"Nangong Wan!" The female cultivator named Zhu Ruiting had a face different from Nangong Wan's, yet there was indeed a certain grace reminiscent of Nangong Wan about her—this subtle resemblance stirred something deep within the cultivator's heart, touching a long-forgotten corner of his soul. After understanding the reason, Han Li glanced at Zhu Ruiting with a mixture of complexity, then turned his gaze away, restoring his calm and composed demeanor. Nevertheless, even though Han Li and Qu Hun had arrived, Lady Fan and Zhu Ruiting still did not immediately set off. Instead, they frequently looked up toward the sky, as though still waiting for someone else. Observing this scene, Han Li felt a bit puzzled but chose not to ask anything. Instead, he found a quiet corner and sat cross-legged beside Qu Hun, patiently waiting for the departure time. This wait lasted for nearly half a day. If the people present were not all cultivators known for their patience, complaints would have surely arisen by now. Even so, eventually, someone grew visibly dissatisfied. At this sight, Lady Fan and Zhu Ruoting also showed a touch of anxiety, gathering together reluctantly and whispering several words to each other. Han Li observed all this silently, pondering in his mind what they might be waiting for, when suddenly a distant rumble of wind and thunder began to resonate. Then, a streak of dark hue appeared on the horizon, swiftly approaching. As it drew nearer, the sky above the seated cultivators grew increasingly agitated, prompting them all to rise and gaze in surprise. In a moment, the dark hue reached their midst—Han Li and the others now saw that it was a vast expanse of black clouds, spanning about fifty to sixty zhang in diameter. The sheer size of the cloud cover nearly enveloped the entire mountain peak, with intermittent thunderclaps and flashes of lightning erupting from within, making the scene all the more eerie. The cultivators stood in awe, utterly absorbed. Suddenly, a clear, composed female voice emerged from the midst of the clouds. "Master Chi, could you kindly release me? I would like to speak a few words with my two senior sisters." "Heh, of course not a problem!" replied a most unpleasant clanging sound. Hearing these two voices, Lady Fan and Zhu Ru Ting exchanged a slight look of concern. Among the other cultivators who knew the origin of the dark clouds, several grew pale. Han Li was also secretly startled, wondering what was going on when suddenly, one of the cultivators murmured softly, "The Master of Miao Yin Sect truly has impressive reach—how come the old master of Yuan Qi Island has also been invited?" Though the voice was low, Han Li, relying on his strong awareness, heard it clearly, and felt a sudden sense of alarm. As soon as he heard the words "Yuan Qi Island" and "Old Master of Fiery Flame," he immediately recalled the origin of the dark clouds. During his conversations with other cultivators, he had heard the name of "Old Master of Fiery Flame of Yuan Qi Island" on numerous occasions. The master had achieved renown early in his career and had reached the late Jie Dan stage. His skill in the Kui-Shui Magic Technique was ever-changing and unpredictable, and he was particularly known for his ruthlessness and willingness to turn on allies in the Chaotic Many have asserted that this old red cultivator is one of the most likely candidates to reach the Yuan Ying stage, destined eventually to become as formidable as the Ji Yin Elder. As a result, he has long dominated the Yuan Yuan Turtle Island, and no one dares to lightly challenge him—making him a well-known figure indeed. Yet, how has such a renowned magical cultivator come to this place? Could it truly be that he was summoned by Miao Yin Sect as a supporting force? Han Li remained calm but heightened his alertness, closely observing Wu Yun. "And with the manpower we currently have, it's absolutely sufficient!" Lady Fan said, her expression serious, with a subtle undercurrent of dissatisfaction. "Do you really think the cultivators who intercepted the cargo last time represent the entire strength of the other party?" The purple-robed woman paid no attention to the two women's expressions of concern, merely replied calmly. "What do you mean, Sister? Does that imply the other party still has other difficult figures to contend with?" Lady Fan was startled by this remark and immediately grasped the meaning, her eyes filled with surprise. "I've received word that within the other party's stronghold, there is a senior leader at the late Jin Dan stage stationed there. With only the reinforcements gathered by the two sisters, the situation still seems a bit weak. That's why I personally went to Yuangui Island and convinced the old cultivator of the red flame to join us!" The purple-robed woman said matter-of-factly. Upon hearing this, the two women exchanged a look of half-belief and half-doubt, and then fell silent. Though they knew that to persuade a magus of the level of Chìhuǒ Old Master to intervene, the cost paid by this junior sister must have been immense, now was not the time to discuss such matters—they could only wait until the current affairs here were settled before considering anything else. Moved by these words, the woman in purple deeply bowed to the two sisters. "Thank you both for your great efforts! As promised beforehand, once our mother's great vengeance is avenged, the position of Master of Miao Yin Sect shall be taken by one of you two. Wang Ning will never seek this position for himself!" The woman in purple spoke with firm determination. It is said that her beauty rivals that of the heavens and earth, making her one of the most renowned beauties in Lun Xinghai. Could this be the very lady? Han Li was somewhat surprised, gazing at the purple-robed woman from a distance. After exchanging words with Lady Fan, the woman drifted gracefully, like a celestial maiden, back to the Clouds. Then, under the solemn presence of the two beauty attendants, the group finally set off. Several beams of colorful light surged upward from the mountain peak, forming a loose formation and flying steadily northward. Han Li and Qu Hun remained quietly in the middle and rear of the procession, silent and focused on their journey. Yet, for some reason, the monk named Meng had flown close to Han Li, chatting cheerfully with him. "Han Brother, how did you agree to assist Fan Left-Commander? Well, my young wife is a direct disciple of Fan Left-Commander, so I feel obliged to repay this favor. Could it be that Han Brother also has a similar connection?" "I must confess, I am not as fortunate as you. Lady Fan merely promised to present me with a small gift at the time." Han Li spoke calmly. "That's truly a pity! Brother, the finest assets of Miao Yin Sect are undoubtedly its beautiful female disciples—especially those trained personally by the two Gate Masters. Truly, they are..." Hearing this continuous stream of words, Han Li remained composed on the surface, though he found himself quietly amused and a bit exasperated. Yet, these familiar, rambling remarks reminded him of the elder brother from Huang Feng Valley, whose verbosity had actually made him quite fond of the man. Thus, as Han Li responded in a loose, conversational manner, the entire group was guided by the Miao Yin Sect members toward an unknown destination. ...After fifteen days, the group finally arrived at a remote island. There, several lower-ranked disciples of Miao Yin Sect had been waiting for them for some time, while the bandits' stronghold lay on another unnamed island not far away—where other disciples were already keeping a watchful eye. Upon learning that all the evil cultivators remained within their lair and had not ventured out, the purple spirit maiden who had just flown out from among the clouds immediately ordered the cultivators, including Han Li, to rest for a while. She would launch her surprise attack at dawn tomorrow, when the enemy was unprepared. (Cough, it seems my biological rhythm has flipped. Getting it back in order isn't easy at all. I'm utterly exhausted—daytime lacks energy, and I can't fall asleep at night! Truly frustrating!)