Han Li, with his foundation stage mid-level cultivation, had his hand-held blue scroll emit a clear chime and transform into a slender blue jade ruler, only a few inches in size, delicate and glowing with a soft luminescence. At that moment, the four companions from Mengshan had also reached the limits of their magical power. Under the forceful grasp of the beast-empowered giant, their white phosphorus shield was struck like a heavy blow and launched backward. The four instantly collapsed, their faces now pale and ashen. "Master, hurry!" The stoic elder, having observed the unusual magical phenomena at Han Li's side, grew increasingly anxious and urged him urgently. Han Li had no time to attend to the elder. As soon as he saw the beast-empowered giant driven back by the beam of light, he immediately poured his entire spiritual energy into the jade ruler. In an instant, the small ruler floating in his hands emitted a brilliant cyan glow, dividing first into two, then into four, then into eight, and so on—within a blink, it had multiplied into hundreds of identical rulers, each humming with a resonant sound, swirling around Han Li and constantly vibrating. This astonishing sight left Mengshan's four companions speechless, as if caught in a spell, nearly unable to believe their eyes. Han Li made no delay, his expression solemn, pointing firmly at the humanoid beast that had turned partially into a monster. Immediately, the countless rulers surged forth like a flood bursting from its banks, rushing in a steady, powerful tide. Though the bearded man, now partially transformed into a beast, appeared somewhat mentally confused, he clearly sensed the threat posed by Han Li's incantations and symbols, his face now showing clear signs of fear. Suddenly, a flash of red light erupted, and he surged backward like a meteor, moving with such speed that even surpassed that of the Shenfeng boat. Han Li was taken aback by this scene, hesitated slightly, and by the time he had reacted, the opponent had already fled over a hundred paces, now only visible as a retreating figure. Taking a deep breath, Han Li decided not to pursue. Instead, he gently waved his hand, summoning the jade ruler talisman back, reassembling it into a shimmering blue scroll, which then settled into his hands. He didn't want to risk losing the victory by chasing the opponent, for the talisman's remaining power was indeed dwindling. If he had to maintain this pursuit for an extended period, he wasn't sure he could sustain it. With the opponent now secured, it was better to remain cautious. The four companions of Meng Mountain, seeing their formidable adversary retreat before Han Li, felt a great relief and gradually stood up, supporting one another. Noticing the others' visibly strained expressions, Han Li reached into his storage pouch, pulled out a small vial of medicine, and tossed it to them. "Take one each," he said with a gentle smile, "and it will be of great benefit to your injuries." Regardless of everything, these individuals had indeed proven helpful in today's battle, and thus, he naturally wished to show his appreciation, so as to demonstrate that he was not a cold or unkind host. Indeed, the Four Friends of Mengshan beamed with gratitude. The stoic elder respectfully took the small bottle, tilted it slightly, and as the liquid poured out, four pill-sized doses—each the size of dragon eyes—appeared in their hands. The pills were a vibrant crimson, releasing a strong aroma that immediately invigorated the recipients. Simply inhaling the scent was enough to lift their spirits. The elder, a seasoned observer, instantly recognized the exceptional value of the medicine and expressed his heartfelt thanks to Han Li before taking his turn to consume it alongside the others. As soon as the pills entered their stomachs, they swiftly dissolved into a warm current, spreading throughout their bodies, instantly alleviating their injuries and filling their hearts with joy. "Let's go," Han Li said, glancing at the captured prince and the royal steward. "This place is no longer safe. The Black Shatter Sect has sent reinforcements—now we're in trouble." The four companions of Mengshan naturally had no objections, so they simply tossed the two captured figures onto the Shenfeng boat and then hurried off in the boat with Han Li and the others. The sky above the ruined temple once again settled into quiet, as if nothing dramatic had ever taken place there. ...Han Li and his companions returned uneventfully to Qin's residence, landing directly at their destination. To avoid any uncertainty arising from prolonged delays, Han Li made only minor adjustments and began questioning the two young princes immediately that night. Han Li intended to question only the young prince himself, while entrusting the Grand Manager to the four companions of Mengshan, confident that, given the seasoned judgment of the stoic elder, the latter would receive a satisfactory outcome. While it might be somewhat