Feng Saniang listened carefully, then gently pulled back her forelock. "Ladies and gentlemen! It is not that I am unwilling to speak the truth, but that there is an order from above: before reaching this island, we are strictly forbidden to disclose the matter. However, now that we have arrived, this restriction no longer applies. I shall therefore tell you everything. Our Six-Connected Hall has set its sights on a creature known as the 'Infant Carp Beast,' and thus we must proceed with great caution!" The young man from the Yan family and the bald man looked uneasy, their expressions shifting constantly, as though utterly at a loss. Only the middle-aged scholar appeared deeply displeased, speaking coldly to Feng Saniang: "Have you six connected halls gone too far? Who doesn't know that the Yingli beast is a naturally born water-element spirit creature, possessing an extraordinary mastery of water-based techniques? If it were a sixth-tier spirit beast, it would absolutely outperform even seventh-tier ordinary beasts in the sea. Yet you still claim it as a sixth-tier beast and ask me to intervene—does that not seem like deliberate deception?" As he spoke, his tone grew increasingly angry, as though he had been completely taken for granted. The expressions of Qing Suansi and the others gradually settled, though they too showed clear dissatisfaction. Yet, being independent practitioners without strong connections, they dared not easily offend the Six-Connected Hall and remained silent, watching closely to see how Feng Saniang would respond. "Master Mao, what you've just said is quite mistaken! Where in the world have we six connected halls been deceiving any of you?" Though this infant carp beast is indeed formidable, it is no mere sixth-rank monster—how could the Hall insist that a genuine sixth-rank beast be called seventh? "Moreover, since we knew from the beginning that the Hall would offer such a precious reward—Dingchen Dan—we should have clearly understood that the beast we were dealing with was no ordinary sixth-rank monster. Otherwise, how could the Hall have made a loss on the transaction?" Feng Saniang's expression darkened, and she firmly rebutted. Therefore, before coming here, I had already received assurances from above. Upon the successful completion of this matter, in addition to paying each of you one Dust Pill as agreed, I will personally gift each of you one thousand spiritual stones as compensation for the confidentiality maintained beforehand. Does this satisfy all of you?" Upon hearing this, the grievances of Qing Suansi and the others gradually subsided, and they all nodded in agreement with a more relaxed expression. The middle-aged scholar still seemed somewhat dissatisfied, but upon his wife—whose beauty was striking—whispering a few words to him in his ear, his face changed and he fell silent. Thereafter, the group dispersed to various quiet spots on the island, each finding a place to meditate and rest. Han Li and Qu Hun chose a large, sea-facing rock, sitting face to face in cross-legged positions. Under Han Li's specific instructions, Qu Hun soon entered a state of nourishing and strengthening his vital energies. Han Li himself gradually closed his eyes, preparing to enter a state of deep meditation. Yet after just a cup of tea's worth of time, Han Li furrowed his brows and opened his eyes, gazing呆ly at the surging, powerful sea waves, as though lost in thought. For some inexplicable reason, he felt unusually uneasy, as though something momentous was about to unfold, causing him a sense of tense, unsteady apprehension. After pondering for a while without finding any clear cause, Han Li merely smiled faintly. It seemed he was indeed rather nervous. Though his senses had always been sharp, with two Jin Dan-stage cultivators and the "Six Evolutions Water Wave Array" supporting him tomorrow, how could he possibly defeat a six-tiered beast? Though this beast appeared unusually remarkable, beasts were beasts—no matter how strong, they simply couldn't stand a chance against cultivators. After reassuring himself with these thoughts, Han Li tried to force himself into a state of Qi cultivation. But even after a while, his mind remained heavy, and he still couldn't settle into the right rhythm. "Cough—" Han Li sighed and finally stood up. It seemed he simply couldn't find peace unless he did something! With a sense of resignation, he glanced around and extended his awareness. Good news—he found no other cultivators nearby. Han Li quickly reached into his storage pouch and pulled out several array flags glowing faintly and five or six array discs, the tools for setting up the "Bian Shui Qing Jia Array." Though this array was far less powerful than the "Din Dao Wuxing Array" or the "Liu Dun Shui Bo Array" he would be hosting tomorrow, it was still significantly stronger than ordinary array techniques. And thanks to the array tools, setting it up was remarkably simple. Without hesitation, Han Li summoned Qu Hun and instructed her to begin placing the array flags around the rocky outcrop, spreading them over a radius of several dozen zhang, while burying the array discs beneath the ground. Watching Qu Hun diligently drive each flag deep into the earth, Han Li felt a growing sense of reassurance. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and he couldn't help but feel a touch of self-mockery. "I really am terrified of death!" ...On the second day, before dawn had fully broken, Feng Saniang gathered everyone and took them all together to a sea area some fifteen miles from the small island. At the same time, on a sea surface thousands of miles away, a streak of golden light and a streak of yellow light were speeding swiftly toward the unnamed island. Behind them, just a few miles away, a vast expanse of white, hazy mist—spanning nearly a hundred zhang in diameter—was rushing along the water's surface at the same speed, its edges shimmering with the faint, mournful cries of a newborn infant, so凄凉 and haunting that it sent chills down one's spine. "Miao Elder, use your flying sword to send a message. Have they prepared themselves?" A deep, resonant voice suddenly broke through the swift yellow light. "Yes, I will!" Miao Elder promptly responded, then stepped forward with a swift movement into the yellow light, while her golden glow transformed into a golden rainbow and vanished instantly. The vast expanse of white mist behind seemed stimulated by the scene, its infant-like cries sharpening into even more piercing tones, and gradually taking on the sound of thunder—growing louder and more powerful with each passing moment. "Unfortunate! This rogue is about to unleash the Water Qi Divine Thunder again! Brother Gu, accelerate swiftly!" cried the senior Mu in the golden light, clearly alarmed by the rising thunder. "Rest assured," came a deep, resonant voice, "my Huaren Cauldron is far from slow!" As soon as the words were spoken, the golden light surged forward, swiftly increasing the distance between it and the mist. Yet the mist seemed unwilling to yield. Amidst the thunder and cries, it too gained momentum, speeding up noticeably and carving a long, continuous trail of white waves across the sea surface—stretching out as far as the eye could see. Six cultivators at the late Foundation stage stood with solemn expressions, each spaced about a hundred paces apart, floating on their magical implements above the sea surface, forming a half-circular enclosure. Han Li stood behind Qu Hun, observing calmly, while the young wife stood beside the middle-aged scholar, showing evident concern. Suddenly, a golden light burst through the sky and landed upon Feng Saniang's hands, drawing the attention of the others. "Everyone take care—the Infant Carp beast is arriving! Once this creature enters the array, immediately seal the array gates," Feng Saniang seemed to have received some information, and with a serious expression, she shouted to the others before releasing the golden light, sending it soaring back into the sky. Han Li's heart tightened, and he gazed steadily in the direction the light had gone, without blinking. All the others also tightened their expressions, subtly conveying a sense of impending storm. After an unknown length of time, a deep, resonant thunder echoed from afar, growing steadily louder until two brilliant streaks of gold and yellow lightning appeared, rushing toward them at breathtaking speed, followed by a vast expanse of white mist, as though something were hot on their heels. "Is this the Infant Carp Beast?" Although Han Li had now clearly seen the large mass of white mist trailing behind, which was merely vapor, he could still hardly imagine what fierce and magnificent form the mythical beast concealed within the mist must take.