"Brother,难道你也不相信我吗?" "Exactly because everyone believes in you, they've given you a chance to explain. As long as nothing shameful lies inside the box, you must open it yourself for everyone to be at ease!" the elder said coldly. Hearing this, the fifth sister's face turned vividly expressive—alternating between red and pale. When she glanced at the others, the expressions of sympathy from the slender, tall man and the others only deepened her sense of chill, leaving her unsure of what to say next. After a brief pause, she decided to steel herself, suddenly shoved the small box into her chest, swiftly pulled out a blue orb, and raised it high above her head, speaking firmly: "You don't have to pressure me anymore. You all know this Blue Thunder Pearl. All I ask is to leave this place!" This decisive action startled the other members of the Mengshan Five, especially the young man who had always held a special fondness for her—his face now fell deeply. "Then we needn't look any further into that box! Fifth sister, you've truly turned your back on us!" The elder exclaimed angrily, his voice rising as he clenched his fists and took a decisive step forward. "Don't come any closer, brother! Or I'll summon the Heavenly Thunder Pearl!" Fifth sister looked visibly startled, holding the blue orb before her and making the gesture to summon it. Though his hair and beard stood on end, the elder dared not advance—after all, he was well aware of the power of the Heavenly Thunder Pearl. "Fifth sister, are you really going to use this Heavenly Thunder Pearl against us? You know, this artifact was specially acquired by us all when we saw your cultivation level was still low—gathered together from various spiritual stones, just for your protection. Especially Fourth Brother, who nearly depleted all his savings. Now you're using it against us—doesn't that seem rather excessive?" The middle-aged woman expressed her disappointment. The young man beside him listened intently, his lips quivered with emotion several times, yet still managed to speak nothing. Upon hearing the middle-aged woman’s words, the fifth sister’s face briefly flushed with a touch of embarrassment, but that expression faded instantly. She maintained her firm tone, saying, “What good would it do now to talk about this? I’m different from you all. I absolutely must succeed in establishing my foundation. The Black Devouring Sect has told me that if one has made sufficient contributions, the Sect Master himself may even compel someone to achieve foundation without using foundation pills—without any risk at all.” The slender, tall man kept frowning, and could no longer hold back his words. “Fifth sister, it’s still not too late to turn back now! Can you really believe that foundation can be achieved without foundation pills? They must be taking advantage of your youth, deliberately brushing you off!” The second of the Mengshan Five friends spoke with genuine sincerity and conviction. "Hmph. Even without my second brother’s scolding, I’ve always known this was true." By now, there's nothing left to hide! In fact, as early as two years ago, during my trip abroad, I joined the Black Death Sect. That's how extensive the Master's influence truly is—your outsiders simply can't imagine it! The young woman sneered, delivering a revelation that stunned everyone else. "You joined the Black Death Sect two years ago," one of the previously silent Han Li suddenly interjected, "so this capture of those several individuals must have been your handiwork, right?" Her words immediately stirred fresh waves of surprise and concern among the elders, who now fixed their gaze intently on the young woman. They couldn't believe that their fifth sister had truly done this. The fifth sister's expression shifted between gloom and uncertainty. After a moment's hesitation, she slowly replied, "Yes, I did inform the Black Death Sect of everyone's movements. However, my intention was good—merely hoping that all of you could achieve Foundation Stage together." Otherwise, according to the Black Death Sect's custom, out of every ten captured, nine would be blood-sacrificed—how could anyone possibly survive this easily?" The young woman felt that at this point, any further concealment was pointless, so she simply spoke the truth. "Heh, then, according to this, we brothers should actually be grateful to our fifth sister!" the elder with a dark face laughed angrily. "No matter what you think, I truly have no ill will toward anyone. Please don't press me any further," the woman said, her delicate features slightly distorted as she raised the Heavenly Thunder Scroll in her hands. Yet at that very