After waking up, Han Li did not immediately step out of the tree hollow. His spiritual energy surged, restoring his magical power to the peak it had been before entering the sacred realm. The aches in his waist and legs had completely vanished, and he now felt exceptionally vigorous. After a thorough internal inspection, Han Li slowly opened his eyes, deeply satisfied. Only then did he rise to check the scrolls and magical artifacts stored in his storage pouches, making his final preparations. The several storage bags he had obtained from the bearded man and his companions the previous day had previously been overlooked by him; now, he carefully went through each one to see if any useful items could be found. To be honest, whether it was the storage bags belonging to the bearded man and his companions or those plundered from their journey, the scarcity and low quality of the magical artifacts within left Han Li speechless. Among the five storage bags, there were a total of twenty-three magical items—five of them of inferior quality, seven of medium quality, and eleven of superior quality. To his surprise, among all the storage bags, there were only two inferior magical artifacts and two mid-tier ones—no superior ones at all. This discovery left Han Li deeply puzzled and filled with admiration. The difference in the status of ordinary versus elite disciples was truly astonishing! With so many storage bags containing not a single top-tier artifact, it made perfect sense that the bearded man had been completely helpless when his "soil prison technique" trapped him, unable to escape and ultimately crushed by Han Li's "golden brick" strikes. Upon reflecting further on the superior artifacts held by Du Bao and Feng Yue, Han Li found himself utterly helpless in the face of the humble equipment of ordinary disciples. It now made sense why others, upon seeing his relatively modest cultivation techniques, instinctively assumed him weak and vulnerable, without even considering the quality of his magical artifacts. Indeed, ordinary disciples simply did not possess many high-quality artifacts! Now, Han Li finally understood why, during the council meeting in Huangfeng Valley, so many disciples had been so excited when it was announced that top-tier artifacts were to be distributed. It seems that Huangfeng Valley, their own home, has been quite generous toward these ordinary disciples! After all, they're willing to bestow dozens of upper-tier spiritual artifacts to boost their morale. Yet Han Li had underestimated the situation. Even among the elite disciples dispatched by various sects on their journey to the sacred realm, the number of those possessing top-tier artifacts remains extremely scarce. Disciples like Duobao, who carry top-tier artifacts on their person, are rare—most of them being individuals of distinguished lineage. Ordinary elite disciples simply cannot compare. For Han Li, who himself possesses three or four top-tier artifacts, he has already become a true source of admiration among the elite. Indeed, before reaching the Condensation Stage, aside from "spiritual seals," top-tier artifacts were the most powerful assets in any disciple's arsenal. Each additional top-tier artifact could dramatically enhance one's capabilities. When Han Li was in Huangfeng Valley, he had interacted with so few of his fellow disciples that he only had a vague understanding of the affairs within the immortal cultivation world. He subconsciously believed that all elite disciples were equipped with an abundance of top-tier artifacts. This was quite understandable—since, following his fierce battle with his "Lu senior brother," every opponent he encountered had been wielding top-tier artifacts. This experience led him to develop the mistaken impression that top-tier artifacts were not rare at all. Now, although he has come to realize that ordinary disciples often lack adequate equipment, he still hasn't fully grasped the true value of top-tier artifacts. To Han Li, this situation—whether it's a blessing or a curse—remains uncertain. As for lower and mid-grade artifacts, he had simply overlooked them and never considered using them. He tested each of the upper-grade artifacts and ultimately selected three that offered the greatest power and practicality, setting them aside as his backup items: a blue-bladed flying knife, a golden cymbal, and an emerald pot. These were the items he particularly favored. The flying dagger and the golden bowl are purely offensive magical implements—nothing special about them. But the jade pot is rare, indeed, a less common auxiliary magical item. From it, a green, misty toxin can be sprayed, enveloping the enemy and causing them to fall ill and perish. At first hearing, its function seems quite promising. Yet in reality, it's a rather mediocre item. For all five elemental shields can effectively block out the toxin mist, preventing the cultivators from actually being poisoned. Had it not been for Han Li's belief that the green mist could temporarily obscure the enemy's vision, causing them some inconvenience, he would never have chosen this implement. After tidying up everything on his person, Han Li estimated the time and quietly slipped out of the tree hollow, then proceeded steadily in the direction he had chosen. Flying directly into the ring-shaped mountain after dispersing the mist would be impossible—such a move would draw the attention of countless flying beasts, resulting in being surrounded and ultimately killed. Yet over the years, several safe pathways leading into the craters have been discovered. Han Li headed straight for the nearest one. The entrance wasn't far off—he reached the spot described in the records within just a short while. In the area directly facing the thick mist where Fan Li had settled, wild trees and tangled grasses grew everywhere, hiding several people without any issue. Although Fan Li hadn't spotted any other presence around him, he knew for certain that others must be present—after all, the only paths leading up the mountain were just these few. Yet, as the moment of entering the mountain approached, no one had yet taken notice of his arrival. A moment later, the light column suddenly vanished, leaving only the massive luminous sphere floating in the sky. However, the sphere's existence was surprisingly brief—within a breath, it began to warp and distort, its surface rippling and forming deep indentations and bulges, much like a ball of dough. This sight left Han Li utterly stunned, his mouth open wide, as if he had forgotten to close it. As more and more luminous spheres came into contact with the thick mist, the entire fog zone transformed into a spectacular, tumultuous scene—waves of mist constantly swirling and boiling, as if a colossal beast were engaged in a desperate struggle, fighting for its final breath. Han Li stared at everything without blinking, for the first time ever witnessing the true power of an advanced divine artifact. Overwhelmed by awe, he felt deep admiration and yearning within him. After a fierce battle with the luminous spheres, the mist gradually thinned, revealing the towering, imposing silhouette of the ring-shaped mountain for the first time to Han Li and his companions. "How majestic!" echoed the exclamations of those who had finally caught sight of the ring-shaped mountain—Han Li was no exception. The section of the ring-shaped mountain directly in front of Han Li indeed rose impressively high. Looking upward, the mountain soared to a height of a thousand zhang, its peak now lost in the clouds, its towering cliffs and bizarre rocks visible everywhere. Dense groves of colossal trees, too thick to embrace with two arms, spread throughout the entire mountain. What struck one as even more astonishing was that the rugged, perilous terrain on both sides of the mountain stretched continuously into the distance, seemingly without end. However, on the side facing Han Li and his companions, the mountain ridge was remarkably gentle, far less steep than in other directions—this clearly marked the path upward. At that moment, faint roars of wild beasts echoed from within the mountain, their voices fierce and haunting, sending shivers down one's spine. Han Li stood motionless, lost in thought. With a sudden "whoosh," a yellow human figure shot forth from the grassy area beside Han Li, like an arrow, and vanished into the dark mountain mass. This sudden movement instantly awakened the senses of all those concealed, prompting several others to leap out and rush forward together. Just as they were about to enter the forest, the group slightly increased their distance and slipped into the ring-shaped mountain from different points! Han Li remained behind, intending to observe whether others would choose the same path into the mountain as himself.