Although the Xia Estate was growing steadily in overall strength, it still had only two Foundation Establishment Cultivators in total, one of whom kept his cultivation hidden to serve as a trump card.
Han Li had only met him a few times, and they could hardly be considered close friends. Helping out with minor favors was fine, but if Xia Changsheng were expected to avenge the Han family, it would be nothing short of courting humiliation.
"The enemy is extremely powerful, so naturally I wouldn't ask Brother Xia to throw his life away. Cough, cough..."
Han Li was seized by a fit of violent coughing that took him a long time to ease. When he finally caught his breath, he continued, "I don't have much time left. My only concern now is my disciples and my daughter, Chuchu."
"As for my disciples, it would be best if Brother Xia could look after them. If not, just let them go."
"As for Chuchu, I... entrust her to you."
With that, Han Li tremblingly reached out and handed an animal skin of unknown material to Xia Changsheng.
"This is..."
Xia Changsheng took it with a puzzled look. It seemed to be ordinary animal skin—purple all over, with a smooth and soft texture and a strange, indescribable feel to the touch.
"This was found in a secret realm alongside a spatial raw stone. At the time, I felt it was extraordinary, so I kept it hidden, and no one else knows about it. Unfortunately, after I returned, I studied it for a long time without making any headway."
Han Li explained the origin of the animal skin: "My late father once saw this kind of skin among ancient ruins; it should belong to a Great Demon."
A Great Demon?!
Xia Changsheng's expression tightened. That was a momentous title.
As everyone knew, the cultivation of fierce beasts was similar to that of the Human race, but not entirely the same. Upon reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, a fierce beast could transcend the heavenly tribulation, shed its beastly form, and attain a human body.
Only then were they called Great Demons.
This was actually the skin of a Great Demon.
Xia Changsheng stroked the material again, searching his limited knowledge for any records of powerful beasts mentioned in sect manuals.
Yet nothing seemed to match.
Since no one else knew about it, accepting it did no harm.
Well... not for any other reason, but it was hard to refuse such a heartfelt gesture.
After a moment of hesitation, Xia Changsheng decided to keep the Great Demon skin and study it slowly at a later date.
"After my death, I must trouble Brother Xia to dispose of this estate. And as for Chuchu... Chuchu has a somewhat willful personality, but her heart is... not... not bad. In the future... I hope Brother Xia will bear with her."
Han Li's breathing grew fainter and fainter. A flush of unnatural red rose to his cheeks before slowly fading into a deathly pallor.
"Rest assured."
Xia Changsheng gave a slight sigh, agreeing to Han Li's final request.
Seeing that he had finally agreed, a smile appeared on Han Li's face. The very next moment, his expression froze, and his hands dropped limply.
Xia Changsheng's gaze was complicated. The person who had been conversing so pleasantly with him only a short while ago was now dead after just a brief separation.
This made him deeply understand a simple truth: without absolute strength, one should never stick their neck out recklessly. Staying low and surviving was always the best course.
"You may come in now."
A moment later, Xia Changsheng spoke toward the door.
The main door opened, and three people filed in one after another.
"Master!"
"Father!"
Wang Wangxuan, Wu Yong, and Han Chuchu were overwhelmed with grief when they saw that Han Li had already passed away on the bed. They dropped to their knees together and wept bitterly.
Clearly, Han Li had been a good man, at least judging by the genuine, heartfelt grief of these two disciples.
Han Chuchu wept even more bitterly, her delicate and touching face covered in crystal-clear tears.
Xia Changsheng stood quietly to the side in silence, allowing the three of them to vent their emotions.
A full quarter of an hour later, Xia Changsheng finally spoke, addressing the two male disciples first: "Brother Han entrusted me to look after you. If you have no intention of staying, you are free to leave whenever you wish."
"Senior, Master discussed this with us previously. Outside the door just now, my junior brother and I have already made our decision."
Wang Xuan stood up and said respectfully, "Now that Master is gone, apart from Junior Sister, my junior brother and I have nothing left tying us here. We leave Junior Sister in Senior's care. Once Master's funeral arrangements are settled, the two of us intend to leave Liucheng and venture out into the world."
"Have you thought it through? Although the world outside may seem peaceful on the surface, danger lurks everywhere. It may not be nearly as safe and comfortable as Liucheng."
"We have been orphans since childhood, blessed to be taken in by Master, and have always looked upon him as a father. Now Master has returned severely wounded and died a tragic death, while the Old Patriarch's whereabouts remain unknown. Master forbade us from investigating while he was alive, presumably fearing we would be implicated. Both of us know full well that with our meager strength, we can accomplish nothing here. Only by leaving Liucheng can we find any peace of mind."
Xia Changsheng silently nodded, his estimation of the two men rising a notch. Clearly, they were filled with lingering resentment and unwillingness to let go, yet were powerless to avenge their master due to their own weakness. If they remained in Liucheng, it would likely breed inner demons. It was better for them to go out and try their luck; if they encountered a fortunate opportunity and greatly increased their cultivation, they might one day have a chance at revenge.
However, the probability of that was exceedingly slim. Their innate talent was far inferior to Han Chuchu's—one was at Xiantian Perfection, while the other was merely in the Early Xiantian stage. Unless they stumbled upon some heaven-defying fortune, the chance was virtually zero.
After pondering for a moment, Xia Changsheng agreed. Perhaps this was the best arrangement.
He then turned to Han Chuchu, who had stopped crying, her eyes red and swollen, her expression somewhat dazed: "Miss Chuchu, please accept my condolences. Before his final moments, Brother Han entrusted me with your care. What are your intentions?"
Han Li's intent was obvious, and Xia Changsheng understood it completely, but he still needed to ask to avoid awkwardness.
However, only silence answered him. The young girl stood completely motionless, as if numb, simply staring blankly at her deceased father.
"So be it. Let us handle Brother Han's funeral first."
Seeing this, Xia Changsheng could only let out a soft sigh. Although this young woman was quite desirable to him, he knew haste makes waste, and decided to bring the matter up again after some time had passed.
Over the next few days, Xia Changsheng arranged for manpower and, with the help of the two disciples Wang Xuan and Wu Yong, successfully carried out Han Li's funeral. He was buried in the ancestral grounds at the back of the Han Estate, laid to rest beside his wife who had passed away several years prior. It was a pity for Old Master Han Shixun, for whom they could only set up a cenotaph.
Once everything was settled and they had kept vigil for several days, Wang Xuan and his companion finally came to bid their farewells.
As for Han Chuchu, under Xia Changsheng's shameless invitation, she moved into the Xia Estate. As for the Han Estate... Xia Changsheng initially intended to keep it vacant for the time being to give Han Chuchu a sense of connection. Should the Xia Estate's strength grow significantly in the future, he would buy all the properties separating the two estates and open them up into one.
Of course, all of that was still far in the future.
With Han Chuchu's arrival, the other women seemed to have anticipated it and welcomed her warmly. They all understood their husband well; although fond of beauty, he was never one to abandon the old for the new, and years of living together had made them deeply devoted to him.
Han Chuchu, who had been somewhat reserved at first, gradually began to blend in with the four women, slowly emerging from the sorrow of her father's death.