Yet, Han Li was also somewhat puzzled. Though he was not particularly skilled in this technique, the "Divine Eye Technique," which every immortal cultivator mastered, was essentially the most fundamental spell. If there was a significant difference in magical cultivation levels between two cultivators, using the Divine Eye Technique to gaze directly into the other's eyes could cause the recipient to lose mental composure and fall into a passive defensive position during combat. Even other types of mind-affecting spells primarily relied on a substantial gap in magical cultivation levels to forcibly control the opponent's mind. Dong Xuan'er was at the early stage of Foundation, while the handsome man was at the mid-stage of Foundation. According to normal expectations, such a minor difference in level should never result in one being instantly subdued simply by making eye contact—this seemed utterly absurd. Unless the other party was a condensed-stage cultivator specializing in such mind-affecting spells, which would make it somewhat plausible. But considering the handsome man's demeanor and his resentful expression upon departure, it certainly did not seem to fit at all! It was absolutely impossible that any Jin Dan stage cultivator had feigned himself as a Zhu Ji stage cultivator to play a trick on them. With this thought, Han Li finally felt a genuine sense of reassurance. After all, he had taken the time to truly notice the bitter expression the handsome man had worn when he left. When Han Li lifted his gaze from his contemplation, he just happened to see Dong Xuan'er and the two others now engaged in sweet, affectionate banter—having completely forgotten the delicate, plaintive demeanor they had displayed earlier. Seeing this, Han Li sighed quietly and, as he rose to leave, intended to head back to his room. Yet, just as he placed his palm on the wooden door, before fully opening it, a clear, resonant voice from outside the inn suddenly reached him. "Ladies and gentlemen within the inn, listen closely. The upcoming treasure-hunting competition will be held in two separate groups. Our domestic cultivators will gather on the western mountain peak of Yanling Fort, while the foreign cultivators will convene on the eastern mountain peak. Please attend promptly at dawn tomorrow; those who arrive late will be deemed to have automatically withdrawn from the competition." The voice repeated outside the inn three times before the person seemed to finally depart. Han Li was momentarily startled by this, but then shrugged and pushed open the door, walking back to his room. While he found it somewhat unexpected that the two nations' cultivators were being pitted against each other in competition, he didn't perceive anything amiss. After all, if cultivators from the seven sects and those from other nations competed together, numerous complications would inevitably arise. This sense of exclusivity is universal—evident even in the tense standoff witnessed at the tea house that day. As he pondered these thoughts, Han Li settled onto his bed, folded his legs, and prepared to meditate and refine his qi throughout the night, in preparation for the treasure-hunting competition tomorrow. … Meanwhile, on the western mountain peak of Yanling Pavilion, several dozen green-robed disciples of the Gui Ling Sect were busy at the summit, occasionally burying items beneath the ground. The young master of Gui Ling Sect and two cultivators at the Jian Dan stage hovered in the air above, observing the scene with calm detachment. "How is it going? With the temporary Yin Fire Array weakened so much, will it still be effective?" the young master suddenly asked. "Please rest assured, Master! There's absolutely no issue. Though it's only a temporary array, with us brothers overseeing it, the effect of trapping the enemy will still be noticeable. Of course, if there are cultivators at the Ji Guan stage or those wielding particularly powerful artifacts, that would be a different matter. But for the majority of the cultivators, they will certainly be unable to escape." The elder among the Li brothers cleared his throat several times, his voice slightly trembling. "Yes, now I'm truly at ease!" The Twelve Ghostly Guardians I brought with me aren't just there to watch—by themselves, they're more than capable of handling a few of the escaped ones!" The young master of the Ghostly Gate spoke with complete confidence. Upon hearing this, Li's two brothers nodded in agreement and said nothing further. In truth, if it weren't for the need to preserve the intact souls and essences of these cultivators, they would have easily eliminated several Foundation-level cultivators—no doubt a minor matter at all. How could they possibly need such elaborate measures? Li and his brother thought with pride. ...Deep within the secret chamber of Huangfeng Valley in the Taiyue Mountain