While Han Li was quietly pondering in his bedroom, his expression suddenly changed. When he arrived at the gate of the sealed, long-unopened abode, he immediately noticed several to eight transmission scrolls of varying colors fluttering wildly within the gate's ancient seals—like headless flies darting about. Upon seeing this, Han Li raised an eyebrow, produced his seal token, and uttered the character "receive." Instantly, all the scrolls soared gracefully into his hands. Without leaving his place, he calmly examined each one. Half of the scrolls were messages of congratulations from nearby Jin Dan stage cultivators, while the others were recruitment offers from several organizations. Some offered the position of guest senior elder, others paid with rare treasures as compensation, and one even proposed to gift a pair of exquisite young maids as a token of welcome. Upon hearing this, Han Li silently rolled his eyes. The disciples from the Jiandan stage politely responded, while those from larger organizations directly declined. He didn't believe that merely reaching the Jiandan stage would secure him peace of mind. It would be better to spend some time solidifying his stage and maintaining a low profile. In the days that followed, Han Li began visiting the abodes of several nearby Jiandan cultivators frequently, humbly seeking advice on matters to pay attention to after entering the Jiandan stage. Since the questions he posed weren't particularly confidential, these cultivators were quite willing to share insights during casual conversations. Han Li gained a great deal from these exchanges! Nevertheless, the Jiandan cultivators themselves were greatly impressed and envious of Han Li's youthful appearance, which remained unchanged even after his attainment of the Jiandan stage. After all, unless one possessed exceptional innate potential or, like Han Li, had benefited from numerous medicinal herbs throughout cultivation, most cultivators typically reached the Jiandan stage at a relatively older age. Even after achieving Dan-stage cultivation and greatly extending their lifespan, their facial appearance would not revert to that of youth—merely the rate of aging would be significantly slowed. Of course, some cultivators' techniques inherently possess remarkable anti-aging effects, allowing them to remain as youthful as young men or women even after reaching Dan-stage. This time, Han Li did not hesitate to make use of his few Jingyan Dan pills, immediately exchanging them for several rare items from the others, which brought everyone great joy. After several such exchanges, although Han Li and these individuals had not yet become close friends, they had certainly grown familiar with one another. They would often refer to each other as "friend" or "brother," and thus got along quite well. During this period, Han Li simultaneously refined the "Lühuang Sword" and actively sought out materials for crafting法宝 and third-tier puppets. There were numerous materials suitable for crafting法宝, and the methods of refinement varied widely, each unique in its own way. Given equal time and effort invested in cultivation, a treasure artifact crafted from superior materials exhibits a distinctly different power and greater potential for enhancement compared to one made from ordinary materials. Even when using the same materials, the power and efficacy of the artifact vary significantly depending on the specific secret techniques employed in its creation. Therefore, beyond the well-known, standard methods for crafting common artifacts, more specialized techniques are carefully guarded and rarely shared among sects and power factions. However, this does not mean that an artifact made from the finest materials using the best crafting methods will necessarily possess boundless power upon completion. The true strength of an artifact primarily depends on the cultivator who wields it, who must continuously refine and nourish it through constant cultivation and inner cultivation within their spirit realm. If the artifact's owner neglects this ongoing effort, the exceptional qualities of the rare materials may fail to manifest, and the artifact's power may even fall short of that of a more ordinary one—this is entirely normal. As for the "Cloud Sword of Qingzhufen Peak" that Han Li wished to craft, the name itself implies that the primary materials should be made from sacred bamboo that has lived for several thousand years. Originally, with Han Li's ability to accelerate the ripening of plants using his small bottles, securing such materials would have been quite straightforward with a bit of time and effort. Yet, he had no interest in ordinary bamboo, instead seeking out legendary, rare varieties of divine bamboo to serve as the main materials for crafting his divine artifacts. Despite his continued efforts in the marketplace of Tianxing City, he had yet to find a variety that fully satisfied him. Though somewhat anxious, Han Li remained committed to his principle of choosing only the finest, and thus temporarily postponed the crafting of his artifacts. Fortunately, he still had the "Green煌 Sword" and several