"Xu, shall we talk outside?" The well-dressed man glanced around the stone pavilion and at the star-gate cultivator standing in the corner, suggesting gently. "Outside? Fine," the scarred man replied indifferently. The well-dressed man was delighted, but then as if remembering something, turned around and offered the cultivator a warm smile. "Qu, why don't we all listen together? Perhaps we can collaborate!" The well-dressed man clearly intended to draw Fr. Han into the fold. Han blinked, then smiled. "Well, that's exactly what I've been hoping to hear," he said, and then, without hesitation, lifted his leg and stepped out of the pavilion ahead of the others. "What? Does this cultivator not share the same path as the others?" the scarred cultivator was slightly surprised by this. "He came with us when we arrived, though we've never met before," the middle-aged man with a dark face, who still harbored a touch of reserve toward Han, suddenly added. This remark caused the well-dressed man to furrow his brow slightly, but he said nothing. Xu Yun nodded in return, making no further gesture either. The three of them then exited the stone pavilion one after another. At this moment, Han Li had already stepped outside and was gazing around in growing astonishment. This place was entirely different from the Ningcui Island he had visited previously. They had appeared within a small city. Though modest and somewhat rustic, with only about twenty miles in extent, it was indeed a city constructed entirely of black stone. The weathered stone pavilion equipped with a teleportation array stood at the very center of the city, on a raised platform resembling a temple altar, with a steep stone staircase on each of its four sides. Due to its elevated position, the platform offered a panoramic view of the entire city. Surrounding the city was a high stone wall, approximately three to four zhang in height, and beyond this wall, at a distance of about one zhang, a thick, luminous white energy shield shimmered, enclosing the entire city within its protective embrace. Within the stone walls lay numerous large stone dwellings of varying sizes. Yet strangely, there were no floor-level extensions or pavilions—every structure was plain and flat. At first glance, although the city seemed densely populated with buildings, there were actually not many independent structures. Some stone houses were clustered together in groups, while others occupied astonishingly broad spaces, stretching dozens of zhang in width. When they first saw the small city, they were equally stunned. After all, since they had planned to visit the extraterrestrial sea, they naturally wanted to have some prior knowledge about all the beast-islands. Yet, none of the existing records matched this one exactly. "Mister Liu, please retrieve the jade scroll containing the previous records of Qi Yuan Island and go through it again. Could it be that we've overlooked something?" The dressed-in-royal-clothes man's face flashed with a subtle expression of surprise before he spoke in a serious tone. "Alright, I'll check it again!" The woman named Liu quickly hurried to翻 through her storage bag. "Actually, you don't need to search for any records anymore. Most of the information about Qi Yuan Island that you've previously seen was fabricated. That's why you're so surprised," said Xu Yun, who simply waved his hand to stop her from retrieving the scroll. "Fabricated? What exactly do you mean by that?" The dressed-in-royal-clothes man's expression changed immediately. "It's quite simple—this Qi Yuan Island is different from all the other beast-islands." All returning monks and nuns are strictly ordered to deliver a unified message—otherwise, they will face serious consequences. As for you, my dear friends, I'm not sure whether you're lucky or unfortunate to have arrived here! Xu Yun spoke with a half-smiling, half-earnest tone. "A unified message! Who could possibly manage such a task? Surely not the Star Palace." Lady Liu looked visibly uneasy. "Although not the Star Palace itself, this place is indeed governed by a powerful force—one that even the Star Palace would hesitate to offend." Xu Yun sighed and said this. Upon hearing these words, Han Li's eyebrows twitched slightly, while the others—especially the well-dressed Han—stared at one another, stunned. "Heh, heh! In truth, this place isn't as bad as you might imagine. In fact, in certain ways, it might even be a place some cultivators would actively seek out." "This Black Stone City is the first city on Qi Yuan Island and the only city on the island." As long as you have the strength or a plentiful supply of spiritual stones and immortal beasts' essences, this place is a paradise for cultivators. You can enjoy and purchase items here that you simply cannot find on other beast-islands—whether it's top-tier dual-cultivation furnace and cauldrons, powerful talismans, rare immortal beasts, or materials that come along once in a century—everything is available here." The scar-faced cultivator smiled and suddenly switched to a vibrant, persuasive tone, speaking loudly. This drew several ordinary people and cultivators passing by to glance over, but they soon resumed their paths without further notice. However, the words struck the Jin-Yi Han and his companions with growing surprise and doubt. Meanwhile, Han Li remained composed, continuing to gaze around as if he had not heard a word. The scar-faced cultivator noticed this and glanced at Han Li with a touch of surprise. "Could you please provide a more detailed introduction to this place?" the Jin-Yi Han inhaled deeply and asked seriously. "Of course. I've already decided to stay here for the time being." I'll first take you all around and explain things as we go. That's far more effective than me just talking about it from here on. So, whenever you have any benefits in the future, don't forget to think of me, my good friends." Xu Yun seemed completely recovered from his earlier disappointment, speaking with unusually bright and cheerful energy. "Then thank you, Xu brother. It seems this place is quite different from a typical city." The well-dressed man stared at a male cultivator walking with a common mortal woman, his expression filled with mild surprise. The male cultivator was walking with the woman in his arms, holding her with grace, while the other common mortals and cultivators passing by simply ignored them. Xu Yun smiled slightly at this and said nothing further, simply leading the group toward a substantial stone house nearby. This black stone house, which Xu Yun had noticed earlier, was one of the largest buildings in the stone city. From a distance, two graceful mortal women stand at the entrance of the hall, warmly welcoming numerous cultivators who frequently pass through. "Remember! Although this place is not Tianxing City, it strictly prohibits disputes and combat within the city—except for one special arena. Those who violate this rule face only one outcome: their form and spirit are completely extinguished. There is no other option." On the way, Xu Yun began to speak seriously. "No way! The penalties seem even stricter than those in Tianxing City!" The middle-aged man with a stern face was startled and exclaimed in surprise. "Indeed, they are far more severe. Yet, for cultivators entering this city, the assurance of safety and peace of mind is equally guaranteed. As far as I know, not a single cultivator who has sought vengeance and engaged in combat within the city has managed to escape alive. After all, a senior cultivator at the Yuan Ying stage is always stationed here, ensuring constant vigilance." Xu Yun explained slowly. "A Yuan Ying cultivator!" The well-dressed man could not help but his expression grow pale. The others looked equally startled. Han Li himself felt a sudden surge of alertness, his vigilance sharpening. "Alright," he said, "let's talk inside once we're settled." With a smile from the two beautiful women, the well-dressed man and the others followed the scar-faced cultivator into the stone pavilion, their hearts fluttering with anticipation. Han Li, eyes gleaming with curiosity, stepped in beside them. It's strange—though this woman appears ordinary in appearance, her every gesture and movement exudes the grace of a mature woman, and in her tone and laughter, there's a subtle charm that touches the soul. The male cultivator, like her, is at the foundational stage mid-level, yet he is utterly captivated, his eyes fixed and his mouth constantly watering. Upon seeing Xu Yun and the others enter, however, she instantly brightens, lightly claps her hands, and immediately steps out from behind the screen, a young ordinary woman. With the male cultivator's lingering gaze, she leads her into the screen, and then steps back behind it.