By the third morning, when it was still half-dawn, the group of a well-dressed tall man and a slender man had quietly slipped out of the manor without making much noise. Just as the city's strict watch had been lifted, it was the ideal time for the cultivators to go out and move around. However, since it was still early, the city itself seemed rather sparse in activity. As a result, the seven travelers became even more cautious, each one pressing forward with tense concentration, heads down and eyes fixed on the path. Only the leading well-dressed man, while gliding ahead, kept glancing around with attentive curiosity. Their journey had gone smoothly so far, and they had already reached the forty-ninth terrace of the Sacred Mountain. Just a few more moments, and they would arrive at the Hall of the Starry Sky. At this point, they breathed a sigh of relief and felt much more at ease. But just then, the well-dressed man leading the way suddenly changed expression, halted his flight, and raised his hand in a solemn, unusual gesture. The others immediately reacted, their faces pale, stopping in unison and adopting a vigilant, alert posture. "Master, what is your intention? Why have you materialized invisibly to block our path?" The dressed-in-luxury man stared at the empty space ahead, his tone stern. At the same time, his palm gently but silently rested against his waist satchel. "Ah, don't be alarmed, everyone. Though I've been specifically waiting for you all, I have no ill will—only a matter I'd like to request." A slightly hoarse voice came slowly from the empty space, and then, with a flash of emerald light, a young scholar in a green robe appeared, hands behind his back. The man appeared to be in his mid-thirties, pale as if unwell. Yet upon seeing his cultivation level, the dressed-in-luxury man and the others were struck with surprise and immediately grew more alert. He too was at the late Foundation Stage, just like the man in the fine attire, both at the stage of approaching Dan. "Master, may I ask your name? What can we do for you?" The man's eyes flashed with frost, yet his voice remained calm. "My name is Qu. I'm merely a wandering cultivator. You all were heading to the Celestial Hall, weren't you? Could you possibly take me along as well? I'd also like to visit the Extraterrestrial Sea." The man in blue robes said this casually, a remark that made the others on the other side pale. Upon hearing this, the gentleman in fine attire grew even more uneasy. After a moment of silence, he forced a smile and denied: "Ah, it's Master Qu, I see. But what exactly do you mean by the Celestial Hall and the Extraterrestrial Sea? We're merely here for some personal matters, passing through. There's no connection at all with the Celestial Hall. Perhaps you've mistaken me for someone else?" Deep within, the gentleman had made up his mind. Though he didn't know the visitor's background or how he had learned of their journey, he was determined not to admit it easily. The others remained silent, as though they had entrusted the entire matter to the gentleman to handle. "Master Yi, why be so cautious? Since I've appeared here at this very moment, do you truly believe these words will be enough to deceive me?" The young scholar smiled lightly and said indifferently, "Hmph! You seem to know quite well—perhaps even better than I do." The noble-dressed man was startled, snorted, and his palm pressed against the storage bag grew noticeably pale with veins standing out. The others, seemingly receiving subtle cues from somewhere, moved in perfect unison, scattering suddenly and forming a semi-circle around the young scholar. "Do any of you really intend to kill me and eliminate me? Not boasting, but with my current level of cultivation, even if all of you attack together, you won't be able to instantly defeat me. At that point, I'll simply shout for the Star Palace delegation to arrive. Then, I wonder what fate awaits you all?" The young cultivator paid no attention to their movements, speaking with calm and composed ease. Upon hearing this, the dark-faced cultivator and others exchanged glances, their attention gradually shifting to the noble-dressed man. The man now looked utterly displeased. Though he had not yet achieved the Dan stage, he had always considered himself a master of strategy—when had he ever been so clearly threatened by a Juzhi-level cultivator? Yet he was well aware that the threat from the other party was genuine, not merely casual. After weighing the pros and cons in his mind, he managed to suppress his anger and asked calmly, "My esteemed friend, what exactly would you like us to do? We had previously agreed with the other side that seven of us would be involved, and their transmission array can carry no more than seven cultivators at a time. With you joining, the other party will surely object." "Thank you so much, my friend!" The green-robed man remained composed, as if he had anticipated the Jianyi Han's submission all along, and bowed slightly with both hands. "Since you also intend to go to the Star Pavilion, let's move quickly. We've already wasted considerable time—our hosts must be growing impatient." The slender man glanced up at the sky, then hurriedly urged them on. Upon hearing this, the green-robed man merely glanced at the slender man without speaking, but the Jianyi Han immediately raised his hand and led the group onward. Their flight formation, by chance, naturally encircled the green-robed cultivator in the center. It was clear that the vigilance of the several figures had not wavered at all. The green-robed cultivator, however, maintained his calm expression, moving steadily and unhurriedly alongside the group. The remaining journey was not long—within a short while, they arrived at the entrance of the Star Pavilion. At that moment, the slender man suddenly accelerated, shooting ahead and landing first. The several robust figures from the Jin Yi sect showed no unusual expression. After all, this very person had been the one consistently in contact with the Star Palace before. Now, upon arriving here, it was natural for him to step forward, so as to avoid any mishaps. Once inside the Star Palace hall, they tried their best to appear composed, though a certain sense of nervousness still surfaced. Indeed, their lives now rested entirely in the hands of the hosts. Yet everything seemed perfectly normal—the expected seals had not yet manifested. It appeared that the in-charge officials had preemptively deactivated them. The young man in green robes noticed this subtle shift and his face briefly brightened with a touch of surprise. However, the others grew reassured, finally entering the grand hall equipped with the teleportation array, where two star palace cultivators dressed in white were already awaiting their arrival. "Master Gu, Master Qian! We have arrived. Have you all prepared yourselves as well?" The slender man immediately approached them with a warm smile, bowing with great courtesy. The two cultivators maintained a cold demeanor. When the lean man asked his question, only one of the bald elder, with a proud air, nodded slowly. "We have nothing special to prepare. Simply hand over your spiritual stones. Each of you will receive a teleportation scroll, and you'll be on your way immediately. But will the number of stones be sufficient?" the elder said slowly. "Please rest assured, we have brought exactly as agreed upon," the well-dressed man stepped forward, speaking with equal courtesy. "You must be Yi, right? Indeed, your cultivation level is impressive!" The elder glanced at the man with a composed, slightly more polite tone. However, as his gaze swept over the others and settled on Han Li, his expression suddenly darkened. "It was said to be seven of you. How come there's an extra person now? This fellow seems to have reached the stage of False Dan. Who is he?" The elder asked, his voice cold and full of inquiry. "He's...," the well-dressed man smiled slightly, clearly intending to explain. "I'm a lone practitioner, just like the others, also aiming to reach the extraterrestrial sea. I heard that you, Master Yi, and your companions have connections, so I came specifically to seek your assistance. I hope you won't mind. If you're willing to be flexible, I'd be happy to pay double the transportation fee." Han Li spoke calmly, cutting in before the well-dressed man could continue. "Double the fee?" the bald elder blinked, then glanced over at the more composed middle-aged cultivator beside him. "Even if you pay double, it won't help. Our transportation array can only carry seven people at a time, and we'll only activate one array—never single out for you to make an extra trip. Otherwise, when we're reviewed, it won't be easy to hide that." The middle-aged cultivator gently furrowed his brows as he spoke. "This, I've certainly considered as well. I won't place any burden on you." So, could this esteemed companion temporarily lend me your transmission slot?" Han Li smiled slightly, then turned abruptly to the person by his side and said it without the slightest hesitation. "What did you just say?" Hearing this, the man first stared in surprise, then looked utterly astonished.