"I'll also continue with a few of them," Red Lotus Monk was quite decisive. "Good! Good! Brother Han, have you made up your mind?" The Daoist was delighted and turned to ask Han Li. Upon hearing this, Han Li hesitated. By principle, as a newcomer, staying with this small group should be the best choice. Yet for some reason, he felt something was amiss—there was a strong sense that if he truly committed now, he would surely regret it later. "I'll make my decision after the Trade Fair concludes. I'm not in a hurry!" Han Li smiled, deciding to delay his decision. "Huh!" Han Li's words clearly surprised the others, leaving Qing Wen and the others momentarily stunned. "What's there to hesitate about, Brother Han? As independent practitioners, we only grow stronger when we stay together. Moreover, I'm truly delighted that you noticed my secret technique—how could I not be eager to practice and exchange skills with you in the days ahead?" Wu Jiu expressed some mild dissatisfaction. Huan Li listened quietly to the young man's words without showing any irritation, merely smiling in silence. "Ah, Huan brother hasn't committed yet—of course, he doesn't intend to join us on this journey. He merely wants to consider it, which is quite natural!" the Qingwen Daoist quickly offered his advice. "Indeed, Qingwen Master's words have touched my heart. I do have some unspoken reasons, which is why I've been so cautious!" Huan Li seemed deeply grateful to Qingwen, his expression conveying genuine sincerity. "Then, I must have been a bother!" The young man felt as though he were being treated as an outsider, and grew increasingly displeased. Qingwen Daoist smiled gently, with the patient, tolerant demeanor of an elder brother toward a younger sibling, silently expressing his apology to Huan Li. Huan Li naturally didn't mind the matter at all. Since the issue had now been settled, everyone began to rise and prepare to depart. Huan Li also found an empty room on the second floor and settled in for the night. On the second day, besides the monk and Han Li, everyone else stepped out of the attic and went to their stalls together. At that moment, the monk continued reciting sutras in the hall on the first floor, while Han Li sat indoors, gently tracing the edges of a stack of scrolls with his fingers, lost in thought. "These so-called beginner, lower-rank scrolls indeed emit a faint glow—clearly quite different from ordinary secular scrolls. It seems either the materials themselves are special, or some specific spellwork is required to infuse them," Han Li mused. He took out the scrolls, intending to put his previously learned "Stabilizing the Mind Technique" into practice. Yet suddenly, he realized that the technique for drawing the stabilizing light effect seemed to depend not only on the scrolls but also on a brush and mercury ink—items that, in the stalls of cultivators, were apparently available for sale. Could it be that such items could not be ordinary ones, but had to be specially crafted by cultivators themselves? With this thought, Han Li found himself unable to sit still in the room. He decided to go find another monk—after all, as a novice in the cultivation realm, his lack of experience was bound to become evident, so why not simply go directly and ask openly. "Your understanding is correct," said the monk Kusang calmly after listening to Han Li's questions. "To successfully draw a spiritual seal, besides using specially prepared seal paper made from unique materials, one must also use cinnabar prepared from the blood of spirit-beasts infused with qi. As for the brush, it depends on the circumstances!" "Master Kusang, what exactly do you mean by 'depending on the circumstances'?" Han Li sat cross-legged opposite the monk, asking seriously, with no hesitation at all. "The brushes we use to draw spiritual seals can be made from the spirit-hairs of spirit-beasts, or from certain rare earthly treasures such as charcoal brushes. These options can enhance both the success rate and the power of the seal. However, if such resources are unavailable, even ordinary, mundane brushes from the mortal world will suffice—though the success rate of creating the seal will then be quite low." "The monk gently shook his head, clearly disapproving of Han Li's final method of creating the seal. "Thank you so much for your guidance, Master! Then I'll go see if there's any chance to obtain a seal pen!" Han Li stood up and bowed respectfully to the monk. "May your journey be smooth!" The monk closed his eyes once again, immersing himself in his meditation. It seems today he must venture out—after all, he remembered that both the pen and the cinnabar were not cheap, probably costing six or seven low-tier spiritual stones. Would he really have to sell the newly acquired "Flight Seal" just to make it work? As he walked, Han Li pondered these thoughts, stepping out of the attic and heading toward the marketplace. It was still morning, so the number of cultivators on the road was modest, not particularly sparse. Yet, it seemed their destinations were all heading toward the marketplace—clearly, most of them were like the Taoist practitioners, setting up stalls. "Look! What a magnificent bird!" one male cultivator suddenly exclaimed. Then, a massive shadow swept past the heads of the cultivators on this path, including Han Li. Han Li was startled and quickly raised his head. There, a strange two-headed bird the size of a calf was flying overhead. This creature resembled an eagle but was not quite one—its feathers were gray, its wings spread several dozen feet wide, and it possessed two sharp, sickle-shaped claws beneath its body. On its neck, two bald, fierce bird heads each had four small eyes glowing faintly green. What a fearsome creature! "Was there a cultivation family outside the great sects still maintaining a Dan-Stage cultivator?" someone exclaimed. "Not this Yan family, or another Yan family? I arrived earlier than you all, so I've seen this 'double-headed duck' once. I also know that this Yan family has sent both a brother and a sister to compete in the Heavenly Ascension Assembly's match arena!" Another cultivator proudly announced. "Wait a minute! The Yan family is actually sending representatives to the Heavenly Ascension Assembly? They never did before! This means they're definitely taking up two of the spots!" "Exactly! What if they meet the Yan siblings on the arena stage—then we'd be in serious trouble!" ... The cultivators' faces had grown increasingly displeased, with several even sighing in resignation. Han Li, however, remained silent, calmly watching the strange bird recede into the distance. From its appearance, the bird clearly matched the strange eagle that the iron ox had previously encountered, and the two celestial figures must be the Yan siblings. Han Li Zheng pondered thoughtfully, while the nearby immortals, after this minor disturbance, resumed their own activities. In the end, he smiled gently and moved on with ease. Now, the square was bustling with people—though not as lively as it had been last night, it was certainly lively enough. Han checked the several vials of pills still remaining in his pocket and decided to see if he could exchange them for something else. This time, instead of entering through the original entrance, he cut through from the other end of the square, intending to start his exploration from that side. Along the way, his eyes constantly scanned the surroundings, taking in the various materials, talismans, and some odd-looking magical devices, which left him overwhelmed. Suddenly, his steps halted at a particular stall. He gazed intently at a modestly sized book displayed there, lost in thought. The price tag on the book read: *The Spring Longevity Technique*, a foundational cultivation method of the Wood attribute, priced at two lower-tier spiritual stones. "I'll take this book!" Han Li slowly bent down, picked it up, flipped through it briefly, then looked up at the vendor with a calm expression.