Chapter 214: Existential
Han Li and Liyue conversed curiously as they walked toward Yue Li. Han Li had once left a Heart Qi binding on her, so it was not too hard to find her. Now that he had full control over his Heart Qi, he could do many things with it.
He planned to make a mark of Heart Qi and plant it on everyone whose life he truly cared about, but it was not immediately necessary. However, there were some things he had to get an immediate understanding of.
He now had some major tasks to complete.
Mainly four came to mind immediately—
Understanding the golden aura around his Mom. Seeing why Ruo's Existence had the Aura of a Beast Emperor, which had scared The Spirit. Getting to know his own Existence, and gouging his own limits, and… handling the business with the Spirit.
As he was walking, Liyue, who was on his back, winked at the bald monk women they passed by on their way. Almost as if showing off. She really did have some childish sides.
They mostly ignored her. They were people with a different mindset, and the main reason the Monk Hen Shin even allowed Han Li and his debauchery to run wild in the Temple was because of that. He was training his monks.
"Big Brothe—Hubby," Liyue called when she saw him quickening his pace. "Why are you always so rushed? Rest a bit. We are stronger now. I am strong; you are strong. We deserve to rest.
Just enjoy what you worked hard for, maybe?"
"Are we strong?" Han Li didn't loosen his pace.
He hadn't made a scene about it, but he was pretty mad at himself for not being able to protect Liyue.
The Spirit had so easily surpassed his protective preparations! Even though the fact that he had no idea of the Existence made it a natural thing, that was no excuse. Would he say the same after all of them died?
He had indeed been mellowed in this heaven-like place.
"Are we NOT strong?" Liyue grumbled at his calm face. "I am so strong," she said softly in a voice only he could hear, "One touch at someone's Existence—even that Monk Hen Shin's and I'd probably win. Hell, I could probably kill him."
Han Li stopped dead in his tracks.
"You don't actually believe in it, do you?" he asked.
Liyue frowned. "What?"
Han Li changed his route and moved towards a different area of the Temple. To another place in the huge temple complex—where only one person lived.
Liyue knew where he was headed by the direction, and immediately enough, she also knew he was not going to take the normal route. Her heart beat with excitement.
Jumping from the ground and catching on to the hanging roof of a temple building, he climbed on top of its thatched roof.
"Amazing!" Liyue exclaimed.
Then, he looked at the complex array of buildings while Liyue was on his back, her eyes full of anticipation. She knew what he was about to do. His body was almost as strong as any Evolution Stage cultivator's could be.
Of course, if he tried, he could jump onto the roof of a building from the ground!
Why would he take the stairs?
The Temple of Suffering was located on top of a mountain, and the temple buildings were numerous. As they looked around, they could see pagodas everywhere, each one more beautiful and awe-inspiring than the last. Hua Yu's training room was located on a higher floor, and they had to jump from one pagoda to another to reach it.
Han Li leaped from the ground, and Liyue felt the wind brush against her cheeks; she closed her eyes and held on to him for dear life. Then, they suddenly came to a halt as Han Li's foot came to rest on the pagoda wall like standing on the ground.
He laughed, and she tightened her hold around him. Gravity seemed to ignore them as he put strength on his feet and jumped onto the opposite pagoda—to an open window.
They fell through the window and into a huge room full of waving green curtains. Amidst the wind, in the middle of the room sat Hua Yu on a couch, who looked at them, a bit startled.
Around her, many feathers were floating around as she seemed to be training something.
Liyue immediately clung to him tighter as he once again got back into a nicer position, and he could feel her heartbeat against his back, powerful and thumping. She was also breathing heavily.
Flying with the help of a Power Born, where there was no chance of falling and jumping roof to roof with Han Li, was indeed a different thing.
"Hua Yu," Han Li walked towards Hua Yu, and Liyue gently got down from his back. Even though she said, she couldn't walk without help in their room, that was her acting pampered more than anything. She was not that weak.
"What are the newlyweds doing here when they should be flirting around in some meadows?" Hua Yu, ever the curious woman, asked, removing the manifested moss feathers from around her.
Liyue nodded exaggeratedly.
"I know, right? I asked him for such a thing, but he is being such a bummer. He doesn't know how to enjoy life. He has such a beautiful woman who wants to spend time with him, and here he is, running around."
Hua Yu smiled at Liyue. Then looked at Han Li, "What might you be here for?"
"Oh, can I not come just to see you? You are a beautiful woman. I like seeing you."
Hua Yu tilted her head and looked at him seductively, leaning on her couch.
"Oh, yet I rarely ever see you—just once every week or twice at best. You are not doing a good job if you are admiring my beauty."
Han Li smiled, going beside her and sitting on the couch. Liyue frowned at them, sighing inside. There was only space for the two of them; she had no space to squeeze in.
Over the course of the past three years, Han Li has continuously assisted Hua Yu in improving her strength. Han Li has used various methods and teachings to help Hua Yu, and as a result, Hua Yu has undergone a significant transformation since three years ago.
She was stronger. Liyue knew that much about them.
And the times Han Li met Hua Yu were indeed few.
In Liyue's observation, he had always kept Hua Yu an arm's length away; it was nearly the same for Hua Feilan, too, just that he seemed to have a bit of a sweeter spot for her than the Power Born. Yet, she was not sure.
Han Li and Hua Yu had a contract with each other, but it was voided about two years ago.
She was not keen on the details of that either. The contract was "as long as Han Li strengthened Hua Yu at least a bit every month, she would remain his guardian," she only knew that much.
