Awakening the True Sacred Artifact is significantly more difficult than ordinary Sacred Artifacts, which is precisely why Liu Jing asked his fellow disciples to serve as protectors. Only after releasing a yellow circular magical device encircling himself did he feel truly at ease, settling into a meditative posture and beginning to channel his magical energy into the Fire Phoenix True Artifact. The red glow of the scroll on Liu Jing's palm intensified gradually, and the fire phoenix within it danced with ever-increasing grace and vitality, as if ready to leap out at any moment—indicating that the moment of successful awakening would be precisely when the phoenix took physical form. Although Han Li was still engaged in a fierce struggle with the ice demon on the ground, he recognized that his fellow disciples were employing separate techniques, and thus immediately felt reassured. He was particularly afraid that they might grow hesitant and simply walk away without further effort, leaving him unable to secure the desired item from the Black Devouring Master. With no distractions now, Han Li's full concentration returned to his immediate opponent. With his mid-stage foundation cultivation, employing the Luo Yan Step placed a considerable strain on his body. He could no longer delay this swift engagement; he had to fully commit and take a bold risk. Thus, one hand swung his silver sword, his figure darting continuously, pressing the ice demon until it struggled for breath, while the other hand, silently, used his fingers to draw an object from his storage pouch and tightly wrapped it around his index finger. Once this was done, a flash of murderous intent passed through his eyes. He then clasped both hands together, forming a broad, open stance with both swords held high, and suddenly launched a fierce, head-on strike—this sword stroke was far more powerful and swift than any of the previous attacks. The ice demon was startled, quickly retreating while raising his translucent ice claw to intercept. A clear, crisp sound rang out as the two met. The ice demon chuckled, using the momentum of the strike to propel himself backward even faster, and seemed poised to widen the gap between himself and Han Li. Yet, Han Li's face now bore a subtle expression of scorn. Just as the ice demon noticed something amiss, Han Li loosened his grip on the sword and suddenly pulled himself back. Unexpectedly, the ice demon's momentum stalled, and then he was unable to resist, rushing straight toward Han Li. At that moment, Han Li retook both hands on the sword, assuming a ready stance for a strike, his face expressionless. The ice demon was startled and rushed desperately, but it was too late. In the blink of an eye, he reached Han Li's side. As Han Li slightly shook his silver sword, a cascade of dense silver sparks flashed and vanished, and the two passed each other by. Then, under the moonlight, both figures emerged clearly. Han Li stood firm with the sword in hand, while the ice demon crashed to the ground. The scene was observed closely by Song Meng and the others in the air, who grew increasingly tense. The ice demon rose unsteadily, gazing at Han Li's back, and smiled grimly. As he prepared to speak, his expression suddenly froze. A series of crisp, cracking sounds followed, as the ice spirit's transparent body, like cold glass, revealed countless fine fissures. Within moments, these cracks spread and lengthened, and the entire spirit crumbled into a heap of shimmering ice fragments on the ground. Among the gleaming debris, a complete, sharp claw extended halfway—its pointed tip still radiating a cold, crisp chill. Only this claw had withstood the swift cutting by Han Li without a single flaw. Han Li coldly gazed at the ice spirit reduced to dust, then lifted his eyes to the three luminous cocoons now glowing with even more vivid crimson hues, furrowing his brows slightly. Without a word, he raised his hand and drew it forward, and the ice claw shot straight toward him. Under the reflection of the moonlight, one could barely see a translucent thread tightly connecting Han Li and the sharp claw—this very thread, the fatal cause of the ice spirit's demise. Han Li, seizing the opportunity during their renewed encounter, silently manipulated the transparent silk thread on his index finger, wrapping it around the opponent's claw without a sound. Though the ice-bodied claw, now transparent and hard, had been transformed into a resilient form, it lost its delicate sense of touch, allowing Han Li to easily claim victory and end its life at that moment. He glanced down at the ice claw carefully, hesitated, and then tossed it aside. Though he knew clearly that the claw, capable of withstanding the impact of a sword forged from "Silver Essence," was an ideal material for crafting vessels, he