Although Han Li was cultivating the path to immortality, to him, achieving immortality was merely a means to attain eternal life. Should any true immortal appear before him, he might indeed show profound reverence, but to truly bow and obey without reservation—well, that would be difficult to achieve. The words of Zilin Immortal and Ge Li, spoken so directly to Han Li, left the two momentarily stunned and slightly embarrassed. In truth, it wasn't just Han Li who thought this way—most cultivators regarded the tale of "Ti Hun" as little more than a legend. Only Han Li had expressed it so openly and straightforwardly. After all, when it came to matters of destiny and the Way of Heaven, they still harbored some hesitation. At that moment, the black-robed figure had already led "Ti Hun" deep into the ghost mist, vanishing completely from sight. Han Li glanced at the ghost mist and smiled, lifting the corner of his mouth. "Let's go then. Since someone has already cleared a path ahead of us, we would be most ungrateful to refuse." "What does Master Han mean?" asked the elder with the surname Ge, as though he didn't quite understand. In truth, he fully grasped Han's intent—had Han not agreed to join forces, he would have done the same himself. Only moments ago, he had looked down upon the cloaked figure with disdain; now, however, he wished to leverage the cloaked man's strength to penetrate this spectral mist. Facing Han and his companion, he felt it difficult to maintain his composure and thus feigned confusion, letting Han speak first. Han glanced at the elder with a half-smiling, slightly amused expression, said nothing, and then took the lead toward the direction where the cloaked figure had vanished. The Purple Spirit Princess followed without hesitation. Upon seeing this, Ge Li was momentarily stunned, then blushed slightly and joined them. As the gray-white spectral mist sensed the presence of the three approaching figures, it stirred as though alive, surging and billowing toward them. Should an ordinary mortal be enveloped by this mist, his vital essence would be swiftly drained, leaving him a lifeless corpse. The spirit essence became part of these ghost mists, and thus became trapped in the realm of ghosts, unable to escape. Yet Han Li and his two companions were cultivators, naturally unafraid of these mere ghost mists. As they radiated bright glimmers, each established their own protective methods. Ge Li raised her hand and released a small, pale red parasol, which slowly rotated at a height of several zhang above her head. A red-hued light beam enveloped the elder, and whenever the ghost mists touched this red glow, they immediately emitted a hissing sound, rising in wisps of eerie green smoke, and faintly emitting ghostly wails and howls. The other ghost mists, witnessing this, dared only to writhe and surge outside the red light, refusing to advance, as though endowed with intelligence. Meanwhile, Zi Ling, the immortal maiden, released four round, fist-sized magical devices that circled around her, forming a mobile barrier several zhang in diameter. This barrier, pure and translucent, took on a square shape, completely repelling the ghost mists and keeping them at a safe distance, unable to approach Zi Ling at all. However, the most peculiar defensive technique belonged to Han Li. While Han Li emitted only a light, ethereal blue glow and had not activated any incantations, artifacts, or divine treasures, the ghostly mist that approached his body was instantly struck and dispersed by several mysterious electric flashes, vanishing completely. This unusual sight naturally drew the astonishment of Ge Li and Lady Zilin. Yet neither of them felt inclined to ask questions proactively. Amidst her bewilderment, Lady Zilin faintly recalled the Heavenly Thunder Bamboo, though she wasn't entirely certain. Han Li, still unaware, continued walking at the forefront. This was not out of any desire to display heroism, but rather because, in this setting where ghostly atmosphere permeated all around, whether walking at the front or at the back made little practical difference. Indeed, walking ahead allowed him better awareness of potential dangers. As for those electric flashes, they merely distributed the partial sword energy of Han Li’s inner blue bamboo bee-sword across his protective shield. Only the "Qingyuan Sword Technique's" protective sword-shield ability allows one to directly harness the power of the flying sword without having to deploy their法宝. This particular method, which Han Li has only recently mastered, enables such direct utilization. Given the inherent protective properties of the Golden Thunder Bamboo, it naturally proves effortless against these ghost mists. Of course, Han Li has not fully drawn out the full power of the Golden Thunder Bamboo, so the electric glimmers appear merely pale white—thus, unlikely to be recognized as originating from it. Nevertheless, his exceptionally sharp and powerful spiritual awareness, far surpassing that of ordinary cultivators, has completely relaxed since he entered the mist, guarding against potential sudden attacks by fierce spirits that might go unnoticed. After all, even with their refined spiritual