My Mother Has a System but Won't Use It

Both of them looked at each other and then back at Liyue. Han Li and Hua Feilan had left earlier and were supposedly going to someplace private to speak about what was going on now. They had been talking with Han Li regarding it anyway; Liyue was the only one in the dark.

"Xiao Li got some information earlier from your previous fiance, Li Ming," Yue Li said, worry etched on her face: "He didn't tell us exactly what is going on, but Li Yao heard a bit of what Li Ming said, and we just confronted Xiao Li to tell us what is going on, but he didn't tell us at all."

Liyue could see the worry, and she had a bad premonition.

"What did you hear, Mom?" she turned to Li Yao, hoping it was not as bad as the places her mind was going.

Li Yao chewed on the thought for a while and sighed. "I think we should wait for your brother Han to come and explain; it is not good news at all…"

"Tell me!" Liyue said, calming her nervousness.

A long silence hung in the air, and Li Yao finally relented, "Deeper into the forest, a caravan full of traders were attacked and then killed, a river of blood was left behind. Supposedly, for a while, there were sounds of earthquakes echoing out from around there… that meant two people at the Power Born level were fighting, and the next news I heard was that, currently, the entire Southern Lust City is in a lockdown; no one is allowed inside, and no one is allowed outside."

"Lockdown? Who is locking it down?" Liyue asked with a frown.

"It is the Rock Clan. They erected huge rocks across the entrances of the city, and no one is allowed in or out now. Moreover, each area has an Evolved guarding it."

"…Why would they lock the entire area down? And… it had to be today…" Gritting her teeth gently, Liyue held back the desire to curse and asked, "What did Big Brother say exactly?"

Yue Li looked at her and said word by word, "Don't annoy me for a while, something interesting is happening, and I am wondering how I am supposed to not piss off my wife if I go away now. And then he came towards you and talked about that deal with Hua Feilan."

Liyue frowned and then gloomily looked down at the ground. "So he really is going to go away somewhere… today…"

Yue Li coughed awkwardly. "Don't tell him I told you that."

Li Yao sighed. "Liyue, those dead traders of the caravan also included children of tender ages, and moreover, there were even pregnant daughters inside… someone came and murdered them all in cold blood. They were all people like us, alive, breathing, hopeful of something, and they died that simply. It is not time for you to be selfish. I think he is as reluctant to go away as you are. He must have his reasons."

Liyue nodded and then paled as the realisation struck her.

It was hundreds of life that was lost there.

…

The shine of the sun streamed in through the canopies of leaves and was then reflected off of the still pond's surface. Looking at it, Han Li was silent.

"May I know what you wanted?" Hua Feilan asked.

She would have acted coldly earlier, and even now, she still felt a bit that Han Li was taking advantage of Liyue when he was a good-for-nothing. Han Li was silent for a while and chewed on many considerations. Then, finally, he asked, "My deal stays, and I would like to bind the contract with you. But not some verbal contract, but an actually binding, Magical Contract."

She frowned.

"I don't see what you are talking about."

"Hmm, have you heard of Heart Qi?"

"…Heart Qi?" confused, Hua Feilan asked.

"Yes, it is a power only those great Transcendents have," Han Li looked on distantly, filled with desire. "Someone among them once gifted me a jewel of Heart Qi. Only they know how such powers work and all, but with this jewel, I could bind people's agreements. So much that if you go against it, you will die on the spot."

Hua Feilan's sapphire eyes shone with surprise. "Such things exist?"

"I was also surprised, but sadly, it only works once." Han Li took out a blue gem from his pockets. "Well, I want to use it on our agreement today that even if hell is let loose, you will protect my family at all costs till I come back."

Hua Feilan frowned and grew thoughtful. "Such precious thing, using that would be a waste…" she muttered. "You can actually just believe me and give me that gem instead of the sacred coins as payment. I am a forthright person; I have never gone against any of my promises."

Han Li coldly looked at her, but she didn't notice it.

If she wouldn't accept to bind a contract with him, he would kill her here and now. There can be no one who knows he had Heart Qi without being bound by that knowledge itself.

Not everyone was Yang Wei. This woman just had Average Talent as a Transformation Type Cultivator. Her Dao Soul was Fire Peacock, and she could transform into one.

But with her Average Dao Soul, her cultivation was as good as none against him. His body was stronger than hers, and he could see the tender neck clearly—one thought, and she wouldn't even have a chance to resist.

He smiled.

"This is the final deal. Let us vow with each other using the gem as our intermediate, and you protect them for the next three days. As simple as that, and for your understanding, let me also tell you this: the chance of something dangerous happening is almost zero, but I just don't feel comfortable with the city the way it is now."

