Crow Immortal: I Can Duplicate Infinite Resources

Chapter 236: The Secret of Nanli Kingdom

Han Yu watched in quiet amazement as three jars of wine disappeared down Yan San’s throat, one after another.

The petite woman showed no signs of intoxication or bloating. She cradled the fourth jar like a precious jewel, seemingly reluctant to part with its contents.

“Since Miss Yan loves to drink,” Han Yu asked through the puppet, “why not order two more?”

“Can’t do that,” Yan San replied, waving a dismissive hand. A faint flush touched her fair cheeks, making the green mark on her forehead stand out even more.

“My mother always said I was too playful. She warned me that if I let drink ruin my business, I’d never achieve anything great in this life!”

Her expression turned solemn. “Even though she was murdered long ago, I can never disobey her words.”

“So, no matter the vintage, I limit myself to this much a day. Just enough to satisfy the craving.”

Four jars of wine… just to satisfy a craving?

Han Yu was speechless, but his tension eased. A rogue cultivator this playful, this fond of wine, and this concerned with the lives of mortals… she couldn’t be an enemy sent to hunt him.

However, his mission in Nanli Kingdom carried significant risks. This woman seemed decent; he didn’t want to drag her into the crossfire. Once the Foundation Establishment Demon Beast was dealt with, he would part ways with her.

“Miss Yan, have you seen the beast yourself?”

“No,” she admitted. “I just arrived from Xinglong Prefecture myself.”

“The bounty notice didn’t specify it was a Foundation Establishment beast,” Han Yu pressed. “How can you be so certain?”

Yan San chuckled, her eyes dancing. “That… is a secret.”

She leaned forward, conspiring. “If you come over in person and share a bowl with me, I’ll tell you.”

“What secret?” Han Yu asked instinctively.

“A secret involving the entire Nanli Kingdom. Interested?”

As she spoke, her gaze drifted past the puppet, fixing unerringly on the spot outside the tavern where Han Yu’s true body stood hidden.

At the same moment, Sect Leader Qi’s voice echoed in Han Yu’s mind via Divine Sense.

This girl is at the Foundation Establishment realm, but that green mark on her forehead is unusual. It acts like a scanner for spiritual energy—likely an innate talent.

She has already pinpointed your true location.

Go meet her. I am watching. Her demeanor doesn’t suggest an enemy or a madwoman, and since you are using an alias, the risk is minimal. If anything goes wrong, I will intervene.

Reassured by the Sect Leader’s presence, Han Yu relaxed. The girl’s insight was formidable—no wonder she saw through his puppet so easily.

He dispelled his invisibility, changed his face with the Thousand Illusions Secret Art to match his “Li Si” persona, and walked into the tavern.

Approaching the table, he offered a polite bow and unsummoned the puppet Li Ya with a wave of his hand.

“Miss Yan, my apologies. A traveler must be cautious.”

Yan San stared at him. Han Yu felt a strange sensation wash over him, like being scanned by an invisible beam. He immediately flared his Qi to shield himself.

“Miss Yan, isn’t such probing a bit rude?”

Yan San hugged her wine jar and giggled. “You used a puppet to talk to me before. Can you blame me for checking if this is the real you? I’d feel silly talking to another doll.”

“But this… this is unexpected.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Brother Li, you are a disciple of Wanchun Valley, aren’t you? With Foundation Establishment cultivation… you must be a Deacon.”

Han Yu frowned. What is her background? How does she see through everything so easily?

If Sect Leader Qi hadn’t confirmed her cultivation level, he might have suspected she was a Golden Core master playing games.

“Something like that,” Han Yu admitted vaguely. “Now, Miss Yan, about this secret involving the Nanli Kingdom?”

Yan San poured a bowl of wine and slid it across the table. “Drink first. Talk later.”

Han Yu hesitated.

Yan San’s brow furrowed, a flash of temper in her eyes. “What? Am I not worthy of drinking with you?”

“It’s not that,” Han Yu said quickly. “I’m just not good at drinking.”

