Yun Hanshuang gave an awkward smile, took out a sheet of beast-skin paper, and began writing rapidly. The moment he had seen the greedy look in Han Hao's eyes, Yun Hanshuang had already thought up the names of those materials, which was why he could write so quickly now. Because it was all fake, Yun Hanshuang simply listed over a hundred kinds of various rare third and fourth-tier materials.

Han Hao took the beast-skin paper from Yun Hanshuang and his face turned extremely ugly. He somewhat suspected that the materials listed by the other party were written at random. But among the required materials, there were indeed a dozen or so that had the effect of temporarily concealing spiritual power, which made Han Hao somewhat hesitant.

Yun Hanshuang had been watching the expressions on Han Hao's face the entire time. Seeing the various changes on his face, Yun Hanshuang inwardly laughed, but he put on an understanding expression, taking out the storage ring and acting as if he wanted to return it.

"Fellow Daoist Han, I think you'd better take the spirit stones back. Just pay me for the Snow Rabbits."

Seeing Yun Hanshuang's expression and behavior that did not seem feigned, Han Hao put away the beast-skin paper and smiled. "Fellow Daoist Han, don't take offense. As a businessman, I am always vigilant with every deal. It's a habit that gave Fellow Daoist the wrong impression."

"So that's how it is. It was my misunderstanding." Yun Hanshuang put on an embarrassed expression, tucked away the storage ring, then took the initiative to ask, "Fellow Daoist Han, let's exchange contact methods. As soon as you find the required materials, I can perform the ritual for you."

Seeing Yun Hanshuang so proactive, Han Hao's trust in him grew a few more degrees. So he took out two jade pendants. "These are Yin-Yang Pendants. No matter how far apart, they will always sense each other's presence. We each take one. When I've gathered the materials, I'll come find you."

Yun Hanshuang took the jade pendant Han Hao handed over and directly hung it at his waist. "Since that's settled, Fellow Daoist Han, I'll take my leave first."

"Wait, Fellow Daoist Han. This Ten Thousand Mile Snow Forest is fraught with dangers. Let me assign someone to protect you. Don't worry, he will only follow you from a distance and won't interfere with your tempering."

Upon hearing this, Yun Hanshuang put on an expression of both hurt and anger, pointing at Han Hao as if deeply insulted. "Are you doubting my character?"

Han Hao smiled and released the aura of his Late Foundation Establishment cultivation, patting Yun Hanshuang on the shoulder. "Fellow Daoist Han, I've already given you plenty of face by not forcing you onto my ship and letting you move freely in the Ten Thousand Mile Snow Forest. So be obedient and don't make me use force."

Yun Hanshuang looked at Han Hao with extreme fury, then finally let out a helpless sigh and turned to leave.

Seeing Yun Hanshuang leave, Han Hao beckoned, and a short middle-aged cultivator appeared behind him. "A'Wu, keep a close eye on him. Don't let him get away."

"Yes, Young Master."

After A'Wu left, Han Hao returned to the flying boat. A middle-aged cultivator looked at him somewhat puzzled. "Young Master, why didn't you just capture him?"

"My old man instructed that those selected by the Yun family must not only have good talent but also decent character, so I have to restrain myself. Capturing him can only be done in secret."

In truth, the reason Han Hao was so fixated on Yun Hanshuang's method of concealing spiritual power fluctuations was because of the Flying Cloud Tokens released by the Yun family this time. The Flying Cloud Token was an opportunity given by the Yun family to young prodigies. Anyone who seized a Flying Cloud Token could join the Yun family and be teleported to the Heavenly Abyss Continent. But Han Hao knew that prodigies who joined the Yun family through the Flying Cloud Token could only start as menial disciples. Being innately proud, how could he be willing to submit to others?

The Heaven Alliance Merchant Guild possessed a fifth-tier spirit artifact that could make a person disappear for a short period. Han Hao had originally planned to rely on this spirit artifact. As soon as he was teleported to the Heavenly Abyss Continent, he would turn invisible and leave, venturing alone into the Heavenly Abyss Continent. He had the confidence for this because his father, the head of the Heaven Alliance Merchant Guild, had only fathered him, so the greater part of the guild's resources would be given to him to take away.

Thus, when Han Hao saw Yun Hanshuang, who had no spiritual power fluctuations at all, appear in Snow Swallow City, he had already set his sights on him. After following Yun Hanshuang to the Ten Thousand Mile Snow Forest and confirming that he was not a mortal, Han Hao came out to negotiate this deal with him. Han Hao thought that if he could conceal his spiritual power fluctuations, his chances of breaking free from the Yun family would be even greater. This was also the reason he was willing to play along with Yun Hanshuang.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged cultivator looked in the direction Yun Hanshuang had left. "Young Master, can his words be trusted? Could it be that he has some treasure or secret art on him?"

"The Treasure-Seeking Mouse and the Spirit-Peeping Mirror showed no reaction. The two possibilities you mentioned don't exist. As for his words, they're only about half credible. No matter how foolish he is, he wouldn't reveal everything. But when the time comes, even if he won't talk, I have ways to make him spill his secrets." As Han Hao finished speaking, his eyes were full of killing intent. In his eyes, Yun Hanshuang was already a dead man; he was merely letting him live a few more days.

* * *

Not long after Yun Hanshuang left, he felt a sensation of being watched. However, his face showed no abnormality. From Yun Hanshuang's perspective, aside from Han Hao genuinely needing the method to conceal spiritual power fluctuations, the reason he could deceive him was that the other party was far too arrogant. If he wasn't mistaken, Han Hao had never taken him seriously at all, believing that even if he withheld something, he wouldn't dare lie, and was probably already planning to dispose of him once he'd been used.

‘Next is taking care of the tail behind me.’

Yun Hanshuang glanced back in a certain direction, then continued heading toward the middle zone. In his mind, he was calculating how to eliminate the tail following him, because he couldn't guarantee that if he let the other party keep following him like this, the secrets on his body wouldn't be discovered.

That day, while traveling, Yun Hanshuang encountered a second-tier spirit beast, a Snow Tiger, that originally lived in the middle zone. The moment he saw the Snow Tiger, Yun Hanshuang's eyes lit up. As if struck by an idea, he turned and fled, shouting as he ran: "Help! Come save me! Didn't Han Hao tell you to protect me? Come out!"

The Snow Tiger hadn't originally noticed Yun Hanshuang, but his shouting was truly too loud; it was hard not to notice. So it let out a roar to the sky and charged at this foolish human.

"How utterly foolish."

Just as the Snow Tiger was less than ten meters from Yun Hanshuang, A'Wu cursed inwardly, then gritted his teeth and flew toward the Snow Tiger. Seeing the figure flying toward the Snow Tiger, Yun Hanshuang put on a relieved expression and said, "Many thanks, Senior, for coming out to save me."

"Get lost." At this moment, A'Wu felt nothing but annoyance at the sight of Yun Hanshuang, so his tone was extremely harsh. With a face full of anger, he raised his sword and slashed at the Snow Tiger.

Hearing this, Yun Hanshuang wasn't angered. He stepped aside and watched. This Snow Tiger had probably just broken through recently, so it was being one-sidedly crushed by A'Wu, who was at the Late Foundation Establishment stage. A'Wu seemed to vent all his frustration with Yun Hanshuang onto the Snow Tiger. Though he could have killed it in one strike, he chose to slowly torment it. Now, the Snow Tiger's body was covered in countless wounds, its bright red blood flowing onto the snow and quickly freezing into ice.