"Thud." "Thud." The bodies of Liu Jing and his companion were casually thrown to the ground by the attacker. "Since you've come, you won't be leaving now. I precisely need a few Foundation Stage cultivators for blood sacrifice!" With these words, the man smiled coldly, revealing gleaming white teeth that shone under the moonlight. This man was none other than the very one who had been utterly startled just moments before—the Yue Huang. Yet now, he bore no trace of any embarrassment or panic. A powerful aura of cultivation, no less than that of the blue-robed cultivator, radiated from him, indicating he himself was a late-stage Foundation Stage cultivator. Feeling this cultivation level, Han Li's expression grew even colder. He had no idea what technique the man had employed to conceal his cultivation level so completely that even the members of Huang Feng Valley could not detect it at all. This reminded Han Li of the first time he had encountered the Young Prince and the Grand Steward—when he had also failed to sense any cultivation energy emanating from them. But unlike then, this time, the unusual premonition of danger had not surfaced, which only deepened Han Li's caution and vigil Han Li flicked his finger, and the white phosphorus shield and the turtle-shell artifact simultaneously activated, moving slowly around him. Chen Qiaojian and Song Meng, along with the others, watched the Yue Emperor and the blue-robed figure with tense expressions, each releasing their own artifacts to tightly protect themselves. Seeing Han Li and the others appear so prepared, the Yue Emperor and the blue-robed figure exchanged glances and then both chuckled coldly. Suddenly, the blue-robed figure shifted his stance and materialized at a spot some fifteen zhang away—where a pile of shimmering ice fragments lay, the remains of the ice demon shattered by Han Li's chaotic blades. Approaching the pile, he gently extended his hand and, with a swift motion, plucked a blue orb that shot out from among the ice remains and landed in his palm. At the same time, the cunning Yue Emperor stepped to the burial sites of the two blood attendants whose bodies had been fully transformed by the Fire Bird's true treasure. He struck the ground firmly with his hand, and two orbs—one golden, one yellow—burst upward, rising steadily and settling neatly into his hands. "What?" As soon as Han Li saw these several beads, recalling the previously mentioned pale green one, he immediately sensed something and grew tense. He hadn't expected that, after all his careful planning, the very items he had come for would simply appear before him. These must indeed be the "Five-Element Blood-Congealing Pills" mentioned by the young prince, related to the Condensation stage—though there were only four here, where was the fifth? While Han Li was filled with excitement, the Emperor Yue and the blue-robed figure also expressed great delight upon receiving the beads. They stood on opposite sides and suddenly burst into loud laughter, then turned their cold, piercing gazes toward Han Li and his companions, clearly revealing their intent to strike. This caused an immediate subtle shift in the expressions of Han Li's party. "All of you, ascend to heaven!" After circling through a series of thoughts, Han Li suddenly exclaimed. Then, the divine wind vessel materialized, and he himself soared into the air first. Others were taken aback, yet trusting in the impressive performance of Han Li, Song Meng and the partner of the "Snow Rainbow" sister-in-attunement both unconsciously followed Han Li's instructions and ascended to the heavens together. Only Chen Qiao, upon hearing Han Li's words, hesitated slightly before pulling her companion, Zhong Wei, and also taking to the skies. Seeing this, Yue Huang and the man in blue robes exchanged a brief, slightly unusual expression, then both chuckled coldly. Though the two individuals looked entirely different, they seemed to share the same demeanor and expression as if guided by Han Li—so strikingly uniform that it sent a chill through Han Li's heart. "These young ones are quite perceptive," said Yue Huang and the man in blue robes, speaking calmly, "It seems you'll need to make a personal sacrifice early on!" "Mine? Isn't it already yours? Take it then!" Their conversation, though simple and composed, carried an undercurrent of strangeness that made Han Li and Chen Qiao feel a cold shiver behind their spines. "Han brother, what are they saying?" asked Song Meng, approaching Han Li and swallowing a lump in his throat. Having witnessed so many of his peers die right before his eyes, even someone as assertive and competitive as Song Meng no longer possessed the initial boldness and fearless spirit. Now, when he came to ask Han Li, it was more out of a desire for reassurance—Han Li held a certain mystique in Song Meng's mind, making him feel more dependable. Han Li inwardly sighed at this, his lips moving slightly as he prepared to speak. But just then, what unfolded below caused a sudden change in his expression, forcing him to swallow his words immediately. Chen Qiao also gasped aloud, drawing Song Meng's