"Hmph! You've sneaked into the house—either you're a traitor or a thief! How dare you act all mysterious and divine? Look, I'll show you..." The old Taoist, perhaps accustomed these days to the flattery from the court officials, had his face freeze when he instinctively cast his heavenly eye spell upon Han Li. His expression then turned pale. "Um... are you a senior cultivator at the Foundation Stage?" He stammered, eyes filled with disbelief. "Didn't you just use a spell to examine him?" Han Li smoothed his expression, calmly replied. "Senior, please don't mind. I've never seen a cultivator at the Foundation Stage before. The highest level I've encountered has been a Qi Stage cultivator at the eleventh or twelfth level. I simply cannot determine your cultivation level. All I know is that your cultivation is truly profound and beyond measure!" Seeing this, the old Taoist quickly extinguished the fire ball in his hand, hurried forward to bow, and explained repeatedly, his face bright with apology and careful politeness. Han Li, seeing the elderly Daoist, did not display the apprehension that the Xiao-family elder had shown, but instead subtly revealed excitement, his mind momentarily startled. However, after a brief moment of reflection, he quickly grasped the elder's underlying intentions. This white-haired Daoist, of such advanced age, still hovering at the sixth level of Qi cultivation, was likely either a self-taught practitioner or one with subpar innate potential—thus, having remained largely disconnected from more accomplished cultivators. After all, even among independent practitioners, one typically exchanges experiences and forms brotherly bonds only with those of similar cultivation levels. Now, encountering a senior cultivator at the Foundation Stage, the elder naturally regarded this as a rare and valuable opportunity, and likely hoped to gain some tangible benefit from him. With this insight now clear, Han Li smiled gently. If the elder proved satisfactory, he was quite willing to offer him a few favors. At that moment, Han Li looked steadily at the elder and spoke slowly and calmly. "You're absolutely right—indeed, I am a Foundation Stage cultivator." The white-haired elder monk listened intently to Han Li’s words, his expression growing increasingly respectful, with a touch more joy in his eyes as well. "I didn’t expect the senior to appear here unexpectedly—does the senior have any instructions for me?" the monk said respectfully. As for my background, there's really nothing remarkable to say. When I was young, I accidentally inherited a scroll titled *The Decree of the Scorching Sun* from a dying immortal. That's how I entered the world of cultivation. Unfortunately, my innate talent was rather poor, and with no guidance, I managed to reach only the sixth level. "If you don't mind, I'd be honored if you could take the time to guide me a little on this!" Seeing that Han Li seemed genuinely interested in his flame manipulation technique, the old Taoist suddenly recalled a thin book from his robes and respectfully offered it to him. Han Li was slightly taken aback by this gesture. Honestly, although he found the elder's flame techniques quite remarkable, he hadn't intended to insist on receiving his inner method. He didn't believe that these modest flame techniques would offer much benefit to him at this stage of his journey. Yet, the old Taoist's spontaneous offer had surprised him, and so he gladly accepted the book, flipping through a few pages. Initially, Han Li had merely glanced at it with a sense of indifference. But as he continued to read, his composed expression remained unchanged, while his inner astonishment grew steadily. The little tricks mentioned at the beginning of this book regarding the transformation of flame forms indeed hold little significance for Han Li today—they are merely ornamental and superficial. However, the vague yet practical concept of skillfully utilizing spells, along with several concrete and feasible training methods proposed in the later pages, have given Han Li a profound sense of clarity and insight, making him feel deeply benefited. A moment later, Han Li gently closed the book. Now is not the time to study the techniques in depth; he would rather wait until he has some spare time to carefully reflect on its contents. He is certain this will elevate his understanding and application of spells to a new level. "I'll take this book! I know that although it says it wishes to have me teach it a few things, it's really intending to gift it to me. As a senior, I certainly won't accept your offering without returning something. Here are some Daoist treatises, various stages of magical artifacts, and several pills that are particularly useful during the Qi Condensation stage—choose any one category you'd like, and these shall serve as my return." "Now I'll give you a moment of tea—take your time to think it over," Han Li glanced at the old monk and spoke a few words that deeply moved him. "Thank you, elder, thank you so much for your kind consideration!" The white-haired monk's face flushed, his excitement causing him to tremble slightly. Han Li smiled gently, said nothing further, and simply closed his eyes, settling into a quiet meditation on the chair. Meanwhile, the old monk paced back and forth like a chicken on a hot stove, visibly at a loss, struggling to decide whether to stay or go. "How about now? Have you made up your mind?" After a while, Han Li felt the time had passed, so he opened his eyes and asked calmly. "The young disciple has decided. I would like a pill that helps cultivators at the Qi Stage break through their current limitations." With that, the old monk finally made up his mind and spoke with determination. Han Li listened, showing no surprise at all. He estimated that the other party should also have chosen the elixirs, since the artifacts and scriptures could be acquired later, once his cultivation techniques had advanced significantly. Thus, after a slight nod, Han Li brushed his robe across the table, revealing two identical jade-green small bottles made of redwood. "Here are two bottles of Huanglong Elixirs. They are particularly effective for cultivators at ten layers or below in the Qi Stage. Take them!" Han Li spoke calmly. "Ten layers in the Qi Stage... Thank you so much for your generosity! Thank you... thank you!" The old monk gazed at the two bottles with intense enthusiasm, repeatedly expressing his gratitude before eagerly approaching and taking them into his hands. Then, he immediately opened one of the bottles, held it close to his nose, and inhaled deeply, his face lighting up with satisfaction. "Actually, I came to see you today for another matter—I have something specific for you to do. Once it's completed, I will personally repay you generously!" After seeing the old man carefully place the medicine bottle into his bosom, Han Li spoke calmly about the main purpose of his visit. Under such generous rewards, Han Li didn't believe the old man would remain unmoved. Indeed, after a moment of surprise, the old man immediately beamed with delight and said, "Master, please tell me what you need—my life is yours, and I shall never hesitate!" The elder, puzzled and cautious, glanced carefully at Han Li before asking in a tentative tone, "May I know the reason? Are there any issues with these two? Does something seem amiss about them?" The elder spoke with great care, fearing that even an unintentional remark might offend this esteemed master. Han Li did not show any displeasure, yet he did not immediately answer the elder's question. After a moment's thoughtful consideration, he spoke in a steady voice, "I am actually a cultivator from Huangfeng Valley among the seven sects. The demonic sect is currently invading our Yue State—this you should already know. I suspect these two may have connections with the demonic forces. Therefore, I need someone to constantly monitor their movements, just in case!" Although Han Li believed that the Grand Manager and the Young Prince were not of demonic origin, he remained cautious and prudent. Regarding these two whose true intentions remained unclear, Han Li still harbored significant caution, which is why he had visited the elder first and requested that he keep a close watch on their actions. However, he naturally could not simply reveal all this to the elder; instead, he conveniently attributed the entire matter to the Magician's faction, thus avoiding the need for further explanation. After all, these two were indeed dangerous—something Han Li had sensed intuitively, but which he could not yet substantiate openly.