By night, when it was deep and quiet, Han Li quietly slipped out of the room without saying a word to anyone. Standing on the Shenfeng Boat, he gazed at the vast, dark silhouette before him—the immense imperial city gates—and smiled faintly. Instantly, he soared through it. To Han Li, the seven sects' regulations forbidding any disciple from entering the imperial city were nothing more than mere formalities. He only adhered to those rules that benefited him. To expect mere words to restrict his movements was utterly absurd. He had never been one to follow orders blindly. As he silently chuckled in his mind, he had already reached the upper reaches of the palace, over a hundred zhang high. With the dark night sky as his backdrop, he quietly surveyed the surroundings, his eyes constantly scanning the more remote, less conspicuous areas. Suddenly, his gaze brightened, and he took off toward a courtyard lush with young bamboo. At the level of the bamboo grove, Han Li carefully scanned the surroundings before gradually calming his spiritual aura and descending gently. Han Li was well aware that although the Black Shao Sect had taken control of the entire palace, they could not have established spies at every corner. Even with so many sentries, he, with his fully mastered "Nameless Qi-Concealment" technique, would not fear being detected before anyone else. Moreover, he had already thoroughly understood the Black Shao Sect's usual sentry arrangements from the young prince's words. Even if the current setup had been adjusted, as long as he didn't wander into any particularly guarded key areas, he felt confident and at ease. Clearly, this section of the palace was one that had long been overlooked. The bamboo grove was thick with dry branches and fallen leaves, subtly emitting a musty odor, and the foliage, unpruned for years, had grown dense and lush. Upon gazing at this bamboo grove, spanning about an acre, Han Li smiled with satisfaction. He pressed his fingers, chanting a spell to establish an acoustic barrier that enveloped the entire bamboo grove. Only then did he solemnly draw out a stack of array flags and array discs from his storage bag—the improved "Reversed Five Elements Array" gifted to him by Qi Yunxiao. "With this Reversed Five Elements Array, even if that Black Evil Master is exceptionally skilled, he should be able to stand his ground without being defeated," murmured Han Li, gazing at the set of artifacts in his hands. The four Blood Servants, under the black-scarred master's instructions, remained highly vigilant. Yet, as Han Li had anticipated, they had only established dense lines of sentries within the cold palace where the master was meditating. Elsewhere, the defenses were actually more relaxed than ever before—this was one of the key reasons Han Li had been able to move in and out so smoothly. When he returned to Qin's residence, it was still dark outside. Han Li decided not to sleep and instead sat in meditation on the bed until dawn. By morning, he went to the main hall as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, joining the others there to chat and laugh, discussing the impending battle, mentioning not a single word about the "Five Elements Reversal Array." In Han Li's mind, the more people who knew of this life-saving contingency, the better. If the array proved unnecessary and he could achieve victory without it, that would only deepen his satisfaction. The "Five Elements Reversal Array" would remain his decisive weapon. Liu Jing and the other fellow disciples of Huang Fenggu, naturally, had no idea what Han Li was thinking about. Yet whenever the topic of the great battle tonight came up, everyone immediately brightened up, their faces filled with excitement and eagerness. Among them, aside from a few like Liu Jing, most had never faced off against a Jianji-level cultivator before—this was precisely one of the main reasons Han Li wasn't overly optimistic about this mission. Han Li always believed that cultivators who hadn't undergone the trials of blood and battle, no matter how high their attainments, would inevitably suffer serious setbacks when confronting more experienced opponents. In the worst case, they might even lose their lives—something not at all uncommon. Thus, while watching these disciples chatting and laughing, Han Li occasionally caught himself with a slightly puzzled expression. After all, how many cultivators had reached the Jianji stage hadn't endured countless hardships to achieve their current level? Yet now, after tonight's battle, these very people might well meet their end right here. To think of that—how truly regrettable! "Frater Han, could you possibly walk with me for a while?" Chen Qiaoqian, who had just been chatting with Zhong Weimang, suddenly opened up and invited韩立 at that very moment, without any apparent reason as she glanced at his face. This single sentence left Han Li stunned, while the other several of Chen Qiaoqian's fellow disciples stood speechless, staring at both Han Li and her usually cold-to-male-physicians little sister with expressions of sheer disbelief. Noticing Han Li's dazed expression, Zhong Weimang suddenly thought of something and leaned in close to Chen Qiaoqian's ear, whispering a few words. Immediately, the once "younger sister" turned crimson, glared at Zhong Weimang fiercely, then composed herself and stepped out of the hall with grace, as if patiently waiting for Han Li to follow. "Little brother, what are you still waiting for? There's such a beautiful guest waiting outside—why are you still hesitating?" Liu Jing approached, smiled, and lightly patted Han Li's shoulder, speaking in a playful tone. Han Li rubbed his nose vigorously, trying to force a smile, but for some reason, he couldn't manage it. He simply managed a dry chuckle and followed out, under the admiring glances of the male cultivators. If he hesitated any longer, wouldn't it seem too awkward? He certainly didn't think there was anything to be afraid of. Han Li stood a few paces away from Chen Qiao, admiring her graceful and elegant figure, and felt that this trip had been most worthwhile. Moreover, as he thought of this beautiful woman and their shared romantic encounter years ago, a deep, indescribable sentiment stirred within him. "When Han Li said this, there was not the slightest sign of surprise on his face, as though it were truly the case. 'Han brother, haven't you been trying to deceive me all this time?' Chen Qiaoqian seemed slightly irritated by Han Li's words. Her voice had grown colder, and then suddenly she turned around, her bright eyes now cold and piercing. "When Chen Qiaoqian asked this, a gentle blush rose to her cheeks, and she seemed slightly shy. She then waited anxiously for Han Li's reply. 'About seven or eight years ago...'" Han Li lowered his head and pondered, as if recalling something. In reality, Han Li was more nervous inside. 'How come, after all these years, she still hasn't given up on seeking her own path? And with her shy demeanor, does she truly have feelings for the person who saved her?' Han Li found himself puzzled. This wasn't due to any lack of charm or sensitivity on his part, but rather, he had never seriously considered the possibility of becoming a lifelong partner with this woman. For some reason, although Han Li had ordinary romantic feelings for Chen Qiaoqian, whenever it came to matters of the heart, he automatically set her aside. Perhaps it was the scene he had witnessed years ago—when she had been close to her 'Lu Senior Brother'—that still made it difficult for him to accept her as a romantic interest.