Upon hearing this, Han Li let out a soft laugh and quickly explained: "Miss Xin, you've misunderstood. This person behind me isn't alive — he's merely an armored corpse that I've refined. If you probe him briefly with your spiritual sense, you'll see clearly enough."
After saying this, Han Li had already stopped of his own accord, waiting for Xin Ruyin to verify Qu Hun's nature as a zombie.
Sure enough, after a short moment, Xin Ruyin's voice rang out once more.
"I was the one who misunderstood. Senior Han, please come in!"
There was a note of apology in her voice, but Han Li smiled casually, paying it no mind as he steered the Divine Wind Ark through the passage.
The moment Han Li flew out, his vision brightened. The cluster of bamboo houses he had visited once before appeared before his eyes.
Standing before the bamboo houses were two women, their figures slightly blurred in the distance — none other than Xin Ruyin and the pretty maid at her side.
Both were dressed entirely in white mourning garments. Xin Ruyin was also dressed in the manner of a young widow, and the sight of this made Han Li pause in surprise.
"The widow Xin greets Senior Han."
Upon seeing Han Li emerge, Xin Ruyin stepped forward and performed a light, graceful bow. Yet the gaunt, sickly pallor on her face aroused a quiet suspicion in Han Li's heart.
"There's no need for such formality, Miss Xin!" Han Li replied politely, a belly full of questions left unspoken.
At this point, the little maid behind Xin Ruyin also stepped forward and bowed to Han Li.
Han Li nodded absentmindedly in acknowledgment.
Clearly, Xin Ruyin had no intention of engaging Han Li in a lengthy conversation right here. With a strained smile, she ushered him into one of the larger bamboo houses.
The moment he stepped inside, Han Li was stunned.
Directly facing the doorway, on a wooden table, sat a jet-black spirit tablet. Upon it were inscribed the words "My Husband, Qi Yunxiao" in large characters. Before the tablet stood a small censer, with several sticks of incense lit and thin trails of blue smoke curling upward.
Upon seeing this scene, there was no need for anyone to explain what had happened.
Qi Yunxiao was already dead. This was far beyond what Han Li had expected.
After recovering from his shock, he let out a soft sigh, stepped forward of his own accord, drew a bundle of incense sticks from the table, lit them, bowed twice, and gently inserted them into the censer.
"Miss Xin, what exactly happened?" After paying his respects, Han Li turned around and asked in a soft voice.
"That is a long story. Senior Han, please follow me to another room — I'll explain everything properly there." Xin Ruyin's eyes reddened, and she spoke in a somewhat fragile tone.
The Xin Ruyin before him bore no resemblance whatsoever to the sharp, capable woman Han Li remembered. She had become entirely a delicate figure who inspired pity.
Seeing this, Han Li could only nod silently.
Thus, under Xin Ruyin's guidance, Han Li was led into the adjacent room and took a seat.
The young maid bustled about with practiced efficiency, brewing a pot of tea for Han Li and pouring him a cup.
Han Li took a light sip of the fragrant tea, set the cup back down, and spoke in a somber voice: "I never imagined that after only a few months apart, Fellow Daoist Qi would meet such a tragedy. Fate can be so cruel! Oh, and I had no idea when Miss Xin and Fellow Daoist Qi were married. Had I known, I would certainly have sent a wedding gift in advance."
Hearing Han Li's words, a bitter smile appeared on Xin Ruyin's face. But before she could open her mouth to respond, the pretty maid standing behind her answered on her behalf.
"Senior, my mistress voluntarily married into the Qi family as a widow after Young Master Qi was killed."
This revelation left Han Li thoroughly stunned, and he couldn't help but gaze at Xin Ruyin in astonishment.
"Xiao Mei is quite right. I did indeed voluntarily become Young Master Qi's widow." Xin Ruyin noticed the shock and disbelief in Han Li's eyes and gave a slow, steady nod.
"This..." Han Li was somewhat at a loss for words.
"Young Master Qi saved my life on several occasions. I could never have repaid such a great debt. Had he remained unharmed, I would have married him sooner or later. All I have done now is what should have been done." Xin Ruyin extended one slender, porcelain-white wrist, gently tucking a strand of hair from her forehead, and spoke with unwavering composure.
Hearing this, Han Li naturally had nothing further to say. Afterward, Xin Ruyin proceeded to recount to Han Li, in a quiet and sorrowful tone, the details of how Qi Yunxiao had been killed.
It turned out that for a period of time right after Han Li had departed, Qi Yunxiao and Xin Ruyin had heeded Han Li's warning and remained very cautious, rarely venturing outside. However, after two months, Xin Ruyin found herself desperately in need of an exceedingly rare material for her array research and had no choice but to make a trip to the nearby market district.