Han Li was completely ignorant, insisting that all his current attainments had been earned through relentless cultivation. As for why his cultivation had progressed so swiftly, Han Li recounted to Wang Shishu a pre-prepared tale from his childhood—when he once accidentally consumed a strange fruit—attributing the phenomenon entirely to that event. This was precisely the excuse he had specially prepared for this very situation. Han Li knew that a lie must contain seven parts truth and three parts fiction to be believable. Therefore, the strange fruit he described was not entirely imagined, but rather a legendary celestial fruit known as the "Dragon Scale Fruit," which had been passed down through centuries. It was said that those who consumed it could undergo a complete transformation and ascend to heaven during the day. Whether such a fruit truly existed, however, Han Li could not say—he simply knew that no one had ever actually eaten it. Upon hearing Han Li's description of the fruit, the scholarly Wang Shishu's eyes lit up, and he immediately retrieved an ancient book titled "Records of Strange and Rare Objects," where he found the very "Dragon Scale Fruit" Han Li had mentioned, and asked him to verify it. By this point, Han Li naturally accepted the account, leaving the Wang Shishu marveling and praising him continuously. Han Li also informed him that once the fruit was harvested, the roots and leaves of the original plant would immediately wither and die, and even if one returned to the original location, no second fruit of the same kind would ever be found. Thus, the other party's desire to inquire about the origin and seek out the fruit would be completely extinguished, and their subsequent plans would be entirely blocked. As for whether this Wang Shisifu would truly grow greedy, believing fully and actively seeking for a second immortal fruit elsewhere—well, that would be entirely up to him. Let him busy himself with that! Moreover, Han Li was well aware that although Wang Shisifu appeared utterly enlightened and sincere before him, Han Li himself was not entirely confident whether this statement would truly convince the other party. It was likely that Wang Shisifu himself remained half-doubting, half-believing. Therefore, Han Li would continue to avoid and defer whenever possible, remain vigilant, and pay close attention to avoid being detected. Yet Han Li firmly believed that once he successfully achieved the Foundation Stage and entered the Foundation Period, his status would fundamentally change. Even if Wang Shisifu still harbored some doubts, he would surely not lightly trouble him—after all, in the immortal realm, strength ultimately speaks. Thus, after finally managing to deflect the issue of his cultivation technique, Wang Shishu, seemingly grateful for the recent flurry of activity involving Han Li, showed no hesitation or difficulty in handling his paperwork. She easily completed all the formalities and offered several reminders about the preparations needed for the journey to the sacred sanctuary, urging him to make early arrangements. Han Li expressed his gratitude profusely before bidding farewell. After two years of getting to know him, he now understands this elderly man—though somewhat eccentric, he is actually warm-hearted, merely deeply immersed in the art of elixir cultivation. Now that he is treating him so respectfully, it clearly indicates that Master Ma has regarded him as a nephew or cousin. This makes Han Li feel rather touched. To be honest, after "Master Lu" was eliminated by Han Li, a small stir indeed arose within Huangfeng Valley. Though still not at the Foundation stage, Master Lu was a rare disciple with an unusual spiritual root and thus received considerable attention from the upper echelons of the valley. However, upon her return, "Master Chen"—for reasons unknown—never mentioned the events of that night, remaining completely silent on the matter. As a result, "Master Lu," who had vanished for an extended period, was officially treated as a missing person. After extensive inquiries throughout the valley and prolonged search efforts, with no trace found, the matter gradually faded into obscurity. Such sudden disappearances of disciples were not unprecedented—Master Lu was far from the first, nor the last. Once the initial attention subsided, no one in Huangfeng Valley ever spoke of her again, as if she had never existed at all. This development brought Han Li a sense of relief, yet also a quiet, lingering chill. Indeed, it is true that many cultivators are people who have severed emotional ties and renounced desires. Should one of them vanish unexpectedly, the reaction within the sect would surely not be as dramatic as this! Most likely, they would simply forget about him in a matter of moments, never bothering to inquire into his whereabouts. It has clearly been a wise decision to maintain a consistently low-key and cautious demeanor since joining the sect. After all, the cultivation path is long and full of unforeseen events; if such a cultivator were to stand out, making himself conspicuous through clumsy or self-centered actions, a low-ranking cultivator without a strong family background or influential connections would be vulnerable to being crushed by powerful forces along the way—so much so that the possibility of his reincarnation and a second chance at cultivation would be nearly nonexistent. Even once, Han Li, who had previously been skeptical of the concept of reincarnation and rebirth, now finds himself half-believing in it after experiencing the cultivation world. Master Chen's demeanor had clearly changed from before. It seemed the blow of her romantic betrayal had left a lasting impact—her expression now calm and composed, her features refined and elegant, radiating an air of cool, distant grace that made one feel unwelcome. Several young men, drawn by her beauty and eager to approach and chat, found themselves turning away in disappointment. As for the men themselves, perhaps they had grown a bit humble—this woman's aloofness not only preserved but actually enhanced her charm, adding a touch of subtle mystique that drew the attention of every male disciple around her. This allure far surpassed the once-soft, shy, and affectionate image she had displayed before Master Lu. Yet, Han Li found himself constantly gritting his teeth. There was no doubt now—another woman in the world had been transformed into someone who viewed men as venomous scorpions. Having endured the previous romantic betrayal, she would likely never again be gentle or open with men, and perhaps even intended to remain single for the rest of her life. This "Chen sister" did not recognize Han Li. After Han Li deliberately walked around her several times, he received only a cold, detached gaze—clearly, she regarded him as merely someone showing off. Han Li exhaled in relief; the mesmerizing power of the huán dān truly proved effective. She had left him with no impression at all, thus completely eliminating his last concern. Yet, recalling her passionate, glowing warmth and alluring figure that night, contrasted now with her current cold, composed demeanor, Han Li felt a lingering warmth and sense of regret. In fact, it was likely due to his own influence that she had decided to participate in this blood trial. With the foundation dān lost, she now had no other choice but to strive for foundation like Han Li himself. After all, this journey into the sanctuary remained the only path to securing a foundation dān. And the disciples from Huang Feng Gu attending this foray into the Sacred Zone truly boast strong strength and elite quality—there are no fewer than five or six at the peak of the thirteenth level alone. The rest of the disciples are mostly at the twelfth level, with "Chen Sister" representing the mid-level of that tier. Among the eleven-level disciples, only three remain. Aside from Han Li, there is also an elderly man with white hair and a young disciple in his late teens or early twenties, whose presence leaves Han Li feeling a deep chill. These three are likely the very ones traditionally designated as fillers or expendable recruits. By longstanding custom, no more than twenty-five low-level disciples from the seven great sects are allowed to enter the Sacred Zone—fewer is expected, never more. In past instances, the number simply wasn't sufficient, and often only a dozen or so participated in the Blood-Tinted Trials. This time, not only has the number reached its maximum, but so many elite disciples have also appeared. All these signs clearly indicate that this deep-hermit gathering mission will surpass previous standards and will surely see fewer survivors—fewer than a quarter of the original number. Faced with this expected scenario, Han Li could only curse under his breath and feel helpless. Without a doubt, these elite disciples have been granted special, higher rewards by the senior management of the sect, otherwise they would not have come here.