enchanted items to protect him, which provided him with temporary reassurance. With the crafting of his artifacts on hold, Han Li naturally turned his attention to the creation of his new puppet. According to the True Scripture of the Puppet, the third-tier puppets' full-power strike is equivalent to that of a mid-Foundational stage cultivator, and the materials used in their crafting have become increasingly costly, with several distinct forms of puppets now appearing. After careful consideration, Han Li selected a monkey-shaped puppet primarily made of wooden materials. Although this type requires significantly older iron and wood, and incorporates rare heavenly crystal wood during the crafting process, since all materials are wood-based, Han Li can naturally use green essence to bring them to life, greatly reducing overall costs. Nevertheless, the expenses for other auxiliary materials upgraded to the same level remain extraordinarily high, and with the number of puppets now under his control increasing, the total expenditure has become even more staggering. While these spiritual stones have not driven Han Li to bankruptcy, they have left him financially depleted after gathering all the materials. In desperation, Han Li was thus forced to release a portion of the rare materials from his five-tier beast companions to ease the current financial strain. Yet Han Li had not expected that, despite his utmost caution, the information he had released this time would have drawn the attention of those with a keen eye. That day, after completing a transaction with a small merchant from afar, he was just about to return to his dwelling when a young lady, her beauty as radiant as a blooming flower, stopped him on the street. "Is this indeed Master Han? Our lady has kindly invited you to meet at Qinghe Tea House not far from here. Would you be so good as to join us? If you decline, I shall surely be severely reprimanded by our lady," she said, her voice full of gentle appeal. "I have no interest!" Han Li glanced at her and promptly rejected the request without hesitation. He immediately noticed that though the young woman was only at the Qi Condensation stage, she had evidently mastered a certain charm technique, which she was now using clumsily and without regard for his comfort—thus, she naturally treated him with coldness. Upon hearing Han Li's refusal, the young woman, barely sixteen or seventeen, grew visibly alarmed and quickly pleaded, "Master Han! If you do not go, I shall truly be at a loss." "Even if I beg you..." Before the young woman had finished speaking, Han Li turned coldly and walked away without a word. Though he didn't know who she was, he had no interest in meeting a stranger. "Han Senior, please wait! I am Fan Jingmei of Miao Yin Sect, bowing to you. My discipline has been lax, and my daughter, Lian, has been somewhat rude. I hope you will forgive her!" As Han Li had just stepped a few paces away, a sweet voice came from behind. He paused, then turned to look back. To his surprise, a woman wearing a light silk veil had appeared beside the young woman. Though her face was still obscured, her skin was as white as snow, her black hair gleaming and neatly coiled high on her head. Her two bright eyes, clear as water, gazed steadily at Han Li without blinking. "I don't know this lady," Han Li said calmly. "Just get to the point. I still need to return to my estate to practice." His tone carried a subtle sense of distance. Hearing this, the woman who introduced herself as "Fan Jingmei" was slightly taken aback, but quickly smiled and said, "Since Master Han is so prompt, then I'll be direct. Has Master recently sold off a large quantity of rare magical beast materials? Our sect has shown great interest in these materials and would like to discuss matters with you in greater depth. However, with so many people here, perhaps it would be better if we could go to a quiet room in a tea house for a more private conversation—would that be acceptable?" Yet though the young girl walked ahead, she couldn't help but glance back and glance over her shoulder, just as her gaze met Han Li's. Startled by this sudden encounter, she quickly turned back to the jade column, her cheeks flushing with a light blush. Han Li smiled faintly, a mixture of amusement and mild surprise playing on his lips. The tea pavilion mentioned by the women of Miao Yin was not far away, and within a short while, Han Li followed them into a lofty pavilion adorned with a large banner bearing the character "Tea." The pavilion was not crowded, and as the middle-aged man saw the women and the young girl enter, he promptly rose and hurried to greet them. "Uncle, the room has been reserved! We can now proceed with the guests," he said. "Good. Then you'll stay outside and keep watch,"范静梅 replied calmly. "Yes, ma'am." Then, under the man's guidance, the two women and Han Li ascended to the second floor and entered a refined, elegant single room. To their surprise, there already stood an elderly man dressed in gray, calmly brewing a pot of hot tea. The steam rose gently, and he didn't even lift his eyelids as韩立 and the others entered.