Han Li ignored the other's astonishment and dispersed the jade-green glow surrounding the Soul-Calling Bell. Then, with a sharp snap of his finger, "clunk!" the "Qu Hu" who had just attempted to escape flipped over and fell to the ground. "This is your life essence artifact! The very one that belongs to this body!" cried the Qu Hu, growing increasingly alarmed. "You know that, don't you? If you want to avoid suffering, then clearly explain your origins. I'm quite curious—how is it possible for you to have taken over this body when, in the immortal realm, cultivators are never known to displace ordinary humans?" Han Li spoke calmly, his voice as composed and relaxed as if chatting with a close friend. Yet upon hearing this, the Qu Hu could not help but shiver involuntarily. After all, cultivators who had succeeded in taking over a mortal's body were universally disliked—though not always eliminated, they rarely received anything but cold treatment. Han Li's unusually composed demeanor only deepened the Qu Hu's unease, sending him into a flurry of mental preparations for a way to escape. "Apologies, my good friend. I too was once a Juji Period cultivator, but during my struggles against my enemies, my physical form was destroyed, and thus I was forced to take up this one." This guest did not answer Han Li's questions, instead rising and offering a forced, cheerful explanation. "Indeed?" Han Li replied calmly. In truth, hearing that the guest was a Juji Period cultivator, Han Li had been somewhat surprised. However, the "Qu Hu" could not read Han Li's thoughts; seeing his composed, indifferent demeanor, he grew uneasy and quickly added, "Although my cultivation level has now dropped to the lower tier of the Qixing Period, I still possess some artifacts and spiritual stones. As long as my friend does not hold this matter against me, I would be honored to offer them to you!" This statement was made with a notably humble tone. Clearly, he fully understood the principle of being at someone's mercy. Yet Han Li paid no attention to the guest's entreaties, instead pausing thoughtfully before suddenly asking, "Are you a cultivator from the Seven Sects?" Han Li had asked this seemingly casually. As far as he knows, there are very few Foundation Stage cultivators outside the seven sects—though some large cultivator families still have quite a few, such as the Yan family. "The seven sects... Ah, yes. I am a cultivator from Lingshou Mountain. May I ask if you are also from one of the seven sects?" When saying this, Qu Hun's expression remained calm, but Han Li noticed a subtle look of surprise in his eyes, which made Han Li suspect something. "Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you from Lingshou Mountain! I wonder if Miss Han Yunzhi from your sect is doing well these days?" Han Li smiled gently and asked slowly. "Miss Han Yunzhi... I'm truly sorry, but as I've been in constant meditation and cultivation for years, I don't really have much memory of the younger disciples." Qu Hun was momentarily stunned by Han Li's question, then cleared his throat and offered a few forced, somewhat insincere laughs. "If you don't recognize her, could you perhaps name a few disciples you know? I have many acquaintances from Lingshou Mountain—perhaps one of them is someone I know as well!" Han Li calmly continued to press his questions. "This...," Qu Hu began, visibly startled, his eyes darting around nervously, appearing quite uncooperative. Observing the man's hesitant demeanor, Han Li's expression grew cold, his tone increasingly frosty. "Indeed, you have let me down! It seems you've been served wine, yet refused to drink it—now you're being served the consequences." Han Li spoke without ceremony, then subtly shifted his body forward, and a moment later, returned to his original position. Qu Hu remained motionless in place, now with a "Stabilizing Spirit Seal" affixed to his chest—so sudden and firm that he had no chance to react. The man's face turned pale, and he urgently cried out, "Master, what is this meant to signify? There is surely room for negotiation!" When applied to ordinary people, this Stabilizing Spirit Seal renders their bodies completely rigid, rendering them unable to speak. However, when it came to cultivators with a certain level of spiritual power, the effect was somewhat weaker. While it still rendered less experienced cultivators immobile, the person's speech and various expressions remained unaffected. At this moment, Han Li paid no attention to the caller's outburst and instead reached into his storage pouch, pulling out a basin dark as ink. As soon as the basin appeared, a dense, eerie atmosphere spread out, causing the temperature of the surrounding air to drop noticeably. A series of ghostly wails echoed from within the basin, and strange black mist swirled around it, further enhancing the haunting aura of the artifact—Han Li's newly acquired "Convergence of Souls Basin." Holding the artifact in one hand, Han Li cast a solemn, solemn gaze upon the opponent before calmly stepping a few paces forward to face "Qu Hu." The observer, initially expressing surprise and bewilderment at the basin's strange phenomena, suddenly recalled something, his expression instantly turning tense. He spoke with some hesitation, asking, "What do you intend to do? Are you going to employ the Soul-Refining Technique?" When the words "Spirit-Refining Technique" were spoken, the person's eyes revealed an expression of profound fear. The renowned technique known as "Spirit-Consolidation" is notoriously dreaded throughout the immortal