sight, cultivators struggle to see beyond the dense fog. However, the trail left by the black-robed figure remains easily traceable within this thick mist, as a clear, noticeably lighter passage several zhang wide stands out clearly against the surrounding fog. Han Li and his companions can simply follow this path to pursue and conceal themselves. It was either the technique of the cloaked figure, or the supernatural manifestation of the "Soul-Cry," but to Han Li, it made no difference—he simply didn't feel like pondering the details. The more powerful the "Soul-Cry" became, the more advantageous it was for those arriving afterward. Now, Han Li observed the surroundings with a composed expression, walking slowly with one foot slightly higher and the other slightly lower, as the ground beneath his feet was uneven and damp, giving off a heavy, moist atmosphere. He walked on thus, without any incident occurring along the way. Unconsciously, the group followed the cloaked figure deeper into the ghostly mist. Gradually, the color of the mist shifted from its original gray-white to a darker hue. Yet Han Li's expression grew steadily more somber, and his brows began to furrow. Suddenly, a crisp crackling sound, and Han Li stopped abruptly, lowering his head to examine the ground. The purple spirit maiden and the elder were also curious and gathered around. Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly, then returned to his normal expression, and shifted his foot from its original position. After all, beneath his feet lay only a pile of white bones, still wrapped in a shimmering green-glowing robe—no ordinary attire. Nearby, there were several fragments of a broken sword, crystal-clear and translucent, as if still imbued with a lingering spirit. Clearly, this had been a fortunate cultivator who had met a tragic end here. Han Li's eyes flashed with unusual light, yet he shook his head. Having remained deceased for so many years, the remnants of his divine artifacts still retained their vitality—this suggested that he must have been a cultivator of considerable attainment before his passing. Yet here, even his bones had not been properly gathered or laid to rest. It was a stark contrast to his former glory—truly pitiful. Indeed, a single misstep on the cultivation path could lead to a fate of unending trials, even more sorrowful than that of ordinary mortals. The spirit of this cultivator has now likely become part of the ghost mist, or perhaps transformed into a vengeful spirit, making it exceedingly difficult for him to re-enter the cycle of reincarnation. As Han Li sighed, he glanced unconsciously at the other two. The purple-spirit maiden looked slightly pale; upon seeing Han Li's gaze, she managed a faint, forced smile. The elderly man with the surname Ge, however, appeared strangely composed. His brows were furrowed as he stared intently at the young man in the blue robe for a long time. Suddenly, he flicked his finger, and a flame the size of an egg landed upon the robe. Yet before it could make contact, the flame flickered and vanished instantly. "Ah! Indeed, it is him!" Ge Li raised his head, murmuring softly, his expression now somber. "Do you know him, Han friend?" Han Li arched his eyebrows, gazing gently at the bones. The purple-spirit maiden also showed interest. "This man has been acquainted with me several times," Ge Li said. "He is the Jade Immortal." He had already achieved the Dan Stage much earlier than me, and the fire-shielding robe he wears was crafted from silk spun by ice silkworms over a hundred years old—ordinary flames could not even approach him. It's no ordinary treasure. When the Xitian Hall was first opened, I heard he had also gone, but he never returned afterward. I never expected him to truly be trapped here, and even to fail to pass the very first stage. Truly unfortunate! Eg Li sighed deeply. Upon hearing this, Han Li remained silent, but after a while, he suddenly asked a question that startled the elder. "How does the Jade True Person's cultivation level and the power of his treasures compare to yours? Is he significantly more advanced?" Han Li asked calmly. Upon hearing this, Eg Li seemed to grasp Han Li's intent, stroked his beard slightly, and then affirmed: "Though the Jade True Person now holds the same foundational stage as I do—initial stage of Foundation—when he was at that time, he was reportedly on the verge of breaking through his current limits and about to enter the mid-Dan stage. Therefore, his internal power should have been considerably stronger than mine." Moreover, he possesses an exceptionally rare ice-type hetero-root, and his ice-based cultivation techniques far surpass mine. As for his divine artifacts, I haven't witnessed him engaging in combat, so I can't judge them yet. Still, they shouldn't be inferior to mine, right?" The elder said, his complexion growing increasingly pale. "Then it must be that there's someone quite capable nearby. I've always found it strange—despite the啼魂兽 clearing the way, we've encountered nothing but ghost mists throughout our journey. Surely, that black-robed figure couldn't have eliminated all the local spirits and monsters, could he?" Han Li replied with serious demeanor.