Lands were rather dim due to the dark curtains that hid the world from the sun. The clouds hung there in the heavens like an ominous warning of an incoming downpour.

Han Li was seated above his house's roof in the lotus position and looking towards the distance where a small flag slowly rose up the flag pole and fluttered. He could hear distant drumbeats too.

An Awakening Ceremony was going to take place. Han Li gently breathed in.

He could feel the world brimming with energy and vitality. Today was a day of Energy Abundance. It was like a wind that blows over at least once a month.

The energy of the world peaks and even depressed people would naturally feel more lighthearted today. It doesn't really affect the Awakening Stage cultivators or their talent.

But it was considered a lucky day. As for the Evolution Stage and higher-stage cultivators?

It was a day for them to absorb energy 10 times faster than normal. Some even travel along the Energy Abundance like following the wind to have faster cultivation.

But Han Li didn't mind about any of that. At the moment, his mother was with Liyue and they were both in the Ceremony area of Starlight Zone. Near the flagpole.

As he waited, he also tried taking out his own Spark and absorbing the Energy of the world surrounding him. But sadly, it didn't work.

Of course, by breathing alone, anyone with a Spark could absorb Energy, but there was no meaning to such Energy for Han Li.

That Energy can only fill the 1.5-meter radius and not expand it. Whereas, Lust converted into Energy could do exactly that.

It was like a different sort of Energy. It raised his potential itself as a living being.

That was why he wanted all the Lust Energy he could absorb. That was why Sparks which came in the same category as his own was somewhat unique.

All of the Sparks that came under the 'Life Dao' of the seven Great Daos could do that.

He nevertheless kept his spark active and that expanded his senses to 1.5 meters around himself. He couldn't see minor stuff like an ant's expression, but he could see anything in that distance like he had a pair of eyes there.

'I should absorb as much Lust Energy as I can and quickly make myself an Evolution Stage at least,' he pondered.

As someone who knew what the world was like, he knew being weak was a sin. Power should always be chased after.

Especially when his ambition was to control Life and Death.

Pondering about some things, suddenly, Han Li's head tilted to the side. A wan, yellow-faced elder was walking closer to his home with a paper in his hand. His actions were sneaky and his eyes were furtive. Seeing that no one was around, he quickly pasted the gum-soaked paper into the door and walked away like nothing had happened.

Han Li looked at him with a casual smile.

The smile the infamous Red-eyed demon of sacred lust was often said to have. From the top of the thatched roof, he had a great vantage point. There was no way for the man to see him but he could clearly see the man nervously move faster and faster the more distance he reached.

It was only natural that he was afraid. He was messing with one of the three Great Clans of the city. It was on the day of their Awakening Ceremony to boot.

Han Li didn't immediately follow him and calmly moved into his home. Reaching outside it, he casually took the gum-soaked paper and read its contents. A growing furrow on his forehead.

"Immediately come out of the Starlight Zone after you see this. Your mother is in our hands and we will return her if you bring the Black book she bought. Otherwise, we will send you her dissected corpse. Of course, we won't hesitate to enjoy her thoroughly before doing that. And I am warning you, we have our men on the lookout, If you try contacting the clan, your mother… You won't even know her fate."

Reading it, Han Li immediately frowned. His eyes became utterly cold for a split second before it calmed down.

This was not the same message he got in the last life. What changed? He was sure his mother was safe. Or he won't be this relaxed. But something was different from the last time.

'Are my actions affecting the future events subtly and changing things from how they should be?' he frowned more. 'I didn't do anything directly related to that merchant or the Raven Clan cultivator. What changed?'

Crumpling the paper in his hand, he walked forward. Following the path that Shan Shan had taken. He already had a plan on how to deal with these people, but he was now slightly confused.

Moving out of the Starlight Zone, Han Li soon reached the gateway to the outside world. The way out of Southern Lust City. But having reached there, he froze.

His mind raced and he immediately reached many conclusions. Unlike last time when he had gone out of the gateway — when there was only one Evolution Stage cultivator looking after it — there were two people this time.

One was the same gate guard who looked slightly burly and menacing. The other was an irritable young man who constantly made issues for the merchants entering and going out.

Han Li moved closer and looked at him for a long second. He was the first fiancee of Liyue. The young man who was supposedly talented enough to become an Evolution Stage.

Seeing Han Li, the young man obviously didn't figure out their connection, but irritably made trouble for him too. The black-haired, effeminate youth yelled out loud, "Hey, you? Where are you coming from? Do you don't know merchants come first in line? Why are you trying to use it before them? Huh?"

Han Li just stared at him with his red eyes. Calmly and calculatively. He asked with a similarly calm tone, "What is your name?"

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