demon of temptation. If I didn’t cast you off, I feared that my cultivation would become forever stagnant.
“There were only two methods to cast off an inner demon of temptation. I had to either marry you and become one with you, fulfilling the temptation, or to have you disappear from this world. If you no longer existed, the inner demon would gradually fade. Because there was far too great a disparity in cultivation, it was impossible to choose the former. After a long while of inner torment, I eventually clenched my teeth and decisively decided to exterminate you. But before I could do this, the Six Devil Dao Sects had invaded us, and I came across you at the war camp for the Sects of Yue. You were a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the time, and this had caused my determination to waver. If you were able to continue progressing, I felt that becoming husband and wife wouldn’t be impossible.”
Han LI bitterly smiled and muttered, “So it turned out that you wished to kill me at the time. When I saw you during that time, I was incredibly excited to see you, but your cold and detached attitude was a rude awakening. It had depressed me for quite a few days afterwards.”
Nangong Wan smiled upon hearing this but continued without answering, “From then on, the Sects of Yue had suffered a great defeat due to Spirit Beast Mountain’s betrayal. Each of the six sects then began to evacuate their disciples from the State of Yue. As the youngest Core Formation cultivator, I was originally among those evacuated, but at the time, I had a good friend within Yellow Maple Valley. In our letters, I came across vague plans for Ancestor Ling Hu’s evacuation plan. I knew that you were likely to be in the danger zone.
“I felt shocked at this fact and only one thought had filled my mind: to rescue you. When I left, I was too slow. The battle had already concluded. A majority of the disciples had already died with only a few managing to escape.Not knowing whether or not you survived, I could only helplessly return to my own sect and assist the rearguard disciples in their fight against the Devil Dao. As a result, I was gravely injured against a Core Formation cultivator and was pursued by several juniors. I think you should know of what happened afterwards. There is no such person as Nangong Bing in this world. I had only changed my appearance.
“This wasn’t because I didn’t wish reveal my true identity, but I couldn’t tell you that a Core Formation cultivator like myself came to rescue you with the particular intention of marrying you! Moreover, because I absorbed most of your cultivation at the time, it was even more embarrassing to reveal my true face to you. However, I didn’t wish for you follow me back to join the Masked Moon Sect. I just wanted you to follow me so I could reveal my true appearance and assist you in forming a golden core. We would marry afterwards. But who could’ve thought of how greedy you were, or perhaps due to chauvinistic stubbornness, that you would simply take the spirit stones. You left me completely helpless.”
Once that was said, a faint smirk appeared on her face and she fiercely glared at Han Li, but how was it that Han Li had felt the sliver of happiness from her eyes?
Of course, Han Li couldn’t have known that if he agreed to follow her back to the Masked Moon Sect, Nangong Wan would’ve definitely brought up the prospect of marriage. However, the most likely resolution was that he would’ve casually agreed to become another woman’s Dao Companion, resolving her inner demons in a disappointing fashion. The one who married him would’ve likely been someone that Nangong Wan had personally sought out.
Chapter 715: Heart Restraint Technique
“There isn’t much to be said after we parted. I returned to the Masked Moon Sect. Once my sect gained footing in the State of Beiliang, I snuck into the State of Yue to find you. However, the information I acquired was rather terrible. I only knew that you had been hunted down by the Ghost Spirit Sect. The concrete details of the matter were unknown. Not long after, I was discovered by the Devil Dao and was forced to return to the Nine Nations Alliance.
“Afterwards, I never acquired information on you. I believed you dead and my inner demons with regards to you had gradually disappeared. Along the way, I managed to condense a Nascent Soul and smoothly became an elder of the Masked Moon Sect.
And here we are now.” Nangong Wan spoke with a calm tone.
Han Li’s expression changed several times as he listened to Nangong Wan’s unhurried explanation. In the past, she had done many things he was completely ignorant of, causing him to look upon her with even greater warmth.
A moment later, Han Li couldn’t help but ask, “What’s this about Wei Lichen?”
Nangong Wan coldly smiled. “Wei Lichen! I unintentionally encountered him as he was travelling several years prior. I am not fond of him. He appears to be elegant and noble, but he is a thieving hypocrite and a philanderer.