“You don’t like it? Or you haven’t tried it?”

“Haven’t tried much. Don’t really care for it.”

“What a pity!” Yan San didn’t press him. She laughed and downed the bowl herself in one gulp. “I can’t imagine a life without wine.”

She poured a bowl of tea instead and pushed it toward him. “This, you can drink, right?”

Han Yu paused. “Is it mandatory?”

Yan San rolled her eyes. “Look at you, suspicious as a mouse. Afraid I poisoned it?”

“Fine, don’t drink. Since you showed your face, I’ll keep my word.”

Her expression grew serious. “This secret concerns your sect directly. I can’t intervene personally right now, so handing it off to Wanchun Valley is perfect.”

“I arrived in Xinglong Prefecture last month. It didn’t take long to smell the rot.”

“The little Emperor of Nanli—Jiang Jing—has colluded with Demonic Cultivators. Acting on orders from someone called the ‘Saint Blood Perfected One,’ he has purged Wanchun Valley’s stationed disciples. They are either dead, mind-controlled, or forced into complicity.”

Han Yu’s heart sank like a stone.

His worst fears were confirmed.

The traitor was the child emperor himself? Jiang Jing was only ten years old, barely old enough to manifest a Spirit Root. Wanchun Valley had placed him on the throne, yet he harbored such hatred?

Yan San continued, “The Foundation Establishment beast here? It was raised by the demonic cultivators. Its purpose is to slaughter mortals and harvest essence blood.”

“And the martial arts assembly outside the capital? The Ascension Tokens? All bait. They plan to gather the martial artists in one place and massacre them for a massive blood sacrifice.”

“Is the mastermind the little emperor?” Han Yu asked sharply.

“Him, a few demonic cultivators, and a group of mortals,” Yan San said with a chuckle. “One mortal, Wei Baoyu, is particularly interesting. He learned a flesh-grafting technique from a Central Heaven Domain demon. He plans to wait until the emperor is vulnerable, then graft his own flesh onto the boy to steal his cultivation and the throne.”

Han Yu was stunned. “Miss Yan… you know of the Central Heaven Domain? And Wei Baoyu is alive?”

“Of course. I’m a rogue cultivator from the Central Heaven Domain myself,” she said breezily. “The big sects came down here to stir up trouble, so I followed to watch the show. Your Southern Region is quite entertaining.”

“As for Wei Baoyu… like I said, the emperor is in bed with the demons. Wei Baoyu lives or dies at their whim.”

“But they are mortal enemies,” Han Yu pointed out. “The emperor destroyed Wei Baoyu’s family.”

“Exactly. They use each other while plotting to kill each other. It’s a game of wits—cunning, but boring.”

Yan San proceeded to lay out the situation in Xinglong Prefecture in meticulous detail.

Han Yu was shaken. He hadn’t even reached the capital, yet this woman had handed him the entire puzzle. All he had to do now was strike the targets.

But this Yan San… she was terrifyingly capable.

Are all Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators from the Central Heaven Domain this formidable?

Sensing his gaze, Yan San winked and smiled, as if to say, Don’t overthink it.

She lifted the jar and drained the last of the wine. Licking her lips regretfully, she set it down.

“Now, as I said, I cannot easily take action.”

“If we are to deal with this Foundation Establishment beast today… you will have to do it yourself, Brother Li. Do you dare?”

Sect Leader Qi’s voice resonated in Han Yu’s mind. Han Yu, take the lead. Consider this a training exercise.

Han Yu nodded slightly. “Very well. Since it is an enemy of Wanchun Valley, I will handle it.”

“But Miss Yan, you…”

“Don’t worry,” she interrupted. “I can’t attack, but I can protect myself.”

“I mean… it is inconvenient,” Han Yu clarified.

“Inconvenient? Oh.” She realized his meaning. “You don’t want me to watch?”

Han Yu nodded.

Yan San considered this, then shrugged. “Fair enough. Honestly, you couldn’t hide your tricks from me anyway…”