The two senior elders of the Miao ancient lineage seemed familiar with the origin of these black vapors. As if encountering venomous scorpions, they swiftly parted to either side and instantly took flight. The black vapors did not press their pursuit further, instead contracting like a snake expelling its core and reuniting upon the water's surface, coalescing into a swirling vortex of blackness beside the ice-crafted infant carp. As the black wind gradually subsided, three figures emerged—on one side, a man and two women. The man was short and gaunt, his face streaked with blackened patches; the women were plump and graceful, clad in short, sleeveless garments. All three radiated a profound cold, eerie malice. The two women were relatively stable, each at the foundation stage of cultivation, but the strangely unattractive, gaunt young man—Han Li could not determine his cultivation level, yet he appeared to be a True Dan stage cultivator. "Wu Chou! What is your intention? Are you truly intent on declaring war against our Six-Connected Hall?" The elder clearly recognized the man and erupted in anger, speaking without restraint. "War? I haven't the slightest interest in that yet "Only, my master is about to awaken from the depths of the sea. Then, I shall present this young infant carp spirit's immortal essence as my tribute!" The thin young man spoke with dignified composure, his eyes fixed upward. "Master Li Yin is awakening?" The young man's words startled the two senior monks of the Sixth Hall, who exchanged glances, stunned. The nearby Qing Suans and other cultivators, hearing this, instantly paled. Even the middle-aged scholar, who had always carried himself with lofty confidence, now trembled slightly, his expression filled with apprehension. Han Li watched all this, silently impressed. Could this "Master Li Yin" indeed be so renowned? What struck him even more strangely was that he felt an unexpected familiarity with the dark malevolent aura emanating from the young man—an impression that was deeply resonant and almost familiar. Upon reflection, Han Li recalled that although the potency of this aura remained unclear, it bore a certain resemblance to the "Blood Refining Light" practiced by Yue Huang and Qu Hun. It suddenly came to mind the reference to the "Xuan Yin Jing" mentioned in the gray-white qi jade scroll. "Could it be that this 'Xuan Yin magical qi' has some connection with this item?" Han Li grew suspicious. But before Han Li could ponder further, the senior seedling, Miao, couldn't contain herself and loudly exclaimed, "Wu Chou! What are you talking about? Who doesn't know that your ancestor has been in a state of life-or-death seclusion for over a hundred years? Unless he makes a breakthrough in cultivation, no matter how great the matter, he simply won't emerge. Don't tell me that your ancestor has only reached the mid-Stage of Yuan Ying after a hundred years!" Upon hearing this, Wu Chou burst out laughing, looking up to the sky. "Hah! You people of the Liu Lian Pavilion are simply unaware! Who told you that your ancestor closed himself off to attain the mid-Stage of Yuan Ying? In fact, your ancestor closed himself off to master a world-class magical technique—now that the technique is complete, he naturally has to emerge!" Wu Chou said with great pride. Upon hearing this, Miao and his elder brother were left stunned, "Since we now know the reputation of our ancestral lineage, this young infant fish-beast has been duly accepted by our esteemed host. I am certain you six members of the Six-Linked Hall will not fail to extend us the courtesy of the Ji Yin Island!" Wu Chou, observing the two's demeanor, added with a sly tone. Yet the young man named Wu Chou, though also a cultivator at the initial stage of the Jade Dan stage, had mastered the top-tier magical technique of the Lunxing Sea—the "Xuan Yin Power"—a far superior achievement compared to ordinary Jade Dan cultivators. Moreover, behind him stood the venerable Master JI Yin, a legendary magisterial figure in the Lunxing Sea, renowned as a master strategist and a formidable force in the realm—no one dared to lightly challenge him! Yet if Wu Chou were to simply remove the infant Lí Liquan beast from their sight, the prestige of the Liulian Pavilion would suffer a serious blow. Not only would their prior efforts be rendered in vain, but they would also appear weak and vulnerable, which would be detrimental to the Pavilion's future growth. At this moment, the ancient elder with wild hair streaming down his shoulders subtly moved his lips, engaging in private conversation with the Miao elder. The two exchanged ideas, their expressions shifting between gloom and alertness. Meanwhile, Wu Chou sneered, strode proudly to the side of the infant beast beneath his feet, and with a flash of dark energy, a black blade as dark as ink appeared in his hands. With a single motion The two