still felt uneasy—originally formed from human hands—finding it difficult to overcome his lingering hesitation and bring it into his possession. Taking a few steps, he approached the body of the ice spirit, randomly drew his silver sword across the scattered ice fragments, and lifted out a storage sack, examined it briefly, and then carefully secured it. Without a word, he ascended into the sky, eager to see what further maneuvers his companions might undertake—already, the three Blood Attendants had immediately transformed into their full forms. Han Li had no idea that, at the very moment the ice spirit was felled, within a secret chamber beneath a mountain pavilion, a middle-aged man with a clean, serene face suddenly opened his blood-red eyes and murmured, "Has the ice spirit indeed passed? That's good—then I won't have to act again." After saying this, he calmly closed his eyes once more as if nothing had happened. Before him lay a skeletal remains, thin and pale, as though only the outer layer of skin remained, with no trace of flesh. From the clothing and accoutrements, it was clear that the deceased had been a cultivator from Huangfeng Valley. At that moment, someone informed Han Li about the "true treasure," which left Han Li delighted and completely at ease. Han Li had certainly heard of the "true treasure" before, but he hadn't expected his senior Liu to possess such a treasure—and even more surprising, to be willing to use it now. Usually, such a treasure is reserved for life-or-death moments. Han Li and Liu Jing had different experiences, so he couldn't fully grasp Liu Jing's complex emotions or his sense of hesitation and uncertainty. To Han Li, how others perceived him was simply irrelevant—as long as it didn't affect his own interests, nothing would be lost. Of course, if there was an opportunity to leave a favorable impression without much effort, Han Li would gladly take it. But if he had to maintain that impression by sacrificing something precious—like the "true treasure"—he would never, under any circumstances, do such a foolish thing. Yet Liu Jing's actions truly moved Han Li, even making him question whether his previous judgments might have been wrong. Could there truly be good people who, in their efforts to eradicate evil, were willing to sacrifice themselves entirely? Just as Han Li felt a touch of humility, a sudden roar erupted from below—rich with the intensity of bloodlust and slaughter. Han Li and the others were startled, quickly turning to look downward. They saw one of the three blood-encased orbs beginning to swell and distort continuously, as though the blood servant within was about to emerge at any moment. Han Li's heart tightened—he would have to engage the other blood servants first, giving Liu Senior some much-needed time! As he was about to act, a calm voice came from behind the group. "Please make way, everyone. I'll handle these three demonic beings myself." The tone brought immediate relief to the group's faces. Han Li swiftly turned to face the speaker. To their amazement, Liu Jing was smiling gently at them, and upon his palm, a small, delicate red bird was continuously fluttering back and forth, endearing beyond words. The previously intense heat surrounding them had vanished completely, as if it had never been there. "Is this the true form of the precious treasure?" Han Li asked, eyes wide with wonder. "Thank you all for your protection!" Liu Jing slowly rose to his feet and gracefully drifted forward to stand before Han Li and the others. Then, with no hesitation, he gently blew upon the red bird in his hands. Instantly, the bird emitted a clear, melodious chirp and took flight, swiftly descending toward the ground. At that moment, the luminous cocoon below—already transformed—gave off a soft "pop" and automatically burst open, revealing a creature wrapped in deep emerald light. Its form was remarkably similar to that of the ice demon's half-demon appearance, though now in a deeper, richer shade of green. The figure's face was clearly that of the Daoist with green patterns, yet now he was filled with wild frenzy, as though his mind were somewhat clouded. He roared twice, and as he lifted his head, he saw the fiery little bird drifting down toward him. At that moment, his body froze, and the frantic expression on his face softened, revealing deep fear. He quickly scanned the surroundings in panic, then a surge of green light surged from his body, lifting him into the air as if to vanish away. But just then, the red bird emitted a sharp "crack," rapidly expanding in size until it became a massive flaming bird, measuring several zhang in height. With a single flap of its wings, it materialized suddenly behind the now-phantom Daoist, just a few dozen zhang away, and gently pecked him with its sharp red beak.