Han Li's lips twitched slightly, and he inwardly cursed, yet his tightly closed eyes reluctantly opened. Though his inner power was still a little short of full strength, with someone now approaching, he dared not maintain his composed posture and continue meditating—especially without knowing the identity of the visitor! Since all the Huangfenggully disciples had been subjected to a special binding technique performed by Master Zhong Lingdao prior to departure, enabling them to sense the positions of their fellow disciples within a certain range—though this effect was only valid for ten days. This was specifically designed to allow the disciples to support one another and significantly enhance their chances of success. It is said that disciples from other sects had also been granted similar magical enhancements. Faced with this situation, Han Li glanced at the young woman with a composed expression. He recognized her—she was a fellow disciple who had shared time with Chen sister—though aside from her striking physical presence, her appearance was quite ordinary. After calmly observing her earnest plea, Han Li did not immediately rush to descend from the tree with impatience. Instead, he carefully studied the white figure approaching through the narrow gaps between the leaves. Whether or not to rescue her, he intended to first assess the strength and depth of the visitor's magical abilities before making any decision. He certainly did not wish to risk his life for a stranger he had never met. If White Shadow's power were ordinary, Han Li would naturally step forward without hesitation and defeat her, making a classic "hero rescuing a beauty." But if her power were truly profound and astonishing, Han Li would have to decide whether to join forces with his fellow disciples beneath the tree to repel the attack, or whether to immediately flee. To be safe, however, he still placed his hand on his storage pouch, drawing out the artifact "Jin Fu Zi Mu Rend," defensive scroll, and neatly wrapping the nameless silk thread around his fingers. Though she spoke these words to the yellow-robed woman beneath the tree, her gaze constantly shifted upward toward the tree, revealing a subtle sense of caution—clearly not as confident as she claimed, still mindful of the one hidden above. Having easily assessed the depth of her opponent’s cultivation,韩立 felt a great relief in his heart. Yet, he remained puzzled—this female colleague of his, also at the twelfth level of cultivation, had been pursued so desperately. Could it be that she possessed some special technique or a particularly powerful artifact? As he pondered this, the white-robed woman emitted a cold sigh, then swept her sleeves outward—two beams of white light shot forth, swiftly heading toward the yellow-robed woman. “Brother, save me! My artifacts have been completely destroyed—I can no longer withstand the attack!” the yellow-robed woman gasped, her face pale. Just as she finished speaking, two beams of golden light burst from the tree’s canopy, intercepting the white light mid-flight and engaging in a fierce struggle. It was Han Li who activated the "Jin Fu Zi Mu Reng" in his hands, and the two beams of golden light were merely two of the subsidiary blades. The yellow-robed woman beamed with satisfaction and finally calmed down. Han Li had decided to intervene for two reasons: first, he found the white-robed woman not particularly formidable, and believed he could handle her; second, he wanted to secure a helper for the journey ahead, so as not to feel isolated when facing enemies. After all, even a fellow disciple with a twelve-layer cultivation technique could surely make a difference in future conflicts. "At last, you're willing to step in! I thought you'd remain silent all along!" the white-robed woman remarked with a mocking smile, showing no surprise. Yet, as she raised her hand, a massive ball of fire surged toward the tree canopy. A thunderous roar echoed, and the upper half of the great tree erupted in red light, turning to ash within moments. Yet still, no one emerged from the scene, which left the white-robed woman momentarily stunned. "Such a powerful fireball scroll! You truly spared no expense!" Suddenly, Han Li emerged from behind the half-charred trunk, smiling faintly. "The eleventh floor?" The white-robed woman was first startled, then grew disdainful. The yellow-robed woman, who had just relaxed, immediately grew anxious, silently cursing her misfortune. She had expected a senior master from within the sect, not a novice disciple whose magical prowess was still inferior to her own. "If you had simply stayed in the background, quietly observing, perhaps I might have been lenient. But since you've intervened, then let us both share the same fate—two souls bound together in fate!" The white-robed woman's brows drew taut, her tone now cold and stern, transforming her originally graceful features into a fierce expression. Han Li smiled gently, remained silent, and skillfully directed the clash of the golden blades, while casually advancing toward her. "Stop! What do you intend to do?" The white-robed woman nimbly shouted, lifting her hand to cast a defensive spell that formed a shimmering shield. At that moment, Han Li was only twenty or so paces away from her—something he now deeply regretted. Previously, after effortlessly defeating a disciple of Tian Que Fort using transparent silk threads, Han Li had grown particularly fond of this tactical approach. When he saw the white-robed woman hadn't activated a defensive spell while on the tree branch, he immediately decided to recreate that very scene. Yet, unfortunately, the woman had been remarkably vigilant, sensing the anomaly early and sealing this crucial gap. Han Li could only look up in admiration, realizing how much more cautious women truly were. With the clever maneuver failing, he now had no choice but to launch a direct assault. After a moment of disappointment, Han Li said nothing, simply casting his defensive spell, then gently shaking the mother-blade. From his storage pouch, six identical golden blades swiftly emerged and surged toward the woman with determined force. The yellow-robed woman, seeing the incantation device in Han Li's hands seemed no ordinary thing, instantly revived her fading resolve and immediately cast a scroll, transforming it into a long, serpentine flame that surged toward the oncoming attack. The white-robed woman chuckled coldly, gently lifting her jade hand, and a small mirror, no larger than a palm, appeared in her grasp. She lightly touched the mirror to it, and a cascade of emerald light erupted, enveloping the incoming golden blades and fiery serpents, causing them to spin in midair, suspended as if magically restrained. Han Li's eyes nearly bulged! What kind of device was this? How astonishing! It could even halt others' incantations and spells—how could they possibly fight now? "Brother, don't worry," the yellow-robed woman, sensing his astonishment, quickly reassured him, "her device can only immobilize a single area at a time, and each effect lasts only half an hour. After that, it will fade and need to be reactivated." Hearing this, Han Li finally felt at ease. But the next words from the female fellow immediately sent his heart racing again. "Moreover, this woman is a descendant of a senior monk from Yan Yue Sect, endowed with many peculiar artifacts. Brother, you'd better be especially cautious!"