challenging for ordinary cultivators to tell the truth, for Han Li—someone with a basic grasp of cultivation techniques and an in-depth knowledge of medicinal arts—it was entirely straightforward, especially when the other party's cultivation level was significantly lower than his own. Though the young prince had initially maintained a resolute silence, once Han Li had gently posed his question, upon seeing the prince's refusal to cooperate, he simply and firmly poured a bottle of medicine into his mouth, causing him to feel dazed and his consciousness to drift into a state of dreamlike confusion. Subsequently, Han Li employed a simple spell—“Phantom Vision”—to smoothly gain control of the prince's mind, after which the prince responded obediently, as if a puppet, to every query. As the prince recounted his story, Han Li's expression shifted continuously—from initially serious and cold, to later surprise and astonishment, and finally to a look of relief mixed with weariness and frustration. Once all the secrets hidden within the prince's heart had been revealed, Han Li paused, withdrew a black pill from his sleeve, placed it silently into the prince's mouth without a word, and then turned away, walking steadily toward Qing Yin Pavilion, the abode of the Four Friends of Meng Mountain. This "Soul-Draining Pill" can cause him to die silently. Although killing a person without resistance makes him feel somewhat uneasy, the fact that the young prince alone, through his cultivation of magical techniques, has required the blood sacrifices of over a dozen cultivators makes his death far from unjust. When they arrived at Qing Yin Hall, the four companions from Meng Shan had gathered together, their faces grave, discussing the testimonies they had been asked to provide. Upon seeing Han Li arrive, they all rose to welcome him to the main seat. After Han Li sat down without hesitation, he asked, "How is it going? What has the Grand Manager instructed?" The four companions exchanged glances, and it was the older, stoic one, who stood up to respond, "I believe you may already be aware of this, if our colleague is telling the truth, the matter appears to be quite complicated." As he finished speaking, he glanced at Han Li, but Han Li's expression remained unchanged, showing no signs of reaction. The elder hesitated, then bravely continued: "I've learned many details about the Black Death Sect from the Grand Steward of the court, but most of them are unimportant. Only one matter stands out as both crucial and extremely difficult to handle. The abbot of the Black Death Sect is actually hidden within the imperial palace itself, and the current human emperor of the Yue Dynasty has long been under his control—effectively turned into a puppet. Today, the palace itself has become the sect's stronghold. In fact, the Grand Steward of the palace, a eunuch named Li Po Yun, is none other than the abbot of the Black Death Sect. He is said to be currently in seclusion, deep in meditation and cultivation." As he spoke, the elder's brow furrowed, clearly finding the situation increasingly difficult. After all, even if immortal cultivators held the highest regard for ordinary people, they still maintained a certain level of respect and caution toward the supreme ruler of the mortal world. Hearing this, Han Li showed no outward change in expression, yet his inner breaths of relief and resignation were far from few. He wasn't particularly afraid of the emperor, but he fully understood that the current royal family of Yue had actually been established through the joint support of seven factions. Precisely because of this, there was an unwritten rule among the seven factions: their disciples were strictly forbidden from setting foot within the imperial capital, to prevent any one faction from leveraging its influence to sideline or disadvantage the others. As a result, for hundreds of years, not a single disciple from the seven factions had ever entered the imperial city. As long as the emperor of Yue did not commit any serious offense against the seven factions, they allowed the disciples complete freedom. It was precisely this situation that had enabled the Hei Sha Sect to gain a strategic advantage. After hearing the full details from the young prince, Han Li had repeatedly pondered his course of action, yet still remained uncertain about what he should do. This rule had endured for so long—even if he were to finally expose the true identity of the Hei Sha Sect's master, he could never be certain whether entering the imperial capital would be rewarded or punished. In fact, it was possible that not only would he fail to gain credit, but might even face severe penalties. It is indeed no uncommon occurrence among the seven great sects, over such a long history, that distinctions between right and wrong are blurred to the point of causing great frustration. Sometimes, the authority of certain rules even surpasses the actual merits or demerits of a matter, making it impossible