Han Li thought for a moment before opening his mouth. "Han Li," the elder Qing Yi said, his voice full of allure, "I have never taken any disciples in my life, and my time is drawing near its end. If you wish to join my sect, all my teachings, treasures, and belongings shall pass fully into your hands. Such a fortunate opportunity is not something you can find everywhere." Even though Han Li knew the elder's words likely contained some exaggeration, he could not help but feel stirred. Yet before he could ponder it further, a deep, resonant voice from the other ear resonated. "Young master, I don't care what conditions Qing the Elder offers you. I only wish to remind you: this old master is a self-cultivating practitioner by origin, always living alone, with only one isolated island to call his own—outside of that, he possesses nothing at all. Even if he offers you everything, you will still find little to gain." "As for my own island of JI Yin, it is quite different. We have a large number of cultivators and a powerful network of influence." As a direct disciple of our master, your influence and status on the island are far greater than you could possibly imagine. Whether it's beautiful female attendants or rare materials for alchemy and crafting, our master can personally select whatever you desire. I notice that you and Zi Ling, the young lady from Miao Yin Sect, seem to have a particularly close rapport—perhaps you have some feelings for her? That's quite manageable! As soon as you take me as your master, I will retrieve her and send her back to Jiyin Island to serve as your dual-rejuvenation furnace and support. With that, I believe you'll be thoroughly satisfied! Our master is indeed straightforward, laying out a series of generous conditions in one go, so much so that the words forming on the tip of my tongue have been swallowed back down. Yet this isn't the end—Xuan Gu's voice has also stepped in. "Young Han, if you wish to join my disciple's sect, then only then shall we find the right moment to eliminate him. Don't forget: the recipe for transforming the Ji Qu Ling Shen into pills is known to me alone. You'd better follow what Master Ben has said." Otherwise…" The implication of threat in Xuan Gu's words was unmistakable. Han Li sighed internally, his eyes rolling. These three all had their own hidden agendas, and with him caught in the middle, he risked being overwhelmed by complications. By his own preference, if he truly wished to join one of their sects, he would have naturally chosen the elderly scholar in the scholar's robe. Though the elder offered him little in return, at least there were no entangling relationships—his path would remain remarkably clear and free from unnecessary disputes. As for Ju Yin's promises of elixirs, beautiful women, and cultivation techniques, Han Li simply didn't place much value on them. Even the offer of Zǐ Líng, the immortal maiden, left him speechless. However, once Xuan Gu communicated his expectations, Han Li found himself compelled to reconsider carefully. Consolidating his Yuan Ying—his next major milestone on the path to immortality—though still seemingly distant—was something he absolutely had to secure. With that thought in mind, Han Li closed his mouth and lowered his gaze, quietly pondering the various advantages and disadvantages at hand. After a moment when his expression changed several times, Han Li finally looked up and gave a reply that disappointed the young robe elder but greatly pleased the Jiyin Master. "I have long heard of the great reputation of Jiyin Island. From now on, I shall be deeply grateful for Master Wu's guidance." "Excellent, Han Li! I hereby appoint you as a provisional disciple. We will hold a formal ceremony upon your return to Jiyin Island. This Xuan Yin Ring is one of the ancient treasures I acquired in my early years. Every direct disciple of our sect holds one such ring—both as a token of trust and as a protective artifact. Please take good care of it!" Naturally aware of the importance of seizing the moment, the Jiyin Master immediately removed a black-gray ring from his finger and handed it to Han Li. Han Li, somewhat surprised, accepted it and carefully examined it. The ring was about the size of a common ring, yet it bore ancient, weathered inscriptions of mysterious symbols, and subtly emitted a deep blue, ethereal glow—clearly no ordinary item. Han Li was pleased in his heart, yet heard a mocking voice from Xuan Gu. "Xuan Yin Ring? This rebellious disciple truly manages to erase my very existence entirely. It was originally the ancient treasure bestowed upon him by me—the Yin-Yang Ring—yet now he has even renamed it. Hmph! Don't be too elated yet. Though this Yin Ring indeed possesses the ability to protect its master and defeat enemies, it is countered by a Yang Ring upon his person. When he uses this ring to attack him, it will only lead to his own downfall." Han Li remained composed, showing no outward surprise. On the surface, he bowed respectfully and thanked the Ji Yin Master. Yet within, he sighed quietly. Staying in the presence of such a deeply strategic Ji Yin Master demanded full alertness. Otherwise, a single oversight would surely bring misfortune. Now he fully relied on