She could tell that the contract had loosened much more since then.
He didn't really have to make her stronger every month. Yet, even without that, she could still be considered his trustworthy Dao Protector, but not due to her being in that contract.
Han Li himself was teaching Hua Yu the art of weapons. Han Li was… far better than even her. He had much to teach her when it came to almost every tool there ever was. That much was enough payment for guarding him against potential threats.
Not to mention, he still did give her other ways to strengthen herself.
They seemed to be working partners rather than romantic ones, but Liyue just couldn't place a finger on their relationship's true nature.
Hua Yu had settled down from her nomadic ways, at least, and she was also under a Heart Qi binding that made her incapable of betraying them. So, through the years, she had become a part of their family—at least, Han Li's women considered her a part of them.
They had been together for three years, after all!
Liyue herself didn't know what to think of the woman. She was the only woman surrounding Han Li who was stronger than herself.
'That makes me a bit insecure,' Liyue noted in her mind. 'And I am a bit jealous of that, too.'
Since noticing her Existence, she could read herself from this clear position. She could detach herself and clearly understand her own heart. She smiled.
Thinking deeper regarding Han Li and Hua Yu, they knew the duo had a very ambiguous relationship. They seemed to flirt and even kiss often, but nobody really knew their inner thoughts.
'At least they had never slept in one room,' Liyue looked at them, her eyes turning as her mind thought of many different scenarios. Maybe she could ask her big brot—hell. She keeps forgetting to call him hubby, even in her mind.
Anyway, maybe she could ask her hubby directly?
…
Taking Hua Yu's hands in his, Han Li said, "Of course, I have been neglecting my duty in admiring your beauty. Now, I need you to do something for me."
Hua Yu smiled. "What might that be?"
"Fight Liyue. Don't harm her; go and let her do whatever she can to harm you."
Liyue, who was silently observing them in order to read under the lines into the true nature of their relationship, exclaimed inside.
'He wants me to fight Hua Yu?!'
"Big Brother…" she called. He winked at her.
Hua Yu wrapped her arms around Han Li's neck and looked at him enticingly.
"She could go through hell and earth, and she won't be able to harm my hair." Her gaze was languid. "Why are you doing this to our poor Liyue?"
"Go fight. Try her." Han Li smirked. "She'll defeat you."
"Oh?" Hua Yu looked at Liyue in intrigue and jumped out of the couch. Then, she reached in front of Liyue and touched the girl's cheek.
"Can you really defeat me, girl?"
Liyue squinted, and her Existence flared.
It was like she could see the unprotected soul of the other party by a mere touch. Hua Yu's physical body became but a mere shell that could never protect her Existence from another Existence.
Only people who had sensed their Existence could see this coming and resist. Only people like herself, Han Li, and The Spirit had a chance of resisting.
Hua Yu didn't even have a chance… before she stumbled back and her eyes rolled into unconsciousness, but before she could fall, Han Li was there and hauled her into a princess carry.
He smiled.
"Indeed, an Existence is strong against someone who hadn't sensed their own Existence."
He carried Hua Yu back onto the couch. The green-haired, green-eyed, curious woman was now completely helpless. She laid on his lap like a sack of potatoes, her jaws loose.
"But now, Liyue, try killing Hua Yu. Don't worry. I won't let that happen for real. Try your hardest to do that."
Liyue frowned but then realized. She didn't even have to try; she couldn't harm Hua Yu.
Hua Yu had a Power Born-level physique, and there was no attack in her hand that could come close to harming a Power Born.
Their body, even the [Below Average Power Born Physique] that was the weakest, wouldn't be harmed by the likes of herself.
Liyue realized… she could make Power Birth Stage Cultivators faint for a short time by touching them (as long as they themselves were unaware of Existence,) but she couldn't harm the fainted person. She had no weapons in her hand sharp enough.
"I have been over the top of my head," Liyue sighed, her face a bit downcast.
"Yes, you have been. And the Power Born won't just let us go and touch them like this woman." Han Li nodded in praise but taught patiently. "Hua Yu was too unguarded. A Power Born's Soul Sense is a tangible power that is enough to crush anyone below the Power Birth Stage. They can squeeze you to death with their telekinesis alone."
Liyue blushed. "Indeed…" But then, she asked, "What about you, Big Br—Hubby, do you have a way to...um, kill Power Borns?"
Han Li sat Hua Yu on one of his laps and called for Liyue to sit on his other. She jumped in without any hesitation.
"Power Borns are not weak, but they are still not strong. Not to the point I can't kill them when they are straight asleep and unguarded. I am not you."
Liyue leaned against him. Curious.
What had 'Devouring' a part of the Heavens, the entire Lust Dao, into himself actually done to him?
Was he still human?
What made him different now?
But then, she chuckled nervously as Hua Yu's eyes flapped open in startled surprise.
"What the hell was that?" Hua Yu squirmed in Han Li's embrace, clearly filled with disbelief.
Liyue noted in her mind, 'Not even five minutes before she woke up…'
Han Li leaned to the side and kissed Hua Yu on the lips, then parted. "Calm down, woman, why are you so surprised? I told you she'd defeat you."
With fear on her face, Hua Yu looked at Liyue.
"What is this new freak?"
Liyue smiled. "Just a talented young woman. I could have just killed you if I wanted to, but of course, I won't do that. But, fufu, now I am the strongest in his harem."
Hua Yu became even more fearful but, at the same time, deadly curious.