She looked at him with a sigh. "The gem is such a waste, but I can see you might be suspicious… I would be too… but before using it, may I know what is happening?"

Han Li nodded. "Demons. A horde of them. Evolution Stage mainly, and some below it too, are joining together in a hunt of young children of all three clans of Southern Lust City."

She frowned heavily. "You mean?"

"Yes. So many evil men," he chuckled inside at the wording, and then continued, "so many of them waited inside the city and outside it, capturing Starlight, Rock, and Raven Clan children one by one when they got the chance before running away."

A silent second later, she said through gritted teeth.

"Magical Resource refining using children as the base. Repulsive!"

Han Li nodded solemnly. Now that he thought of it, he had also seen someone like that in the city, but to think there were tens of them all in cahoots was news to him. Something that he was sure had not happened in his last life.

"These demons seem to be aiming at our city mainly, and the most fearsome fact is not that. There is something scarier. Something I can't figure out why."

She gulped. "What?"

"There is a Power Born behind them. And this guy is strong enough to keep escaping the three Power Borns of all three clans while keeping the Demonic Evolved protected. And he is doing this on purpose and leading the Power Borns away one by one."

She paled. "A Power Born Demon? Aren't we supposed to notify the Demon Restraining Temple immediately? And shouldn't you also notify your clan head that you think they are being led somewhere?"

Han Li chuckled. "They are all smart men. They must know they are being led. And Miss Hua, here is where I need your help."

"In what?" she asked, her forehead covered in sweat now. So many things were happening.

"I want to go out for a while," he said, "but I am worried about those demons entering the city seeking revenge or anything along those lines. I am sure the Power Born backing won't do that openly, but some Evolved might come, and if they do, I want you to protect my family. In fact, you should stay in hiding with them till I come back."

"Where are you headed, and why today of all days?" Han Li smiled.

"Well, you see, that is not part of our deal. You just have to protect them till I come back."

She frowned and thought for a long time. Then sighed.

"It is deal, bind us together or whatever. I would have gone into hiding in such a situation anyway, and this information is really valuable knowledge."

Han Li nodded and extended the gem towards her.

Releasing his Heart Qi, he swore on it as a deal, and sensing the weird power, she also nodded and recited what he told. It was a simple deal that would expire in three days. But even after that, they were not allowed to expose today's events to anyone else.

Han Li could have tried to take advantage of her, but he didn't. At the same time, the gem in his hand vanished into his Empty Space.

She looked at his bare hand and nodded.

"Three days. I hope you tell me what was special about today then. I cannot use the information against you now, after all. I am rather curious."

Han Li said coolly with a chuckle. "I won't mind if you become my woman. What do you say?"

She shook her head. "Not possible."

Han Li chuckled.

"Well, consider it a goodwill from an old friend; if you see something around that flies off like a firefly but is the size of a head, catch it and hide it. If someone sees you with it that is not my family, kill them immediately or at least bind them. That thing is a treasure Power Borns would kill for. And now, around here, tens of them are running like fallen coins."

She was stunned.

"So you are going in search of this thing?"

Han Li wryly coughed.

"I am, but I have to speak with my wife first."

"Isn't it… too dangerous for a Spark-less?"

Han Li sighed. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"I have my ways…"

She nodded, and then they walked back the way they had come to the wedding area.

Han Li muttered inside himself, 'Maybe it is finally a chance I will get to have some practical training before I fight Yang Wei.'

Just as he reached the clearing of the marriage once again, he saw the chattering crowd and the people around once more. His gaze roaming, it finally landed on a young man who was being fed his dishes by another mature man.

"Li Ming, any other news you got?" Han Li asked with a smile.

Li Ming looked at him curiously and then nodded. "I just got more news…" he looked at Hua Feilan inquisitively.

"Speak, she is not an issue."

Li Ming raised an eyebrow and then nodded. "That Power Born is a woman. One of my boyfriends, this uncle, just came from that area. And he says he saw a glimpse of her and the Starlight Head fighting in the distance before he ran here."

Han Li looked at Li Ming and asked, "Nothing more?"

"Nothing more," he shook his head.

Nodding, Han Li walked towards the tree hollow with a thoughtful mind.

'Woman, Power Born… at this point in time, who was here that matched all the details…'

Pushing aside the green vines, he entered, and immediately, three gazes focused on him.

Especially intense was one gaze that seemed to look at him with all sorts of emotions.

"Liyue…" Han Li smiled wryly. "Don't worry, I have an idea."

Liyue looked at him with tearful eyes, and he could see they had a lot of questions.