The scene was eerily quiet. Not only were Yang Wudi and Bai He silent, but even the women behind Han Li, except for Xiu'er, looked completely bewildered.
Most of them were of noble birth, and though they now served the Spirit Hall and had gradually aligned with its practices, their upbringing had taught them to believe that the incident with Tang Hao back then was the result of a power struggle between the Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Clan. Of course, the value of a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast couldn't be underestimated in that conflict.
This wasn't the first time they'd heard such insider information, and while they agreed with the Spirit Hall's actions, they mostly believed that Qian Xunji was targeting Ah Yin. After all, if they were in the same position, they would have made the same choice.
But after hearing Han Li's words, they were left a bit confused. If what he said was true, then the Spirit Hall was indeed incredibly righteous.
Sensing the women's emotions through their shared connection, Han Li couldn't help but find it amusing that they had believed his off-the-cuff remarks.
Sure, the Spirit Hall was indeed just, and what he had said was true, but the guiding principles and the actual actions weren't always entirely aligned.
Others might not know, but Han Li was well aware that while Qian Xunji did have the intention of maintaining order, his main motivation was targeting Ah Yin, with the side benefit of weakening the Clear Sky Clan. It was just unfortunate that things hadn't gone as planned.
Moreover, Guang Ling mentioned that the main reason Qian Xunji personally took action was that he wanted to capture Ah Yin as a gift to Bibi Dong, hoping to mend their relationship.
While it's easy to view things in black and white, one shouldn't forget that the real world is often shaded in intricate grays.
He would have to strengthen their ideological education later, as the ease with which his way of thinking had swayed them wasn't a good sign.
Of course, if they were enemies or strangers, Han Li would prefer if more people were so easily swayed.
"So, you two should consider yourselves lucky that our Spirit Hall is reasonable and merciful."
"Otherwise, we wouldn't even need to lift a finger against you. Just revealing the truth would result in consequences for you far worse than what you face now."
"After all, after the Clear Sky Clan chose to seal their mountain, your four single-attribute clans were the ones who actively clashed with the Spirit Hall."
"No one cares whether you knew the truth; people only care about what they see, and you were the perfect target to be set up."
"'Traitors to humanity,' 'beast-lovers'... I wonder if you could withstand such labels."
"Oh, and you would be nailed to the pillar of shame in history, despised for thousands of years."
Han Li was still smiling as he said these words.
But Yang Wudi and Bai He felt a chill down their spines as the scenes he painted played out in their minds, making them break out in a cold sweat despite their long-practiced composure.
They understood that Han Li was exaggerating, but that didn't stop them from feeling a sense of dread.
If the Spirit Hall had pushed the matter behind the scenes, it wouldn't have been just their four single-attribute clans that couldn't withstand it—even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan wouldn't have survived.
Han Li had said this right in front of them, so perhaps the Spirit Hall had considered doing this but abandoned the idea for some reason.
Right, Han Li had mentioned Yang Wushuang and Yang Yan earlier; it must have been because of them.
At this thought, Yang Wudi felt a surge of shame.
After all, just moments ago, he had boasted that he would treat them as enemies, but now it seemed they owed those two a debt of gratitude.
As a clan leader, a brother, and a father, he realized he had fallen short in many ways.
Seeing the changing expressions on their faces, especially Yang Wudi, Han Li nodded in satisfaction. He had achieved the effect he wanted.
He had no interest in recruiting these clans, but he also wouldn't allow them to become allies to his enemies. Since he had encountered them, it wouldn't be in his nature to let the opportunity for a little discipline pass.
Surely, even if Tai Tan tried to mediate in the future, they wouldn't dare to interfere too recklessly now.
Maybe, thanks to this opportunity, the three clans might gradually shift their allegiance to the Spirit Hall, given that Yang Wudi's brother and son were now firmly part of it.
As for the Strength... well, it's hard to say; he would just leave them be. Han Li didn't have the energy to focus on them.
Come to think of it, his role as the Holy Son hadn't been in vain; silently infiltrating the enemy ranks and dismantling their factions had required quite a bit of effort.
He would have to report this back as well; it would be a good way to show those higher-ups in the Spirit Hall who supported him that he was delivering results.
Bibi Dong, take note—this is how a Pope should be.
Han Li joked to himself, then turned his attention away from the two old men, who were still processing their emotions and looked toward Ye Lingling.
Ye Lingling, seeing him glance over, pointed at Bai Ming on the ground. Han Li nodded slightly.
In the next moment, the healing beam on Bai Ming's body intensified, and three seconds later, Ye Lingling withdrew her martial soul and stepped back.
"Alright, you two, the healing is complete. Go ahead and check on the injured and settle the account."
Han Li turned and snapped the two out of their thoughts, gesturing with his chin toward Bai Ming on the ground.
