The ice demon, you mustn't think I'm displeased with you, yet you wish to stir up trouble between me and the leaf serpent. With a glance, the tall man said, "Ah, how could I! You haven't been to see the master yet, have you? Now's the perfect time—just now, the master has completed a blood sacrifice and hasn't begun the qi cultivation process yet!" The white figure, having been touched upon the very matter that had been on his mind, merely smiled and changed the subject without showing any concern. Though the bald man knew the words didn't quite match the sincerity, he only hummed and strode steadily into the darkness. After turning several corners and passing through six or seven courtyards, he finally reached a remote, towering artificial mountain, where his expression began to reflect deep reverence. "Subordinate Tie Luo, at your service!" he bowed and spoke loudly. "Tie Luo! How did you get injured?" A warm, resonant voice came from deep within the mountain's base, surprising even the group of Han and Li—here, the master's seclusion chamber was beneath the mountain, a detail they had never expected. "Thank you, master, for your concern," Tie Luo The bald man listened intently to the Master of Black Devourer and quickly replied with care. After speaking, the Master remained silent for a while, then murmured softly, "Then, it seems our mission has failed. Otherwise, my designated disciple should have returned with you to report on it." "Forgive me, Master. My protection has been inadequate—both the young master and the Master of the Royal Protection have fallen into the enemy's hands. I willingly accept your strict reprimand!" The man bit his teeth, his face flushed with shame. "Reprimand? Why should you be reprimanded? Since you've even employed the transformation spell, it clearly indicates that the enemy is exceptionally strong—not a lack of effort on your part. After all, it's only one disciple and one protector. That's nothing to be concerned about. What would truly worry me is if *you* were captured!" "Thank you, Master, for your mercy. From now on, I will strive to serve you diligently and make amends for this oversight." "The Master of the Heavens of Black and Death was exceptionally skilled at winning people over; with just a few words, he had the bald man roused to great emotion and immediately pledged his loyalty. "Very good! However, could you please recount the details of this encounter? I'd like to know which sect's cultivator was so formidable!" The Master clearly approved of the bald man's words, yet remained keenly interested in what Han Li had to say. "Yes, Master!" the man responded promptly. "The cultivator we're aiming to capture is exceptionally unique—capable of commanding mechanical beasts that move like puppets, and their power is quite substantial. At first, I thought they were merely performing, but then—" The bald man spoke slowly, detailing every aspect of his confrontation with Han Li, including the moment when the mechanical beasts began to transform into creatures of supernatural essence. After he finished, a quiet stillness settled beneath the artificial mountain. The Master seemed deeply considering. Only after a moment did he speak again, his voice calm and composed. "The puppet controlled by this cultivator should indeed be the automaton technique of the Qianzhen Sect, suggesting he might be a disciple of that sect. I've recently heard rumors that a group of Qianzhen Sect members appeared within the Yuanwu Kingdom—perhaps one of them. Still, your instinct to immediately flee after transforming into a spirit-being, based solely on your intuition, was quite wise. Otherwise, you wouldn't be standing here speaking to me now." The Black Death Sect's master spoke calmly. "No way! Even if the opponent used a scroll-precious artifact at the time, I simply can't believe that, as a spirit-being, I would have been unable to withstand it. If it weren't for the fact that my transformed form wasn't fully under my control, I would have definitely engaged with them! Even if I didn't emerge victorious, I would have managed to escape unharmed!" The large man expressed his dissatisfaction. "Iron Luo. I know you once successfully withstood a scroll-precious artifact without injury, but the power of such artifacts varies greatly—even when crafted from the same artifact, their strength differs significantly." And this sacred artifact alone—its extraordinary aura—allows me to judge that, even in your current form as a Wicked Spirit-being, you will still be unable to withstand a single attack from the other party. Should it be Qingwen’s form as a Wood Spirit-being, however, there would be a better chance." The Black Wicked Sect Master smiled gently, explaining to the Han official. "Thank you, Master!" The official still harbored some doubt in his heart, yet nodded politely and expressed his gratitude. "Master, what should we do now regarding these cultivators? Since the other party is not confirmed to be a disciple of the Seven Sects, should we deploy all four of our Blood Servants to capture this person alive and present him to you for training?" The bald official spoke with enthusiasm, clearly eager to settle his score with Han Li. "No need. Calling him a cultivator of the Thousand Bamboo Sect is merely a hunch—still not certain. Perhaps he has allies as well. Moreover, I am currently at a crucial stage of my closed meditation. I do not wish to provoke a major conflict. Recently, I have been instructing all of our disciples in the capital city to remain stationed