moment, Han Li suddenly smiled gently at her and said, "The Heavenly Thunder Scroll is indeed a remarkable item!" As soon as he spoke, his figure blurred and vanished from his original spot. "What?" The fifth sister proved quite perceptive—right away, she reached for her wrist, ready to tremble it. But a gentle breeze blew past, and suddenly, as the fifth sister held the Thunder Pearl, her wrist tightened. Han Li appeared like a ghost beside her, instantly grasping her jade wrist. "This thing is too dangerous—better that I take care of it!" Han Li didn't hesitate, forcefully taking the Thunder Pearl from her hand and tossing it into his storage bag. Seeing her greatest reliance, now treated as mere child's play, reduced to such a state by Han Li, the fifth sister's face turned abruptly pale, her expression stiff with shock. For the first time, fear flickered in her eyes. "She's your adopted sister. Hand her over to you. As long as she reveals what she knows about the Black Death Sect, you may handle her as you see fit. But I doubt you'd be foolish enough to let her go and send word back to them!" Han Li looked thoughtfully at the other members of the Mengshan Five, speaking with calm assurance. Then, with a flash of white light, he swiftly tapped the young woman's delicate body several times, sealing her true energy and rendering her unable to use any further spells or abilities. Without the slightest hesitation, Han Li reached into the young woman's arms and retrieved the box, then gently tossed her toward the still dazed young man. "Thank you, Master Han!" The bearded elder naturally understood Han Li's actions, and, though he had just sold his companions a considerable favor, he expressed his gratitude warmly. Han Li merely waved his hand, then summoned several yellow hand seals that effortlessly dismantled the sound-insulating barriers quietly laid down nearby, before gradually fading into the darkness. "Brother, what should we do now?" The second elder looked at Han Li's retreating figure with a mixture of emotions, and whispered to the bearded elder in a low voice. "First, take our fifth sister back to the room and secure her there. After our operations tonight are complete, we'll deal with her then," the elder said after a moment's thoughtful pause. "That would be fine—at least, it gives everyone a chance to calm down." The second brother nodded vigorously in agreement. Then he turned to the young man who was still holding the young woman and said, "Fourth brother, take Fifth Sister back to the room first!" The young man nodded blankly, then turned and walked steadily toward Qing Yin Pavilion, still holding the woman. Watching the young man's melancholy figure, the second brother sighed, his face softening with sympathy. At that moment, the middle-aged woman approached and said, "Is Fourth Brother all right? He's always been deeply devoted to Fifth Sister—now, though..." She shook her head repeatedly, her expression filled with sorrow. "Ah, I used to have high hopes for them both," the elder suddenly revealed, his face weary. "But now, it's impossible." The series of unexpected events recently had taken a heavy toll on this usually decisive and resolute man, leaving him deeply drained. The older members of the Mengshan Five then lingered, reflecting deeply for a while. "Hmm! Is it only the fourth brother who's taking the fifth sister back?" The elder suddenly recalled something, his face changing instantly. "Yes, Brother! Is there something wrong? Rarely do you think the fourth brother—what's on your mind?" The second brother was momentarily startled by the question, then his expression shifted, revealing a look of growing concern. Without saying a single word, the two hurried off toward Qing Yin Pavilion. Only the middle-aged woman remained, still puzzled. "If she refuses to comply or if someone else comes to her aid, then we must act decisively!" the elder said, his expression stern. "Understood, brother!" The second son was momentarily startled, but quickly realized that now was not the time for mercy, and nodded solemnly before hurrying out. "Fourth brother, you... cough!" Upon seeing the tall, slender young man depart, the elder turned to look at the younger one. However, noticing his distracted demeanor, he found it hard to press further and merely sighed, then proceeded to go find Han Li. "...It's all right, she's already escaped! If your second brother fails to catch up, then there's no need to pursue her further." To the elder's surprise, Han Li, upon hearing that the young woman had fled the Qin residence, did not show any signs of alarm. Instead, he simply said it with calm ease.