“I heard that he secretly performs Yin Drawing Techniques on each of his eight female disciples. He most likely harbors ill intentions towards marrying me. That was why I refused his first request to marry me.”
“Refuse? What changed?” Han Li curiously asked.
Nangong Wan didn’t directly answer and suddenly asked, “Do you know of the three great Nascent Soul cultivators in the Heavenly South?”
Han Li’s expression turned grim and faintly felt that something was amiss. “Naturally. There is a late Nascent Soul cultivator in the Righteous Dao, the Devilish Dao, and the Nine Nations Alliance, each only a step away from entering Deity Transformation stage. This is how each of the three superpowers remain on equal footing. As for our Heavenly Dao Alliance, we have two mid Nascent Soul-stage Dao Companions that are proficient in cooperative techniques. Together, they are capable of restraining a late Nascent soul cultivator, albeit with difficulty. What? Does Wei Lichen have anything to do with one of them?”
“Exactly. Wei Lichen’s great uncle is Wei Wuya, one of the three great cultivators. As the highest ranking elder of the Nine Nations Alliance, this Wei Wuya cultivates a rarely seen venomous cultivation art. With a sweep of his hand, he is able to take another life without any contact. His immense abilities are beyond imagination.” Nangong Wan folded her fingers together and bitterly smiled.
Han Li scowled and a malicious light surfaced in his eyes. “Could it be that this Wei Wuya personally made things difficult for you?”
Nangong Wan wore an indignant expression. “No, but Wei Wuya is personally involved. You may not know this, but our sect’s previous great elder passed away and was replaced with an old senior martial sister. Although her cultivation isn’t weak, she is of shrewd mind and is normally at odds with me. Although we get along with our other elder, the relationship between us is awful!”
Han Li’s expression grew sullen as Nangong Wan moved on to the heart of the matter.
After Nangong Wan gritted her teeth, she said, “After refusing Wei Lichen’s marriage request several times, Wei Lichen personally caused Wei Wuya to pay a visit to this senior martial sister of mine.
“Although I didn’t know what the two spoke about, half a year later during an incarnation period of my Female Essence Incarnation Technique, she suddenly restrained and forced me into wedding Wei Lichen.”
After a moment of shock, Han Li incredulously said, “Is your senior martial sister not sick in the head? Using such a method to deal with a Nascent Soul cultivator of the same sect?”
Nangong Wan smirked and mockingly said, “Isn’t that the truth? I hadn’t expected her to be crazed to this degree. However, it seems Wei Wuya’s conditions were truly difficult to refuse. I later found out that so long as the Masked Moon Sect agreed to this marriage, not only would the Six Sects expand out of the State of Beiliang, but Wei LIchen would be willing to leave the Flowing Mind Sect after marrying me and join the Masked Moon Sect. For these two benefits at the price of one, she acted without any hesitation. Regardless of my intentions, she released information that I was to be wed with Wei Lichen and prepared to hold a celebration, wishing to forcefully conclude the matter before it can be changed. If I wished to later back out, I would have no method of doing so.”
Han Li delightedly said, “So it turned out you hadn’t agreed to this matter. These words of you deliberately wishing to marry came as a shock to me!”
Nangong Wan looked at Han Li and unhappily said, “I still have something I wish to ask you! Even after condensing a Nascent Soul for so many years, why is it that you didn’t seek me out sooner? If you came a year earlier, this troublesome matter could’ve been avoided.
“It isn’t that I didn’t wish to see you, but rather...” Han Li attempted to give an explanation, but after a moment, he found this truly strange as well.
Although Han Li faintly felt that Nangong Wan should’ve been someone that he truly cherished, for some unknown reason, he never thought to touch upon this feeling. If it weren’t for news of Nangong Wan suddenly marrying, he feared that he still would’ve hesitated on this matter rather than directly confront these feelings.
As Han Li’s expression remained calm, Nangong Wan gracefully stood up and took several steps toward Han Li. She directly looked into his eyes and said, “In fruth, my own circumstances are about the same as yours. Although our own experiences and abilities are far beyond that of mortals, we are fearful and unfamiliar towards our first venture of our emotions. Even if we have a deep impression of each other, we aren’t a mortal pair after all. We cannot release all of our passion in an instant and have our emotions blaze like a star. For an optimal attitude for cultivation, cultivators have no option but to weaken our emotions and bury a majority of them. What is left behind is only an ordinary and flat relationship that is enduring. But when I heard that you were still alive, I felt more than happy and spent two days in careful consideration before eventually deciding to accept you in accordance to my feelings.”
