Han Li stood on a stone platform halfway up Wujun Mountain. At the far end of the broad platform, paved with mountain stones over thirty zhang in width, lay a massive hall completely concealed by a complex array of magical array—the "Yuelu Hall." This Yuelu Hall served as the dedicated repository for the formulas, books, and records of medicinal and magical techniques used in crafting artifacts and elixirs in Huangfeng Valley, and also provided various auxiliary tools and commonly used materials for alchemical and artisanal processes. It was thus one of the most important locations within the entire mountain sect. Consequently, the hall was protected by numerous intricate seals and layered magical arrays, and frequently had over a hundred disciples on duty nearby to guard against external threats. Even legends spoke of a senior master, in the Juandan stage of cultivation, who had been residing here year-round, ensuring that no superior adept could penetrate the hall unobserved. After mentally reviewing the relevant materials he had gathered, Han Li walked forward with calm assurance. When he had just landed here, he immediately sensed several watchful eyes scrutinizing him from the shadows, though perhaps due to the ordinary nature of Han Li's magical prowess, they soon settled down. Still, this fact alone surprised Han Li. If these individuals could render him unable to detect their positions, then either they possessed excellent magical artifacts capable of concealing their forms, or their own magical abilities surpassed his—indeed, they were all elite disciples at the twelfth level or above. How could Han Li not be even more cautious? After walking a few steps forward, he halted. Then, he softly recited several incantations, raised his hand, and a beam of red light shot out from his palm, striking the seemingly empty space ahead. Following a ripple of spatial disturbance, a glowing red barrier suddenly materialized in front of him. Immediately afterward, two disciples dressed in red robes appeared behind the barrier. "Did you cast the seal?" one of the red-robed disciples asked coldly. "Allow me, Han Li—this is..." "The name doesn't matter. Since you haven't reached the Foundation Stage, there must be a guarantor. Present the guarantor's token!" The disciple interrupted Han Li's explanation with impatience. Han Li, hearing the direct tone, remained calm and composed, withdrawing a jade tablet from his sleeve. He then placed it gently on the ground before him, through the luminous barrier. At that moment, the red-robed disciple who had been silent until now extended his hand toward the barrier, and a circular opening about the size of a palm appeared spontaneously. Meanwhile, the other red-robed disciple, who had not yet spoken, merely raised his hand slightly, and Han Li's jade tablet, as if it had grown wings, flew automatically through the small opening and landed in his hands. "Is Ma Senior your guarantor?" the red-robed disciple, after examining the tablet, asked, somewhat surprised. "Yes, it is indeed the token Ma Senior provided to me," Han Li replied honestly. Yet his heart raced with astonishment. These two red-robed disciples were young, yet both clearly at the Foundation Stage—something quite unexpected for him. After all, in the cultivation sects, rank and seniority were not determined by when one entered, but by one’s depth of cultivation stage. Indeed, the path of cultivation was always guided by the principle of "learning from the capable." In fact, when Han Li first decided to seek out a formula, he had specifically thought of Master Ma. Since the old man had cultivated so many medicinal herbs, he must surely have deep expertise in alchemy, and his collection of formulae was certainly no less valuable. Therefore, several months ago, while the old man was coming to collect herbs, Han Li gently hinted at his request. To Han Li's surprise, however, the old man immediately shook his head vigorously, as if shaking a drum, and firmly refused. According to Master Ma, all his formulae had been personally refined through countless failed attempts—he could never simply hand them over to others. It was absolutely impossible. When Han Li patiently explained that he only needed the original, unaltered formulas, Master Ma simply glanced at him with impatience and advised Han Li to go straight to the Yuelu Hall himself and find what he needed. Why bother him at all? Thus, Han Li had to offer a full year of unpaid labor to secure the elderly man's guarantee, which ultimately enabled his journey to the Yuelu Hall today. "Ah! So that's it! I thought Master Ma had suddenly changed his nature!" The two red-robed figures exchanged smiles upon hearing this, the one holding the jade tablet chuckling warmly as he said it aloud. "Come in!" At the same time, both red-robed figures cast a seal of magic upon the luminous wall, which was then forcefully pushed aside to form a passage one zhang wide—just enough for one person to pass through. Seeing this, Han Li could hardly hesitate; he flashed forward and stepped inside. However, what he found on the other side of the wall left him utterly astonished. Previously, due to the red luminous wall blocking his view, Han Li had been unable to see what lay within. Now, after entering, he was greeted by a bare mountain face—save for a small circular magical array—there was not a single building in sight. This completely baffled him. "Take good care of this jade token. Each time you come, you must still go through the routine inspection—this is the established custom here." After retrieving the spell from the luminous wall, the attendant returned the jade token to Han Li. "Thank you, both senior uncles!" Han Li shifted his gaze from side to side, making a sincere effort to appear respectful and courteous, hoping to leave a favorable impression on the two. After all, he would be visiting here frequently in the future. "Yes, follow me!" Clearly, Han Li's attentiveness had not gone unnoticed—the two now carried a more warm and pleasant demeanor. Most of the people who came here were peers of their own generation, so they naturally did not show such courtesy as Han Li did, which had helped win them both a favorable impression of him. "But, Han junior, how did you happen to come to the Yue Lu Hall? I must say, whether it's about establishing a furnace for refining pills or setting up a cauldron for crafting artifacts, the ideal candidate is usually at the Foundation Period level. Coming now seems rather premature!" "A red-clad figure casually inquired, as the two others, carrying Han Li, walked toward the circular magical array. "My younger disciple has only heard and observed many alchemical matters from Master Ma, and has gathered some raw materials while visiting the herb garden. Thus, I hoped to come here and see if I could find a suitable formula to prepare pills that would refine his strength—after all, Master Xiao's aptitude is rather average, and he truly relies on external support." Han Li's response was partly true and partly fabricated, deliberately falling slightly behind the two companions. "Ah, that's quite reasonable. Yet I suspect Master Xiao's expectations won't be very high—once you enter, you'll soon see what I truly intend." The other person gently shook his head, expressing little confidence in Han Li's mission. At that moment, the three had reached the circular array. Then, one of the red-clad figures instructed Han Li to stand at the center of the array, while the two companions positioned themselves on either side. "Originally, we were to charge a low-rank spiritual stone for using the teleportation array. However, since our nephew is visiting for the first time, we've decided to waive the fee this time. But next time, we'll strictly adhere to the rules." One of them smiled gently as they spoke. Immediately after, the two individuals skillfully cast a red glow onto the array, and several spiritual stones embedded in the array began to shine brightly. Before Han Li could even express his gratitude, he suddenly felt a sensation of dizziness, as if the world around him was spinning and blurring. Then, with a flash of light, Han Li found himself standing in a completely unfamiliar hall, with the same array standing beneath his feet. This was indeed the famed teleportation array—what a marvel! Han Li was in awe, marveling at the scene as the dizziness from the journey gradually subsided, and he began to take in the vastness of the hall.