cultivation world—so much so that even the most seasoned cultivators shy away from it, and even use it as a solemn vow in their most severe curses. In every sect and noble family, there are always dedicated practitioners who specialize in mastering this technique, which serves as the most powerful and intimidating punishment for those who betray their sect or family. It is widely recognized for its severity and harshness. It is said that practitioners of this technique can extract a person's spirit and soul, then subject them to specialized rituals of torment. The pain inflicted directly upon the spirit is so intense that even the most resolute individuals cannot endure it for more than a brief moment. Indeed, the stronger a cultivator's spirit, the more severe the suffering they endure—making this technique a source of constant apprehension among all cultivators. Stories about the art of soul refinement have circulated widely throughout the immortal cultivation world, with the most widely known tradition being that practitioners of this art must cultivate a "soul artifact" closely linked to their own spirit essence. Only through this artifact can they perform the soul-refining technique, which causes the soul of the recipient to suffer unbearable torment. While few outsiders have personally witnessed the appearance of such soul artifacts, most cultivators have described them as exuding a dense, ethereal atmosphere, filled with ghostly and melancholy energy—strikingly similar to the image of the "soul gathering basin," which holds the combined souls of over a hundred cultivators. Thus, when the basin first revealed its unusual phenomena, combined with Han Li's earlier threatening words, the "Curator of Souls" naturally concluded that Han Li himself possessed this terrifying soul-refining technique. It is no wonder he reached such a conclusion—whenever one thinks of a method that torments a person's spirit and soul, the soul-refining art is the first that comes to mind. How could he not be utterly overwhelmed? Upon hearing the "Curator of Souls"’ remarks, Han Li remained expressionless on his face, though he found himself somewhat surprised internally. To be honest, when he produced this artifact, he hadn't expected to intimidate the other person with the "spirit-refining technique"—he simply hoped to use the cold, refreshing qi of the basin to deliver a good punch to the other's spirit. But now this person believed he possessed the spirit-refining skill and was deeply afraid of him, which stirred something in his mind, prompting him to decide to go with the plan and make the most of the situation. "Let me ask you once again—what is your true origin, and why are you pretending to be a cultivator from Lingshu Mountain?" Han Li didn't respond whether the other would use the spirit-refining technique, but instead calmly repeated his question. Han Li's deliberate avoidance of direct answers only strengthened the other's confidence, causing him to look pale and distressed, though his lips moved several times without managing to speak. Seeing this, Han Li stopped wasting words and quietly chanted a few incantations that he himself didn't fully understand. Then, without further hesitation, he raised the "Converging-Spirit Basin" right up to the other's face. Back then, the cold qi within the basin was so potent that even a Foundation Stage cultivator like Han Li would shiver upon mere contact. Now, with Han Li’s own cultivation level having reached the Qi Stage’s "Curse of the Soul," he could hardly withstand it at all. Thus, as soon as the basin was placed before him, he immediately felt an intense cold spreading throughout his body—so profound that it seemed his spirit was being frozen solid, as if thousands of steel needles were simultaneously piercing his very soul. After only a brief moment, he could no longer bear the agony, let out a piercing cry, and his facial muscles twisted and distorted. The "Spirit of the Curve" no longer hesitated after having tasted the bitter consequences. Thus, upon seeing Han Li once again activating his spell, he hastily changed his words, saying, "My friend, if you could be so kind as to forgive me, I'll simply say it. Could you please retrieve the spirit vessel now and absolutely refrain from employing any more soul-refining techniques!" The cold seepage from the basin had so chilled him that his voice had changed; had it not been for the lingering spiritual energy protecting him and the fact that Qu Hu's body was notably stronger than ordinary, he would have been completely stiffened already. "If only you had been more considerate from the start, you wouldn't have endured this much suffering!" Han Li gave off a look of "you've just made things difficult for yourself," and casually lifted the basin. In truth, he had quietly exhaled a sigh of relief. For even without this remark, Han Li would have eventually retrieved the "Converging-Soul Basin" himself. The vessel's coldness had made direct contact with Han Li unbearable, and he simply could not hold it any longer. "Quhun" breathed a long, relieved sigh upon seeing Han Li truly set aside the soul artifact he had believed to be the key. "You had better not try to pass off falsehoods to get through—my own spells can verify the truth of what you say. I daresay you wouldn't be so foolish as to sacrifice your very soul, merely to protect some secret, and remain trapped in endless reincarnation." Han Li's voice was icy cold. At these words, "Quhun," who had just endured considerable pain, could not help trembling all over, his face turning pale with dismay.