startled attention as he hurried to look. There, the hand of the Yue Emperor had plunged into the chest of the blue-robed figure, while the blue-robed man's arms were fully extended, showing no signs of struggle at all, his expression calm and serene, smiling gently. Then, brilliant streaks of blood surged from both the blue-robed figure and the Yue Emperor, connecting at the arm where the Yue Emperor had stabbed into the blue-robed man's chest. As a result, the blood glow from the blue-robed figure began rushing violently toward the Yue Emperor—seeming both as if being absorbed by him and as if willingly offering itself—leaving Song Meng utterly stunned. The blue-robed figure's radiance gradually dimmed, his flesh and skin withering and shrinking, while the glow on the Yue Emperor's body grew stronger and stronger, his face slowly becoming younger and younger. "What kind of strange technique is this?" Song Meng exclaimed in astonishment. Yet at this moment, Han Li's face was deeply grave, completely ignoring his senior colleague's amazement. After taking a deep breath, he suddenly thrust both hands outward. A countless number of fire serpents and fire orbs—fire-based talismans—rushed forth from his hands, eager and eager, toward the Yue Emperor and the blue-robed figure below. He launched over a hundred, in fact, which were the only fire talismans he possessed. As a result, the talismans instantly transformed into a vast array of fiery spells, surging forward in powerful waves that overwhelmed the oncoming forces—so powerful, even surpassing Liu Jing's true divine fire beast. Yet, it was rare in the immortal realm to have someone capable of launching hundreds of talismans at once; after all, this wasn't merely tossing talismans—it was essentially throwing hundreds of spiritual stones. At the very instant when a chilling expression flashed across the Yue Huang's eyes, the roaring flames engulfed him and the blue-robed figure, submerging them in a thunderous cascade of explosions. Indeed, no matter how deafening the explosions or how towering the flames, both the Yue Huang and the blue-robed figure remained unharmed. A significant portion of the blood-like glow on the blue-robed figure had already transferred to the Yue Huang, who now appeared to be only in his thirties—this brought a touch of joy to the latter's face. At this moment, upon seeing Han Li take action, Chen Qiao and the others also launched their magical artifacts downward, aiming to strike the two figures who seemed to be under the influence of some sinister spell and thus unable to defend themselves—clearly a move to punish the fallen. However, as soon as their artifacts were released, a brilliant white light erupted between the Yue Huang and the blue-robed figure, followed by a tremendous roar. As the light contracted and expanded, it swiftly enveloped both figures within its radiance. The terrifying spiritual power emanating from the white light, along with the shock evident on Yue Huang's face, clearly reached the eyes of Chen Qiaoqian and the others, leaving them both astonished and delighted, and all of them turned to Han Li without hesitation—clearly, this was a move orchestrated by the fellow disciple. Yet, Han Li showed no sign of joy; his expression grew even colder. "Don't be too optimistic yet," he said calmly, glancing at them. "That man hasn't died yet!" The words sent a jolt through the group, prompting them to look up immediately. Indeed, although the swirling dust obscured everything, the lingering traces of Yue Huang's spiritual aura remained faint and intermittent—indicating that while he was still alive, his power had been severely diminished. Upon sensing this information through their spiritual awareness, Song Meng and the other two spirits were instantly energized. They swiftly directed their respective artifacts to hover in the skies above, preparing to strike together as soon as Yue Huang manifested, thus avenging their fallen comrade. "Cough… Excellent! Excellent! Cough…" I truly underestimated you—never thought you'd be the most formidable among these travelers! What exactly did you conceal within those scrolls that even my protective blood aura could not withstand? A cough rose from the mist, but gradually settled into a steady, colder tone, growing stronger and more resolute. Song Meng and the others were stunned; even Han Li was deeply alarmed. "It's merely a single Heavenly Thunder Seed! I never expected that there truly exists a Foundation-stage cultivator who can withstand a Heavenly Thunder Seed without perishing!" Han Li sighed, speaking calmly as he raised both hands. In a flash of white light, over a dozen puppet beasts and soldiers materialized before him, each one aiming precisely at the increasingly distinct figure on the ground. As soon as the figure appeared, Song Meng and the others launched their spiritual artifacts with unwavering determination. However, after a burst of red light, all the artifacts simultaneously lost connection with their owners. Then, Yue Huang emerged from the mist, covered in blood and soot, his eyes filled with bitter resentment, fixed firmly on Han Li.