to challenge—something that deeply worries Han Li. He absolutely does not wish to be someone who exerts effort yet receives no recognition. Nevertheless, the fact that he has so easily uncovered the true identity of the Black Devourer's Master comes as a complete surprise. This is purely a matter of chance. As he learned from the Young Prince, even among the several Foundation Stage Masters of the Black Devourer Sect, none had ever seen the Master's face or knew anything about his origins. Of the few who knew the Master's identity, these two were the only ones whose knowledge stemmed directly from the exceptional relationships between the Young Prince and the Grand Administrator and the Black Devourer Master. One was the Master's cousin, who owed him a life-saving debt. The other was his only designated disciple, deeply favored and trusted. Only in this close relationship could they come to know the true identities of the others. Otherwise, how could two disciples at the Qi Condensation stage be entrusted with overseeing the affairs of such a large city as Yuejing? —— Volume Three, Chapter Three Hundred and Twelve: The Secret of the Blood Sacrifice Although it was unclear why Han Li was so confident, since this senior Han had expressed such certainty, it was surely unlikely to be wrong. Just a moment ago, they had been discussing how, should the enemy turn out to be a Ju Dan stage cultivator, they would only be able to scramble and flee in panic—perhaps even with the reinforcements from the seven sects arriving, they might not be able to do much against the Black Shad Master. Now, with Han Li's assurance, the four friends from Mengshan felt greatly reassured. "Senior, could you please share some details about this matter? Our chief interrogator, Wang Zongguan, knows absolutely nothing about the Black Shad Master's cultivation level!" The young man, having recovered somewhat from the blow dealt by his fifth sister, asked with growing curiosity. "Fourth brother, what are you talking about? If Senior Han has spoken so confidently, there must be solid grounds for his assurance," the elder with a stern face replied, sharply reprimanding the youth. Hearing their remarks, Han Li smiled gently and calmly said, "There's nothing to keep secret here!" These news were deduced from the fact that this master still requires Foundation Stage cultivators to undergo blood sacrifices. Although our Huang Feng Valley has limited experience with magical sect techniques, we do have a solid understanding of such sacrificial arts—those that draw the essence and cultivation from other cultivators to enhance one's own. This method, which enables a cultivator to significantly boost their inner energy in a short span of time, thereby reducing the need for prolonged meditation and cultivation, was quite common among the magical sects in the past. Indeed, during that period, even members of the orthodox sects began quietly adopting such practices. As he spoke, Han Li gave a sharp laugh, a hint of scorn visible on his lips, before continuing: "Yet this intense cultivation method not only demands ruthless slaughter of numerous other cultivators, but it also suffers from fatal flaws." Not only does it only prove effective for cultivators below the Foundation Stage, but once a blood sacrifice is made, the cultivator is destined to never attain the Dan Stage, merely lingering at the Foundation Stage. Back then, countless cultivators secretly practicing this blood-sacrifice magic technique never managed to successfully achieve the Dan Stage. Even more troubling, by consuming others' spiritual energy through blood sacrifice, frequent counter-effects often occur—accidentally leading to a fire-attack on the vital essence and resulting in death. Of course, the primary reason for this magic technique's eventual disappearance lies in the fact that directly draining others' vital blood is deeply resented by fellow cultivators. Over time, all those who mastered this magic technique have been gradually eliminated by the orthodox and magical sects. However, later it was reported that the magicians themselves, unwilling to give up this rapid method of advancing their cultivation, developed a new form of blood-sacrifice cultivation technique—though this new method no longer involves directly consuming others' vital blood, but instead targets the cultivators' spiritual essence and immortal consciousness. It may not be as rapid as the original blood sacrifice, but it still avoids the risks of forming a Dan stage and counter-attack, and is thus known as the spirit sacrifice. Our sect's archives mention this method only sparingly; we know it was established and initially held exclusively by a few high-ranking figures in the magical path, never spreading widely—thus preventing it from being banned by the cultivation world. Moreover, it seems there are numerous other limitations. Han Li poured out all these hidden details about the blood sacrifice in one breath, opening the eyes of the four independent cultivators from Meng Shan, and also explaining why he was so confident that the Black Shad Sect's master was merely at the Foundation Stage. Clearly, the blood sacrifice method employed by the Black Shad Sect is precisely the first type. "We now have a clear understanding of the Black Shad Sect's overall situation, but the bearded man escaped back to them. The Black Shad Sect members must now be aware of our situation—might they immediately abandon their base and flee? If so, the enemy would shift from the open to the hidden, becoming significantly less favorable to us." "The second among the group suddenly remembered something and expressed concern. 