The light shield was thick and somewhat hazy, though not as solid as when the yellow mist had completely obscured it. Beyond this primary layer, it seemed there were several additional layers within. At the center of the shield, a circular pillar several dozen feet high was faintly visible, bearing what appeared to be ancient patterns and inscriptions—specific details, however, remained unclear. Whenever the group's consciousness touched the shield, it was entirely bounced back, unable to penetrate even slightly. Even more strange were countless long, seven-colored ribbons drifting and weaving between the various shields, as if alive, creating an exceptionally eerie atmosphere. The others soon noticed this phenomenon and expressed amazement. Yet Han Li's expression darkened slightly, and a subtle trace of doubt flickered in his eyes. Though he was not deeply familiar with ancient array techniques, he had encountered many such arrays in Xin Ruoyin's various texts. The current array's form and aura did not resemble any of the classical methods he had seen. Instead, she seemed to carry a certain air of mystique. Thinking of this, Han Li turned his head and glanced at the stone butterfly nearby. She was curiously observing the array, her face showing no unusual expression. This gave Han Li, who wasn't particularly confident in his understanding of the array, a sense of relief. With a touch of self-mockery, he concluded that his initial judgment must have been wrong. "Alright!" Rú Yuè said warmly, noticing the time had grown late. "All of you have come from afar, so I think it's best to rest a while. We'll begin the formal attempt to break the array tomorrow. From the way this array appears, it won't be broken in a matter of hours!" Hearing this, Han Li, who had been traveling for so long, felt genuinely weary and didn't object. The stone fairy, however, having now seen the true nature of the array, seemed eager to take part. Yet, seeing Rú Yuè's firm words, she remained silent. The group then returned to the stone pavilion. Due to the limited space, Han Li and his companions hastily gathered some soil, built several mud huts, and then transformed them into stone huts using the petrification technique, after which they officially moved in. ...The next morning, Han Li and Shi Die went to the vicinity of the luminous dome to begin various calculations and attribute tests. The entire process of breaking through the array was very slow. Especially at the beginning, both of them felt somewhat overwhelmed and unsure of how to proceed, frequently encountering insurmountable difficulties that yielded no progress over several days. Nevertheless, the array was static while the people were dynamic! As long as sufficient time was devoted to studying and contemplating, even the most enigmatic array would eventually be gradually unraveled. Through their close collaboration, this ancient array was no exception—its fundamental principles were gradually uncovered by the two of them. In this process, Han Li's impression of the stone-named female cultivator significantly improved. Though this woman possessed a certain air of reserve, she truly had notable abilities. She not only knew the various array techniques circulating among the realm inside and out, but when analyzing their spatial layouts, she demonstrated flawless precision and an exceptional level of detail—something that deeply impressed Han Li. In his estimation, while her theoretical mastery of array techniques may not quite match that of Xin Ruoyin, it was certainly close. Yet, as he admired her, he found himself somewhat puzzled. Why did he know so many accomplished array masters were women? Was there an inherent talent among female cultivators in the field of array techniques? Nevertheless, compared to Xin Ruoyin, this stone-tempered young lady seemed to lean more toward theoretical knowledge than practical application. While her explanations of array principles were thorough and well-articulated, her actual methods for breaking through arrays remained limited—relying almost exclusively on a few recurring techniques. Should these methods fail to yield results, she would simply stand helplessly, at a loss. As for Han Li’s own modest grasp of array techniques, he naturally lagged far behind her in the realm of strategic calculation. He was well aware of his own limitations and didn't bother arguing further on this matter. Instead, he skillfully applied various techniques of Xin Ruyin's to specifically target the array's vulnerabilities, leaving her deeply impressed. As a result, after a period of seamless coordination, Han Li and the Stone Immortal Maiden established a cooperative approach: the maiden would analyze and identify the weaknesses in the array, while Han Li would then devise methods to dismantle them. This collaboration not only significantly accelerated the progress of breaking the array but also allowed both of them to learn from each other, gaining valuable insights and expressing great satisfaction. Meanwhile, Jin Qing and the others, unable to contribute immediately, simply sat in meditation within the stone pavilion, quietly waiting for the two to finally dismantle the great array. After three months, one day, Han Li and Stone Butterfly summoned everyone to the slope. Having been busy for these days, the array had finally been largely unraveled and was now approaching its final barrier. Once this final restriction was overcome, the mysterious stone pillar would finally come into full view for all. The light shield now looked entirely different from the one Han Li had first seen. Not only had its area shrunk by nearly half, but its color had changed from the earlier dull yellow to a vibrant crimson, resembling flames. Just stepping a little closer, one could feel a strong wave of heat rushing toward them. Even more astonishing was the fact that the seven-colored ribbons embedded within the shield walls had transformed into countless fire serpents with wings, constantly gliding and swaying across the surface, exhaling fine streams of flame. And this final seal, clearly established the three yang realm here, allowing these fire spirits to continuously thrive and never fade. Should any cultivator unfamiliar with its nature forcibly break the seal, they would inevitably fall victim to the vicious attacks of these "Wing Evils." Shi Di explained with a touch of pride, as she had first conceived of the origins of these little-known "Wing Evils." "Wing Evils?" Jin Qing and the others were visibly startled upon hearing that these beings could even consume a cultivator's true essence. "Since you've summoned us here, I assume the two of you must already have a method to overcome this seal. Please, don't hesitate—go ahead and give your instructions." The usually quiet man with the simple surname Jian suddenly said this, somewhat surprised. Everyone else paused briefly, then turned their attention to this woman and Han Li. Han Li smiled gently, saying nothing. The stone butterfly smiled gracefully and said in a delicate, youthful voice: "At first, both I and Master Han found it quite challenging, but after several days of discussion, we finally devised a sound method to break the seal—though it will require the assistance of all of you." Though her appearance was ordinary, her voice was clear and bright, instantly lending her a touch of charm and grace. "Stone Lady, please tell us what you and Master Han would like us to do, and we will carry it out accordingly," said Hu Yue, beaming with a cheerful smile. Hearing this, the stone butterfly didn't hesitate and immediately issued her instructions. "To break this array, we need several water-elemental artifacts that are mutually compatible. We have gathered a few ourselves. All of you simply hold these artifacts and stand at the positions we indicate. Once Master Han breaks through the protective shield, you will use the artifacts to eliminate any remaining 'wing evils' that have escaped." "My esteemed friends, please do not use your divine artifacts to attack these spirit beasts. These are naturally born fire spirits—something we cultivators usually shy away from. Moreover, keep them at a distance; otherwise, things will quickly become complicated," Han Li added slowly, as he spoke. Han Li did not rush to act; instead, he carefully surveyed his surroundings once more, satisfied that everything was in order, before raising both hands. Dozens of uniform water-element array flags and array discs promptly flew out of his storage pouch and began to drift erratically around him. Without a word, Han Li lightly flicked his ten fingers, and immediately a continuous series of "puff" sounds echoed. The array flags and discs responded by flying swiftly to the perimeter of the red light shield and then settling down gradually according to a certain pattern. If they were flags, the flag poles sank directly into the ground by several inches; if they were discs, they floated steadily a few inches above the ground, forming a solemn and well-ordered array. (This book is currently short on recommendation votes—please feel free to cast your votes if you can! It seems to have a strong chance of making it onto the top recommendation list!)