women watched the two苗ancients in the sky with cautious vigilance. Seeing this, Feng Saniang's face grew increasingly grave. Yet the two guest elders from the Miao clan remained silent, and she dared not make any move. Han Li and the others simply watched in silence, each one hesitant to speak aloud, fearing they might bring misfortune upon themselves. Not long afterward, the ugly figure extracted a round, emerald-blue orb from the head of the Yingli beast, his face lighting up with joy. Then he raised his head, gazing at the strange creatures—crab claws and other odd items—on the four hands, his face briefly glowing with greed. But as he lifted his magical blade, Elder Gu stepped forward and calmly stopped him. "Young Prince," he said, his voice calm and composed, "considering our shared history with your ancestor and our master, you may take all the other items from the Yingli beast. However, the immortal essence of the beast is ours—essential to our Six-Linked Hall. It must remain with us. Otherwise, we shall be unable to report back to our master." But Wu Chou heard this and coldly laughed. Still, he didn't heed it at all, and with one stroke cut off the妖兽's wrist and the blue coral it was clutching, lifting both into his hands. Upon seeing this, the elder Gu first showed a gentle expression, but then sighed. He suddenly sent a message to Wu Chou, feeling somewhat helpless. As soon as these transmitted words reached Wu Chou's ears, the magic blade he had raised instantly halted in mid-air, his face filled with astonishment. Then he set down the blade, his lips opening and closing in disbelief, as though questioning what had just happened. Meanwhile, the elder Gu remained expressionless, speaking a few more words. This strange scene left Han Li and the others completely puzzled, utterly bewildered. The elder Miao floated motionless in the air, paying no attention to what unfolded. "I don't believe it!" Wu Chou suddenly shook his head, his voice cold and stern. "Unless you produce proof of your identities!" This statement—whether intentional or merely accidental—was made without any means of telepathic communication, simply and grandly, as if it were a matter of course. It reached Han Li and Feng Saniang and the others clearly and distinctly, leaving them deeply puzzled. The expressions of Gu and Miao both changed dramatically; upon exchanging glances, they both turned visibly annoyed. "With this, shall we now be able to confirm our identities?" Gu Elder, his face as cold as frost, raised his hand and sent a dark, glossy disc flying. Miao effortlessly caught it in his hands. Han Li, now focused, observed closely with his strong awareness and, thanks to his keen perception, clearly saw the object—a token carved with fierce ghost heads, radiating a faint black aura. Miao was carefully flipping it over, examining it closely. Han Li felt a sudden jolt in his heart, a growing sense of unease forming. He quickly turned to look around, his expression growing serious. The others were relatively calm, still staring with growing bewilderment at the every move of the three Dan-stage cultivators. But the Qing Suansi was pale as a sheet, his hands tightly clenched, retreating silently without a sound. In a moment, he had already stepped back over twenty or thirty paces. As soon as he saw Han Li turn his gaze toward him, he was first startled, then broke into a grim, helpless smile. Without a word, he suddenly transformed into a streak of jade-green light and fled desperately. Witnessing this, Han Li's heart sank. Without pausing to think, he slapped his storage scroll once, swiftly releasing the Shen Feng Boat. Then, he pulled Qu Hun onto the artifact and himself transformed into a beam of white light, taking off at full speed toward the unnamed small island. The utterly strange actions of Qing Suansi and Han Li left Feng Saniang and the middle-aged scholar, who had only just noticed, completely stunned, utterly at a loss. The ancient and Miao elders below also noticed this scene, their expressions instantly growing cold; the ancient elder spoke with a particularly eerie tone: "It is our duty to slay the two who have fled. As for the ones remaining here, they shall be eliminated by Brother Wu!" Upon saying this, he immediately turned and, regardless of Wu Chou's agreement or disagreement, swiftly transformed into two streaks of dazzling light, heading off toward Han Li and Qing Suanzi, vanishing without a trace within moments. Wu Chou emitted a cold sigh, though clearly reluctant, and fixed a deadly gaze upon the bewildered Feng Saniang and the others. "Hmph! You're lucky to have heard the wrong things! Now, surrender your immortal essences to my lord!" With these words, Wu Chou spread his arms wide, and an overwhelming surge of dark, chilling winds erupted from his body, sweeping across Feng Saniang and the others with the force of a dense, thunderous wave.