"Is the Seven-Rain Lotus well known? Does it have any special uses?" At the back of the group, upon hearing this, the Jin-family cultivator and others felt a sudden sense of alertness, their minds instantly sharpening. They unconsciously turned to look at Han Li with a touch of awkwardness. They had all witnessed the power of the Gold-Eating Insects firsthand. Even together, they likely wouldn't have been able to stand a chance against these strange creatures. Now that such a precious discovery had been made, they naturally felt a growing sense of unease. Even Jin Qing, who had personally invited Han Li to join them, showed a hint of hesitation. Given Han Li's keen insight, he immediately grasped their thoughts simply by observing their expressions, and a touch of self-mockery flickered in his eyes. Yet he quickly masked this subtle shift, maintaining his composed demeanor and continuing as if nothing had changed, asking: "The name 'Seven-Rain Lotus' is quite unique! I've read countless texts—yet I still have no clear memory of it." The monks on the other side exchanged glances, but it was Hu Yue who cleared her throat and smiled, explaining to Han Li: "It seems that you've always been deeply focused on your practice, rarely engaging with matters beyond cultivation. Even if you searched through all the scriptures on medicinal herbs, you'd likely never find the name 'Seven-Rain Lotus.' In contrast, this herb appears frequently in the oral traditions and folk tales. It's said that when ordinary people consume it, it can revive the dead and transform white bones into flesh. For cultivators, it can greatly enhance their cultivation level—sometimes even bringing them a full stage up. Truly a legendary treasure of the immortal realm!" Though these words stirred a slight sense of caution in Han Li, Hu Yue could not conceal her excitement on her face. "Really? That sounds truly miraculous," Han Li said, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if still doubtful. "I honestly don't know. Without having seen this Seven-Rain Lotus today with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe such a thing truly exists in the world!" However, it's certain that some cultivators will spend a large number of spiritual stones just to acquire it—this is truly so," Hu Yue chuckled. "That's good," Han Li nodded lightly, and no longer looked at the Seven-Cloud Lotus. Instead, he bowed his head and examined the exceptionally pure bone remains with a clearly interested expression. Seeing Han Li's calm demeanor, unimpressed and not showing any intention to claim it for himself, the others exchanged a quiet breath of relief. "Jian, go and harvest the Seven-Cloud Lotus. After the auction, we'll divide the spiritual stones equally. Stone Lady, could you please check if there are any array or seal restrictions near the pool?" Hu Yue gave a subtle nod to the cultivator named Jian and the lady Stone, speaking in a timely manner. The two listened carefully, glanced at Han Li thoughtfully, and then agreed. After realizing Han Li's strength was simply overwhelming, these several individuals naturally came together, forming a subtle sense of exclusivity toward him. Jin Qing listened carefully, a moment of hesitation flickering across his face as if he wanted to say something, but after a moment's thought, he said nothing. At that moment, Han Li was half-kneeling beside the skeletons, examining something closely, his expression calm and composed. This gave Hu Yue, who had been carefully watching him, a sense of relief. "There are no restrictions near the water pool. Friend Jian may proceed with confidence in harvesting," Stone Di confirmed after briefly checking with several magical items. Upon hearing this, Jian's cultivator immediately brightened and hurried over. "Be careful. It's said that the Seven-Cloud Lotus cannot be touched with magical tools or instruments—it must be plucked by hand. Otherwise, it will wilt instantly!" Hu Yue's expression brightened as though remembering something, and she quickly added the reminder. Jian nodded without turning around, indicating he had heard and understood. At that moment, his entire attention was focused on the bud of the Seven-Cloud Lotus. Standing by the water pool paved with translucent jade, the Jin-family cultivator slightly bowed, extending two fingers and carefully reaching toward the three-hued flower buds. As he moved to pluck the blossoms, Shi Di and the others naturally held their breath, fixated on every gesture of his. "Wait a moment—I'll try using my powerful technique again." The man with the surname Jian produced a yellow scroll, pressed it against his body, then clenched his five fingers tightly around the spot three inches below the flower bud, pulling hard outward. "Hold on!" Han Li, who was examining the bones, suddenly spoke up without lifting his head. The others—Hu Yue and the rest—felt a sudden jolt of surprise, their expressions filled with uncertainty. The Jian surname cultivator himself grew uneasy, yet when he glanced at the dazzling flower bud just a few feet away, he straightened his resolve and, as if he hadn't heard, pressed down with a firm grip. But the Seven-Cloud Lotus remained as solid as iron, unyielding in the slightest. Now even more anxious, the Jian cultivator hardly thought twice, tightened his fingers, and switched from pulling to pressing. This time, the flower bud responded, trembling slightly before suddenly retracting and vanishing into the water pool. "Plunged!" The simple cultivator named Jian, was suddenly pulled into the pool by a tremendous force transmitted through the stems, splashing white liquid everywhere. The stone naiad, being closer, was instantly hit by several droplets on her face. Immediately, a cry of pain rang out! "It's poisonous! This water is poisonous!" The female cultivator clutched her face with both hands, shouting in shock and anger. Then, she quickly reached into her storage pouch, pulled out a red medicine bottle, poured a handful of crimson pills into it, and hurriedly swallowed them. At that very moment, Hu Yue and Jin Qing saw a face covered with yellow blisters and severe sores, and both gasped in astonishment. Even Han Li, who had noticed it, felt his expression change slightly. This stone naiad had only been struck by a few droplets and had already transformed so drastically—what about the cultivator Jian, who had plunged into the pool? Thinking of this, Jin Qing and the others turned their gaze toward the jade pool, now filled with the milky liquid, where the one who had fallen in had remained completely silent since. Neither did they hear his cries nor see him struggling to call for help. They felt a bit uneasy now! Finally, Shi Die ceased her moans and tore off a corner of her gown to tightly cover the top of her head, then breathed a sigh of relief and turned toward the pond, her eyes filled with venom. "Plip, plip—" a series of bubbles rose from the depths of the pond. Soon, a partially decomposed body floated to the surface. Everyone grew pale. From the remnants of clothing on the corpse, it was clear that it was the Jian surname cultivator's body. Yet now, he was riddled with wounds, his bones exposed, his eyes hollow and lifeless—his eyeballs had completely dissolved, making the sight deeply chilling. "How could this have happened? The thousand-year-old stone milk should not possess such a poison!" Hu Yue could hardly believe it, murmuring in disbelief. "The thousand-year-old stone milk itself is not poisonous. However, if someone deliberately poisoned the water in the pond, then that would be a different matter altogether," said Han Li, standing up and slowly exhaling. "Han brother!" You stopped me just now—did you already know the pond was poisoned?" Shi Die asked, her voice slightly hoarse, turning to the cold gaze of Xiang Han-li. "I don't know whether it's toxic or not. But this Seven-Cloud Lotus isn't easy to harvest. I've noticed something. Look at the right hand of this white skeleton!" Han-li gently tapped the skeletal remains with the tip of his foot, speaking calmly. Han Li didn't say a word. With a simple motion of his fingers, five moderately sized fire balls floated at the tips of his fingers. Then, with a slight flick of his fingers, the balls aligned in a straight line and shot toward the Seven-Cloud Lotus. Jin Qing and the others were startled, but having witnessed similar events before, they did not intervene to stop Han Li. "Boom!" "Boom!" A series of explosive sounds followed. The Seven-Cloud Lotus wavered back and forth in the flames before suddenly retracting into the water. Then, a dark figure flashed, and an object shot out from the water, darting toward Han Li like an arrow.