After she said this with a soft tone, Nangong Wan extended her slender hand and grabbed Han Li’s palm.
After a moment of silence, Han Li placed his other hand on top. The soft sensation of her hand caused him to feel a trace of comfort.
Nangong Wan blushed and she quickly pulled her hand away, bashfully glaring at Han Li in the process. Han Li didn’t mind this and simply smiled. “Wan’er, although you are trapped here, from how calm you are, you should already have a plan for escape. Why else would you appear so worry free?”
When Nangong Wan heard this, she smiled and sly intent was betrayed from her eyes. “You’re a quick thinker! Yes, although I am under house arrest, only a sparse few in the upper echelons are aware of this matter. Ordinary disciples are completely ignorant. Else, I wouldn’t have been able to directly receive a sound transmission talisman from Martial Nephew Tang. However, many restrictions have been placed on my body in fear that I would flee.
“The other restrictions are of no matter to me as they were placed without knowledge of what amazing abilities I was capable of once I entered Nascent Soul stage. These common restrictions can be removed at any time, restoring my original cultivation. But there is one restriction that isn’t easily dissolved: the Heart Restraint Technique was personally placed on my body by that senior martial sister. This technique was something that she prepared from a record. If I were unwilling to agree to the marriage, she’d be able to use this technique to temporarily control me. She even used her own blood essence to place down the restriction, creating a restriction talisman that serves as the crucial point of the restriction. Through the use of this restriction medallion, I will not be able to escape her control within fifty kilometers of her, unless it is destroyed. Fortunately, there isn’t too great a gap between our cultivation and she is only able to control me to perform a few simple movements. She will have no control over my body’s magic power.”
Han Li curiously asked, “Then your plan was to...”
Nangong Wan softly smiled and chuckled. She said with a worryless tone, “I originally thought to restore my magic power when security was the lightest, several days before the ceremony was about to take place. Afterwards, I would immediately flee far away. So long as I am outside of the restriction talisman’s range, she cannot control me. But since you’re here now, I’ll leave this matter to you. After all, you are the man that wishes to marry me. From what
I’ve heard, you were able to easily defeat a cultivator of a similar grade. You should be quite skilled.”
Han Li frowned and muttered, “Heart Restraint Technique? That restriction is truly troublesome. Are there other methods of dissolving it apart from destroying the medallion?”
Nangong Wan’s bright eyes flickered and she carelessly said, “Even if there isn’t, leave it be. We’ll be far away from the Masked Moon Sect anyhow.”
Han Li’s eyes narrowed and a cold glint flickered from his eyes. He imposingly said, “It’s fine! Isn’t it just a restriction talisman? It should be in your Senior Martial Sister’s grasp. I can simply go and fetch it. I’ll be able to vent some anger on your behalf as well!”
Nangong Wan shook her head and pursed her lips in a smile, revealing a trace of mischievousness. “I was merely saying it to test your intentions. I truly had no intention of having you go and seize the restriction talisman. My senior martial sister is a mid Nascent Soul cultivator and possesses abilities beyond that of early Nascent Soul cultivators like us. Let us sneak away stealthily. At worst, I’ll just spend another ten years whittling away at the formation.”
Han Li grew silent. The time for him to be united with this otherworldly woman was soon to come!
Chapter 716: Preparing an Ambush
Han Li smiled and confidently said, “No matter. Let us first see how it goes. If it doesn’t succeed, we can make our escape. With me around, I’ll be able to bring you out regardless of the restrictions on your body.”
After studying at Han Li for a while, she seemed to understand that there was no changing his mind. She bit her lips and said, “This... Fine! Although I don’t know how vast your abilities are, you should be somewhat skilled given your confidence. But there is no need for you to take the initiative to go find her. My senior martial sister’s residence is layered with restrictions, so I’ll draw her here instead. Afterwards, we’ll be able to draw assistance from the restrictions to capture her while her guard is down.”
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality c1-2248 Page 383