within the imperial palace, and everything Even without blood sacrifices from Foundation-stage cultivators, the delay would merely be a few months. By then, beyond the Dan-stage cultivators, no Foundation-stage cultivators would be of any significance to me. As the Master of Black Shao said this, a subtle spark of excitement had crept into his otherwise calm tone. Indeed, the Master's thoughts had perfectly aligned with Han Li's expectations. "Wishing the Master's cultivation technique great success. I will immediately assign our disciples to strengthen vigilance within the imperial palace, ensuring no one disturbs the Master at all," the large Han said, speaking with due consideration. "Very well, go about it," the Master replied, then seemed slightly weary, falling silent. Thus, the bearded Han respectfully stepped back several paces before turning to depart. The scene once again returned to an unremarkable corner of the cold palace. … Time flew by swiftly. After dispatching his newly acquired intelligence report, another half-month passed. During this period, both the Hei-Sha Sect and Han Li unexpectedly adopted a defensive posture. The Hei-Sha Sect members neither made a concerted effort to search for Han Li's hidden whereabouts throughout the land, nor did Han Li himself dare to challenge the two parties by entering the imperial palace grounds—both remained calm and restrained, as if nothing significant had ever occurred between them. As expected, the magicians from the magical schools, who should have made their appearance long ago, remained completely silent, with no news at all reaching Han Li. This gave him great relief. He had been most fearful of a scenario in which the Hei-Sha Sect and the magical schools formed an alliance and jointly disrupted the situation—this scenario had not materialized, and he quietly felt a deep sense of relief. According to Han Li's estimation, even if Li Hua Yuan sent someone, it would take at least another ten to fifteen days. Thus, he remained composed, steadily intensifying his daily practice and rarely venturing out. Under Han Li's subtle suggestion, Qin Yan had also consistently declined invitations to leave the estate recently, staying at home and enjoying the pleasures of family life. That morning, while韩立was meditating on his bed to refine his qi, his tightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open, revealing a cold gleam. "It's one of your companions who has come to visit—don't dawdle or act mysterious! Step forward!" With these words,韩立coldly commanded, he gave a firm tap on his storage pouch at the waist, and instantly a white phosphor shield floated into place in front of him, while he also held a fire-cloud scroll in his hand, presenting himself as if facing a serious confrontation. Such a formal reception was entirely due to his astonishment at sensing the presence of three or four foundation-stage cultivators lingering just outside the door. Though they had all employed techniques to conceal their aura,韩立, having mastered the obscure oral formula, had subtly detected their presence. As he was struck by this revelation, he silently thought: Could it be that all four of the Black Devastation Sect's Blood Servants had arrived? The moment this thought arose,韩立, though deeply exasperated, immediately resolved to make a swift retreat. As for the four companions of Mengshan and the people from Qin's residence, Han Li had to let them go—there was nothing he could do but hope for the best. When Han Li's mind began to race with various thoughts, instead of the intense assault of magical artifacts and techniques he had anticipated, a clear, bright laugh rang out from outside. "Ha ha! How about this? I always knew you wouldn't be able to hide from Xiao Shishi's notice! Xiao Shishi has now reached the mid-Ji stage. So, don't bother showing off your skills before Han Li any longer!" This voice was very familiar to Han Li. With a sudden thought, he responded warmly, "Could it be that Senior Song has arrived? I've already asked Xiao Shishi to greet him!" Han Li's tone was full of excitement. "Indeed, you've guessed right, Xiao Shishi!" The voice's owner said, then strolled confidently into Han Li's room—none other than the Fourth Senior, Song Meng. Standing behind him were two more men and one woman. Aside from the young man with a handsome face who maintained a serious expression, the couple of man and woman smiled warmly at Han Li. The man with a refined appearance smiled and said, "Eighth brother, I've heard your name from Master many times before. Unfortunately, I've always been unable to meet you personally with my seventh sister. Now, at last, I get to see you in person. Your cultivation has advanced so swiftly to the mid-Jade Foundation stage—well, I can only marvel at it. Truly, there's nothing more to say!" Upon hearing this, the graceful woman standing beside him also lightly smiled, her bright eyes curiously observing Han Li. Han Li, after listening to this and glancing at the two's appearances, immediately realized who they were. He promptly rose from the bed, his demeanor respectful and attentive, and said, "Yes, it's you, Third Brother and Seventh Sister. I've long heard of your esteemed names, though I've always missed the chance to meet you personally." As for cultivation, didn't Senior Brother have already reached the mid-Jade Foundation stage long ago? Then Brother's current cultivation level must be quite ordinary. The sincerity in Han Li's words left a very favorable impression on the third senior brother.