“That isn’t for you to decide!”

“Today, you are coming with us whether you like it or not!”

Ma Kun waved his hand, and several disciples from the Overlord Hall swarmed forward like a pack of wolves, grabbing Han Lie and attempting to drag him toward the Overlord Hall.

Han Lie immediately circulated the spiritual energy within his meridians, prepared to resist. However, a sudden realization froze him in his tracks.

If I fight them in front of everyone, wouldn’t that confirm I possess the strength to kill Cai Zhen and Yun Xia?

Back when he had cleared himself of suspicion, his primary defense was that his cultivation was too weak to harm them.

If he fought back now, he could certainly escape this immediate encirclement. But doing so would expose his true cultivation level, rendering all his previous efforts to play the fool completely wasted.

However, if he allowed himself to be dragged back to the Overlord Hall by Ma Kun… Han Lie was ninety-nine percent certain he would not walk out alive.

The Hall Master of the Overlord Hall was, at the very least, a Nascent Soul old monster. Such an existence would easily pierce through his Breath-Concealing Art and see his true foundation instantly!

For a moment, Han Lie was caught in a deadly dilemma. Fighting was a trap; submitting was suicide.

Han Lie’s mind raced, searching for an alternative. Money?

He considered using his wealth. With his current stockpile of Spirit Stones, swaying Ma Kun and his lackeys shouldn’t be difficult. But he quickly recalled the incident with Yun Fei.

If he exposed his wealth, there was no guarantee Ma Kun wouldn’t simply take the money and then “burn the bridge after crossing it.” He would lose his Spirit Stones and still end up in chains—losing both the wife and the army.

No! Even if I expose my strength, I absolutely cannot go back to the Overlord Hall with them!

In the span of a single breath, Han Lie made his decision.

To him, the Overlord Hall was a dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den. Once he entered, coming out alive would be a fantasy. Even if he exposed his strength here, at least he still had the open sky to maneuver in!

Having weighed the pros and cons, Han Lie’s eyes turned cold.

Boom!

Han Lie’s body shuddered violently, and a terrifying aura erupted outward, revealing the unmistakable pressure of the Mid-Golden Core Stage.

The shockwave blasted the Overlord Hall disciples holding him, sending them flying like ragdolls.

Sensing the eruption of power—an aura stronger than his own—Ma Kun did not recoil in fear. Instead, his face twisted into an expression of ecstatic vindication.

“Mid-Golden Core! So it really was you who killed Cai Zhen and Junior Sister Yun Xia!”

The commotion instantly drew the attention of disciples from nearby departments. Eyes widened in disbelief.

“Since when did the Servant Department have a Mid-Golden Core cultivator?!”

“What? I’m inferior to a Servant Disciple? I might as well bash my head against a wall and die!”

“Damn! How did this old servant manage that?”

Crowds of disciples pointed and whispered, shock rippling through the assembly.

If Han Lie were a personal disciple of a major elder or a senior Inner Disciple with centuries of qualifications, this strength would be understandable. But a Servant Disciple at the Mid-Golden Core Stage? It was like seeing the sun rise from the west!

“Hmph. Whether This Senior stays or leaves is not for the likes of you to decide!”

Han Lie unleashed a terrifying surge of vast spiritual energy, forcing Ma Kun and his group to stagger back several steps.

Seizing their moment of disarray, Han Lie moved. In the blink of an eye, he vanished, leaving only a fading afterimage.

“The monk may run, but the temple remains.”

Ma Kun sneered, choosing not to pursue. He knew he couldn’t handle a Mid-Golden Core cultivator alone. But now that the truth was out, he simply needed to report to his master.

Once the Hall Master took action, what could a mere Mid-Golden Core do? Even if Han Lie grew wings, he would not escape!

Han Lie sped away, shaking off Ma Kun’s group.

He did not return to his small wooden hut at the Violet Heaven Palace.

Previously, even the “Iron Hand” Captain from the Law Enforcement Hall had dared to arrest him right in front of Ye Qingxuan. Han Lie had every reason to believe the Overlord Hall Master would be even less reserved.

If he went back to the hut near the main gate of the Violet Heaven Palace, the Overlord Hall Master would surely come knocking.

Furthermore, both Ye Qingxuan and Grand Elder Chi Lian had explicitly stated they would not lift a finger to help him with his troubles. They could not be relied upon.

He briefly considered seeking refuge with Zhuo Hongyi or Su Mei.

But the problem remained: if the Overlord Hall Master came looking, given Zhuo Hongyi and Su Mei’s current strength and status, they would be powerless to stop him.

In summary, there was only one person he could currently count on.

Qin Lan.

In terms of sect status, Qin Lan might not be equal to the Overlord Hall Master. But she was, at the very least, a Nascent Soul old monster herself!

Moreover, she belonged to the Law Enforcement Hall. She represented the rules of the sect, which might compel her to uphold justice—or at least protect him from a lynching.

Whether she would actually help him, Han Lie wasn’t certain.

But right now, he had no better choice. He had to gamble.

Following the address Qin Lan had left him at the Jade Clear Pool, Han Lie made his way to one of the sub-peaks of the Law Enforcement Peak. This area was reserved for the private residences of the hall’s senior members.

“Looking for me?”

Han Lie arrived in front of a secluded residence. Just as he raised his hand to knock, a cool voice sounded from behind him without warning.

Han Lie whirled around, his heart skipping a beat. Qin Lan had appeared behind him like a ghost; he hadn’t sensed her presence at all.

He paused, stammering slightly in surprise. “Senior Qin Lan…”

“I know why you have come. Let’s talk inside.”

She led him into a pavilion within her courtyard. The atmosphere was quiet, contrasting sharply with the chaos he had just fled.

“You’ve come seeking my protection, haven’t you?” Qin Lan asked, cutting straight to the point.

“Yes…”

Han Lie nodded. “Since Senior already knows, I suppose I don’t need to explain the details.”

“Mhm. I know everything.”

Qin Lan was naturally aware of the entire saga regarding Cai Zhen and Yun Xia. She was also fully informed about the altercation that had just occurred with the Overlord Hall disciples.

“From the beginning, I knew the Overlord Hall Master wouldn’t let this matter go easily,” she said calmly. “I can help you deal with him, but…”

Her gaze sharpened, locking onto his eyes.

“You need to give me a reason to help you.”

“Uh…”

Han Lie fell silent.

He wasn’t a disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall, nor did he have any deep personal relationship with her. From any logical perspective, Qin Lan had no obligation to shield him.

“Because I have value to you, Senior Qin Lan.”

After a long silence, Han Lie raised his head, his expression regaining its composure.

“Oh?” Qin Lan raised a delicate eyebrow, looking intrigued. “What value?”

Han Lie met her gaze, his voice steady and low.

“My value is… I can make your cultivation progress faster. I wonder, is that sufficient? Senior Qin Lan.”