Xuan Gu to truly succeed in bringing down Ji Yin. Otherwise, would he not eventually join the Ji Yin Island, and become merely a diligent disciple of the old master? Moreover, even if he truly wished to become a genuine, worthy disciple. The very senior master of Yin might not even sincerely accept him! Whether or not he would flip his back on him later remains entirely uncertain. Han Li certainly wasn't bold enough to truly rely on him! At this point, he could only take it step by step, calculate as he went. After all, his own strength simply wasn't up to par. Though he had long been aware of the ruthless competition among the immortal realms, this sense of helplessness—since his Dan stage—hadn't surfaced for a long time. In past perilous situations, even though they had been extremely dangerous, he had always managed to fight back with some strength. But now, facing any Yuan-Ying stage cultivator from the Xutian Hall directly, he could only be defeated. This made him begin to question whether he truly was a star-born calamity! Just out of curiosity, wanting to explore the secret of the fragmented map of Xuan Gu, he had ended up unexpectedly getting caught in the midst of Yuan-Ying cultivators, and now found himself being closely watched by them. Han Li was deeply dissatisfied with the remarks from above, his inner frustrations unable to find expression, yet he had to force himself to appear excited and joyful. Seeing that Han Li had taken off the Xuan Yin Ring and showed him great respect and courtesy, the Patriarch of Extreme Yin was extremely pleased. After briefly discussing with an elder beside him, he immediately invited Han Li to join him on their way back. Since it was now nearly the end of the day, if they did not reach the Great Gorge soon, they might never enter the Ice-Fire Path. Thus, after storing the Blood Jade Spider, the group ascended into the sky and flew toward the horizon. On the journey, the Patriarch of Extreme Yin spoke pleasantly to Han Li, actively pointing out several mistakes in his cultivation practice, which truly proved beneficial to Han Li. Han Li could not help but exclaim—how different cultivation truly was when one had guidance versus when one had none! Yet, the elder Wu Chou, observing this scene, could not help but display a certain sense of resentment, though he tried hard to conceal it. Han Li had clearly sensed the strong undercurrent of rivalry. Han Li had a clear sense of what was going on, yet deliberately remained unaware and paid no attention. The four travelers flew at an astonishing speed, and within a few hours, they arrived at the foot of a colossal mountain stretching thousands of zhang high. The mountain was massive and rugged, composed entirely of massive stones of dark and deep blue hues. From the center of the mountain, it had been naturally and masterfully split in two, extending all the way down to its very foundation, forming a vast natural gully. What was even more strange was that at the exact midpoint of the split, a distinct boundary shimmered with vivid red and blue light, clearly separating and enveloping each half of the mountain—so otherworldly it appeared from a distance. At the entrance of the great gully, thirty or so cultivators in various garments sat quietly, their expressions solemn, as though awaiting something significant. The group, including Jiu Yin, gradually descended and settled among them. Han Li merely glanced briefly and immediately spotted Yuan Yao, the dark-robed beauty, among the crowd. Yet upon seeing the Yuan-ying period magian cultivators, including Han Li and the Master of Extreme Yin, gathered together, the young lady was filled with astonishment. When Han Li looked at her, she seemed startled, quickly turning her head away, avoiding direct eye contact. Han Li was slightly taken aback, and suddenly sensed something. Without further words, he withdrew his gaze and turned it elsewhere. Among the others, neither the Purple Ling Princess nor the young male cultivator was visible—clearly, they would not venture into the "Ice-Fire Path" and intended to return directly to their original positions. However, the seated cultivators, though bearing a serious demeanor, appeared calm and composed, with an air of distinguished grace. Their cultivation levels were generally much deeper than Han Li's, even if the exact level of Ju-Dan Late Stage was unknown, most of them were at Ju-Dan Mid Stage or above. Among Han Li and Yuan Yao, who were at Ju-Dan Initial Stage, only about six or seven such cultivators existed, and even they remained composed and confident. After observing them all, Han Li slightly furrowed his brow. Because none of the other Yuan-Stage cultivators were present, the couple of Ji Yin returned the earliest. While thinking about it, Master Ji Yin chose a more favorable location and settled into a meditative posture. Wu Chou naturally moved to the side and assumed a seated meditation posture. "Han Li, rest with me for a while," Master Ji Yin said to Han Li in a kind, teacherly tone. Though Han Li had no intention of approaching this elderly master, he could only nod in response under the gaze of the elder, then stepped forward a few paces and settled down on the other side of Master Ji Yin.