As Han Li climbed onto a dense, towering tree at the outer edge of the forest to restore his strength, the first peak of violence during the Blood Trial erupted throughout the sanctuary. Various powerful figures revealed their teeth and began a sweeping purge of the weaker ones nearby. The more central the location, the more frequent and bloody the killings became. Of course, when two equally strong "masters" encountered each other, they often passed by silently, showing remarkable mutual respect—this was not yet the time for them to clash. Indeed, the disciples from various sects within the sanctuary can generally be categorized into three groups. One group consists of those with extremely weak capabilities, whose cultivation techniques are only at the eleventh or tenth level. Their reasons for entering the sanctuary vary—some were driven by unavoidable circumstances and had no choice but to come, while others harbored hopes of simply blending in and surviving without standing out. Regardless of their intentions, they all found themselves at the very bottom of the Blood Trial, destined to be the ones being killed. Often, just after the first day of the forbidden zone, those with weaker capabilities—except for the most alert or those with special self-defense measures—would be eliminated by others. Of course, figures like Han Li, who could rely on their unique treasures to directly confront the strongest contenders, were rare exceptions! The second group consisted of individuals like the man with a beard, whose magical prowess was solid but who still considered their overall strength significantly inferior to that of other elite practitioners, knowing they had little chance of securing a rare artifact. Rather than risking their lives against the top-tier masters within the zone to obtain medicinal herbs, they focused instead on the first group and similar individuals, aiming to strike quietly and seize treasures, thereby achieving substantial gains without much fanfare. These individuals were particularly active during the first two days of the blood trial, but starting from the third day, the successful ones would gradually vanish from the zone, no longer making appearances. They were well aware that the final three days would be the period of intense, fierce battles among the elite, and any encounter during this time would surely prove fatal for them, as mid-tier practitioners like themselves. Of course, some individuals display arrogance or lack a clear understanding of their own capabilities, rushing headlong into the fierce competition for the elixirs and ultimately meeting with complete demise. However, the majority manage to act promptly and withdraw in time, often proving to be the survivors in the bloodiest trials. It is indeed ironic that the most powerful contenders perish early on. The last group, however, is the smallest of all. They occupy the very apex of the pyramid—elite youths sent by each sect to enter the sacred grounds, truly entrusted with high hopes by the upper echelons of their respective sects. The other disciples, in contrast, serve merely as expendable pawns to draw attention from rival sects. These elite members possess profound magical prowess and are equipped with powerful, top-tier artifacts. Their sole objective is clear: to eliminate members of other sects and secure a sufficient quantity of elixirs. And this large-scale slaughter, initiated precisely under their mutual understanding and without any prior coordination, was carried out specifically to eliminate the more opportunistic, less committed characters who sought to muddy the waters and obstruct their progress, creating unnecessary complications. Moreover, they were neither anxious nor alarmed by the fact that someone had already entered the central district earlier. After all, while entry was easy, exiting with the elixirs proved far more difficult! The slaughter continued unabated, yet since Han Li still had some distance from the central area, he remained unscathed as he recovered his magical energy. Others, however, were far less fortunate than Han Li—many were caught in the midst of the violence, desperately striving to break free and merely survive. Among them was Xiao Er of the Huadao Workshop. Now, Xiao Er's face was pale, his eyes filled with fear, gazing at the man across from him—a barefoot, red-clad giant carrying a massive silver sword. It was this man who, in front of Xiao Er, had already defeated two other members of the Hua Dao Wu gathering together. Under the silver great sword of the Great Han, no matter how superior the magical artifacts or defensive shields, they seemed utterly vulnerable—each one shattered like thin paper, until even the bodies were cleaved in two. However, precisely because of the distractions caused by the other members, Xiao Er managed to escape, fleeing in disarray. Yet, unfortunately, the Great Han showed no intention of letting him go, pursuing him relentlessly for several hours until finally blocking him here—leaving him utterly hopeless. "If I choose to take my own life, I will ensure you receive a full body," the Great Han said, his gaze cold and expressionless. "You... you die!" With his fate sealed, Xiao Er, driven by desperation, unleashed his final strength, expelling all of his two superior magical artifacts at once. "Stupid!" The Han man spoke sparingly, then launched his silver greatsword skyward from his back, effortlessly shattering the two magical artifacts with a single blow and severing Xiao Er in two. After completing this, he glanced neither at the lifeless body of Xiao Er nor at the storage satchel left behind, turning immediately and walking away without so much as a glance. To him, the silver greatsword alone was sufficient—any additional artifacts would only distract him and hinder his cultivation. After witnessing the other's maneuvers, the woman felt utterly unsteady. "Very well," said a young man in his late teens, dressed in a light blue robe, with a clear complexion, bright red lips, and a refined appearance—elegant and graceful. As he spoke, he held two flying daggers suspended in midair, then smiled gently at the woman. The woman from Yan Yue Sect was overjoyed, quickly casting her flirtatious glances at the man. After a brief hesitation, she slowly lowered her handkerchief, bringing it to her hands, then straightened her posture, ready to speak. Unfortunately, before she could open her lips, the young man suddenly grew stern, his fingers sharply pointing at her. The two crimson flying daggers immediately slashed downward like thunder, and the woman fell silently to the ground, her blood spreading across the floor. "Lowly wretch! With your ordinary, unremarkable grace, do you dare to bewitch me, Han Hanxia?" The young man's expression turned dismissive, his voice now sharp and tinged with irritation. Then, he pulled out a fragrant handkerchief from his waist, gently wiping the dust from his face with delicate, graceful movements—so tender and refined, as though a lady of noble birth. "We should hurry along; perhaps we'll meet a few companions on the way to cheer us up!" He murmured to himself, then casually tossed the now-wiped handkerchief onto the woman's face before turning and swaying away. But he didn't bother to inquire into the details. He simply sat motionless atop the tree canopy, allowing his inner qi to gradually fill and enrich. Time passed swiftly, and by the time the first night within the sanctuary had passed half-way, Han Li was surprised to find that the night here was as bright as daytime, with the sky always remaining a dull, gray hue—somewhat unpleasing to the eyes. Just as Han Li was pleased with the recovery of his inner qi, a sudden rush of footsteps and heavy breathing approached from afar, steadily drawing nearer—clearly someone was running toward the tree where Han Li was meditating.