"It was stolen?" Han Cai's gaze hardened with skepticism.
"Although Senior might find it hard to believe, the situation is as I've described!" Lady Xiaolian confessed with a bitter smile.
"Two months back, our sect was engaged in a major transaction. The earnings from it would've enabled the Eternal Grace Sect to refrain from business ventures for the next decade. Hence, we gathered a massive number of Spirit Pills and dispatched them, with our Sect Master Hui and most of our experts as escorts. However, we were ambushed by a group of masked cultivators. Six Core Formation and Golden Core cultivators attacked us, their techniques malicious and potent. The rest were adept at coordinated attacks. Our Sect Master was overwhelmed and perished on the spot, and the Storage Rings carrying our merchandise were stolen. The majority of our regular sect disciples also lost their lives. If not for two of our elders who recklessly employed secret techniques at the cost of reducing their cultivation, everyone would've been slain, leaving no trace of the incident." Lady Xiaolian's voice was somber, her countenance reflecting her grief.
"Could it have been a trap set by the buyer?" Han Cai asked abruptly.
"That's unthinkable! Our buyer was from the Green Prairie Union, a group renowned for their impeccable reputation. They wouldn't jeopardize their standing by robbing such a small consignment of goods, given their formidable strength," Lady Xiaolian promptly denied, shaking her head weakly, displaying an aura of fragile helplessness.
Han Cai observed silently, displaying no intention of offering any consolation.
Seeing Han Cai's indifference, Lady Xiaolian had no choice but to gently shelve her sorrow and continue, "The deed for the store in Meadow City was held by a sect. However, the sect had fallen into decline, with just a single descendent remaining. Consequently, this sole descendent sold the deed to our Eternal Grace Sect. Our Sect Master had kept the deed with him after a deal with a merchant who intended to purchase it fell through. He planned to auction it in Meadow City. However, we didn't foresee it being part of the loot."
"However, our Sect Master played a little trick while transporting the pills, goods, and deed which enabled us to promptly track down the thieves' hideout. Unfortunately, these bandits boast a fair number of Core Formation cultivators. Our sect is incapable of handling them alone. Therefore, this meeting wasn't merely to purchase your Spirit Pills. We were also tasked with seeking high-level cultivators for help. Your Qi power, Seniors, is rather profound. If you're willing to lend us a hand, we'd be more than happy to reward you with the Deed of the Meadow City store."
Lady Xiaolian carefully articulated her motive. Upon hearing this, Han Cai's facial expression remained impassive, but his eyes danced around as if he was processing something.
Observing this, Lady Xiaolian knew Han Cai was contemplating the pros and cons. She hurriedly tried to make the deal more appealing, "If Senior feels the reward isn't enough, our sect is prepared to offer a woman of exceptional beauty as a personal servant."
"I'm not interested!" Han Cai flatly dismissed her without giving it a second thought, leaving Lady Xiaolian visibly disappointed.
Taking a deep breath, Han Cai asked a question that genuinely surprised Lady Xiaolian, "Has the Deed of the Meadow City store been assigned? Can it be transferred to my name? Or maybe, can I assign it to someone else's name?"
"It hasn't been assigned. The Deed has been carefully preserved by that sect for over a century. You can claim ownership without any issue; you just need to imprint it. Could it be Senior wants the deed for someone else?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Han Cai didn't respond to her question, rather he lowered his gaze, deep in thought.
Just as Elder Wei's patience began to wane, Han Cai finally made up his mind and stated calmly, "In addition to the Deed of the Meadow City store, we'll require another item as compensation. After all, Yongnian is participating alongside me."
"That's not a problem. Our sect agrees to these conditions!" Lady Xiaolian readily accepted with a bright smile, showing no intention of haggling.
"In that case, send someone to my cave dwelling when the time comes. Your esteemed sect should know its location."
Without waiting for Lady Xiaolian's response, he nodded his head in farewell and promptly left with Yongnian, not giving her another chance to employ her bewitchment techniques.
Han Cai's abrupt departure left Elder Wei and Lady Xiaolian exchanging puzzled looks. Lady Xiaolian's eyes displayed a mix of emotions, her expression alternating between clarity and shadow.
Once back in his cave dwelling, instead of patiently waiting for the Eternal Grace Sect's summon, he decided to visit a few of his contacts and sought information about the Eternal Grace Sect.
To his surprise, they all were aware of this sect, and one even had past dealings with them.
According to the information gathered, the Eternal Grace Sect was deemed decent, known for conducting fair transactions. Intriguingly, their hierarchy had been dominated by women for generations, including the Sect Master.
The might of the Eternal Grace Sect was not something to boast about. Apart from the female Sect Master, the sect was supported by two female elders and several contracted auxiliary elders. Among minor sects with members below the Core Formation, they were neither exceptional nor abysmal.
Despite their modest power, they were not to be trifled with. This was because the female cultivators of the Eternal Grace Sect were renowned for their striking beauty and refined manners. Powerful individuals often sought their exceptional female cultivators as spiritual partners, offering the sect overt and covert support.
However, what caught Han Cai's attention was their fair reputation coupled with tales of devious plots to eliminate other cultivators. Moreover, the Eternal Grace Sect was infamous for their enchantment techniques, with countless male cultivators falling prey to their charms.
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