Range, some seven or eight Dan-stage cultivators gathered, listening intently to a white-bearded, yellow-robed elder whose words stirred waves of tension among them—each person's expression shifting from anxious to somber, depending on what he said. Master Li Hua Yuan, Red Fushen, and the plump elder Lei Wanhe were all present, each of them equally uneasy. Not long after, once the cultivators from the sealed chamber emerged, the entire Huangfeng Valley erupted into excitement. Flying scrolls buzzed through the sky, while cultivators at lower levels hurriedly took to their vehicles and soared through the air. Soon afterward, groups of hastily assembled cultivators departed at night from various parts of the valley, heading off toward unknown destinations. This very scene unfolded simultaneously across the other six sects, with messengers constantly shuttling between them, as if the entire Xu State's cultivation world had suddenly become charged with martial tension. Over the following several days, each of the country's major and minor families received a summons jointly signed by the heads of the seven sects, calling for their outstanding disciples to report for duty—any family refusing would face the complete extermination of its lineage by the enforcement squad composed of cultivators from the seven sects. Naturally, the summons delivered to the Yan family three days later arrived too late, as the Yan family had already been abandoned and its halls empty. …Han Li and the seven sect cultivators from Yanling Fort, having been too distant from their respective sects, naturally were unaware of what had transpired. Thus, on the second morning, as the sky began to lighten, several cultivators arrived early at the small mountain peak to the west. There, a massive cultivation array had already been erected, within which two middle-aged men dressed in Yan family attire were seated in meditation. Behind the array stood a modest earthen platform, upon which several Yan family members, partially veiled by mist, were gathered, discussing among themselves—clearly waiting until all the cultivators had gathered before the formal assembly would begin. Han Li had also reached the mountain peak. He had not come out with Dong Xuan'er, but had instead taken the habit of stepping forward first. On the mountain, he encountered the Ba-family middle-aged man who had also arrived early. The two naturally began to chat casually. "Brother Ba, what is the purpose of this cultivation array? Do you know?" Han Li examined the massive array several times, always finding it somewhat intrusive. After chatting a bit, he asked the other person, "Pardon me, I'm not very familiar with such magical arrays! But I'd guess it's some kind of protective seal or barrier—after all, when our foundational-level cultivators truly engage in combat, they'd definitely need to be confined within a certain range; otherwise, this small mountain would surely be overwhelmed by our repeated efforts!" The Ba-named cultivator stroked his chin, speaking with casual confidence. "Ah, that makes perfect sense!" Han Li nodded in agreement, though he still subtly sensed an undercurrent of unease emanating from the array—something entirely independent of his own cultivation level, purely a gut feeling. Han Li furrowed his brows and glanced around. By now, thirty or so cultivators had arrived. The Daoist couple from Qingxi Sect and the Fang-named woman from Tianque Fort, whom he knew, had all arrived and were now gathering in small groups, chatting and exchanging greetings. "Han brother, let's also go and say hello! Look, Wufa and the others are all there!" The Ba-named cultivator glanced at where the others had gathered and smiled, suggesting to Han Li. "Ba brother, go on—no need for me to join you! I still have a few things to attend to, so I won't disturb you all." Han Li gently shook his head, unwilling to join such a large group, as he felt too conspicuous. Though slightly puzzled, the Ba-named cultivator shrugged and walked off on his own. After all, opportunities to meet so many fellow disciples from his own sect at once were not common, and he certainly wouldn't want to miss them. Seeing the Ba-named cultivator depart, Han Li didn't stay put either. Instead, he naturally moved to a quiet, remote corner farthest from the magical array and settled there, observing the movements of the other cultivators with a calm, detached gaze. Half an hour later, Dong Xuaner and the Feng elder finally arrived at the scene. Moreover, once he joined the group of disciples all from Huangfenggully, he soon became at ease and warmed up warmly with those several male disciples. Yet Yan Yu, who had been closely accompanying him from the beginning, had vanished without a trace, which surprised Han Li. The young master of Gui Ling Sect didn't hesitate at all—he issued the order with overwhelming killing intent.