'No way! The Black Shad Sect won't flee immediately. I heard from the young prince that the current sect master is in the crucial phase of closing his inner cultivation, and must rely on a specific Yin-portal location within the palace to complete his practice. It's said he has been preparing for this practice for several years—absolutely not going to abandon it midway. Most likely, they're gathering their strength and intensifying their defenses against us.' Han's tone carried a subtle sense of mockery toward the Black Shad Sect. Upon hearing this, the four companions from Mengshan were energized, each showing a touch of excitement. 'Master, then what should we do next?' the elder with a stern face, after calming down, asked cautiously. 'Nothing at all—just wait patiently for reinforcements. Though they now know our appearance, they still don't know where we're hiding.'" Moreover, the two prisoners we currently hold are the ones in charge of the affairs in Yuejing. Even if the Hei Sha Sect were to send someone now, they wouldn't be able to dispatch any particularly capable personnel. Nevertheless, everyone should remain cautious—avoid going out in the near future and simply rest and recuperate within the estate. Once reinforcements arrive, we'll then plan accordingly. Han Li extended his palm, gently rubbing his nose, and slightly smiled, his eyes narrowing into a thin slit. It is now the third hour of the night, and the grand palace, usually bustling with servants and eunuchs moving back and forth, has now grown quiet and vigilant—guards posted every five paces, and every ten paces, on high alert. Yet, amid this watchful atmosphere, one figure strides confidently through the layers of palace guards, completely enveloped in a broad, flowing cloak, bearing a golden seal, and makes his way to the edge of a cold, remote hall deep within the imperial palace. "The bald man replied without hesitation, yet didn't slow down a single step, reaching the main gate in just a few strides. "Ah, so you're the one on assignment! But your gait seems unsteady and your breath weak—doesn't that contradict your claim of being invulnerable to damage from magical artifacts or water and fire? Did you finally suffer a serious blow?" The voice, initially surprised, soon took on a tone of amusement. "Hmph! What do you know, cold-hearted one! The opponent I encountered this time is no easy task. Not only did I struggle, but even if we two teamed up, we might not have come out unscathed! Thanks to my quick thinking in transforming into a demonic wraith early on, I managed to save my life—otherwise, I'd have been left there, barely breathing." The bald man said with a cold smile. "You've summoned a demonic wraith? That explains your current state of exhaustion—without at least a half-month of recuperation, you won't recover fully! Still, it's impressive how you've been pushed to this point. Could you tell me more about this opponent?" The ice spirit's tone carried a clear sense of curiosity. "I'll first apologize to the Master and then tell you all the details later. With even the Master's designated disciples captured, I have no idea what penalties we might face!" The bald man replied impatiently. "Old friend, you can't possibly not know—we are almost one body with the Master. How could the Master impose severe punishment on us? At most, he'll just reprimand us." The ice spirit said with evident disbelief. "Hmm, Qingwen has already reached the mid-Juvenile Foundation stage and is still practicing so diligently—doesn't he ever fear reverse backlash from his Qi? Yet that young Leaf-Snake boy, when did he become so eager?" The bald man expressed surprise, his voice filled with bewilderment. "Don't be envious, now! Leaf-Snake himself mentioned he's sensing the signs of advancing into the mid-Juvenile Foundation stage. After all, he's naturally gifted—he doesn't need to train as hard as we do to catch up with us. What can we do?" Although the Ice Demon spoke warmly to the man, his own words carried a clear hint of subtle resentment. (Thanks to a reminder from a fellow reader, we've noticed a chapter number error—we mistakenly listed chapter 311 instead of 310. However, since the chapter titles can't be revised, we've simply accepted the mistake. Heh. Now we have two chapter 311s! We hope you'll forgive us!)