"Oh, right."
The two finally broke free from their thoughts, remembering their injured clansmen still undergoing treatment.
They couldn't be blamed, though—the news they'd just received was quite shocking, successfully overturning beliefs they'd held for over a decade. The fact that they hadn't completely broken down was a testament to their resilience.
They exchanged glances, and Yang Wudi stepped forward to check on Bai Ming. Unlike before, this time, he retracted his martial soul.
Han Li's words and actions had made it clear that he harbored no ill will. Whether he held his spear or not made no difference, especially with the binding force of the martial spirit oath.
After a quick examination of Bai Ming's condition, Yang Wudi took out a pill from his chest pocket and placed it in Bai Ming's mouth.
Bai Ming's injuries had indeed healed completely. If Yang Wudi hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed that Bai Ming had been injured at all.
Now, Bai Ming was only slightly weak from blood loss, but he was quickly recovering and would be back to full strength in at most three days.
Yang Wudi stood up and nodded at Bai He, indicating that there were no issues.
Bai He let out a long sigh of relief. Bai Ming was one of the key figures for the future of the Speed Clan, so it was good that he was fine.
With this in mind, he looked at Han Li and tossed him the box in his hand. "Now, the transaction is complete. This is yours."
Although there was still a hint of reluctance in his eyes, it was much less than before. Moreover, he realized that, unconsciously, his hostility towards the Spirit Hall had diminished significantly, and he even felt a slight liking for the young man in front of him.
Han Li caught the box with a smile, but he didn't open it. He simply put it away, which made Bai He nod slightly in approval, his admiration for Han Li growing stronger.
To be honest, Han Li wasn't doing this on purpose, as the box couldn't block his spiritual sense at all. The moment Bai He took out the box, Han Li had already confirmed that the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng was inside, so there was no need to check.
To put it bluntly, if Bai He had dared to play any tricks with this, Han Li, with his current strength, wouldn't mind sending him to meet Asura—if Asura was even willing to accept him.
"Very well, the deal is done," Han Li said with a smile as he looked at the three of them.
Then, he glanced at the people behind him, signaling that it was time to leave.
"Gentlemen, we'll take our leave now. Oh, and Elder Yang, perhaps in the future, Elder Wushuang and Yang Yan won't be so restricted, so you'll have more opportunities to meet them."
"As for what I said earlier, feel free to be straightforward with Clan Leader Niu Gao. As for the other matter, you can handle it as you see fit. As long as you don't cause too much trouble, it's up to you."
Han Li had already taken a few steps but stopped again to give them this final instruction.
Hearing this, Yang Wudi and Bai He were slightly taken aback, but then they remembered the situation with the Strength Clan and nodded thoughtfully.
Then, they heard Han Li's voice again: "Clan Leader Bai He, you should be grateful you're with Elder Yang this time. Otherwise, given your blood relation to Tang Hao, the Speed Clan...."
Han Li didn't finish his sentence, but Bai He understood what he meant, and the smile on his face became even more bitter.
Got it, the Clear Sky Clan... he thought.
He hadn't enjoyed much of the glory, but the negative consequences would likely follow him for the rest of his life, and might even drag down his entire clan.
"Old White Bird's sister has been gone for many years, and Tang Hao isn't close to him," Yang Wudi interjected suddenly.
"Even if I believe you, can you make others believe it too?"
Han Li asked, waving his hand dismissively. He understood Yang Wudi's point but didn't care much.
If he wanted to prove it, he should work hard on it. Han Li was just here to stir the pot; it wasn't his job to keep things hot. He wasn't the Pope and didn't represent anyone else.
"Oh, by the way, if you're looking for work, you can contact the Seven Treasures Chamber of Commerce. At the very least, you'll live better than you do now."
Han Li suddenly thought of something and turned to look at Bai He.
The Speed Clan was a high-quality workforce—low pay, and high efficiency. There were no better transporters than them, and a little incentive would only motivate them further, right?
Bai He was startled, then hesitantly nodded, realizing that this was a sweet deal offered by Han Li.
The Seven Treasures Chamber of Commerce had risen to power in recent years and had deep ties with the Spirit Hall. Even Bai He's clan didn't dare investigate it too deeply, for fear of inviting trouble.
Given the current situation, he could only nod for now. Whether or not to proceed would have to be decided after discussing it with Yang Wudi and Niu Gao. Besides, handling the clan's work wouldn't be easy.
"So, are you not going to leave a name?"
Just as Han Li and his group were about to leave, Yang Wudi's voice rang out.
"My apologies, I almost forgot to introduce myself."
"I'm Han Li, the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall."
Hearing Yang Wudi's words, Han Li turned back with a warm smile, revealing his true identity.